Issue 11: A Closed Circuit
I didn’t understand what happened at first. That Omega Defender wasn’t talking to me or Elder Mikaris at the time. No, it would be many cycles before I recognized the import. –Aether
Every day I think back to the Cracking. Why did that oddly shaped creature save me? Not others. Within the Ur, I examine what patterns I can. These ancient eyes have seen much. Yet I cannot shake the impression that rebirth is a mere breath away. Perhaps I have lived too long within the confines of the Ur.—Mikaris
The Weave allowed me to keep my memories and observations of what happened to create the Artock as they are now. It would be the wedge needed for others to interlink the Path of the Ancients. The very same Amarche who initially denied the fabric of reality would come rushing in. Using the memoirs of the past to inform the future.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 2)
Orbit of Genisis Prime
Path of Ancients
The Cracking of the World
Aether asked the floating creature, “Who or what are you? I have been to many worlds yet your form is unfamiliar to me.” The J’kua was in analytical mode. Anything to waylay the reaction to the plague encircling the planet. The cries of the population ringing in his head. Aether’s questions burned bright.
“Where do you hail from?”
The Bardaxian responded, <<From outside the Path. Bardax! Rykah has fallen. The First Light of All is dimmed. This was coordinated!>> The coms device around the creature’s neck lit up with a bright golden light.
Mikaris exclaimed, “NO! We are forsaken!” He cradled his face in his four-armed hands. The furred alien said, <<No. You must await the Slumbering One. She sees the fall. She will help the 42nd branch to rekindle your people. Chronos has not won the war. Merely this battle today!>>
The elder of Genisis Prime whirled around the energy bubble. “The Slumbering One? The texts indicate that is Time herself. The very Weave of Creation!”
The Bardaxian watched as Aether moved around the elder. Scanning him. “There’s nothing on my readouts. Are you sure?”
*****
The Silver Lady said, “That is Howls-Against-Fear. The first of Bardax called to the Defenders!” Aether was still asking questions. His eyes sliding off the planet. The guilt nearly overwhelming him. I moved beyond the elder’s perception. The Bardaxian followed my movements. Which worried Aether. The Void Man said, “We are the closed circuit. Unity can move through universes but the domain of Time is beyond his reach.”
I grasped my chest. Another figure phased through the bubble.
Me.
Hair shot through with silver at the temples.
She turned to the Bardaxian, “I name you Sentinel. Take Aether to these coordinates. The materials needed to construct the Ur are there.”
Old me wore a simple pair of black pants. A white tunic with a strange silver belt at her waist. Barefoot once more. She, or rather I, grinned.
“You can take only so much through the timestream. Fewer ripples that way.”
I responded, “Am I gonna get swissed again?”
She frowned, “Only with one detail. You will not remember the belt I am wearing. That would tell Unity far too much when the time comes.”
That was a refreshing change of pace.
Sentinel barked happily, <<I hear and will obey. The Will of the Highest watches my steps.>>
His belt was different from other Omega symbology. Older self clarified, “That is because he is the first. So shall you be the last. Closed-circuit.” The stars warped as we passed through unfamiliar sectors of space. Arriving at an artificial complex. Aether pointed. “Precursor markings!”
Hidan’s people. Was this what the Arcways used to look like?
It was made from the same metal that was within Earth’s moon. Rotating along its axis. A perfect wheel. Each spoke housing multiple silver spheres.
Old me confirmed, “Yes. This place is the main arcway of the Path.” She pressed a finger to the Bardaxian’s brow, “Knowledge given. Relay it to Aether. Soon it will be the Ark to encompass Trillions.”
My mind froze. The fable of Noah’s Ark.
She nodded, “Truths buried in holy texts.”
She was holding back. The advantage of knowing myself.
The warning of my Ur Self echoing within my thoughts.
It will know what you know and use it against you.
So I didn’t dare ask.
We watched as Aether and Mikaris built the Ur. With the automated abilities of Hidan’s tech base. The bots rippling across the surface. That pale white stony exterior. Those markings. My mind locked at that moment when it transferred those words to my consciousness. The Arcway going dormant as the final pieces were set. I watched as the Silver Lady and the Void Man manifested next to Aether. He bowed his gray head, “I failed you.”
They replied, “That is on us as well. You must take this Ark. Save as many as you can. The corruption already overtakes the Path and all those who reside within. Find Matarn. You must help him breach Unity. To open the way for the Slumbering One. Find the Piper. He who carries the sorrow of the 2nd Betrayal.”
They had no idea just yet. What these actions would put into motion.
Convergence.
*****
I observed the sparks connecting within my younger self.
Wishing desperately to tell her. The Silver Lady’s kindhearted glance stopped me.
Faith will be rewarded. The Vigil is nearing its end.
My Silver Belt. Powered by the Weave and Highest. With the soul of Sentinel within it. While most Defender Belts were powered by universal sources: Blood, Hope, Intellect, Wisdom, ect. A few stood above that. White and Black had been given those forms to hide them for a time. Most Bardaxians counted their brethren among Hope’s embrace. The Omega’s received their power from the various Ouroborous Chains. Yet the first of each Defender had been blessed with additional responsibilities.
Their souls were infused into the belt. To guide them to worthy subjects.
Doc didn’t know it yet but a particular soul resided in her Yellow belt. One that would help her escape from Medusa. I clamped down on my emotions. Knowing my younger self was still absorbing the shock of the Artock’s true Origins. While entities above me controlled time and fate it wasn’t wise to tempt a derailment. Past, Present, and Future were interlocked. The steps are already foreseen. It made me thankful that for all his destructive abilities, Unity wasn’t truly omniscient. That was left for the Highest.
Silver pressed a hand to my chest.
Yes. Even I cannot see beyond the Threads.
Surprise bubbled to the surface. I couldn’t prevent it.
It was refreshing to know even gods had doubts ever so often.
Silver held her hands up, “Only the Creator knows all.”
Void grunted, “You women and your speculations!”
I tapped the side of my head, “Men think with their minds. I think with my heart. Yet there is balance.” Void agreed, “So it was made. In the image of the Highest.”
Sentinel barked, <<I will see you, soul’s friend.>> He jumped into the air. The gray-silver outline of Omega energy carrying him back to Bardax. Back to the coffin. For even now the Weave knew my fate. So long before I was birthed. My younger self blurted out, “Stupid question but I must ask.” We all faced her. The tesseract of the Living memory fading around the edges.
I felt my lips curl into a smile.
Remembering this moment fondly.
*****
My face heated, “You both.” I indicated Void and Silver, “You guided Unity on a wild goose chase while the Ur gathered people.”
They nodded.
“What are the Gray Herald Belts made from? I know there’s more to actual Defender Belts but Unity favors mockery.”
They replied, “Souls stolen. We couldn’t prevent all from being taken in previous cycles.”
I put the pieces together. “Those souls are made from Hidan’s people?”
Void let out an ugly sound. A braying noise that reminded me of what his domain was.
Silver faced me. Her expression troubled, “Yes. Unity grabbed the Soul Cypher of its home universe. So the remaining unborn of the Hidan clan within that place fell. Made to serve as false messiahs. Foul wrapped in beautiful threads.”
A humorous glint entered Void’s voice.
“Yet Set and Unity missed the Ark of the Covenant. A promise forged and made.”
The Silver Lady reached up to touch the back of my neck.
The Ark will help you. At the appointed hour. Wake now.
*****
I groaned and nearly fell to my knees. Remembering just in time that I could float. The ghostly gray-white walls of the moon’s tunnels snapping me back into the present. Cooper whined and leaped into my arms. I ruffled his back. “Worried? Me too!” Dexter rested a hand on the wall. The area around the living metal was inert. It was gone.
As if it had never existed.
New Ashbury
Downtown Apartments
January 11th, 2116
Medusa hadn’t joined Renenutet on this dalliance with Earth reconnaissance but the ancient sorcerous mummy didn’t care. It was alive in the way her Universe wasn’t. She didn’t relish the thought of going home anytime soon. Her face was perfect. She wore the guise of an old harmless woman. Knowing it wouldn’t be strange for one such as that to “forget” things. While prolong was available to these primitives they had yet to master certain kinds of magic. She hummed an old song. Delighting in the various delicacies. The life force thrumming around her. Only taking mere seconds of life from everyone she passed by.
So sweet.
She didn’t realize how much of that sparkling source had been beaten out of her own Earth. Higher-end resources were ripe for the taking. It amazed her that this Doctor Lanis didn’t suck everyone dry. She had the perfect cover!
Behind her Moonlighter followed. Taking care to stay out of the range of her magical shielding. He still hated this plan. He didn’t want Lorain taken. But the Doctor had insisted. Dexter Murphy had even given him the proper variance coding to detect this ugly crone. They had let him in on the plan because of his experience and abilities. It was only the three of them though. When pressed all Dexter Murphy would say was, “We have to catch Medusa as well.” A game of pawns. With very few chess masters.
He shuddered and continued.
Making note of how she acted.
Glad that Lorain had never tapped into this side of her powers.
Horrified that anyone would find pleasure in so callously devouring what wasn’t theirs to begin with. The multiverse would be safer once this creature was eradicated.
*****
The curvature of the Shield World rose before me.
Sentinel remarked, <<They set up a party tent!>>
Notifications were flooding ExTirNetPrime.
My belt rippled excitedly. I imagined he would bark the rest of the day if he could.
It was the anniversary. One of many.
The Vigil continued.
As I touched down on the surface my mother said, “That Highest was playing the biggest game of Chicken.” I held out my hands and mom grinned. Looking as she had during her middle years. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I flew towards the house. It was more of an HQ nowadays.
6 silver spires rose in the distance. Welcoming all to the revamped Union Planetary HQ.
I said, “What’s on the menu for the Murphy Protectorate today?”
Mom rolled her eyes but her pride was unmistakable.
“What else? Bacon with a side of Justice!”
A flash of purple energy shot out. My father was playing catch with his youngest.
By this point in the tale: 33 Murphy kids and counting. 24 of us making up the Protectorate. The Multiversal Demi team for Good Works. As Father Brookes would say. Convergence may have been the darkest moment of my life but in the grand tapestry of things? The silver lining was bright indeed.
Sentinel noted, <<Time until Circuit: 2569 cycles.>>
The Weave hadn’t mentioned the 42nd century to me but the 43rd? That was doable.
Mom saw the look plastered on my face, “Captain Cosmos and the Timekeepers again?”
I grinned, “Not quite yet. Bet it will be smashing though.”
Lorain butted in. “I know in some cosmic clause the Weave was very serious about this Vigil setup but does it need all of us for that event?”
I winked. My father yelled, “OF COURSE IT DOES!”
K’ithan smiled and flew around me, “Can I help this time sis. PLEASE!” He was the spitting image of mom. Green eyes, silver blond hair. Dad’s complexion. I handed mom off to my father. She tugged on his beard for a split second. There were perks to not being in the military anymore.
I nodded and my youngest brother let out a shout. “HEY! I get to go this time!”
Zachary replied, “Don’t let it go to your head!”
He posed, hands-on-hips, saying that classic Blue Blaze line, “Justice shoots ever forward.” Golden Bulleteer let him use it.
It was a family heirloom by now anyways. White Lilies bloomed as I walked up to the Main Hall. My grandmother’s famous turkey hitting my nose as I entered. Cooper spun around me while Black entered from the left side. His face uncovered. He bowed. “Dexter wants input on his next child’s name. I suggested Lilac.”
White retorted, “What’s wrong with Lillian?”
She wore a white dress to offset her brother’s black suit. Her wounds completely healed.
Mary Murphy shouted from the dining hall, “Eliza!”
Just another day in paradise.
Doc kissed my cheek, “I bet you’ll think of a fun name.”
Issue 10: Here
Issue 12: Here
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