Issue 11: Pyramid Games
Now I see why the Oversoul rebooted this Multiverse in such a way that any of our activities would stand out as a sore thumb. I bide my time. This place knows me as a hardworking demi. Not too outrageous. No. That will be when the other escapees make a splash. The INet system sends out Alerts the instant the Ninth Array does anything untoward. Minions are useful though.--Lucifer
Chronos gave me an earful. I can see our faces as they should be in the mirrors. But that flesh ceremony gave us new forms so we can blend in. Even our greatest enemies will not be able to detect us. Provided we stay low key. I imagine X’mil won’t be able to contain himself. Chronos has a plan for that as well. Crafty old ghost.--Snake Charmer
I imagine He managed to bring them across. We will not know their faces either. Not until the final curtain falls upon us all. My “daughter” finally appreciates my imput. Imagine that.--Chronos
I will look and see who the Murphy clan attaches themselves to this go around. That is how I will find Eliza Murphy reborn and end her existence for good. Thoth can rot.--Hilary Brookes
New Ashbury, Texas
Hall of Records
Date Recorded: May 1st , 5488 A.C
Moonlighter phased through the walls.
His incorporeal form blending perfectly with the Weave barrier of Earth. Golden Bulleteer’s voice warbled through the Line Coms Network.
<<I’m not the Bulleteer anymore.>> It was stated plainly. Moonlighter grinned, <<You will always wear that moniker. No substitutes!>> Abraham Murphy shared a bemused look with his wife. They all had new code names but established habits remained. White Lily let out a gust of laughter. <<Have you seen the newest updates to HeroNet?! Two Level 5s! You both get one guess!>>
After all these years. Moonlighter’s hands phased through books, electronics and other records. The Twin Suns of Typha chimed in, <<No Ninth Array presence detected within the Weave. Bardax One reports the same for the Soul Layer.>>
Moonlighter rose above the building momentarily. Typherian patrols darted around. No Houses. No false Uplift Protocols. No Dreamweaver, Unity, or Abbadon to stew up resentment. Helped that a majority of inhabited systems weren't just the domain of one species. Each guardian group intermingled with human demis who could travel between certain layers. No one had the ability to access them all at once. At least based on what H-Net reported. He brought up the newest profiles.
///Extrapolating information about known Level 5s///
///Subject 1: Male. Unusual energy signature detected. Subject 2: Female. Similar Energy Readings. 4th Aspect Detected. Message Denoted for Conclave Eyes Only.///
Moonlighter’s focused on the last bit.
Nowadays the Layers were known as Aspects. 1st Aspect for the physical. 2nd for Weave. 3rd for the Soul. Bullet cut in, <<Huh. That is curious. Since He does like to work in threes!>>
HeroNet klaxons blared across all Aspects.
///Major Incursion detected. Scholar Sector. O’lam. Level Beta.///
∞
I dashed to the piloting array. My strange dreams and memories could wait. This was an all hands on deck situation!
Jupiter noted calmly, “Spinning up Soul Drives.”
My brother manned the weapon console while Professor Nara took the sensor suite.
Jupiter changed our transponder to ID us as “Farshores Express.”
Capt. Elizabeth Shoreline. My middle name. That much popped into my head. The piloting rig dug into my back and shoulders. The stars faded as we sank to the depths of the 3rd Aspect. “The calvary is coming!” I armed every gravatonic missile.
Dexter stopped me from pre-loading my favorite introduction.
“Low key sis. Trust me.”
Right!
Space shifted and we materialized over the battlefield. Various energy sources kicked in to prevent debris from hitting the main Scholar planet. Demis pinged on our radar. Only 3 were space worthy. One was a man decked out in gold and purple. Magical beams flashed from his finger tips. A smaller woman floated back to back with him. Her pale gray suit marked with a black shield. A black utility belt at her waist. 5 silver balls swirled around them.
I sent the Jupiter into evasive patterns. “Let’s find the control unit for these demons.”
Ninth Array minions often had a lead component.
I let out a cheer as the missiles found their mark. Ninth Array probes usually took the form of giant centipedes while space bound. Better to wrap themselves about vessels. I activated Jupiter’s hull repulsers. Faint thuds reached my ears. “YES!”
I sent my ship into a rising spiral.
Climbing away from the last vestiges of the planet’s gravity well.
“This is Capt. Elizabeth Shoreline. Terran Auxiliary Fleet. Let’s go huntin!”
∞
J’ino ordered her silver spheres to begin firing.
Each yellow beam bisected another Ninth. Her demi designation was Void Maiden. Thomas motioned to the ship dubbed Farshores Express. Sir Avalon took up position on the other side of the vessel. His electrical bursts sent the enemy forces reeling. It looked nothing like the Jupiter Rising. It was longer about the middle. A simple black, white and blue color scheme. Its nose shaped like an Arrow head. Three FLT rings spun at the rear compartment.
An endless stream of thumb sized grav missiles exploded against the multi-segmented bodies of the C-peds. White bits of demonic shards peppered J’ino. None touched her body. Judgment muttered a series of protection spells.
Eliza noted, <<2nd Flight! Targets at your 3 o’clock!>>
Q’vera responded by constructing a spinning wheel of light. She dived between two hissing C units. Eliza flew through the debris field. Banked hard to the right. A trio of Bardaxian Defenders created an energy wedge. Q’vera formed twin cannons.
“Hey uglies!” The remaining foes peeled off from the chase.
Their V shaped heads spat out acids.
∞
My heart beat rapidly in my chest.
This I knew. I wouldn’t let the Ninth win. Not ever. I pressed the final sequence. “Special delivery!” The giant space squid cartwheeled further away from the planet. Bright green beams cut through its outer layers. I jerked the Jupiter into a flyby roll. Nothing was left of the beast. At least within the physical layer. I felt myself shifting into the Weave. We continued the chase.
I noted the presence of the Protectorate.
They were the premiere demi team of the Triad. Mystic, Void Maiden, and Trickshot. The latter took heavy inspiration from the Captain Cosmos tv show. I always had a soft spot for those glass domed fishbowl helmets. His flaming red hair stood on end. I raced from the piloting compartment. He needed help!
Semi translucent tendrils were pulling him to the Ninth Gateway!
Time slowed as I reached the airlock. It cycled and I pushed myself away from the ship. I didn’t even have time to think. I charged into the phantom form of the Squid. A battle cry on my lips. This was entirely too familiar. My whole body burned. Strength flooded my limbs. The last of the airlocks oxygen flooded my lungs. I didn’t need to breath. I didn't need an encounter suit.
∞
Jonas “Eddie” Olsten let his body relax. This was the moment his wife had predicted within her mirror. A way to trigger some of Eliza’s proper power set. His suit’s enhancements prevented the creature from breaching anything vital. He still had his old power from his days as the Puzzler. Being reborn to this world had given him an additional talent. Teleportation. But Eliza didn’t know that part.
He’d relish the day she’d come back into her own.
They might not be the Golden Redeemers anymore but that didn’t matter.
Bonds lasted beyond death. Coiled tendrils parted. Two glowing white eyes peered down at him. Eliza reached in and plucked him from the squid’s embrace. He kicked his booster rig into high gear. Anti matter ate through the squid’s flesh. Eliza’s eyes glowed brighter. Two energy beams burst forth.
Surprise etched on her features. She reached out to grasp one sucker covered limb.
<<Where’s the gate?!>>
Mystic. Judgment to those who actually knew, replied sharply, <<At your 12 o’clock!>>
Eliza tugged. The Squid didn’t stand much of a chance. Its body rotated. Forced into a clockwise motion as Eliza gained momentum. Another return to sender delivery. Pale spectral limbs rose from the circular gate as Eliza hurled her enemy toward it.
The squid howled, <<The Lord of Bone walks the land! You will all bow…..>>
Eliza flung the last tendril strait into its ugly black beak.
Eddie sent the recon to Prophet. That was Golden Bulleteer’s new Demi callsign.
That was a direct reference to one of the escapees. Eddie was sure of it.
Void Maiden met them at the ship’s outer airlock.
Her gaze glued to Shoreline. Eliza beamed. <<Didn’t think I’d be helping the heavy hitters today! We mostly patrol for the Hollow Ones.>> Souls eroded by staring strait at the Nothing beyond the Oversoul’s light.
Eddie examined his vid feed. Eliza’s features were a bit different from her usual look. What they could see versus the rest of the world would help hide Dexter and his sister a bit longer. Only the Conclave got the high priority alerts about emerging demis. Specifically rank 3 and above. Those with old cycle memories. Tasked to safeguard the final Cycle.
Eliza motioned to her ship, <<I’ll put on some coffee!>>
∞
I blurted out, “HOLY SMOKES! Even the Spectral Saint is here!”
His outer white cloak fluttered like it was caught in a minor windstorm. He bowed politely. One hand over his heart. He had phased through the layers of Jupiter’s protective shields. She must have let him in. I practically mugged Natet when he carried the coffee over to the ships main galley tables. Sparta bounded in. He circled the new demis. I couldn't keep the silly grin off my face. Valkyrie followed. Her ears flattened against her head as she headbutted the Void Maiden's thigh.
“Just look at this lineup!”
My impression of the stoic demi woman softened as I watched her give Val a good scratch under the chin. Most reports indicated she was near emotionless. Some even figured she was an android. “HA! I-Net skeptics owe me a slip chit!”
The Markav cook took the brim of my hat and pulled it down to my chin. “Captain! Better Form!” His eyes twinkled. The black visor raised slightly to showcase a perfectly normal feminine chin. Full lips. So there was a flesh and blood person under all that sleek getup. I removed my cap. I gave Mystic a salute worthy of Prime Point. The US divisions premiere military training center.
I had done two tours of duty with them. Made me into the flier I was today.
I frowned slightly. At least that’s what some of my recovered memory indicated.
Other voices crowded in.
∞
Moonlighter took an offered cup. He considered Eliza’s aura for a moment. It shimmered against his senses akin to a waterfall. J’ino’s aura indicated spikes of sadness mixed with pinpricks of joy. Their first meeting would be as their new personas. He never thought he’d get an empath’s ability upon resurrection within this new realm but that’s how the cards fell. Thomas linked in on the private team line, <<The Oversoul gave them memories of growing up here.>> His voice was low. Controlled.
Thomas returned the salute. Eliza’s worry faded.
Dexter’s voice rang out. Ship wide, “We got another brush fire folks!”
It was an emergency signal from Doctor Impossible. Her designation hadn’t changed.
Eliza bought out another set of cups. “Heck, since you guys vouched for them I'll be happy to bring those Scholars along!”
Matarn and his family shot Judgment a particular look.
The team was nearly back together.
∞
Doctor Impossible dived to the side as heat passed over her head.
Litari guards shouted, “They’ve breached the main conclave!”
It was a group of demis. One could control fire at will. Her body infused with it from head to toe. A dark shaman, his piggy mud brown eyes streaked with red, used his imp of a demon to harass the trio of soldiers. The lankier demi wearing a green and gold scaled suit opened his mouth. His helm shaped like a striking serpent. A torrent of poisonous smoke filled the chamber. Doc sent out a system wide alert. These were different from the standard thugs they usually threw into Demi Max prisons. They were far too coordinated. Cold fingers wrapped around her neck. A silky feminine voice murmured, “Now now.”
Two ice blue orbs shimmered.
Cold crept through her suit.
“Let’s go.”
Lorain Lanis passed out as the ice reached her lungs.
∞
Chronos flexed his fingers. X’mil charged. Throwing his imp into the wall. Acidic blood exloded from the demon’s nose. Snake Charmer accelerated the properties. The wall evaporated. Medusa cloaked them using her new invisibility power set. The game was just beginning.
Now to see what kind of skins his enemies here wore.
It wasn't a coincidence that of everyone? Lanis was exactly as he remembered.
What other game was the Oversoul playing?
Issue 10: Here
Issue 12: Here
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