Chapter 2 - The Vortex Spiral [Continued Part 2]

Chapter 2 – The Vortex Spiral & the Advent of Life

Eons later...

The crow still perched upon the monolith awakens and streches it's wings wide. Shaking it's ruffled feathers it glances about the stage set before it. Without any hesitation, as if it's dreams had determined this course of action, the crow pecks once at the monolith and then takes deliberate flight. The prototype concept of something new engages him and he roars thundering before the waters of recession.

“As one union, my Masks, we will create something dynamic and dangerous, but lasting. Not purveyors of some sadistic need, nor intoxicated with the sloth and ignorance of consequence, we will crack open the stoic face of conformity. Laughing heartily in the visage of empty, unfulfilling perfection we will shatter the anchored chains of fear. Breaking bravado and casting its rotten robes asunder, rededicating them to the night.

As the Keeper thunders his will through voice a cracking noise can be heard through the extent of the abyss.

"Truly we will part waters in this swelling silver chasm, marking our right as its’ rightful owner, maker, and ultimate master. Defiant, looking into the eyes of mad silence while shrieking as banshees crying out in disdain. The echoes of this scream marking us not as cowards but conquerors. To stride boldly before our potential fall and find ourselves worthy of a dream we were not ready to dream."

As the words continue in stride so too does the effect of the initial crack. A blazing light can now be seen emerging from the location the crow pecked. The crack begins to spread as an epidemic through the whole of the monolith.

"May we not look upon this birth as innocent, and instead handle it carefully as some unfathomable, volatile dynamo. Humble in the knowledge that we once were eternal and at peace with the expanse and it's silent poisons. Tread deep into the primordial traces of the mind. We will not cease nor lust over any temporal satisfaction, but appreciate it and digress not allowing complacency time to seduce us.  I give you four the power to tame the graveyards that will attempt to swallow up your enigmas, your seeded whims, and your incomplete wishes to soar."

The cracks now litter the face of the monolith and are emblazoned with light and fire.

"Erect newer and more perfect, but temporal euphoric creations for sun-time and Entropy to tear away.  Together speak now my beasts, my masks, my children. Roar beside me. Cast aside your infancy and exemplify your savage wills."

The chains begin to alight and soon the light travels toward the masks at an alarming rate.

"Execute the silence. Ravage into the night slaying the tedium that permeates its’ cold lifeless heart. Destroy this mockery of self-indulgent beauty. Conquest and fester over the expanse. Phase into the unseen side of lunacy and defile the decadence and luster.  Ravage into the night slaying the defiance that permeates its’ cold lifeless heart."

Abruptly all masks' eyes blaze with defiant fervor.

"Now finally, and at long last I beckon. I taunt. I tempt you to awaken. Breathe my dark sculptures and rage. Storm now before me!”

Several moments pass and the masks aggitation steadily increases until the frenzy all but rips them apart. Ultimately the masks begin spinning in unison twisting the chain and pressuring the monolith until finally it begins to pull apart. Suddenly the Monolith implodes and all of it's substance is swallowed up into the void of space it once filled. A beacon deep into the void violently begins to pull everything inside. A vortex opens pulling at the surrounding water and the masks themselves as their chains are now pulled in. The masks float, shaking violently and pulling at the chains with desperation, the crow circling above watching in anticipation.

The masks are pulled inside ultimately and along with them the ocean that was once eternity. All slide in tandem as their chains are pulled by the beacon steadily and constantly forward, the beacon that is time.

As the timeline takes hold the chains spiral to the apex of the spire while the masks follow behind their respective chain. Each chain exemplifying the respective mask and it's ability to influence every creation. Order with it's chain of cast iron, Forge with it's solid steel, and Entropy with it's forever rusted, decaying links. However, Fracture's chain is shattered making it free to influence every action and reaction in the universe, as poison in a well. Nothing will be subject to permanence.

The remaining 3 masks settle into their spiral orbit to the vortex as creation itself follow their every incrimental movement. All the while fracture floats scrutinizing all creation. Time is the hub while the three masks of Order, Entropy, and Forge encompass the spokes, the wheel itself is Fracture. This allows one mask at a time to remain dominant while the others are free to influence as they see fit. Fracture alone is missing the power to lead an era. For an era of chaos could unmake all that has been done.

The shattered remnants of the monolith itself formed all the matter in the universe while the ocean of eternity itself became the pure energy and momentum of the cosmos. And so the vortex spiral etched it's presence into eternity, drawing all in to the perceived prison that is time.

The spiral went on for aeons creating all that is the known and unknown universe. No life. Nothing but form to function with purpose. Forge works to bring form to the universe, Order gives it intent, while Entropy wittled away all components unnecessary or redundant, and there sat Fracture waiting to add brilliance in chaos or the precious flaws that gave all creation character. And so order remained in control. With creation of all forms came the advent of planetoids, stars and stellar bodies. Each body scrutinized by the masks and each element brought their divine intent and will to fruition. All the universe sat as monument and testiment to their being.

One particular planetoid burned with fire of suns in rivers of molten form. It was on this planetoid things changed, and with only the invention of a particular rock of aesthetic purpose. It started as a boulder created of a new material Forge had founded that could store heat in the form of molten veins. So the boulder sat alit with burning lines of untold beauty, their pattern set about by Fracture with randomness and intrigue. And so order chipped away at the form until a mass evolved with distorted appendages, roughly hewn with a chisel of purpose. Ultimately Entropy wittled the marvel down to a lean form with serene smoothness and curves. For the first time since the advent of the spiral the four masks sat in marvel at their creation.

It was in that moment of bliss that Fracture angered blazing red for the form rivaled that of even the masks themselves. And so fracture acted with will wrought of hatred and intent to decimate the creation into fiery rubble, but the form did not falter, and rather it shifted and shook. No longer a rock solid and stoic, but a being riddled with purpose and intent mimicked only by the masks themselves. The Masks sat awestruck and so for millenia they watched the creature as it divided, multiplied, roamed, and played. Eventually it evolved a will of it's own. The molten infused rock no longer a rock, but a live entitled being. This brought the Masks pause and in their contemplation they spoke in council and for the first time since their creation.

Fracture : What madness is this? For eons have we toiled only to be insulted by this mockery of form.

Order : It is not beyond our influence and it is a marvel nonetheless.

Entropy : It is a simple act to keep it in check, we will simply limit it's existence and bind it to purpose. Once it fades so too will the power and spark that is it's life.

Forge : The form is strong, it will not just wittle away nor will it disintegrate by whimsical fancy.

At this remark Fracture is noticeably aggitated.

Fracture : If that is the case then I will simply destroy the planet.

A massive earthquake erupts upon the surface of the molten world and many magma beings are lost, yet still the surface life endures. From within the planet even more life begins to surface. Beings growing out of the earth itself. These new beings still exibit the properties of the creatures yet lay inert other then growth and population.

Order : We cannot stem this tide. It is beyond our ability to destroy or interfere. There is another force at work here.

Entropy : It cannot be the shadow crow. Long ago were we discarded to find our way, his power is depleted and his form dimished.

Forge : You cannot deny the power we have witnessed and the enduring spirit of this new life. Our powers can diminish it, but still it endures.

Fracture : I will not allow the shadow crow to bind me to it's will any longer. I may tolerate this new life but do not think they will outlast my wrath.

Storms raged on the planet of lightning, fire, water and wind. Yet despite Fracture's effort life now flourishes on what is now known to masks merely as earth. In time the life was made stronger by Forge's subtle efforts, Entropy's testing of the fittest, and Order's imposition of instinct to dictate action. Finally Fracture stopped only to vanish from sight.

Order : Now that the one of chaos is beyond senses we must evolve the creatures to endure whatever hardships Fracture will find. If the erratic one fears it we must find ways to make it prosper.

Entropy : Without giving them direct control of their own will they will forever be suceptible to the tides of change and the enigma of Fracture.

Forge : Sentience is the answer but by doing so we risk our creation growing intellectually beyond our sphere of influence. Already we have witnessed the power inherent in evolution and adaptation.

Order : Impossible. We cannot allow sentience to exist, the very possibilites of it endangers the vortex spire of time.

Entropy : The spire must be protected at all cost, it is the only thing stopping Fracture from cracking open the very fabric of reality.

Forge : It is decided then. The manaforms will be denied sentience until such time as the spire's safety can be assured.

Order : There is another possibility that we have not yet considered. That life itself will evolve the fundamentals of sentience and Fracture has proven our inability to control their whims.

Entropy : This must not be allowed to happen. We must conserve our power and to release it every manaform age. In this way we can decimate their self-awareness, reverting them to basic instinct.

Forge : Such a power is granted only to one of us at a time and then not until the others have had their way.

Order : It is settled then. At the apex of our individual eras we will use our remaining power not to create but to destroy until the spire is strong enough to resist.

So it was established that the the first age would be built by the fabric of Order's influence, followed by Entropy, Then Forge. The first manaform being was dubbed Zarathustra and all eyes gazed upon his existence with fear, marvel, and suspicion for it was the one that would determine the marked evolution of the manaform beings. Order however adopted Zarathustra as his avatar and so his power was funneled through the manaform.

[More to come]