Islands in the Sky

by Michel Savage

  "But why all the secrecy?" I asked brazenly, not seeing the two sides of the coin.

  "Allen, my friend, governments aren't created for the good of the people; they become self appointed Shepard's wielding power over the common citizen who are usually too blind to realize they have been corralled like cattle," Logan offered as an analogy, "and we need a free society were artisans and philosophers are allowed to flourish, instead of being censored and silenced into a system of slavery. Though we stand here within these ancient ruins of these forgotten people, one might say that our own modern society, with all of its technological advances, is actually the Lost Civilization," he finished.

  That was pretty heavy duty psychology coming from the old man, who surprised me with the deep conviction resounding in his words. He further revealed that there was a movement of the Order of the Atlas towards an open society, where ideas and inventions were not tethered by petty greed; but shared for the benefit of everyone. That meant the end of corporations and their ruling conglomerates which supervised and swayed entire cultures and economies. It was a vision of a better world.

  I understood where Logan was coming from, but couldn't contemplate if there was any basis of reality to what they were trying to accomplish. Frankly, the human race was a pretty fucked-up species. We killed without necessity; we would take without a real need and produced undue drama to fulfill an emptiness that resounded in our daily lives merely for the chaos of it, rather than pursuing peace and harmony. Mankind was warlike and selfish; while the Professor and his kind were putting a lot of faith in the poetic idea that it could all change. Even if these members of the Atlas achieved such an unrealistic goal ...how long would it last?

  "For one, Allen, we're not an Order or a cult; we are everyday people who were fed up with the lies and manipulation pressed upon us. We merely see that humanity can be better that what it is," Logan proclaimed with spirit.

  "And how were you drawn into all of this?" Mica inquired.

  "Oh, I was just one of many such minds in the scientific community who saw that our skills were being swayed towards purposes and projects we found both distasteful and offensive to our better senses," the professor explained, "by pursuit of interest and following word-of-mouth, my path led me to join the them guided by the feeling of frustration I felt inside; like most members of the Atlas Star."

  "So what do you do, get a secret handshake, or ritual mask or some sort of decoder ring?" I half-joked, "how did you join this, this Atlas movement?"

  "By opening our eyes and seeing what was wrong with our world, and actively doing something about it!" Logan snapped back with a stout sense of logic in his tone.

  Apparently, there were many hundreds of millions of such members worldwide who represented this same train of though; who were willing to sacrifice everything to see it through. I could then grasp why he kept such a level of secrecy; for any government entity would see such a person as a dissident and their cause labeled as a form of terrorism, even if that was the farthest thing from the truth. People in positions of power would do anything to keep a grip on their status; even if it meant sacrificing a few innocent victims as a means to an end.

  Those in authority used manipulation of the truth as a tool to redirect blame and were in the practice of inventing bogeymen to scare the public into submission. By forging conflict, they always had a convenient enemy to use a culprit in order to sway the masses into their favor; even if the entire engagement was fictitious. Theirs was a world of misdirection; and those who were of heart and mind of the Atlas could see through that veil.

  "This technology here," Logan explained as he waved his hands over the console and its strange artifacts, "could be used towards the benefit of all mankind across the globe, and could terminate our dependence to fossil fuels and nuclear power plants, and countless other industries that poison our world; but the powers that be would suppress these advances as they've always done."

  I understood Logan's perspective well. There were always growing pockets of discord to be found among the civilian population, no matter what country you were in. As human history has shown, rebellion was the natural reaction for those forced into an unpleasant way of life, but today's society was blinded by trickery and deceit into living lives of servitude. We were ignorant to the truth and kept unaware to the shackles binding us as long as they could distract us from noticing them.

  He was right. What the professor had told me before about the way our civilization had devolved into a culture of willful slaves began to make sense when you looked at it from outside of the box. The further I saw into it, the more that box began to resemble a coffin. Death and destruction became an infatuation to our species to a level of insanity. There had to be another way out!

  "There is a way for the world to escape this downward spiral." Logan answered my plea.

  "How so?" Mica replied.

  "We must take every effort to keep this technology out of the hands of those who would abuse and control it, and make sure its resources are available to everyone," Logan replied, "our current political structure is merely a path towards regression. Once this ancient civilization and their advancements are revealed to the world, we must consider how it will affect future generations. The last thing we want is to make the same mistakes of our forefathers."

  That said, the professor turned back towards the board and began deciphering the symbols on the console. Mica assisted on the opposite end while I looked on. They managed to activate another orb and connected it to the system.

  "All that is left are the energy spheres from the Nif, the Alf and the Mu," Logan instructed his assistant as they concentrated on the board to coordinate their efforts.

  "Which one do you presume is the location of the core?" Mica inquired as she looked over the specs.

  "We already visited the realm of the Alf, or the Elves as they were known to be called; which was where we got separated in the vibrant forest and the flowing geysers," Logan replied, "the Nif was reputed as a frozen land, where time itself was slowed. However, it is my deduction that the core may very well be in the domain of the Muspelheim, a realm of fire."

  His reasoning seemed logical, if the energy orb was based of the model of the Earth itself. A solid core in a bed of fire fit the commonly accepted perception of the scientific community. Setting up the corresponding symbols, Logan and Mica activated the pedestal where the sections of a shredded plant assembled together before their eyes and began to glow with life once it was made whole. Next, they concentrated on the realm of the Mu, and attempted to actuate the shattered remnants of a crimson gemstone only to find that it refused to react. Logan appeared to look troubled at the situation that evolved.

  "It's not working..." he mumbled, at a loss to why he couldn't get the symbols to align.

  "What if the earth's core isn't actually what we think it is," I mentioned with a shrug, "I mean, nobody really knows, right?"

  They both knew I was correct. History had proven that conjecture among scientists and scholars had quite often ended with them being proved wrong.

  "He may be onto something," Mica responded to my suggestion, "its known that high heat can weaken and entirely impair the effects of magnetism, so it would be logical to consider that the center of earth's core, if it is being uses as a natural model for this ancient technology, might be far cooler than is commonly assumed," she offered.

  "Hmm, an interesting theory," Logan set in deep thought as he rubbed his chin, "it seems you're full of surprises Allen. All differences between us aside, I'm glad you were able to accompany us. You're unorthodox insights has proved to be quite beneficial," he exclaimed. Though I smiled, my curled my brow revealed that I wasn't quite sure if the professor just tossed me a veiled insult.

  Mica offered to go back down to the lower level and question the sentinel interface to tell them the correct realm where they could find the central core, so as to avoid any mistakes; but stormed back to the console in frustration since she could not get
the doorway to open for her. Even by repeating the way she had used the silver rod and ring as she had done before, there was no reaction. This left Logan trying to access answers from the console itself while left wondering if they were trapped up here. After much aggravation and little to no results to show for it, Logan yielded.

  "I have good news and bad news," he began with look of surrender flowing over his expression, "the bad news is that it appears that there was a buried lockdown protocol for this control tower, which apparently engaged once we activated its systems. The good news is that there is a way to get a team member to one of the two realms left on the board."

  "Well then, let's go," I suggested with encouragement.

  "Ah, well there is a sour tint to that," he frowned, "as I mentioned, I only said 'a' team member. The unfortunate side of that development is that only one of us will be able to transit to either realm and see which one contains the core," he confirmed, "from the information Mica and I are reading upon this panel, is that there is something obstructing the link between the energy orbs between these two particular domains; and unfortunately, we can't pinpoint what it is."

  "Well, it would be prudent for either one of you to go, since you clearly know far more about this ancient crap than I do!" I blurted, stating the obvious.

  "We have to stay here and mind the control board; as it takes a minimum of two people to work this contraption," Logan gestured towards the board, "You will have to scout out the area alone."

  "But what will I be looking for?" I inquired.

  "Actually, we aren't sure," Mica answered as her glance shifted towards the professor with a spark of innocence, "but you should know it if you see it."

  Her curt comment didn't fill me with confidence and I realized that arguing about it would get us nowhere. Logan had activated a surplus escape pod which had be left over since the time the fortress had been abandoned all those ages ago. He led me to an inner wall where there appeared an ivory cylinder covered in thick crystalline sheets. Opening a hatch, he bade me to step inside.

  "We're lucky this was here," Logan granted with a raised brow.

  "Uh, are you sure this thing still works?" I asked with a shaky voice, noting the dismal condition of the interior of the craft.

  "We'll find out soon enough. If it doesn't activate and send you off to the target area, then we can think of something else," he muttered with fabricated confidence.

  "And ...what if it just blows up?" I asked bluntly.

  "Well ...then Mica and I will think of something else," Logan abruptly squirmed out an answer, "did you have a personal preference which domain you wanted to search?"

  "You mean the Nif, or Mu, as you called it?" I inquired.

  "Indeed, the realm of Muspelheim is likely to have volcanic activity, while Niflheim is reputed to consist of ice," Logan informed.

  "Well ...since I'm already dressed for cold weather, and that's were the power core is most likely to be, then I guess I'll try that one first," I granted with mild hesitation.

  "Ah, good, pertaining to your previous advice that was the first set coordinates I put in," Logan smiled as he looked over his shoulder and motioned to Mica who activated the control board before her, "oh and here, take this; you might need it," he offered as he handed me the silver spear as I wiggled myself into the capsule container.

  "What for?" I inquired with a hint of worry.

  "The frozen realm of Nifleheim was also reputed as the home of a placed they called 'Hel' which was the legendary kingdom of the dead," Logan answered as the ivory hatch slid shut.

  "Hell? Wait ...what!" I stuttered loudly as the doorway sealed and the crystalline capsule began to shake. The whirring sound issuing from within the tight chamber helped me change my mind about this whole idea, and I began banging on the walls demanding to be let out. Apparently, they didn't hear me; for I felt my stomach sink as a pressure twisted upon my shoulders from an abrupt acceleration: then there was suddenly nothing but a gentle wobble to the vehicle.

  Within the tight cabin I tried to rub off the grit from a narrow window, but the glazed crystal contorted the view outside. From what I could tell, I was now floating upright in the air high above the frozen terrain; drifting at the mercy of the dark storm clouds enveloping the length of the horizon.

  Gravity Storm

  I awoke some time later, quite unaware how or when I had fallen asleep entombed within the capsule; both hands still gripping tightly onto the silver staff. The vehicle was floating through the air drifting on invisible magnetic waves; leaving me cruising across the Antarctic badlands. My one worry was that I was going to asphyxiate while trapped within the small chamber over such an extended period; but the air within seemed fresh, as if it was being vented in by means I could not detect. Boredom set in as minutes turn into hours as the crystal capsule rode the magnetic winds.

  I perked up when I felt a drop in pressure as the craft began dropping rapidly; but though I tried to see where I was, my vision was still obscured by the nearly opaque material which comprised this strange chariot. Suddenly the carrier picked up speed and shot through a crevice in the ice sheet; speeding past chambers embedded within an enormous blue glacier riddled with hundreds of honeycomb structures. Deeper into the depths the capsule fell like an arrow shot from an angry god. With a jolt, my curious ride came to a halt as the crystalline vehicle became imbedded in a strange web-like structure; absorbing its deadly momentum as it swayed.

  Moments later the hatch opened with a hiss of air, letting in a bittersweet fragrance I could not identify at first. Stepping out of the crystal container, the landscape of my surroundings was nearly overwhelming as I stood there in awe. Countless chambers lined the walls of the crevice where my ship had entered the chamber, the entire atmosphere awash with a deep sapphire hue. Oddly enough, for being the realm of ice as the Nif was reputed in tales of the Norsemen, it felt insulated from the bitter cold winds howling across the rift high above.

  After leaving the ship my first few steps sank into the strange sponge-like formations of fungus. It took me a moment to realize that the surface I was standing upon was situated atop of a giant mushroom. To either side I saw an entire forest of these turquoise mutations lining the bottom of the rift stretching out to either side as far as I could see. The metallic staff Logan had bestowed became necessary for me to use as a tool to keep a level footing while I climbed my way down to the ground.

  Once below, I was astonished to find a rolling forest of fungus in every tint of blue. The silence of this place was like of a tomb yielding an eerie sense of timelessness. Picking a direction, I chose to head towards the section illuminated with the most light as my beacon. Cutting a rough trail through the uneven carpet of cyan moss, I forced my way through several kilometers of the dense growth until I finally stumbled upon a bizarre city built over a frozen lake.

  Streams of frost fell from the ceiling, glittering like diamond waterfalls as they rained upon the lakebed below. The buildings appeared to be made from the ice itself, sculpted by nature as if they had somehow grown in their fantastical contours instead of constructed by mechanical means. It turned out to be more than just a tad difficult to find a way inside the structure because of its position above the lake; with no clear access to breach it. Crossing the outer bank, I came across several structures of a similar architecture but noted that there appeared to be nothing inside of them.

  There were no vents nor plumbing or sources of light of any kind as we had seen in previous ruins, which left these buildings strangely empty; almost as if they had been used as containers rather than dwellings. With a sigh of fatigue, I finally discovered a narrow bridge spanning the distance from the shore to the main complex. The construct of it was precarious, and was careful about my footing lest a misstep might send me plummeting to the hard ice waiting below. Before I had left Mica had instructed that I should find a similar interface located somewhere within the complex.

  I soon learned that the mega-structure itself
was built like a labyrinth with passages that led off into indistinct locations or to blind alleys with unreachable floors high above. The more I searched the less the layout of this compound failed to make any logical sense in its design. Finally it occurred to me that the reason this enormous metropolis was suspended above the lake below was because it wasn't a city at all. In all respects, it looked like some sort of exotically drafted dam, where a gravity-fed water flow might have once been used as a power source.

  I realized that Logan had become infatuated with the idea that the Kish utilized the geomagnetic waves of the planet for their energy needs, but it had not always been their only source of power. If this continent had once been located near our present equator then natural flowing water would have provided a vital alternative. That would certainly explain why there appeared to be thick ice formed around the entire facility making it almost appear as if it was a natural formation. By luck I stumbled upon an illuminated alcove, and by using the oversized silver pick, I managed to break my way towards a glowing source of light which was encased behind a wall of ice.

  "Ah, not what I signed up for..." I grumbled as I brushed off the chips of ice from my overzealous labor trying to clear a passage.

  There I found what Mica had briefed me to look for, but I had counted on my luck far too soon. The design of this interface was something I hadn't seen before. There were no crystals or flywheel to piece together; only the half section of an orb laying flat upon a pedestal which left me perplexed.

  "Ah dammit; of course it wouldn't be this easy," I blurted as I looked around for some sort of dimple in the console or a place to put the staff in an effort to get the thing to operate. Above the console another half sphere much larger in size than the first lit the interior of the room with a living light, as if it was filled with a liquid flame. Turning back the way I came, I couldn't find any other access to the rest of the room which was riddled with chunks of solid ice. After wasting an hour chipping away at the debris, I found nothing concealed that would have been of any use towards my dilemma.