Post by abraxas on Dec 18, 2009 19:41:20 GMT -5
(Sci-Fi/Spirituality/Fantasy)
The Gnosis Root
Before the creation of the present universe there was a limitless realm of pure light, this light-realm is more then a mere brightness or some sort of radiation emanating from a sun-like sphere, its characteristics were not luminous, but spiritual. This boundless spiritual light was submerged within and surrounded by a vast emptiness of metaphysical proportions. This limitless expanse is very dissimilar from our own conceptions of space, for within it, not a single star or celestial body can be found.
Within this light-realm however there were three sphere-like formations; all of which stood directly in the center of the realm. These three spherical formations are: the world of Darkness called Apogai, the world of purified substance called Perige, and the mysterious, white sphere called Choma, the two smaller spheres are fixed in place on each side of Choma-with the parent sphere slightly off center and rotating several thousand miles behind the others. The positions of these three orbs form a crude triangle-like arrangement; Perige being a lot closer to Choma then Apogai, Apogai and Perige do not revolve around Choma, all three are stationary in relation to their location. The outer spheres are inhabited by two distinct civilizations.
Apogai
This sphere is inhabited by a race of strange insect-like creatures called Opilioacariformes, these creatures are carnivorous and very mean spirited, and yet they possess a great intelligence. Even though they are essentially meat eaters they have been known to devour other forms of life, including plants, leaves and just about everything even remotely edible. Their bodies have a grotesque appearance, consisting of an exoskeleton made up of an organic material called Chitin, which is a very horny and thick translucent substance. Their bodies are not segmented and so they have no real head to speak of.
They have four legs and a pair of mandibles by their mouth parts. These appendages are needle-like and can penetrate prey with great ease. Sprouting out from the top of the integument are long coarse-lightning bolt shaped hairs which complete their hideous appearance. The Opilioacariformes as a species are bloodthirsty and savage; they are a very dangerous threat to the environmental structure of their planet. They are truly eating machines, even taking to eating one another at times. Due to their unceasing eating activities they have gained total domination over Apogai.
Their world is a living being unto itself and due to the rape of its environment, its very life essence has been greatly diminished, as a result its ability to sustain its own orbit has been drastically decreased. In its prime the atmospheric and ecological structures of Apogai were strong and abundant with energy and life. A variety of species had lived on its lustrous surfaces and in its great oceans, all kinds of strange and unique creatures crawled upon its face. The Demonspikecoat snake, hopping toadstools, slinking cone-snails, the great herbivorous Phelepos and the gigantic and extremely poisonous rat-monkey all had a peaceful home on Apogai. The surface of Apogai was heavily covered with great forests of Wormhole-wood, and scattered in sparse patches across the land were a variety of plant species. The Belltone flower, the Ugly-udder Moss-Vine and more abundantly the Dragonfly Bushbeast, there was also the wise Nosi-Owl, which was the only species of bird that existed on Apogai.
The plant life which helped to keep Apogai’s ecological system in balance were the first life forms to be devoured by the Opilioacariformes, although some of these plants were hard to combat with. The Dragon-Fly Bushbeast gets its name from the translucent and veined, leave-like growths on either side of its prickly body. This large reddish, mobile cactus-like bush could move on its own accord and yet it was light enough that it could be picked up by even the slightest breeze. The Moss-Vine had a very elaborate defensive mechanism and as a result it could only be attacked at certain times, if the Opilioacariformes were to touch it, say, in the light hours it would result in a painful death by way of poisoning, however, as time wanes on its defenses are dropped so that it may feed, this is the only time that it may be attacked.
With the demise of Apogai’s plant life the deterioration of the sphere had been drastically accelerated. Without the continuous transference of beneficial activities Apogai’s ecological system was thrown into utter chaos, drained of its vital energies it has become a lifeless, decaying mass. The Opilioacariformes thrive on decay and so they were able to flourish in this environment, if only for a relatively short time. They are motivated by wanting destruction, and it is this very trait which shall bring them to their ultimate doom. Upon being left alone in their world without a means of sustaining their lives the Opilioacariformes immediately took to fighting amongst themselves and not even their advanced intelligence will be able to save them this time, no amount of knowledge no matter how advanced can mend an entire world. The position of Apogai has shifted drastically; it has been drifting farther and farther away from the life giving light of Choma. The giant sphere of Choma dwarfs the other two spheres, if either one was to collide with Choma's massive body they would most likely be destroyed.
Perige
The other sphere was inhabited by the gentle, peace loving Embryophyte-race known as the Pyrexeni. These plant-like beings were tall and walked upright on two trunk-like legs; their bodies seemed to be a hybrid between a flower, tree, and an animal. They in fact, looked like a cross between a pussy-willow and a cactus. They had a long stem-like body which broke into two separate stalks around the chest region; connecting again at the waistline. From there, long leaf-like growths hang down forming a skirt of sorts. Jetting out from the upper and lower portions of their stem-body were six inch spikes, their trunk-legs are visible towards their base; with the rest covered up by the skirt. Long flexible stalks serve as arms and at each of their ends there were hands which resembled the gaping mouths of the Venus flytrap.
Their heads were shaped like a dandy lion, but instead of soft, moist petals around the spongy center, there were short, inflexible leaves. The leaves were colored with a greenish tint which changed to a darker shad towards the tips. They have no mouths or even vocal cords, they do however have a limited power of telepathy, this telepathy is not sophisticated enough to transfer thought directly and so the Pyrexeni society have developed and elaborate way of communicating using small transparent Cubes, the different colors that appear within this cube represent different words and emotions. Some of these colors may even represent several similar words and emotions:
Red: happiness, pride, joy, laughter, there, here, come, victory.
White: love, hi, goodbye, welcome, home, peace.
Blue: Son, daughter, mother, father, nephew, sister, please, thank you, you’re welcome, bless you, and so on.
Other colors represent different phrases and or word combinations; their telepathy comes into play here by deciphering and separating the meanings of those colors that have more then one meaning. A cursory examination of their language shows a total lack of negative opposites to the words that make up the Pyrexeni vocabulary. Their home world was a bright domain with green pastures and crystal clear oceans. High majestic mountains covered the majority of Perige's surface; these beauty drenched landscapes are covered with a soil of such divine purity. Not a single speck of imperfection can be spied amongst the ever shinning glory that is Perige. Much of Perige was covered with vast rain forests, and in these forests a wide variety of creatures lived together in a state of absolute harmony. The rest of Perige consists of grassy plains and slightly elevated plateaus. The Pyrexeni were very closely connected to the environment in which they lived. The spirits of the Pyrexeni and the world spirit of Perige flowed together in an unceasing cycle of mutual beneficial energies. Besides the dominate species of the Pyrexeni there existed a multitude of other life forms. The ecological system of Perige and Apogai are very different from each other, Perige is divided into four separate and distinct environments. The lands to the east are known as the Sandy plains, which is the least populated of the four regions. It is not however, totally devoid of life, it’s just that the creatures which inhabit this region have had to evolve in a very different and specific way.
These harsh lands consist of hundreds of miles of sand dunes. A group of small animals called Sand-frogs live under the sun baked sands of the eastern plains; these animals are not related in anyway to the family of Ranidae of earthly origins. Sand-frogs are obviously not amphibious, their skin is dry and scaly and their feet are fitted with retractable claws which are used to pounce on their prey. The head of the Sand-frog is triangle shaped; the base part of this triangle is attached to the rest of the body. The facial parts of this animal are sunken and close to the body, the triangle shaped head overlaps and extends far beyond these sensitive features, as a result their eye sight is limited. The mouth of the Sand-frog contains three rows of teeth, but they have no tongue. Their evolutionary development has been modified over the various generations of the species, in the past generations there may have been a tongue, which was most likely used for catching prey. The feet characteristics developed some 5ooo years ago replacing the tongue as a means of capturing their perspective meals.
A wide variety of plant-life exist in the harsh conditions of the Sandy Plains, the cactus-like Deadly-shad tree is the most successful of these. They range from four to six feet in length when standing upright. The top of tree is flat, smooth and extremely flexible, in its predatory mode the top part bends down; overlapping the rest of the tree and providing shad for its unwitting prey. Tapering down from the sides of the head are long appendages which are also very flexible, these arms go around the entire perimeter of the head. The ends of these dangling and slightly curved arms form into razor sharp points, complete with poison for an added deadly effect. When agitated the appendages form a cage-like structure, you can just imagine how this particular species of plant gets its nightly meals. Some of the other species of plants are: quill patches, which are long curved, grass-like blades with brown poisonous tips. Then there are; the carnivorous tube-like White Dolgencor, and the Poison Berry Plant. The plant and animal life of the south, north and west are even more unusual, for instance: the Deadly Vine of the north, a most resourceful predator, even though it does not possess a mouth or even a digestive tract; this wondrous creature digests its food: small rodents and insects, through a kind of osmosis.
The decay of the trapped animal is helped along by a secretion which dissolves the flesh, as this is done the nutrients from the liquefied animal seeps into the vine by way of the plants porous membrane. The capital city of Perige is called IDE and it stands in the northern region known as Kwag, at the edge of a vast plane there stands a mountain range called the Ossa-mountains. Just beyond this is a plateau which extends about a mile from the base of these mountains, the beginnings of Kwag start at the very end of this shelf, the soft boggy region on which IDE stands stretches far off into the distance, beyond that there are more mountain ranges. Sticking out of the bog were immense, windowless towers of hard, moldy, greenish colored stone. The tops of these monoliths are covered with soil. Most of these towers range from 60 to 100 feet, sticking out from the center of the soil covered tops are the outer parts of the pulling mechanism which carry passengers to the various levels of the towers.
Choma
The third and center sphere is a world illuminated with a great spiritual light, this bright sphere has no indigenous life, Choma is a world of great mystery to both the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes species. Choma figures heavily in the Pyrexeni myths and religion, the Opilioacariformes might have had a religion connected to Choma, but unfortunately, due to their unceasing warmongering they have lost all knowledge of its importance. The scorching of the sky and the polluting of Apogai’s atmosphere has prevented them from seeing anything beyond their own world. The vast knowledge that they once held has been perverted into ignorance, and as far as Choma is concerned; all that remains of it is a vague remembrance of an unknown deity. As for Perige and the Pyrexeni the situation is exactly the opposite, their view of the center sphere is quit clear. The Pyrexeni live in a perfected state, they have tried their best to distance themselves from the darker sphere. In fact, the Pyrexeni have an old saying which states: "Let the light remain in its fullness, and let the Darkness remain lacking in perfection" This belief has became so ingrained into their religious and sociological viewpoint that they eventually forgot about the Darkness all together. The Opilioacariformes situation will soon change now that Apogai’s orbit has shifted; Apogai has been slowly drifting at a slight angle towards the center sphere and as a result the view of both Choma and Perige becomes increasingly clearer.
Darkness desires Light
For several generations now the Opilioacariformes have been seeing wondrous things in the nighttime sky, the discovery of the other two spheres, particularly Perige has triggered something in the corrupted minds of the Opilioacariformes, the nearly forgotten myths concerning Apogai and it's once lustrous past have been lifted out of obscurity, awakening a desire within the Opilioacariformes, a desire which had remained dormant for countless millennia. The lights in the sky were pleasing to their clouded minds and now they were determined to capture this light for themselves. To achieve this goal they will have to construct a craft capable of carrying them to Perige, the construction of the ship would take a full generation to complete but eventually it would be ready for its maiden voyage. The ship would be funnel shaped and made from clay which could be molded into the desired shape when wet and then allowed to dry; this fine-grained and firm material contains high amounts of bauxite which is a compound of aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides. Into this mixture large amounts of a silvery metallic mineral known as yttrium is added, when hardened this material is very resistant to extremely high temperatures.
The Opilioacariformes that worked on the craft bounded the various sections together with a bodily secretion called entomolin; the lower half of the craft will be filled with a liquid propellant. Although the Opilioacariformes had destroyed most of the life on their planet, there are certain species of plants which they were not able to affect, including a species of plant composed of triglycerides, the fats and oils of the plants are inedible and toxic. These plants have become an invaluable resource, from which the Opilioacariformes can draw. Through a process called transesterification, the fats and oils of the triglyceride plants are extracted, although many different parts of these plants yield oil, the seeds are preferable. The ripened ovule of the plants are extracted, the seed coat is cut away and the endosperm removed. The cotyledon, which would have formed the leaves of the seed, is peeled away, and finally the hypocotyl is detached. Through a process called nitration the seeds produce large amounts of a colorless, oily chemical compound called trinitroglycerine. With the addition of other substances an explosive chemical reaction should occur when the final compounds are added into the mixture. This explosion should propel the craft beyond the haze of Apogai’s atmosphere and hopefully to its intended target.
The compulsion system that they will use to achieve flight is crude but should prove effective. What the Opilioacariformes were about to temp was extremely dangerous, the danger lies not in the landing but in the take off itself, and they certainly did not expect what happen next. The shock wave from the initial explosion shattered the bottom half of the ship and sent the top portion twirling upwards like a maddened cyclone. The craft hit the surface of Perige at a tremendous speed, landing flat and carving its way into the soft soil. Initially, it hit ground in the very center of the southern region, but skipped along the surface twice actually achieving flight both times. It slid along the surface for a considerable distance, finally settling at the border that separates the southern plains from the northern regions of Kwag. Unfortunately, the sound of the violent landing was not heard by the residents of IDE. From the smoking remains of the spacecraft the first of the Opilioacariformes stumbled out from the wreckage.
The creature was still a bit stunned from the abuse of the crash, it finally struggled to its four chitinous-stemmed legs and continued with its task of surveying the unfamiliar surroundings. After determining that everything was all right it returned to the broken ship, the interior of the craft suffered heavy damage, all around the inside of the ship the battered and crushed bodies of hundreds of Opilioacariformes lay dead. Even with the death of those few hundred Opilioacariformes their numbers were still greater then those of the indigenous species of the Pyrexeni. If this massive army manages to cross the dangerous, jagged mountain ranges of Ossa defeating the Pyrexeni themselves should prove to be no problem. The peace loving Pyrexeni have no weapons of any kind, nor any concept of what such instruments would be used for, they simply never had a reason to have such things.
Perige had just rotated into the light of a new day when the first of the Opilioacariformes was sighted coming over the horizon. Hundreds of Pyrexeni witnessed the coming of the invaders but initially, they were not motivated to fear by the arrival of these strangers. The first few hundred Pyrexeni were quickly and cruelly slain as the Opilioacariformes made their way to the plateau which separated Kwag from the northern mountain range. An outpouring of negative and alien feelings was released from the agonizing, dying bodies of those first few hundred Pyrexeni. The introduction of these opposites awakened the rest of the Pyrexeni to a horrible new experience. Thousands of them now stood on the marsh plains with their flexible stalk-arms extended, holding their communication boxes which flashed their entire spectrum franticly searching for a color which did not exist. Even after the first few hundred had been killed the Pyrexeni still could not fully appreciate the importance of what was occurring. When the horror of the situation finally filtered through their confused minds many Pyrexeni instinctively took flight. Those Pyrexeni who were too stunned to retreat were captured, rounded up and herded into the northern corner of the marsh lands.
Some of the Opilioacariformes stayed behind to guard the captured Pyrexeni while the others searched the buildings looking for any that might have escaped. The captive Pyrexeni were not sure what to make of the situation, they were paralyzed with indecision. Eventually the alien feelings that had been released into their world began to seep in, those who had become enlightened rose up against the Opilioacariformes, while these brave few distracted the Opilioacariformes the rest of their fellow Pyrexeni were able to escape. In this time of stress they had unconsciously retrieved a bit of important information from the back of their minds, according to certain ancient Pyrexian scriptures the God of the Pyrexeni had been known to intervene on behalf of its advocates at certain key moments in their history. If they could only get to the building in the center of the marsh land they might be able to get some help, the main building is where the Pyrexeni go to worship their God. A hundred Pyrexeni now stand hand in hand around the Crystal of calling, in accordance with the hierarchy of Pyrexeni society the two highest ranking citizens have been given the responsibility of invoking the prayer of calling.
Shortly after the prayer had been successfully called out the sounds of the approaching army began to shout forth, this cast the remaining of the ritual into chaos. The Pyrexeni backed up against the wall and huddled together for some sense of comfort, but when the Opilioacariformes began their pounding and clawing of the main door the Pyrexeni quickly made their way out of the back passageway. They kept running until they reached the very limits of Kwag. The boggy surface of this particular region was especially soft and yielding, this should make it very difficult for the Opilioacariformes to follow them.
The apetalous plant, a variety of poisonous flower with leaf-like spikes or scales along with the sticky, hairy, and extremely toxic foliage of the henbane herb both grow in the rich soil of the farthest bank. The Pyrexeni could have used these two plants as weapons but unfortunately they did not possess the knowledge necessary to utilize them. The God of the Pyrexeni knew that it had to respond to their pleas and in answer to their request a luminous messenger was sent forth carrying with it the five knowledge’s of warfare. Armed with this knowledge the enlightened Pyrexeni warriors would be able to retaliate against their enemies. Using this knowledge the Pyrexeni were able to take the Henbane and Apetalous plants and fashion them into weapons.
Armed with their apetalous-weapons and Henbane-launchers they led an assault on the Opilioacariformes army. The introduction of this knowledge made the Pyrexeni savage and fierce in battle. The savagery which they had unleashed against their foe was harsh and exacting; the victorious plant creatures would eventfully hold their cubes in the air as they proudly flashed the deepest of all reds. This was indeed a great victory but it was a victory that had a very heavy price. The initial attack of the Opilioacariformes army and the subsequent counterattack by the Pyrexeni had introduced previously unknown concepts and experiences into Pyrexeni society.
The Opilioacariformes returned to their ship so that they could arm themselves with their best weapons, with the addition of these five powerful weapons the Opilioacariformes would be able to turn their recent defeat into a victory. Knowing that they would not be able to defeat the Opilioacariformes a second time the Pyrexeni needed to come up with an alternate plan. And so before the second battle was to take place the remaining Pyrexeni warriors met up at the main building, there they would try to contact their God once again. After contacting their God they were told that in order to defeat the Opilioacariformes once and for all a great sacrifice would have to be made.
The final battle between the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes would result in a mixing of the opposites and each side would become infected. The mixing of these opposites would have a beneficial effect on the Opilioacariformes; in the sense that it calmed their destructive tendencies considerably. For the Pyrexeni however the mixing of the opposites was not helpful, their light had been diminished severely with the introduction of these inferior aspects, and the knowledge that they had received from their God actually made the situation worse. Many of the remaining Pyrexeni willingly offered themselves to the Opilioacariformes as a payment of devotion towards their brethren, the Opilioacariformes accepted the offer with salivating mouths and sharp pincers, once the perfected essences of the Pyrexeni had entered their systems they had been quelled and their hostile activities immediately ceased.
This mixing of the two natures caused the Pyrexeni to fall into a state of semi-unconsciousness; the foggy and passive condition would make them particularly susceptible to attack. The Pyrexeni were easily lulled into submission, and then they were all stuffed into one of their flying craft. Luckily the Umbelliferae-Ships which the Pyrexeni were crammed into were autophytic
The Opilioacariformes original plan was to send the ship out into the abysmal blackness which lies beyond the three spheres, hoping that this would destroy the Pyrexeni, but since the ship draws energy from inorganic substances such as light, their plan was destined to fail. The Opilioacariformes victory celebration did not last, it didn't take very long for the Opilioacariformes to revert to their destructive ways, and immediately the Opilioacariformes began to rape and pervert the world of light.
The diminished light
Aboard the Umbelliferae-ship, the Pyrexeni have begun to come out of their trance state; only to find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings. The Pyrexeni, who are in fact closely related to the Umbelliferae-craft now find the craft strange and alien. Outside the relative safety of the ship the vast emptiness taunts the hazed brains of the Pyrexeni. The ship might have drifted off into the uncharted darkness beyond if not for Choma; the ship had just crossed the limit of Chomas influence and was now traveling into the endless voids ahead. The panic which rushed over their minds clouded their judgment and they could not decide what to do.
Once the ship left the boundaries of Choma's influence the spiritual light which animated the Umbelliferae-ship started to drain away. It would only be a matter of time before the Umbelliferae-ship would instinctively turn towards the light; thereby saving the Pyrexeni from certain death. Unfortunately, they will now be forced to make a very important decision. There are three possible landing sites for the ship and since none of these places seemed familiar to the Pyrexeni they were forced to Choose Apogai, this was done purely out of necessity and not some kind of preconceived certainty.
The fact that Apogai was closer to Choma then Perige also had a lot to do with choosing the darkened sphere. The Pyrexeni also felt a certain connection with this particular sphere, the imperfections which had been forced upon the Pyrexeni and the imperfect nature of the planet Apogai were naturally drawn to each other. The haziness in the minds of the Pyrexeni blocked out all memory of their rightful home. Unfortunately, the poor condition of Apogai’s atmosphere shall prevent the autophytic craft from taking off again once it has landed.
Immediately after the Umbelliferae-ship had entered the dense atmosphere control over the craft had been lost, limp and deprived of energy it dropped from the sky and fell nose first towards certain destruction. The terrified pilot did what it could to gain control over the plummeting craft, but there was no possible way to pull the ship out it’s nose-dive. Luckily the decayed condition of Apogai’s surface would protect the craft from any major damage; it helped the craft by giving it a soft cushioned place to land. The craft was slightly damage but fortunately none of the Pyrexeni were seriously hurt.
They immediately left the craft to explore their surroundings, the dreary site around them seemed somehow familiar, and the haziness which bogged down their memories felt a certain affinity to their present surroundings. As long as the Pyrexeni remain on this sphere the haziness and unperfected nature of Apogai will continue to pollute their essence, this would eventually bring about an irreversible condition. The entire surface of Apogai was barren and all that remained were the decomposed bodies of animals and plains of wilted, dried out vegetation. The desert like terrain offered little hope, many of Apogai’s structures; whether earthen and artificially fabricated had been reduced to ash.
The situation was bleak and the Pyrexeni felt helpless, there was however one possibility open to them, if they could only learn more about this strange sphere they might have a chance to improve their situation, perhaps they could discover a way to power their vessel. They sifted through the ashes and searched the burnt out edifices of those buildings which did not completely topple over, until they found something of interest. Finally, under the rubble of the main building they found a secret entrance to an underground room. Upon entering this secret chamber they found several vaults and inside these vaults were thousands of small metallic discs. The room that they had discovered was probably some kind of library or perhaps an administrative-type complex.
At the end of the long room they found two computer consoles which had been built directly into the walls, a massive viewing screen separated the two consoles. Luckily, the computer still functioned and was completely automated; all they had to do was to slip the disc into the slot which was positioned under the Key-strip. The discs that they had found contained the entire history of Apogai, covering not only the historic aspects of Apogai but also the spiritual, administrative, and social structure of Opilioacariformes society.
It was in this secret room that the Pyrexeni learned the shocking truth, that both the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes civilizations shared a common origin; they also learned that the Pyrexeni God was the same God once worshiped by the Opilioacariformes. It seems that the two civilizations lost touch with each other along time ago.
The Pyrexeni lived in a state of pureness and so anything that was contrary to that state had been filtered out, the Opilioacariformes became lost in their own darkness and as the generations passed the memory of their relationship to the Pyrexeni faded. Unfortunately, before this revelation could sink into their hazed minds the monitors froze up, the images on the viewer burned into the screen.
Suddenly, both consoles burst into flames; soon the entire back was engulfed with fire. The whole building began to shake violently, the five Pyexeni researchers got out just as it began to collapse in on itself. The importance of this structures demise would have been lost on the crude, unenlightened Opilioacariformes, but to the Pyrexeni species with their high regard for soteriological knowledge were deeply affected by this lose. The secrets that it might have divulged to curious minds was now lost, perhaps for all time to come. Unfortunately, the Pyrexeni were no closer to finding a way off the desolate orb.
Fortunately, the information that they had retrieved from the library raised their consciousness to a much higher level. The newly acquired knowledge bolstered up and reaffirmed their connection with the divine, the knowledge which they had received now spanned the entire sphere of Apogai, enabling their thoughts to extend passed the atmospheric imperfections of their prison.
Free from the restraints of Apogai’s influence these pure thought patterns eventually reestablished a connection with the luminous parent sphere of Choma. Choma's influence began to flow back into their conscious mind, at first this distant voice was merely a whisper, it would take a great deal of concentration before they were able to turn it up in their minds.
The Pyrexeni were still in a slightly dulled state at this point. The unfamiliar voice which had been immediately sent forth from Choma told them about a certain plant which grew on the white sphere, the root of which could bestow absolute knowledge upon the one who picks it. Unfortunately, the Pyrexeni were still stuck on Apogai and as far as they could see there was no way off this awful sphere. One of the Pyrexeni had found the plans that the Opilioacariformes had used to construct their own craft, but the craft used by the Opilioacariformes relied on a chemical compound which would prove extremely harmful to their particular craft.
The Umbelliferae-ship is a living entity and is autophytic by nature; the craft is capable of converting inorganic substances; such as light into energy. Clearly, another way must be found if they are to ever escape this prison. With no other means of escaping the Pyrexeni were forced to take drastic measures. Since the Pyrexeni and the autotrophic ship are formed of the same light substances theoretically the craft should be able to draw energy from the life force of its distant cousins.
The Pyrexeni knew that they would have to sacrifice themselves in order for their plan to work. When it comes to these kinds of decisions the Pyrexeni go by rank of importance, in their society personal sacrifice is considered a privilege and all the Pyrexeni were willing to do whatever was needed. Three high ranking Pyrexeni were chosen for this honor which was accepted with great pride. The three chosen ones laid on the ground while three other Pyrexeni took sharp pieces of metal and used them to cut open the main trunk, the incision would be made just below the neck stalk; where the main root system is located.
In addition to this complex root system there are several bulbous sacks and the main muscle-like chamber. The Pyrexeni species are not animated by rhythmic contractions and relaxations of a heart or by the coursing of blood through vein-like membranes. An invisible spiritual light force is what bestows life and animation upon the Pyrexeni. A small incision in the main chamber will release this life force from the bodies of the three who had been chosen, once this is done the Umbelliferae-ship should be able to absorb the light-force and turn it into the energy that it so desperately needs. The sacrifice so bravely made by those three Pyrexeni will not only give their craft a new source of energy, it will also reintroduce a pure light source into the darkened sphere of Apogia.
The Roots of Knowledge
The spirit-energy from the three deceased Pyrexeni had been successfully absorbed by the Umbelliferae-ship and turned into the energy needed for take off. The remaining Pyrexeni boarded the ship to prepare for immediate evacuation, soon they would be on their way passed Apogai’s darkened atmosphere. The ship which had been drawn free of energy and made limp had become firm, the Umbelliferae-ship dashed upward with it's newly acquired vigor punching its way through Apogai’s dense atmosphere, within the ship the passengers were about to get their first real look at the parent sphere known to them as Choma.
This was clearly a tremendous treat for the crew aboard the autotrophic craft, the closeness of the Umbelliferae-craft to Choma allowed the Pyrexeni to fully appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the white sphere. From the surface of Perige Choma seemed to be a solid orb, however, the actually size of Choma is a lot smaller then they had first perceived. Choma actually consists of a solid core surrounded by a dense, gaseous, cloud-like covering, when they entered this gaseous shell-covering their view became slightly obscured. A sense of fear briefly overcame the Pyrexeni, but then something miraculous happened, the ship was suddenly set on a controlled path and directed towards the surface of the sphere.
To the Pyrexeni this marvel seemed another example of their gods love and devotion to his devotees, it was as though their god had their craft in his hands and was guiding them to safety. All their attention was directed towards the miraculous event which was taking place outside their own ship, and so the Pyrexeni failed to notice the other ship which was coming up from behind them.
When those three Pyrexeni researchers had discovered the information discs on Apogai and had received new knowledge they did not realize that this information would also be experienced by the Opilioacariformes as well. This was an unfortunate side effect of their dark and light substances being mixed together, both factions have the spiritual light within them; the Pyrexeni had always possessed it and it had been introduced to the Opilioacariformes as a result of the mixing of the opposites, although they both have their own motivations for remaining in and possessing that light.
The motivations of the Pyrexeni are obvious; they need the Gnosis root so they can regain the knowledge that had been lost when they were cast out of their home. The Opilioacariformes had long since forgotten what it was like to experience the pure light of Choma and now that they have come into contact with this light they will do anything to ensure that these sensations will never leave them. A war will be fought on Choma and the prize for winning this battle is knowledge and ultimately salvation. Beyond the heights of Choma's stratosphere the stage is set for another spectacular event.
The introduction of a pure light source into the dead sphere of Apogai has bestowed new life unto the orb, and it has begun to drift, if it can pass Choma without incident it will have a clear path for Perige. The process has been accelerated due to the fact that both spheres contain equal portions of light and dark substances. There is no way to tell what will happen if they should collide, maybe they will destroy one another? Both the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes Umbelliferae-ships are getting closer to Choma's surface, they had both expected to find a world of illuminated landscapes, covered with luscious vegetation and seas of sparkling crystal clear water, what they found instead was a barren, rocky orb.
The area of land on which they would land was constantly being assailed by sandstorms and harsh hot winds. A circular shaped mountain range stood in the very center of this plain, the Pyrexeni ship and the ship which had been pirated by the Opilioacariformes would land on opposite sides of this curious formation. The sacred plant which both factions now sought grew on the desolate plain in the center of that circular mountain range; unfortunately neither group had the energy to make the long journey over the rugged terrain. Both sides thought it best to rest and recover their strength before continuing, it was during this time that the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes started to formulate their perspective plans.
The Opilioacariformes were a lot sneakier in their planning; they also have a bit of an advantage over the Pyrexeni. The Opilioacariformes have a greater portion of spiritual light due to their constant contact with the beneficial aspects of Perige, while the Pyrexeni having been separated from their true home are lacking in this connection.
The plan that the Opilioacariformes have devised is a most ingenious one, they decided that they would trick the Pyrexeni by sending a special envoy to misdirect the Pyrexeni and disturb their mind-set, this intermediary would be cloaked in a shroud of light, the determination of the Pyrexeni to reestablish a connection with a pure spiritual light source could prove to be their downfall. The outcome of this latest stratagem will decide the fate of both the Opilioacariformes and the Pyrexeni race.
The Opilioacariformes had only to misdirect the Pyrexeni long enough for them to scale the mountains face, the time that the Pyrexeni would have wasted in conversing with the impostor should also help to drain the Pyrexeni of their strength. As the Pyrexeni stood by their vessel discussing their plans for retrieving the root this luminous being came before them and began to speak its lies. The Pyrexeni saw the light which radiated from the stranger and were sufficiently fooled by its pure appearance.
As the Pyrexeni sat in council with the false light-being the Opilioacariformes were advancing toward the circular mountain range, and soon they were on their way up the steep incline. As they climbed the mountain side they began to mock the Pyrexeni for their gullibility, now satisfied that the Pyrexeni were sufficiently fooled by the charlatan they commanded it to leave the Pyrexeni to their own befuddled devices. The risk of the divine light becoming even more dependent upon inferior aspects prevented Choma from sending a messenger of its own, but now that this threat has been cast off Choma is free to send its own emissary of Light.
The Opilioacariformes had crossed over the ridge and were now on the lower circular plain heading directly for the plant. Even though there was little hope of beating the Opilioacariformes the Pyrexeni still felt it necessary to push on, all this heartfelt determination was wasted in light of the event which was about to take place beyond the confines of the White sphere.
The Opilioacariformes had reached their prize; their grotesquely shaped shadows cast out all light from around the sacred plant, the leader of the Opilioacariformes was just about to pluck the plant from the ground, when Suddenly, a flash of light ripped through the hazed sky and blinded their intentions, this sudden blaze was the result of the collision between the two smaller orbs of Perigeum and Apogaion. Both the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes had simultaneously cast their attention towards the sky to witness this spectacular event.
The impact of the collision sent shock waves surging over the entire surface of Choma completely devastating it. The bodies of the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes were instantly incinerated and both their dark and light essences were scattered and then absorbed into the soil of the parent sphere.
The two smaller spheres were not completely destroyed upon impact, they in fact had become a single solid mass, with their inferior and superior light elements becoming joined and thoroughly set into a permanent mixture of opposite substances. Choma still dwarfed this newly created sphere, the gravitational pull of Choma snatched the smaller sphere from its position and dragged it toward its massive body, the three spheres had now become one.
This mingled concoction of superior and inferior polarities, along with the saving knowledge of the sacred plant now reside within this newly formed mammoth-sphere. Unfortunately, there was no one left that might benefit from the establishment of this new sphere. Choma had made a decision to destroy itself in the hopes that its divine gifts might one day be received by some other form of life; one which possesses the intelligence and the insight to use these gifts for noble purposes and for the benefit of all.
From this three-fold natured mass of superiority, inferiority and divine knowledge came the creation of the present universe; including, the earth and eventually even man himself. The stage has been set for another epic journey, another race of beings shall begin the search for this most elusive aspect of existence. This search; as it had been for the Pyrexeni and the Opilioacariformes will not be easy, many obstacles will stand in the way. Fear, pride, and lust of the physical senses shall continue to seduce the mind and lull the seeker into a hazed, semiconscious state.
But, there is still hope. Perhaps there will be a time when we will overcome the obstacles of ignorance and cast down those who are opposed to the discovery of truth, when that day comes we shall call out with the totality of our being, "The Light is Henceforth safe from the Darkness and from injury by it" This is the gift and the promise of the Gnosis Root.
