Chapter XII: Memories of Moonlight
In which the light falters...
“So, Maloch, what exactly do you have in mind?” asked the curious old hermit.
After the re-mech had made his declaration, they had begun walking towards the central room of the station, following after Maloch's confident posture. Along the way, they stopped to find new clothes for Barsch, as his old attire had practically fallen apart from the acid rain. After a short search, they located one of the raiment lockers, which had been made to hold the discarded clothes from the people in the pods. Seemingly at random, Alza had picked out a handful of clothes and told the still drowsy Barsch to strip. After a short explanation on why it was rude to stare at someone getting changed, Alza reluctantly turned around, muttering, “...really don't see the point...” under her breath.
Although it had appeared to be a random selection of garments, Barsch was left in quite fashionable clothing by the time he was done. His black and blue shirt had been replaced with a yellow and black variant, with a golden spiral embossed over his heart, while his lower limbs were now covered with black, hard-worn denim. Yellow running shoes provided contrast, while a dark grey overcoat protected him from the elements. After Kingston had given his approval, and Alza had given him a once-over, they once more set off towards the hub room.
The journey seemed to be quicker on the way out, but for Barsch, everything was a new sight. His quick eyes reread each poster no less than five times, and his fingers reached out to brush the low hanging stalagmites where they grew. However, after a while, his hands fell to his sides, and his eyes fell to the dull floor.
“That's right... father, and everyone else... they are still asleep, in a place just like this... why did I wake up? Out of a hundred million people, why was I chosen? I've never done anything that made me stand out... When I was a kid, I used to dream of grand adventures, of saving damsels in distress, and vanquishing a great evil. But, in the end, those were only dreams... the dreams of a boy living in a dying land. Since the moment I woke up, it has felt as though I’ve been living in one of those dreams, and that, at any moment, the dream will end and I'll be back in Genesis Station, where I belong...”
Barsch could still remember the pod room, the tower which had healed him. Over a hundred thousand people were sleeping nearby; did he really want to re-join them?
“But, after everything that's happened, can I really still say that? If I had never woken up, if fate had never chosen me, would I be happier than I am now? If I had never awoken, if I had never met Kingston, or Maloch, or Alza… would I be able to live on in blissful ignorance? To be honest, when I awoke in Kingston's arms, for a brief moment in the confusion and the pain, I thought that he was my father... and that I was back in Genesis. For that instant, I truly felt despair... a heart-breaking, gut-wrenching despair that seemed to blacken my heart. If all of this, if everything that we've done together, turns out to be nothing more than a dream, I don't think I will be strong enough to take it. What was it that father said, when I refused to sleep? Ah, yes... Death is but a deep sleep, and life is but a dream...”
“Barsch, are you okay?” It was Kingston's gentle, yet slightly cold voice that brought Barsch out of his musings.
“I'm... I'm fine. I guess I'm still just a little drowsy...”
“I see. Well, you were just unfrozen for the second time in two months, which is technically impossible, so I guess some side-effects are to be expected. Just promise me that you will tell me if the drowsiness persists, or if anything else pops up. Maloch might say that you're fine, but even machines can be wrong, and I’d rather not take the chance with your well-being.” Kingston’s kind eyes swept over Barsch’s unsteady frame, noting how he was stumbling on every other step. However, he said nothing further.
“Thanks Kingston, but I'm fine, really. Besides, after this is over, I can have a nice... long... nap...” replied Barsch, yawning. In truth he felt ready to collapse at the slightest provocation, but he could not afford to delay them further. Although he wasn’t completely sure of what was happening, he knew that his injuries and healing had been an unwelcome burden on the others.
They proceeded onwards with an awkward air between them, the reality of the situation making conversation difficult. Thankfully, they were spared by the appearance of the central room.
For a moment, Kingston thought that the re-mech would lead them towards the entrance, despite it being the most obvious and well protected route. Instead, the quick-thinking servant turned towards the door adorned with the symbol of a stylized water droplet.
“The Station Waterworks?” asked Kingston in surprise.
“After studying the station schematics, I found that the entire complex was built over a massive network of caves, that had been carved aeons ago by a raging underground river. Although most of the tunnels were filled in during construction, a section of the Waterworks was left untouched. If we proceed through the Station's sub-systems, we should be able to reach the caves and hopefully find an exit to the surface.”
“I'm impressed. Good work Maloch.”
“I live to serve...” Maloch paused for a moment, seemingly thinking about what he had said, “But thank you nonetheless...” he added, a few seconds later.
Approaching the door to the Waterworks, the first obstacle to their escape was quickly found. The door, in accordance with the Station's lock-down procedure, had been sealed tight. For anyone else, it would be an impassable object, and a definitive end to their journey, but there had yet to be a door built sturdy enough to resist the combined strength of Alza, Kingston and Maloch.
Leaving the still weak Barsch in the centre of the room, the trio began analysing the door. A scientist in every regard, Kingston first thought of merely hacking the control mechanism, but Maloch pointed out that Guardian would have secured all access points after Maloch's recent invasion of his Core. Surprisingly, it was Alza who came up with the idea… one that would have been impossible without her unique talents.
“It's simple. I will merely reach through the door with my mind and unlock it from the other side,” she said, in a manner similar to how one would ask when supper was ready. If he had heard anything of the sort a few months ago, Kingston would have laughed, but he had seen the truth of the words. He had seen the truth of her power. Had she?
And although Kingston still felt unease whenever Alza used her strange gifts, he had to concede that it was the best plan for their time-constrained situation. However, his curious nature could not be sated until he asked, “Wait, how do you know that you can do that?”
Alza lowered her upraised arm, a look of confusion on her face. “I... I just know. Even before, when I created that flame, I knew in my heart that it would work. It was like I was simply remembering something I had done before.”
“Perhaps your past self had more control over your abilities? Tell me, do you still remember nothing from before Barsch found you?” Kingston asked, momentarily forgetting himself.
After a few heartbeats of silence Alza turned to him and said, “I remember... bits and pieces, but it's out of focus, distorted, as if I was trying to see through smoke. Before I encountered Barsch... It's like I was dead... as much unaware of the world as it was of me...”
Kingston tried his hardest to create a comforting smile on his face, but, in the face of her blank, emotionless expression, it felt hollow and insincere. Would he ever be able to give her a proper smile, and let down his guard around her? Probably not, he thought, unless she isn’t what I think she is…
“We are wasting time. Let us be gone from this place.” After raising her hand again, Alza closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply. From beneath her eyelids, violet light began to leak out, as her hair was splayed out by a wind that only she felt.
Barsch felt as though he should have been cowering in fear of this unearthly display, but instead, he felt calm, as if this scene of supernatural power was perfectly normal. Even Kingston, who normally looked away
when Alza displayed her abilities, was looking with curious fascination. Maloch bore the same analytical gaze as always, yet one could almost see his mind working furiously, trying to uncover the secret behind Alza's superhuman power.
After a minute of held breaths and intense concentration, Alza lowered her hand. If her use of power had taken its toll, she did not let it show, though Barsch would have sworn that she looked a little less stable, as she took a step towards the still shut door. Placing a hand on the smooth surface -perhaps using the solid frame as a crutch- she pushed gently, watching with satisfaction as the heavy door swung open with a gentle hiss.
“Let's go,” she said, slightly out of breath.
Awakening Page 165