Fantasia
I wait, I watch. And I -- the Mother -- seek you, my children.
The stars, the dreams and all things manifest,
Oh, my song you dually sing, my salutation, a boundless note within the symphonic cauldron of my heart,
I am one and many with you my children.
Princess Ellinia
~*~
The heart of a shimmering blue pearl, known by its peoples as planet Earth, suddenly burst into a kaleidoscope of translucency. Spreading ever outward, the symphonic outpouring rushed across space and time, heralding an incredible metamorphosis. This transformation conducted under the metronomic tutelage of the fiery-golden star, centerpiece of this family of celestial jewels, both participants and scribes for the age of Maple.
The surviving scientists of the 'Lost Epoch' would describe it as -- a post-quantum event, one redefining the structure of our 'First-Port' Universe and opening the gates to many others -- initiating a harmonic cascade. And here, a page is turned in the continuum that is Maple Story.
Pre-MS Cascade June 30 2012 North West State of Victoria Australia
"Resonance Yoshiro, it's all about resonance." Sara Laurite moved in a trance-like ambulation around the lab as she animatedly talked about the concept underpinning her research, her raven-black hair swirling about her rounded hips as she moved, her hand gestures reminiscent of a translator at a pantomime. Yoshiro thought her beautiful in her unbuttoned white lab coat, her glossy black hair tumbling down her back, the sky-blue pleated knee-length skirt, the figure hugging black blouse and her fashionable white leather high-heels. She looked both professional and elegant. "I believe there is symmetry in the sub-atomic and it impacts directly upon the phenomenal world, affecting both organic and so-called inert matter. But we all know the extemporal qualifications concerning that paradigm, don't we…?" she trailed off, allowing Dominic, who stood in the doorway listening to her explanation to digest her words.
Yoshiro flashed a secret smile at Sara, content to simply adore and admire his lover and colleague. Dr. Yoshiro Tokirumo
Was an expert in M-theory and Sara's research partner. He sat at his workstation, arms folded, his long black hair tied back in a ponytail, his sapphire-blue eyes dancing with amusement as he enjoyed the exchange.
"I am impressed, Sara. I have been a stodgy old scientist much too long. Hell, I'm only thirty-five and I feel like Dr. Sandoval, at seventy-one, limping from one convention to the next, like a cat chasing its tail, and no closer to braking through the standard quantum discourse. I don't wish to be remembered that way, that's why I am supporting you, because I believe in you, Sara and of course, Yoshiro. This project is extremely important, now more than ever," Dominic said, looking at the impressive array of cutting-edge equipment within the laboratory thoughtfully.
"Well then, since I have your attention, professor -- allow me to show you what my creative license has yielded thus far," Sara said, smiling. She paused, thought a moment and then came to a decision. "Why not, this phenomenon can't be ignored. But I believe life on our planet is about to undergo an unprecedented evolutionary shift. Fanciful I know, professor, but it's your money to waste," she grinned, turning those shimmering dark eyes to his.
"No, its valuable research and yes, it is my money, but its not being wasted!" Professor Dominic Lozano, replied and strode confidently into the room -- a smile on his face. He was the hardhead of the institute finance and research applications department, and project director. He arched his eyebrows like a hawk waiting to strike as his reputation for pushing the project team to the edge to bring the best out in them, was legendary and resented by most of the institute's researchers. But Sara and Yoshiro seemed to thrive under pressure and he knew it. He secretly admired the efforts of his 'Dream Team' as he affectionately called them, sensing they were on the cusp of a major breakthrough that would change the face of traditionalist scientific discourse forever. He didn't know exactly how, but as far as he was concerned, it was as good as cast in stone.
"Well, Dr. Laurite, we had better have results that reflect our faith in you…" a new voice chorused, Tiffany Sokudo, was project coordinator, and a typical bureaucrat. She simply wanted results, nothing more, and nothing less. She winked at Yoshiro, they were good friends and she'd only ever beaten him twice at a game of chess, as they were adepts of the game and belonged to the research facility's chess club.
Yoshiro was about to pick her up on her hubris, but he need not have worried, for Sara took the situation by the scruff of the neck and turned determined eyes to Tiffany's cynical ones. "Want Results…that convert into dollars and cents? Look here. This is what I dub The 'Ludi project.' The world's first micro-phasic realm in sub-space and this is a gateway," she explained, waving a slender hand over the crystal consol and a holomorphic image appeared in the center of the chamber.
"Wow, that's Earth?"
"Yeah, and you were saying?" She said smugly as Tiffany read over the complex schematics of the subterranean marvel represented in the hologram, suspended above the floor of the chamber before them.
"It's a boundless source of power. It will make energy wars and corporate rhetoric redundant," Yoshiro added with all the majesty of a powerful monarch as all eyes focused on the kaleidoscopic image throbbing beneath the Earth's tectonic plates. Everyone continued to stare in wonder at the incredible display, spellbound by its spherical crystalline beauty.
"It's magnificent!" the now excited woman declared, obviously impressed with what she was seeing.
"So, do I have the approval I seek?" Sara ventured, winking mischievously, tossing her hair back in that playful way that always brought a smile to Yoshiro's face. He pictured her bronzed naked body and her shining dark eyes, re-living every touch, kiss and moment of surrender during their passionate lovemaking the night before and how fantastic it had been -- with a surreptitious smile, he brought his thoughts back to present matters.
Dominic smiled and gave his endorsement. "Why certainly, Dr. Laurite...."
He studied the schematics more carefully, asked some rhetorical questions -- his stock in trade. Still smiling, he nodded approvingly and left the laboratory -- clipboard in hand, with Dr. Tiffany Jasper in his wake.
Yoshiro hesitated before speaking, and then stepped closer to Sara and took her hand and kissed it. "Reach for the stars, Sara, don't let anyone, not even I hold you back."
She smiled, blinked, not taking her eyes from his and pressed her sweet moist lips to his. After a moment or two, Sara deepened the kiss and gently pulled away. "Thank you, Yoshiro, I appreciate that."
"I believe you've something to show me."
She nodded. He was entranced by how the crystalline lattice, making up the tectonic substratum of the planet behaved, and how it interacted with the surface and its inhabitants.
She sighed, and drew a fresh sample from --The Well of Dreams -- as she dubbed it. The post-quantum interface was connected to the frequency output of human activity in cyberspace, the global harmonic that correlated with the human brain at 7.8 hertz, presently in flux, and this cocktail of hyper-physics was doing something to the planet and was intensifying by the second. Not even she could have foreseen what was to come, and truth be known, she wouldn't have changed a thing.
~*~
She had been a dreamer all her life. Sara loved fantasy and all to do with the unknown. She sought to create the most amazing images in stone and on canvas. An expert in computer science, and in her spare time had formed, nurtured and coordinated the Maple Story roll playing game, to add to her string of lofty accomplishments.
She was a particle physicist and expert on post-quantum theory. She would draw on her elaborate ideas to improve the game she and her group of eight dedicated friends worked so assiduously to maintain and improve. The game had a number of servers throughout Asia and around the world and millions played it day and night. Her other passions were to do with mythology, archaeology and fantasy, this clearly reflected in the plethora of fascinating worlds she had a hand in creating for the on-line RPG game.
She was Chinese-American. Sara had spent five years living in Korea as an exchange student. After graduating from high school and attending one of Seoul's most prestigious Universities, graduating with honors, she migrated to Japan where she lived and worked whilst completing her doctoral thesis on M-theory at Tokyo University before moving to Australia with her boyfriend, Yoshiro to start a new life in a little known pinpoint on the map called Isadora.
The town had played host to the most exciting project since Hubble, for the new 300-acre complex -- the Post-Quantum research institute - the largest of its kind in the world was a household name as the direct result of Sara and Yoshiro's work. The compound also boasted an impressive state of the art observatory and this facility also changed the fortunes of the local township. The joint facility, built in concert with the help of the Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, American and Australian governments was a win-win outcome for all concerned. Shortly after it opened, a major discovery was made. Sara and her team had sent a probe into subspace to explore a series of parallel universes that up until that point were considered only speculation. Now, they had pictures, sounds and samples of organic and inorganic life: rock crystal, ice, plant matter and metals unlike anything in our First Port Universe as it was now known. The proponents of M-Theory were vindicated.
There were boundless domains to explore - Sara and her team's breakthrough had confirmed it. She was studying the data via a complex interface; the well was capable of producing a boundless source of pure energy, and what also excited project headquarters was the fact it would have next to no impact upon the environment. This energy would be transformed into biogenic crystal, and excess energy would flow back into subspace. It was perfect.
But as she looked at the holographics, she marveled at the kaleidoscopic lattices that seemed to be proliferating at lightning speed. "Yoshiro...!"
"What is it Sara?"
"Look at this. I don't understand. This is so strange, the mantle and crust is transmogrifying into a crystalline-organic mass and it's in cascade, and I can't stop it!"
"Oh crap…" Yoshiro sighed as they stared into the face of the unknown. They held onto one another, conscious of the fact that the Earth and everything for countless light-years was about to change. But how would it all unfold, this remained a mystery as they stared in awe and a little fear into the face of a kaleidoscopic future.
July 2012: Falcon research complex, Australia
The reports were coming in from all over the globe, waves of light, washing over cities and entire continents. All conflict ceased. Strange things were happening everywhere. The sky was alight with images, bizarre winged beasts ruled the skies, and these looking as if made from precious stones that shone like the sun, almost blinding the observer - stunning and frightening in their awesome beauty and size. This, the description given by BBC Digital Services as the Earth changes continued unabated. Most were glorious and devastatingly magical -- some darker. Whole cities and, or individual communities were shredded and millions disappeared. What caused this nobody knew. Soon, panic gripped the populations of large cities all over the world. Riots, and all sorts of odd things were happening, people, inexplicably and unbelievably transformed into entities of some sort.
People watched from their computer screens, holo-image devices or on location, everyone realizing the events unfolding before them meant a new existence for all, one frightening and uncertain. Vast swirling vortices spun where the world's trouble spots once existed. Strands of liquid-like crystal webbing shot out from cavernous rifts in the Earth's crust, weird fissures spouted prismatic light into space, and this meshing of the wondrous fabric of a celestial spider embraced the sun and the other planets.
Mars
The Earth Station orbiting the red planet, was scanning activity on the Martian surface and were sending live feed to NASA, the Calypso A, Earth's first manned mission to the red planet decided to land early to investigate the phenomena first hand, the commander careful to set down 214 kilometers from a huge caldera, now beginning to stir. All hoped it would settle, lest the ship had to lift off and land on the other side of the planet. As the micro shocks continued, this required its inertial dampeners to remain running on a low setting to reduce the stresses on the craft's hull.
~*~
Back on Earth, the oceans were alight with color. Strange creatures were reportedly emerging from the sea and scouting the coastline, reports of attacks on humans were rare, but some were the result of provocation by some gangs, marauding youth or drunks, local authorities, where these still functioned, cordoned off public beaches, launched curfews and military guarded the streets, but the cascade was about to explode.
Post Cascade August 2012 Spain
The coastal breeze embraced the sleepy underbrush, stirring the cacophony of tiny creatures, alerted to the sudden shift in the elemental landscape. The trees, devoid of foliage, waved their contorted limbs in protest at the audacity of the otherworldly gusts sweeping over their frail branches, disturbing their timeless repose.
Vickie Agenois, a young painter, well known by the locals in the village looked on as the majestic, proud waves of royal blue, bedecked with laced crests like foamy crowns flanked by hovering gulls seeking prey swept upon the ribbon of gold that was the Mediterranean coast.
The molten gold of the suns disheveled remains, poured like libations to the onset of a magenta and indigo night. The moon, like a silvery goddess, advanced along a starry processional way to kiss the burnished horizon. But the euphoric cluster of spinning color that rushed silently from behind the setting sun caught her eye and she began to paint frantically, not knowing what it was she was witnessing, or it's significance, she allowed her hands to faithfully reproduce the kaleidoscopic panorama of the sky overhead. She titled the piece, Fantasia.
