The Uplift Protocol: In the Beginning

Issue 12: A Corgi’s Heart

The Weave placed us here to safeguard the legacy. Not one of blood. Or Life. One of hope. Faith. For the day would arrive that faith would fail in the hearts of others. But not Bardax. We saw the Path. What awaited after the Cracking. The crucible that the Slumbering One would awaken to. They would need us. Unwavering through the storm of doubt.—Heals-The-Rifts.

The one called Aether couldn’t see clearly that day but I did. The scent of the Weave clung to that traveler. Seeing through the eyes of Mikaris let the Slumberer know. A piece of the Path. So when the time came, it could avoid the poison of Unity’s lies. My body will fade to dust but my soul will wait. The threads bind us all. –Sentinel

None of this, in retrospect, shocked Augustus. I traveled back to Bardax. Seeking that light. Knowing in the deepest regions of my soul that I had to talk to Sentinel. For most of that memory within the caverns of the moon stayed with me. Shielded me from the worst aspects of that eternal battle.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 2)

Fields of Protector’s Rest

Bardax

January 13th, 2116

Cooper dashed through the tall grass.

Chasing his nephews as they shouted, <>

Their tails gave away their positioning. I hid a grin.

No matter what was happening puppies could always bring out the best in people.

I was keeping the true reason for my trip from the rest of the Golden Redeemers for now. Professor Nara had joined us on this journey. The Litari professor had been most insistent. Dropping hints that it was the will of the Arcane Council. Most of the usual suspects aboard the Jupiter Rising stuck with the ship. Docked at the massive rings around the moons. Zach appeared in a flash. “Why’d you need me anyways?” His demi identity as the Blue Blaze was still intact. No one on Bardax would let it slip. Still, he used caution. Only displaying his abilities when I was alone or with one of the core Redeemers.

I considered him seriously. Zach met my gaze. Not masking his worry. “Out of all of us? Wanted you here because you understand in a way that Gwen and the others don’t.” He leaned against an orange trunk. The branches catching the wind. His frown deepened, “You mean about Mordred.”

I nodded reluctantly.

We didn’t know if Bel had managed to relay anything to the mad son. The shoe hadn’t dropped. Dad kept tabs on HeroNet. Nobody had put anything together about Zach’s demi life. It was strangely quiet on that front. Mom suspected it was because we had so many of the speedster class of demi that they were a dime a dozen. It was true: in comparison to other demi powers having super speed was more common.

Zach said, “How much you want to bet that the Council tinkered with people to boost that particular super trait? To help hide me specifically. From what you said about what happened on the moon, I bet the Weave compelled some to it.”

Cooper and the puppies came running up. Their noses were coated with pollen. One sneezed continuously. Auggie trotted over. The grass parting as his stocky form appeared. His white and tan fur was similarly affected. Zach continued, using the Family Line, >>This is also about my Union Hall evaluations.<<

That mental barrier. A psychological evaluation to see where a demi’s true mettle was situated. Yet my brother’s had been very peculiar. Turns out the Arcane Council had replaced Blaze’s results with great care. Mine was plain to see. I hadn’t had any clue of a duel heritage when it occurred. Zack flipped a coin from his pocket. Molding the metal into a tiny ball. Back and forth. He changed into his demi suit. The blue and white spandex emblazoned with his trademark twin whirling flames. Blue dynamo mask in place.

I changed into my Banner gear. Might as well give the Bardaxians a show. Cooper did the same. Lifting his nephews into the air with Green Defender energy. The city rose before us. Towering for Bardaxians. A full 15 stories. At the center: A green glass tower. As we landed a security force greeted us. <>

Cooper told his nephews to wait.

One of the officers peeling off to safeguard them.

A sour fragrance filled my nose. Causing Auggie to growl.

We raced down the corridors. As I entered the main foyer a plant creature coiled around a group of civilians. Reminding me of that monstrosity we had fought at the Green Defender training facility. Valkyries’ cries for her children still echoing to this day. It was the same color as the trees within Protector’s Rest. Under the leaves, Zachary spotted it, “Black Scrawl.”

I’d figure out how it got here later. I barreled into the branches and vines. Taking the hits for the Bardaxians caught below. As Blue Blaze zipped in and out. Pulling all of them to safety. Auggie used his telekinesis. The wood bursting into shards as the corgi dug deeper into the trunk. This tree hadn’t been part of the original layout of the building. Emerald K-9 dived forward. Forming a drill. Adding to the assault. A frigid cold shot through me.

Sparks danced behind my eyelids.

Nose bleeding.

Her fingers digging in my ear. Tracing the outer edges.

An interesting development.

Nyx muttered in the guttural language of the Keepers. I screwed my eyes shut and followed along the path. Finding that spark of fluid that connected us. The bite of the needle rising to the surface. Observing through her eyes for a moment. She was standing next to Chronos. Onboard Aether’s old ship. The pungent odor of smoke rose. Then the connection was gone. But not before I glimpsed the form of the Lord of Chains as well. His irises were black with crimson where the whites were in humans.

Chronos said, “Why experiment on those useless creatures?”

Nyx responded, “Because she loves them. We need to know her weaknesses beyond empathy.”

She added a note in her journal.

Find a way to create a Subject from Earth Dog origins or Bardaxian.

A burst of healing drove the connection into a dormant state.

Doc was slapping my face. I was on the ground. I groaned and rolled over.

Nearly puking in the process. I’d have to warn them. Blue Blaze was collecting samples. His voice washed over me. >>The Pollen. It allowed her to form some sort of bridge for a second. The neural resonance is off the charts.<<

Made sense. He had some of White Lily’s abilities.

>>She used more than that.<<

I didn’t need to explain more. Everyone in my closest circle knew what Nyx had done.

The Curator pointed. “Climb.”

His voice drove out all other considerations. I moved without thinking.

Lorain moved in. “Eliza?” I wasn’t able to reply. The arcway opened. Silver threads shot out and everything else faded. I floated in darkness for a time. It could have been 10 minutes or 10 years by this point. A giant white wolfish head poked outwards. A small circle of silver energy around him. He sat. <>

Sentinel tilted his head from side to side.

<>

I found I could move once more. Agustus dashed over to me. His little legs kicking up a storm Or they would if this place had a sky or ground to speak of. He circled Sentinel. Sniffing carefully. Memorizing every aspect. With a giant leap, the corgi sprung into my lap as I floated there. He rested his head against my knee as I ruffled the favored spot behind his ears.

“So how can I assist the first Omega?”

Sentinal replied, nudging Augustus with one massive paw, <>

Bardax.

Auggie yawned. His left eye cracked open. <> His nub of a tail thumped rhythmically. Blue and silver threads shot out. Forming a holographic of Bardax and her territories. Within Edenverse and beyond. They only existed in 3 other Universes! Yet they were all familiar to me. With much of my shrouded memories restored.

The United Earth Front sector and the Demiurge sector. Along with Eden. I know others had different names for those universes but it was easier for me to keep track via my first encounters in those areas. I hadn’t been alone when I had traveled to both universes. Augustus had been with me. Even before his awakening. Perhaps it even had caused it. Beyond what Cooper had instilled in his system.

Sentinel rested a massive paw on my head.

<>

United Earth Front Universe

Bardax Beta

Time Syncing Detected

A pair phased in.

Eliza Murphy whirled around. Shock causing her to nearly lose her balance. Clothed only in her customary gray US Flag t-shirt and faded blue jeans, brown hair disheveled from sleep, she clutched a tan and white corgi to her chest. He barked, the noise telling all the Bardaxians around that he was quite confused by all the new smells. Yet his human was not of this place. This time or even this universe. The Light Shamans closed in. Bringing their leader forward. For she usually put most at ease.

*****

This was one heck of a strange dream. It must have been. The tiny dog before me was a spitting image of a Pomeranian. It circled for a moment. Stopping to tap at my pants leg. Then it spoke, <>

Auggie barked.

His ears were flat against his head.

Then they perked forward as a series of yips and continuous barks escaped.

He was excited. It was like they could understand him. The last thing I recalled was studying for entry into Flight School. NASA expected a decent college-level of marks in certain subjects. I sucked in a breath. This was not Earth. I could already tell that much but the talking dogs gave it away. I stuck out my hand. Remembering my father’s words. Always try to make friends! She raised herself in the air with a small belt that flashed blue.

Returning the shake.

“Hi. I’m from Earth. Pleased to meet you all!”

Auggie nudged my arm. “This is Augustus. The first of his name. Lord Protector of the Lanis clan.” I meant that seriously. That corgi had an odd sense of timing. He had alerted us to a seizure that Lorain’s father had experienced. Luckily she had been able to stabilize him. It had been a faulty implant connection. Yet the corgi had been able to pick up on it first. Archer Lanis was many things but that day he had a four-footed angel looking out for him. The Pomeranian moved up to look directly into my eyes.

<>

I followed. Taking those first steps to avert the destruction of the Multiverse.

As we traveled to the temple, dozens of dogs follow us, their eyes locked onto me.

Their curiosity washing away my unease.

No harm would come to me here.

Not with them. Not ever.