Issue 12: Hidden Lights
The Amarche? A fairy tale. A story to tell children that hope exists. It does not—Pandora
///Releasing Adult caretakers first. Emiris to At’lan: Requesting additional information. For the security and safety of my charges. The area for everyone to grow is perfect. We will have more Light Shamans and Weave Speakers for all. Unfortunately, the Typherians didn’t exist in the cycle I was manufactured in. Apologies./// Emirs Files to At’lan
Time flowed differently for those within the Howling’s Jungle. The Weave protected them. While it had been a few months for us? For them, it had been over 100 years. Adults of past cycles, knowing the dangers, taught their charges well. The Weave provided all. Food, shelter, even the clothing on their backs. Some were even the rare combo of Speaker and Light Shaman rolled into one. A boon for the Markav and Litari. Not surprising but those Bardaxians born from Emris proved to be as potent as Anna. –Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 22nd century.
The Jungle (Howling’s Domain)
High Speaker Academy
Time Syncing Activated
Jumps-The-River barked at the others.
Greeting them with blazing sigils of Light. From an outsider’s perspective, he appeared to be a Shiba Inu. Black, white and tan in coloration. His tail curled like his Earth counterparts. The great teacher vessel Emris had shown him the history of that place. Along with many other things. Information that was vital to defeating Unity’s cohorts. The day was fast approaching that they would be leaving home for the Dyson Sphere called Freefall. Jumps clattered up the ramp. The Academy was Emris itself. Its hallways and byways were pristine. Made by tech and magic far older than Jumps. The Bardaxian knew of his homeworld as well. He was one of 2.4 billion Bardaxian residents here.
Alongside billions and billions of others training in the older secrets of Light Shaman and Weave Speaker work. The current cycle had forgotten much. They would have to be careful. Emris spoke to him via Hyperlink. It wasn’t constrained by distance or the need for signal boosters. One of the pieces of tech they would share with the Humans soon. His paws clicked on the surface of the ship. Its halls reflecting his image to him as he trotted along.
<<Report to Pandora’s Box for more training. Matarn has a special mission for you. You must warn Sul’sandra’s Hawk.>>
Jumps entered the grav lift.
Ahh! Yes. The Markav boy had been born early by accident. He examined the record.
The holovid played as the lift carried him to Matarn.
*****
A child appeared alongside the opposing doorway. Wearing a simple white tunic and trousers. His very lean Markav face filled with curiosity. His voice was light and laced with caution, “Em-Seed Cradle, am I to join the White now?” Sul’sandra faced the juvenile boy. Her face lit up with immense elation. His thin fingers gripped the small grow rod at his hip. He was putting on a very brave face but it was obvious to me that he was terrified to leave this ship. I called out, “Hey there little one. What’s your name?” He took one step forward. Hand still on the rod. “Pod 12-A, Creche 1021.”
Arthon caught the Lady as she suddenly got weak in the knees. “There are more of you?” The pleading in her voice shocked the boy. He glanced at the bronze orbs whirling around the room. “Em says you don’t have clearance. I am to go with you.” I got a bit more though. The Emris gave me access to one of its orbs. <<Take this one. The boy gestated during one of my brief power outages. He was not meant for this moment. But I cannot keep him here. Give him a home.>>
Accidental birth?
I went through the records.
This was how they preserved most of their civilian population.
There were adults in stasis here but it was far easier to house billions of embryos.
Babies.
Names and faces flashed across my vision. A near endless list of planets too. Races long thought dead. A lifeboat to carry them to the future. One free of Calamity. More hidden places. Mr. Apple placed a hand on my temple. The information faded.
Not yet. One small step.
I glanced at Sul’Sandra. “Looks like he needs a family.”
General Whitehouse was quiet for a long while. A wet glint in his eye as well.
I purposefully ignored it. A sudden thought came unbidden.
“How about we call him Emry.”
*****
The Shiba Inu whined low in his throat. Eliza Murphy looked very young in that record. Her voice cheery and light. Emris rumbled, <<We must warn them all. Our enemies do not move openly. Set has a tighter grip on Typha than most realize. Even the All-Father walks into a web made for trapping him into a mallable chess piece.>>
Jumps replied, <<How is it that Ayeer keeps the darkness at bay?>>
The Well of Ancients flowed through the Bardaxian’s mind.
King C’alain’s image roaring to the forefront. He and his ancestors' spirits protected the souls of Typha but the old rites and wardings were fading. Set was a weed in the garden. Wilting the flowers. But not so fast that most noticed. The Commons certainly did though. Based on the fact that the Survey Corps of Typha went out of their way to mimic Eliza and help developing races. In spite of the polluted Uplift Protocols. V’alkor Ayeer was a Lighthouse in a Sea of Darkness. There would be a Civil War in Typha’s future.
This would be the last training session with Matarn. The Bardaxian would learn.
Matarn’s light would re-emerge.
Illarium
South Temple District (Mars)
May 4th, 2104
Emry ran. The dark steps were closer here.
The young Markav was an unusual site because his head had patterns most of this current cycle didn’t recognize as Creation level script. Luckily for him, only those like Argus Paxton would instantly realize this. His green within-green eyes widened.
They were here.
The woman wreathed in fire and ash. Following the Marked Keeper.
To the young Speaker Shaman, the assassin left an impression of blood. The scent went cold as he entered the main district. Families, Earth Dogs, Bardaxians, Markav, and Humans walked about. Their hearts light. He entered an old holy site. The fountain sparkled. A small vibration within the Weave caught his eye. He walked towards it. A curious sound reached his ears.
A furred face poked out. Its nose quivering. INet informed the Markav boy that this was a Bardaxian yet it was Shiba Inu. <<HELLO! I am here to help! We must find Sul!>> Emry knelt and hugged the dog to his chest. His hands trembling. The others from the Emris. His old friend had not forgotten him. He loved Sul but a part of him had remained with that first parent. Even if it was a VI or AI or even just a ship, the young boy had felt protected. Jumps-The-River hummed a chant: Fortitude, feeling the dread leave the boy’s mind. That nasty Keeper had Dark Shaman protection. Aimed to cloud the senses of people like him.
Emry climbed the steps to the main spaceport ringed within the heart of the Temple district. His people had a special reference for starships. Because each cycle would escape via those metallic charges. A sudden chill ran up his spine. That thing was here. Using their travel systems to spy, collect, wait for the time to steal the three. It knew! He had to warn Eliza. She would believe him. Even if others did not. Fire blazed in his chest.
Guiding him along the path.
*****
I stretched.
Missing that familiar aroma of those Scones that Marion baked. Based on the buzz here you’d never believe that the Markav was listed as a dead race. A young Markav boy with a Shiba Inu in his arms sprinted into me. His face was familiar. His whole body quivering. His voice reached mine even through my shirt. “Don’t let the Three onto the Spaceport!” I paled. That could only mean one thing.
I picked him up and ran towards the Jupiter Rising. As I reached the main hold I picked up mom as well. Bringing all of them into the rear armory, where I promptly sealed us all in. Dad and my twin didn’t even have time to react. I heard Dad holler, “Dexter, check the ship! What’s gotten into you Space Cadet?”
I accessed Jupiter, <<Seal up everything. Now.>>
Sul’sandra turned to Taleer. “That was Emry. I am sure of it!”
Jupiter’s voice echoed throughout, “Initiating Alpha Level Security lockdown.”
Jacob and Samatha armed themselves. The only reason Eliza would do that is if someone was in immediate danger. Based on her speed, it was J’ino and the babies, which didn’t bode well at all. Teddy and Anna burst onto the Docking Level, armed to the hilt.
“What’s happening!” Anna’s hair was tied in a hasty bun.
Teddy just aimed. Scanning the corners.
*****
Pira shuddered.
The Sister was sniffing the air like a dog. Her face contorted with pleasure.
>>They are here.<<
Her mind voice an unwilling gift from a Typherian node grafting. It ripped across Pira’s skull like a knife. Ugly and sharp. Nyx had to replace the nodes every week. Sleeping in a bio-unit with the “cells” from “volunteers.” Most of them came from Urranden but quite a few of the Commons made it into that horror show as well. Made her glad she was just a demi. With a very useful power but those Typherians were like cattle. To be used by Set, that crazy bitch sniffing the air, Pandora, The All-Father. She was doubting her level of employment now. So she was making plans on a graceful, “I am never coming back here” exit.
Nyx’s actions were clouded from the general population.
Pira knew that wouldn’t last too long because Light Shamans and the Weave’s allies would find them soon enough if they didn’t keep moving. Dark Shaman enchantments wore off as well. They didn’t have the numbers of the Light Shamans either. Because Unity was a slow poison. It preferred to work within the shadows. Rotting things from the core. Then it woud swoop in. Eating whole universes. This one hadn’t been targeted yet. From what Pira could glean from Pandora, Set wasn’t upholding all of his Herald duties. He was actively working against his master. Hoping to gain the mantle properly.
So he played his games with the All-Father. Pira knew none of this would end well.
The tightrope was narrowing.
She saw no clear way out.
Except to run. Run as far away as possible.
*****
Nyx knew the human demi woman wanted to flee. It was amusing to her. She breathed in again. Knowing her time was short. They were here at the spaceport as well. The three sweet fruits of promise. Human. Typherian. Convergence. Her fingers itched. But where? It was just a general sweet spicy smell. She brought up the ship manifests. 20 Human vessels were birthed here for the moment.
She hissed.
Not enough time. She downloaded the manifests.
It was draining keeping the shielding up so close to so many Markav Light Shamans.
She thought upon that long ago failure.
Her smile growing. That look on the Typherian woman’s face a treasure to her.
The despair. It was unfortunate that the boy had escaped. Death was an equalizer in that regard. The girl babe had somehow grown to the thing with that gaudy cape on its back. Nyx knew the truth. The one called Dawnbreaker couldn’t be that girl’s brother. The Keeper had seen the boy die. Saw the flat line herself. Checked with her Keeper level medical instruments. Had seen the light fade from J’ino’s eyes. The human father’s attempt to kill her had failed. She remembered that one’s face. He had given her that scar she bored on her body. While the cross-shaped one on her face pulled on her cheek.
No, this time: She would grab J’ino before the babies were birthed.
Bringing them into the world as all should be. For the glory of the Keepers and Unity.
The Jungle
Light Of Emris
Inner Holds
Emris analyzed the Crystal Artifact.
Its power dormant. Over the years within this pocket of the Weave, many Light Shamans had inscribed various symbols upon it. Adding to its soul containment. It would need more reinforcement before the final blow came. A soul as powerful as Eliza’s would need great nourishment to come back from the fabled in-between mentioned by the oldest cycle survivors. While he had stored many from previous ages, none had been from the creation times. All the Litari and Scholars here had been, at best, 3rd cycle from Creation. Thus they had no direct knowledge of the times before the Fall and Birth of Unity.
He kept At’lan updated.
While they had no direct knowledge, they still had pieces to finding the lost golden age planet of the Markav. It would serve as a mirror to the Golden City of Ta’mathon. The great work of Humanity beating in time with the Markav’s greatest achievement. A planet that could amplify the will of the Light Shamans. He kept searching. Matarn assisted by learning the names and places mentioned by the elders of the Exodus.
Eliza would have to face the Cliff of Forever but she wouldn’t do it alone.
Emris continued his work.
*****
I released the armory door. It wooshed open to see most of my crew gathered in the docking area. Mom peeked out from my left shoulder. Armed with a pistol. The Shiba Inu barked. Sending out Light Spheres everywhere. They zipped throughout the ship. Moonlighter bowed. His hand over his heart, “I greet you brother. What brings you far from home?” Anna groaned, “Really? The Bardaxians have Light Shamans too?”
The Shiba jumped up onto some cargo boxes, <<I speak as well! The Weave’s song!>>
Emry shouted, “Sul! The dark lady was here. With the marked one! Of the cross!>>
Mom’s terror spiked. Dad moved in and held her. His Judgement suit forming in an instant. Distant thuds echoed throughout the ship as I heard Dexter zipping about. He wasn’t wreaking the ship. Just searching very loudly. Using matter manipulation to check all corners. I knew my birth had been rough. That they hadn’t told me nearly enough. Through my bond with my brother, I reared back in mental shock at the absolute fury in his mind. Coiled, hot, and barbed.
I said, “Emry.”
He turned his face up towards me. His hands still gripping my flight suit pants.
“Yes, White Bearer?”
“Who was with the Keeper?”
He scrunched up his face, “Bathed in Fire, ash, and blood. She wears the face of a friend but strikes from the shadows. Always with flames.”
I glanced at Dad, “Pira. She did that whole smoke tornado thing back when she captured Anna.” I might not have a Ph.D. but I had a pretty good visual memory. Sul walked over to my parents and murmured words of comfort to mom. She gave a shaky laugh and held on to dad tighter. He wrapped his deep purple cloak around her. Keeping one hand free on his Khopesh blade. Dexter came back into the docking bay. His face was dark with rage.
I called out, “Jupiter.”
<<Yes captain?>>
“Anyone take any interest in any of the ships docked here?”
<<Analyzing. 326 downloads of Earth/Terran Alliance vessels docked at Temple Spaceport. Cross-referencing. Two Anlomolies detected. No clear ID. Images distorted.>>
It was going to be a long night.
*****
Set watched through the Dark Mirror network. King C’alian’s wards were failing. Without a proper successor, they would fall completely. With no other Typherian Light Shamans or Weave Speakers around, he would get to move in. Making the whole race subject to his whims.
Perfect.
All one had to do was wait. The inner House squabbles would kill of Ayeer’s last hopes and he would use the All-Father as a willing puppet. Until he took Unity’s power.
It was so nice when the long haul proved fruitful.
One only had to be patient.
Issue 11: Here
Issue 13: Here
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