Aberrations

Ok this one came out much faster than the previous ones, Enjoy

-Shadrach


Encounters of the Lucent Kind.

It was two hours after the attack, Chromium and Gavin watched over the unconscious form of their younger sister. Eliza lay still on her bed, as if sleeping but in a catatonic state ever since their unknown assailant had died so close to her. With his death her mind seemed to be elsewhere, but her body remained seemingly well.

“Are you sure she is going to be fine?” Gavin asked. He looked at the muscular metallic form of his twin brother.

“Yes,” Gavin sighed, “even though her healing abilities give her greater insights into the bodies functions; mine are sufficient to know that everything is working as it should… there is nothing out of the ordinary, other than her mental state…”

“But you could be wrong, right?” Gavin again looked up to his brother’s decidedly Irish face.

“Look, even if someone who was as good as she was at sensing illness and physical issues were here; they would agree with me, she is physically fine… The problem isn’t her body.” Chromium gently placed his right pointer finger on her forehead, “The problem lies somewhere in there, and we both know telepathy is *not* my area of expertise. I think the problem was caused by her nearness to death, we still do not even understand a fraction of her Nova powers. With his death, her powers could have…” he paused uncertain how to say what he was thinking, “could have taken her with him… We just have to hope and pray that she can survive and learn to control this new manifestation.”

“God, I hope you are right brother.” Gavin sighed and then stood to pace about the room as if remembering something important. He paused then spoke, “What about his body?”

“I imagine that whomever he worked for has already reclaimed his corpse, less evidence for us that way. After all, leaving a body behind is undeniable evidence that someone, or something, that beyond what is supposed to be there is there.”
“Just before…” Gavin swallowed nervously, “he said… something, Proteus, any idea?”

“Not a clue, I know the word has a mythological basis, as well as scientific, but that is neither here, nor there.” Chromium sighed yet again, “Maybe it is a super secret big-brother organization hell bent on controlling Novas to further some diabolical goal…”

Gavin gave a hearty laugh, and then replied “You have read one too many comic books Gaelin, Superman is starting to seep into your brain again. This is the real world, not a comic book, things like that do not exist.”

“In case this has somehow escaped your keen senses brother; I am metal, and as far as we know, I could beat Superman in a fair fight. You can shapeshift into things that technically never existed, and Eliza can control light of almost any kind… Are you so sure that this isn’t a comic book?” Chromium gave Gavin a fully questioning yet smug grin.

Gavin once again laughed, “Well if this was a comic book, then isn’t this the perfect time for our Super-villain to send a messenger with a cryptic and all-to-thinly veiled threat?”

Both brothers looked about, waiting for the arrival of some devious being, or the servant of such being. Alas, no such thing ever showed up. “You see Gaelin, nothing… nada… zilch… zip… zer.. What in all of golden glory is *that*!?” Gavin shouted.

At about the time Gavin began to say ‘zero’, a golden orb of light winked into existence above Eliza’s motionless form. The ball was no larger than a softball and seemed to be made entirely of a golden luminescent energy. The twin brothers stared dumbfounded at the ball of light, neither blinked nor moved.

The orb, however, was not bound in any such manner; it proceeded to flit and flutter above the bed, as if inspecting Eliza. It moved in a similar fashion to a nursemaid inspecting an injured child, then as suddenly as it had appeared it blinked out of existence. Gavin’s gaze slowly met Gaelin’s; Gavin spoke first, “You saw that too?”

Gaelin merely nodded.

“Ok, what *was* that?”

Gaelin merely shrugged.

“Say something atleast… what? What is wrong?”

Gaelin merely lifted his metal hand an pointed over Gavin’s shoulder towards the door.

Gavin slowly turned to see what his brother was pointing at, his mind tried to tell him what he saw simply could *not* be there. A pair of six foot tall humanoid beings stood in stoic position outside the opened door, both held five foot long flaming great swords at attention. The beings had a decidedly canine appearance; both covered with fur, paw-like hands, and canine heads that looked not unlike those of an Irish Wolfhound. Neither of the dog-like guards paid the brother’s any attention, whatsoever; it was then that things got really weird.

**********************************

Elsewhere…

Eliza floated after a glittering light; the light was somehow darkened and stained with several colors. It seemed to be heading up, but it could have been headed any direction, as Eliza had no way to determine up or down. She was flying, perhaps floating, through a black, formless expanse; no matter how hard she tried to focus on her surroundings nothing she could comprehend was there.

The light she was following faded from sight, she tried to follow it, but she found herself motionless in the void. A white pinpoint of light came into her view; it brightened swiftly, exploding swiftly and filling the black expanse with a blinding white luminescence.

Eliza was blinded by the sudden brightness and she attempted to use her power to soften the light enough to see its source. She found that the light would not obey; something or someone stronger than her was keeping it at such intensity.
She squinted and spoke, “Where am I?”

No response followed her inquiry; however, she was filled with an overwhelming sense of awe, followed by a wave of calm. “Who are you?”

This time a thought, an alien thought not formed by her own brain, surfaced into her mind.

“But, I don’t know how to get back…”



“What?”



Eliza did not know why, but she felt that it was best she do as the being asked. She focused on her link to her brothers; she found that it was still intact. The link was frail and barely holding her in place, it was like a rope stretched too far to its limit. Her focus followed the sliver back to her brothers; she saw them sitting beside her bed with her body laid carefully upon the comforter. It was what was standing beside the head of her bed with a hand laid upon her forehead that confused her and almost caused her to lose focus and be drawn back to that odd place.



Eliza once again focused, this time her consciousness flowed back into her body.

*************************************************

Gavin and Gaelin stared at the green skinned being standing before them; she, well it seemed to be a she, had white feathered wings on her back and wore a simple white tunic that extended past her knees. Her face was that of a beautiful woman, but her head was adorned by no hair; she did not have eyebrows, but her eyes were an intense white glow that seemed to seep out and illuminate the room.

She placed her palm carefully upon Eliza’s head and fancied the brothers with a simple smile. Gavin and his brother both had a subtle understanding that this being was here to help, neither could place exactly how they knew this; just that they did know it to be true. Her eyes closed and the light level in the room fell a bit more, but to the brothers’ surprise Eliza stirred.

In a matter of moments after the arrival of the green skinned beauty Eliza’s eyes fluttered open and she sat up in a jolt of surprise. “It was you?” Eliza asked the woman.

The green skinned woman nodded and made the brothers jump when she spoke; “Yes, we are” she motioned to the two standing outside the door, “your guardians. I am Gale, well at least that is what you may call me, and my real name is a bit beyond mortal capacity to produce.”

“Gale, um… what are you?” Eliza queried.

Gale giggled a bit before replying, “I am one of those beings, the guardians who watch over those of faith, and you are my charge. Though, I must admit you have a special gift that allows you to call upon not only myself but four others when you need us.”

“So for lack of a better term,” Gaelin spoke finally, “you are a guardian angel?”

“Essentially, yes.” Gale replied, “The two outside are warriors of our kind, they perform the duty of her physical guardians, and if they would politely grace us with their names this would be a lot more enlightening.”

Gavin blinked as the two stoic guardians entered the room; each nodded to Gale then faced Eliza from the foot of her bed. “Lady Eliza” the right handed one spoke, “we are pleased to finally meet you in this world,” the left one continued; “face to face, I am called Enix.” The right one finished with, “And, I am Ixen.” The pair then bowed slightly to Eliza.

“Do they always speak like that?” Gavin asked.

“Yes.” Enix began, “We do.” Ixen finished.

The two dog-men looked at Eliza as if awaiting an order; Eliza merely stared at them in a mixture of awe and confusion.

“Allow me to elaborate, child of faith,” A new and deeper voice spoke, “I am your final guardian, Arcarus. We do as we are ordered by the Prime Being; and those orders were to serve you as guardians, advisors, and companions. You have the ability to summon us from our celestial homes to you at anytime, for almost any reason. We are bound to follow your will, as long as that will does not directly go against our primary directives.”

All three siblings looked to the door of the now all too crowded room; a nine-foot tall golden skinned angelic being stood before it. He was majestic and awe inspiring to behold, a gloriously carved longbow was strapped across his back and a sword measuring some seven feet was somehow fastened at his waist. His eyes were as molten gold, shifting and glowing with fiery energy; his face was handsome and well shaped; lastly his muscles were evenly toned and parts of his arms bore the scars of untold battles.

“Enix and Ixen are twin Archons, Hound Archons to be precise, they are the warriors of our people; they fight the darkness when they can, and guard those of the faith when they are able. Gale is what your people speak of as a Guardian Angel, she would normally watch over you from our plane and make ‘adjustments’ to protect you from unnecessary harm. I, however, am a Solar. We Solars are the generals of the Celestial Plane, we are servants of the Prime’s will, and we are among his most powerful servants. Our skills, our knowledge, and our power are yours to command Lady Eliza Guinness.” Arcarus bowed to Eliza and awaited her response.

Eliza looked to her brothers, both of whom looked like they were about to faint. She thought to herself, ‘Why me? Why are these beings sent here to serve me?’

‘It is the will of the Prime, we have learned never to question his will.’ Arcarus’ deep baritone voice replied inside her head.

‘Ok first order, No listening inside my head, or talking for that matter, while I decide how I feel about this. Comprendé?’

Eliza blinked as all four beings nodded in compliance. ‘Well they are telling the truth, and they are obviously not of this Earth… Gavin… Gaelin… hear me. What do you think my brothers?’

Gavin’s mental voice came to Eliza, ‘Mother always said, never look a gift horse in the mouth… whatever that means…’

Gaelin commented through their connection, ‘It means… gah nevermind, I say if you trust them, let them serve you; with this new unknown menace, we need all the allies we can get… besides doesn’t the big guy look awesome… You think he would mind if we sparred a few rounds?’

Eliza let out her all too well known tittering laughter. When she was finished laughing, she spoke aloud to her new companions, “We welcome you to the Guinness household, but I have one question… well many questions…”

Arcarus spoke first, “Ask and the answer shall be given unto you.”

“Ok, do you have to stay here all the time, or can you go back?” Eliza asked.

“No, we may return at any time to the Celestial plane, as long as you say for us to return.”

“When you are here do you need anything special to survive, food, water, et cetera?”

“We are not mortal, we need not such things. We live by the Word and the Word alone.”

“Umm, got any ideas on who tried to kill us?”

Arcarus’ eyes closed and his head tilted upward, he stood in silence for a moment before responding, “While I do know that knowledge, I am not allowed to directly inform you, I may only say this; the corruption of all man made things is inevitable, those who tried to end your lives are servants of this worlds latest corruptors.”

Eliza sighed, “Yep, just as I thought.”

“It never goes that easy ‘Liza, you should know that by now.” Chromium chided.

“Not even just once?” Eliza mockingly responded and did her patented big eyes, frown, combined with pouting.

“Nope. Not even for that face… now stop that.” Gavin spoke this time.

“Ah well, I can try.” Eliza shrugged, “So who’s hungry? I for one am starving…”

A/N – Well there is Chapter 4, spit out a wee bit ahead of my random schedule. Enjoy, and someone review… it gets depressing, and well my life sucks enough, so gimme some attention so I can convince myself my life doesn’t suck so bad eh?

- Shadrach Out.