Erica Olafson, Rise of the Dark One 0005

Chapter 05: Luc

I remembered Netlor well, I had been here with the Mother Superior who turned out to be the Commandant of NAVINT. I didn't know all that much about Deepa, but I knew she cared for me and I knew she was able to change her appearance. How this exactly worked was a secret of the Sojonit Order. A secret, Shea had not yet and now most likely learned. Even though I was technically a Sojonit too, neither had I.

Back then I assumed it was a form of Psionics, and to this day I was not a big fan of these to me uncanny and invisible powers.

The spatial rift, I created with my ax had put me not far outside that city of mostly temporary buildings.

If I judged the position of the local sun correctly, it was very early in the morning. The local star was just about to rise and sent its first light of the day beyond the distant mountain line.

A cool breeze tugged on the black robe I was wearing.

My incorporeal brother inside felt deeply amused. "Sister, it is quite irrational to reject psionics. While I will not need such primitive control over a trans spatial energy form, you have been to Narth Prime and I do not think there will be many your equal."

I snapped back. "You've been to Narth Prime just as well, and who knows maybe the Narth Supreme was talking to you ?"

"I know and the Narth Supreme knows, Sister."

"Well, we're here. Let's discuss this metaphysical, Loki cursed nonsense when we are back on my ship. Go ahead, take over and get that Token so we can go back."

I was not pushed back and lost control as I did before when Eric came to the foreground, it was a strange symbiotic amalgam. It sounded even weirder when I tried to explain it to myself. Neither my legs not my arms were entirely my own.

Eric walked fast and let us down the main street. Seeing the number of tents and stalls. The flags, banners, signs and advertisement projections. I was certain it was pilgrim season. There were music and a din of voices coming out of tavern tents, but the street and side isles between tents and stalls were mostly empty. Most pilgrims and merchants still asleep or just about getting up. The distinct scent of cooked breakfast, coffee and the food odors of nonhuman meal choices mingled with the cool dry air.

A human man wearing one of those golden robes staggered apparently drunken from the opposite direction perhaps on his way to a hotel or similar place. He looked up and saw me, whatever liquor he had chosen to get into the state he was in seemed to have left him in an instant. He yelped in fear, turned on his sandaled heels and ran as fast as he could, disappearing between tents.

"Can't be just our spooky outfit, brother. We don't look all that different to them, except your robe is black."

"Indeed Sister, as I grow into my true self, my aura intensifies. I am the Antiforce of Life and every living being known me instinctively. Mortals fear death."

"I was afraid it was something like that, as I did take a shower before I went to bed."

My brother found that amusing too.

We reached an odd building. Three big boulders, a flat Duro Crete roof concrete had been poured over it and the gaps between the rocks closed with bricks and mortar. There was a simple and ill-fitting wooden door.

I asked him. "You know where we are headed?"

"Of course, and so do you. Pay attention to the ring."

My brother blasted the door in thousand pieces instead of knocking or opening that door.

There on a simple table sat an old man, mostly but not entirely human from what he could see. He must have been up already, as the had a plate of food before him. A large candle was the only source of light.

I could not tell what species or race he was. Unlike the pilgrims outside he wore a hooded robe much like mine, the hood draped down on his shoulders.

He stared at me with wide eyes and open fear. "The Master is here!"

His robe featured the same fanged skull symbol as my ring. I remembered seeing it on a man's robe in Perrytown, a man who served the Church of Darkness.

Back then nothing the man said made sense and I assumed he meant my friend Narth. Now I was not so sure, had that man claiming to be a priest of that Church recognized who I, or rather who Eric really was?

The old man fell to his knee and buried his face between his hands. "I worship thee!"

"Flee! Run old fool! I require no church, no servants and no worship. Be gone when I return."

My brother's voice vibrated in an odd chorus with mine.

As we rushed down a worn-out flight of primitive stairs carved out of the sand-colored rock. Eric said. "I let him live because of you."

"I didn't like that geezer either, and my gods don't require worship. Oh and brother, remember I can break my neck. We are pressed for time, but storming down these uneven stairs in a robe is a recipe for disaster."

"Not to worry, sister."

We had reached the bottom of the stairs and followed the narrow corridor chiseled out of the rock. The corridor was part of a burial site. Catacombs most likely left by the same civilization that built the city now in ruins around the statue.

Not many knew of these catacombs and I knew Shea and the rest of my science geeks would have loved to examine this place.

There were alcoves in the walls and inside, the dry rotten bundles and shapes of a dead semi-humanoid species.

I realized we moved faster than a normal human could walk or run.

We made many turns, descended several stairs and finally reached a larger room, dozens of candles and lanterns had been placed around a small version of the huge statue. It was cruder and made of rock instead of indestructible Uni metal.

Before I could ask him about this apparent dead end, my hand guided by him swiped the ax across the stone wall behind that crude statue and in doing so smashed a secret door to pieces.

"Now I too could feel that uncanny pull indicating we were close to a token."

After rushing fast for about another 2 clicks through a narrow and dark corridor we emerged in a cave, with a smooth metal floor.

A small band of a different, whitish glowing material formed a perfect spherical ring around a hip-high metal column in the center.

A shadowy figure appeared next to the column. It had no real substance. It spoke with a hollow ghostly voice. “You come again, Saresii. Speak then, the Brotherhood awaits your reports.”

"I am not Larthop. This vile excuse for a living being has been destroyed and his essence punished by the Judge. I came to take what is mine."

The shadowy projection groaned. "You are the Dark One, you carry Bereaver. Free us from this prison. Only you have the power to shatter the barriers that hold us prisoners in this dreadful pocket dimension. We will serve you!"

"You caused your imprisonment to escape the destruction of your realm, a doomed precursor universe. You do not belong in this universe. This is indeed Bereaver."

Eric swiped the ax across the shadowy thing.

I never heard a scream of such agony as the figure and the scream faded into nothingness.

Eric was not done, he hacked the column to pieces and gouged deep cuts into the floor. Big chunks of that metal floor lifted like weightless pieces of foam until he reached a compartment and retrieved a pair of black gauntlet style gloves. That vanished and instantly reappeared on my hands. A surge of unimaginable power pulsated through me. My voice no longer a chorus, but an inhuman sexless voice of palpable darkness thundered. "I am the Judge!"

--""--

Har-Hi suddenly saw the Narth Supreme shaking in fear and panic. Something he must have imagined of course. What could possibly frighten the Narth Supreme?

"Mighty Dai, you did not imagine what you felt. The entire Universe and those sensitive to these things felt this jolt and shift of truly cosmic powers. The Dark One obtained his gloves, now there are only three left and he is resurrected. The time of the Decision is near indeed."

Har-Hi counted on his fingers. "If Erica gained two more tokens, should there not only two remain? Did she not speak of twelve tokens? Eight she already had."

"Indeed my friend, your math is correct based on what knowledge even the Dark One possesses right now, but there is a 13th secret Token."

"It is no secret anymore."

The leader of all Narth got up. "She has returned to her chambers, farewell my friend Dai-Than prince. We will speak again."

Before Har-Hi could say anything, the Narth Supreme was gone.

He sighed and said to himself. "I think I understand why Erica dislikes all this meta über power. I don't understand it. At least she has some sort of internal god who explains things."

All he cared about is his deep friendship with Erica.

He hefted the sword and held it up. "I always wanted one of these neat 'cut everything' blades, but that thing isn't my style for sure. If I ever meet the smith making these I going to ask for Dai swords for sure."

Har-Hi dropped the thing as it shimmered in bright light and it split and reformed into two Dai Swords, just like his.

"Galactic Spirits! Instant gratification! I am glad I didn't ask for a spoon."

He recalled the fight that almost cost his life, as he stepped out in the corridor and made a fist pump motion. "Don't anger a Dai."

He raised his head. "SHIP, the Captain is back?"

"Yes, she is and back on the bridge."

"Summon me that worm to the Officer's lounge please."

--""--

Shea was quite content. She was aboard the alien wreck, that turned to be the remaining part of a seeder ship, TheOther had effortlessly pried open a metal panel for her and exposed a mess of conduits, pipes and what appeared to be a maintenance console of some kind. The nanites she had taken along were now busy to create an interface connection to her handheld analyzer.

The room she was in was connected to one of the large bio storage compartments. It appeared that much of the biomatter stored had deteriorated, but she hoped to find useful data.

While she was quite absorbed in her work, as usual, she suddenly noticed that she was no longer alone.

At first, she thought it was one of her team or one of the Marines checking on her, but as she turned and saw who entered the control room, her hand dropped immediately to the TKU she was wearing. In the doorway stood a tall humanoid handsome stranger. The man did not wear any protective gear, despite the fact it was bitter cold and there was no atmosphere.

The man emitted a faint red glow all around him like an aura. The most striking feature was a pair of large feather wings on the man's back.

He spoke. "Don't shoot and don't call anyone. I mean you no harm, I am Luc your father."

She instinctively knew the man spoke the truth, the last time she had seen him, he wore armor of sort and fought with a Knight of Light. Back then she was no older than maybe twelve and did not know he was her real father.

She was instantly filled with a deluge of emotions, chief among them anger and rage.

"You may have been my father, but you abandoned mother and me. I have a new father now." Instead of her blaster, she drew her sword. "I know this weapon will cut you. Leave now or find out that I have been trained by the best."

"Do you not want to know why?"

"No Luc, I don't want to hear excuses. You left us! Mother died of disease, hunger and was killed by mindless beasts. I found refuge among galactic whores and was rescued by a human.

I told that frozen brother of yours that if ever meet you, I will return this sword to you, blade first."

"You are my child I sense your kindred spirit. Let me speak."

"I am a child no more. I am a woman, a Union citizen, a Union Fleet officer. There are Union Marines out there and very formidable friends. So you better leave and pray that my fiancee won't hear you've been here."

But she knew she wanted to hear what he had to say, he was correct there was a connection, she knew this was indeed her father. "Why did you leave us on Sin 4?”

"Your mother fled from me, hid your birth and existence from me."

"If she chose Sin 4 to hide from you, what was it you did to her?"

"She found out that I am not human, not even from this Universe. I have many names, in the age, before Earthers reached the stars, they called me Lucifer. The Sarans call me Sutekh, the Saresii of old knew me by the name of Norrh. I am known to the Coven and many civilizations past and present. Shea, I am a Netherworld lord and came to be when the Dark One was slain by Crea. I inherited the aspects of evil when Cron the first Universe collapsed and the Rule Cosmic was broken. I was the embodiment of evil and terror, and have been for so long.

I took human form in a precursor universe and was known as a Brother of Sateer. Corfic was a brother by association."

He spread his arms. "Your mother saw my true form. She was afraid of me."

"I have news for you, father, I am not afraid of you. And if you are what you say you are, lies and deception are synonymous with your name."

"It is true, daughter. I am all that, but I too know there is a third way. No matter what you think, there are always two sides to any story."

"Why did you not reveal yourself to me, back on Sin 4? You could have told me all this then!"

"I have many enemies. You witnessed the fight, did you not? There were and there are many more like the one I slew, with your help. You were in a bad place, but if my enemies would have known you are my daughter, they would have hurt you to punish me."

The man calling himself Luc lowered his head. "Crea, the Spirit of Creation broke the rigid rule of duality as she incorporated aspects of the opposite side. You can call me a liar and deceiver, but I have always cared for you once I learned of your existence."

"You had a fine way of showing that? And why are you here now? I am not just governed by feelings and emotions, but I do have a keen mind."

"I know daughter, your intellect far exceeds those of most. The roads of fate we are all on lead to a climax that is close at hand. Come sit down and let me educate you and then I will answer your question."

"I have a task, and my team is bound to check on me. Not to mention my captain."

"Call them, if you want. Tell them what you like and ask for a little time. That's all I ask. I will tell you about this vessel too."

Shea tapped her Com. "Team! Status report, please."

"TheOther here, Ma'am. Hans and several of our marines have discovered some sort of crew depository. You know these Ypeherix looking stalkers we encountered. There were many hundreds of them and they did recognize us as intruders I think."

He voice was alarmed. "Retreat, if you can and alert the captain."

"Oh no worries, Lt.Commander Schwartz, our marines and Y'All making a sport out of smashing them. I got nineteen, and Hans crushed twenty-four. There aren't all that many left. Hans thinks we might get lucky and run in more of them further down."

In all her emotional state facing her real demon lord father, she could not stop a grin. "Guys, this is a serious mission. We are exploring a huge shipwreck with potential hostile unknowns."

"Yes Ma'am that is what Brana, I mean Lt.Nolei is saying. Say who is with you?"

"I am not alone. I am making progress with the decoding. Keep me posted."

A new voice cut in, it was the Captain. "Teaches me letting half my marines and security team explore the seeder wreck. Circuit says we are ready in about eight hours. I'd like to resume our actual mission by then."

--""--

Roghor had taken the OPS position as Narth was helping Circuit and he suppressed a growling snicker. "Most of our Y'All and Marines roaming free in that alien ship. We can be glad it is already a wreck. When Hans, TheOther and the rest are done, it is scrap for sure."

"I have to agree, Mr.Roghor, they actually have fun." I got up. "Take the Conn for a spell, I am checking on engineering."

I stepped off the bridge and said with a good feeling of pride silently to my brother. "You might be able to destroy planets and all that soon, but I tell you my crew isn't far behind."

"Indeed Sister, it is my crew as well after all."

A strange sense of Déja Vu came over me as I saw movement at the end of the corridor, just beyond the XO's quarters and mine. I knew only a few unused VIP quarters, a small armory and the officer's galley was beyond. Back then I followed a Thauran officer and realized how biased and demeaning my own conduct was.

So I changed my mind, instead of going down to engineering, I decided to find out who was using that unused lounge.

Moments later the lounge doors parted.

The clean officer's lounge I expected to see was unrecognizable. It had been transformed into part butcher shop, food pantry, parts, and scrap storage.

My XO stood there with his arms crossed. The movement I saw was Meeze who now coiled in attention before Har-Hi.

Before I could ask what was going on, a shrill shriek sounded and a big black thing with leathery wings divebombed me.

I caught Fafnir and succumbed to his obvious affection. "Mr. Hi care to explain why our Officer's lounge looks like Bjork's butcher shop exploded inside a scrap metal scowl?"

My eye fell on something bloody and long in a plastic wrap. "Tell me this isn't the leg of a Thauran?"

Har-Hi sighed. "I am just investigating that, Captain." To Meeze he said. "Care to explain?"

"Whaaz? Meeze azed."

Har-Hi groaned. "Using an unused room to store a few personal items and putting it as a line item on my daily list is not asking for this!"

Meeze looked around. "Meeze azed! SHIPIZ saiz no onz uze ze roomz anz if Meeze wanz uze iz, Meeze asz ze Daiz."

I sighed. "Mr.Meeze I commend you for asking and it seems, neither location nor amount was specified."

Meeze mimicked the Dai crossing his thin arms. "Pfzz, Daiz maybeez a lize biz..."

Dai warned. "Don't say it."

"I am not done, Mr.Meeze. I expect you to limit your collection to the standard amount all crew members are allowed. I think there is an unused storage locker on this very deck. You may use that one but in orderly fashion. We stopped a ship filled with human body parts and now it looks like the Tigershark harbors a collection of Thauran bits and pieces. I expect you to dispose of those, otherwise, we might get treated to another surprise dessert."

The worm managed to look sad. "Canz Meeze noz keepz a lize biz. The Thauranz noz complainz anz wiz ze Straberriez iz noz zo baz."

Elfi's voice interrupted me. "Captain, there is a situation developing outside."

--""--

Luc sat down on a console. "Shea, my daughter. Let me tell you about the Satheer. It will be useful information to you and give you answers about this ship too."

She set her Science Device to recording and said. "Ho ahead then."

"After the first universe was destroyed and the Rule was broken, the Omniverse filled with many realities, each a crucible for concepts and conditions. One such Precursor universe was the Lyrham realm. It was home to several very powerful groups practicing the dark arts. They constant tampering with the cosmic barriers caused what one might call an overload and doomed that realm. One of these entities was the Arth, it fled into hyperspace and was encountered by the first sentient species of this, the Prime Realm. The Nnnth merged with the Arth and became the Narth. There were the Coven who fled into the Nether realm, Asmodias paying a terrible price, and there was the Brotherhood of Sateer, men of great power in arcane terms. They too seeking ways to escape the destruction of their realm."

Shea checked her device and motioned Luc to go on.

The being claiming to be her father did.

"Five of them used my realm to do so, but the majority created a pocket universe. Six Million of them and when that universe did collapse, they realized the entrance to their self imposed prison was destroyed as well.

The Five Brothers vowed to find a way to rescue and liberate them. There were Invictus, Non, Corflic, Cubus and I. The Voice of the Rule told us that only the Dark One had the power to free them. Each of the Five had their own idea of how to achieve that. Invictus decided to create the First Empire and thus show the returning Dark One that he is the perfect vessel. He killed a renegade Nnnth known as the Emperor. Corflic became the living god of the Orlan and tasked them to create the Nexus points and the transpatial gates. You saw his body, he was killed by a Knight of Light.

Cubus plan was to unite the tokens of power in himself and thus become the Dark One. His plan failed and he was killed by the rightful owner of these tokens in a construct known as The Crucible."

Shea still holding her sword said. "We were there and we destroyed that construct."

Luc nodded. "And what no one believed possible, the surviving Y'All are now on your Union's side. Not to mention the descendants of the most formidable engineers known as the Mora. Inconspicuous worm-like creatures."

"I always wondered about Meeze. He is way more than everyone thinks, but back to your account which leaves Non and you."

"Non wanted to make sure the Dark One incarnates in a human species and sponsored a species to become what your legends call the Seeders. Dropping human genome matrix seeds on thousands of garden worlds.

However, some entities wanted to prevent the Dark One to manifest and in turn they sponsored and raised a species some remember as the Earlies. They opposed the Seeders efforts by sterilizing worlds and seeding their own versions of non humanoid life."

He gestured to the walls. "The Earlies have been defeated and are long extinct, but some of their devices still exist, like this Bio Cleanser ship."

Shea could not help herself but make an astounded face. "Are there many of these Cleanser ships still active?"

"I know of only three including the one you just destroyed. I do not know where others are."

Shea nodded. "Alright, our Captain will find them. Now, what about you?"

"The Dark One just gained two more of his token and while doing so killed all six million trapped Sateer brothers, by cutting and destroying their pocket universe. The Dark One also regained conscious control over the Judge, the lord of the lowest of all Netherworlds. It is prophecized that you will meet that Dark One soon and on a world called Avondur when that happens I will appear to you again and fulfill my role as your father and protector."

Luc got up. "Be wary about those close to you, one of them carries the seed of Invictus Rex and his plan remains to become the Dark One."

The red shine intensified and the light swallowed Luc, then faded away.

--""--

I stormed onto the bridge. "What is going on?"

Roghor pointed to the main viewer. "The primitives of this world have just appeared. We don't know how they managed to cross the separating oceans as they do not have the technology to built ships."

Mao raised alarm. "Captain, twenty-seven ships of unknown origin just dropped out of Quasi and approaching this world."