Issue 12: The Pitter Patter of Tiny Feet
The Knife was forged to capture Abbadon. In his blind rejection of his station? His mantle in turn rejected him. Thus forcing the birth of Dexter Murphy. This also caused a conundrum for the Highest. Who would serve as the mirror? The Lord of Light broke off a sliver of his consciousness. Embedded it within the last of the Thronebearers. Knowing it would bring about the Final Cycle.--The Hidden Histories
Karvax was singular in his desire. To destroy the Golden Bulleteer. Not just physically. His soul was forfeit. To be dashed across the cosmic plane. To suffer for all time. Unlike other villains? He cared not for climbing the ladder. His was a simple motivation. To vanquish his enemies.--Ages of Convergence: Noteworthy Battles
Power can be given. It can be taken. The true mettle comes out in how that person uses their power. Demis, Light Shamans, Priests. Arrayed against the Dark of the Flesh Lords, the Red Kings, those who wish despair upon their fellows. Because they could never see the rope strangling them.--Unseen Archives Vol 2
Earth (Edenverse)
New
Ashbury
New Ashbury
Tidalwave shouted, “LILY!”
Moonlighter phased through the larger Golem. Forcing it to turn on its brethren.
Scythes bisected each other.
White Lily rolled out of the way as the ponderous stone bodies toppled over.
Golden Bulleteer launched metallic disks at Karvax’s head. Bone snapped as his head rolled clean from his shoulders. White Lily yanked her husband back with her vines as Karvax’s head rolled to a stop by a swaying lamplight. The air around them was heavy with soot. Not mortal fires. Pale green witch lights flickered in the distance.
Karvax bellowed, “I am reborn!”
Not only had he squeezed enough to make X’mil cave to his demands but the Oaths would carry his body forward. No matter the level of abuse. Many of his contemporaries feared the strings tied to the Lords of Flesh but not Karvax. He knew his soul was already withered. Blackened beyond any redemption. He would not live to see the end of days.
An unholy fire lit within his brown eyes.
The thread. It lead to the White Lily.
He howled. “I bring forth the Host of Ala’kin!”
His body continued on. Bright Eyes lumbered over to snatch his head from the duracrete.
“I know the taste of her tears!”
That line always bugged those paladins of truth and justice.
∞
Teddy’s grav round penetrated three blackened skulls. Anna skimmed the surface of the black dome as obsidian skeletons rose. Only to be demolished by the vehicle hurdling past. She jerked the car into a whirlwind. Its internal dampeners whined as Teddy shouted, “THERE!”
Taking out the outer skeletons created a small opening. Mist collected over the opening. Then the howls of the dead rose. A mix of Floridians, Hatheons, demis and Terran Union forces converged upon the afflicted city blocks.
Argus Paxton linked into the battle net. The former detective aimed. His grav pistols sent additional corpses flying back towards the void of the dome. He holstered one and brought forth his trusty lighter. It heated his Nephelim blood. His truth sense expanded.
<<Lazarus! Get ready!>>
Murphy’s stance widened. C’alain’s Blade flashed in his hands. Obsidian dust splattered against his white and tan armor. His golden sash burned through three ice blue sigils. Tyre, the Light Shaman who dwelled within the long blade shouted, >>Karvax has Nylis! Mordred’s Blade! It is chipped! We might have a chance!<<
Jace recalled what Uncle J’dax relayed of its history.
Mars. The wayward piece.
It was a mirror to Excalibur meant to kill the re-incarnated Arthur. Bel, in her madness, had desired to use it to kill Thoth. The encounter hadn’t gone well. During the insane Muthra king’s brush with Earth early in Eliza’s career, they had nearly discovered Blue Blaze’s real heritage. Dexter had hidden that piece thoroughly. J’dax’s notification updated.
//Get Bulleteer to vibrate at the correct frequency. That should shatter that accursed weapon. When it reforms to the hidden shard? According to the Codex, it will be purged. We will be able to access Nylis’ soul shard. Trapping him forever.//
Lazarus motioned towards Dr. Zanzibar. The demi tipped his hat, “Hang on!” He motioned toward the oily surface of the dome. His hands raised as Typherian Light Wardens converged around him. Their silvered energy spikes arced outward. Keeping the hoards at bay. O’rioh’s battlecry filled the air, “I already gave one arm! You lot shall not get another!” Not many had gone up against an Apex Owl demon and lived to talk about it. Lazarus swung his blade downward as Dr. Zanzibar’s chants broke through.
He slipped inside.
A whirlwind of wraiths covered the streets.
Flames danced past him.
Each burst lit up the darkened street corner as the undead recoiled.
Paxton maneuvered past. Golden armor blazing.
Zanzibar called out, “Hurry! The Hatheon will help me keep this avenue ablaze!”
Lazarus replied, “Noted.” This small breach would allow the Light to assist.
Jace, imbued with the skill and foresight of Tyre bounded forward, as Lazarus they would not fall today. Gwen and Tobin entered. Followed by a troop of Bardaxians. Gwen clutched her necklace. An explosion of light surged forward. “GO!”
They would manage the beachhead. Gwen unhooked her energy mace. Its weight a comfort. It had been ages since her early mistakes but she would not allow past folly to deter her this time. Tobin concentrated.
The temperature dropped. Ice formed.
Sharp. Deadly. Accurate.
Imbued with the energies of the Weave. His sister’s mastery had proven bountiful. A haze at the corner of his vision made his heart swell. His sister had ignored her invisibility powers. At the expense of mastering her Weave Speaker abilities. All that time within the Union Hall VR combat suites had paid off.
Dr. Zanzibar shot them a strained smile, “Thanks!” Now the bridge was complete.
The “plit plit” sound caused Paxton to curse, “Flesh Ticks!”
A mass of pasty white bodies flowed past the breach. Lazarus tossed a mass of sphere bombs. His brow curled with concentration. A few heartbeats later a bright golden light blinded the fallen.
A raspy echoed, “It is too late for the rabbits to flee.” Each word sent a spasm of sheer vitriol through Paxton.
A being wrapped in chains flowed above their heads. Wreathed in ash and moonlight.
Arthur brushed past the detective, “Lord of Chains. Soul stealer! Face me. By the Will of the Three.” The ghostly demon dived, hands shaped into claws, “I see the Entity within! It shall sustain me!”
Gwen muttered, “Dark mirror.” An Intez twisted by Abbadon. That was new.
Tobin interjected, “No. Try ancient. ”
Another Child of Chains. From an alternative plane.
There were times Tobin wished there was only one Universe.
∞
Karvax’s arms pushed past Lily’s vines. Each thorn bit into his flesh but he cared not. The brood were proving useful. The endless squirming bodies repopulated faster than the Dart could punch. He sliced past the remaining vines. The tip of the black blade Nylis a mere hairsbreadth from opening her creamy skinned throat. “OH DART!” All movement stopped. The vines collapsed. His eyes gleamed. The red sigils blazed against the obsidian blade.
“I know what this did to your dear Star Spangled Banner. Imagine what it could do to this lovely quite mortal lady.” Metal crashed against flesh as it created a barrier between everyone and the swarm of Brood beetles. Their desiccated flesh peeked over the edges.
Karvax saw the strain on Blue Blaze’s face.
Golden Bulleteer’s expression was harder than any stone.
He kept the blade aimed at her neck. “Anyone moves? She dies. I’ll know if you move. I can smell it. The ichor of the chosen floods this dome.” The hulking demi villain twitched. Blood flowed through his veins once more. The other side of the Nylis coin. The weapon needed an active heartbeat. Such a pity. But it had all been worth it. Each hero was trapped. By their own code. It was delicious.
Blue Blaze finally glanced at the ground. They had been so concerned about keeping the flood of monsters away from the trapped civilians that he hadn't noticed the black blood reforming.
Into Scrawl.
Tidalwave mastered his panicked breathing.
He could wash the Black Scrawl away. There had to be a way to protect White Lily.
Moonlighter entered Tidalwave.
The action brought goosebumps along his forearms. That was it!
Make a golem of water. Have Moonlighter control its inanimate form. Use the demonic shards of the Living Stone to block the hit!
∞
My ears ringed.
The music of Creation flowed. Only a single sour note ruined the melody.
Lucifer.
We watched as Elysium experienced its first sunrise.
An argument arose. Lucifer remarked coldly, “What purpose will this serve?”
A budding tree rose from the tall grass. Its leaves spun from the light of the suns circling the shield world. I watched as Aether-Uriel blocked Lucifer. Protecting the Tree as it grew. “It is not for us!” I could see his known mortal form flickering back and forth. My memory unable to view anyone in their full Thronebearer aspect.
Mi’tha whispered, <<It is to protect your mind. To gaze into the Infinite beyond Mortality? That way lies madness. It is why you are a bridge. One required to endure the Mantle. To bring Soul and Body together. Through the renewed Cycle. Unclouded by envy.>>
Lucifer closed in, “Why protect such a useless creature? We endure Time, Void, and Flame.”
Uriel responded, “It is not for us!”
The Highest emerged from the glowing portal.
“You shall be the caretakers of Man.”
A flash of crimson flickered in Lucifer’s azure eyes.
He was a child of Abbadon!
Dexter said, >>Now you see how deep it all ran, Sister.<<
The avarice within the Red King played on. Worming deeper within Lucifer.
Until all that remained was a hollowed creature warped by the countless cycles.
This was the spark. The seed. His hatred would grow. He would fall.
Still, his purpose remained. It would serve as a warning. For those willing to listen.
Next came the Hatheon. Venturing from the Dark Matter Cluster Weave. They brought three gifts to the Highest. Posideon genuflected, “I give the first Circle of Magic. To those yet born.” Lucifer crossed his arms over his armored chest. His handsome features distant and alien in the light of the newly formed suns. My eyes widened as the second gift was presented. One duckling was black as space. The other as white as snow. “The Brothers! To be gifted to the Balance.”
The Highest took the ducklings.
Lucifer frowned. He didn't know their names!
The deepest secrets held in the smallest of vessels.
I whispered, “He doesn’t know their cycle current forms…..” Because Lucifer and Unity didn’t know it? Abbadon couldn’t either.
Dexter beamed at me.
The final gift made all the Golden Host step back. Alarm colored their perfect faces. It was a silver wolf. A Bardaxian. Sentinel. Posideon placed the puppy next to the Tree. “This one shall devour all those unworthy.”
Sentinel added, >>Now I remember! I will help you through the Cliffs!<<
Stars formed above us. Planets circled.
The first wave of souls crested the horizon.
Mortal Civilization.
It wasn't Human, Markav, or even J’kua.
History had been warped to cover the truth.
The Tree had made the first mortals in the likeness of Sentinel.
Gifted them to two planets outside the realm of Elysium.
One was Bardax itself. On the other side of the coin?
Earth’s K-9s. Steeped within the Weave.
I stood.
My hand reached out to pat Sentinel. “It's why they only exist within the boundaries of Edenverse.” They were the gatekeepers. Dexter would hold sway over those of Earth. My mind flashed back. To every encounter. Nyx had never been able to copy Bardaxian or Earth K-9 DNA for her experiments. She attributed it to their “primitive” minds. But it was the purity of their mental state that protected them. Morgana had desired the hearts of Bardaxian puppies for heinous experiments.
Arthur and his team had prevented the kidnappings.
A divine pedigree.
I thought of Cooper. “I welcome our 4-footed overlords.”
Every word had a double meaning. I concentrated. >>Auggie, take the Howling with you. Hunt under the Black Sphere. Find Bulleteer.<< They held the bloodlines of both. Earth and Bardax. Life and Death. Weave and Physical Realm. Lethe rose. Two crystal tears in her palms. I took the Black. My brother took the White.
Everything had a price.
Issue 11: Here
Issue 13: Here
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