The ornately carved, ten-meter-high doors swung open, and the guards took their positions on either side.
Always perfectly proper concerning court demeanor, Machitis strode two paces forward and looked back to Gaia as he spoke.
“Announcing Qasir of the Tilk-Ramadi, and his disciple, Zenyak Marztanak, Followers of the Path of One.”, Her etherial guardian then paused the necessary beat as he turned the whirling eddies of his crimson eyes back to face the two approaching cultivators. Once more his voice filled the chamber with a tone that inspired images of the ever present Rock of Ages he was. “The Daughter of Stars and Mother of All bids you welcome. Please come forward and state your purpose before her.”
The two who came forward were a mismatched pair to say the least. Zenyak was a tall, solidly built, human elder. He strode purposefully with a presence that would be noted in any setting.
Qasir was grey-skinned, short of stature, and reed-thin. The cultivator’s giant circular eyes sat over two small nasal holes and a tiny slash of mouth. The globular orbs were lively, darting around the Sol Throne’s hall with a sincere but distracted interest as they moving quickly from one thing to the next. Amplifying his appearance of fragility, he floated towards her seated up to his chest in a lightly armored, black lacquered suspensor cradle. It rocked slightly in the vertical plane as it moved. Causing, or perhaps just increasing the natural tendency of Qasir’s disproportionately large and oblong head to bob gently on his impossibly slender neck. Bouncing ever so slightly to an unknowable and unpredictable rhythm.
Their appearance was part of their planned show. Gaia knew that as advanced cultivators, the two could embody themselves in any avatars they chose. From the nonce of a pair of miniscule field mamals, all the way up to that of peak-strength graviton grapplers. For some reason, they had decided to play it straight, presenting as they actually appeared. ‘The fact that they do not have the time or possibly the desire to play the usual games is worrying in itself.’ Riah’s resolute voice again prodded Gaia from her subconscious.
Sensing that something she couldn’t quite put her finger on was off kilter with the audience, Gaia focused on what few things she did know. Humans, as with most species in the iteration, were foundlings originally propagated from the Stellae Creaturix. Created de novo by the Star Children and the past Matrons as they fulfilled their Karma given fiat to populate the void with spirit beings. As with a lion’s share of the currently existent foundlings, humans had been seeded into planets over the last several billion cycles of Riah’s and her predecessors’ reigns. On a side note, humans were, as a species, renowned for illogical but surprisingly effective actions. And mostly when these actions were least expected.
The Tilk-Ramadi as a people were quite different. Though fully mortal, the Tilk were contemporaries with the Star Children. Being one of the few races that had emerged on their own through spontaneous biogenesis in a far corner of the iteration that Gaia couldn’t recall at the moment. Ancient and well established, in general, the Tilk would prefer to fully research any topic before acting or engaging.
The two are even more mismatched in species ideology than they are in appearance . . .
Qasir and Zenyak stopped three paces from the Sol Throne and bowed their heads over joined fists. The traditional Cultivator salute to another being of great standing. Zenyak spoke. “Mother, our deepest condolences to you and the Star Children for the loss of Matron Riah. It is with heavy spirits we present to—”
Gaia gently but firmly raised a halting hand and dipped her head slightly as she interjected. “Thank you for your kind words. But we are aware of the threat that surrounds us. As you know, Sky Commandant Zelviz has brought his hordes of undead to the borders of the Creaturix. Our forces are presently mobilized in delaying tactics, and what evacuations we can make are already underway to save our progeny races from his devastations. However, as you also are aware, we are ill-prepared for the relocation of the yet unseeded trillions being generated by the Creaturix. . .” Gaia shifted her attention to Qasir. “. . . We request your aid and the use of as many of your ARC fleets as possible to assist in preserving the future of the iteration’s spirit beings. The continuation of life’s variety as we know it depends on it.”
Having obviously been overridden, Zenyak exhaled and cast a meaningful glance at Qasir. His master slowly closed his large eyes and nodded as if in agreement with an unspoken conversation. Qasir tilted his head, and Zenyak stepped to the side to let the Tilk’s suspensor chair glide to center position on Gaia’s throne. A pleasant, mechanized voice projected from an emitter on his chair.
“. . . Matriarch, there can be no evacuation of the Stellae Creaturix. Your sister’s sacrifice in battle is part of a carefully construed plan she herself put into motion. Her sacrifice was made to give us a last, final possible hope to stop Zelviz. Before he culminates his plan to eradicate all life in this iteration—”
Gaia again moved to cut short the Tilk-Ramadi, however, Qasir held up a slender, adamant hand to prevent Gaia from stopping his discourse. The novice Matron did a double take at Machitis, who, for some reason, instead of enforcing Gaia’s right of absolute rule in her own court, continued to stare straight ahead.
Thus unhindered, Qasir continued. “. . . We do not expect you to accept our word on this. It was Matriarch Riah herself who wished you to see what we are about to show you after she had fallen.”
Gaia’s head snapped back to the Tilk in wide-eyed shock as a holovid of Riah sitting in the very Sol Throne she now occupied began in front of her. Her sister spoke through a slim smile with a light-hearted chuckle. But her eyes carried the weight of the news she brought,
“. . . Greetings from the other side, sister. I’m uncertain where my spirit is now . . . but I know I‘m no longer with you and the other Children . . .”
Riah stared directly into Gaia’s eyes and tensed slightly as she became more serious. “. . . I’m sorry for the fear and pain that you’re feeling. But I am ok with my choice. What remains of the leadership of this iteration has long known that there is no stopping Zelviz with marshal forces in combat. He’s too powerful. The personal energy reserves that he can draw on from the to restore depleted energy or heal his wounds from his multitudes of slaves are far too numerous. We are uncertain of the exact number of risen undead he can draw upon to directly replenish his undead fire. But we estimate it at approximately 30 percent of the iteration’s population . . . that’s about 72 nonillions—” Riah looked away and held a stalling hand up. “. . . Don’t bother looking it up—it’s 7.2 with thirty-one zeros behind it” Riah lightly snorted then continued. “. . . . Yes,I know, that’s a lot. But don’t get distracted by that,” Her sister’s image looked slyly back at her. “... I’ve done much behind your back. My own way of trying to shelter you from what was coming for as long as possible.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Riah’s eyes looked away as if looking to the past before she spoke again.
“... Perhaps I hoped against hope that we were all wrong and you could be spared what I am about to ask of you.” Tears glistened in Riah’s eyes but her voice remained rock steady as she continued. “... I’m sorry, but it doesn’t look like this will be the case if you are there…” Riah’s image looked around the same throne room in the past then gracefully pointed at herself with indrawn fingers as she raised a single eyebrow in her familiar, challenging way. “... and I am here.”
The silence of the grave filled both throne rooms before her sister’s recorded ghost spoke again. “. . .At any rate, without question, time is very short, and we have to get down to business.”
Riah’s image leaned closer to Gaia. “There is irrefutable evidence that Zelviz’s actions in our iteration are being reflected and duplicated by all of the surrounding iterations of our cuboid. We have determined that Zelviz has begun communicating and acting in concert with his counterparts in the surrounding iterations. It is feared that he will soon be able to transfer forces between the cuboid’s iterations to even further overwhelm any single native iterational resistance which has had the misfortune of being more successful than ours.” Riah’s voice was as dry and serious as the grinding of tectonic granite. “When Zelviz is able to achieve the transference of forces between the iterations, he will sweep aside all remaining resistance and quickly obtain majority weight overflow conversion within our cuboid.”
Riah’s eyes were pools of stellar fire as she rose slightly from her seated position. “This cannot happen! All life—not just the life in our iteration—would be lost.”
Riah paused and stared directly at Gaia to nail her point home. “As I know you are aware—at least I have told you enough times . . .” Riah rolled her eyes and managed a crooked smile at Gaia. “. . . the Creaturix is one of the very few congruences present in all of the known life-bearing iterations.” Riah seemed to wax analytical as she fell into the role of her younger sister’s instructor one last time. “... Likely because without Star Children, life fails, and Karma, Balance, and Reality relegate the iterations without the Creaturix to a multiversal position with less significance—be that as it may—we know the Sky Commandant began unifying all the attacks in the this cuboid several sept-gyra ago— his influence may even extend up to two aspects beyond that. In all of these iterations Zelviz’s legions are bearing down on the Stellae Creaturix right now!”
Twin solar blazes again consumed her older sister’s gaze as Riah spoke of their home being attacked in all adjacent iterations. “He thinks it is more efficient to eliminate us if his counterparts act in harmonious concert— And damn his dead black heart to the soul-crushing abyss. He’s right. It is much more effective. We are losing. Losing big.”
Riah paused again and dropped her gaze. But when she lifted it up again, there was a sharpness that shined with her killing intent. “. . . But his predictability is a weakness, and I’m going to make him pay for it. Zelviz’s slaughter and conversion of my children into undead abominations must end. I will exact his final death in payment for what he has done!”
Riah took a steadying breath and then continued with no less conviction. “. . . Whatever you think of what I am about to ask you, know that it was entirely my idea. I’m responsible for its conception and its implementation.” Riah’s gaze was steady and brooked no argument. “I have drawn Zelviz here by my assault on his forces with the intent of laying the groundwork for his destruction.” Riah’s pause and unflinching gaze punctuated her sincerity and left no doubt in Gaia’s mind that her sister absolutely meant everything she was saying. Then Riah’s image went on. “. . . My friend, Qasir, has only presented this holo to you after it has been confirmed that my attack and loss in battle has gotten Zelviz to fully commit his forces and reserves to take the Creaturix. Not only in this iteration— but our entire cuboid!” Now that this is the case, Qasir will spearhead a sacrificial force to draw Zelviz, his legions, and reserves into the nucleus of the Creaturix.”
The hope in Riah’s voice had drawn Gaia to the edge of the Sol Throne. Eagerly, she sat unblinking to hear the culmination of the plan that would bring the murderous obscenity that called itself Zelviz, to its fate. But tears began streaming down Riah’s cheeks from her wide-open eyes. Obviously, she was finding it impossible to hold back the pain her next words would bring. The universe shrank around Gaia as her sister’s words still managed to find voice through the joint sorrow they shared.
“...Once Zelviz has committed to chasing Qasir’s forces to the center of the Creaturix . . . I . . .” Riha dry swallowed to control her emotions. “. . . I need you to detonate all the stars simultaneously.”
Gaia’s mouth dropped open at what she knew she could not have heard. But Riah’s recording continued un-slowed. “ There can be no broad-scale evacuations or spared areas. For Zelviz to believe that this is not a trap— so that we can draw him in and neutralize his forces and reserves, all of the un-sowed species and Start Children raising them must be sacrificed. Even so, it will be Qasir and his force's job to prevent Zelviz from withdrawing at the last micro, which will be no easy task.”
The words now out, Riah sat straighter. “. . . Understand that this is not designed to kill Zelviz. To do so is currently impossible.” Riah’s face screwed up in bitterness, and she spat out the frustration of their current reality. “We are doing this. . . to make him killable.” Riah’s image splayed its hands indicating the current situation. “When we succeed, Zelviz will have lost enough of his reserve strength to give what remains of life’s forces in our iteration a chance to wear him down and eventually eliminate him.”
The holo sat back on her virtual throne appearing to scrutinize Gaia from beyond the grave as she continued in a voice void of the fury and sorrow that had brought them to this point. “This is our last hope . . . It has to be enough to give our already seeded children a chance to continue.”
A silent moment passed, then Riah’s projection sniffled and straightened. She was half successful at giving Gaia a tight smile. “I understand that what I am asking of you is far harder than what I have to do . . .” Riah’s head nodded in sympathetic agreement. “I understand that there are millions— no trillions of lives that will be extinguished at your command. Lives that we have given existence to and who are all loved by you . . . But know that I loved them first!”
Fury had returned to Riah’s face. “You might be tempted not to sacrifice the Creaturix. Instead swearing to fight valiantly to the last of you . . .” Riah clenched her jaw and leaned in, speaking hoarsely. “. . . If you do this, you will fight and die to the last . . . and you will have doomed all of our children in this iteration and the surrounding multiverse to that same fate!”
Silence hung in the audience chamber as Riah straightened again in her Sol Throne.
“I know that this will be the end of the Star Children’s main purpose of being. Without the Creaturix, you and your international sisters will no longer foster the introduction of new life and races to the multiverse . . . You will be giving up our royalty in order to become homeless wanderers. . .” Riah’s face softened, and her voice became emphathetic. “. . . You will find another way to bring our life! Oh I am sure, many will blame you for this loss. Small-minded beings will only ever see what they take issue with. Not the unavoidable causes and actual origin motivations for them. You can do nothing for those who think like this. Take solace that our way of life isn’t ending by your decision. . . It ended when the elders of my generation failed to stop Zelviz from becoming what he is! This truth resounds in my core, and I must prevent it from going any further!”
Riah’s hologram stood and pivoted as if to leave. She turned back, wiping at the tears still on her cheeks with the back of her hand. “. . . And just on the off chance you think this is an elaborate hoax, I’ve recorded this in the presence of Machitis.” The projection panned back, and Machitis stood in his usual place to the right of Riah’s throne. “. . . He will confirm everything that I have said. Know that he argued so convincingly to stand at my side against Zelviz, I had to forbid him from speaking to me further.” Riah cast a pained look of love and respect to Machitis who stood rigidly at attention. She then threw her shoulders back and smiled one last time. “Farewell, my sister, now Mother of the Star Children. Choose well and save all that can be saved...” The projection turned and walked out of frame without looking back. The holo-vid ended.
Head spinning and tears she hadn’t remembered crying streaming down her cheeks, Gaia sat perfectly still on the Sol Throne.
Qasir spoke through his emitter. “Mother. If it brings you any comfort, know that nothing could stand before Riah on the field. She drained three blue hyper-giants into smoking cinders before she was matched . . . When Zelviz himself moved against her, she was actively channeling the polar emissions of a binary pulsar system to guarantee our escape. A single yellow tear ran from Qasir's unblinking eye as his emitter paused briefly before continuing. “. . . She detonated both of the neutron stars under her to prevent him from raising her body and using it in the future against us . . . I have never seen such a feat of determination and power. I doubt any mortal ever will again . . .”
The fledgling Mother of Stars had closed her eyes and dipped her head. Qasir trailed off, and Machitis cleared his gaseous throat before he turned to face Gaia. She felt in her spirit his words before they were voiced,
“Mother, there is no time. What are your commands?”