Chaos Mortalitus (11 page)

A feeling of déjà vu falls over me as if I know the hidden meaning behind this message. Continuing to scan the massive monument in front of me, I stand in awe of this breathtaking rendition. From the monuments base, two stone pathways round both sides of the statue and join behind it as I walk the path to the right and come to a straightaway leading to the next monument off in the distance. From the looks of it, the next venture is a very large pyramid made of the same crystal material as the one from Tyler's message, or at least I assume.

The long pathway is ancient looking, yet well preserved and as I walk this path a somewhat heavy rain begins to pour, very warm, invigorating. I stop not far from the pyramid and stare high into the heavens, with my arms extended, my eyes shut and sensations I just can't explain as I slowly make my way down the road, approaching the front entrance. Entering the twenty-foot entrance, the raindrops abruptly stop as I pass through the opening. Walking down the hallway a small distance, I head straight for the heart of the pyramid as I come upon the central chamber and find a large room, some sort of study.

Inside this room, ancient technology, artifacts, things I can't begin to comprehend. In the center, a brilliant light fixated on a sword floating freely. A broadsword maybe four feet in length, its handle and base an alien material, the blade forged with the crystal material native to this world. Carvings on the blade similar to the Artifact, speaking of which, where is the Artifact? With all this commotion I didn't even realize that the alien dagger that brought me here was no longer on my hand. Deciding that this room holds questions that are beyond me currently, I pause for a moment longer to stare at the blade.

Gathering my wits I head out of the pyramid and back for the shoreline around the large pool of glowing liquid. As I venture back I continue thinking to myself how advanced these structures and technologies seem to be. That being said, I can't help but wonder who built this stuff and where are they now? Leaving the plush terrain, my feet sink into the perfectly cut white sands, flawless as gradually the beautiful sands begin to shift into the crystal material and I once again come upon the large body of energy, calm and silent. Searching the place of my initial awakening, at first there is no sign of the Artifact and then out of the corner of my eye, I see it halfway sticking out of the crystal sand.

Reaching for it slowly, I once again grab it with my right hand and immediately I shut my eyes fearing the worst, yet to my surprise nothing happens. Walking the edge of the pool of energy again I stare out onto the roaring ocean below, waves colliding, causing new waves to form. My eyes roam as I see distant shorelines below, where the ocean currents break. They also extend as far as the eye can see, shinning brightly from the prism reflections of the glowing ocean of energy. Wondering if the sounds of my own thoughts are all I truly have left, if I'm doomed to walk these shores eternally as the silence suddenly breaks. "Do you seek the truth?"

Turning quickly in all directions suddenly my calm feeling is replaced with caution, for I have no idea what I am dealing with. I scan my surrounding environment and decide I'd rather not be standing next to the edge of this cliff that leads to this abyss of energy. Heading back around the large pool I make it to the center of this particular shoreline, back to my arrival point. "Do you seek the origins Ashton Mortal?" The voice asks again.

"Who are you?" I hesitate. "What is this?"

"I am the Creator. Together Ashton, we are all things."

"Show yourself!"

"As you wish." The voice replies as the center of the glowing pool begins to ripple right before my eyes.

Angela sits in a cell crying alone, begging for an explanation. Searching for someway to make sense of all this, crying harder at the idea of not being with her husband and the fact that she doesn't even know if he's ok is almost more than she can take. Difficult to breath as tears fall to the floor and her mind wanders. The idea that they can't be together is too much for her to deal with, she won't have it no matter what it takes. "Baby, I need you right now. I'm so scared." Angela says as the tears continue and her nose begins to run. "I hope wherever you are, you're ok. I love you so much Ashton, whatever it takes I will find you. I'll love you forever." She repeats as her muffled cries fade away into the late evening.

Jonathan Reynolds sits in his study not far from Angela's cell with Jason Scott sitting in the chair opposite him as the two take in the roaring fireplace. "I understand Sir, but she checks out. She just doesn't know anything and considering the circumstances surrounding this event, I'm not sure anyone really knows anything." Jason says.

"So you think there's something else is going on here?" Jonathan asks.

"Yes Sir. I think Tyler Morgan is just a pawn in all this and my friend Ashton could be in real danger." Jason replies. "I don't think he's done anything wrong Sir, but I agree that we need to find him."

Greg Knight enters the room as the double doors open and he joins the conversation with the new intelligence. He takes a seat near his comrade, informing Jonathan of the current events in the mysterious disappearance. "Sir we've exhausted all resources, Ashton Mortal still hasn't been located. The weird thing about it is there isn't a shred of evidence other than Mr. Morgan's message and an empty lock box."

"What does his message mean?" Jonathan ponders aloud. "Is there any genuine relevance here or are these just the ramblings of a deranged lunatic?"

Greg's eyes bounce around the room and return to his superior. "Sir, I think after further review our captives should be released and monitored if we want any further details."

"And what happens if we don't get any further details? What if we can't find Mr. Mortal…what then?

"If he can be found Sir, then we'll find him. Ash is our friend Sir; we'll find him no matter what it takes. I promise I'll get to the bottom of this thing." Jason replies.

"I pray you're right son, that we can find Mr. Mortal. Above all, I pray my gut feeling about all this is wrong." Jonathan says as he leans back in his chair and takes a sip of scotch.

CHAPTER: 8

THE EVOLUTION OF LIBERATION

What is the proper definition of terror, of the unknown and with all I've seen I wonder about these
origins
. Many questions race through my mind, acknowledging that I know nothing for sure, save the fact that you cannot begin to understand the meaning of terror until you realize reality has been stripped away. Whatever I once was now shakes at its very foundation and anything I might have known about life quivers in its presence. Every moment of my past leading to this surreal vision and truly, these images will be forever burned into my mind.

Watching the ripples begin slowly in front me at the center of this large glowing pool that was ever so silent, a calm surface now changed by the rippling motion with the mysterious voice now hushed. Staring in disbelief at all I've seen, searching frantically for answers to this puzzling riddle. Just watching patiently as the pool continues to teem with activity, the ripples increasing steadily as the surface of the pool seems to be almost moving, controlled, methodical and intelligent. From its center tiny strands form and begin to interweave upward, not many at first but only at first.

The strands move slowly from the energy source, this secluded pool high upon the mountain's edge. Within the face of these manifestations I fall to my knees relinquishing myself to this final insanity. I've finally had enough as my arms fall to my side, my eyes fixed forward unable to look away from the strands of energy that begin to form something. Locking together they build a solid structure, dancing wildly as they mold an image right before my very eyes, giving off heavy illumination. The shape begins taking form; a human type figure yet nothing about this thing seems familiar.

Strands of liquid energy build the figure before me as the ripples about the pool slowly fade, returning now to the calmness from moments ago. Above the pool floating right in front of me, a figure composed entirely out of energy, birthed from the now calm pool below. Facing upwards the figure seems to extend its arms a bit, giving off a specific glow as its outer surface seems like liquid trapped in a solid form. Its eye sockets glow brightly and nothing is human about this, yet somehow it's starting to seem frighteningly familiar. Moments pass as the figure and I just stare toward one another, eternity in this pause with the creature remaining silent as it hovers.

Gliding over the surface of energy it walks slowly, no real defining features, like a man on fire it seems. Continuing straight for me, I examine the creature remaining there on my knees in the crystal sands. Has madness come to over take me all together, to claim this heart of mine? Like nothing a million lifetimes could experience, this figure glowing brilliantly comes to a stop as it exits the pool standing directly in front of me. I realize that the creature has no eyes yet I know it can see me, this thing is intelligent having planned this moment
for longer than I know
. After continuing the examination for a few more moments the silence is broken between us. "Welcome, Ashton Mortal."

The crazy thing about all this is the fact that the creature doesn't actually speak, I'm not sure it even has a mouth yet I hear its words clear as day as if somehow it speaks to my mind. "You've gotta' be kidding me! I've completely lost my mind!" The only thing I can think to say, the only thing I'm positive about.

"I'm afraid not Ashton, you are quite sane at this moment."

"Really! You think so huh! And what the hell are you supposed to be, a glowing energy man?" I ask trying to make sense of all this. "Are you on fire or something?"

"I am many things Ashton Mortal, there are many explanations, many versions of what I am." The figure replies with a soft tone. "I am all things known."

Staring back at this exaggeration of reality, I feel myself become lost in this quickly growing insanity. "What do you mean?!?!" I scream at the figure. "These riddles, what do they mean? Tell me who you are!"

"There are no riddles here for you Ashton, only truth."

"WHO ARE YOU?!?!" I yell at the figure as I rise to my feet, this moment a hallucination at best.

"
I am the Creator
."

"The creator of what?" I feel myself tremble as I walk the edge of insanity. "Where is your creation? I mean…what the hell are you creating?"

"I am the Creator of all things known, all things in all places."

"What?!?! So are you God then? Am I dead?" I ask not caring for the relevance of the answer.

"Many names have been given to me from every corner of existence, like I said there are many versions of what I am. You are still very much alive Ashton Mortal, I assure you." The Creator says walking closer to me, staring me up and down as if he thought I might somehow be different, that maybe I should be different.

"It is so interesting the different combinations produced, at this point I've learned so much about your life force and my own origins. This task at hand has gone on for so long and finally the time has come."

A look of bewilderment, this feeling of a dream you cannot wake from as I stare at the energy being. "What are you talking about? The time has come for what?"

"Ashton Mortal of the human planet Earth, you are the evolution of liberation, the middle ground, the one to change everything if you choose."

"What? This is too much, I mean how do you even know me? What do I have to do with any of this? I'm a nobody, a painter."

"My child of the universe, I am your creator, along with everything else in the known universes. You Ashton, are the most important part of this saga, the reason why the 10
^th
day in your lunar month of March is a day you shan't forget. The moment you truly opened your eyes to the chaos of existence and finally returned to your birthplace."

"I'm totally lost now. Is it still March 10
^th
or what? This makes absolutely no sense. I haven't got a clue to what you're talking about."

"Time has no meaning here, this is the birthplace of time." The Creator replies. "Before time, before all things to come, this place remains constant as the foundation of all existence."

"What do you call this place?"

Turning from me, the figure walks around the pool of energy to the edge of the mountain's end where the energy pours into the massive ocean from its outlet. Hesitating a moment, I then follow the figure to the edge as we stare out onto the breathtaking sight. Standing side by side I feel warmth generated from this glowing creature as we watch the raging waves that stretch on forever. "Father. I call this place Father."

"Why Father?" I ask. "Why did you choose that name?"

The figure just stares at the gliding waves below looking for something as the tides of infinity rise. "I too was born here Ashton Mortal. This is my home, my father I imagine."

"Born here?" I thought you said you created everything. How could you have been created as well?" I ask very confused.

The figure turns its gaze toward me, or at least faces my direction. "We have much to discuss my friend from long ago, much to discuss."

"You speak to me as if you know me. How is that possible? How do you know me?"

"I do know you Ashton Mortal as you know me. Before this day, from another time." The figure responds. "You are my truest friend, my only friend."