Nier stayed leaning against the consoles within his mother lab, arms crossed, watching Lisa's as he asked with a serious face.
"If you had a way to start a cult, besides the use of mind control, what would be the best way to accumulate followers?"
Lisa didn't answer right away.
Rather she stood there glowing softly, her head tilted like she was running a thousand simulations at once. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet but sharp, as Nier wait for her reply.
"Money."
She said casually, as if that was the universal truth.
"Apart from the reconstruction with Lorraine. You current net worth is twenty billion Carlees, if you consider every penny as leverage instead of re wealth, the idea of building a decent size cult with funds alone, and in less than a month is more than feasible."
Lisa bluntly admitted.
Then to put gravy on the at, she continued.
"And right now, tonight, I can turn it into sothing that prints more money while we build the foundation."
Nier raised an eyebrow surprise by her words yet again, as he said.
"Go on."
"Well, my advanced nature aside, it goes without saying my master, that I have full access to every financial system on the planet."
She continued.
"Stocks, crypto, commodities, dark pools, offshore accounts, everything you can think of, I have direct access to as a result of being able to traverse the digital space."
"I can deep-search at levels no human analyst could ever reach. And with my ability to cross-reference various trends and transactions with the global market data. It goes without saying that I can see trends before they happen, and gauge the probability of success if we act upon it."
She took one slow step closer, the blue light of her form casting long shadows across the black hull of Protheus.
"Right now, if you authorize , I can move ten percent of your liquid assets into three plays that will triple in value within the next forty-eight hours."
Lisa said, making Nier open his eyes and question.
"Wait, your serious... Like dead ass!?"
"Affirmative Master, if you allow it of course."
"Can you tell why these three places are?"
"As you wish Master, the first one is a biotech firm on the verge of a breakthrough in longevity tech. The other is a luxury wellness brand that is about to explode because of a quiet influencer push I can accelerate. And the last one is a small defense contractor that just landed a classified contract nobody on the public markets knows about yet. I already have the shell companies and broker accounts ready. All I need is your word."
"So fast!"
"Have you already forgotten I am an advanced Alien AI that's had centuries of advanced updates? Of course I already have these minor things set up."
Nier let out a low whistle.
"Well I'll be damned, don't let stop you then."
"Thank you, with your permission I will begin with the investnts now."
"That aside though... While the money works, we could also build the public face…
"aning?"
Nier asked, a little confused by Lisa's words, but she began to explain.
"For starters if we buy a coastal estate, sothing big, but also secluded, already wired for luxury. Brand it as an exclusive private club for the rich, then use an invite-only thod for recruitnt, rather than applying upfront, only at first of course to build intrigued among the rich and the richer, then open it wider. Then charge these people to pay ten thousand Carlees a weekend for the experience. In exchange they can get top-tier food, spa treatnts, guided ditations… Also special services that they can't get anywhere else, basically giving them the carrot before the stick, sothing addictive of course, the next ti they co, we can force them to join out of pure want for more."
Said Lisa as she paused, then added with a faint edge of excitent in her voice.
"And here is the part most people miss when also wanting to start a cult, we don't need to sell the cult itself. What we are selling is the sense of belonging."
"The sense of belonging?"
Nier repeated a little taken back by her thod, but being as advance as Lisa is, she explain with glee.
"Well, to explain my intention here, it's the fact that I know, that the rich most of the ti are a lonely and eccentric bunch, believe it or not."
"So going off that, my idea was that if we give them community, purpose, and the quiet sense that they're part of sothing bigger than their portfolios. Within two months tops, my prediction tells that the inner circle of your cult will be self-funding."
"Which is the result we need, a cult is a religion, and although opening a religion isn't illegal within the FAA. Starting one with quick growth is close to impossible, especially with our main competition being the church of Zion, that has had base since 533 AD. Surviving and growing all the way up to the current modern era, alongside many more Pagan churches or cults as well. So it goes without saying that starting a new religion won't be easy."
"I see, you really had think way ahead in this plan of yours."
"Only because it is important to you master."
"Hehehe, we will get along just find Lisa, anything else you want to tell about this plan."
"Nothing of importance, besides I was built to be useful."
Lisa said simply.
"Your mother made sure of that. So… do I have permission to start moving the money tonight? Although a fair warning I will need about ten percent of your net worth to move forward."
Nier looked at the massive black ship, then back at the glowing blue figure in front of him.
If Lisa was as capable as she said, it goes without saying the family money is best in her hand than it is his.
"You can use my net worth as much as you want, however you want, just don't break , and also use that money to continue making more money. So yes do it, and take the ten percent, and make it grow. And start scouting that estate while your at it."
Lisa's form gave a small, respectful bow.
"Consider it already in motion, Master."
At her words, Nier smiled, content with the way forward from here on out.
"Alright then."
He muttered.
"Let's see how fast we can build an empire... On that note though, that is everything I wanted to know, and again Lisa. Officially this ti, welco to the Family, and also Welco to the Cult of the Dark Mother."
"...The feeling is mutual master, I am happy to serve as I am happy to be under you my dearest master."
As Nier and Lisa had their discussion, another discussion was going on at this mont.
One that has led to violence between two people, especially one crazy gold-haired woman in particular.
BOOOM!
A large ball of compressed air was fired towards Kaly, who didn't make an effort to move in this mont.
Or rather there was no need to, because as the attack ripped and shredded her small fra to pieces, her form glitched in reality, remaking a new vessel from scratch once more, and all injuries she had just taken were gone.
"Why won't you die!?"
Bella said with crazed eyes, as she rushed towards Kaly. Her arm began to swell rapidly, muscles tightening and knotting themselves while her bones beca denser. Blood and veins ruptured outwards until her skin beca black and her flesh purple. It looked as if she was undergoing an uncontrollable mutation in her left arm, and then that sa hand straightened and transford into sothing more solid as the bones from her fingers extended outwards, expanding over her enhanced flesh, making an outer exoskeleton of sorts.
With her right hand, she grabbed the hardened limb and pulled with great force. Like pulling a thorn from a swollen thumb, the bloated at she once called her left arm exploded due to the tugging, ripping force of her right, revealing a grotesque sword made from her own flesh, blood, and bones.
Kaly watched it with great interest as she said while floating before Bella,
"I see, so this is your family magic, huh?"
"How the hell do you know that!?"
Bella asked, even more suspicious of Kaly, who just answered,
"There's a lot I know. Even while sealed for as long as I have been, I watch the lower world from ti to ti. Magic might be a lost art in the modern age, monopolized by the ancient families of different countries and the new gods—or raging toddlers, as Elara would call them. But it is nothing impressive if I am being honest."
"...First you take my man, now you have the gall to sha my family magic. Hahaha, as much as I love darling, his taste in won is questionable."
"...Now, now child, you started this fight, but you are right about one thing during our early conversation—if you can even call it that. I can agree on your words of setting a straight hierarchy between us. I am the one Nier loves the most, both in body and in soul. If playing with you here will set that fact straight, then gladly."
"Ahhhh dieee already you man-stealing whore!"
Bella said with a crazed look in her eyes, jumping towards Kaly with great speed that shouldn't be possible for a re level two like her.
And at this mont her left arm already grew back, as the blade she made from her body began to glow a sickening-looking green. Gaian energy was being absorbed from the atmosphere to empower it basically indefinitely without limit.
And with great power and precision, she slashed towards Kaly, making a vertical slash. Like a curved laser, a burst of concentrated Gaian energy was fired off towards Kaly, who made a black transparent barrier with Negativity just as quickly to defend herself from the attack.
BOOOOM!!
Like a baseball being hit by an explosive bat, Kaly jerked and flew back as her spherical barrier was sent flying with great force. She got blasted through Nier's wall and flew outside the premises of the villa, causing the house to shake.
At this point she was being ssaged by Tanya and Imani.
'Um, Kal, what the fuck is that!?'
Said Imani in a panicked voice.
Then Tanya spoke.
'Kaly, what the hell is going on? Are we being attacked or sothing, and what the hell is this nacing aura coming from upstairs?'
Tanya asked, a little scared by Bella's aura, to which Kaly laughed a little and replied,
'Ladies, ladies, there is nothing to be worried about. and Bella just got into a little argunt is all.'
'ARGUNT!!'
Imani said, a little horrified, and Tanya as well.
'Why are you two even fighting? Didn't papi send you and her to talk things out?'
She questioned over their shared link, to which Kaly replied,
'Let's just say Bella is one crazy bitch, and I won't carry this any further since the details as to why she is like this have a valid reason... Anyway, I will take care of it. A hierarchy has to be set anyway. Besides, I am having so much fun right now. Killing each other reminds a lot of the good old days when my cult was at its peak before its decline. But anyway, goodbye for now...'
'Ahhh sure. By the way, one of my children is saying Nier is approaching your direction. Are you sure you're good?'
'Like I said, I am fine, but yeah I know he is coming. Although I will tell him not to intervene.'
'Sure, stay safe then girl.'
Imani said as she cut herself off from Kaly for real this ti. Tanya however was a little skeptical since her lessons with Kaly had opened her eyes up in a lot of ways, as she even addressed her the way she was taught when it was just the two of them.
'Great Mother, are you sure you are alright...? I might be a novice, but you taught of the known energies of our world. What kind of energy is this? It's kind of terrifying.'
'Good, you should be. Look closely and learn how one deals with enemies like these. I don't know how Bella got her hands on this power but watch through my eyes and learn, my child. This is the power of a God at play... And a high one at that. What you are sensing is what's universally called Divine Energy—Immutability itself, or in more simple terms, a fundantal concept of this universe. It's very weak right now as her power is being manifested through a dium of so sorts that isn't properly connected to its creator for so reason, but from the concentration of it alone, it's coming from her left eye.'
'As you wish, Great Mother.'
Those were Tanya's last words, as she watched the fight between Kaly and Bella pop off.
anwhile however, a portal opened up at the top of the roof of the villa as Nier ca out of it with...
Originally he thought soone might have attacked him.
But he soon sensed a familiar burst of Negativity, and it was Kaly. But this energy—this was the first ti he had ever felt it.
And when he ca outside, that's when he saw it: far off into the east, high in the sky, both Bella and Kaly were now engaging in what appeared to be mortal combat against each other.
On one side Kaly was still in her doll form, and her own Negativity coated her body like living armor itself, while Bella on the other hand had a sickening aura around her. He could sense a high concentration of Gaian energy around her—energy that far exceeded that of a level two—but that wasn't the most distressing thing about it. It was rather the weird red energy around her; it felt wrong for so reason.
"Lisa."
Nier called out, and Lisa's hologram form appeared before him as she looked and said to her master,
"Yes Master."
"Do you by chance know what is happening to Bella right now?"
"...She's being corrupted by two external forces from what I can sense."
"That being?"
"The first force feels similar to Kaly... While the other is more divine. From what I know, this feels like Ares' divinity at play here. Bella has an artifact that is influencing her body, and from what I can see, she is highly compatible. The problem is her body is changing by the first force to better integrate with said artifact. From my sensors that power is coming from her left eye, but the first force is coming from her very existence itself. Sothing is influencing Bella's mind, body, and soul to a heavy degree right now."
Nier didn't need answers; he already knew what that first force was.
As he reached out to Kaly and asked telepathically,
'Hey babe... Is Bella being affected by my curse?'
'Afraid so. She is adapting to as we speak. If I don't knock her out soon, my current vessel is going to lose to her since Ishtar is stronger than at the mont due to my sister.'
'Do you know why she has Ares' Divinity in her?'
'So it's Ares, huh. This can be problematic. War as a concept is a pain to deal with since it carries the power of victory too in its ideology.'
Kaly replied back to Nier, who spoke and said,
'Why did she beco like this?'
'Long story short, we were talking about you and our love for you, and she wanted to intimidate and even threaten to leave you since she wants you to herself. Basically yandere BS. Her obsession is stronger than both Tanya and Imani. Whereby you tad those two by being stronger than them, that is not the case for Bella. Personality-wise she is a deep lover, and a desperate one. Keep in mind your curse does affect won differently. More weaker-willed ones are affected instantly, hence why Tanya and Imani were so submissive despite being yandere in nature. However Bella is a different breed of crazy. She is not only strong from the jump, it's just that supernaturally inclined won will naturally have supernaturally increased levels of yandere fixation. In her world she wants to be your only lover and your number one. But I made a firm stance that I am your number one. Because of that she went batshit crazy on , and it didn't help that she was hiding sothing that belongs to which god knows who on her either, so her fixation has reached a point where she wants dead.'
Explained Kaly, causing Nier to question,
'...Is there a way to bring her back?'
'In my current form it's possible if I beat her here. However I can't prolong this fight. Your family curse is a product of an authority; my avatar can't fight against that in this weak vessel I made. If it were my true form, then easily. But at the mont that is impossible, so to counter this we have to play by Ishtar's rules. In Bella's mind, if she beats or kills here, then she will be number one. But if that doesn't happen—which it won't—then I will counter the narrative set by her mindset, as such taming Bella for now.'
'I see.'
Nier said as he thought deeply about this loophole in his curse.
As such he comnted back and said,
'So I guess this is sothing you have to do alone?'
'Exactly... Right here and now, a hierarchy in your harem has to be set.'
Nier didn't reply right away, but he understood the importance of this sudden battle as he said,
'Very well, just don't kill her babe.'
'I won't. Have you seen her tits? Such a waste if she is dead you know. At best I will knock her out anyway. Just sit back and watch the fight. Also take notes; I will show you a technique that can be useful in battle if you don't want to use or waste energy when using your authority in battle.'
'Ohhh, that being?'
'Negativity manipulation, a technique that will allow you to shape negativity into either solid, gas, or liquid. The effects are all the sa either way. Although it's the most basic of the basic, you should pick it up quickly since absorbing it into oneself like you do as a power source is harder than shaping it into any form of matter to form constructs.'
User Comments
0 comments from readers