Chapter 3: Psycho Surgery

The Apparition felt quite crowded. While she was designated a destroyer. and had been designed from the ground up to accommodate most Union members up to BaPhy II, she was not meant to accommodate a crowd of Petharian and Y’All volunteers.

Xon, the Gray Nul prince, himself member of a species of considerable physical presence sat behind the Communications station. “I never dreamt of being part of a crew, that makes me feel small.”

“What are you complaining about?” Ensign Salhof, one of the Mini Terrans asked. Even without an active cloak, him being just a tad over ten centimeters tall appeared almost invisible on the small bridge. He was sitting right on the tactical console, rather than behind it.

Har-Hi, my XO standing with crossed arms next to me, gave me a glance from the side. “I think it is a good thing, being small and all, Mr.Salhof. The bigger you are the more you stick out, and I know a certain Neo Viking that attacks pretty much anything larger than her.”

Hans, my Security chief and after Dusty, physically the largest of our crew standing behind me, manning the security console used his enormous fingers. “Y’All, Xandrao, Togar, Shiss, Stompers, fiery demons just for starters.”

I made myself sound insulted. “I am a delicate person and you all make me sound like...”

Narth interrupted me. “ ... some sort of brutish barbarian perhaps?”

“Guys, I am your captain, we are in a serious situation. On our way to examine a hostile spaceship filled with unknowns way beyond our technological abilities. I expect you to be a tad more serious!”

“And where do you come from? Didn’t I see you in the engine room with a cloud of parts?”

“I decided to be part of this mission. You did not order me to do anything specific. Circuit did not need me.”

“Well in that case, if Circuit says so.”

Narth sounded very Narth like and very serious. “How does one quantify a ‘tad’?”

Of all beings present on the crowded bridge, it was TheOther who raised his upper right arm. “A tad is a small indefinite amount or a small indefinite quantity, meaning it is an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude. Linguistic scholars believe it probably originated from a Terran language called English.”

The deadpan delivery of this information made me groan. “Odin help! Now we got a Y’All nerd. How in Loki’s name would you know something like that?”

“I am attending a GalNet Bible class. One element is Ancient Terran language studies.”

Narth declined his head towards the Y’All. “One appreciates this definition. Not that the very concept of indefinite makes sense to the Narth.”

Har-Hi chuckled. “I remember that Bible thing from Stahl’s wedding. It had a lot of funny stories if I recall.”

Mao laughing. “Narth scared the living daylights out of a guy called the Pope.”

I interrupted the banter. “Enough now, guys. Focus! We should be getting close.”

My tactical officer instantly switched to professional behavior. “Aye Captain. We are approaching the 3 light-year mark in two minutes.”

Shaka had remained aboard the Tigershark, as he had developed quite the engineering skills. First demonstrated some time back when we were stuck on Quagmire’s Bog. Now he was assisting Circuit restoring the damaged systems, but Krabbel was not only the best navigator in my opinion but also an excellent Helmsman.

My Archa friend, operating helm and navigation held up one of his legs in a clear, but most likely unconscious attempt to emulate his friend Shaka. “Dropping at your requested distance, now.”

Tyron supplemented the Apparition’s scanner and sensor data with its own and transmitted it as visually interpreted information right into my retina. To me, the effect was an easy to digest overlay overt the visual image.

The remaining aft section of the huge thing was still there. The passive scanner data I received highlighted hundreds of energy sources.

Narth, acting as the science officer reported. “There are multiple sources of repair activities. It does not appear to be consistent with the replicative activity observed with Seenian equipment.”

I acknowledged and said. “Thank the gods for that.” I shifted a little in my seat and said. “No sense of delaying it. Krabbel get us close and approach that thing.”

--””--

Lord Lumis should have felt proud and invincible in his new shiny white armor, armed with a new sword as he passed through the rift that connected Crea’s Upper realm with the Citadel of Light.

However, recent events had changed his outlook on things forever.

To Crea, to the universe, he was the old arrogant Lord Lumis, the invincible champion of the Spirit of Creation herself. Chosen above all that ever lived, bestowed with powers of cosmic magnitude, he was the one to banish and defeat the vilest and truly evil entity, the incarnation of darkness.

He was so confident and assured in his power and position when he met his adversary the first time.

Lord Lumis was at the peak of power, nothing in creation his equal. His opponent, still trapped in a weak, mortal body of a human female, the Dark One not even fully resurrected. He, the Lord of Light should have been victorious. Yet, before he could even complete that attack, he was swatted aside with such unrivaled power, that shattered unbreakable bones, tore impenetrable skin and drained his life-force. Yet his opponent lashed out with a tiny fraction, with no more effort than a fleeting afterthought.

Crea assured him that he now was equal in might to herself. That the new armor was a representation of that might and the new sword, a weapon without equal.

While he acted as if he believed her, he sensed Crea’s fear. She knew the time of reckoning was soon at hand. Openly she proclaimed the new sword to have no equal, yet she urged him to find the WEAPON, an object used to strike against the Dark One and cause his defeat.

He had partnered with a Netherworld Lord, but Ciferus had abandoned him.

Now he had once more returned to the Prime Universe, the core reality of all the Omni-Verse. It was here the streams of time and space moved unstoppable towards that ultimate confrontation. It was here where he would have to face the fully restored and resurrected entity known as the Dark One.

Crea invested all of her essence and supernatural being in Lord Lumis and his success finding that obscure object, the WEAPON. This was her last hope to escape her destiny, and his destiny was tied to hers with unbreakable bonds.

Lumis gave his cape a sweeping motion before he sat on his throne, known as the Seat of the Righteous.

Of the twelve stalwart Paladins of Light, only nine had gathered at the bottom of the golden steps. Gariel the mightiest of all, killed by Luc. Miracel, now exiled for all eternity in a desolate Netherworld realm. Zophim dead, slain by what the Urd claimed was a mortal warrior.

Uritel, one of the first Lumis had chosen and elevated knelt and spread his arms. “Champion of Light, you returned to the Citadel. Your summon has reached us, but Miracel has not answered your call. None of us can sense him.”

Lumis made a dismissing gesture. “I know of Miracel and his fate. He will be rewarded and return to us once we defeated Darkness.”

“Our numbers dwindle, Champion of Light, our resolve to be defenders of the Realm of light has not. Speak then, dispel the rumors that you, Lord Lumis thou hast allied thyself with foul Ciferus.”

“I am allied to Crea alone. I did meet with Ciferus and by the decree of the Seven Circles that govern the conditions at Avondur, I did not confront him.”

Another if his Knights, stepped next to Urtiel. Lumis recognized Serael of course.

The tall Knight holding his helmet under his right arm, exposing his blonde hair said with unveiled accusation. “Another rumor speaks of you casting lots with that abomination known as the Necro King.”

Before Lumis could answer, another knight chastised Serael. “Silence your doubts, Serael. It is I, Haramael who has just returned from the Necro King’s stronghold. This death worshiping insult to life has been utterly destroyed, and so have all his followers. That necropolis is utterly destroyed. No doubt the work of our beloved master.”

Lumis nodded. “Of course, it was I, who else could destroy in such a manner?” Then he quickly changed the subject.

“I have traveled and must confirm the Dark One has found his vessel. It was revealed to me that a WEAPON exists, able to slay this most foul of all entities. Crea herself predicted it to be found on Avondur.”

Uritel was now certain their master was either a great fool or a liar. “I have stayed silent and considered all the possibilities. I have knelt before you and hoped you would speak to us truthful as it is the hallmark of Light. Deception is the realm of Netherworld dwellers.

I ask you here within the walls of our Citadel and before the ones pledged to the Champion of Light. Lord Lumis, speak the truth and all of it. Do not think of me, of us as fools.

If you believe what you say, you are not a worthy Champion of Light. If you speak to deceive us, then I shall no longer be thy knight.”

Lumis was completely taken by surprise. “How dare you question me? Do you not see what Crea has bestowed upon me?”

“That the Dark One has found its vessel was established and confirmed when we spoke to you the last time. It was established and confirmed that the Dark One has found and gathered eight tokens. It was you who traveled with Ciferus. Balkus proclaimed it. The Sentinel of the Rifts saw it and Geoan confirmed it. You have been seen with the Netherworld lord on N’Ger.

But you fell for Haramael’s rouse. “It was not you who destroyed the Necro King and slew all the servants.”

First, he wanted to lash out and punish them all, he did have the power to do so, but after facing the enemy he was destined to fight, he had changed.

Instead of striking Uritel he sank into his throne.

“It is true. The mistress, the goddess of all creation has not prepared me for what I am facing. I was already striking, what is to become the Dark One, and I was swiped away. Not with a weapon, not even conscious, just a thought. Knights, I have no way to explain what I felt. It was true and unbridled power. It was universal, cosmic and ultimate. It was such anger, an anger expressed in Dark Flames ready to consume reality and all that is the Metaverse.” He sighed deeply and with open fear and resignation. “Yet it was not a force of chaos, oh no! It was controlled by the consciousness of a God.”

Uritel slowly nodded. “Now you see the truth, Lord Lumis. It is an eternal truth. What begins, must end. What lives, must die. It is the dream of Light to vanquish darkness and death forever. It is a cosmic rule that can be broken and newly defined my lord.

The one that was called the Emperor has taken possession of the prophecy. The Seven Circles say he is a contender to the power and essence of the Dark One. The Prophecy speaks of the Weapon and we think it knows how it can be found.”

Haramal, Regoldur, Masara the Battle Angel of Light and the rest stepped closer. Masara, not made or elevated by Lumis but a creature of the Upper Realms herself, never spoken many words ever since she joined the Knights of Light said. “He is more than a mortal but less than God. Once he controlled an Empire unparalleled in size and expanse. They say he lost interest in physical power and wanted to ascent. No one knows if he succeeded, but the Emperor is not to be trifled with. I am confident I can slay whatever he is. Whatever creature the Dark One occupies now is weak and tainted. Will the Dark One merge with the Emperor, the restored rule will be Evil itself. All Light and goodness banished forever.”

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