The Uplift Protocol: Hidden Legacies Issue 18

 

Issue 18: In the Shadow of the Ziggurat 

 

            I know I shouldn’t have gotten upset. Eliza is pretty sensitive to my overall mood swings. But even seeing Jacob and Samantha for that split second. Without being able to say a word or let them know she wouldn’t be alone. That was a knife twisting in the wind. There’s so much I  wanted to say but couldn’t. Because that would have influenced the past far too much. Eliza might be a bit of a gray area due to her ties to the Silver and the Weave but I have no such protection.—Lorain Lanis, private thoughts recorded in the Era of Rebirth.

            I didn’t want to mention this to Samantha because she’s never been at the very end of her rope but I recognized an old pain in that Eliza. It hasn’t eaten away at her. She protects others from it. I have my suspicions. While they were talking I keyed in on that circlet. It has other patterns on it. Unlike what my sister currently wears. When was the right question to pose. Just how far into the future will she endure? Is no one with her. No, that is not possible. Could it be tied to Lorain? What is the depth of her healing powers on herself? I will pray for them. Prolong gives us over 1000 years in most cases now. But what if those years turned to eons? I need a drink. –Jacob Murphy

            As I write this: Eliza is yet again flying into Artock territory, bringing the Ark with her. That long-ago relic my father and I recovered from the ruins of Unity’s old home system/planet: Rykah. She hasn’t aged a day since she was revived by the Crystal Coffin. My wife and I have some spots of silver in our hair. Mom and dad are happy as any grandparents or great-grandparents could be. While our grandparents, both human and Typherian, are enjoying the twilight of hard-won victory. But I can see it in Lorain’s eyes. She blames herself. But that combined J’kua artifact was the only way to bring Eliza back from the very brink of reality. That thin line between life and death.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 22^nd century

Medusa’s Ship

Zygotic Expanse

September 7^th, 2114

           

The Spinster cackled.

“I see it now. Oh, this one has the glory of everything laid at her feet yet knows so little of her true power.”

            Medusa peered into the recreation room and shuddered. That desiccated corpse was watching Doctor Impossible on some interview special. No longer split into three people for the moment. Why she did that the old Atlantian didn’t want to know. Reminded her of Pandora in a sick way. She knew most of her “allies” were insane. She had a touch of it as well. Who wouldn’t? It was an element that one needed to embrace in life. She slipped past. Muttering, “Might as well sharpen my knives. It's not like I’m going to see the All-Mother.”

            Spinster, known in her universe as The Lady Undying, had been a herald of beauty and rebirth. While others faded into the ether, she continued. Bringing Egypt to the stars. Unlike this universe, her nation had covered the globe. Their magic and culture the undisputed within the grand tapestry. A goddess with no equal. She was Renenutet and bowed to no one. Her hands curled into hooks. This Lanis woman had everything. She would take it. All of it. To have a family and mate again would be a marvelous thing.

            It had been so long since anyone looked at her the way she deserved.

            She reached out to touch the holographic image. Memorizing every line of Doctor Impossible’s frame. “Mine.”

*****

            X’mil’s eyes watered as the brand came down on his palms. The final markings. He was a full-fledged dark shaman now. He would dominate his enemies. Crippling their minds. The All-Mother’s shadowed visage lingering in the background. He would not scream. The pain sliced through his hands. To the bone. To his very soul. He welcomed it. As he rose to his feet he clamped down on his shaking knees. He would not falter here. He walked towards the hidden temple. Under the deepest levels of the Urraden ancestral Ziggurat. His footsteps were stronger and bolder the closer he got to the main shrine.

            Under the twisted green metal was a woman encased in stasis. The All-Mother’s breath tickled his left ear, “Yes. That one. A scholar. See the face of your enemy. Take note you do not suffer the same fate X’mil Urraden.”

            His eyes locked onto the scholar’s face. A statuesque beauty but he wasn’t here for her. No, he wanted J’ino. He would make her pay for all her insults. His lips pulled back into a predatory grin. “So, what’s my mission?”

            The matriarch grinned, “One you will relish!” She waved him towards the Dark Pits. As he stepped into the pools of oily liquid it slid up his chest and through his eyes and mouth. Images flashed. He saw Typha. The Naming House. V’alkor’s royal mein. Karvax and the king dueling within the spray of water. He would follow the call of the Dark Mirrors.

The Dustworks

Zygotic Expanse

           

Thoth climbed the crumbling temple edifice. His body twisted. More snake than man now. No matter. His muscles were durasteel. He no longer had to eat constantly. While still bipedal, he had gained a tail with a stringer at the end. Potent poisons to suffocate his prey. No one else stood beside him. That was fine. He had been alone from the start. He would not die from Mordred’s long-ago assault. He had taken that concoction into himself. To utilize it as a weapon. Everyone had dismissed him because of the Earth fiasco. But he saw the truth. Attacking Earth or any other planets wouldn’t get the job done. One had to go for the heart of the enemy’s defense. The Throne Matrix. Unity had some of those pinpoints under its control but not the right ones.

He would have to gain a foothold over the ever so loved House Ayeer Scion. Murphy herself. That was the key. Many of his contemporaries thought the girl broken. E’ratha was a fool. That girl played up certain things. To protect more vulnerable people. Like J’ino. Or her physician turned Unioned Leech. One didn’t defeat the Weave through conventional means. Their side might have ancient magics and deceit but farming souls wasn’t enough. Converting more to Artock wasn’t enough.

He was a soldier on the side of Unity.

Prepared to give more than Set or Morgana ever thought possible.

He had heard the words.

THE MIND WILL TWIST

THE BODY WILL REFORM

THE CORRUPTION BREAKS THE WALL OF THE INFINITE

REBIRTH!

THE DECAY OF UNITY CALLS OUT TO THE VOID

CONVERGENCE

DEATH EVERLASTING!

TO CONSUME ALL!

 

He knew those words. Ringing throughout his head as a constant companion. Those words leading him to decimate the Ayeers of his universe. He was the Wall-Breaker! Throne –Breaker! The one who would overturn the Weave. Remaking everything in what he desired. He had been protected. He remembered the clarion call of the White and Black Defenders. Their power flowing over Earth. He had done general searches. About the battle. Someone had altered the consciousness of everyone on a Universal level. Set knew of them. That’s what Murphy was protecting. The Black. The White. The various Defenders along with the whole balance of the Weave. Where Set wanted the power for his own, Thoth smirked, “That power will never except such a pitiable host as Set.”

He dared not enter any words within the general INet about Black or White. That would alert all the wrong people. Set wouldn’t say but Thoth knew there had to be more out there than Void Walkers. Even Chronos had come from something. The Weave had many listeners. One had to step carefully within the shadow.

His fair-weather allies were deluded.

He knew his purpose. As small as it was.

Unity spoke to him alone.

His muscles bunched as he swung onto the terrace. He sniffed the air. Then tasted it with his forked tongue. What he wanted was here. Long forgotten by everyone. Unity remained. It endured. It lived here. He walked upon the decayed stonework. The blood read moons rising. All 3 of them lighting the way before him. The holy words of Unity formed in black inky scrawl. Showing him the steps. As he descended the voices got louder.

“Welcome brother.”

He turned. A heavy hand pulled at his tattered purple cloak. His old muthra battlesuit pockmarked with neglect. He shouted, “Show yourselves!” His voice reverberated but none answered. As he arrived at his final destination a massive stone doorway rumbled open.

On a pedestal was a weapon. Or rather a pair of fighting claws. The leather was blackened. As he placed them on his palms, his skin rippled, the weapon’s voice curled around his brain, <<Ahh, sister! Someone found us.>>  The metal retracted into the leathered gloves. The feminine one remarked, <<Perfect. We sense an old friend’s skill within your blood. We offer you our knowledge.>>

Thoth grated out, “In return for what? Flesh? Pleasure? My soul?”

They responded, <<Nothing as base as that. We wish to find our old enemy and destroy it. One that has endured the Eons. Since the fall of Rykah. E’tarlass, beloved blade of the Intez, those who endure through their hosts. Dreadful. >>

            “What are you?”

            The Claws hissed, << Hunin and Vixrex, The Left and Right Claw of Unity, its will made manifest in this world. Much like you Thoth. But that is not your real name. Speak it for us? Let us know.>>

            The black scrawl pulsated around him. Pleading. Let us in. Yes. Trust us.

His mouth moved before he could think, “Z’tar Urraden, last of my name.”

Hunin guttural snicker ringed hollow, <<Yes. Symmetry. The other Father has only a flicker of soul left. He will wither and die upon the Amber of Typha. You will not. You will guide us, Seeker.>>

            Vixrex delicate snort, <<Oh yes. He will have his uses. But you dear Thoth will have the last laugh. We have seen it all.>>

*****

            Set frowned. The Dark Mirror Network alighting on Thoth’s activities.

            Was Unity mocking him?

Thoth remembered the opening salvo of Black and White. Yet Unity bestowed its most lethal weapons upon the broken mirror of the All-Father. This wouldn’t do. His hands tugged on his satchel. Within was the prototype firearm meant to kill Void Walkers. He had used his Mirror network to “borrow” the weapon. Taking it from Bel. Before Mordred flooded her mind. He would need more Aces in the hole to come out on top. It was obvious that Unity was playing favorites. Those weapons, no matter what side they fell under, were a mark. A warning.

He would have to find one. There were rumors, weapons for each of Earth’s laylines but Set nearly dismissed it as Light Shaman propaganda. But what if other truths rested there? He would tread carefully. Wait until other forces moved. He would corrupt the Titan Arms. They could be used by Unity or Weave imbued individuals.

The basic pattern of the multiverse demanded that people had the choice.

He grinned. “I will deny those Arms the choice. They will serve me.”

*****

            Morgana read the bones. Set would fall. The heady incense-filled her lungs. Images flashing through the Dreaming. It was a weaker connection here. She would have to move beyond the empty between the stars. Towards the Zygotic Expanse. That was where Unity was stronger. An alternate Universe, newer than most, so it allowed the All-Father greater maneuverability. She rose from her meditation platform. Her personal carrier ship a small fleck against the most powerful Terran Alliance scout. It wouldn’t turn up on most sensors but this Milky Way Universe was gaining momentum that she didn’t want to push against. She would not underestimate her enemies.

            “Multiphase: Lock on to secondary anchors. Standard procedure.” The ship chimed. Cutting through the gaps of the Ouroborus. She had to use the back doors. Those blessed by the Throne Matrix were allowed proper access to phase into other universes. It's why her compatriots were so keen on controlling any Typherian Throne they could. Flecks of gold danced before her eyes. She hissed, “I will not allow the Golden Path to thrive! The Herald of Silver will die. Once I find it!”

            The heavy vermillions, blues, greens, and orange plumes. An alien set of stars formed before her readouts. Her eyes narrowed. “Interesting you’d be here All-Father.” His mobile domain within the Expanse glittered copper within the sea of stars. Its mechanical heart syncing with her ship's systems, <<Head to these coordinates. We need you. Great Seer of the Dark.>>

            Enteral fires burned on its artificial surface. White-hot.

            The Souls of the damned writhing there. To be used as fodder.

            She glanced away. Recognizing the hollow salvation. They were all doomed.

            The path was set.

            All she wanted to do was destroy what hope remained.

The Jupiter Rising

Docking Bay

September 8^th, 2114

           

Ul’mati placed simple coins on our heads.

Muttering holy incantations.

            We had no idea what we’d find on the planet’s surface. Mom and Nola were firm. They’d join us down there as well. I imagined even if I locked them in the holding cells they’d escape with Jupiter’s help. There was no way they’d leave loved ones alone with this kinda mission. Even if pregnant. Auggie, Val, and Sparta agreed to my suggestion, protect those two above all else. Valkyrie was especially keen to do so. Having lost her litter. She didn’t want it to happen to anyone else.

            Ul’mati, Professor Nara with his Litari 3^rd eye, and our ship’s cook would be joining us. The Markav Light Shaman wanted to make sure he wouldn’t lose his friends in the melee. Piper wanted to come as well but I wanted him to remain with the rest of the bardaxian security teams in case something came after Jupiter. He was a decent technician. Jupiter could auto jump if needed. Natet’s yellow within yellow eyes peered down at the surface of the planet, “They are trapped in amber. A malaise whispers like glittering knives.” I didn’t doubt it. Unity loved to twist and writhe in the shadows.

            White protested, >>I do not think it’s wise for those in delicate positions to…<<

            Mom aimed a disgruntled glare at my waist. A contest of wills.

            Eddie looked anywhere but at me, mom or my peculiar white sash of an ancient promise.

            Valkyrie tentatively padded forward, her massive white lupine head cocked to the side, ears flat. <<You cannot ask mothers to leave their children Lady White. You cannot!>>

            As we all entered the shuttlecraft, emblazoned with Jupiter’s retro space cowgirl symbolism, the ride was pure silence.  Doc sent a burst over our Union setup.

            ///Ill prioritize the babies on board. I already reinforced their midsections with added shielding. I doubt Nola or your mother will be overtly reckless. But White does have a point. We will leave you and the rest of the menfolk to do the heavier lifting. ///

            I took a page from Eddie’s playbook and kept my comments to myself.

            As we hit the atmosphere I sneezed.

           My away team was in encounter suits or sealed up tighter than a drum.

            My H.U.D updated: ///Unknown Spores detected.///

            Everyone else tensed. “Keep those defender shields up as well.” Natet’s voice joined Nola's and Ul’mati’s. They were reinforcing our Light Shaman seals as well. The whole planet was infected.  I only hoped that if we could find the source that would cure the rest of the Forger Sector. Mom had fused quite a few of the Purity grenades into a cleanser that could expand across the planet. I had a feeling we’d need it.

Issue 17: Here

Issue 19: Here