NOVEL WEB Issue 31: The Hanged Man
Issue 6: The Hanged Man
“Dark Matter is still a field of study of great interest to the Typherian Ascendancy. Users who can manipulate or control it are fairly rare. Other than a handful of Omega Defenders and One rather overbearing Orange Defender who has an insurmountable love for the Ayeer House, most can only barely grasp the importance and power of dark matter. It is the element that appears when the Weave and Universes brush up against one another. It is what gives some ships the ability to shift between universes. Even in our Navy, only 3 such Vessels exist, one doesn’t even have a code name that I can access. Perhaps when I finally take the mantle from J’ino, I will find out who captain’s these ships.”—X’mil, From his private accounts and journals.
“After many nights and days of probing and prodding, I have found the Hanged Man, now all I have to do is form a crew of my own. It’s not like Thoth cares I am here. If he did, he would have broken me out already. I suppose it was because that FBI woman was more malleable by force of her father’s will. That’s fine. In these desperate days, for many in Earth’s Magical community feel a change coming, I will add some of these beings to my group. We will escape this place together. Or not at all.”—Snake Charmer.
After we had assisted the Bardaxians, we brought the prize ships back to Earth, along with some more surprises. According to the intel in these pirate vessels, they had made use of backdoors that even Typha and the Uplifted Community wasn’t aware of. My first inclination was to fill the gaps for them but General Whitehouse proposed a different plan. One that eventually would safeguard Earth. He had said, “I know your heart is in the right place but if we keep this to ourselves, for now, Earth can ferret out more of these malcontents, see who else besides the Pirates know about it.” From his tone, I knew he was implying Thoth and even the All-Father. So like the Accord Wars, the breaking of the Enigma Code, I held back for the moment. In the end, Whitehouse’s foresight would save many lives. Not just Earth herself.—Sleeping In Starlight, a memoir of the 22nd Century.
Stoneward Correctional Center
Location Unknown
Date Redacted
Bobby “Blackfork” Timson gave an appraising look at the large brown-skinned Snake Charmer before him. He was here to inquire about services. Ones that could get them all in front of the firing squad. He knew from the prison grapevine that Charmer was of Egyptian descent. Even if those strange tattoos indicated unworldly powers. Bobby didn’t think Snake was a demi quite like them. The prison had 5 sectors. Sector 1 was Guard Territory: All of them were either enhanced with the best the Terran military could provide or were demis in some fashion or another. Sector 2 was for small-time criminal demis who also had sheets longer than he was tall. It would mean chaos for the normal population of Marksman Prison. Sector 3 was filled to the brim with the Insane. 4 was where he and Snake Charmer were housed. Demis that they knew had killed before but didn’t know how many victims. Until some mental wonder scanned their brains. If one even could get that close. Sector 5 was no man’s land. Nobody knew what was in there.
Expect the guards he imagined. Bobby opened his mouth, letting his forked tongue taste the air. There was the usual mix. Hard men and women. The only time both sexes were in the same area was for brief moments within the exercise yard, in-between processing for “new” arrivals, and lining up to receive their meal packets. Wouldn’t be healthy for many other forms of co-mingling. Most of the women here would stab you before even smiling at you. He peered around the exercise yard. No guard scents hitting his nostrils or otherwise. But that didn’t mean they weren’t watching somehow.
Snake Charmer sat, producing a deck of cards, “Poker?”
The weasel-faced man with mousy brown hair hissed, “Sure.”
*****
The Hanged Man turned. His milky white eyes crinkling as the guards fed his food packets through the energized slot. His dreams were very insistent. Something was moving out there. In the dark expanse of space. The guards tried to hide it but he knew better.
They weren’t on Earth at all but within the very threshold of Unity. These idiots didn’t even know it.
All the demons kept within a nice quiet place. The image of the cold face surfaced once more. A castout from fellow outcasts. The man with the burning tattoos would be his ticket out of here. Ghostly voices tugged at the corner of his vision.
This place would be swallowed in fire and ash.
The walls beat with each intake of breath: Come see the follies of man.
He keened wildly as the food chute slammed shut. The energy fields snuffed out. Leaving the Handed Man in pure darkness. Wispy tendrils caressed his skin.
“We are all damned here. Even the guards.”
He laughed. Unity was coming.
Earth would fall.
He would dance upon its hallowed grave and spit on them all.
*****
Snake Charmer felt the tremors underneath his feet. It lasted a good solid 2 mins. Was there a grav-rail system under them? Made sense. How else would they get food and supplies? His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of muffled grunting. He rounded the corner. Another inmate with glowing red eyes looked up. His buck teeth pulled back in a snarl. “Leave.” He saw the glint of metal. The man had taken down one of the drones. Not a good idea. He crossed his arms and replied, “Naughty of you scarlet.” The larger man spun on his heel. Banishing a jagged piece of durasteel. Arkesh, once a Muthra of Atlantis, felt his limbs go weak. A long forked tongue digging into his neck.
His heart raced. He felt the spread of fire along his spine and muscles.
The man with the glowing eyes ran forward with the knife.
An armored figure materialized between them. Its voice masked by an electronics suite.
“Oh, dear. It looks like there’s been a murder!”
With one smooth motion, the newcomer used the shiv against its owner, opening him up from neck to navel.
“Time to clean up.”
The figure turned and shot the outcast Arkesh in the chest. His eyes remained open as the one called Bobby dragged him over.
*****
Hilary Brookes surveyed Bobby with distaste. It had to be done though. Play the game. Get Snake Charmer in the same ward as The Hanged Man. The ancient Atlantian looked almost peaceful. If it weren’t for the two pinpricks of blood dotting his neck. She motioned to Bobby, “Leave him with me. Your pay is at its usual spot.”
He flicked his namesake out once more. Tasting the air.
Brookes bit down on her lip. Tasting the salty tang of blood.
She stepped on her emotions. They were useless enfeeblements anyway.
“Nice doing business.” He left. He never liked the feel of that woman. Even though the armor masked her outer frame, his tongue never lied to him. The pheromones were delicate and feminine to his senses. But she tasted unusual. A sickness in the blood. He shuddered and continued on. Whatever fate awaited Snake Charmer he didn’t want to know.
Inner Ward
Stonewall Correctional
Date Redacted
Snake Charmer awoke with a raging headache. The same armored person was in the room with him. With eyes slightly cracked open, he took a quick assessment of the place. It was lined with extra padding. He pretended to sleep. The bed was softer then he was used to. The faint pressure on his wrists indicated confinement. A voice hissed, “Welcome to the Party. Unity doesn’t Play very nice does it?” His eyes snapped open. It wasn’t from the guard. A rather wretched old figure peered down at him from the ceiling. Putting a finger to his lips. The Hanged Man grinned. His teeth were strait and perfect. A wispy gray beard encircled his face. “What shall we dream about I wonder?” The ghostly eyes pinned Arkesh to the bedframe. Images flashed. He was suddenly outside his body. The stars around him awash with the cold light of an indifferent universe. From below he saw the rocky pitted surface of an asteroid.
Snake Charmer felt his lips pull back in a rictus grin. His laughter melded with the Hanged Man. In the vast distance, he saw it coming.
The Unity.
The Calamity.
The World Eater.
These fools wouldn’t be able to activate the Ouroboros in time. Not even Thoth.
Within this hell, he dreamed alongside the Hanged Man. He knew what had to be done.
How ironic that Hilary Brookes, of all people, would be the greatest asset to mankind.
For all the wrong reasons. History would remember her as the Judas.
He would be free of this place. The image of a golden sky filled his vision. The soft crack of bones shuffled under his feet. He would build his empire out of the dust of the old.
The Hanged Man gazed outward as well. He fed the other man what he needed. The first cut didn’t have to be deep. No, that would come later. To escape. That was the first duty. Everything else would fall in line eventually.
*****
Agent Brookes exited the floating Abyss that the locals called Stonewall. It was at the furthest point in the Sol System. Leashed to a “hidden” Terran Alliance military facility that was to monitor the prisoners and keep watch for Humanity’s cradle. She froze as the demi called Adam Lazer paused. His white and blue battle armor hulking even in this expanded area.
Moments ticked by as she waited for him to complete the procedure. Sweat poured down her back. She felt exposed even within this borrowed armor.
His probes scanned her and waved her onward. She returned the salute. Making for the exiting shuttle bay. Being this far out in the dark terrified her.
Adam Lazer had his probes fixated on the girl. He matched it to Project Osiris’ database.
General Murphy’s face filled the HUD. <
He replied, <
He had to make sure his people were ready.
Next to him, J’ino stirred. Her eyes opened. He reached out in the dark and held her.
Here they would make their stand. The Wall must endure. He felt her reach for his bracers as they warmed, illuminating the bedroom with a gentle glow. Long ago battles left their mark. He pressed a kiss to her wrist.
“We have to be ready. Get some sleep.” She nodded.
She rested her head on his chest.
Tomorrow could wait a little longer.