Issue 29: Laylines within The Three
I was afraid. Always afraid. Until that day Eliza and I’rioh showed me sacrifice was more than just your body. You had to put everything on the line. I had to understand why. Had to experience the mistakes for myself. The Devourer seeks to corrupt the Great Virtues of this world. He would use it against everyone. No matter how much good they profess they are doing. The intent can be noble but the Lying One seeks to subvert even that noble goal.--Gwen Murphy
Three. Synchronized through all time. The past. The present. The future. It was always their purpose. To be the direct eye within the ranks of Order. Understanding came later. They were always prepared for the cost.--Notes upon the Surface of the Shell
Every day I wonder if I could have changed the outcome. No one else can recall their faces besides me. But they did exist. That was my compromise. I never wanted to forget them. Ever. Even after my long Vigil? The Wall of family and friends remains. --Sleeping In Starlight: Post Convergence Files (Conclave Access Required)
Ahpaktu
The Mountain of Lantaria
Earth
Gwen Murphy scooped up a handful of volcanic sand.
Star wouldn't back down. They had to find a way to prevent her from becoming the center piece to the Wall of the Golden Path. It would ensure that the Devourer could no longer breach anyone directly. Each individual would have to walk their soul path. But they each would provide the proper blocks. Silver Fox knew herself quite well. But this form of Eliza Murphy would have to endure for the remaining permanent cycle.
The part of Gwen that was the Oversoul mused at her mortal sibling.
That is part of the reason we love her. She is as hopeful as a Bardaxian within the springtime.
Tobin nudged Jace. “It’s still there.”
Within the mountain.
The first set of crowns. A way to draw Chronos out. He wouldn’t be able to resist. But the Three had commanded Hephaestus to make a flaw within. It would give the wearer power. However brief. But then it would turn upon the user. Drawing that which it desired most away. It held one drop of his Son’s blood. The first bridge between mortal and divine. The Highest still maintained his Vigil within the Ninth Circle. The Crown would draw that final representation of the Devourer into the deep recesses of the core. It would never again threaten the souls of others. Unless they let it in.
It was the choice and freedom given to Creation.
The Virtues vs The Void.
∞
I sucked in a deep breath. No scents besides ours and a few animals.
The native inhabitants avoided the volcano.
I recalled the rain of lava. The howls of the Owls. Denied their sacrificial meal.
Doc pointed toward the peak, “That wasn’t there before.”
I examined the glint under the ash. Stairs. A quick scan with my sight revealed a downward spiral. No. That wasn’t quite right. The spiral rose skyward as well. Across time and space. It vibrated at different frequencies.
Made of an alloy from the time of Creation. “Which Earth is this from?”
Tobin replied audibly, “Not of Earth. Older.”
His fingers danced across my forearm quicker than any human could follow.
It was the first land ever formed for mortal kind. Eden Cycle merely rejuvenated it.
Doc commented, “No lava demons this time I hope!”
Jace called out, “Found the door!”
I peered into the Weave and Soul layer.
I motioned to Tobin. “You sure we need to?”
My fingers flicked in the old way. Ayeer House Battle Code.
Mordred is lurking in the Weave. You sure you want him to follow?
The shimmering forms of the Three that dwelled within my siblings nodded resolutely.
I blew gently on the opening. Golden sigils responded by circling about my head.
They formed into a golden retriever that came up to my waist. <<Sentinel promised! Welcome back! I remember you! Leaps-Against-All-Odds!>> Memory flashed. I was running alongside Y’akish’s people. His ancestors. My Bardaxian form strong. I was what modern men called a Newfoundland. Chocolate brown with white patches on my legs and chest. I picked up my old friend. “Turns out it was Bardax that got to go into space first. Imagine that!”
Lorain crossed her arms. “Gwen, how many times has Eliza gone through…..”
I knew what she was getting at. The Soul Cycle. Rebirth.
Doc’s eyes widened. Comically.
“No...”
Gwen crossed her arms. “Yes. In Eliza’s defense she volunteered countless times.”
Lorain’s features tightened.
I was slow to the uptake but eventually caught on when Tobin elbowed me in the side.
I blurted out, “Across all time and space you are the only one I’ve been with.”
I grinned sheepishly, “You didn’t go through the slide as much as I did though. Plus we’ve never been able to have kids. No matter what combination.”
Lorain replied, “Why can’t I remember any past incarnation? Besides the previous that is.”
Gwen pushed against the archway entry. It opened soundlessly.
“Because Lethe took the few turns you had.” She held up her right palm. A solemn expression, “You asked her to take all memories prior to Eden. Because you wanted a fresh slate.”
I had an epiphany.
Jace let out a low, “Shh!”
It wasn’t just my past lives that made up the Living Stone Warden brigade of Endless. Or Dexter’s. The Oversoul had offered all of Creation the choice.Everyone who ever existed had come to the question. What would you do to protect those who came after? What would you risk. Beyond bone. Beyond body. A ripple effect that would change everything.
C’alain included. The former Wall of Typha had been a microcosm. A singular brick to showcase what the Oversoul could do on a larger scale. It was why this Cycle would be the last. A Signpost of the Vigil. To encompass everything that came afterward. There would be no more resets. Convergences. This was our last shot to make the best of it. I relaxed my tense muscles one section at a time.
No pressure.
Tobin made a few mock punches at my midsection, “Just keep rolling!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, “No wonder you guys went all in.”
Jace intoned, “As above. As below. The mind wanders. Yet flows. Reveal the steps along the Golden Path. Snakes entwined beware the flight of the mind.”
The innards of the volcano shifted. Endless doorways formed along the walls. Threads of insurmountable hues glowed within the reflected starlight.
∞
Mordred followed in their wake.
He felt naked without a physical shell to curl into but his desire outweighed his sense of self preservation. The Three had always walked the earth. A chance at information. Salvation. Escape would be his. They controlled the Threads. Strange how the Oversoul thought it important to inhibit mortal bodies. What was the use of mortality when one was God? He froze as Eliza Murphy glanced behind her.
Those clear gray eyes in a field of black.
She did not have the right to judge him. He bared his teeth.
“You who were given everything! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CONDEMN ME!”
Murphy turned her head back to the crystallized orb that floated at the heart of the raised black and silver pillar. He had been dismissed. He rose higher. Floated close enough that he could detect the light scent of the Doctor’s perfume. Murphy rested one arm across the younger woman’s shoulders.
Mordred’s pale tongue elongated.
I will escape!
A fierce joy consumed him.
The perfect vessel to escape into. What irony! Murphy would unwittingly protect him!
∞
I tensed for the strike.
Mordred’s sickly aura made me want to hurl. Jace stopped me with one glance. His eyes bright with otherworldly energy. I couldn't move. Gwen rotated the orb with one flick of her hand. Then she walked between Doc and Mordred’s horrid Devourer warped soul form. The thin membrane hooked into her right shoulder blade. His expression curdled. He tugged viciously but would not come loose.
Gwen glared into the Weave. “Did you think we could not see you?”
Tobin said, “You chose your folly. A tongue meant for lies. He has no power here.”
Jace added quietly, “You sealed your fate long ago. Had you kept your promise you would have a lesser judgment within the Ninth. You forged your Soul into a carrier.”
The Three snapped their fingers.
Mordred howled. The noise reverberated within the Weave.
After a few moments a frail vestige of a soul quivered on the ground.
His connection to Chronos infused with White Scrawl.
Tobin and Jace reached out to entrap Mordred between them. Lazarus and the Void Man glimmered within that realm of stars and twilight. Chains forged of liquid silver caused the fallen son of Camelot to howl. His wrists thrashed against the spectral metals. He fell to his knees. I could move again. I grasped the chains. A multitude of voices rose.
<<Arbiter!>>
<<Heart’s Friend!>>
<<Service above All!>>
Bardaxian. J’kua. Markav. Human. Typherian. Countless races I had no name for.
The souls of previous cycles weren't gone.
Gwen shifted her gaze back to the orb, “Unto all we ask. Many chose to serve as foundations to this enteral cycle.”
Tobin interjected, “You’ve already given much! Why do you think Silver Fox took your place at the head of the Stoned ones?”
“They voted….”
On who would continue. Each of my past selves.
∞
Lorain Lanis turned as one sound rose above the din.
The cheers of endless voices. Across the universe. The only bright array of color emanated from the orb. She leaned over the swirling surface. Metal flowed. She blinked as she rose from a sleeping pod. The image in the glassy reflection was not her.
A voice called out, “Brakara! Look! Its the Silver Citadel. Home of the Protectorate for the Milky Way! Just like our father promised!”
Lorain was merely an observer. The ship rotated to dock with the gargantuan structure.
She didn’t recognize the species. They were 4 feet tall. Robotic appendages formed into palms that could interact with Terran technology. A bubble of orange liquid swirled about an amphibian face. Its gills opened rapidly. “Lita! Will we see them?!”
Both let out delighted laughter as the Star Spangled Banner landed on the platform next to them. Doc gaped. Her face was ancient. No strand of brown hair remained. Thought her eyes still sparkled with gentle humor. “Welcome! First FTL Weave Wave Jump I take it?”
Brakara exclaimed, “Is it true!? About the Vigil?!”
Star replied, “Every brick of it.” She leaned in.
A conspiratorial grin grew. “The Golden Path is open to all. Should you seek it.”
Doc let out a breath she was holding as she saw herself call out, “Going to give them an earful?” Streaks of gray were in her hair at this point but it wasn't the endless youth of being merged with Lethe.
Star replied, “I’m not retired yet!”
The Yellow Defender formed a golden construct to lift all of them to the outer layers of the Citadel.
It was a giant central shaft. With slowly turning rings at every level. Except for the top and bottom. At the apex a white pyramid resided. While below its obsidian counterpart kept vigil. The current date gleamed across the arrival boards.
Lorain groaned. The one she was tied to could not make out the symbols.
Doc watched as her older self paused.
Star turned back, “Black Cat got your….”
Yellow Defender energy formed over Eliza’s mouth. A hand to playfully silence her.
“This moment. I’ve seen it.”
∞
Brakara reached out to touch the crystalline pieces floating above them in the main alcove. He followed the legendary Yellow Defender across the marbled floor. She waved them into an adjoining amphitheater. A gentle tone echoed through the space.
<<Welcome! Please find a seat!>>
Brakara curled about the white shell. It conformed to his sphere unit while his robot limbs were cushioned against anti-grav stints. The room darkened as the History unfurled. They dove through white clouds. A city made of white, silver and gunmetal gray durasteel greeted them. The words translated.
New Ashbury Texas.
The Stars Burn Bright!
A much younger Star Spangled Banner faced off against a horrid beast. Fetid black water ran from its back. Its egg shaped head pulled back in a sneer. The mouth grew. Its dark eyes fell with a wet splat on the roadway. Brakara trembled. At the creature’s feet was a man. His hair and form akin to the Banner.
Names appeared. Chronos. Eater of Worlds. Devourer’s First Born.
Dawnbreaker. Twin Ruler of the Sky. Black Rope of the Undertide.
The Star Spangled Banner. Twin Ruler of the Sky. White Thread of the Overworld.
Lorain held her breath as their enemy swallowed Dexter whole. Star dashed in. Using all her strength. Lorain focused on Eliza’s face. The terror was real. No doubt about that. But she wasn't picking up any proper signals from Dexter. His bio metrics were all out of sorts. Her older self sent pulses. Morose Code but eletric. It was that this point Lorain Lanis was thankful for the control of her body. A way to send a message across time.
<<Now you know why the Three sent you here. This room was specifically made for us. We have to fool him into eating the Finger Trap.>>
Lorain slowed her breathing. <<That’s why I was in the Training Sphere.>>
<<Indeed. Study the battle. See what you will have to change to entangle the Devourer. He wants the Twin Rulers. Eliza isn’t acceptable because she voluntarily became infertile across all cycles.>>
But there is one who could serve that role. Lorain shuddered. Captain Overwatch. She had children and shared basic codifer lines with Eliza. Her older self added, <<Why do you think we keep Hilary away and focused on Star? Imagine the avatars of the Devourer within perfectly tuned bodies.>>
Brakara shouted, “The stories! He must eat the false morsel! Dawnbreaker knows! The Icaths of the White and Black Tide Know! The Overworld must be protected!”
Lorain examined Chronos. He had warped Hilary’s form as far as it could go.
Every nerve was breaking down. Chronos needed Dexter’s body.
Lorain’s eyes lit up. But he didn’t need a functioning body. Just one to hold him.
Forever.
∞
Sentinel paced. I scooped up the Bardaxian.
“I know Doc. If she says I shouldn’t be there I will not tempt fate. Besides I can see the audience circling just outside the Soul Layer.”
Argos positioned himself to my left. He flopped down on his haunches and gave me an award winning wolfish grin. <<This will be good for us. All of us. Besides you don’t have to constantly relive that battle.>>
C’alain materialized next to me. My parents joined him. Their souls as bright as ever.
I asked quietly, “Why haven't you gone through yet?”
Mom crossed her arms, “For the same reason you keep asking for a Wall Station with Silver Fox.”
Dad patted me on the shoulder. “Face it kid. You are stuck with us until the end.”
Grandpa V’alkor stepped through the Soul Layer. “Besides its not like just anyone can perceive us.”
A few more choice members of my family peered around a metaphysical corner. Q’vera shouted, “We all rise together dear Niece!”
My body wouldn’t burn out for quite some time.
My Ruler Sight encompassed Death. Old Souls.
My brother’s was Life. He could weave new souls into the cycle. We would continue through the ages. Not as we were. Eventually we would cycle back through the river of souls. To help protect each generation. Who knows? Maybe next time I would be reborn into the body of a new species within the Coil. That was the whole point.
Luckily for us? The Devourer never quite caught on to the tiny adjustments the Oversoul made after each rotation. Knowledge passed on through myths. Through the Arcane itself. Each layer working together to manifest the physical world. That was the main thread changed from the Eden Cycle to our current world order.
A simple change.
Life would see Death.
Death would see Life.
Eddie and Nola pulled up next to me. Their hover sled packed with Christmas goodies.
Their hair was just as white as mine. Their old demi suits well maintained. Eyes filled with mirth.
I asked, “How's the Radiant Brigade doing?”
Eddie thumped his chest, “All 535 of our children, grand children and great grandkids are doing quite well. Mallet and the others are setting up the banquet hall. Hope you’ll pop in with the Protectorate.”
“I promise.”
P’tah formed against my leg. Rubbed his forehead against my fingertips.
“It is good to be home.”
Nothing else needed to be said. The Icath elder purred.
The rumble vibrated against my hand.
Nola’s mirror shimmered. Crossguard said, “Yak-tish insists you come to the wedding!”
Issue 28: Here
Interlude/Within the Abyss: Here