The Uplift Protocol: Point Of Origin Prologue

 

The Uplift Protocol: Point Of Origin

Copyright © 2021 by K..M. Able

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. All the characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to those living or dead is coincidental.

Dedication:

TO all those who want the old-style Inspirational. I do this for all of us. Make your dream a reality! If it’s not there, build it!

Prologue: Late Delivery from Avalon!

 

One of the artifices of Unity is to induce men to believe that he does not exist: another, perhaps equally fatal, is to make them fancy that he is obliged to stand quietly by, and not to meddle with them if they get into true silence.—Old Light Shaman saying

Henceforth House Urraden is driven from the surface of Typha. Its blood no longer welcome upon our shores. They have committed the unspeakable. Attempting to open the Path of Ancients.—C’alain Ayeer

Within the shadows of Avalon, my family discovered more of Aether’s role. No wonder he worked so hard to correct his mistake. He and his people thought they were linking a vast network that would take them beyond the Ouroborous Chains of the known Multiverse. It is why the phrase “Beware the Path of the Ancients” has many meanings. Far more than I realized at the time.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23^rd century (vol 2)

The Isle of Avalon

The Caves of Merlin

November 17^th, 2115

 

            J’ino held on to Thomas as the crystal climbed up to encase her family. It was an involuntary response but she couldn’t help it. Eliza, Dexter, and the Triplets were here as well. Guinevere's voice rumbled through the crystal, “Through this Seeking Chamber you will see the memories of C’alain. Perhaps even perceive things only Eliza can as well. Walk lightly. Magic isn’t something to be trifled with.”

            Victor was with his grandparents. Both the Typherian and human sets. V’alkor’s duties had changed since the H’ysen spheres encircled Sol. O’rioh was with them as well. His mechanical left arm and hand glinting silver and gold off the reflections of the crystal. He was currently sitting cross-legged. Eyes closed. His fiery red hair was plated with warrior braids. With his chest bare, J’ino could see the white tracing of tattoos. Similar to Muthra power bands but the writing was an older version of Typherian she couldn’t understand. 

            The gray mist swallowed everyone.

            Open warfare upon the ancient surface of Typha exploded outward.

            Memories of a forgotten epoch.

           The combatants within the battle phased through the Murphy family and their guests. As if they were the holograms. The past could only be viewed. Not altered.

*****

            Queen Athlass brought her rifle blaster to her shoulder, “To the King!”

            Her HUD linking with the battle net.

           

            C’alain unsheathed his sword. Tyre murmured to him, <<They seek to breach the Path of Ancients. We must stop them. Head for the Temple of the Three.>>

            The caustic scent of battle filled the air. Neither side giving quarter.

 

 

            Hextor Urraden’s mental voice rose above the din.

            >>I will command the very stars of creation! The Weave lies to us!<<

            Tyre bit into the flesh of the closest Urranden guards. Howls of pain erupted as the metal cooked them from the inside. A few clicks away a bright burst of suppressive fire let C’alain know that his wife's marksmanship skills were as sharp as ever. Hextor grimaced, >>Delay him you fools!<<

            The hulking brute of an Urraden glared daggers at his cohorts. Rather than drawing their master’s wrath, they met Ayeer’s forces head-on. The entire memory froze as Eliza peered skyward.

“Dear god. The All-Father is that old?!”

            Thomas and the others directed their attention to the spot within the sky that Eliza was fixated on. The spirits of C’alain and Athlass shimmered next to the Twins. Their shock was evident. C’alain asked, “Can you get us closer?”

*****

            Within the memory, I drew everyone to the ship cloaked above the battlefield.

            Unknown configuration. Tyre’s worry flowed over me.

            Shaped like a silver trident. The fusion engines tapering off into 3 bulbous nobs.

<<Unblemished J’kua ship. If the All-Father has that then he might be searching for the Rebirthing Matrix!>>

Tyre’s comment didn’t bode well. 

My memory had been adjusted. 

To ensure my life. That much I was aware of.

The Crystal Coffin's new resting place. Aether’s cagey behavior.I didn’t even know where The Tower/Pandora's former Box was now.

It was more than just a Learning Sphere.

I rested a hand against the metal of the vessel. 

It passed through with no resistance.

*****

        White stilled. The possibilities firing off within her mind.

        Aether had taken the memory of the Tower’s location from her memories. She knew this because the message of apology played endlessly when she tried to access it. Yet the majority of those 5 years was still clear. She linked to the Ur-Stone, <<Private Line: Director Aether.>>

       The J’kua’s face manifested. Framed in soft yellow light.

       <<What happens if you fall? Then the matrix will be lost!>>

            His white pale skin tightened around his mouth, <<It is within a place the enemy will not look. Trust me. Trust the Weave.>> He cut the connection abruptly.

*****

            I blurted out, “That fight makes more sense now. I wondered why he was so perturbed by my healing factor. This version of the All-Father is practically vital in comparison.”

            It was true. His shoulders were broader. His dark brown hair pulled into a neat ponytail. His crimson eyes burning with a vitality absent from his present shells. How many times had he broken off pieces of himself into endless clones?! Chronos was standing next to him, “Your “son” will fail. C’alain’s forces have already breached the Temple of the Forsaken Eyes.”

            Gwen stiffened beside me. “I was so wrong. God, I am an idiot!”

            Mom wrapped an arm around my sister.

            C’alain’s ghostly arm reached out to point at the sidewall, “What is the name of that ship?”

            The words flowed through my mind.

            “The Waverider. May all those who seek Knowledge Find the Path.”

            I winced, “I have a hunch this was Aether’s ship at one point.”

            White added, “Considering Chronos is his former student….”

            The All-Father replied, “It matters not. This was merely a test.  Typha will become the metal I need to bring the others away from blasphemy. Remember your promise. I give you Throne privileges. You get the Path. I get my homeworld away from Set.”

            Two hunched forms entered. Gwen ducked behind Dad as O’rioh hissed, “Filthy creatures of malaise and bone!” He spat on the ground. I did a double-take. I hadn’t noticed it when we were rescuing Gwen from the clutches of Unity’s monsters but these two were the same. They had been feeding into Typha’s corruption for ages and ages. They weren’t just tools for the enemy.

            They were Typherians converted to its cause.

            Light Sages and Weave Speakers.

            The battle for Typha’s soul had reached a turning point.

            I spoke without thinking, “That’s why the Weave cut you off. You would have…” I couldn’t finish it. She would have become one of the White Owls. Tobin and Jace moved towards my parents and Gwen.

            “O’rioh, what is the temple of the Three? There’s one in the old sector of the Golden City. On Bardax.”

            He replied, “They protect the common people from the travesty of the Path of the Ancients. Earth has many of them. Even if they don’t realize it.”

            Athlass keened, “The Commons didn’t forget the old ways. It was why the hab rings were protected. While the planet languished.  All of C’alain’s work nearly forgotten or ignored!” My mind flashed to the Temple on Mars. Every major city upon the surface of the Markav planet had a temple made to the Exodus and the Three.

            It wasn’t just the buildings.

            “Cleansing sectors helps. But we have to reinforce….”

            I made a note to call Father Brookes.

            No wonder the UEF had priests sanctify ships. Planets, people, and the very laylines shooting out across the cosmos. While Eden Earth housed the foundation, the Arcane Order had been laying the foundations. I glanced about the room. Trying to see if I could glean anything else from it. Sadly it was too far out from the memory bubble to gain access to the rest of the vessel.  My dad nodded, “Yes. It’s a travesty that our missionaries to Typha weren’t able to get more leeway to build the assets we needed but we aren’t blind.”

            I glared at the All-Father’s after image, “Explains why they can't get to the Bardaxians.”

            Gwen asked O’rioh, “How many like me fell within your colonies?”

            O’rioh crossed himself, “An entire moon of the creatures. They haven’t infested Whitehome. But our other two planets? We will need help before we can free our cousins!”

            The mists receded. The Queen of Avalon’s golden hair caught in the sunlight.

            “We are ready.” She waved to the expanse of stars overhead.

            An entire fleet.

At its head was the Dweller Gate that would take us to Whitehome.

Book 4: Interlude Here

Book 5 Issue 1:  Here