Issue 9: The Rock of Infinity
Bardax One! I know you felt it too! Shh! We have to wait!--Sol
It's nice to not have a dragon infestation this go around. The Dreamweaver will not claim us again. Not as long as our brother stars shine with us. --A'rgax and H'yola
The stone doesn't lie: Hunin and Vixrex are more than just tools used by the Weaver. They still exist. Without the recollections of the Silver Fox we have no idea what aspects have joined us in this rebirth cycle. The pages continue to fill but without full integration we are blind. --Conclave Report
Each day I ask Nola the same question. Each day the answer remains: No records remain. I wouldn’t blame her if she decided to take a vacation for the next 100 years.--Jonas “Eddie” Olsten
O’lam, Scholar Homeworld
City of Marhiah
Date Recorded: April 27th, 5488 A.C
Di’axi grunted as Matarn’s spear met the force of his energy shields. Old memories colided with new ones. A history forgotten with this new rebirth they found themselves in. Matarn lowered his weapon. Sy’ra called out, “No change but….”
The sky above rumbled as a Terran vessel landed on the pad a few miles from them. Its markings quite familiar. Eliza’s family had returned. Trillions upon endless trillions flowed through the various corridors of space. Sparks of white or gold indicated a soul rescued from Helios. All the citizens from previous cycles living out their lives within this final Multiverse.
Sy’ra wrapped her arms about her husband, “Threads are moving though.”
Matarn waited as the blazing silver wolf approached. Sentinel danced around them.
<<Gathering other Defenders! Q’vera sends greetings!>>
The Red Defender in question landed on the balls of her feet. “Strange not having House abilities anymore but a welcome reprieve!” Sy’ra opened her arms to bestow a rib squeezing hug to both.
“All paths lead to the Infinite.”
∞
J’ino’s skin hardened unconsciously.
A nervous tick.
She had gained demi abilities after Zachary had been born. Currently he was their oldest. It meant she could survive the void of the physical cosmos for a time. Earth’s demi testing facilities had been paramount in discovering various power curves or quirks. Humanity was still the only species to possess demi powered beings as a baseline. Typherians had managed to gain some via intermarrying.
It couldn't have been a mistake. For over 5000 years? All those who had been captured by the Uplift Protocol had freely intermingled as they gained knowledge to travel the stars and Weave. The Markav safeguarded the Soul Layer. Alongside the Bardaxians. J’ino suspected Icath involvement but they had yet to make contact. No more false barriers. Or Tests of Purity.
Humanity had greeted their neighbors with open arms. Ta’mathon often remarking on first contact. Typha and Bardax had managed to lauch one man crafts into the void. Earth’s magical demis had detected the actions. Anubis had traveled the cold of space to retrieve both crafts. One of the few who recalled the trials before the advent of the Conclave. The Intez had grounded themselves into many civilizations.
Testing new hosts. Bringing harmony where common language barriers could have created conflicts. Sir Avalon was no longer an Amarche who possessed a long empty shell of a human body. Instead he had willingly undergone the matching ceremony with his former Intez. Eliza and her brother would never be forgotten.
Avalon greeted the Murphy crew warmly, “I have had many dreams. My Intez never lies. The Rock of the Infinite breaths once more!”
Judgment rose above the clouds.
At the center of the city? The entryway to the Infinite glimmered a deep bronze to his vision. He reached out with his magical sense. Twin voices echoed. One male. One female.
It wasn't the Ur-Stone anymore.
Time to solve another mystery.
∞
Sy’ra held her gemstone aloft.
The main corridor flickered with holy symbology. Silver, gold and black. Her heart lifted as they crossed the threshold into the main archway. Beyond the Rock of Infinity gleamed as liquid moonlight. A perfect triangle. Its top pure diamond. As the group advanced voices rang out.
“To those who seek the End?”
“The Path gathers. The Fragments remain.”
“Entombed within the….”
Mary reached the Rock first. She planted one bare palm against it. Lethe smiled.
Translate what is needed.
J’ino inquired, “Do we possess any of these fragments?”
Words shifted across the surface.
Mary intoned, “Yes. Those who were anchors in life. Along the paths of the dead. Into the gates of Helios. They shall bring forth the deluge required to find that which remains hidden.”
Thomas considered the message. “Does the snake still curl about the Gardens of Eden?”
“Yes. Though its form is diminished. One final challenge remains. Those forged by Throne, magic, blood and flames are renewed. Their minds drift within the Infinite. To be reforged.”
Anna took off her gloves. She still possessed her old clairvoyance.
She muttered, “Golden Child better be out there….” She pressed both palms to the surface.
Her Weave Speaker abilities sparked against the moonlight material. She grinned. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Lethe motioned to Mary.
Narrate the dreams.
∞
The castle drifted within my dreams.
I should know this place. The woman with stormy gray-blue eyes motioned toward me once more. In one hand she held a white ankh. The other contained a thick white leather bound book. Three golden circles printed upon its surface. The moat encircling the ancient structure was placid. At least at first glance. I knelt. My brother and I stood back to back in its depths. My hair stark white. Silver gleamed within my eyes. His hair was as the void of space. His eyes black within black. We were channeling the presence of another set of twins. An endless line across the eons. Echoes within echoes that had built into a crescendo.
A voice grated out, “You would give up everything? FOR WHAT!? AN UNCARING GOD?” His crimson eyes bored into me. Us.
He shouted, “I offer you perfection! Power unyielding!”
I couldn't hear my response. The woman reached out to clasp my shoulder. My eyes met hers. Tears drifted down. I knew her. From where? I concentrated.
A simple pewter plate decorated with white lilies flew past my eyeline. It smashed against the side of an army jeep. Stark white letters proclaiming MP skittered across my vision. I turned to the woman with those hypnotizing green eyes. “That bad Cornfed?”
The nickname awoke a particular feeling in my chest. Joy exploded. Yes. That was one of my names. I rose. “Any idea who’s castle this is?” The woman nodded. Words formed across the simple oaken doorway.
I cocked my head to the side, “The House of Jars?”
A sound between a laugh and a snort rose from the shorter woman. I put my hand on my hips. “You aren't the green eyed lady but I suppose….”
She eyed me critically. “You suppose what? You giant golden child chip off the old flying brick built save everyone but yourself shield...” This sentence went on for ages. It was like she was summoning every known call sign she could mutter. This astonished me. Colorful words continued to spool about her. Coins rained down from the sky. Various jars of all sizes formed to catch the money. This seemed to bring the irate woman to fits of laughter outside her lung capacity.
∞
J’ino wondered at it.
Anna was connected to Eliza. She strode forward but one purple-gray hand shot out to stop her. Sy’ra whispered, “The foundation isn’t there yet. Outer memories will return first.” J’ino glared at the Rock. Her expression cooled as she considered the Grail ceremony. The one armed Eliza phenomenon. In retrospect it made sense. Eliza from all across time and space. Climbing from Helios. Caught between the amber of Life and Death. All so she could leave the foundations behind to help usher in this new multiverse.
Dexter’s hidden contributions just as paramount. His sacrifices had closed the vulnerabilities within the Soul Layer. Just as Taleer kept reporting. The Markav had never experienced the heat death of their homeworlds. All races had avoided Exodus. Instead they found themselves in an unrivaled golden age.
Noah and his cohorts had raised many shard pairs within Elysium. Even now it beat at the heart of its own universe.
Judgment indicated the images bleeding past Anna.
Silver Fox’s voice echoed outwards from the depths.
“Only you would value power over life.”
Thoth retorted hotly, “The Dream Weaver has given me insight. You Ayeers cling to honor….”
Dexter made an elegant chopping motion. Black tendrils like lightning shot out from from his outstretched hands. They burrowed under Thoth’s skin. Their son yanked sharply. The Tear glittered in the vast darkness around them. Like a tiny star. It pulsed. Eliza grasped it in her hands. The images faded. Thomas caught J’ino’s worried glance.
“There’s no way the Highest or the Oversoul would leave them to float within the darkness.”
∞
Anna examined Eliza’s dream form. She noticed the way Murphy rubbed at her right forearm. A bright pink scar peeked out from the rolled up white sleeved shirt. Eliza asked, “So what’s your name anyways?”
Anna replied, “You really don’t remember?”
Eliza’s regard intensified. “Into the Fire….”
The castle behind them solidified. The doorway opened smoothly. Anna held out her hand. Eliza pointed at the floor beyond the threshold. “HEY! Its a black mirror castle!”
∞
I whirled. Eliza’s voice carried across the distance. A faint clicking made me glance at the floor. Eliza crouched. “HEY!”
I had to admit? This was one of the stranger dreams. A man cloaked in the void and stars smiled at me. “We didn’t forget you. It is time to build your castle. As you see fit.”
A surge of strength entered my body. I felt like I could lift whole mountains. A woman bedecked in white and gold added cheerfully, “I know you and your sister wanted simple lives. But the world needs you. Will you answer?”
I knew what mine would be. My sister wouldn’t be far behind.
∞
I shouted, “Sure thing! Jupiter’s gonna be stoked! She always likes hearing about our visions. Even after we got pulled from that petrified bone enclosure. What did she call it? Zharhamerdus?”
Two other people appeared behind the Fire woman. One was decked out in Egyptian style armor. He was bald. His thin beard one long trail to his chest. It was linked with gold rings. The woman had a set of feathered wings. Much like a hawk. Green, gold and black armor. The words exploded from me.
“HEY! Ta’mathon right?! Golden City ruler!” He bowed.
He motioned to the bird woman, “Isis and I will guide you. As for Anna? She will need to relate these adventures to another by the Rock of Infinity.” The mirror castles merged. I picked my brother up in my arms for a massive bear hug. I found myself floating a few feet off the ground.
I could fly?!
He laughed, “Here we go again.”
I punched him lightly on the arm, “Again?”
He nodded. “Again and always. Its the Path we’ve been on from the start….”
Mist rolled in. We found ourselves overlooking a wooded expanse. A white bearded man in a blue, white and yellow robe indicated the stone tablets before us. His voice crackled with energy, “I am Merlin. You have survived the Cliffs of Helios. But now we must attune you to the Tears of Creation. For the enemy will seek them until he is thrown into the Pits of the Ninth!”
I ran my fingertips across the stone tablet.
An inquiry blazed across my retinas.
///HeroNet Clearance initiated. Please stand by. Scanning for Power Potientials.///
My mouth dropped at the readout.
///Flight Detected. Super Strength. Super Speed, Invulnerability Apex Detected, Energy Source Noted. Unknown Chain Detected: Viable in the Physical Layer/Weave Layer/Soul Layer/Unknown Layer.///
Ta’mathon clapped his hands together.
The mist reformed into two giant sphinxes. One green. One blue.
Memory tickled the outer edges of my brain. The blue sphinx swatted at me playfully.
She giggled, “Answer me these questions three!”
Riddles.
∞
J’ino accessed the network from her end.
A new set of entries popped up. ///Two Level 5 Demis detected.///
Her mouth went dry.
A majority of demis were usually within the range of Level 2-3. Level 1 for one power detected. Two for Two. Thomas was one of the rare 4’s that existed within this new multiverse. Blue Blaze was a Level 3. With Metal Manipulation, Super Speed, Enhanced Rejuvenation. Even she had two. Her skin could harden to incomprehensible levels. All without changing surface tactile sensation. The other? Flight. All because she had found her husband again. Their full memory hadn’t kicked in until the birth of the triplets. Many who had old cycle memory didn't awaken until later in life.
Mary motioned for them all to get closer.
Images formed. Thomas pressed his hand to the surface. Dexter and Eliza were facing the Guardians of the Golden City. Unlike the last time? Old Blue had a Twin sister. The woods gave away to a swirling ocean of sands.
Thomas noted, “We will help them regain their lost memories.”
A flash of energy filled the chamber. The Puzzler dashed forward. His chest heaving. “Thank the Three!” Nola joined them. “We will have to get all the old gang back together. As my husband is fond of saying.”
Eddie cheered as he heard Eliza remark, “Didn’t you almost eat me one time?”
The re-emergence of the Murphy Protectorate team didn’t seem so far fetched nowadays.
Issue 8: Here
Issue 10: Here
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