Consider for a moment if you will, an
inverse perspective on
multiple universes. For any given
condition there are not only an
infinite set of
conceivable outcomes, but also an
infinite set of possible
causes, making every point in time a
node.
If human perception were to slightly
transcend this crossing of
states, one could inadvertently get 'knocked' on a
tangent which was not the line you were previously on (we all know how
node surfing is now don't we?), and into a world that while instantaneously
identical bares a different
past and
future. Such a shift might be of a few degrees of range of events, but could have profoundly troubling "
what the heck?" implications that you could never solve (and leave that eternal feeling you just fell
down the rabbit hole).
This idea implies that the relative "distance" of different
realties is based not upon when they
branched, but what they resulted in, meaning the closest
state(s) will always be 'closest,' even if they are the farthest removed in past and future.
Given that
all things are relative, and as far as we know deep down the universe really ISN'T as it seems...the sane are of course only those people who are of acceptable
delusional state.
I can only hope this is deemed acceptably delusional...
Diagram time boys and girls:
<- Reality Shift ->
C B A
... .D. ...
D.. ... ..D Future
@.. @.. @..
\ | /
... ^
.D. Present |
@.. |
/ ABC \ Time's Arrow
... ... ...
D.. ... ..D Past
@.. @D. @..
A B C
Single Present Node
For those who don't know
roguelike:
@ =
you the
observer
. =
empty space
D =
Ancient Dragon in Flight
The
casual observer (or
adventurer) who accidentally steps from
shadow B to shadow C, observes a
dragon move around them. They might simply assume that the dragon
banked to achieve such a
maneuver, but
on closer inspection they might notice that in fact no, it had not banked but simply suddenly was moving in another direction.
Of course if one is in such a
circumstances as to have a dragon, especially of the
ancient verity, pass so close to ones person, as to be able to observe closely enough to know that it did not in fact turn, but rather seemed to '
magically' leap from traveling in one direction to traveling in another. One is unlikely to
take the time to make this observation, and live so long as to report the
phenomena, as they really would better be spending their time running, or fighting.
Sorry for any confusion that might have occurred. While yes this could apply to a fatalist reality it was intended to represent the basic node structure. As I said every point in time is supposed to be a node in this model, but only one node is actually visible in totality. And if one could perceive the node structure of reality the farther one got the more complicated the paths become, one step infinity*2, two steps (infinity*2)^2, three steps (infinity*2)^3. Now while we can argue the question of multiple infinities another time, think of it like this. If E2 had softlinks that face forward and back, where people came from, where people went too, and you are at the present, you can see the possible pasts, and the possible futures of the node, but you are not aware of parallel nodes, only intersections. (further addendum...this isn't a suggestion...well not intentionally...Hell this model is also simplified in that it occupies an "instant" model rather than a gradient model, but do you want to really think about another factor of infinity? And no the human mind is definitely not meant to absorb E2 in a fractal format, now there is the one true mind fuck if you dare consider it. *dies*)
Also this would in 'reality' not apply so dramatically to something on the scale of a dragon suddenly facing one way and then facing another. In this diagram our model of time is highly segmented, for an object to appear to make a quantum leap in its motion in gradated time, one would have to jump over several realities making a quantum leap of their own. In a more practical sense this would actually explain rather shifts in the direction of motion an object has without it changing its state, for instance as though it bounced off something that isn't there. More curiously on the atomic and subatomic level things do shift suddenly in new directions, which is normally explained simply by excessively bumpy space at that scale...