Alliance

by Andrew Stride

  Below their position, the melted ice was falling as rain, a clue to those below if they needed one, that Rezim was making an appearance. The rain was an indicator, which for some, meant it was time to move on, while for others, it was time to wake up and continue their life cycle.

  It is incredible how nature is so in touch with itself, then again when it is a matter of life or death, you learn quickly or you die.

  The Manui was a life form that had evolved to exist in this extreme environment, adapting to the seasons and the water upon its back signalled the start of another.

  As always, it was a race against time because the second sun that had triggered the deluge would soon take back this water without a second thought.

  Heat evaporation would happen quite rapidly and the Manui needed vast amounts of water to reproduce. Even on this alien planet, copulation was still necessary, so having emerged from hibernation, the clock was ticking to find a suitable mate.

  Back inside the ice cave, they had all started to feel a little sluggish, like a weight was rested upon their shoulders. There were a number of factors involved. The atmosphere was warming up, which melted the ice and in turn created a lot more moisture in the air. Since their island was losing mass, they had actually dropped several miles below their original position and having gravitated to a denser layer of atmosphere, everything was going to take a bit more effort.

  Clom was grabbing his chest again.

  “For god’s sake, Clom, what is it this time?” asked Miar.

  “I don’t know. This thing inside me is playing up. Oh, hold on. Now that’s odd. Wait. I can’t believe it.”

  “Well!”

  “Shhh. It’s Huey; he’s talking to me from beyond the grave.”

  “Must be static,” said Lim.

  “No, it’s him. I guess he must have left me a message before he croaked.”

  “Well, don’t keep us in suspense. What’s he got to say?” asked Joeum.

  “He wants to know why we haven’t left the island.”

  “What! How can he know that?” asked Lim.

  “That’s true,” said Clom. “Huey, is that you? It is. He’s alive.”

  “How can that be possible?” said Lim.

  Clom was still listening. “Sure, okay.” Clom turned to Laja. “Huey wants us to return to the edge of the island.”

  “And do what exactly?” asked Miar.

  “He wants us to jump off.”

  “Jump off! How do we know this isn’t a trick? We all saw the RDU get blasted out of the sky,”

  Miar was right. It was Laja’s call and as unbelievable as it sounded, he was convinced that Huey had somehow survived and was prepared to take his advice and leave the island.

  “The island is melting around us and in a few hours, there’ll be nothing left. It isn’t only the heat we need to be worried about; it is the sun’s rays we are being subjected to. The quicker we’re off this island the better.”

  “But look what happened to Huey,” said Lim.

  The probability of getting struck by lightning was a major concern, but they were in a hostile environment and there wasn’t a lot they could do about that.

  “You say it’s the environment, don’t you mean the Formless Ones?” asked Joeum.

  “No, I do mean the environment; although it is true to say that the Formless Ones influence here, has put the planet under extreme pressure. Like any living organism, this planet has a natural defence system that will react to the changes imposed upon it.”

  The ice creaked and shifted around them and they knew it was time to go. Once outside, the intense heat and light hit them hard and they could see with their own eyes just how quickly the island was melting. Where there had been a jumble of jagged ice cliffs, was now a landscape of smooth hills and deep pools of icy water.

  Clom was the first to take a tumble. He was okay and blamed his fall on being preoccupied with listening out for more broadcasts from Huey.

  Miar shook her head but said nothing. The conditions underfoot had everyone slipping and sliding and Laja was worried that someone was going to end up breaking something. He suggested they use their minds to root themselves into the ice. If nothing else, the technique would also stop them from focusing on all the other stuff that was going on around them. They were a bit sceptical at first, but it did seem to be working. At least it did until they felt a sudden tremor and a huge crevasse opened up, draining the water from the pool nearest them in a matter of seconds.

  The crevasse revealed the island’s aqua blue interior and that wasn’t all. Embedded within the ice was a huge black sphere and the life form within it was what was generating the gravity necessary to keep the island aloft.

  “Strange,” said Clom.

  Stranger still was that this life form was likely to have been modified.

  “Modified? By the Formless Ones?”

  “Yes, another casualty,” said Laja.

  He didn’t go into detail because there was a lot he still didn’t know about this planet, but that would change once they caught up with Huey.

  The island was becoming increasingly unstable and what they were experiencing wasn’t so different from traversing a glacier and Laja was doing what he could to keep them safe. Keeping the group safe on a lump of ice that was shifting beneath them was no easy task, particularly as they were moving at speed.

  They clambered up a steep section and looked out across the ice and what they saw only confirmed what they already knew. The island was breaking up and tons of ice was being displaced and disappearing into widening chasms.

  Further tremors were felt and then a massive shift knocked them off their feet and there was a real possibility that they might not make it back to the edge.

  With the storm still rumbling overhead, a final blow to finish them could come from any direction. It really did feel like the whole planet was against them.

  “Huey’s saying we must hurry.”

  “Isn’t that what we are doing!” said Miar.

  The ice underfoot was becoming slushy and by the time the edge of the island came into view, they had had plenty of time to worry about the next step. The only thing that made leaping off the island an acceptable option was that in a short while there would be nothing left of it.

  It was hardly acceptable and they watched a particularly large piece of ice break off and drift away, before quickly losing altitude.

  Laja wanted a controlled jump and seeing how the island’s gravity held onto the departing chucks of ice, that was exactly what he was going to get. The closer they got to the edge, the thinner the ice became and there was a danger that someone would fall through. Playing safe, he guided them to where the ice looked thickest and then instructed everyone to pair up.

  Lim took Miar’s hand and looked into her eyes. “You’re not getting away from me this time.”

  “I’m terrified, Lim,” said Miar. She was shaking.

  “You’re not alone.”

  “Huey will guide us,” said Clom. “We’ve got to look out for a large black object. Huey’s calling it a Manui, whatever the hell that is!”

  “A Manui? Is that floating too?” asked Lim.

  “I think so. Apparently, we can’t miss it and since we’re going to be flying without wings, that’s reassuring. Right?” said Clom, not sounding entirely convinced.

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” said Miar.

  They stepped out of the shadow of a melting ice column and moved as swiftly as the ice would allow. The idea of approaching the edge at speed meant there was less likely to be any hesitation.

  Clom started to roar at the top of his voice in an attempt to block out his fear and everyone joined in and together they leapt into the unknown.

  To begin with, it felt more like floating than falling, but this passed quickly once they were out of the grasp of the island’s gravity. Sensing their unease, Laja took control and gathered them to form a circle.

  To an observer, they would h
ave looked like a group of experienced skydivers, in control and enjoying every moment, but the look on their faces told a different story.

  It came as a bit of a surprise when they started to get wet and what they thought was a rain shower, actually turned out to be the meltwater from the island they’d just left.

  They could still hear the storm rumbling around them and the occasional flash of lightning sent a nervous tremor through the group.

  There was a lot riding on their success and even if they managed to dodge the lightning bolts, there was still the landing of worry about.

  Huey had the landing covered and Clom communicated this to the others with the help of Laja because Clom was still trying to make himself heard. It was one less thing to worry about, but explain that to someone falling thousands of feet without a parachute. Even Laja had his doubts. The idea that they would somehow align with this Manui was a test of their faith or maybe proof of their insanity.

  Visibility had been good throughout their descent, but that looked about to change and within minutes, they were travelling through thick cloud. With the cloud came more rain and they were getting wet again.

  It was hard to say how many thousands of feet they had fallen, Laja had a rough idea, but it was a fact that didn’t need to be shared.

  Clom suddenly informed them that they were close to their objective, but not being able to see it through the thick cloud was a problem they could have done without. The only thing easing their anxiety was the feeling that they were slowing down. Laja confirmed that it wasn’t their imaginations. This extreme environment with its fluctuating atmospheric density was going to be a challenge, but on this occasion, it might actually assist them.

  They continued to drop with a rain shower and got their first uninterrupted view of what they interpreted as a huge black mountain top surrounded by clouds. Huey did not confirm or deny this. His only communication to them via Clom was that this was where he was waiting for them.

  The closer they got, the less like a mountain it looked. Light reflected off its smooth black surface, which reminded Joeum of a massive jelly, fresh out of the mould. Clom liked the idea of that, even though food was the last thing on his mind, which made a change.

  Clom was just wondering where Huey had got to when he came through loud and clear. A little too loud actually, which perhaps confirmed they were closing in on his position. Sure enough, Huey had spotted them and announced that he was coming up to meet them. The idea that he might attract another lightning bolt was a concern, but Huey was undeterred and quite frankly, more worried about the wildlife.

  Clom was about to say, what wildlife? When a dark object of considerable size flew past them at speed.

  They were clearly not the only ones flying around up here and since this wasn’t their element, they were at a disadvantage and wanted to be back on the ground more than ever. Everyone was trying to pinpoint the object and then Huey announced there were two.

  That happened to be a good thing because it was two male Manui. Clom was impressed that Huey could tell they were both males from this distance and they watched the two oval shapes came together, exploding on impact, or at least that’s how it looked. The two objects had come together and were now a seething mass of black tentacles and looked to Joeum like the head of a Medusa. Engaging with each other was better than engaging with them and Huey saw his chance and rising rapidly, he quickly took control.

  With only a thousand feet to go, Huey gathered them around him, using his anti-gravity drive as a brake. It worked, but they were still coming in fast and it wasn’t until about two hundred feet from touchdown that they felt some major resistance, although the impact was still pretty hard.

  Laja was impressed at how smoothly everything had gone, considering, and he quickly assessed the situation, while everyone else was picking themselves up.

  Rain was beating down on them quite heavily, the result of all those melting islands and from their position atop a black peak; rivers ran off in all directions. It was this abundance of water that made the black material underfoot, look shiny.

  They weren’t too worried what it looked like, solid ground had never felt so good, but they had to keep moving because standing in one place was likely to get them killed. The fact that they were standing in water, on what looked like a mountain top, made their current location even more hazardous. There was some good news, Huey had noticed that the lightning was easing off, but that didn’t mean they could relax.

  “So, Huey, where the hell are we?” shouted Clom over the wind.

  “We have been transported to another dimension.”

  “You don’t sound surprised by that,” said Joeum.

  “I’m not. It is what the Harmonic Ones suspected.”

  “A little bit of warning would have been nice,” said Clom.

  “There wasn’t time and if we want to survive this place, we had better get moving.”

  They were in need of some answers and Huey filled them in as they left the summit.

  “So is Laja right, this place is outside the Harmonic Ones jurisdiction?” asked Joeum.

  “As unlikely as that might sound, it is true. This dimension is not part of the known network. It has evolved independently.”

  “How does that sort of thing happen?” asked Lim.

  “The truth is, this dimension should not exist, but our being here proves that it does.”

  “We’re here, but should we have come?” asked Clom.

  “There was no other way to prove the Harmonic Ones theory.”

  “And if they were wrong?!”

  “If they were wrong then we would not have found a dimensional portal to bring us here.”

  “Could this be an elaborate illusion?”

  “No, Com, this is not an illusion.”

  “We’re here, but what does that mean? asked Miar,

  “It means we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

  “Can you shed light on any of this?” asked Lim.

  “The dimensional portal we used to get here was created to expel the Formless Ones from this dimension. We now know exactly when this occurred because it triggered The Great Change. Over the course of millennia, the Formless Ones have been trying to return here. The evidence shows us that they have achieved this in part, but not completely. The only thing stopping them from returning fully, is the tether.”

  “This planet is their homeworld?” asked Joeum.

  “It’s early days and more information needs to be gathered to be sure, but it’s a strong possibility,” said Huey

  “We have the mandala to thank for this reveal?”

  “Yes, and the messenger will bring order,” said Huey.

  “Okay, so what are we doing here?” asked Clom.

  “Gathering information of course. The Harmonic Ones are experiencing this dimension through us and what we learn will help the messenger.”

  “Let the Formless Ones return here and then close the portal once and for all,” said Clom.

  “If only it was that simple,” said Huey.

  “But it’s not safe. Look at what’s happened to us so far,” said Miar. “Look what happened to you.”

  “This is an extreme environment,” agreed Huey. “We must use our time here wisely. Gather intel and leave.”

  “What use is this messenger if he can’t do something simple like close the portal?” asked Clom.

  “Closing the portal would be far from simple and could have devastating repercussions, so we have to look for another way to neutralise the problem,” said Huey.

  “I’m with Clom on this one,” said Miar. “Surely it’s a good thing that the Formless Ones want to return here.”

  “You’re missing a vital piece of information, Miar. If we let the Formless Ones return, they intend to bring your race with them and that means every man, woman, and child.”

  “Oh my god,” said Miar.

  “And they’ve already started. The Formless Ones are focusing on the loose ends f
irst, the humans on Shalasing and then they will turn their full attention to Earth. We could let it happen, but we know the Formless Ones won’t stop there. They weren’t banished from this dimension for nothing.”

  High above them, the two male Manui were still locked in battle and apparently they could be like this for days, fighting over a female, no less. Of course, with the emergence of Rezim, they didn’t have days. Soon the heat from this sun would raise this planet’s temperature exponentially.

  Before the planet reached those scolding temperatures, the female Manui needed to have collected the necessary water and have a suitable male in her shadow. Safe from the rays of the sun and be ready to copulate. Without the same protection as the female, unsuccessful males would perish.

  They were running to keep up with Huey and wondered where the female was hiding?

  “Below us,” said Huey.

  “Under the island?”

  “No. We’re standing on her. She is the island.”

  “Oh my god!” said Miar. “She’s enormous.”

  “How is it possible?” asked Clom.

  “I’ll explain on the way,” said Huey. “We need to get inside.”

  “Inside! inside? We’re going inside this thing!”

  “Yes, Com, but we have some ground to cover first,” said Huey.

  They’d landed upon the smooth central mound of this creature’s upper body, although to call it a mound was a bit misleading because this part of the animal was roughly a mile in diameter. It wasn’t a mountain either but that was an easy mistake to make. The black obsidian that covered this creature was actually its protective shell, which shielded its soft body from Rezim’s intense and harmful rays.

  “A bit like a turtle?” said Miar.

  “Sort of,” said Huey.

  Keeping up with Huey seemed particularly difficult today. They were all feeling it.

  “That’ll be the gravity,” said Huey. “You’re experiencing at least twice what you are used to. The Manui is partly responsible. They generate their own gravity; otherwise, it would be impossible for anything this huge to stay airborne.”