Chapter 928: Edge of Twilight

Chapter 928: Edge of Twilight

There is much in this universe, and beyond, that we do not understand.

Math is the language that we will use to understand the secrets of the universe. - Unknown Terran, Age of Paranoia

The sky was color of the shadow of a rainbow, filled with flickering artifacts and jagged pixel edges. Here and there small blue stars of error screens winked in and out like fireflies on a muggy night. The ground was blasted, an impact stripping away bmp-leaves and doc-bark, leaving behind only the hard code-wood of the trees. Sql-moss was slowly growing over the upthrust jagged rock of the OS application layer, glittering trails of liquid jpg-tags and crc-codes trickled down through the pebbles and rocks. Squawking error checkers flapped their wings and pecked at the bugs in the hard-code trees and firmware wood.

In a blasted crater was a small campsite, a merry fire and three small shelters beside a spread eagled figure. A teapot bubbled happily over the fire, four teacups on a flat rock nearby.

A trio was crouched next to a spread-eagled figure in the middle of the crater. A Fox, a Frog, and a Man, all made of swirling and glittering code, were looking at the figure in a black trenchcoat that was studded with chrome spikes. The supine figure's eyes were hidden by mirror shades that reflected the sparkling stars in the sky.

The supine figure gave a groan of pain and exhaustion, one hand moving to reflexively holster the chrome pistol it had held during its comatose slumber.

"Easy, friend," the Frog said.

"You fell a great distance as a shooting star," the Man said.

"We came to witness you, to gaze upon you," the Fox said.

"Where... where am I?" the figure asked. It sat up slowly and removed the mirror shades from its eyes.

The figure was an avian of sorts, or at least their ancestors had been. Their flesh was covered by feathers, they had a short beak for a mouth, and wide eyes.

"You fell a great distance," the Frog said. "As a shooting star, you fell down to a land of mysteries, riddles, and wondrous things to witness."

The Bird looked around. "This place is strange to my eyes."

"Do you remember who you once were?" the Fox asked.

The Bird thought for a moment, then shook their head. "No. Yes, but no. I remember I was once flesh and blood before I gave it up in the commission of a great deed, but I remember not what the deed was nor who I had been."

The Man nodded. "Such is the way of this strange and terrible place."

The Frog stood up and held out their hand to help the Bird to their feet. "Come, by the fire. We have tea and three day old stew, which is the day it tastes the best."

"That sounds wonderful," the Bird said.

The Bird was unsteady, the Man offered a shoulder for them to lean on while the Frog kept one hand on their lower back and held their hand.

"Do not push yourself, friend," the Fox said.

"I am fatigued, sore in body, but my spirit is lifted by the smell of the stew and the steeping tea," the Bird said.

The Bird was carefully set down, a pack moved so that the Bird could recline against it.

"Look!" the Fox said as the Frog poured tea into the four cups and the Man dished up four bowls of three day old stew.

They all looked up and saw a great dragon, a fearsome engine of destruction, ancient and wise in the ways of secrets and magic. Its belly was full of tokens, its wings spread wide as it glided through the sparkling air, its long tail swishing back and forth as the spikes of forced disconnect gleamed in the pale light shed by the moon.

"It is fearsome," the Bird said, quailing back slightly.

"We are too small for one so great and important to notice," the Frog said, reaching out and patting the Bird's hand reassuringly. "For us, the dragon is just something for us to witness in awe and remember fondly in our later years."

The Bird nodded.

"We have seen dragons, angels, demons, and gods during our journeys, new friend," the Fox said. He blew on his cup of tea to cool it off. "There are many amazing sights we have seen, and we hope to see many more amazing sights as we continue our journey."

The Bird looked around.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Deep within the Holy Architecture. Past the Gestalt Channels, through the Hypercom Wave, beyond the Plains of Application, and into the deep secrets," the Man said. He sipped at his tea.

''Where are we bound?" the Bird asked.

The Frog smiled, waving his hands to encompass everything around them. "Wherever the road takes us. There and back again, I suppose. To see what none have ever seen before and hopefully live to tell the tale to others."

The Bird nodded. "I would like that. I can remember that I was one who sought out secrets and ancient sites to set my sight upon and marvel at their existence."

"Then welcome," the Fox said. He spooned more three day old stew into the Bird's bowl. "Eat, rest, and regain your strength. Once you are hale again, we shall resume our journey, made much richer by your company."

"I would like that," the Bird said.

-----

"It would be a wonder to explore," the Frog said, wistfully. "I wish we could reach it."

"It would be interesting to see all things," the Man agreed.

"Perhaps that is another's tale," the Bird said. "We have witnessed it. That should be enough."

The Fox nodded. "True."

The Frog turned away from the wondrous site. "Let us see what other wonders await us," he said.

The others turned away, the Man lingering for a moment to stare at the legendary myth made real.

Together, they went back through the canyon, making camp by the river in the forest of file trees.

"Where should we go now?" the Bird asked.

The Frog pointed in no particular direction. "That way," he pointed in another direction. "Or perhaps toward there."

The Bird nodded.

"Wherever we go, we will be together," the Fox said, pouring tea. He lifted his cup. "We have been there, now it is time to go back again."

The others nodded, lifting up their teacups.

The cups chimed softly as they clinked them together.

"To back again," the Man said.

"To back again," the others said.

"Let us sing before we sleep," the Bird said. He looked up at the stars where they glimmered and gleamed.

Their song drifted across the ancient and forgotten plane as they raised their voices in joy and wonder, making up the song as it went along.

-----

HAT WEARING AUNTIE

Anyone else feel that?

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---

TREANA'AD HIVE WORLDS

Every time you say that, something bad happens.

Stop asking that.

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---

TELKAN FORGE WORLDS

Yeah. I felt something. I don't know what, but something.

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---

HAT WEARING AUNTIE

I wonder what it was?

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---

PUBVIAN DOMINION

It's been a weird war, sis.

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---

TREANA'AD HIVE WORLDS

You said it, brother.

---NOTHING FOLLOWS---