by Greg Laurel
Several of these delegates seemed rather annoyed. Not at Miles’s information, but its correctness.
“I know what you’re thinking, because I’ve thought it too. Blow it all up? The humans are one species on a planet of billions. Something to just wipe the humans alone out? The buggers have ingrained themselves on their world harder than most cancers. It’s set up to burn all the same if they all fall over. There’s no easy way to do this, because the actions that would be best? They still affect in some way millions. I don’t like it. I hate it. I hate it, and I hate the humans, and every moment of my life I’ve spent as one, among them.”
“Veralis Stratenheim has made clear to us your well-earned disdain for your people, and why you hold it. With the Deceiver gone, the humans will likely be thrown into massive, divisive debate of whether it was anyone’s call to make, to do what did truly need be done,” a Talvas Vulpian commented. “It’s quite possible even, that this is a part of the human psyche owed to the Demon’s work. Integrating an inherent conflict generation mechanism. It sounds like a Dark Six thing to do.”
Miles nodded. “Likely. But regardless, I’ll make this call, and the preparations needed for it. I’d rather not have the planet imposed upon by anyone, Conclave or otherwise. That said, if I do fail, either by corruption or death, the Conclave has my personal permission to tear Earth to atoms. I understand the risks of everything I’m doing, and planning to. I also accept what would need to be done, should I fail. I hope the rest of you trust me to know that, and act on it as per what I have wished.”
“You’ve shown wisdom beyond what has been described of your species by Veralis, and likely yourself,” a Redarian added. The people of Redaria Prime, akin to Red Pandas of Earth. Miles’s theory from Orvitaire of anthropomorphic evolution being generally favorable in the universe certainly wasn’t being proven wrong.
“The Conclave will entrust Earth’s protection to you, Radien. Is there anything else we should know?” the Redarian continued.
“I can’t guarantee my kinsmens’ actions, I’m far from their leader. Individual humans are responsible themselves for whatever they do. And honestly, I don’t care if the humans bite it. The universe won’t miss them. But that said, they should at least get the chance to prove themselves.” The Loriken nodded as soon as Miles mentioned proving oneself. “But don’t act surprised if they spit on the hand that offers to them, and don’t ever feel bad about punishing that person equally for it. They may be brats, but they’re not literal infants.”
It wasn’t long after, that the Conclave agreed to leave Miles to his own devices regarding Earth, and what to do about it. So Miles headed back to Earth, and looked at the Counter-Catalyst’s remaining construction time.
Until then, Miles prepared. He trained with his weapons, and learned more of his power. He helped out where he could, for those who needed it. A hate group’s members suddenly gone missing here. A mysterious cache of money for a heavily indebted person there. Recording a message for whatever happens after the Deceiver is destroyed. Miles did very much plan to make a plea to the human race to be better when he gave them their chance. He had no expectations that they would actually do it, but at least it couldn’t be said that they didn’t have a chance. And there would be no pity for deliberate darkness.
Eventually, that counter-catalyst was ready. But Miles had been needing to force his hand more heavily by then. This Deceiver had gotten bolder, likely upon realizing the threat Miles posed. The few dozen thugs that had been sent over the months were to show for it, and the worsening of the world around him, as if it were a ploy to bait him out, and make himself vulnerable as he tried to save someone. But now Miles had his weapon, his end all to this Demon. What he had to do now, was expose the Deceiver to the counter-catalyst’s energy, and force it into its true form, and publicly. The world would now know the players in this long game of reality against Demons. And gods willing, they’d make something good of it.
One last phone call to Malin, though, to tie up that loose end of ETAL-RARC.
“What do you have?” Malin asked.
“A plan to destroy the Deceiver. I need to know where it’s assumed identity is, and I’ll handle the rest.”
“Edinburgh, at an animator’s convention. She’s the guest of honor. I can get you in, and a spot at the guest of honor dinner right next to her. What’s your plan?”
“I have a device to force the Demon out of human form, and I’m going to make sure the cameras are on her when it happens. The world would never believe anything else. I can’t just make her disappear, I can’t do anything else than this. The world’s gonna find out now, just how very not alone it is.”
Malin sighed heavily. “This day was sure to come. I was just hoping I wouldn’t be in charge during it. You’ll need your own way to Edinburgh, but I’ll bet that’s easy for you.”
And as soon as Miles hung up, he was there with a teleport of his own. The convention’s opening ceremony wasn’t for another two days, and Malin had covered his registration, dinner ticket and seating. Edinburgh for two days didn’t sound bad, and Miles had been working for a while on a holographic AI to run the Fourteen Werewolves while he was out.
The two days went without incident, and finally it was time. The opening speeches and introducing the guest of honor. But Miles had a plan that Malin didn’t know about. During the two days off in Edinburgh, he’d used Techbooth to hack into the con chair’s access to programming, particularly the slides and cues of the opening ceremony, planting himself to be introduced to present a gift for the illustrious animator for her contributions.
“And this last minute, most generous donation has allowed us to recognize here at these opening ceremonies, a gift to be presented to our guest of honor. Please welcome to the stage Miles Radien!”
The audience applauded as expected while Miles walked onstage, with an ornamental jewelry box in hand.
“It is my honor, ma’am, to present you this token of your contributions to animation, and our world as a whole. It’s no secret your avocation to progress, and it is my honor to gift you this,” Miles said, putting on a decent show, actually. The Deceiver may have been suspicious, but there wasn’t anything she could do in front of all these people. Miles had her now. The Demon soon to be revealed. He opened the box, and the counter-catalyst, this golden crystal, shone in the spotlight of the stage. Miles took it out quickly, and activated it with his power of The Aura, to the horror of this Demon. The golden bolt of energy exploded like a ball of sand on the Demon’s chest, and she let forth an ungodly yell of terror and anger for her revealing. The crowd began to flee, in its expectedly panicked manner.
“Leave that camera!” Miles shouted at one of the men livestreaming the event. He thankfully obliged, and ran himself out as well. The Deceiver, unable to hold its form any longer, erupted in flame, to show the true form of the infiltrator of the Demon Hordes. Skin marbled in blood red and jet black, eyes of orange spite, and a blade as twisted as the mind that forged the lies it protected.
“You are a bold one, Aura Warrior.” The Demon taunted. “You even look just like this mortal race.”
“It always pained me, but you’re wrong. I’m one of the idiots from this planet. And you have weaved your masters’ will into this world enough.”
The Demon seemed almost impressed. “A human to wield The Aura? You must be something else you don’t even know about. It is no matter. The Dark Six will honor me, Avanchenvaldr, destroyer of Aura Warriors!”
Avanchenvaldr charged at Miles with its weapon, and the cutlass he was given on Orvitaire appeared in his hand to do battle. A battle of powers, as well as blades. Shields conjured, and released towards their foe. All the while, Miles ensured that camera kept running, kept showing the world just what they were dealing with, what they hadn’t dealt with. Miles outfought Avanchenvaldr soon enough, landing the right blows to the right places. A slice on the Demon’s weapon hand, a side kick to its knee. A systematic deconstruction of
this abomination’s ability to fight on.
“Who are you to deny the Dark Six their prize?” Avanchenvaldr demanded. “I want to know just who’s name will be among those that die the most painfully!”
“You and your ilk may call me Radien,” Miles spat, and sliced Avanchenvaldr’s throat wide open with his blade. Instead of blood, out poured fire like a geyser, straight up as the broken Demon’s form collapsed in on itself, and became little more than a pile of ash. Ramming was heard at the door. SAS were making their way in, and Miles warped out before their breach. A pile of ash, and a streaming camera were all that stood in the ruined auditorium.
The world saw what happened. As soon as the fight broke out, breaking news all over took the video feed and broadcasted it to all the eyes and ears of the human race, and Miles soon knew exactly what happened to the Dark Six’s servants after Avanchenvaldr’s death. A broadcast of his own was now transmitted, an automatic recording, intercepting all channels, playing in all of Earth’s languages.
“This message is for the human race of Earth, and will play across the planet upon the death of the Deceiver Demon Avanchenvaldr. The animator you knew, who made what you thought was so innocent, was anything but. You may have been tipped off when someone you may know, a friend or family, suddenly seemed confused. As if they had no memory of why they stood where they were. Some celebrated, as their conversion was only recent, and now they are free. But others... people who served the Demons all their lives... they regained their minds from where they left off. Men and women alike, who’s old bodies now had their young souls back. Souls that were stolen and substituted with that of a Demon of Hell. Make no mistake, this was the work of Demons. The answer of if we are alone is a resounding no. So far from no, so far indeed. A universe teeming with life, of good peoples, who fight this war against the Demons in shadow and sun. I’ve destroyed their link to Earth, that they would have used as a front for their invasion of all creation. But now it falls to you to become a part of this universe. Some former Demon’s servants have lost only a few days. Others, entire years, or even a whole lifetime. They will be hurt. They will hurt from what they have done beyond their will. Whether you forgive them, or punish them, or whatever, the universe watches to see what the Human race is. I take my leave now, and the rest is yours. I do truly hope I will be proven right to have shown you all this.”
The message was across the world, and Miles decided it was time for him to leave it. There was indeed a whole universe out there, teeming with life and good peoples. With The Aura, Miles had time to match his ambitions. The Fourteen Werewolves closed for business, the tools and Techbooth moved to a storage on Cynofrax, courtesy of The Aura Runner’s pocket dimension for a cargo bay.
Upon that arrival on Cynofrax, Miles beheld now Alindros city-province, the capitol of the world. Sorrenikas was only the second largest on the planet. He froze where he stood on the sidewalk, only just having his next great realization.
“I’ve got stories now,” Miles said to himself aloud. “I... I have things I can tell others. I can walk among the stars, and tell them what I see. I could have allies. I could have... so much that I don’t even have words for. I ran out of tears so many years ago on the stories I’d never be able to relate to...”
A familiar-feeling Redarian stopped in his tracks as he saw Miles gaze out upon the cityscape. “Radien?”
“Jarrek,” Miles responded, still his eyes spaced out, staring at everything. “I don’t even have words for what I have now, because I so understood for so long that I never would... that changes now. I don’t even know what this feeling is. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. I... I just don’t know.”
Jarrek walked up to Miles, looking him in the eye as Miles re-focused himself, now to the Redarian before him. “My people have a word for what you’re feeling: Raiyaan. The literal translation is ‘finally’. But it means more than that, I’m sure you can figure.”
“I suppose so,” Miles said. “A state so much of ‘at long last,’ but I don’t even know what I’m finally getting, because the very idea of it never existed to me. I don’t... I don’t...”
“Don’t try to, then,” Jarrek said, putting a hand on Miles’s shoulder. “Don’t try to know today. You don’t need to know today. Not even tomorrow. You only need to know when you figure it out yourself.”
“Figure it out myself... I’ve never really gotten to do that.”
“Clearly you need some time. Just raw time. Come with me.” Jarrek showed Miles just outside Alindros, a small cave. No telling if it was natural or not. “This is a Font. It’s a well of cosmic power, without any real refinement or name, or anything. It’s basically raw universe. They’re pretty common. In fact, it’s rare to find a planet without one. I was recently on a planet completely barren of a single Font, and take a wild guess which.”
Miles looked over to the Redarian, knowing well it was Earth.
“It’s incredible you’re still alive,” Jarrek admired. “You’ve got an inherent connection, a higher understanding of what is and should be, and must never. The universe doesn’t make more sense to you, you just know better than most that it doesn’t have to. A mind like that, on a planet like Earth... it’s a wonder you aren’t completely insane by now as the rest of your species is just so slow, and rigid, and spiteful.”
A moment passed, and Miles looked to the Font. A pool of deep blue, liquid power that seemed to bleed from the crust of Cynofrax itself, but it never overflowed from the natural cistern it formed.
“Radien, you’re clearly more. Human could never describe you. Human denotes a creature of that spite, that sadistic love to crush what is genuinely pure and good. I could never call you among that. It took less than five minutes when I first saw you to know that. You’ve only proved it further.”
Miles looked back at Jarrek. “I only don’t know what to say, because I’ve never had to think of what to say in a... position like this. It seems... impossible to think someone could ever tell me that.”
“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Jarrek said, with a smile and friendly slap on the shoulder. “Do what you know you understand, take the time you need, because you clearly do.”
Miles touched where Jarrek hit gently, practically scoffing to himself, it seemed so ridiculous, such casual friendship. But the Font was before him. Miles approached the Font, and placed a single foot inside its... water? It sure felt like water. Once again, time stopped like it had on Earth that one time.
“It’s not that I need a lot of time,” he said aloud, to himself again. “It’s that I need a lot of time. I can count to five, and it’s still a five-count.”
“Now you’re getting it.” The voice of The Aura made itself known. “A higher understanding indeed.”
“But you’re not literally The Aura,” Miles postulated. “Perhaps the manifestation my mind has made is an interpretation of the power, your voice is different than the Prism. But the Prism only holds the key.”
“Continue.”
“But it doesn’t need to be understood utterly and fully, the mystery doesn’t need a yes or no to its question. What I understand is that whether you are the literal power of The Aura, or a voice my head created to help my consciousness interpret the universe around me, it does not change what you do. You still guide me. What does it matter if I call you The Aura, or I give you a name like a person? You guide me well, and that makes you The Aura enough.”
“There’s not much I can say you don’t already know, because Veralis and Jarrek already told you. Human fails to describe you, Radien. Once you leave this cave, time will return to its prior and normal pace. The rest is up to you.”
Miles spent what would’ve been days if not for the Font’s lock of time itself, meditating, pondering, determining. He then left, not far behind Jarrek.
“I’d say that was quick, but I know better,” Jarrek commented. “Anything I should know?”
Miles didn’t need to think this time, he already had plenty.
“Not yet. But you’ll be the second to know, given that I’ll be the first.”
Jarrek smirked with what must be a trademark witty smug of the Redarian people. “Quit wastin’ time, then.”
Chapter the Ninth
Miles’s next move was to return to Turazin and inform the Conclave of Sentience of Earth’s situation. They were eager to hear his update, given that Demons were involved.
“The Deceiver Demon Avanchenvaldr is slain, and the Dark Six’s hold on Earth is broken,” Miles began, to the sighs of relief from the rest of the Conclave’s members. “Those under their control have indeed regressed to their prior selves from before, and I have left Earth in its own hands, with no intent to return. Though, I would wish to be informed of any further matters that end up concerning the planet.” Several present nodded understandingly.
“Avanchenvaldr? Was that the Demon’s name?” a Hykentiu asked, leaning over from almost the other end of the long table, admittedly poorly designed for Conclaves. Perhaps this was an old table, that no one bothered to replace as time went on. A selachimorph standing bipedal was a little odd, but his body clearly made it work.
“Aye,” Miles confirmed. “It gave me that name itself before my duel with it.”
The Hykentiu let out a sound that would probably be what one would do to give the message of a half-frustrated growl underwater, where traditional sound tends to not really work. “Avanchenvaldr plagued Pogo-Pira for centuries, and it now makes sense that it was on Earth. The methods are all just rehashes of what it did on the Hydenti and Hykentiu home world to wrest control. I would’ve liked to see that Klee-an die.”
“Consider this your lucky day, then.” Miles tossed a data drive containing the video from Edinburgh to the young warrior, which he eagerly caught, and pocketed.
“Anyways—” the Loriken from the last meeting interjected. “With Avanchenvaldr dead, that’s the last of the known Demons on record. The Dark Six have lost their last connection we know of to reality. It will take them a good while before they can make another proper move.”