Philoscifi

On the brink of destruction, the world desperately needs a Hero. Phil Safari, a reluctant Candidate, must prove himself worthy to the gods by completing a Heroic Task: change 1000 lives for the better… or else! The following is part of the Safaris – a collection of Phil’s misadventures in Heroism. Find out how it all started and what he has learned about love, life, and the pursuit of happiness.

Phil sat silently and stared blankly at the wall. After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke, barely above whisper, “You’ve got the wrong man. Of the billions of people on Earth, why me? There’s nothing special about me.”

“You’re wrong, Phil. The human race is a heroic species; look at all that you have accomplished in such a short span of time. You have this drive to overcome obstacles, to be more - what Nietzsche called the ‘will to power.’ Each individual has the potential to be exceptional; now, whether he or she fulfills it is another matter.

“But there’s more to it than that. The rapidity of your achievements has caused human evolution to accelerate dramatically in a positive feedback loop. Humanity is hurtling toward the Limiter, or if you prefer, the Omega Point or the Singularity. None of us know quite what to expect when this milestone is reach it, but you’ve given us a glimpse much sooner than we ever imagined. You see, you are the first known example of Human 2.0.

“As you may have suspected, you are not Zeus’ son. The first time I became aware of your existence was in connection with the case of a missing soul.

“Recall that there is a system to manage the transmigration of souls. A willful or disturbed soul may be strong enough to persist for a time as a ‘ghost’ after death; however, every soul eventually ends up in one of the afterworlds, usually according to its religious persuasion. Sometimes other criteria are used, such as cultural heritage, and nonbelievers are allocated as needed to maintain order. An accounting system keeps track of all of this.

“20-odd years ago, there was a discrepancy in the accounting system. For a brief time, a soul was recorded as leaving its body but not going to an afterworld or becoming a ghost. The administrators were not terribly concerned since the soul eventually made its way to an afterworld, but it piqued my interest, so I came down to investigate. Can you guess what this incident was?”

“Alex’s death…but how…?”

“I didn’t know either, but Hades has worked out a plausible theory. The living often implore the departed to stay, but it’s not up to them. If a soul stays, it must do so on its own accord and by using its own energy. You were somehow able to project you own energy across the Divide and bind Alex’s soul to the earthly plane!

“But that wasn’t the only remarkable thing about you. On closer examination, I discovered that you had no Limiter. The Limiter was designed to keep humans from becoming too powerful by capping your abilities, growth, and life spans. Without one, there is no stopping you: ye shall be as gods.

“I told no one except Hades, fearing that you would be destroyed by the more impulsive gods. I was uneasy myself, but I foresaw the possibility that you could change the tide of battle. Since I could not operate openly without endangering your life, I watched from a distance as you grew up, biding my time. When the call for Heroes went out, I already had my Candidate.”

“So, this whole thing was a lie. The Task, the people…everything was designed to make me into the Hero you needed.”

I shifted uncomfortably. I could feel Phil slipping away, but there was nothing to do now but continued. The die was cast. “No, Phil, that’s not how the gods work. We do not control anyone; we offer suggestions and choices. Yes, I occasionally influenced your journey, but I never forced anyone to do anything. You chose to accept the Heroic Task and this government job. I don’t mean to be harsh, but it’s important that you understand this point: I did not make you a Hero; you chose to become one.”

“Chose? Chose?! How did I choose this? It was this or death!”

“That was your doing. By believing the encounter with Zeus was real rather than a hallucination, you made it into a ‘life or death’ decision. Then you traded your freedom for your life - a rational choice, but not a universal one, as history shows. You also repeatedly chose to continue the Task despite your growing doubts.”

“Right, my bad. Your chicken-hearted hero, at your service,” Phil said with a mock bow. “What is your will, milady?”

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