Episode 187 - Two plans

The pages of the books fluttered, and the shelves trembled violently as The Horizon, the interdimensional ship, suddenly appeared in the centre of the room. The interdimensional library, a magical place, lost between all dimensions, held within its walls books containing every story ever written and yet to be told, every event that had happened and ever would happen across all existing, and, naturally, yet-to-exist, dimensions. There were so many books that they overflowed, piling up on shelves, tables, and lecterns as far as the eye could see.

Yet even so, there were events this place could not foresee within the pages of its books. The ship opened, and from within stepped two people. One was a woman: Scheherazade, youthful in appearance, though her faintly blurred features hinted she had seen many springs. She wore a loose, earth-toned robe, and a jeweled turban covered her head, its top falling down her back, revealing a beautiful starry design in the color of a midnight sky. The other was a man: Adelbert, his face contorted in disbelief. He wore a poncho torn into strips, woven with alternating black-and-white diamond patterns.

—That was way too close —said the woman, clutching her chest.
—What was that, Scheherazade? —said the man, gasping, pointing backward though at nothing in particular— It looked like Alisaris’s power!

Scheherazade found a stool and sat down. She leaned her back against a pile of books and closed her eyes, resting both her sight and her body.
—That, my friend, is the problem we cannot face —said Scheherazade.

Adelbert slumped beside her and opened a random book. He tore out a page and began fanning himself with it, while the book regenerated the missing paper from nothing. Threads of light reconstructed the page he had removed, and the text faded from the torn sheet only to reappear on the freshly formed one.
—This place hasn’t changed. But… everything else… what’s happening? —said Adelbert.
—It’s Kaguya’s magic. A fracture in time. She deceived us all, bending time to save her adoptive mother —said Scheherazade—. And then she killed us, absorbing us one by one. I read it in the Book of Re-Earth.
—Even you? —said Adelbert, eyes wide.
—One of the first. It was my magic that fueled hers, turning her into the Time Spinning Witch. Reading about the death of another version of myself is never pleasant, but this one… this one was particularly distasteful —said Scheherazade.
—Then… when are we? —said Adelbert.
—We’re in a variant of the original timeline. I’ve named it the “Paradox Timeline.” Everything is almost identical to the timeline we came from, but… there are subtleties —said Scheherazade.
—Gill Lapis —said Adelbert—. He tried to kill me.
—Yes. He leads the Interdimensional Brigade. Wukong, Valentina, Mikage, Ashwyn… By not dying at the moment in time when he should have, he’s become far stronger. And all the Eternals we once knew have sworn loyalty to him —said Scheherazade.

—And the High Gods? Why aren’t they doing anything? —said Adelbert— Why didn’t they stop Kaguya, being one of their own?

—I don’t know. And besides, they can’t be found. They’ve vanished. I’ve searched the library for information, in the Valhalla volumes, in every record of the dimensions they created and I even found other books titled New Valhalla, which don’t correspond to this timeline. Only the High Goddess Loki remains in her dimension. The others… are gone. And they aren’t even the same ones we knew —said Scheherazade.
—What? How is that possible? —said Adelbert.
—I don’t know. But whenever I try to recall something that’s different in this timeline, I can’t even pronounce it. It’s as if time itself were fractured and trying to forcibly correct everything that’s wrong. Try it. Which High God created Sandora? —said Scheherazade.

—Thoth, obviously —said Adelbert. But he covered his mouth—. Thoth. No! It’s THOTH!

—You see? Here, try writing it —said Scheherazade, handing him a piece of paper.

Adelbert wrote down the name he was trying to say. The paper read “Atum.” It wasn’t the same as what he spoke aloud. The High Gods Atum and Thoth were not the same being, not even remotely alike.
—Incredible —said Adelbert—. Pure temporal magic. Wild.
—Unstoppable —said Scheherazade—. It hasn’t only changed events that already happened, but also those yet to come. I can no longer use the library to foresee the immediate future. We’re temporarily blind.
—For how long? —said Adelbert.
—Until the library finishes rewriting the volumes to match the past of this timeline. But that could take decades, even centuries. And Gill Lapis will find this place long before that —said Scheherazade, rising to her feet.

The woman took a few shaky steps across the room, which lit up as she moved. It was a marvelous place, the dream of any scholar or historian, and it was in danger, perhaps more than any other dimension.
—Three thousand years have passed, Adelbert. There’s no one left —said Scheherazade.
—Not even the Six Sages? —said Adelbert.
—Everyone who stood against Lapis fell by his hand. Alice, Pricia, Charlotte… all of them perished, one way or another. Without Kaguya to aid them, Gill Lapis defeated them —said Scheherazade—. And those who didn’t die in battle perished of old age, like what remained of the Six Sages. As for the royal bloodline —the descendants of Grimm— they’re scattered across all dimensions, some unaware of their lineage, others, like the one you saw, allied with the enemy. But they possess no magic, not even a trace of it. We can’t rely on them. Nearly everyone we once knew is gone.
—But… I felt Alisaris’s magic flowing from that boy who snapped his fingers —said Adelbert.
—That “boy” as you call him, is Echo. He’s the heir to the magic of the Observer. To put it simply, his magic is a Legacy —said Scheherazade. Seeing Adelbert’s confusion, she elaborated—. The spirits of heroes and heroines from the past manifest before those they deem worthy. That’s what we call a “Legacy.” They’re scattered across all dimensions, hidden, sometimes in plain sight, but hidden nonetheless. Even with all the library’s power, I can’t pinpoint their locations. They’re ephemeral, though some cling to life far longer than they should —said Scheherazade.

—That’s… a lot to take in —said Adelbert—. But I suppose I deserve it, after vanishing for three millennia. Tell me, my friend —what’s the plan?

—To form a new team —said Scheherazade—. With people capable of defeating Gill Lapis. A new beginning. A new hope.
—Like that woman from Protopaterpolis, the one who turned into a dragon? —said Adelbert.
—Like Lyka, yes. She inherited the Legacy of the Beast Lady, Pricia. And there are others. A young woman named Four, descendant of Zero, who travels the worlds trying to fulfill the final wish of the Six Sages. A swordsman named Jim, who dreams of captaining a pirate ship. An explorer driven purely by curiosity, who calls herself Fand. A young apprentice mage, plagued by self-doubt, trapped between two worlds —said Scheherazade—. And there are several more candidates. Each and every one of them could have a chance against Gill Lapis, especially if they fight together.
—Then what are we waiting for? We must contact them! —said Adelbert.
—It’s not that simple. Four, for instance, has already agreed. She’ll lead the team. She’s the most suited for the role. But the others… either can’t, or won’t —said Scheherazade.

Adelbert stroked his beard, frowned, and met his old friend’s eyes.
—Say it —he said.
—If you don’t want me to lie to you too, don’t ask —said Scheherazade.
—Tell me what you promised that girl to make her help us, why you can’t deliver it, and when you plan to tell her —said Adelbert.

She shrugged. She walked to one of the countless shelves, pulled out a book, opened it to a specific page, and showed it to Adelbert.
—We can’t find Fiethsing —he said.
—That’s what she desires most. There was no other way to convince her —said Scheherazade.
—When she finds out, she’ll turn against you —said Adelbert.
—Sometimes a small lie is necessary. You, of all people, know that —said Scheherazade.
—You win. I never should’ve told you that secret. I never should’ve lied to them. But that’s all in the past now —said Adelbert—. There’s no way to contact the twins, is there?

Scheherazade shook her head. Reflect and Refrain wanted nothing to do with Adelbert, and besides, they were occupied with their own mission. The siblings were pursuing other potential villains whom Scheherazade didn’t have time to deal with at the moment.

“Time,” she thought. It was precisely what they lacked most.
—As I said —Scheherazade concluded—, we can’t count on anyone else. Not until we sever Echo’s connection with Gill Lapis. As long as they remain linked, the Conqueror can alter the memories of anyone who’s never been outside space and time, like you or me. Echo’s illusions are so lifelike that those under their influence can’t even think about or accept the existence of dimensions beyond their own. For all those people, traveling beyond their own world is, for lack of a better word… fiction.

—And what do we do? If the Interdimensional Brigade were on our side, together we could stand against Gill Lapis. But you and I alone can’t —said Adelbert—. We must gather all these individuals. Let’s travel to their dimensions and speak with them in person, one by one.
—That’s not a good idea —said Scheherazade—. Gill Lapis is hunting us, my friend. Neither of us can stay exposed for long. But since I know you won’t sit still, and certainly won’t accept my proposal of hiding and planning it all out— I’ve found you a bodyguard.

From the shadows of a hallway emerged an automaton. It was dressed in a pink yukata with cherry blossom patterns, a circular pointed hat resembling the straw hats of samurai, and a wide red fabric belt. At its waist hung two long sheathed katanas. In the centre of its face, occupying nearly the whole diameter, was a red oval, glowing from within, serving as its only facial feature.

—This is Xylos. Xylos en-Doutem. I found him in the dimension called Sky Round. He has sworn to protect us and fight by our side —said Scheherazade.
—What you mean is you paid him to protect and fight with us, right? —said Adelbert.
—That’s another way of putting it —she replied.

Adelbert took a few steps toward Xylos, arms crossed, scrutinizing him critically. Xylos crossed his arms as well. Adelbert grunted, as he didn’t like machines, but he could recognize a trained warrior at a glance.

He threw a punch toward the automaton’s face.

Xylos didn’t move. The blow never landed, as Adelbert stopped his arm just a few millimeters from Xylos’s glass face. Slowly, he withdrew his hand and nodded —steady, deliberate.
—What on earth are you doing? —said Scheherazade.
—I wanted to see what he’d do. He didn’t react —said Adelbert.
—And that’s good? —she asked.
—Yes. Xylos here is a killer. Not moving means he considers me inferior: no threat at all. That’s why he was ready to take the hit. He didn’t sense any real hostility from me, so he didn’t need to respond. Right? —said Adelbert. Xylos nodded. Said nothing. Just nodded—. You don’t talk? I like that.

—I’m glad you two are getting along, whatever this was —said Scheherazade—. Tell me, where will you go?
—I’m going to see that Echo fellow. I’ll pay him a visit. But you must promise me that if I’m captured, you won’t come for me. The mission comes first —said Adelbert.
—I promise. You’ll find Echo in Millennia, Kaguya’s dimension. Meanwhile, I’ll focus on Yomidgard. There’s a candidate there, but it’s a world under Gill Lapis’s control. I’m trying to contact him through dream magic. With luck, I’ll guide him to a portal that will take him out of his dimension. Then Echo’s influence will end, once he’s seen other worlds, the illusion, the lies, everything will fade away —said Scheherazade.

Adelbert nodded and headed toward The Horizon. Xylos followed. When he reached the ship, he turned back to his friend, his expression melancholic.
—This might be the end —he said.
—We’ll face whatever fate brings us, as we always have —said Scheherazade.
—No tricks? No deceit? No, right? —said Adelbert, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled. They both knew perfectly well how this would go.
—With every trick we need. And if we still fail, there’s always plan B —said Scheherazade.
—What’s plan B? —said Adelbert. Even Xylos turned his head slightly, listening.
—To rally the Ten Dimensions for war: bring the fight to his doorstep, even if it means causing another temporal fracture —said Scheherazade.
—Another timeline? —said Adelbert.
—Worse —answered Scheherazade—. A time-ending event.
—Then we’d better hope plan A works —said Adelbert, swallowing hard, though a wide grin stayed fixed on his face. His hand trembled from fear, though he’d never admit it. He’d say it was excitement and keep his stoic front.
—Yes. Let’s hope Plan: Antechamber of the Ten Dimensions succeeds. And if not… we’ll seek dimensional hope wherever it can be found —said Scheherazade.
—To the Antechamber —said Adelbert, raising his fist and stepping aboard the ship.

A few seconds later, the vessel shimmered and vanished with a hollow sound. Scheherazade was alone once more, surrounded by the vastness of her library.
—To the Antechamber —she whispered, sighing. She took the Book of Yomidgard, raised her dominant hand, extended her index finger, touched her forehead, and invoked her dream magic.

The young sorcerer. A boy between two worlds. Half-Devil, half-human. He was special, the heir to one of the most important Legacies. That was the true reason Scheherazade had chosen to handle this one herself. He was a candidate whose recruitment could not afford to fail.

—Let’s begin. Nero… wake up, Nero! —she said, plunging into the boy’s dreams.