Above the canopy of her personal abode, at the very top of the scavengers meandering Earthship sat Ophelia alone in a lookout alcove, staring out feverishly into the thick rolling mist and impeding foliage, looking for any hints or signs of gold.
They were apparently close to the [gargantuan] corpse from what she could decipher from the warbled communication between swarm leader Rim Rollacoast and his swarm through the communication soundboard.
Glancing at the novelty communicator which was a finely crafted set of tuned metal pipes spread throughout the caravan in key locations for quick easy communication. The device had her subconsciously nodding her head in approval, wondering which Pacti developed such a unique contraption as she’s never seen it onboard any other ship.
She couldn't help but rate Rims operation a bit higher on her list of standards, rather impressed with the innovation to efficiency, which was always something Ophelia could appreciate, though the design could use some work.
They even had a room specifically made for Druids which was a pleasant surprise when she came on board, but then again having a resident Druid usually brought along quite a few benefits so she could understand its placement.
Focusing back on the claustrophobic path that they were meandering through, which consisted of heavy jungle terrain, tall trees that canopied over them and the ever present bioluminescent moss. The entirety of the mythic biome all fit between the moss riddled high walls that made up the entirety of the [Midgard] labyrinth — she pondered its history and purpose.
Not many denizens of Eærth traveled to this ancient biome any longer, for many understandable reasons. Though beautiful in every way it was a place teeming with phenomena and simulations that allowed deadly organisms to become even deadlier by mutating their organix in unexpected ways.
If that was all then it would be like every other biome on [Pangea], but rumor has it that if you stay in the labyrinth for too long the walls move as if alive rendering your Biotrix {map} logs obsolete. If you weren’t prepared, like most who’ve entered this biome in search of signs of the ‘All Fathers’ tower, or to try their luck in gaining a new organix— you will never be seen again.
Her anxiety flared at the thought of impossibility in what she was trying to achieve, to find something no one has ever found. From what she gathered from mythic lore and text, it was believed that if you navigate and solve the seemingly never ending labyrinth you will be led to [Eden] at its center and inside lies the tower. If you don't die a horrible death first that is,
Ophelia felt the hollowness in her soul at the thought of death, it weighed her down draining her of her meaningless life which made her want to embrace the void. To just let go of the suffocating weight of her thoughts and be free of the burden that living seemed to be.
Ever since her world was ruined all those moons ago, she looked for someone to blame, and with no one but Eærths whims to accuse, she fell into Mysticism searching for answers on why her life was taken from her. It helped her understand one thing in particular—the creators. She couldn't help but obsess over the ‘All Father’ and ‘Mother Eærth’s’ mythic lore and try to decipher the Gods' enigmatic goals in creating them.
Why make us, if all we have to look forward to is suffering in the end? The broken widow asked the Gods the same question she asked herself every day. The same question that eventually led her down her current pilgrimage, she had to know what the point of it all was.
Through seven dark cycles of severe depression, uncountable sleepless nights, and countless rituals combining her two phenomena organix — [probilitiusçloverus] and [pigmentöpus] she asked the same depressing worn-out question to the pigment she hoped was connected to ‘Mother Eærth’.
Why give life to only take it away before it can blossom?
Ophelia never received a clear answer from the pigment, she only got to peek at things so abstract in nature that she started to believe the infinite Eærth was toying with her, and fiddling with her emotions, which grated on her stems like a thorny bush.
For cycles she was aimless and felt unmoored in her own body, she still felt like that at times, but on the seventh anniversary of her precious garden's death, the feeling of loneliness was too suffocating to bear. So she had decided to do the unthinkable and end her suffering herself.
Using a sharpened amethyst crystal that reminded her of her late mate's shimmering gaze, she bled herself in a place no one would find her. She decided she would be alone forever even in death.
As she felt her life slipping away and her body grow colder, her heavy eyes fell to the pooling greenish-crimson blood. As a child she was always fascinated with colors and how they blended, so she felt at peace watching the colors mingle for the last time.
That sense of peace isn't something she felt in cycles and for the first time since she decided to take her life, she felt like maybe she was making a mistake. She remembered herself crying, each teardrop falling into the puddle of blood creating ripples.
Reaching for her organix for what she thought would be the last time, she asked the pigment one last question. Is there anything left for me to live for?
Her blood and tears then began moving in unnatural ways, painting a moving picture for her blurry eyes to decipher. As most of her prophetic paintings went, it was vague and took imagination to unfold its true secrets.
From what she could tell, the prophecy was of a boy. The boy was alone in a place that he did not recognize any more. Though that didn’t bring his spirits down, he persevered with childlike wonder and creativity trying to make the best of his situation.
For a while, the painting stayed still and Ophelia thought that was the end of it. She wondered why she was being shown this, what did the boy have to do with her?
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Slowly the painting continued. The boy would leave what looked to be a tower while the moon hung red in the sky. He would attempt to free himself and venture out into a world he has no one in— only for him to die by himself shortly after without a single person to grieve his existence. The wonder in his eyes would go dark at the realization that he would never be remembered.
She found her broken heart shattering all over again, something she didn't think was possible at that point. She wanted so badly to tell the boy in the painting he wasn't alone that she was here, that she would care for him and that he could rely on her. To show him that life was worth living, and to protect him. If given the chance she would be his mother if he let her.
With that realization, all of a sudden she knew it wasn't her time to die.
She shook her head and refocused, the closer they got to her destination the more she could feel her mind drift back to that day. Ophelia knew they were close to her goal, more than ever before. Please boy, don't leave just yet
The fact that a [gargantuan] was nearby at least told her that [Eden] was possibly somewhere in the vicinity. From her obsessive inquiries and the plethora of mythic lore she gathered in her search for answers one thing stayed constant about the large creatures.
They were protectors of the [Eden] and the newborns who played in the inner garden, anything else was seen as a threat and dealt with accordingly apparently.
So even though she was close to finding the answers she sought, Ophelia felt like swarm leader Rollacoast was making a mistake going toward this dangerous entity. She hoped her worries were unfounded and so she searched for any signs of gold, desperately looking for good fortune to ease her troubled mind.
After a few more minutes while following a curved bend in the path, she finally spotted the mystical corpse from her high vantage point. The well-named creature was sitting up against the wall with its head down and still it was looking down on them.
“It's humanoid..” She observed not knowing what she expected it to look like.
The [gargantuan] had to have been dead for quite a while, because it was completely covered in the mossy vegetation and jungle overgrowth, she could only make out its shape. She also noticed Rim’s large [rollabugs] circling the corpse, keeping a watchful eye on the perimeter.
“This is Hex reporting from the bird's nest, we are currently approaching the [gargantuan]. From what I can tell there are no predator's insight and camouflage is still active, it is your call swarm leader Rollacoast.” Ophelia reported her viewings like Rim taught her to into the large metal funnel connected to the communication soundboard.
The warbled reply came back immediately. “All scavengers prepare your tools and roll out, I want good clean work of this fine specimen, you hear me?
Also, bear in mind that we are as deep as it gets in this biome so we have no idea what could be lurking round these misty corners so make it quick. But I swear to the ‘All Father’ himself that if I see even one jagged cut I'm having your carapace for dinner!”
There was a brief moment of silence as everyone through the earthship received the orders before Rim's voice echoed again. “What are you slimy bags of larvae waiting for, roll out!”
From the side of the moving ship, seven [rollabug] riders burst out of individual doors moving at a steady clip. They were on top of a seat connected to a steering bar that latched into the middle of the fast moving spherical bugs, giving them immense mobility.
Before she knew it, the scavengers were already surrounding the corpse, taking out their tools of the trade ready to begin the butchering process. They didn’t hesitate to start sinking their sharp instruments into the vegetation, first removing thick layers of the fungus-infested moss.
Immediately the surroundings felt wrong to Ophelia, she felt causality shift towards something darker and more sinister. She knew this feeling all too well, a predator had picked up their scent. To prove her point, black clovers began to grow sporadically around the scavengers telling her their luck had run out.
She spoke quietly into the funnel connected to the soundboard. “Recall your scavengers immediately Rim, this area is no longer safe.”
“What have you spotted?” Rim's quick reply echoed out.
“Nothing yet, but the luck surrounding them is fading to black and fast. They need the safety of the camouflage.” Ophelia said, staring out into the misty corridor feverishly.
There was a brief pause, possibly hesitation coming from Rim's side. “With our current speed, we should reach them in roughly five minutes. With that amount of time, they should be able to gather enough material to make this trip worthwhile.”
“No, you must summon them and change course, if you approach them our cover will be blown and you will have nothing!” Ophelia whispered harshly, not believing Rim would put his swarm in harm's way for profit.
“Don't forget yourself Gamma Hex this is my operation, we’re giving them five minutes.” Was Rim's curt reply before going silent.
Ophelia wanted to pull out her hair in frustration, Rim was steering them directly into danger and he refused to listen to sense. She was about to say more but she noticed a sparkle in the corner of her eye.
It was gold, one single golden four leafed clover in a slim pathway between two large walls. The path could only fit a single person, maybe two side by side. Rim was right, this was his operation, she had nothing to do with these people, she only needed them to get this far. The pigment camouflage should last them another half cycle at least.
“I warned you, Rim,” Ophelia whispered with finality.
With that said she left the bird nest alcove climbing down the ladder back into her temporary abode barely glancing at it before rushing down into the lower level of the earthship.
She had to get out of here and fast, they were in over their heads approaching the [gargantuan] so carelessly, these creatures were unknown to all, they could be capable of anything.
She slowly approached the area where they kept the rideable [rollabugs] figuring she could use one to escape. As she traversed through the interior she didn't spot any of Rims swarm, all tied up in key locations in case things went wrong she presumed.
Opening the door leading to the bug pen, she found Luna and her twin sister Sol taking care of the [rollabugs] as was their daily task. She knew they would be here and seeing them made her heart ache something fierce, the widow felt like she was leaving them to their death along with all the other members of the swarm.
A flash of her baby boy and her decimated family entered her mind, causing her to hesitate.
Luna and Sol had stopped what they were doing to look up with wide eyes, surprised to see the beautiful Gama enter the room.
“Greetings Gamma Hex.” Both Spector girls said in tandem.
“Greetings girls, I need you to set up a [rollabug] for me urgently. Something very dangerous is about to happen and I must leave due haste. I recommend you prepare yourselves for what's to come.”