ISSUE10: VIGIL
Seeing Father Brookes rest by her bedside made me realize that he had conquered the corrupted part of his blood. He was not a son of Chronos. Like Eliza, he carried a piece of the puzzle required to get us through the darkness ahead. –Micheal Brookes
Mother reconnected all the missing pieces of Avalon. Yet where did her soul fly to? I can barely perceive the tethers keeping her bound. What does the Weave want of her?—Father Miles.
I know now why she had to do that. That tree she restored? Not only echoed within Edenverse but allowed connections to grow through other parts of the Weave connecting places untouched by Unity. Providing another layer of protection. Yet it held a secret too. One that would help others in the far future. It would assist me as well. Once I climbed the Path of Ancients. The rock digging into my hands and arms as I climbed. The weight of many clawing at my back. Yet here I am. Relaying this all for a century I will not know.—Sleeping In Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 2.)
New Ashbury
Project Osiris (Former HQ)
January 11th, 2116
I watched as Alice’s chest rose and fell. White plucking at the silvery threads holding her soul tethered to the body. While it was “missing” it still retained a faint connection. According to White we still had a chance to find Alice. The Curator sat next to me. Writing in his journal. The Amarche floated about the old Project Osiris complex. A few Tarvelians were gathered around an old holo map. Their fleet was still held in reserve. A hidden component funded exclusively by the Terran Alliance. Their purple skin was hidden by tan battle armor. White and green stripes along the arms are the only indication of their military allegiance. Most thought of them as a new breed of Terran Scout. Nola performed cleansing rites. The troops bowed and left. Nodding to me as they passed.
I returned the greeting. Wishing them luck on their mission.
I still had no idea what her people were up to. It wasn’t even general knowledge within Project Freefall. Nola’s father held an equivalent position among his people. As far as honorifics and rank went. My father opened another screen. The bright landscape of the lunar surface showcasing an expanded Lunar metropolis. The old Apollo site was listed as a “Historic Park.” Domes glinted across the Moon’s surface. Even the dark side of it was dotted with yellow pinpricks. Earth had been busy while I had been away on Typha.
My father stated, “We found something hidden within the core of the moon. Buried deep.” He handed my brother a data shard. “I want you both to travel to the site and get an impression of it. How old it might be.”
I asked, “Why us? Is it keyed to Black and White?”
Dad replied, “The barrier has your name etched on it in Terran standard and Typherian.”
Lunar Tunnels
City Sector Expansion
Emerald K-9 scouted ahead.
His black tail ramrod straight. The scruff of his neck standing on end. All I could get out of him was, << There are no impressions here!>> Most Bardaxians could sense the threads of the Weave. Earth and the surrounding territory were infused with Weave trappings. The lack of its presence here disturbed Cooper in ways I didn’t fully comprehend. Not yet.
My brother and I rounded a corner. Towards the back of the tunnel was our destination.
Dexter pulled me back. His face contorted. Curiosity warring with caution.
“That metal is undulating!”
I scanned the surface. Trillions of nanites.
“Yet it knows my name.”
Words formed on the surface of the metal.
Welcome, Slumberer. See the Reckoning!
Emerald K-9’s startled barking faded.
A burst of white overcame my vision.
*****
Guards-The-Stars paced around the inert forms of his compatriots.
Bits of metal threads wrapped around their foreheads. Their eyes staring blankly ahead. A silver-cloaked woman knelt next to the Bardaxian, “Be at peace dear friend.” White and Black paced around the Twins. Watching the threads curl. Black’s voice held a note of wonder, “I thought all the Recorders lost to the Creation Age!” The Black German Shepherd flattened his ears.
<
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
White reached out. Her paw sinking into the patch of liquid metal. Yet nothing clung to her fur. Her connection to Eliza had been severed. Black rumbled, “It is the same for me sister. Yet it will not remain so. This is for them alone.”
*****
I blinked. Clearing the light from my eyes. Buildings rose in the distance. Crystalline in nature. The grass beneath my feet was a golden brown. Shadowed forms parted around me. Their features were obscured.
A voice stated, “Syncing with racial memory. Please stand by.”
It was cool. Methodical. Artificial.
The world expanded. I inhaled deeply.
Taking stock of a fragrance. It had a sharp chocolate odor.
A multitude of cries came to me then.
“Fresh Ikis! Get your confectionery delights!”
Shapes formed. They had three eyes. White, gold, green, purple. Endless combinations. Four arms. Many standing as tall as me. The giant among them was over 13 feet. Something about the shape of their skeletons prickled at the edge of my memory. I still had my demi powers yet it was like tapping into them from beneath a massive weight. I stopped. My mind blanking.
The reality of it set in.
This place. These people.
They were the progenitors of the Artock!
A winged creature flew overhead. Its scales shimmering green in the morning light. I glanced about. Hoping to catch some glimpse of written words but even those were faded. It was like I couldn’t control all aspects of my body. It moved among the people. On rails. Guiding me to a building that jutted up from the ground like a clawed hand. Jagged crystal towers reaching towards the sky. A crackle of energy flowed between those curled digits.
A boy ran up to me, “Is it today Eldest? Shall we see the wonders of the Path!? Like in the old tales!” A gnarled hand reached out to pat the lad on the shoulder. “Indeed. By the will of the Luminary!” My heart thudded heavily in my chest.
I wanted to shout at them, “Don’t! It's not meant for us!”
Yet this scholar among the Artock continued forward.
My throat constricted when I saw a ship land in the courtyard beyond. Its shape is familiar to me. Aether’s ship. Two figures exited.
Chronos and his old teacher. I saw the glint of avarice within the Keeper’s soul.
He withdrew a cube from his belt. “This will light the way.”
The old artock plucked it from the ghostly palm.
At its center was Black Scrawl.
His voice creaked with age, “We thank the J’kua for this chance. We shall share our findings! Gladly!” Aether smiled. His features were innocent. Not knowing the horror that was about to occur. That cube was a false promise. This was the epicenter of Chronos’ fall. The day that Unity claimed its greater tool. The old man’s perception was limited but I memorized what I could detect within his sphere. It was amazing tech like this existed. Allowing one to re-experience memory on such a level. This was still theory to the Typherians. To the Scholars.
Chronos genuflected, “May the Weave light your path. High Orator.”
Aether presented another cube. “As a gift, we offer the people of Genesis Prime the gift of Prolonged Life.”
The words of these doomed people flowed from the older man’s lips.
“We Nephilim of the Low Path thank you!”
I swallowed hard. Low Path.
That phrase had a special meaning to them.
Within that cube was a counter agent that would derail the AI monitoring the Path of Ancients. It would change these people into proxies. What my era knew as Striker Nix and the rest. There must be a reason I was being shown this. The Void Man reached into my chest. His fingers pulsating with power. “See where the thread leads. The virus cube uses their genetics but the original subjects remain.”
He continued, sweeping his other hand across the massive vistas. “They slumber as well.”
I asked, “Just how many are linked as the Slumbering One?”
The Silver Lady touched my forehead.
“An endless waltz through the cosmos. It all ties to Convergence. Reborn from the ashes of the old. Bringing balance.”
From my vantage point, I could see a few feet beyond where the Elder was situated. Chronos’ face rose before me. The hunger in his eyes grew. He had knowingly planted this counter-virus into their systems. More shrouded memory unlocked in my brain. Jupiter had told me of the Pirate Artock birth. The very anathema of what that species desired. I continued to watch. Soaking in what information I could.
*****
Dexter awoke. Remembering what the living metal had snown him. His sister was still linked to it. Cooper circled. Barking anxiously. <
The Silver Lady held her hands over Eliza’s face while the Void Man rested his black gauntleted hand over her spine. The push and pull of information. Life and Death.
Weave and Oblivion.
He watched as tears fell from his sister’s face.
His visions are locked away for now. The shoe on the other foot for once. That throbbing sensation in his chest gnawing at him. What had he beheld?!
*****
This was the moment Jupiter relayed to me. The words had been quite inadequate.
People raced everywhere. As dark tendrils exploded from the main research complex. Black Scrawl flowing over everything. Aether racing down the main tram system. His jet boosters barely keeping him from being consumed by the chaos. He wouldn’t be able to take the ship. Chronos had seen to that. The elder followed the J’kua scientist. So I saw what they did. Their third eyes closing. Eyesalks sprouted from converted individuals. Yet the Black Scrawl kept some in stasis. For backup genetics or mere mockery of their situation, I couldn’t tell.
One moment, the peaceful expectation of discovery.
The next? All their dreams were torn asunder.
The elder exclaimed, “Weave and Highest forgive us!” He kept praying under his breath as they both fled. Tendrils bounced off Aether’s energy shields. No, an Omega’s shields. The first Omega Defender was birthed in the aftermath of betrayal.
A sound cascaded, Black yelling, “Sister!”
The sharp sting of a knife. The Piper’s tears sizzling on the marble flooring.
The Fall of Rykah occurring within the same space. Light years away. None of this was a coincidence. It had been calculated. Plotted. The Silver Lady bowed her head, “Yes. The Highest sees all. And found us lacking.”
Void added, “We were supposed to safeguard the Path. Along with the other first ones. Those who were gifted in the ways of Creation. We made Black and White as our eyes and ears. Yet were blinded to the wiles of the Fallen.”
Silver pointed, “The first omega was not what they think.”
The Omega Defender terrified the remaining survivors. For they had never seen a dog or wolf before. It barked, its voice misconstrued as an attack.
<
His triangular white ears drooped as more people recoiled. Thinking he was snarling at them. I wanted to reassure him. His silver eyes locking onto the elder, <
He wasn’t talking to the person’s memories I was riding around in. He saw me.
Void and Silver remained silent. Waiting for my response.
“Save the Elder and Aether. They must escape this place!”
The Bardaxian bowed his massive head. <
He pulled Aether and the elder from the surface of the planet. Dark threads consuming the system. Barring entry. Its location etched into my memory. It lied within the Path of the Ancients. The first systems birthed throughout the known multiverse. Older than Rykah. Older than Edenverse. It was the home of the true first born. It was the origin point of those who commanded the Weave.
The Silver Lady kissed my forehead.
“And on to you and your decedents we leave the Vigil.”