ISSUE 14: THE TOWER OF THE LIDLESS
The understanding in her eyes pains me. She points out the obvious. Avandar knows more. So does my belt. I was merely biding time. This training will be my burden to carry but if that vision proves true? Our journey is far from over. This path will reveal everything. I knew it in my heart. My body will not die. Only the Highest can release me and God is not yet done with my vigil.—Lorain Lanis.
The first meeting sets the course.—Old Markav Proverb
All doors are open. We only must allow our minds to perceive them.—The Director’s Handbook on the CTT.
The Curator won’t show me the wonders of this city. I get this sneaking suspicion I'll know what went on later. Much later. Sentinel isn't good at hiding his tells. Says the ending is just as important as the beginning.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 4)
The Path Of Ancients
Edenverse
July 24th, 4201
Robin exclaimed, “What in all the nine realms is that monolith doing?!”
The air was crisp. The sun above warmed my bones.
I peered into the mist. This place was a mixture of the Dreaming, Real Space, the In-Between, Weave domain, and a touch of the divine. A spire of liquid metal shot up from the ground. Three golden rings at its base. While a wave of white energy flowed from the uppermost portions. I sucked in a breath as Lorain nudged me. “The last time we saw that it was….”
Her right hand closed around my left. Her fingers were slim and delicate.
Sentinel flowed from my belt sash. His hulking wolf form shimmered. Auggie floated next to my head, <
It was working.
My ribs hitched. I gasped, “Enough. I can’t…”
Lorain’s healing energy flowed through my chest.
That look said it all. She had found a way around my reluctance. It's not that I didn’t want her to heal me. A part of me was still caught between tick and tock. Life and death. I didn’t want to burden her with any of my traumas. Lorain eyed my circlet.
“You are lucky my patient and doctor confidentiality mandate is holding up.”
I rubbed my lower lip, “Alright. I get it. Show and tell later then.”
Lorain pressed a kiss to my cheek. “It only took you years…” I tapped her nose with an index finger. “Tease!” I made sure to take the bite out of my response. Forcing the images away. Unity had used her face the most. Besides my parents. It hadn’t attempted any dog or bardaxian proxy though. For it could never mimic their purity.
I shut my eyes momentarily. Nor any Icath.
I glanced away. The tension must have leaked through because she leaned in closer.
Moving her hand to the small of my back.
“A raincheck then.” The understanding rested between us. She knew similar horrors.
Eddie took point.
While Nora and Robin watched our backs. Above us Marion circled. Her boisterous cawing let us know it was clear for now. The mists parted. Revealing a green-bricked road. Awaiting us was a Green Defender. His metal carapace indicated a Forger scout under the emerald barrier. The massive doorway swung open. Just like I remembered.
Sort of. A faint buzzing hummed at the edge of my mind.
Once across the main courtyard within the Tower, my mind teetered over the edge. I sank to my knees as repressed memory filled in. I tasted blood at the back of my mouth. Doc jerked my head up and pinched my nose. Her green eyes were glassy. “Eliza?” She spoke some incantation in Egyptian. I caught one word.
Arbiter.
Eddie held out a hand and hauled me up. Five silver mirrors flowed downwards.
Robin remarked, “Hey. Isn't that big fellow over there Avandar?”
The merry man of England was correct.
I ran a thumb over the surface. The mirrors melded together to form a wall.
My younger self paused. Did a double-take and said, “Oh god! Why is my nose still bleeding? Is that crazy Nyx still around?” The Lorain of the past just stared. Like her worst fears had been confirmed. Avandar bowed on the other side of space and time.
“As required. Shall we start the process?”
I clutched my head again. My younger self reaching out. Trying to comfort me.
She said, rather sheepish, “I wasn’t at my best that other time.” Her gaze widened. “Uhhh…” I turned.
Eddie deadpanned, “So there are 3 of them now! They like that number here!”
Just outside the boundary of silver bushes around the courtyard was an even older version of myself. A very well preserved Lorain Lanis at her side. All three Lorains didn’t look a day over 25. Even with prolong that shouldn’t have been possible. Our very youngest self said, “I won’t remember this for a while so I'll just say it now. Hiulk and friends are inside us. Me. You? Older Silver Fox me. I mean the hair. The rest is just the old Jupiter uniform to my eyes.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
She, well I, was correct.
Hiulk’s dormant sister slumbered within my arm. In the past. That inky black exterior would consume Unity. Matarn’s spear had found its mark. The titan had taken that moment to latch on. Pour into Unity’s rotting flesh. I had to get rid of the remaining ember within Thoth. Thus the strange adventures within the 42nd century. Well, the beginning of it. This was above my pay grade. I saw the bright purple threads locking this whole event away from my younger self.
Eddie said, “Robin. Pay up! It’s a Murphy Titan Chessboard!” While Hiulk’s brother curled around my older incarnation. I could tell that much. I blurted out, “And you’re an Ouroborous! And you. And yoooooooooou!”
All three Lorains said, “Dork.”
I pointed at my chest.
The other dynamic duos of Eliza did as well, “And you love us for it.”
*****
I glanced down at Doc. Avandar stood poised behind us. I waved at Silver Fox. It was easier to think of it in that way. I asked, “Are you the version of me that Gulliver and Trouble know so well?” She grinned and inclined her head. I had to admit, in my soon-to-be elder years I didn’t look half bad. There was a scar on my upper lip. Along with shock white-silver hair. Crows feet but I hadn't gone soft.
Fox winked, “Now I'll finally remember everything that happened here.”
Her Lorain remarked sadly, “And I’ll have to hide that fact from you for a while.”
My Doc leaned into the mirror, “How come I can see all this. I thought the teaching said only Eliza could see herself in these things?”
I saw the eldest Doc twitch. Like she knew what I was thinking.
Yes. If I couldn’t know NOW or HOW then my best half should.
Middle me couldn’t help but grin. Like she was remembering all this for the first time.
*****
I felt a sense of disquiet as my younger versions gave me their full attention. I knew the answer to this but it would unravel the Highest’s plan if I answered directly so I used the coded language of the Arcane Order. The Lorains watched intently. Even her younger self would understand. She needed to. She would be my guide. The one I trusted above all else.
“The Tower of the Lidless is outside the realm of mortals. It contains a mote of the Highest’s consciousness. Gifted to the Markav Collective to safeguard. So it exists across all threads of time. In all Universes. Simultaneously.”
All of the Docs stared at me, “This is above all of our pay grades.”
I rubbed my temple with two fingers. “Yup.”
I waited as they digested this first part. Then continued. “The standard White Path mirrors? I only see myself. As I currently am. If pre-Unity Death.”
Post-Ur-Stone me frowned, “Ahh man. And I can’t know that yet. Sorry, Doc. You get to hold all the baggage with Avandar. I bet he’s Armosh. One of the Golden Host of the City.”
Avandar bowed, “It is so.”
Eddie groaned, “Are we going to get swissed?”
Robin nodded. “You can tell. Eliza never had a good poker face. No matter the time period.”
I winced then shrugged, “It's true. Doc still teases me about it but it makes her happy during our Union Days.”
That got Doc “Crystal Coffin Time Ride” and Doc “I Just Escaped Tarkanan” to study me in greater detail. My Lorain took my forearm. “Shhh! Don’t you dare spoil things for us.”
Youngest me replied, “I sense a no-win scenario!”
Nola interrupted, “That is the wisest thing any of you have said. Don’t tempt fate. I’d love to live to a ripe old age and enjoy many grandchildren.”
Eddie perked up at this. Making a hidden fistbump with Robin.
He well should.
Considering the size of his brood would give my family a run for its money.
Marion landed on my shoulder. Her bright black eyes synced with my Arcane marks. She was refueling. I gave her all the energy I could. They would need it. For many years she would assume that the Highest and the Weave had protected them. In a very real way, it had been. I was a piece of the puzzle. But the will of the Divine was absolute. I just followed where it lead. I caught Avandar’s eye, saying in a coded way, “Make sure the symbols are inverted on your side of the mirror. So they can pass the cure through.” He bowed. Fists crossed over his heart. This was why, minus the dead drops from one-armed me of Ur were present.
The Highest didn’t fool around.
My heart went out to White. Like me, she often took the burden onto herself.
It would nearly undo us both.
Yet hope remained. I watched as Robin mirrored Avandar.
I should have known that he was Arcane Order as well. Lorain whispered, “Even you can still be surprised at this stage.” I thumped my chest, “At this point in the game? Every day is a new adventure.” I said this with sincerity. Knowing what lay ahead for all of us still made me wake up in a cold sweat. Doc squeezed my hand. Resting her head against my chest.
She added, “Now you know why I still worry. I can’t help it.”
*****
Lorain watched as Avandar maneuvered about the courtyard. Lining up symbols. Robin made a few hand gestures she didn’t recognize but the Gemini man did. He sprinted towards the far end of the courtyard. All around them a wonderous ringing filled the air. Then Avandar scooped up a cylinder. Its outer layers were covered in white markings. “I have it.”
The floor was three silver circles. Each with a blue iris made of sapphires.
What was it with Three and the powers that be?
He saluted Silver Fox Eliza once more. Her Eliza was sleeping soundly. Floating mid-air. She wouldn’t remember a thing about this place. For now.
The sequence of events made her desire a heaping of aspirin.
The oldest Lorain motioned for her counterparts to join her at the right-most corner of the mirror.
Once there she said, “When White rages, let Eliza choose.”
Lorain frowned, “Choose what?”
Would she always be this cryptic?
Her middle self replied tartly, “And what words of wisdom for me then?”
Lorain had to shake herself. It was surreal. That version of her knew the answer.
Middle arched an eyebrow, “Everyone else thought…” She pressed her lips together so tightly that they whitened. Boss version turned her full attention on Middle, “As for you? You must let the Bone Throne make its mark. Do not act until the tooth has fallen.”
Lorain let out a string of curses.
Middle hugged herself. “I don’t know how Eliza can stand being with us you know.”
Middle Eliza chimed in, “You point me True North. If I am Swiss you’re the Bread that completes me.” All three Docs facepalmed. Yet couldn't keep the stupid grins from their faces. Silver Fox remarked, “And so we continue. One Ouro to another.”
She winked. As if this explained everything.
Eddie nudged Nola, “Promise me we will out baby Dexter and Mary. There’s no way we can catch up with Thomas and J’ino.”
Silver Fox shouted, “That’s a good promise.”
*****
I awoke to a darkened room. A half-remembered dream just out of reach. Lorain snoring softly beside me. The ship was moving. I was certain of it. A soft trill echoed, “We are approaching the gateway. T-minus 12 hrs. What you call an Arcway.” Avandar sounded out the Terran word. I was sure he wanted to say something different. Then another thought flowed through me.
All in good time my friend.
Hiulk was still with me. Observing through that crystal within me.
Soon we would join the assault fleet.
One step at a time.
The part of me that was connected to White was still dormant. I frowned.
No, that wasn’t right. It was deadened. She was deliberately avoiding me.
I thought hard in her direction.
Wait for us. Don’t fly alone!
Silence rippled across my connection to her.
*****
Avandar finished registering the vessel to Lorain Lanis. In the name of the Lady of the Isles. AOSV Whitehawk would serve them well. In this life and beyond. Avandar had seen it with his three eyes. Eliza Murphy had been many things to many people but at her core? She had loved to build. To Fly. This vessel was a testament to that passion.
Darker days were coming.
They would endure.
Shaped by the hope inherent within all living things.