Chaos Mortalitus

by Mark LaMaster

  "I am." I respond with steadfast determination. "I must know who I truly am, what makes me chosen by destiny."

  Extending its right arm toward me slowly, the creature reaches though I am uneasy at first. Trusting its words, this creator, this man on fire from the other side of all things to come touches my chest and everything that is Ashton Mortal changes forever. I feel a blast of energy shoot through me instantly forcing my head back with whiplash, generating such intense power. My body changes, my structure shifting into something foreign, alien even. I can feel the memories of infinity invade my sub consciousness, the power this figure has bestowed upon me in this moment and the intensity of things I could never begin to understand.

  Unable to control all this energy as for once I feel this figure's peace, its truth. My entire life was built for this moment as beams of light spew forth from my eyes, eroding away the years of dormancy. A final truth is revealed in this moment as who I am changes a thousand times over. The energy lifts me into the air with this power generated continuing to grow and I scream out with all I have toward the heavens. Powerful revelations replay over and over in my eyes as the energy exits my body at all points and I feel the man that was Ashton Mortal become something entirely new. Curling, my body spasms violently, the pigment in my eyes vanishing, replaced with the darkest of black.

  Falling back to the floor taking a knee my head down I realize this body is no longer my own. Belonging to the universe now, I am the king from long ago and I will retain my throne once more. He who has taken it from me, might he sleep restless tonight for I have returned and all things henceforth will be put right. An age of peace dawns this new horizon and all who oppose this truth will face my justice. To those who seek to control the freedoms of others, a storm this way cometh.

  CHAPTER: 9

  VEXICUS

  Memories of a past long forgotten, dreams of a life I once held so dear as reincarnated sagas spew forth from this infinite multi-verse. The Creator, the one that first gave life to the molecular structure that has evolved over 13.85 billion years to create the man I am today, this creator is the one that knows the true secrets of the universe. In the moment he touched me I changed forever, unlocking the mysteries held to the particles that build my physical form. From every corner of every universe I've existed as every voice of reason amongst the stars. I am the dream that was freedom, gliding gracefully through the cosmos helping those in need to hold on for one more day, one more hour.

  Six billion years ago I first came to these shorelines of Father, I first returned home to my creator. Lifetimes ago now, the struggles of my people were very real then and live on through these pages of eternity. My name was Lord Vexicus Miogar and I was the first human king of the Imperial Nations of Siivech. The first empire and galaxy among the stars to have an established unified governing system for all system inhabitants. Ruling this galaxy in the ways of peace and equality, freedom was offered to all who chose a home within Siivech, human or any other.

  Paving the way to a better existence, exploring new technologies and like many before me I was drawn to the science of things, trying to design a stable future for my wide variety of subjects. Our hope was simplistic, might our cause be taken up from our brother and sister galaxies throughout the known universe. Very advanced technologies propelled us into an age of utopian bliss, not as one race but as a diversified accumulation of species and culture. Facing many hardships in the design of the Imperial Nations of Siivech, many races banded together hoping to spread peace to the hearts of any who would listen.

  Our home worlds were vast beautiful places, filled with endless dreams and the prosperity of many species coming together in one voice to declare independence from the wickedness that waited silently in the shadows of deep space. War had become a distant memory, having left Siivech all together with serenity in its wake, a lasting harmony in the midst of the chaos that birthed us. Edoxus was my home world and base to the Imperial Nations of Siivech. A beautifully radiant place with endless possibilities, Edoxus was the birthplace of the human race and it was these first humans that led the way to freedom and unity within Siivech.

  My kingdom was the beating heart of this expanding universe and though other galaxies shared in the Imperial Nations, they lacked the same resolve. Independent worlds pursuing independent interests yet our kingdom's hand remained extended in peace. Light speed and space time shifts, even superluminal speeds were common practice among these many worlds making transit through the stars more practical. The physics of light speed travel would be applied to the space around an object or spacecraft while the object itself would remain consistent with present time and space. These space-time warping mechanisms would shield the spacecraft from accelerating forward in time, or in the case of superluminal speeds, backward in time.

  My ancestors designed a transport system called the Edoxan System, which enabled travel between galaxies within month's time, connecting thousands of extra terrestrial races. The Edoxan System was built primarily for our two closest neighbors, the Neshuza Galaxy and the Xiodal Galaxy. These systems were linked to a series of stars that provided an almost infinite amount of energy through fusion and could break down living matter into quantum form and accelerate it at vast superluminal speeds. Manipulating these extreme speeds to carry us to places within the cosmos we had never dreamed, freedom stretched far.

  These were the first systems of quantum teleportation discovered, a major breakthrough for our younger brother and sister galaxies, Neshuza and Xiodal. Their races still very primitive with a few that were very advanced, but quiet nonetheless. We aided in the progress through science to help build our brother and sister worlds into utopian reflections of Edoxus. Neshuza and Xiodal were located about five hundred million light years from Siivech at the time, and Siivech was about three billion light years from the Milky Way Galaxy that would one day be home to a small terrestrial planet named Earth.

  Another galaxy sat silently past our brothers and sisters, a very sinister place that carried only nightmares and tales of enslavement from an unforgiving dictator. Three survivors of this epic genocide managed to escape on a scouting mission sent to the Xiodal Galaxy. They were the first to emerge from this dark place, the galaxy known as Rokkilux. What they revealed about the intentions of one of the worlds of Rokkilux was horrifying. The planet known as Deoth meaning "Monarchy of Chaos", in the native tongue, was a world overrun by corruption, an organized destructive force beyond imagination.

  Deoth was the home world of an extremely advanced and brutal reptilian species called Xxirians. Exceptionally smart and powerful creatures, they have taken to an upright position similar to the modern human. Much larger than any mortal man, their faces diabolically fierce with large craniums and muscular bodies with scaly leather like skin wrapped tightly. A uniform race, skin color varying with unique textures yet overall a singular race. Many species fill the ranks of the Xxirian hordes, slaves from the vast worlds conquered within the Rokkilux Galaxy. Showing no mercy the Xxirians were ruthless, prisoners either inducted into the ranks of their war against all of creation, or torn apart and left to rot.

  All conquered home worlds were destroyed after all threats were eliminated and natural resources consumed. The Xxirian fleets defined immense and their science was breathtaking, commanded by their military figurehead for countless millennia Lord Erazux, a genocidal maniac hell-bent on the destruction of all life. Studying ancient manuscripts and experimenting with forbidden technologies, his armies increased in size by every passing moment. Lord Erazux was a military genus, having a straight-ahead approach to his strategy determined to crush all who stand in his way.

  Once Edoxus received word about the plans of the Xxirian Monarchy of Chaos to begin their conquest of the known universe, I knew something had to be done. At the time I was experimenting with a type of controlled singularity technology, based on dreams I had. The Artifact was the name of the device I was working on, its primary function, to open a controlla
ble gateway to another part of the universe. My goal was to create an escape route for my people, to finally get them far away from the grasp of tyranny brought on by the impending onslaught from the Xxirian hordes.

  Day and night I worked on this new design, trying to perfect it. Finally working up the courage to test the prototype of my design as I hoped for the miracle I so desperately needed; yet I didn't know then that this dagger would be the key to the survival of the universe. The Artifact was designed to work only with my molecular structure, just in case it fell into the wrong hands. A power to be in all places now within my grasp, designed as a dagger so I might conceal it easily. The night I tested my prototype was the same evening I received the news that Xxirian war ships had been spotted moving toward Xiodal and this time Lord Erazux had launched his entire military force to finally take over these peaceful nations.

  Lord Erazux had somehow found a way to harness the superluminal speeds that connected us all and now nothing could stop his onward approach. I knew time was of the essence; the Imperial Nations of Siivech were designed around peace and thus would not be able to mount a reasonable defense against such ferocity. Once I activated the Artifact, everything went perfectly according to plan but something happened, something I could have never expected. Somehow, I had opened a dimensional vortex; I just had no idea the final destination.

  Before I knew it, I was waking up on a crystal shoreline having no idea where I was, or how I got there. This was my first true glimpse of Father and the day I met my creator, the day everything changed forever.

  The vastness of eternity follows the extent of probability, the approaching fingertips of destiny. Vexicus Miogar was an amazing break through, finally the molecular structure that made up all life in all universes had unified within this singular human entity. Every universe thereafter mirrored this original concept with no one universe identical to the next, every probable action or reaction, every possible choice within the pages of eternity. This moment was truly a miracle within myself, having watched my creations come so far from their primordial origins, yet sadly in this moment destiny had other intentions.

  For King Vexicus, the truth of what was to come was far more than he could ever of imagined much less comprehend. Maybe I should have seen what could have come from this, maybe then this epic struggle could have been undone. Legends and heroes decorated the cosmos during the days in which Vexicus first came to me, revealing untold stories of bravery, honor pitted against injustice and the chaos it follows. Siivech would become the staging ground for a war that would extend across not only this universe, but all realms of existence within Father.

  King Vexicus did not realize at the moment he first came to me that he was no longer apart of the universe he was born to, that the shorelines of Father were absent of the concept of time. Vexicus came with conviction, ruling his people with the revelations of peace and freedom yet on this day he searched for a prayer from the heavens, a savior for his people. In the first moments of our meeting he was quite hesitant, yet understood who and what I was over time. Believing I was the spirit of creation that gave birth to Edoxus and the Imperial Nations of Siivech and I imagine in so many ways I am this spirit the creatures of Siivech worship.

  Begging me for a solution, Vexicus explained the onslaught and certain death that marched from Deoth toward these free Imperial Nations. Understanding his convictions, his determinations, but sadly a grander story was just beginning to ink its pages. The hardest moments for me were when I told King Vexicus that the fates of those free worlds had already been sealed. Sadly, in his first moments on these shorelines of Father the Xxirian hordes had already overrun Siivech, Neshuza and the Xiodal galaxies.

  The free worlds that made up the Imperial Nations of Siivech were no more, slaughtered by the Xxirian coalition in cold blood. Most of their brother and sister galaxies fell to the same fate and as the rebelling free races were eradicated, those left in the wake of the destruction were made soldiers in the ever-growing Xxirian military. Trillions of lives lost to the stars, genocide with no ability to fathom as the news brought King Vexicus to his knees, his dream having died their in his arms. The Imperial Nations of Siivech had been destroyed and now he truly had no home to go back to.

  Lord Erazux led the attack on the planet Edoxus personally with hopes of dethroning King Vexicus face to face by way of his Xxirian war blade, to revel in the fact that peace is a weakness nothing more. Taking no prisoners, Lord Erazux slaughtered the whole of humanity, erasing their ideals of peace and freedom for all time or so he thought. Edoxus became the new home for Lord Erazux and the Xxirian fleets as he began to expand his forces, now controlling four different galaxies. His lust for power and control over the universe continued to grow and finally Lord Erazux had erected his Monarchy of Chaos on the peaceful planet of Edoxus.

  Defiling its pureness and declaring himself high king of all creation, Lord Erazux now possessed powers uncanny to any the universe had ever seen. An army of galaxies that none could challenge, so diabolically fierce that no force could calm the squalls approach on the horizon. King Vexicus would never leave the shorelines of Father, his final resting place and much time would pass before he would allow himself to release the aching burden in his heart. Finishing out his life knowing that all he loved and cared for had been lost due to his failure defined tragedy.

  Over time I was able to show him the sacrifice of many would ultimately lead to the preservation of the peace he had fought so hard to maintain, for all time. King Vexicus became my dearest friend, my creation that shared the dreams of all beings with me. Continuing his work on these shorelines as I sculpted the surrounding environment to resemble his home world. Vexicus understood that this journey was not his own but that of all beings and that it surely did not end here. The king from the planet Edoxus had intelligence in the realm of science unrivaled by any before him.

  Slowly he began to harness the crystal byproduct resulting from the rogue waves of Father's ocean of energy. When these waves collided they would produce a new universe within Father, yet the production of energy during the collisions was so great that shards of energy infused crystal would be ejected and wash up along the shoreline over time. King Vexicus was able to manipulate these crystals in many ways and create the monuments that stand eternally in this place known as Father. He redesigned the Artifact at the same time, using this new source of power.

  We worked together for many Earth years to prepare for our counterattack against the Xxirians and any who would allow the chaos to remove the voice of reason from all things to come. No longer was Vexicus Miogar my creation, he had become my equal in every way and I made a promise to him on these shores, lifetimes ago. I swore that his sacrifice and the sacrifice of the humans of Edoxus would not be in vain, that humanity would once again flourish in this universe and all that mirror its image, for all time.

  The life of King Vexicus Miogar ended within Father, yet his heart lives on through every point of hope within the expanding universe. Upon his deathbed he begged me to never give up on the goodness of this universe, to not ignore the cries of my children and I promised just that. When the destiny designed in Father's eyes revealed itself to me I would be reborn into the universe of my creation and finally bring this fight to the doorstep of chaos and the revelations that follow. Although my friend's life ended, my promise lived on as I knew the day would come that our friendship would blossom once more.

  Reshaping his particle structure I again sent it back into the universe within Father, to a small planet in a distant part of the cosmos, hidden from the chaos that raged forth. King Vexicus Miogar was the seed that gave life to the planet known as Earth, his trials and the sacrifice of the first human world walk the streets of the modern blue planet. Upon Earth, the evolution of the molecular structure that was Vexicus Miogar continued untouched, guided by the hands of fate. Humanity once again flourished and was unknown to the rest of the universe as Lord Erazux continues his crusade of death in prese
nt day, having become the very definition of terror.

  Somehow, he's unlocked the secrets of eternal life and will stop at nothing until he commands the entire universe. An epic saga rages forth as humanity struggles to understand their purpose in this vast universe, their destiny within the stars. The shimmering blue pearl bears the hope of peace and freedom to all things in all places. This dream and these costly sacrifices were forever defined on the 10th day in the lunar month of March in the human year of 2025 A.D. on a small planet named Earth in the eyes of Ashton Mortal. A man, that at this point has been many things.

  CHAPTER: 10

  U.S.S SOLITUDE

  Sitting silently in her cold cell, Angela Mortal shivers alone, cut off from all human contact. Left with nothing but her thoughts as tears stream effortlessly, carving soft lines in her cheeks as she grips her knees doing her best to hang onto hope. Knowing something is wrong, for days now she's sat in this cell, days spent entirely alone crying out for her husband with only silence as her companion, her keeper. Twice a day the small opening in the iron door to her cell opens leaving behind nothing more than a sandwich and a bottle of water, enough to keep her alive.