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The Fight

Dr. Manhattan stood at his laboratory computer. He also stood across the laboratory pondering the results from the latest experiment. He was trying to figure out what exactly the latest test results could mean. The feeling was very similar to when Veidt used the tachyons to cloud his vision of the future, but at the same time… different. This current set of experiments, once concluded, should put his mind at ease, but thus far the results were baffling. Omnipotence was not all it was cracked up to be.

Suddenly Manhattan sensed he was not alone. He turned and found a thin, pale man cloaked in a dark robe standing in the doorway and watching him. “I was wondering when you’d finally arrive,” said Manhattan, “After I rebuffed the last, I was sure I’d meet another of you. Fascinating. The forces of the universe… Or at least , the forces of the LIVING in the universe. Your female friend was Death, I presume, considering what she wanted. And you… who might you be?”

“I am Dream, of the Endless,” spoke Morpheus quietly, ” And your time has come. My sister will return shortly and you will go with her.”

“Dream! Interesting. Not exactly a force I would assume was necessary for life, but I’m sure you would disagree with me. At any rate, I won’t be going with your sister. You both are forces that… transcend the physical. I am the physical. I control every atom in creation. I could change the entire Universe to lead if I so chose. We’re not so different, you and I.”

“You are living. Therefore, you are in our jurisdiction. And you will be dying tomorrow.”

Manhattan turned, all his forms but one disappearing. “I will not.” he said, and with a thought, Dream was dissolved into a pile of sand. He turned back to his work.

Moments later, Manhattan felt a tickle in his nose. With a thought, he dismissed the mote of sand that was causing it. He turned again and saw exactly what he expected. Morpheus stood once more in the doorway. With a scowl, Manhattan spoke, “I told you. I’m every bit as powerful and omnipotent as you. I won’t be dying.”

Morpheus only stood quietly. With a wave his hand, a new form appeared. Janey Slater. “I… Janey?” Manhattan stuttered.

“Jon… it’s time, honey. You’ve got to let go and accept that you’re human… like you were. Please Jon… come with me. We can be together again…”

Manhattan moved towards Janey slowly… how tempting it was to leave all of this behind. Ignorance truly was bliss. Perhaps it would be easier to just die. Whatever might await beyond. Manhattan raised a blue hand to Janey’s cheek… and she collapsed into dust. Manhattan closed his eyes and sighed. This was going to be difficult. Another thought and Morpheus was once again a pile of sand. It was time to leave.

The Martian landscape spread out before him. Maybe he could hide out for a little while before Morpheus found him again. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case, as Morpheus reappeared within seconds. “I will be rid of you!” screamed Manhattan.

This time he encased Dream in a cube of lead. That should stop him for a little while. No sooner had Manhattan had that thought than the lead began to ripple and boil. It slipped away from Morpheus’ body slowly, revealing The Endless beneath, unscathed. With a cry of rage, Manhattan blasted him away again and transported himself to another place, another time.

This went on for what seemed like eons, the two titans battling through the time stream. Doctor Manhattan trying some new trick to destroy Dream; turning his body to gold, the air around him to acid. Even going back to the beginning to try and find him at his birth. All to no avail. It seemed that this would go on for eternity. Unless…

With a final epiphany Manhattan realized what he had to do. It was drastic, to be sure… but it was the only way. And in time, all things would flourish again.

“I can’t defeat you, dream lord,” admitted Manhattan, “You have all the power of this universe at your hands. You can’t destroy me, but neither can I destroy you.”

“Go with my sister, then. Accept Death as the inevitability that it is.”

“I won’t… I may not be able to stop you, but I can still defeat you,” said Manhattan. He closed his eyes and began to focus. He began to feel the earth beneath him shift and draw up inside him. The air around him did the same. Soon the entire planet they sat upon was compressed into Manhattan’s body. Morpheus floated in front of Manhattan momentarily and smiled, before disappearing. Manhattan was unconcerned. The universe was a large place, but the Endless couldn’t live outside of creation. This was the only way.

More and more began to be drawn to Manhattan, faster and faster. Planets, entire stars at first and then even more. Solar systems, galaxies, nebulae. Black holes, quasars, pulsars. Planets with life were drawn in just like those barren and lifeless. It hurt Manhattan, but it was all for the best. To start again would be glorious. A world without the Endless… where the living were their own masters. A world without Death or Dream, or whoever else there may be. A world without Jon Osterman.

Soon there was nothing left. All of creation was contained within Manhattan. He began to compress himself, drawing it all into a tiny, super dense, super energetic point. Manhattan smiled and finally felt whole and complete. He was the Alpha and Omega. With this final, glorious revelation, he let go and gave birth to the Universe.

Morpheus walked over to Dr. Manhattan’s body in his laboratory. The power of the livings minds never ceased to amaze him. He truly believed all that had happened in his dream and that he had recreated the Universe and the power of that belief had wholly incapacitated him. Tomorrow, Death would come by to take him away, so he could truly be at peace and perhaps even see Janey again. Morpheus felt an odd bit of melancholy this time, though. Jon Osterman was a remarkable being and he felt sad that he had to do this him. But as all things dream, so must all things die. Morpheus sat down beside the glowing, blue body and waited. He would keep vigil over the greatest and wisest human he had so far met until his sister came to take him over. He owed him at least that much.

Victory – Morpheus

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