Glad you thought it was interesting and thanks for the critique. I meant to say that because the holder of the rock can transmogrify into anything, the person who turned into the book was transmogrifying new words onto it’s pages when they realized they had the chance to communicate with a reader.

But since the book person dropped the rock, it’s a hole in the logic.

Bursting from the tunnel, a neon urban skyline tumbles into view.

"Barbara, you need to send me those documents to my sat-chip immediately. I'm approaching the meet up location."

"On it Reese, stand by two minutes."

"Roger."

Reese is a woman dressed in a trim and proper suit. Business like, but with the stylized synthetic fringes that had become popular in recent years. Her build is defined, a square face with auburn hair and eyes.

Reese is not Reese.

Reese is also Yun. And Karthik. And Kristina, Diego, the walls, every plant.

But who is Reese really? It's forgotten itself. After the Rock of Transmogrification was unearthed during a routine drone sweep of a nearby moon nearly two decades ago, it has allowed the user to change into just about anything. It took some time to figure out, that's for sure. For the first five years, the discoverer had inadvertently turned into a book, laying on a shelf until a curious reader turned the pages and was shocked to see pleas for help written on the pages before their eyes. Because the discoverer had lost contact with the rock by dropping it when turning into a book, they had been trapped in their transmogrified state.

With this artifact in their control, the Federal Government has been able to effectively dominate all forms and espionage with their rivals, essentially securing the throne as the chief galactic power. The operator was chosen fifteen years ago. It was a rigorous process, and even after the "perfect" candidate was found and the rock surgically implanted, extensive cybernetic modifications were performed to ensure athleticism, longevity, and control.

However, in recent years, other regional players have become aware of the Rock of Transmogrification. It is a highly desirable tool.

"I've received and reviewed the files Barbara, thank you. My transportation will arrive at it's destination in thirty seconds."

"Understood Reese. Remember, you are to meet with these diplomats in room 17A. On your way out, you will move to the bathroom and transmogrify into a split: one umbilical decoy of yourself to walk out of the door, and one spider to spy on any further diplomatic proceedings."

If connected by an underground umbilical of any kind, the holder of the Rock, can split into as many entities as they would like, although research had shown that their is a total mass limit.

"Barbara, I have received and reviewed the files."

Barbara sighed. "Just doing my job Reese. Good luck."

Reese stepped off of the craft onto the landing platform. She was now in the mountains. The cream colored building resembled a church and was proportionately tall to it's width, with flying buttresses coated in gold supported it's weight. Large windows filtered light through the trees from the sunny day into the atrium. Reese walked inside.

"Good afternoon miss. Appointment?"

"Yes. I am to attend a diplomatic meeting in room 17A."

"Ms. Reese?"

"That is correct."

"Wonderful, down that hall, third door on your right."

"Thank you."

Exchanging pleasantries, Reese had an extensive discourse with the diplomats. One portly man in the room was stealing glances at her throughout the meeting. She had become used to the male gaze when she transmogrified into a woman.

"Gentlemen, thank you for your thoughts. It was a pleasure, yet our appointed time has run out. I must take my leave."

Reese walked confidently to the bathroom. She had performed this sort of information espionage countless times in her career. Inside a stall, she split into the spider and Reese. She felt something from the Rock implanted within, a sort of glowing happiness. Reese noticed that when performing anything from spying to assassinations, she could feel an almost devilish delight emanating from the Rock. It was like it reveled in the tribulations of man.

Now split into two, the spider crawled through the ductwork into the meeting room. Reese simultaneously shared a amicable goodbye with the receptionist.

Getting closer, the spider was able to assemble distant murmurings into coherent speech.

"We need to capture it! The Federal Government has oppressed us for- Ah, hello there. Ms. Reese was it? We've been expecting you."

The spider recoiled in shock. In rapid succession, a glass cup was placed over it, which was slipped into a dense plastic box, and a dense netting was tossed over it.

Outside, Reese was tackled and covered in the same netting.

Backing away, the portly diplomat laughed an evil laugh.

"Surprised? You arrogant fools at the Federal Government think you are invincible! But we knew better. Ever since we found out the about the existence of the Rock three years ago, our scientists have been perfecting methods to contain you... and extract the rock."

Screaming with terror, Reese changed. She changed into a trumpeting elephant, the spider changed into a bull. Every possible permutation of reality, the holder of the Rock morphed and cried out. But it was useless. In a brief moment of defeated stillness, what was once Reese felt a jab.

Looking up with reality fading to black, a masked and gowned scientist held a glowing blue saw. The Rock burned with delight.

"Good day brave hero! As always, so wonderful to see you in my humble pub."

The innkeep was a plump man, rather plain in all aspects. So plain, the only thing you could guess with certainty about his character was that he surely was not particularly good nor bad at anything.

"Thanks... I just.. can't help but think..." the Adventurer muttered, "Are we born as only to be transient machinations in an enormous whole, a predetermined world in which the only reasonable outcome is one that follows a plan that has already been strictly delineated?"

"Yes! Very well put my friend. And, pray tell, what does 'delineated' mean?" The innkeep was also not a particularly sharp fellow.

"What I mean to say is, what happens when it's all over? Sure, we all know one day we will live our final day, but are we really ready for that? Can we be?"

The innkeep's brow furrowed. He liked the Adventurer for slaying the dragon that had been stealing kegs of the inn's finest liquors, but the hero had a way with words that didn't really lead one to feelings of relaxation or pleasure.

"Such matters I can't be trusted to discuss my friend! Growing up here in Augertowne, I didn't exactly receive a good education," guffawed the innkeep.

"Perhaps that's it... perhaps in each of us exists an intrinsic value, one that we are in fact acutely aware of, however seeming unconscious it may be. This inscrutable feeling, decided by genetics and pure chance, dictates whether or not one's life could be considered worthy," mused the Adventurer.

Always with the poetry! He thought he was so blasted clever. And ever since he had that quest with the roving salesperson that happened to be the leader of the growing eugenics group, the Adventurer was saying more and more extreme ideas. The innkeeper said, trying to hide his growing frustration, "Sir, I'm frankly not very sure what you're talking about."

"Ah, that angers you. Typical."

"Anger? Never my friend! You have done me many a service."

"Enough. I am a powerful man, more so than the townspeople can even fathom. And I have just realized that this village may no longer be in need of my services."

The innkeeper's eyes narrowed. He and several other men from the village had stumbled upon a terrible truth last night. The Adventurer, who had helped them so much, was found frozen in time, face expressionless. The group hid out of sight and watched. An ethereal aura floated in front of the hero, words pointed at with a ghostly arrow.

INVENTORY <-

SAVE GAME

ABOUT

The arrow moved down, selecting "ABOUT." The villagers watched in silent disbelief as words formed in front of the stock-still Adventurer.

GAIA IS AN RPG EXPERIENCE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE LATEST IN RealLife BRAIN STEM VR TECHNOLOGY. OUR SYSTEM DOES AWAY WITH MEMORY LIMITATIONS BY CREATING NEW AND DELETING OLD LANDSCAPES FOR THE PLAYER TO EXPLORE AS THE STORY PROGRESSES. RealLife: A NEW VISION. FEEL. LIVE.

The men backed away, by some miracle not being noticed by the standing specter of the hero's body. Technology, story, deletion - if the Adventurer left, would their village really be destroyed as the aura had said? They decided they couldn't find out.

Odd jobs, anything would do. The chickens are out. Barbara needs a new wedding dress for her big day tomorrow! Wait, I can't find my glasses!

But it wasn't enough. The townsfolk knew the hero would grow tired of these menial tasks. There would have to be a more permanent solution.

Palms slick with nervous sweat, the innkeep's portly hand wrapped around a well-loved butcher's knife.