Blue Nexus #11: Origins

            “Well we have to go after him, now!” Kyle shouted, forgetting there was a frightened woman in his arms.

            Hood Nexus slowly shook his head. He appeared a lot calmer than he should have been. Or at least, a lot calmer than Kyle, who was very tense and fit to burst.

            “No, bad idea,” Hood Nexus said. “We don’t know anything about this guy. I mean, look what one ball of energy did to that planet. Imagine what it could do to us.”

            “Or Earth!” Kyle exclaimed. “At the speed he was flying at, we’d be lucky if we caught up to him.”

            “I’m not running into this guy half-cocked, alright?” Hood Nexus said. “We literally know nothing about who that was, so how do you expect to fight him?”

            Kyle shrugged. “Keep shooting energy beams at him until he finally gives way and we bring him down.”

            “Then what? Put him in some sort of super-prison? He can eliminate entire planets, do you not see what I’m getting at?”

            “Well he’s obviously dangerous but we’re running out of time.”

            “Which is exactly why we need to go into the Nexus. You know how time is different in there than out here. It’s slower, meaning we can get more in there and come back and very little has passed since then.”

            “You think the Nexus is going to have answers?”

            “I think it’s going to be the answer. Now come on, we need to get to Orion Eight before we’re busted or something.”

            The girl clenched tighter to Kyle as the two Nexuses boomed off. Hood Nexus shot way ahead of Kyle in the first few seconds. He was disturbed by this, and either he wanted to get to the Nexus for quick answers and reach the wormhole faster, or he wanted to get to the Nexus quickly for a long answer. Kyle couldn’t tell, but hoped that the Nexus would have some answers.

            They widened their path to be out of the range of the Orion Three guard. At their speed, the Orion guard were moving comparatively slow, but were headed in the direction of Orion One. Kyle wondered how much upheaval the planet would experience with its super planet and it’s kingdom planet destroyed. And all in what was probably a day. Talk about having it rough, Kyle thought.

            Kyle wasn’t sure how much time was being eaten up by them taking this detour, but didn’t mind it if it meant staying out of trouble. In the Orion System, the two of them were probably public enemies number one. He wondered why they were even staying in the Orion System. Was it because of the girl? Or was Orion Eight that far out of the way that they wouldn’t think to look for them?

            After what felt like a few minutes of flying in the absolute silence of space, their path veered left slowly until they passed another planet, Kyle barely able to catch what color it was as they flew by it quickly. He did see, however, Hood Nexus put up an open palm in one hand and two fingers in the other. Seven.

            They’d just passed Orion Seven then. How quick. Then again, they were flying very fast. Kyle looked briefly down to the girl in his arms, who was looking forward. She was breathing just fine, but the slight furrowing of her brow was enough to tell Kyle that she was worried. And who wouldn’t be. Kyle was worried very much for the Orion System, but even more for the potential destruction this Black Nexus could inflict on Mars, or worse, Earth. Anything that happened to them, he felt, was squarely on his shoulders.

            A green planet appeared in the distance slowly, then rapidly as Hood Nexus increased his speed, once again almost breaking away from Kyle. Exerting more force, Kyle pushed himself to stay almost level with Hood Nexus. The green planet arrived much faster that way.

            They curved down, heading straight for the planet. It reminded Kyle a lot of Earth, only, with a lot less industry. The fell through the atmosphere, Kyle feeling the tug of gravity before he managed to maintain it and fall at his own speed. He was level with Hood Nexus, who was spinning slowly as if that would help at all.

            The two straightened out, leading with their feet, expanding their aura to soften their landing. Kyle roughly applied the brakes, feeling the muscles in his core ache because of it, but landed lightly on the grass.

            Orion Eight, based on what Kyle had seen, was a very pasture-based planet. There were patches of blue, for the water, but overall it appeared that it was all very green land. The tallest landscape he could see was a hill that was actually a lot shorter than the one in his own neighborhood. He curiously looked over to Hood Nexus, who no longer had his aura up. Kyle turned his off as well, letting the girl down.

            Immediately she doubled-over and threw up, remaining on her knees as she did so. She choked, then Kyle realized she wasn’t throwing up so much from the significant change in atmosphere but in terror, as she was shaking violently and sobbing. Soothingly, Kyle placed a hand on her back.

            “It’s going to be okay,” he said, kneeling down to her level.

            She looked at him, some throw up lingering on her lips and tears streaming down her face. It wasn’t a pretty sight, but, he could still see the beauty hidden behind her face. As well as the sheer horror.

            “Don’t worry, whoever is out looking for us, or the Black Nexus, won’t come looking here at all,” Hood Nexus said, probably to both Kyle and the girl. He looked directly at the girl now. “You’ll be safe here. I’m sure you know about how this planet works?”

            The girl stared blankly at Hood Nexus. He rolled his eyes and put up his aura, then spoke again, but this time in an alien language. Kyle put up his aura as well.

            “Yes, I am aware of it as an agricultural world,” she said. “And, that man who attacked us?”
            “Is long gone by now,” Hood Nexus said. He pointed in north of where they were. “But we’re going to have to leave now, so if you want to find shelter, I saw a farmhouse just that way. Make sure not to mention you were on Orion One, and try to cut your hair or change your name and appearance in case soldiers do come around.”

            The girl stood up, with Kyle’s help, and began to walk toward the farmhouse. Kyle realized she was wearing hardly any clothing, and felt bad, as he inherently knew it was a pretty cool temperature outside.

            “Wait,” he said, and ran his fingers across the Nexus bracelet. He was back in his civilian clothing, a mere t-shirt and shorts from his gym class. A perfectly timed breeze soared by, sending a chill down his spine. He took off his shirt, then extended it to the girl. She took it, looking at him curiously.

            Hood Nexus spoke in the alien language again before Kyle had time to transform and get back into translator-mode. The girl smiled at Hood Nexus, then wiped away the tears and bits of puke off her lips and hugged Kyle. She had an odd scent, one that resembled the city-life. Her hug wasn’t too tight while Kyle was in the Nexus form, and he tried to keep his embrace just as light, aware of his strength.

            The girl put the shirt on. It was large enough to cover her upper body and most of her upper-thigh. Good enough, Kyle thought. She smiled back at them and started her trek toward the farmhouse. The plains were empty, Kyle figured, she could find where she was going.

            “So, where are we going?” asked Kyle.
            “We need to go into the Nexus,” Hood Nexus said bluntly. “And have a chat with Aequitas. You’ve met before, right?”

            “Briefly,” Kyle replied. “You think he can tell us about this guy?”

            “That, and, I think he knows who it is,” Hood Nexus replied. “Alright, you ready to go?”

            Kyle held his empty hands out. “Yeah, when you tell me how.”

            “You’ve been into the Nexus but not by your own power?”

            “Aequitas summoned me last time.”

            “Well damn it, then.”

            Hood Nexus said down in the flowing grass, and Kyle followed suit. Hood Nexus laid his open palms out in front of him, resting them on his knees. Kyle did the same.

            “Close your eyes, and concentrate on your power,” Hood Nexus said. “Focus on the core of it. Once you find it, try and use the same technique as when we did the speed burst in space. It’ll send your body and soul into the Nexus. Think you’re up for it?”
            Kyle nodded. “Guess I’m going first then, see you there.”

            Without waiting for a reply, Kyle shut his eyes and silenced all that was in his mind. This alone was difficult, as the scene with Black Nexus kept repeating in his mind over and over again. He instead focused on the black ball of energy that was Orion One, and the absolute silence surrounding it.

            When he was able to do that, he felt his aura around him expanding, but heeded it no further attention, instead keeping his focus locked on the black ball of energy. More and more, though, he felt a tugging in his core. It was an air-mattress, waiting to be compressed and let the energy out. Bit by bit, Kyle let it out, leaking it all around him until he finally felt that there was no more, and knew he was at the core. The blue energy around him was almost weighing him down.

            He kept the image of darkness in his mind, as he knew that it resembled the Nexus itself. He exhaled one last time before exerting all the force he had back into his body, and even with his eyes closed, a blinding flash of blue light erupted around him, leaving his vision in total darkness for mere seconds.

            Luckily, Kyle was joined in no time by another flash of blue light—though this one less blinding—in the form of Hood Nexus, who was patting Kyle on the shoulder.

            “Nice job,” he said.

            “You there,” a familiar, resonating voice called. “Nexus of Earth, what brings you here.”

            “You mean you can’t sense it, Aequitas?” asked Hood Nexus. He held up a hand, and the room slowly illuminated.

            Blue flames lit up a circular, empty room of marble. There was nothing in it really. Each torch stood over a pillar, the pillar holding up the inside of a dome. An insurmountable of little lights flickered in overhead in the dome, almost like looking into an IMAX theatre. But in front of them was the main star.

            Sitting in a chair, looking up with intrigue at the stars above, was a mere man. He wasn’t dressed as Kyle had expected, though. He was extremely muscular in the upper-body as well as in the legs, Kyle could tell, even though his clothing was a little baggy. He wore black pants and flat sandals with white socks. He also had a purple long-sleeved shirt on, one that looked to be from the Victorian era. He also had a black hood, much like Kyle and Hood Nexus, but it seemed to be merely a large scarf that also had a hood attached to it, as the scarf ran across his face, covering all but his blue eyes and the sharp bangs of faint red hair that also had some orange tint to it. He pulled down the scarf slightly to reveal stiff cheek-bones and the rest of his face.

            “Aequitas?” asked Kyle.

            “Welcome back, Raiden-son,” Aequitas said. “I’d hope we meet again soon, though not quite as urgently.”

            “Then you do know about the anomalies,” Hood Nexus said, getting right back to the topic.        

            “Yes,” Aequitas responded. He sat up in his chair, letting his hands fall to his legs as he continued to look above him. “I’ve been watching, though with greater interest than the other Sentients. It should bother them too but I’ve always had a close relation with this one.”

            “What are you talking about?” Kyle asked. “Did you used to have this power or something, this Black Nexus thing?”

            “Black Nexus, how clever,” Aequitas remarked, sparing a small chuckle. “No, I’ve never had this power. A great power, certainly once, but now it seems to have gotten far out of hand. With each planet he vanquishes he grows stronger.”

            “How many?” Hood Nexus asked. “I’ve only seen two.”

            “Try upwards of two thousand,” Aequitas said sternly. “But he’s been at this for so long I barely remember when it all began.”

            “Who?” Kyle snapped, not caring about his inferior place to the Sentient. The Earth was in peril and while time was different in the Nexus, it hardly mattered to him. They weren’t getting any answers like this.

            “To answer that, you have to understand, Raiden-son, the workings of the universe and where we of the Nexus lay in it,” Aequitas said. “Right now you’re anxious to save the Earth and as important as that is to the universe as a whole, you’re aware that you have more than enough time to hear my tale. Plus, you’ll learn insight into your own abilities.”

            “Then make it quick,” Kyle mumbled. Hood Nexus hit him on the shoulder. Kyle grunted in response.

            Aequitas folded his arms and sat back, continuing to look up to the starry sky above.

            “First, I’ll start off by disappointing you and telling you that no, there is no one Creator being that started off the universe. There are many who have transcended life and death such as myself and the Sentients, but we were not around at the time of the creation of the universe. As one who has melded their soul with the Nexus, though, I know now what started it all. Following a great explosion of energy that created what is, and will yet be, the universe, the Nexus was essentially born.

            “Stars began to form and planets around those stars, all a part of the great energy that was used to uncork the small, seemingly infinite amount of energy that allows us to be here now. Yet as is customary with the universe, there was excess, pure energy that was no needed for planets or stars to come together. This energy, pure, began to form. At first, it was merely a prism, allowing the transference of energy from one place to another. What would now be known as a wormhole, I presume, by humans.

            “Over time, it grew out of the universe itself. This prism became so powerful that it left the boundaries of endless space and infinite time. It served as its own wealth of energy, never creating but never destroying either. It just was. The universe, so widely expanded, wasn’t nearly dense enough to hold it all, and thus, another dimension was born.

            “Then life began in the universe, scattered all across it. Humanity wasn’t nearly the first forms of life to spring up and became intelligent, nor will it be the last. When this life became knowing, the prism of energy recognized life as a sacred piece of the universe. Naturally, it wouldn’t affect the planetary movements and thus expedite the process of its demise, but when the Era of Knowing peaked, the prism became something far more.

            “It became what we now know as the Nexus. From a planet long since destroyed and a race long since dead came the first of the Nexus users. Back then, it was essentially open for all to use. It was an unlimited amount of spare energy. It gave life forms powers they could never comprehend, transcending them into higher beings. Into gods.

            “And so for thousands of years life in the universe grew and the Era of Knowing came to an end. The Era of War, though, began, and shaped everything, setting all that we would know now into place. You know of the War Gods, all eight of them. They took up postings across the universe, gaining power through their own abilities and constructing galaxies to their own desires. With their power they became immortal, and immoral. Even without a set of rules, all knew they were unjust and unrighteous.

            “Many followed in their footsteps, of course. The Twelve Kingdom Planets, the Orion System, the Ulzars, the Martians. Empires and tyrants sprang up around the universe, claiming planets and lives like it was their hobby. Everything became a battleground and the War Gods never left the front lines, fighting battles amongst themselves and ripping apart all that was created and all that was good. They were all unable to realize that they weren’t Gods or Kings, they were beings of life created by powers unimaginable.

            “Thus those powers knew they had to fight back. The tens of thousands who knew of the Nexus and who had learned its power decided to purify the universe, to fight against the War Gods. Their powers were equal, as it was the universe versus the Nexus. Ironically, both were created of the same energy, so it was essentially like watching two clones fighting each other.

            “Eventually, things began to settle and legends were born. Thousands of years of war were over and the Era of War ended. The Era of Enlightenment would not begin for eons, though, and this is where many of your questions can be answered, Raiden-son.

            “The War Gods and Twelve Kingdom Planets were the dominant force of the universe upon my birth, though I was completely unaware of it. I was simply a babe of Rome, one who was raised with the hopes of becoming a soldier and eventual politician like my father before me. We had no idea the workings of the universe. We had no idea how our predecessors, the Greeks, were giving us the answers to these Gods in space all along. Nothing but myths, we all assumed. The word of a Creator God was spreading and that was the dominant belief.

            “It was never something I could believe, though. I always felt that the stars above offered more. And I wasn’t alone in this thought. My brother was set on the same path as me. We wanted to rule Rome and to conquer all of the world to become the most powerful empire ever, like the great Alexander. To put Rome back on track after what Caesar the tyrant did. This was the path I wanted to be destined for, but I was ultimately destined for another.

            “My brother and I were exiled for Rome and headed east. There, we entered the Era of Enlightenment years after the rest of the universe had. I met people there who knew about the War Gods, the Twelve Kingdom Planets, and of the Nexus. How my brother and I came to know the Nexus, though, was never through a mere man. It was through a dragon, Mogul, who possessed ungodly strength and powers. It was one of the Nexus, and challenged my brother and I as we were set on a path for death.

            “Our battle against Mogul was one fought for a long, long time. We even saw the revolution of one of the Chinese dynasties. By the time we finally defeated Mogul, we were old mean who were meant to die by Earthly standards, but Mogul said otherwise, telling the two of us that we were meant for more. We were meant to defeat a War God.

            “And much like you, Raiden-son, we received our power by surprise and were thrust into the universe knowing little. Luckily, there were more of us back then, and were brought into the Nexus with open arms during the Era of Enlightenment. Though, some places did not realize it was the Era of Enlightenment, that we were meant to be learning, not fighting, with each other. My brother and I eventually found this War God we were looking for, and were forced to fight him. It was the fight that, now I know it surely, leads us to where we are today.”

            Aequitas sighed, lowering his arms.

            “It was in the center of the universe this bout, against the strongest of the War Gods. He had challenged and slain most of the Nexus by the time we arrived, and most of the universe’s strongest champions were gathered there to defeat him. Mogul’s Nexus energy not only granted my brother and I our power but also our youth, mobility, and enhanced weaponry made of his very own body. Never underestimate a dragon, by the way.

            “So we fought until we got to the War God, and the three of us battled atop the high tower on the tallest mountain until finally I defeated the War God. During the battle, my brother was compromised and lost most of his abilities, as they were somewhat neutralized and put him in a difficult place to fight. Using what energy I could gather from him, I defeated the War God.

            “My brother, though, lost all respect and love for me then. He blamed me for his essential uselessness, as I had to take his energy to win. I robbed him, he claimed, of all his pride that day. We returned to the Nexus and he was restored of his power, but the trip out into the universe showed him something: that all around us was cruel and destruction was everywhere because of all the super beings that were springing up.

            “He soon came to hate the purification abilities of the Nexus, the very ones that allow us to defeat evil and the War Gods. It’s what heals us, what keeps us strong, and he thought it actually weakened us. Not because we couldn’t hate as much as others, but because it held back our human desire for balance, and for freedom. The War Gods and the Twelve Kingdom Planets suppressed that. My brother wanted all to be free of tyranny, and set out to end it all. I was all for it, but exhausted from my battle, and let him go.     
            Aequitas laughed slightly, looking down to his lap.  

            “My greatest mistake was letting him go on his own, was not watching over him. My brother was extremely intelligent, so I should have seen what his next move was. He found a way to nullify the abilities of the Nexus, something I’ve never found myself capable of doing—nor any of the Sentients—and had essentially reversed the effects of the initial creation energy. Instead of exploding into energy that creates light, that illuminates life, he found out how to absorb all energy into darkness and extinguish life, creating something of a black hole, when really, it is the embodiment of what the universe was before the great explosion: nothing.

            “That was the power he began to use near two thousand years ago, now, and once I was able to gather my strength, it was far too late to save him. He was put away into the brightest corner of the Nexus we could find, into his own little prison, and condemned for life there. We could never kill him, though, since he hadn’t absorbed enough dark energy to fully purify him. He wasn’t a being of pure darkness. Until now.”

            Kyle and Hood Nexus stood in silence as Aequitas sighed and looked up to the two of them, a small tear forming in his eye. His own brother was the Black Nexus. He was the opposite of everything, he was nothing. Not life, but death.

            “He never joined forces with the War Gods, he still resents them,” Aequitas said. “But he still seeks out his goal of not chaos, my friends, but of balance. He wants to destroy all of the powerful planets in the universe and restore it to nothingness. Only then is it all fair and there will be peace. And then, he’ll be on top, and as the strongest being.

            “Despite using up energy in his efforts, he gains it back nearly doubled as the darkness grows, which is what makes him nearly impossible to defeat. No War God has the proper energy to defeat him, so there is only one way to defeat him. I can never get myself to do it, though. Despite becoming one with the Nexus and learning all there is through it, I am still human at my core, and my brother is my blood. Justice must be served to him, and I will watch over him until the universe grows cold, but I cannot end his life.”

            Aequitas stood up, beginning to move down the steps from his chair raised up high. He slowly began to move his hand up.

            “Only one has the correct amount of energy and to defeat him,” Aequitas said. “The circumstances of his situation are perfect for defeating the Black Nexus, because he has all the purification of the Blue Nexus.”

            The former Roman stopped at the base of the stairs, his hand fully extended and raised toward Kyle.

            “Raiden-son, you are him. The Blue Nexus is the one who will defeat the Black Nexus. You will kill my brother.”


Next time: The battle is taken straight to the enemy! Can Kyle and Hood Nexus defeat the Black Nexus, or will he make it back to Earth before them? Find out in "Blue Nexus #12--Black Nexus"