The Uplift Protocol Twin Rulers of the Sky: Issue 8

 

Issue 8: Twilight Mist

    My father claims this multiverse is coming to an end. I do believe him but why does he need me to acquiesce to this “flesh” ritual? My body is my own. Mostly. I think he means to escape via my soul. What wretched remains there is of it.--Hilary Brookes

    I must bind them all to me. Convergence was never just about healing the ones known to me as The Black and The White. No, the Oversoul means to imprison all aspects against him into this 9^th Circle. My flesh is the key to freeing them from this reset. Now to convince them.--Chronos

    All Points Advisory: Unknown Energy Wave detected.--Terran Wide Alert Service

    The Ouros are shutting down! This is the UEF! We----Fragment Received. Notifying Arcane Council

    Bardax is ready. Prepare the Ark Network. Fire on my mark...--Wisdom-Of-The-Wind

Rykah (Unity Universe)

Temple of the Three

    Pyra lifted the piece of flesh.

    Chronos’ form shimmered above his daughter.

    Hilary tore into her offering. If this was the only way to beat Eliza Murphy? So be it. She had made worse deals before. Snake Charmer and Medusa peered into the pit below them. Medusa shuddered. Not wanting to dwell on the slimy feeling in her gut. Pyra forced herself to swallow. The flesh dissolved. A wave of power engulfed her. Sigils she had no words for burned behind her retinas. White noise flooded her senses.

    Hilary clung to consciousness just as the shimmering wall of energy poured into the lifeless planet. There was nothing left of Chronos’ body. X’mil and his imp of a demon had devoured the rest. She sucked in a final breath as the wave passed over them all.

    She had negotiated her price for cooperation.

    The Ark Network reformatted all matter within the area.

    The Oversoul had thought of everything.

    Nearly everything.

∞

    Chronos stretched. Acclimating to the sounds around him. A low hum indicated a robust power source. A soft note trilled through the room. //Good Morning. It is 8 am. Earth Standard calculations.// He would control his daughter’s body throughout the daylight hours. That was their deal.

    Medusa sputtered, “What’s so good?! My head...”

    Chronos eyed the demi. He replied, “Be grateful. We managed the impossible! You drink too much.” The former Void Walker stressed this in the greatest way possible. Snake Charmer glanced around. It was a simple enough room. A hotel. If he had to guess. He noted where Hilary’s gaze went. To the roof and corners. Eyes resting on the central display after a prolonged probe into the rest of the room.

    Surveillance. The Arcade Order or those like them could be patched into anything. Anywhere. Snake Charmer brought up the main room display as Pyra shuffled in with coffee. The assassin’s eyes were flat.

    She commanded the screen, “Display Sol System proper.”

    X’mil’s frown grew, “What flight should we catch?” The pig eyed Typherian nearly fainted at the Sol System layout.

    The intercom added helpfully, //All Weave FTL flights to the Seat of the Triad filled. Taking flights next month. Stalright Industries apologizes for the delay. Military Slots prioritized due to uptick in 9^th Array Activities!//

    The Sol System didn’t just encompass Earth. Bardax and Typha rotated silently within the confines of the system. Taking up the slots normally reserved for Mars and Jupiter. 4 Suns were listed. Sol burned within the physical realm. Within the Weave? Typha’s twin suns whirled. While Bardax’s was listed as the Soul Layer guardian.

    Living Sapient Suns. All the information flowed through their HUDs.

    Snake Charmer gripped Pyra’s hand. His head moved slightly.

    No.

    Her fingers cracked under the pressure. That idiot woman had almost entered a name. One that would get them all killed. The Star Spangled Banner. The door hissed open. A survator bot of Markav make floated in, <<All guests at the Inner Rim Motel are invited to celebrate the anniversary of the Traveler's Creed.>>

    X’mil smiled, “Of course!”

    They had to find out more about this new universe. The one that the Oversoul had so desperately wanted to will into being. So much so that it had sacrificed its greatest defenders. Those Murphy cripples. Demi? Angles? Typherian? Human? It didn’t matter now. They were gone. But J’ino remained. X’mil inquired, “Closest hub to download the news and trading updates?”

    The robot sent out a jolt to the Typherian. It apologized, <<Current HUB implants incompatible. Seek I.NET attendants at the Central Ops tower for further inquiries.>>

    X’mil thanked the machine. “Certainly.”

    Chronos allowed the machine to leave. They would need new implants. He hummed. Delighted by the spark that passed between his fingers. Demi powers. What kind? He had no idea as of yet. He asked Snake Charmer, “Up for a bit of a run? This place has a decent track resort!”

    Both left without a backward glance. Medusa flicked through the entertainment options. Pyra opened up a side window. “Recent events. Past 20 years. Center History on Earth.” If any place could reveal the Banner’s fate? That would be it. They would dig. But first? Let’s see if the Banner’s home town still existed.

    Medusa noted silently that nothing here had prices on it.

    Had humanity left money behind?

Earth, New Ashbury (Texas)

HeroNet Battle Complex

Date Recorded: April 24^th, 5488 A.C

    Father Brookes relaxed his grip on the holo dummy.

    His light incantations faded as it lowered to the ground in a heap. Micheal circled.

    “If we made it to this new world? You can bet some undesirables did too!”

    The priest regarded his father silently. Considering his next words, “How to find them? That’s the real question.” Those who recalled the old cycles had every search engine out there recording what it could. So far the only inquires about Star and her brother had come from their immediate family. Close circle of friends. Oddly absent from the proceedings was Lorain Lanis. It was as if Eliza had been erased from her memory completely. Micheal surmised it had something to do with the twin attack on the Cliffs and the Dreamweaver at each end of the previous cycle timeline. At least that’s what the Curator and his Amarche eggheads had indicated.

    They had physical forms this go around. A wondrous sight.

    Able to shift into an energy form when needed. A reminder of the cycle they had left behind. A warning to stay upon the path set for them. A promise made by the Curator and Silver Fox. Micheal still couldn't wrap his head around that one. An Eliza Murphy with the knowledge of the eons behind her.

    Strange days indeed.

∞

    Doctor Impossible dived under the strike.

    Holo or not she took the training seriously. She sent out a bio-metric wave to paralyze her opponent. Nola threw her anti-mater disk towards the enemy dashing towards Impossible. The Puzzler sent two more crashing to the floor with a frozen ray of energy. His glass domed helmet raised as Blue Blaze entered. A flash of blue, white, black and silver.

    Blaze called out, “We have a case 1 priority alert!”

    Lanis rubbed the side of her temple. “Circle I bet!”

    Blaze nodded. Keeping his face neutral. Why didn’t she remember?

    The Emerald K-9 glided behind the group. He knew why. She had asked it of the Oversoul. To keep the memory hidden. She would continue on. Her unwavering dreams dedicated to the one she left behind. Bardax and Earth’s dogs would do the rest. Much had been asked of their human friends. Cooper knew this bothered Eddie. Only talking about Eliza and Dexter to their parents and Nola.

    Even Anna had been devastated to learn of a world without the Banner. Then that old fire lit and she had proclaimed, “Ill find that Golden Child no matter what. If only to kick her in the rump one more time.”

    General Murphy of the Terran Union Axis greeted them upon arrival. “A loose end just popped up.” His brown eyes darted over to Lanis.

    “The Litari have a medical request.” Doctor Impossible’s eyes widened. “Still not over that Itarnian Flu? I’m certain I….”

    Murphy shook his head. “Not that. Their High Matriarch is having complications.”

    Impossible’s face radiated worry. “Don’t worry. I’m on it.”

    With a wink the teleporter locked onto her location and zapped her half way across the cosmos. Murphy turned to the others, “Anna has a lead.” They didn't want to say it out loud. It was better to keep Lorain away from this particular hunt. Thomas didn’t know what happened during the Climb. The Grail Ceremony had been a shock to the system. The Curator’s reports added an extra layer of worry.

    What had happened during that final dive? His Silver Fox of a daughter with all that experience. His son who had borne the brunt of delicate information. The multiverse was chugging along. As if the Dreamweaver had never put his thumb print on anything. Their memories had remained. Of the old cycle. That was unheard of. Even White and Black had marveled at the amount of people who genuinely recalled the Age of Convergence.

    J’ino burst in. Armed to the gills with the best ordinance the Triad had to offer. The 5 silver spheres circled like a patient armada around her head. “Where are my children?”

    Auggie trotted in alongside her. His stub of a tail wiggled to and fro.

    <<Friends!>>

    She continued, “I have a personal punch card for Thoth in particular.”

    Thomas shimmered for a moment. His Judgment gear phased in over his body.

    “Just so.” He held out his golden gauntleted hand to his wife.

Meanwhile...

    I sucked my thumb. Should have been more careful with the repair spanner.

    I stuck it under the healing rays offered by Jupiter’s head of the three sisters. Moirai as they dubbed themselves. Said my brother and I had been found floating near the center of all. Whatever that was. Natet, our resident ship’s cook, pulled my hand from the array. I let him inspect it. His face was furrowed in concentration.

    “Still not there yet.”

    I set the internal gravitational field in my boots to push me to the next rung in the mess hall. I noted lightly, “You're the one that needed these lights reconfigured!” Valkyrie barked. Her defender aura rippled across my skin. It was a nice feeling. I loved Bardaxians. Natures best friend no matter the arena. Sparta, her mate brushed his massive wolf head next to my shoulder. He sneezed loudly.

    I cooed, “Who’s a good boy?! YOU ARE!”

    His bushy tail slapped my legs.

    “Hey Professor Nara!”

    The Litari floated towards me. His outer white skin marked with deep blue tattoos. Said it helped him channel power through that third golden eye. He smiled. His face locked onto mine intently. As if what he found there soothed his soul. His voice was a deep rumble. For someone who’s frame was whisper thin? It always surprised me.

    “I trust you and your brother are acclimating?”

    I gave him a hearty laugh, “Of course! We were lucky you found us floating out on that debris. Bones and all. How a bone ship could even manage through any layer is beyond me. Wasn’t even magical either!”

∞

    Natet slipped the blood sample to the misty form of the Piper. He was bound to the soul layer but the Jupiter wasn't just any ship. Her true purpose was finally revealed. She could travel along any layer needed. Even the new mysterious 4^th layer. Physical, Weave and Soul. All united yet separate. As was needed by the final Convergence.

    The Piper linked with Captain Overwatch, <<Leaked the lead to Anna already?>>

    Overwatch’s deep violet wings expanded. <<The Path is set. What’s the current sleeve integration of memory?>>

    Jupiter’s elder sister chimed in, <<8%. It was the only way...>>

    Overwatch cut in, <<I know.>>

    Her expression hardened. <<We still have a few escapees. They need to be ready.>>

    Piper’s soul form wavered. Another sleeve shard for Dexter had been found.

    Progress.

    They would remember in time. Just as the Oversoul had promised. Piper watched as the Tears of Creation pulsed within each Murphy Twin. Cleansed by the Climb and Silver Fox’s intervention before the rebirth of the Final Cycle. By Lethe’s healing capabilities. Lorain and Lethe had wanted to forget.

    Until the day the Banner and her brother could fly off into the cosmos once more.

    Mary Herbert Lanis linked to Jupiter’s message hub. Her icon a white raven on a green background. ///When can I bring J’ino and Thomas on this?///

    Piper responded firmly, <<When they hit 25%. By then their basic memories of their parents will be in place. It would be cruel to integrate them into this before hand. We already asked so much of this family. For all the Cycle mistakes.>>

    Lanis’ voice echoed into the pickup, “Is that why my daughter chose not to remember?”

    Piper reached out to put pressure on Lanis’ soul thread. Passing Lethe’s imprint into Rosetta Stone. Lanis gasped.

    The images slowed.

    Piper added, “Her choices will make more sense if directly examined.”

∞

    Mary blinked as the transport rumbled beneath her boots.

    Judgment called back, “Everything 5 by 5 back there?!”

    J’ino pressed a rejuv pack to Mary’s forehead. “You look peaked.”

    Connecting to Jupiter took a majority of her concentration. Lethe’s holographic form materialized in the crash seat next to Mary. The lips moved. Only Lanis could hear her.

    I ask that you protect these Sleeve shards until….

    Mary pressed the pack to her head to hide the tears threatening to overflow.

    The desire to blurt out the fate of the twins unbearable. Lethe pressed a finger to her own lips. Not yet. The memory would hurt them all. The rejection. It was why Lorain dived into work even if she knew not why. That lingering feeling. The missing realm of her soul.

    Mary sucked in a sharp breath.

    “I’ll be fine. Still acclimating to….”

    J’ino finished, “….the great reset.”

    Things were beyond better nowadays. No Artock. No Void Walkers. Just the lingering thread of the Ninth Circle escapees. Mary nodded. Her face flushed. Not many remembered the previous Cycle. Let alone all the cycles before that. Light Shamans still existed. The Arcane Order and Unseen order had merged into The Conclave. Keepers of the Old Flame. Even now the Sleeping in Starlight Chronicles listed the planted material. With the Unseen Archives, written in Eliza’s straightforward script, filled the innermost libraries of the Conclave.

    A true history not yet finished.

    Eons of recollections. As the Banner. As Silver Fox.

    The final curtain was upon them. The rebirth of the multiverse had been the first step.

    Now fate rested upon the remaining souls who remembered across those cliffs.

∞

    Thoth the Weaver stared at the monstrosity.

    A temple to the Three. Its aura repelled him. Even in this meatbag form.

    He scratched at his left forearm. A tear shaped scar waxy to the touch.

    “I will find you.”

    He would eat them both whole.

Issue 7: Here

Issue 9: Here

The Uplift Protocol Twin Rulers of the Sky: Issue 7

Issue 7: The Word Against All

    My sister is back to her normal chipper self. Its sorely needed in this dismal place. Where we are going? That surefire optimism will burn through like a beacon. As intended.--Dexter Murphy

    I will remain. Though my body breaks upon the shore.-- Markav Proverb

   The Murphy Twins exist beyond the fallout of the Light Mirror Transference. Their ship made it through as well. Keep tabs for now. The ceremony of the Grail must continue...--Unseen Order High Magus Entry

    Memories hold power. Chiefly hope. I will cling to that as all other sources wink out.--Last entry: Private Journals of the Silver Fox. //Unseen Archivist notified. Gather all Materials to the Medical wards for re-integration//

Cain’s Dominion

First Circle

Pathway to the Cliffs Of Helios

    Cain’s vision blurred. He fell to his knees as blood dribbled from his nose and mouth. Dreamweaver’s clawed digits buried themselves into the murder’s throat.

    You did not do what I asked. Now they carry your brother to the cliffs.

    Cain wheezed. He spat, “Its better to rule in Hell than suffer the love of the Oversoul.”

    Bones shifted as the Weaver pierced blood, flesh and soul.

    A sharp crack and hiss followed.

    Cain’s lifeless body slumped to the earth. Whipcord wraiths tore into his flesh.

    Another puppet wasted. His spectral form rose to the turgid sky above.

    The Oversoul would not win. His precious reset would fail.

∞

    I winced as fire lanced down my back.

    My sister had Abel in a fireman’s carry. Using her free hand to knock more Living Stone constructs aside. Cain was no more. Charon’s voice reached me in the dead drops left within the Unseen Order network. ///All Sleeves in Position.///

    He had come a long way from the child learning within the Ur-Stone.

    My mind shifted for a moment.

    Echoes of myself cascaded about. From the distant past of Ta’mathon’s Era to the far flung futures yet to be. My sister, upon meeting Silver Fox before all the Feather Drop missions, had already been primed. Convergence was all about one basic survival feature. Make the Climb. All souls beyond redemption would be thrown into the Ninth Circle by the Feathers from my back. My sister would carry those salvageable beyond the Climb into the rebirth cycle of the Final Cycle Ouroborous chambers.

    We would be remade. Yet again. Each cycle another experience. The weight of memory fell to me within this juncture. While my sister carried it near the end of of this last spark of the Pre-Convergence Cycle. It was why so much information had been crossed. It wasn't just about waylaying the Dreamweaver. It was to protect our allies as well. Silver Fox’s timeless visage filled the last message. Delivered within a micro second.

    Fire blazed from my eyes as I turned another construct to molten ash. Nothing here remained but the echoes of souls long buried. Her knowing smile bloomed.

    ///About to step into the chamber. Dreamweaver will bind Thoth completely now.///

    Color swirled behind her. Like before I would be in her Shadow until the last moment.

    She continued. Those ageless black and gray eyes warmed.

    ///What did we always say? I just want a normal life? Might be in the cards. See you on the other side my brother.///

    That wouldn't be in the running for us but the Oversoul did work in mysterious ways.

    My fist connected with black vines. They thrashed. Their bodies wiggling as snakes caught in a river. The Unseen Matrix sent one last burst. ///Beginning Multi-universal Reconstruction. Arks online. Shield worlds online. Mirror network engaged. Ourobouros Fields at Maximum. Syncing with Sleeve Platforms across all ages and cycles.///

    The shock wave expanded outward.

    Our bodies were finally free from rejuvenating Black and White. Constructs exploded into minute particles. Meathook quailed behind me as the truth of my power and my sister’s manifested. We hadn’t been made to be Caretakers. We had been made to climb Helios. The Dreamweaver’s perfect construct of malicious delights. There were still those worth saving. My sister would find them.

    My fists would meet our foes head on.

    Gloves no longer wanted or required.

    I flexed each finger. A satisfying crack of the knuckles.

    I kept my expression steady.

∞

    Doc’s Defender sash materialized to anchor her via my waist. Sentinel darted between foes. Following my dark matter bursts. I never felt so energized. What was this sensation? I felt like I could lift the whole multiverse on my back. Abel whispered, “Just so.” Past memories flooded my mind. Bursts that lifted my spirit. Nothing could touch me here. My brother darted forward. Taleer gave a shout, “To the sky!”

    A beast emerged from the black, blue and red vortex.

    Its bones formed. Then the flesh. Finally two pale suns for eyes locked onto us.

    It bellowed, “Allow not the soul of Man to enter here!”

    My brother catapulted into the sky.

    An elder demon. Its rusted skin marred with flecks of molten lava.

    A wave of dust rose. I pulled Taleer, Sul and Doc toward me. Sentinel circled then curled up under my cape. His nose tickled the back of my neck. The massive Bardaxian added his power to the cause. Doc’s Defender aura rippled across all of us as I used my body as a shield. The sonic boom hit moments later. The outer layer of Cain’s realm vanished. White bulbous stalks rose. Debris rained down.

    I squinted through the fire, ash and smoke.

    My brother continued to punch at the demons clawing their way through the breach.

    He was building a staircase of bones.

∞

    Meathook’s belly scraped against the white surface. His eyestalks locked onto the silver and yellow brilliance above him. Why shield him? It made no sense. The All-Father’s gem was burned away. Abbadon’s. That ruby red glow dimmed against the onslaught of the Dreamweaver’s hexes. No one had a chance. He examined The Star-Spangled Banner. No one except for them. The bitter thought flitted against his mind like a thorn. All had been played. Right into the hands of the Oversoul. The Twin Spear and Shield. Many had thought it would be from Black and White. Ruined by the previous cycles. His black orbs shied away from the light. Dexter Murphy. Hidden from All. Should have known. Would have but those like Cain and Lucifer had acted against the will of the Dreamweaver.

    For what? A small space within that dreaded Ninth Circle?

    The hybrid clutched his head as the death bellows rang out above.

    These were the oldest of the Dreamweaver’s Fallen. From the First Cycle itself!

    How could one mortal demi hope to prevail? The answer came as the final steps of demonic bone fell to the ground with a sickening splat. Boots sounded as the Markav male hauled Meathook to his feet. His special name forgotten. Taken by Catherine Bel, Mary and the Brookes Mortalis Line. The female took his other arm. They dragged him as if he was nothing more than a sack of potatoes.

    Star clapped him on the shoulder, “Second Floor! Spear chucking was my brother’s specialty.” The words didn’t match the movement of her lips. His eyes crossed. Each stalk akimbo.

    She was insane. How could one smile in such a wicked place as this? A spark of golden light flashed. The cosmos filled her eyes. A brilliant blaze. Just like in those old HeroNet vids of her first battles. His eyes.

    Watching. Always watching.

∞

    I placed my hand on Meathook’s shoulder. Doc’s hands balled into fists. He was deteriorating right before our eyes. Even with the protective wards of Silver and Yellow at our call. The Dreamweaver’s abuse evident in the purple blood sigils scrawled all over his body. His shoulders were the only thing not taken by the foul symbology. Sul pressed her fingers to my neck.

    Signing in code.

    He will not survive the climb.

    What little soul he had has fled. His perceptions are submerged within the realm of the Weaver.

    We had an audience. Everything Silver Fox mentioned was coming to fruition. Doc gasped. She cupped my cheek, “Your eyes.” My vision blurred. Every fiber of my being sang. Everything snapped into focus. My brother’s heartbeat. Doc. All those I had loved or ever met. Each beat thrummed. Pulses from the Sleeves. I gave them my memory freely. Just as my brother had done for his. We would coordinate the Climb with the Final Jump. Into the new world. One filled with vigor and promise. Unbowed by the Dreamweaver’s gluttony.

    No matter the cost.

Rykah (Unity Universe)

Temple of the Three

    Pyra twitched as the ship settled down upon the dead world.

    She shivered as the enviro system chirped, ///Hazard suits advised. Class 4 Unknown. Unknown. Unknown.///

    Snake Charmer barked a harsh fit of laughter.

    “Makes one miss civilized lands.”

    Hilary grunted and shifted to her Keeper form. The unit containing her father’s body rocked to the side as it followed her motions. A sick form of companion. It was a complete freak show. The former assassin schooled her features into steely calculation. It would do no good to show fear here. At the end of everything. That weird trill hit the sensors once more.

    The ship added unhelpfully: ///Signal detected. Origin Unknown.///

    X’mil donned his gunmetal gray hazmat gear. He had painted a giant green X onto the helmet and chest piece. With three blue circles upon the back. White worms stenciled inside each orb. Pyra thought he was just as certifiable as the rest of them. The haggard black circles under his eyes a silent testement to the kinds of dreams Dark Shamans endure.

∞

    X’mil grunted as Karvax wiggled his forked tongue against the outer shoulder plate. Karvax purred, “Want to make sure you get to meet J’ino in the end? Follow the lights. Jump into the river as it flows. You know of what I speak…..”

    The constant notifications of the ship burned against his eyelids.

    He sent a delayed message to Pyra. The assassin would listen. For his power was written upon his face. Etched in his body. The blood price of the Devoted. The Dreamweaver was calling all of them home. Abbadon and Unity had fled. They would not see the new world. A way to poison the last solution of the Oversoul. Karvax bobbed his misshapen head. He had been handsome in life? Now the demi was the twisted servant of the Ninth Circle. Only a brief glimmer of blue within those demonic slits showcased the remnants of the man he used to be. Feminine arms encircled his waist. Medusa exclaimed brightly, “Where do we take his corpse any how?”

    X’mil grated out, “To the Temple. Where the Knife stuck the White.”

    Dominion replied, “Just so.” She tested the air as if she was rutting around on all fours.

    X’mil sneered out of her line of sight. Only a little longer. Then J’ino’s blood would be his to drink for all eternity.

∞

    Chronos watched the bickering with indifference.

    It mattered not. He had what he needed to make the ceremony work. Now all he had to do was get his “daughter” to play along. Luckily he had the perfect scenario to please her. A land without the Star-Spangled Banner. A place where they could make their own destiny. Without this Dreamweaver to muddle it all up. Another glorious cycle in service to the grandeur beyond the Void of the Oversoul.

    A place where he would reign eternal.

    A duel dark star to encompass all Life.

Issue 6: Here

Issue 8: Here

Variety of Tone: Does it have to be R or X Rated to be Considered Adult?

 

    I link this quote mainly because in most stories? Aimed at adults in particular? They want every element explained even if the setting is Superheroes Punching Dinosaurs. What old school books like Narnia have in spades:

• Consistency
• Adventure
• Straightforward Origins 

    Motivations are plain. Good vs Evil. I value consistency moreso than Explaining everything under the hood of the setting. I listed Uplift Protocol as Rated R for two primary reasons: There is some cursing due to the Murphy Jar Joke. Star herself doesn't curse. But those around her will ever so often. That is a deal breaker for some readers based on reviews I've seen. They weren't warned about cursing or implied situations and they wanted to find books that cater more towards their kids. Say 10-16. 

    Two: Cosmic Horror Elements. A good chunk of my badguys esp the void walkers have elements that would fit in the Alien or Event Horizon movie. But unlike those movies I have more implied creepy crawling a decent chunk of the time. Hilary's on page physical transformation from her human form to Keeper form was one of the blatantly creepy moments. So I auto listed it beyond even PG-13. 

    I even asked my readers what they would list it as. R-rating was the primary response. 

    The Felstaff Mysteries will be PG. Even more lighthearted than the good guy portions of Uplift Protocol. (Heavily taking theme pages from Narnia) because not everything needs R rated or X rated elements. Even most of Uplift's Novellas are lighter in tone much like the earlier mainline books. But I plan on having the final book be the "tie a bow" on it ending. Book 11 even has a preview of the end slate Universe that is planned by the Oversoul. 

    Grimdark offerings often go to 11 to showcase the depravity of the world. In UP? I mostly imply the horrid factor of the villains. I let human imagination fill in the gaps. It's why they aren't showcased as often as the heroes of my series. Its a preference I have. In the modern age? R rated usually ends up throwing in everything + the kitchen sink of: Blood, Guts, Gore, In your Face bedroom setups. I imagine that modern offerings would likely be X-rated during my parents day or grandparents day are showcased as R. 

    You can still go R level without being overwhelmingly gratuitous. If you want the TL;DR. 

    Even a fair amount of the Superversive offerings I read do have R rated elements but they usually don't go to Berserk level about it. Its easier to find everyone's take on a grimdark world. What stands out to me is when someone goes in the opposite direction. A setting that is made to be hopeful or heroic is an oasis in the seas of Grim and Dystopia. 

    Most don't even go to the level I did with Uplift Protocol. In terms of an Open Trust Society. 

    Hope brings more to the table for my Willing Suspension of Disbelief than not.

Even though this game here is well built? Even after playing for 10 hrs or so? I know it won't have a hopeful ending. Which is why I am taking a break. It has R rated elements but they aren't over the top in most cases.

    If you are to implement "deconstructionist" elements? Leave them in a world you primarily label as post apoc or dystopian. It means you will be surfing in a beyond flooded market. Much like YA or Romances. Bloated beyond belief. Most websites don't have a decent way to list themes of books or even elements to add/avoid.

I do appreciate that the Superhero network site added a Tone Tag: Light.

• Here
  

I realize many, even if they have heroic work in their books, will add "adult roofing". But appeal to adults shouldn't always = Lets add blood, sex, snark, and cursing for the heck of it. The Fantastic elements need not be constrained to our world physics either. 

    It's why we need variety in writers. Don't just try to cash in on trends.

    Otherwise I'll have another set of "themes or elements" to try to "-" out of my Amazon search misadventures. PS: The "Grimdark" settings that seem to stand out will have a lighter element running through them. Like Brotherhood or A moment of quiet in the storm. The Hero Finds a New Family. That sort of angle. A reason to live beyond the pain inherent in that kind of setting.