II - The Tilting of Reality

Chapter 2: The Tilting of Reality 




        Every city has its oddities: a decrepit building that becomes so beautiful once foliage consumes it that none can touch it, a futuristic high soaring office structure, each window a scene into a microcosm of life and the owner's personality, or a stone stairway that leads to nowhere, a wall blocking the downward slope of the stairs, covered in alien symbols, spiraling out from the center, seemingly dancing as the sunlight moved across them. Perhaps not every city has all of these, but on the outskirts of a small Human settlement, growing with time, a sandstone stairway sat, never seeming to age with the precipitation or curious onlookers. Inside lie not decay, not abandoned crypts, but a bustling city in its own right, the occupants matching the setting, some dancing flames on their hands, others crowding their children near small carved gates, leading deeper, all in the hall aiming for one thing ultimately, to proceed downward, away from the humans and to their own kind. Deeper down the smoothly hewn halls, many floors cut into the stone that lie just below ground level, stretching away from the city, trying to outrun it to the mountain range further east. through the gates and down a series of reflective hallways, the oils  from many a passerby having hastened the polishing of the walls, a large Colosseum like area opens up, the large seating areas to one side housing many as lights from crystals in the ceiling pour down, connected to statues far above, in plain view of any who care to look upon them. In the balcony, past booths where identification is checked, a lone behemoth of a man sat, his blazing azure stare looking onto the stage below, tracking the normally unseen motions of the bright orange robed figures below, their words muddled by the distance, for a normal Being, but he could tell that they were speaking of the possibilities of war in the near months, how some had seen the growing clouds on the horizon, and that those who had sided with enslavement of the humans were building their forces.

        "I do not comprehend the need to bicker over simple Beings such as them." The man's rumbling voice rang out from his long perch, shaking the wooden seat he sat in, barely able to contain his height to begin with, the red cushions straining to do anything at all against his weight.

        "Because they are the only race of Beings that solely hold the Life element, and can heal from even mortal afflictions. Most species would kill for that to be part of their blood... literally." Someone walked up behind the golem of a man, sitting in the row next to him, separated by a carpeted isle, and seating herself gingerly, the chair much more suited to her size. The man did not recognize her presence, but instead turned away slightly, attempting to push her away, so much more suited to the lone trail of life. "Your file says it all."

        "I do not comprehend." Was his only response, still focusing on the stage.

        "We all have a dossier saying who we are, what we are, and what we've been doing. It's all part of being a part of the Confederation of Streaming Light. Yours basically says you're a quiet, massive, avidly glowing piece of work... however, unlike most, that's all it says."

        "I am required by my directives to avoid contact when possible." He did not move in the slightest, the movements of his mouth lost on the lady as he spoke, his voice seemingly coming from nowhere.

        "Yet you've applied to every combat team in the roster that had an opening, only to be rejected by them all. Seems contrary to me." The lady leaned on the wooden armrest nearest to her quarry, her chocolatey tresses of hair falling down to frame her golden eyes as her quarry finally turned his head.

        "I have been required by the laws of this state to either participate in the upcoming conflagration, or be branded a rogue, and targeted by both governments once it is concluded. I wish to minimize the casualties involved with my actions." He voice stayed flat the entire time, no signs of emotion creeping through the cracks, every syllable metered out precisely, and executed with the same precision.

        "Well, you're in luck. I need a point man, and no one seems to be as tough as what few combat records there are of you. Looks like you won't have to worry about being a rogue element if you join me and my crew. So, what do you say?" The woman stuck out her arm toward the man, expecting to shake, but the man merely nodded to her, his eyes bobbing in the half light. She retracted her hand slowly, awkwardly, brushing aside her hair before it could get tangled in her shirt. "Okay then... I suppose its a deal. I'm the commander of the team, Tabitha. That's all you really need to know about me, you'll learn the rest later. My team meets two days consecutively before a mission is scheduled to begin, and if you tell me what room your in, I'll have the files sent to you. We meet in conference room B-7, so it shouldn't be hard to find at all, just one floor below here, on the right when going down. There's signs and everything. We'll be meeting at three-quarters sun tomorrow to discuss the next mission, and introduce you, so I suggest you be there... what was your name?"

        The man's head turned slowly, bathing Tabitha in electric blue light, speaking after his eyes met hers. "My designation is Meta. My residence is H-110" Was all he said, before turning back to the robed figures below, their voices still muffled.

        "I uhm... alright. That'll do. cramped quarters below, huh?  I'll... see you... tomorrow then. Have a nice day?" Tabitha rose and left awkwardly, secretly hiding a smile as she passed through the curtain covered door that led off of the balcony.

        Relieved slightly, Meta tried to sit up straighter in his seat, the size causing him to fall back into the same position he was in before, rendering his efforts useless. His vision became covered by an amber color as his eyes dampened slightly,a three dimensional representation of the city around him, moving through the corridors to the conference room Tabitha had mentioned, plotting and storing his route, just as it all became fuzzy and the picture of  woman popped into the right corner of his vision, her simple brown dress brushing against tall grass as she smiled toward him with bright, golden, radiant eyes and light brown hair, freckles darting across her angled face. He paused, caught by the sudden, involuntary action he had taken, bringing up memories that stung like fresh wounds he had not felt for many years.

        "Such a striking resemblance..."

           *                    *                     *

        A creaking of aged metal hinges rang out in the pure, consuming darkness, light footsteps echoing against smooth walls as a pair of yellow lights darted back and forth, finding their way through the narrow passageway, away from the door. Two sets of similar lights made themselves known a distance away, one orange, and the other a bright, piercing green, the green lights unsymmetrical, as one pulsed and reshaped itself, tendrils of light inside a spherical prison of glass.

        The footsteps stopped as their corresponding yellow lights flashed toward the green pair, before their owner spoke, a feminine voice full of rage echoing in the chamber, its own sound and echo the only clue as to its size. "Why is the Left Hand here, Silent Whisper?"

        "I am here for one reason or another. In good time, it shall be explained." A grim, menacing voice moved across the room, coming from the green lights, both focusing on the target of the uttered words.

        The yellow lights narrowed, eyes glaring in unison at the area from which the voice came from, clearly perturbed by the vague, unwelcome answer. "I suppose the Left Hand just goes wherever its master says, mainly to clean up the garbage left behind by those above him... Nonetheless..." The eyes turned toward the orange lights, meeting them before continuing. "... he has accepted as planned, Silent Whisper. No suspicion could be seen on his part, so I believe my ruse is working perfectly."

        The pair of yellow eyes shifted, their light wavering slightly as their owner felt the gaze of one from across the room.

        "Wonderful...." A new voice rang out, slow, methodical, and slightly gravely, as the orange lights glared brighter than before, turning upward slightly. "Then I believe you will be taking him the abandoned human facility?"

        "Yes, Silent Whisper, that is my plan. We will hold him there until The Righteous Fist is ready to face him and free The Great One from his prison."

        The Silent Whisper chuckled lightly, his eyes pulsing with his nonexistent breaths. "Wonderful, Sonic Death, absolutely wonderful.... I will prepare the facility for his rebirth."

        "If you find it necessary, I shall aid you in your goals, so long as they further our Lord's plans." The voice belonging to the third in the room called to The Sonic Death as the light from her eyes began to turn away.

        "As if I would accept help from such filth as you... Even among the RATS you are renowned for your repugnance, yet you make a perfectly fine worm, composting waste into soil to make your home. I will not need the assistance from one such as you."

        "Lucifer's Hand, you need not help her... if she wishes to consign herself to death, then let her, for it is all in the name and will of The Supreme Overlord, and he will reward us all for our work in his stead." Both The Silent Whisper and Lucifer's Hand fell silent, ominously so as The Sonic Death left the chamber, still bathed in a murky  curtain of night, the day that would light it never coming. The same sound of rusted hinges sounded once more as the heavy door opened and closed, the yellow, shining eyes leaving for their next destination.

        "Fair thee well, Sonic Death. I believe you may need it." The Silent Whisper chuckled to himself again, the end of which snuffing out not only the noise from the darkness, but the only remaining lights as well, Lucifer's Hand gone along with him.