Part 4 - Resurgence

Chapter 73 - Quintari Rising

Gwen watched Stanley and Lisa work. She had offered to help but the scientists had refused. This reminded her too much of how things were before they brought Miles back: the pair working tirelessly while their Empress watched, waiting for a moment to scold them for the smallest mistake. It was because of these memories that she forced herself to watch, punishing herself for all her stupidity. Stanley hammered some commands into a computer and the set up burst into a flurry of activity. He gave Lisa a thumbs up and tapped his com badge.

"Stanley to Admiral Melbourne. We're ready to go when you are."

"Understood. ETA to former Ardveer system is ten minutes."

"Copy."

Gwen sighed, thinking forward to the future. What would happen after the war ended? She would be a fugitive in whatever order rose up in the Empire's place. Then again, she had been a fugitive before after accidentally killing Peter all those years ago. Lisa sat down next to her, seeing her expression.

"Things will get better."

"For you. I'll be hunted for the rest of my life."

"Maybe not. I'd place good money on Miles having a lot of influence in the Republic."

"Republic?"

"The Sol Temporal Republic. It's the planned title for the Empire's successor. I guess you haven't been told about that yet."

"No, like most things. What does it matter if Miles has influence? He has too much ambition to let me get in the way of it."

"I think you've forgotten how much he loves and cares about you. I remember when I first met you both, eight years ago, you were inseparable. When you were assimilated, he'd have preferred not to live at all than to live in a world without you. Fortunately he discovered the world between world's strange nature. And it's a good thing, or where would be now?"

"That was eight years ago. He's been dead for five of those, I've done things worse than Hitler. He could never love me like he did then."

"No. He couldn't. You aren't teenagers anymore. There's a big world out there, a lot of them in fact. When all is said and done, I think the next war he'll wage is that to help you find a way to forgive yourself."

"The Republic won't let him. If he sides with me he'll be just as guilty."

"Gwen, the plate made you do the worst of the bad things you did. Everyone with power knows that; even Teresa, despite how much she hates you."

"It doesn't matter. If the common people don't have their voices heard then there'll be another rebellion and you'll be the bad guys. Miles won't love me enough ever again to risk that. He hates me, just like you, just like Teresa, just like everyone who has even half a brain cell."

She stood up and turned to storm out the door, only to find it blocked by Miles. A tear rolled down his cheek, but she closed her eyes and pushed past him.

"Gwen..." He started.

"No! Don't try and tell me you love me! You don't now! You never will!"

She ran out of sight as Miles completely broke down. Lisa put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"How can she not understand? I started this war for her."

"She'll come round. You know what you both need? A talk with the High Aether."

"He's not a counsellor."

"No, but he gives counsel. He may be able to help you both work things out."

"I doubt he has time for two humans."

"He'll want to speak to Gwen anyway because of the plate. She might bring it up."

"Whatever."

The SGC Bastion burst out of regular warp just outside an asteroid field with a black dwarf star at its centre. The other captured home fleet ships, a total of thirty-four, dropped out next to it. The dreadnought turned broadside, opening its hangar doors. When the green light was given, Stanley and Lisa activated the robotic arm holding the Ethereal plate. The plate was placed on a small ring at the centre of the Animator. The reaction was instant: the gem at the centre lit up green and energy began to flow, like gentle waves on an ocean, in every direction. With some more clicks and taps, the gem seemed to pulse and a beam shot out through the open hangar doors. It carved through the asteroids in its path until it came to the black dwarf start. Almost immediately, the star began to grow brighter and larger until it burst back into life in one of the most incredible sights Edward had ever seen. The beam continued; the star remained much the same but the asteroid field began to form back into planets. Around one planet, Ardveer, hundreds of ships took form. Soon, it was all over; the Animator's beam disappeared. Edward stood up, staring out the view screen. The ops panel began to beep.

"Incoming transmission from Quintari High Command. They want to know what's happening."

"Put them up."

The view screen moved to the side and an image appeared of a grey person with six identical limbs.

"This is Governer Zirat of the Quintari Temporal Alliance. Please identify yourself and tell us everything you know about what is going on."

"This is Grand Admiral Edward Melbourne of former Sol Galactic Command. The Ardveer system was destroyed by a being know as Helltreader five-and-a-half years ago."

"Then how is it intact now?"

"It may be better if I discuss this with the High Aether."

"Very well."

Lucifer clenched his fist causing enormous cracks to form on a statue of Gwen in the imperial palace. The statue crumbled, debris falling neatly around him. The Emperor turned to the demon he had elected as his military chief.

"Order all of our forces back to the palace. We will crush this rebellion once and for all. I do not care how many Quintari must be slaughtered by hand. First I will kill Morales...slowly, painfully. Then I'll kill his oh so precious wife. And then the rest of them. One. By. One."

"I've already sent the order. Our forces are withdrawing from around the multiverse."

"Arm all defences. No troop leaves their position until they are dead."

Edward, Miguel, Teresa and Miles were sitting in the briefing room with the single most important person in the multiverse: the High Aether of the Quintari.

"So Helltreader was slain, Gwendolyn Stacy summoned the World Eater, built an empire with the devil and now the final battle is dawning. I must ask, what of the Ethereal Plates? Infinity is, of course, merged with Gwendolyn. But the others?"

"We have Trust, but we've no idea where the other eight are." Said Miguel.

"Of course. You must have had a plate to unlock the Animator's full potential. The Quintari will aid you in the final battle, but we have no more power to destroy Lucifer than any of you."

"I have a solution to that." Said Miles quietly.

"What?" Asked Edward, surprised he hadn't heard about this.

"In 9674 there is a police detective who goes by the name Chloe Decker. She and Lucifer had some sort of relationship. I'm not sure exactly, but I think we may be able to use her to weaken him."

"It's all we've got." Said Teresa.

"Not exactly. I took this off a demon in the home fleet HQ."

Miles placed the demon dagger on the table. The High Aether reached forward and held it, running one of his hands along its curved length.

"This weapon is not from here. You took it from a demon?"

"Yeah."

"Why haven't you told us about all this? You've had a few days." Enquired Teresa.

"Me and Gwen are...having some issues at the moment. You know now. It doesn't matter."

The High Aether continued.

"This blade can cut the flesh of even the strongest creature. It is too dangerous to be wielded by human hands. Once Lucifer is dead, it shall be held on Ardveer."

"Why?" Asked Miguel.

"As I said, it is not from here. You will understand one day, but for now such things are beyond the likes of humanity."

"We need a battle plan for taking the imperial palace. It's the last stronghold of the Empire." Said Edward, changing the subject.

"The Quintari must re-organise. It has been five years and we are still just as we were when Helltreader wiped us out." Explained the High Aether.

"OK. How long until you can be ready?"

"A day at least."

"Then we'll meet here in a day to discuss the plan. Get some rest, everyone. The final battle is upon us."

Miguel, Teresa and Edward began to gather their things and left leaving Miles and the High Aether alone. The latter recalled a brief conversation with Lisa.

"You are having troubles with Gwendolyn?"

"She thinks I hate her for everything she's done, but I don't. I love her."

"She has merged with an Ethereal Plate. When she seems more like herself, she is still under its influence. It has tried and failed for five years to take control of her through its regular means and now it seeks to do so by isolating her from those she is closest to."

"It makes no sense."

"Not everything does, and it never will. How to say this...The plates are incompatible with humans, just as a human can't plug themselves into a computer and suddenly be able to control every switch. The human wants to because why would they have bothered plugging themselves in in the first place. Some humans will understand, others will not."

"You think everything will be fine when she is split?"

"I think they will improve. It will take time for every wound to heal."

Miles took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"If that is all, I must leave to guide my people."

"There's one more thing. Something the Scarlet King said."

"I would not recommend listening to everything the Scarlet King says. His only desire is the destruction of all reality."

"He mentioned a Quintari phrase: 'zargos bet zargos bet zargis'. He also mentioned a name: Bastria, at least I assume it's a name. Whenever someone says it, Gwen's eyes start glowing."

"The phrase holds many meanings. To some it is nothing more than a figure of speech. To others it is literal. Translated, it means 'worlds beyond worlds beyond this world'."

"Worlds beyond this world would refer to the multiverse, but worlds beyond those? Is there a...multi-multiverse?"

The High Aether chuckled, but then became very serious again.

"What I am about to reveal to you is something no other human knows, and I trust you will keep it that way."

"I won't tell anyone. Not even Gwen."

"There is, what we call, an omniverse comprised of six multiverses. Each multiverse has a name; Bastria is one. It is where this dagger was forged, it is where the Animator was created. It is the bastion of the dead, hence its name. Hell, Sovngarde, Heaven; they are all worlds in Bastria. This multiverse is called Premis, created by my ancestors many billions of years ago. It is the largest multiverse. The other four I shall not discuss with you, you know enough for now. I must go; my people need me."

"Yeah...OK."

An omniverse...Miles' head was filled with so many questions such as: what was the border between two multiverses? He collapsed onto his bed in his quarters in the world between worlds. Did this place have something to do with the omniverse? Maybe it...as he tried to think things over, he fell asleep.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- Lucifer