The light was blinding as I opened my eyes, searing into my retinas, and forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut. A throbbing headache followed shortly after, and a deep soreness in my entire body after that. I settled myself, recalling the training I received at the Academy for the Gifted Young.
Control your breathing, relax your muscles, and allow your Gift to flow through you. It knows what ails you, and what needs repair.
The visage of my old mentor, Naetti Kap’cut, appeared in my mind, as clear as the last time I saw him. His steady tone, calm demeanour, and kind eyes never failed to calm my nerves.
As I focused, the pain slowly faded, and as the process became routine, my thoughts drifted to my recent memories. To how I ended up here, wherever here was.
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“Engage thrusters! Get us away from-”
The voice of Commander Clare was cut off by a crash, rattling us to the bone, as something exploded next to our ship. Commander Clare retained her footing and kept shouting, but my ears were ringing. I took a glance outside and saw the anomaly swallow debris, and ships one after the other.
‘This was supposed to be a routine investigation,’ I thought to myself. “Just a normal black hole, they said.”
A deep groan sounded from the ship, as the thrusters engaged, though seemingly without effect. Our vessel was still moving toward the anomaly, and I saw a flash of fear pass over Commander Clare’s face before she schooled her expression.
“Alright folks, divert power to the thrusters, I don’t care what systems you need to take offline,” she shouted, all the while shifting from console to console, inputting commands. “Follow my orders, and we’ll survive this!”
People scrambled to follow her orders, but I felt a deep sense of hopelessness. The Gift was telling me it was no use, they simply shut that voice out, following orders to keep the panic, the despair, at bay. I did my part, right up until the black hole swallowed the ship. The last thought going through my mind was; “This isn’t how I imagined a black hole working…”
Then I felt a sudden shift, a feeling of vertigo, and then nothing.
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My thoughts returned to my current predicament, and I felt the terror return in full. The image of the black hole growing larger, the sounds of the ship groaning, along with the shouts, and screams of my crewmates, cause my heart to start racing once more. The effort into calming myself, all but undone, I forced myself to return to a meditative state, pushing the memories, and emotions to the side.
It took me a long time before I managed to calm myself down, and by that time, my body was repaired enough for me to consider moving around and taking in my surroundings. So, I tentatively opened my eyes.
Slowly, as to avoid overwhelming my sensitive eyes, my eyelids opened up, revealing a dense forest, and a blue sky.
The last thing I remembered was the black hole swallowing the ship, and a feeling of vertigo, Then I woke up in this forest. But, how? Was I the only survivor, and if not; Where were the others? Were we all spread throughout this forest? The planet, or throughout the universe?
I shook my head, discarding those useless questions, for now. I’d find them if there were others, but I had to consider myself first.
I took a look around me, at the forest, and the clearing I lay in.
The grass beneath me was green, a slight, flower-scented breeze flowed through the small clearing I found myself in, and the sun seemed to be on the rise. Recalling everything I could about survival, I discarded everything about telling time, at least until I knew the direction the sun rose from.
I needed shelter, food, and water. Preferably, I’d find some form of civilization, though that could lead to issues of its own. How developed was this world? Could I contact my home? Would I even be able to figure out where home was from here? The black hole could have dropped me off anywhere in the universe, and the Gift was unreasonably silent about it.
Panic once more reared its ugly head, and my breathing became erratic, and I quickly realized how I’d come to depend on the Gift for guidance. It was still there, but muted, uncertain, unhelpful, and I had to figure this out on my own.
I brought up my display, and from the bracer on my left arm, a holo-screen rose. I inputted some commands, and a surface analysis of the air, and the surroundings proved inconclusive. The air was clean of pollutants, which might mean a pre-industrial world, though I could also be in a paradise world, used for vacations for the obscenely wealthy.
The fact that no signals were detected put a hamper on that theory, but I clung to hope. I set the console to perform some further analyses, specifically on the last readings from the black hole, following a hunch, before I closed my eyes, and steeled myself.
Come on, Jace! You’ve trained for this… Well, not this specifically, but uncertain, difficult, and dangerous situations. You’ve got this!
I couldn’t just keep lying on the ground, so I stood. I took a deep breath of fresh air and started walking. I had no reference point, and I didn’t feel strong enough to climb a tree yet, so I simply picked a direction and walked.
As I made my way through the forest, I paid attention to the landscape; slight, rolling hills and clearings filled with beautiful flowers spreading a delightful scent through the air.
I’d never experienced nature like this; my home world had been covered in construction, a so-called city world. At the Academy, I’d be put in similar landscapes, but they were all holographic, and they did not live up to reality, at all.
The Gift strengthens the body in many ways, the senses among them, and the scent of the flowers, which should have been pleasant, and the sound of birds chirping, all became jarring, mashed together into a cacophony of sensations that my harried mind struggled to filter out, but I managed to keep a cool head. My fear, and uncertainty made controlling my Gift difficult, but my mentor’s teachings, the long days of meditation, proved their value, as I kept walking.
I pushed myself, to move faster, to focus on an imaginary goal, and pushed all the distractions, and fears to the back. They would not help me.
The forest passed me by, and the critters, and fauna fled at my approach, my footfalls like the heralds of doom for those who’d bar my path.
I barely noticed the deer, and the squirrels, the birds fluttering, or the insects buzzing. I only had eyes for the horizon, for my future, and for survival.
I hadn’t walked for long before I heard the sounds of running water, and after following the sound for a minute, I almost fell into a stream.
The water was cool, but not cold, and had a refreshing taste as I slaked my thirst. I’d found several berries, and the Gift proved helpful again, as it let me know which ones were edible.
Now, my only concern was shelter, but something drew me to keep walking. I was uncertain if it was the Gift, as it didn’t feel quite the same, but I kept walking, and soon enough I found a road.
It was hard-packed dirt and looked well travelled, which gave me hope of finding some form of civilization, though the lack of asphalt, or stone, didn’t fill me with the hope of finding a highly developed town, or city.
Shaking those negative thoughts, I picked a direction and kept walking.
It didn’t take long before I found people.
I saw a wooden cart, with several people surrounding it.
They looked harried as if they’d lived rough for a while, with torn clothes, and dirty faces. They wore worn leather armour and wielded plain swords, and looked to be harassing a young man and woman. Two held the man, while four surrounded the woman, and looked to be tugging at her clothes, laughing. I saw three others in the cart, rooting through the contents. Finally, I noticed the dead horse, which had been pulling the carriage.
A scream drew my attention back to the plight of the woman, and I saw the man thrashing against his captors. Not allowing myself to think too much, I drew my fold-blade, which would look like a hilt with a short knife, before unfolding into a long sword.
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I was seen before I got too close, but it didn’t matter to me. I’d been trained by some of the best combatants in the Empire, and these thugs looked like they’d barely learned to hold a blade.
The first fell before he could utter whatever threat he’d intended, and the others didn’t bother talking after that.
I targeted the ones surrounding the woman first, and two fell without much fuss, but the third drew his blade on the woman herself.
I reached within, to the wellspring of power the Gift provided, and sent out a burst of force. Carefully aimed, and controlled, it struck the man in the chest and sent him flying into a tree on the side of the road.
The two thugs holding the man stood frozen, so dispatching them proved effortless, and the ones rummaging through the cart fled, though a slight tug of the Gift caused them to fall, swiftly followed by my blade to their necks, ending their lives.
I turned to the man, and woman, expecting thanks, but I saw only abject horror in their eyes. I looked at myself and considered the situation.
“I just killed nine people, and I’m covered in blood. Of course, they’re terrified,” I thought to myself. “Come to think of it, have they ever encountered a Gifted? I don’t think the thugs had… Does this world even have Gifted? Perhaps I acted too rashly.”
The couple didn’t move, likely from fear after seeing me strike down those who fled, so I took my time and sorted out my thoughts, before cleaning off the worst of the blood from my face. My suit had a handy function of self-cleaning, so I only had to work on my face, and hands.
I took a few steadying breaths before I turned to the couple, and raised my hands, palms forward. I walked closer to them, though not too close. I didn’t want to scare them any more than I already had.
“Hello,” I said, trying to keep a calm, comforting tone. “Can you understand me? I mean you no harm, I assure you.”
The two looked at each other, before the man walked between me and the woman, looking defiant, and spoke.
“Yes, I can understand you. Why would you ask that?” I could feel his nervousness, the Gift providing me with all the information I needed about the man’s emotional state, now that I’d calmed enough to feel it. He was terrified of me, of what I could do, and the uncertainty of whether I’d do something at all. “What is it that you want, sir?”
“Thank the Gift for universal translation!” I thought, relieved.
“I-,” I started to speak but found that I didn’t really know what I wanted from them. What could they do for me if this was the extent of this world’s technology? They apparently lived in a medieval society, and that wouldn’t help me at all, and I could find my way to civilization quickly enough on my own. “I merely wanted to ask if you’re injured. I’m a tad confused, I’m afraid, and so I don’t know where I am. If you could enlighten me, It’d be much appreciated.”
The man looked back at the woman, with a hint of concern, before returning his gaze to me.
“Uhm, well, I-,” he stuttered, confused. “We’re alright, thanks to your intervention. Thank you. You’re a bell outside of York, sir.”
“York?” I thought, pondering a distant memory. “Where have I heard that bef-... York! England. What the hell is going on?”
The man, apparently misunderstanding the consternation on my face for anger, spoke up quickly.
“Please, sir,” he pleaded, clasping his hands together. “If my answer angered you, I beg for mercy. We don’t have much but take what you will, but please, leave us our lives!”
I looked at him in shock, before I shook my head, chiding myself.
“Don’t worry, friend. As I said, I mean you no harm,” I said, placating. “I was merely lost in thought. If you’d humour my confusion some more. What calendar do you use, and what is the year?”
The man’s eyes shot open, and the Gift revealed his surprise and suspicion.
“We use the Julian Calendar. and it is the year 503,” he said, and I could feel his fear shift to suspicion. “How is it that you don’t know?”
“I’ve suffered a recent trauma,” I said. “And my memory has failed me, as a result.”
“I-I see,” said the man, after which the woman leaned in and whispered in his ear. “Are you saying that you won’t take our possessions?”
“That’s correct,” I said. “I’m not going to rob you of either lives or livelihood. Though, perhaps some further assistance once I reach the city?”
“Uhm, w-we-well, uhh,” he stammered, and the fear made a roaring return in him. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Uhh, you see, uhm. We’re godfearing folk, and you showed some signs of magick. I don’t want to offend you, but I don’t think you should head to the city.”
“Why is that?” I asked, though I already suspected the answer.
“If the governor learns about it, or the church, they’ll send the Inquisitors, and everyone you’ve had dealings with will burn. Devil worship is not taken lightly. I have myself, and my wife to consider. If the church suspects us of dealing with devilry, we’ll be executed.”
Some steel entered his voice at the end, as if the thoughts of God, and the church provided him with courage, but I knew it as false bluster, trying to intimidate me.
“Ahh;” I said. “I understand the confusion, and I’m sorry you had to see that. I assure you, I’m no Devil worshipper, though I doubt my word will convince you, and I can handle myself.”
“They don’t believe me,” I could feel it through the Gift.”Of course, they don’t. What little I remember from history class, tells a tale of indoctrination, how everyone was raised into religious belief, and everything unknown was either an act of God or something to be shunned.”
Realizing that I wouldn’t get help from the common folk and that the rulers would only seek to use me for personal gain, either by manipulation, or sending the Inquisition on me, I changed my approach. I’d need to live in secret, to build my influence, and power, while playing by the rules of this time. That way, I might be able to get word to any other survivors from my time, if they’re here.
I started pacing, and rubbing my face and hair, as I pondered my situation. The couple looked on with a mixture of fear, hope, and a lot of suspicion.
The idea that I’d been displaced not only through space but time, was terrifying. It meant I couldn’t just get the word out and await rescue. I’d have to find a way to return to my own time, and that required thousands of years of technological advances. Time travel still hadn’t been discovered in my time, 3157. I’d need to be pragmatic, and I’d likely need to make some difficult choices.
I steeled my resolve and clenched my fists. This world would challenge me, and push me to the limit, or so I suspected, but I would not be cowed. I walked among the corpses of those I’d slain and felt nothing but determination. I knew I had to be careful, to retain my sense of justice, and morality, but I would do what I had to do.
I refused to die there. The idea of dying in that time filled me with dread and despair, and it took everything I had to remain calm, but I remembered the books, and teachings on immortality. How the Gift could be channelled to such a purpose, and how such a practice had been banned. The horrific consequences of those experiments had ingrained a deep fear of the Gift in many. Worlds, and star systems that banned the Gift entirely, killing any children who showed potential.
.
“I. Will. Return. Home.”
Advancing the technological understanding of the world to that level would require more than a lifetime, no matter how well I do, but I refuse to ignore my morals entirely. There has to be a way to attain immortality without such dire consequences, but first I had to survive and integrate into this world.
I also had to figure out what kind of impact my actions could have on the future. Will I change things so much that I create a paradox?
If I do something drastic in the past, will it change the future so that I never get pulled into that black hole?
Questions for another time, the couple is looking increasingly consternated.
“Very well. I shall leave you, though I couldn’t help but notice you carry clothing in your cart.” I said, looking from the couple to the cart. “If I could bother you for a set of trousers and shirt, then I shall be on my way, and you can be on yours, though I would ask you not to spread the word of my, ahh, abilities.”
“Of- Of course, sir,” said the man before scrambling into the cart, and pulling out a set of clothes. “Here you are. Thank you for your mercy, sir.”
I caught the clothes he threw at me, gave the couple a final glance, and turned to leave. I only walked a few meters before I stopped, and grabbed a set of leather armour, and a sword and scabbard, from the thugs.
Then I walked away, in the direction of York, as pointed out by the man I still didn’t know the name of.
“For the best,” I thought. “They don’t know my name either, so any rumours will be harder to confirm if they spread. The world will know the name Jace Powell but as a bringer of technology, business, and prosperity, not some Devil worshipper.”
As I walked, I did feel some worry about the couple. Their horse was dead, and their cart was full of goods. I felt I should have helped them, but any further interaction would only exacerbate their fear, and increase the likelihood of issues down the line. At least, that was my justification for walking away. I could only hope there were no more thugs, and that they’d get some form of help; perhaps I could… No, it would be better not to. I’m in a precarious situation, and I need to worry about myself first.
I dipped into the forest after a while and donned the clothes. They looked strange on me, as I refused to remove my clothes, but I figured I’d pass a cursory inspection. The scabbard fit around my waist, and the sword hung from my hip.
As I did, the weight of my circumstances started weighing on me. I had a plan, but how would I execute it?
I felt my knees hit the soft ground of the forest, as my hands gripped my head. This situation was so far removed from anything I knew, it was hard to come to terms with it, now that I allowed myself to calm down, and the adrenaline faded.
No, I had to keep my resolve and remain strong. If I faltered, I’d never return home. I had to keep going, so I rose, brushed the dirt off my knees, and walked on.
The road to the city was far longer than I’d expected, and I started to wonder if my understanding of what a bell meant, was wrong. I’d walked for a few hours by the time the walls became visible.
The forest cut off some distance from the city, revealing open fields of farmland, dotted with farm buildings. I saw people working in the fields, carts moving to and from the city, and people walking around. I struggled with identifying what was grown, as I had no experience in agriculture, and that wasn’t one of the databases I’d downloaded to my console, but some simple questions would likely answer that later.
As I walked, I managed to calm myself. The nagging fear and uncertainty had been mostly replaced with resolve and determination. I’d begun the makings of a distinct plan, involving ingratiating myself with a craftsman, to gain some influence, as well as make a living. I’d seek out a cheap inn, though I needed money or something to barter. It would be a slow process, and it would be hard, and there would be risks, but I felt it could be done, so long as I stayed the path.
The walls grew gradually as I approached until they towered over me, and the gate stood ahead. Guards stood, and inspected some of the carts, though most were allowed to pass unmolested.
The walls were grey stone, and the gates were heavy, barred wood, with a portcullis. As I walked through it, I was met with a sprawl of medieval-looking buildings of stone, and wood. The streets were paved with broken stones, and people scrambled to and fro on their daily business. Farmers brought their carts toward a market square near the gates, while other carts headed deeper into the city, presumably to deliver their goods to craftsmen, or artisans. Perhaps some would deliver items to private individuals with enough wealth to get special treatment from merchants.
I stopped to take in the sights, and the smells of the city, missing the cleanliness of my time, as the pungent odour of horse-manure filled my nostrils.
The air was filled with a constant chatter, as people spoke, and merchants hawked their wares. A boy shouted from a corner, providing the passersby with snippets of news. In the distance, I saw a finely decorated carriage pass by, giving off an air of opulence that seemed out of place in this area.
I took a steadying breath, and one foot after the other, I marched into the heart of the unfamiliar city.