Issue 2: What Unity Beheld
The Highest thinks he has the Ultimate Weapons? Ha! We have Eliza Murphy’s memories. Even her allies have to goad her into action. That brother of hers? A mystery. He was protected. What memory we have of his exploits starts after her surgeries. They all fed her lies. How is that noble of the Highest’s pet creations?!—Unity
I was an instrument but not the only one on the field. Many played to the tune of the Highest. Unity was dangerous. Devious. Willing to sacrifice much. I was not. Where the Arcane Order shaped the future? Unity dissolved because the only thing that united it was wrath.—Noah
Light and Dark. The Fall. Everyone has different definitions or examples. What matters? What shall you choose when faced with the test. Will you succumb to the baseline? Or will you rise above it? My first death taught me I wasn’t alone. Even in the dim hollows of evil. My 2nd death? Strength came from many sources. As for the 3rd? We all have cliffs to climb.—Sleeping in Starlight: Reflections on the Void
Unity’s Realm
Inner Soul Crystal of Ov’mo’sul
Convergence Phase 1
Each aspect fed. Murphy’s memories were bright. Juicy. Willful ignorance. They knew the lies of the Terran Alliance. She was one of the few who could survive space without any assistance. The rest were augmented bio-mechanical automation. What they called Sleeves. If they could hack the nets of these “weapons” then the user on the other end could be killed. Just a thread above useful cannon fodder. Akin to Chronos’ near limitless supply of drones. While his soul had been depleted in the ages since Elysium’s fall they had found numerous trillions within other universes to suck dry. Their bodies fueling the Endless Triangle. What those idiotic humans called Living Stone.
Mammon said, “See how she wonders at New Ashbury. Has Leviathan reconnected with the World Eater?” The demon’s face twisted as Murphy ran the shadowed pathways of her prison. At her feet, the dust of old shards clung to her legs. Sparking as they met resistance. Her soul a prism of beauty that repulsed all by its reflection.
Lilith frowned, “I cannot mimic that dear doctor of hers.”
Abyzou plucked the black threads that wormed through Murphy’s heart. “It matters not. With the gestation completed? We shall have our proper avatar.” Satan dislocated his massive jaws. His voice rose above the din of wailing, “SILENCE!” His scales clicked against the membrane. Why would the Highest put its cards within this weak vessel? In the mortal realm, it was powerful enough. The soul shined. It had been raised to value things beyond the ken of his brethren. He wanted to take bits of this Murphy and scatter her against the wastes.
A hush fell over the ruined landscape. The only sound was the slow steady beat of Eliza’s ruined chest. They had to get to the center. Only then would they have the vessel to destroy the playthings of the Highest. Abyzou broke through the final layer. She recoiled. Her blackened wings expanded. Black threads exploded from Murphy. Endless rows of silver arrows clung to each strand. Unity howled as Nyx’s gift exploded across the cosmic echoes.
Unity fled. It flung Murphy deeper into the abyss.
Gold and silver, 9 twisted within the ether, protected Murphy’s soul shard.
Leviathan shouted, “Thronebearer!”
This was no mortal.
The Highest had broken its primary covenant.
Golden Host transplanted into the worlds of Man.
A brilliant crimson light of Red Defender energy cascaded across the Multiverse as Murphy escaped. Abyzou keened, “Another child taken from me…..”
Within the recesses of a distant universe, one scaled eyelid twitched, as Z’ahramdus fed on the remains of Nyx’s unholy sacrament. He rumbled, “Mother.”
*****
The cold filled my lungs. My eyes popped open.
Obsidian fingers squeezed. Morgana said, “Thronebearer no more.”
I stilled. The Hollowed Apex road inside the construct. At its core resided the ashen form of Morgana. What remained of her mortal shell was beyond decayed. I could not restore that soul to a living host. It would serve a purpose. Just one she didn’t imagine. I bit down onto the craggy surface of her armored skin. Then screamed, //*:*\\!
The water around me turned to steam as the ground she stood on purified. Sanctified by the will of the Highest. The obsidian palm that held me cracked. Black ichor sprayed everywhere. Two clawed sets of hands wrapped around my throat. Black beaks elongated into multilayered rows of teeth.
“Give the child to us.”
My hands shot out. I didn’t have any firing capability.
Brut force kept the vile ragged edge just beyond the reach of my neck.
Their claws ignited as they touched the bare skin of my neck.
I pulled both into a whirlwind.
*****
Slapdash aimed another kick to the head of the zombie. Underneath the rotted flesh, a miasma wraith gleamed a sickly blue. His brother, Blue Blaze formed a metallic Frisbee and cut through dozens of the enemy. The disk bisecting limbs holding demis down. Heads flew into the air. The disk ricocheted back as Golden Bulleteer caught it. In a power return swing, it cut through the front lines. A cry went up as the sea around them boiled.
Slapdash was suddenly airborne.
Manned drones zipped through the battlelines to assist. Their triangular shapes were embossed with the three rings of the Highest. He marveled at it. The vapor from the sea banished the wraiths. Their warbling bloodthirsty cries were cut short as the ring of vapor spread outward. A tsunami! At the forefront was Tidalwave. His katana whirled in an arc as he battled across the rocky terrain. Vines curled around his waist. “One!”
He knew what was ahead.
He grinned, “Ready Two!” Lily launched her grandson into the expanding crater.
She repeated the process for her husband and Blue Blaze.
Three hurricanes converged on the 1000-foot-tall Obsidan Golem.
*****
J’ino saw red. Those two feathered demons were coiled around her daughter. Even as Eliza fought to break through the crumbling fingers of the Obsidian Golem. Her suit sent out a trilling alert, //High Velocity winds detected.//
J’ino aimed.
“Augment for environmental factors!” She fired. A white flash followed by snarling let her know she hit her mark. She launched additional Arcane Order sphere bombs into the fray. Those would never hurt her baby girl. According to Agent N, they augmented certain kinds of individuals, ones as Gulliver, Trouble, or Hidan. That man could reverse engineer anything.
She might not have a demis level of super speed or strength but she could alter the density of the material and payload with matter manipulation. She hurled the floating white spheres into the crater. She grinned sharply, “Surprise!”
Each bomb grew heavier.
The winds meant nothing to those bits of metal.
*****
The world turned a particular shade of white.
Not like when I was under the auspices of White herself. This was the kind of boom that could be heard across the universe. If it had ever decided to sprout ears. The pressure on my neck disappeared. My right index finger snapped backwards as both owls fled into the innards of the Golem. I cradled my hand to my chest and forced it back into position. Then grabbed quick splint from my utility belt.
Sentinal growled, >>They left the golem. Dark Mirror shard. Escape hatch!<<
I floated upward as 6 white spheres exploded overhead. My HUD registered a 10 mile shockwave. The shieldworld AI stated serenely, <<No Primary Unity forms detected. Would you like me to continue to monitor the crew of the Little Italy? Including passengers?>> I landed in the smoking depression with a thud. I sent the mental codes to the AI.
It highlighted the domed fields that snapped into place.
One step at a time. I commanded it, <<Don’t let them off the surface. This was just round one.>> Round two would be one to remember. I was glad this place didn’t have any aquatic life.
The shield world added helpfully, <<We have it stored within the genebanks. Would you like to….>>
I replied, “No! Keep it on ice!”
Slapdash rushed over to me. “WOAH! What was that?! Can you teach me some shouts?”
Doc fired a yellow energized net over me. She said curtly, “Don’t move.”
A mecha tank the size of our old house stomped over. The canopy opened.
Mom’s critical gaze focused on my neck, face, and hand. I said, “Go make sure everyone else is ok. That was quite the light show.”
Golden Bulleteer circled the area. “Ocean is about to come back!”
I found myself hoisted into the air.
The net latched onto Mama Bear’s outer tank hull. I wasn’t the only one. One of the Protectorate, Windwalker, waved shyly at me. I could hear Grandma Murphy saying softly, “…and you wonder why your father and I….” Another aunt. Her readouts indicated she had a mild concussion. She had tried to suck in the excess winds and convert them to energy. I discretely added a wrist brace to that right hand. I winced as other aches registered.
Sentinal observed, <<It is because your rejuvenated body has not absorbed all the nutrients it needs. I will ask Natet to cook extra helpings of bacon.>>
My back twitched. Gabriel interjected softly, >>You are not just one of the Thronebearers. I see now what He had to do.<< I leaned back and dozed for a time. No knives in the dark. Just a hazy image of three circles. A man in a white suit held out a cup. It was made of simple stone. “Drink.”
The water was crisp.
At the bottom was a white pearl. It opened.
//XX:XX\\
I snapped awake.
Doc stood over me. Her hands were on her hips. “How did you break a whole arm?!”
My entire right arm was wrapped in yellow rejuvenation sleeves.
I rubbed the back of my neck, “The Apex birds travelled through the golem’s arm. I sanctified the area. They fled through a dark mirror shard hatch.” She probed my arm gently. Frowned as she traced the wounds under the material. She called out, “Go get O’rioh. Cleansing Rites!” She sat down heavily next to me. Using my left side as a pillow. I checked my chrono. Two Days. That explained the circles under her eyes. Mom burst in.
She began, “I don’t care how much experience you have, I am not losing you to the Feathered Soulsuckers.”
Hidan and O’rioh arrived shortly after. It was a regular reunion!
Gulliver quacked. Trouble waddled over and jumped into my lap.
A small ringing sound made me look down.
Black Scrawl dripped from my wounds. Formed into solid beads as they filled the bowl.
Hidan uncovered my arm. “Fast and painful or….”
I bit down onto a piece of duracrete strip that mom reinforced for me. Gulliver moved Doc towards the secondary medical bay. Trouble held me in place with his Omega Defender energies. One hour later I made my way to the Jupiter Rising’s mess hall. I took a sip of whiskey. Then another. My fingers felt tingly. I barely managed to make it to the table. I nursed my other drinks. Then experienced an unusual reaction.
I banged my knee against the table.
I bit back a yelp.
Oh no. I took a fork. Then poked my arm.
The skin dimpled in response.
Doc strode in. Her face was thunderous, “ELIZA!”
I leaned away from the table and stood. Then walked over.
Or rather. Tried. A wave of dizziness struck. Doc managed to catch me in time. Her mouth opened in amazement.
“Are….are you drunk!?!” Lorain blushed as I smiled and rested my ear against her chest. “How are you that soft? That is a nice shirt. Wool right?” That familiar prickle against my skin told me Doc was actively scanning me. This time it was a bit different. Whatever she was doing I didn’t feel like moving for the next century.
I blurted out, “Amazing!”
I pressed my face into Lorain’s shirt, “Clothing is awesome! Is that cherries?”
*****
Doc brought up her internal displays. Eliza was completely sloshed. Those bleary gray eyes never moved. Had this been a private moment Lorain would have been beyond flattered. This should not be. The Arcane Net was silent. No mention of power fluctuations. For all intents and purposes? Eliza Murphy was normal. As standard as a Human-Typherian hybrid could be.
The Star-Spangled Banner was mortal.
No powers registered.
Lorain said sweetly, “Sentinel!”
The silver belt around Eliza’s waist wiggled hopefully, “Could you tell me why three shots of whiskey, 3 long island ice teas, 2 cups of taquela, and 4 spiral chasers work on my Captain?”
The Bardaxian replied, <<Yes! Until the Twilight can be named? The Arbiter will remain as you see her.>> Natet raced over, “I had no idea! These drinks are like water to Star!” The Markav cook took off towards the side storage. “I have detox tablets….” Eliza touched Doc’s face. Like she was seeing it for the first time.
*****
I murmured, “I’m lucky.” Lorain’s green eyes darted to my Union circlet. She stopped Natet as the cook was about to place something on the top of my hand. She whispered to him and he departed. Doc pocketed the item before I could see what it was. “Let’s get you to the captain’s quarters. First.”
She poked my nose. “A proper shower!”
I saluted, “Yes Ma’am. Doc Amazing has the best job. Get’s to patch me up.”
*****
Lorain could feel the emotions through their Union bond. Through her bracket. The pleasant glow lingered. She should have realized this about Eliza. Even dead drunk her captain would be happy. Eliza thought she was speaking Standard.
“Hhowd you git so fluff? Specihal shirrth. Made by duchks. Fethers!”
The hatchway hissed open. Doc pushed Eliza onto the bed. She said slowly, “Stay.”
“Yeh!”
Doc programmed the preferred settings into the unit.
It had been decades since they’d been aboard the Jupiter. She turned back to the main room. Pressed the tab against Eliza’s wrist. That way the medicine would kick in properly. The small corner of her mind noted one important factor.
Eliza had enough stamina to kill a moose. Even in this state.
Snores filled the cabin. Doc waited.
“Jupiter?”
The ascended VI replied, “Yes Doctor?”
“Unless an army of demonic hoards breaches the planet?”
“Understood.”
*****
I groaned and pulled myself up into a sitting position. My boots were gone. Along with my socks. I wiggled my toes. Then pressed them down to the cabin floor. I marveled at the texture. “Why didn’t I notice this?” I mean I could feel things. Barring that set of circumstances early in my career but this was a new level of sensation.I took off my jacket. Then my outer shirt. Then leaned back into the bed in my undershirt and pants. It was small at first then I noticed the heat building up along my back. I yawned until my jaw popped.
I called out to Doc, “Did this bed always have this feature?!”
She laughed. “Yes. It's called message level 2!” I rolled around until I had gathered up all the sheets and blankets. “This stuff is great!” Doc exited from the refresher. I reached out to touch the silky sleeve, “I need to try on more clothing.” She was wearing a simple nightshirt and pants. Dark green.
Doc passed the popcorn bowl over. “How about a holovid first?” I wrapped the blankets around us and then rested my chin on the top of her head.
Since I had been gone they had made 12 more Captain Cosmos full-featured holo-scapes.
I hummed along with the theme song as it roared to life.
For the next 12 hours, I forgot about the outside world.
Issue 1: Here
Issue 3: Here
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