Now, Earth

Tessa ran for a hundred yards, two?

She wasn’t sure.

She had covered the distance in a handful of seconds.

At least that was what it had felt like.

Hard to tell with the hammering of her heart.

Or was that the shaking?

The tunnel shook with a continued violence that Tessa thought should’ve been impossible.

Dust, dirt and small pieces of stone showered down on her head and shoulders. She held her free hand over her head.

Need my helmet, Tessa thought. The lessons about proper gear had been drilled into her. She cringed at the thought that she had just fought a dangerous battle without headgear and armor. She was lucky that her body was tougher than normal.

A large iron door appeared up ahead.

Tessa skidded to a stop.

A hint of burnt rubber wafted up to her nostrils from her combat boots.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!”

Tessa could hear the others running behind her. The sounds of their boots on the stone floor was mingled with that of what sounded like rushing water. That thought was beyond worrisome. She refused to consider what it meant. What it meant for her father and mother.

Tessa pulled on the handle.

Locked.

She pulled harder.

The metal groaned and the surrounding rock protested.

The tunnel continued to shake.

The bar must’ve been set deep into the rock.

Tessa didn’t have time to figure it out.

She laid a hand on the door and summoned her power.

There was a distortion of the air around her hand.

Then the door shot forward with a loud crash.

The entire frame was ripped from the stone.

Tessa waved the smoke away.

What she saw sank her hopes.

The next chamber was a dead end.

There was only one thing inside.

A spire stood.

Thick around as redwood, its surface shined with a luminescent sheen that sparkled in the sunlight, even down here in the dark.

Tessa stepped into the small chamber. There was only enough space around the spire for one person to walk around it. Her eyes darted around desperately, looking for a way out.

Nothing.

She banged her kanabo around.

Solid rock.

No hidden tunnels.

The spire simply emerged out of the stone floor and disappeared up into the rocky ceiling. As if it was phased through physical reality.

Tessa wondered if the spire ran all the way up to and beyond the ocean floor. Did it continue beyond the ocean surface?

The brainiacs on the research team back home had theorized that the spires were always there and not at the same time. They suggested that explained why people couldn’t see them beyond a certain distance even with enhanced visual aids, like scopes, binoculars and cameras.

“Tessa?” Veronica said hesitantly.

Tessa steeled herself before turning to face her sister.

Veronica had Bastien’s arm over one shoulder, helping the taller young man stand on unsteady legs.

“You alright?” Tessa asked, buying time before having to answer her sister.

“Yeah, just drained,” Bastien said weakly.

“A spire?” Veronica said. “It’s a dead end then. We should turn around, take another tunnel. Now that Bastien can walk I can help you clear the fishmen out of the way.”

Tessa shook her head, struggling to find the right words.

There was no time. She could hear the water getting closer. Surely, Veronica could hear the same?

The tunnel continued to shake.

Their silence remained unbroken even after the others caught up.

Tessa swallowed the lump in her throat. “We can’t go back,” she said.

“Why not? This is a dead end, isn’t it?” Gene frowned.

“There isn’t enough time,” eagle-eyed Mads stared down the dimly lit tunnel behind them.

“What do you see? Giant worm monster?” Johnny said, eyes wide.

“I wish,” Mads said.

“Water,” Tessa said. “You see it, Mads?”

“We’ve got like less then a minute, doesn’t look too bad right now, but that’s probably just the leading edge of it, like a tsunami, worst comes behind,” Mads said. Her voice had gone flat.

“We’re going to drown?” Gene said in disbelief. “After all that, we’re going to get killed by the ocean?”

“I can’t swim,” Olo said.

“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” Johnny barked out a laugh, high, bitter. “This is bullshit,” he said softly.

Tessa exchanged a look with Veronica.

She just had a thought. So did, it seemed, her little sister.

“There’s one way out,” Tessa said. “If each of us, individually, has enough Universal Points.”

“Explain, but quickly,” Gene said. His eyes sharpened at the sign of hope.

“We can use the spire to travel upworld,” Veronica said in one breath before Tessa could open her mouth. “Uncle Cal did it, but only cause he was strong enough to do it before the ten year tutorial period.”

“Upworld? As in another planet?” Gene said.

“Yup, Uncle Cal sent us messages through the spire. It’s totally cool, like he made friends with little gray alien iron men. He’s still there,” Veronica turned to Tessa, “if we go then we can get Uncle Cal to come back and help Mom and Dad.”

Tessa nodded. The same thought had occurred to her. “The ten year period just finished.”

“Yeah, I remember the spire message,” Johnny said. “So, we go to this other planet… okay, I’m in. Can’t stay here and drown,” he grinned.

“How many points does one need?” Bastien said.

“No idea,” Veronica shrugged.

“If we don’t have enough…” Olo said.

“Oh yeah…” Johnny’s grin fell.

“Then we die,” Mads said.

“How do we do it? Go upworld, I mean,” Gene said.

“Uncle Cal said he just thought about it when he was inside the spire,” Tessa said.

“Manifest your intent,” Gene said, “just like everything else with the spire then.”

“Times running out,” Mads said.

Water began to cover the floor within sight of everyone.

“Quickly, inside!” Gene said.

They all crammed into the chamber and arrayed themselves around the spire. Tessa retrieved the solid iron door and jammed it back into place as best as she could.

Water flowed underneath the crack at the bottom and wet their boots. It continued to rise steadily.

“I was expecting more of a wall of water. This slow drowning is worse, don’t you think?” Johnny began.

“Shut up!” Mads snapped.

“What? Just saying. Getting crushed by a huge battering ram of water is like instant death. This slow drowning shit seems much more terrifying.”

“They say drowning is one of the most peaceful ways to go.” Olo’s face was grim.

“You also shut up.” Mads said. “We aren’t drowning. We’re going to an alien planet with gray iron men. Whatever the fuck that means.”

“They’re cool. Uncle Cal helped them build a team or something,” Veronica said. “I hope he still has those deercow. They sound cute.”

“What do you mean hope?” Gene’s eyes narrowed.

Tessa hesitated. “My uncle’s last message was close to two years ago.”

The water was now above their ankles.

“We have no idea what situation we’re going into then,” Gene said.

“So? Still better than drowning, right?” Johnny said.

“Wait!” Olo said. “We’re underneath the ocean right? What if we emerge in the middle of rocks or in the water?”

Veronica shook her head. “Uncle Cal said that the spires told him that it won’t place you in an instant death situation.”

“Something about, if the direct location isn’t safe then you’ll get sent to the nearest safe location,” Tessa said.

The water rose to their knees.

“Veronica and I will go first, just in case there are monsters waiting,” Tessa said. “Wait as long as you can before following.” She took a deep breath, tightened her grip on her kanabo and stepped into the spire.

“Don’t be scared, Twinkle Star,” Veronica said to the beady eyes and furry nose that peeked out of the small bag at her side, before following.

The water continued to rise as the others counted the passing seconds. Up to their waists now.

“So cold,” Bastien said weakly.

“Yeah—” Mads began, “Johnny! What the fuck?”

Gene frowned in confusion until he felt the warm water spread to his legs.

Johnny stood between Mads and Gene with a satisfied grin on his face. “Sorry, my dudes, but I’ve been holding it in this whole time and I think in this fucked up situation a little pee in the water and my pants is the least of my concerns.”

Olo shrugged. “Like peeing in the pool.”

“I thought you can’t swim,” Mads said as she edged as far away from Johnny as possible.

“Too late, you can’t escape my liquids,” Johnny grinned.

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“Olo never went past the halfway point to the deep end,” Bastien said with a weak smile on his face.

“Just stood in the water waving his arms around like he could swim,” Gene said.

“Screw you guys? If it’s hot out then I’m getting in the cold pool. Nothing said I couldn’t just stand there,” Olo said.

“I miss your pool days,” Johnny said, subdued.

“Yeah, Gene, your mom would fill up the table with all sorts of snacks,” Bastien said sadly.

“Made me a fatty,” Olo smiled wistfully.

Gene’s eyes misted. He chalked it up to the water moisture rising up from chest height.

“Alright, I’m out. If I wait any longer then I’ll have to start treading water, which will be impossible with all my gear.” Johnny had to hold his chin up to keep the water out of his mouth.

“Don’t want to get piss water into your mouth?” Olo said.

“Shut u—” Johnny choked and sputtered before he moved into the spire.

“That will never not get creepy.” Gene said as he laid a hand on the spire’s solid surface. It felt warm, cold and everything in between. Distinct from each, but blended at the same time. An impossibility.

“Manifest your intent,” Bastien said.

“Solid, until you chose otherwise,” Gene said. His hand slipped into the spire’s surface. He felt nothing. “I’ll see you all in the new world.” He took a deep breath and vanished into the spire.

The three remaining exchanged nods and followed suit.

Ocean water reached the small chamber’s rocky ceiling a minute later.

There was nothing left, except cold silence.

----------------------------------------

Dozens of magnetic fields sprang to life at Remy’s will.

Each one added to the pain within him.

He realized it was different from the pain that had hampered him during the last few days. He suspected that the Deep Azure had a direct hand in that, but now that the it had taken physical form, it seemed that it was unable or unwilling to try the same tactic.

This pain was all about pushing his powers to his limits and beyond.

You would damage yourself for nothing.

Remy ignored the voice in his head.

Magnetic fields at every tunnel ringing the temple and several at its high, domed roof pulled metal ore from the earth. Remy was in complete control. He determined from which direction they pulled, how strong.

With the ore came dirt and rocks.

The temple shook violently as the earth rebelled against the unnatural shifting of its insides.

Remy was spared the effects as he hovered above the Deep Azure. The field around his body nullified the pull of the rest.

The Deep Azure stood unmoving even as the floor rocked beneath its massive legs. As if to say it was beyond the natural forces of the world.

One by one the tunnel openings collapsed, sealed shut by tons of earth.

Remy could only hope that it would be enough to at least slow down what was to come.

Fortune turned suddenly. Against him.

A large chunk of the ceiling fell with a loud crash, lost amidst the rumbling echoing all around the cavernous temple interior.

Remy looked up.

He smelled the brine.

Seawater.

It started with a trickle, accompanied by more rocks, bigger pieces, then smaller. Followed by wet dirt, like a slurry as the water began to flow in earnest, splashing down near the remnants of the broken altar and whomever the body parts belonged to.

Remy didn’t know. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he only had eyes for his family when he had first burst out of the tunnel.

Whoever that poor person was washed away as the water started to fall in a deluge.

The roaring sound echoed as hundreds of pounds, tons of water battered the floor.

How deep was the bay?

Remy didn’t have the time or inclination to calculate the awesome force above his head. The force that he had unleashed earlier than he had planned.

This is my domain. You cannot hurt me here.

The Deep Azure spun its trident. The dark ocean water gathered around its three-pronged head. With a crack the Deep Azure swept the trident up in Remy’s direction.

Remy reacted quickly he pulled several large rock-encrusted ore piles in the path of the water stream.

There was a loud bang as the thick spear of water impacted the rocky shield.

Water and debris showered Remy.

His armor held up.

More holes opened up in the ceiling to increase the downpour.

Remy flew lower seeking a dry spot. He had to keep his distance from the Deep Azure, while continuing to pour power into his magnetic fields.

The ocean water had risen to the Deep Azure’s knees.

The towering entity spun its trident again.

Three thick whips of ocean water struck out at Remy.

Remy flew desperately out of the way.

He was running out of usable metal so he did the only thing he could. He pulled material from his full-body armor to create four flat circular disks with a thin, sharp edge. One he used to ride on like a skimboard.

The others he sent spinning at the three water whips.

They whirled through the air slicing at the thick, writhing columns of dark water.

Remy skimmed through it all, ducking and dodging past whipping strikes that could’ve crushed even his superhuman body.

The ocean continued to pour into the temple.

Remy had blocked all the other tunnels, including the one his wife and the others had escaped into. The only remaining problem was the tunnel his daughters and their friends had gone into.

The tunnel was larger than the rest.

His magnetic field hadn’t gathered enough debris to block it completely.

The large double doors where made of vertical bars with plenty of space in between each for the water to flow into.

Remy’s path drew him dangerously close to the Deep Azure.

It slashed out with its trident.

Remy pulled his legs and metal disk up just enough.

At the same time he sent one of the other disks cutting into the Deep Azure’s back.

The Deep Azure let out a high-pitched shriek that had Remy wincing.

The water whips dissolved, hundreds of pounds of ocean water splashed down to the rapidly deepening pool in the temple, sending small waves crashing back and forth against the temple walls.

Sculptures crumbled in the violent froth.

The Deep Azure was unmoved as it sought to catch up to Remy.

Remy sent the spinning disks at the Dark Azure.

It struck with trident and fist, but Remy had other ideas.

Dozens of magnetic fields turned the hard metal disks into a malleable, liquid-like form that quickly covered the Deep Azure in seconds.

Remy fought the pain and turned liquid-like metal into a hard sarcophagus, sealing the Deep Azure tight.

He gasped with the effort.

It wouldn’t last.

The metal was already bulging as the Deep Azure struggled to free itself.

Remy didn’t have time to waste. He flattened the round bars of the double doors, sealing the gaps by creating a solid, flat-surfaced door. He stretched the metal out to fill in the gaps all around the frame. He hoped that would stop or slow the flow of water enough to give his kids and their friends the time to find a way out.

Remy was done. He didn’t have much left in the tank.

It was time to get out. He was gambling on his superhuman physical characteristics to keep him alive through what was to come next.

Metal screeched as the Deep Azure tore free of the metal sarcophagus. It burst out of the water, trident spearing for Remy.

Remy fell back to avoid the trident as it pierced right through the metal disk he was riding. He hit the water with a splash. He detected the ruined sarcophagus and pulled it toward him. He encased himself in full body armor again and magnetically pushed himself through the deepening pool of ocean water.

Remy saw a dark shape descend after him.

The Deep Azure swam after him like a shark.

Remy pushed and pulled himself out of the water aiming straight for the biggest hole in the temple ceiling.

The Deep Azure emerged on a column of water, just as fast.

Remy pulled his magnetic fields in the ceiling down toward the floor.

The metal followed, with it came tons of earth.

Remy took a deep breath right before he plunged into ocean water. He pushed some of the metal covering his body into a domed shield above his head as he flew up.

The shield and his body were battered by hard rock and other debris as he continued on his upward flight. He had no idea if the Deep Azure was on his heels.

He felt the pressure of the ocean depths squeeze all around him. It wasn’t too bad, just like being at the bottom of an eight-foot deep pool. He thanked God that his body was strong enough to handle it.

He could make out enormous dark shapes swimming in his direction, but he was going much too fast for the unseen monsters to catch him.

Darkness gave way to light as the ocean water became blue as he neared the surface.

Quicker than he had expected.

He wasn’t even struggling for air. He felt like he could hold his breath for much longer.

He looked down, but couldn’t see any hint of the Deep Azure, just the same dark shapes, which resolved into several sharks and one of the mosasaur-like monsters.

Shit, Remy thought. He put more into the magnetic field pulling and pushing him up.

He shoot out of the ocean surface like a missile. The creatures breached after him, but were nowhere close.

Remy didn’t stop until he was hundreds of feet above the bay.

Never had it felt so good to see the sun rising in the west.

He scanned the ocean surface. The creatures had disappeared and all seemed normal. There was no sign of the Deep Azure. He sensed nothing with his magnetic fields, besides monsters and animals.

He could only hope that the Deep Azure was buried beneath the tons of earth he had dropped into the temple. An involuntary shudder moved through him as memories of what he had seen carved inside came back unbidden. It was as if an invisible hand was forcing him to look at the disturbing and profane images with wide-open eyes.

He instinctively lashed out with his power. The burst of electromagnetic force strangely helped him calm down and focus. There was still much to do. His family was still in danger. He knew that his wife and the rest were headed in the direction of the city. As for his girls… Remy couldn’t face the idea that they didn’t make it out.

From his high vantage point he could see miles in all directions.

His best guess was that the temple was roughly halfway between where he was briefly imprisoned and the city.

He looked to Alcatraz. He knew that the captives were kept there. It looked empty, quiet.

He looked to the city. The cult’s fort near the water drew his attention. It was a flurry of activity.

Remy’s eyes narrowed.

He shot toward the fort like a rocket.

----------------------------------------

Now, Threnosh World

Cal had grasped Shira’s thoughts long before he had even gotten close.

An all-encompassing hunger lurked, waiting deep within the sublevels of Cold Plains City. Miles of distance separated them from Cal, but Shira might as well have been holding up an impossibly bright strobe light. The strength of their existence blazed like a harsh sun over an endless desert.

Cal used his telepathy in this way with great reluctance. Entering and manipulating Shira’s thoughts was a clear violation of their privacy, their agency.

It was no different from what the Mother had done to him.

Cal told himself that he didn’t have any other choice.

This was the only way to get Shira back without risking injury to them, others and himself.

Cal worked on Shira as he slowly floated under his telekinesis down to their location.

He worked with a delicate touch. It reminded him of modeling, of cutting and gluing tiny pieces of metal and plastic together.

Except the stakes were exponentially higher.

He couldn’t leave any marks or scars.

The mind was a fragile thing.

Shira had to remain Shira.

Cal was surprised by the lack of resistance.

The raging hunger beast of Shira’s current thoughts paid his presence no attention as he entered.

Cal didn’t hesitate despite the unpleasantness of it.

To enter an other's mind was to become one with the other.

For a moment he thought as Shira did. He felt the hunger. He was the hunger.

It took an effort to remain himself. To avoid losing himself.

He reinforced his telepathic walls. It felt like weeks, but only took him the time between seconds.

In his mind’s eye Cal walked through a blood-soaked landscape.

It felt like hours until he arrived at a structure that was instantly recognizable, aside from the fact that it was drenched in blood, flowing down every surface like a waterfall.

He stared up at their home base.

Memories slipped out of Cal’s grasp. His thoughts slipped out, blended with Shira’s for a moment.

Rust-red mist suddenly coiled around the mental projection of their home base. It reminded Cal of a snake coiling around its eggs, ready to strike to defend.

Shira… I’m here to help, Cal spoke with the voice of his thoughts.

The only reply was a screech of rage that came from all around him.

The mist took on a tangible form for a split-second before it struck at Cal.

It passed through Cal’s body without effect.

He was in complete control.

There would be no battle here.

Cal had to search deeper, but he found the thread of Shira’s old self, their true self. He followed it in an instant and reached his teammate, his friend.

The mist had trailed him, continuing to strike ineffectually.

Shira, it’s me. I’m going to help you regain control.

I cannot. Not any longer.

That’s okay. You can learn. That’s what I’m here for. I’ll help you.

The hunger is too strong.

You control your hunger.

I cannot. It is all.

I’ve seen it. I know its truth. You can learn control. It isn’t endless. I’ll guide you through each step of the way. No matter how long it takes.

I… acknowledged.

Cal stood with Shira in their thoughts. They walked together as Cal did as he promised.

Time seemed interminable.

Days, weeks, months, years.

For the two of them it felt like any and none at all.

Perceptions were strange in the mindscape.

Cal withdrew from Shira’s thoughts.

He landed on the metallic floor with a soft sound.

He had reached his destination.

Shira’s physical form coalesced from a swirling rust-red mist to reveal a dragonbear corpse drained of blood.

The red emergency light illuminating the corridor was more than enough for Cal to notice the changes to Shira’s power armor.

The black surface was now broken up with reddish lines, like cracks or veins just below the surface. The sharp edges, blades and spikes looked angrier, more erratic, more dangerous.

The difference in the facemask was striking. It no longer resembled the fearsome, fanged, demonic face. Now it mixed Shira’s own features with the fanged demon in what seemed to be an equal blend.

Cal smiled.

Shira stared at him, expression unreadable, from her crouched position low to the ground.

Cal didn’t pry into Shira’s thoughts. He trusted them. “Welcome back,” he said lightly.

“I have been changed. I remember… the outworld invader’s lifeblood was… different…” Shira looked up at Cal with an anguished look on their face, “I do not understand… me.”

“Change is a thing… isn’t necessarily negative. We’ll figure it out together. You, me, the researchers back at home base,” Cal said as he held out a hand. “Let’s go.”

Shira hesitated for a moment. Then took Cal’s hand and allowed him to pull them to their feet.

“Acknowledged.”