The Uplift Protocol The Ourobouros Chain: Issue 18

Issue 18: The Brothers of N’iavah

    Backwards? Forwards? Trouble and I have been on quite the madcap adventure!--Gulliver

    Our first meeting. Their past. My future. Little did I know how much they would change the course of the river.--Eliza Murphy

    The Oversoul didnt give the cherubs world ending power. Not every problem needed a spear or lance of the Twins. Behind the scenes? These two would wield an influence far more important. Distraction. Or as my sister would say? The ability to sneak under the very noses of the greatest evils.--Unseen Archives Vol 3

Shield World Elysium

Final Home

Cycle Date: Vigils End

    The Ur Stone entryway floated above the lake. My connection to it a constant element after the Climb. Not the Flow. That was merely the surface level of the Ur. Everything started and ended once that occurred. I flexed my left hand. The scar imprinted upon my flesh. The chain would not leave me. A reminder of what I had endured during that final stage. My thoughts cleared as an oval disk formed from the water. Bright golden light sparked.

    Dexter held back a belly laugh as the two ducklings scrambled over.

    The tiny black one peered up at me, “MOMMMA!”

    His orange webbed feet tapped rapidly.

    The beginning of the feathered antics. Taken from the beginning to the tail end of time. What a world we lived in. Lorain picked up Gulliver. Even if that wasn't his name yet. Planted a kiss on his white feathered head.

    “I have a whole bag of tricks for you!”

∞

    Gulliver watched as Eliza skidded across the pavement. The initial imbalance within her body going haywire. Healing the Mother of All, otherwise known as Gaia in certain tales, was tasking on her mortal shell. Without the full power of the Avatar of the Vigil to command? Nearly all of Eliza’s power flowed into White. To heal White’s previous soul cycle wounds. Everyone thought Eliza had been crippled by her “injuries” via Nyx. The reality was her mortal shell had been delayed in maturing. What the world didn’t know was that Eliza was the one keeping White’s current incarnation alive. Her blood and soul assisted in cleansing the stab wound. Eliza had been born to cleanse that particular knife.

    Gulliver hopped onto the top of the gatepost just outside of Anna’s home.

    Dominion called out, “Did your father give you some implants? It won’t be enough!”

    The cherub bit back a harsh retort. He had to stay on mission. He diverted the poison of Set into Eliza’s system. It had been hunting for White. It knew the taste of her soul. Lucifer knew. Even if Set wasn't aware of his Creation level memories. Gulliver drifted along the Thronebearer line.

    His chronometer synced: February 8^th, 2104

    Still the early point in the Arbiter’s career.

    The play would go on. Trouble linked in, >>Alright! Everything is set on my end!<<

    Three stages. First stage: Incubation. Second Stage: Awakening. Third Stage: The Vigil.

    To command even a sliver of the Oversoul’s mandate took time.

    One burden Gulliver was glad he didn’t have to bear. Everything taken had been in preparation for Dexter and Eliza to serve the Vigil. It was the only word that their minds could comprehend. The reality would be excessive to take in all at once. The threads of time tightened about Eliza. The Ur-Stone weaved itself about her. Anchoring her mind and body where it needed to be most. Mortals, even slumbering Thronebearers, were not made for true time travel.

    Which was why her memory was sealed for her protection.

    It did his heart good that she took to the memory shifts as a duck to water.

    He hopped to the other end of the fence line. Watching as Teddy filled Dominion’s head full of anti-grav Void Walker rounds. The work was only beginning.

∞

    Trouble landed on the Arbiter of Sand’s silvered Anubis helm. Nothing would dislodge him. Not the mummies clawing up the side of the Golden City walls. Nor the harpies circling in the twilight of the evening. He was here to observe. Just as Momma commanded. She hurled her spear into the rib cages of the undead. Though this Eliza was still forming. To be ready for the battle against Lucifer. That would be the final motion before the Climb. Not only to save the remaining cycles but to end the corruption of the Red King.

    Eliza shouted, “Battle stance Delta!”

    Her voice modulated. Hidden. Lethe, as the Lady of the Isles cupped her hands together. Water flowed to heal the soldiers around her. They would serve across space and time. Building experience until both twins could match the False Lightbearer. The silver and white chest piece hid Eliza’s true form. Her height made her mistaken for a man. They played up this angle. Dexter would switch places. He grew his beard out. Styled to match the ancients of the Golden City. In this era he was known as Kek. Eliza was Kauket.

    Legends would grow. Right under the radar of the Void Walkers.

    Everyone assumed Earth was redundant.

    History, time and magic would save them all.

    Trouble quacked. The sound only carried to Eliza, <<Ma! Thoth is at it again.>>

    Eliza spotted the Living Stone wyrms as they rose from the sands.

    White energy blazed from the spear. Dexter’s Trident mimicked the dead of night. The colors opposite of their true selves of Convergence Era. All to trick the enemy.

    Ta’mathon’s magic blazed across the empty space. Between the barrier of the Golden City walls and the trenches. Sand hardened to glass. Eliza hurled her spear. It bisected a mighty wyrm as it rose. Fighters in long white tunics chanted. Light Shamans of the Arcane Order. Their Unseen counter parts circled. Forming a shield line against the physical threats.

∞

    Thoth faced the giant in silver armor. All scans indicated it was a mud monkey. Stupid human. He darted in. Held his scimitar on high. His eyes widened behind his leather face mask as the spear deflected his blow. This was Markav tech! Granted it was from a lesser race to Typha but no base born human weapon should have the power to block him. Magic was a different matter. His scans never indicated that substance within objects. Only the humans themselves. It was how this misbegotten Ta’mathon had managed to keep the Golden City of Monkeys safe.

    Thoth danced back as the spear’s tip closed in.

    His arms ached. What did these savages feed that thing?!

    Blood rushed to his head as vibrations from that woman flowed to his brain.

    It wasn’t nanites. Another magical power? A demi? The word was new to him. Those with powers unexplained by technology. Or breeding programs like the Typherians of his home Universe had. He cracked the black orb Nyx had given him.

    Let them face the remains of a dead world.

∞

    Trouble quivered as the orb broke.

    A torrent of wraiths spilled forth. Their lantern blue eyes blazing in the semi darkness of the outer battlements of the city. Eliza held her spear over her head. Twirling it in place. Winds picked up around her. She was fighting differently from her Star Spangled Banner days. Dark shapes clung to her form. Their claws phased into the physical realm. Smoke rose from her armor.

    Gulliver noted, >>She has to know her limits as a Thronebearer. To practice defensive wards. This place gives her that chance. None will believe Thoth at this moment. He’s role is not yet known to Sul’sandra.<<

∞

    They were with us.

    Now I knew the purpose of Gulliver’s bag. His outward displays of Orange Defender energy was a cover. The wraiths were imbued with Litari strands. From the Night of 1000 Stars. Used as fodder. Their soul shards trapped within Helios. That was why I had to get stronger. Forge ahead. But not alone. Dexter flowed within my shadow. Lending me his power. They called us the double headed gods. My uniform shifted. Onyx. The Anubis head helm highlighted by sigils of gold.

    Lethe’s healing waters flowed from her outstretched palms. Light shamans closed in. Erecting a barrier around the Golden City. I couldn't bring Gilgamesh sector into this. That would be for retaking Elysium. Dexter drew upon the Leylines of magic. Not those present within the Weave. No, he was able to go deeper.

    Into the Soul Layer. Now I understood why we could fool them. Why they wouldn't see us coming later on. Even as Thronebearers? We couldnt draw upon the magic in the same way as our father. Our human halves allowed us to tap into the various sources. As the Arcane Arbiter? I could flow with the Weave side of that force. The Unseen was left to Dexter. Each layer had a different aspect.

    We were conduits.

    Soul, Physical and Weave.

    One could study for lifetimes and still not achieve mastery.

    Gulliver’s voice rose, >>All in one hot sauce.<<

    I channeled the arcane aspect energy into the Light Shamans. Dexter did the same for the Soul equivalents. Humanity would be the Shield to bring Light into the world once more. Lucifer thought he had mastery. That would be his undoing. Rain poured from the sky as the Shamans chanted. Thoth snarled, “This is not the end!”

    He snapped his fingers. A void walker transport shield enveloped him.

    The sandwyrms dived into the wastes on the eastern side of the city. Their mottled tan scales melted by the healing rains. Ta’mathon called out, “Bring forth the deluge!” Ra, Isis, Anubis and countless others fell back. The walls gleamed silver white for a split second. I held my spear higher. Many thought I flew because of its power. I lifted off the ground. Using it to “guide” me around the outer sections of the city walls. Dexter pointed within my mind, >>Plant the Weave wards. Ill handle the Soul side of the house.<<

    The reason why the City could exist in all three layers.

    I could see it as I glanced skyward. That realm the Icath Ruling Pair came from. Silvered Pyramids with golden light at the apex. Below? Black and gold. As twins?

    We were meant for this.

∞

    Dexter channeled power through the Death Realm seed. Just enough to mask Eliza’s supplications to her Icath Pair. The knowledge of just how much the Highest and the Oversoul had planned everything still left him stunned. The years had been a blessing. Past anger had subsided. Eliza was still her cheery self but she now had confidence in her abilities. Not only from her demi days as the Banner but as a Thronebeaer as well.

    Soul shard pairs.

    Ready to make the Climb. The last barrier to rebirth.

    Just as the duck brothers were paired.

    The greatest trick had been hiding how they all resonated with one another.

    Black and White had left a trail from the Fall within other soul cycles.

    Which was why they had been temporarily paired with himself and his sister.

    To hide their true purpose.

    Hilary had thought Eliza crippled. The reality had been to bleed power from Eliza.

    Just a demi with a certain set of skills.

    He connected to the Ur-Stone. Asking the souls of the future for help.

    Beyond the barrier of the 42^nd century. Made such as a clear marker for the Twins.

∞

    Gulliver peeked over the edge of the triangular ship. Jacob called out, “Sam! I found it!” He held up the tablet. Harder than any rock had a right to be. Its simple lettering in bold Hatheon script. Posideon’s shadowed form lingered. <<Is that all you require Brother to All?>>

    As a Brother of N’iavah he could find Creation Level souls. Those from the First of All. Each title obscured by time, myth, and misdirection. As was proper. True names had power. Gulliver would always cherish his given name. His true one would allude the enemy. The First of All. When souls first formed among the mortal races.

    Gulliver quacked. Content with Jacob’s adventures.

    <<Add one drop to the chalice from every era between now and the Healing Points of Convergence Era.>>

    It would cleanse Black and White’s minds.

    Allow them to recall the true soul bound memory.

∞

    I waited until Sam and Jacob’s voices faded. Then stepped out onto the Golden City landing pad. Deep within the Earth. These ships would sail the ocean of stars. Not through the Dweller Gates but through the Weave. Posideon bowed. His green hair and beard waving in the waters of the Weave. He would go back to the Dark Matter cluster. To tend to the seeds that would be formed in the wake of our final Climb. The dreams were frequent now. All pieces falling together. Dexter’s hand closed about mine, >>We will do it. Together.<<

    My chest tightened. Reminding me of the wound I still carried.

    Trouble waddled next to me. His eyes gleamed within the vast dark of the cavern.

    “I promise! I'll climb too!” I knelt. His feathers brushed my face. “I know.”

    They were a treasure. Where Abbadon threw away his allies?

    I would hold on to them even as all other lights twinkled out.

The Ur-Stone

Ur-Flow

    The Boy held up the last crystal, “I see. That was why they needed you to Climb. You weren't just cleansing the souls for the next cycle.”

    I touched the display. Colors swirled. “The enemy only wanted to save itself.”

    Stars floated by. Countless universes. Trillions upon trillions living out their lives. Some not even realizing the End had nearly occurred. Dexter tapped the side of his nose, “It could still happen.”

    I nodded. My gaze was solemn. “I know. But that is why we have the Vigil. Good must stand against Evil. No matter how many times it rears its head.”

    The Boy added, “At the end of the sea of stars. The path of the Ancients is closed off. A cautionary tale.”

    He cupped the crystal. Blew on it.

    All 5 Death Realms swirled against its surface.

    Remade in the Climb Dexter and I had endured.

    He whispered, “I am the Judge of the Dead. What will become of the Highest? Why did he choose...”

    My memory blazed. That moment forever caught in amber.

    The Highest had smiled at me, “You know this course. For everything to be reborn….”

    I reached out to pluck another crystal from the wall.

    Earth, Typha, the Ninth Circle and Elysium floated in its depths.

    Dexter said, “We must walk this path.”

    I nodded. No matter the cost. “The Vigil remains.”

Issue 17: Here

Issue 19: Here