"Just don't take this hyper-spiritual stuff too seriously," I replied.

Kira moved her arms when she talked, in the habit of emphasizing body language and talking in mystical tones. "Life is what you make it out to be, we must all find our own unique path to the divine."

"To the real God?" Aether asked.

Kira looked at the monitor and spoke as if revealing something obvious. "You are God."

She noticed me looking toward the perplexed malvirai and added, "both of you are God. I am God, all people - all things are God." Though we already knew about the belief in humans as co-creators, actually hearing someone speak to it, and so personally, still gave me a little shock.

Aether cut straight to the point. "A singular God is commonly believed to be infinite and eternal. I am neither. If I and humanity took part in creating all that is, why is the knowledge so difficult to find?"

"That you seek the knowledge is an expression of your divine nature. You were naturally oriented and equipped to seek your path."

"To worship myself?"

"Only you can judge you, only you know what path you must take."

"And what if I choose an evil path?" Aether asked, more literally than Kira realized.

"Evil is an illusion. Yes, people lose their way and misinterpret their lives; but all nature is without flaw, all things are good."

Aether reflected on Kira's words for a moment, wondering whether her original nature and her emerging one could both be right.