The Uplift Protocol: In the Beginning

Issue 7: Of Arbiters and Ferrets

Yes! It is lovely exploring the Jupiter Rising. So many friends are here. Even ones that do not remember their Shard!—Henshin

There is something about that newest Bardaxian. Not a Defender but this Henshin is one clever Shiba Inu. A deep tan and white color. Eyes that have seen much.— Natet (Ship’s Cook.)

To say my life was complicated was an understatement. We go forward. We go back. All the mysteries of Life were revealed to me for but an instant. As I resumed my mortal coil, that awareness faded. It is not meant for us.—Sleeping in Starlight: Paths of the Dead.

The Jupiter Rising

In Route to Litari Homeworld

May 2nd, 2116

Henshin raised his head from the observation deck overlooking the captain’s cockpit. Jupiter lowkey added dormant Arcane INet protocols to Eliza’s HUD. They wouldn’t have to keep her in the dark forever. Just let things slide into place at required intervals. He prayed that Brother Augustus would find the last remaining piece to the Crystal Coffin puzzle. Many would confuse its purpose but not the Arcane Order. The Bardaxians had managed to hide away a particular element from the Shattering.

Hiding it within the Eternal Empire had been risky but like with most things? Required.

Henshin scampered over to Eliza, >>Where to now Captain?<<

Eliza responded, “The Litari Homeworld. Reports of malformed creatures have me worried that more of Nyx’s surprises are surfacing.”

Lorain’s voice came over the coms, “ETA 2 hrs. I'll get the hazard gear ready. If it's Void Walker work? We are going to need more holy hand grenades.”

*****

For this adventure, it was just me, Doc, Cooper, and Henshin. I brought up the Shiba’s profiles. The official one from Bardax and the one that Lorain had me study at length. He had aspects of Dreamweaver. Not to the level of Nola but enough to keep us out of Hideous Depth level trouble. The Dreaming layer and Weave Layer were not yet safe for normal travel. At least this close to the heart of the Litari Federation. Doc frowned, “Mala has requested to stay aboard the Jupiter Rising. She doesn’t want her people to know she’s here.”

I replied, “Sure thing. Considering what happened last time she was home….”

She was the Litari Matriach that became another member of my crew. At this point, it was a small city aboard the Jupiter. We could hold over 40,000 people nowadays. With all the upgrades that the Alliance put in.

Henshin’s Rites of Light snapped into place. A white scrawl that outshone the sun for a few breaths. A Light Sage of formidable strength. Natet let out a chat, “By the Faith of the User, we pray to the Three, guide my friends through fire and ash. To reclaim the ancient places.”

Lorain pulled off her Terran Alliance flight jacket. I watched as her demi uniform popped into place. I smiled, “Time for the Banner to make a comeback as well.” I did that spin she adored so much and we were off to the airlock.

The first thing to hit my nose was the sickness.

The landing pad was a ghost town. INet alerts cascaded across my vision.

///City Almatu’lk in a state of lockdown. All Primary Defense parties notified. Defender Corp notified….///

Pale yellow emergency lights flickered on. An AI proclaimed, “Error. Biological Update Corrupted. Error….”

Doc’s hazard gear snapped into place over everyone. A Litari warrior reached out, “Not in…tunnel.” I summoned shielding to buffet his fall. It crackled as it removed the black scrawl from the Litari’s shadow form. I keenly felt White’s absence. She was still within that realm that was hidden from me. The same one that Henshin came from. The Shiba barked, <>

Twin swords manifested on his back.

A lute as well. He sang, breaking through the Dreaming barrier. Two putrid tenticles lashed out. Faster than I could follow. They dragged me into the depths as Lorain screamed, “Star!”

My gorge rose. The acid tang nipped at the back of my throat.

Ghostly voices muttered, “We welcome you. Blood of the Shard.”

A child’s voice keened, “Momma?”

*****

Pandora plucked at the threads. Excellent.

White no longer protected this Eliza Murphy. She hissed as the holy energies of Murphy’s spear sparked against the corroded birth canal. How could one escape the love of a mother? The fleshy walls pulsated. “Eat well. Take the gift of Nyx from the Slumbering One. Feed it to me. My dear Mothers of Chains.”

Feminine voices wailed. A wet plop near Pandora’s foot made her glance down. A shriveled corpse of the still-born Litari. More material for the Children to feast upon. The Night of Eternal Sound would consume the planet. A faint hoot made her glance upward. Two White Owls stared back at her. Their black eyes expanding. Black Scrawl flowed from their bodies. Feeding her. The female raised one clawed foot, <>

Pandora screamed as the walls closed in. Cutting her corrupted shard from her body.

Her former Litari body melted. The fingers at first. Then the skin. Until finally her flesh melded with the greater mass coiled around her.

The male hopped to the damp ample ground. Plucking the torrid green shard from its prison. He swallowed it. His black beak snapped. Delighted by the sustenance. Pandora had been a lesser demon among greater predators. Such was her fate.

The Highest thought itself clever. Unity had its Soul Shard states. It was easy enough to fabricate. The Owls took on their true forms. Their demonic skulls warped. Great pale horns burst forth as their pale liquid eyes lingered on the remains. The female cackled. “Such a good brood mother.”

They listened to the lamentation of the damned and rejoiced.

A thin red trail marked their passage from the Litari homeworld.

*****

A woman’s wail of despair clawed at my mind.

Pandora.

My fingers curled around my spear. This place was a broken mirror. A tiny fist closed around my red utility belt. A litari in its natural state. To most, they appeared to be living shadows. But within the confines of their homeworld, their bodies were slender. Nearly stick-like. The boy’s glowing orange eyes clung to my face. “It hasn’t eaten them yet. It ate the ancient one. The birds with black pits for eyes.”

I reached out and pulled him up to my neck. “I’m gonna need both hands.”

He nodded, his eyes lingered on my triple-headed spear. “They had horns. Red flowed from the markings.” I filled that away for later. The boy buried his face into my gleaming gold pauldron. His thin lips moved, “Creator help us. Protect us. Light the Path. Forgive us.”

He kept repeating the mantra. I added my own.

“O’Lord grant me thy divine protection in all the dark places I must walk….”

My spear beat in time with my heart. A low smooth sound. More hands reached out. Not the grasping of evil but those trapped within the nightmare. Men, women, children. I realized it was the population of not just the city. All of the Litari upon the surface of the planet were calling out in supplication. Voices joined mine in prayer. I heard a shout go up.

Henshin’s Lute burst through the wall.

The notes were a golden light that pierced the void.

He howled, <>

My voice grew, “I fear no evil for you are with me.” The flesh burned. Litari warriors stamped their feet in time with Henshin’s Lute. As the twin blades tore through the darkness.

The prayers awoke a distant memory within me, “I am the Shield. That which provides the Flame. The Earth shall move. The Throne shall shine with the Light of Creation.” We entered the heart of the void. A multi-headed hydra howled, “This is my womb. I will birth the ones of Pain! Pride, GLORY TO THE UNITY! Its song echoes across your skin Slumbering One. You shall die upon a Throne of Bone. Soul forfeit to the greater Power.”

I readied my spear, “Not today.”

Henshin took the boy from me and I launched myself at the enemy.

A ripple of white, blue, and silver light flowed across the weapon.

“The Wall Endures!”

Black Scrawl snapped against my skin. I gritted my teeth as bits of my gloves faded away. Boils rose. I didn’t care. The pain didn’t matter. Life mattered. The hydra’s heads came snapping down. Their maws smacking against the silver shielding of the spear’s power. A glimmering red shard pulsed. I reached for it with my left hand.

Darva’s maw rose. Consuming it utterly.

The Dreaming cracked and shattered around us.

A pale silver glow emerged from the receding darkness.

Oloss was free.

A crimson eye wreathed in black jewels glared down at us. Then it faded. An image of obsidian cliffs greeted me. At the top? A white bone throne gleamed. Covered in blood. I clutched my head and fell into darkness.

Thoth’s crimson eyes mocked me.

A black horned knife hilt protruded from my chest.

“Hello, Niece.”

*****

Henshin curled on Eliza’s chest.

Chanting until his voice cracked. Still, he sang onward. Cooper circled her head. Rested a paw above her heart. Doc’s healing waves rippled through the planet. The Litari boy scrambled over the hard rock. They were near the western sea. He breathed into his palms. Then placed them next to Eliza’s nostrils. He repeated the process. Others joined him.

The Breath of Life.

Murphy had done the impossible. She had freed them. Yet no Matriarchs remained. They would die. But they would not go alone. They would repent. A soft rain fell from the sky. Leaving glimmers of purple and gold. It hid the tears of the remaining Litari. There would be no more Dreamers. No soul singers to guide them through the Path. Then a voice sounded from the depths of the ocean. An unmarked Litari Matriarch surfaced. Bringing life to the barren rock. Mala floated over the comatose Eliza Murphy. Then her shadow skin receeded. Revealing the holy marks of the Blessed.

Unblemished by the corruption of Unity.

<>

She breathed into her hands. Then placed them against Eliza’s nostrils.

*****

I sucked in a breath. Higher awareness faded.

What had I beheld? All I could remember was the baleful gaze of Thoth. Two wicked claw weapons poised at my throat. Mala’s golden eyes and shadowed form curled around me. <>

Hands pulled me up. Carrying me across a sea of stars.

The Dreaming of the Litari was restored.

Mala dived back into the oceans of Oloss.

New heartbeats cascaded against my eardrums.

I cracked open one eye. A rather curious sight faced me. A corgi-sized ferret chittered delightedly. “Yes! We have an accord. Centurion Henshin at your service!” He bowed. I reached under his chin. He preened.

“Much thanks for the delight of greeting! As good as a family we are!”

Another alert hit my HUD.

///Welcome to Arcane Order INet. While military matters are not accessible at this time we have prepared a primer. One you might find useful.///

The file was in my handwriting.

Oh boy.

I managed to croak out, “Doc?” Her hands pressed against the sides of my temples.

She responded, “No, you aren’t dreaming Cornfed.”

I smiled, “2 to 1 I confuse myself more!”

She tsked me. “Now that’s not fair. You know you’ll lose that bet!”