Issue 32: Wraith Wings
Such a pretty bauble. Let’s pluck out its eyes.--Morgana
A pulse ran through the Weave and beyond. This is it. Chronos has finally engaged on all levels. Close in the first levels. Wardens to their posts. --Arcane Unraveling in Transit to HeroNet
There’s no way Doctor Impossible is that useless this time around. What are they hiding? --Hilary Brookes
Camelot
Fort Chretien
February 28th 5490 A.C
I blocked the N-Blade strike with my arms crossed. My suit notified me of the ping.
//Magical resistance holding.//
My back was on fire. My nodes reacting to the energies. Active conversion. Not quite the same as matter manipulation but the threads held. The skeletal warrior’s eyes glowed green.
Its fangs grew. Black scrawl dripped from its jaws. My fist connected with its midsection. He went flying. The magics of the water inhaled him in the shape of a dolphin. The hum of energy blades, magical blades and the twang of other weapon systems flooded my system. I blocked it all out. Searching for the bigger sources of the Ninth. Not here. Arthur’s heartbeat broke through. Not the cool collected beat of a warrior.
N energy flowed.
The world blurred as I exited. I flung dozens of attackers into the awaiting arms of the ocean. Puzzler yelled, “Go! We got this!”
Yak’tish followed me. His jumps beyond that of mortal men. Those blackened leather furs offset by the glowing pearl embedded in his chest.
He had insisted on the callsign Praxis.
All other sounds faded as we approached the heart of Camelot.
The seat of the Grail welcomed us. As the doors swung open I saw the reincarnation of Morgana smiling as she held out bleeding hands towards the Grail. Her mortal shell melted away as the magical wards snapped into place.
Blood sizzled as it met with a white energy field.
Morgana called out, “What will you save?”
Arthur’s face was ashen under his helm. Both. I was made to do both.
Yak’tish raised his spear. Arthur’s wife was channeling most of the protective wards to keep the corruption from the Grail. Corrupted metallic bits flowed into Arthur through an open cut on his cheek. Morgana held up one shriveled hand as the rest of her magical cover faded. One eye was Void Walker black.
She was more skin and bones than anything else.
Wisps of white hair clung to her skull. Crossguard appeared in a burst of transporter light.
One hand went to his King’s wound. “I got this. Handle her!”
Yak’tish hurled his spear. Morgana phased through the floor. Blood will call to blood.
I sent Doc the readout of the corrupted fluids.
//Even if I was teleported there that isn’t a form of blood I can manipulate or cleanse.//
I racked my brain for a solution. Negation. I bounded towards the apex of the ceiling. The wards hummed but didn’t let me through. What else was imbued with the celestial waters of the Grail?! Time slowed as I went at super speed through the castle. I popped into the Weave and Soul Layer. The blood wasn’t resonating through those corridors.
Piper called out to me. The world has changed. See what doesn’t belong.
I phased back into physical. Raced back to the main hall. The sound of the Grail’s music flooded my senses. //Old death. It does not belong.// The phrase repeated in various languages. I narrowed my gaze upon the growing pool of crimson. Peered into strands that bound it. Called it to corrupt.
N-energy resided there. Alongside black scrawl. Every bit of corruption from the before times until Convergence. A high pitched tone echoed. I channeled the N-rays through my eyes. If I couldnt remove the blood? I’d take the flooring it was clinging to! Yak’tish whirled his spear until a gust of winds threw everyone off balance. The blood receded from the white sparkling wards.
I scooped up the infected stonework.
With one leap I went skyward. The black of space welcomed me as the blood froze in place. The massive curvature of the Earth greeted me with its crystal clear hues of blue, green and tan. Proctor Gansys called out through the Light Scrawl mirror gate that floated towards me, “That was merely….”
I moved beyond the speed of light.
I knew what he would say. I could hear it even as the Omega Defenders rallied to the distant sector of the Ouroborous Gate. It had been a distraction. Stars wheeled past. Suns. Planets. Until the massive silver scales came into sight. I barreled into the knot of corrupted flesh. Chronos and his dread Mother had managed to keep some constructs from prior cycles. Shards of memory of my past lives called out. Providing me with valuable insight. Weak points. I had already given as much as I could to the Living Stone wardens.
They wouldn’t leave their posts.
One punch cracked the ashen scales of a monster in the shape of a great white shark. Its claws twitched as it tried to bite into me. Aether activated the inner codex. The Ninth Circle’s Titans curled about its ruined surface in response. What where they trying to bring through?! Or was it already here? My jaw ached then I spiraled out toward the surface of the gateway scale upon the Ouro for this sector.
My aunt shouted along the Defender network.
//Dear Creator!//
It was Typha. Not as we knew it. This Typha had been molded from the N Energy. My nodes burned in response. Endless ships manifested through the miasma of her dominion. All the missing House Typherians. From every corrupted universe imaginable. Trillions upon trillions of heartbeats assaulted my senses. Then they receded. Pushed back through the inky darkness.
I pushed myself to the limit. No other breaches along the vast Ouro of Final Eden.
No. The wound poured from that Typha. It alone existed within the Nothing. An N-verse monolith. Created for the soul purpose of serving Chronos. The Devourer of the All-Mother. Our decent into Helios had prevented more souls and bodies for her dark design. But not all. I cradled my head in my hands. It had always desired everything Creation had endured. Made into the likeness of the Oversoul.
I called out through the multiverse.
Using every layline I could tap into. Tech, Soul or Weave.
Our combined forces would have to be enough.
∞
Hextor Urraden sat upon the Throne of All.
His crimson and black orbs locked on the powerful creature that protected the last bastion of hope, goodness, and everlasting decency. That was the pathetic shell of the Father. His regal mien contorted. A third eye formed. As it’s gaze ran over the Berserker Hulls they twisted in pain. Those not strong enough to keep even the baseline memory of their House. He summoned one such beast to the dais.
It peered up at him with clouded eyes.
It sank to its knees. Crossed its fists over its chest.
The four arms protruding from its back waved about. Fingers twitching.
>>Chronos has set one gate. More will follow. Find X’mil. E’ratha. We have work to do.<<
It complied. Its mental voice the mix of 3 men and 2 women. All House Auxiliaries.
They always had the weaker blood.
∞
Lucifer moved through the crowd.
It was on every screen. All the information nets were flooded. He brought up the Star-Spangled Banner’s profile. He recalled his past battles with her but knew knowledge had been taken from him. Nyx had seen to that. The Banner’s civilian ID. Why take that from him? Was Chronos not immune? As one of the Three. He had taken that path long ago. As he rejected the Father. He had embraced the Nothing. Formed Unity to cause what many had considered the original downfall of the Oversoul’s Garden.
It was all going according to plan.
Chronos would bear the brunt of the Banner’s fists. Lucifer no longer cared what was taken just as long as he survived. Her power set updated.
/// Super Speed, Invincibility *, Flight, Super Strength, Energy Manipulation*///
The cloak about this universe had been lifted. Rank 5 demi. Information was redacted. Energy could mean anything. He glanced at Doctor Impossible’s loadout.
///Healing Aura, Instant Regeneration, Pattern Enhancement*///
She wasn’t listed with the Golden Redeemers.
Crossguard had been added. The Puzzler had re-emerged. Praxis. Emerald K-9.
He stopped himself from cross referencing power sets. Best not to get on the radar of the Protectorate or those with old cycle memory. For the people of this era? The added barriers were expected. In order for honorable and law abiding demis to protect the public? HeroNet would offer just enough information to let those who walked a darker path tie themselves into a noose. Only HeroNet Alpha techs would have access to all information.
Even then that would be properly compartmentalized. From those like him.
This world was far too trusting.
That would be its downfall.
Lucifer plastered a proper concerned expression onto his features as the Mighty Mallet stroad by. Flanked by Bardaxians he knew too well. That Doberman paused. Its nose quivered in his direction. The beagle tilted its head from side to side and circled. <<We have to go!>> The other dog let out a grunt. His brown eyes locked onto Lucifer.
<<You were on the Etheral Titan’s team?>>
Lucifer took a chance, “Yes!” He made sure to muster as much enthusiasm as possible.
Mighty Mallet paused, “Lensflair wasn’t it?”
Lucifer nodded. “At your service sir!”
“Fall in line. May need ya!”
He smiled. The day was looking up!
∞
She wasn’t related to Eliza by blood anymore but Samantha would always consider herself a sister. No matter what life threw their way. Jacob pointed, “See? That blip again.” The majority of those within the territories were going into overdrive. In one hour alone Star had over 3 billion views on her public profile. People were theorizing what her powerset would mean for the Incursions ahead. The knowledge of N-Typha was of the highest level clearence. They didnt want to start a panic.
The Ouro still held. They would meet ship for ship. Demi for whatever awaited them on that burnt out husk of a mirrored hellscape. Their father, Theodore “Teddy” McQuire, also known as Camera Man, peered into the holo pickup.
“Oh boy!”
Sam quirked a well manicured eyebrow, “I know that expression. Spill it!”
Jacob twitched, “A few more hits on Doctor Impossible than normal.”
Camera Man exclaimed, “Now why would former members of the Ethereal Titan cover team be snooping in on Doc? She’s listed as Auxiliary.”
Sam frowned, “All of them checked in on her. Former cycle memory?”
“Bingo!”
Jacob cross referenced Star’s search history.
The results were expected. She checked up on Doc nearly every day. Jacob made a few motions and the history faded from general functions. He ported it to the higher end of the Protectorate shell mainframes.
“Sam. You’ll have to talk to her. She’s not supposed to have a direct history...”
Samantha winced. “Got it. I know. A way to keep certain items hidden a while longer...”
Children’s voices carried over the receivers, “MOOOOM! Archer’s at it again!”
The familiar whine of the white German Shepherd filled the area.
Sam grinned, “Its not wise to tease a Bardaxian when bacon is involved!”
Anna cut in with, “Grandma has business kiddos.”
“Awww!”
Anna shouted, “Go get the door Michael!”
Michael replied, “It's MOONLIGHTER! WOW!”
∞
Moonlighter ruffled the boy’s hair. It was refreshing to have such a sprawling family this time around. Helped that Poppi had never been lost to the Accord War. Anna had grown up with powerful Weave Speakers this time around. They had all been given a better chance. Not all were burdened with memory though. He was thankful of that. He had chosen this path. Waverider and the other Mavericks had been reborn as well. All save for Golden Bulleteer. He had elected for the Soul Warden path.
Keeping only his eyes as a reminder of the Kraken.
Of what he had traded for his wife’s life. So that their soul threads would be reborn anew. White Lily remained perched above them. Using the upper terrace to collect her thoughts. She missed having her husband beside her in an official capacity. Much like Doctor Impossible buried herself in work while in her Demi persona.
He asked his great grandson, “Is Mrs. Anna home?”
“GRANDMA!” He thundered through the house. “FAMOUS PEOPLE!”
The clan belt around the boy’s waist indicated his hybrid heritage. Unlike before? The Typherians had embraced Humanity with the old drive of the Commons. Spreading Demi abilities far and wide across the cosmos.
Anna gently pushed her four grandchildren back into the house. “Go get some water. Yes, Ill let you talk to him after!”
She waited. Tapped her foot. “Michael Roberts Allaris.”
Micheal pushed the door shut with a slight click. She moved towards the mail box. “Little ears.” She motioned in Ayeer speak. Her hands danced.
What’s the golden child need?
Issue 31: Here
Issue 33: Here
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