Chapter 8

The night was a silent guardian over the wasteland, its vast expanse a tapestry of darkness pierced only by the shimmering jewels of the sky. Zack, a young man whose life had been anything but ordinary, found himself drawn to the solitude of the outdoors. Sleep was a luxury that often eluded him, his mind too full of questions, too restless with the potential of what could be.

Zacharia, the ancient soul that shared Zack’s existence, was a quiet companion in these moments of introspection. His presence was a comforting constant, a reservoir of knowledge spanning over a century, and a digital silence of three hundred years before awakening in this new era.

Together, they stood beneath the celestial canopy, their gaze lifting to the stars that had watched over the Earth long before the rise of the wasteland. It was here, under the watchful eyes of constellations, that they sought clarity.

“The stars don’t seem to care much about what happens down here,” Zack observed, his voice a soft murmur against the backdrop of the night. “They just keep burning, indifferent to our struggles.”

Zacharia’s response was a gentle chiding, a reminder of the broader perspective he held. “It is not indifference, Zack. The stars are a reminder of endurance, of the persistence of light in the face of darkness. They burn so that we may find our way.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

A lone satellite caught their attention, its steady blink a silent testament to the world that once was—a world where technology thrived, and humanity reached for the heavens. “That satellite is still up there, following its programming long after its creators are gone,” Zack mused. “Makes you wonder what keeps it going.”

“It is the same thing that drives us,” Zacharia replied, his voice tinged with the wisdom of ages. “Purpose. We, too, have a mission, a reason for being. We must not forget that.”

The conversation turned to their current predicament, the challenges that lay ahead in the wasteland that stretched out before them. “We need to do something, Zacharia. We can’t just watch from the sidelines,” Zack insisted, the fire of his youth burning bright.

Zacharia considered this, his ancient mind processing the myriad possibilities. “Action is necessary, but it must be informed. We should seek Elara’s counsel. Her experience is invaluable, and her insight could guide us to the right path.”

Zack nodded, the decision resonating within him. “Alright, we’ll talk to Elara in the morning. But for now, let’s just watch the stars. Maybe they’ll reveal something to us.”

And so, they remained outside, one being bound by a shared destiny, contemplating the blinking satellite and the silent stars. As the night gave way to the soft hues of dawn, a resolve settled in their mind. They would seek Elara’s wisdom with the new day, their course of action clear.