Ephalon - Triumvirate
Chapter 1 - Desperation
Ephalon- Devourer
Chapter 1 - Where it all began
The vast preponderance of sentients will never know the precise moment their lives will come to an end; there is a reason for this. Long ago, nature deemed it essential to deny living creatures foreknowledge of the exact moment they would cease to be. To not do so would leave them in a constant state of fear regarding their demise drawing ever closer; it was necessary to keep it vague.
What then would transpire if a planet's entire populace realised that their existence would stop at a specific point in time, not one in the far off future, but within a reasonable period, say, three months? It's not ill-conceived to imagine that everyone's inhibitions would fly straight out the window, and chaos would reign supreme.
"Good evening, and welcome to the Kerry Ling show. Tonight we have a collection of prominent figures from the scientific community joining us for our weekly live discussion. But, before I introduce these fine individuals, I'd like to announce our topic for tonight." Meanwhile, Rhea Arramore, and millions of people across the globe, followed the show from the comfort of their couches, wholly transfixed on their screens.
"Three weeks ago, numerous observatories detected a strange phenomenon near the outer reaches of our solar system. High-intensity gravity waves were measured coming from an unknown object of substantial size. The research so far points to the fact that it is on a direct intercept course with our planet. Understandably, this situation has everyone on edge; thus, we thought it prudent to get some experts on the show to give us a better idea of what we're dealing with." Rhea raised the television's volume, urging her friends and family in the room to come and take a look.
Her father, Riptor Stormwolf, a pure-blooded, wolven Ancient, who was in his human form, walked over and rested himself up against the rear of the couch. Soon thereafter, Rose Mary Haroldson, a half-human, half-Ancient hybrid, joined as well. By all metrics, she appeared fully human, but those who knew what she was understood she had the ability to transform into a large bipedal anthropomorphic wolf, just like Riptor.
The final person in the room to join was Alexander Ceruleus, a half-dragon, half-human hybrid. His species mixture was more evident as various parts of his body were covered in black scales. His prominent slitted eyes were another dead give-away. Moreover, the man liked his suits, and tonight was no exception, as he'd donned his favourite brown and white toned outfit.
"Our first guest needs little introduction. He's a prominent self-help figure, often featured in various media outlets and talk shows like this one. He's had many years of experience as a clinical-psychologist and emphasises self-reliance and independence as cornerstones of a fulfilling lifestyle; please welcome, Dr Pete Jordenson!" The in-studio crowd cheered and whistled; the love for this Cenebrian man was palpable.
"Next, we have a rising star amongst the evolutionary-biologist community. He's a strong proponent that medicinal application and behavioural analysis need to align better with how mother nature envisioned our bodies. To that end, he's long advocated that we embrace the ideology that the Ancients ascribed, a more harmonious way of living in tune with nature. He believes we've come a long way, but we aren't quite there yet; please welcome, Dr Wein Bretter!" Once again, the crowd cheered, elated with the human male's presence.
"For our third guest, we invited someone who was part of the group who first discovered the strange gravitational distortions. Her colleagues often describe her as a young genius but don't let her hear you say that. Please welcome, astrophysicist Geremelle Deniel." Given her lesser-known status, the cheering and clapping audience was more reserved.
"Dr Jordenson, in light of this discovery, what do you think is the best way for people to cope with this supposed threat?" hostess Ling asked.
"Well, I believe we should first start by keeping calm. There's no point in getting yourself worked up about something that we don't yet know all the facts about. However, I recognise that what you probably wanted to ask is something quite different. If I may be so bold, you wanted to know how people should deal with the potential threat of planetary annihilation, correct?" The assertion was accurate, and Miss Ling nodded, directly after which the show's camera panned towards the audience, capturing the overt terror in their eyes.
"Before I answer, I'd appreciate it if you, as well as most other media outlets, stopped sensationalising this dire situation. We need to keep a sane, rational head on our shoulders to weather the upcoming storm. When a person is faced with the potential of imminent death, it often disrupts your internal priority system, causing it to go haywire. It's crucial that you remain cognizant of what's going on and try not to act solely on your emotions." Dr Bretter raised his hand in response as he wanted to comment, for which Miss Ling granted him space.
"I agree with about ninety percent of what Dr Jordenson just said. However, the part about not acting on your emotions is a double-edged sword. Many species have survived for as long as they have due to their instinctual drives. These have persisted throughout history for a reason; they've helped keep us alive. After all, evolution is about the adaptation of a species over time, which implies keeping what works. To outright deny, such a fundamental part of our programming is a dangerous proposition." Bretter's statement garnered a swift retort from Dr Jordenson.
"I understand what you're saying, but we are dealing with a novel circumstance. There's rarely ever been a time where sentients faced complete annihilation, let alone from an outside force, one we might not be able to do anything about. It's absolutely terrifying." Dr Deniel raised her hand next as she wanted to jump in on the conversation. Miss Ling obliged and gave her the floor.
"Thank you; I'd like to add that as of right now, people shouldn't be alarmed. There are a lot of things we don't yet know about the universe. It may be that we've discovered one such thing, and we merely need to research it better to understand what it is and what its consequences will entail." Before letting anyone else speak, the hostess had a few words to share, as she wanted to reiterate an earlier statement she'd made.
"As much as I appreciate your more hopeful message Dr Deniel, if you recall, I initially stated that this thing was on a direct intercept course with Ephalon. I, therefore, fail to see, given the evidence so far, that anything about this can be a good thing." Before Geremelle managed a response, Dr Jordensen interjected.
"It's exactly that mindset that I'm trying to dissuade. It's a downward spiral that leads to chaos and depression. You need to look for stability in your life, not extreme doubt. Even in the face of horrific evil or annihilation, there's no point to the negativity; it just doesn't help." All three guests became more heated from the topic and started throwing around counterpoints, doing so willy-nilly, talking over each other, and yelling. Miss Ling tried her best to calm the situation but became distracted as the producer had turned on a breaking news report in the background.
"Everyone, hold on a moment; this just in; we're going to be listening live to an unscheduled emergency crisis meeting between our world leaders. They've all come together at the global discourse hall right here in our fair city of Maya." The show's audio switched to the live broadcast, and the screen focused on the guests as they turned around to observe the unfolding event. The first one to address the populace was the King of Arack, Septus Orinus.
"My fellow Ephalonians, I stand before you today, not only as a representative of Arack's people but every individual on this planet. I shan't downplay the severity of the threat we face, as it is on a scale unfathomable. As you all know, three weeks ago, we learned of a troubling gravitational distortion coming from an unknown object entering the asteroid belt on the outer reaches of our solar system. Our scientists have been hard at work to ascertain what this thing is, and as of right now, we still don't know; however..." There was a sudden pause in the King's speech; it was clear that he struggled with vocalising what was to come.
"Given the difference in readings between then and now, we've deduced that whatever this thing is, it will arrive at our doorstep in seventy-seven days." The news outlets covering the crisis meeting simultaneously went berzerk, demanding answers and flinging all manner of questions at King Orinus.
"People, people, please! I beseech you, calm yourselves; allow me to finish. We, your leaders, have concluded collectively that we need a unified front to tackle this threat. Therefore, I've called for the creation of a special task force consisting of the best people this planet has to offer. They will be charged with ascertaining a solution to avoid the absolute worst outcome, one I dare not utter." The journalists remained calm as per request, but it didn't take long for their rowdiness to rear its ugly head again; however, the King still had more to share.
"I have positive news on this front. The UESS has launched a camera drone to intercept the object. It will grant us visual confirmation of what we're dealing with; however, I must stress that it'll take a few weeks before it comes close enough because of the vast distance it needs to traverse. After it has visual contact, it'll capture as many images as possible and send them back to us, which should take around thirty minutes." The King ended his speech by thanking everyone for their time and stepped down, allowing a spokesperson to take his place to answer any questions from the media.
The first inquiry reiterated what kind of time frame everyone was looking at, seventy-seven days till arrival. Next, a journalist asked why there was so little information available. The gravitational distortions measured surrounding the object were so severe that space was being warped around it, making any sensor readings from afar near impossible.
"That sounds horrifying; are there any theories as to what could cause something like that?" another journalist followed up. The spokesperson turned to his side, seeking confirmation if he was permitted to share on the topic; he received the all-clear.
"As I've been informed, there's one thing we can conclude about this object as of right now. For such a gravity field to even exist, it needs to have an incredible mass. Some people have theorised it may be something called a rogue black hole, but there's no evidence to support that right now, since the distortions, as severe as they may be, are hyper localised." Rhea suddenly lowered the television's volume and arose from her couch as there was something important she needed to share.
"I don't remember if I told you guys this already, but it bears repeating. The very day I revealed the Devourer's coming, the Enterra government began work on a secret project; hopefully, whatever they've cooked up will be sufficient to deal with it. Also, don't bother asking me what it is because I have no idea. Not even my old ESS boss, Arthur Sweis, was privy." Her father wanted to comment but was cut off by her increasing the television's volume as there was a sudden upheaval at the emergency meeting.
"This just in, moments ago, the joint session of our global leaders was suspended. It has come to light that a group of researchers based in Enterra have been secretly working on a prototype anti-matter bomb, one powerful enough to destroy an entire planet. As many of you may already know, weapons of mass destruction have long since been outlawed; this revelation has generated considerable friction and distrust amongst our leaders." The talk show ceased the meeting's live feed, returning to the studio broadcast to discuss the unfolding events.
Rhea asked her friends if they were interested in listening any further and garnered a resounding no on all fronts; thus, she muted the television. The group of four walked to the living room dining table and sat down together. Alexander was first to speak about what they'd learned.
"In all honesty, I'm not too concerned about the governments squabbling; I'm certain they'll realise that with less than seventy-seven days to come up with a solution, such bickering is meaningless, and they'll have no choice but to unite. So, the question for tonight is, what can we do about it?" Mister Ceruleus' inquest received no immediate reply, only worried looks as everyone scoured the room with their eyes for answers.
His partner Rose pondered aloud about contacting people at the Gnigenma Research Centre, hoping that perhaps they could provide some intel. Mister Stormwolf followed up by stating that they should question some of the people they'd encountered who worked on the UESS. However, neither mention garnered much support, as everyone quickly realised the significance of any information provided by these individuals, at this juncture, would likely be worthless.
Amid listening in, Rhea garnered a sudden burst of inspiration and shot up from her chair, pacing back and forth. Her shifting about earned everyone's undivided attention, as they hoped that whatever was going through her mind might provide them with a clear goal. A few minutes passed before her movements ceased, and she turned to face her friends; she'd recalled a vital phrase that needed repeating.
"You must return to where it all began; there, you will find salvation. The cursed artefacts, you must return them to where it all began." Her words were a repeat of the ones vocalised by the alien who'd visited her in her dreams.
"Ever since the alien uttered those words to me, I've been thinking about what they meant. I know they're connected to the Devourer somehow, but I can't put my finger on what to do with them." Rhea's father now, too, received a sudden burst of inspiration and spoke up.
"What if, where it all began refers to the alien spaceship? The portion in Mount Arramore. No doubt there are secrets there that we've yet to find; perhaps an answer to our problem lies there?" His daughter pondered his response, but before long, shook her head.
"Dad, as hopeful as that may be, it's impossible to travel into Mount Arramore. The military presence there is off the charts. Ever since the Great Cataclysm, access has been heavily restricted and monitored. Without the highest level clearance, we aren't getting in. Believe me; I've tried; it's impossible, even for people like us." The room fell silent as their optimism continued to dwindle.
"Maybe, for once, this ordeal is something that we can't affect, and therefore should leave up to the whim of the world," Alexander suggested. The remark upset Riptor, as he deemed it defeatist and against what they stood for. They'd fought side-by-side to thwart tyranny in the past, and as far as he was concerned, this was no different. However, the discussion was cut short as there was a sudden knock at the door. Since they were in Alexander's house, he arose to answer.
Outside stood a man who'd come to deliver an old-fashioned, physical telegram message. He offered the note but held his face arched downwards, keeping it obscured. The delivery company cap he wore helped in that regard as well. Alexander accepted the piece of paper and thanked the man for his work, closing the door before returning to his friends. Everyone waited with bated breath, curious about what the message contained.
Mister Ceruleus unfolded the piece of paper and read it aloud. To his shock, as well as everyone else's, it was, word for word, the same message that Miss Arramore had spoken moments earlier.
"How is that possible?" Rhea said. The group considered what was going on and swiftly concluded that they needed to question the messenger; thus, everyone ran outside to confront the man. However, he was gone. Riptor and Alex charged ahead to the sidewalk staring down either direction; again, no one was there.
"That's impossible. He was here a few seconds ago; it takes at least a minute of walking to reach the next street over," Rose exclaimed. The men concurred and proceeded to check all the nearby nooks where the man could've hidden. They discovered no one, and stranger still, when Riptor sniffed the air, there was no fresh scent of someone having visited.
"Guys, if this message was from the alien I'd seen in my dreams. That means it's overcome the communication barrier and can now write to us directly, in common no less," Rhea said. Since there was no point in hanging around outside, the group headed back in. However, none of them had a clue as to what to do about any of this. Moreover, it was getting late, so they decided to call it a night, promising to keep in contact if anything arose.
Rhea and her father stepped into her car and drove away. She turned on the radio, interested in learning how other news outlets had covered the recent news. It was chaos across the globe. Reports of rioting and looting were paramount in every major city. Influential political figures had come forth and condemned the Enterran government's actions, demanding answers about why they'd built such a devastating weapon.
Furthermore, thousands of people had flocked to the streets with signs declaring that the end times had come. Things had progressed so fast that the well-off elites had deemed Outpost One, the colony situated on the larger of the two moons of Ephalon, Lopheas, as a haven for the wealthy. Staying on the planet, as they said, was a death sentence.
"Dad, was it like this back when Coalescence threatened the people of Erafar?" Rhea asked.
"No, not at all; mostly, because people weren't sure if the warnings your mother and I spread about her held merit or not. Those who took us at our word became more alert to potential threats, but this is something else; this is outright madness." His words failed to comfort Rhea, not that she expected they would; nevertheless, her father was a man who'd experienced atrocities beyond imagination, and it was his insight and experience that she relied on.
Rhea noticed a crowd had gathered up ahead and slowed down her approach as she had no desire to hit anyone. The people appeared to be protesters en route to Discourse Plaza, where national-level protests were held without the need for prior consent, not that anyone truly cared anymore anyway. Miss Arramore felt uneasy about the situation, not so much regarding the impending apocalypse but more so her immediate environment. The madness taking place around her made it challenging to stay mindful of any lurking dangers.
Her instincts were proven correct and quicker than she would've liked. A panicked driver speeding in reverse, away from incoming rioters, struck the right side of her vehicle with such force that it pushed its tires up against the sidewalk and flipped her car. It happened way too fast to react, and the impact alone knocked both her and her father out cold.
Moments later, Rhea awoke to find herself in a different yet familiar location. She once again occupied the grassy battlefield dreamscape where she'd encountered the alien. Hundreds of swords, shields, spears, and torches were strewn about, with their former owners nowhere in sight. However, unlike previous times she'd visited this place, there was one significant difference; her father, in his wolven form, was there as well, lying at her side, slowly clambering to his feet.
"Dad?" she said. Riptor recognised his daughter's voice and immediately shifted his eyes onto her.
"Rhea? What's going on? Where are we?" She considered his response strange and not very dreamlike, making her worry if they were perhaps dead.
"This is where I encountered the alien. I'm not sure why you're here, though. Are we dead?" she questioned. Her father laughed and assured her that they weren't; he may not have remembered much of his time in the spirit realm, but he recalled enough to recognise this wasn't what being dead looked or felt like. The two helped each other up to their feet and walked in a random direction, hoping the true nature of their predicament would become apparent.
Right on schedule, as Rhea had anticipated, the alien appeared before them. She'd long since grown accustomed to its physical appearance, but it was mind-boggling to her father. It stood on two lower joint elongated, digitigrade legs, which each possessed two large toes. Its hands had six thump-like digits spread equilaterally in a circle.
Even though it lacked visible clothing, there were no obvious gender identifiers on display. It possessed semi-transparent skin, which allowed onlookers to perceive the inner organs and electrical impulses that coursed through its body. The alien's face had no apparent mouth; instead, there were four slits through which it seemed to breathe, and above them, four eyes. One final physiological aspect that stood out was the stem that ran from its upper back into its skull's base; no species alive on Ephalon possessed anything that came close.
Rhea approached the alien with her father tagging along at her side. He trusted her judgement about how best to communicate with it. However, before Miss Arramore could even open her mouth, the entity spoke.
"You must return to where it all began; there, you will find salvation. The cursed artefacts, you must return them to where it all began." There it was again, those familiar words whose exact meaning eluded them still.
"You said that last time as well; I don't know what you mean. Please, help me understand; we don't have much time left." The desperation in Rhea's voice evoked a few subtle shifts in the alien's facial expression, spurring it to reiterate its words yet again. Riptor quickly determined that this wasn't getting them anywhere and contemplated a different strategy, which may provide them with a more helpful response.
"Why have things come to this?" Riptor asked; it was a simple forward inquiry that spurred the alien's attention.
"What caused your ship to crash thousands of years ago?" the wolfman followed up, a question that had remained unanswered ever since they first discovered its vessel at the bottom of the Kraad ocean. It piqued the alien's interest as it tilted its head and nodded in apparent acknowledgement. In response, it raised its right hand to the side, and from it, the area around them warped. Before long, the father-daughter duo found themselves floating in space above a barren rocky planetoid.
The alien pointed towards a fast-approaching object, and right as it neared, an explosion occurred. The entire scene looked mystical, akin to what someone might imagine the birth of a new planet might look like. Amid the explosive burst, Riptor noticed something familiar. There was an abundance of green-tinted energy, and the way it twisted and arched in all directions, combined with its specific colouration, made him realise what it represented, a dimensional tear into Limbo.
From the centre of the explosion appeared seven orbs of light. Six of them landed close to each other on the barren planet, whereas the final one disappeared on its far side. Regardless of the vast distance to the surface, Riptor and Rhea were able to discern the contours of emergent entities that spawned forth from the orbs. Their shapes resembled the Six Gods of Creation.
Whilst the father-daughter duo admired the unfolding scene, the alien clasped its hand, and before either could comprehend what it had done, they found themselves back on the battlefield. However, when Rhea next turned to Riptor, she noticed him fading away into nothingness. She was powerless to intervene and soon stood alone with the alien.
"I'm sorry I destroyed your ship. It was the only way we knew how to escape. All of your accumulated knowledge, your people, your culture, gone in an instant." In response, the alien stepped forth and put its hand on her shoulder. Rhea gazed into its many eyes and swore that the creature was smiling at her, offering forgiveness; at least, she liked to believe that's what the gesture implied.
After Miss Arramore's next blink, she suddenly found herself in the arms of her wolven Ancient father. Her eyes needed a moment to adjust; however, a sudden surge of pain throughout her body swiftly roused her from her dulled state. She peered around and noticed her car lying nearby, upside down on the road. She turned to Riptor and recognised the intense relief in his expression.
"Thank the Goddess you're alive. I was worried there for a second," he said. Rhea nodded in agreement and noticed they were surrounded by numerous people showing concern. There were murmurs amongst the crowd that the one who'd caused the accident had died on impact, a tragic loss, to be sure.
"What happened?" Rhea inquired. A person from the onlookers stepped forth and explained the entire situation, stating that a panicked woman reversed her vehicle away from an approaching group of rioters and slammed full speed into Rhea's car, causing staggering devastation. Many pedestrians were hit as well. However, he assured her that she needn't worry as emergency services were on their way to help.
"Are you alright, Rhea?" Riptor asked. His daughter moved her body around a bit and yelped in pain. She promised him that her discomfort was mostly soreness, nothing serious. A quick examination of her body revealed a lot of bruising and various minor cuts, but that was about it. Knowing that she healed fast, the wolfman lifted her in his arms and walked away, uninterested in waiting for the emergency services.
His actions left many standing around in confusion as to what to do or say.