by Paul Ormond
“We still have Mitch and SoHee,” Babcock said.
“But they are not here now,” Gaelin said. “Everything is up in the air, and we’re going to need a lot of things to go right if we want to keep our planet. Mitch and SoHee have their mission. We need to stick to ours.”
Before Gaelin could go on, a loud ping filled the room, and he brought up his panel.
“Ok, they’re here,” Gaelin said, scanning a message. “Ramon, open the bay doors.”
“On it,” Ramon said before he trotted across the warehouse floor and slammed a button next to a large rolling door.
A low rumble filled the darkened warehouse before a harsh stream of daylight forced the onlookers to cover their eyes. Streaking through the entrance, several cloaked forms came to a halt in front of Gaelin while Ramon hit the button and the door rolled shut.
As the brightness faded, the figures uncloaked themselves to reveal a half-dozen men and women dressed in black jumpsuits along with metallic face shields and aerodynamic goggles.
“Quite the gathering,” a man said, removing his helmet to push back a flop of hair hanging over a side cut. “If the fate of the world depends on this lot, then we are surely doomed.”
“That’s the spirit, Conrad,” Gaelin said while he embraced the man.
“You know he can’t help but make passive aggressive remarks,” a dark-skinned woman said, stepping forward. “It’s either that or he’s off mansplaining something.”
“I guess I need you to keep me in check, Sheila,” Conrad said, stepping away to let his companion greet Gaelin.
“So far this is shaping up like any other Cell meeting,” a shorter man with a large a belly and an overgrown beard said while rubbing his balding head. “No wonder none of us made it in society, a pack of over indulged narcissists.”
“I’m glad to see you made it, Paddy,” Ramon said, grabbing the man by the shoulder.
“I wouldn’t dream of missing the end of the world,” Paddy said before wrapping his arm around Ramon’s thick neck.
“Is that what we’re calling it?” an older woman with a thick accent said while tying back her graying hair. “And I thought we were trying to be optimistic.”
“Optimism never took hold with this bunch, Klovina,” a tall south Asian man said after pulling back his mask. “Nihilism seems more suiting.”
“We’re not nihilists, Amit,” a diminutive black woman said, stepping to his side. “Anarchists, that’s what we are.”
“I’d love to carry on this discussion,” Ramon said, cutting off his comrades. “But our political affiliations are the least of our concern at the moment. We are more than happy that all of you arrived here safely.”
“We made it, but we didn’t come here to be showered in accolades,” Paddy said. “Where is he? I want to see him with my own eyes.”
“He’s right there, but he had to be incapacitated for the journey,” Ramon said. “It appears that all that time in isolation has left him a little unsettled.”
“He was always a nut job,” Klovina said before she stepped toward the unconscious body of the Leader of the Cell. “But that was a part of his charm”
“Did he always throw his crap at everybody too?” Davis asked, wiping his eye.
“He wasn’t one to mince words, that’s for sure,” Amit said as he came to Ramon’s side.
“I mean actual crap,” Davis said. “He threw his poo at us when we rescued him.”
“Ok, that’s his instability shining through,” Conrad said, peering at the form. “Do you think we can wake him up?”
“I have been monitoring his vitals,” Christine said while she pulled up her panel. “He seems relatively stable. But I am detecting a great deal of stress-induced psychosis in the brief scan I was able to do.”
“I didn’t know we had a neurologist among our ranks,” Sheila said, looking Christine up and down.
“We do, and we have a lot to thank Christine for,” Ramon said. “Without her, we wouldn’t have accomplished any of this. She is a highly skilled neurosurgeon. I think you should listen to her.”
“I wasn’t arguing,” Sheila said. “I’m happy to have you on our side. But what can we do about our friend over there?”
“I have done a lot to stabilize his condition,” Christine said. “But his condition has been brought about by long-term trauma. There really is no way to tell how he will react if we wake him up.”
“But you can wake him up?” Amit asked.
“Of course, it is a simple process,” Christine said.
“What are we waiting for?” Amit said. “As far as I can tell, time is running short for this little ‘save the world plan’ of ours.”
“If everybody is in consensus, then we should move him to a safe place before we proceed,” Christine said, glancing around the room. “That sorting table will be fine.”
“This is what we came here for,” Klovina said. “Who is afraid of O’Dell Grimes, anyway?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“I DO HOPE you appreciate the urgency of this situation,” Mother said through the holographic screen on Commander Holrathu’s display.
“I’m appalled that you would consider this line of reasoning,” Holrathu said as he hovered in his chariot above the nearly completed structure sitting at the base of the cavern. “I have done everything in my power to keep this project on track. The planet has been secured without so much of a whimper for its inhabitants, and the mechanisms are fully operational. I do not see why you continue to doubt my efforts. Have I not served our cause to the fullest? I have dedicated my entire existence to serving the Emperor, but it is still not enough for you.”
“The Multi-verse does not care how hard one tries. It is indifferent to our success, that is why we must be ever vigilant and respond, in earnest, to even the slightest crack in the foundation of our plans, or chaos will come seeping in.” Mother said while flashes of light burst behind her. “As we speak, the Emperor and Empress are preparing themselves for their journey to Earth. This is an incredibly dangerous time, therefore I am being doubly cautious. Please excuse me if I sound like I am doubting you. Even the slightest mistake could cost us everything we have worked for and fought for.”
“I understand the stakes, and I will not let anything interfere with the process.”
“I hear these words coming out of your mouth, and they sound familiar. I seem to recall you saying similar phrases in the past and look what happened.”
“You’re doing it again. I am well aware of my failures and shortcomings, so there is no reason for you to continue rubbing them in my face. I’m growing a little tired of being your whipping boy whenever something goes wrong. But if we are going down this route, why is that I am always at fault? This entire time I have been following your orders. I do believe some blame falls on your shoulders. Yes, it is true, I have not been able to rid the Multi-verse of Mitch Mythic and his cohorts, but you have not been able to either.”
“That is a fair point.”
“I’m astonished that you agree with me.”
“I am astonished that you felt I was incapable of such a task. Mitch Mythic has been a bane in our side for long enough. It is one of the many issues we must address in order to see this project to fruition, and this is why we must trust in the Emperor’s devoted followers to aid in this venture. KiGuan is currently tracking down our fugitives. I’m sure you are aware of the incident on Thylocene.”
“Word travels fast in the Multi-verse, and once again my mistake has come back to haunt me.”
“Kalis escaping our grasp is not your fault. No one could have anticipated Mitch Mythic setting our tributes free. For this we have the forces of chaos to blame. We are now fighting battles on multiple fronts. The uprising on Chalthantar refuses to be put out, and now the people of Thylocene believe they can take up arms against the will of the Emperor.”
“None of this is new. We have dealt with peasants uprisings in the past and we will deal with them a
gain in the future.”
“That is correct, but we must be cautious. We cannot afford to spread our forces too thin. Fighting a war on multiple fronts will be too costly at this point. It is much more important that we secure Earth for the Emperor and Empress before we deal with our other problems.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I have done everything I can to ensure we will have a safe transcendence.”
“I hope that you are correct. This entire operation hinges on the work you have done. Even the slightest miscalculation could be disastrous.”
“The mechanisms have been constructed and installed to your exact specifications, and our finest engineers oversaw every detail. If the plans you devised are correct, then we shouldn’t have any problems.”
“It appears to me that you are attempting to shift any future blame onto me as some type of insurance policy.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. I am merely pointing out the fact that we followed our orders.”
“And your orders were to build our divine leaders’ thrones. It is no small feat what we are doing. To bring the Emperor and Empress into their true forms is an act unheard of in the multi-verse.”
“I am honored to participate in this process, and I look forward to bowing at the Emperor’s feet, knowing that I was allowed to be present at his birth.”
“As we speak, the transference process is taking place. Behind me, the energy is channeling out of the hold and gathering before the Emperor and Empress. Once we have reached the desired level, I will open the portal. The mass of the opening will draw our glorious leaders into the passageway, marking the beginning of their journey.”
“We are yet to receive a signal on our end, but the channel is open and ready.”
“It will take some time to form the portal, therefore you should take this pause to recheck your work. We cannot have any disturbances during the process. Once the portal is ready to receive the Emperor, a signal will be sent to your position. Upon receiving my instructions, you will initiate the transfer.”
“We have drilled the procedure dozens of times. Our soldiers know their roles and they are prepared to fulfill their duty to the Emperor.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, but perhaps you should continue to practice while you have the time. We will only get one chance, so we cannot afford to have anything go wrong. I am also still concerned about the security of the planet. How certain are you that the population has been contained?”
“We have taken every possible measure to subdue the masses. Fortunately, the primitive inhabitants of Earth are easily manipulated. Using a simple deception, we have convinced the planet that they are under threat of attack from an outside force. In fear for their lives, they have surrendered themselves to their governments whom we have supplied with equipment to corral their populations.”
“These measures may have been adequate for quelling the masses, but I fear this will not be enough considering the gravity of the situation. I believe it is time we elevate our security measures and instigate a more invasive approach.”
“Is it wise to expose ourselves at this point? We may attract more attention with this approach.”
“That may be the case, but we cannot sacrifice security for secrecy. Soon the face of the Emperor will be known to all the inhabitants of the network, Earthlings included. What better time than the present to show them who is in control?”
“If that is your wish, then I will see it done. While I initiate these new security measures, we will double check our preparations for the Emperor’s arrival. We await your word. For the Emperor,” Commander Holrathu said, bowing before the holographic image of Mother.
“The Emperor is indebted to you. Your tireless service is appreciated in more ways than you can know,” Mother said before she ended the transmission.
Turning to face bright spire, she stepped to KiGuan’s side while he watched the energy flow by from an observation deck above the abyss.
“That bloated fool would lose his head if it weren’t sealed to his armor,” Mother said. “To witness the Emperor’s will come into fruition is a blessing indeed. But our work is far from done. And you have a task to complete that will determine the outcome of this great endeavor. I’m sure you’ve heard that your old nemesis, Mitch Mythic, has resurfaced.”
“I have indeed,” KiGuan said, watching the energy pass by. “I am surprised you haven’t dispatched me already. We must give chase before the trail runs cold.”
“That would be necessary if we didn’t know where he and the Goddess are headed, but instead of rushing off I took the time to pinpoint their destination.”
“If you know where they are headed, then what are we waiting for? I’ll have my troops prepared and we can leave immediately.”
“Oh KiGuan, if only everyone had a heart as pure as yours, as pure as yours. But now is not the time to rush. We must be certain of every move we make at this juncture, or we risk losing everything. My insight has allowed me to calculate our enemy's next move, although how you intercept them is another matter entirely. Learning from our mistakes, we must not underestimate these foes, for they have proven on a number of occasions that they are more than capable of doing a great deal of damage. With this in mind, I have prepared several devices that will aid you in containing their powers should they resist being apprehended.”
“What kind of devices?”
“Devices capable of mitigating their powers. As much as it pains me to admit, we must accept two truths. They possess great powers and they will not submit to the Emperor’s rule. Therefore, they must be destroyed. But in order to eliminate them, we must subdue their powers. The devices I have developed will do just that,” Mother said while a hatch opened on the bottom of her chamber and a metallic limb dropped down before extending toward KiGuan with two dagger like instruments on a flat tray. “These instruments are designed to eliminate the flow of energy into any system. Take the Daggers of Destiny and remove these bad actors from play.”
“The Daggers of Destiny? Who came up with this name?”
“You don’t like it? I thought it had a nice ring to it.”
“I’m sorry but it sounds a little childish,” KiGuan said, taking the instruments and placing them into two holsters on his hip. “But if they will take away their powers, I will use the daggers of destiny to rid the multi-verse of Mitch Mythic and his precious Goddess.”
“I fail to see how it is childish, but their names are irrelevant. What matters is that the lovely couple does not interfere with our plans. As we speak, they travel to a location they believe will show them how to halt our progress. You must go there and stop them before they wreak havoc on the network.”
“Where is this system you speak of?”
“It is not a system at all. Deep within the network, the architects created a domain designed to interact with the very structure of the network and the systems it connects. It is believed that these locations lead to the center of the network, but that is yet to be verified.”
“I must apologize in advance if you take any offense. I just find it a little shocking that you have just admitted ignorance.”
“KiGuan, I am the one that must apologize. For I have convinced you that I know all and see all, but, unfortunately that is not the case. Although I have the ability to penetrate the veil of the network, the multi-verse boasts an infinite number of mysteries that I have yet to solve. Even the Emperor is unaware of the minute workings of this vast and endless extent we occupy. The journey you are about to embark upon will take you to the deep reaches of the multi-verse where even my powers of perception are lost. But there you must go. Using her powers, the Goddess will attempt to cross the void and enter the domain of the architects. If she is successful, it is possible she could disrupt the transference process and destroy the Emperor and Empress.”
“I will do everything I can to stop them. Nothing will interfere with my father’s transcendence, especially not Mitch Mythic. It will be my greatest pleasur
e to end his life.”
“You must be cautious, KiGuan. They are incredibly powerful, and chaos is on their side. Be absolutely certain you have the advantage before you strike.”
“I will not be deceived by his treachery. Mitch Mythic and his arrogant Goddess will learn soon enough what it means to resist the will of my father.”
“Then it is decided. Take three of the Emperor’s divisions and muster at the main portal. I will ready the passage way and await your arrival.”
“For the Emperor,” KiGuan said while he bowed low before turning on his heel and exiting through a darkened passage.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
TEAMING WITH PLAYERS in all manner of dress, a festive attitude hung in the air as members of the guild of Mythic poured in through a network of entrances.
Sage and his companions stood at a railing opposite the main entrance puzzling over what to do before a loud gong echoed through the cavern silencing the crowd.
Beams of light shot out of the stars embedded in the four enormous pillars and connected with the disc hanging from above, repeating the process Sage and his friends had initiated to defeat the dragon only a few days before.
Filled with crackling energy, a bright column of light shot out of the glowing disc and connected with shielded statue. Shrieks and howls filled the cavern while the crowd was driven back by the energy pouring out of the disc.
As the beam stabilized, the apparition of a large head materialized above the statue. After a few glitches and sputters, the face of Mitch Mythic looked out at the crowd of onlookers and smiled.
“Greetings fellow Guild members,” Mitch said before he was met by a raucous cheer. “It is a great pleasure to look out upon your beaming faces and find hope staring back at me. For this is what the Guild of Mythic represents: the hope of the human race.”
