Chapter 23: Possessions

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The Mazkertis Paradox
Chapter 23:
Possessions
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← Chapter 22: The Heart of a Star
Chapter Information
Author
Word Count
7976
Date Published
March 11, 2023

Possessions is the twenty-third chapter of The Mazkertis Paradox. In this chapter:

Plot[edit | edit source]

Following the events of Chapter 15: Beyond Time - The Search Begins, Niflheim is traveling with Seran Dol-Abi on a mission to locate the Original Universe's versions of the friends that Nif had in his home universe, whom Nif believes he needs to find in order to return home. Their first stop is Dantooine, a planet home to the Dolissima Orthodoxee, a Force-sensitive cult which Seran used to be a part of. The Orthodoxee is dedicated to the worship of EEEEEE, a powerful disembodied consciousness whom Nif knew back in his home universe. Three days later (Day 79 of The Mazkertis Paradox arc), the duo arrive at their destination. As Seran's starfighter touches down close to the cult's hideout, the Jedi reveals that the Orthodoxee discovered EEEEEE deep beneath the surface of the planet over ten years prior and used his powers to augment their own abilities, giving them greater precognition and mastery over the Force at the cost of their individuality. EEEEEE's gifts also gave his followers lisps which caused them to extend every "e" sound they spoke to an unnatural length, explaining Seran's signature accent.

As Nif and Seran search for the entrance to the hideout, the ground collapses beneath their feet, causing them to fall to the true hideout hundreds of feet below the surface. Seran's former master, a Dragonite named Abirthan, emerges from the darkness and attacks Seran. Their duel ends when EEEEEE, the force possessing Abirthan, also possesses Seran temporarily. After recognizing EEEEEE's voice, Nif addresses him by his true name, Staxx, and enquires about his origins in the Original Universe. Staxx replies that he has been on Dantooine for as long as he can remember, but that he somehow has vague memories of having known Nif in the past. In addition, Staxx explains that he only allowed Abirthan to attack Seran to satisfy a grudge that Abirthan had been holding since Seran deserted the Orthodoxee. Staxx adds that he formed the Orthodoxee by manipulating a Jedi researcher named Dolissima to provide him with more host bodies, and when Seran discovered that EEEEEE was planning to leave Dantooine to assimilate more worlds into his consciousness, he left the cult and destroyed Dantooine's spaceports and offworld communications systems, leaving Staxx stranded.

Realizing that Staxx would be better served by having a more powerful body instead of many more equally regular ones, Nif persuades him to spare Seran, offering him a more powerful body in exchange: the body of Mazkertis, a wizard with the ability to manipulate time on a massive scale. Upon realizing that he could use Mazkertis's body to answer his questions about his past, Staxx agrees with Nif's demands and removes all traces of himself from Seran, removing Seran's lisp at the cost of his more advanced Force abilities such as precognition. While Seran celebrates his freedom, Staxx agrees to accompany Nif on his quest to find the other variants of Nif's friends so that Staxx can gain Mazkertis as a host body and discover the truth about his own origins.

Meanwhile, Boltman is defeated by the powerful mercenary Cory Baxter and his friends, including Newt Livingston III, and taken through a Boom Tube to meet Moonman at his headquarters. Moonman gloats at Boltman's defeat, having vowed to get revenge on Boltman ever since Boltman robbed Moonman of his true identity and cost him his career and livelihood on a fateful day which once occurred in Japan and had catastrophic effects on both of their lives. However, before exacting his revenge, Moonman announces that there is somebody he wants Boltman to meet. He turns on a television to reveal Max Headroom, who mockingly greets Boltman and tells him that they have "a lot to cover".

Characters[edit | edit source]

External Links[edit | edit source]


The Mazkertis Paradox
- Chapters -
edit
1: Harmony, Disharmony2: Calm3: Freedom4: Homeward Bound5: Power Play6: Maskirovka7: Zugunruhe8: The Enemy of My Enemy...9: ...Is Not My Friend.10: As Time Goes By/The Secret Within11: Dejected: The Fall of Datrio12: Breakout13: Never Say Don't Ever Again14: Spark15: Beyond Time: The Search Begins16: Void17: Elated: Into the Mind's Eye18: Critically Planned19: Missing Information20: The Butterfly Effect21: Eris Quod Sum22: The Heart of a Star23: Possessions24: The Kingdom, Part I25: The Kingdom, Part II