Conquest Agarta

by Aeon Solo

  “I sense confusion in you Archon,” it said menacingly, towering over him.

  “There is no confusion,” he hurled back, fury gripping his tone.

  “You curtailed your attacks!” it roared. The fury bouncing through the chamber. The others stepped back in fear.

  “Existence is pain! Why don’t you just end this suffering!” he roared back.

  “Pain,” it laughed, “Oh Archon you don’t know pain,” it said bluntly. It clutched his head and he looked away disgusted. “I will show you,” it whispered beside him. It clenched his head violently, crushing his soul further, he screeched in agony, even Anu cringed at the site. The rest of the Archons watched anxiously, they understood Kraiden’s pain.

  “Master,” Apollo interrupted. “What would you have us do?” he continued, somewhat hoping he could spare Kraiden further torture.

  Simultaneously both Mara and Sophia were struck with a similar sensation, it was far reduced but potent.

  “Do you feel it?” Mara asked.

  “Yes,” Sophia responded solemnly. The terrifying sensation soon diminished, but it terrified them deeply. “Whatever may be left of him I fear will soon be gone,” Sophia added sadly. They travelled to the Source to update her, although she already knew the passing of Adama. They mourned his loss, the Source guilty for her lack of impact in the tragedies. She warred with herself. Seeds of darkness growing within her, within all of them as the suffering ensued throughout the omniverse.

  “We must return home. It will come for us shortly,” Mara said to Sophia as they walked along the landscape of Ederra.

  “Wait!” Alexandria yelled in their direction. She was followed by the remaining thirteen Immortals. They jogged over to them. “Let us come with you, let us help you,” she said. Her comrades were silent around her.

  “Would you do that?” Sophia said.

  “You saved us from the darkness, it is our duty to return the favour, we are one of the finest warrior cultures in the omni verse. Some look down on us for our lifestyle, but what can I say, it comes in handy in times like this,” she explained, a little arrogantly. Alexandria, like Sophia, is the source of her reality, the supreme being of her realm. One of her ‘children’ distracted the Demiurge as she evaluated Kraiden.

  “Besides, we cannot return home, and we sure as hell aren’t sitting about this place when that thing roams freely,” Alexandria continued.

  “What do you mean?” Mara interrupted.

  “What?” her face contorted.

  “Why can’t you go home?” Mara asked.

  “If there are no conscious beings, then reality does not exist, there needs to be an observer. Our reality has collapsed by now, as it doesn’t have an Eternal generator to maintain it without an observer. Hopefully it took them with it, but I doubt that,” she said, disappointed with her loss.

  “Thank you, we will need all the help we can get,” Sophia answered. They returned home, preparing for the war to come.

  Chapter 7

  Kraiden was meditating in his chambers, but was suddenly taken by a strange sensation, it sucked him out of his state again. He lost his breath, eyes gripped around him, unsettled. He wandered out of the chamber, searching inquisitively. He swivelled around. Mara stood across from him. They were equally shocked by each other’s presence. She didn’t really know what to say. He blasted a frequency toward her to subdue her, she was unaffected

  “What is this?” he said abruptly.

  “Is it you?” she said.

  “Who are you?” he enquired further.

  “Do you not know?” she replied solemnly.

  She disappeared and the strange feeling subsided. He was left alone in the abyss of the corridor, she was the only light.

  “Only in dreams,” he whispered.

  He exited his chambers, the thick, ominous soot clogged the subjective atmosphere of the world where he lived. The lava, a meta-physical representation of the torture of the world itself. It’s bleeding, bleeding pure pain and anger. It flowed throughout the planet. It amassed his personal area. Perhaps a subjective representation of his tortured soul.

  AI technology in various forms roved the lands and skies, scything and manipulating the environment. Manipulating it into fuel and resources. It disgusted him, even in his dominated state, it was ugly, morose and parasitic.

  He overlooked the torturous flows and was struck by that same uneasy sensation. He glanced backward.

  “How are you doing this?” he said inquisitively.

  “Take off your mask,” she demanded. He remained silent for a moment, but he did as she requested. His mask vaporised, what was revealed terrified her. His face, well, there was no face, just an empty abyss.

  “What did it do to you?” she whispered. His mask reformed over his face and her horror was reduced, she crept backward.

  “You were human once, a very good human. Most inquisitive of us all, I was so glad to call you mine,” she explained with a gaunt expression, faced away from him.

  “Yours?”

  ‘Sophia, our Mother Earth created us in pairs, each individual tied to another, so they would always be together, never alone,” she continued with a glazed expression, her pain of solitude emitted. She vanished and the connection ended.

  “You’re not alone,” he whispered.

  Sophia was preparing for the forthcoming attack.

  “I will set up a protective dome which should halt them in their attack,” she described to those around her.

  “It won’t help, we did that, it has the power to break such protection,” Alexandria commented.

  Mara joined them.

  “The only way we can win is to fight them one to one, our weapons can destroy those Archons although I don’t know about the Demiurge,” Alexandria continued.

  “She’s right,” Mara commented, “They will easily overwhelm any protective barrier, we should bait them in an open landscape, to give us the space to surround them,” she continued.

  “I know the place; go to the Dunes of Barrangul,” Sophia said.

  “Ok, I will guide my people and yours to that location. I sense she wishes to talk with you,” Alexandria said, Sophia glanced at Mara, who offered a friendly smile.

  “What do you wish to speak about?” Sophia asked.

  “I did it, I connected with him,” she said, her joy was visible.

  “Excellent, what happened?” Sophia enquired.

  “He doesn’t remember, he just looked through me, but worse; he was darkness, he had no face,” she described, her joy now missing.

  “If anyone could bring him back it’s you, not me, not the Source, you,” Sophia replied.

  “You really think so?” she said, curious.

  “I know so,” Sophia embraced her.

  Meanwhile in Stornheim.

  “Master what do you desire of us?” Kraiden said to the Demiurge.

  “Nothing yet, gather your energy, our next endeavour will be the hardest yet,” it answered. He walked out of the throne room and into a nearby chamber. The seven Archons were hooked to a retched machine of sorts. It was connecting them to the energy being emitted from all the trapped entities in the simulation. He connected himself to an empty port, it was a brief high, to an otherwise miserable existence. It’s like a drug, it fuels them but more, fulfils them.

  They were woken, pulled from the peace.

  “We are going to retake that Earth and soon we will destroy the Source,” the Demiurge said. “I want all of you,” it added. The eight Archons followed their master through a wormhole to Earth, Sophia awaited them.

  “Welcome back,” Sophia remarked arrogantly.

  “Charming you are human, the most difficult of my captures, but you fail to realise that my power is endless,” it said menacingly.

  “What are you waiting for? Huh, come and get some!” she yelled, entering a battle stance with a teasing expression. Her form transformed to a fighting avatar, weapons in her grip.

  “We will, a
nd when we do you will join us or die, and I will have you plastered as a trophy in Stornheim,” the Demiurge said bluntly. A storm of human fighters, in conjunction with Alexandria’s Immortal warriors, attacked them from afar. Phasing through matter in a flash. The great war had started.

  Kraiden easily defeated those in his path, but he was here for Mara. She rushed over to him mid-battle.

  “Come home to us!” she pleaded with him. His grip tightened over his weapon. A flurry of evil took him. She defended the attacks and reciprocated with her own.

  “I know you’re in there, it hasn’t taken you, not yet,” she urged frantically.

  “You do not understand, the Demiurge controls all, my master will take your Mother Earth and with it, you.”

  “No, it will never win this war, consciousness is creation, consciousness is everything. It cannot destroy that.”

  “My master is more, you fail to see the truth, I can show, I will free you from this suffering,” he said.

  They continued to fight, he soon subdued her. She smacked the sandy soil, her weapon feet away. He glanced around, the environment was scorched by the Demiurge, the landscape burning on all wavelengths. Sophia was being attacked by three of his Archon brethren, struggling to defend. He looked down toward Mara, her expression solemn, tainted by defeat, but worse sadness, despair. He raised his weapon but halted from the blow. Something in him was preventing the final strike. He has seen this moment before.

  “I love you,” she said gently. Three little words, it cascaded through him like a wave, a tsunami of biblical proportions. He recoiled slightly, like he was clapped in the gut. He was weak, for the first time in all his existence, he was truly weak.

  “Why can’t I do it?” he said quietly. “Why can’t I kill you?” he yelled.

  “Because we are greater than the evil, but more, my love for you will never end. Even if you kill me now, I would always love you, nothing can change that. I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you. I am so sorry you sacrificed yourself to help me, that you resisted when I could not,” she cried. She returned to her feet.

  “It’s too late,” he said quietly.

  “Not it’s not, it’s never too late,” she responded as she crept closer to him.

  “Love is Evol,” he replied.

  “Love is the only thing that’s real,” she said softly. She reached her hand slowly toward him, he didn’t resist it.

  “How can you love me? The person you loved is gone.”

  “Trust me,” she said, her hand etching ever closer. His hand leaned toward hers. They touched.

  A flurry of energy passed between them, a glimmering light expanded around them, stealing everyone’s attention. Many were disorientated by the light. Amid the confusion, the Demiurge capitalised, blasting a frequency wave around the immediate area. Knocking everyone off their feet, it clasped Sophia by the throat. Mara and the rest of the human warriors succumbed to her struggle, as all were connected to her. Kraiden supported Mara as her life force was being choked from existence.

  “Save her, save our Mother,” she muttered with difficulty. Kraiden soared, phasing toward the Demiurge, smashing it across the side of the head. It released its vice.

  “You,” it scowled. “That’s impossible! You cannot break my hold!” it screamed.

  Sophia composed herself.

  “Because love will always win.”

  They both attacked the Demiurge, a whirlwind barrage, it retreated. Alexandria was fighting another Archon. He was overwhelmed by her. She forced her blade through him. He clenched her arm.

  “My suffering ceases, yours is only just beginning,” he said bluntly. She swiped her blade away, he vanished into non-existence. The Demiurge retreated further.

  “Enough! You may have won this round, but this is just the start, I will get what I want in time,” it said as it manifested a wormhole. The remaining Archons scuttled with their master.

  Kraiden was surrounded by the remaining humans and immortals. He pivoted around, observing their fearful gaze, their weapons primed toward him.

  “Who do you serve Archon?” Alexandria barked. Mara manoeuvred in front of him, to protect him.

  “You will not attack him!” Mara shouted.

  “Take me to your source,” Kraiden demanded.

  “You will not claim her, demon,” Alexandria shouted, soaring through the air. He phased forward in an instant, grabbing her by the throat.

  “You have no idea the forces you are dealing with. I see now more than ever. Take me to your source or die, it’s your choice,” he said fiercely.

  “Viden, put her down,” Mara pleaded. He turned to her and yielded. He released Alexandria, easing some of the tension. She brushed her neck displeased. “This fight is over,” he added. Mara rushed after him, he made a swift exit, closely monitored by the group.

  “She broke the bond,” Alexandria said to Sophia.

  “Yes, it seems so,” she answered with a smile, observing them in the distance.

  “That’s never happened before, but I still don’t trust him. I fear an evil greater evil is being conjured,” she said nervously.

  “If he falls, I will end it,” Sophia responded, as Alexandria walked away.

  “If you don’t, I will,” she responded bluntly.

  Sophia’s hope diminished, she returned her gaze to Mara, wishing the best for her and a returned Viden. She commanded the remaining warriors to return home.

  “I told you that you should have killed him!” Anu shouted at the Demiurge as they returned to Stornheim.

  The Demiurge subdued him instantly. “He was more of use than you ever could be, even in his human form, even within the simulation he destroyed you, so never raise your voice to me again,” it roared. Anu begged for mercy. He was being bombarded by the terrifying frequency. “You have no foresight, you fear this is over Anu, it is just beginning, love,” it laughed. “Love will be their undoing,” it said.

  Chapter 8

  “How do you feel now, do you remember?” Mara asked urgently, they walked across the barren dunes.

  “I think I understand now, you see the Demiurge and our Source are similar is almost every way, they are two extremes. Now, I see, its balance between the two that is needed,” he said.

  “What do you mean balance?” she asked.

  “The Demiurge disregards the positive, happiness, love, pleasure and the Source disregards hate, anger, passion. We need all, because we are a spectrum,” he explained further.

  “Do you remember? Your past, our past?” she urged again.

  “No,” he answered despondent. She was saddened by his response, he noticed that.

  “Take off that mask,” she requested. She stopped, pulling his arm so he twisted around. He did as she requested, his mask evaporated. She breathed deeply in anticipation. His face was human again, but contorted, the darkness flowed through him still. It contorted his face; ripples of deep red pulsated in his skin. She placed her hand over his cheek, the contortion was relieved momentarily.

  “Oh my,” she whispered. With her touch, his face was restored. Youthful and happy, he smiled in her grasp. She embraced him tight, their vibration syncing as one.

  “I’m so sorry Mara,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Don’t be, you had no control, you held out for so long, I thought that you had gone,” she responded softly.

  “I’m not what I was, with your touch I feel whole again, but I feel the Demiurge, it is burrowed in my soul, I cannot relinquish it, but I can use it for good. I am balanced now. I think I can destroy it,” he said. They released from the hug. The pulsating, red vein-like contortion, burrowed back. A glint of it behind his eyes.

  “You think so?” she pondered.

  “Yes, take me to your source I need to speak with it,” he said. They were quickly interrupted by a forming, godly essence.

  “Viden of Earth, Kraiden of the Demiurge, who are you?” the voice said, bursting with pure starlight.

  “I’
m guessing you are the Source,” he remarked sarcastically.

  “Yes, now who are you?” she enquired.

  “I’m not necessarily Viden but I’m not Kraiden either, I am everything, we are all from you are we not?” he responded.

  She smiled; her godly form materialised by then.

  “I know how to defeat it, not with love or even hate, but both, you disregard the use of negativity, it’s why you created it, tell her,” he said sternly.

  “What is he talking about?” Mara asked, unsettled by his statement.

  “Tell her,” he demanded again. The Source slipped back slightly, guilt radiating from her meta-physical form.

  “I saw darkness, I had seen it in realities that it had manifested, it would bring death and torture to all beings who encountered it. It was supposed to help me maintain realities, maintain existence for us all, so I wasn’t alone. So, we could experience a life instead of nothing, in time I learned to maintain, with others like your Mother Earth. But when I investigated this Demiurges mind, it was beyond terror, it was being was twisted at its core. I thought that I could destroy it, that I could stop what was to pass, but you were right. It metaphorically is all of our darkness, it’s why it feeds off it, using its simulated prison. I thought that, if I had given in to my, or our own evil if you will, that I would become worse than it, but the Demiurge is that, it is our evil. I and the Demiurge are inexplicably linked,” she explained to them.

  “I see it now though. I have both of you flowing through me. If we combine it, we will become one again,” he responded with a smile. “Make things the way they should be, what they are supposed to be,” he continued, a spark in his eye.

  “Come to me,” she said softly. She placed two of her hands on both of his. His face pulsated, his eyes an ocean blue, turned sour red in a wretched conflict within. It was uncomfortable. He struggled, she released.

  “I cannot get it out of you, but I feel you may be right. Now you have this; gift and curse, take this knowledge, use it, destroy the Demiurge for us,” she pleaded. She phased away from sight.