The Uplift Protocol: In the Beginning

Issue 25: Tunnel Vision

The Arbiter warned me. A being clothed in silver flame. That I would bear the brunt of the loop. I have held all their pain. It is my duty. I will protect my sons. My wife. I know now what Thoth is. That is what he calls himself. He is a Fallen Urraden. My wife is not. Her line remains dormant. To await the Day of Reckoning.—Varn Ayeer

The words upon the Amber read, “By each act, we create the future. House Odessen shall be caretakers to the Throne. Guard it well. Watch for the return of my Heirs.”—Internal House Advisory Report, (UEF records)

Z’tar Urraden wasn’t just a distant relative. He was the direct brother to my great-grandmother. She didn’t know it at the time. Thinking she was just a 3rd House castoff. Records showed that she was from House Ithar, the keepers of Typherian Lore in many Universes. That was the cover. How did she come to Typha? That was another story. One that my dormant blood awakened within me.—Sleeping In Starlight: Arcane Insights Into Convergence (Vol 1)

Temple of the Three

Typha (United Earth Universe)

1000 Years Ago

Varn Ayeer rose.

The stone walls around him dripped with running water. It usually soothed his soul but today was different. The Three golden circles etched upon the floor followed his every step. He shouted, “Is that all!? I don’t believe it!” A voice called out to him, >> What is hidden will remain so until the time of Convergence.<<

He pulled his sword from its scabbard. The metal igniting to his call. The golden flame danced along the edges. A loud metallic clang echoed as a silver spearhead met his strike. The figure was taller. He was a solid six feet. His reddish-brown hair was cut short. His gray stormy eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” The silver cloaked figure pulled its hood back.

Eyes much like his own, mid-ringed with gold, stared at him. Trusting. The woman’s blood sang with his. She was his kin. Varn frowned, “I have no daughters.” She nodded, “Not yet. But you will.”

He noted her garb. White robes with silver chest plating. With a white and gold skirt? It wasn’t a dress. The silver, white and gold sash around her waist rippled. A Defender as well?

She smiled, “It's Egyptian.” Her brown hair was peppered with gray. Middle-aged. Most Typherians lived to 1000 years. Had medical tech improved so much within other sectors already?! He asked, “How is it you wear that which is blessed by the Highest?”

She replied, “Because of who and what I am. Walk with me Ithar’un?”

Varn’s sharp glance narrowed, “As long as you explain how you know that honorific.”

He reached out. His palm brushed the edge of the white pole.

The words flowed into his mind, “You will walk within the Shadows to keep them safe. Your soul will be as the sun to them.”

He bowed his head, “I had hoped the visions would prove….”

She said, “I know. But that is why I am here. For their souls to remain. Untouched by the time loop, you must remain aware. Await my arrival. Not as I am now.”

Varn’s expression soured, “Ah. Temporal rites. I never really understood all of the….nevermind. Just tell me what to do.” She reached out, taking his hand. Embued the ring on his finger with a particular set of notes. It was amazing that Noah had reached all the proper places. The Arcane Order had expanded beyond time and space. For its purpose was divine.

“My name is R'ylaris Ayeer. But I will greet you with another name.”

*****

He watched his wife and children sleep. Then examined his Order ring. Each was forged with the metals of their respective homeworlds. Blended with the wearer’s blood and tears. As a warning and oath. One he would never forget.

Across the sea of time.

So goes the Wanderers. To rebuild for the Time of Convergence.

The Shattering flows through all yet the Threads of Life Remain.

The Future follows.

His infant son and his boy would remain enclosed within its power. Not realizing the evils about to visit them. His wife would have to endure long enough to send their other son through the Light Network. Then her soul would be safe within as well. He would endure. As the Wall endured. As all Ayeer men would endure protecting their family. He was a Priest of the Order. He didn’t have any Light Sage rites. No, that was left with those who allied with C’alain so long ago. The multiverse held many secrets. His thumb hit the holo display. His wife’s Union dress was a mix of Ithar colors. The reality tore at his heart.

The Urraden hadn’t fallen. Not initially.

They had been tricked. Deceived into power.

A poisonous apple.

With the black worm of Unity at its heart.

The Ayeer’s crime? They had seen the danger.

He buried his head in his hands. The true history of Typha clawed at his mind.

C’alain preserve us. Forgive us. He didn’t know if he had the strength to forgive himself. It was in the hands of the Creator on High. He went to the crib. Placed the paper upon the baby boy’s chest. The body stilled as the soul flowed into the ring. He went to his son’s room next. Repeated the process. Their bodies would react the way the fallen one would desire. The demon in Typherian form. That was all that was left of House Urraden.

Except for his wife. Her blood hid the true message of that lost House.

Along with the one known as Eliza Murphy. Two Lines. One fate.

She would cleanse the sin of the Typherian people.

He stumbled against the wall. His fists clenched. “No. The sin of our Houses. The human Ascended had protected their charges. Ours did not. “ A white paw stalled him. He glanced down. The purple jewel glittered in the dark. The Icath had come. The final messenger before the endless Loop.

The Jupiter Rising

Officer’s Briefing Room

Present Day

I paced back and forth, “What do you mean we can’t go?!”

The antlered crown upon my head flared briefly. Then phased back into my flesh. Eliza Odessen frowned. Her eyes darted to the top of my head then back to my face. Her tone clipped, “The barrier around the Ayeer compound changed. Time has stopped completely. The Loop is only present in Varn.”

Mary frowned then held up her hand. The Order ring glinted under the ship lights.

She forced my Odessen counterpart to slam her fist down on the table within her holo feed, “Yes. ORDER mandates.”

Mary pulled on my arm. “Eliza, we will save them. But a bigger threat is coming.”

V’alkor’s jaw clenched, “Chronos. Whatever machinations Nyx alluded to.”

Doc shocked everyone by saying, “No. Use part of the truth. Arcane Order mandates passed down from ourselves to ourselves.”

I spun around at that. Everyone else stilled. I pulled on my right earlobe. Grimaced then sat down in the chair offered. I remembered that moment on Avalon. With my message in a bottle. I had done it already. Will do it. Without fail. No hesitation. The resolution was burned into my soul. To save everyone we’d have to have Varn endure longer. I leaned back. Crossed my arms, “So where to next?”

Doc cleared her throat, “The Eternal Empire. We need to jumpstart Noah’s Ark. That’s where the tablets are housed. We get that before Unity can find it.” I drummed my fingers on the table.

“Chronos’ arrival is a distraction?”

Dad nodded, “Yes. We will need you and Dexter to hold down the fort.”

The look on mom’s face said it all. “Who else is going in beside you and mom then?”

Arthon raised his head, “I will. Eddie too.”

I watched as a holo materialized. My eyes bulged, “Woah.”

Eddie’s double within that universe was known as the Viper. With Arthon listed as the Dominator of Athalas. I muttered, “An evil At’lan?!”

Our At’lan used Jupiter’s coms to comment, <>

Horus and Comet floated in. Their spheres changed to a dark brown. Egyptian scrawl outlined in silver crisscrossed everywhere. <>

I rose. “So once you find Noah’s Ark, what happens next? Play keep away?”

Doc replied, “We integrate it with Eden’s systems. The Arkways.”

I nodded slowly, “Then Convergence?”

Doc clasped her hands before her to hide the shaking. I could see it through the table though. Sometimes I forgot about my regular demi powers. Considering the potent mix I had running through my system.

Hi’ulk whispered, >>We will not always be here. Our purpose aligns with yours to a point.<<

He didn’t mean it as a threat. They really did have a higher purpose. One that would be let loose during Convergence. White coiled about me. Her question hung within the quiet of the room, “That is why the spear shields are up around Eden. Not even Noah’s Ark can breach them so how will you get home?”

Mary rose. “That is my part.”

Lorain’s knuckles whitened. I moved to stand behind her chair.

Mary Herbert-Lanis pinched the bridge of her nose, “We will make this work. We were always meant to take this on.”

Mom asked, “What can we bring?”

Mary waved and another holo appeared, “This ship has everything we need.”

It was in the shape of a dagger. The wings were built to pull into the hull. Its golden tan exterior was marked with Eternal Empire coding. “Ned Fletcher works wonders.”

Dad grinned, “That he does. It's why he’s the most protected individual within Project Freefall. Along with his family.”

I brought up his file. They had renamed him. Codenamed Demi: Mr. H.

A note was highlighted.

///He finds the shortened form amusing. He often comments, “H can mean many things. I can heal my friends and deliver the hurt to those who would enslave us. As long as I can give my children a world worth living in? I don’t need anything fancier. Bet those Unity poxed Houses would have kittens if they knew just how much Doc and J’ino sent our way.///

Momma had a devious smirk on her face.

I said, “So that’s why you had me attend all those boring Scion meetings.”

I shuddered. The sheer level of entitlement in many of those women had been suffocating. E’ratha had been in her element there. While most major Houses had been filled with decent people? E’ratha and her cronies had wormed their way to the top. The woman had a stranglehold on social mediums within that societal strata. They knew it and abused it. Just like what Set wanted. Diminishing the men around them to DNA donations. It had disheartening to see just how many House Primaries had phased from Typha that day. Well over 60% had just vanished alongside E’ratha. The corruption had eaten away at the core. Mirroring the status of the planet.

A hallowed tomb filled with Living Stone dragons.

Doc reached out to grip my hands. I shot her a grateful smile.

“I know. Woolgathering about the E’rathas won’t fix the problem.”

Mom said, “We will rebuild Typha into a world worthy of the Commons.”

We limited Family Line mental use to the bare minimum. Fearing that J’anu would find a way into our most private conversations. I asked, “So when do you all have to leave?”

Mary replied, “After Chronos attempts to breach Eden’s shields. When does that happen? We will slip by and merge with the Eternal Empire elements. They will wish to join Chronos in the plunder.”

I thumped my chest, “Dexter and I will make it look good.”

My brother’s eyes locked onto mine, “I'll do more than that.” His face rippled. Black’s aura merged with his. His was the realm of battle. I flexed my left hand. Darva’s black scales rose with the motion.

Dexter said, “Don’t hold back. Chronos will know if we do.”

We had to make the Director of the Keepers believe Eden could be vulnerable.

Timat said, >>The fog of war.<<

It is vulnerable. It takes great joy in mimicking all of Creation.

It was that voice.

Golden hands rose through the table. No one else reacted. The Titans greeted the form as a beloved friend. Those hands rose to cover my eyes.

See the path. You will let Chronos gain a foothold. The world of Olaru Xana.

It was a primordial star system. With vital metals. Three suns. One blue, one white, and the other a giant red dwarf. Volcanic systems spewed debris into the black void around the fledgling planet. Its gas giant was a bright blue. Shock flooded my body. Other planetary spheres floated within that gas giant. Flowing through the gas like fish within deep waters. Life dwelled within that giant. We had to protect them.

The voice warmed.

Yes. Chronos will see through the broken lens.

You will awaken to the Truth.

*****

Doc waited until Eliza’s breathing evened out.

Then slipped out of bed. The captain’s quarters listed local time as 0300. She shivered as she dressed. White pinged Lanis’ HUD, <>

Lanis nodded. Not trusting herself to speak.

She made her way to the guest quarters.

Her mother would need more information for their journey into enemy lands.

Lorain prayed, “Please let her believe me.”

Within the depths of the AOSV Whitehawk systems, she had found a partial record.

The imagines burned within her memory.

Her mother’s lifeless eyes stared up into the abyss. Her hands and arms nailed to the stone slab she was impaled upon while Ta’rammon's soldiers jeered.

The words “Soul Eater” were etched on her forehead.

Lorain would not lose her mother to the likes of Lilith.