Simon

Location: Rust town: The Waning festival

As soon as I noticed people at the festival collapsing lifelessly, I feared I might end up the same way. I'm in this situation because of my actions, so I've kept quiet about it, holding onto hope that I might somehow beat this illness I've caused myself. At least, until we save Dad, but I miscalculated.

Now, I'm on the ground, potentially dying, while Claire cries and Rav does what she knows best, finding a solution. However, I'm skeptical she'll find one since there's no known cure for depletion. Telling her about Dad's situation was the right thing to do. She managed to fight her way into the temple, something not many would dare to attempt.

Even though I'm unconscious, I can still hear what's happening around me, but I can feel that awareness slipping away. I hear people's panicked screams as they flee. Besides Claire and Rav, there's another voice, belonging to a stranger offering help. Rav seems wary of him. Who is he to offer such help, and what does he want in return?

These are the questions Dad taught us to ask - questions that have kept us alive in Rust Town. It is a place where everyone has their agenda. Where we tell ourselves and others lies in a bid to protect our self-interest to survive the dark place we call home.

My consciousness is torn between wakefulness and sleep. I'm fighting to stay awake, believing it might help me hang on, but I worry this struggle might accelerate my depletion. I wonder if it's time to let go, to accept my fate, and let Rav and Claire take the reins.

As noises in the auditorium fade away, the bustling sounds of Undertown take over my fading consciousness. It's as if the walls of reality are thinning, blending the immediate danger with a place so familiar it's etched into my soul. Undertown, the heart of Rust Town, and a major commercial area are filled with vendors selling everything from possibly stolen tech gadgets to makeshift flexi-clothing. The place overwhelms the senses with its flashing neon lights and the constant beat of techno music.

I find myself shifting between two scenes; one moment I'm lying on the floor of a brightly lit auditorium, and the next I'm leaning against a rusted metal well covered in greenery in Undertown, smoking with Dad. He inhales deeply and exhales a thick cloud of smoke, and I follow suit. This quiet smoking ritual before work is something I always appreciated—a brief respite I cherished amid the chaos of Undertown and Claire’s constant yapping. I am not surprised that this is the last memory I remember before I die. It was the job Dad and I did before he went missing and everything went to shit.

This job was more personal than our usual ones. A rival tech wizard had foolishly stolen a shipment of flexi-metal meant for us. We came to Undertown to reclaim it, waiting at their usual route to ambush them.

The sun sets casting a red hue over the stacked, rusted buildings. Shadows deepen as the notorious dark clouds start to settle over Rust Town. We are facing an abandoned factory. The building’s now-destroyed and hanging neon sign with the words ‘Cheap Flexi Armour’ at the top of the building starts flickering.

"Something fucked is happening on this continent, in this town," he says, breaking the silence.

I gesture to the chaos around us as an explosion goes off a few miles away. Black smoke erupts into the sky from the explosion's location, and people clamor away and toward the chaos.

I take a long drag “Take your pick”

"Not the usual fuckery, but something more sinister. Something to do with Nexalism" he says as he takes a drag. I silently mouth "Nexalism" along with him. He has never hidden his disdain for the religion.

“Everything fucked up always has its roots in dogma” I add and tag a drag still looking at the flickering Neon sign.

“The disappearances and the so-called depletion epidemic have the Temple’s dogmatic stench all over them,” he says, dropping his cigarette and crushing it underfoot.

As the sign flickers faster, I hear the distant hum of approaching hover trucks. Dad's voice mixes with the background noise as he mentions something about a promise. Suddenly, the sign shifts from its original message to ‘Wake up Simon’, I gasp in shock. There’s something off about this dream, I can feel it but can’t pinpoint what it is.

“Simon” Dad calls.

“Did you hear what I said? Promise you and your sisters will stay away from Nexal business” he says.

I respond nonchalantly, still shaken, “Yes, sure.”

As the hum of the hover trucks intensifies, I snap back to the present, brushing off the surreal moment with the flickering sign.

We activate our MorphRings, and the Flexi-metal expands and wraps around our bodies, preparing us for what lies ahead. I take a deep breath, channeling energy throughout my body, but suddenly, a wave of dizziness hits me, and I lean against the wall for support.

I hear Rav's voice in my head, saying, “Wake up Simon, Come on.”

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Dad catches me as I stumble, his firm grip grounding me in reality.

"You alright, kid?" he asks, worry etched on his face.

"Yeah, I'm good," I manage to say, though he looks unconvinced.

"You can't afford to have energy issues right now," he warns, eyeing me closely. “

"I'm fine, Dad," I insisted, pushing past the disorientation to focus on the mission ahead.

"Good," he replied,

We head to the middle of the street, positioning ourselves for the truck's arrival. A few bystanders stay to watch what's about to unfold. Dad stands aside, giving me an encouraging pat on the back. I step forward, feeling the increased energy surging through me. The street before us is clear, the usual hustle of Undertown pauses as if holding its breath. The road stretches out, a perfect runway for the oncoming truck.

The noise from the approaching trucks grows louder, and the ground begins to vibrate. I stand ready, legs spread for balance, fists clenched.

"Remember, control the energy through your MorphRing, keeping it steady in your arms, legs, and back. Focus it where necessary, but don't let it overwhelm you," he reminds me, a piece of advice I've heard countless times. I channel most of my energy into my legs and fist, clenching my fist as my MorphRing transforms into protective gloves.

The truck barrels toward me at 30 mph, its engine roaring. Dust kicks up behind it. I plant my feet, every muscle coiled tight, energy humming under my skin like a live wire.

Eyes on the truck, I wait until the last heartbeat. I breathe in, energy pooling in my fist, and then I let it rip. Time slows down. My fist rockets forward, meeting the truck's grille. Metal screams. The truck jerks to a halt, its front crumpling like a soda can, and for a second, it is airborne before slamming back down.

I am still standing, fist out, heart hammering but unhurt as the gloves retract. The crowd cheers and hisses in excitement. I shake off the vibration in my hand, dust swirling around me, and I can't help but smirk at my work.

Dad walks towards me and gives me a hard pat on the shoulder, pride radiating from his face. "You have been training," he commends as he firmly grips me. I swell with pride knowing how happy I have made him but hide it behind my usual unbothered demeanor. The operator hops off the unfortunate truck and strides towards me. His plasma gun raised and whirls as it powers up

"He growls, 'You'll regret this,' before firing at me. I channel energy into my legs and dart forward with enhanced speed, focusing intensely. As I dodge each blast, the air hums with the energy of his shots. I close the gap between us swiftly. Grabbing the wrist of his gun-holding hand, I apply pressure until I hear the bone crack and the gun clatters to the ground. His scream cuts through the chaos as I prepare to land another punch, but he recovers quickly, grappling my arm with his other hand. I'm about to counter when a wave of dizziness overwhelms me; the road spins, Rav's voice echoing, 'Something is wrong. He isn’t waking up.'

Dad's shout merges with Rav's distant words as my attacker takes advantage of my disorientation, landing a solid punch in my stomach. Air whooshes out, pain exploding through me as I buckle to the ground. He strikes my back with more force, and I crash down, the cold ground jarring me further.

As I brace for another hit, I channel a sliver of energy to dull the pain, enough to make another attempt to stand. But just as I push up, the chilling press of a plasma gun's barrel against my head spikes my adrenaline. 'This isn't right, I won this fight' I think, as memories of victory clash with this unfolding nightmare. As the cold metal of the gun presses against my temple, time seems to stretch into eternity. I close my eyes, the last few seconds before the gunshot echoing in my head like a slow, dreadful drumroll. 'This is it' I think as I feel an odd sense of detachment

"Wake up, Simon," Dad's voice echoes through the darkness, accompanied by a gentle nudge. My eyes open to a starless night sky. Glancing around, I realize I'm in a familiar cave, illuminated by moonlight streaming through a large hole in the ceiling. I sit up and see Dad squatting in front of me, watching intently.

"Is this it? You're here to take me to the afterlife?" I stand and ask. Dad shakes his head.

"No, Simon, I'm here. I'm dream walking," he explains, his voice resonating off the cave walls. " And, you're not dead; just barely hanging on." I step closer, trying to see him more clearly.

"Dad?" I whisper hesitantly, resisting the urge to hug him—a rare show of affection for us—but overwhelmed by relief to see him. Unexpectedly, Dad pulls me into a tight embrace, his warmth surprising me with its intensity.

As he lets go, he speaks urgently, "I can’t stay long. Dreamwalking drains a lot of energy."

"The whole continent, not just Rust Town, might be in danger. You need to infiltrate the Nexal Temple and find my body; I don’t have much time left," he says with urgency. Confusion crosses my face.

"Body? But you said you were alive," I question.

"I am alive, sort of. My soul can move through this realm but my physical body is barely hanging on," he clarifies.

My confusion deepens. "How..how can I help? What is going on?" I ask.

Dad leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, "There's something sinister happening. Depletion isn't a natural occurrence. Someone is manipulating the very essence of our world, transforming it into something unnatural."

Memories of the chaos at the festival, the widespread depletion—it might all be orchestrated, which is horrifying to consider.

Dad's form begins to flicker. "You must find my body in the energy recycling center beneath the Temple," he instructs urgently.

"But how can we enter? They won’t just let us walk in the front door," I reply, feeling overwhelmed.

"Find the first son of the Raynes High family, the one who controls the shadows. Might be willing to help. Just... watch your back around him." Dad advises, his form now barely visible.

"I’ll do it, Dad. I’ll find you, whatever it takes," I promise, filled with fear and resolve.

Dad's smile is tinged with pride and sadness. "Be careful and stay under the radar. The Nexal Temple is deceptive and dangerous. Only seeking power, it crushes those that oppose it" he cautions.

As he fades away, he adds, "And Simon, make sure to protect your sisters."

"Dad, wait!" I call out, but he's gone, his presence dissipating like vapor. Alone in the cave, I clench my fists, feeling the full weight of the task ahead. Time to wake up from this dream.