The End. Of it all.
Yup- here it is. All of the rest of WAR, 1 hour and 25 minutes of it. The Heaven series is done. I’m rather numb.
I thank you profusely within the audio file, and will have a more well-thought-out blog post in the future. For now, take this and enjoy, and know your support means the world to me.
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So why was Gamma called back to The Sheridan, anyway?
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(republishing this today as it didn’t end up in the feeds)
Going live for everyone on October 3. Inside Story members get it now!
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So why was Gamma called back to The Sheridan, anyway?
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The gods take a trip to Leviathan City, and Morrigan finds an unlikely ally. Professor Burns has a neat sign for his shop.
My friend, the comic book artist and painter Angi Shearstone, gave me this print for my birthday. I’m just stunned.
I’m back with lots more words! Enjoy! Remember, to be able to read ahead, you need to belong to the Inside Story!
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Kate had briefly visited each of the temples during her stay there, but it always surprised her how different they all were for beingig in the same building.
Prosper’s temple was in the first floor of the stacked temple, and therefore the largest. Unlike Kate’s, which was spacious, white and church-like (which frankly irritated her), Prosper’s was more like a greenhouse mixed with a children’s nature museum. The sun shone in through glass walls to create a greenhouse effect, and a wooden roof honored their god.
Within the temple, priests tended holy plants honoring their god. Vegetables, vines, flowers, grasses, trees (Kate was amused to see a grand bonsai collection), and even carnivorous plants grew from elaborately painted plots.
Kate choked as the humidity of the temple assailed her and took a moment to compose herself. One of the priests saw her standing in the doorway and approached her.
“Goddess, it is a sad day you grace us with your presence,” he said, leaning his hoe against the glass wall.”
“Is he really no better?” Kate asked, frowning.
The priest shrugged and wiped his hands on a dirty rag sticking from his back pocket. “We managed to get enough wine into him to calm him last night. But he has been in captivity too long; he doesn’t know what to do now that he’s free.”
“Is his physical form any better? What was he supposed to be like before he was caught?”
The priest winced. “I admit we do not know. He’s always been depicted as a god with barklike skin and vines for hair. We do not know if that is his corrupted form or his natural.”
“Take me to him.”
Prosper’s temple had no rooms, just areas separated by trellises and vines. The priests slept in a back area with an honest wooden floor. Prosper had been placed directly onto the dirt of a somewhat private area near a breathtaking orchid display.
Kate looked at the orchid roots and swore she could see them visibly growing, inspired by the proximity of the divine. Smart of the priests to put him near plants with roots that got moisture and nutrients from the air, and not the soil. Or the body of a god.
The plants all faced the god, sitting cross-legged on the dirt floor and glaring at Kate. He didn’t look much better. His skin still looked to be made of bark, and vines grew from his head where hair should be. His chest had healed where the vines had sprouted from him, at least, and kate silently thanked the priests who had put a loin cloth on him. She hadn’t even realized he’d been naked when she’d rescued him.
All in all, he was much less craggy and chaotic than he’d been when she’d found them. Sadly, he didn’t look much happier.
“Take me back.”
She blinked, then knelt in front of him to look into his golden eyes. “You… want to go back.”
“Take me back. This is not my home, that was my home. You took me from my home.”
Kate glanced up at the priest. “Prosper, these are your priests. They worship you. They are your people – if you’re not home, then at least you’re as close as you can be in your current state. They’ll take care of you here.”
He opened his mouth again, showing her his yellowed, fibrous teeth, and screamed again. She winced, but waited patiently until he stopped.
“Are you done?” she asked. He glared at her. The orchids began to shudder and strain as they grew, then, bursting from their pots. Thick, white roots sought Kate and began to wrap around her again.
“No,” she said, willing her skin temperature to searing temperatures. The priest swore and fell backward as the orchid roots burst into flame. “Not this time, Prosper. I’m not as powerless here as I was there.”
She stood, still white-hot, and put her hands on her hips. “This isn’t going to be easy.” She turned to the priest, who hovered at a safe distance, gripping a shovel. “Give him a robe, a large pot full of soil, and some seeds. He can choose which ones. Have him ready in ten minutes, or we’re coming in to get him, ready or not?”
“Where are you taking me?” Prosper demanded.
Kate glanced back at him. “Does it matter? You seem to be happiest as a slave, so you’re going to do what we say.”
He pursed his lips, then blurted out, “And what if I don’t?”
Kate incinerated another orchid, this time with a glance. “I don’t want to hurt you, Prosper. But the things we’re trying to achieve are so much bigger than a petty god’s tantrums. You’ll help us. You have no choice.”
She strode out of the temple, not looking back. “Fucking gods,” she muttered.
#
Daniel whistled as he and Professor Burns entered the Idea Emporium. “I see you’ve made some changes.”
“The blessings of the sun god do much to help my business, I will admit,” he said, locking the door behind them.
He went over to a case and pulled out several small boxes and slipped them into the pockets of his purple waistcoat. “I take it where we’re going is dangerous?”
Daniel squatted in front of a display case, fascinated by the intricate origami. “Oh, did we not tell you? We’re going to Leviathan City to save Barris and Ishmael. We’ve not had the best of luck with people from there.” He straightened. “Well. We’ve only met one person from there, but it didn’t go very well.” He rubbed his wrist absently.
“Leviathan City?” Professor Burns turned white, but did not protest. “We’ll be needing diplomatic ideas, then.”
“Hey, I’ve wanted to ask you. Why do you sell the bad ideas. Why not just toss them?”
“You can’t destroy an idea,” Burns said, handing Daniel several small scrolls tied with red ribbon. “Someone will find it. This way I can tell people they’re bad, and sell them as novelties. If I throw them out, then they’re released into the world and you don’t know who’s going to get them and follow through.”
“Huh. I see your point. So what are we going to do about Barris? Are these for him?”
Burns looked surprised. “Goodness no, sir. These are for us. Battle ideas, diplomacy ideas, and culinary suggestions- in case the food in Leviathan City is unpalatable.”
Daniel laughed. “You think of everything.”
The tall man bowed. “It is my job. Now, for Barris, we need to get him to drink this.” He held up a crystal vial of blue liquid. It shone the same blue as the energy that had trapped Daniel, who involuntarily took a step backward.
“What is it?” Daniel asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
“It’s a distillation of the energy that comes from the Dark. Since the ideas are formed from a chaos battery, then so does the antidote come from the same stuff.”
Daniel managed to laugh, a short barking sound. “Like how snake bite serum is made from snake venom?”
Burns pocketed the vial and smiled. “Something liek that, yes. It’s rather strong, though, and could… damage him.”
Daniel grabbed his arm. “Whoa, wait. What do you mean? This is the sun we’re talking about. We lose him, we are pretty much screwed. The whole planet.”
Burns nodded. “I understand that, but the damage will come mentally. He won’t be able to ever hold another idea. He won’t get the high from the ideas, but he won’t think for himself very well.”
Daniel frowned. “Is there no other way? Weaning gradually?”
“Normally, yes. But we would have to hope he’s getting his fix in Leviathan City of ideas. And I don’t like to brag, bu I invented the Chaositron Idea Generator. It’s one-of-a-kind. If they have one in Leviathan City, I’ll frankly be shocked.” Burns closed the blinds down, darkening the interior of the shop. He pulled out a “CLOSED TO SAVE THE WORLD” sign from beneath the counter and replaced the sign on the door.
Daniel read the sign. “Is, uh, that a sign you have to use often?”
They exited the store. “Only once before,” Burns said as he locked the door. “I like to be prepared.”
“Good idea,” Daniel muttered, wondering how they were going to prepare thmselves for the tasks ahead. Allies were good. Allies not hopped up on weird drugs would be better, but they’d take what they could get.
#
Kate felt absurdly like a CEO being addressed by her nervous vice presidents.
Fabrique was first. She put her carpet bag on the conference table and opened it. “What I wanted was access to my house. I could make tools out of just about anything, but really I am more efficient with my tools. However, even though I’ve expanded the interior of this bag, I still don’t have enough room for everything I want. So I created a doorway.”
She pulled a flimsy series of linked brass tubes that reminded Kate of a weapon she’d seen in martial arts movies. When Fabrique removed it, it looked like a chain with large links, but when she got it out she shook it once, like airing out a towel, and it snapped into place to form a brass rectangle about three feet wide and five feet high, with a small square battery on the top right hand corner.
Fabrique flipped a switch on the battery and the brass rectangle began to hum, and the interior of the rectangle shimmered. The space beyond faded, and Kate saw what was clearly a workshop, littered with tools and wires.
“It’s still untested, but I think it will be useful if I need something my tools. Just pop over to my workshop for whatever we need.”
“Wow,” Kate said. “But, uh, untested?”
The sword across her back trembled, interrupting her, and she drew it. The divine energy that was Gamma poured out of the tip, and the warrior goddess faced her. “The Sheridan is prepped and ready to go. I took the liberty of loading the traitor into a locked room as Daniel requested. Captain Alicia has procured a submersible for the trip to Leviathan City.”
Kate blanched. How could she have forgotten that? She would have to remember to thank Alicia, captain of The Sheridan, for realizing that they’d need a way into Leviathan City. Kate was pretty sure she and Daniel could divinely worm their way in, but she didn’t like to assume, especially here.
“Good,” she said. Now can we test that doorway thing before we-”
“No time,” Daniel said, appearing in the doorway. Professor Burns followed him, combing his mustache with his hand. “We need to get there as soon as possible. Barris needs us. When withdrawal sets in, that guy is going to be hurting. And the antidote isn’t pretty.
Kate stood. She took a deep breath. “OK, then I guess we’re going. Let’s go downstairs and get Prosper and then head out. Anyone need to pee or anything?”
#
The one true goddess spoke to Sam, deep within the urn in which the broken false god had trapped him.
His back had been on fire, giving him a constant agony. The urn was stuffy. He trembled with the thought of the loss of Prosper, his vineyards, his casks of wine, and the second god he’d captured. He had no idea what the god wnated him for.
But now, deep within the urn, unable to move, barely able to breathe, he felt her presence.
“Goddess? Cotton?” He blinked and thought he saw a glowing orb in the complete blackness within the urn.
An amused, muffled voice answered him. “Not anymore. But no one has visited me before. Either they come to stay or don’t come at all. Why are you on the border of life and death?”
“Am I dying? Or dreaming?”
“You would have to tell me, my child. Who are you?”
“My name is Sam, Goddess. I’ve been most horribly wronged by the false broken god Daniel.”
She was silent. He whimpered. “Goddess? Are you there? Please don’t leave me alone!”
“Daniel is not false. He’s quite powerful. But you must have a great grudge against you if you hate him with such force.”
“Yes Goddess!” He began to weep. “He took everything from me, and then imprisoned me. I can’t escape.”
“Shh, if you can pledge yourself to me, become my first priest, I can free you come nightfall.”
His heart leaped. Was she serious? Would she give him such an honor? “Yes Goddess.”
“Good. When you get free, I will have a mission for you. Fulfill it and I will reward you. Fail or change your mind, and you will wish you’d stayed in the urn.”
“I would never turn from you, Goddess.”
“Wonderful. Now, my priest, listen…”
#
Kate and Daniel’s favor, along with Fabrique’s upgrades, had clearly benefitted Alicia and The Sheridan just as Barris’ favor had benefitted Professor Burns. Alicia and her children wore new clothing, tight fitting brown leather, helmets, goggles, and warm jackets. On their backs, their jackets each held an intricate etched image of The Sheridan.
The ship itself glowed in the dim setting sun, humming with its upgraded engine, touched by the goddess of clockwork and ingenuity herself. From the hull hung a small circular metal orb with portholes and propellers, tubes and mechanims.
“What is this, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?” Daniel whispered to Kate.
She shrugged. “It’s for everyone else. I think you, me and Gamma would be fine without.”
“How fast do you think she can get us there?”
Kate glanced at the emerging face of Fabrique, her copper curls tamed somewhat by her goggles, only to explode from under her ears. She came up from down below and proudly reported to Alicia that the ship was ready to go.
“That’s her call,” Kate said, pointing. “I imagine we’ll probably be the fastest ship around. What’s the rush again?”
“We need to help Barris out. He’s in big trouble. Burns said he could wean him with ideas to get him off the junk, but if he goes into serious withdrawal, the only thing we can do is essentially wipe his mind of the ability to hold any thought in his head.”
KAte’s jaw hung open. “Are you seirous> Won’t that kill him?”
Daniel shook his head. “No, he’ll still be a sun god, and supposedly still be able to keep the sun in the sky, but not much of a conversationalist. Ever.”
“Well that’s just great. I guess we shoudl get the hell out of here.”
They watched Alicia’s kids bustle about the ship, checking things. Connie waved to the controller at the tower dock and he waved back, allowing them to cast off. The ship lurched once as the souped-up engines started, and then they were off.
The airship gradually gained speed, but Kate soon realized that was for safety. If it needed to, this zeppelin could turn faster than any ship of its kind, possibly defying the laws of physics. Good to know.
Alicia had the wheel and piloted according to Gamma’s coordinates, sending commands to her children, namely James, who manned the engine controls and Connie, who held the chicken gun, a bazooka-like weapon that shot frozen chickens at air whales to distract them from damaging the ship. The younger kids were below deck.
Fabrique came to stand beside them. “I upgraded it as much as I dare. The pilot being mortal, and mortals aboard, I couldn’t make it any faster without putting them at risk.”
Kate pulled a windswept strand of hair out of her face and grinned. “I’m guessing your own airship is going to be something legendary.”
“Without a doubt,” the goddess said. Fabrique stuffed her hair into a helmet and fixed her goggles on again. She fixed her eyes on the horizon, the shimmering sea that approached quickly.
“I checked the submersible too,” she said. “It will easily take six. Seven if we have to.”
Kate counted on her fingers. “So that’s me, you two, Gamma, need to leave room for Ishmael and Barris, and Burns. Alicia and crew will stay on the airship.”
“What about Prosper?” Daniel said, pointing at the miserable harvest god who sat against the back railing of the ship beside a heavy pot full of soil and a foul-smelling moss.
“Shit. I forgot about him. Well, we’ll need someone divine to protect the ship, I guess. We need Gamma with us.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow. “You really think he will do that?”
Kate frowned. “You’re right.” She gestured to Gamma, who stood with her arms clasped behind her back, facing the wind. “Gamma will need to think of something.”
The caught the warrior goddess’ attention and told her the problem. She nodded somberly. “I will tune myself to Alicia’s boot knife. If they have any problems, she can tell me and I will know and be here immediately.”
“I guess that will work. Good idea,” Kate said.
“Anyone else feel like we’re walking into a snake pit?” Daniel asked.
“Asps. Very dangerous,” Kate said, and snickered. “Yeah, but what can we do?”
Daniel looked back at the pouting harvest god. “You know Kate, only we would make a world where all the gods were imprisoned. We have to save this world before we can save our first one.”
She nodded. “We don’t have a choice though. We need them.” She and Gamma then went to talk to Alicia to inform her of the plans as The Sheridan entered the airspace over the ocean, heading toward Leviathan City.[/private]
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I am on vacation, so I uploaded 4 and 5 early. Inside Story members get both NOW, regular subscribers get part 5 on June 28. You can still get your premium subscription by clicking on the Inside Story at the top of the page!
Kate and Daniel have a not-fun trek through the improbability storm, Kate finds a lost god. Stockholm Syndrome, anyone? (Bonus geek points to whoever can tell me who this episode is in homage to.)
