The Cosmic Logos

by Traci Harding

  ‘So, we are agreed?’ Rhun pushed Brian and Candace to commit to his request, but they appeared none too keen to concede his point. ‘It has to be done, you know it does.’ He appealed to them to see reason. ‘It’s not anything I haven’t endured myself.’

  Brian gave a nod, placing his hand over the intercom pinned to the front of his suit to telepathically request that his secretary send in the rest of Rhun’s team. ‘Make it snappy,’ Brian requested, his voice going hoarse on him.

  ‘Fear not.’ Rhun drew his pulse laser and set it to kill as his four brothers, both Lahmu’s daughters and the Falcon-Nefilim defector entered the Governor’s office and came to stand in a neat semicircle facing Lahmu.

  ‘Good day all —’ Brian had not even finished his greeting before Rhun opened fire and shot dead his entire team.

  ‘Christ!’ Candace freaked. ‘Where did you learn to shoot like that?’ She rushed over to greet her daughters as they returned to the land of the living.

  ‘I’ve been practising my mind control,’ Rhun boasted, appearing pleased to have downed the full team before they’d even known what hit them.

  ‘Well, what did you kill Zabeel for?’ Brian felt a little uncomfortable with the impromptu massacre. ‘Zabeel assumed his immortal state twenty years ago!’

  ‘Oops,’ Rhun uttered, ahead of making a dash to Zabeel’s side to apologise.

  ‘What the hell?’ his Delphinus brother moaned, as he recovered first, and Rhun aided him to a seated position. He would have thumped his older brother, but Zabeel only had the energy to give Rhun a shove. ‘You shot me?’

  ‘Sorry, bro, I guess I got carried away. I clean forgot you’d already assumed an immortal state.’ Rhun cringed as he awaited his brother’s response.

  ‘That hurt!’ Zabeel emphasised.

  ‘I know, I’m sorry! Here,’ Rhun handed him the gun. ‘Kill me if it will make you feel any better.’

  ‘No,’ Zabeel refused. ‘That would just make you feel better.’

  ‘Give me the gun, I’ll shoot him.’ Avery was up on his feet and fuming. ‘Zabeel is right, that hurt! Why did you do that?’

  ‘So that on this forthcoming mission to the past, you won’t get sick or tortured as a mortal could.’ Candace rose from reassuring her girls to explain to Avery their reasons for the shock move.

  ‘Well, you could have warned us,’ Avery barked, leaning down to aid Fallon back to her feet.

  Rhun shook his head. ‘I was warned beforehand and, believe me, the wait for your death blow is worse than death itself. It’s all over now, be grateful.’

  Avery unexpectedly willed the weapon from Rhun’s grasp to his own and promptly shot his older brother. ‘Yeah, thanks so much,’ Avery mocked as his brother fell to the floor.

  ‘Do you feel better now?’ Candace scolded, taking the weapon from Avery.

  ‘I would if he’d stay that way.’ His eyes remained glued on his brother.

  ‘That’s an awful thing to say … to do!’ Sparrowhawk emphasised. ‘He just did us all a favour.’

  ‘He did?’ queried Gazelle, raising both eyebrows as she held her throbbing head. ‘And I thought my kin were ruthless.’

  ‘Avery, you are the one out of line.’ Lahmu spoke to quiet the riot. ‘That comment and your actions could be construed as sedition. Rhun is the Vice-Governor of Kila.’

  ‘And what do you call shooting dead half of your senate?’ Avery challenged.

  Lahmu approached Avery and glared at him. ‘A mission imperative,’ he stated firmly. ‘Would you be saying such things about me had I pulled the trigger?’

  Avery backed down, heeding Brian’s point. ‘No, Lahmu, I would not … but then you have a far better sense of team play than my brother does.’

  Brian understood Avery’s complaint, as Rhun was a bit of a one-man band at times, but then so was Avery. ‘Nonetheless, you owe Rhun an apology when he comes around.’

  Avery appeared reluctant.

  ‘If being subordinate to your brother’s command is going to be a problem, you are a risk to this mission, Avery,’ Brian clarified.

  Avery resented Rhun’s style of command, but he took comfort in the fact that once they returned to the past he would be pursuing his own mission apart from Rhun, to free the crystal Eli from the Aten. ‘I would never act contrary to your representative’s instruction, Lahmu.’

  ‘Good.’ Brian accepted his assurance. ‘I need a unified team for this task, as so much depends on the outcome.’

  ‘Damn, that does hurt,’ Rhun grumbled as Sparrowhawk and Zabeel helped him up. ‘Thanks so much for reminding me,’ he commented in Avery’s direction, sounding as though he didn’t really blame him.

  ‘I apologise,’ Avery stated for Lahmu’s benefit. ‘I got carried away.’ He used the same excuse Rhun had used to Zabeel and shrugged, forcing a smile. ‘No hard feelings.’

  ‘Of course not.’ Rhun mimicked Avery’s dry tone. ‘What are brothers for?’ In reality, Rhun would probably have booted him off the team if Avery had not been their means to return to the past.

  In order to return their team to Gaia in the year that that planet had known as 2088AD — the year of Hayden Ingram’s reported suicide — Avery had enlisted the help of Eli’s elestial crystal relatives. They resided in the Otherworld.

  The year of destination was also known on Kila as 50AC (fifty years After Colonisation), which was the year before Avery, and most of their team, were even born.

  The rare time-savvy elestial crystals existed on a planet in an old quadruple-star system to be found on the innermost reaches of the etheric body of the galaxy that Gaia’s astronomers had named the Milky Way.

  It was a seemingly dead planet with no atmosphere to which Avery teleported each member of their task force, but the multi-coloured suns shone brightly in the distant reaches of the dark sky. As did the many suns of the neighbouring star systems, which were situated much closer together than the outer star systems with which Rhun and his team were more familiar. The combined light of the suns and stars illuminated the planet’s surface to the same intensity as bright moonlight.

  Once Avery had ferried everyone forth, he took a seat on a rock to recharge his batteries.

  ‘Well, Pan man,’ Bast commented, gazing out over the vast canyon before them. ‘I have to tell you I expected a destination that was a little more awe inspiring than this.’

  ‘The sky is amazing,’ Sparrowhawk voiced his appreciation as he gazed up at the colourful array of suns.

  ‘I like the zero atmosphere.’ Zabeel did a backflip and chuckled as he did so. ‘It’s like being in water without being wet.’

  ‘We are still only residing on the physical plane of this planet,’ Fallon advised in Avery’s defence, as she’d been to visit the elestial crystals before. ‘The Otherworldly realm here is far more aesthetically pleasing.’

  ‘Okay, I’m good.’ Avery gave himself a shake before closing his eyes to focus on his next task.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ Gazelle whispered her query in Sparrowhawk’s ear so as not to disturb Avery.

  ‘He’s creating a gateway to the Otherworld, through which we may all pass,’ he whispered in response.

  ‘Whoa,’ Gazelle mouthed silently as she observed a great body of light-filled mist rising out of the deep crevices in the canyon.

  As Rhun observed his little brother absorbed in his silent summons, he too couldn’t help but be impressed by the extent of Avery’s abilities. He would be Lord of the Otherworld before too long, and Rhun conceded that Avery deserved to be awarded the same respect that he’d once given the Night Hunter.

  The mist rose up out of the canyon and spilled over the edges to where the warriors stood. The sweet smelling celestial vapour rolled on over their party and continued to engulf the planet, and as it did the stony ground began to glow with myriad pale pastel colours.

  ‘Good heavens, this is mad!’ Gazelle chuckled nervously, having never witnessed anything like it.

 
‘Best get used to it, as your Chosen studies will bring you to realms Otherworldly quite a bit,’ Sparrowhawk was delighted to tell her.

  Avery rose up into the air to make an appeal to the canyon, which was glowing with rainbow-hued etheric light patches. ‘Oh, great elestials, I beg your counsel.’

  ‘This is where things get really spectacular,’ Fallon advised her teammates in a low-key whisper.

  The great peaks of crystal rock, separated by huge crevices, began to move and then to rise. As they arose, the huge entities unfolded into bright glowing crystal forms, that although rugged and rock-like in appearance, resembled human shapes. They had heads with faces and mouths to speak, arms to wave about, and legs that melded into the floor of the glowing misty cavern. In all cases their primary colour was white, although veins of two or more differently coloured crystals ran through their forms; the variety of colours was what gave each of the crystal identities its own character.

  He begs our counsel. One of the largest rocks thought projected his opinion for all to hear. That makes for a nice change from the Night Hunter’s approach of ordering us about all the time.

  Yes, indeed. May you rule ever long, little human, replied another of the massive formations in a voice that was more feminine.

  All the huge rocklike creatures gave a massive cheer and by thumping their fists on the ground they gave Rhun’s team a quick thrill as the earth literally shook beneath them.

  ‘I thank you all for the vote of confidence,’ Avery told the huge creatures as he glided in to get amongst them. ‘I have come to claim the favour I requested at our last meeting.’

  Just name the event and a year where you wish to join Gaia’s civilisation, young lord, said the main male spokesperson for a deposit streaked with crystal veins of black and blue.

  You do intend to save our Eli from himself, don’t you, lord? said a female elestial streaked with crystal deposits of pink and yellow.

  ‘Lahmu and his Vice,’ Avery motioned back to Rhun, who took a bow, ‘have given their consent for me to do so upon my return to the year 2088AD Gaia time.’

  That was not one of Gaia’s best years, the male elestial cringed in recollection. Sure we couldn’t interest you in somewhere, or when, else?

  ‘No, this year is very specific to our needs; we have to prevent a certain man’s death,’ Avery explained.

  But you shall surely cause a breakaway dimension to erupt, the female instructed. Preventing deaths, births, marriages and significant events always does.

  ‘I realise this,’ Avery replied, ‘but by so doing I hope to entrap someone in that breakaway dimension and thus keep him safely away from my own.’

  This would be a person of dark character, I take it? the female elestial assumed.

  As Avery had learned that the best way to understand his realm was to listen to the advice of the locals, he chose not to cut the elestial’s curiosity short. ‘The dark character is Viper,’ he replied simply, whereupon a grumble was heard from all the entities of rock who were listening to the conversation and they shook their heads, most displeased.

  Pardon my saying so, lord, the female elestial ventured. It is true that he shall be locked out of your present reality, but the same awful future will still erupt in that other dimension, unhindered by your kindred.

  ‘So,’ Rhun summed up from the sidelines, ‘what you are saying is that it is all right for us to prevent Hayden Ingram’s death, provided that we also hinder Viper’s dark aspirations so that he cannot make a huge impact on the causality of any dimension.’ The Vice-Governor of Kila paused to mull over this theory a second and then frowned, perturbed. ‘But what if one instance cancels out the other and causes the two dimensions to converge back into one?’

  All dimensions merge into one eventually. He’s pretty smart, this one, the male elestial commented of Rhun to Avery.

  ‘He likes to think so,’ Avery conceded, folding his arms.

  As you will have deflected Viper’s influence in the past, your situation in the present will still be much easier to deal with, the huge rock formation advised Rhun, who nodded to acknowledge his point.

  ‘So, you will help us?’ Avery gathered.

  The elestial crystals were amused by the question, but it was the male spokesman who explained their delight. We are bound to do your will, young master, just as we are bound to advise you. All the wonders of the Otherworld are at your disposal.

  The huge crystal deposit lowered himself to a crouched position and his back flattened, forming into a large round crystal plateau. His outstretched arm reached to the canyon ridge, where the rest of Avery’s team stood, and formed a long flat walkway that led to the plateau.

  All aboard, the female elestial encouraged Avery’s people, and then remarked as she watched the tiny humans wander down the walkway. Some of you will certainly stand out in a crowd, where you’re bound.

  Rhun looked over his Delphinus brother, his Falcon brother, their new Nefilim-Falcon friend, and Bast, the Leonine. ‘She’s right.’ He hit himself for nearly forgetting. ‘You guys and girls are going to have to assume a Homo sapiens form for this mission.’

  Sparrowhawk, Bast and Zabeel all complied at once, without even pausing from their stride down the walkway, for they’d been taught the technique during the course of their schooling with En Noah. The living organic fibre from which their suits were made adjusted itself to fit their new forms.

  ‘Oh, yeah!’ Bast looked from Zabeel to Sparrowhawk to Rhun. ‘You three are definitely brothers,’ she commented, as in human form their similarities were far more striking. Avery was the odd brother out in not having their father’s dark, dead-straight hair.

  Gazelle came to a standstill, however, having never attempted a feat of transformation before. ‘Um?’ She panicked, feeling useless for holding the proceedings up. ‘I have no such training,’ she reminded them.

  ‘It’s easy.’ Sparrowhawk encouraged her to relax. ‘You just have to will the transformation, that is all.’

  ‘What?’ She gazed at him perplexed. ‘I didn’t even know what free will was until a few days ago.’ She defended her reluctance to try. ‘I can’t even imagine what I would look like as a Homo sap—’ Her protest ceased when she realised this wasn’t true. She closed her eyes and focused on her memory of Lirathea.

  Rhun had to smile when he saw the look on Sparrowhawk’s face when Gazelle transformed into their sister.

  ‘I think I would prefer to have hair.’ Gazelle smiled as she ran a hand over her bald scalp, amazed by her own achievement.

  ‘Lirathea had hair not so long ago,’ Sparrowhawk informed, taking hold of Gazelle’s hand to send her a mental image.

  Moments later, platinum-blonde strands of fine, straight baby-soft hair sprang from her head and quickly extended over her shoulders and down her back, stopping once the tips reached her waist.

  ‘How’s that?’ Gazelle asked softly, her voice almost letting her down as Sparrowhawk’s adoring gaze cast a spell over her.

  ‘Very good.’ Rhun moved them both along, wondering if it was going to be difficult to keep Sparrowhawk’s mind on the job.

  It was weird having no wings; it felt liberating in a way. Gazelle could still sense her extra appendages, but she stroked her shoulder blades to find they were indeed missing. As her hand passed through the void, her touch gave naught but a mild tingling impact in her vanished body parts. Gazelle very much liked her disguise. It made her feel like a new person and more akin to the angelic oracle to whom the identity belonged.

  Avery lowered himself down to join Sparrowhawk on the walkway, just as stunned by Gazelle’s transformation. ‘I don’t ever recall our sister’s hips swinging quite like that,’ he commented, as they both watched Gazelle striding down the walkway ahead of them.

  ‘No,’ Sparrowhawk agreed with a grin. ‘This is definitely a new look for her.’

  The party were instructed to stand on the periphery of the round plateau and they watched as the centre of t
he solid crystal structure turned to glowing vapour. This began to swirl inwards in an anti-clockwise direction. As the whirlpool increased in speed the porthole to the past opened wide.

  ‘Now this is really something,’ Gazelle mumbled; today was proving to be a real eye opener. She had thought that her brother’s crone’s abilities were amazing, however dark, but the Chosen certainly had their ways and means as well.

  In you all go, the female elestial announced their flight. We recommend feet first.

  Gazelle’s wonder dispersed abruptly when she witnessed Zabeel, Avery, Fallon and Bast run and take a flying leap into the void. ‘Oh no.’ She moved away. ‘Not this little black bird, no way!’

  ‘We’ll do it together, hey?’ Sparrowhawk suggested, but Gazelle backed up, refusing to give him her hand. He looked to Rhun for assistance.

  ‘She can’t stay behind, we need her,’ Rhun advised, ticking his head towards the void and giving his younger brother a firm nod of encouragement.

  Sparrowhawk caught Rhun’s meaning and with a shrug of apology to Gazelle, he bundled her over his shoulder and went charging towards the swirling mystic porthole.

  ‘Where is my free will now?’ Gazelle thumped her porter’s back in protest and wailed as they jumped into oblivion.

  Rhun smiled, pleased by the prospect of doing a little time exploration. ‘It’s been too long,’ he decided, taking a running jump and somersaulting into the porthole. ‘Yeehaaaaa!’

  Maelgwn was waiting for his sons and their female team members on arrival at their destination in 2088AD. All his people were amazed to find themselves standing on the top of a building without having sensed the slightest impact from their fall through time. None of the team were aware of their etheric colleague’s presence, for Maelgwn’s current form held no sway in the physical world; having left all his physical world matter back in the outer realm of Shamballa, he could only play a subjective role here.