Microstory 611: Proper Burial of the Sacred Savior

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Before the Lyons family took in the Dam of Cerelune as a pet, scientists first wanted some time to investigate its ability to spontaneously open wormholes. Their experiments were not as controlled as they thought, however, and they ended up opening wormholes in unplanned locations. One such location was Lake Wurveol on the Roepl moon where the water turned red unprompted. By now, this was being referred to as the Bloodwater, but it was not destined to remain as it was. The wormhole opened in the middle of the lake, quickly draining it in its entirety. After it was done, the wormhole closed back up, as if planned that way. The scientists experimenting with these wormholes promised that they did not do this intentionally, and in fact admitted that they did not understand the process well enough to be that precise. The most miraculous part of this occurrence, however, was neither the wormhole, nor the water draining. That was yet to come. Once the water was all gone, those there were able to see its topography. Quite literally in the middle of the lake bed was a rectangular hole. It appeared natural, but was also surprisingly structured...to the approximate specifications of a standard human grave. That’s right, somehow the lake contained a natural grave, which was perfect, because they were in need of one. The eleventh taikon mandates that the Sacred Savior be properly buried in a “new location of newly great significance”. This seemed to qualify better than anywhere else. It was the newest following professional confirmation that all study on the Savior’s body had been completed. And so after centuries, Sacred Savior Sotiren Zahir was finally put to rest within the natural grave, which was filled in with fine rubble taken from the recently destroyed infidel worshiphouse. Everything was fitting into place perfectly, but even this wasn’t the most miraculous part. Once the burial ceremony was finished, the bloodwater suddenly returned from another wormhole to symbolically protect him from outside forces. The wormhole scientists were shown to not only have not done this on purpose, but also not at all. The wormhole somehow opened up on its own, proving to even the hardest of skeptics that the takion were very real, and forthcoming...and totally beyond the control of man.

The Advancement of Mateo Matic: July 18, 2133

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After the Easter Island ordeal, Arcadia and Mario ferried everyone back to Tribulation Island, stopping in Old Kansas City first to retrieve Aura. Mateo caught up with Leona, and Darko and Lincoln were free to speak with each other, but none of the others were in the right emotional state to talk. They had been there so long that everyone knew their responsibilities, so they luckily didn’t even have to open their mouths to coordinate gathering firewood, or tending to the fish tarp. Things were awkward between Horace and Paige, but they decided to silently fill their time with rebuilding the privacy hut. By the time Mateo and Leona returned to the timestream the following year, it was complete, along with a few additions, like a particularly beautiful waterfall. Rather, they were as normal as they could be in this corrupted reality. Evidently, a past version of Serkan was brought forward in time to help Horace get back on track. It apparently helped immensely, because Horace’s relationship with his daughter was stronger than ever. It seemed as though everyone was dealing with their situation pretty well. And it really was everyone. From what Mateo could tell, no one was missing this time.

“Help me out with the math here,” he said to Leona. “If an expiation lasts for three years, and we started in 2109, then shouldn’t we be starting another one by now?”

“Well, that seems right, but we never technically had an expiation for Paige,” Leona pointed out. “She’s still around.”

“But Arcadia did call what we did on Easter Island an expiation. I think it still counts, because we had to fight to get her back. And that was three days ago.”

“Maybe Arcadia is just giving you-slash-us a break. She seemed personally distressed by Horace’s...issues. I mean, she brought Paige back in the first place, which she’s never done before. She’s probably considering today a gift after all that.”

Mateo nodded slowly. “There is another explanation, though.”

“What might that be?” she asked.

“That someone actually was taken, and that I don’t remember them either.”

“That’s a leap, Mateo.”

“Is it? The Battle for Paige was an expiation, but also wasn’t. Like you said, she had to give Paige back to us. That probably doesn’t come without a cost.”

“What are you saying?”

“I think she stole someone from me, and erased my memories, along with everyone else.”

“Well, if you don’t remember who’s missing, how can you fight to get them back?”

“Exactly. We don’t get this one back. She or he is just lost to us forever. That could be the lesson; that no matter what you go through, you can’t bring back people who’ve passed.”

“I think we learned that already when Vearden died.”

“I’m really worried, Leona. I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something has been ripped away.”

“That’s not exactly what happened,” Arcadia said after appearing behind them.

“What did you do?”

She inhaled and exhaled. “I was cruel. I made my expiations too difficult. No, not just difficult; impossible. It was my first time, I didn’t know what I was doing. I have worked out those kinks, though, and I think your expiations are going swimmingly, despite a few hiccups.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Aldona Lanka.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“You met her briefly. She killed Ambrosios for you, and healed you from the hunger berries.”

“Oh. From the other island? I never got her name. What’s happened?”

“She died. And before you flip out, she was ninety years old, and living alone on a remote island on a planet in a different galaxy than where she was born, so I’d say she lived pretty long.”

“She was born late enough to be virtually immortal,” Mateo argued.

“This is true, but she didn’t, and she’s dead now, and you can help.”

“Help how?”

“She failed her expiations in a big way; a problem that you are not experiencing yourself. You can either sit here and enjoy the sun and surf for the next week, or you can complete her expiations for her.”

“I’m in.”

“Before you go all gung-ho on me, remember that Aldona is dead. She can’t be with her family, so you have no real obligation to bring them back.”

“I said I’m in.”

She went on, “right now, they don’t exist. They don’t care that they don’t exist...because they don’t exist! If you choose to leave them be, they can’t be mad at you, because—”

Mateo finished her sentence with her, “they don’t exist! I get it. I’m..IN! Let’s do it! Stop trying to downsell me on this, it’s not going to work!”

“I just want you to understand that you don’t know these people.”

“It doesn’t matter. They deserve to live, just as much as my friends and family.”

“Very well,” Arcadia said. “Assemble the clan. Also remember that they have no obligation to help you. And if they don’t, you will fail as well, because you two won’t be able to do this one yourself.”

They gathered the remaining inhabitants to the beach; Horace, Paige, Aura, Mario, Lincoln, and Darko. Mateo and Arcadia explained the new situation, and reminded them that anyone was free to opt out at will. Of course, no one did, so Arcadia dove into the specifics their task. “Aldona’s husband, Gino Calligaris was a Health Translator. Technological advances in the mid-21st century rendered many human health professional responsibilities obsolete. Nurses need no longer monitor vitals, and doctors need no longer diagnose diseases. Artificial intelligences handle all these problems, because they’re more efficient, and have a wider array of data. Humans are still needed, though, for one very important role in the hospital setting. It’s called bedside manner, and it has become an even more essential function than it was before. With computers handling the technical side of medicine, including surgical procedures, patients began to feel neglected. There was no warmth or compassion. There was no soul or sadness or empathy. Health Translators are just as—actually probably more educated than the doctors of your day. Their primary function now, however, is to be present for the patient; to explain prognoses and facility procedures to them, so they understand what they’re getting themselves into. Basically they retain the human component of the process, so that the patient has someone they can relate to.”

“That’s fascinating,” Aura couldn’t help but say.

“Unlike most expiations, this one will last for an entire year,” Arcadia continued. “You are being asked to go back to school. You will return to Earth and audit a special year-long program designed to train Health Translators in this aspect of their positions. You won’t be learning any medicine; instead you’ll be learning how to communicate with patients. Though you will do this all from another dimension, which means the facilitators and other students won’t be able to see you, you will be required to take and pass the periodic evaluations. Obviously, Mateo and Leona won’t be able to do this with you.

“Furthermore, every single one of you who agrees to this expiation will be required to pass. So if you think you’re not smart enough, you should consider dropping out. You will be able to help each other, though, so maybe there will be a sort of strength in numbers type of thing going on.”

Darko raised his hand and pulled away from the group. “I better not do this one,” he said. “I’m not particularly smart, and I’m certainly not particularly kind.” Awkwardly enough, no one argued with him on his self-assessment.

“Sounds fair, Arcadia said. “Anyone else?”

No one.

Arcadia looked at her watchless wrist. “Class begins in about an hour, so do what you have to. Wheels up in ten.” She looked over at Mateo, and spoke to him only, “I always wanted to say that.”

They packed their belongings, and said goodbye to Mateo, Leona, and Darko. Then they left for school. The three disqualified didn’t do anything interesting the rest of the day. It was only near midnight that they realized Darko would have to spend a whole year alone on the island. They should have thought through this more.

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Flurry: Lost in Space (Part XI)

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As Serkan was waiting to listen to Ace’s story about meeting Quivira a long time ago, something took him by the arms. In literally the blink of an eye, he was transported to a different place entirely. He was suddenly standing in a jungle. Or a forest. Or whatever you call it, it definitely wasn’t Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Standing before him was a man. “Who are you?”

“My name is Mario. Mario Matic.”

“What do you want with me?”

“We need your help.”

“I just got done helping someone, which was a tangent from trying to help someone else, which was already a tangent from trying to help an entire city.”

Mario stared at him with his mouth half-open. “I don’t know what that means. I’m salmon. I was sent to retrieve you so you can help my friend. That you were in the middle of something important was completely out of my control.”

Serkan took in a deep breath and prepared to officially accept the mission. He had never planned on traveling through time, but once he did, he at least hoped that the once would be it. This was getting to be a little inconvenient.

“If they let me take you back to the exact moment you left,” Mario continued, “I will. We really do need you, though. You’re the only one who can do it.”

Serkan exhaled. “Very well. What am I meant to do?”

Mario was hesitant to explain. “First, you should know that we’re in the future. I’ve not been authorized to reveal the exact date, but I am allowed to reveal that we are on a different planet as well.”

“What?!”

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Some people can jump through time, others teleport, and some can even go to other planets. It’s this whole thing. I just don’t want you freaking out if you see a strange animal you’ve never heard of, or something.”

“I guess I’ll...thanks for warning me.” He was this close to just giving up on everything. It was so overwhelming. “Who’s your friend?”

“That’s the most complicated part.”

“There’s something more complicated?”

“You’ve met this person already.”

“All right. Who?”

“He will be happy to see you. We’re hoping you can sort of talk him off the ledge. He’s become...lost.”

“Why aren’t you telling me his name?”

“It’s Reaver. Horace Reaver. A future Horace Reaver.”

“Oh.” He couldn’t come up with a better response. This wouldn’t be the first time he met a future version of Ace, but it would be the first time he realized it.

“He’s been dealing with a lot. I mean, we all have, but he and I have had it the worst here. At least, out of everyone left. I don’t have a good enough memory.” Mario went on after a pause, “Of course, the Horace you meet will have knowledge of what happens in your personal future, but he’s been doing this long enough to know that he shouldn’t tell you too much about what happens to you. We ask that you respect that, and reciprocate it. The events on this island, in this time period, are very sensitive. You can’t go ‘round altering them, which means when you return to your own time, you can’t say anything to your boyfriend...or to anyone else, for that matter.”

“I understand. Just one question.”

“Where’s the future Serkan?” He guessed.

“Yeah. That’s...that’s what I was gonna ask.”

“I can’t tell you that,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“All right,” Serkan said. He didn’t know what we was going to find. He was just learning about a new side of his Ace in 2024. Having to speak with someone who had been through God knows how much more bullshit in this world...and apparently the next, was going to be difficult, at best. Future Horace Reaver. How much time had it been since their lives in mid-early 21st century, and how much had Ace changed? More importantly, how was Serkan going to be able to help? Perhaps even more importantly, though, how would he react to seeing his old boyfriend? Yes, by nothing more than Mario’s few words, and his tone of voice, Serkan suspected that sometime in the future, he would die before Ace. That was the only logical explanation for why he was brought in, rather than that version of himself. However, he had agreed to avoid learning too much about his future, and he was going to do his best to honor that commitment to temporal integrity. “Take me to him.”

Mario took him through the jungle and onto the beach. They were soon at some sort of encampment. In the distance, he could see a woman presumably fishing in the ocean. A guy he didn’t know was tending to a fire with Lincoln Rutherford, who seemed both completely out of place, and at home, at the same time. A second woman wasn’t technically in their way in this wide open space, but it was clear that they needed to speak with her first before they could go see Horace.

“He understands the rules?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m doing this as a favor. The psychological consequences of these experiences are meant to be part of those experiences. I shouldn’t be interfering with the process, but Mateo has...rubbed off on me.” She sort of trailed off in what looked like a private existential crisis. “And so has Horace. So I am allowing him to be here, but I can order you to take him away at any time, and I will exercise that power at my will.”

“I understand,” Mario responded. “And he does understand what he can and cannot know.”

“Okay.” With that, she disappeared.

“Come on,” Mario said. “He should be in the new privacy hut. Be gentle, he doesn’t know you’re coming.”

They walked up to this sorry excuse for a hut. Mario stayed behind while Serkan entered alone. Horace was sitting on a surprisingly well-made bench, carving a piece of wood with a pocket knife. He looked up and stared into Serkan’s eyes for a moment, all but confirming Serkan’s suspicions that the Serkan he knew was dead. Then he just chuckled once. “They send you here to get me back on track?”

“Are you off track?” Serkan asked, trying to channel every fictional therapist he had ever seen.

“I’m more myself now.”

“What happened?”

He stopped whittling. “I don’t believe I’m allowed to tell you that.”

Serkan said nothing.

“Eh, whatever.” He sported an exaggerated shrug, and broke eye contact so he could focus on the wall. He continued to slice into the piece of wood, but no longer had any drive to mold it into any particular shape. “Keanu is dead. I killed him, Mal. Killed him with a sword. How weird is that?” Yeah, he was not doing well.

“Why did you have to do that?”

To anyone else, that could sound like an accusation, but Horace would know that it was a legitimate question. “He had our daughter. He was gonna kill her this time, Serkan. He really was, he was gonna do it. If, by some miracle, he had failed, he would have found another way at another time. I had to end it.”

“But could one of his powerful friends not just go back in time and stop it from happening?”

He shook his head many more times than necessary. “Not this time. I was...not the way I did it.”

“I believe,” Serkan began, trying to find his words. “I believe they brought me up here expecting me to try and bring you back; to tell you that killing is wrong, and that there’s always another way.”

He finally looked back at him. “But you’re not gonna do that?”

“I also believe they underestimate our love for Paige.”

He nodded. “They always do.”

“I can’t imagine how you feel about her now, after all this time. For me it’s only been a year since we met her, but you’ve built a life around her. Honestly, for as bad as I expect it to get, I can’t wait.”

He smiled through the tears. “It’ll get pretty bad. If I can give you one piece of advice, though, it’s to not underestimate her. To say she’s precocious would be an understatement.”

“Understood.”

Serkan pulled up a chair so they could sit in silence together for a little while. Serkan continued once he had thought of something useful. “Horace, I’m not here to make sure you’re okay. I know you’re not. I’m here to make sure that you’ll be okay.”

“I can’t promise that.”

“If you killed Keanu to protect Paige, then she must be somewhere around here, right?”

He glanced towards the door. “If you didn’t see her on your way here, they’re probably purposely keeping her hidden.”

“Then hold onto her. Use her as a rock. I don’t know exactly what went down that made you take up the sword—or even where you got your hands on a sword—but I do truly hope you had no other choice.”

“I didn’t.”

“Just...don’t use that as an excuse to go back to how Lincoln Rutherford thinks you once were.”

He laughed knowingly.

“Let her be there for you. She’s family. Whenever you’re worried about your...dark passenger, for lack of a better term, picture her face.”

“That’s what I used to do with you.”

“I know.”

“Do you know why I don’t, why I can’t, anymore?”

“I have a pretty good idea.”

“What if that’s not enough?”

Serkan slid down to his knees, hobbled over to Horace, and took hold of his hands. “If you end up doing something like this again, they’re gonna pull me out of time so I can drag your ass back out of the darkness. That may sound like a gift, but it’s gonna get us into some paradoxical trouble. Plus, it’s going to take precious time from me that I could be spending with a Horace I still know for a fact still listens to me.” It might have been harsh, but it was exactly what Horace needed to hear, and Serkan honestly believed it.

“Okay,” Horace replied.

“Good,” Serkan said, standing up. “I can’t be your crutch forever, so I’m gonna go home now.”

“That’s fair.” He stood up to take Serkan in what was obviously a much-needed embrace. Neither one of them really wanted to let go, and eventually, Horace started nuzzling Serkan’s neck.

“I should go,” Serkan said.

“What?” Horace asked, nuzzling deeper.

“I should be getting back to my boyfriend.”

“I’m your boyfriend.”

“Not yet.” They both laughed. It was then that they knew that it wasn’t going to end like this. Serkan hadn’t gotten any in days, and he didn’t even want to hazard a guess as to how long it had been for Horace. So they took the opportunity to sleep together on an uncomfortable wooden hut floor.

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Microstory 610: Body of Water Turns Red

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After learning the news of the Pantheonist tribe meeting house’s destruction, a group of overzealous Lightseers took it upon themselves to instigate the tenth taikon. Unfortunately, these people either did not carefully read The Book of Light, or they failed to interpret it properly. The Book states that a body of water will inexplicably turn red, not just that it will turn. Thousands of years ago, such an event would have been considered witchcraft by our ancestors. They would have been baffled by something like that happening. Through science and discovery, however, we could propose a number of explanations. Actually, water changes into unusual colors all the time. It can come from pollution, algae waste, or maybe just a trick of the light on a planet orbiting two stars. And, of course, technology could accomplish something like this, which is what the overzealots ultimately used, the details of which are unimportant. A quick survey of an unnamed pond on an outer planet called Roepl made it clear to scientists and taikon verifiers that the water’s transformation was completed using purely artificial means, which did not qualify. As the verifiers were leaving the system, disappointed by a seeming failure, they noticed something strange happening on the surface of Roepl’s moons. They landed to find that Lake Wurveol had turned red as well. They assumed this to be another attempt by the same group of overzealots, or some other group, but they were obligated to investigate either way. What they found perplexed them to no end. Even to this day, no one knows how the lake turned red. No microorganism, or dye, or light trickery could explain the phenomenon. It just was red—blood red—with no apparent reason behind it. Any water removed from the site would return to a clear state, but as long as it was within the confines of the source, it remained in this new and incomprehensible state. The tenth taikon actually was realized on that day, which allowed for the eleventh to be as well.

Microstory 609: Destruction of an Infidel Place of Worship

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This may come as a surprise to some Lightseers in the galaxy, but there are those who not only don’t believe in the Book of Light, but actually believe in some other thing. There are, in fact, a number of religions in Fostea that conflict with Lightseed teachings. Some have adopted belief systems from foreign worlds, others are holdouts from the religions of old, and a few even take their cues from Earthan traditions. What is strongly considered the worst of these religions is called Pantheonistry. It is also probably the strangest. Pantheonistry teaches that there is only one person in the entire universe. This single entity has been, and will be, reincarnated quadrillions of quadrillions of times, throughout history. This means that every person you encounter is actually you, either earlier in your total history...or your future. You are supposedly just one life of the multitude. The entity—which goes by many names, including Panthos—will never be able to find peace until it experiences literally every single person’s life. Pantheonistry was retained from the old worlds, but has been altered to better fit in with Fostean culture. Yet it is still very much unlike Lightseed. Fostean Pantheonistry rejects the idea that there is one entity, but instead that there are at least two, and as many as thousands. These entities are constantly clashing with each other, which is meant to explain anything from war to personal opposition. This version of Pantheonistry encourages people to find something called a “tribe” which hopefully only includes other individuals that are reincarnations of their particular primary entity. Of course, in our great galaxy, we do not discourage anyone from finding like-minded friends, but most non-Pantheonists would agree that this theoretical connection is not enough. The fact of the matter is that these Pantheonists are helping people for irrational reasons, under the belief that they are somehow the same, when really it’s just a clever disguise for charity, A few dozen tribes have been formed so far, and unfortunately, the faith is growing, which means that the number of them will only increase. The good news is that we have at least one fewer of them to deal with than we did before. The meeting house of one tribe (its name unimportant) was effectively destroyed, which excellently fulfilled the requirements for achieving the ninth taikon.

Microstory 608: Replace Eido Andrea

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The Sacred Savior, Sotiren knew that he would not be able to manage the entirety of the galaxy himself. For he was humble, wise, and aware of his own limitations. There were five star systems he deemed to be the most important, and would be central to galactic activity. He chose these because each carried with them exactly three habitable planets. Though they are referred to as the “central” worlds, they are actually nowhere near each other. And so he took from his followers, and appointed eleven eidos to protect his interests distantly. Over the course of the taikon, these will all need to be replaced by new eidos. Though the central planets have been under the rule of one person, group, or another since the beginning, there has been no singular vision since the time of the eidos. This is not a mistake; it is by design. The whole purpose of moving to this galaxy was so that our people could live their lives without being interfered with by some sort of unifying government. The only reason the eidos existed in the first place was so that we would not lose sight of what we wanted, and didn’t fall into the same traps that earlier cultures have. We sprouted from a dirty communist society, and many of us fear every day that we will ultimately turn back to this. It was foretold that a small group of irritants would arrive in Fostea one day and attempt to revert us back to a time when all men were equal; when we just lived in the dirt, like animals. We have so far been unable to hold them back, for their silver tongues are thick and convincing. What we need now are a new set of eidos to protect us from these foreigners. The new Eido Andrea was chosen from the House of Ulaire to fulfill this purpose.

Microstory 607: Trap the Dam of Cerelune

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In order to travel to other star systems within any practical period of time, you have to use the simplex dimensions. These are filled with energy, matter, and compressed space. They allow faster-than-light travel, while normal three-dimensional space will not. They are natural, conquered, but still mysterious. We do not yet know where all of their energy comes from, for the origins of the universe do not adequately account for it. But we accept it, because these dimensions are useful. You can even accelerate the speed of travel by dematerializing passengers and cargo with machines known as Nexa. No one knows exactly where these machines first came from, but they have been found in every galaxy thus far, and replication is fairly straightforward. And they still use simplex dimensions, for they are the only things capable of interstellar travel...except for one other thing. Spacetime phenomena known as wormholes can do the same thing. Unfortunately, wormholes are microscopic at best, flash and burn out in seconds at most, and are always unstable. The only practical use for them took place thousands of years ago. When man was first trying to seek out life on other planets, data bursts were sent through wormholes, which would open randomly on the other end, hopefully near another civilization. This actually worked a couple of times before galactic mapping became a more realistic means of outreach. Still, no one has managed to find a way to enlarge, stabilize, and maintain a wormhole long enough to transport matter. The endeavor has been largely abandoned. Yet, even through these limitations, life finds a way. It has been hypothesized that the Dam of Cerelune’s species somehow evolved the ability to make use of wormholes to escape massive numbers of predators. She seems to be the last of her kind, and all attempts at capture have been futile, until now. While recovering from her impregnation, Sacred Mother of Light, Marilesse Lyons was sitting by the Yulven Ice Fields when the Dam of Cerelune suddenly appeared from a wormhole. With one touch, Marilesse managed to break the dam’s ability to escape. She remains on Lyon’s home planet of Yrosfulh today, as a family pet, ready to welcome the arrival of the child of Sacred Savior.

Microstory 606: A Virgin’s Child by Sacred Savior

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Each taikon was written independently. In few places will you find it said that one taikon necessarily informs another. We’ve now learned that each one has been ultimately made possible by the one before, but this is not explicitly stated in the Book of Light. A major exception to this has to do with Peter Fireblood. The Book makes it quite clear that he, and only he, is capable of accomplishing the sixth taikon. He must impregnate a young virgin with the seed of the Sacred Savior. Obviously this is referring to Sotiren, whose body was only recently recovered from interstellar space. Since the Sacred Savior has been dead for centuries, his body no longer carries with it the ability to conceive a child. Fortunately, this is no longer a necessary component of conception. Through the miracle of science, it is possible to generate a baby using more sophisticated ways of mixing genetic material. Nowadays, it is possible to be born of two men, two women, more than two parents, or even just one person. Yes, by recombining the DNA of the progenitor, an entirely new scion can be created. Artificial gestation technology exists along with these methods, but this would not be allowed for the taikon. A girl below the age of majority must become pregnant by the genetic remnant of the Sacred Savior, and Peter Fireblood must perform the procedure, and he must perform it somewhere near the Yulven Ice Fields, for whatever reason. A number of girls were chosen to apply for the position of Sacred Mother. The Book of Light does not specify how to narrow down the contestants, but they did not have to do that anyway. The most  recent candidate was none other than the younger sister of Katafar Lyons, the woman who was sacrificed for the second taikon. When Peter Fireblood’s acolytes saw Marilesse Lyons on the list, they knew that she had to be the one. Her presence only fueled their belief in the truth. Marilesse, of course, agreed to the procedure, and things could continue.