Trevor put the device in his pocket and scratched his head. “William does have a fascination with owls, but this looks like a military patch. I’m sure we’re just drawing conclusions.”
“It is time to return. The humans have technology in place to prevent our teleportation, and the range is increasing.”
As before, she grabbed onto them and teleported away. The trip back was easier on Allen’s head, and he only had to close his eyes for a few seconds. They both walked towards Taiyah as she prepared some food. They almost embraced but realized that everyone was looking at them. Kaczmari broke the silence.
“As we have discussed, they have been shown firsthand what is happening down below the Purtarian. Let us embark to the Primordial Shrine to ask for guidance from the One Mind. Only there, will we be given the ability to fight back against the threats to our way of living and regain our pride. Word has reached the east, and our voices have been heard. For now, we trust the One Mind’s judgment and try to rescue who we can. The humans have limited our teleportation ability with their technology, and thus the Ka’perons cannot come to our aid; we must travel on foot to the shrine. Let us hurry before we run out of time.”
With a quiet serenity, the hibernating forest gleamed with white and sparkling snow. Once colorful plants and flowers were buried and helpless as they tried to rise towards the sun. Frozen ponds and creek beds scattered across the worn trail leading south from the Yabet Collective. A little over a day’s walk separated Allen and the group from the Primordial Sanctuary. The sacred shrine to the One Mind stood over the Awakened Ocean and acted as a beacon of everlasting life.
Crossing over a frozen lake, Allen took care in his footing and hesitated as the water below the ice moved slightly. The icy air claimed every breath he took and filled up his lungs. No one in the small group of eight spoke a word until they were deep in the forest and away from civilization. Allen and Trevor watched as the four prior Windenfall Elites stopped and sat upon the ground to rest. Their eyes closed and they slowed their breathing to a minimum. All around them were the sounds of many exotic animals, birds and other creatures that called the forest their homes. Remembering the elegant Poy that had been following him, Allen looked all around, but found no evidence of the deer-like creature’s presence; he couldn’t shake the feeling, however, that another significant force was keeping a close eye on him.
By habit, Allen grabbed ahold of Taiyah’s hand under a pair of vigilant eyes. As they separated, Ho’olp leader Kaczmari stood to face them with her eyes narrowed. Allen’s skin chilled to the core.
“Taiyah, do you show emotion for this human? You know we are incapable of engaging in this conduct as the humans do?”
“I understand Kaczmari. I will cease if you forbid me to continue any further.”
The slender violet Teracian stood still as she came up with her decree. The wings on her back extended slightly. “I see no harm in letting you comfort each other. Keep her safe, Allen.”
With Kaczmari walking towards the meditating Elites, the two looked into each other’s eyes and Taiyah released her mouth plate for only an instant. After a brief kiss, they joined the group and rested. The sun stood at the highest point in the sky, and the chilly wind subsided. The smell in the air began to change the further they traveled into the forest. It was as if they were near another settlement. With an abrupt halt, Kaczmari crouched and stood silent. Allen saw her chest armor grow dark purple and it seemingly disappeared on her violet body. She nodded her head, and the two Elites in front split off into the forest at breakneck speed, careful not to cause too much noise. The sun started to dip, and Allen could feel his legs becoming numb from the cold.
Trevor whispered to Allen, “You know, I still don’t understand why their chests glow different colors and what they all mean.”
“Taiyah told me it has to do with their emotions. Each has a specific color that they attribute towards what they’re feeling.”
The Elites reappeared and conversed with Kaczmari.
“Did they discover something in the forest?” said Trevor as he had his gauntlet at the ready.
“There is a Septunian camp nearby. Men have scouted this area and left their indents in the snow. There are flying ships nearby as well. Let’s explore further,” Kaczmari said with confidence. Combing through the slumbering forest, Allen still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Feeling anxious, he shifted his view from side to side. Kaczmari would have said something if there was someone here. He shook off the feeling and kept going. Suddenly, a loud noise caused the group to stop. Kaczmari signaled for them behind a bush. In front of them was a small facility with a satellite and Septunians setting up equipment. The makeshift facility was an extensive network of tents with a stabilized shield surrounding the camp. Stationed in front of the door was a well-armed man with a visor over his eyes. T squad of stone-faced men behind him stood in a grid formation in the clearing with armor and plasma rifles.
“They wear the same armor as the accused inquisitor. I sense no life in these soldiers.”
The man with the visor yelled out to the soldiers. “Android squads 101 switch your harmonizers to Phi 1000. Initiate test sequence and scan the perimeter. Shut down after the scan.”
The artificial soldiers moved in unison to cover every angle within their square perimeter; their lifeless eyes glowed with a menacing green light. One stopped near Allen and the group and raised his weapon, “Heat signature detected: two humans and six Teracians.”
“Do not engage unless fired upon. Switch harmonizer to…”
“Spoken order not in command matrix. Engaging hostiles with force.”
“All of you get down. Elites scatter and return fire to the false humans,” said Kaczmari.”
Allen, Trevor, and Taiyah took cover behind a broken tree trunk, watching as Kaczmari and the Elites ran for cover, blasting wave and wave of energy beams towards the android soldiers. Shots connected and shook the planet’s surface, causing fires to ignite and spread to nearby trees. Trevor aimed his gauntlet at a stationary soldier and took a deep breath. The first few shots missed, but one collided with its leg, causing the machine to fall helplessly to the ground. With a second blast, the android exploded in a smoldering pile. Kaczmari returned and signaled for them to follow and keep their heads down.
Allen’s body shook as he attempted to fire, but he couldn’t steady his hand. His heart raced as the adrenaline pumped through his veins. They ran and reached a group of trees with large pieces of exposed metal. Allen watched as the Elites vanished and appeared next to them, confusing the enemy units, who were now attempting to find them. Half remained, and the Elites didn’t have a scratch on them; the metal deep within their skin rose to its surface and coated their bodies with a protective substance.
“I see signs of the Septunians in the structure. We must wipe them out as well.”
Without warning, the remaining squad of android soldiers replicated the Teracian shift and teleported right on top of them. Energy spiked and smoke covered the area. Allen heard Taiyah scream, but his body was pushed back against a tree. Another spark of energy and he was deeper in the forest. He struggled to see, but the smoke burned his eyes. He felt a warm barrel on his neck and stood completely still.
“Identifying target: Allen Thomas Schraider. Level 5 protocol commencing. The prisoner is to report to the station.”
He felt the searing gun leave his throat, making him choke. The compliant android picked him up and stared into his eyes. Allen saw the machine’s spinning pupils and emotionless expression. Struggling to move, Allen wrenched his arm free and tried to destroy it, but the solder was too fast. With a hard hit, Allen fell to the ground and grabbed his stomach. His metallic armor held most of the attack, but the impact still pained him. The android suddenly fell limp, and Allen watched as it stood motionless for several seconds. Its eyes came back to life, and a human voice played through its mouth.
“Switching harmonizer to Alpha
445. Kill all targets.”
Allen hearing this, got up and ran for cover, but a blast struck his leg; he screamed as the plasma burned through his armor and coated his bare skin. He retaliated and hit the android in the face with a well-timed burst. Its head vibrated and snapped back into place, revealing an artificial skeleton with a leaking fluid in its eyes. Allen dragged his injured leg away from the machine as it walked towards him. Exposed wires in its head sparked as it moved towards him with like a drunken fool. It made noises and laughed as it raised its jittering gun to Allen’s direction. It fired off a round and missed his head by mere inches.
“Kaczmari! Trevor!” Allen said, fearfully crawling away.
As his voice resonated through the forest, a sudden force split the android down the middle right as the rifle in its hand was about to heat up. Allen covered his eyes as the sticky fluid and sparks rained down on his armor. He wiped it away and tried to stand, but was unsuccessful. A blackened android walked towards him and placed its scoped rifle on its back. Removing its helmet, the man set it on the ground. His face was covered in sweat and blood and beneath the grime was a pair of tired eyes and a long scar to the right of his face.
“Do you recognize me, Allen Schraider?”
Allen focused on the man’s appearance and couldn’t identify the suit’s color, but knew who the voice belonged to. “Inquisitor Etzel.”
“That is correct. It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Allen? I see you and your friends are in a bit of a dilemma here?”
“Why did you save me? Aren’t you aligned with these pieces of garbage?”
Cocking his head, “These androids were originally my work until they were taken from me. I no longer pledge my alliance to the Septunians.”
Etzel offered him a small pouch and removed the broken armor beneath his leg. Allen cringed as the armor was removed, taking pieces of skin with it. Etzel shook a fine powder from the bag and coated the severe burn; he wrapped it with a bandage and threw the chunk of armor away.
“This will help, and your leg should be fully healed in 12 hours. Can you stand?” Etzel said as he placed the pouch in a compartment on his suit.
“Yea, I think I can,” he said as his leg suddenly grew cold. He could now move it with no pain.
“Your friends are in Sorehn’s campsite. The remainder of the phantom androids are destroyed.”
“Major Sorehn? Why is he positioned here?”
“He was tasked with doing recon on the Yabet Collective for Supreme Commander Miller. Only a handful of these men are human. Sorehn had no idea Miller was sending androids.”
The rush Allen had felt earlier was subsiding, and he was now able to think straight. He didn’t trust the manipulative man in front of him.
“Which side do you align with? Is Actavian still alive?”
“I align with no one, Schraider, and Actavian is six feet under as he should be. I work for my own goals, but do not misconstrue this as a friendly gesture. I merely see you and your friends as a means to an end. I will take my leave. Mention this to no one; I am presumed to be dead.”
“Wait, what is Miller’s plan? Does it have something to do with the Quantum Infinity?” he said as the Inquisitor was walked away.
“Continue your journey, and you may find out. We are out of time, I’m afraid.”
With a flash of light, the Inquisitor was gone. Allen spat blood on the ground and walked back towards the collection of smoke coming from the fires. As he reached Sorehn’s base, he saw Taiyah and Trevor standing next to Kaczmari. They stood over Major Sorehn as he was being subdued with the rest of his men.
“Allen, you’re alright!” thought Taiyah as she ran over to him, “what happened to your leg?”
Smiling sincerely, “It was just a burn. I got it patched up. Is everyone alright?”
“Ah, there he is. Glad to see you are safe. Kaczmari what’s the situation?” said one of the Elites.
“We are in the process of interrogating these men. Sorehn was explaining that he had nothing to do with the proposed extermination of our village by those accursed machines.”
“That is exactly right. I had no knowledge of their real mission. They were sent without my permission, and they disobeyed my orders. Someone was within range to switch their harmonizers to the alpha kill switch. I was only here to gather data on your village. I did not carry out my mission,” said Jace.
He looked up at Allen and Trevor as they appeared. “Allen, it’s you? You and your friends were there the day of the massacre.”
Allen’s face grew with rage. Etzel switched them to that kill setting. He set this whole thing up.
“Major Sorehn, I do hope you're honest with us. You are a respectable man. Please don’t tell me you approve of this war,” said Trevor with his arms crossed with anticipation.
“My alliance is with Dr. Geier. You remember her, don’t you, Allen? Your cousin has been doing undercover work towards building a resistance against Miller and his madness. I don’t agree with these conflicts, nor do I support the systematic enslavement and killing of the Teracians. I didn’t sign up to be an officer in a death squad, and after my insubordination at Windenfall, they demoted me to a base leader with no influence.”
“Will you take us to this resistance?”
Taken aback, “you trust me after all that’s happened?”
“I have heard what you’ve done for my people in the past, Jace Sorehn, and I can sense that your intentions are pure. Hoj and Murt, untie them. Will you accompany us to the Primordial Shrine? I hope no other androids will attack us?”
The Elites untied the man and his research team. Sorehn turned off his harmonizer, throwing it to the ground and stomping on it. “Yes, I am in your debt. More will arrive, but this camp won’t be like it is now. We must burn it. Leave nothing behind.”
**********
With the smoldering camp behind them, Allen and the group traversed through the remained of the forest to the edge of a rocky cliff, hanging above a vast green ocean. The aggressive tide rose and fell against the twinkling boulders. Overhead, the sun started to set and offered a kaleidoscope of colors on the edge of the turquoise horizon. On a raised platform of solid metal, stood an enormous crystal protected by a transparent glass-like material. They approached it, and Kaczmari spoke.
“This is the Primordial Sanctuary, a point of beginning and of the end. Standing atop this cliff, above the Awakened Ocean, is a link to the One Mind and to immense power. Allen, you and your partner, Trevor, must embrace the crystal alone. We will await your return.”
Allen nodded his head and gave a reassuring look to Taiyah; her beautiful brown eyes were large and filled with excitement. They approached the barrier and stuck their hand into it. Without stopping, they fazed right through and were face to face with the purple wonder in front of them. The liquid barrier reflected the bright lights that poured from its surface. Allen and Trevor flinched and held their breath as water started to rush in; in a panic, they tried to escape, but couldn’t leave the sanctuary.
Allen, trusting in the Teracians, opened his mouth and let the air escape his lungs. To his amusement, he had no trouble breathing. “Trevor, it’s fine. We don’t have to hold our breaths.”
Exhaling loudly, “Holy shit, that’s a relief,” Trevor said with a laugh, “so we are just supposed to touch this together?”
“Seems like it. You ready? One three?”
“One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
The two friends embraced the crystal and felt a freeing sensation throughout their bodies. Connecting with the One Mind, their gauntlets turned solid gold, and the crystals in the palm of their hands exploded with a rainbow of color.
“So, it begins,” said a gentle voice as a golden form materialized where the crystal had stood. The world around them vanished as they closed their eyes.
Sixteen
The Screams Amongst the Dark Matter
You’re doing well. A few more
hours and your transformation will be complete. Just think of the capabilities this will bring us, said a wicked man as he cackled to himself.
The disturbing voice embraced her ears and left as soon as it came. She opened her eyes and felt the comforting feel of the clean sheets on her arms and legs. Shuffling around, she stared at the purple alarm clock. 10:30; almost time for class. The welcoming golden sun shined in her eyes as she opened up the window, letting in the crisp breeze. Anya gathered up her brush and shampoo and headed to the bathroom. The walls in her were pearl white and stood out next to her blue-painted bedroom. Aimlessly, she ran her hand through her hair. Every day like the rest, the tired college student turned on the shower and cleaned up. She organized her and tidied up her room, thinking of various assignments that would be piling up soon. Today was the day that she started her first year of college, and she didn’t want to be late. She grabbed a towel after turning off the shower and dried off.
“Anya, you getting ready for school? Don’t forget that we’re leaving in 15 minutes.” said her mom as Anya applied body lotion on her arms.
Rushing out to her bedroom, Anya said, “Yea, just getting ready now. Don’t forget, you promised to pick up Brenda on our way there.”
“I didn’t forget.”
With that, Anya got dressed in her usual red camisole and clean jeans. She tied her hair back and let it fall just below her neck. A fury of wind assaulted the window and blew down some papers sitting on her school books. They revealed a copy of Greek Tragedies Vol. 1: The Bacchae, Antigone, and Medea. With a quick push, the textbook fell into her backpack along with several other books. She shut the bedroom window, making sure to latch it with a grimace. Her dad said he would fix that weeks ago. Anya yawned and headed downstairs.
Folding clothes in the front room, her mom stopped to look at her. “I can’t believe this is your first day of college. God, I remember my first day. I was so nervous; Ohh, I wonder if you’ll meet any cute boys this year. Don’t forget to write down your school schedule.”
The Gauntlet of Possession (The Teracian Chronicles Book 1) Page 19