Issue 22: Event Horizon
This is Lt. Sidemore. Erhan Sector! We need backup! Its…..--Last Line relayed.
I’ve only seen the playful side of our Leader. This place showcased the mettle underneath that happy go lucky attitude. I am grateful.--Crossguard
I will protect them as if they were my own. --Iron Jaw
The Icath that had arrived on Mars within the Eden Cycle weren’t the ruling pair. They had asked me to assist in finding their parents. At least we have an idea of what happened now. Chronos cannot breach the artifact but that’s not the point. We need all the Ruling Pairs working in concert to repel the Devourer.--Dexter Murphy: Private Logs.
Elysium
The Golden Path
Febuary 15th 5490
Hidan flagged Titan down.
“A group of Weave Speakers are entrapped within a Prism fragment.”
Crossguard asked, “Prism? What is that?” He did his best to keep his eyes on the angelic figure. Elysium was a world of wonders. Fadeaway pulled his dark blue cape about himself. His solid black mask covered his whole head. The rest of his uniform was black. Except for his boots. Those were midnight blue.
Hidan waved them forward. “Not here.”
∞
The Golden Host Repository.
Living Stone tapestries lined the walls. I still was getting used to the fact that they wouldn’t try to demolish everything in sight. Iron Jaw floated beside me. Crossguard’s open reverence for this place was sincere. My thoughts lingered on my confrontation with Lucifer within Elysium. He hadn’t even given the former Host building a passing glance. No, he wouldn’t slip up here.
Lensflair noted, “Is there a reason why those crystal protrusions are reflecting between blue and silver?”
Lensflair’s uniform was a light blue goggle set. White chest and shoulder straps. White buckle with dark blue pants and boots. A majority of demis usually went with 2 or 3 primary colors. A handful ended up being overly complex but I suspected it was due to accessorizing. Adam Lazer was still as much of an enigma as he had been back in the Eden Cycle days. Man or Machine? None still knew. Many speculated that Void Maiden was his mechanical twin. Iron Jaw floated over to politely sniff at the crystals in question. Some were nearly as tall as I was. Others controlled the upper rings of the Repository. I could still read Thronebearer script.
Light can never fade. It grows between each star.
Fadeaway pulled his hood over his nose.
To block out the light?
To hide his reactions perhaps.
Isis’ voice echoed through the ruby links curled about the outside of my ears.
In case traditional coms went down. <<Fadeaway has a condition. Sensitivity to certain kinds of light sources. I had Impossible check out your whole team’s physical profile. Including you of course. That way it will put Lucifer on edge. We know all of them watch what Doctor Impossible does.>>
My father interjected, <<After this mission we are going to enter all your team mates into the 3rd Tier. Per Silver Fox’s suggestions we will also stop messing with your flight ability. We want to start dropping hints about you as well.>>
Thank goodness. My brother was always more adept at this sort of work.
A black 12 pointed star blinked in the corner of my HUD.
I tapped on it with a simple flick of my eyes.
The Spearwielder’s stoic visage blinked to life.
Counterpart to Silver Fox.
His eyes were a clear gray. Blue and silver markings covered his cheeks.
<<Once you are admitted into the inner circle of the Protectorate? All gloves come off. Chronos has already consumed the personnel he desired. Think of it as an inverse of how the Oversoul developed the Sleeve system. Were we are many? Chronos is one of many minds. Bodies and stolen souls.>>
<<Why would the Devourer wish to study a soul? Doesn't it just consume anything and everything?>>
Wielder’s features hardened, <<It does but the souls entrapped within it still endure. The Ninth Circle offensive will let us free them. We cut that thing off from its main meal? We can break it apart.>>
<<Into how many sections?>>
<<Nine.>>
The Ninth Circle would be at its heart.
<<So it will what? Fight itself?>>
<<Partially.>>
His clipped response worried me. What that the role of my Brother’s Sleeves? Or mine? Would the Living Stone Warden Legions be forever forfeit to combat that evil for eternity?
We had to do more than that. But how? I had known once.
We all stepped onto the lift.
Silver Fox entered from a side corridor. Fadeaway’s lips twitched into a fraction of a frown.
She paid him no mind. “Ill open the gateway. Rule 1 on Prisms? Don’t trust what you see. They are fragments of past cycles.”
Lensflair crossed his arms, “Past cycles? Don’t you mean other universes?”
Ludicrous Speed stared up at Silver Fox with wide eyes. His jaw slack.
I greeted her as I would any other person. She was decked out in basic Warder gear. The golden helm hid her features. Lucifer did have knowledge. But not all systems within this Final Cycle worked just as he remembered.
∞
Lucifer listened to his enemies drone on about the foundations of the Converged Multiverse. He made sure to give the St. Bernard a generous pat along its back. Even in this life they were a nuisance. He didn’t let any of his actual feelings manifest on his face. He had to get into the inner workings of the Protectorate. The Living Stone guardian before him was proof positive that the Oversoul was going to enact the Grand Design. There was no way to destroy Evil.
Or Good for that matter.
No, he’d have to ride herd on both.
The Shield Maiden was one key to that equation.
Her counterpart was the other. The Spear and Shield.
They had flaunted their powers even within the lowest layers of Heaven.
It would not happen again. No mortal would control the flow of Good and Evil.
He would use all of them to get Chronos off the field.
∞
Silver Fox paused in her chant. Holding the note beyond the hearing of mortal men.
Beyond the portal? 25 simulated lifesigns pulsed. Each wrapped in a prison of the mind. After this mission Eliza’s reborn identity would fade. Those who could feel the former Threads of the Eden Age would know.
Just as the Oversoul wished it.
They had always been designated the Fireworks. Distract the enemy. Be the target.
The Wall Endured.
While the Spear wielders within the mirror were tasked with shaping the weapon.
But she was not the Key to be won. Neither was her brother.
From the start she had placed her trust in the Oversoul. There was no room for doubts.
The tapestry was nearly completed. The portal swirled wider.
“Get ready!”
She chanted the locator spell onto each of the demis.
Golden strings pulsed around their wrists. “There is more than enough to tie to each trapped person. When you have them all?” She traced the symbol in the air. Lensflair looked to Titan.
∞
I stepped through first.
Waves crashed upon the sandy shores. The sky turned green as the portal shrunk to the size of my fist. I floated skyward. At 12 feet my chest tightened. Energy prickled along my skin. Barrier warning. Crossguard and Iron Jaw took point. Lensflair on the left. Fadeaway to the right. I made sure our Speedster was in the middle. I took the rear. I caught the sounds of animals coming from the jungle’s edge.
I reached over to scoop up some ocean water.
Bits of diamond formed in my cupped palm.
It formed into White Scrawl.
I popped open a belt compartment. Removed the leather pouch my father gave me. I unhooked the outer bindings. The ocean around us rippled.
I hurried to catch up with my team. It took only 5 heartbeats.
The jungle expanse around us swayed as gusts of wind tore through the foliage.
∞
Proctor Gansys glanced up as the nanite array came online.
It recorded every biological shift within Eliza’s team. Emotional spikes. The works. Doctor Impossible gave a thumbs up.
“The board is green. Thanks to the White Scrawl sigil addition these readings should get some emotional feedback as well!”
If anyone asked it was a testing phase to admit more Orbitals into the 3rd Tier.
Including those with past memory.
Hidan entered. The operating screen cleared. Eliza and the others were floating within a sphere of energy. Golden threads pulsed as Murphy activated the command prompts within the simulation. It was equal parts magic and tech. Hidan inquired, “Any idea who is the Reborn is?”
The code for Lucifer.
Doc replied, “Eliza doesn't believe it could be Crossguard. Iron Jaw is immune. For Bardaxians are favored. My money is on Fadeaway. But it could easily be Ludicrous or Lensflair.”
Gansys intensified the connection. The threads wouldn't be able to penetrate their minds. That would tip off Lucifer. They already had a baseline for Eliza’s emotional profile but this could also illuminate other unexplored avenues within her emotional state. Even she wasn’t told this would be a simulated mission.
Doctor Impossible highlighted the first set of pitfalls.
Each subject would be put into peril. To be rescued by the others.
“Why not go after Titan first?”
Gansys highlighted the emotional spikes in each demi.
“Experience. Think about it. The Reborn already have a fallback.”
Lorain nodded. Of course! This was about narrowing the window.
∞
Lucifer crouched.
He knew that Living Stone pawn had command of Thronebearer sigils.
The Oversoul had been wise to reconfigure the whole system.
He could still glean impressions. The only way to gain full understanding would be to shed this meatsuit hiding him from Chronos. It was a warding sigil. This was a testing platform. He considered the reason why. The Protectorate. Over the past year they had intensified their training. There were rumors on INET about the Dream Plague. One that afflicted the Weave Speakers.
It was a sign that the Devourer was closing in. They would finally let Orbitals into the bigger picture. He would not rise to the bait. To be so close to success would make others sloppy. Striker and X’mil would be the most likely candidates to bring the wrath of the Righteous down on everyone. Ethereal Titan called out, “Incoming!”
Lucifer inhaled.
He would have to make mistakes. Ones expected of his avatar.
∞
I summoned magical barriers that deflected the first salvo.
Leaves flew from branches. A few slipped past my defenses.
Iron Jaw yelped as one of the leaves sliced through his shoulder. Didn’t have Doc for healing. But dad had supplied me with a few healing wards. I commanded Ludicrous to run. A counter surge of air rippled around us. Fadeaway swayed as he beat the leaves back with his telekinetic surges. With my enhanced vision I could make out the V-shaped wedges.
Crossguard was kneeling. A divine aura grew around him. It spread to cover Iron Jaw.
I crossed my bracers before me.
Repeating the chants that Isis had taught me.
Every piece of my demi uniform had been enchanted with a few basic spells. To help sell the “channeler” aspect. In my case the chanting was just for show. I parroted the motions for releasing fire sigils.
The next three salvos burned to ash. It gave us just enough time to regroup.
Fadeaway paced, “How are we supposed to get to these people when everything here can quite literally kill us?!”
Ludicrous knelt to inspect the St. Bernard.
“What’s up with your magic?!”
The question came out harsher than what was called for.
The massive K-9 licked my cheek as I applied the healing ward.
His ears were pressed against his head, <<My connection is sporadic at best.>>
Ludicrous wouldn’t meet my eyes. Then he pointed at me accusingly, “Her powers work!”
Fadeaway stepped between us, “To an extent. But not to their usual levels. Nothing in this place is normal my boy!” I patted Iron Jaw on his head.
“Go back to the portal.” I tied a knot of golden threads together.
Iron Jaw nuzzled my thigh. His dejection evident.
“You’ll be our anchor line!”
He perked up at that. He danced in place as I finished. I tied the last thread to my belt.
<<By the will of Bardax I will not fail you!>> He bounded off towards the beach line.
∞
Lucifer turned to Crossguard. “Can you craft a guide post?”
The knight demi beamed, “Indeed!” He scooped up some ashes.
He traced the symbol of the Three into the ground.
It glowed silver. He pressed one of his golden threads to it.
∞
The heartbeats of the 25 Weave Speakers remained constant. A magical coma? I couldn’t pinpoint their position. Would burning the whole forest down work? While keeping my hood up I lowered my demi dynamo mask for a split second. I examined everything with my Banner abilities. Dark matter sight breached past the wards.
An image of Lorain formed.
She signaled for silence.
I focused on her lips. She mouthed out the words.
Keep going. Go full Banner mode if need be.
I flicked my dynamo mask back into place.
The Finger Trap.
I prayed it wasn’t Crossguard. The heartbeats were real though. There were Weave Speakers out there that needed us. Or rather as a test for us. I rubbed my chin. Burning the jungle down wouldn't get us what we needed.
I motioned to Fadeaway, “Can you uproot a live specimen?”
The demi man grinned. He snapped his fingers and a hulking twisted trunk lifted high into the sky. Crossguard unsheathed his sword. Elongated forms dropped from the exposed roots. Their serpentine bodies a pale tan coloration. Their maws opened. A monstrous X filled with razor sharp teeth.
Ludicrous exclaimed, “What kind of freak show is that?!”
In a gust of wind he was behind me. “Care to fire some magic missiles? BBQ and all that!”
∞
Gansys compared notes, “Mr. Speed has a deep seated phobia.”
Lorain responded, “I don’t blame him.”
A soft chime reverberated through the chamber.
Hidan highlighted the coils about young man.
“His normal heart rate is usually 3 times the standard. Right now he’s over 12 times.”
A genuine fear response.
Gransys nodded, “Run Beta program.”
Eliza’s heart rate slowed. They heard her say, “Stay along the outskirts of the Jungle. I think this place is reacting to our innermost fears.”
Doctor Impossible leaned back. Her expression thoughtful.
“What would Lucifer fear the most?”
Issue 21: Here
Issue 23: Here
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