🚀 Concept Sci-fi Issue 3 is here!

Dive into a world of imagination where futuristic ideas, mind-bending technology, and thrilling stories collide. Concept Sci-fi Issue 3 brings readers an exciting collection of science-fiction narratives that explore the unknown, challenge reality, and push the boundaries of possibility.

📚 Read or download the FREE ebook here:
https://cotxapi.com/book/21661

Concept Sci-fi Issue 3 | Free PDF Download | cotxapi

Whether you’re a long-time sci-fi fan or just discovering the genre, this issue is packed with engaging fiction and thought-provoking storytelling. Perfect for readers who love exploring new worlds and bold concepts. 🌌

Planet Abaca - Far beyond the familiar stars lies a world unlike any other—Planet Abaca. Mysterious, beautiful, and filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, it is a place where discovery can change everything. Planet Abaca takes readers on a journey to a distant world where exploration, survival, and curiosity collide. As new horizons unfold, those who arrive on Abaca must confront the unknown—strange landscapes, unexpected challenges, and the realization that this planet may hold far more than anyone imagined. But Abaca is not just another world to explore. It may also be a place that tests courage, reshapes destiny, and reveals what it truly means to adapt, survive, and belong. For readers who love adventure, imagination, and the thrill of exploring new worlds, Planet Abaca invites you to step beyond the stars and discover what awaits on the other side of the universe. Click the link to get your copy.

The official table of contents and series guide for The Philistines.

The Series Guide

Cosmosia the Abyssal Serpent

Relevant Posts: The Abyssal Dungeon, Mal, The Rock Dragons, The Thumertrions, Untamed Reality, The True Abyss, Darla, The Xanthous King

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The Abyssal Dungeon is a terrible and frightening place no one should ever find themselves lost in. Going up or down in the cardinal directions out in the void space is a bad idea, as these were directions one were never meant to be traveled along inside the universe. Going up leads to a region called Untamed Reality, where one can catch glimpses of The Lost Era. Going down leads to a dark abyss where one can stand, but inevitably sink into. The lucky ones end up in negative reality, while the forsaken end up in The Abyssal Dungeon.

A liminal realm where the Word of God was unable to shape the primordial darkness, the dungeon is an infinite realm that sits above the darkness. It is an eerie, liminal echo of the Cosmos made of ash and obsidian caves and mountains. It corrodes any 3rd and 4th dimensional beings, and even those of higher dimensions have trouble existing there. Only omni, zero, and first dimensionals can properly resist the corrosive effects of the True Abyss. And amidst the horrors of the dungeon, such as the superhuman remnants of the Lost Era known as Thumertrions, there are beings that one would be truly fortunate to meet, such as the Abyssal Serpents and Rock Dragons.

The Rock Dragons are strange beings that originated from the primordial darkness who maintain order in the Abyssal Dungeon and keep kingdoms such as the Thumertrions in check. The Abyssal Serpents are strange, zero dimensional entities that are closer to sea cucumbers than snakes. The comparison comes from the fact that Abyssal Serpents feed off of abyssal substrate and recycle it back into proper matter. Much like how Prima Materia needs to be recycled in the Mercurial Vault, all matter eventually sinks down to the primordial darkness and needs to return to reality proper. It is widely believed that all matter has gone through the digestive tracks of Abyssal Serpents at some point.

Cosmosia is one such serpent who loves digging through the Abyssal Dungeon to eat and explore. Her body is strange, being like a starry void given shape with no definitive size and the giant nails that float next to her head act as shovels, hands, and a means of defense. Her six eyes are some of the best in the dungeon, capable of seeing past any deception and through the greatest darkness. Cosmosia is close friends with Mal, The Malformed of Old, as Mal loves to explore with Cosmosia and collect the rare Abyssal Gems that form in the substrate of the dungeon. Although with Darla and The Xanthous King stirring up trouble in the dungeon as of late, things have been a bit hectic…

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Will-15’s True Form

Relevant Posts: Universe-15, Ms. Phantasm, Phantasm LLC, Reapers, Incubi, M.A.I.G., Maas Lowmann, The Extinction Order, The Eternal Order, Gudrun Holzknecht

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Incubi, often viewed as the male counterparts to succubi, are actually a convergent evolved species of demon. Descended from Reapers, Incubi grew weary of being psychopomps, wishing to see the ones they saw off to the afterlife thrive and prosper. This inevitably led to them becoming demons of desire who mingle more in the human realm. Unlike succubi where males are halfling anomalies, incubi can be both male and female. Their true forms are human-like, but typical demon traits, and they also tend to be two colors, Will being black and purple. An interesting quirk of Universe-15 is that they have more incubi than succubi.

Prior to fully committing to working at Phantasm LLC and being a full time special agent for the Magic Anomaly Investigation Group (M.A.I.G.), Will was a “content creator,” specifically reviewing video games. While he saw modest success, he never really took off… and this career was killed when the governments of Earth-15 began passing “online safety acts,” demanding that citizens scan their face and upload their ID to use the internet. Many of these acts were bankrolled by Maas Lowmann, an infamous tech industry conman who managed to infiltrate important government organizations with his “AI” scam. Maas claimed he had invented true Artificial Intelligence, but in reality he had taken credit for efficient algorithms pretending to be smart.

The internet was nearly destroyed, but the time phantom known as Ms. Phantasm (CEO of Phantasm LLC) led the charge in creating an internet that cannot be regulated by governments with help from The Liger Brigade, M.A.I.G., The ACF, and GRENADIER to eventually reclaim the internet as a whole. Of course Ms. Phantasm was on to the fact that Maas had received help from Gudrun Holzknecht and was affiliated with The Extinction Order of Universe-23, an offshoot of The Eternal Order. Currently Ms. Phantasm is helping M.A.I.G. invent the technology to travel to Universe-23 so they can ready their counterattack against The Extinction Order.

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LAND&SEA: Paradise is in!

We’ve got a few copies of the new Graphic Novel in stock, along with some RHINO ASHUR’s, Bookmarks, and the Limited Run Poster! Grab yours while they are stocked!

Post Apocalyptic Books & Gripping Survival Fiction

In a world exactly like our own, only with some certain divergences in the next 10-20 years, two scientists part of the European Space Agency named Morgan Hansen and Brigitte Kjellberg, building upon the theories of Miguel Alcubierre, built the first functional Alcubierre drive in 2041, their contributions to making the theory practical earning them hyphenations in the name of the drive in subsequent academic spaces - and later in practical spaces - as the Alcubierre-Hansen-Kjellberg drive.

Based on saturating gravitons in relative positions in front and behind it in such a way as to constrict space-time in front and expand it from behind, creating a “warp bubble,” it allows pseudo-superluminal travel by means of making space move around the vehicle instead of the vehicle through space, thereby bypassing the speed of light - at least in theory. The first drive was only capable of going at approximately .001 C, which in fairness was orders of magnitude faster than any other propulsion method devised previously. However, tests could only be operated in space, as Earth’s gravity well was too strong for the warp bubble to form. It was described by Kjellberg as “trying to blow a bubble in solid concrete.”

Not long thereafter, in early 2042, ESA launched a probe to Mars, dubbed Lucerne, containing an updated drive, which had basically the same specifications as the first, but with many of the bugs ironed out and functionality stabilized. Takeoff was done in a recently constructed launch facility in Tunisia, launch-to-orbit was a success, deployment of payload went off without a hitch, and the activation of the drive went exactly as planned. Contact was lost with the probe upon entering “warp,” but that was to be expected. This test was for an eventual manned mission.

As calculated, it took around 3 days for the probe to reach Mars, the researchers intending rendezvous with it via orbital sensor arrays deployed on previous missions by multiple collaborating space agencies. However, as soon as the probe entered a sufficiently strong volume of Mars’ gravity well, the warp bubble lost stability, causing a spaghettification-like effect where the warp bubble was disengaged unevenly, causing the entire probe to shear violently, stretching it across its approach vector, becoming torn in three places. The recovered debris revealed that the the atomic structure of the metals and plastics and ceramics and other materials involved in the probe’s construction were stretched like putty due to spacial distortion, the first anomaly of its kind ever recorded.

The subsequent manned mission to Mars was put on temporary hold until this catastrophic failure could be mitigated, but it was eventually decided to rely on conventional propulsion and slingshot maneuvers for that mission, named Lucerne II.

Lucerne II would launch in 2061, delayed several times due to many of the researchers’ involved eagerness to include an Alcubierre-Hansen-Kjellberg drive in the vehicle, but by 2058, little actionable progress - though plenty of research progress - had been made. With the help of the slingshotting maneuvers, the trip was reduced by a couple of weeks. But nobody knew this manned mission would go down in history as the most foundationally important interplanetary expedition in Earth’s history….

Camembert Comics #3 sur Amazon !

Bientôt Noël ! Alors pour vous donner des idées, je vous montre quelques extraits du numéro 3 de mes Camembert Comics version papier (7x10 pouces soit 17,78x25,4 cm).
Cette série reprends tous mes travaux de 2016 à 2025 en 4 parties.
Les numéros 1 et 3 sont entièrement en noir et blanc alors que les autres auront des pages en couleurs dont la couverture : c'est en cours…
Vous pouvez tout avoir ici : https://bit.ly/4sBr3Cw.

Before Constantine, before Fox Mulder, and before Scooby and the gang, strange things were investigated by E. and H. Heron’s iconic shamus Flaxman Low. In my new interview with editor Alexander B. Joy, he talks about assembling the new short story collection, “Flaxman Low: Occult Detective.”
https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-flaxman-low-occult-detective-editor-alexander-b-joy/
📖🔎👻

Enfin !
Je tiens enfin dans mes mains fébriles les numéros 1 et 3 de mes Camembert Comics en version papier (7x10 pouces soit 17,78x25,4 cm) 🔥.
Cette série reprends tous mes travaux de 2016 à 2025 en 4 parties.
Les numéros 1 et 3 sont entièrement en noir et blanc alors que les autres auront des pages en couleurs (dont la couverture). Par contre il faut que je rajoute 22 pages supplémentaires pour les versions couleur pour des impératifs de l'imprimeur ! Donc c'est en cours pour le numéro 3…
Commandez dès maintenant sur Amazon (papier ou Kindle) ici : https://bit.ly/4sBr3Cw.
Enjoy !

Camembert Comics

A new The Philistines episode: New Jerusalem

New Jerusalem

Owen Benson is haunted by his previous fare who draws him into the Directorate’s biggest secret.

#sciencefiction #story

Sequels of Erabon Prophecy Trilogy: What Comes After Myeem

The story doesn’t stop with Myeem. 🌌

In the Erabon Prophecy Trilogy, the journey continues far beyond the first book. The upcoming sequels promise deeper mysteries, interstellar exploration, and revelations that shape the fate of entire worlds.

If you enjoyed the beginning of the saga, the next chapters will expand the universe even further.

🛒 Get Myeem: Book One of the Erabon Prophecy Trilogy:
🔗 Amazon: amzn.to/44nQCx7
🔗 Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/3KnA7dF
🔗 Indie Pubs: bit.ly/41SfUkW

🌐 Learn more: https://authorrandycdockens.com

Darla, the Alkainting Daughter

Relevant Posts: The Alkatining God, The Xanthous King, The Commercialverse, Dimensions, The Abyssal Dungeon, Ultinn-Lacksus, The Multiverse Patrol, The ACF

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There is an important reason why humans so ardently and vociferously deny the existence of the supernatural and paranormal, even if they do not realize it. Strange and incomprehensible entities haunt the void of the multiverse, ones humans could never hope to understand with any sane or rational mind. The -0D entity calling herself “Darla” is a strong case for this ignorance as a necessary evil. Darla represents a dangerous and delicate situation where the fabric of reality for the Cosmos is being pushed to its limits.

Darla is primarily documented by the Multiverse Patrol (MVP for short), but is also pending approval for ACF-206 by The Anomaly Containment Foundation of Universe-23. The MVP typically stays out of conflicts between universes and gods unless the conflict in question jeopardizes the multiverse as a whole. They typically focus on troublemakers and armies trying to disrupt other universes as a whole. A conflict like the ongoing war between The Tyrant God and The Sepulcher God while involving multiple universes, is mostly a contained conflict. Both sides have their targets and stick to them. And then The Virus God brought back The Alkainting God from his expedition to Threrth’s Cosmos.

The Alkainting God has been an utter nightmare to handle for many organizations across the Cosmos. His incompatibility with our Cosmos has disrupted many universes, but they have been able to cope and recover. Things eventually settled down, but then something emerged from The Commercialverse, a daughter of The Alakinting God named “Darla.” Initially it was believed she emerged from a high IGL universe, but it was soon discovered she emerged from a pocket universe from within the Commercialverse that was roughly 12 commercial levels in.

What the MVP had documented was the first -0D entity. 0D is already an anomaly to begin with, but -0D goes above and beyond as 0 cannot exist as a negative. Darla’s properties cannot be inferred and have to be observed, making her an incredibly dangerous entity by merely existing. Darla distorts reality however she pleases, but her favorite pastime seems to be placing herself and her victims within a horror movie narrative where she proceeds to force them to act out whatever story she has envisioned, unstoppable until the movie finishes. Bizarrely the majority of her victims seem to be Earth governments from unknown universes attempting to capture or eliminate her, typically American, British, and Russian governments.

Darla does seem to know when she is causing trouble, as she will flee when the MVP shows up. Currently she has made her way to The Abyssal Dungeon where she seems to be brainstorming new ideas for movies. Of troubling concern is the fact that The Xanthous King, following The Red River City incident, had an existential crisis and is currently looking for a significant other. He seems to be infatuated with Darla, which has attracted the attention of Ultinn-Lacksus, an infamous member of the villainous Eternal Order.

Also, that is not Darla’s hand…

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Further Reading:

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BOOK REVIEW: Echo of Lies by Carol Potenza. An amazing time travel science fiction novel with a bit of romance.

BOOK REVIEW: Echo of Lies by Carol Potenza

ULTRAMagic (Before) Prelude Chapter 10

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“Well, I mean I get that a lot, as I tend to get around,” Nosmirc tried to handwave. “I’m the Amazing Nosmirc after all, a purveyor of favors and services, a bit of a miracle worker if you will…”

“No no, I definitely recognize you from somewhere…” The Metal God asserted as he stroked his chin. “That voice is unmistakeable…”

Erikson whistled in a mocking manner. “This just got interesting…”

Nosmirc was sweating bullets as everyone was beginning to stare, but thankfully the tension was broken by a stone doorway rising up from the floor from nearby. The great hall shook for a second as the doors opened with sand spilling from them. “Oh look at that, The Madman of Old, ladies and gentlemen!”

Walking over to the group was a tall, stone statue of man with a distinct brutalist aesthetic to him, but it was easy to tell this was not his true self. “Grettings everyone, pardon my unannounced arrival.” There was a level of ambient stress in his voice, indicating that he had been tending to something frustrating beforehand. “Don’t panic, everyone, The Metal God wishes to return to the light.”

The Metal God sighed and cracked his neck. “Anything but that godforsaken universe you trapped me in…”

Leif was apprehensive and groaned, but stuck out his hand after taking a moment to accept the situation he was being presented with. “Aye yai yai… Well, I can’t say no to a god returning to the fold.”

“No hard feelings, Leif,” The Metal God replied as he accepted the shake. “So what’s with the kid?”

The Madman chuckled as a subtle, mischievous grin appeared on his face. “Well perhaps Nosmirc can get you up to speed on that one.” Naturally this made Nosmirc even more nervous, given that The Madman was fully aware of who he actually was and wanted to mess with him a little. “Speaking of gods returning to the fold, Automaton, Leif? I have a plan to get The Shadow God back on our side and away from The Eternal Order.”

The Automaton was expecting this news, but Leif was legitimately caught off guard. “Wait, really? What do you have in mind?”

“It’s a little complicated, but let’s just say it will involve Blood-Wraith when the time comes…” The Madman answered as he pointed at the boy.

“Oh my goodness,” Blood-Wraith remarked, not quite sure what to think. “What do you need me to do? I don’t know how I’m going to deal with a god…”

The Madman chuckled. “It’s a surprise, but don’t worry too much about it. Everything will make sense when the time comes. And obviously those details require more private quarters to discuss, Automaton, Leif.”

“Yes, indeed,” The Automaton agreed. “Leif, could you come with us to my office?”

Leif straightened out his vest and gave a quick clearing of his throat. “Of course. Sorry to bounce on you like that, Blood…”

“It’s alright, Leif,” the boy assured him.

“His magic is starting to develop,” Leif said to The Madman. “We were able to test out some of Damien’s essence on him.”

The Madman nodded with a smile on his face and patted Leif on the shoulder as they started to walk towards the exit. “Fantastic. Keep it up, Blood.”

“Nosmirc, I’ll leave getting The Metal God up to speed to you,” The Automaton said before the three made their way out of the great hall.

Nosmirc groaned, inhaled, and let out a frustrated exhale. “Gee, thanks, Madman…” he muttered.

“Is something wrong, Nosmirc?” Blood-Wraith inquired.

This startled him a little, causing him to break away from his frustration. “Oh, um no no… erm… To my office, Metal God.”

Blood-Wraith gave a subtle nod as the two left through the opposite exit. “Scotty, Tiberius, can we trust Nosmirc? I mean, is he alright?”

“For all the good he’s done us, I trust him about as far as I can throw him,” Scotty answered fairly bluntly.

Tiberius cleared his throat and crossed his arms in a contemplative manner, looking towards where the two had gone. “Nosmirc is quite the anomaly and certainly one with a myriad of secrets. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear he’s a god and not telling us. While it’s not unheard of for there to be higher dimensional entities who are mundane and just go about their daily lives, you typically don’t see such people in the lower dimensions, and it’s even rarer for them to be named. Nosmirc’s behaviour is more in line with a rogue god than the miracle worker he purports to be.”

“I wish I had the insight to figure this out…” Blood-Wraith remarked with a subtle groan as he also crossed his arms.

Scotty then ruffled Blood-Wraith’s non-existent hair. “Don’t let it bog you down too much, as we should focus on the now despite how uncertain things are. It bugs me to no end, but it’s like what Clyde’s aura master always says: The future is a mystery, the past is history, but today is a gift-that’s why it’s called the present.” That seemed to make Blood-Wraith feel better as he chuckled at how carefree those words were.

“A little devil-may-care, but I can raise a mug to that mentality,” Erikson commented as he chucked his apple core into a garbage receptacle nearby, receiving applause from Blood-Wraith for the good throw. “I know who Nosmirc actually is, hehe…”

“Are you going to tell us?” Scotty asked with expectancy in his skeptical voice.

“Nope, but I will say it is painfully obvious if you read between the lines…”

After making their way to his office, Nosmirc shut the double doors and locked them. He did not want anyone barging in on the two given what he figured The Metal God was about to say. He was hoping it would not come to that, but the feeling of dread he had in his chest would not go away. “So yes, Blood is the key to getting a foothold against The Eternal Order. The Lich of Old is our main target and his defeat should cause enough chaos to shake things up…”

The Metal God looked around the fancy, Victorian office and nodded with a discrete, sly smile on his face. “And you would know about how The Lich was supposed to be the start of our plans to get a foothold in modernity, taking advantage of how primordials were supposed to reincarnate…”

“Uh, what? I’m sorry?” Nosmirc felt like his heart had stopped as he froze in place… The Metal God was on to him.

In one swift movement, The Metal God went over to Nosmirc and pulled off his face like it was a cloth mask with the top hat falling off, revealing the purple hair and crimson skin he was all too familiar with. “HA, I KNEW IT! I knew it was you, Crimson!”

The Crimson God just stood there silently staring at The Metal God in disbelief. “Hi… Metal God… Good to see you again…” he said in the most sheepish, scared voice imaginable. Everything seemed like it was unraveling, but he had to stay strong.

“Crimson, you know that little voice that tells you to quit while you’re ahead? YOU STILL DON’T HAVE ONE.”

“Well I-I got carried away, I guess…”

“WAY AWAY, and even that’s an understatement. Ha, still trying to get in bed with Behemoth?” He wondered as he picked up the top hat and set it on the desk.

The Crimson God clenched his fists as he felt the bile of caustic rage surge up into his throat. “NO,” he growled through gritted teeth.

The Metal god was about to make a witty remark, but a sting of adrenaline made him pause. That was not what he was expecting to hear. “Hold on a second, what in the rusted blazes did you just…” He needed to step back and process that reaction he received, as something was not right. “You’re not… where are you from?”

“I’m from the future…”

“How far?”

“Far enough to where I’ve left The Eternal Order.”

The Metal God needed a second to think as he leaned on the ornate, hardwood desk with both hands. “Heh, forgot being 12D allows you to properly travel through non-linear time like that… Just what is even going on? Because before I was defeated I was trying to help Valdemaras claim his father’s power so he could become the new Rat God during the end of the Transition Phase and… wait, what happened to The Tyrannosaur God? Is my familiar still out there?”

“Don’t worry, he went into hiding in the hyper overflow realms.”

The Metal God breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright, at least he’s staying out of trouble… So now what? You think you can just go to the other side like that? In my case I served my time before saying screw it…”

“I got the same talk from The Running God and Gryphon.”

“Ha, so what happened? What’s with the change of heart? Given your track record I find it hard to believe you saw the goodness in your…”

“BUT I DID!” The Crimson God shot back, feeling hurt by the lack of faith in him. This outburst legitimately startled The Metal God. “I’m not evil, I was just misguided!”

“Misguided?! Crimson, no offense-and I may be a bit out of the loop, so correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you help kickstart that Satan moron’s ‘profane alliance’ and push that Hecate broad into turning on the Spiritus Magni?”

The Crimson God clutched his chest above his heart and quietly moaned in distress, looking like he was about to cry, but held it in. “I can be better, I can be the god I always supposed to be… I need to unite with my true void caller…”

“Crimson, are you okay?” The Metal God was beside himself in disbelief, but for once he felt truly concerned for his friend, something he had always suppressed when he was with The Eternal Order. “What did Behemoth do to you?”

The Crimson God went silent for a second, then went to sit down at his desk. “You’ll find out eventually, but just know I’m glad he’s dead. Metal, I can make a difference in this conflict for the better. I can go back to the light. I’ve woken up and spelled the bullshit, and now I want to be who I was always meant to be, not some puppet of evil or mindless degenerate seeking pleasure…”

The Metal God leaned on the desk with both hands again and shook his head with a smile on his face. “You’ve got this all figured out, don’t you?”

“Well mostly… The Madman, you, and The Dread God knowing who I am is putting me on edge. Obviously it is for the best that I keep my identity a secret.”

“No, that sounds about right for you… you always acted before you thought, leading to me questioning whether or not you have that little voice in your head…”

The Crimson God then realized something a little odd about what The Metal God had mentioned previously. “Wait, how did you find out about all of that stuff after you were defeated?”

“Hey, I wasn’t completely cut off from the rest of the Cosmos. For a while I was plotting how I’d escape and rejoin with Sepulcher and the others, but having to battle eldritch warriors desperate to become alchemists kind of wears you down after a few eons… So what’s the plan going forward? As far as I can tell, that Blood-Wraith kid isn’t supposed to be here.”

The Crimson God snapped his fingers and regained his Nosmirc disguise, followed by him putting his top hat back on. “We need Damien’s magic to ignite Blood’s magic, and he’s going to be here in four days, so we should be able to take him out in one fell swoop. But me and you can’t be out and about when he does, as I don’t want him catching on to the fact that I’m here, and he’ll no doubt try to beckon you if he knows you’re here also. And God save us if that awful Audoin finds out about what’s going on with us.”

The Metal God nodded, going over the plan in his head. “That’s an Audoan Knight if what I heard is correct, so do you think the others can handle it? I saw Audoin escape that weird home universe of his, and he had a lot of potential traveling with him. It won’t be good if Damien suddenly gets a power boost…”

“I don’t think he will, and I think Leif, Mind-Wraith, Aava, Scotty, and Zara can handle him with ease when he shows up at the guild. He’s looking for me and Blood, and I don’t want to use Blood as bait, but it looks like it’s the only way to be rid of the last of the Audoan Knights.”

The Metal God smiled, confusing Nosmirc. “Crimson, you’re finally using that head of yours. It’s not perfect, as Crimson backwards is kind of obvious, but you’re pumping the breaks and thinking ahead for once.”

Nosmirc finally smiled and shook his old friend’s hand. “Are we still friends?”

“I don’t see why not, partner. Let’s do some good for once.”

“Thanks, Metal, that means a lot. So, would you like to join The Dark Divers? They’ve really grown on me, and we’re trying to get the modern ULTRAMagic Guild off the ground…”

“HAHA, the ULTRAMagic Guild? Well, things are definitely going to be interesting then… erm, wait, where’s the ULTRAMagic Entity? Shouldn’t he have already gotten the next guild going?”

Nosmirc sighed and got out a folder of papers from one of the drawers. “We don’t know, and sadly even I’m of little help in that regard. Oh, and call me Nosmirc going forward.”

“Or until your cover’s blown once and for all…” he said as he started skimming through the papers. “I think that iteration of Universe-826 I was trapped in dulled me, as I feel like my edge is gone…”

Nosmirc stood up and guided The Metal God over to his wardrobe so he could get him some better clothes. “That’s not a bad thing, as it potentially means you’ve grown up…”

Eventually after the start of evening, Nosmirc and The Metal God reappeared in the great hall. There was a band of guild members playing Irish folk tunes (since it was a Friday night) and the music made things incredibly lively as everyone got ready for dinner. The Metal God was all cleaned up, his skin and hair had its signature, soft metal sheen, and he wore dress pants and a long-sleeved, button-up shirt. Spying Blood-Wraith, Scotty, and Zara sitting around at one of the long tables, the two made their way to them. “Blood, Scotty, Zara, may we join you?” Nosmirc joyfully inquired.

“Oh, um, sure, I guess,” Scotty replied with a slight nervousness in his voice as he tidied up things such as napkins and cutlery a little.

“The Metal God himself,” Zara remarked as they took a seat across from them. “Man, my memories may be fuzzy, but that brings me back…”

The Metal God laughed in shock at what he saw in her. “Wait, Executioner, is that you? Since when were you a woman?”

“I know, right? Reincarnation is a pain…”

He then glanced over to Blood-Wraith, who was nodding along to the upbeat music. “So, Blood-Wraith, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

This caught Blood-Wraith a little off guard as he was in tune with the music, but he cleared his throat and waved. “Hello, Metal God, nice to meet you too! I heard about your past and why you were in that one universe… um, are you really going to help us out?”

“Well the way I see it, if I don’t play ball I’m going to have christen new alchemists for the next couple of eons, so yeah.”

Nosmirc nodded along and began setting up his spot at the table. “Don’t worry, Blood, Scotty, he’s rip roaring and ready to go in helping us stop Damien and even helping to get the next ULTRAMagic Guild started.”

Blood-Wraith liked the sound of that and grew eager to learn more about The Metal God. “Cool! Ooh, Metal God, want to hear about my magic practice?”

The Metal God smiled as he knew Blood-Wraith was going to explain it to him even if he was not interested. “Sure, kid. What have you been up to?”

Next: Chapter 11

ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)

Tale of The Toa, Onua (Rewrite)

Here’s something a little different, a rewrite of Onua’s intro segment from Bionicle Chronicles 1: Tale of The Toa. Before we get into the story, I would like to preface a few things going forward:

• There is no disrespect to Cathy Hapka here, I’m just being autistic and obsessing as an author and a one-man-show editor. Basically there were some things I thought could be improved and I went above and beyond, haha.
• No, I am NOT doing the whole book. This is out of respect for Cathy Hapka as a fellow author and the legality would be questionable at that point.
• Speaking of legality, this falls firmly under fan fiction and transformative work, but to keep Lego and Scholastic off my back, I’m not doing this for profit, this is not meant to replace Cathy Hapka’s work, and this will be the only piece I do. If I want to do more, I’ll write an original story.
• This is not written for children, this is written for Bionicle fans.
• I did take some liberties with the lore and common knowledge of the Bionicles to make the narrative the best it can be.

Without further ado, here is the story:

Tale of The Toa – Onua (Rewrite) by William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)

Onua, Toa of Earth

Dig, pull, scrape, push. Dig, pull, scrape, push… Onua fell into a comfortable rhythm as he scooped out a new tunnel. He was happy to be in the underground, as he always felt at home there. Something about the smell of earth and the tranquility of the realm undisturbed by the woes of the surface always set his mind at ease. Between the rustling of the dirt being shoved aside and the occasional delightful song of an underground river, who would not be at peace in such a subterranean wonderland? But he still felt uneasy. He knew his name, but he still did not know anything about who or where he was. And he could not shake the feeling that he was somehow missing something… missing a piece of himself.

Pushing that worry aside for the time being, he pressed on. There was no sense in worrying over something he had seemingly little control over. It was not like his current expedition where he had the control he desired. A tough rock in the way? A heave with both hands would clear it in no time. A potential cave in? His large, clawed hands would make short work of it. And the strange power emanating from his mask gave him the strength of a hundred men, so any accidents were no worry to him. The mystery of who he was continued to nag at him, but the joy of digging kept his mind at ease.

And Onua was so elated by his digging that he began humming an upbeat folk tune that locked him into a new rhythm that saw him dig with utmost efficiency. The organic muscles of his robotic body had been groaning at his refusal to take a break, but now they seemingly sang along with him… had Onua been able to remember the lyrics to the song. And he nearly had it too, on the tip of his tongue as he just barely started to remember the words… Unfortunately his concentration was broken when his hand broke the stone and earth to what felt like open air. Interested in what he had discovered when he saw the light poking through, Onua mustered up his strength and punched down the thin wall blocking him from his destination.

After the shower of stones and dust had ceased, Onua carefully stepped over the loose rubble, the rocks crunching against the dirt beneath his feet as he stepped into a large cavern. Being a little cheeky he called out so he could hear the beautiful echo reverberate against the cavern walls. Darted throughout were stone pedestals, each with a glowing crystal that gave off warm, yellow light. “So, there are others underground…” Onua said to himself. “Perhaps they will have some answers for me.” Spotting a tunnel in the far wall of the cavern, he followed it. He was quite surprised by what he saw when he rounded the corner and saw a great mural. “Is that me?!” he exclaimed.

The immense and majestic stone carvings depicted a powerful figure with a wedge-shaped mask and large, clawed hands. It was the spitting image of Onua, and he could feel the essence of a great legacy and an important mission and as he gingerly felt the smooth stone, chiseled to perfection by what must have a truly dedicated and skilled artisan. And curiously there were six others depicted alongside him. Five of them he felt he recognized, but the last was truly a mystery to him. Given that there was clearly a form of civilization nearby, Onua figured he would ask those people if they knew anything about the mural and its odd sixth… Toa? Was that what Onua was? Well it certainly sounded right…

And then something caught Onua’s ears, a rhythmic sound that went like thunka thunka thunka. Was it… a train? No, not underground… it had to be a mine cart! Yes, that was it, which meant he was getting closer to civilization. With a happy chuckle towards the fantastic carving of him, he turned towards another tunnel where he could hear the sound emanating from and began walking. This tunnel was lined with more glowing crystals, so he would probably not have to do any digging. While his excavating was fun, it was a bit of relief not to have to strain himself on a difficult piece of bedrock or bang his head on an unseen rock.

The sounds grew louder, yet fainter as it was clear the cart was traveling in the direction he was going. After another turn down a path with light at the end of the tunnel, Onua found what he was looking for. He had entered another cavern of truly colossal proportions held up by great, stone columns and discovered a quaint village. Buildings hewn from the stone of the depths lit by giant crystals from above greeted him, and diminutive beings similar to him could be seen going about their business, trading, moving carts of rocks and crystals, and generally conversing with each other. The villagers did not seem to notice Onua as he walked down the rustic, cobblestone walkways, allowing him to approach a group that were talking amongst each other.

“…yup, me and the boys spent some time in Le-Koro and those ever-cheerful Le-Matoran even taught us some tunes we can play while out in the mines!” One with an orange mask happily explained to the others.

“I’ll bet that tune will sound great reverberating against the stone walls, Azibo,” another said, straightening out his black mask.

“No doubt about it, Tehutti, assuming someone amongst us doesn’t cry wolf again…”

A matoran with blue eyes and a purple mask that resembled one of Onua’s compatriots (despite the toa’s hazy memories) groaned as he tidied up his pack and stepped over. “I wasn’t imagining it, Azibo. There really is a monster in the mines!”

“Looks like Nobua has been hitting the rare ould mountain dermis again!” a fourth matoran with a black and gray body jeered, causing the others to laugh.

“Blast it all, Aiyetoro!” Nobua fired back. “I saw it with my own eyes! It was giant with clawed hands and piercing, green eyes! He was clawing his way through the rock and earth like it was nobody’s business! It may even have been the Makuta himself!”

This warranted hushes, only to lead to more laughter. “Kid, you need to reign in that imagination of yours,” Tehutti chastised with the attitude of an elder.

A fifth with a brown body and orange mask amongst them cleared his throat, as he appeared to be more concerned than the rest. “While I highly doubt it was the Makuta, we should still keep our eyes peeled. Whenua warned us things may be changing soon, given all the chaos that troublemaker, Takua, stirred up…”

Nobua felt hurt by that, as he had gotten to know Takua. “Hey, Takua might be an outsider, but he’s pretty smart and fun to journey with, Captain Donse…” He then noticed the others seemed a bit scared. “What’s the matter, guys?”

“No-Nobua, behind you…” Azibo stuttered.

Nobua turned around only to see the giant he had been describing. “Hello there,” Onua said in a deep, friendly voice with a wave of his hand.

“IT’S THE MINE MONSTER!” Aiyetoro cried, causing the others to panic and run all over the place. Nobua froze, trying to wrap his mind around what he was seeing.

Onua felt a surge of adrenaline, feeling bad for the poor matoran. “Oh no no, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you! I’m Onua, and I’m looking for help!”

“Wait, Onua?!” Nobua exclaimed, causing the others to stop, albeit Azibo and Aiyetoro bumped into each other and fell over.

Donse took a second to study the giant and nodded slowly. “Tehutti, go get Onepu…”

“You think he’s the one? I mean, it’s possible…” he said as he began to head towards the buildings.

“He’s been studying with the Turaga, so he should have a good idea. Azibo, Aiyetoro, let’s go tell the others Nobua was right, ha. And speaking of which, Nobua, stay here with Onua until Onepu’s here.”

“Yes sir!” Nobua said with a salute as the other matoran hurried off.

Onua cleared his throat as he watched the various matoran get excited and run back and forth taking care of things. “So, Nobua, where am I exactly?”

Nobua chuckled as he stared up at Onua, so happy to be validated for once. It was about time the others started taking him seriously. “Hehe… Oh, jeez, sorry. Where are my manners? You’re in Onu-Koro, the capital of Onu-Wahi!”

Onua nodded as he noticed the similarities with his name, which was strange indeed. “I see… and you said you were a matoran? What do you do here, in these caves?”

“Oh, we mine. We mine, mine, mine some more, and trade what we find with the matoran of the other wahi’s. Typically the other villages want fresh protodermis, while Ko-koro desires heat crystals, Ga-Koro needs lightstones for their underwater dives, and the Po-Matorans are always looking for new rocks for Koli.”

“Fascinating, as it sounds like it’s quite busy around these parts. Say, you wouldn’t happen to need another hand in the mines, would you? I’m quite good at digging,” Onua humbly boasted as he held up his clawed hand and flexed his fingers.

Nobua chuckled at Onua’s eagerness, as he could already sense a friend in the giant. “We could always use an extra hand in the mines, but you’ll have to talk to Donse to see where you’re needed…” Nobua paused, then appeared to have an epiphany. “OH, Onua, follow me! There’s something cool you should see.”

Onua was led to the center plaza where he beheld a giant, stone statue proudly displayed on a large pedestal surrounded by a majestic water fountain, illuminated by multiple lightstone crystals. To say he was in awe was an understatement. “By the great beings, is that me?!”

“We think so, at least. Whenua had this built in your honor, declaring that you would one day arrive on the island to save us from the Makuta. When you said your name was Onua it all clicked for me and…”

“NOBUA!” an annoyed voice called out that was getting close. “WHERE’D YOU GO?!”

“And I’m in trouble again…” Nobua admitted with a nervous chuckle and a smile.

Onua was about to console him until a matoran with a purple mask like his ran right up to the two. “NOBUA, Donse told you to stay put!”

“Hehe, sorry, Onepu. Oh, Onua, this Onepu, right hand of Whenua and…”

“Captain of the Ussalry and five time champion of the Great Ussal Race consecutively!” he proudly cut in. “I’m one of the strongest matoran in the wahi and can see for miles in these dark caves of ours! Now, what’s your name, giant?”

Onua was a little taken aback by Onepu’s pride, but maintained his manners given how new he was in the koro. “Toa Onua, Onepu. I emerged from a canister, put myself together, and started exploring. Eventually I found the tunnels that lead to this fine village of yours.”

Onepu chuckled at the toa’s compliments, feeling the pride for his koro shine through. “I like the cut of his jib already…” He then visually compared Onua to the statue and nodded. “Come with me, both of you…”

Onepu led the two through the streets, with the matoran watching as they walked past. There were even visitors from the other villages (as indicated by their differently colored bodies and masks), and they were all amazed by Onua’s presence and stature. In truth it felt like a god was walking amongst them. Eventually the three arrived at a domed building that was more decorated and ornate than the others, also being one of the biggest in the village. Walking inside, the interior was a grand structure with multiple balcony floors that held shelves of tomes and scrolls, all illuminated by some of the finest lightstone crystals Onua had seen yet. Matoran were going about their business studying ancient relics and reading, but stopped what they were doing when they heard the heavy footsteps of Onua and were in awe. The prophecies Whenua had preached for so long had finally come true.

“Turaga, I have brought the giant, who claims he is Toa Onua,” Onepu declared as they walked towards a hunched over being who was gazing into a special, green crystal in the center of the room.

“Well, let’s get a good look at him then,” the elder said with a chuckle as he turned around. Grasping a staff with an ornamental drill mounted to it, Whenua looked quite old, but the eyes behind his mask indicated a great tenure of lost history that gave him patience, caution, and wisdom. He looked up at Onua and smiled with a nod. “Ah yes, this is him, no doubt about it. Welcome to the island of Mata Nui and Onu-Koro, mighty Toa of Earth.” Whenua bowed, with the other matoran following suit.

Onua was flattered, but was not sure how to truly feel given that he still lacked an idea for who he was. “Thank you, venerable Turaga, but I have to ask who am I? My memories have been incredibly hazy ever since I washed up on shore.”

Whenua chuckled in a way that comforted Onua and Nobua. “There is a great deal of insight surrounding you, but I only know so much, and even then a lot of what I know needs to come naturally to you–now if I had access to the old archives from my homeland, we’d really be in business, haha!”

Onepu cleared his throat to catch Whenua’s attention. “Turaga, sir, the prophecy?“

“Oh right, right, my apologies. I tend to get swept up in the past as it is worth its weight in gold for navigating the future. Now, Onua, this may be a lot to hear right out the canister, but you are part of an elite team of warriors known as the toa, and your duty right now is to fight the Makuta and save this island from his dark clutches!”

Nobua looked up at Onua in amazement, witnessing history in the making. “Sorry for calling you Makuta earlier, Onua…”

Onua shuddered at the mention of the name, as while he did not know who that was, the idea of a dark cloud of red and black smoke with glaring, red eyes filled his mind with fear. “This Makuta, who is he?”

“A force of chaos and decay, he has always been envious of the great Mata Nui, going so far as to condemn the great spirit to a deep sleep,” Whenua answered. “It is your destiny, alongside your fellow toa, to one day waken the great spirit and banish the makuta from the light and back to the shadows where he belongs. Your unity with your teammates will be your greatest power, but even then the future remains uncertain…”

Onua gave Whenua a strange look at that last comment. “Well that’s not exactly reassuring, Turaga. What do you mean by that?”

Whenua sighed, recalling his distant past and the ones who were meant to fulfill the roles of his fellow Truaga, feeling like he should be doing more to comfort the amnesiac toa. “Despite the certainty of the prophecy, nothing is truly set in stone, as the rocks can be chiseled away and melted down. The Makuta is also a dangerous trickster who has plagued our world long before we even came to the island of Mata Nui. Alas, you have great power, Onua. And that power will make the Makuta tremble once you fully realize it.”

Onua smiled, and that confidence spread to Nobua and Onepu. “And what power would that be, wise elder?”

Whenua tapped his staff on the ground. “Firstly you draw your power from the Earth you walk, and it shall always be there for you, true and guiding your path through the light. Next is your mask, the great Pakari, which gives you strength beyond measure… but of course one mask alone is not enough to tackle the schemes the Makuta will no doubt challenge you with…” the Turaga sounded like he was telling a thrilling story and was enjoying it.

“There’s more masks?” Onua was eager to hear more, along with Nobua.

Whenua nodded with confidence, ready to talk all day. “Indeed, and it will be your task to find them all, six in total including yours… plus some masks I and the other Turaga can lend you…”

Bionicle © 2001 The Lego Group

BIONICLE Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa © 2003 Cathy Hapka

by Virgil Finlay, American artist known for his science fiction, fantasy, and horror illustrations

ULTRAMagic (Before) Prelude Chapter 9

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Mind-Wraith was running circles around Damien now that he knew what he was dealing with. In the past Damien must have been a real bully of a fighter, brash and going for attacks that sought to overwhelm his opponent, but now he was just a bog-standard brute who used offense as his defense. Instead of exchanging blows, Mind-Wraith outright refused to let Damien get in a successful attack. Wind blast after wind blast assaulted the knight while Aava would launch boulders at Damien. In this chaos Damien began screaming every time he was pushed back or denied, raging like an egomaniac about to start beating up his house because he could not get his way. Leif was beginning to see why Aava had grown so concerned in the last battle as these fights were definitely bringing Damien back to proper consciousness. And adding insult to injury was the fact that their enemy obviously had a sense of entitlement stemming from whatever his upbringing was.

It was also becoming obvious that Damien was stubborn. He would not give up, which gave him an edge in battle. It made him more reckless and willing to disregard his well-being in order to win. If they were going to win against him, they were going to have to overwhelm him. Damien could handle two or three opponents, but Leif wondered what would happen if they brought him close enough to the guild. It was not without risk given Blood-Wraith’s circumstances, however. A shift in the battle then caught Leif’s attention from his brainstorming as Damien had given Aava a good wallop and sent her reeling back. Leif got ready to join the fray only for The Lost Upside Down God to halt him. Mind-Wraith looked beyond angry and something was happening with Aava that would haunt Damien for the rest of time.

Damien spit out of something that resembled blood and scoffed. “Dumb wench, know your place…” Before Damien could do anything else, wind began rushing into his lungs and exiting at great speeds, creating some of the most painful hyperventilation he had ever felt.

“HOW DARE YOU, YOU DAMN BARBARIAN!“ Mind-Wraith shouted. “HOW ABOUT I SILENCE THAT FOUL VOICE OF YOURS?”

Feeling himself go numb, Damien struggled to lift his hand up as the violent air continued to surge in and out of his body. He snapped his fingers with the little strength he could muster, causing a piece of rusted blood to spring enough to trip Mind-Wraith and hurt his arms on his own wind. Once Damien regained some control over his body, he screeched in the most hoarse voice possible “I’LL KILL YOU!!!” as he tried to run towards the bard with a rusted blood morning star.

Mind-Wraith looked up as his arms ached only to see Damien’s vindictive smile. He had to act fast, and shot a small burst of wind that did nothing more than ricochet off of his foe’s armor. He dared not launch himself into the air as there was nothing soft to land on. Finally making it to his feet, Damien hurried his pace, only to be stopped by a chilling presence that shook him to his core. He looked up from his target to see a strange entity made of angular stone walking towards him. Aava’s grin was full of long teeth and her eyes were squinted by her unnatural smile. Reality around Damien distorted as the entity got closer and bigger while not actually changing in size. Winds whirled past them in what could have been a screaming cacophony just barely audible to the ears. Damien felt all strength and boldness claw its way out of him and ran away as fast as it could, as he was witnessing an aspect of what his master had been so fanatical about.

“What-what are you?” Damien choked out as he bore witness to the madness that was the true essence of The Lost Slate God.

“RUN,” was all Aava needed to say, as Damien saw once and for all that Audoin was something beyond madness. He had stared into the abyss, and the eldritch truth stared back with something no mortal should have ever witnessed, not in an eternity or beyond.

“AUDOIN, YOU BASTARD! BASTARD!! YOU’VE KILLED US ALL!!” Damien screamed at the top of his lungs as he ran away as fast as he could from the Archives.

Leif quickly realized what was going on and assumed his dragon form to fly after Damien, as he was fleeing quicker than anyone could run. “DAMN IT, NOT AGAIN!” he roared as he flew overhead. Damien finally took off into the sky as a fireball of rusted blood once again, and Leif gave chase for roughly a mile before finally giving up with an enraged bark of a roar and returned to the group. “DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!” Leif shouted as he stomped his foot, nearly cracking the cobblestone.

“Easy, Leif, as a victory is a victory…” Mind-Wraith tried to say as Aava assisted him by steadying him.

“DON’T PATRONIZE ME!” he shot back with utmost frustration in his voice. “DAMIEN GOT AWAY AGAIN!!”

“LEIF, enough!” The Lost Upside Down God interrupted before anything else could be said, his voice causing a slight tremor in the city. “You have my condolences for your plans, but you’ve done what I’ve asked. Surely that’s enough to call it a day and recover for the next fight?”

Leif gritted his teeth and went right up to The Lost Upside Down God’s face. “If we don’t fix Blood-Wraith’s magic soon, THE ENTIRE COSMOS IS DOOMED, YOU DAFT PILLOCK!” More of the city’s citizens were watching from their windows and were shocked at Leif’s words.

“Again, I understand your anger…”

“YOU DO?! REALLY? YOU LOST ERA FREAKS JUST NEVER GET IT…”

“YES, I GET IT!” This time there was a slightly bigger tremor as he walked down invisible steps and ended up rightside up. “Your conflict with The Eternal Order isn’t the first time a group of rogue gods tried to usurp the natural order! The ones you currently know as Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor were once Lost Gods who fulfilled eerily similar roles to The Sepulcher God, Crimson God, and Behemoth God in the Lost Era. Frankly I am both amazed and concerned at how history seems to be repeating itself this far into the future.”

“Are you serious?” Leif said in what seemed to be denial. “I mean, I had heard rumors from The Dread God and The Depths God…” He then glanced over to Aava, who had half returned to normal. “Aava?” Leif then noticed that she looked disappointed and immediately felt bad. “Aava, I… I didn’t mean it…”

“Stop,” Aava interrupted with a raised hand. “It’ll take a lot more than that to actually bother me.” She then let Mind-Wraith stand on his own. “Ahem-Barry, his younger brother, Mal, The Highway Knight, The King’s Chariot, The ULTRAMagic Entity, Upside Down, The Lost Zell God, and myself were all part of a team dedicated to stopping them. I guess we failed given that they escaped into modernity…”

“I wouldn’t necessarily call it a failure, given that they’ve come to revere God,” The Lost Upside Down God pointed out.

There was a moment of silence as Leif took a second to process what he had been told. He then glanced around, noticing people starting to emerge from their homes and buildings. Leif looked down at himself, noticed how untidy he was, and began to straighten himself up. “Was the Lost Era really all that bad, Aava?”

“In hindsight… it’s debatable,” she answered with what sounded like a hint of guilt in her voice. “Part of the reason me and my allies traveled to modernity was to stop Lucifer, Natas, and Alastor, so I suppose you could argue that’s why a part of me misses the Lost Era.”

Mind-Wraith shook his head with a soft sigh. “Did you decide you wanted to live in the Outer Void, or was that decision made for you?”

“Yes…” Aava answered… although that was not a straight answer.

Leif took a calming breath and put away his axe. “Alright, let’s head back and tell everyone the news…”

“Things may seem uncertain, Leif, but be grateful you live in the present,” The Lost Upside Down God said. “As disconcerting as the future may seem, at least you can foresee a future. We were afforded no such luxury in The Lost Era.”

Leif gave a sympathetic laugh that relieved a lot of pent up frustration. “Ha, forgot you used to live in a truly timeless era. I suppose you’re right, Upside Down…” He smiled, which made The Lost Upside Down God happy.

Leif, Aava, and Mind-Wraith were about to leave, but the mayor of the city insisted that they come to city hall so he could properly thank them for driving out Damien. As much as the three needed to report back, a quick breather was in order after everything they had just gone through. And in truth it warmed Leif’s heart to know that the citizenry were grateful they had protected them. All of this made the flight back peaceful and contemplative. This time Leif thought about what Damien had said as he fled, how he cursed Audoin for his fanaticism. It was surreal to hear, but also gave Leif hope as he knew that meant there was a rift in The Eternal Order. Something was telling him that Karnage was not being truthful with The Sepulcher God about his actions to further their goals… or rather Karnage’s goals.

Upon arriving in the warm and pleasant great hall, with Mind-Wraith and Aava heading to their room to rest, Leif was greeted by Tiberius. “We didn’t get him,” Leif said with a sigh. “Damien got one up on Mind and Aava scared him off…”

Tiberius subtly shook his head. “Well at least you removed Damien from Akan-Akan-Akantar…”

“Not good, Leif,” Erikson critiqued as he walked over, eating an apple. “That’s twice in a row…”

“Erikson, please, we’re working on it,” Leif countered.

“Hey, Leif!” Nosmirc said as he walked up with Blood-Wraith from one of the tables. “Blood’s got something to show you.”

“He does?” Leif’s interest was caught as he glanced down at the happy ar’ton.

Blood-Wraith nodded and held up his hands. “I can’t make it last long, but look…” he focused for a second, causing electricity to arc between his palms for a couple of seconds. “Pretty cool, right?”

Leif had the biggest smile stretch across his face that turned into a fatherly laugh. “Well done, Blood. Did he do this all by himself?”

Nosmirc nodded with his own smile. “Yep. Scotty and I were talking, and he just walked up and showed us what he had done.”

“His magic is there, it just needs to be nurtured so it can grow into something spectacular,” Tiberius observed. “Given that it’s clearly the beginning of alchemy I would love to have him try some simple transmutation exercises. Perhaps the statuette exercise may help him get ready for when we finally ignite his magic.”

“Honestly I wish Balthazar was here, as he’d be able to teach Blood some handy beginner techniques,” Scotty added as he stepped over. “But y’know, he’s busy making sure Audoin doesn’t break free from his prison.”

Tiberius gave a light chuckle. “And I couldn’t teach Blood the same techniques?”

“I mean, of course you could, Tiberius!” Scotty said in a slight stumble. “I’m just saying Balathazar didn’t get to become one of the best professors at The Golden Medallion Academy for no reason.”

“I’ll have to pay him a visit some time soon then,” Tiberius replied with a laugh. “It sounds like he could use a little help.”

“You should, Tiberius,” Blood-Wraith put in. “Cadwalader lent me one of his old text books and some of his notes from one of his old classes and…” The group interrupted by the sound of commotion entering the great hall. “What’s that?”

Tiberius listened in to the sound of people being shoved aside and recognized the voice. “Oh dear, I’d dare say that’s The Metal God…”

“Wait, WHAT?” Leif questioned, startled. “We sealed him away though!”

“Well, um, The Automaton and Madman have discussed letting him go, as they feel he’s served his time, especially given the madness of the IGL universe he was confined to…”

“Oh dear, oh dear…” Nosmirc said as he tried to back away. Scotty noticed this and stopped him by grabbing his arm.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Scotty questioned. “Wouldn’t we potentially need your help?”

And then The Metal God finally made his way into the great hall. His manifestation was a fairly handsome man, albeit disheveled and dirty. His clothes were ragged and torn, and a myriad of flesh wounds were across his face and arms. “NOW HEAR THIS-I’VE SERVED MY TIME! AND I’M NOT SPENDING ANOTHER EON FIGHTING THOSE STUPID WARRIORS SO THEY CAN BECOME ALCHEMISTS!” The various guild members looked fearful, so The Metal God decided to capitalize. “YOU GOT THAT!?!” He roared, scaring them further. Normally The Dark Divers were fairly fearless, but dealing with a disgruntled, eleventh dimensional rogue god was not something they were typically prepared for.

“WHERE IS HE?” The Automaton called out, incredibly worried as he hurried in from the opposite entrance.

“YOU!” The Metal God exclaimed as he stomped towards his former adversary. “I am DONE being your little warden for that godforsaken universe you and The Madman locked me up in!”

“Ye-yes, we fully agree, Metal God…” The Automaton answered, trying to sound diplomatic and not like he was worrying.

That caught The Metal God off guard, surprisingly. “Wait, what? Come again?”

“Yes, The Madman, Leif, and I have decided to let you go…”

“NO I HAVEN’T,” Leif objected, only to receive a loud clearing of the throat from The Automaton.

The Metal God then turned to Leif. “Leif, is that you?” He then looked at the ar’ton boy. “What the… what is even…?” That was certainly odd as he could tell something was up given that you normally never saw an ar’ton without an affinity, but then he noticed the man in the top hat standing next to what seemed to be a farmer. “Hey, wait a second, you seem familiar…” he said to Nosmirc.

Next: Chapter 10

ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)

Dark Angel Ezomathon

Relevant Posts: Reality Errors, Sir Odo Ash, Dragoslava, Dark Angels, The Eternal Order

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Ezomathon is one of the rare Dark Angels who have chosen to venture out beyond the Dark Angel home realm of Luna. A sense of wanderlust overwhelmed Ezomathon when she learned about Reality Errors, the result of The Unlight overlapping with reality proper. The majority of these realms were undocumented and the ones that were known were poorly understood. Ezomathon spent eons exploring these realms without even realizing it and greatly furthered knowledge of Reality Errors as a whole. The majority of what is known about them now comes from these expeditions.

The Pool Expanse (depicted above) is one of Ezomathon’s favorite Reality Errors and one she actively protects. It is a lot to expect from an 8D Dark Angel, but it is a task she’s dedicated herself to, even going so far as to drive out attempts by various versions of Earth from starting up settlements in the expanse. And anyone who wanders there by accident is politely escorted back to conventional reality. One such case was Will of Universe-23, as when he was a boy one his dreams took him to a stadium pool within the expanse to such a degree where he had actually left Universe-23. The boy was lost, but Ezomathon was able to guide him back to Universe-23 without incident.

Due to The Unlight being linked to all Reality Errors, Ezomathon has gone to The Unlight Proper for supplies and to report her findings to The Central Unlight Explorers Guild. This would lead to her becoming friends with Dragoslava Raynot and Sir Odo Ash, of which she would get into a romantic relationship with the latter. Because of Drago and Odo being involved with the fight against The Eternal Order, Ezomathon became privy to the more vile side of The Eternal Order, the Profane Alliance. Utterly reviled by the crimes of Satan, Moloch, and Baal of Universe-23, Ezomathon would go around warning any Reality Error-based civilization of the Profane Alliance and what to look out for. The Profane Alliance and The Extinction Order have attempted to expand into Reality Errors as an attack vector against The League and have seen nothing but brutal failure.

It should be noted that Ezomathon was horrified when she found out about The Tyrant War and now watches Odo like a hawk, even if she’s in the depths of a previously unknown Reality Error. And as for the scene above, Ezomathon appears to be fixing a beacon so anyone who’s venturing through the expanse can have a marker for where they are.

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