by Almney King
There was a sudden ringing inside my helmet. “You are receiving a group call. Accept or decline?” the computer asked.
“Accept,” I said.
A muffle of voices came through the intercom. “Celeste, can you hear me?” Kitty asked.
I nearly missed what she said. Out of nowhere, a robotic recording intercepted our signal. “You have chosen a heroic path,” it said. “We are moving into the future. You are the future.”
“I can hear you,” I told her.
“Mankind must survive. Mankind must thrive.” Kitty glanced back at me. She looked startled.
“Fear does not exist, because fear is not in my mind,” I said. She nodded and faced the front again.
“This is it, 2102,” Raine said. He was holding the rail across from me, looking out into space. “Let’s have a wager. First to land takes charge.” The shuttle shook.
I ignored him, listening to the last of the recording. “This is a mission for life. And life is a shared road in which those who share it shall live and die together, side-by-side.”
The front platform turned green. “Section one, you are a go. Depart now.”
The lead recruits didn’t hesitate. With a running start, they leapt from the shuttle and took off into space. I watched the others go after them. One by one, they took the jump and disappeared into the light.
The recording hadn’t lied. This was a mission for life, but it was not us who had chosen this path of damnation. Damnation had chosen us, and so here we stood—together—side-by-side.
The floor turned green. “Section seven, you are a go. Depart now.”
I moved. I was running. My breaths were heavy. I couldn’t think. There was no time for it. I took a breath, and then I jumped.
I was flying, moving at a radical speed towards the planet. The asteroids were coming dangerously fast. I came close to collision on my way in. Everything was moving. Everything was alive, spinning and crashing into each other. Spears of crystal broke from the asteroids, shooting in my direction.
I steered to the left, trying to avoid collision. They whizzed past me, one of the spears clipping the back of my suit. Air rushed into my helmet, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. The universe was shifting. Its light was blinding. I couldn’t see. I was falling. The asteroids kept coming, one after the other in a blur of light.
I was off course. My vision returned, and when it did, I felt my heart drop low in my chest. The asteroid was headed straight for me. I couldn’t avoid it. It was too late.
{
ORIGIN }
CHAPTER TEN
NIAYSIA
I saw darkness.
“Corrine.”
I felt pain.
“Tomorrow night, let’s go find the truth.”
My screams echoed in the silence. That’s all there was—pain and silence.
“She’s no longer one of us, I’m afraid.”
I heard voices. Deep in the dark, there were voices.
“Don’t lie to me. I hope to God you wouldn’t lie to me, Corrine.”
I tried to breathe.
“We know all your truths... Corrine.”
I tried to remember.
“If you pass the test, it will be a very good sign.”
The pain returned.
“Do you want to spend the rest of your life seduced by a lie, or do you want to know the truth?”
Time stilled. I took a breath. My eyes opened to the light. I remembered. I remembered it all. I was alive. There wasn’t a memory forgotten. Everything I lost had returned. I had a family. I had a home. I had a name.
“There will be no mercy if you defy the law again.”
I remembered Helio Tellus.
“Corrine, have you ever been buried alive?
I remembered the grave.
“You need to stop this, Corrine. If they take you away, what will I do?”
I remembered the lie.
I could hear Mother’s voice so clearly now, begging me to let go. I should have, but in my desperate search of the truth, I found it desperately searching for me as well. Even if the world stood still and the earth faded to dust, it still would have found me. Mother didn’t understand. That’s why she believed in Helio Tellus. She believed in it because sometimes even when we want the truth, we would rather hear the lie. I regretted it now. I was more than ashamed of it, I was afraid of it.
The lie went too far. It was too deep, too dark. It stole me from home. It killed my name. It robbed my innocence. It transformed me. The night on Marx Avenue, I became someone else. When ARTIKA took me, they knew what I was. It was in my eyes; that flame of forbidden knowledge. And seeing it freighted them. They knew what needed to be done. I had to be tamed. I had to be controlled.
I remembered the chamber. My screams. That piercing light. My body split open. The blood. I remembered my hands gripping flesh, the taste of blood on my teeth. ARTIKA did that to me. They took everything.
Corrine—I didn’t know her. She was innocent. I was not. How could I be her? Corrine cherished life. Celeste took it away. Corrine had a family. Celeste stood alone. Corrine knew her past, and Celeste was too far gone to know that Elric and Ellis were one and the same.
So who was I? Was I someone in between, or was I no one at all? I wasn’t sure. I only knew that I would return. I had sworn ARTIKA my allegiance, but I would give them nothing. My body, my name, and my future was no longer theirs to keep. Everything they stole from me, I would reclaim.
Ellis would be the first. I couldn’t leave without him. I would find him and make him remember. Even if I had to take him all the way into the grave, he would remember.
A sharp ringing brought me back. The halos-suit was malfunctioning. The metal burned against my skin. I was entering the atmosphere too fast. If I continued at this speed, the halos-suit would catch fire. I spun through the air. The wind was ruthless, jerking me back and forth. A blazing heat filled my lungs.
I was out of nitrogen. I unlocked my helmet and let it fly. I could breathe now.
The clouds thickened as I fell. I could see nothing. There was only the air and the shimmers of sunlight breaking through the mist. And it was beautiful, a wild and weightless beauty.
The wind quickened suddenly, and before I could brace myself, something dark rose from the fog. I felt it coming, but I couldn’t react. I crashed, ripping and rolling through a twine of trees. A branch slashed across my face, another snapping against my side.
I latched onto one of the trees to break the fall. The branch was limber, bending inch by inch. It stopped several feet from the ground, and I let it go, landing on the tree below. I spun for a bit on my feet and shook myself of the dizziness.
All was still. I looked around. There were only trees, long shawls of leaves and exotic shrubs. I could hear the wild. It sounded strange, like a song in another language. The air was warm and damp. It was the clouds. They were full of moisture, and sweet smelling. One of them floated my way. It looked like a pillow of dust, shining blue in the light. I raised a hand, watching it drift through my fingers. When it passed, my skin was full of sparkles. I was amazed. This could not be real. It was as if I had died in space, and all of this magic was but a dream.
My halo-com flashed. “New Eden has sent a notification update,” it said.
I ignored the message for now. “Where am I?” I asked.
“Forty two miles above sea level.”
Just as I thought. I had landed in the mesosphere. Making my way down would be dangerous. Once I did, I would regroup with the Alamo team. I didn’t want to, but if I were to find Ellis, I would need help. Kitty wasn’t the ideal ally, but if I couldn’t convince her of the truth, how could I convince Ellis?
Level by level, I worked my way through the mesosphere. The tree I climbed was a never ending stalk. At one point, I wondered if the bottom existed. The climb was even more difficult in the halos-suit. It was heavy and difficult to grip the trees. I kept it on for safety. There was a parachute in the ba
ck hatch. If I lost my grip, I was sure to survive the fall.
On the way down, there were things I saw that could never be believed. It was mainly the wildlife. They were of all species and shapes, of all colors and natures. They were bizarre. They were undreamed of.
My climb to the ground had reached a standstill. By some oddity, the tree trunk had ended, hovering high in the mist. It seemed I had no alternative but to take a plunge with nature. The climb was far too slow, and if I weren’t able to reach the Alamo team before their departure of the rendezvous point, finding Ellis would be a dangerous one-man mission.
I moved carefully to the edge of the tree branch. Then with a quick secure of the parachute, I jumped, falling into the air again.
I broke through the fog, and on the other side of that mass of gray, I saw Niaysia. The world below was a multicolored terrain of forests and valleys. There were lagoons to the east and mountains in the far west. I saw the beaches of Vatiera and the island just off the mainland. I was flying right towards it.
When the time came, I drew the release on the halos-suit. The parachute sprung open. I drifted into the canopy, pushing the trees aside on my way through. I was a few feet from the ground, and just as I went to land, the chute tangled in the canopy.
The halos-suit vibrated as I twisted through the trees. It was powering up again. I unhooked my life pack and mr2, letting them fall to the ground. They landed safely in the underbrush. I spun again and hit the eject button of the suit, falling short to the ground.
When I landed, my feet lifted from the earth. I was weightless almost, my steps light as air. I slid the mr2 onto my back then tossed the life pack over my shoulders.
I scanned the forest. The trees stood tall. They were grand, with leaves in all shapes and hues. Some were ragged and scared. Others were elegant and smooth. They twisted about each other in wild acrobatic formations. Each was its own color, covered in bright ivy and blankets of colored moss.
At the base of these wonders, thousands and thousands of flowers bloomed up into the forest. They came in shades of white, with blue whiskers probing from the centers. Others were golden, their tear-shaped heads hanging from bright pink stems. Some were so bright they glistened in the starlight. I moved delicately around them. They seemed at peace, and I didn’t want to disturb them. Mother always said to be gentle with nature was to be gentle with life.
The air was thick, heavy with the romantic scent of honeysuckle. I made my way to a nearby clearing and looked to the sky. It was the color of lavender, bright clouds rolling through the air. Niaysia’s planets and moons were high in the sky. Cerniphilus was closest. I could see it rotating. It was glowing, emitting a burst of energy every half a second.
My halo-com flashed again. “All members of the Alamo team have landed,” it said. “Proceed seven miles to the marked rendezvous point.” A map lit up in front of me. I could see all five of their signatures moving south. They were headed for the beach. This was it. I would find Ellis. If he had landed. If he was alive, I would find him. I would make him remember. I would bring him home.
Niaysia was magnificent. The land was rich with beauty. Golden falls stretched for miles across the plains. Fresh water lagoons and crystal monuments of stone rolled into the skyline. Creatures of all kinds roamed the forests. Bushy tails scurried in the underbrush. Scaly reptiles disappeared underground. Other creatures took flight. Their chrome wings glistened in the daylight. They glided together, forming tornadoes in the air.
By the time I reached the rendezvous point, the night had settled. A stream of stars lit the sky. They were in motion, gliding into a spiral of light.
When the sun faded, the darkness never came. A bright energy rose from the ground. They looked like small heart beats of light. I watched in fascination as they disappeared into the trees, and the flowers, and every living thing that surround me. Once inside, the energy began to pulse. Bright ribbons branched out from that concentrated energy, bringing light to the dark around me.
The light followed me. Wherever I stepped, the plants and trees would glow. When I passed them by, their light died out. The energy was a beacon, sensing the movement of all that stirred in the forest.
My halo-com blinked. “You are arriving at your destination,” it said. The ocean was just ahead. I could feel the wind of the sea, hear it whispering into the night.
A gold flicker of light highlighted the wood line. Soft voices echoed in the quiet. “I know you’re behind me,” I said. “It’s Celeste.”
“You’re late, 2102,” Raine smirked. “I’m sure you know what that means.” I ignored him. Regardless of my returned memories, Raine was still a pain. But I had to be careful. If I acted suspicious in any way, he would be the first to notice.
“The rest of us are on the beach,” Raine said. He brushed passed me and disappeared into the trees. I followed him to the beach. The sand was crystal blue, as if it wasn’t sand at all. The ocean waves were a frothy red, crashing against the shore. It was beautiful the way the sea rolled in, the ruby waters and sands of sapphire blending together, turning the beach to violet.
“I’ve seen that look,” Raine said. “Don’t let the dazzle of this place fool you,” he warned.
When we joined with the others, they were stunned by my appearance. Kitty gasped and threw her arms around me. “Oh, Celeste I was so worried about you!” she squealed. “I thought that maybe you wouldn’t make it and leave me all alone, but then I thought wouldn’t it be nice if Celeste did die because then I’d have Tank all to myself. Then I started feeling bad about getting jealous like a pathetic little girl and decided that I did want you to be safe since I can always fight you for my love later when we’re not trying to...”
“Kitty,” I interrupted tenderly, “I’m happy to see you too.”
She smiled. “Come sit next to me. We’re doing a recall.”
We sat side-by-side on a tree stump. The Alamo team was all present. Luke was laying in the sand with his head propped against a log. West sat with his elbows resting atop his knees. He looked irritated. Urban, on the other hand, was busy scratching the side of his neck. It looked like something had stung him.
Together, we looked defenseless and completely off guard. But that wasn’t the case, however. Everyone was tense. I could feel it.
“I’ll begin,” Raine said. West straightened up and Urban stropped his scratching.
“Just to be sure,” Luke said, “no one has a problem with Raine leading this group, do they?” Everyone looked my way. I stared right back at them, saying nothing.
Raine grinned, giving me a look. “Let’s get started,” he said. He lit his halo-com, expanding the image for us all to see. “As we all know, we’ve been assigned to zone-13. About an hour ago, New Eden scheduled us for a group add on. Zone-13 is just outside the charted zone, so they want more arsenals to go in and clear the area. They also sent a satellite scan of the area. It’s located near a mountain range eighty miles to the west. We need to get there as fast as possible, so I don’t want anyone lagging behind. When we travel, we stay together. But if anyone gets separated, remember that the mission comes first,” he paused. “Any questions?”
We were silent. Raine nodded. “Good. Let’s move out.”
We followed his order, making our way across the sand. Kitty stayed beside me. She stared at me for a while as if she wanted to say something. “Celeste,” she whispered. Her voice was so quiet, so fragile.
“Fear does not exist, because fear is not in my mind,” I told her. “Say it.”
“Fear does not exist, because fear is not in my mind,” she repeated.
“Don’t forget it,” I said. She nodded then faced forward.
Those words were all I gave her. Whether I was Corrine or Celeste, this was all I could say. Whether I was Corrine or Celeste, her fear did not matter to me. Nothing mattered to me but the Ellis I could not leave behind, and the home I would risk everything to return to.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AGGRESSION
The morning light gently woke the planet. I almost didn’t want the light to come, not wanting to see the day. If I saw the sunrise, it would all be too real. What ARTIKA had done to me, how they mutated me, how they corrupted me—everything would come spiraling back.
“You’re lagging, 2102!” Raine said from behind. He gave me a shove forward. I grabbed him suddenly and yanked him down into the sand, and before I knew it, before I could even think, I was on top of him, holding a knife to his throat. There was a dark shine in his eyes. I knew that look. He was challenging me. “You want to kindly lower that thing?” he hissed.
I gripped the knife. My breaths were heavy. I didn’t know what I was doing. My instincts just reacted. I couldn’t control it. “That’s enough,” West said. “Let it go, Celeste.”
My hand shook. I didn’t understand it. Why couldn’t I just let it go? Why did I want to rip his throat apart so much? The urge was incredible. “I won’t warn you again,” I said. “Watch yourself.” Raine smirked, forcing me off of him. I stood up and dusted the sand from my suit.
“What were they thinking putting the two of them on the same team?” Luke said.
West shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s way too early for all this.”
“Celeste,” Kitty called. She hurried over to me, looking me up and down. “Are you alright? Do you feel unstable?” she asked.
I shooed her away. “Stop it. I’m fine.”
“Hey, look who’s back,” Luke said. We all looked north of the beach. It was Urban. He was coming out of the tree line carrying something odd.
“Look at this,” he said.
“What is that?” Kitty asked.
“It’s a fruit. The natives call it gupa.”
“It could be poisonous,” Luke said.
“It shouldn’t be. The native’s eat it often enough.”