Awoken (22 page)

The Legion’s numbers had been greatly reduced, and the tide of the battle was turned. It seemed as though the Enlightened would be victorious. The Sky Sentinels and the ARI pulled out of their dive and headed back up to finish the fight. Over the ray-com, Oa could hear the cheering of the other pilots.

“Crew of the ARI,” Abur said, his stern voice breaking through the cheers. Oa cringed inwardly hoping they hadn’t offended the hero too much.

“Your reckless actions have paid off. The Windhammer is nearly in range,” Abur congratulated. “All squadrons, pick your targets and finish off the remainder of these Tr—”

Suddenly, explosions shook the ARI. Enlightened pilots called out in surprise as their Torches were attacked from behind. Oa heard their dying screams over the ray-com. The enemy had launched a surprise counterattack. Sections of the ground below crumbled away as Legion reinforcements poured from gaping wounds in the Great Plane. The Legion had drilled through the foundation of the edge lands and waited for the Windhammer to pass before springing their trap. The Sky Sentinels were forced to scramble and reengage, but they were overwhelmed as the sheer number of incoming Tridents blew past them to attack the exposed Windhammer.

Pandemonium ensued as the ARI was hit with the full weight of the Legion’s assault. Ohm did his best to protect the ship and Oa flew with skill unmatched while Kai shattered copious amounts of Tridents with her deadly cannons. But the crew’s efforts were not enough. The hull of the ARI was torn apart by missile after missile. All around them, the Enlightened forces were being annihilated. The Windhammer was in flames. Its cannons boomed out, desperately trying to hit the Legion flagship; but it was still out of range.

Oa instinctively dove down to avoid a head-on attack from an oncoming Trident. His evasion was too fast for Ohm to register, and it placed the ARI in the path of an exploding Z-7. The debris struck the unprotected hull. The cockpit window shattered as pieces of the wreckage crashed through it. Oa grunted as he pulled the ARI around and accelerated out of the fight.

“We took a bad hit Ohm. I can still move. Kai, is—” Oa looked over at Kai, his voice catching in horror. “Kai is hit! She has a piece of debris through her torso.”

Oa set the ship on a straight course away from the fight. He shoved himself out of the pilot’s seat and knelt next to Kai. Her head moved slowly as she recognized him.

“Oa, that was some great flying. T-too bad that stuff got in the way,” Kai laughed, though her voice faltered with pain. Susan hovered next to her, sparking in agitation and worry.

“Ohm, I don’t care what happens. I’m using Seeker to fix her,” Oa yelled, his voice panicked.

“Oa, don’t!” Ohm called back, but he was too late. Oa already had Seeker glowing above his hands as he frantically called upon the power he had been suppressing. He dove headlong into the universal programing, throwing his will toward Kai. Seeker blazed with light, unleashing the power of creation. Tendrils of life reached out toward Kai. The orbs power was too glorious and pure to go unchallenged, so the Legion answered.

A lone Trident left its bombing run. It turned away and raced after the ARI, moving faster than any Legion vessel should. The Trident leveled off directly over the ARI, and the front hatch popped open. A Legion soldier dropped down onto the ARI. The Void warrior swung through the smashed cockpit window, tackling Oa to the ground. Oa’s concentration ruptured, and Seeker dropped to the floor, no longer glowing. Susan growled and grabbed the intruder in her paws. She crushed the enemy and threw it back out of the cockpit as the soldier crumbled into Void dust.

Immediately, several more Legion fighters peeled away from their attack to pursue the ARI. Ohm darted out of the power hub and raced to the cockpit, arriving in time to see Susan defend Oa. Oa reached for Seeker, but his focus was fractured; and the silver orb did not respond. He grabbed Seeker, trying to reenter his inner sight. He yelled in frustration. Ohm wrapped his arm around Oa and snatched Seeker from his hands.

“Oa, we have to go! They’re coming for you!” Ohm yelled. Oa struggled, not wanting to leave his friend.

Kai raised her head, lifting her arm up feebly. She grasped Oa’s hand and spoke softly. “I know you’ll change things, Oa. Thanks for everything.”

Oa continued to resist Ohm. “No, wait! I can fix this,” he said frantically.

Kai turned her head towards Ohm. “Get him out of here!” she growled. The Traveler nodded silently in farewell. Oa fought as Ohm aqua jetted them out of the broken window and away from the ship. They fled as the Legion fighters hurtled toward the ARI.

Inside the cockpit, Kai moaned in pain. She strained in effort to pull the jagged piece of metal from her midriff but was unable to remove the shard.

“Susan, help me with this will ya?” she murmured. The lightning varl took the piece of debris in her paws and pulled it free. Kai cried out but stayed upright. She heaved herself over to the pilot’s chair. Susan assisted her wounded companion, using her gentle paws to support Kai’s crippled body. The varl floated next to Kai, nuzzling her snout against Kai’s shoulder.

“Susan, you have to go … Please, I need you to protect Oa now,” Kai said, her voice breaking.

Susan growled in understanding but refused to leave her partner’s side. Kai reached forward, whimpering in agony as she strained to take control of her ship. She spun the ARI around and dropped underneath the oncoming enemy fighters. Kai sent the ARI on a course around the dying Windhammer and toward the massive Legion flagship.

“Let’s see how good my work really was, eh, Susan?” Kai said, her voice still cheerful despite the fatigue each word exacted on her mangled body. She reached across the console, nearly collapsing before Susan caught her. The varl supported Kai as she reactivated the ARI’s Sky Blade. The weapon hummed to life, and Susan nudged Kai back into the pilot’s seat. Her head rolled back weakly as she fell into the chair.

“Susan, you need to go now,” Kai said, her voice growing quiet. She reached up to pet Susan’s big soft head as she had so many times before. Kai rubbed the spot between Susan’s pointy ears. Her fingers gradually lost their feeling until all she could fight to hold onto was the moment. Kai’s hand fell limply to her side, all of her strength gone.

Susan nestled herself around Kai, resting her snout against the Awoken’s chest.

“You’re m-my best friend S-susan …” Kai fought to get the words out. “Thank y-you … .” Her voice faded completely as life left her. Kai’s head slumped forward to rest on Susan’s brow. She was an empty shell, no longer the playmate Susan had loved so much. As if in response, the energy in the ARI’s Sky Blade sputtered and died as well. Susan stayed holding her head against Kai’s. The energy in her body dimmed and throbbed in grief. She would not leave her fallen comrade as the ARI made its dying flight toward the Legion flagship, pursued by the Trident fighters. A small, meaningless scrap of metal, fated to wreck itself upon the unstoppable force of the Void.

Susan started to growl, a noise that grew from a grief stricken whine to a roar. Her energy began to churn, as heartache and rage consumed the gentle creature. She held onto Kai for a moment longer before barreling through the cockpit’s shattered window, out into open air. Susan’s roar was unending. It resonated through the sky, haunting and powerful: a eulogy to the spunky Awoken she had rescued from the darkness of Istaar. Her eyes narrowed to slits as tears of purple lightning leaked out, crackling and sparking. The Legion fighters had overtaken the ARI; to their great misfortune, as the lightning varl let loose her fury. She swelled to the size of a Trident, and each swipe of her vengeful claws ripped a foe into oblivion. Susan’s eyes seared as she wept bolts of violet light. Coils of electric fire spewed from her mouth, consuming the creatures of the Void.

Susan threw back her head and howled. Lightning charged up toward the stormy clouds above, and she raced to follow it. She struck the sky with a bang that echoed across the Great Planes. It sent a ripple of her energy spreading out to the ends of the world. Deep in the clouds, the streams began to converge, changing from crimson red to a hurricane of deep mauve. The intensity of the storm built to unmatchable brilliance. Then the wrath of the last child of the sky was unleashed upon the Legion. Susan hurtled down from the clouds completely ablaze with amethyst rays. Behind her, the energy veins of the sky came as well, heeding her call. Susan dove down through the battle, burning through the Legion swarm. She tore their army to dust.

The varl flew back to the ARI, enlarging to match its girth. She gripped the wounded ship in her strong paws, empowering it with the radiance of her ancestors. Susan pushed the ARI faster and faster toward the Legion vessel. She howled one final time and rested her head against the hull of Kai’s prized creation. Her eyes closed in remembrance and longing. The silhouette of the ARI could still be seen at the tip of the blindingly violet lightning bolt as it plowed into the Legion command ship. All the power of the sky struck with the ARI in an explosion of color and light: a defiant cry. The Great Planes would not be snuffed from existence so easily.

Ohm hovered in the air, holding Oa as the two stared at the fading glow. The Legion vessel collapsed in upon itself, returning to the Void. All at once, the few remaining Tridents faded back out of existence. The veins in the sky returned, casting a pale blue light across the land. Over Fred’s ray-com Oa could hear the remaining Sky Sentinels cheering, but it was a bitter victory. Down on the ground, the wreckage of the Windhammer smoldered as a constant reminder of the losses suffered that cycle. Oa and Ohm did not cheer or speak any words as they watched in stillness. Ohm merely turned from the sight and jetted back to the Stormfell.

Episode 10 - Oa’s Resolve

The Stormfell turned about slowly as it plotted a new course toward the Enlightened City. The vessel’s thrusters thundered mightily, rotating the immense structure that hung high in the air. Sky light glinted off the orange and white hull, painting the craft in a shining portrait set against the ominous backdrop of the Void. The gleaming vessel hovered in place, posing victoriously. Then the engines roared louder, propelling the Stormfell from the desolation of war. Far below lay the scattered debris of fallen defenders, their smoking remains smoldered on the cracked rock of the vast stone desert.

From the edge of the Void, at the point where nothing met existence, a lone glowing figure sprinted through the sky after the Stormfell.

Back in the hangar of the warship, Oa and Ohm sat in a silent vigil across from each other on the metal deck. They had returned to the same space the ARI had occupied a cycle earlier. Now it lay empty, a constant reminder of the loss they had experienced. The aftermath of the battle occupied the Enlightened warriors’ attention. No one took notice of the pair, and none of the other Awoken refugees or crew members tried to approach them. The hangar was a bustling hub of incoming and outgoing traffic. Some ships arrived from other ends of the Stormfell with supplies and relief crews, while others left to retrieve survivors and lost embers from the Windhammer’s wreckage. Ohm and Oa paid little attention to these events as they grieved the loss of Kai and Susan.

Oa was the first to vocalize the pain they both felt. “Is it wrong to wonder why I had to wake up at the end of everything?” He stared mournfully at seeker, remembering his time with Kai and Susan. “The good things still in this world feel like a haunting echo, and friends can be lost so quickly in the havoc … I wish I could’ve known them longer.”

Ohm slowly looked up from a rivet in the metal floor he had been intensely studying. “I woke you up because I need you, Oa. I lied when I said I don’t hope anymore. I still hold on to one hope: I believe you can achieve where I failed.”

“I understand that now. I won’t let my purpose waver, but I still really miss Kai and Susan,” Oa replied as he stared down at the floor.

“I’m sorry we had to leave Kai,” Ohm said. His voice seemed tired to Oa.

“Don’t be sorry, Ohm. I know I could’ve saved her, fixed the ARI, and even saved all the other Sky Sentinels; but I didn’t get the chance. Eol somehow knew how to ruin my focus. I heard his voice when that Legion soldier attacked me. Eol seemed to feed off of my efforts, countering the power I felt inside. If he was just gone …” Oa said, letting his final words hang in the air. He let his mind forge forward, exploring all the possibilities he could think of if Eol did not haunt his steps.

“Yes, I was afraid of that,” Ohm said, looking away from Oa to stare at the numerous machines that littered the hangar. Enlightened workers and soldiers bustled around, repairing and cleaning the damage. “Fred and I have continued to study our previous data collected on Seeker. It appears your power does more than anger Eol. Your arrival correlates with the accelerated advance of the Void. Your growing skill with Seeker and exploration of this world also correlates with Eol’s increased influence as well.”

“Your power and Eol’s law appear to be equal, opposite, and infinite. My theoretical calculations have attempted to replicate such an immeasurable conflict. So far, they have culminated in an event that neither Ohm nor I can understand. By all of our knowledge such an occurrence is an impossibility,” Fred said, expanding on Ohm’s explanation with his monotone voice.

“So you’re saying our conflict has been inevitable,” Oa sighed. “My goal remains unchanged. I have an opportunity to make things right, and somehow I will stop Eol. From there, we can rebuild in the memory of Kai, Susan and your friend, Ari. We haven’t lost yet. I won’t let us lose,” he proclaimed resolutely, as he stood, facing Ohm. “I understand why you journeyed so far to find me and to show me so much. I promise to do whatever it takes to break Eol’s Law.”

Ohm’s head spun toward the Hangar opening. “You’re going to need some of that resolve to keep your balance!” he said with happy shock.

Oa didn’t have time to look as the lightning varl collided into him, tackling him to the floor. Susan nuzzled her head against Oa’s face, sparking with happiness.

“Susan!” Oa laughed with joy as he embraced the creature.

The sight filled Ohm with awe and disbelief. “Impossible!”

“Improbable is the term that best defines the situation,” Fred corrected smugly. Susan’s bushy tail swung around, bowling Ohm over.

“Never doubt Susan,” Oa said, laughing at Ohm and Fred. He ruffled Susan’s head as he sat back up. “So is Kai …?” he paused, unable to finish his question as he looked into the varl’s deep eyes.

Susan floated between Oa and Ohm. She lowered her head and opened her jaw slightly, letting a small gleaming stone rest gently on the ground.

“She is then,” Oa said softly. His emotions were torn between joy and sadness as he saw the soul ember of his friend, resting on the floor.

“Ohm, Oa, you are alive! The lighting varl has brought victory to us all,” Abur’s booming voice carried over the noise of the hangar as he walked through the chaos of flight crews and machinery toward the reunion. Trae and Kendry followed silently behind him. One of the warriors walked with a slight limp.

Oa and Ohm both rose to their feet, standing beside Susan. Kai’s soul ember rested between the varl’s paws as she hovered lightly off the floor. Susan’s head was level with Ohm’s hip as she looked up at Abur with a solemn gaze.

Abur stopped in front of the trio, he looked down and noticed the soul ember. “I see,” he said, sympathy in his voice. “We lost many brave Awoken on this expedition, but Kai’s sacrifice was not in vain. The advance of the Void has slowed immensely. Once we deliver the refugees, we can reinforce our comrades on the second front and crush the remaining Legion. We are in debt to you, Ohm and Oa.”

“Susan was the one who saved all of us,” Oa said as he reached down to pick up Kai’s ember. Susan’s snout followed his hand as she kept her gaze on the ember. “I would like to return with you to the city on the mountain so I can learn how to listen to this ember.”

“A noble endeavor, Oa,” Abur complimented as his concealed face continued to stare at Susan. “Is it common for such a creature to follow an Awoken?” he asked bluntly. “Would she fight for us one more time? We would honor her forever in the temple of souls.”

“She has been our companion, but I’m not sure what she will do now. Susan goes where she wants to,” Oa replied diplomatically.

Ohm laughed at Oa’s and Abur’s ignorance. “A varl can be the most loyal friend in this world, and it is clear who Susan desires to befriend now,” he turned to the creature. “Susan, whom do you protect?”

Susan flipped her head around, nudging Oa’s side. She rolled over in the air, knocking him down with her playful affections. The tumble caused Oa’s tunic to flip up revealing his empty chest socket. His hand instinctively brushed the tunic back down, but not before Abur’s sharp gaze noticed.

“What is this abomination?” Abur snapped, stepping forward. Ohm darted in front of him. The warrior halted, hesitating at Ohm’s speed and the sudden cold he felt as the air around him chilled. “My apologies, Traveler. You must understand that despite being a courageous Awoken, your friend’s ominous existence was predicted by the esteemed Seven. Oa must be brought before her now that he has been discovered.”

Ohm maintained a calm demeanor. “Oa will see her, but I will be with him. At no time will he be under your authority.” Oa got up, gripping Kai’s soul ember in his hand. He was perturbed by the sudden tension in the air.

Abur faced off against Ohm for a moment before conceding. “Very well, Traveler. We will be arriving at the mountain presently. You both will wait in accommodations we provide until the esteemed Seven requests your presence.”

Hearing that they neared the city, Oa turned around to look out of the hangar. He watched as the Stormfell wheeled about. The thrusters fired in reverse, backing them toward the mountain. Oa could tell they were very high up by how close the sky was and how most of the mountain spread out below the ship. He caught a glimpse of a beautiful structure, resting on a great rock slab just beneath the peak. A fissure zigzagged down the face of the stone.

Below the rock face, the Enlightened City sat in a sheltered valley in the side of the mountain. Oa was impressed by the size. The structure was similar to Bolleworth but far grander. An opaque white shell covered all but a few towering spires in the center of the metropolis. His view was blocked as the Stormfell cruised backwards through an opening of the shell into an enormous harbor, big enough to fit four of the sickle-shaped warships. The vessel’s engines shuddered then quieted, bringing the Stormfell to a halt. The heavy structure reverberated slightly as it rested into its mooring supports.

Oa turned his attention back to Ohm and Abur. He saw Abur signal to an open-topped transport barge. Oa inspected the vehicle as it glided over to them, noting the bland design.

“We will take you to your room. Please wait there for our return,” Abur instructed. His tone was removed and distant.

“Why am I so important, Abur?” Oa asked as they walked up a short ramp on the side of the craft to stand in the center of the barge.

Abur replied evenly. “You are the anomaly, Oa. I apologize, but your existence was never meant to be. Wether you acknowledge it or not, your very life aids our enemies. All will be explained by the esteemed Seven.”

Oa glanced at Ohm who just shook his head subtly. The young Awoken kept silent as he stood behind the three Enlightened warriors. Inside an enclosed cockpit at the front of the barge, the pilot engaged the accelerator. The transport sped out of the docking bay and into the city below. Numerous buildings reminiscent of the ones Oa had seen in Istaar sped by. He noted that some of the architecture appeared to be exact replicas of what had been lost to the dark mists of the dead city. The shell covering the city was translucent from the inside, showing a beautiful view of the sky above. Oa gazed up toward the peak. He could make out the bottom of what he assumed was the Temple of Souls, a half-circle structure protruding from the mountainside. It had a bright profile from the light that flowed out of the peak just above the temple.

As they sailed further into the metro, Oa’s keen eyes picked out Awoken milling about. A plethora of transports zipped to and fro, carrying passengers on unknown errands. There were bright signs and interesting sounds. The city was bustling with more life than Oa had ever seen. The last remaining Awoken lived life in the refuge, a diverse mixture of skills and trades. He longed to explore the streets below. He was sure he would find enough adventure there to entertain him for a very long time.

The transport barge flew to the center of one of the downtown areas. Several exceptionally tall towers rose up out of the shell that covered the rest of Enlightened City. The transport reached the edge of the highest spire and slowed to a stop before rising rapidly through the air. The wind whistled around them as they passed through one of the open gaps in the protective shell that covered the metropolis. The vessel continued up toward the top of the tower. Oa widened his stance, taking care to maintain his balance.

The barge halted at the edge of an open balcony that led into the uppermost chamber of the tower. Ohm stepped off first, stumbling slightly as the wind buffeted the vehicle. Susan and Oa followed. Behind them, Abur raised his arm and the transport dropped back down out of sight.

The chamber the friends stepped into was roomy and sparsely furnished. Several seats and reclining couches were sprawled across the spacious floor. Pieces of drab-colored art hung from the walls. Oa was more interested in the view, so he walked back out to the edge of the balcony and looked over the vast world. Far off in the distance, the Great Planes met in the black line of the Void. Down below him, the bustling life of the city was hidden beneath its opaque shell. Wind whipped around the tower, sounding a lonely wail.

Oa watched the empty stillness for some time, while Ohm paced around the chamber, deep in thought. Eventually, Oa turned and went inside. He sat on a couch and pulled Seeker from his satchel. He rolled the silver ball around in his hand. With a thought, he set Seeker floating in the air. Susan pounced from a shadowy corner of the room, sweeping the sphere up in her jaws. Oa laughed, trying to pull Seeker back. Susan growled and glowed brighter as she fought the orb’s pull. She was dragged back slowly through the air. Oa gave in and let go of Seeker, allowing Susan to amuse herself with the shiny ball. Ohm flopped down in a backless chair across from Oa. A woven green rug with numerous intricate patterns lay on the floor between them.

“This place seems nice,” Oa said cheerfully. His mood lightened by the knowledge of the life teeming below.

“I guess, if you enjoy the whites and grays of a holding cell. Notice there is no way out of this room other than the balcony. They do not want us to leave,” Ohm replied, looking at the drab colored metal that made up the room.

“They have to know we can leave whenever we want,” Oa said in amusement, pointing to Susan. “I think we should stay though. Their suspicions about me must be eased. I’m opposing Eol, not helping him.”

“Their knowledge is curious. We need to find out what they know. Once we have dealt with this nonsense, we will head into town and begin hunting for more information on the ember-fission labs,” Ohm replied, thinking intently. He stood up and started pacing across the floor again.

“How long do you think we have to wait?” Oa asked.

“I’m not sure, but they will contact Lida as soon as they can. Abur is in a hurry to reinforce the rest of their army,” Ohm replied.

“Who is Lida?” Oa asked.

“The so-called Esteemed Seven. It appears that a creation number is still worshipped and rewarded here. I remember her. She was an arrogant and self-important leader back when I was younger. I didn’t know she was still around,” Ohm explained. He walked over to Oa who had taken out Kai’s soul ember from his satchel. He was holding the ember intently in front of his face. Susan spotted the stone and left Seeker on the floor. She returned to Oa’s side to look at Kai’s ember.