PROLOGUE

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance.

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeoning of chance.

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

- William Ernest Henley

Thomas saw the Living Stone piling on top of the shielding around New Ashbury.

It would warp. Turning into horrific things. Its shape in constant flux. But the civilians were safe for now. It fueled itself on dreams. With more Litari Dreamweavers in attendance, they had managed to starve it. Thomas was still worried though. His wife revealed that many across the universe were having troubling visions lately. Which meant that these things weren’t just going up against Earth. Even if it was a focal point. Plus they had been picking up odd readings from Io.

He waved his team forward. A loud cheer went up as the Star-Spangled Banner plowed through the enemy. Stone turning to ash. She was a blur. Zigzagging all over the Earth to support all the cities and people under threat. Another feather for Earth’s cap in the Uplift Arena, she wasn’t only supersonic across Earth. The Living Stone was harassing Litari space as well. So she was often off-planet for minutes at a time.

Crushing the creatures for the Iresh’s people as well.

The House fractions within Typha had to stay mute about that. The only outspoken fraction in the face of everything was X’mil’s unfortunate family cohorts. His son was beside him. Decked out in Project Osiris gear. Its battlesuit hooked into the private channels and networks. Eliza, through her bond with Lorain, had told Thomas that the rest of the Golden Redeemers were helping Queen Guinevere and Arthur. He knew his daughter was very hesitant to go all out but he had to remind her: Even a gentle giant must protect. After she came back from England he had pulled her aside.

Talking to her in a way he knew only a father could.

“I know your brother had broached the subject before but here’s how I see it.”

She had a pensive look on her face but sat on the bench next to him. Everyone had given them a bubble of privacy. Even his wife. He took her hand, turning it towards him so the palm faced outward. “These hands know power.”

Her eyes had darkened at that. He continued.

“But they know love as well.”

Her breathing calmed at that statement.

“To protect life sometimes you have to take it.”

He could see the hidden terror. She had never had to take an actual life.

For which he was grateful.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

His words were getting through, “I know demis have to face even more questions when it comes to the battlefield. Especially the ones in your weight range.”

He stated bluntly, “These things aren’t living beings. Just like Unity. It will be something you will have to knock off the playing board.”

Her hand closed gently around his.

Her eyes locked onto some invisible point behind him.

“Daddy, I don’t know if I’m strong enough. When the time comes. Will I be able to strike at the Heart of the Dragon called Unity? I don’t have Dexter’s combative edge. Even Doc doesn’t pull her punches when it counts.”

He replied, “Well Doc, as skilled as she is, can’t punch a hole through the fabric of reality. I asked your brother. If you wanted to, you could do a whole lot more but without some practice…there can be collateral damage. Like firearms training. Your powers are a tool but you must be the master.”

He held up a hand to forestall her reply. “The Bardaxians along with certain other parties have made something special for you. SO you can practice. In the real world, it will be only moments but inside that construct, you can go hog wild. Test what you can do. Your brother had the benefit of the Weave cloaking him while growing up. So he explored his limits.”

Her eyes grew brighter at that. Her voice was soft, “Even with the holo rooms and training areas, it wasn’t good enough. For me to test anyway.”

Thomas grunted, “Yep. This will be more to what you need. It’s made partially from the Ouro from what Heals-The-Rifts tells me.”

He added, “Your brothers will be more than happy to rough house. They will have access to this special training regimen area as well.”

He cupped her chin.

“Practice will give you confidence when it comes to offensive capability. I know you’re the best defensive Lineback around but we need you to hurl that spear as well. Got it?”

“Yes sir!”

*****

The nights were filled with Living Stone. During the day, I flew around the city and beyond, to other planets to help shore up defenses. It would be an interesting few weeks while dad’s Osiris and Barracuda got alternatives online to kick the Living Stone out. Not to mention whatever surprise Thoth would bring in the form of his armies. Dexter remained near mom and dad. One to maintain his identity. Two? He was being careful with his Defender Belt output as well. Even if he could hide easier from Unity due to the Weave affinity. He still didn’t want to take chances. He had a very dedicated mindset. Akin to our father’s. Zach was more energetic like mom. Me? Gulliver said I was more like my paternal grandfather when it came to some things.

A ginormous stone dragon snapped at the air in front of me. I took a swing at it. Aiming my punch to its upper torso. Where the heart would be nestled behind scales. It let out a wailing howl as it disintegrated. The strike against its exterior had no impact on my knuckles. Dad said most Living Stone would take a grav lance or two to bring down. If the person knew how to aim. For me, it was like blowing out a candle and that still terrified me. But he was right. I had to master offensive action as well.

In the deepest corner of my heart, I knew the truth though: I was still holding back.

White said, <>

I may not have started this fight but we would have to finish it.

More and more of the Endless Night hooligans threw themselves upon the shimmering energy barriers of New Ashbury. My fists were in constant motion. The constructs exploded as I hammered home against their vital points. With conventional weapons most aimed for a head shot or a shot through the heart. With my skill set, they were all puddy. I went into a haze. Keeping in mind that these things didn’t breathe or have any sapience. Some words they spoke often reflected a broken hunger. Always searching for Excaliber. My guess that was related to the desires of Bel or the blade she wielded.

Or was there more to it? Someone else to watch out for beyond the curtain of Endless Night? I would consult the logs of the BSL Starjumper. The Shaman Wars mentioned within featured those they considered Endless Night aligned. I had a feeling more was connected than first realized. Maybe this was something else that spiraled out of Unity. Or from another Universe entirely.

A cold feeling hit my gut. Lorain was absolutely terrified. As the last of the Living Stone crumbled I reached out to her through our link. Pouring all the love and support I could through it. If she was perturbed then the Quest for the Weilder was going sideways. Iresh, poking out from the shadow of my cape, said, <>

So she knew of Excalibur then.

Iresh sent a wave of encouragement.

It was coated with longing.

I got the impression that she had closer ties to Earth than most realized.

Guess more than Bardax involved itself in Earth before the “dawning” of the Voyager probes and Area 51. Made me wonder if Uplift Protocol was just a conveniently placed guideline. I shook my head. No, more was going on here. White kept going on about Convergence. Almost as much as Di’axi did. Earth was paramount. As far as the Prime Edenverse went. Throne Sight indicated that much. I had a sudden rush of sympathy for my Typherian Grandfather. What kind of secrets was he forced to keep? How many traps did he see? But wasn’t able to prevent because that would alert Unity to the location of the prime universe.

How much was or had been sacrificed to keep me and Dexter out of the limelight until the last possible second? Iresh’s golden eyes gleamed from the hidden corners of my cape. She said, her voice laced with an equal measure of joy and sadness, <>

Within the Weave, I could see the Light of Excalibur burning, awaiting its Wielder.

And the Future.