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Light had returned to this world and I rejoiced in the dance of ages, stretching my muscles and relaxing my mind. My eyes caught a small beauty, in the form of a purple flower with five petals and the ground beneath me was covered in grass, soft and comfortable. There was a warmth about the enclosure where I stretched, surrounded by proud trees, reaching with their limbs towards the light. They stood majestically, with an opening leading into the forest in front of me. The dance of ages had been taught to me by the First, it loosens the flow of Logos within, allowing for an improved experience of incarnation and an increased Logos ability. I felt my mind, as it explored its levels ensuring its balance, I could feel the consciousness of the forest and my muscles moved without my control. My eyes opened to new details as I became aware of the balls of energy floating around the forest. My dance was nearing its end and my awareness told me Ra approached with the Sphinx warriors. I missed Seth, he had gone to escort Thalbeon's army through the hidden ways; they would arrive at the battlefield quickly, under ten minutes. I concluded the dance and faced the entrance of the enclave, and I saw the orange coat with black spots signalling Ra's arrival; I greeted her with my mind and she responded. Facing me were one thousand warriors and they were ready for battle.
“Hail Sphinx, great warriors of Gaia!” I called.
“Hail Traveller!” they replied in unison.
“Today we fight. Together with our kin we will push back the cloud of calamity. With our firm resolve we will break through the enemies defence and cause confusion from within,” I said to them. “Hasten to redeem your celestial mother. Those are the words of your elders, truer than you may have thought. Today we fight not just for land or wealth. We fight for the very being that carries us through space. Yes brothers and sisters we fight for Gaia,” I paused for a brief moment. “All of intelligent creation faces scorn from the Confederation. Even here they plan the most wretched thing. They seek to turn Gaia into a paradox, destroying the reality of this planet! Gaia herself knows and will always know that there is no paradox, but you may not,” I continued. “There is power in belief, in will and in the words that we speak. The Confederation intends to turn this gift against you, to destroy your reality, split your planet and kill you all. We will fight to prevent this with every breath we have!”
“Hail Traveller!!” they called in unison.
“Hail yourselves!! For they will not confuse your belief nor will they pervert your freedom. So I ask you, grasp firmly your will, accept the duality in your unity and your unity in many-ness. Remove from their hands the gift bestowed from above. With the light singing to our souls, attacking the enemy like the straightest arrow, we will prevail! Hail The Creator!” I shouted and they repeated in unison. “As we speak, Seth leads Thalbeon and his men through the hidden ways to lay siege on the Citadel assisting your comrades. Together we will also walk the hidden ways to join them in this fight.” I turned around and I could feel Gr’vll approaching me.
“Traveller, can we really win this war?” he asked.
“When you face a mountain, do you ask if the mountain will allow you to climb it? Or do you simply climb? So as it is with the mountain, it is with this war,” I replied.
“I am grateful for your wise words Traveller, but I must ask what.... What if we don’t win, what then?”
“If we let the Confederation prevail, they will succeed in dividing this planet. So that it exists as partial realities in this fabric, the reality for those who believe through logic as a basis of understanding and the reality for those who believe through faith as a basis of understanding. This will be the result of the created paradox, where a truth is true in one, the same truth may not be true in the other,” I replied and he was silent. “Worry not mortal, we shall face this enemy. Return to your warriors, you will lead the Avians while providing information to us all from above.”
“Yes Traveller. We will speak it with our minds.”
“Now we must begin our march,” I said to him as he saluted and walked to his warriors for more inspirational words.
I turned away from them as Ra came to my side. In my heart sang the song of passage, I looked and saw through space our destination. This would be trickier than a one-man portal, I thought. I concentrated and brought my thoughts to focus on the destination. I could feel the wind pick up its pace around me and I caught the strand of connection, between two 'wheres'. I sang the song of passage in my mind, with both arms stretched forward. Wriggling my fingers and moving my hands between gestures, I wove the air around me, joining the material and immaterial. A line appeared, the whitest of white, truly brilliant to the mortal eye. Within this brilliant white, the deepest dark emerged. With a crack and a boom the vertical line expanded, until it was wide enough to allow passage. I guess practice makes perfect, I thought as I admired my doorway to the hidden ways.
“Sphinx, Walk with me through the hidden ways,” I called with my mind. I passed through the doorway with Ra at my side and a thousand warriors behind me. I contemplated the idea of a planetary paradox and I wondered how the truth underneath could be so well hidden from view of mortals, perhaps only a few truly sought. Those who sought the truth became confounded in word play losing themselves in their search. Perhaps it was a result of the denial of the truth of the word, or the unity intrinsic of duality. Just as in all there is masculine and feminine, so also in one there is the same truth, a truth not limited to sexual organs. I passed my thoughts over the Sphinx; each seemed to perceive this hidden world differently; indeed the hidden ways were a world of their own. No mortal mind could truly comprehend the sight of the ways and so what was observed was usually down to what they could perceive. Perhaps a great artist could attempt to recreate the feeling of this world. It was a type of chaotic order, crisscrossed by strings of passages transversing reality, within a myriad of geometric patterns and colours. The strings were paths like this one, constantly in motion creating a chaos of possible existences, and it was light and dark, with shades of spaces in time. Better that mortals could not see this, they could not comprehend its entirety. The path glowed in front of us and I saw our exit ahead.
“We are almost there. Stay on the road,” I cautioned them. Logos and the Word, its understanding was the secret of the ascent of Travellers. Through its understanding the clarity of existence is visible, though at the beginning, perception and polarity played a role in individual experience... I looked ahead and saw the haze of the Citadel at the other side of the doorway. The battle was on the way and men screamed in pain and glory, fires burnt all around, and the surrounding trees had fallen giving the area a beaten look, and still the battle raged on. With a crack of thunder one thousand Sphinx and myself exited the hidden ways. In the next instant projectiles rained upon us from above, as the Citadel itself put us in its targets. Instinctively I cast a shield, however, in a fragmented state I could not hold it indefinitely. Seth ran to me as Ra began preparing to hold the shield, and I felt comfort knowing that they would help protect us. I quickly took in the current situation; Gr'vll was in the air dodging his way towards the Avians. I saw the war scene from above, gruesome in its beauty; if indeed it could be said that war was beautiful. There was only one engine keeping the Citadel afloat and only three siege engines left, and most of the vanguard had been killed; adding Thalbeon's men I estimated around four thousand remained. The battle was in the enemies favour, for now...
“Sphinx hear me,” I called in their minds. “Seth will stay with the main force and protect the siege engines, I will lead three hundred Sphinx and Ra will lead seven hundred inside,” I continued, transmitting ideas and images alongside the words.“Three hundred of the seven hundred will clear a way for the main force to enter, tactically striking key defence towers. While the rest split up and cause as much confusion as possible within the walls of the Citadel. Ra will take you through the side of the Citadel and I will go through the front; Ra will let you know when it is time.”
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??Traveller how do we enter if we can't reach the Citadel? It is in the sky,” they asked.
“So it is.” I stepped out of the protective bubble feeling the full reality of this war, brothers killing brothers. It hurt me deep inside but now was not the time. I raised myself into the sky collecting energy as I did so. My vessel reappeared, no longer a board but now resonating wings. They vibrated with the energy I collected, beating hard and keeping me afloat. I began to feel myself connect with the planet like I was part of its circuit, its full force flowed within me; it was invigorating. My awareness saw a flash from the Citadel and two large winged metallic creatures emerged. They believed themselves to be a match for me, let them come, I thought with a smile. My cloak ruffled in the wind and it seemed as though the wind itself carried me. I felt my armour turn-on its defence capabilities, long metallic claws came forth from my gloves. They were like long finger nails, five on each hand, and I felt and heard the hum of each sonic blade in unison. The metallic creatures came at me in the air, with a wild slash aimed at my midsection. I moved and ripped out the wings of the first, with my feet firmly pressed on its back, I launched myself at the other, sending the first one to the ground beneath me. I covered the distance quickly, too quickly for the other creature to react; in one swift motion I removed its head. My interface monitor alerted my mind, to the failure in my vessel's systems... I must return to the ground, I thought. This must be the work of a powerful Logos weaver and that meant Tiamat was here.
As I landed, the vessel went into hibernation to repair itself. I began to run, dodging pockets of battle, and my mind concentrated the energy I had collected and then I saw the winged creature I sent to the ground before me; he was with the enemy attacking Thalbeon's men. I cried out as I raced to him calling three hundred Sphinx to me, with mind and voice. Ra was on the move taking the rest to their entry point, while Seth protected the siege engines from harm, bringing more destruction on the Citadel. They were true companions, indeed they were myself. The Sphinx reached me as I slashed at my enemy’s head, attempting to distract it from its prey. It dodged and came at me with a strike at my shoulder; I moved my stance and lunged forward. Sending a hand full of blades deep into it, it sparked and fired and then it stopped. The Sphinx fell upon the enemy soldiers, fire in their hearts fuelled by my wrath, greatly raising their morale and ability. The enemy was heavily armed but this fact didn't deter the Sphinx. I watched a pair of Sphinx make short work of a few of the armoured soldiers; with a psychic link their motions were perfectly synchronised. I watched as one used his blade to take a man off his feet and I saw a few more headed towards the bigger machines. They ran in pairs, one pair swung his other towards the machines, while others jumped off their brethren's back; leaping towards their targets and their blades aimed for the cockpits. The men cheered and rejoined the battle. My suit felt tampered... I look down at my hands to see the claws uncontrollably shifting form and I retracted them.
“Sphinx, follow me,” I thought to the three hundred warriors. I began to calmly walk toward the Citadel. Your attack will not stop me Tiamat, I thought.
“Tiamat!!” I called out as I released the concentrated energy through my voice, focusing it on the last remaining engine of the Citadel. The call came out as a roar, forcing the Citadel itself to vibrate. The engine shattered and the whole Citadel descended ungracefully to the ground. A loud cheer filled the area and my senses overwhelmed me with praise... Hail Traveller... I heard whispered.
“Hail yourselves! For through you redemption will come!” I transmitted to all their minds fuelling their drive and empowering their bodies with new energy. Then our attack began anew like fresh men were on the field. I walked towards the fallen Citadel as their defence became more frantic but I felt something approach... I moved my head and snatched from the air a slim missile, which was still active. Spinning on my heel I hurled it with all my strength back at the Citadel, I began to run and I could feel the Sphinx behind me. I called to mind a trick my older brother taught me; I followed the song in my head releasing energy into the air, synchronised with the song. My whole body tingled with electrostatic energy; three hundred Sphinx and I ran through a hole in reality unseen by others. The result, the sphinx were concealed from sight, and to the enemy it would seem like it was just me attacking the entrance and that the Sphinx had simply vanished. At that time Ra began her attack, a convenient distraction. The enemy would have to send more men there, thinking I had sent the Sphinx there, while I approached the massive gates. They looked well made but all it took was one well aimed strike. I thought as my fist landed upon the gates, it shuddered and nothing but crumbled pieces remained... With only a moment’s pause, I continued into the Citadel and quickly disembowelled the two gate attendants. A small force lay in formation ahead of me.
We were in, I could feel Ra tearing through flesh and hear men screaming in rage and terror. I could feel the Sphinx become visible behind me, as Thalbeon's army attempted to take new ground. I reached into a pocket reality and pulled out my spear. A long staff with a viscous looking blade glimmering in the light. I noticed the surroundings, it was a partly closed courtyard with majestic pillars and a balcony lay above like a half moon, looking down to us. I saw marksmen come out of the shadows, their weapons aimed at us. I swung my head back, looking around and saw that more men had revealed themselves, surrounding us. Behind us our exit was clear but it was a path we would not take. Ra will lead the others to take out Citadel defences, so that Thalbeon could use our would be exit as an entrance. Fire! I heard from within the enemy ranks. I launched myself into the air spinning as I ascended and I created a type of void. It was a force that called to their weapons. Time had slowed down from my perspective and I wove the air into the desired attraction, still spinning as I did so. I felt the flow take hold and dropped to the ground; their weapons left their hands to collect as one large rotating mass above us all.
As I landed I saw the second line, those holding more projectile weapons, move forward and they prepared to fire. I launched my spear at the man in the middle, running to catch up with it in flight. Fire!! I heard the call again. The Spear landed true sinking into the flesh of the speaker, were it remained as the man fell to the floor. With a thought I bid it to release electricity, shocking the men around it. What remained of the second line decided to aim for me, foolish mortals. I arrived in their midst, taking the nearest two off their feet with a sweeping kick. As I rose, I caught another with an uppercut, sending him high in the air. The two taken off their feet were still in the air, seemingly suspended in time. I brought my left fist around connecting with the body of one of them, sending him flying across the court. With my other hand I reached out and grabbed my spear, wrenching it from its mortal scabbard and I spun with it, spraying blood. The blood trail painted vicious arcs as I dismembered these opponents, until only one remained of the second line. I moved quickly to him, knocking him into the air before he had time to consider my advance. I jumped and caught him by his leg swung him around, and sent him towards the mass of weapons. The force was so great that he not only joined the mass, but also caused the mass to wedge itself into a nearby wall. I landed facing the Sphinx, who had barely moved through all this, sometimes I forget how well Travellers manipulate time; to them I would have seemed to be lighting quick. I smiled as I turned to face our mutual enemy, with my spear in hand. These mortals serve Tiamat only in delaying me, they need no longer die meaninglessly, not by my hand. I stood firm and faced them, retracting the spear's blade, turning it into a harmless looking staff.
“Behold! Before you stand Sphinx and Traveller, attack if you dare,” I called to all and silence sang their hesitation.
“Traveller, Leave these warriors to us,” I heard the Sphinx call to my mind.
"I will," I thought in reply. I had to face Tiamat, else this would not end well. I heard the Sphinx move into the appropriate formation, like a well-oiled machine, their motions smooth as always. The enemy began to advance on us,
armed with all manner of weapons save projectile.
“Fight Sphinx, Fight! Fight to redeem your Mother!!” I called with my voice and my mind, and I made my way towards the threshold at the other side of the courtyard. When I approached the enemy mass between me and my goal, I felt energy flow into me and my legs bunched. I launched myself into a flip, cracking the end of the staff on the head of one before me, and then I sent the staff forward, with quick pokes towards their legs. Some got hit while others got out of the way, it seemed that they were getting smarter. I stopped and traced a circle with the staff end on the ground around myself, preventing enemy attack and giving myself space. I allowed the staff to spin as it twisted itself up my body to my rising hands, cracking some men in the jaw. Walking through I spun the staff fast and hard, creating a painful 'v' and I passed through the enemy mass. Stopping the spin, I extended the staff brought it down hard on the face off one man as he collided with others. They gave me room as others left to join the battle behind me. I stopped the spinning with a loud thump on the ground, causing a small shock wave. The wave knocked off balance those that remained around me and I proceed unharmed through the exit, out the courtyard, deeper into the citadel.
I found myself in a huge domed room of immense size. Upon the ceiling were paintings of glorious episodes depicted by a great artist. The room was very imposing and poorly lit with dark corners, creating a mystery about the room; from the darkness came forth two figures, as tall as I am. Nuru and Nahab, identical in every way and they appeared before me in their true form, looking prepared to do battle. Nuru and Nahab approached me slowly, their dark reptilian skin seemed to glimmer in the dark. Their faces had no lips and only slits for noses, and Nuru the male, had smaller eyes than his sister, Nahab. Their eyes were heavy onyx and oblong, larger than normal. Each possessed on both arms an odd looking weapon, which was a shield that extended into a blade. They came at me and I ran at them, and all was silent save the sound of us running. Nuru lunged at me with the blade point at the front of his attack, I parried and ducked only have Nahab come from out of nowhere. She charged me with her shoulder, knocking me to the ground. I rolled with the fall and came up to my feet, to face a full attack and all I could do was defend; I brought my staff up, releasing the blade. With my spear fully formed, I brought it down in a diagonal slash... I can't win, not like this. I have to be careful... Nahab held the blade of my spear to the ground and I looked up to see Nuru bringing his blade to stab at me. Swiftly, I moved the other end of my spear to intercept and his blade pierced the staff, giving me a moment to escape that death trap, but my staff was battered and they had it.
They stood before me laughing, relishing their anticipated win. I smiled as I reached once again into a pocket reality, unleashing my sword. My blade resonated with a deep hum, cutting off the laughter of the twins and yet they charged me once more, swinging at me in synch. I parried with my blade and slashed at their midsections, they jumped avoiding the attack. I have no other choice but to banish them... They came at me again, Nuru charged me on the ground while Nahab took to the air. As Nahab came at me, I spun on my heel avoiding her, bringing my blade up just in time to deflect most of her attack, while my shoulder bled freely. I mustered force and pushed her away, in time to shift my position, dodging an otherwise lethal blow. Nuru's blade rested in my side, he placed his foot on my chest and kicked me across the room. I landed hard on the ground, further opening the wound and my body ached. I got up smiling, they had given me what I needed to banish them, my blood. With my free hand I took some of my dripping blood and traced symbols on the ground. They knew what I was doing, so they rushed in for the kill; and so it was with great haste that I wrote the sigils on the ground...
“Begone,” I said, unleashing the banishing spell. A bright light and then darkness, all that remained where their empty bodies. I fell to the ground feeling very drained and my hair was much shorter, which was a sure sign that I had used a lot of my energy... My wounds would take too long to heal, I thought and I had no choice but to tap into the planet's circuit once again. I felt the force flow into me, my feelings expanded beyond and within. A flash of understanding came to me, I knew where I was and I knew what Tiamat planned and how she wanted to accomplish it. It was a machine and it was here, in this mirror of dimensions and the vision before me hazed and changed. Then I saw it, it was big with many parts and it stood vertically seeming to extend into the very centre of the planet. How is she fuelling such a machine, certainly not conventionally. More to the point, where is she?
“I did not think thou wilt come,” I heard Tiamat say as she appeared beside the machine. It was clear where the dragon myths came from; her body was long and she stood well over ten feet tall. Her leathery wings spread wide lazily, seeming to envelope the entire room. A veil covered her face and her skin covered was in thick dark scales.
“Tiamat, self styled Mistress of Chaos. I recognised your work,” I called to her. She had disrupted my link to the planetary circuit, prematurely halting my regeneration.
“Ah! A fan, and yet this is thy work,” Tiamat replied with a laugh. My work... What does she mean? “The chaos thou hath unleashed drives my machine,” she added and the room reverberating with her laughter. No it can't be true... Did she plan all this from the start, predicting my actions but how did she know? It is rumoured that she holds the book of destiny, perhaps there is some truth to this...
“Why Tiamat! Why have you forsaken our Creator, our Father?” I cried out, as I felt an unseen force hold me in place... This is a trap...
“Thine father not mine,” Tiamat began. “Behold! Your cage, ye who scorn my father. Verily I say unto you, destruction shall fall upon thine kin, indeed it shall fall upon many that thou dost protect,” she added as flames rose all around me. It cannot end like this...
“Ra! Seth!” I called. “Get the T1 and everyone out of the area!!” I asked and I felt their response. The room was filled with fire but it didn't burn and I felt something grab me, slowly creeping its way up my legs, within my body.
“So you choose to destroy a Planet!” I shouted. I have to do something... Maybe I could overwhelm her. I struggled to collect my thoughts, so I could concentrate the energy I needed. Confusion began to creep into me, distracting my thoughts and I knew that I was running out of time; a funny thought for a Traveller to consider.
“Alas, it will come to pass that Gaia is split asunder, causing great pain to the spirit Terra and her children. Thine allies themselves shall unleash destruction upon thy treasured rock and this will sadden thy kin greatly. Thus we shall come to conquer and destroy them, the worthless meat sacks.” Tiamat continued, while I mumbled words slowly releasing the Logos that I had collected, attempting to tear the veil of this dimensional trap. “Futile are thy trials for we pass between the ground and the heavens, between worlds of chaotic realities. My power not thine holds true in this place. Now I bid you, reveal your true form to thine allies...” The image before me changed and I saw us in the skies above the Citadel, where the battle was still being fought. I saw Seth and despaired knowing her presence meant that they were unable to escape. Our bodies grew in size and I returned to my mortal form, the blood of giants strong in my mortal shell. I could feel my vessel and myself becoming one...
“People of Gaia! Behold!! Your Traveller.” I heard Tiamat call. The battle came to a rest as all eyes turned towards us, unreal creatures of immense proportions floating above them. This has to stop now...
“Be...” I started to say as I noticed a haze around Tiamat, and she exited the trap as I uttered “...gone.” The energy dissipated, wasted.
“Farewell,” Tiamat called with a cruel laugh as she vanished. I felt Ra and Seth come into me and reunite my essence, and then an explosion came from below. The force was great, shaking the foundations of this fabric. There seemed to be no end to the blast as it grew eating at everything in its path. No it can't be... Gaia, forgive me, tears poured freely from my eyes. My body arched a
s I felt the pain of the planet, scorching fires on its every surface. All the memories were mine and then the fire died out suddenly. A new force came into play, it seemed to be pulling the planet into itself and stretching it at the same time, my bones racked in pain. Slowly Gaia was sucked in and I witnessed the destruction of a planet and the death of many. My eyes were dazzled by the light and when my sight returned I could see nothing. I was whole and remembered but where am I? Terra! I called with my mind but I heard no reply. Brothers... Sisters... My thoughts went out in every direction, sending out my call. Alas my brethren, I failed.