The Esoteric Design: Disbanding Hope

by A. R. Crebs

  “Then I’m trapped in an inoperable machine.” He shrugged.

  “That’s practically a dead body at that point," she sighed.

  “We’ll worry about it if it happens.”

  She shook her head, not liking the idea. “Maybe we can just hack it ourselves and hope Sapphire doesn’t notice.”

  “No! That won’t work, and you know it! Come on, Aria! I have the perfect opportunity!” He folded his arms.

  “Troy, you do realize that every person who volunteered for Camery’s project had been put into a vegetative state when the transfer process occurred. They were all on life support. You’re going to ask Aren and Nerd to place you in a coma?”

  Troy gave a harsh exhale. “All they got to do is deactivate my pacemaker.” He knocked on his chest.

  “You’re going to die again,” she whispered.

  “We have to try it,” he reassured her. “Aria, I’m not going to die. I’m going to pull this off. It’s going to work.”

  She shook her head in disagreement.

  “Now who’s being pessimistic?” he chuckled.

  “Would you let me do it in your place?” she asked.

  Troy paused. A look of terror crossed his face. “No. Fuck no, over and over again.”

  “Then what makes you think I should allow you?” she argued.

  “Goddamnit, Aria! Just let me do something for once that will save you. If I die, I die. I come across these situations on a daily basis. Who cares if I’m in my body or not when it happens? If it’s my time to go, then it is my time to go.” He stared at the floor, chewing on his lip in irritation.

  “It just sounds like a suicide mission.”

  “We’ve lived through multiple suicide missions.”

  “We have no time to test it out first. You don’t even know if the transfer will work. You don’t even know if Aren or Nerd can even do it.” She ran her hands over her face.

  “They can. I already asked,” he bluntly said.

  “You already asked them?! And they were okay with it?” She looked appalled.

  “Well…I asked in a roundabout way. They don’t really know what I plan to do.”

  Aria still didn’t seem pleased by the idea. In fact, she thought it was ludicrous. Troy must’ve had a death wish of some sort.

  “Come on, Aria. I can make it work,” he spoke softly.

  Her green eyes flitted to his. “I swear to God, Troy…if you die on me….”

  “I’m not gonna die,” he replied.

  “I’ve heard that before…many times before.” She swallowed hard. The thought wasn’t going to do her any good. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the whole thing aside. “You know what? Fine. Do it. Go be a robot. If you succeed, I’ll beat the shit out of you for making me worry. If you die, I’m still beating the shit out of you.”

  He gave her a crooked smile as he ran his fingers through his beard. “Babe, after this war, you can beat me all you like. For now, all I’m asking is that you trust me.”

  She nodded apprehensively.

  Troy held his arms out to the side. “Do you need a hug?” he humorously asked.

  Aria pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose. Did he have to work his charms on her? Aria had seen Troy’s tricks performed on other women, and whereas before she would roll her eyes, now she couldn’t help but find him ridiculously adorable when he directed his attention toward her. The more Troy showed her any affection, the harder it was to order him out on the field. If she could have it any other way, she’d lock him in his apartment. Something felt amiss. She couldn’t help but worry now that she let her guard down that Troy was on a death sentence. However, now that Aria had healing capabilities, she was going to be sure not to waste them.

  Giving a grumpy moan, she wrapped her arms around the man, squeezing him. “You have to come back to me alive,” she whispered.

  The shrieks and screams were ear-splitting–a nauseating sound that threatened to shatter the crystallized cavern. Dovian grimaced, trying his best not to cover his ears. Ivory stood in the corner, her hands cupping the sides of her head as she watched, not in fear, but in agitation at the fluctuating image of Sapphire. The child soared back and forth from each direction of the room, her ghostly-white image a blur that intermingled with dark shadows. Streaks of black darted across the room, bursting the glass flames, sending the cave into temporary darkness. A searing heat came from her form and reignited the flames surrounding them. A guttural sound growled in trembling echoes, a noise that was inhuman–animal and musically blaring, almost like the sound of scraping metal. Rocks chunked from the ceiling, crashing and disintegrating into dust as the child threw a tantrum. After a few moments, the lingering darkness swirled into a mass around the vibrating girl. With a burst of black light, a giant of a shadow took a humanoid form. Eyes of white light burst from where the head should be, glaring in Dovian’s direction.

  “YOU SAID THEY WERE DEAD!” a quaking voice thundered.

  Dovian’s shoulders sagged. His nonchalant demeanor only irritated the mass further. “They were. Plain and simple, they were dead. Troy was left in a vegetative state; Aria was to bleed out in minutes. There was no chance of survival.”

  “YET THEY ARE ALIVE!” the voice boomed.

  “I saw that,” Dovian blandly stated.

  “HOW?!” The mass grew larger in size, the light from the surrounding flames diminishing in size.

  “Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea.” And it was true. Dovian had no idea how it was possible Aria and Troy were even alive. He had seen the helicopter enter Ives, but he imagined whoever was piloting the craft was merely retrieving the bodies. Even though Aria and Troy were presumed dead, Dovian was not expecting Sapphire to be so surprised by the fact that they were actually still alive. The helicopter had even gotten away from her army. Had she not known about that? Were the monsters acting of their own freewill? That would mean Sapphire was leaving a lot of responsibility to everyone else. Dovian wondered to what extent her powers could actually reach.

  “HOW DID THEY EVEN GET OFF THE ISLAND?!” The mass turned, its glowing eyes locking onto Lilith.

  The woman gasped and began stuttering. “I-I had seen a helicopter. I sent the monsters out to investigate and bring it down. Upon further investigation, we found nothing. The storms had taken over that side of the island. We figured it was simply lightning.”

  “AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO CHECK FOR THEIR CORPSES AFTER THAT?!”

  Lilith cowered in the corner of the room. Dovian eyed her with interest. The android was afraid. She didn’t want to relay the news to Sapphire for fear of losing her life. Now that Lilith was contained within a physical body, Dovian pondered if her destruction would become a permanent one.

  “Well…I....” Lilith hung her head. “I’m sorry, my Lord.”

  Dovian cringed at hearing Lilith’s words.

  “SORRY?” the darkness questioned. “I WON’T BE SORRY WHEN I TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!”

  The mass dashed forward, surrounding Lilith.

  “Wait! Stop!” Ivory shouted.

  Everything came to a halt. White-lit eyes glared at Ivory.

  “I, I know you are angry, but don’t tear her apart,” Ivory pleaded.

  Dovian gaped at the blonde in wonder. Truthfully, he was looking a bit forward to Lilith’s demise. In fact, he figured Ivory would feel the same way.

  “AND WHY SHOULD I DO AS YOU SAY?” the darkness asked.

  “Because…you said you’ve known Lilith a long time. To tear her apart would be rather cruel. Why not keep her around? She may still prove useful. Give her a chance to prove herself, and perhaps she can make up for the mistake. Besides…after such a long existence, wouldn’t killing her now seem a bit wasteful?” Ivory nervously tugged on her hands.

  “FORGIVENESS? I’VE FORGIVEN PLENTY, YET YOU ALL SEEM TO REPEATEDLY FAIL ME.”

  “Then why not do things yourself?” Ivory asked.

  The darkness moved from Lilith toward Ivory.


  “SUCH BOLD WORDS….”

  “I’m merely asking you a question.” The blonde woman lifted her chin.

  “YOU’RE RIGHT. I PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN OTHERS. PERHAPS I SHOULD JUST KILL YOU ALL.”

  “No! Please…I…Let me out of this body. Don’t destroy me!” Lilith dropped to her knees.

  Dovian walked to the side, eyeing Lilith. He had it figured out. Lilith wasn’t meant for this physical plane. If killed, she’d be trapped between the realms in a never-ending purgatory of sorts. Would it be worse off than Hell? He wondered.

  “SINCE THE WOMAN HAS SYMPATHY FOR YOU, I WILL NOT DESTROY YOU. HOWEVER, IF YOU MAKE ONE MORE FALSE MOVE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO TURN YOU INTO DUST.”

  “Glory to you,” Lilith panted, bowing to the mass.

  Ivory and Dovian traded uncertain glances.

  “IVORY IS CORRECT. I SHOULD NOT PLACE THE BLAME ON YOU, LILITH. ALL BLAME LIES ON DOVIAN.”

  Dovian closed his eyes, awaiting the terrible impact that the darkness would inflict upon him. Would he lose a limb this time? His head? Perhaps he would be bisected. Maybe filleted to pieces. He had no idea, and the entity had only grown more creative in its ways of punishment. Still, no harm came his way. Curious, Dovian opened his eyes, finding the darkness around him. White glowing orbs of light gazed deep into his soul. It was nearly suffocating.

  “BEWARE SON OF THE FATHER. YOU SHALL FAIL ME AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE. NOTHING YOU HAVE PLANNED HAS NOT GONE THROUGH MY MIND IN A MILLION WAYS. THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES OF FORESIGHT IS STILL NOT LOST TO ME. I CAN SEE WHERE YOU’VE BEEN, AND I CAN SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING. DESPITE ALL YOU TRY, YOUR SOUL WILL BELONG TO ME. DARKNESS WILL RULE YOU, AND YOU WILL PRAISE ME SOON AS YOU ONCE DID HIM. YOU ARE NOT FREE. YOU ARE MINE NOW. FAIL, FAIL OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT BEWARE. ONCE ALL IS DONE, I WILL DESTROY YOU WITHOUT ONE MOMENT’S THOUGHT. DO NOT THINK YOU ARE INVINCIBLE TO ME.”

  The mass drifted away from the Sorcēarian. Ivory gasped, holding her hands over her mouth. Dovian’s usually vibrant eyes were now an inky shade. He was choking on what appeared to be black smoke. Coughing, he lurched forward as scaly wings jolted from his dorsal side. He vomited.

  As Dovian coughed and took in quick short breaths, Ivory eyed the darkness that suddenly burst into a bright light that composed itself back into the form of Sapphire. Her youthful expression lacked delight. Turning toward the stone throne, the child shooed Lilith away.

  “Prepare yourselves. We have a war to win tomorrow. Dovian, do not fail me unless you want Ivory to be disintegrated.”

  Dovian gasped. If Lilith was so frightened of dying, then that meant Ivory’s soul–I’Lanthe–was at equal risk of never reaching the heavens as well. He looked at the discontented blonde; his heart rapidly beat against his chest.

  “Leave my sight…all of you,” Sapphire coldly barked.

  Ivory grabbed Dovian’s arm, tugging him up. Lilith was already well out of the cave system before the two even exited the room. Once outside and in the harsh sunlight, Dovian gripped Ivory’s arms. She looked at him with an inquisitive expression.

  “I know that look, Dovian. There’s nothing you can say to make me stay. This is my battle, too. I’m fighting tomorrow.” She stood resolutely against him.

  “If something happens to you…” he started.

  “My life isn’t nearly as important as all of humanity,” she said strictly.

  “But…what about you? What about…I’Lanthe?” he asked.

  Ivory smiled this time, placing her hand against his pale face. “Oh, Dovian. At what point will you understand we are one and the same?” I’Lanthe’s vocals sounded.

  Dovian’s grip tightened on her shoulders. Ivory laughed with the same delight as I’Lanthe once had.

  “Nothing you say or do will make me change my mind. It is set in stone. This is what I’ve wanted since I inhabited the body. Ivory knows the risk, as do I.” Ivory grabbed his hand. “Our friends are alive. That means there is still hope. I will fight for them. I will fight for them like I did our people.”

  “But…I can’t lose you again,” Dovian murmured.

  “You never lost me,” she replied. Looking ahead toward the city ruins, she smiled brightly. “Come. We should prepare for tomorrow.” She put his fears aside.

  Dovian watched the woman suspiciously, his angelic wings whooshing outward. He prepared to grab Ivory, to carry her in his arms, but she held out a hand, stopping him.

  “One moment,” Ivory’s natural voice came out. “She’s taught me a bit more about this.”

  Looking straight ahead, Ivory’s pupils thinned to miniature dots. A burst of noise erupted from the bionic woman. Large metallic beams slid out from her shoulders, spreading out blade after blade into wings. A whirring commenced as the blonde eyed Dovian playfully.

  “Race ya,” she quickly spouted.

  With a spray of her thrusters, Ivory jetted off high into the sky, soaring through the clouds. Dovian shook his head in amazement. Bending his knees, he leaped, his wings taking control as he pushed after her.

  Tomorrow could be the end of all days. Tomorrow could be the day that would bring humanity to light. It could be either the best or the worst day of his life. For now, he wouldn’t worry about it. Ivory surely had no intention of letting him brood otherwise.

  In no time at all, Dovian was by the woman’s side, his gleaming eyes flickering behind the fog of the clouds surrounding them. Ivory noticed him and laughed, pushing further ahead. They raced toward the cathedral where Hector and Petey napped peacefully in the garden beside the lake. Dovian’s smile faltered. He lowered as a sudden onslaught of imagery invaded his senses.

  Fire consumed the land in a shuddering violent blast. Clouds of black and orange shot toward the sky and plumed outward as it hit the stratosphere, giving it a mushroom shape. The dry and cracked earth momentarily dipped lower before exploding upward in splintered shards. The radius spread for many kilometers, destroying everything in its path.

  Dovian fell, dropping to his hands and knees in the grass of the meadow. Petey gave a huff, shaking his tired head in alert at the sound of Dovian’s sudden intrusion. The lizard groaned, rising to his feet. Another squawk came from Hector, and soon the Sorcēarian was greeted by the nuzzling of his two lizard friends. Ivory spiraled overhead, watching the man below. She dived and landed smoothly onto the grass.

  “Are you alright?” she asked.

  Dovian ran his hand slowly over Hector’s scales. He frowned. “We need to get our friends to safety.”

  “You think something may happen to them tomorrow?” Ivory wrapped her arms around Petey’s neck; her reach couldn't even make it halfway around his bulk.

  “I saw something,” he said uncertainly.

  “You’re having visions?”

  Dovian nodded slowly. “They are occurring more frequently. The more decisions I make, the tighter the timeline pulls, bringing everything to the forefront of my mind. Bad things are going to happen, Ivory, and our chances are dwindling. Time is running out.”

  “Was the vision of Sapphire?” The woman ran her fingers up and down Petey’s snout. The creature wheezed a purr, his gold eyes rolling back slightly.

  “I’m unsure. The war holds much weight for both sides. Anything is possible. I will not hold any doubt that the battle will be brought to Ives if needed. If that is the case, I would like for Petey and Hector to retreat further south away from the caves.”

  “Poor babies,” Ivory whispered.

  “Petey,” Dovian began. The lizard became alert, licking his chops in anticipation. “You are to take Hector to the south.”

  Petey snorted in response.

  “There is a beautiful place near the mountainside. It’s full of freshwater, fish as far as the eye can see, and trees full of albatross. I know of a location that has a cave by a waterfall where you can sleep. Retrieve as many of your kind as you can. Leave now, and you can, hopefully, make it there by morning. You are not to come back here until things are over.
In fact, you may just want to stay there,” Dovian sternly stated.

  “Stay?” Ivory asked, shocked.

  Dovian’s eyes fell. “In case anything happens, Ivory. I do not want them coming back for us and getting hurt.”

  Petey’s golden eyes shifted between the two humans.

  “Listen to me, Petey. You are a magnificent creature. I need you to take care of the island while I am gone. After the war, I will come back for you. But, if for some reason I never return to you, know that I love you and Hector both.” He kneeled next to Hector, rubbing his fringe. “You've kept me company for many lifetimes. I leave Ives to you. Make the best of it.”

  Hector hissed, his tongue moving across Dovian’s hand. The creature crawled on his lap, and Dovian’s eyes closed. He refused to get teary-eyed over this.

  “You are my children. This is for your own safety. Go to the south. Be fruitful and multiply.”

  Ivory patted both lizards with tears in her eyes. “Dovian, what happens to Petey?”

  Dovian narrowed his eyes. “If ever anything were to happen to me that would prevent me from living another day, I assume Petey’s tie with me will become severed. He will be mortal. He will live and die like all the others.”

  “But you said you can’t die,” Ivory said.

  Dovian smirked. “I haven’t yet. Still, there isn’t a day that I don’t doubt it a little.”

  “But I’ve seen it,” she said.

  “I’m merely laying out ground rules. I will not tell them that I will come back for them. It will only break their hearts more if something were to happen which would prevent me to do so. They’re grown lizards. They need to understand.” Dovian lifted Hector in his arms, carrying him like he had done when he was a baby monitor.

  Ivory frowned. “It makes sense. It just makes me feel horribly sad.”

  Dovian put the palm of his hand against Petey’s forehead. Immediately, the lizard’s eyes turned milky-white as Dovian placed the information and visions in the creature’s mind. The giant reptile barked and hopped back, shaking his head in aggravation. Ivory watched with her hands clasped tightly before her chest.