by Adam DiSalvo
Haitrion lept from a tall rock onto the forest floor. He landed with a heavy thud.
“I strove my entire life attempting to understand the angels.” he disclosed. “I’ve been working with their artifacts and technology for almost two thousand years.”
Taytha jumped down behind him. Haitrion turned to face her.
“It seems what they know will always be just beyond my grasp.”
“Really? Always?” said Taytha, tilting her head.
Haitrion let out a light laugh.
“Some things some of us are never meant to know.”
“Every human gets that!” Taytha teased.
He smiled.
“Yes. I suppose you do.”
The pair enjoyed a quiet moment of understanding. Haitrion approached Taytha using a gentle tone.
“Sergeant. Hand me your AGR.”
Taytha stepped back puzzled but, played along.
“Uh, okay?” she replied, handing him the weapon with reluctance.
Haitrion took it and walked away a few dozen feet. He then placed it on the ground and returned to Taytha.
“Sergeant. The suit you’re wearing is easily the most advanced ZGC suit ever built.”
He began to circle Taytha.
"From the armor plates to the onboard triple redundant quantum computer, the flight control to the ether-blood-powered energy system, it would take considerable weapons of war to even combat it effectively.”
“I’m very grateful Haitrion but, what are you talking about?” she asked waving her hand.
“Taytha this isn’t just a combat suit.”
He stopped as if reconsidering his next words.
“What? What is i—“
“It’s a reapplication of my power.”
Tyatha’s arms dropped stunned. She shook her head.
“What?”
Haitrion turned away from her.
“There is one truth the Hydra has always been most proud of discovering. I guess it’s only fitting he did.”
“Haitrion what are you saying?”
He raised his hand.
“Please.”
He turned back around.
“What I’m about to show you is the truth that will upset the balance of human, ether society.”
Taytha waited.
“My blood, which your suit draws energy from, also works in tandem with another system. The A.R.E.C system.”
“Arc system? Acronym? You scientists love acronyms.”
“It is. Artificial. Remote. Ether. Control.”
He nudged Taytha’s elbow urging her to lift her arm.
“Reach out with your hand Sergeant.”
Taytha reached out, palm down with fingers out.
“Now focus your mind on the tree just in front of you. Tell me when you feel something.”
Taytha held her hand out for what seemed like an hour but, had no success. She let out a sigh of disappointment dropping her arm. Haitrion laughed.
“Do not be upset Sergeant. That was the expected outcome.”
“Oh yeah? I know I’m not ether born! I can’t move shit with my mind! Fucking duh! That wasn’t funny Haitrion.”
“Settle down Sergeant. That wasn’t the purpose of the exercise.”
“Then what was it?”
He urged her to raise her hand again.
“Reach out. One more time."
Haitrion pointed to her weapon laying several yards away.
“This time focus on your AGR.”
She pulled her hand back.
"Haitrion. I’m done being made fun of.”
“One more time Sergeant. Please.”
He lifted her palm in his and gestured with both their hands.
“Please. Sergeant.”
She frowned but, acquiesced to his request.
“Haitrion I don—“
She cut herself off. Haitrion let go of her hand while she stood alone in wonder. A smile crossed her face. Haitrion shrank back.
“Haitrion.”
“Can you feel it?”
She nodded unable to shake her grin.
“Yes.”
She rotated her hand in mid air. Her voice was soft.
“I can feel my hand on the grip.”
“Active haptics in the gauntlets allow you to feel what you’re focusing on.”
“It’s incredib—“
The weapon fired a burst of blue rounds.
“Woo!” laughed Taytha as they both jumped.
“Goddess! Even a trained soldier instantly becomes a child!”
The rifle whipped through the air, landing in Taytha’s grip. She held it tight and turned to Haitrion smiling.
“You learn fast.” he noted.
“It’s because it’s metal.”
“Indeed metal substances will be the easiest for you to manipulate. That’s the tempest in the blood.”
He removed several bearings from his holster and handed them to Taytha in his outstretched palm.
"You can also shape the metal.” he explained. “Any shape you desire. All that matters is what you see in your mind. The AREC system takes care of the rest.”
“Any shape I want?”
Haitrion nodded. She took the bearings in her hand and thought for a moment. The small metal spheres lifted into the air just above her open hand.
“Why does it feel like there’s more than just three objects here?”
“The majority of steel is a form iron mixed with carbon. To you the carbon should feel like empty space. Or holes in a sieve. There’s also chromium present. You should be able to feel that as well. Like different textures on a surface.”
The steel orbs began orbiting one another.
“Can I separate them?”
“You can. As a tempest power though they will not so easily be put back together."
“Why not?"
“Only shapers can manipulate the atomic structure of inorganic mater. Tempests can only manipulate magnetic fields and metalloids on the periodic table.”
Haitrion held his hand palm out facing Taytha. The spheres moved though the air. He rotated his hand palm up as the floating spheres came to rest, suspended above. They began to orbit faster.
“Now. As you can see. Separating them is easy.”
Clouds of chromium seeped into the air in the form of small whirl winds until they gathered into a smaller separate orb. The orbs then spun even faster.
“If you wanted to fuse them back together that requires understanding a few talents and some basic chemistry.”
The orbs glowed bright orange.
“First you must rapidly reshape the metal over and over again until it becomes incredibly hot.”
The spheres now burned a brilliant white.
“If you continue this process to the extreme you will eventually create a plasma.”
He paused, the white hot marbles of material spinning between them.
“Most ethers die attempting this technique. The speed and control required is usually far beyond the capabilities of most tempests and syrens. You however, will have the advantage of my blood.”
The white lights burst into color.
“And your onboard AIs.”
Taytha stretched out her hand. Haitrion pulled back.
“You must not lose concentration. If you relinquish control even for a moment the plasma will spiral out of control and kill you and everything around you before it burns itself out. Do you understand?”
Taytha nodded.
“How do I stop it?” she prodded.
“Slowly decrease the frequency of shaping until it turns back to liquid metal. From there you can let it cool on its own or you can freeze it in place which will release a lot of energy. Be prepared for anything."
The glowing objects fused together, becoming one solid bearing once more. The object cooled and the shinny reflective surface returned.
“Still very hot."
He passed the fresh bearing on to Taytha though the air.
She let it fall into the palm of her gauntlet. Taytha rolled the bearing around in her hand. It came to rest in her palm then lifted into the air. The bearing spun into liquid metal as it rose. The orange globe danced, hovering a few inches above her hand changing shapes. First a pyramid, then a cube, then a flower. Taytha smiled and the flower burst into a cloud of gas and a swirling ball of pink and orange plasma formed.
“Wow.” she muttered looking up at Haitrion. “This is. This is amazing. They'll kill you for this.”
Taytha shook her head and slowed the shaping metal. The swirling forces cooled and the bearing took shape once more. The mass solidified revealing a mirror-shine exterior and dropped back into Taytha's palm.
“Haitrion. I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if I can do what you asked.”
“Sergeant?”
“My family. Haitrion they’ll find out who I am and they'll kill my family.”
Haitrion stepped back.
“I am sorry but, no matter what choice you make your family is already at risk.”
He stepped around Taytha and continued walking.
“If you refuse and you don't deliver the message once you've reached Skylauren, you family will either be caught up in the ensuing civil war between the Sungardens, which will end in a stale mate or, the growing styx problem will eventually become a system wide crisis putting them at even greater risk.”
“Or?” Taytha added.
“Or you can deliver the message and give everyone in Uruteth a fighting chance.”
“Still placing my family at risk.” reminded Taytha.
“If, they find out who your are.”
“When, they find out who I am.”
“Sergeant once you leave our collective fate will be in your hands. I will no longer have any leverage over it. It will be entirely up to you.”
“When you put it like that.” Taytha a trailed off.
“Sergeant. The Four can not be trusted with the fate of our system.”
“And the Emperor can be trusted?” Taytha responded.
“Sergeant, the full strength of the empire will be needed to defeat this enemy. I imagine it won’t be long until they can reach beyond the surface.”
They slunk through the dense jungle and soon reached the edge of the ancient stone city. They crept through the stone buildings like slow seeping water. The streets were silent and deserted. Wheeled carts, pots of all shapes, and clues of ancient civilized living were left abandoned.
“They left so much.” Taytha muttered. “They left their lives behind.”
Upon turning a corner they discovered more desolation. Destroyed buildings with deep scars from intense heat scoring. Rubble was strewn about between the buildings.
“Ether fire?” Taytha guessed.
“It appears so.” Haitrion observed. “Very odd.”
He rubbed his hand over the fissures.
“Could ether born have made it all the way out here?” Taytha asked.
“Very unlikely.” Haitrion hypothesized. “Something else did this.”
“Something else manipulating ether?”
Haitrion took in his surroundings.
“Perhaps. Whatever it was, it used its power to obliterate these people. Judging by the condition of the bones though, I can’t help wondering if we missed the opportunity for an intervention by mere months.”
“You think this happened since you’ve been surface side?”
Haitrion nodded his somber agreement.
“Kilahren?”
“No. He’s not illuminated. Something else is here with us."
CHAPTER 11
SERENA LAZED NAKED in a white and pink granite relaxation tub. Steam rose up around her as she rolled over placing her arms on the edge. The warm water in which she lolled was replenished through cascading waterfalls streaming from the wall. The rear edge against the wall bore a planter holding small, large-leafed trees that hung over the edges. The flowers blooming from the branches accented the air with gentle aromas. The floor surrounding the bubbling pool expanded out into a soaring balcony constructed from polished white marble. Thick plush, violet rugs were laid over it. The furniture accommodating the space was made from exquisitely woven, gold and silver threads which were topped with thick, pink Nepheri soft-silk cushions. A small fire burned at the center surrounded by matching chairs. Fourteen foot tall double doors were set into massive champagne glass mirror walls that connected the balcony to a lavishly decorated room. The bottom floor inside was covered with the finest Cal’Utha hard oak. The refractions from the entering sunlight cast a bright golden glow upon the stark white walls. Opposite the relaxation pond was a spiral staircase wrapped in matching glass, connecting two floors to the terrace. Under a crystal blue sky, a light breeze blew back Serena's hair as she stared at the sparkling terrestrial City of Glass, Ty’Serene in the valley below, its spires piercing into the sky like giant crystal spikes. Next to her on the edge of the pool rested an elegant tropical beverage. After reaching over and taking a sip she spun the fancy glass in her hand admiring its prismatic decorations. She set her drink down letting the warm water massage her body as she laid her head upon her arms. The warmth from the burning fire slipped though the cold air and caressed her face, carrying with it the sweet hints of the colorful blossoms and salty sea air. Her eyes closed and she drew a long breath as her legs rose to the surface behind her. A smile slipped onto her lips. She lay still, head on her arms, body prone along the surface on the pool.
“Royalty does reap such opulence.” she yawned, stretching her arms.
Steam wafted from her body as she lifted herself from the warm water. She strode over to a waiting towel hung over the back of a long couch. The white towel was thick and embroidered with a golden stylized T. She unfolded it and wrapped herself up. Water dripped from her hair as she picked up the drink and made her way to the balcony’s edge. The Lord of Light’s summer abby climbed into the clouds, situated against the northern edge of the bay's southern mountains. The baby blue waters of a grand canal split the sparkling rose gold city in two, spidering out into smaller waters ways reaching throughout the metropolis. Straddling the canal stretching to either bank was the Palace of Light, a multi teared pyramid surrounded by statues bearing Lord Ty’s likeness.
“All that glitters,” she smirked, taking another sip.
“Oh my goddess it’s so good. I hate these people,” she bemoaned, gripping the drink tight. “Ugh!”
Her PCD’s remote communicator chimed. She looked over her shoulder to the little blue blinking light on the credit chit sized device. She sighed and walked over, smiling upon reading the name on the display.
“Today is the day you tell me my three week joyride through heaven is over and I’m being sent to hell where I truly belong.”
“How did you know?” came Raffa’s familiar cheery tone.
“We’re not royalty.”
“No we are not. We are merchants.”
“What?”
“Merchants. Well maybe more like traders. I’m not sure the Lord of Light or his fellow deities have much of a concern for money. Well, except beyond influence—“
“Raffa, what's your point?”
“But, we have something to offer them in exchange for what we really want.” Raffa trailed off.
“Which is?”
“To capture the Alejandra.”
“Raffa what the fuck? Are you serious?” Serena snapped.
“Um.”
“And then what?”
“Try to make this right?” Raffa offered.
“Right? Raffa!”
Serena spun around, the communicator pressed against the side of her face.
"How the hell are you going to make this right?”
“I —“
“You can’t make this right!” Your best bet now is to use what assets you have left and go hide! I don’t know what you were thinking coming here!”
“Pump the brakes right there, okay? I know what I’
m doing.”
“Oh yeah, mister merchant?”
“Actually, yeah. I do. I’ve had a plan this whole time.”
“Raffa I’m not sure what you are planning but, I think you’re drastically overestimating any influence you have left.”
“We’re those parentheses?”
“Raffa.”
“I totally heard parentheses.”
“Raffa!”
Waiting.
“Hello?”
“Va’Dahren’s Crown,” he let out.
Serena shook the confusion from her face.
“What?” she replied.
“The Hydra’s crown. You know. The one with the emeralds set into platinum."
Serena swallowed hard.
“Seriously? C'mon. The user interface that gives you complete control of the scylex?”
Serena stiffened. Her head tilted.
“Raffa?” she replied. “What about the Hydra’s crown?”
“I have it.”
The rush of fear that came over her was uncontainable.
“You brought a WMD to Cantiga?”
“Oh Serena, come on! It’s not that serious.”
“Not that serious? Are you fucking kidding me?
“Wait a sec-"
"You smuggled the master UI for a world-ending AI drone army, designed by the Hydra, onto a planet you’re not even a citizen on? The army that nearly destroyed the solar system?”
“It’s only awful when you say it like that. Okay? Listen to me.”
“No”
“Serena.”
“No”
“Serena!”
“Raffa! This is insane! How the fuck did you get that thing?”
“Well—”
“No actually, shut up. I don’t want to know.”
Serena flopped down onto the long couch. She rubbed the sides of her head with her thumb a two fingers.
“Can I finish?”
Serena pinched the bridge of her nose, holding her breath.
“You know what? You’re so insane I don’t even think you have it. You’re fucking with me.”
Raffa didn’t reply. Serena waited.
“See! I knew it!”
Serena’s com chimed again. She looked at the screen.
“What are you sending me?”
Her eyes went wide.
“My goddess! You have it!”
Her head fell back as the com dropped into her lap.