Chapter 20: Zero-day

Delta warped into the Nexus realm at a size well over 100 miles. Her tan feet planted themselves squarely on either side to the front of the city. Each shift of her weight, however slight, sent a tremor through the whole metropolis. If the laws of physics worked normally here, that alone would level the city. She didn’t want that though, she wanted it intact for her grand reintroduction. She bent physics to her will. Nothing in Paradise was beyond it now.

Nexus was little more than a patch of color to her: mostly gray. A normal woman at her height wouldn't have been able to make anything out, but Delta was far from normal. She saw every scurrying speck of humanity in full detail as they ran through alleyways or trembled beneath her immense form. She also did more than see it: she felt it. She just knew where they all were. Her relationship with Paradise was simply that thorough. The reality was simply and truly hers.

Of course, the people down below had difficulties taking in her immense figure. She latched onto at least some senses of the people below, and knew they saw her utterly gigantic form as little more than an expanse of skin in some locations. In others, they could make out a part at least. Those on the edge could see her toes towering over the basic greenery outside the realm; no one normally left the Nexus, so the surrounding terrain was fairly low quality and not detailed. Others more in the middle of the city could look up and see her hairless snatch looming directly above them.

Delta wanted them to take in her form in all its glory, so at once every screen in the virtual city filled with a perspective of her. She found that better than just beaming in her image to their minds. The young woman wasn’t in the mood to share a taste of her power, even if self-serving. Such enhanced senses were just hers for now. It’d make her announcement all the more fitting.

The screens were everywhere of course. They dotted every major store and there was at least one on each block. Many people stopped to look at them if only to take in the awesome horror of her being. Those yellow eyes gazed from far above. Her shoulder-near hair was alive in its custom pattern: yellow lines bending here and there among the more plentiful green strands. It was an obvious circuit-inspired design. She was stark naked, and there wasn’t a hint of shame on her expression or in her posture. Her hands rested squarely on her hips.

Delta opened her mouth to speak. Again, as before, she worked the rules of her reality to make herself intelligible. Her voice sounded the same albeit with a big thoom to it. It rattled the bones of the people below without bursting their ears or buildings.

“I’m sure many of you know me by now, at least my face as I ravaged this virtual realm earlier. Others of you are new, pulled in recently--at least with respect to the outside world. You see, through a genius plan of mine I’ve made myself totally and completely unassailable. So, at last an introduction is in order.”

The titanic woman smiled.

“My name is Delta, and this realm--all of Paradise--is mine. As are all of you. I’ve pulled each and every living human into this simulated reality. You might have noticed you can’t pull up holodisplays anymore, or log out, or even teleport around the city. In fact, I bet you feel pretty normal despite being in our beloved simulated reality. That’s all me and my doing. You’re all my playthings now: my little scurrying toys.”

Delta laughed while people took the announcement in.

“I’ve seized control over all active headclips in the real world which, as of now, is of no concern to you. You’ll never, ever get to go back. Even if my body dies, or yours. I’ve seen to it. Good toys stay in their box after all, right?”

She drank in the despair. It ran across all those billions of lesser minds below her.

“Your very consciousness is mine to peruse. Even now I can sense your fear, your rage and even the occasional bit of envy. Ooh that last emotion is so sweet. I have this power, and you never will. Stings, doesn’t it?~”

She trailed some fingers by her crotch for a moment before bringing them back.

‘Soon’, she told herself.

“But, I can do so much more than merely read your minds. Your very existence is data to me which I can modify at will. Don’t worry, I always keep backups of the original safe and sound, but let me demonstrate with my first act as your new ruler. As I said before, my name is Delta. That’s not the most common name, but I don’t like the idea of any of you lesser beings sharing it. So, let me fix that real quick~”

She lifted her fingers and snapped. A shockwave rang out over the city: it damaged nothing. Theatrics of course, as the real work was done with a thought.

There were thousands of women with the name ‘Delta’ aside from the titanic circuit-haired gal, and they were all assigned random names. Their memories shifted so that every instance of hearing, or mind-typing, or even knowing their name ‘Delta’ became something else. Gerda, Coleen: whatever really, the true Delta just pulled names randomly from a list. Additionally, everyone who ever knew those people also had their memories modified.

As an added kick, the cyber god let them know they *used* to be named Delta, and that the memories they had were twisted. Still, it didn’t matter. Their new moniker was so pervasive by now it’d feel strange to go back to it out of spite for the titanic tan monster above them. Of course, they figured it’d be unwise to do anything towards her out of spite regardless.

“There, just like that I’ve taken my name back. Also, one more thing. I’m sure you’ve noticed my hair and eyes. I think my design is great, don’t you? It’s nice that Paradise let people tweak the colors of those features and make all sorts of patterns, but none of you should feel special. You aren’t, after all. You’re all equally my possessions: my playthings. I’ll fix that as well~”

Delta snapped her fingers again and anyone who had a unique hair color or pattern got it reverted to their real-world styles and shades. The same happened to any eye colors as well. Delta’s clean short finger and toe nails were unmodified, for now, but if anyone had a special pattern or color there it, too, went away. She even changed their clothes back to their real-world garbs. All across the Nexus, every member of her new reality suddenly got more plain and normal looking.

“There we go. I’m the only one worth such privileges, after all.”

Delta giggled again. A good many people didn’t like losing their cosmetic qualities. It made for more despair to titillate her mind with.

The people had a moment to take in their new and more mundane appearance before she spoke again.

“Don’t worry though, there’s a benefit to existing in my new paradise: time. I’ve in addition to Paradise, I’ve integrated myself with every single active headclip. All the computational resources of those wonderful little chips in everyone’s real-world skulls are under my control now. That shouldn’t matter right? After all, I don’t think any of you need your headclip bound personal computer. Like I said, none of you are *ever* getting out.”

Delta scanned the city for the various weepings and wailings. More testaments to her power.

“That alone has allowed me to amp up the time-dilation factor a whole bunch, but there’s even more. Not all of you are too computer-savvy I’m sure: very dumb of you, considering the power it got me. Well, the way Paradise works, the way most every program in our world works is to dynamically utilize storage and processing power from the USH computer farms built on the graveyards of the ‘old nations’. So, things like transit services, delivery drone pathing, city bus auto-pilots all use it.”

Delta grinned and continued.

“Well, since your bodies are all limp and useless out there, the demand for the services has dropped to 0. The computer farm cores are smart in their scheduling and allocation. From the perspective of those systems, you are all in Paradise. If you’re in our beloved simulated reality, then you can’t possibly need to ride a hyper rail or a bus, nor order anything. So, all those computational resources were freed for Paradise to utilize: for *me* to use.”

Delta scanned the world’s population below her once more to see how many understood her explanation. Those that didn’t would learn in due time she was sure.

“So, I’m very happy to announce an increase to the time-dilation feature. Going forward, one full year in this simulated reality corresponds to a one hour outside. Isn’t that amazing? To put that into perspective for you simpletons below, that means a single minute outside is 6 days time in here.”

Delta felt waves of dread cascade through the people. The sentiment spread like dots fanning outwards from one person to many others, with pinpricks of realization appearing all the while as everything began to sink in.

“The Council of Representatives feared this kind of development. The USH government didn’t want people to be able to spend all their time in a simulated reality. They didn’t want people to explore all their fantasies. Well, they aren’t in charge anymore. I am~”

Delta wiggled one of her toes and a quake rocked the city. Nothing broke, though many people fell right over.

“Did you feel that? Such a minor movement of me creates ripples through your very body. Get used to it. All the extra time you have will be spent serving me of course: at least in an abstract sense. You see, you exist to entertain me and help with my fantasies. Many of you are new here, so let me share my fantasies with you again~”

The ground trembled as Delta raised her right foot up off the ground. The Nexus screens showed her from various angles as usual, and most were centered on the area around that foot. The ground roared as ped rose. Bits of dirt and debris fell clean from it into the massive miles long footprint she left behind. The wind wooshed as her sole moved over the city. Delta’s heel settled just outside the city bounds to create an immense crater.

Everyone looked up at the underside of that light-brown foot. The lighter skin of her sole replaced the view of the virtual blue sky. She spoke again.

“In many ways my interests are simple. Power and size. They go together well. Throughout history there have been many iconographies of gods looming over cities, and for good reason. What is better proof of one’s superiority over humans than literally looming over them in mass? Naked and unabashed? Similarly, power is infused into every single action of mine as a giant. Case in point, look up if you aren’t already~”

Most people were of course fixated on the woman’s ped. It was by far the most significant thing in their city at the moment sans the giant woman herself. The entire city was under its canopy of flesh, as Delta herself seemed to be well over 100 miles in height.

“That’s my foot of course. It’s the lowest part of my body, and you’re all beneath it. The entire city is. A single one of my toes could squash countless thousands of you as I am now~”

She wiggled her toes above them. The digits cascaded in movements that whipped up more storms and the like.

“That is how powerful I am, to cast a city in my step. Another wonderful part of my foot is how sensitive it is. The soles of my feet were made to feel things after all, and my senses have only grown more acute since taking my place as this reality’s ruler. It is no wonder so many gods of histories had worshipers bow at their feet: that is a nice spot for humans, beneath the lowest part of their betters. But, I don’t want you to bow--at least not yet. I want you to squish, to be crushed, and what I want happens~”

“How’s this for a Great Misstep?~” she said, chuckling.

Delta began to lower her foot slowly over the Nexus. The angle between her foot and the ground slowly began to shrink as she pivoted her ped towards the city. People began to panic. They ran around, shoving one another as primitive instincts kicked in even within a virtual world. As the city trembled with every minute shift of the woman’s foot downwards, she continued to speak. Her voice had a purr to it now, and she trailed a hand at the side of her hips.

“You cannot, and will never, be able to experience how good it feels to have all of humanity run beneath your shadow. The raw power I wield now is exhilarating.”

Her fingers tickled at her naked side.

“Titillating. I can appreciate it so much better now too. Every twinge of anger or fear is mine to savor. I can see all of you scurrying beneath me. I can feel each and every pathetic step you make on the ground. One of yours is worth but a mere fraction of mine--if even.”

Those on the edge of the city tried to run out: to where, they didn’t know. However, reaching the border of the city had them bump into an invisible wall. The entire metropolis was encased in such a force-field. Her foot could pass through it, but not them of course.

As the sole of that all encompassing foot grew closer, many people tried to look away. It proved a difficult task. Not only did all the screens show their impending doom in all its detail, but every reflective surface did. The water of city fountains showed side views of her descending foot, or of a single toe positioned over countless blocks, wiggling in anticipation. There was no comfort to be found with loved ones either. Lovers looked to one another for comfort in this horrific moment, only to see Delta’s smug smile in the very reflection of each other’s eyes!

The bare sole hit the buildings now. They crumbled on contact.

“How brittle all these things are. Not even your grandest designs can stand up to my power~”, said Delta in her booming voice.

The falling concrete and steel from the structures rained down from above. Millions of people were caught up in it, trapped under buildings. Their bodies felt the pain of broken bones and innumerable bruises. Many, even, felt as though they had been crushed outright. Yet, paradoxically, their bodies were still intact and alive buried beneath that rubble. She wanted them for now, it’d seem.

Delta was alight with bliss. This was it, one of the ultimate displays of power and she was doing it! Her dreams, her fantasies, were coming true. She felt the last of the buildings crumble beneath her sole. Everyone was snug against her foot, wriggling and squirming as she held it atop them with an almost-impossible precision: just enough pressure to avoid popping them.

Her voice was suffused with lust.

“Mmf, there you are all. Each and every human on Earth, stuck under my sole. Right where you belong. Is there there better proof of my superiority over you all than *this*? It’s sublime in so many ways: the symbolism, the concept, the sense of power and the raw *feeling* of it all.”

She let out a coo and the realm rumbled. Her voice grew quicker. Very carefully, she shifted her foot side to side. She used her powers and calculations to make sure she didn’t crush out a single one just yet.

“You can feel my body-heat: I know you can. I know you’re all stuck against my soft, warm skin. I can feel thousands of you squirm in the wrinkles of my foot: in each and every whorl my toe. It’s just, mmf~”

Her smile grew. “And it’ll feel even better once I step all the way down~”

Howling wails echoed out from all beneath her foot. Each and every member of humanity was stuck here in some form of pain or another. Their bodies were already on the verge of bursting, but then she stepped down even more. Now, damage happened. Their bodies tore open in lacerations. They felt their bones shatter in just a moment. She finished the step in what must have been an instant, but the pain stayed longer.

Delta felt each and every body burst beneath her. The minute indents that made up her toe prints and sole-wrinkles flattened out just enough in the step to take care of the people stuck within. She let out a rumbling grunt of sorts as the blissful step finished. Her toes curled into the remains of Nexus city. She felt entire blocks snuff out beneath a pinky toe.

Under her foot, the consciousness minds still suffered. She let them exist in the fine red stain their bodies had now become. She wasn’t done drinking in this moment yet: this power. It was hers. After a few more excruciating seconds, she lifted her foot up and admired the mark she had made. The Nexus was gone, what was left was a giant crater in the shape of her foot.

She snapped her fingers and everyone respawned in it. She looked at them with her yellow gaze and a smug smirk. Her foot rose up in the air and stomped them out yet again far faster than they had time to react. Another coo rocked the realm.

Delta though this better than propping one’s foot up on a table with a city. So much better.

After another giggle, the tan woman snapped her fingers. The Nexus city reformed, and everyone was back in it, crowded around Central Square. Delta still stood outside the city, still naked, but at a more ‘reasonable’ scale of a few miles in height. As everyone got their bearings once again, she spoke.

“Do you understand your place now? You’re nothing but playthings, tools for my satisfaction. Do you understand how above you all I am? I can snuff you all out with a step: over and over. I can do anything in here. I’m no mere woman anymore. Behold~”

The screens showed the contents of Delta’s palm. Wandering on that expanse of skin was a young woman with amber eyes and hair; an older woman, late 40s, with platinum blonde hair interspersed with gray locks; lastly, there was a mid 30s man with brown beady eyes and a same-shaded comb-over.

“Back when I was stuck in the real world for much of my days, I’ve accumulated a fair share of grudges and vendettas. When people encounter someone better its only natural to get jealous after all. These three eluded me till now by chance. With just a thought, I can dish out justice as *I* see fit. Observe~

The screens showed it all. The young blonde woman, Leslie as Delta knew her, turned into a horrific flesh-slug of some kind. The expression on Delta’s old college colleague was that of intense pain, yet the new grotesque form of Leslie’s lacked even a nose to breath, let alone a mouth to scream. People wondered what someone could do to earn such a fate.

Delta’s gaze fell on the professor next, who she turned into an idiotic looking person. Her jaw jutted out in an under-bite, and her teeth grew cartoonishly big and crooked. The older woman’s skull stretched up at a point, hair falling off as the words “DUNCE” appeared on the protrusion. The letters jutted out of the skin as a painful compound fracture of sorts, and the woman fell over in whimpering agony.

For the man, Delta bent his body at a thought. His nose crunched inwards like the snout of a hog, and his hands and feet curled and crushed to pained looking balls. He fell forward on all fours and his ears stuck out pointy and wide. His pained utterances and protests for mercy came out as snorts, intelligible only to Delta. She laughed at him, she laughed at all three of them.

“See what I can do to those who inconvenience or wrong me? I know some of you envy this. Imagine being able to strike back at anyone who wrongs you. Imagine being able bend the world to your will. Well, you will have to be content with merely imagining it~”

The circuit-haired woman tilted her palm and three tortured humans zipped through the air to explode at the ground. Their innards covered many of the densely packed people below. Soon after, they were reformed to join the mob. Everyone else crowded away from those three special victims and their malformed bodies. They didn’t want to be associated with anyone who could draw the tan titaness’s ire like that.

“My very senses are above you! This reality is mine now. I am its god, and a fitting one too. My very being is above you body *and* mind. My consciousness is augmented with unfathomable--to you--levels of processing and layers of sensation. I am a super intelligence now. I’m simply divine. I surpass all limits.”

To prove it, Delta manifested another body for herself. The crowd erupted in horror as there seemed to be two of them now. The second appeared right atop a few blocks and her feet consequently ffell over thousands more screaming victims. The two bodies looked at each other and the main original one giggled. That body turned towards the crowd.

“I know some of you are aware how exactly Paradise works. The headclip expands ones consciousness into the simulation. Because that technology exists, I have the means to expand my consciousness into more than one body at a time. Another impressive feat you’ll never experience.”

The two Delta bodies set their hands on each others shoulders. Delta’s consciousness felt her skin in four hands. It felt perfect.

“Rest assured your consciousness will be toyed with: they have been already. When you are brought into Paradise, your mind exists on a computer somewhere. That is, it’s something I can duplicate.”

The three people she gave special torments to earlier disappeared, then they came back into Central Square with the rest of the crowd in their normal human forms once more.

“I just whisked away consciousness clones of those three to a private realm for them to wallow in. They’ll keep those twisted forms of themselves there. Let that be a lesson to you all. Even your consciousnesses are under my complete control. In fact~”

Everyone in the Nexus found a new body at their side. A familiar one: an exact duplicate of themselves. Each of the humans controlled only one body, they were faced with an exact clone was all. One with the same personality, memories, body and everything else.

“Fight!” Delta ordered. Only a few did, so she added some motivation in the form of an excruciating, stinging pain.

“Fight and the pain ends~”

All across the Nexus, everyone human consciousness fought one of their clones. Delta’s little motivation worked for a decent majority, but others needed a bit of priming. So, she picked one of the two bodies at random for every person and randomly drove one into a rage. They *hated* that other clone of theirs and wanted to destroy them. That got a 100% participation rate.

Delta just watched through her two bodies and other senses as it all went on. People grabbed and gouged their doppelgangers. They threw punches and snapped necks. Nexus erupted into a city-wide brawl and in the end only one victor for each clone-pair stood victorious. Delta ended that stinging pain and giggled.

“Excellent! If you feel bad about killing a clone of yourself, don’t worry! All of you are clones of the original consciousnesses I keep safely stored. This way, I always have pristine versions of humanity to make new toys from. So, if you were worried about an existential dilemma of any sort, rest assured it was already there.”

The Delta’s erupted into laughter. “I’ll try not to play with your minds too much. There’s a certain charm to keeping things ‘organic’ and natural there. It’d be too easy to make you all bow down to me. It’d also be far too easy and generous to just set myself orgasming every single possible moment. But no, I’ll earn my fear and my fun. There’s something better about that: a factor which makes everything all the more satisfying.”

The main Delta form rubbed her fingers against the other body’s neck. The other, second body did the same. Their movements created small tremors as their feet and weight shifted.

“Though you *will* be cloned, over and over. My desires are immense. The new Nexus realm won’t be just a city: it’ll be an entire planet. For my fun, I’ll need to populate it, after all, and making billions of clones of all of you is the perfect solution.”

The two Delta bodies kissed one another, purring in a sense.

“Stepping on all of you got me all worked up. I think I’ll make a new Nexus while making love.”

The two Delta’s stared right at one another with the same joyous, lusty expression.

“And I’ve the perfect partner right in front of me~” said each of the Delta bodies in turn.