Chapter 302 - The Truth of the Cataclysm

Chapter 302

The Truth of the Cataclysm

The meeting room was quiet, except for the crinkle of a wrapper as Annie freed another snack from containment.

“Earth 5 is ruled by the Empire of Stars,” Alexander said. “They’re hegemonic, and most of their people live off-world, but they maintain authority by posting administrators in major cities and fortresses all over the world.” He paused. “They conscript low-level soldiers to bolster their forces. And they also abduct people, sealing them in pods, which are used to drain their mana to power the Empire’s ships and magical formations.”

Annie’s chewing stopped. She sat there, mouth open and full of chocolate, eyes wide. “They do what?”

The others were staring at him with the same horror he’d felt upon learning the truth about the Empire.

“Are you certain?” Maximilian asked. His golden eyes carried an intensity rarely seen in the otherwise-stoic Divine. “That will create a number of complications when we face them again.”

Alexander nodded. “I’d like to think I spent my time over there efficiently. Obviously, I wasn’t anticipating being trapped there, but I met a lot of people. Most of them were normal people. Good people. And while the views of the Empire differed between city folk and the nomadic clans, I saw the truth myself.”

He spent the next ten minutes recounting his time in the wizard world, starting with discovering the fortress’s defenders had been slaughtered by the two wizards that negotiated with Flashpoint. Meeting Minlah, and helping her to the jade healing pod. Locating Flashpoint, but returning to fight Keda after receiving the message from Augustus.

Alexander left out that it was Keda who sealed the gateway. His friends didn’t need to know. They would blame themselves for his being stuck there, no matter how much he argued the point. Because he knew it wasn’t their fault.

He’d fought Keda while holding back. The idea had been to learn what the wizard could do, while also preserving his strength to face Flashpoint. And he’d allowed a little complacency to slip in, after realizing the wizard had no way to escape him.

At least none he could execute quickly.

For some reason, Caroline shot him an approving nod after he finished detailing the fight with Flashpoint, and how it ended in a bloody brawl within the same courtyard they’d all just escaped.

He also left out the strange power merger, the unusual System message, and setting the bed on fire when he woke to find himself in a camp full of nomadic wizards.

Alexander continued with what he’d learned from Wargah, how Minlah had dragged him from the fortress after he killed Flashpoint, and about the defiance of Selvah Two Fingers.

Then he went on to describe his first meeting with He Who Whispers. Exalted of the Stars, Servant of the Empress. Artensah Driscol. The battle that had ensued, what he’d learned of their tactics and their complete disregard for the rank and file, the soul-binding behind spellbooks and staves.

Harborhill followed. He tried to make light of his time there. And though his portrayal of the infiltration drew some laughs, the amusement quickly faded when the retelling reached the basement and the grinning Nightmare beneath. It died completely at the description of the Marquess’s ruthless attempt to unleash the horrors on the city, just to force his hand.

The fight with the Nightmares drew a different response. Augustus, Talia, Maximilian, and Raelene all exchanged looks.

“The wizards call them Nightmares?” Talia asked.

Alexander nodded. “They’re hard to describe. Artensah appeared in the basement using some kind of illusion magic, and he explained that they’re elemental creatures which are dangerous beyond belief. They take on different appearances, though always with a grinning face. They appeared mostly creepy to me, while Artensah saw a terrifying demonic entity.” He frowned. “The Empire seems to think they’re being sent by us, because they believe the System is ours. That it’s some kind of weapon we’re using to bind their magic and siphon their mana.”

He sighed. “They are convinced that the Nightmare gateways are punishment for their failed attempts, meant to force them into trying to conquer our world.”

Cash scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”

“From our perspective, maybe,” Talia murmured. She glanced at Raelene. “But it matches what we’ve learned.”

Alexander looked between them. “What do you mean?”

Raelene nodded. “The cultivators hold similar beliefs, Alex. What you’re describing about these monsters is almost identical to what Earth 12 has been experiencing. Their spiritual energy, Qi, has recently started being drained. But they’ve also been dealing with gateways unleashing what they call Spirit Fiends for the past eighteen years.”

The Triple S mercenary leader shifted in his chair. “That doesn’t add up,” Lesley said. “The System hasn’t been around that long.”

“It’s not the first timeline discrepancy we’ve noticed,” Talia said. “In some cases, it almost appears the System might have manufactured these realities. In others, it appears to have forced itself on worlds that already existed. Either way, we do not yet have a coherent theory about what’s happening.”

“Right,” Raelene said. “The local sect that’s negotiating with the Northern Shield is a small faction in a fractured nation. They—”

“Small?” Alexander asked, sharing a look with Maximilian. “They had a guy that fought on equal footing with four of us. Hell, the guy almost messed us all up.” He patted his cybernetic arm. “Even took a piece of me with him.”

Augustus rolled his wand back and forth on the table. “She’s right, Alex. I assisted Hjordis and Sindre with the negotiations a few weeks back. As a way of settling our differences, they held a tournament which drew competitors from nearby sects, schools, and families. Over four hundred people attended.” He stopped playing with the wand, leaned back, and stuck his hands in his pockets. “They don’t use the same terminology as we do, but I’m certain most of the faction leaders and representatives were Tier 3s.”

“He left out the best part,” Annie said around a mouthful of chocolate. “Tell him, Auggy. Tell him how a kid kicked your ass.”

Augustus chuckled. “I was knocked out of the tournament during the semi-final round.” He paused. “By a thirteen-year-old girl.”

Alexander blinked. Waited for the old man to drop the other shoe. Reveal that he’d been holding back, or that he’d been uncomfortable fighting a kid.

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Augustus offered him a wry grin, but said nothing.

“You’re fucking with me.”

Maximilian shook his head. “He’s not, Rooke. They’re strong. The man we fought was considered a generational talent by his sect. Someone they’d pinned all their hopes on. But from what Sindre says, the man was also regarded as an egotistical, impulsive asshole.” He shrugged. “However, with him, three of their inner disciples, and many outer disciples dead, the sect’s elders reached out to the Northern Shield with an offering of peace.”

“We are getting sidetracked,” Gabriel said suddenly. “Please continue, Raelene.”

Raelene looked at Gabriel curiously. “I was just going to add that despite their size, the sect has a long and detailed history. They’ve offered all the knowledge they possess on the other sects and schools in return for asylum in our world. The Northern Shield is in talks with what remains of the Norwegian government about it.”

Based on the reactions around the table, it wasn’t news to most people.

“They allowed Raelene and me to spend a day in their archives,” Talia continued. “I memorized over half of it during that time, and a large portion of it covered the history of these rifts and the Spirit Fiends that poured forth. They’re dangerous enough that over a decade ago, what they call the Orthodox Factions banded together to destroy all the gateways. That peace lasted almost five years before new ones began to appear.”

“Anyone who harnesses Spirit Fiends to develop techniques or other abilities is considered a Demonic Cultivator,” Raelene said, glancing at Julia. “Though from what we could gather, they’re just normal people. Well, normal cultivators, at least. Not everyone from their world can access Qi. Seems to be about one in ten thousand.”

Alexander grinned at Julia. She met his look with a mock glare, but he just waggled his eyebrows at her in return. The idea that she might be considered a Demonic Cultivator amused him greatly.

“That’s interesting,” he said, turning back to the table. “Everyone from the wizard world can use magic, though most of them are restricted to innate tricks. They call them talents.” He glanced at Augustus. “Kind of like your hands.”

“Really?” Augustus asked. “That might explain why I was able to do more with them after the multiversal combat challenge.”

Alexander nodded. “Also, I kinda offered the nomadic wizard clans asylum in our world, too. Assuming they can make their way here with the Empire holding all the gates.”

“You did what?” Maximilian asked.

Alexander raised his index finger. “Gathered a bunch of the nomadic clans.” He added the middle finger. “Raided the Empire for two weeks, stealing as many wands and staves and spellbooks as I could while killing their administrators.” Then his ring finger. “Equipped the nomadic clans and convinced them to begin a magical revolution.” Finally, he raised his pinky. “And lastly, I offered to help them settle here as long as they do their best to arrive in peace. I left them a drone with a recorded message for when they arrive, too.”

Maximilian ran a hand over his face. “Of course you did. How many of them are there?”

Alexander shrugged. “Maybe ten to twenty thousand.”

Maximilian sighed. “Okay. That should be manageable, but it really depends on where they arrive.” Then he looked across the table, golden eyes fixed on Alexander. “I trust you understand what happens if they turn out to be an enemy.”

The Machine God met the Dragon Lord’s stare. “I’ll kill them all myself.”

Silence fell over the room. A few people looked uncomfortable at the sudden, intense shift in the conversation, but nobody said anything.

Maximilian held his gaze for a moment. “Very well. I will notify the members of the Compact to be on the lookout.”

Alexander offered a crooked smile. “Thanks, Max. I really do think they’re good people. They helped me when I needed it.”

Maximilian nodded. “I trust your word, Rooke. But we are more now than we were two months ago. In another two, I suspect we will look back upon today fondly, and reminisce about what we’ve left behind.”

“That’s very depressing, dude,” Annie said. Then she turned back to Alexander. “Did you bring back any souvenirs?”

“No,” Gabriel said, cutting in. “You’ve assembled all the pieces, Alex. I saw a part of it when I crossed over to the Beastworld, but I wasn’t certain then. Traveling to both the Cultivation and Wizard worlds has confirmed it.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. His eyes were black. “It’s time to speak it into reality. Tell them about the cause of the Cataclysm.”

Alexander studied the precog for a moment. From what he understood, the power to divine the future was strictly limited by what existed within their reality, among other things. Gabriel, like all others who saw the future, could see the damage and suffering that came with the Cataclysm. It was a global event that brought with it massive death and destruction. But until now, none of them had been able to see what caused it because those behind it didn’t belong to Earth 1.

Something Gabriel had proactively resolved. That explained his friend’s discomfort.

Alexander sighed. “I believe the System is bringing all the Dreamers together. First, it encourages conflict. Alone, that probably wouldn’t be enough. But because so many of us want to grow more powerful, it means we have to fight each other. And still, that might not be enough by itself…”

“Except amongst those of us who have such different ideologies,” Maximilian said quietly.

Alexander nodded. Of course the Dragon Lord would understand. It was what had brought Grimnir and the Throne of Scales into conflict in the beginning. And though their alliance and underlying friendships had evolved after finding common ground, there could be no such thing between the people within the meeting room and slavers like the Empire of Stars. Or the cultists of Earth 26. Not to mention super dinosaurs that just wanted to eat everything.

He continued. “Second, the System accelerates the conflict by draining whatever fundamental force makes power work in these other realities. Mana and Qi, for example. By moving it to our world, maybe even our entire universe, it deprives the strong from other worlds of what makes them powerful, forcing them to chase it here.”

Frank nodded. “That’s why cultivation only started working for us after the sixth invasion made the gateways permanent.”

“It also explains why Auggy’s runes and my enchantments were drawing on your generators,” Talia added. “And why they have since stopped needing it.”

“Yeah,” Alexander said. “And finally, the System will force the issue using Nightmare gates to flood the other worlds with elemental monsters that steadily overwhelm those who remain behind.”

The silence that followed only lasted a few moments.

“They cannot possibly win,” Carmen said, looking around the room. “Right? We have armies with advanced weaponry. Fighter jets. Tanks. Drones.”

“Nukes,” Cash whispered.

“That’s why technology is going to fail,” Raelene muttered. “Either the System is balancing the scales, or…”

“Or Qi and mana interfere with it,” Talia concluded. “Whether naturally or because the invaders use it against us.”

Gabriel shook his head. His eyes were still black. “I cannot see it clearly. I know the technological disruption isn’t permanent, but it’s enough for Otherworldly Gods to step into our reality and change it. Forever. The Many Stars Within One and He Who Whispers Horrors are just the beginning. From the Cultivation world, the Old Ones will wake from centuries-long seclusion. Ancient things that lurk and swarm and hunt in the dark will come from the Beastworld.”

Julia gripped Alexander’s real hand hard. He squeezed back, patting the back of her hand with his cybernetic one.

“I thought knowing would make it easier to accept,” Gabriel said, closing his eyes. “But even the truths I’ve now glimpsed from those three worlds are just a portion of what’s to come.”

“Does anything you’ve seen change our course of action?” Alexander asked.

“Possibly,” Gabriel said. “You must make a choice, old friend.” Then he shook his head. “No, I cannot tell you which is the right one.”

Alexander cocked his head. “I think you just answered my next question before explaining the choice.”

Gabriel opened his eyes wide. The black was already fading, withdrawing toward the pupil. “Oh. Sorry. I was lost in the visions.” He took a breath. “Talia is going to uncover a lead regarding the people that attacked us on Mars. With the cataclysm’s approach, you are going to set it aside as a lesser priority. Only too late will you realize that they truly are somehow connected to the System, and when you finally launch an attack on their hidden facility, victory will slip from your grasp. People will die.”

“What is the choice, Gabe?” Augustus asked, leaning forward.

“The Machine God and the Dragon Lord must decide whether to focus on the wars to come, preparing themselves to stand against invading gods,” Gabriel intoned.

He paused. “Or hunt for Zephyr, the Liar that Shapes the Future. And Father of the System.”