Memoria - Chapter 7 - Omegia

"Many say Genesia is the beginning.1

Even death follows unto Corprusia.2

May innocence Revealia the battle that comes,3

Only one can have Momentia to survive.4

Reactia started, the prophecy is at hand.5

In Visia he sees the promise, forever.6

At last! By Omegia's hand, it is fulfilled!" - Infinitum Liberati7

The airy whistle of a long wooden object rises in the air, followed by the unmistakable thunk of that very same object meeting an obstruction in its path. River's already bruised body takes one step forward and collapses at the feet of his drunken assailant, consciousness nothing but a red, painful blur. Even as the last tethers binding him to the physical world are being broken, his mind is already living through his life, like a movie playing in his mind. He sees all his mistakes and all his failures, all his victories and all his successes. Within the span of a single second that feels like ages, he comes to accept his fate. He is going to die. But he also knows, instinctively, that somehow death is not the end. This gives him comfort as darkness grows around him, and all thoughts cease.8

Graham sat down in the chair facing the window as soon as they touched ground. He didn't intend on going anywhere again in that form of travel. Not only was it highly disconcerting, but the arrival tended to be a few centimeters above the ground, and the little fall wasn't helping the aches he had in his joints from sitting beneath the trees. Carefully he opened the book and started reading. Jason disappeared into the back room, clearly in search of something.9

After about half an hour, a snap from the back room brought Graham's attention back with a start. He jumped up quickly when Jason stormed in, all dressed in white flowing clothes, similar to old roman robes.10

"What the hell? Halloween?" Graham asked, a smile tickling the corners of his mouth.11

Jason gave Graham a sharp look. "We don't celebrate that in South Africa. And this," he motioned toward his choice of dress, "is official wear for me."12

Graham nodded and decided not to pursue the issue. Don't want to mess with a guy that can do pretty weird stuff.13

"Listen, Jason..." Graham started, but he had already disappeared again into the back room.14

Wishing he could get just a few minutes to talk with him, Graham once again made himself comfortable in the chair, gave the street outside a cursory glance, and resumed his reading. The book was fascinating. It told the entire story of a time so long ago that not even historians knew it existed. The more he read, the more his amazement grew. He knew the world he lived in was pretty advanced, but this information made all of present civilization more like barbarians, sitting around a small fire in a cave somewhere, watching an approaching storm with superstitious dread. Not only was Jason's civilization clearly more advanced, it went in an entirely different direction than this one. Instead of material, they went intellectual, studying the mind instead of the universe. And that Otherworld, the one between one life and the next, was the first place they discovered. Graham knew the mind could do some wonderful tricks, and he had even watched that Uri guy on television once. But this? Oh man. This. Some people would give a lot to lay their hands on this book. Which brought him back to his original query just as Jason arrived again, this time looking even more worried than before. A frown creased his forehead, and he was covered in dust.15

"You would think I would remember something as obvious as this" he exclaimed, breathing a deep sigh.16

Graham stood up and placed the book on the table. Turning to Jason he smiled.17

"Lost something?" he asked, once again trying to hide a smile.18

"Yes, but you have questions I see. Alright, make it quick, and then you can help me in my search."19

Graham decided to cut to the quick. "Who is chasing you?"20

"Us, chasing us. An old pupil of mine. The one who broke the chain. You must have read about that?" Jason pointed to the book.21

"Do you mind telling me exactly what we are going to do once he gets out of the Otherworld? Which should be soon if I understand correctly. Only you, or the death of someone nearby, can set him free."22

"Correct officer. But luckily for us, Enderton is very small, and I doubt someone is going to kick the bucket soon, so we have a bit of time on our hands. As for what we are going to do, I can't really tell you that."23

"So what you're trying to tell me is that you don't know."24

"Exactly!" Jason said, furtively looking around. After a second he raised his hand before him and uttered a word that Graham couldn't quite make out, and hurt his ears to hear. A faint light blue surrounded Jason's hand for a moment and then disappeared to reveal him holding a small doll, the same as those Graham had seen many of the locals carrying.25

"You were looking for that? I guess I don't have to even ask why you didn't just conjure it up in the first place, right?" Graham spoke to Jason's back, following him as he went into the back room.26

"Everything I do affects everything else. So it's preferable to try it the difficult way first. But time is, as you say, limited. I just sensed the death of someone nearby" Jason said, his words trailing off as they both disappeared before Graham could even begin to protest.27

They landed in a forest. Graham looked around him. Nobody was in sight, yet in the distance he could hear the unmistakable crackling of fire. The sunlight filtered through the leaves and smoke, making a spectacular display as motes played in the beams of light.28

"Where the hell are we?" he asked, brushing leaves off his clothes.29

"Not where, but when. This is the same place my pupil brought me to a while ago. And if I'm correct, we should be just in time to see the end of a nice little settlement."30

With a grunt Graham set off after Jason. The last thing he wanted was to get lost in these woods. It was eerie and quiet, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. It took him a moment to notice that this was the stillness of a place without cars, without electricity, without radio and CD players. It was so tranquil Graham almost felt the urge to lay down and just listen to the emptiness. The only sound to mar the perfect silence was the crackling of fire, that grew louder as they approached.31

Jason lay his eyes once again on the scene of carnage that his own existence had caused so long ago. In the distance the house he had entered to save the small girl was in ruins. Flames rose and brushed the deep blue sky.32

Carefully Jason walked amongst the smoldering remains of homes and bodies, taking care not to step on hot ash, Graham trailing in his wake, a look of sheer revulsion on his face.33

"In all my life on the force, I have never seen destruction such as this. Easily a hundred, or even more, dead. Jason, who would do such a thing?"34

Jason paused over the body of a young child where he lay staring up at the sky. With a reverence for the dead unlike Graham had ever seen before, Jason closed the eyes of the lifeless little body, and glanced up at Graham.35

"Humanity did this. The vile illness that has followed our species since the breaking of the chain, so long ago." His voice trailed off as he stared behind Graham into the woods.36

A small girl was approaching them, furtively glancing all around her, as if expecting an attack from any direction. Her blond hair was shoulder length, the golden shine standing out in the surrounding destruction like a lighthouse in a storm. She approached Jason where he still stood bent over the body. Dressed in light blue cloth, she seemed so out of place, that Graham almost couldn't believe she was there. Something about her made him want to go nearer to her. It took him a moment to realize that both she and Jason shared that same unknown quality that attracted people like moths to a flame.37

She stood before Jason and looked at him for a long time before speaking. Her voice rose gently on the wind to Graham, where it sounded like the most perfect voice he had ever heard.38

"You saved me, a while ago."39

Jason nodded, a single tear rolling down his cheek as he stared at this young girl's beauty.40

"We both shed tears for the dead, and we both feel their passing." she answered, as if to an unasked question, before taking off a necklace.41

"You are here for this." she said, holding a dangling amulet out to Jason. Hanging on a thin rope, was a small stone with a symbol carved into it. The sideways three of Memoria that Graham instantly recognized from the evidence he had picked up at the victims' houses in Enderton.42

Jason carefully took the amulet and wrapped the rope around his fingers before nodding his head slightly. Without a word he stood up and walked over to Graham, leaving the small girl looking after him, before she headed off into the distance and disappeared into the woods.43

"Take this, wear it my friend" Jason said, giving the amulet to Graham, who took it without a word, and tied it around his neck. He watched intently as the amulet swung on his neck. It felt mildly warm against his shirt, as if it had baked in the surrounding flames recently.44

"I guess we're going now?" Graham asked. The sadness of the moment, and the loss of life surrounding him had brought him close to tears, but he had tried to hide it as Jason and the girl spoke. Now his eyes stung from the smoke, and he looked away, hoping Jason didn't see him cry.45

"Yes, we are." Jason said, his voice thick with grief, before taking Graham's arm and Pushing him along the corridors of time and existence.46

To Graham the experience of being Pushed was mildly disconcerting. To Jason it was an act of reflex. Something he had grown so used to being able to do, that it took him no more than a moment's effort to slash through the very fabric of reality. A little bit of concentration, and he could go pretty much wherever he pleased, and sometimes, to whenever he pleased.47

They landed on a smooth mosaic surface, and for a moment Graham thought that he must have inhaled too much smoke. The place was dark and the ground appeared to move beneath his feet. A moment later he realized they were back in that strange circular room. The shadows were still casting dark pools behind the support beams that rose to an unseen roof. And in the centre of the room those flames still danced their merry dance, and the mosaic still changed its form. By now Graham was used to the nauseating effect, and hardly gave it a moment's thought. What interested him the most were the two people that appeared on the far side of the room, a moment after he and Jason did. In the split second he required to recognize them as their earlier selves, Jason grabbed him again and shoved him behind a pillar, out of sight. His breath rasping from his throat, the taste of smoke still deep in his lungs, Graham peered around the corner. At the farthest point he could see Jason, the earlier Jason, walking up to the fire in the centre. And he saw himself remaining behind, looking at the room like a child in awe. Once again Graham listened to that reality changing conversation.48

"Where are we?"49

- In your mind Jason Graham thought behind the pillar, watching the exchange again.50

"The answer to that is complicated..."51

- And you won't explain it of course. 52

"...and ages ago you possessed the ability to come here on your own. But for now, let's say you are safe."53

- Safe? Safe! With that dark thing out there, this world is never safe54

A flash of green brightened the room for a moment, casting a sickly shade on Graham's younger self. In that moment Graham could almost sense what was happening.55

"I guess the next question would have to be, why am I, or we, here?" 56

- Excellent question, why am I here? Because I happen to tag along? I think not, somehow you need me Jason, and you know it. That's what all the cryptic answers have been about so far, hasn't it? Something you want me to do, but can't ask me to.57

"Let me tell you a story. But we will have to make it short. Time as you know, is fluid, and can run both forward and back when you know how to turn it...."58

- Tell me about it, I'm just getting used to the idea.59

"A long time ago, so long ago, that even the wisest of men in your current incarnation can't even begin to fathom it's existence, humanity still lived close to the earth. In harmony with all energies that existed there. And as with all such, men began to use those forces as their own. It was a time of peace and tranquility, the proverbial paradise. It was the time of magic and myths, now long forgotten or scoffed at. After many decades a young man, experimenting 60

with his own gifts, discovered the Memoria chain. The only beam of energy that is untouchable by everyone, it is what separates each person from one incarnation to the next. It is the only constant in death, that none must remember his past. This young man broke his chain. A deed so infinitely evil, that his darkness grew like a shadow on the worlds, both in reality and those beyond our grasps. This evil goes by many names. Some call it Pandora's box, other Mpundulu, and some, human nature. Where evil happens, it is there. And so it has been for all times."61

- Ah yes, that dark man Jason's been rambling about. His pupil. The big bad nasty that creeps out of the shadows to scare little kids. The Boogyman. Ladies and gentleman, applause if you please.62

"Then what do I have to do with it?"63

- What do I have to do with it, never mind you.64

"When your people discovered this darkness, they set about to correct it, but knew that because of the Memoria chain, they would never live long enough to stop it. So they too broke the chain of a single man. Someone so utterly without evil, that the breaking caused no darkness to come forth. The promise was made that one day this man, in his incarnations, would be gifted to remember. And to stop the darkness from completing it's quest."65

- Enter Jason, the great saviour. Religions around the world would go nuts if they heard this.66

"And I guess we can all remember what that quest is."67

"Yes. To break the chain of every person on earth. Causing them all to remember, and go insane. Because that is what evil is, insanity, absence of light and love."68

- No, that's what you wanted me to hear. But what it actually wants to do, is kill everything permanently, so Jason couldn't come back and stop it. Because in the end all that evil really wants to do is to survive. And with no more people whose chains haven't been broken, nobody would be around to help Jason. That's what this is all about. A choice.69

"I am that man."70

- No. We are.71

"Yes"72

With that, a bright flare of light filled the room, causing Graham to squint. Seconds ticked by until it finally died down. There was a brief exchange, but Graham was still deep in thought before he realized that their past twins had departed, leaving them once again alone with the mysterious man by the fire.73

Graham carefully stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to the man in the centre of the room. Slowly the man took his eyes away from the flames and settled them upon him, a smile barely playing at the corners of his mouth.74

"Welcome back, you're just in time."75

Graham took a few steps forward, the heat of the flames driving away some of the cold he felt.76

"In time for what? To hear some more zen voodoo garbage?" Graham spoke, his voice rising just a notch. After all this time they had spent rushing around, this old man had known they would end up here. And what a waste of time! Already more people could be dead in his town, slain by their own hands. But in truth by the hand of that devilish thing that Jason seemed hell-bent on stopping.77

"Graham, perhaps you should not anger him." Jason spoke from behind him, his voice barely a whisper.78

The old man looked over at Jason and slowly shook his head. "No Guardian. This time your friend needs to see, like you saw. But for him, we will show what could be." 79

The old man waved his hand at the flames, and they sprang up at his command to circle Graham, who stood only a few feet away. The heat should have burnt him, but Graham felt nothing. His mind was awash with images, playing off like an old movie.80

Jason sitting in his living room, listening to that CD. When all of a sudden he gets up and leaves the room. A moment later a single gunshot reverberates through the house.81

The old man by the fire. The very same room they are in now. He sits and waits. And after what seems an eternity, stands up and walks away.82

The shaman at the settlement near Mulder's farm. Crying over the loss of a boy. The crowd gathering outside starts shouting about the white plague, while the shaman tries to calm them. But to no avail.83

A white man yelling in anger about his dead daughter, found shot by his own gun. He blames the world. He blames himself. But mostly he blames those who are innocent.84

News reports stating unrest in a small town nobody has even heard about. With reports that similar acts of civil violence had broken out in different cities.85

Graham walking in the streets of his once loved town. All around him the smoke of fire rises, mixing with the smell of roasting flesh, their acrid stench filling his lungs, burning him. But he feels that somehow the pain is his just reward for allowing this to happen. Scattered on the streets were bodies, some flanking burning cars, others holding guns and makeshift weapons. Broken glass from windows strewn everywhere, and the crunch as he walked over it, was the only sound in a world filled with the crackling of flames and the occasional explosion as something blew up. Reminding him that in this city of devastation, he was the only one left alive. Somehow Graham knew that this could, would, happen. The end of humanity wouldn't be triggered by nuclear bombs or poison gas. But by the right combination of hate, fear and prejudice.86

Graham opened his eyes, the pupils illuminated by the last flickering of flames as the heat around him subsided. He bent over and violently vomited on the floor, trying to get the images and stench out of his mind. When the nausea passed, he chanced a glance over at Jason, who merely nodded, a deep understanding in his eyes.87

"So that is what this is all about. Not just a few kids, but literally the entire world."88

"Yes Graham. Every person has a choice. But as long as my pupil remains in this world, free will is a myth."89

Graham nodded and looked at the dying fire.90

"Where did the man go?" Graham asked, looking furtively around the room. They were alone with the shifting mosaic and crackling fire, it's sound all too much like those Graham had heard in his vision of a destroyed town.91

"After the flames engulfed you, he stepped into the flames, saying something about a choice.".92

"Any idea what that meant?" Graham asked, still bent over from his vomiting. Standing erect, all his old aches and pains were amplified by the sheer force of his retching.93

"A glimmer."94

"Well, let's get out of here then. We probably have to find that Boogyman and put him out of his misery."95

Graham grasped Jason by the arm, and waited for that telltale, disconcerting changing of surroundings.96

"Sorry old man, but it is too late for that now. He has found us."97

The shadows that danced with the flames grew before their eyes, becoming darker and more solid as the flames died down, casting them in a room of growing blackness. Graham involuntarily took a step backward, hoping that Jason would do something to bring some light to this night cursed place.98

Before the shadows could condense completely into the now familiar man-shaped form, Jason held up both hands and uttered another word. Thousands of voices rose up for a heartbeat to fill the room with a resonant "aaaaa!" From each of his hands a ball of glimmering blue light rose, their watery flickering a small comfort to Graham. In the few seconds it took for Jason to conjure his waterlights, the form of a man had materialised in the centre of the room where the fire used to be, now extinguished. Red streaks raced along its surface like sci-fi effects in earlier years' cheap movies, lighting the dark man's shadow caked skin with a sickly red, like open sores.99

"Guardian, you have nowhere to go. And I am tired off these games" that voice spoke up. 100

It reminded Graham of thousands of cars stomping on the brakes at the same time, overlaid with the scratching of fingernails on a blackboard.101

- Wrong boy, this man can go anywhere, anytime. But that won't help, you'll just chase him down like a dog. And me? I don't stand a chance. Not in the real world.102

The dark man gave a brief cry at the sight of the pale blue flickering light, and shot a red streak toward Jason. Graham barely had time to duck when it came whistling by, reminding him of a time when he was in a shootout near Soweto, not too long ago. Luckily Jason had dodged too, giving the red line (which sounded like a nest of angry hornets) a clear flight to the pillar behind them, where it hit the surface and splashed red like blood, before disappearing. A heartbeat later - or so it felt to Graham, who could feel his heart rate go up another notch - he was too old for these duck and dodge antics - the pillar imploded, and once again he had to dodge, this time behind another pillar. He winced as a few large stones hit the wall near him. Those could kill a man.103

"You can't kill me pupil! And I can't kill you. This is tiresome!" Jason yelled, glancing around for a sign of Graham, but the old cop was out of sight.104

A wind rose with Jason's words. A small tornado with its eye where the dark man stood. It slowly gained speed, until even Graham could feel it pulling at him where he hid, threatening to tug him out of hiding.105

- So this is what sugar feels when stirred in a cup? he had time to think, and a short bark of a laugh escaped him. How he could still smile at a time like this, amazed him.106

Fighting the force of the supernatural wind, Graham stole a glance at the two combatants. Jason was dodging red blasts from the shadow in the centre, trying to draw his attention away from where Graham was hiding.107

"You have a choice" a voice spoke up, so close to his ear, that Graham whirled around, his heart in his throat. Standing before him was a young boy, faintly familiar. His eyes were deep set and dark, the shadows playing in them like the tears of the dead. Although the wind was now so strong that Graham had to crouch in order to avoid being picked up and flung around, it didn't seem to touch this boy.108

"What do you mean?" Graham had to yell. Even with the wind, the noise of Jason's struggle and the pupil's cries were loud.109

"You have a choice to end this now" the boychild said, holding his hand out to Graham. In it was a small silver necklace, like his mother had worn. Graham took the necklace and studied it for a moment. It was the one his mother, now many years in her grave, had worn.110

Graham looked at the boy, who merely nodded. "She waits. So do we all. For the end." And with that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Graham alone with that godforsaken wind and blasting, which, honestly, was beginning to give him a headache.111

- They wait? For the end? Of what? This? Now? Jason? But neither can die by the other's hands, so why does Jason even try to fight the thing? If that thing is evil, then Jason must be good. But good and evil cannot destroy each other. They need each other to survive. You can't take the black pieces out of a chess game. Then the game would have no meaning. But what if black had won too many times. Then white should win some too. When a game is played and the sides are unequal, there is always a handicap, like in golf, to give the weaker competitor an advantage.112

Graham sneaked another glance at the two in the centre, his thoughts racing.113

- Throughout everything I felt as if I were keeping Jason back, being his handicap. But that's not true. He was showing me what I must do. Because I am his advantage.114

That realization made Graham smile, and his heart almost soared with relief. Until he realized what it was he had to do. But this was not a time for grief. Or for considering his options. Jason wouldn't be able to keep that thing busy forever.115

Jason's eyes widened as he saw Graham step out from his hiding place, holding onto the pillar to avoid being blown away by the fearsome gale. Their eyes met for a moment. And in that moment Jason saw the clarity of conviction. And he knew the end was near.116

"You may not kill him and he cannot kill you. But you never thought of me!" Graham yelled, his voice sounding faint in the roar of wind. But the dark man did hear him. His gaze settled upon Graham, whose skin crawled at the thought of those empty black sockets staring at him.117

"And what can you do little man?" it asked. Graham winced at the sound of its voice.118

"I can choose! During all of your existence, all your victims have gone unwillingly, but I choose to go. And to destroy you!"119

Graham let go of the pillar and started to run. Jason merely watched as Graham tackled his pupil. But instead of knocking him off his feet, Graham merged into the shadows, disappearing from view. For a heartbeat the only sound was the unnatural wind tearing around Jason. 120

Slowly, from the ground at the dark man's feet, rose a chain, seemingly being fed by the mosaic pattern, and Jason could see that indeed this was what it appeared to be. The mosaic was depicting chains moving toward the centre. When the mosaic-chains came to the feet of the screaming pupil, they burst out of the ground and started to circle the dark man. But Jason could see they were rusted and corroded, and broken at places. 121

Moments later the mosaic changed. Rusted chains were replaced by golden links, fresh and strong. They too floated up, and surrounded the dark man, whose screams had died down to a mere whimper. Jason watched as the golden links merged with the rusted chain, forming a strong bond, their radiance brightening as they did so. Soon Jason could see nothing, blinded by the power and brilliance of the Memoria chain.122

No fancy snap. 123

No fancy whoosh. 124

Only that brightness. 125

And then nothing. 126

Jason was alone - the air was still. 127

The darkness of the dark man was gone, and even the mosaic seemed to realise the calm of the moment, for it did not move or change again.128

Carefully Jason walked around the hearth where his ancient nemesis had stood only moments ago. 129

So Graham had chosen what only a mortal could choose. Given his life to heal the broken bonds of another. Truly that is the greatest sacrifice of all. Jason smiled, and thought of a little girl he would like to see again.130

A slight fluttering in the air, and he was gone.131

... As Jason departs, a young man emerges from the shadows, the last remaining light from the struggle of moments ago reflecting from the three-pointed pendant hanging from his neck, a knowing smile on his face. Slowly he walks over the stilled mosaic towards the two objects on the floor. Bending down, he picks up a little doll and a necklace, puts them in his pocket and merges with the shadows once again ...132

In a town not too distant, a boy opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. The air smelled different somehow, and everything felt different too. He turned to look at the clock beside his bed. The steadily blinking light showed seven am. Closing his eyes he drifted back to sleep, his last conscious thought that of a strange symbol. And a name. Starting with an M.133

All around the world, people opened their eyes and looked around. They went outside and looked up, enjoying the deep blue of the sky. And those on the nightside glanced at the stars and were amazed at their beauty. They felt the power of the earth beneath their feet. Those who were more sensitive than others could swear that they felt the feelings and thoughts of those close to them. Men, women and children, of all shapes, colours and sizes, realized then what a great world it was. If only they had taken the time to look at it, instead of trying to destroy each other with their petty squabbles. People who had previously had murderous intent, discovered that such feelings were senseless and belonged not with them. Because this was a new time. They remembered what it was to live in harmony. When the shadow over humanity was gone, peace truly was the greatest gift to have.134

~ The End ~135