From the journal of archaeologist Ted Austin, the year 2151: This is the second trip we have made to the dead planet of Alpha Centauri, and we have discovered ruins of a lost civilisation. Among these ruins, we have unearthed alien technology that I believe holds the potential to revolutionize humanity. But most intriguing of all is the Astravores, nanobots that draw power from beyond the known third dimension. Through my experiments, we have discovered that they harness cosmic forces and mutate their hosts, their true potential shrouded in mystery.
Even more unsettling, the first astronaut team returned to Earth seemingly infected by some alien organism. However, under the scrutiny of scientists, it was revealed that their bodies had been enhanced in ways that border on magic, thanks to the dimension-bending capabilities of these alien nanobots. In conclusion, this new substance holds the power to either propel humanity to new heights or lead to its downfall, as it did for the people of Alpha Centauri.
-------------
Present 14, October 2334.
Travone woke up with blurry eyes and a head-splitting headache. What was worse was that his mother did not make his situation any easier as she loudly knocked and yelled from behind the reinforced poly plastic door of their shanty apartment.
Travone, wake up, Travone, she yelled. Your friend Zishan has been waiting for three minutes. She knocked. I know you can hear me. You better not be late for your last day at school.
Ma, that’s enough. I am awake, am awake. Travone opened his door, glaring at his mother, who, the intern, took in his brushed face and glared.
By the Founder Pierre Louse, what happened to your face, boy?
Ma, the founders are not gods. They are just lucky, Travone asserted, making his way past his mother and towards the small bathroom.
Thanks to the founders, we get free coupon credits, and we are able to live in the city.
Ma, the followers of Pierre Louse, are a cultist joke, and they are not good people.
Look, Zaire Lee rushed over to her small alter desk and pulled out credit coupons, pushing them up and into Travone’s face. Look, these buy our food, and it’s all thanks to his sacrifice.
The coupons are given to those who register for aid with the UNE, and it’s all because this place was destroyed the last time the founders fought. Travone waved his mother's hand away from his face.
Zarai looked at him and shook her head as she watched him put on his shoes and close the door behind himself. She turned around and walked over to the altar and knelt as she had been told to do by the founder priest, who had instructed, praying that one day his boy would come to recognise that the founders are the closest things to gods.
———
Hey Travone, your mother still bothering you with that founder cult bullshit Zishan mocked.
Don't get me started just because the high-levellers can fly or some stupid shit like. It doesn’t make the gods.
Oh, come on, don’t tell me you don’t think of getting your own nanobot gem Zishan asked, a mock smile on his face.
No, I don’t, Travone denied; it’s too much trouble. Besides, I will have to sell my freedom either to the founder guilds or to the United Nations of Earth.
You are right about that. The UNE needs all the bodies they can get to keep the five founders in check. Zishan said I am going to the space navy. They need bodies, too.
Zishan, that's a hard life, dude; I am going to join the UNE miners. Travone thought aloud.
Come on, Travone Lee, you're too smart to be a miner working your bones down on that dead planet, bro; just get a loan and study, become suit and live above the clouds in the skyscrapers, he said.
Nah, that’s not my thing, Travone denied.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
As they walked through the city stacks, they kept an eye out and made sure to avoid the alleyways controlled by the gangs, keeping to the overcrowded street of slow-turning bodies. Those wealthy enough to afford anti-gravity cars used them to fly above buildings and roads, another technology taken from the dead dungeon planet of Alpha Centauri.
So even with the credit guilds and the UNE drain from the dungeon planet and Earth, they still do little to clean the streets, letting the waste zones fill the borders of the City Stacks so much for the founders and their great power.
Hey, what are you doing tomorrow? Zishan asked.
I am gonna go the UNE guild and ask for a mining post, Travone answered.
Men, you’re never gonna give that up, are you? Zishan smirked as he pulled a poster off the train station pillar and tacked it into the crop of his shirt.
What was that pointing at his shirt?
Ohh, this Zishan pointed at his. It’s a poster of Rowan Kelly. He has been on a rampage these past few months, and the UNE wants to know where he is since he can cross the ocean any time and be anywhere he wants
And Ma thinks they are saints. Travone frowned.
No, Rowan ain’t no saint. Everyone knows that, he continued. You know what happened to his family a hundred years ago.
Of course, who doesn’t, Rowan Kelly? British native and former member of the Exodus Astronaut team that discovered the Astravore nanobots. Fought along with Kai Atkinstone against Russian founder Victor Cheslav Yanovich. Lost his family in a battle for exploration rights on the dungeon planet. He is also known as the strongest welder and is rumoured to have the highest percentage of nanobot integration, making his abilities appear magical and godly. His tragic past and extraordinary abilities have made him a legendary figure in our society.
That day went remarkably dull. There were no bar fights, no gang ambushes, and nothing more exciting than the occasional school feast fight.
-------
The next day, Travone stood in front of UNE headquarters along with the tourists and fans of the seekers, all of them vying for a chance to see a favourite seeker, and others used their personal coms to take photos of the place. His eyes followed the tall building to the sky, where it split the clouds and smog, allowing him to peer at the blue skies. If only he had been born into a better family, perhaps he would have been living in one of the many city towers, breathing fresh air and eating fresh food and all without stepping off the roads those like him used.
Some wishful thinking, that is. Everyone has their own problems, even the Strongest seekers.
On the streets, in the open-view restaurants, and on raised landing platforms, Seekers could be seen leaving their hovercrafts, eating and heading into the UNE station undauntedly heading to space port to make their way off the planet looking for adventure. When Travone looked at the seekers, they looked eerie, not in a bad way; they all looked perfect, and their skin had light shin thanks to the Astravores in their bodies.
As Travone stood in the labourers' line at the station, he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering. He took in the hovercrafts landing and leaving the stone grounds, the tourists the grounds and lastly, the rallying Founders cultists holding signs up in protest to the UNE and the seekers. No doubt the guards were there to deter them as much as protect them from the seekers contracted to the UNE.
A loud bang came from a nearby building, loud enough that even as far as he stood, he felt his eyes ring. Crouched down to his knee, Travone looked around and saw the protesting cultists running from the building that had been savaged by the explosion. Those few who had been standing closest to the building did not survive, and those who did came away gravely injured.
Ma, where is Ma? Was she part of the crowd? I told her not to do this. I had to find out. I had to call her.
Travone used his personal com to go through his contacts and call his mother, and the dialling tone of ringing came back to his ears via the com implant in his ear. Unlike the crowd moving away from the explosion, Travone moved towards fighting and using his elbows to push away the panicking crowd.
You stop, turn around, head to the station. A man wearing the UNE guard uniform held out a hand, yelling at Travone. Then he turned. We are Under attack! he yelled, and in his hand, a red blade appeared. It took the shape of a sword, but Travone knew it was nothing of the sort. This was the man's weapon ability, and with it, the man was stronger than any ordinary man; it enhanced his agility and speed, allowing him to move faster than Travone's eye could follow.
You come with me. Get to safety. Travone felt a hand grabbing him under his shoulder and pulling him towards the building. He tried to free himself, but the hand held him in a vice, and when he turned around, he saw a woman pulling him back. Her face was filled with a slite iron shine, and in her other hand, she held a shield with similar engraves to the sword the uniformed guard held.
A shield class Seeker
Let go. The fools are using guns, and you won't survive out here, she yelled as the group of hooded figures pulled out their guns and started shooting down the UNE building. She raised her Shield, and Travone heard the bullet hit and rechart off it.
with no other choice, Travone kept his head down and rushed into the building, all the while waiting for his mother to pick up the call.
Ma, where are you? Are you okay? where are you!
What is it, Trev? What happened, and why are you waking me up? did everything go well at the spaceport?
There was an explosion, and the cultists were fighting with the UNE soldiers and the seekers.
Are you alright? Are the followers all alright.
Yes, ma, I am alright. I was worried for nothing.
If it's getting dangerous, you should come back and maybe go another time.
No, I can't. I will send you a few credits. Bye, I love you.
Travone....
You're doing alright, kid. For a moment there, it looked like you'd lost someone.
Almost had, thought I did.
Almost? Well, that's good then, the man said, the name is Kayden Davis.
Travone Lee.
Travone, so you're here looking for work as a miner.
Perhaps.
The way you walk, it's your bag. You still feel its weight. You're not like the seekers. They move different light on their feet, he pointed out. Unless you carry books and cleaning tools like the archaeologist raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Just looking for a simple job.
Follow me. Everyone is gathering in the hall.
He's not too big I can take him if I try.
Kayden smiled and shook his head in amusement; come on, let's go.