“No. I heard a loud bang, and that was it. There was nothing after that; then all of a sudden, I heard your voice, and Allen’s, and everyone else; it was raining really hard. It felt like a dream.”
Anya’s mouth gaped open slightly. “The bright light by the car?”
“Yea, that was me. Azek saw me and took me with him,” said Cody as he turned his attention towards Sorehn, “Can you please let him out?”
“As far-fetched as this all seems, I don’t think we should let him go,” said Major Sorehn.
“I agree. This is some Teracian trick,” said Miller.
“Etzel, I command you to lower the barrier.”
In a mechanical robotic voice, “But, Actavian, this could be a ruse.”
“Etzel, I am your commanding officer, and I order you to release him.”
“Right away, sir,” the inquisitor said, releasing the plasma force field.
Azek’zander limped over to William and helped him stand. “William, can you hear me?”
“I heard every word of it and can’t believe you’re here little brother. I-I need help standing. My strength has left me.”
“What’s going on, William? What is this place?”
“I’m not sure if I even know myself.”
Miller lowered his gun and chuckled. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Anya rushed over to William’s side and buried her face in his chest. “I’m so glad you’re alright. I was worried sick. What’s happened to you?”
William took a seat on one of the pews and heaved. “I don’t remember a whole lot after the fall. I sat there bleeding to death and heard a voice telling me he could be my salvation. I didn’t want to leave you and our friends, so I accepted it. What a fool I was. I’ve endangered you all.”
“There has to be something someone can do?”
“We must take him planet side to speak to the elder at Touhou,” said Sorehn as he made a pathway for them to leave.
“I’m afraid the only place he’s going is a containment cell,” said Actavian.
“We just got him back, and you want to imprison him?” said Anya with anger in her eyes.
“That is the only way he will be safe. Dazshra will return, and when he does, I cannot guarantee anyone’s safety.”
Etzel ambled down from the platform and approached them. “Dazshra is the living epitome of hatred and chaos. He has seen both sides and in effect has become insane. He should be eliminated immediately.”
“Shut up! Everyone just shut up. No one is doing anything to my big brother,” Cody said as Azek’s chest started to pulsate and change colors.
“This is for the best, child. Miller, take the Teracian into custody as well. We cannot forgive his prior actions,” said Actavian.
Grabbing ahold of William, Cody spread out Azek’s wings, knocking Anya back. “You aren’t taking William away from me.”
The crowd covered their eyes as a blinding flash of light erupted from the Teracian’s chest. Anya trembled as she opened her eyes; both had vanished without a trace.
Eleven
Lives Forgotten in Time
“What you saw earlier was a look into a dark time in our history that didn’t happen that long ago.”
Allen examined his arm with worn out eyes and a tired spirit. Something was taken from him that could never be returned, and the cold hard metal attached to his shoulder wasn’t it. He buried his built-up feelings and let new air fill into his lungs.
“Are those corrupted Teracians like that because of the Septunians? Did they have a hand in birthing Dazshra as well?”
“Yes, most cannot accept that they’re not just here for a temporary asylum. Allen, I believe they are here to replace us.”
The great sun above them made it hard to scope out of the revolving station, but Allen soon found it on the outskirts of the horizon. He flipped his hair back and wiped away the sweat onto his new green shirt. It was a colossal moon for a once colossal and proud race, but to him, it looked more like a casket. During the return trip, Taiyah shared colorful and tragic stories about their interactions with the humans. 250 years had formed an alliance for resources and a mutual benefit for both parties. That was the reality they had merged with and the reality they might soon break.
“I understand that Earth was left abandoned from war and disease, but why did we, I mean the Septunians, choose this planet to try and start over?”
Allen waited for a response and found himself enjoying her company. Taiyah, to him, was more human than alien; the striking sky-blue skin was the first attribute to differentiate. She had a unique way of walking that let the metallic wings on her back shuffle back and forth like a coat in a light breeze. She met his glance with dilated brown pupils. “Few have believed me, but I think they are after something. I hear them talking. Their leaders speak in the shadows about a force known as the Quantum Infinity, the Rishnasura. Several times I’ve almost been captured listening in on their communication links. Azek’zander hacked into their system and found it hidden away in classified files.”
“You’ve told me about this Azek’zander before. Is he unique like you?”
“Even more so. He’s one of the rare few who can fly, and he has a fire deep inside of him. Their A.I. program, Krysanthe, is hard to manipulate, but he eventually got into the system. We may be in more danger than anyone realizes.”
Allen hesitated for a second, finding it hard to accept the looming situation at hand. Three tiring days away from Earth weren’t nearly enough to justify getting so involved in alien affairs. He couldn’t help but feel ashamed of his own species and felt even more isolated than before. “These Septunians aren’t really human anymore are they?” Allen said as he let his hands brush up against the smooth and glassy buildings surrounding them. They were all of various colors and heights. Bridges linked many of them together, and some were made out of pure reflective glass. Flying vehicles dotted the sky like flocks of geese, but still there remained others skirting by on the rough paved roads. The two species, he observed, didn’t interact much; it was as if everyone was in their own bubble. His passing glances were met with a stone-cold look from all of the Septunian people going about their daily lives; their faces spelled out a feeling of unwelcome.
“You could make that conclusion, yes. Cybernetic technology, gene manipulation, artificial organs and skin are just a few. All of these advancements have brought the words man and machine ever closer to having the same meaning.”
“But everyone looks human. Is it only their insides that changed?”
“These are mostly civilians, and you are right that most of the changes are internal. The military has more advanced external deviations that mimic machines. Androids also walk among us as well.”
A passing vehicle hovered in the air in front of them, and with a spark from the engine, attained flight. Everyone around them, both Teracian and human alike, were watching Allen and Taiyah as if they were some passing carnival in a dull city of fools. A small child walked past them, playing with a holographic game generated from a strap on his palm.
“Treynador Stronghold was the first major human settlement to be constructed. Vast robotic technology poured from the station for years and assembled it piece by piece. When it was finished, the Septunians got to work on making it a productive city where both species could live with equality.”
“What other major cities or settlements are there?”
“Well, there are many villages scattered around the planet, and only two human cities developed enough to inhabit in this region. There is Treynador situated near the Purtarian Mountains and to the south of us is Ho’olp Village and Windenfall City. Both Ho’olp and Touhou are smaller than the others. Windenfall is where we need to travel to meet up with your friends.”
“What are the other villages like?”
“Similar to the ones we have here, but much larger. Premsus, Lehji, and Bwom are a few to mention. The populations of each are around fifty thousand. Ka’peron
is the largest with over 200,000 Teracians. It lies on the other side of the Everflow Ocean. We can talk on the way to Windenfall.”
Allen felt a smile appear on his face at the thought of seeing everyone again. A sudden rush culminated in the pit of his stomach as he clenched onto his new arm. What will they think of this?
Taiyah stopped in front of him near a towering structure fitted with entrances that appeared to have electricity pulsing around the frame and a force field as the door. They passed through it, and Allen felt it tickle his skin. At an alarmingly fast rate, several groups of people seemed to appear and disappear right in front of him, making his head start to spin. Small traces of smoke lined the room from the generated heat.
As if she could sense his growing anxiety. “This is the largest teleporter hub in the city. Thousands of humans use these to travel to the Septune Station and to the other small cities, as well as Windenfall. They are completely safe.”
Allen felt a little annoyed. “Have these been working the whole time? I could have met up with them hours ago.”
“These have been on lockdown ever since you left the temple. There was an announcement a little while ago that it was lifted. I am sorry, Allen.”
“Are we going to meet them soon? Where are they?” he said, regretting his harsh tone.
“To my knowledge, they are preparing to leave the Septune Station now and should be at Windenfall any moment. Come, this one is functioning. The humans call these matter transport pods. That’s just a fancy way of saying it teleports you piece by piece.”
Taiyah grabbed his hand and brought him to an empty chamber that was strikingly similar to an antique phone booth that his grandpa had mentioned back on Earth. He felt her squeeze reassuringly, and his pulse quickened. With all of his courage, he returned the gesture by rubbing his thumb on her smooth hand. With the armor blocking her mouth, he could only see the muscles in her face stretch upwards in a smile. Allen closed his eyes and held his breath. He instantly closed his eyes, but before he knew it, the trip was over. He felt sick to his stomach, static clung to his uniform, and his hair stood up on the back. The chamber door slid open, and a similar room came into view. An endless flood of people was coming and going like flashes of lightning in a ravine.
“That was quick,” he said, feeling an intense rush of lightheadedness.
“You may feel a little disoriented, but that’ll wear off soon. Windenfall is beyond these doors. It’s an entirely different city than Treynador, but I don’t want to spoil it for you,” she thought as they walked outside to meet the setting sun.
Allen gasped with his mouth agape as the full view of the Windenfall City spilled out before him. Without his knowledge, the teleporter they had exited from linked to an enclosed glass lookout against the neighboring mountain range. A true masterpiece of architectural design, the city itself was situated in the middle of the vast green ocean. The complex array of buildings surrounding the coast held up a portion of the city that touched the horizon. Circular struts jutted out from the perimeter like a vibrant flower, connecting the transparent spheres with the two layers of the city; Allen counted five expansive bio-domes that seemed to be levitating with no consequence. Below the surface of the water, a shimmering light show exposed a semi-transparent dome that housed the unknown. He could only see a few smaller buildings scattered around a pitch-black core in the center.
“This is unbelievable,” he said as he placed his hands on the window.
“I was amazed when I first saw it. There are essentially 3 layers: under the ocean, above the ocean, and in the sky. This is where we are meeting everyone in just a few minutes.”
“Taiyah, I can’t believe this is here. If anyone in my time were to hear about this, they would question my sanity. How do those blue domes stay up like that?”
“I think the humans called it achieved artificial levitation. The black core under the ocean houses a nuclear system that powers the whole thing. You know, not all of us were happy when they completed this.”
Allen returned his glance to her and dropped his eyebrows. “Why? This must be able to house hundreds of thousands of people.”
“This is our planet, Allen. Not the Septunians. At this rate, ten more of these will pop up in the next 300 years and what are we left with?”
“We humans are known for taking land that isn’t ours and forcing our way into other people’s society. Not something we’re proud of. What’ll your people do if this happens?”
Taiyah turned and walked towards the teleporter. “The concern is ours to bear alone, Allen, not yours.”
He let his hand slip away from the window and followed her to the chamber. The door closed and Allen interjected. “I think we were brought here for a reason. This could be why we’re here.”
“The reason you are here is for Actavian’s own self-interest and nothing more. I’m sorry Allen, but from what I’ve seen there are no positive outcomes. I only hope I am wrong.”
With a strike of energy, they returned to the central teleporter building in Treynador. Allen grabbed his stomach and leaned against the wall.
“Are you alright?”
“Yea, let’s head to the next one.”
With that, he hobbled to the adjacent teleporter behind Taiyah, and with another energy burst, they were gone with a plumb of smoke.
In the center of the city, the two exited the chamber and appeared before a platoon of soldiers with a younger-looking gentleman in front. He had a gray visor over his eyes and a burly beard along his face. “Allen Schraider, my name is Major Jace Sorehn, and I am here to escort you to the arranged meeting area. If you will follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To a secured government agency to attend an emergency meeting.”
Slightly intimidated by the man’s demeanor and the equipment on his face, Allen complied and followed the soldiers. He saw the Major turn a switch on his chest, and the rest followed. They walked for only a few minutes down an open area that was filled with rows of oak trees and white sidewalks. Floating lights dotted their passage and blinked as they passed by. The air around him felt clean and refreshing with a post-rain scent. When they arrived at the agency, they entered into a narrow building complex. The inside looked like a typical government building with dark brown walls that mimicked wood and expensive furniture. Even though the building was large, it seemed crowded with a variety of people. Allen saw a glimpse of Anya and the twins beside a holographic display. Trevor was the first to spot him in the entryway.
“Allen, over here,” he said, yelling across the room over the sounds of chatter from all sides. Anya and Brenda raised their heads and looked at him with concern. They both looked exhausted. He walked by a few Septunians, politely asking to move beside them.
“Hey, guys. It seems like it’s been forever since we were all together.” Anya grabbed onto Allen and hugged him tightly, “We’re so glad you’re alright. You had us worried,” she said as she felt the metal arm. “What-what is this?”
Allen cleared his throat and moved back a little before pulling up his sleeve. Below it was a finely crafted prosthetic arm. “They had to amputate my arm from the infection. I was told they didn’t have the material for a better prosthetic.”
Anya hid her face below her hair, “This whole thing is horrible. If it weren’t for that medicine, I would’ve been in the hospital right alongside you.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re alright. It’s something I’ve just got to get used to. What happened to you guys at the station?”
The conversations around the room started to silence as Trevor spoke up. “Wow, where should I start? Well, while all of us were in this replicate Earth environment, William, or Dazshra as he’s called now, attacked us and almost destroyed the station. Plus, it turns out that this other alien, Teracian, is also his little brother, Cody, who died years ago. I guess he got caught in this too somewhere when we were brought here from a different dimension or something.”
&nb
sp; Allen found himself awestruck and didn’t know what to say.
“Shush, Trevor. Everyone is watching us,” said Brenda, looking around the room.
Trevor balled his hand into a fist and raised his voice higher. “I really don’t give a shit, Brenda. This whole week has been nothing but rubbish. These people can’t even handle their own problems, and now we’re involved in this too. I want answers, and I want them now. I want all of us to get the hell off this planet and back to Earth.”
“Hey now. There’s no need for such yelling. I understand all of you want an explanation, but unfortunately, this event’s been postponed until tomorrow. The Teracians would like to seek counsel with the villages across the ocean first. You will all be told tomorrow when Actavian arrives,” said Commander Gilbert as he walked their way. He had a metallic cup in his right hand, and the smell of raspberries filled the air.
“Thank you for letting us know that, sir. Trevor apologizes for his outburst,” said Brenda leering at her brother.
“That’s quite alright. You four could use some relaxation, and I have just the thing. Where are my manners? Allen, I am Harvey Gilbert, the executive commander of the Septune Station, one of humanity’s greatest achievements,” the man said shaking Allen’s hand. “Would you all like to see what’s inside the Septune Station? I know you haven’t seen it yet.”
“That sounds exciting,” said Brenda.
“I don’t know you guys. We could look around tomorrow,” said Trevor in between a yawn.
Allen tried to speak, but everyone was talking over him.
“No way. We haven’t spent one minute as a group since we got here. This is the first time we’ve seen Allen in almost four days. I’m worried about Will too, but we can’t just mope about. Have some positivity guys! At least he’s with Cody. He’s alive, and that’s all that matters right now,” said Brenda
Trevor let out another uncontrollable yawn.
“Get some coffee or something.”
“If they have it here,” Trevor said.
All of them agreed and started walking.
The Gauntlet of Possession (The Teracian Chronicles Book 1) Page 13
