Written by Barry Reese
"All My Pasts Remembered" Part Two
The year is 2062 and my name is Lucinda Mendez. I'm recording these words so that future Geomancers might know the truth, about what was done and what was lost. I had been a true Geomancer for only a short time, my uncle Geoff having died recently. But he trained me well over the years, and I felt very confident as I took over the sacred duty.
My first mission, however, was a difficult one. Spurred on by a message from the past, I knew that somehow Aric Dacia's mind had been implanted into the body of his 2062 self. This would be confusing for anyone, but it could have been catastrophic in this case -- Aric had been assaulted by someone using the Rock of Reality. He had been unmade, a process which was creeping throughout reality. Since Mr. Dacia was involved in three Crux Points, this meant that if any of those three points were changed or altered, our entire reality would become obsolete. The first of these moments was in the year 408 A.D., where Aric was kidnapped by the Spider Aliens. Without that happening, he would never have come to the later 20th Century and helped spur the rise of all those valiant heroes. The second point was 1991, the year in which Aric escaped the Spider Aliens and claimed the sentient xo armor as his own. The third and final Crux Point, the one to which Aric's consciousness had been transposed from the year 2000, was my present. 2062.
A world where corporate states rule all, and two-thirds of that belongs to Toyo Harada. The Harbinger Resistance, aided by powerful corporations like Orb, had long battled against Harada's evil -- but with Orb having fallen just prior to Geoff's message arriving, we were all fearful that the end was near.
In a well furnished home near the headquarters of the fallen Orb Industries, a man out of time tried to come to grips with his new surroundings. Aric Dacia was now an old man, one whose body was beginning to show the telltale signs of having finished running its race. His joints ached and his thoughts flowed slowly, as if trapped in molasses.
Aric Dacia stared at the metal sphere that floated before him. It was Bekhara all right, the same sleek curves and metal sheen that he knew so well making it clear that it was not some new armor. How did we come to be separated, Good Skin? I bonded with you to stop Cheng*... yet in this time we are apart. I could compel you to tell me... tell me how this world came to be under Harada's thumb, what happened to Ken and Gamin... So many things.
(*See X-O Manowar # 79.)
"Aric? There's someone here to see you." Aric turned to see his wife, young and beautiful, standing in the doorway. She was looking at him in an odd way, with a hint of sadness. "You'd better put some clothes on. I don't think you want her to see you quite like that."
Aric glanced down at his nakedness. He'd wondered at it briefly when he'd first arrived here. What had his future self been planning to do, naked and alone with the armor's control ring on his finger? "I'll put on a robe."
"Okay. And listen... we'll find a way to take care of things, okay? Harada might have Orb, but... he doesn't have us. As long as we have each other, we'll be fine."
Aric remained silent. How could he speak to this woman, who obviously knew him, loved him? She'd borne him a child, at least one. Telling her he didn't know her would do no one any good.
She took his silence as agreement and stepped away. He'd grown so cold and distant lately, seething over Harada's victory. He'd fought so hard to protect Orb, especially after seeing it taken from him once before, decades ago*. It almost seemed like he knew that with Orb's fall, everything had to end. It was a silly notion, but he seemed to believe it.
(*Crescendo destroyed Orb in X-O Manowar 44-47, but Aric slowly rebuilt it in issues 70-72.)
Aric was seated in a hovering chair when Lucinda Mendez stepped in. She was young and shapely, a bit thinner than Aric liked his women, but still quite appealing. She looked at him with eyes that seemed far older than the rest of her, an expression of awesome responsibility etched into her features. He'd seen that look before and recognized it. Without rising he said, "You're a Geomancer."
"Yes." She entered the room, taking care to shut the door behind her. It wouldn't do for Aric's wife to overhear. "I know about you, Mr. Dacia. I know that you're really from the year 2000 but your mind has gotten shunted her by a mind-witch."
For a brief moment Aric was speechless. Then he rose suddenly and gripped her by the arms. It was so abrupt that it frightened her. "How do I get back? I have to stop Crescendo before she hurts someone!"
"Ow! She's dead, Mr. Dacia. Really dead. Please -- let go. You're hurting me."
Aric did so, noticing her bruises. "I'm sorry...."
"It's okay. I know it must be frightening for you... How much do you know about this era?"
"Not much. Just what I've gleaned from the news. I haven't accessed the Good Skin yet, but I'm sure it could tell me the rest."
Lucinda pondered that before shaking her head. "Don't do it. It's not important. What is important is that I received a message from the year 2000 -- Solar and my uncle, Geoff, sent it via one of Solar's hands. Sounds weird, I know, but--"
Aric waved a gnarled hand in a gesture of impatience, "I've seen the trick. Go on."
"Well... Uncle Geoff said that Crescendo used the Rock of Reality to try and unmake you. The process was interrupted by Solar, which caused your consciousness to move to one of the three Crux points in your life. Everyone has certain points in their existence, their destiny, that are important to the fabric of their lives. Your particular life is more important than most -- if you hadn't been captured by the Spider Aliens in 408 or if you hadn't escaped in 1991, the whole timeline would be a lot different. It'd be almost like if you received the armor in 408 instead of '91 -- think of how different things would be!"
Thoughts of the other reality that he and Gamin visited crossed Aric's mind*. "I understand. But why am I here?"
(*In Armageddon 1999 # 2, X-O and Gamin journeyed to the reality commonly known as VH-2)
"This is the third Crux point in your life, Aric. By unmaking you, Crescendo frayed our universe to the breaking point. If this day doesn't turn out the way it's supposed to, our timeline will be altered forever. According to Solar, this universe as we know it might even cease to exist -- and be replaced by another! The Earth doesn't want that to happen, Mr. Dacia."
"Hmm." Aric glanced again at the metal sphere which hovered nearby. "I was going to do something with Bekhara." He glanced again at Lucinda. "What am I supposed to do? And will this return me to the year 2000?"
Biting her lip, Lucinda looked extremely forlorn as she said, "I'm not sure about you going back. I mean, it must happen because you live to be here, now, but I'm not positive how it works out. And as for what you're supposed to do today... the Earth only knows one thing...."
"Yes? Out with it, girl!"
"You have to die."
The Lost Land
"Is it getting worse?" Geoff McHenry asked the question, though he knew the answer. More and more of their universe was fading away, leaving only small pockets of it here in the Lost Land.
Solar looked up, as if just noticing where he was. He'd been standing stock-still for quite some time. "Hmm? Sorry, Geoff, I was trying to re-attach some tachyon chains. Hopefully that will hold things together for a bit longer."
"How come you can't just fix it? Can't you alter the timestream?"
"Normally, I might be able to -- though I'm loathe to do that sort of thing. I made a terrible mistake trying to change the world once and I'm not anxious to take a second shot. Besides, the longer this goes on the more impossible it will be to fix things. See, the past is already fraying. The future is unstable but still hanging in there. The present is blending into Unreality. Given time, I might be able to borrow some excess energy from a few nearby universes and feed it into ours to strengthen it but until Aric comes back from the future, it would only be a stopgap measure."
Geoff nodded, though he didn't understand it all. The important thing was that Solar understood it -- and if Solar told you something wasn't possible, it usually wasn't. "If a new universe does appear out of nowhere, won't it just splinter off from 2062? How come the past will be erased?"
"You understand the theory of the Crux points? That at certain points in their lives, individuals are destined to take certain actions? Well, think of the universe has a whole as being a sum of those Crux points. If one or all of them are deleted, it makes the rest unstable. Make it unstable enough and it all comes tumbling down."
Solar picked up the Rock of Reality while talking to Geoff. "And as for this little thing, it doesn't belong in our universe. I think it probably came over before I put up the Tachyon Tunnel*. Bled over from some universe that's not as grounded in reality. It's like some comic book doomsday device. I'll dump it in one of the universes that branches off from here. It'll be more at home there anyway."
(*See Armageddon 1999 # 1-2.)
2062, the home of Aric Dacia
Lucinda had been hesitant to leave, but she had finally relented to Aric's orders. The Visigoth waited until she was gone before tossing his robe over a nearby chair. The Geomancer would be nearby, he knew, waiting to make sure that he didn't decide to cheat death somehow. But why should he? If he wanted to return home, this had to be done -- and the ramifications would not catch up to Aric for over 60 years once he returned home. Besides, better to know one would die with honor than wonder idly if a dishonorable death awaited.
Airc approached the armor, watching as it unfolded. It looked ready to be worn, ready to wrap itself around its master one last time. Aric touched it with fondness. Good Skin... We killed many enemies together. I hope that your next master will recognize your bravery and loyalty as I have.
He slid the control ring off his finger and placed it inside the armor. If he was truly going to die today, he could not leave the armor behind. Harada, if what Lucinda had told him was true, was now crazed by a desire for immortality. The armor's life-prolonging abilities were sure to bring him knocking at the door soon enough. After all, with Orb destroyed, why would Harada hesitate to at last strike down Orb's master and take the armor as a spoil of war?
Go, Good Skin. Go the farthest depths of this universe and do not return until Harada is long dead.
The armor hesitated for a moment before acknowledging its master's final command. It closed itself into a tight sphere and rocketed away, smashing through the window and heading towards space.
Aric stepped to the window and looked out. The armor was already a distant gleam on the horizon. Glancing down, he saw an all-too familiar figure exiting a parked vehicle. Toyo Harada was staring off into the distance as well, realization dawning on his face. Aric felt a cold smile touch his lips. I have ruined your victory, Harada. Now come to me and let me end your life, so that this world can know peace!
Aric moved to a nearby wall, claiming the sword that hung there as a decoration. To die with a sword in one's hand is to die with honor.
Behind him, the windows blew inwards with tremendous force. Aric whirled about to face his longtime enemy, who hovered in the air, hate in his eyes. "Aric -- show yourself! You've frustrated my efforts for the last time!"
Aric hefted his sword and rushed towards Harada. "Wrong, Toyo -- I still have some fight left in me!"
Harada landed his feet on the carpet, crouching low. "Always the noble savage, eh? Well -- you can die with your precious ideals!"
The two struck simultaneously, Harada blasting outwards with the Omega Harbinger power. Aric's head exploded, skull fragments sent flying. His blow, however, was true enough -- the blade embedded itself deep in Harada's shoulder, piercing his heart. Only Harada's psionic powers held him together.
"Aric? I-- Oh my God...! Aric!"
Harada, half-seated on the floor with the shoulder still protruding from his chest, turned to face Aric's wife with a smile. Blood caked his features, giving him a satanic appearance. "He's beyond your help, woman. But -- you may prove of some assistance to me."
Reaching out to force his mind into hers, Toyo Harada cheated death once more.
And the march of time continued on.
The home of Aric Dacia, 2000. January 8, 1:30 AM
Aric found himself lying on the floor, the smell of alcohol thick on his body. He glanced up to see Solar and Geoff standing over him, watching with concern. "Are you okay, Aric?"
The barbarian accepted Geoff's hand and raised himself off the floor. "Yes... I was fighting..."
Solar held up a hand. "Don't tell us. What you saw in the future isn't for us to know. For that matter, it's not for you to know, either. I should probably repress those memories...."
"No! There's no need." Aric shook his head, holding it with one hand. "They're fading. I only remember fighting...someone. And a Geomancer was there. Everything else is confused."
Solar studied him carefully. "If you're sure."
"I am."
Geoff stepped between the two men who were now gazing levelly at one another. "This is great, Aric! The timeline's been preserved, Crescendo's dead and Solar's disposed of the Rock of Reality!"
Aric nodded slowly. "You're positive she did not escape?"
"She's gone. Solar says her essence was absorbed by the Rock and there wasn't anybody around for her to jump into except Solar at the time -- and he was too strong for her."
"Good. Then there is only the Spider Alien/Dromak alliance to deal with. They'll be very angry that she lost the Rock before sharing its power with them." Aric clenched his fist.
"Well, if you need help, let us know. Come on, Geoff -- there's nothing more for us to do here." Geoff took a step back, while Solar whispered "If your memories come back, Aric, let me know. Knowledge of the future can be a dangerous thing -- and if anything is changed, anything at all, it might have irrevocable consequences."
"You have my word."
"Good. Then I'll see you, Aric. Good luck."
As Solar and Geoff faded away, with the Geomancer offering one final wave to Aric, Gamin crept down the stairs. "Decide to have a party, Aric?" She glanced around at the broken bottles and glass.
The barbarian glanced at her, standing there in one of his button-up shirts and nothing else. She looked ravishing. He grabbed her, sweeping her up into his arms. She looked surprised, but not displeased. "Gamin... No matter what happens, for now and always, I love you."
An odd look came into her eyes, as if he'd touched her deeply somehow. "You, too. I'm sorry we fought earlier."
"I'd forgotten it already."
"Too bad," she said with an impish grin, "I was hoping we could go make up."
Aric joined her in laughter, carrying her up the stairs to their bedroom. But though his mood seemed light, in the back of his mind, he was worried.
He knew the future.
He knew that Harada would claim so much power....
But at least I killed him in the end. Perhaps I can keep my peace and not change his rise to power, as long as I know that in the end, I stop his evil.
Coming up in X-O Manowar # 85 : "All My Pasts Remembered" concludes! A special peek at the next 60+ years of Aric's life! That's right -- what Rai # 0 did for the Valiant Universe as a whole, this one issue will do for Aric Dacia! Please be here for a very special journey through the 21st Century!
LETTERS PAGE
No letters.
I hope you guys liked this type of in-and-around Rai # 0 story. Next issue is my attempt at creating an "X-O Bible" of sorts, in that we'll some big glimpses of his future. Wanna know how Aric's relationship with Gamin turns out? Will he ever rid himself of Alloy for good? What's Ken Clarkson's ultimate fate?
All of that and a whole lot more next issue.