In a week my body is fully healed from wounds that would normally take months, maybe even years. I nearly killed myself for the redemption of sins for which I can never be forgiven because I’m not one of His children. So I say damn them all. Let me die a dog’s death but not before I save the one I love. The Gandole, the very people I thought monsters are my saviors and the source of my new-found strength.

I’m standing in the room I was assigned by Dr. Genome for the first time with no pain. A nurse with long pink hair whom I have never seen before is giving me new clothing to change into. Her name tag reads Sara and she hands me white pants and a white shirt with a pair of sandals. She doesn’t make eye contact with me the entire time she is in the room. As soon as I have the neatly folded clothing in my hands, she runs out her face bright red.

I take off my hospital gown and change into the new garb. I walk out of the room into the hallway that is still riddled with agony. New faces make their way to the infirmary which means that even though the capitol is falling there is resistance. I make my way to the elevator to a lower floor. The door opens with none other than Aihl. He is surprised to see me. He motions for me to get in.

“I was just on my way to get you,” he says as I step in the elevator. “The Creator wants to see you.”

“What does he want?” I ask. “Has there been progress with Lucy in Gandalia?”

“I haven’t heard anything about your girlfriend,” he says. “This is about Reaka’s corpse.”

“Reaka?” I say surprised. “What about her?”

“Today she is being stripped,” Aihl says.

“Stripped?” I ask. “What is that?”

“When someone with Black Technology Seeds dies it has to be surgically removed,” Aihl explains. “Reaka has a Black Seed called Adrenaline and microscopic robots, nanites. The nanites are the hardest to remove and can take days.”

“So how did Reaka give me half of hers?” I ask.

“She must have started filtering them from her blood in advance,” he answers.

The elevator door opens and he steps into the hall leading to the lab. We walk to the steel door and the same guard is waiting behind the glass. He sees Aihl and stands up at attention. The guard “buzzes” us in as he did before. The room has been reconstructed to Dr. Genome’s desires. A single table rests in the center with Reaka’s naked corpse laid across. Several other machines come up from holes in the floor along with biopsy equipment. Dr. Genome is standing to the right of the table looking over data from one of six holographic screens floating around him. The same to assistants doctors who worked on me earlier place tubes all over Reaka’s body in preparation to filter her blood to retrieve the nanites.

“Creator, I brought Kai.” Aihl says.

“Good, Ailh,” Genome says as he turns to greet us. “Kai, come, come. This is something I want you to see.” Ailh and I approach the table. “Kai, what do you know about the history of Black Technology?”

“Not much. I only heard stories about it from Timpuji,” I say. “It allows people to do impossible things and it was created by an ancient unknown race thousands of years ago. My former acquaintance Elvion was the son of Pirshaned and Animu, famous Black Technology researchers, so I’ve heard.”

“The son of Pirshaned and Animu. That is incredible. Those two practically wrote the book on the study of Black Technology. Famous is an understatement. People called them the modern Black Technologists. As for your other statements, they are also true. The creators of this magnificent and mysterious technology all vanished all over the world at the same time. Leaving almost all of their technology behind.”

“Why?” I ask.

“There are countless theories. The two most creditable are them finally being upset with us humans and leaving Valisa for another world or they killed each other off with some sort of mass war. There is evidence of both theories. All of the Black Technology ruins I’ve visited have been severely damaged by unknown weapons or blown apart by devastating forces. However not so much as a single body has turned up in these ruins. We have never even found a grave site. It is possible that they had weapons capable of destroying the bodies completely.”

“What about leaving the planet?” I ask.

“In several texts the ancient race left on holo-computers more advanced than our own was the mention of a flying ship they called the Raife which translated means Vessel of Stars or Ship from Suns. The name transliterates into Nayate as Rift. The ship was the home of their king and he used it to travel the Siven which means Void. They also left us a prophesy saying they will return with their king at this world’s end time.”

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“What’s with the history lesson, Doctor?” I ask.

“I wanted to share a little secret about Black Technology the Aidoshian’s Magistrate did not want the world to know,” Dr. Genome explains.

“Why? What is it,” I ask.

“It could completely destroy the religion of Univernism. Black Technology is a form of technology, not divine providence. After the discovery of Black Technology Seeds in early the twenty-first century, the Aidoshian magistrate noticed the Seed looked like an ancient artifact they implant during the crowning of the prophet Oracles. This would mean the Oracles gain their ability from Technology not Univer.”

“So,” I say in an unintentional whisper, “he really is a dead God.”

“Maybe this Univer being existed at one point and was the king of the Black Technologists but he died with his people thousands of years ago. To humans back in the ancient times a king with the technology they had would appear to be a divine being.”

“But what about Takeones and Fayták?” I ask.

“An enemy of the king of the Black Technologists was referred to only once as toi Da’vile, the Adversary,” Dr. Genome says. “We speculate he was also a Black Technologist and he started a rebellion of some sort. Toi Da’vile may very well be the reason the Black Technologists aren’t around today. There is also a story of a T’enfurmer, Healer Woman, who was close to the king, possibly a sister to him.”

“Sir,” one of the doctors says. “She is ready for the Seed removal.”

“Good, Dr. Hackly. Everyone step back,” Dr. Genome says as he returns to typing.

The two doctors pace ten feet back Ailh grabs my arm and accompanies me to them seeing that I am overwhelmed from the information. The Gods, human? Dead and gone? The great Gods reduced to mortality and death. How befitting to a people that use the ones closest to them, that they worship a dead king.

“Sasha, run Seed removal protocol,” Dr. Genome says.

“Of course, Doctor,” Sasha says. “Reconstructing.”

The tiles in front of us suddenly drop revealing the under-structure only for a second before the large concrete barrier comes out of the ground. The same happens to Dr. Genome as he continues to type across several screens. A holo-monitor appears with live footage of Reaka.

Two black robotic arms come out of the ground. They each have many joints for maximum—flexibility one on the right and left of the surgical table. At the end of the arm on the right is a long spike while the other has a small robotic claw. The two move into place over her chest. The spike slowly pinpoints a precise spot. It then without warning slams down breaking violently into her chest. The spike then splits into four sections and forces the chest cavity open while high volts of electricity course through her body from the spike.

A glowing blue sphere forms from a water-like liquid that fills the open chest cavity. In the center of the orb many tiny tendrils extend like roots into Reaka’s corpse. The roots slowly contract into the forming orb. The spike begins to come together until it tightly grasps the orb and lifts it out the cavity. Reaka’s body is then covered by a steel shield that rises from the ground. The other arm moves to the orb and begins to force itself to the center. The orb glows brighter until the screen turns off to protect our eyes.

The sound of crackling thunder streaks loudly and the room becomes so bright it is hard to see. Electricity bursts in every direction hitting the tiles on the walls and floor causing them to lose their charge and fall to the understructure. In an instant everything is back to normal and the barrier falls underground to be replaced with new tiles. I look up to see the two arms an intense red and radiating heat. The claw has a tiny metal seed that is still sparking small amounts of energy. The spike has the orb that is now as clear as glass and sheds no light.

“That was intense,” I say as I walk up to Dr. Genome. “What are you going to do with the Black Seed now?”

“Find a replacement for Reaka,” Aihl responds.

“I have someone in mind,” he says as he turns to me. “You more than anyone know how monstrous the Aidoshians can be. You know how they can twist your thoughts and force you to believe in their will. Right when you are no longer valuable, they’ll use you as a sacrificial lamb. Join us. Commit your service to the glory of the Gandole.”

“If I join you, you’ll give me Reaka’s power?” I ask.

“As far as I’m concerned, the Seed is something that can only be bequeathed to you.” Dr. Genome says. “However, I cannot give such a gift to someone loyal to the Aidoshians. You will have to prove you are one of us.”

“I have severed my ties with those people,” I say. “What do you want me to do?”

“Bring him in,” he says.

The door opens and in walks a man escorted by two soldiers. His hands are bound to a metal band around his waist. He has been stripped of all his clothing except his underwear. He has bruises and welts all over his body and face. His mouth is taped shut and he looks like a man with nothing left. Worst of all I recognize him—Horis, a member of the Brotherhood.

Aihl hands me a white six-chamber revolver with a gold engraved design beautifully imprinted throughout the entire gun. Horis looks up at me only for a second before lowering his head. He is just like I was; purposeless, lost and alone. Now I must pass judgment down on him and myself. I choose a real life above the fabrication I willingly followed. I raise the gun up to his heart. Let that pact be signed in blood.