The tension in the air remained constant despite none of the three people inside the room uttering a single word. Was it because of the primitive danger Elgan felt? Or because of his own experience? Perhaps what he lived through left him some kind of PTSD... Whatever the case was, there was little Elgan could do. Even though their laser weapons were nowhere to be seen this time, he couldn't simply overlook the fact they were the ones who had apparently beat him into a coma.
Still, the intention for their visit was yet to be revealed, and neither could he bring himself to hate them knowing they rescued him instead of leaving him to die. He shouldn't feel grateful, nor act hastily towards them. Whatever was the reason for their change of mind... That remained a mystery. In fact, enemy or not didn't matter that much, not if Elgan couldn't do crap about it.
- Whatever... -
The silence cracked the moment the taller soldier spoke.
"[NID]#302. Your presence has been issued by an Official. Put this on and follow us."
The modulator in her voice was still active, her voice distant and artificial. Her terrifyingly formal manners, though, were enough of a clue to know she wasn't joking around. In fact, she seemed to be in a rather bad mood.
Her hand extended, revealing a transparent plastic covering a blank mask face mask, together with a monotonous grey uniform, a small bronze identification embedded in it. Almost what you would expect to find in the military, if it still existed... He hesitantly approached the soldier, picking up the delicate package with a conscious effort to not crumple it up. Elgan's eye automatically glanced at the identification on the front, to his demise, it did read [NID]#302...
'Well, fuck.'
You knew you were in serious trouble when someone had actually bothered to put a bar code up your ass.
| Gulp |
The young man stood up from the bed and entered the annexed bathroom, making sure to lock the door in the process. The room wasn't anything special, just as bland as the bland white room leading to it, exactly what you would expect to find in a decent hospital, just with an uncomfortable lack of buttons to press.
Still, there was one single thing that stood up more than anything inside that room. Elgan's gaze set on the mirror, better said, his own reflection, although he couldn't tell exactly what, there seemed to be something odd about it. It wasn't that he looked healthier, slightly leaner, or that his black hair now reached the base of his neck. It was something else...
'Crap, what am I thinking.'
Elgan ignored his stupid thoughts as he remembered this wasn't the best of situations to be losing time, much less checking himself out like a narcissistic monkey. Although he did remind himself to look further into it as soon as he had free time at his disposal. Elgan's few working fingers moved as fast as they could, removing the blue surgical gown that covered his body-
| Clank |
Instead of falling softly in the ground, the sky-blue piece of clothing made a metallic sound, one of its pockets bulged as if there was something inside. Squatting on the ground, the kid grabbed the object inside...
'A necklace?'
Hanging from his hand was a pitch black necklace in the shape of a human heart.
'Where did this come from...'
Elgan asked himself as he examined the piece of jewelry closely, no answers were found, no memories about him possessing something remotely like it. Had it been the doctors who put it there? Someone else, perhaps?.. As frustrating as it was, he couldn't tell for sure. Without a clue on the matter and not willing to make anyone wait Elgan placed the necklace inside his new outfit's pocket.
He dressed up in a hurry and put his mask on. Despite the object being seemingly opaque, turning it around revealed the reverse to be transparent. The only difference in its design was a red dot painting its center, discerning it from the doctor's similar version.
'That should be all.'
In less than three minutes, he was ready to go and unlocked the door. The two soldiers didn't budge as the kid came out of the bathroom at rather questionable speeds.
"Let's go."
The pair turned around, not bothering to glance at him for a second time.
The door to the outside opened and both of them exited the room, Elgan followed after. The taller one hurriedly walked on the front, leading the way through the ample white hallways. The other one waiting for me to come out of the room, probably to make sure I wouldn't pull a funny on them by going where I wasn't supposed to.
The smaller girl made a gesture with her head, indicating me to follow after her bothersome companion. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Elgan followed after the unstopping soldier's shrinking silhouette.
'So an official has requested my presence, huh?'
They crossed two men, both dressed in white suits and wearing those enigmatic white masks, probably hospital staff as well... None of them interested in meddling in their business.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
'What rank is that anyway?'
As they walked, Elgan made sure to examine everything at reach. Though as plain and boring as the rooms themselves, he really felt amazement at the extent of the facility they found themselves in. Apparently, the room he had stayed in was just one of many as the hall itself extended for a considerable length.
'That's impressive.'
Taking into account that each of the doors was supposed to be a lodge, he guessed this place could easily hold several hundreds of people if necessary.
...
After ages of walking, they made their way to the elevators. A row of three closed-shut steel doors could be seen. Just like most devices he had seen until then, some authorization of kinds was required to access them.
'I wonder if mine would do.'
Maybe in some other set of circumstances, Elgan would have dared to try out his theory. Not now though.
| Bip |
The female soldier didn't even move from her place, the eyeball-shaped scanner automatically aimed toward the silver metal plate embedded in her outfit granting access in less time than it would take to press a button. The reinforced metallic doors opened before us, opening a fairly large cubical enclosure, big enough to lift twenty people without an issue.
Without saying anything, we entered the elevator.
- Positive; Seventh floor. -
With a single mental command, the cubical chamber accelerated swiftly towards the skies without making a single noise. The only connection to the outside was a simple panel indicating our progress. Our fast progress.
We had arrived at our destination in the baiting of an eye.
| Clank |
Sadly. The doors opened to a similar view, open gray hallways extended as far as the eye reached. Contrary to the last floor, the ambient here seemed somehow more compact, tenser. One could easily pinpoint the difference in design between both locations, sacrificing white blandness, these corridors had been clearly bolstered and secured.
Two columns of an unknown metallic material stood every few dozen feet, one at each side, beams of the same compound ran up the ceiling, supporting it. That wasn't all either, every few hundred feet stood a series of guards, and heavily armed soldiers dressed in grey camouflage armors, their faces occult under thick helmets.
'This level must hold some important people.'
Sure enough, that seemed like a viable theory, as the group advanced through the series of corridors they crossed past three men, all of them dressed in black uniforms with simple golden epaulets, a white band running through their chests. Though it was not their impeccable attires that called Elgan's attention, instead it was the fact that their faces were uncovered.
Surprisingly enough, Elgan had yet to be seen anyone else's face. Not anymore.
- Շђє รเՇยคՇเ๏ภ เภ Շђє ภ๏гՇђ เร ﻮєՇՇเภﻮ ๏ยՇ ๏Ŧ ђคภ๔. เŦ Շђє ๒ɭ๏ςкคﻮє קєгรเรՇร... -
Their lips didn't move, but Elgan could hear a dialogue occurring between them. Sadly, his attempts at peeking into their conversation were in vain, only hearing distorted, corrupted noises. The three men turned a corner, disappearing from sight.
'What a shame.'
He chuckled to himself as he continued walking, sandwiched between both armed soldiers. Though Elgan was certainly not bored. His gaze danced around the halls with genuine curiosity. Everything was so foreign after all, from automated cleaners and heavily armed units to high-ranking command chains, each following his own mysterious agenda.
Abruptly the group came to a halt, their little trip ended in front of a generic-looking grey door. An inscription in white letters on the wall aside called the kid's attention.
'FS-Official Armstrong.'
He glanced around slightly, noticing this was the only door without a guard defending it.
[Identity confirmed. Wait for authorization.]
Ignoring the casual oddity, Elgan focused on the matter at hand.
'It seems you also require his confirmation to enter.'
...
After a moment of silence, the system granted access, sliding the door open and revealing what appeared like the interior of a sizeable office. One of the two soldiers pushed Elgan forwards making him stumble into the room and almost fall in the process.
The two soldiers followed after him, each holding guard at one of the sides of the door which slid shut consecutively.
'Bastards-'
A hand placed before his eye, the blinding light from the sun entered through the opposite wall. His vision had grown accustomed to the artificial lighting on the inside so the sudden assault of natural light took him by surprise.
"Uhm. Excuse me for that."
A voice resounded from a desk near the window, the amount of light entering the room dimming out slightly, enabling Elgan's eye to grasp the sitting man. His vague silhouette seating in a cushioned black chair, his features still vague, only his deep blue eyes reflecting the sun as it neared the horizon.
"Take a seat."
The moment he said so, a chair rose from the carpet covering the floor, both matching in red color. Elgan didn't fool around and sat as ordered, his gaze locked on the slim young man sitting in front of him. The official's fingers were intertwined, covering his mouth, a serious expression tainting his particularly handsome face.
He wore a familiar black uniform with golden and white decorations corresponding with his rank as an Official.
"You two can wait outside."
Armstrong said in a calm tone, his eyes meeting the two of his subordinates. With a slight nod, the two women abandoned the room leaving them alone.
"No one will see nor hear us, you can remove the mask."
Elgan did as said, none of them spoke for a while.
The Official had turned around on his chair, almost ignoring Elgan's existence as he gazed through the panoramic window, only stopping to take a sip from his cup of tea. Elgan used the chance to peek around the elliptical room. A thin carpet covers its floor, both lateral walls holding piles upon piles of a thick books, patiently waiting to be read on their wooden bookshelves. No artificial lighting to be seen, the only source of light was the sun.
The moment his gaze landed on the auburn-haired man he resumed talking.
"My squad informed me they found you during their last mission at W."
His tone kept unnaturally warm, just as if he was talking to a newborn.
"It was a surprise, for sure."
His eyes narrowed as the glorious sun neared the horizon.
"But a welcome one."
What seemed like an honest grin took over his face, his eyes locked onto Elgan for a few seconds before turning, preparing to witness the oncoming sunset.
Weirded out by their interaction and pushed by curiosity, the young man lifted his eyes from the Official, enjoying the sunset as best as he could. Though it was not dawn that picked his interest, it was the sight of the skies themselves, shadows traveling like javelins over the bright sands of the desert that covered the landscape.
'Those are fast...'
A tint of a long-lost fascination with conquering the skies flashed in his eye for a brief moment, observing the steel birds piercing the hostile landscape with their lances of white smoke.
"How old are you kid?"
Armstrong asked, apparently curious about the answer. Elgan didn't answer immediately, troubled whether to lie or not. After all, not being considered an adult in this place could bring him some problems.
"I-"
In the end, he refrained from lying and stuck to the truth.
"I'm seventeen years old, Sir."
...
He nodded.
"I see... you are young then."
He didn't lie because of this man. His expression, gestures, and small details.
He already knows.
He hadn't forgotten, not for a single moment. The difference in knowledge between him and everyone else was abysmal, Elgan's memory was a mere recollection of diffused knowledge and few events, while this man... Lying his way around would do more harm than good.
...
"Tell me, do you know where we are?"
The question took Elgan by surprise, luckily, the answer was clear enough in his mind.
"I don't know."
Armstrong's eyebrows raised his eyelids opened slightly.
"Haha, such bluntness."
He shook his head, his fingers playing with a pen.
"Goliath's Fort. This base's name is Goliath's Fort."
The sun began sinking between the mountains of sandstone in the distance.
"This base has been operational for the past sixty-four years. One of the very few unkneeling strongholds within the conflictive expanse the southern frontier is becoming."
His hands stopped moving. His eyes fiercely locked onto mine.
"You are now standing near the very top of this decaying world."
Elgan stared unmovingly and silently as Armstrong continued talking. Although his worlds tried to represent reality, to him it seemed surreal, fiction even. Like listening to a storyteller.
His eyes lost in a thousand-yard stare, unblinking.
"But, do not mistake. Your place, kid, remains on the foot of this mountain. Same as those fools..."
Armstrong's words rubbed Elgan the wrong way. He couldn't help but grab onto the chair, crawling back slightly.
"Whether you make it or not. That's on you."
Dawn was over. Sun had set and night had arrived. The man's shaking gaze returned from wherever it went. His hands trembling. Only after a few seconds of confusion, did he find the strength to look the teenager in the face.
"Elgan, isn't it?"
Hesitating to answer, Elgan simply nodded his head.
"I'll ask you one last question."
A strange ember of determination burned in the Official's eyes, its ambition yet unknown.
"Do you know what you are?"