A city was slowly taking shape in low earth orbit . Cloudhawk could see it through his mental connection with the Cloud G.o.d .

Through it he was able to know the situation in this floating city . It remained between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand meters above the ground . Two divisions of airs.h.i.+ps hovered around the structure . Its doors were open, and the vast s.p.a.ces within were enough to accommodate tens of thousands of troops . But why gather their armies up in the sky? For strategic reasons, of course .

The Temple could adjust its low earth orbit as needed . Like a military spy satellite, it was easy to dispatch troops and scouts from its location . A bird’s eye view afforded it far-reaching sight of enemy movements and positions . If a gap was discovered, they would see it and could act with haste . It would take less than an hour to scramble forces and execute an attack .

It was impossible to defend against! The stark reminder stole Cloudhawk’s breath . A single mistake could allow the enemy to breach and destroy them .

In addition the Temple was always on the move, constantly adjusting its...o...b..t . It periodically crossed over other Elysian domains to gather resources, ultimately creating a floating realm . At present the Supremes had their armada shuttling goods from the various realms up to their fortress . Even Seraphs from their respective domains were present in the Temple .

Seraphs were present in all Elysian capitols . They were puppets, limited in fighting capability but excellent builders . They worked tirelessly, building and repairing with incredible efficiency .

Seraphs from all four realms had been gathered and worked day and night . Additions had appeared on two sides of the Temple – a rudimentary docking port for their armadas . With more s.p.a.ce for s.h.i.+ps they could increase their forces while deterring attacks from the ground .

In higher orbits there were appearing various towers . They served many purposes; attack, defense, energy, and so forth . Springing up like bamboo shoots, they showed how quickly these war-time projects were proceeding . It was a formidable defense against any future Green Alliance aggression .

“Well, f.u.c.k,” Cloudhawk muttered, allowing the connection to drop . “All four realms are gathering right over our heads as we speak and there’s nothing we can do about it . We don’t have enough s.h.i.+ps in the wastes or Skycloud to deal with this, not that they’re in good enough shape for the task anyway . If something doesn’t change we’ll be stuck in a pa.s.sive situation, getting beat on with no way to fight back . ”

 The Green Alliance was in a period of post-war reconstruction . Meanwhile the Supreme’s Sky Fortress was gathering strength . Taking the long view it seemed the Alliance would be too weak and ill-equipped to launch an attack . Instead the G.o.ds held all the cards . From up there, they could launch brutal attacks whenever they pleased . It was definitely an effective way to castrate the Alliance . Unless he did something they might not even survive long enough for Sumeru’s armies to clean up the dregs .

The one silver lining was that he had the Cloud G.o.d on his side . So long as the deity was here to help, he had a great channel into the enemy’s actions .  

“Is there anything else you’ve learned? Like troop movements or garrisoned forces?” It was useful information . If he knew the sort of numbers they were looking at, Cloudhawk could organize a strike force and teleport them behind enemy lines . A few well-planned acts of sabotage might buy them some time .

The Cloud G.o.d gave a simple response: “No . ”

“All you G.o.ds share a common memory, right? Shouldn’t you know that?”

Burning eyes were fixed on the human . “And if the Supremes do not know this information?”

That took the wind out of his sails . It made sense, if the Supremes didn’t know how many soldiers they had and where they were stationed then the Cloud G.o.d wouldn’t either . It wasn’t like they could arrange everything on their own, and wouldn’t even if they could . They knew that the betrayer G.o.d could see into their memories . It was the smart thing, then, to delegate sensitive matters to others .

An effective way to keep things secret, to be sure . Besides, the divine matrix wasn’t as straightforward as Cloudhawk a.s.sumed . The Cloud G.o.d explained:

“Protection mechanisms exist within the matrix . Every day I find it more difficult to extract information . In particular, matters of military or specific areas . ”

Weren’t the G.o.ds supposed to be a race all about openness? Didn’t this go against what their race stood for? But these protections the Cloud G.o.d mentioned weren’t from any G.o.d in particular . They were built into the matrix itself, specifically as a defense against betrayers like himself .

G.o.ds came into being with two psychic ‘cords’ as part of their being . They linked the G.o.ds to the divine matrix; one to upload thought and memory, and the other to download information . In circ.u.mstances such as what happened to the Cloud G.o.d and the Shepherd G.o.d, they could sever one while keeping the other . That was how the Cloud G.o.d knew what Sumeru was up to . Because he was not complying with the G.o.d King’s orders, it became clear he had turned against his kind .

Disloyalty was a rare thing among G.o.ds because of their social structure, but nothing was impossible . The Cloud and Shepherd G.o.ds were proof enough that it could happen . As a result, the divine matrix evolved a set of countermeasures .

One could think of the matrix as a kind of operating system, managing huge amounts of data . Aberrations like the Cloud G.o.d were a virus, so cleansing mechanisms were implemented to deal with them .

“That’s too abstract . ” Cloudhawk wasn’t a G.o.d . He couldn’t grasp the complexity of the system the Cloud G.o.d described .

Sensing Cloudhawk’s confusion, the G.o.d gave it a moment’s thought before going on .

“There may be a way for you to slip through the lock and access the matrix yourself . But it will come at a cost . And it will be perilous . ”

“What?” Cloudhawk swear he heard wrong, but he knew that wasn’t the case . The Cloud G.o.d hadn’t stuttered – obviously, since he didn’t really ‘talk . ’ He communed directly with someone’s consciousness so there was no misunderstanding . “Enter the matrix?[1] Is that really possible?”

He had to admit, it was a tempting thought . The G.o.ds were a powerful and mysterious race, always an enigma . If there was a way to give Cloudhawk a glimpse into their world, it would be a huge benefit .

To prepare for this, Cloudhawk brought the Cloud G.o.d back to Greenland . More specific, to Wolfblade . There he discovered that it had been Wolfblade’s intention to guide him through this process at some point .

“My plan was to try this at a later time . However, it appears we must move the timetable up . ” Wolfblade brought his two visitors to a scryspire amplifier[2] . He turned to Cloudhawk and explained . “Under normal circ.u.mstances, it is impossible for an outsider to invade the divine matrix . However, there are always exceptions . You and the Cloud G.o.d are special cases – and the two of you together could work wonders . ”

“What do you mean?”

“You have a tenacious mind, capable of pa.s.sing through the channel . Anyone else would not survive, no matter how strong their psyche . ” Wolfblade knew everything there was to know about Cloudhawk . After all, it was not incorrect to say that the man was a product of Wolfblade’s hard work . “In addition, the Cloud G.o.d’s talents lay in mental power – one of the best of his species . He has enough strength to disguise your mental signature and, essentially, upload you into the matrix . ”

“Too complicated and not worth the time . Can we just get it started?”

Wolfblade had prepared two scryspires . Cloudhawk and the Cloud G.o.d took positions on either one . As they did, Wolfblade offered warnings . “You must be careful . Once you enter the matrix, there are many dangers . This is our first attempt, so do not be hasty . If anything feels wrong, return immediately . ”

For Wolfblade to underline the dangers it meant this really was a risk . But Cloudhawk was not dissuaded . War with the G.o.ds was inevitable and he had to know his enemy . What other method was more effective? Whatever the dangers, it didn’t matter . He had to try .  

He was ready .

Wolfblade nodded to the Cloud G.o.d .

Extending his hands, the G.o.d’s body began to glow . Lights flickered behind his eyes like a brewing storm . A vast flood of mental energy filled the s.p.a.ce like a burst dam .

Cloudhawk shut his eyes, pushed his senses aside, opened his mind . And waited .

It didn’t take long for him to feel it, a sickening sinking sensation like he was being drawn into some imaginary place . He opened his eyes but there was nothing to see . Darkness, everywhere . Everywhere except for one single point of light far in the distance that led into the unknown .

Was that the way into the divine matrix…?

Cloudhawk followed the unspoken directions of the Cloud G.o.d and moved toward the light . Slowly he floated forward from the eternal darkness, drifting toward the channel .

Upon drawing near he was swept up in a storm of energy . It wrapped him up from all directions, pulling him toward the light . It was the Cloud G.o.d, helping him along . It felt like time was warping .

The closer he got to the channel the more its power suffocated him . Exhaustion came in waves, even dimming the Cloud G.o.d’s considerable power . But Cloudhawk knew he couldn’t stop . The only way was forward or he would be lost forever .

Struggle . For what felt like ages he fought against the fatigue before coming upon a gate .

It had to be more than thirty meters high, tall and imposing . Beautifully carved statues, too many to count, stood vigil around it . Something inside Cloudhawk told him that he was looking at a projection of his own psyche . The psychic world and the physical world were exactly opposed . The physical universe was about conservation and stability . The psychic world was unsteady and changeable .

Nothing existence in the normal sense . Symbolic expressions, that was all .

Cloudhawk put his arms against the gate and pushed . A hundred thousand beams of light were cast out in reaction to his touch, so bright he couldn’t look directly at it . It took him a moment to adjust, and when he did an entirely new reality unfolded before him… white-capped mountains, grand palaces, impossibly tall towers . The breathtakingly beautiful sight stretched out before him at a scale he could not fathom – enough buildings to fill ten Skyclouds .

He didn’t doubt that this place wasn’t real . This magnificent place was the divine matrix, where all the minds of the G.o.ds converged . Perhaps it was fair to say that this was the real Mount Sumeru .

Everywhere Cloudhawk looked he saw vast castles and lofty mountains… but not exactly . Just as the images became concrete they would change, s.h.i.+fting to something else in the blink of an eye . It was all just a fluid representation .

Am I in the realm of the G.o.ds? But why don’t I see any?

Entering this strange place, Cloudhawk discovered that he did indeed appear to be alone . Not a single other living thing was visible, a fact he found puzzling . Shouldn’t it be that all the G.o.ds – no matter their station – were all connected to this place?

1 .  Badboom!

2 .  Refresher of what a scryspire is .

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