Left of Midnight Section Three: Micro-Chapter 3.10

Greetings and salutations, faithful followers of this blog! And welcome to any newcomers who may have found themselves here and wonder just what the heck is going on! I’m Timothy Scott Purvis, and this is a blog where I share all of my writings! Granted, most of them are old. But, I do have some new stuff popping up. Such as this novel that I’m writing on as we speak! It’s part of a series of books I’m putting up on my personal author’s page rather than trying to seek out traditional publishing because the story itself is part of a broader universe and I just don’t want anyone dictating how I’m going to write that universe. I might seek out an agent for other works down the road, but right now I’m focused on this tale and the follow up.

As such, thank you for deciding to come along for the ride! I appreciate it! I think after this story has reached its climax and is ready for publication on my own page, I’ll make my other works available here as well. I have a fan story I want to share next year as well based around the Mass Effect franchise. Well, it’s a retelling of the third game because me and my wife were so disappointed in how it ended, I just decided to rewrite the whole thing with Dark Energy going back to the primary drive of the work. Stay tuned for that presentation.

For now, let’s focus on this rough draft of Left of Midnight. A story about two arch enemies in an alternate history fighting World War II and discovering that aliens actually exist. True, it was based on a nightmare I had once. And that nightmare would suggest that this should have been a horror tale rather than an alternate history science fiction offering, BUT, I thought it would fit into my broader narrative fairly easily and offer up some background for how the future of that universe will play out. I like it as is and maybe someday I’ll do an alternate take on it just like Marvel does with their ‘What If’ comics. We shall see.

Alright, I don’t know if I’ll have another entry into LOM next week. It depends on how much I’ve gotten written before this goes up. I’ve scheduled this while I’m in the middle of writing micro-chapter 3.11. I’m hoping to have at least a few sections ready to go before this goes live, but don’t hold your breath. There’s a lot going on in the narrative and I still have bills to pay. Work comes first, regrettably. So, unless I win the lottery, this is going to be a slow process. Luckily, I have other stuff to keep you entertained in the interim.

So, without further adieu, part 3.10. Enjoy:

 3.10

COUNCILOR UMBEREGE GROWLED in frustration. Her runner had just left her office informing her of a major insurrection down in the lower sections of Farediin. The whole conversation swirled in her head as she exited her office and rushed down the corridor towards Sendima’s office across the complex.

  “Devastating news out of the markets, councilor,” the runner, a messenger of sorts who coordinated communications across the various regions and was personally assigned to Umberege’s office, started. The fear was evident in her eyes. “Those True Word people are storming the market places, converting people to their ways. And… it isn’t just like convincing them, either.”

  “Stop being vague,” Umberege replied standing up out of her seat behind her desk,”get to what you mean to say and quickly. There’s too much already to deal with here.”

  She looked baffled as she continued, “I don’t really know how to explain it, ma’am. The people down in the markets and the parks… the inhabitants of the lower blocks they’re, well, changing. Becoming dark. My colleagues who managed to escape describe a march towards the blockades that Adjutant Er’ra Zel put into place and are now standing there at the gateways. Just… staring at the closed doors. As if they’re waiting for something or someone. Waiting for orders. They don’t eat. They don’t drink. They don’t sleep. They hardly even move. Just staring at that gateway. For days.”

  “What of our defense forces? Has Er’ra Zel and that pilot had enough time to train a large enough counter force?”

  “I don’t know, ma’am. I know we have dozens more than we did and they sound competent enough. Yet, Adjutant Er’ra Zel and her associate have gone dark. One of her runners said that the missus needed time to think and took a brief hiatus to clear her head.”

  “Now? Now she decides to do this? When we need her the most!” Umberege scowled and waved her hand through the air. “This has gone on far enough. Sendima must act now to save this city or we are all doomed. Go and send word to the defense department to double their efforts in lieu of the councilor’s absence. We’ll just have to manage this ourselves. As well, tell them that the council has requested they triple the presence of armed defenders at every point of entry into Farediin Prime. Even rarely used points that might escape the attention of the average person. The lockdown must now become more efficient than it has been if we have these religious nutjobs infiltrating the lower levels.”

  “Ma’am, doesn’t the council have to meet to approve these decisions?”

  “We’re under an emergency situation here. There’s no time. Besides, as Vice Chairwoman on the Board of Defense, I can make these decisions unilaterally. Sendima must see the wisdom in it. We can’t delay any longer. It’s already going on three weeks since this whole endeavor began and those crazies are only growing larger as a group. Hurry up, now. Don’t make me ask again.”

  “Yes, ma’am!”

  She’d run out of the door then and hurried to carry out the commands she was given. Umberege came to Sendima’s office and buzzed for entry. She was admitted almost instantly.

  “Umberege, what is it that you need?”

  He didn’t even look up from his paperwork as she entered and hurried to the fore of his desk to glare down at the man. “You’re not taking this invasion seriously enough.”

  “What invasion?”

  Still, he didn’t look up and she grew more furious and slammed her palms on his desktop. That got his attention. “The followers of that Godhand who have been teaching his True Word down in Shoenden are now within our borders. Adjutant Er’ra Zel order the lockdown of any entry up into Farediin Prime, however, those zealots are now waiting at our gates. Plotting some unfathomable fate for us all. The time for pleasantries is over. The time for action is now. Well, it was two weeks ago, but who’s counting? What exactly are you planning to do?”

  Sendima gave her a look with a raised brow that made her want to slap him as he said, “Do, Ms. Umberege? There is nothing to do presently. Adjutant Er’ra Zel is managing our responses just fine. I trust her to fulfill her duties during this matter. Once she has a suggestion to make, then I will call on the council to take up what recommendations she has managed to decide upon. Until then, we sit back and don’t take any rash actions.”

  “That’s it? That’s your answer during an invasion? Sit back and wait?”

  “The councilor has shared her concerns about the True Word movement. However, this body will not intervene in the private expression of any religious belief.”

  “This is not the expression of religious belief!” Umberege replied, her voice rising several octaves. “These are the actions of zealots bound and determined to tear down our society! Our very way of life! It’s an existential threat come bearing down our throats and that you’d just sit there and do nothing is absurd! Why, I have half a mind to call an emergency session of the cancel and-“

  “And what, Ms. Umberege? Call for my removal?” Sendima fixed her with his stare then folded his hands on top of his desk. “Half of the council is indisposed as a result of the prefect’s actions. The others are debating whether or not to abandon the council altogether and focus on their own regional issues. However it all plays out, neither you or I have any bargaining position left to utilize. There is a war coming, I fear. I wanted to avoid it. Did everything in my power to find any other way around it. Nindemus is just too hellbent on seeing this city made his. And the rumors of a resurrected Midnight are just too… well, damning, honestly.”

  “Midnight? You truly believe that that ancient evil is among us?”

  “Dear councilor, we’ve been sitting on the burial chamber of Midnight since the beginning of our time here on Earth. We stopped them. We imprisoned them. We’re their caretakers until the end of time. The only thing I overestimated…” Sendima leaned forward, his hands tightening together until they became white. “…was the prefect’s weakness of mind.”

  Umberege was taken aback as she stood staring at the man for a long moment and pushed her way from the table. She thought she might stumble and fall. Yet, she managed to maintain her balance as she took in all that he was saying.

  “Midnight… is real?”

  Sendima nodded slowly and sighed. “Yes.”

  “The Voija of legend… they’re here? In this city?”

  Again, Sendima nodded. “Deep within the bowels of Shoenden. Nindemus was to be the current keeper of the forbidden chambers. It’d been locked away for millennia, you see. Since that day, oh, I’d say nearly a hundred thousand years ago. Back when the first settlements were built on Earth.”

  Sendima rose and clasped his hands behind his back as he walked past Umberege and towards the lengthy window encircling three quarters of the great council chambers eastern wall. The wall on the other side contained seating for those who would come and view the council sessions. Now, Umberege was getting the distinct feeling that Sendima might not feel that they would ever be observed again.

  “It was in the time after the Second Great Purge—”

  “Second Great Purge?”

  “Yes. When the galaxy was forced to segregate itself once more due to the influence of Midnight’s grasp. Or, if you prefer, the grasp of the Voija. Those beasts who’ve been with us since before the universe even existed. That evil is real, Umberege. As real as you and I.” He swallowed and let a cough loose then continued, “The remaining members of the fallen galactic empire of the time, I forget what they called it. I think something along the lines of the Tolanmin Empire. Its reach was from one edge of the Milky Way to the other. Its ambitions blinding it to the aggression of the Voija. Of course, this notion of the True Word and the Godhand existed then as well. It’s why I haven’t been as… aggressive towards these people as you all have wanted me to be.”

  Umberege took a step towards him, a growl in her throat. “If you had maybe we wouldn’t be here now!”

  He cast a glance away from the window and back towards her for a brief moment, the look on his face one of great sympathy. “Oh no, Paviite, oh no. You wouldn’t want that. That would only have made things worse. And we’d already be thralls of Midnight. Do you know why we call the Voija Midnight?”

  She stood confused and anguished. And only shook her head when he awaited an answer.

  He continued going back to staring out into the abyss of the sea surrounding the island. Several colorful fish swam by in a manner suggesting they were in no immediate hurry. “It’s a term used for them after the Second Great Purge. Midnight had fallen across the galaxy. Darkness void of the light of civilization enveloped us all. A rumor in the dark persisted. There was still a presence of the Voija on a small, underdeveloped world in a sector rarely traveled. The lord of that world, an anu by the name of Sheogan, regent of the Anunnaki, had sent word of this presence. Dozens of war ships from what remained of the galactic empire swarmed the Earth. Dropped the Cth’vit. Trapped the remnants of the Voija deep within its confines.”

  “I don’t understand. What are you talking about? What’s a sill vet?”

  “The conduit to the other realm that the Voija fear. A side sitting dimension that attaches itself to no other existence. It is both here, everywhere, and nowhere all at once. And only with the Cth’vit broken, can anything within be allowed into any other realm. But it takes power. Significant power to break that seal.”

  “And you think Nindemus has discovered a way to accomplish this?”

  Sendima slowly turned his head towards her. “Oh yes. I have no doubt that he used the fallacies of Sheogan the Wise to discover a means to unleashing Midnight and spreading his influence across Earth. Maybe even building up his own empire.”

  Umberege scoffed. “There’s no sense in what you say. Why would anybody want to rule a galaxy?”

  “Because there are some men who seek ultimate power. And the Voija will grant them that power… as it gives them the freedom from that dark pit some might call Hell. It grants them free reign over the universe. And it is our duty to stop that from happening.”

  “But you’re not doing anything, Sendima!”

  Sendima closed his eyes. The light streaming from the surface of the ocean above cascaded through the window and highlighted him under a serene and rippling aura of white and blue. “Yes. I am. I’m letting Er’ra Zel guide the Aurite of this time to where he’s needed most.”

  “The… Aurite?”

  Sendima opened his eyes and gazed back out into the dark depths of the ocean once more. The light from the surface bright as the ocean waves above ceaselessly rolled over the council chambers. “She will guide him and he will find the means to purge this cell of Midnight. It is the only way. There will be a war. But they will find a means to prevent it from spilling over onto the surface. Soon, the humans mean to unleash a great catastrophe. One that will alter the events of time moving forward. And it is something we’ve failed to anticipate from the beginning. It’s the Aurite now… only he can find a way to save us from ourselves…”

  Umberege sighed and turned away from Sendima. She exited the chambers and marched down the hallway towards her transit vessel. There was other work to do.

  If Sendima is lost to his fantasy world, then it’ll be up to the rest of the council to remove him and put an end to Nindemus’ insurrection ourselves. The anger on her face drew her mouth tighter and she hurried forward as fast as her legs would carry her.

And here we are again. At the end of another offering. I know, it goes too fast, doesn’t it? Just flies by and then it’s all over for the week. Well, I still have videos on Tuesdays (unless you’re hitting my YouTube page and just watching the crap out of everything I have up there) and my Story Time With Tim stories on Fridays. Which, of course if you’ve been following know will become Poetry Time With Tim come the fall. Also, I’ll be putting my Mass Effect 3 ReImagined book up come next year. Will I decide to correct some of the many grammatical errors in it and add in a sequence I meant to write but never did with Wrex? We shall see. I don’t know at the moment. That’s a lot of work and I have a whole hell of a lot of other stuff I need to do. But, I’d like to if that means anything.

Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope that you’ll come back for more later on. I do hope to have at least 3.11 available soon but it’s hard to say given my schedule. However, I will be posting more stuff on this blog as I move forward so never fear. I’ve been active a lot lately and it’s feeling me with some amount of pleasure as a result. I feel accomplished. And I want to go on feeling accomplished even if I’m not financially successful right now. Oy. Money. It’s always money.

Read to you again soon and I hope you have a good week.

~Timothy S Purvis

Since you’re here, why not go ahead and head on over to my author’s page? It has a lot on there on offer. Everything you can read on this site for free, is available there. I mean, if you enjoy my writing, why not buy a story or two? I try to keep it all as reasonably priced as possible. Though Amazon won’t let me go any cheaper than a buck, it would seem. Still, I think my work is worth at least a buck here and there, eh? Just click my name and the link will take you there straight away–> Timothy S Purvis

Also, I have this book I released last year that you might want to check out:

Also, I’m now accepting donations if you’d prefer not to go over and purchase a work from my site. I would really appreciate anything you can offer. Any support I can get goes a long way to being successful!