ISSUE 24: CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT

This revelation? I think my parents…Well the ones who had raised me here, within Eden Typha, knew what my reaction would be. The fact that my mother was Urraden. Did she know of her bloodline? Did my father? I have too many questions. It will have to wait. War is upon us. I will return to the UEF portal one day. We will discover the lines in the sands. These are the types of secrets that can get one killed.—V’alkor, private communication to B’karis.

I didn’t know what else to do. I just held her. Letting my mind wander. Unlike the others within the Ayeer clan, I wasn’t connected to their Mental Com Line as Eliza was experiencing this memory. I don’t think V’alkor’s mother knew she had Urraden blood in her veins. I think she was an accident that Thoth was trying to clean up. I have to find out why.—Thomas Murphy

Blood is potent. It tells us who we are. But family is more than blood. We choose who we walk with. Our actions shape our future. Mold our past. Within me was more than a duality. It was life itself. In all its twists and turns. I needed to remember that in the days ahead. That revelation wouldn’t be the last. Or the most unsettling. No, that would be for Black and White themselves. Their ties of friendship to the Fallen before the Shattering had been key in the formation of Unity’s broken mantra. All because he thought himself above the Divine.— Sleeping in Starlight: Arcane Insights Into Convergence (Vol 1)

In Orbit of Earth

Eternal Earth Empire

Urraden Medical Archives

There was no doubt. A renegade branch. It was ludicrous. Diabolical. J’anu had rechecked the sample. Then saved the results to her personal H.U.D. The thumb-sized orb was tucked away within her necklace. She would never part from it. That girl. That demi. A hybrid. Polluted bloodline.

Human.

Ayeer.

Urraden. Yet this Eliza didn’t possess the atrophy present in the rest of the Family Line.

Within that blood was excess. Of everything.

Furthermore? She had seen a glimpse of what the girl did.

Thoth’s memory of events had been altered just enough. Within that world? The Ayeer had never ended. They had to go back. The UEF portals would be heavily guarded. J’anu’s crimson gaze locked onto the ring Ta’rammon had given her. Yes. Perhaps there was a way. She could save herself and her father from the family malaise. They would have to study this Eliza Murphy. Capture, for now, was out of the question. She would be heavily guarded.

Her father motioned her forward, >>Good work. We may yet survive Unity’s plans.<<

She bowed. Clutching her necklace to her chest.

>>By your will. We never give in. The stars are ours. By the blood of the Shattering.<<

The House Oath came easily.

*****

Eliza Odessen brought her counterpart to her private quarters. “What is it?” The other woman looked up. Odessen gasped. The irises were no longer just the solid gray with Typherian black where the white was in humans. With the typical black pupil. A ring of gold edged the outer lining.

The mark of Convergence.

*****

I croaked out, “We have to go to your Typha. Please. My family. All of us. The Jupiter Rising.” Odessen took one look at my face and barely made it to her chair in time. Before her knees gave out. “The old Ayeer estate within my world? It is blocked off. I will give you the file.”

I opened the file.

An image of that apartment filled my vision. Honeycombed with Keeper amber.

//Unable to dissolve material around the complex. Strange markings are recorded at each corner of the main house. 2000 life sparks detected.//

I clutched my spear. Re-reading the next lines several times.

//SOS signal from Varn Ayeer active. SOS Signal from Sy’mir Ayeer Active. SOS Signal from K’ali Ayeer active. SOS from Ayeer Newborn Active.//

Odessen nodded, “They are stuck within a loop. A temporal net. Waiting.”

I smacked my forehead. “Of course Chronos would steal tech. The amber originally wasn’t from him.”

Hi’ulk coiled around my neck. “Truth. Find it Arbiter. End the pain of cycles.”

His breath was hot on my cheek, “Of the Shattering.”

I relayed this through the Jupiter’s encrypted channels. Telling my father to dock with Eliza Odessen’s ship. We didn’t dare use the family mental lines for now. J’anu would surely be listening. Along with whomever else, she wanted to bring in. I wanted to kick myself for getting them all into that situation. White said, “I had a hand in that young one. So stop the moping. Let’s get to work!”

She coiled around my waist. In her white defender form. A simple sash.

After what felt like hours the chime through the ship indicated we had entered UEF universe sector space.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

The door opened. My grandfather said, “Ever Skyward. Never Bound.”

He came over to the counter near the kitchenette.

Began to pour drinks. For every one of age.

I replied, “The Stars Above. Reignited. May their Light Encompass All. Leading Us from Darkness.” I had no idea where those words came from. Doc wrapped her arms around me. She said softly, “You do. The words are the key. It is the Truth. That a certain House denies. Even about themselves.”

Mom said, “Oh god. The soul-sharding aspect of the All-Father. It gave him immense boosts in power.”

Timat replied, “But it comes with a price.”

Doc’s hands tightened around my waist, “The corrupted lose themselves. They wither and die.”

She brushed her thumb against my left eyebrow.

“In the True Line? What happens if Eliza’s eyes go all gold?” Lorain’s question was right on the money. I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answer at that moment. We’d either win the lotto on life or find ourselves up the river with no oars.

Everyone’s attention snapped to my face.

Hi’ulk responded, “That memory was taken from us. From Hidan. Everyone. Only the Highest knows.”

Dexter paced about the room. “Why isn’t anyone else getting that mixed Urraden effect then? With the gold seepage? Since the Fallen versions go all crimson pretty early.”

Timat rose from my arm and tapped my back, “There is another. It has cleansed the spark of the bloodlines. Both Ayeer and Urraden.”

M’taris asked, “I thought the Light Shaman nanites helped us keep that taint away?”

Set’s taint. Lucifer’s.

I couldn’t keep thinking of him as just a villain or snake. He was Fallen.

The titans all replied, “It slowed the corruption. This will help all Typherians. This we are certain of.”

Doc pressed an index figure to my lips, “Already on it Cornfed. Made some inoculations this morning. Gave it to everyone on the ship.”

I focused on my Father. The new elements within my blood were already integrating with his immune systems. Making him stronger. How much stronger I wasn’t able to ascertain. It was all still too new. I asked Doc, “Can my blood heal V’alkor’s parents?” She closed her eyes. A warm thrill shot through me. Her healing flowed through my body.

When she opened those green eyes again they were filled with worry. With a hint of a knowing smile as well. She answered, “It's on the table. But I have no idea what it will take. You saw that memory.”

I corrected her, “We saw Thoth’s altered memory.”

V’alkor smiled, “He didn’t kill them.”

Then his good cheer dampened. “But they are injured. An SOS beacon only does that when one of us goes critical.”

I sat. Floating in mid air. Resting my chin on Lorain’s crown for a moment

“Then we get to the baby and the child first. When that amber shielding goes down. If that’s what it did. Stop time?” Odessen raised a hand.

She stated, “Loop. Time still flows but they are in a loop.”

Dexter smacked his fist into his open palm, “That’s it! We have to get to them before the wounds reopen. In a loop, it means….” He paled, “Oh god. That means they’ve been locked into that moment for how long?”

Mom huddled closer to dad.

Odessen whispered, “For over 1,000 years. To convert it to Earth reckoning.”

Black interjected with, “That means their souls would have long fled the body. Yet bound to the edges. This will need all of us.”

I rose. Planted my feet firmly. “I don’t care what it costs me. We can’t let them live with that cycle of memory.” White joined me, “I concur. That is a fate I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

A wheel of pain. To an infant. Thoth would have much to answer for.

The Throne of the Eternal Empire

Galactic Core of the Eternal Empire

T-minus 3 days

Bel sauntered up the steps.

The throne matrix of this universe was a work of art. It had been many eons since she beheld such a sight. Only within the Highest Dominion would one see such countless devices. A Urraden sat upon the black marble throne. The seat that connected to the spark of the Divine. She ascended the steps, leaned into his ear, “Shhh. Do you see it? Look for it. The spark. Find it for me. Across the sea of stars.”

His pale crimson eyes flickered, he raised one bony hand from the armrest. His parched lips moving, “A trade. Information for….” She motioned towards the mummy. With a small flick of the wrist, the blood flowed from Bel into the emaciated figure. He drank greedily. His throat convulsing. The pale fire grew within his chest. She pulled back, purring the words “Where is the Spark of Eden. I must have that Throne.”

He raised his head. “It no longer resides upon Typha. Eden Designate Core.”

He leaned back. His eyes misting over as he searched. “It is beyond the network.”

Bel smirked, “Of course old Dad would hide it. But in which haystack? Not with Bardax. That would be too obvious. Eden Earth is a possibility. Perhaps with the J’kua then? They have that annoying Ur-Stone. What a ridiculous name.”

Unity searched every kernel of its host’s knowledge.

Thankful that so many of her pawns had Bel included at some point. The Chronos portions were especially enlightening.

Then Bel tapped her feet, “Oh my. I bet he hid it with my dear brother and sister. The Void Man and Silver Lady. Such plain titles. Not original at all.” She spat.

“The Weave. HA!”

Ares and Gaia.

Raphael and Athena.

Kushiel.

It mattered not what names they had chosen.

Or in which cycle.

In keeping their mortal charges in the dark they had let other things run loose. The absurdity of trying to warn them through holy texts. Muddled as their true history. This was a game that the Father on High would lose. He didn’t trust his poor little lambs enough. That had always been his fatal flaw.

Ren traced the carvings on the walls. Her sorcery grew. She gave a tittering laugh, “This is better than Ta’rammon’s hunting trips.” The raw violence contained within this stone sent a shiver up her spine. She danced around the hall. Absorbing all of it. “For you. My God. The one and only.”

Unity reached out and caressed his favored children. “Oh yes. I give you your true Name child.” Renenutet prostrated herself before Bel. Before Unity. She shivered as the other rested his hands on her head.

“Rise. Be known as Lilith. My right hand. My three will join you soon.”

Lilith’s back arched as exquisite power flooded into her body.

Black Scrawl burned into her bones.

She exclaimed, “My King Above and Below.” Bel raised a finger to Lilith’s lips, “Shhh. The time of Rebirth is at hand.” Lilith could see the truth of Bel’s words. Unity would pour forth and devour all. Lilith writhed on the ground as the rest of the ceremony bound her to Unity.

Forever.

*****

Ta’karr Urraden watched as the Throne Bearer fed from Unity. Even just a shard of that great beast was enough to reinvigorate the old ancestor. The recording device sent the signals even if he couldn’t understand the speech between the mummy and the blond woman host body. J’anu recoiled as the power flowed into the mummy. Morphing it from a bundle of wraps curling around the bone to a full bodied woman. Her hair was raven black. No irises. Pure black eyes.

Black ink tracery all over her body. Even on her ample chest.

He turned. >>Time to sic the Terran Alliance goodies on the enemy.<<

J’anu smirked, >>As the one man said, an enemy of my enemy….<<

Hopefully, both would burn out. Then they could invest in finding a certain Murphy.