The Great Game

[arcanus]

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

The Music Hall Corridor
The ship creaked and lurched, an armoured behemoth, resembling a gun metal grey steampunk creation gone horribly wrong, a series of bulbous bow, bridge and quarter decks extending into a long exaggerated tail deck, giving the ship the appearance of a metal whale.
There the resemblance ended, with great scaffold like struts, wings and arrays patterning its plated hull, each titanium reinforced steel plate crisscrossed with Priminium lattice giving its hull a heavily scarred look.
Priminium was a poor man’s Mithral, a manmade alloy with inherent magical properties which in this case provided protection from the Cayce currents that slammed into the craft with equal ferocity to a hurricane.

They’d entered the home approach to Orzon, dropping out the planes of the Fifth Parallel and following their Sexton of Worlds down into a Labyrinth corridor leading to port.
The Labyrinths were even more dangerous than the Parallels, infected with emanations from anywhere in creation, this one infused with music hall singing from the 1930s echoing across the entire tube made up of a swirling cyclone, the singing was deafening and reverberated through every bolt and bone within the ship.

Ardrin Melanvor didn’t have a clue who ‘George Formby’ or ‘Frank Sinatra’ were, but he actually liked the tune of “Only You”, despite its deafening volume.
He watched from his vantage spot at the one of the bow windows, as distorted images of men in funny suits, slicked back hair and black and white shoes sang into a long metal pole with a bulbous end, flickered through the swirling blue cyclonic clouds.

“Only you can make this world seem right
Only you can make the darkness bright
Only you and you alone
can thrill me like you do
and fill my heart with love for only you”

Bottomley had sneered that Formby and Sinatra hadn’t even sung ‘Only You’, wrong time he grumbled, half the crew standing in the cramped mess didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, shook their heads and got back to their stations.
Ardrin could get away with not cleaning up the cabins, to watch the Labyrinth corridor, it was awesome, he couldn’t remember much of his life when he’d had a body, before he’d become lost but the sights he could see now.

“Only you can make this change in me
for it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand
understand the magic that you do”

Lightning arced and bridged the gulf from the walls washing over the ship, the clouds head broke into an opening, a portal of sorts, Ardrin watched as the images changed to Black Soldiers matching with a funny walk beneath a red, white and black banner, all looked very serious.

“You're my dream come true
my one and only you”

The ship entered a huge area of turbulence, Ardrin was only a boy and bounced around heavily, bracing himself against the curved steel beam he crouched beneath, unfortunately this didn’t stop him striking his head against overly large bolts lining the metal.
Enormous elemental thrusters fired, stabilising the ship as she pulled free of the tunnel and losing its granted buoyancy, the surge spheres began to rotate upon their axis arms extruding along the sides of the ship, their usually dormant electric blue energies turning to molten amber as they strained to keep the ship aloft.
Unconcerned with the sensation that the ship was literally trying to fall out of the sky, Ardrin bounced up and down where he sat, Orzon, a Nowhere Port, he loved coming here, his favourite Storyteller after the Doc was here and he’d seen someone who he might have a story about.
He was so excited.

[arcanus]

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

The Winding Lane - Orzon
A damp mist swirled throughout the ramshackle alleyways of Orzon, the few brave souls to be out in the spray could be heard throughout the town, they’re feet like hammers upon the slick cobbles.
Glod Uginarg looked out of his arched window, grumbling to himself , the source of his vexation were a group of travellers all anonymous in their hooded cloaks.

Cursing and swearing to himself he stomped around his cluttered study, missing the piles of tomes crammed in every corner, barely taking note of the myriad curios littering his shelves and damn near almost catching his cloak on fire by brushing to close to the open hearth.
His cursing reached a crescendo, he held his breath until he felt ill and then bellowed “OH DAMNIT, BERKS!”

Glod was if nothing else a cantankerous and wrathful Fawn, not a fair member of his race, in fact rather ugly, concentrating he felt the twists and turns, then exerted his own twists and turns within his mind’s eye.
“Round and round the mulberry bush” The alley way stretched
“The monkey chased the weasel” A wrong turn
“The monkey stopped to pull up his socks” Followed by another
“And Pop goes the weasel” Arrival

As his unwelcome guests arrived, Glod’s eyes sprang open, during his concentrating he’d stood with his back to the fire, which had promptly singed the fur on his legs
“YOU SON OF A WHORE, YOU BESPECKLED ITINERATE B….”
Out of the corner of his eye, Glod spied his guests, standing on the lower floor of his study, each looking more than a little confused and greatly suspicious, a dark look passed over Glod’s face as he stomped down the three wooden stairs, crossed the lower study to take his seat behind his desk in front of a very large circular window.

Once he had settled himself it a suitably menacing pose, he glared at the four figures and spun upon his office chair moodily, the figures for their part looked at each other in confusion.
“SO YOU LOAD OF BERKS, DROP IN ON THE LAST FUNNY BOAT OR WHISTLED IN AFTER CLIPPING YER HEELS!” he barked
Each seemed to flinch at the ferocity of the retort
“SO WHAT ARE YE, CABALISTS, YOU MAGGOT RIDDEN BITCHES, YOU SONS OF…”
“What is wrong with you!” said an older, scholastic looking man
“WHATS WRONG WID ME, YOU UPPARDY BASTARD, YOU COME INTO MY DWELLING, MY HOME AND ASK ME WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME, YOU…!”
The man seemed to retreat “we didn’t want to come here, we just – appeared here” said a woman at the back
This motley group didn’t seem to be fearsome Cabalists, evil dimension travelling wizards, an insipid bunch really
“We’re not Cabalists” said a younger man
Glod eyed them suspiciously then snarled, throwing his hands up in the air “AGGGH feck, your that company, that bunch of cockroaches that turn up everywhere”
“UGGHHH that’s even worse, YOU UPPITY BASTARDS SWANNING AROUND THINKIN THEY OWN THE WHOLE DAMN UNIVERSE”
Glod was by now on his feet making a mock creeping movement on the spot and swishing his cape around with a flourish “TELLIN FOLKS WHO CAN SAY WHAT AND TO WHOM, WHO DO YOU LOT THINK YOU ARE, OOH DON’T TELL ANYONE IT’S A SECRET, YOU BUNCH OF POMPOUS ASSES”
The group now looked at each other in shock and bewilderment
Glod had turned a shade of puce and was now panting heavily, he hopped over to a side table and hastily poured himself a cup of tea “Earl Blue lavily” he purred, before spinning upon the group, having now calmed himself

“Do you know how dangerous it is here, this isn’t the poxy astral plane or some Dream realm, this is the Meridian Planes, the shit end of Creation, this is where some divine comedian dumped all the bits that didn’t fit, but you Berks already know that don’t you, took you some serious effort to get aboard a ship in the first place YOU STUPID BARSTARDS!!!”
Again they exchanged glances, looks were hardening his audience growing annoyed with being berated
“An Ar’ll bet not all O you made that trip, YOU PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO STOP GOING AROUND POKIN YOUR NOSES IN AND TRYING TO CONTROL EVERYTHING, YOUR LIKE CHILDREN WHO WON’T SHARE THEIR TOYS!”

“Look creature we’ll do what we damn well pl………..”
“Oh bugger off” snapped Glod now bored, a twist and turn and they were gone, rejected from the Meridian, Glod sighed and shook his head “When will they learn”

His twisted door opened, its bell chiming to warn of visitation “Mr Uginarg, Mister Uginarg”
The faun hopped to his feet “Ah Ardrin my boy, how are you?”
Glod’s face broke into a smile as the boy bounded up the spiral stairs and hugged the faun, Glod looked at the boy with a fatherly smile “Ready to trade more stories then”
Ardrin’s face lit up and he bounded past Glod up into the study or as Ardrin knew it, the Story room.

[arcanus]

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

“There once was a Lord, in a land without a monarch!
The land was prosperous, but its people had an insatiable need for more, more gold, more land, more of everything.
The Lord being a clever and industrious man, developed a ship, a vessel so impressive it could sail to the furthest of lands, suddenly the Lord was a King, standing above his fellows as the kingdom expanded, it encountered numerous peoples many like themselves.
The King fearing that his ships or the secret of their construction would fall into the wrong hands, swore all of his explorers to secrecy.
The more lands they reached the harder it became for them to keep their ‘Great Secret’ and they began to resort to extreme lengths such as exile or even murder, all for the greater good.”

“However their exploration had answered all of their prays, limitless wealth, land and influence.
The explorers journeyed far and wide, finding all manner of lands, until they reached one such land and there their problems began.
The land was slightly behind the Kings realm, but was on the whole civilised and peaceful, unfortunately it yielded little of interest to the Lords and ladies of the Realms.
A few scholars would make the trip, but that was it, until a scholar with great sight, special sight visited quite by chance”

“Within very short space of time the gifted traveller sensed something, something of great peril that the quite idyllic land was ruled by monsters, great monsters of scales, sinew, claw and fiery breath.
However that was not their greatest weapon, no for that was minds as sharp as razors and as quick as mercury, he fled to the Kingdom and broke the terrible news to the King.
Panic raged through the Court, what would they do, if these Dragons had discovered their Great Secret plucked from the minds of their scholars all would be lost.
But what would they do, if they tried to find out and the beasts didn’t know they may reveal it with their enquiry, if they did nothing the beasts might challenge all of the lands, slipping into the minds of men like some plague”

“All they could do was wait, close the borders to the dragon land and wait for any signs.
Nervously this they did, until a year later they received a message, not from the Dragon lands but another unknown land, one that did not exist on any of their charts.
The message invited them to an audience, offering them safe passage and coordinates to the land.
Wary but never the less curious the Kings Knights set out in their special ship, travelling far they reached a land not unlike their own, eventually arriving at a grand palace they were greeted by its charming lord the sender of the invitation.”

“The Lord allayed their fears and they talked for many hours, before the Lord came to the reason for calling upon them, he told them that he knew of their trip to the Dragon Lands and told them that he was the reason for the beasts having not discovered them.
The Knights were shocked and immediately upon their guard, the Lord smiled, the Knights challenged ‘How could a Lord’ prevent the attentions of such mighty and powerful creatures.
To which the Lord merely smiled and a terrible realisation fell upon the Knights, that the man before them was the very creature they feared.”

“The Lord reassured the Knights, explaining that he was indeed a Dragon, generally he interfered little with the peoples of his land, only stepping forward when other supernatural forces threatened the status quo.
He was actually a very old dragon and one that had his own means of travelling to distant lands, something he’d been doing for centuries so he had little interest in the Kings special ships.
In reality he had sensed that their travels would soon collide and having seen the lengths they would got to protect the Great Secret, he foresaw a war that would bring ruin upon them both.”

“He proposed an alliance, one where he would act as a vassal for the king, the Dragon already have a significant Horde even offered them a share of any wealth he acquired.
The Knights were highly suspicious, why would such a immensely powerful creature lower himself in such a way, however unable to discern an answer they graciously took their leave and travelled back to their King”

“So the alliance was forged and yet to this day the King and his Court still have no idea as to the Dragons true reasoning for such a deal”

The fire crackled, bits of wood popping and a gust of warm air erupted into the study.
Ardrin watched as etherial images began to fade from the ceiling, drifting into sparkling clouds, Glod smiled watching the glow of captivation in the boys eyes.

A twinge of sadness ran through him, neither alive nor dead, the boy but a living memory, an echo who would not see his grown days, destined to merely fade away, eventually forgotten!
“Mister Uginarg” snapped Glod from his thoughts
“Yes my boy” he replied pushing foul smelling weed into his pipe
“What of the Dragons daughter and the clockwork Knight? It was he who I saw in the clouds”
“My dear Adrin if I tell you every tale they’ll be nothing for tomorrow now will there!” he smiled, a smile that quickly faded as looking up to the upper level of his study he saw a cloaked figure.

A twist and a turn, he concentrated and willed the figure begone, something was amiss he had somehow resisted Glods formidable command of the currents.
“Well my boy it seems that one of the Kings men has journeyed here in person, now run along I’ll get no thanks from your Mr Cook if you’re late back”
Adrin stood gave the Fawn a goodbye hug and hurtled down the spiral staircase, Glod watched him as he ran through the evening drizzle back towards the ship.
Satisfied the boy was safe he turned towards another unwelcome visitor, a dark look settling upon his ugly countenance.

[arcanus]

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

No 12 The Winding Lane - Orzon
The figure took a seat on the opposite side of Glods desk
“TEA” snapped the Faun
“Yes please Darjeeling if you have it”
“Darjeeling if you have it” Glod mocked, making a silly face, the figure didn’t react merely waiting
He placed a cup and saucer of his second best china in front of his guest and then sat, glaring at the figure “WELL!”
“Well what” replied the figure
“WELL WHAT DO YOU FECKIN WANT YOU!” bellowed Glod
“Faun or not, you’ll do yourself a mischief shouting like that” replied the man, sipping his tea
“FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD” Glod moaned
The figure took his time finishing his tea, replacing his cup and straightened himself

Glod rubbed his eyes before spying a new scene unfolding upon the ceiling, a scene of fire, great flying ships clashing with tripod mechanoids
“YOU” Glod hissed
“Me” replied the figure
“YOU”
“Me what”
“YOU’RE AN ARSE, what are YOU doing here”
“I’ll cut to the chase I need a Sextant of Realms”
“OH is that all!”

“YOU ARE THE LAST PERSON TO WHICH SUCH AN ARTEFACT SHOULD FALL!”
Another series of images played out upon the ceiling, great ships flying into the void of time, a group of old warriors running through a field of reeds, fighting off huge beasts, a great stately skyship plummeting from the heavens in its final crashing descent.
For some strange reason Glod felt tears come to his eyes.

The figure pursed his lips
“You know that they begin to explore the Upper parallels, their stolen magics have grown potent enough”
Glod Sighed “They’ll lose interest, they use the Limbo paths, such endeavours are doomed, once they’ve lost too many they’ll go elsewhere”
“You're sure of that, you don’t think their combining magic with their machines as we speak”
“YOU AND YOUR CRONY ARE THE GUILTY ONES FOR THAT”
Glods eyes narrowed “WHAT ARE THE TWO OF YOU UP TO?, NOT TRYING TO REBUILT THAT DAMNED SHIP VERY CARELESS LOSING THAT”
Once again the skyship plummeted ablaze across the study’s ceiling
The figure smiled ignoring Glod’s volume “No such times are gone, younger ones will fly, however ask yourself this, who would you prefer to control this passage, ignorant children or seasoned travellers!”

“Stretching things a bit by calling yourself that, truth be that you stumbled from one calamity to the next, anyway why would I know where such a thing is!”
“Oh come now Glod, you know that and much more”

“So let me get this straight you’re going to control the passage through the Planes”
“More to the point we’re setting up an enterprise which will license such flights”
“Another company”
“No merely a reinvention of our orginal”
“How have they overcome the flesh disintegration, its one thing projecting individually but a whole ship?” grumbled Glod now a more than little curious
“By not involving the flesh, mass Chakra transfer into homunculi”
“Machines again, and what of the echo souls, mass transit could start to fade them out!”
“We don’t think it will be an issue”
“Famous last words, what’s this Company called?”

“Well what about it” enquired the cloaked figure
“Very well” Glod replied resigned "But YOU owe me!", taking a piece of parchment from his desk bureau and scrawling a lengthy series of glyphs as a hasty contract “I'll look into it, but I'll tell you know it won’t be easy to claim”
“Of course and nothing ever is” came the distant reply as the figure faded away “Oh the Company’s called The Eternity Foundation”

Glod packed his pipe, a beam of light broke through the cloud vortex above Orzon, illuminating the streets and flooding into his study through the great round window
“Next they’ll want to set up shop in Hell” he chuckled to himself

[arcanus]

Parallel 106XI - 106 Years Behind Homeline.

Divergence Point(s): None identified.
Current Events:Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China struggles with Japanese incursion and warlords to form a united China.

Jiù de Diàn, Yunkai Mountain Range - Guangxi Province
‘Whumpth’ An enormous blast of dust erupted across the ancient hall, the ground shuddered and groaned.
“EDDY MOVE!”
“WHAT THE F……”
A hand waved through the now floor to ceiling dust cloud, eventually to be grabbed by Eddy Hoste
“WHERE’S THE OTHERS?” shouted Eddy
“THEY'RE HERE, CAN'T SEE HAROLD!” Elliot shouted back
“HE MIGHT HAVE MADE THE ENTRANCE! WE HAVE TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” bellowed Eddy
Not needing to be told twice the brothers pushed their party towards the crumbling steps leading to the entrance to the temple, tripping and falling they collectively stumbled onto the portico.
However great rends and cracks were tearing through the paving of the portico, their eyes clear of dust the brothers did a head count
“EVERYONE APART FROM HAROLD!” Elliot shouted over the roar of the collapsing temple
“Shit” grumbled Eddy turning back toward the collapsing ruin, his arm was gripped by Laurie his girlfriend
In resignation he looked at the restraining hand and then back at his younger brother and Malcolm Sullivan another of their intrepid group “WE’VE GOT TO GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE, THE WHOLE MOUNTAINS COMING DOWN”

Dragging everyone to their feet they ran, back onto the narrow path that had brought them up the mountain to the Temple, the entire summit was now wracked with tremors, parts of the path giving way to landslides, great swaths of jungle trees sliding away down the slopes as the very earth in which they rooted flowed away.
They’d barely stepped within the temple before it had began to collapse, a few of their party had wandered around the looked at the truly ancient if not prehistoric Chinese pictograms.
Elliot turned back to look at the temple, ‘Poor Harold’ he thought, the mild mannered accountant had attached himself to their party on the voyage to the Orient now he was buried under a hundred tons of rubble.

The ear splitting rumbling noise intensified rising in pitch and volume, the party now a mile or so down the track turned as the entire Southern wing of the temple tore away along with a hundred ton wedge of mountainside.
Each of them starred in horror as an immense black tentacle followed by a second rose from within the temple, a third smashed its way from the bowels of the building each of the monstrosities hundreds of feet in length and at least thirty feet thick at their base.
Despite their size it pained the parties eyes to look at them, a horrendous dirge exploded across the heavens, the intensity of its sound forcing them collectively to their knees, clutching their ears.

Elliot Hoste managed to force himself back to his feet, marshalling every ounce of his mental powers he glared at his brother, Eddy was clutching his head, years of slightly too rough and tumble brotherly beatings spurred him into delivering an almighty slap to his older brothers cheek.
Eddy Hoste stopped his rocking and instantly snapped to indignant attention, seeming to completely forget his surroundings as he angrily glared at this younger brother and leapt to his feet.
As he did so he caught sight of the ancient terror tearing itself free of the mountain
“POOR HAROLD” said Eddy
Elliot turned and gave his brother a hard look “EDDIE! THAT IS HAROLD!!!”
For his part Eddy stood there his mouth agape
“COME ON WE’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!

[arcanus]

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

Orzon, The Eighth Parallel – Christmas Eve
The edge of Orzon was encircled by a wall of stony peaks, shielding the port from the howling maelstrom that boiled and raged both above and below it.

Most of the Ports memorium occupants, its shades, dared not venture anywhere near the peaks, they preferred not to look down into oblivion, to be reminded of how fragile their existence was, lost memories of no consequence.

Glod Uginarg and Adrin did not share their fear, no this was a place of wonder, of power and a fantastic place for a story, huffing and puffing they had scaled the peak, with Adrin chastising the grumpy fawn for occasionally twisting them closer to the summit.

Watery elemental spray swirled around them and high into the sky, Glod laid a tartan blanket down and they sat for a while watching the wonder of it all.

Glod smiled, below them the town twinkled “Do you know what day it is today Adrin my boy?”
Adrin snapped out of his curiosity trance “Its Warsday Mr Uginarg” he replied
“No no no, I know that” Glod chuckled “Its Christmas Eve, Adrin my boy”
“Cystmas Eve, what’s that” Adrin said with a frown, Glod once again smiled a tight smile, he rarely complained that life was harsh and unfair, but Adrin’s life had been taken far too soon, he’d missed so very much.

“It’s a time for children, a time of wonder, of excitement and wishes fulfilled” with a wave of his hand Glod cast snow across the town and the peaks, both faded away revealing a frozen lake, upon the shore of which stood a castle seemingly made of glass.
Upon the castles highest balcony stood a striking woman, her features sharp and almost reptilian, she gazed down across the glassy landscape with majesty and command.

“The Dragons Daughter” Adrin laughed with delight

The Dragons Daughter, The Clockwork Knight and the Glass Goblin
“Across the lake stood the proud Clockwork Knight, although truth to be told this was in a time before he was woven with clockworks and brass wire, shortly after a great war had ravaged the land.

The other Knights disliked the Clockwork Knight for he had the eye of the Dragons Daughter, in truth this was more of a curse than a blessing, for it invited her fathers ire and often meant that he Quested across far seas.

This night the night before Christmas he stood sentry watching her from afar, as she danced upon the balcony, however his welcome solitude was interrupted by a Glass Goblin, a spiteful nosy creature that delighted in baiting and chastising folk.

“Do you love her” mocked the goblin
“Do you long to cross the lake, even though it would cut you into a thousand pieces”
“You are beneath her in every way”
“Quiet creature” he finally warned
The Glass Goblin chuckled for it had drawn his anger “Would you strike down such a lowly creature such as I” it mocked gleefully
The Clockwork Knight turned tearing his attention away from the Dragons Daughter and looked upon the Glass Goblin, upon the spite that lurked within every sharp edge and fold.
“You bait me to rise to you creature, but there is something more!”
The Glass Goblin hissed in anger “She is too good for you, you will never be good enough”
But the Clockwork Knights attention was now upon the creature, for in the days between the wars, he had been an upholder of the Laws of the Lands, possessing a keen eye and inquisitive brain.

“Look she calls for you” the Glass Goblin shouted pointing to the tower, the Clockwork Knight was almost drawn back to her, but resisted the Glass Goblins misdirection.
He looked closely, advancing upon the creature, his armour hissing and clanking, there within its dark glass form was encased a little girl, her face blue, her eyes drowsy, her breath white and cold.

Anger flashed through the Clockwork Knight “This night neither you nor I will be queuing for bananas” with that the Clockwork Knight lofted his sword
So taken aback at this strange outburst the Glass Goblin froze, captured by incomprehension
This single act of folly was the loathsome creatures undoing as the Knight struck the Glass Goblin a mighty blow, shattering it.
He knelt beside the little girl as she tumbled upon the ground, her breathing slowing to a whisper.

“She is but an urchin” said a beautiful voice behind him
The Clockwork Knight was torn between turning to the beauty and the little girl
“Of course, a spark” he cried, drawing a match and striking it, cupping the fragile flame he placed it in her hand, its fluttering warmth spreading through her body.
“You would care for every stray”
The Clockwork Knight turned to look at his lady “Yes for that is what you would have me do”

The pair danced a waltz across the frozen shore before the Dragons Daughter returned to her balcony and the Clockwork Knight to his post, however this time he had the company of a little match girl.

“Merry Christmas little one” said the Clockwork Knight
“Merry Christmas Sir” replied the little match girl who huddled around her light.

Far across the hills an old man stood, his sight not so good in one eye, however the other as keen as a hawks, smiled “The Greatest Tale is yet to come, but this is a good one” and with that he was gone!”

"Merry Christmas Adrin my boy" smiled Glod
Curiously it seemed right to reply “Merry Christmas Mr Uginarg”

[arcanus]

The Deep Currents, The Lower Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

The Ashes of Worlds
Glod looked out across the magnificent chaos that enfolded before him, this was no universe or nebulae this was the wreckage of creation, above him a monolithic web of dimensional tunnels covered this part of heaven or hell
Around him a primordial soup, he stood upon a huge chunk of a charcoal like substance, the incinerated and compressed remains of some primordial leviathan.

The layer he stood within was in the heart of the current, entropic forces roiled and lashed around him, forces that could devour cities, a shower of the charcoal meteorites thundered around him.

If these huge chunks of flotsam weren't torn apart by the very forces around them, they were drawn up into the higher levels to thunder through the parallels, many minor realms did not survive their passing.

He winced as a moon like mass loomed closer ‘Time to go’ he thought

There was an Old Man on a hill,
Who seldom, if ever, stood still;

A twist – And thy halls of creation shall stand for all eternity

He ran up and down,

A turn – Thy forge of circumspect reality shall be forfeit

In his Grandmother's gown,
Which adorned that Old Man on a hill.

His path followed a rapid zigzagged fashion, bringing him to a shuddering halt among the detris of creations junkyard, extending before him were almost never ending rolling planes, not a scrap of soil or bare ground was visible, instead covered with every leftover since the dawn of civilizations.

‘Messy buggers’ he mentally commented before casting his gaze around to take in his surroundings, towers of flotsam extended up before him.
Concentrating he allowed his mind to quieten, purging the usual angry thoughts, after a while he heard but only the curious breezes that curled through the no-mans land.
Having picked up on the breeze he sought he began to hop across the terrain, occasionally stopping to conduct a seemingly curious ritual of frantically digging before carrying on.

It was some hours before Glod arrived at his destination.

[arcanus]

The Deep Currents, The Lower Parallel – Nowhere

Divergence Point(s): An inter dimensional island, within the bowels of creation.
Current Events: A trans-dimensional port, where the Spectres of worlds dwell, one layer above the Ninth Gate.

The Ashes of Worlds
“The ashes of your existence will fertilize the soil for the universe to follow.”
― Richard Kadrey

He sensed the change, the flame red sky rolled and boiled then turned white.
“Oh bollocks” he groaned, huge moon size faces materialised and began to sing.

IT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY
SARGENT PEPPER TAUGHT THE BAND TO PLAY
THEY'VE BEEN GOING IN AND OUT OF STYLE
BUT THEY'RE GUARANTEED TO RAISE A SMILE
SO MAY I INTRODUCE TO YOU
THE ACT YOU'VE KNOW FOR ALL THESE YEARS
SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

WE'RE SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THE SHOW
WE'RE SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
SIT BACK AND LET THE EVENING GO
SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY, SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY
SARGENT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

The thunderous verse caused the million pieces of flotsam to vibrate and shift, Glodd found himself sliding down the various slopes that had suddenly appeared.
“Oh fer goodnus sake” he cursed, as his hooves gave way completely and he tumbled down to the base of the mound he was trying to scale.

PICTURE YOURSELF IN A BOAT ON A RIVER
WITH TANGERINE TREES AND MARMALADE SKIES
SOMEBODY CALLS YOU, YOU ANSWER QUITE SLOWLY
A GIRL WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES

CELLOPHANE FLOWERS OF YELLOW AND GREEN
TOWERING OVER YOUR HEAD
LOOK FOR THE GIRL WITH THE SUN IN HER EYES
AND SHE'S GONE

LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Having climbed back up the slope, the second song smashed down onto the terrain with tremendous volume, the force slammed Glodd heavily into the ground
“Ooooph” the air exploded from his lungs

I AM THE EGGMAN, THEY ARE THE EGGMEN.
I AM THE WALRUS, GOO GOO G'JOOB G'GOO GOO G'JOOB.
GOO GOO G'JOOB G'GOO GOO G'JOOB G'GOO...

“RIGHT THAT’S IT” he roared, “MCARTNEY YOU BASTARD AND RINGO YER WEASILY SHITE” Glodd shook his fist at the epically scaled face of John Lennon

GOO GOO G'JOOB G'GOO GOO G'JOOB G'GOO... blasted him off his feet and flung him into a pile of bric-a-brac
Glodd frowned “Had just about my fill of the Fab Four”, a twist and a turn and he was many miles across the landscape, the huge faces loomed over the distance, he worked quickly concentrating upon the ebb and flow of the dimensional fabric.

A line of force shot from his hand, struck the ground at a right angle and then rocketed along the ground it changed course several times each at another precise right angle, before striking something hidden beneath the ground.

The huge faces were almost upon him, giving George Harrison the bird he raced across the terrain, heading from the strike.

[arcanus]

Parallel 106XI

Divergence Point(s): None identified.
Current Events: Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China struggles with Japanese incursion and warlords to form a united China.

Jiù de Diàn, Yunkai Mountain Range - Guangxi Province
A leviathan tendril spasmed into the mountain inflicting shockwaves across their span, fissures resembling ravines opened around the beleaguered explorers.
The group consisted of archaeologists, scholars and explorers, each now running for their lives down the narrow trail trying to avoid the avalanche.

Eddie Hoste shook the shock from his head, concentrating on their immediately peril, he still couldn’t comprehend the monstrosity that had erupted from the mountain or that the beast had been Harold.
Yet again he became distracted, squinting as dust and grit stung his eyes, his reverie was broken by screams as the party members at the front suddenly disappeared, and great splinters of stone calved away from the mountainside carrying them to their doom.

The fissures opened along the length of the trail “THIS WHOLE MOUNTAINSIDES COMING DOWN” shouted Gerald Morcombe, the expedition’s army man.
Elliot pushed the remainder of the party to the first fissure, Morcombe produced a hatchet and felled a small but sturdy tree, the group quickly made their away across.

The brothers pushed the group forward at a pace, the mountain continuing to tremble, stealing a glance behind them Elliot saw the immense tentacles had extended from the ruin of the mount, and were now proceeding to pulverise its summit.
Shaking himself the group leapt across a smaller fissure, safety beckoned as the trail began to level out into the forest below, Elliot tried to push forward as a further earth shattering shudder dropped more of the scientists and scholars into a suddenly opened pit, before any of them could react the pit immediately closed swallowing them into the earth.

There was but six of them remaining “KEEP GOING OR WE ALL DIE HERE” shouted Eddie, each riding the next tremor they turned to see the final 500 yards of the trail splinter, a large fissure split opened before them.
“OH COME ON” cursed Eddie
Morcombe pointed to a tree that had toppled over above the fissure, the no nonsense old soldier unwound his rope from his pack, tied a knot and swung it over the trunk, taking a run up he then swung across the gap.
Without pause Morcombe with a great heave swung one end of the rope back across, Eddie ensured Laurie swung across, then turned to Elliot’s girl, Rachel, he nodded reassuringly as another tremor rocked them.

Eyes sparkling she stepped up, Elliot hovered nervously, she took a run up and swung out, both of the Hoste brothers watched as she swung across to the other side and then plummeted into the ravine below.
Elliot looked up in stunned horror, the tree trunk had torn loose and rapidly followed Rachel down into depths, Eddie’s gaze snapped to Morcombe who had the same stunned look upon his face, he frantically waved at the soldier events unfolding in horrendous slow motion.
Morcombe was still holding onto the rope, as the Rachel and the trunk vanished into the depths his end of the rope snapped taunt and he too was pulled down, a look of last minute realisation on his face.

Eddie turned his gaze to his younger brother who just starred dumbfounded into the abyss, “Rachel” he croaked
“Shit, shit, shit” swore Eddie, a deep rumbling rose from the heart of the mountain, as he watched the tentacles thrashing from the summit, then watched as the western side of the mountain splinter open revealing three more skyscraper sized appendages.

Elder Hoste felt his own mental defences instinctively close around his psyche, the enormity of the creature was completely alien, tearing at his mind, Anthropology Professor Simmons however wasn’t so resilient sinking to his knees gibbering to himself, his eyes wild.
He turned to their intern Carlton Merriman and Laurie on the other side of the fissure “RUN, RUN, RUN” he roared, their attention however was drawn to the remnants of the mountains summit breaking loose and blocking their escape route.

“Elliot, for god sake snap to it” his younger brother remained passive, unmoving, behind them he knew that they had seconds before the avalanche consumed them.
“ELLIOT, WE NEED TO INVOKE, NOW” Eddie grabbed his brothers face “NOW”, almost robotically Elliot Hoste laid three crystals before him, drew a circle and the pair of them intoned a verse in an ancient tongue.
The initial bounders thundered into the rock face around them, Eddie gestured for Carlton and Laurie to move to the edge of the remaining mountain path.
As the dust cloud erupted around them, he slapped the hourglass tattoo upon his right palm onto the matching one on his brother’s hand, a swirling emerald fire expanded around them.

Elliot seemed to come to his senses his palm seared with burning pain, he pulled the now catatonic drooling form of Professor Simmons to them, the chasm now filled with emerald fire Eddie ran across the gulf grabbed Laurie and Carlton and dragged them back.
After some time the trembling stopped, above them tons of rock had settled upon their protection, wearily the brothers once again clasped hands sending the emerald fire into a column blasting its way up through the stone.

[arcanus]

The Velvet Flamingo, Nanking Road – Shanghai
The Velvet Flamingo was an out and out 20s art deco joint, symmetric lined gold coving topping black marble pillars, neon lights above the central glass bar raised on a dais, the place bedecked in mirrors. The dais surrounded by stairs that led down onto the dance floor and booths lining the walls, the walls featured cubist-futurist paintings.

Eddie Hoste watched the neon pinks and blue wash across the mirrored glass, he cast an almost parental look over at Elliot who had drunken himself into a stupor, not really surprising considering he’d witnessed his girl plummet to her death.

He downed another scotch, it had taken them hours to climb out of the shaft created by the rituals release, the backlash had been unpleasant, both of them covered in glowing symbols and haunted by glowing lights, the latter whizzing around them so quickly as to make them nauseous.
Such was the price of calling upon the craft in places without power, they’d had to lay low in their hotel room for two days until it had subsided, even now his skin felt itchy.

Laurie cuddled his arm she was playful bordering on sleepy a fact he’d picked up on when she’d stopped suggesting filthy things in his ear, he had to force himself to look away from her impossibly long legs.
As he did so the slightly nervous figure of his engineer walked in through the entrance and ambled his way between the tables, Ervon Sellocke was a short stocky Welshman, ruddy complexion, thinning strawberry blonde hair combed over his balding palate.
Hoste smiled, in an effort to make himself presentable Ervon had donned a mustard blazer over his overalls.

“Boss” greeted the Welshman, “Erv" he responded
“We’re good to go” Sellockes smile was enormous, to those who hadn’t met him a hint at the enormity of his smile and thunderous laugh
“Thank the lord, don’t think Shanghai’s got enough booze for this pair”
Sellockes grin grew even bigger “Righto boss, cars out back”