Issue 24: The Golden City Pact
I know Thomas hasn’t said everything. Eliza has always been
the obvious target. What kind of power does my son have up his sleeves? I get
the impression that my daughter would be the consolation prize if Unity or this
Red King would get control.—J’ino Murphy
The delicate balance is within each
pairing. Life and Death. Two sides of the same coin. Each “death” that Eliza
faces reforges her but empowers me to do my job. My mantle will not shine in
the sun. It will protect the moonlit corridors of the soul.—Dexter Murphy
I
knew so little about Power. About my twin brother. No dear reader, he didn’t
turn towards the enemy. Or become the enemy. A cliché that Unity or the Red
King would have found highly useful. He was always the stronger.—Sleeping in
Starlight: My Mirrored Self
The Night Realm
Twilight Sector
Dexter
Murphy paused.
The
fabric of the multiverse gleamed below his boots. To his perception? Each
thread represented another universe. Darkened coils were under Unity’s control.
Rusted color meant Abbadon. The bright golden thread was his home universe.
Eden. Silver branches intersected with it. Those protected by its light. The
Golden Path was mentioned so often. That was their primary branch of the
Multiverse.
Everything
spun from Eden. Normal Space. Weave Space. The Veil. Night Realm. Life, death
and the spirit were all interwoven. It was why the Highest had made numerous “prophecies”.
Each held a kernel of truth but was made to waylay the enemy. A shard of the
Highest manifested next to him. Murphy asked, “What else does the Void wish of
me?”
The
distaff shard, known as the Silver Lady, was not present. The Void Man pointed.
A
golden field of grass materialized. At the center floated a half-finished
Pyramid.
Patrons
of the Golden City had named it the Duat. The realm between.
Others
knew it as the Ouroboros. That vast expanse between each universe where souls
mingled. Reborn to another place or time. Black tendrils. The Scrawl of Abbadon
encircled the lower levels of the pyramid. At its crest? Bits of golden light
shimmered. The first layer that Eliza had freed upon her first death. Amache
toiled at the apex of the building. Khepri bowed. His simple workman’s kilt
crisscrossed with divine symbols. His dark brown eyes, lined with black ink,
appraised the rightful steward of the Night Realm.
“We
will honor the Pact.”
Void
inclined his black hooded head, “That is all we require. We have a proper
foothold once more.” Amarche warriors took the form of Anubis. As specks of
Scrawl attempted to worm its way into the cleansed portion of the Pyramid, they
attacked. Hacking away at the offensive presence with a vehemence that Dexter
could appreciate. Murphy raised his trident. A black scythe image formed on the
pommel.
The Golden City
Foundation of the Gods
Inner Cloister
The halls reverberated with waterfalls.
A comforting mist rose as I walked. Each waterway statue represented all the
demis and “gods” from each era of the Golden City. I stopped. A golden cup was
raised. Held in the hands of two figures. On one side? A figure in silver
armor. An Anubis helm covered its features. The other? I knew that face
anywhere. Lorain’s robes flowed down to her feet. She was barefoot.
Bastet stepped out from the shadow
of the figures.
“You must go beyond the lands you
know.”
That sounded ominous.
She held out her cupped palms. I
blinked.
Golden sands blew across the bled.
This place was familiar. The metallic
triangular portal rose before me. Bastet's voice reached me. As if she was
speaking from a distant valley. “Behold the future if you should fail.”
*****
Chains bit into my wrists. Blood
pounded in my ears. Scars crisscrossed my knuckles. The sky above rippled.
Crimson and purple lightning crackled. My bare feet crunched against the earth.
Skulls. Endless fields of bleached bone. Spectral hands clawed at my arms.
Pulled me to the base of the three thrones. My brother’s eyes bored into me.
Blood Red. No. Abbadon. On the left was Chronos. On his right….
Lorain smiled sweetly. The light
never reached her eyes.
Lidless. She held out her arm, “It
was the only way.”
They had been plucked out.
Chained below were other familiar
figures.
Hilary. Her twisted Void Walker form
was littered with scars. Lacerations on her back formed the word: Puppet.
J’anu’s
ruined face peered up at me.
Her
mind voice was bleak, >>Service to
the Crown of Bone<<.
In
her arms, she held the desiccated head of her father. Ta’rammon screamed as
Abbadon pulled at the chains about the giant man’s neck. “He was naughty. Did
you think this pathetic half-mortal would win?”
I
fell back onto the dry earth as demonic energy forced me to my knees. Abbadon
curled his fists about the throne. “I know the taste of her tears.”
The
mummified corpse of a merman stared out into infinity. Hatheon.
His
bearded face was etched with brands.
My
vision darkened.
*****
I awoke floating in the air.
The
water dripped from the fountain heads. Their black and gold eyes pierced me. I
remembered the vision. Bastet knelt. “There are different kinds of tears out
there Arbiter.” I lowered myself to the ground. I asked plainly, “Was that
Lorain?”
Bastet
replied, “Mirrors. Who desires the body?”
I
gulped. Recalled what Lorain had held in her hands.
An
inverted cross. A black ankh. He only wanted the flesh.
I
rubbed my temples, “Ok. So if the tears are related to the Hatheon. Then what
does it reference? An object. Souls?” I paced. The Ur-Flow did not answer. My
future self was silent. Dexter was the prize that Abbadon sought. But how did
Chronos and Lorain tie in? I ran my hands through my hair. Frustration sparked.
Renenutet
was Lorain’s mirror. But that was only her current cycle cover.
Another
name echoed. Lilith.
I
muttered, “But what was before Lilith? How does it relate to Doc?”
Bastet
replied, “Blood is not the only link. Tears? Not only shed but….”
I
finished, “…they can be shared.”
I
circled the two statues. I would be the Arbiter of the Sands. Each side had so
many titles. All aimed at misdirection. Wheels turned. Each player moved upon
the board. The cost would be beyond souls. Beyond flesh. I moved past the
marbled statues. Beyond the bright light of the sun warmed the steps. I ascended
to the highest part of the white pyramid. Memories flashed. It could channel
the sun’s power. Not only within the physical realm but in the Weave, the Night
Realm, and the Dark Matter cluster!
The
Earth contained additional secrets.
A
voice trickled into my mind. Sol asked, >>By your will. I obey. I will
watch. Until the very heart of the Universe grows dim. Shall we complete the
covenant cycle?<<
Vibrations
curled about my arms. Igniting the circular marks upon my palms. Another
thought trickled in. Of Jacob mentioning markers. Beacons they had planted. My
father’s mysterious missions with Dexter. I inquired, >>By what are you
known?<<
Sol
replied, >>The Ark of the Covenant. Shall I be unleashed? Is it time? As
promised by the Highest upon the Spheres?<<
My
heart beat rapidly. I couldn’t calm it. I accessed the Arcane line.
//Inquiry:
Ark of the Covenant.//
The
response was swift.
//Access
denied.//
//By
whose order?//
I
sat upon the warmed stone as I waited.
The
response filled me with dread.
//The
Unseen.//
I
bit my lip. //Who leads the Unseen?//
*****
Dexter considered his sister’s inquiry.
Enclosed
within the temporal bubble her future self held up a lantern. “It will take me
a bit but I'll understand this phrase.”
*****
I nearly fell over.
//The moon to your sky. That which
dwells within the shadow…the tear has more than one meaning. It is a spark of
the infinite. That which Abbadon denies but covets all the same. The 2nd
death will lead to the 3rd. But you know who is most at risk.//
I whirled as a hand brushed my
shoulder. It was Grandpa V’alkor.
His eyebrows raised, >>What’s
eating you? We have a meeting remember.<<
I peered skyward. The sun glimmered.
I descended the steps. V’alkor on my
heels.
Our sun had been primed to destroy the
flesh walkers. I shoved my hands into my pockets. I steadied my breathing. My
grandfather squeezed my shoulder, “We might not need it but having all of the Golden
Cities systems online will help. Surly.” He smiled. I perked up. He hadn’t meant
the Sol Option.
Another
message from the Unseen hit my feed.
//You shall build it.//
My mind flashed to that failed
future.
I responded to V’alkor, “I pray we
won’t need it.”
The Night Realm
Abbadon’s Domain
Third Circle
Meathook
hissed, “One of the Brookes line?!”
His master held up a finger for
silence. “Yes. But we shall use that ability to steal their weapons.”
Mordred cried out, “The Sun walks.
Its glare shall bury us all!”
Abbadon threw back his hood. His red
horns curled about each side of his head.
Chains
rattled as he moved. “Yes. They have more than one weapon but that one is the
main goal. Noah’s Ark doesn’t contain the answers. It never did. That pale blue
dot does. This is why Eden is so well guarded. But I have you my dear scout.
You will enlist Karvax and Unity’s other pawns.”
The Highest wouldn’t be able to
delay them forever.
He hummed a jaunty tune, “Never
clever enough.”
Meathook added, “Nyx left sleeping presents
during Thoth’s first attempt.”
Abbadon raised his arms, “Excellent.
Stalk this Golden Bulleteer. Bring Karvax into it. I have a present for that
one.” He held up a small clear vial.
”Make sure he consumes this.”
Issue 23: Here
Issue 25: Here
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