2023 CE
Captain Edgar Somers stood on the bridge of the cruise ship Andromeda, gazing into the depths of the night beyond the reflections in the glass of the ship’s bridge behind him. The lights on the bridge were dimmed to enable them to peer into the darkness, as the party lights on the deck below obscured most of the stars. He had visited and greeted some guests but returned to the bridge to savour a few moments of peace before retiring for the night.
The Andromeda was on its maiden voyage from London to New York, and he fidgeted with his cap as his eyes attempted to pierce the veil of darkness that enveloped the ship. Superstitions had been rampant among the crew as they avoided drawing parallels with a particularly famous vessel that had sailed this route. Unlike the Titanic, the Andromeda was equipped with the latest technology, and there were no warnings for icebergs along the route, yet Somers still felt uneasy.
“Anything on the radar?” he inquired as his Executive Officer crossed the bridge to examine the screen and shook his head.
“No, nothing. The chief engineer is adamant that the systems are fully operational and the diagnostic reports cannot find any fault. It's as though all external communication simply… ceased,” he reported, glancing across the systems.
“Sir,” one of the other bridge personnel called out, catching their attention. Edgar noticed he wasn’t at his post, but his face was deathly pale. “Look at this!”
Rushing across the bridge, Edgar hurried over to see what the young man was pointing at and realised it was the compass. Spinning erratically, it seemed as though someone had attached a motor to it; it not only moved left and right but also auto-balanced to account for storm conditions. It felt as if gravity and the magnetic poles were running rings around them, yet physically, Edgar felt fine as he stood on the bridge, gazing at it.
“Captain!” a young woman exclaimed, banging the door of the small viewing deck outside the bridge. “There is something in the water ahead.”
Panicking and wondering what was happening, Edgar dashed to the door and seized the binoculars, still entangled around her neck, dragging the poor woman as he raised them to peer ahead. Her face pressed against his, his stomach dropped as if tethered to an anchor. The water churned and bubbled ahead as if a turbine hid beneath the waves.
Dropping the binoculars, he tripped over the lip of the door as he tried to rush back inside, crashing down to the floor on his hands and knees, feeling a sharp pain up his leg. He looked at the helmsman and shouted, “Turn to portside, hard,” while picking himself up as the ship began to list dangerously to one side.
“He said portside!” the executive officer shouted at the helmsman before shoving him aside and taking control, manipulating the rudder joysticks. Lights blinked across the panel before him, and his anger twisted into horror as the controls refused to respond. Grabbing the intercom, he yelled, “Everyone brace, prepare for impact. All crew, get ready to abandon ship.” He then pressed a button that triggered klaxons throughout the vessel.
A deafening sound filled their ears for several seconds as a red light flooded the bridge. They could see the churning water ahead, but it wasn’t just churning water; a dark object was rising through the bubbling surface directly in front of them. Sunlight from a clear blue sky illuminated the bridge, replacing the red light, which vanished abruptly, along with the klaxon, as they rubbed their eyes, temporarily blinded. The ship was silent apart from the creaking and groaning of the hull, with even the gentle hum of the engines now absent.
As it continued to rise, the top of the object had become taller than the ship's bridge and was drawing closer. In the peculiar sunlight, Edgar could see that it resembled a massive stone tower, adorned with false pillars and balconies carved into the rock in rings. The ship, unable to manoeuvre, was heading directly towards the tower, and as it entered the churning mass, he heard the hull groan before a deafening screech made them clutch their ears.
No longer clinging to anything, many of them were thrust forward as the ship’s momentum decreased and it was lifted from the water. Edgar rolled across the deck until he collided with the glass, which, thankfully, did not shatter. Looking down at the party below, he witnessed chaos as the passengers and decorations were flung forward.
The ship listed slightly to one side, and he watched as a bottle of water rolled across the deck beside him. He realised that the vessel had become beached on an island that had suddenly materialised. It was dotted with pools of water, with gushing rivers draining away, a sight that shocked him greatly. ‘How could an island just appear like this?’ he wondered, mirroring the crew’s disbelief.
“Sir! Are you alright?” one of the bridge crew shouted at Edgar, crawling up the slanted deck and pulling him away from the glass window.
“I’m fine,” he winced, unable to put pressure on his right leg. “What on earth just happened?” He didn’t expect a response from any of them as he looked at the island that had surfaced from beneath the water.
“Edgar, what shall we do? None of the systems are functioning. It’s as if we’ve been struck by an EMP or something.” his executive officer said, picking up the phones and placing them back down in frustration.
“We abandon ship. You two, take the starboard side and pass the word along; you three, take the port side. Maggie, you stay with me; I’ll need your help.” He said, sending his staff to begin evacuating the ship. Wincing, he turned on his good leg with Maggie’s assistance to look at the tower that stood sentinel over the island.
“What is this place?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’ve never seen it on any maps, but it should be the middle of the night, not… this.” He waved his hand. “It’s not natural, that’s for certain. We’ll hopefully be rescued soon because nobody will ignore over five thousand souls disappearing and a mysterious island appearing in their place.”
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“Well… who knew that would be there?” a voice called out with an awkward chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
Thirteen figures stood around the control room at the top of the Spire. They stared at the central screen on the wall, which displayed a map of the Isle featuring the large ship beached and a long, unsightly scar carved into the ground behind it. One of the figures sat down and began rubbing her temples, her eyes closed as she tried to contemplate what to do.
“You do realise you can look up, don’t you?” another voice remarked, with a light mocking tone.
“We could say the same about you, brother. You’re the one who fled to hide deep underground,” another figure replied softly.
“Says the one who proclaimed himself holier than thou. Do you know how much extra effort I had to put in to try and do my part while your little cults executed anyone and everyone for witchcraft and heresy?”
“Quiet, you two!” a fifth figure said. “You’re not helping.” Taller than the other two, he stood over them and stared down as they meekly nodded and turned their backs to one another.
“It has been a long time since we’ve openly walked among this new breed of Gaeians. We cannot leave the Spire undefended, so we need others who can blend in and act in our stead, who are also loyal.” The lone figure, who had been sitting, announced as she stood up.
"That makes sense; I can train a few to blend in and act as our eyes and ears. Although we are not short of labour, they may find it easier to engage with those who seem familiar.”
“Athena, why must we endure these struggles to discover his…” Horus remarked, trailing off as she shot him a glare.
“I cannot claim to understand his actions and intentions. I would prefer to know everything as you asked, but evidently he has other plans. We shall speak more once we have greeted our guests. They will be frightened and afraid of our appearance, so we shall hide our identities at first.”
“Come, brother, I still have your mask here, and I even asked Thor to add a rune to conceal your horns.”
“Adonai, were you not told to stop antagonising Belial?” Freya said, glaring at them. “Belial, put the knife away.”
“I apologise, brother; as the eldest, I must ensure you are well looked after, just as mother instructed.”
“BY THIRTY BREATHS!” he bellowed across the room, while the others groaned in response.
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“Should I sequester them with Master below? A few solar cycles with him might sort them out.” Thor whispered to Athena as they stepped onto the lift to descend to the bottom.
“No. It is too early to awaken him from his slumber fully; however, I shall keep it in mind. We need their assistance in searching for the Heir to the House.” Athena sighed as Horus stepped between them. Their childish antics were tiring, but Athena recognised that chastising them would achieve nothing until they grew bored of it again.
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Edgar had walked around the Spire twice since Maggie helped him off the ship. The pain in his sprained knee had almost disappeared over the last few hours as the painkillers took effect, allowing him to walk unaided once more. He had hoped there would be an opening where they could seek shelter, but it was carved from smooth stone, resembling obsidian. Running his hand across it, he found it smooth like glass, and the seams between the blocks were perfect; it was nearly impossible for him even to wedge a chisel in.
The sun hung motionless in the sky, and although it wasn’t hot, many of the injured had been laid out in the shade of the tower. Survivors continued to trickle in from the beached ship as teams worked to search it. The suddenness of the incident meant that many hadn’t had time to secure a handhold, with hundreds injured in various ways, but due to the time of day, the majority of the passengers had been in bed, which cushioned the blow.
The incident came with a significant cost, large gashes marred the hull, with numerous rooms crushed and wrecked, alongside many staff areas beneath the waterline. He wrinkled his nose as diesel poured from ruptured fuel tanks, running in rivers to the sea. Although only a little water entered the ship, parts were ablaze, and a plume of smoke billowed from the hull as it burned slowly. They were working to salvage as much food and medical supplies as possible; it felt like an uphill battle ahead.
A small, craggy hill was nearby, and he had sent some of the crew to investigate it. Early reports indicated there were flooded caves, some with fish still swimming in the water, undoubtedly trapped there after the island unexpectedly rose to the surface. Turning to face the ship once more, it rested at an awkward angle, creaking and groaning as if struggling to maintain its position, and he wondered how long they had before it finally collapsed.
Desiring a few moments alone, he made his way to one of the beaches, where several of the other survivors had gathered to observe the waves. There was no joy, merely a stunned silence as everyone reflected on what had transpired. Edgar was taken aback that no one confronted him for leaving them stranded, as they were all too bewildered to comprehend the reality of the situation. Sitting down, he massaged his sore knee through his trousers and gazed at the gently lapping waves, drawing black sand in and out of the diesel-tinged water.
Nearby, a child was making a mound of sand, his pyjamas dirty and torn, as his parents, in their nightwear, watched him and huddled together in shock. Elsewhere, he saw couples clinging to each other, thankful to be alive, while others mourned their losses, some grieving loudly. It was a painful moment, and he wondered what he had done wrong.
When the ship lost contact with the company’s head office, he rushed to the bridge, but they were in a hopeless situation by then. How could he have known that an island would emerge beneath the ship as it crossed the Atlantic? He had traversed it many times in the Navy, but now he was uncertain what to do. People listened to him out of respect for his position as captain, but now that there was no ship, he wondered how long it would be before they turned against him. Would he need to assert his authority if things became desperate?
Feeling the fine black sand in his hands, he sensed the ground tremble as a loud horn blasted from the Spire. Scrambling to his feet, everyone else on the beach did likewise, several clutching at their partners in fear. Edgar limped as quickly as he could to rejoin the others, wincing with each step from the speed, but he pressed on. A fear crept into his mind that this might be the end for them, trapped in a place where they shouldn’t be. Were the inhabitants coming to remove them?
Noticing a crowd gathering on one side, he circled the tower and pushed through. A seam had appeared in the smooth stone, and the ground trembled as a section pushed out. He estimated the Spire to be about a hundred metres wide and thirty storeys high if each of the false arches carved into the side represented a floor, but he truly had no idea without seeing inside.
As he arrived at the front of the crowd, he noticed a large section of the wall had pushed out and rumbled as it began to rise. Leaning forward to peer underneath, he realised it was too dark inside to see, but he took a step back when he noticed something moving towards the opening. As the door slowly opened, thirteen figures stood in the gap, dressed in black robes and white masks. A few yelps of surprise erupted as people stepped away, but Edgar found himself frozen in place, staring at them.
They varied in height relative to one another, yet he felt small as they slowly began walking towards him. Moving halfway between the tower they had emerged from, all but one stopped, their heads turning to scan the gathering crowd. The tallest, also the slimmest, continued walking towards him, and he could feel their gaze fixed upon him. He couldn’t explain why, but a sense of fear washed over him, as if a predator were sizing up its meal.
“We sincerely apologise for what has happened.” A feminine voice resonated from behind the mask, causing Edgar to drop his jaw in surprise. She seemed to speak perfect English, yet he couldn’t identify the accent. It sounded both familiar and foreign, but he couldn’t quite determine its origin—perhaps the Mediterranean?
“Who are you?” he asked. They didn’t seem human to him, and he wondered if he was dreaming or making first contact with an alien race. “Why are you on our planet? Do you come in peace?” His voice trembled as he asked, but he didn’t know what else to say. As she raised her hand to the bottom of her mask, he heard a laugh and felt confusion. Had he offended her?
“Be at ease, young Gaeian," she said calmly. “We have been here since before the birth of your species’ cycle.”
Gripping the side of her mask, she removed it to reveal her face. His eyes widened in surprise, stunned by her beauty and youth. Her face was thin and appeared human, yet an uncanniness screamed to him that she wasn’t entirely human. He couldn’t quite place it, but there was a wrongness to her features that warned him to be cautious.
“We welcome you to the Isle, for the Reawakening must begin. Your presence here was unexpected and unplanned, but that does not mean you will be expelled.” She straightened her back to face the rest of the assembled crowd.
"Gods..." Edgar mumbled involuntarily as he gazed at them.
“Yes… Gods… That is how you once referred to us as we guided you, yet we are not deities. We shall never aspire to compare ourselves to their majestic and fearsome power. An ancient enemy will soon be returning, and it is time for you to begin your preparations. You will be bestowed with the ability to stand by our side and accomplish our tasks together. You shall become the Caretakers of the Isle.”
Reaching down, Edgar flinched as she touched the side of his face gently, and he understood the truth of her words. He recognised the blood that had been spilt and the dreadful foes they were about to face. A fear gripped him, and his aching knee trembled as tears streamed down his face unbidden. Allowing her hand to drop away, he gazed into her eyes until the sky brightened, and all he perceived was pure white before he lost consciousness.
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Watching the brave Gaeian who stood there as she approached, she observed as one by one, they fell as if their strings had been cut. It would take some time for them to be ready to fulfil their purpose, and they would need training. She couldn’t trust them to wield anything more than a stick, but that would have to suffice for now. There were plenty of available instructors to train them into an effective fighting force.
Turning her attention to their monstrous ship, she looked back at it, smouldering as smoke billowed from the tears in the hull. It would need to be dismantled and concealed, which would take time and delay the opening of the Isle. She hoped they could establish a location for the Awakened to visit so they could search for the Heir. Why tirelessly comb through everyone worldwide when, instead, they could come to her?
The name emblazoned along the side evoked some painful memories from her past, but she knew it was to be expected given her cultural guidance. They had all done their utmost to compel the Gaeians to develop at an astonishing rate, progressing without the power that other worlds had come to depend on. Waiting for the telltale signs of the moment she had anticipated among the Gaeians around her, she spun on her heels to return to the Spire.
“It’s time to begin; we have delayed long enough," she said as she stepped back inside the Spire. The door began to rumble as it lowered into place. “We must start to reawaken the rest of their kind.”
“We’ve tried this before. Are we certain that this is the right time?” Thor asked, glancing up at her. “I would hardly even say they’re ready for what lies ahead. They require more time to grow and develop.”
“We have done all that we could. Although our most recent attempt was unsuccessful, it helped establish the foundation for the present as we learned from our own failures. They are no longer the barbaric savages they once were, and we have provided them with the support they needed to elevate themselves.”
“Don’t forget, Thor, this time, Master was adamant that the time has come. Who are we to disregard his order.”
“Has he spoken to you?” Thor asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “He has ignored my pleas for a response.”
“Barely,” Athena muttered bitterly. “Nothing more than a signal that the time has come. He also mentioned they would reveal themselves when ready, but that is all he said. No name, no description, not even their hair colour. As cryptic as he ever is.”
Upon returning to the control room, they each resumed their stations, ensuring that everything was functioning as it should. They had spent most of their time hidden away, preparing for this moment, testing and refining an effective system to teach the young Gaeians how to harness their new powers. There had been some setbacks and moments of learning, but adjustments had been made and issues rectified. They were as prepared as they could be, but were the Gaeians ready, she mused to herself.
She knew they were going to suffer as everything changed and that they had to adapt once more. She calculated that millions would undoubtedly die, perhaps billions, but she believed they would overcome the challenges. Hints had been spread and shared, breadcrumbs to follow, whispers in the night. Fables and myths gave rise to danger and a subtle understanding that they were vulnerable.
Typing at her station, she navigated through the various screens, disabling the safeguards that had been put in place when the Spire was hidden from the enemy’s reach. Upon arriving at the last option, she saw a simple button to finalise the commands, and her hand hovered over it, hesitating. As her eyes wandered, she glanced at each of the others, all nodding in affirmation that they were ready to begin. Sighing, she let her hand drop and activated it.
Deep beneath the Spire, they all felt a surge of mana being released once more into the world in all its glory. Like awakening a slumbering giant, the Spire trembled as it functioned like a fountain, drawing it up from the depths below and distributing it widely. It would take time for it to fully encompass the world, but she received immediate confirmation that it had worked when the screen went blank and a new message appeared.
System Activation Sequence Initiated
Welcome Athena Morrunai
Full Spire Master Privileges Applied
Rift Network Initiating
Bridge Monitoring Impossible
Shard Awakened