Issue 22: The Curator Returns
My people are finally ready. We waited
long enough. Collected enough threads across the multiverse. Like-minded realms
will rise together. Amid the sea of stars. –The Curator
We never had physical bodies in the
way later cycles perceived them. It made the Amache the perfect vector to cause
trouble for Unity’s puppets and those who pulled its strings.—Annals of Battle
The
Highest placed a great deal of trust in the Curator. He was the backup plan in
case I should fail. In some timelines? I did. Those were the visions Anna had
beheld. Not just the Unity possession but within some? Dexter and I had never
existed. It was why Eden’s universal vibrations. Its signature you could say
was so important. It was the central thread within the wheel of the Multiverse.
Unity had never been able to properly breach the restored Veil and Night Realm
of our home universe. The Red King? It had found a way.—Sleeping in Starlight:
Codex of the Past, Present and Future
The Surface of Earth (Edenverse)
The Veil Above and Below
The First Compact After the Shattering
The Curator phased through the rocky
surface.
A
spark of light rested upon his shadowed form. Dark matter twisted and coiled
about that bit of illumination. Welcoming it. A spark of the one that had saved
the remaining Amache from enslavement. A higher level being. Its voice sang
within the Curator.
Carry
me through fire. For I shall ignite the stars.
The Amache leader paused. This place
was dead. A rush of heat expanded. Pale against the total dark. The core ignited.
Rivers of lava flowed. Knowledge of this physical realm coiled about the
Curator. He floated above. Watched as the planet formed about him. Mountains
grew. Their roots tied to the core.
With trembling fingers the Curator
said, “The First Flame of a New World.” A golden star flashed into existence.
It pulled at the heavens. It drew the Titans to this place.
I
name you Khepri. So shall the Icath and Amache guide my Arbiters within this realm.
Your allegiance held secret. For the long fingers of crimson shall flow into
this Universe. Not through violence or woe.
Khepri shuddered. “I am not one who
gives life! Or renewal!”
His people could not exist in this
physical realm. So how would he assist the future bipeds? The word came to his
mind. Humans. Noah’s flock. This place would be host to the first seed of
Humanity’s
The Light pulsated. Its voice
soothed Khepri.
Fear not. That is part of the Shroud of
Memory. We shall hide the Truth within scripture. Ceremony. I am not like my
brother. Mortal life shall be able to choose. All paths open.
Khepri said, “What shall the
Shattering be named?”
The
Exodus. The Garden of Eden pillaged. For your part? You shall dub it many
names. Across the ages. Each story faded against time and memory.
The words formed. Aaru. Heaven. Valhalla.
Nirvana.
Elysium.
That last name resonated. It sang
within Khepri. The Light phased through his body.
You
shall not know the name of Heaven.
I must protect that last thread. When the
final battle begins? Only then shall you remember this moment. Do you
understand what I ask of you? Curator of the Amache. One whose form can possess
the dead.
Khepri considered the words.
His mind peered into the future. A
woman with black and gray eyes stared back at him.
Her face was marred with age. Within
that face? The Light echoed. Next to her was a twin. His face bearded. A mighty
white trident in one hand. A massive scythe rested upon his back. Their wings. Thronebears
of the Shattering. Concealed within a mortal form.
He
covered his eyes.
“I am not worthy.”
The Light intoned softly, “You shall
be.”
*****
Khepri stood upon the sands.
In
the distance, the dot of green expanded. A rich oasis surrounded the outskirts of the
Golden City. Massive pyramids glittered in the noonday sun. Ships came and went
with a shimmer. P’tah sat. The Icath eyed the activity. His gaze hardened.
<<Phase Two approaches. The Veil conceals the truth. >>
Khepri
inhaled sharply. His armored helm retracted. In the shape of Anubis.
He
was adorned in Golden City Protector armor. His chest was bear. Three golden armbands
on the left. Three. A significant number. While the right arm had one silver
band. The simple ankh necklace was embued with ancient power. The council of “Gods”
would occur before Chronos’ banishment through time.
Khepri
had put his old host body to rest. Gave it the final rites needed. The soul
shard of the elderly man had smiled. In life, he had been a Light Shaman. His
name long forgotten to the annals of time. “May you find rest until the next
cycle.”
The
Amache side of his soul was relieved. As the Curator? He felt a measure of
unease when taking a new host to carry the mission forward.
This
body had been empty. A rarity.
The
soulless often didn’t make it beyond one year.
Arcane
agents had located the babe. Left within an ICU. No data on the parents.
Khepri
suspected divine intervention. The body had been placed within the Weaving Pods
of the Golden City. Its growth regulated to that of a normal human. Pods made by
the Lady of the Isles. Lorain Lanis. Her legacy entwined just as acutely as the
Arbiters. It was why they would protect her against the 2nd Phase.
Memory held pain. But it held hope as well.
Khepri
sighed, “One day we shall all walk with the Sun. Our Burdens laid bare.”
P’tah’s
purple jewel swirled with power. His massive white-furred head leaned into the
sunlight. His tail swished. He purred, <<That
we shall. I promised you a drink.>>
Khepri
nodded. That long-ago ceremony burned upon his memory.
He
saw them again. As he had first met them. Eliza Murphy. Known as the Arbiter of
the Sands to the original residents of the Golden City. Clothed in silver
metals that had hugged her shoulders. Her chest. Simple sandals. Leg guards to
her knees. A white cloak upon her back. Her Horus helm that same silver brilliance.
Lorain had worn her Yellow Defender belt. It had taken the form of a sash. Hieroglyphics
proclaiming the words for “Health Everlasting” stenciled upon the edges.
Lorain’s
white robes linked together with golden rings across her arms and neck.
A
golden circlet upon her head. The shimmer around her arms cloaked the Unity
Bond jewelry. He knew the context now. None had ever seen Eliza without her
helmet. Never her true face. Lanis had seen to that. Khepri raised his arms.
Power flowed. White lines of power surrounded both and they winked out of existence.
The Golden City
Old Quarter Residential Area
Present Day
Lorain Lanis glanced up at Eliza, “Seeing
double?”
To her surprise, the taller woman
nodded. “I know this place. Like the back of my hand.”
Eliza’s gaze was locked on a point
only she could perceive. Lorain glanced about. Each house was a light tan
coloration. The roofs flat. Signals reached her HUD. Modern appliances. Cooper
nuzzled her left hand. <<There’s more but you will know that in
time.>> His body was renewed. Vigor echoed his every step. The world was
entering a new age. Legislation was introduced. From now on? All would be
required to reach the updated age of majority before being offered the newest package
of Prolong.
60 Years. Terran Standard.
So everyone would experience the
rigors of normal aging.
Many had accepted this. Life was
extended but the responsibility remained.
The knowledge that one could still
appreciate the little aspects that made life worth living. A new golden age for
Humanity. All in perperation. Magical demis already knew of this life. Using
the stasis pods below the city to extend their existence. The spirit. The soul
was eternal. Now they could assist the body
in a fraction of that reality. Lorain hugged herself. That kernel of doubt ate
away at her. How would they remain sane?
No, she amended silently.
How
would she remain true when the weight
of ages came calling?
Eliza’s fingers kneaded Lorain’s
right shoulder.
Murphy
leaned in, “No matter what? I’ll catch you.”
*****
I added privately, We shall not walk this world alone.
Madness would not touch her. Not
ever. I would take it into myself. That knife would never contaminate Doc. No
matter what Unity or the Red King wanted. I knelt. The rough cobbled street
stones warmed by the noonday sun. My palm prickled.
Bastet’s warm tone flooded my
senses, <<Your mother and father
await you in the Veil of the City. I will bring the Lady of the Isles to the
apex of waterways. It will clear her mind of worries.>>
I
controlled my expression.
Kept
a pleasant smile fixed on Lorain. I meant everything I said.
Another
notification hit. Arcane Level Priority.
///Meeting
Set. The Silver of the Sands is required.///
The
code for my future self. From my point of view. To them? It was their distant
past. I know what the readers of this chronicle are thinking. Time Travel.
Loops within Loops. I didn’t dwell on it. Only the Highest knew all the
pathways. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Now I had to hide things from Lorain.
From my parents.
From
myself.
A
thread trickled across the Thronebearer line.
Silver
Fox’s mental voice, my voice, rolled out knowingly.
>>The trap is set. But not the only
one. Do not underestimate the Ankh. What it will proclaim. If it makes you feel
better? Dexter holds first place in hiding information.<<
An
image burned behind my retinas.
I
would wear it as the Arbiter of the Sands. I could feel the rough leather crisscrossing
against my skin. It would not be my final form. I sucked in a breath and
whistled a jaunty tune. Doc took notice and her expression relaxed into a light-hearted
grin.
“Really? The Star-Spangled Banner? A bit on
the nose.”
I
winked.
Residents
waved as we walked by. Others joined in.
The
revelry grew as I guided Doc to the bathhouse. This one wasn’t within the
physical world. The entrance pulsed against my skin. I lifted her into my arms
and spun us around. “It's cliché but we will have the time needed.”
She
slapped my arm playfully. “Dork.”
I
relented and set her back down. “Always!”
The Bathhouse
Golden City (The Veil)
Doc examined the smooth marble.
Simple pillars ringed the clear waters. The water lapped against the pool
barriers. She sighed as the waters soothed her aching muscles. Eliza poured
water from her cupped hands to the biting pain against the base of Lorain’s
neck.
She noted, “As a doctor. You should
heal thyself!”
Lanis replied, “Oh and where’s your
degree Ms. Cornfed?”
The
smile in her voice took the bite from the response.
This was an old game. Murphy had
hung her black flight jacket over one of the stone benches. She had removed her
black boots. Socks folded to the side. Black pants rolled up to her calves. “I
have a moment or two.” Murphy crossed her arms. The white synthweave long-sleeved
shirt rolled up to her elbows. She floated just above the water now. Her legs
crossed. Hands hooked behind her head. Eliza said, “When did you get the time
to get that new swimsuit?”
Lorain ducked beneath the water for
a split second.
It was black with a green V where a
belt would be. As she surfaced Eliza was grinning.
“I thought you’d bring THE suit.”
Lorain raised her index finger, “That
one is for special occasions!”
Their Hollowed Earth adventure. Lorain
reminisced, “Those poor trees.”
*****
I said firmly, “Considering the
gravity factor of that adventure plus the air velocity….”
Lorain glanced away. Arms crossed
over her chest. When she faced me again she was beet red. I added, “As I recall
you didn’t seem too bothered by removing all those splinters…” She glared at
me.
“Don’t you dare!” I moved towards
the lip of the pool.
Hooked
my thumbs into my belt. I said solemnly, “I'll never tell a soul.”
Lorain
eyed me wearily, “You better not.”
I
snorted. Fixed the collar of my shirt. The sound made Lorain rise from the
water. She poked my chest.
A
smile bloomed. Good.
I
held out my hand, “May I have this dance?”
*****
Bastet
rocked wildly. The incense of the room blurred her vision. Her hands moved. The
drawing took shape. Michael Brookes’ ice blue eyes gazed back. Behind him, a
red cord looped through his son. Beyond that? Chronos’ twisted form loomed. The
feline demi growled softly, “That is not his only form.”
The
vessel could be moved. Thoth would not be the final piece.
Abbadon’s
trap remained.
Issue 21: Here
Issue 23: Here
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