Far Pangaea 88 : Celestial Assignment

Hearing this Sophia leaned over to elder James and kissed him, "I'll be back later. Ruby's right Mom needs me."

Orin could only look back at her with a blank expression. This would mean a battle of telepathic wits between he and the younger James Ian. He would have to stay on point during their time together. One slip up and game over.

As everyone but James vacates the room the silence felt brutal. Not even a pin drop would be heard. Thought provoking indeed.

The Osirian Pyramid.

"I'm confused. So, if Animahni isn't this Nut. And, Ruby isn't this Nut...who's Nut?"

"You're the Nut. But, you got me. I guess I'm a Nut too."

The two Cameron's agreed on something. Elle beside them hugged Animahni before taking a direct pivot toward Osiris who was removing tubes and wiring from his increased mass. No longer was he a decrepit old God. The Apple of Idunn while not directly offering him a Malcolm sized colossus he was indeed capable of growing. He chose instead to merely mimic his original stature of a healthy eight feet tall. Statuesque in every possible way.

"Hold thy tongues Children. Allow me to explain. Your Grandfather Atum and I are of the beginning order of this universe. The Great Creator's original few. Our birth unlike those offered to any traditional sense. We were conceived of energy long before given flesh and blood bodies. You my children were the first to be fully recognized as offspring. My offspring. My blood. My imbued energies. My shared soul. We are of one. I your Sire. While my Father being the first of the Creator's attempts grew insane without flesh and blood to ground him to any world let alone a sense of, dare I say it humanity, I embraced my new body. Privy to rule upon a world given to me by the Creator himself. Cast out we were by distant generations. Children that betrayed we the Royal Family of Osiria. Trapped us upon this world to mock our reign."

"At least he's not bellowing in our heads anymore." Horus leans over to whisper at his secondary body Lightmare.

"SILENCE!" Osiris snarls.

"Spoke to soon."

Osiris steps closer to Horus and glares down at him. Horus, not one to feel put in his place increases his size due to magic that his Fallen Father Verago had instilled in him. It was not enough. Osiris merely grew three feet taller.

"We can do this all day." Osiris growls, "Until my greater size knocks this planet out of orbit. In doing so the effects of the celestial alignment will have been not in our favor."

"Stop being an asshole Cameron." Sabbath Black stands firm.

Hearing her his heart tremors. He loved her very much. For the moment what human traits he still had honored her. Decreasing in size Horus retracts his wings into his back and folds his arms. Seeing his retaliation Osiris himself lowers in stature. He knew he would win. Horus could never have grown enough to pose a threat.

"As I was saying." Osiris continues, "There are forces at work upon this world that even I fear. My Father being one of those. He seeks something that at first escaped my notice. Until I was invigorated through the apple. My connection to the World Tree now offers me enlightenment. This place holds a special significance to the Great Creator. What that is exactly remains unknown. I can feel it. I can feel Atum's lust for power. Whatever is here must be something that even the Great Creator did not wish upon anyone. I fear our People have imprisoned us here for that reason. In hopes that we destroy one another and leave them to their own destinies. We as family must unify if we are to escape this world. Harness what is here before Atum can consume it and destroy us all."

Elle Franklin poses a hand high. At least respecting Osiris without a vocal outburst.

"Speak Isis."

"It's Eleanor. Let me get this straight. You're asking we petty humans that share our own souls with those of your children to battle something that God might be afraid of?"

"I am."

"Isn't that like shaking a stick at a skyscraper knowing damn well it's gonna snap on impact?"

"We must reach the source of power before Atum. Claim it. Use it to neutralize him. Assert our claim upon this rock."

"Won't this Great Creator have something to say about that?" Elle looks toward Heaven praying she was referring to God.

"There is no time for indecision. Atum has covered a great distance. We must go."

"Without your...uhhh Pyramid Starship?" Lightmare winces over his shoulder, "Should I try and jumpstart it like I said earlier?"

"Indeed Ra." Osiris pauses suddenly tilting his gaze behind him toward the great desert. Each of the others note his fearful expression.

"That can't be good." Bogart whines at Sabbath's feet.

"What is it Osiris?"

"A moment Khonsu." He sniffs the air current as Sabbath awaits his words.

"He is here. How is this possible?" Another glare to his left he narrows his eyes, "Nut abandons me. How unfortunate." His final direction returns to his children, "Ra, attend to powering our vessel. I will call upon my ship when I sense it is ready for travel."

"What about the rest of us?" Horus wanted out.

"Go Horus. Be my eyes. Keep watch over Atum until we arrive. Dare not to engage him for you would perish."

"I can go?" His eyes widen, "I'm out of here." Massive wings erupt from his back once more and immediately lift him aloft. Turning right once reaching sixty feet into the sky he feels his body tug at him.

"Atum is that way." Osiris rolls his eyes.

"Dammit!" Horus grits his teeth. He really just wanted to fly away. Now knowing that his control was overridden he resets his course and soars toward the north. Sabbath felt suddenly relieved by his absence.

"I must go to the Garden." Osiris acknowledges, "Confront the Great Creator."

"Garden? You mean Eden?" Sabbath lost her moment of relief.

"Yes. The Great Creator is there. His precious paradise of which he finds solace."

"God is in Eden? With my sister?"

"Sister? Ah, yes! The World Tree's human host, Gaea. I knew there was something familiar about your current soul Khonsu. Perhaps this turn of events will be of use."

"What does that mean?" The British beauty stood confused.

"You share a soul with your sister. Divided yet keeps you bonded." He pauses a moment to glare at Cameron Scott alias Lightmare, "Interesting. I sense something else. What possesses you Ra?"

"Me? Uhh! Not sure Daddio." Lightmare had a suspicion it was tied to his own rebirth but said nothing. He was reborn in the deepest recesses of Eden itself. From what appeared to be an egg with a glowing red core. Keeping it to himself might be to their advantage.

Osiris smirks, "You could never hide things from me Ra. Your very light guides the truth. Hurry and revive our ship. I will call for you when it is ready. Khonsu? Join me. The rest of you remain here until needed."

"There goes my exit strategy." Cameron Scott had a hunch his secret was already out in the open. Of course Telepathy, "Can't a guy just have time to himself?"

"I love you too Cameron." He hears as Sabbath Black sighs in his direction.

"You know Horus heard that too right?" He smiles at her.

"Why do you always ruin the moment?"

"Sorry. Love you too Sabbath. Be careful."

Watching Osiris turn, the entire group observe him levitate and soar toward Eden. Sabbath looks down at the midget Werewolf Bogart. She sensed his worry over his adopted family of gypsy's, "I will watch over Abigail as best I can. Stay here."

"Come on Pooch." Elle pats him on the head. She and Animahni stand with Mav'Ryk until the Deity had vanished into the distance, "Okay. This is getting crazy. How do we escape this Loony Tune Tut? We have to warn Ruby about Osiris. Who the heck is Nut?" She leers behind her to find Mav'Ryk holding up a walky talky.

"Perhaps this will serve us well?"

"Can't hurt." Elle claimed it and immediately called out, "Colonel Goddard? You out there?" Static filtered the air then silence, "Batteries low. Let me try something." She holds the communication device in front of her with her diamond encased hand. Glowing after a bit of concentration the talky juices up. She like Lightmare had the power. Again, she calls out, "Out there Ruby?"

From the distance a reply returns, "Ruby's on her way to Eden."

Shocked by the voice everyone smiles brightly, "MALCOLM? You're alive? Animahni said you were deathly hurt."

"Apple saved me. Greta and I are headed to the Pyramid. You still there?"

"I don't think we can leave. Big Bad God Osiris has us under his thumb. All of us except Animahni here are joined with the souls of his kids. Not much help I'm afraid. Osiris just took off for Eden."

"That's where Ruby headed. Gaicazar too. His sword lit up. Something about God."

"Malcolm? Change your course, just avoid a flying Pharaoh. Ruby might need your help. If God really is here things could get out of hand."

"Right. I still have a score to settle with that Atum guy."

"All in good time Mal. Osiris said something about his wife Nut. Not sure yet what that's about but she supposedly gave him the Apple. He ate it."

"Great! Now I have to worry about him getting big too." Malcolm Brand hisses, "Nut must be this Briar woman...girl...not sure what that's about because she sounds like she's ten years old in Madigan's body. Not wife material. Pretty naïve personality."

"Why can't we just have a nice quiet existence?" Elle shakes her head.

"I hear that. Oh, by the way. That Briar took off toward you guys. Flying overhead now, though it looks like she changed directions. Her tracks are like leaving potted plants with every step. My guess she's switched destinations to Eden as well. Seems torn. Back and forth. I haven't located her yet though. Of course I lost sight once we aimed for you. I'll fill you in if we find her."

"Wait! She's in Madigan's body?" Elle looked shocked.

"Yea Maddy gave up her body in order to get me my apple. Long story. Oh, there's more."

"Wonderful."

"The older James is up and about. Amnesia though. Sophia's all hormonal due to it. Young James is acting funny I found him in a trance. Last but not least...ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Briar called God...Jack."

Lowering the talky Elle Franklin puffed her cheeks, "So you're saying Earth is the House that Jack built?"

"Never thought of it like that."

"We'll join you soon as we figure out how. Keep Ruby safe. I don't know why but I feel like she has more to do with this Nut than this Briar does."

"Maybe because Briar warned Ruby that her pregnancy is interdimensional?"

"What?"

"Her womb is another dimension."

"Boggles the mind. Be safe Sarge. Franklin out."

"You too Sarge."

Looking toward Mav'Ryk in his evolved serpentine state Elle shrugs, "Any thoughts?"

"None I may shed light on."

"Shed? Pardon the pun?" Then, something dawns on her, "That might be our answer. Come on it's time to shed some light. Or, maybe that's shared some light."

"I do not understand." Mav'Ryk tilts his head.

"I might be crazy but I'm starting to think like James Ian. You know how he always connects words ending in Ian or Ion or adding ME to names like MoE? Almost as if something impulsively leads him to conclude a connection?"

Nobody left in her group really knew James Ian Pryce. Only Animahni and that was barely. Bogg Ross could only scratch his dry scalp with his right foot. The Ganthorian staring with a wicked tongue flicking in and out. Quite unsettling even to he. Realizing no one understood left her to call herself crazy. Finally, she shrugs, "Mav just said shed. I made it shared. If any of you know how to spell shared what letters are left if the word condenses to shed?"

Bogg whines excitedly, "I know. I know. A and R."

"Give the dog a bone. Turn those letters around. What do they say?"

"RA?" Animahni still did not understand until saying it once again, "Ra!"

"Right. Ra wants away from Big Daddy. All of his kids do. I can sense Isis inside me begging for my forgiveness."

Mav'Ryk hisses loudly, "As do I. I hear Set calling out REPENTSSSSS."

With a deafening exhale Elle smiles, "They're giving us clues Guys. Channeling my inner James Ian again...Repents rearranged is Serpent. Thank God my Granny raised me on word games."

"What about me? All I hear is Anubis saying Loyalty." The werewolf even in daylight shivers panting.

"Loyalty?" Elle winces, "Toward Osiris?"

"I don't...No. Toward God. The Great Creator. I can feel it in my bones. Okay between you and me mentioning bones I'm feeling hungry."

"No time for gnawing. Today we stage a mutiny. Right Kids?"

Within each of them a light flickers brighter. Even within the Pyramid Lightmare linking up his light to the mighty engines feels a surge within. Fifty miles distant Horus too senses a swell in his chest. Out in the desert Briar stumbling along looks to her belly and smiles. Something within her felt joy. Did she have a soul?

Within the Pyramid's Royal tombs the real Nut rests with a smile. Unknowing to all a Mother spares her children. Her soul bursts free of her and fires past Lightmare causing him to lose interest in his mission and journey outside. There he finds his friends standing around an orb of light.

"Ummm! What exactly is going on?" Cam lands next to Elle after a brief flight from the Pyramid.

"I think we're being introduced to Mom." Elle poises a hand out toward the ball of light, "Nut?"

A flaring of the sphere is accepted as a yes. All eyes on the orb mesmerizes each of them as if the souls within them were communing with their Mother. Even in the desert racing toward Eden Sabbath Black feels a tug before smiling. Many hundreds of miles distant a black cat prowling about stops and changes form with a shared smile. Even Bastia knew that Mother was channeling. A tiny orb of energy escapes both women and fires away toward the pyramid at the speed of light. Oblivious to Osiris in his mission to confront God. Bastia had eight more souls within. What was one less?

Unity arrives as the orbs merge with Nut. Calling out her other children each of the gathered heroes give up what they had recently inherited. Inner lights swiftly merge as one. All stunned by the transference they felt themselves once more.

"Help us understand Nut." Elle pleads.

With a burst of speed the light expands and races forth to enter Animahni. Shocked the girl doubles over and holds her breath. The second Elle reacts to care for her lover Animahni stands tall. Confident. Striking.

"Your friend shall be returned to you Eleanor Franklin. I merely inhabit her body to answer what I can. I felt more connected to her due to the Anemone DNA within her. She is a Chimera. Able to spawn multiple births at once. A Brood if you will. I use her to conceal myself from Osiris. He is unaware of my treachery for the moment. I merely seek to protect my children. I apologize for my Husband's abuse. Laying claim to you against your wills is uncalled for. I would rather perish than hurt another. As my children have conveyed to you in their own way they speak the same. You are free to go. This world will fade from existence if the alignment of dimensions consumes the Black Mountain. That which Atum seeks. If he consumes the Mountain first all will be his to reshape. Mankind will die. Even the Great Creator. He who created another Great Creator. Atum will forge reality to his will. Consuming even the Greatest of Creator's. While I do not understand how nor why the one you affectionately call God is here, who are we to question He and his motives? I must return to my body. My children will join me as one. Perhaps to birth another day. Go. While you can. Before Osiris discovers me. Tell the World Tree known as Briar I am sorry for my Husband's temptation of her emotions. And, to this girl I now inhabit that even she unknowingly fell to my Husband's will in bringing him the apple. Goodbye. May your God be with you in saving this world."

In the blink of an eye Nut and her children return to what bodies they may. Of those now dust remain within Nut. She would hold her children close.

In the far off distance Horus knew he was a free man. While part of him wanted to fly off and be his own man he felt a sense of obligation. Perhaps it was Cameron Scott that kept him on course. Seeing Atum in all of his colossal glory trudging toward an unknown destination he hangs back observing. Crossing a swamp he felt bad for a pair of Brontosaurus'. Crushed beneath Atum's mighty foot. What a way to go extinct.

"What's this make for me? Three different Mom's now?" Horus knew. He would honor the true Horus by keeping his name.

The far Future...the 1960's.

The Beatles were at their height of glory. To James Ian Pryce it brought back a strange memory of the time he saved his Father's life. Utilizing an alien Weaver Bug which was of Osirian Beetle DNA. Strange how the two could create such a memorable moment.

"Where am I now?" James Ian had entered into yet another Reflection in his lineage. Looking around without conferring with his Host he spots a calendar on the wall, "1966?" Then, a series of documents on a desk in front of him. Whoever his Host was he was looking over the papers. Without offering the Host knowledge of his inhabitation James takes time to utilize his Host's eyes to read over the files. It was obvious the Host was typing up reports, "Eisenhower met with Ganthorians, Pleidians, and the Grey's all in 1954. Setting aside certain locations across the planet for each to inhabit in return for knowledge and a unified effort to sustain peace. Nuclear detonations in Japan nearly destroyed the planet. What are you redacting here?" Unable to see what was already blotted out James decides to assert control over the bodily functions of his Host. Eying a mirror on the wall he starts to leave his chair when he hears the voice of the true owner, "What's going on here?"

"Oh crap. I'm a woman." James captures her beauty as he looks into the mirror, "This is a first. I thought only Men could be a Reflection? I guess that's kind of a misconception."

"Who is talking to me?" She trembles within.

"My name is James Ian Pryce. I'm from the Future. Well...from the Past this time around. You may not know this but you're from a celestial line of Reflections. We're the eyes of God. We observe the worlds he created as it evolves. Where am I right now?"

"Nevada. Groom Lake." She could not hide her thoughts.

"Area 51?"

"I have not heard it referred to that."

"What's so special about today? Wait! I apologize. Who are you?"

"Evelyn Dorsey."

"Dorsey? Wait! What? As in Lucas Dorsey?"

"My husband. Yes. How do you know him?"

"Ohhhhh Man. So not good. Him or this situation. How can I be linked to Dorsey? Where did you first meet Lucas Dorsey?"

"In Palm Springs two years ago. I was in a Steno Pool. He asked me out. I accepted. He is a good man."

"I hate to break it to you...Ev...Eve? Great now he's playing Adam and Eve. Lucas Dorsey is a madman. Do you know of aliens on this Base?"

"Aliens?" She pauses, "I have heard rumors. Lucas tells me they're just that. Rumors. Imaginary desires of a People grasping for answers to Religion."

"What if I told you that He's lying? I know for a fact aliens exist. I'll prove it too you."

"How?"

"1966. Does Lucas have plans to go out of town for awhile?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact he's being sent overseas for a year. I'll stay here until he returns."

"Overseas where?"

"He said the Holy Lands. That is all I know."

"He's not going overseas Evelyn. He's joining an alien race as a secret liaison. Using them to go back to the beginning of time. So is Orin Ridge. Do you know him?"

"I know of him. I have never met the man. He works with Washington I think. Someplace called REGION. A new base of operations."