ISSUE 20: THE WORD ABIDES NOTHING

Evil cannot bear any form of Truth. It twists it into a broken delusion.—The Word

I used to joke about what I would do in a world without the Star-Spangled Banner. The reality is bleaker than I could have ever imagined. What I wouldn’t give to be able to see that goofy grin once more. We have failed. What kind of legacy shall we leave? A pillar of light has left our world.—Anna McQuire

I didn’t know it until later. All those on the Lone Ranger saw the reality of Nyx’s gift. Eddie took it the hardest. Unity used their despair to tear at me within that nightmare landscape. It wanted me to lose faith in them and myself.—Sleeping in Starlight: Aftermath

Hanging Gardens

Inner Shell (Eden Typha)

April 10th, 2136 (Present Temporal Axis)

Everywhere I stepped, new life flourished. That was why the Healing House had been protected. It was a terraformer and divine engine all wrapped up into one potent lifestream. At the lip of the waterfall, the final Artock waited. Its mishappen head bowed. Its eyestalks were wide. Terror radiated from each limb. I could see it. The pale green crystal in its chest. It groveled as I got closer.

I knelt. Cupped its chin. Brought its eyes to mine.

“How many are Gemini? Not clones.”

It flinched. “The Shrouded Mistress keeps us. Hidden places. Dark crags that eat at our flesh. We number in the millions. She keeps us close. Against her rotted heart.” The final trial. The final Death. Needed to save them all. The Artock clasped my hand, “It knows where you keep them. The other husks.”

I reached into his chest. His eyes rolled back. The last glimmer of Aethuron. First Guard of Gemini Prime greeted me. “Will you serve?” The hulking shape of Aethuron rose from the shredded skin of the Artock. His soul wasn’t cleansed.

He nodded. “What I remember is yours to command Arbiter of Shield World Elysium.” His skin was covered in ash. Remembered pain etched within each scar. His third eye had been plucked out. I would have to help the Twilight Throne claim her mantle. Then I would succumb to the 2nd Death. Thoth thought it was the Throne of Bone. It would be if I let him win.

The final? I would face the cliffs. The Ur-Memory had no path for that event.

I would face it. My HUD shimmered.

It would give me pointers.

Now the meeting at the Tower of the Lidless held a new level of meaning.

//Linking to Second Tier Self: July 24th, 4201 //V|V\\ time print noted //

Lorain hovered over us. “You know how you asked what the Ur-Memory Flow felt like?”

Robin and Eddie leaned in. I pulled myself up onto the tree. This was not the Cliffs of Nothing. Where Unity kept the stolen souls. I blurted out, “Imagine getting so drunk you don’t know which way is up. Then you have a clock in the corner saying: Currently NOW! Would you like to know more?!”

Eddie handed me his flask. “Sir Avalon put the special juice in it!” I took a swig. Warmth flooded my bones. “Nice.” Doc eyed me and then made her way down into the valley below. While the cadre of the 42nd century advanced on the remaining forces of Living Stone. “Eddie, it's going to be worse than the first event.” He paled. Then he gripped my shoulder tightly.

“I’m gonna need you guys to hold fast. This one will nearly break Lorain.”

Robin held my gaze. His blue eyes hardened, “We won’t fail you. Bardax and my corgis showed me that much.”

I said, “Unity knows what I am this time. There will be no Dexter or Nyx’s polluted systems or alchemy to mask it.”

Last time Unity had fed on the sorrow overflowing from Eden. It had cut deeper than most because it was my home universe. All of those fallen Amarche demons had adored lashing out against my soul with the ripples. Even if I hadn’t realized it at the time. Dexter had inhibited the flow. My past self asked, Can we ask our endpoint counterpart questions?

Yes. I can but not about that final Climb.

Phase 1 mulled this over. Her mind sharpened. Our mind. It was strange. Even though I was half used to it by now. More information control, she concluded. I nodded for us.

//Now that Unity knows what we can do? It will seek to undermine all that you love. The first wave hit us across the bow. The general population and a majority of our friends. The 2nd will entwine with Doc. They didn’t catch on to her at first. The false Dreaming would have been too apparent. But she will see our 2nd death directly. //

Eddie said, “When you get back to the proper time point? Take things on Earth one step at a time. Unity’s World Eater managed to get its wingtips past the spear shield. It delighted in giving nightmares to everyone.”

I said, “She knows. I’ll be able to see past your pain. The guilt. No one was ready for the assault on the Weave or the Dreaming with that first hit.”

That explained the mishmash across the 42nd century. The Highest had this all plotted out. Have the people within this century corral Thoth and his forces. Guiding them to the “Bone” Throne. Then Twilight would ring out from the center. Not only would it link Eden to Elysium but then the final curtain would fall. I was connected to everything. Past, Present, and Future. My Third eye was used as the conduit for the Highest.

The Icath Ruling Pair? They were a Lure. Able to go forward and back.

Unity would realize this with my 2nd Death. But the Path remained.

My past self marveled at it all. No wonder the Highest bestowed that upgrade. With the clocks. I smiled. “Otherwise we’d be lost adrift in the seas of time. Without a compass to guide us.” Her thoughts merged with my own.

Then what about all those visions I had shown mother and father? In that museum. The mosaic of Ta’mathon’s battles against Thoth. The desert. I recalled this. I gave her the images that were needed. “Time will flow differently for you and Lorain. That cannot be avoided. It was needed to condense certain images. To set them on the path needed.”

She replied, How old is Silver Fox?

I replied, “Eons. Countless Eons.”

Phase one heard the underlying number.

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*****

Arms wrapped about my waist. My HUD indicated the present time.

Even with Prolong? We would….

I shoved the rebellious thought away.

//O\\ Eden Typha: Phase 1 Complete. April 10th, 2136

I said, “We will get to see part of the 42nd century. Just not in the way Unity intended.” Lorain nodded against my back. I opened a channel to the Jupiter, <>

Dad replied, <>

Nola said, “Welcome back.”

Eddie and their grown children were behind her.

I didn’t feel that twinge of doubt. This was indeed the real world. I said, “I remember your faces. The Path is set. I will walk it.” Even if it terrified me. No one should live as an eternal. That was a mystery best left to the Highest. The countless hosts of Arbiter’s cheered within my third eye. Their souls would cross over after the Twilight was enthroned. I reached out to clasp Eddie’s hand, “Forgive me. I was not completely myself upon awakening.” I vowed to memorize their faces. To never forget. I would keep journals. Write them in the language of the Thronebears if needed.

The Puzzler smiled, “Just wait until you see your enhanced HeroNet profile. It’s a doozy!” I brought up the Golden Bulleteer’s profile. They had repelled massive influxes of Living Stone that had poured out from the wingtips of Z’ahramdus. I clicked on the link for my memorial but my HUD locked me out of it.

Eddie said, “Trust me. There will be time for that. You don’t have your old Empath pathways anymore. From what Hidan says? That ability has expanded. Well beyond what you were used to.”

I opened the Omega channel.

//You guys are blunting….//

//Hidan: Yes. Severely. The wounds will not just fade. Eden was ready for a physical battle. A battle for souls. What we got was a deluge of horror beyond all dreams. It turned our fear against us. Even with the barriers provided by the Arcane Order.//

I couldn’t access my whole HeroNet page. I could post to it.

I was tempted to access the Ur Flow but decided that it would be more important to speak from the heart.

//Never forgotten. I am of two worlds. I am returning home. //

An additional inquiry popped up.

<>

Doc gripped my left hand, “Do it.”

“What’s this?”

Nola replied, “The truth of things. The Arcane Order has augmented the various Nets.”

Eddie said, “You know the part of you that accesses that third eye within the Weave? Use that.”

I pulled at the threads. It curled around my words along the Net. More than just information across the reaches of space. Responses poured in. Many were overjoyed. None more so than a certain Holo Host.

Anna’s response floored me.

//I swear to the Highest if this is some hoax I will personally rip people’s lungs out. Golden Child, I will personally come over there….//

Anna shouted, “..and kick you in your feathered third-eyed butt!”

I said, “What feathers?” She put her hands on her hips. Only one foot away from me. Gwen interjected, “She can’t see….them.” My little sister peered up at me. “Oh goodness. It's not for her. It's for us. For Earth. Everyone.”

Cooper circled. <>

Anna closed in. Poked me in the chest.

“Don’t.”

Poke.

“Do!”

Harder poke. The index finger of doom.

“That AGAIN!” She was crying. She drummed her fists against my chest. Her hair was cut shorter. For zero grav. Her blue-gray eyes were thunderous. Classic business dress. A rich vibrant green. Jacob appeared along the lip of the Cliffside. I hadn’t noticed the Jupiter landing. My extended family from both planets converged. I didn’t have enough arms.

Lorain said through her clogged throat, “God, we missed you.”

Grandpa V’alkor picked me up. “Welcome back!”

Silver Fox murmured, Time is vast. Have faith. The Vigil is yours. But you shall never walk alone.

I wanted to know more.

My eldest phase held up her hands within my mindscape. Dressed in the same burial clothing. We cannot give it more clues than already allowed. Faith shall carry us. Family endures. Love is the eternal flame. Urraden forgot that. It supplanted the will of the Truth for the false Dreaming of Abyzou.

The Ur flowed.

//Access to Urraden Ancestral memory is restricted.//

Silver Fox said, “That path will be saved for the Cliffs. The Trial of the Soul.”

*****

The citizens of Earth cried out. The Star-Spangled Banner had returned. By some act of the divine. Michael Brookes shared a drink with Argus Paxton. The 20 Year preparations were coming to an end. Brookes said, “All the Light Shamans and Sages were awaiting this day. I wish our faith had been stronger.”

Argus shared a glance with Aether and Marshall. The J’kua walked openly on the face of planet Earth. Ever since the Breach War. Father Brookes asked his father, “How many more divinity drives will Project Freefall need?”

Micheal leaned back in his chair. “With Chronos sniffing around? 2000 minimum.”

The Father rose. Adjusted his collar. “I’ll get the Bardaxians in on this one as well.”

Proctor Gansys raised a toast, “To the Health and Long Path of our Arbiter!”

They watched as the news rippled outward. All across Arcane Order space and beyond.

Tarkanan

Inner Spheres

April 11th, 2136

Hillary Brookes smiled.

Watched as HeroNet filled in new information. “I know what she loves most.” She picked up a lock of Lorain’ Lanis’ hair. Thoth leaned in, “Let’s make sure the next death destroys the Highest’s pet Thronebearer!” He didn’t dare mention Unity’s folly. Or Nyx’s “gift” that made the distraction possible. Unity hated to be reminded that it was inadequate. It wanted them as the next Thronebearer mockups.

Thoth snorted. “You know it wants us to become a pair. Through a broken mirror.”

Hilary giggled. The sound warped within the cavernous space.

She plucked at Thoth’s fancy Urraden colored shirt. That mix of crimson and orange.

“Remind me to pick out a lovely marriage bed!”

Thoth leaned in close, “I'll let you have your way with that Doctor. I just need to plant a knife within Murphy’s heart. I have to think of my family after all!” Hilary curled one gray fist in Thoth’s gleaming black hair.

“Promise?” He grinned. His eyes alighted with unholy power.

“Indeed.”

*****

Deep below Hephaestus toiled. His 4 arms were covered in soot.

“Create the new world. Create….the new world. Create……”

Hunin and Vixrex, the left and right Claw of Unity howled.

“We are reforged!”

Unity whispered, “Watch over Thoth and Hilary. Through them, I shall be reborn.”

Hephaestus continued to hammer away.

His soul shard trapped within the False Dreaming. “I hear my creator and obey. Weapons to defend Elysium. In your name, I pray….”

His muscles bunched as he struck hot metal. The irises were covered with orange webbing.

“For the Golden Host on High.”

*****

Hilary swiped a finger across the screen. “Useful isn’t he?”

Thoth replied, “Yes. I wonder why the All-Father didn’t kill that one on the way out.”

Hammer stuck obsidian. Brookes frowned, “Why endeavor to keep those weapons?”

Thoth grinned slyly, “Because it gives Unity a false sense of security.” He leaned in. Ran a thumb across her jaw, “In the end? It will be us against the remains of the Highest’s corpse.”

Within the depths of Hilary’s soul?

Mammon hissed. How little these fools knew. He relayed every thought to the whole.

Abyzou coiled her arms about her fellows.

“They will obey. Or die. When the time is right.”

She called forth the Twin Owls of Fury and Famine. Their names were known by many. Across all ages. Each holy book proclaimed them Demon. They appeared next to their Dark Mother. “I have a special mission for you.” They took flight. The red hell of Unity’s home universe manifested as they transversed the Dark Weave. The lone crimson star called to them. They gorged themselves on every remaining soul shard left within. Each new sliver added to their power. They paused.

That scent. Excalibur. As it was known in the common tongue. Eliza Murphy.

The Hidden Thronebearer. Who had they found within this dormant tower?!

Who….they circled. Each passing gave the twin Owls additional sensations. They whispered to the damned souls etched within every stone. “Yes. Two had been here. A mirror upon the mirror.”

The High White Owls of Unity screeched, “Enthroned! Twins ENTHRONED! Soul Shard Pairs!”

Unity’s pale orbs stretched outward.

The Highest must not be allowed it's third. It snarled, “Ta’karr Urraden.”

Children of Chains ventured forth.

Seeking the blood of the Fallen Typherian House.