ISSUE 13: BARDAX CUBED

Within the Tapestry: The Highest Created the Faithful. With unwavering strength and will. To perceive the world as it is. As it will be. As it will remain.—The High Chronicles, Bardaxian Vol 1.

I see now why the Weave sent her here. The Void and Silver walk with her even if she cannot see them yet. That corgi will change the fortunes of Convergence. The enemy sees us as mere pets. Yet there is a reason why the Highest bestowed dogs upon Earth. A blessing. We have only found ourselves mirrored in two other places of Bardax. Equally protected. –Heals-The-Rifts, High Orator of Bardax.

It was Auggie. He held the keys to the kingdom. I thought Aether had hidden things away in the Tower, within that J’kua Learning Sphere. We had spent years there. Lorain, Augustus, and I but I never suspected what Auggie had carried with him as we left. No one suspected. Not even our adversaries. To them, he was just another stupid dog. Another offshoot of Bardaxians. They underestimated all 3 versions of Bardax. They underestimated me.—Sleeping In Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 2.)

United Earth Front Universe

Bardax Beta

Time Syncing Detected

Auggie scouted ahead. I already knew he was pretty smart.

But surrounded by the wonders of actual space K-9s it made me realize he was beyond what a dog of his caliber should be. He knew what I was saying. He was speaking to the beagle next to him like he was greeting an old friend.

*****

This place was made for him. Agustus followed the trails to the sides of the walkway. Talking to the higher pack of this place. Information flowed. Not just sensory. His mind was expanding. He always understood things more than a dog should. Now that bridge was connected. He asked, “I have a friend! He injected something in me.” The elder beagle replied, <>

Auggie said, “Ah! That explains many things. He talks to me in what he calls the Low Langage. Known by most canines. I try to help Eliza understand. I think she almost gets it most times!” Jumps-in-the-Light dashed ahead. Then jumped up another 4 feet or so. His belt keeping him airborne. An indigo splendor. Auggie laughed.

“How did that happen? Before Cooper arrived I hadn’t seen belts like that.”

The beagle grinned. His nose twitched as he caught the scent of birds.

<>

“Ahh! Like Mr. Apple!” His ears perked forward as the aforementioned Apple materialized and winked at him. Offering him a bit of advice, “You will remember everything that happens here. Keep an eye on Eliza for me!”

The corgi barked happily.

*****

As we crested that final hill my mouth fell open. A giant spire of crystal rose before us. At the top were three spikes. One blue, one green, and one silver. As I stepped across the threshold the ringing rose. Pulling at the edges of my soul. It was a beautiful sound. I could stay here forever. The Pomeranian floated above me with another 3 dozen dogs of various sizes and breeds.

<> Doors creaked open. Made of cherry wood. At the center of the room was a crystalline coffin. A pair of German Shepherds approached. Wearing doctors caps. They had white smocks that ran across their backs and chest. It was quite adorable. One politely requested, <>

I entered. The lid sealed itself with a hiss. Bright orange light flowed over me.

It linked to my H.U.D.

///Welcome Eliza Murphy of Edenverse Prime. Please remain still while we catalog the current soul state.///

Soul state?

My eyelids grew heavy. Red splinters rose from my chest. I wanted to ask but it knew.

//Keeper artifacts detected. Precursor Structures detected. Weave Presence modifying bio signature. Initial DNA code accepted. Isolating Keeper threads. Dormant Delivery system reinforced: The Black Dragon Protocol. Adding a trigger to Keeper Strain. Mother of All hibernating. Does Eliza Murphy have questions?//

My mind reeled. New information dancing at the edge of my consciousness.

“I’m gonna get swissed, aren’t I? I know there’s more out there. Mom’s hiding stuff. So is Dad but I always have this sense of activity just beyond a hedge.” I was so used to it by this point that I figured I’d remember it with time. Or with the proper trigger. Mom wouldn’t let things get that bad. I could feel just how much it hurt her to keep things from me. From Dad. Even if he knew more.

//Upon revival you will be complete. Mind, Body, and Soul. Many work to protect you until that moment. Unity will fall. From the Low Path, you will reach the Cliffs of Renewal. The place bisecting life and death. We will speak again.//

Stolen story; please report.

*****

Augustus growled. Those crimson spikes pulsated. They were unclean. The doctors nodded. <>

Auggie tiled his head to the right, ears quivering.

“Is that why so many threads sing within her?”

<>

The corgi approached the crystal coffin. Nosing it carefully.

Words shimmered along the side.

//Little one. You will bring her back. Remember these words.//

Auggie’s neck glowed. His collar shifting. Behind his tags, another orb formed.

It transferred specific times and dates. Taking great care to conceal the information within the corgi’s mind. Knowing his powers would take care of the rest. Once they manifested.

He spoke, <>

Another human entered.

Her uniform was a grand white color.

The white belt curling around the edges. It pulled her around the room. A white german shepherd trailing in her wake. “Has anyone seen my friend? Rune?” She crouched in front of Augustus. A holo picture formed. A cheerful face appeared. Marked with bright blue runes. His arms stretched wide. As if he were flying. Auggie whined sadly, >>I have not. But I will watch for him! Promise!>>

She added her INet Information to his newly formed contact list and he froze.

The White German Shepherd winked, <>

A voice echoed through the PA system, “Welcome to Bardax Beta of Universe Redacted!”

Eliza grinned, “Hi! What’s that other me doing in that getup? Am I gonna get that tall? Just finished the craziest senior school year of my life!” She shuddered as images of the Higher Shade bled into focus. Her team had many ghosts. Too many.

Auggie sniffed at her boots.

Noting that her scent was similar but had a sharp tang to it. The PA system added, “that is the echo of her universe. You have a very keen nose, my good sir!”

Other Eliza jerked a thumb at her Bardaxian. “That’s Skylark!”

Skylark puffed out his chest. The Twin of that Eliza walked into the room. His eyes darting to the one encased within the coffin. He frowned, “Is that why I always saw your death?”

//Classifying: Dexter Murphy of Universe Redacted. Known formerly as the Demiurge. On probation. Eliza Murphy, holder of the White Belt of Io Prime Scholar Matrix 2542.65, please press thumb to Crystal Matrix. Known as the Re. Ur Coffin//

She did as instructed.

A link formed between them. She held back tears as recent memories flowed over her. Her father was alive and well in that universe. So much had gone right within her life. Yet there was regret. The other’s eyes opened. A thrill shot through her.

There was always another way.

Her father was alive!

*****

I pulled myself out of the coffin. There I was. With a twin to boot!

I reached out. Shaking her hand. Seeing how her father had died. What that Greater Shade had tried to do. Using his memory like that. But something else flowed between us. A half-forgotten memory and her face brightened suddenly.

Like the rain clearing across a summer sky. “Thanks! I'll go back to Io, on my Earth!”

My throat tightened. I had a brother too. Still bound.

Forgotten. A shade at the cusp of life and death.

Augustus jumped into my arms,<>

The world faded as a dome covered my head. A white German Shepherd pawed at my left hand. <>

Memory and time blurred.

Aboard the Jupiter Rising

Bardax Prime Alpha

January 13th, 2116

The simulated birdsong of the hab deck soothed my nerves.

Zach poked my shoulder. “Earth to Captain Murphy!”

I handed Ichabod back to Piper. The rat patted my wrist. The red-haired Scholar moved to the patch of grass and sat. The soft notes of his flute easing my agitation. More gaps in my memory filled in. About meeting that other-self. White Defender. The two of us the only ones to hold such a mantel in the multiverse. Zach took up a rock and skipped it across the lake.

The water rippled outward.

Much like my mind. A corgi’s heart.

What else did he watch over?

*****

Lorain scooped up Auggie. “And what kinda trouble did you get Eliza into this time?”

She tapped his nose affectionately. That tail of his thumped against her arm. His ears perked forward at the morsel of bacon in her other hand. <> She kissed him right between the eyes. Feeding him the treasure known to all of Bardax. He watched as his human brought up the medical readouts. “What concerns me more, for about 23 seconds another neural net overlapped Eliza’s.”

The waves separated on the screen.

Keeper Waves. Glowing with a ghostly red.

Eliza’s normal waves popping up as a bright purple.

Lorain grimaced. “Another abnormality. What is she playing at.” Lorain’s eyes widened in fear as the weight of speculation smashed her upside the head.

“Oh dear god. Slumberers! Not just sleepers!”

The abducted children. The Arcane Council had examined them all with a fine-tooth comb. Unlocalized of course. With her help. Eliza had other defenses these kids didn’t. That’s how Nyx kept tabs on things. Not through compulsions embedded in the brain but through the subjects themselves! Once Proctor Gansys and Arthon had cracked the Sleeper code, Chronos and the others had lost an avenue of attack.

She paged her AC contact. Leaving a dead drop.

//The cradle is cracked.//

*****

Nyx reclined. Letting the sensors meld over her body.

The visions of the multitudes strafing across her nodes.

Feeding her data. From all around the current Universe she had parked her Null ship in. The project had been a success. This way of observation was far more cunning than just a Sleeper program. If she only took a moment to view things from each individual it was far too weak for the Alliance to detect. The children of every stratum of society. All feeding her data. Most of it was mundane but ever so often she caught a glimpse of things not meant to be known.

One item of interest. What was the Arcane Council of Earth?

It had never been mentioned in the battles with the Golden City of Ta’mathon’s era.

Chronos joined her.

“Excellent data. Arcane Council. The probes never recovered anything from the various forays into Golden City territory. Perhaps we can add the compulsion aspect of the former sleeper program into a shadow of itself. Ask the children to key in on any mention of the Arcane. Perhaps that will lead us to this council.”

He brushed a finger against her temple. A sign of great import. A Keeper such as Chronos only did that for one he considered vital. She inhaled. Diving deeper into her systems net. Listening for the golden words.

A spider in the web.