Issue 6: Claws Upon Thy Heart
He’s still mocking me. Thinking I can’t get the job done. Well that Aether prick might have decimated the Drone Factory output, for now, but the idiot never found the two backup codex. Ill scan them to make sure there’s no presents left behind. My father will not succeed. --Hilary Brookes
The Oversoul. It is above Abbadon, Beyond the Highest, to the point that Unity isn’t even aware. That is what I wish to study. I pretended to fawn over Unity. To find what pulled its strings. When everything led back to the battle of Good vs Evil? I knew there had to be strings above that. The trick is to find the right paths to ruin. So others may not follow me.--Chronos
The three absolute laws: Do not cross the Leylines of Creation. Cloning is forbidden. One soul shard per body/shell. All mortals have a choice. Serve the Cycle. A majority will choose to serve life. Others will be reserved for the Halls of Ninth Circle. As was written.--Tablets of the Golden Host.
Every part was already written. We merely followed the song.--Fragment of the Unseen
Thrice I gave everything I had. Always in that same number. No matter the Era. No matter the Cycle. The stakes compelled me to offer myself when no other could. We shall climb the steps. My sister and I. The world will be changed in the passing.--Unseen Archives Vol 1
Rally Point Golf
Weave Space
July 2nd, 3266
I positioned the Jupiter Rising next to the open hanger layer of Tarkanan.
It still glowed green in places but the metals were a bright bronze coloration. I even spotted the vibrant growth of trees within the spinning inner layers. We couldn’t restore Athena yet. She was still contained within the sword found during my fight on Typha. Hephaestus’ worn visage sparked to life. The holo glimmered a bright copper.
“Arbiter. I know this is asking much but I request Doctor Lanis join you down here.”
Doc’s formal control slipped for a micron of a second. Her regale features smoothed out.
It was an old wound but one she hadn’t forgotten. It stirred another angle within me.
The Tower of the Lidless.
∞
Lorain Lanis stepped off the transport tube.
The underlying smells were gone. Her eyes locked onto the golden-leaved trees swaying in the wind. Eliza handed her an orange. Lanis bit into it. Each slice a delightful mix. She watched as Eliza inhaled a few quick breaths. “No machinery on this level. At least not that I can detect. Hephaestus must have done a major overhaul.”
Lorain wrapped an arm around Eliza’s waist. “Just keep a keen eye out.”
The vision of gleaming crimson orbs sent a shiver down her back.
Doc crossed herself.
∞
No traces of industrialized essence anywhere. No blood. No residues of pain. Every inch of this place had been scrubbed clean. I peered into the Weave. A trio of Gemini guards waved back. They placed their upper set of fists across their heart. “We are as ready as we can be. We shall retake Elysium.”
Pressure on my forearm brought me back into the physical world.
A platform disk. I stepped aboard. Doc hesitated and I picked her up in my arms.
As the disk lowered into the dark below her breathing smoothed out. Each wall was lined with Light Shaman sigils. Voices rose as the platform halted. A leather-faced Gemini woman raised her four arms. Her white cowled head was ringed with green diamond patterns. Her voice cracked like a whip, “Now is the appointed time.” Doc tensed. I rose off the ground in response to her distress.
I managed to reply, “Mine or hers?”
The priestess pointed at us, “The three shall encompass all.”
Cryptic. But which layer would….
White coils held me in place.
A massive tiger padded towards us. Her three eyes opened to mere slits.
“It has been a long time.” White’s greeting confused me.
Doc clutched her head. She feinted in my arms.
The white coils tightened as my eyes closed.
Cool water splashed upon my upturned face.
The Weave?
∞
Lethe awoke to the sound of running water.
She scuttled backward as her human form reclined on the whitened stone. She flung up her hands as Murphy stared. “Do not look upon me!” Eliza took one step forward. Her silvered armor radiated with the inner power of a Thronebearer. The one red thread against her neck told the story. The Last of the Watchers born to Man and Highest alike.
She replied, “What’s wrong?” Lethe drew her robes about her form. Unlike her mortal shell she had no reference for this body. Not as she had been. The tears of the Oversoul glimmered within her forehead. Breast and left palm.
Why now?!
She was unprepared.
The Oversoul said to hide. This would ruin them both!
Later cycles wouldn't survive another Cataclysm.
She fled from the chamber.
∞
I took another cautious step forward. Three beads of light circled Lorain. Her features were hidden under the all-encompassing glow. I shouted as she bolted to the far side of the chamber. A triangular doorway hissed open. I sprinted after her. No super speed.
Right. Old fashioned foot chase. As Paxton liked to call it.
A great swath of golden wheat slapped me in the face.
I called out, “DOC!”
No answer. A few stalks cracked. The feminine gasp as hurried footsteps plowed onward. Towards a white tree in the distance. Its leaves were a mix of silver, green and gold. I made my way towards it. No time to think. Just chase. I would not fail her. Abbadon and the rest would never find her. Consume her. The Ur-Flow merged with my aura.
She was the first Amache to see beyond the Flow of the Infinite.
The Oversoul uplifted her. Hatheon protected her.
Made her sleep across the ages. Many cycles. She only remembers fire and death.
“Elysium’s fall.”
She will show you the secret path into the Golden Reliquary. Only known to her. Gifted by the Oversoul.
I asked, “What is the Oversoul?”
It is all of us. My breath caught in my throat.
“It made the Highest and….”
Yes.
My head swam. I pushed through the final layer of golden wheat. Lorain was kneeling at the base of the tree. The three specks of light pulsed with her tears as they soaked the ground. Crystals grew with each drop. Not all my senses were gone. My Thronebearer blood roared in response.
New life. New souls. Pristine shards awaiting insertion into the Tapestry.
Lorain was part of the puzzle. I reached out. Then thought better of it. I knelt behind her.
I said plainly, “I am your Shield. What is it you require of me?”
∞
Lethe turned towards the voice. “My fault. I saw it coming yet could not act. Forbidden.”
The Thronebearer reached out to cup her cheek, “Because you were Amache?”
Lethe glanced away. She couldn't meet the Thronebearer’s gaze.
Those black and silvered orbs saw too much. Gave too much.
The sympathy would undo her resolve.
Her eyes locked onto the crystals gleaming faintly within the base of the tree. “More than that. I saw the Word. As the Highest was brought forth to bring the Light of the Oversoul into the realm of Dark Matter.”
Lethe stared at the Golden Three etched upon the silvered breastplate.
She murmured, “Oversoul gave me a choice.” Gentle fingers cupped her chin.
“Will you tell me?”
Shield World Elysium
Roadway of Echoes
First Cycle of Creation
Lethe stumbled.
Her breath came in spurts. How odd. She never had to perform such an action before. There was no need in the Dark Matter cluster. Lilith’s harsh countenance flashed in her memory. What had happened? Hands had lifted her up from the void. A figure in flowing white robes greeted her, “Listen well. First Souls of Creation will form the basis of all else to come.” Lethe paused. She drank in the sights and smells of this place.
He handed her three motes of crystal. One sank into her head. One into her left palm. The final rested under her breast bone. He held up three fingers. “These are the tears of Soul Shard creation. Elysium will fall. But in you? It will have the chance to rise once more.”
A woman joined him. They spoke together.
“We shall give you a shield. One who can guard your heart. Your soul. The Last of the Thronebearers. By the red thread you shall know your champion. Evil rooted itself even as our sons did battle.”
They pointed towards the alter surrounded by black and white tiles.
A fountain of sweet water flowed.
“Find the alter. Bring the Threads together. Only those who dwell within each realm shall rebirth the cycle as it was meant to be. All mortals shall be given a choice. To throw their shards into the Ninth Circle or reside Eternally beside us for all cycles hereafter.”
Three tablets rose from the ground.
Lethe could not comprehend the Word.
The man said, “It is not for you. But it is required. The Thronebearer of Death shall know. For he will see with eyes not his own.”
∞
I leaned against the tree. “Clever way to pass on information.”
Lethe’s voice trembled, “What did the Oversoul mean?”
I leaned in close. “We are the chess pieces. Of our own will of course. I don’t know the language from that memory either. But he will know. We are eternally linked. As was needed.”
Lethe snorted at that. Her smile brightened, “But we can bring life back to Elysium?”
I nodded, “Its a hunch but I do believe we have all sorts of ancient creation level souls ready to join in on the battle to retake their old stomping grounds.”
Lethe was Lorain. There was no doubt about it. I brushed her forehead. The tear brightened. “This whole time. No wonder your healing abilities are maxed out.” Now I knew why I had traded arms with my brother that day. When my 2nd “death” came? Dexter was planning on a move that no one saw coming. I wouldn’t even speculate. He had a different dominion to plan for. The trap was set. The enemy knew it was coming. So the mechanism to spring it had to be cloaked.
In layers of red herrings.
We were the Last Thronebearers.
Life and Death tied together. Not just at our level. But beyond it as well.
The humbled part of me was awestruck. We had been entrusted with a precious gift.
With the Ouroborous network reinitialized we would be able to maintain the Vigil. Not only of our mortal existence but that which resided beyond. What Chronos thought he understood. I wouldn't make that mistake.
I smiled at Lethe, “I’m not sure what exists beyond the Oversoul but I am quite sure Chronos won’t like it.” The former Amarche smiled, “True enough my Shield.” I held out my arm, “So are we both going to think this was a dream or….”
Lethe reached up to fix my wayward hair, “You shall remember this for us both. Lucifer and Nyx shall know certain decoys are fakes. But they will not tell Abbadon because they wish the Night Realm for themselves.”
She shook her head. Bemusement honeycombed her emotional aura. “To think. The shoe is on the other foot. That is how you say it yes?”
I nodded. “Will any of this make sense later?”
She replied softly, “One day. When that happens? Our story will be….”
I interjected quickly,”...hitting its stride!”
My heart told me so. I would see this play out to whatever end awaited us.
Lethe brightened. “I can tell. You speak the truth.”
∞
Doc thumped my chest. “Eliza!”
I cracked open one eye. We were lying on the smooth marbled surface of a service tube. Weave mists tickled my nose. “...another vision quest?” Lorain’s lips parted as she huffed, “I don’t get much resonance within the Weave. Should we call Gwen down here?”
For good reason. I noted dryly.
The Weave was actively hiding her true nature.
I stretched. A giant white paw gripped my right leg. It pulled me towards the opening.
White said, “Ahh! There you are. I hope the Weave chamber was illuminating!”
I responded, “It left a mark.”
Lorain climbed out after me. “My headache is gone. I call that a bonus!”
Hephaestus met us in the main hall. His wife’s voice emanated from the sword strapped to his belt, “Once Elysium is freed? I will taste the air once more.” Athena voice took on a whimsical note, “I dearly wish to dance.”
Endless ships circled each rotating layer.
“The Gemini are ready to fight.” The arcane smith bowed.
“I shall show you how to spot the imperfections!”
Athena noted, “Oh my yes! That nasty Lucifer left so many openings. We will reforge Elysium my dear husband!”
I tapped the side of my head, “Let’s get started.”
Issue 5: Here
Issue 7: Here
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