A train raced along twisting tracks and tunnels in a picturesque mountain valley under the sun’s warm glow. Aelfric and Yuna stood atop the train facing one another, wearing Aegis suits. Yuna broke into a full sprint toward Aelfric as he stood still. She leapt with a flying right kick toward his head. He sidestepped only a little as he caught her at the ankle. However, the split-second he did, she twisted her body violently, sending her other leg toward the side of his head. He narrowly blocked it with his other hand. So narrow was the block that the recoil caused him to backhand himself, which released his grip on her ankle. She landed awkwardly with a soft thud, almost falling over.
They braced against an immense gust of wind as it flowed over them. She executed a sweeping kick at his ankles, to which he jumped over with ease. He then took a few steps back. She lunged upward in pursuit with a flurry of punches. He deflected her onslaught with relative calm. While he appeared wholly on the defensive, he did not look pressured. The exchange of blows slowed until he reciprocated with his own. They evenly went back and forth, only ever delivering glancing blows at best. When he shifted into the defensive again, she incorporated kicks. They continued for several minutes until an agitated Yuna stepped back, then leapt into a flying roundhouse kick. He again narrowly dodged, which sent him reeling, and almost lost his footing. A short distance now lay between them. The sounds of the train, wind, and environment quieted.
“What the fuck, man?” Yuna asked. Aelfric had already composed himself, whilst she wore a furious expression.
“It is as I thought,” Aelfric observed Yuna.
“Am I crazy, or are you barely trying? What was that weak shit?”
“There are several areas to be improved. However, my greatest concern is you enjoy fighting too much. And as a consequence, prolong it unnecessarily.”
“Uh, what?”
“I needed to confirm personally. I’d observed many of your training sessions with Leon when I first came upon the realization. Question is, do you do it on purpose?”
“Seriously, the fuck’re you on about?”
“I’ll assume the negative, then. I’m confident now that you subconsciously prolong combat. Let me assure you, I wasn’t holding back, yet it required my full ability to observe you while we sparred. You sped up or slowed down numerous times to match the pace I set.”
Yuna’s tension faded. “…I did?” The train went through a pitch-black tunnel. Once emerged, light revealed Yuna shadowboxing with a perplexed look. She replayed the fight in her head.
“May we transition to a more fitting location? I still fail to comprehend the point of this train.”
Yuna broke from thought. “Yeah, yeah, go. But I’ve had Dante prepare some and will more. How don’t you get it? Fighting atop a speeding train isn’t exciting to you? I’ve always wanted to after seeing it in ‘Last train to Lyrsium’. If we gotta do this shit in ALTR, may as well make it interesting.” He couldn’t be fucking with me, right? No…I can’t think of why he would. Was I actually doing that? “You really think I was dragging out the fight?”
“Seeing as I deliberately altered pace, yes, it’s indisputable. Furthermore,—.” Aelfric forgot about changing the location as he launched into a detailed breakdown of Yuna’s idiosyncrasies while they’d fought.
Meanwhile, around noon, a disheveled Viktor Weihelm paced on the floor dedicated to his city within Aegis Headquarters. No sunlight penetrated the floor. Only the light of the holographic Avalyontis. He chugged a canned drink as if it were water. He tossed it aside, almost hitting an approaching Artemis. She went unnoticed as he mumbled until he stopped to puff on a device.
“Artemis?” Viktor rubbed his sleep-deprived eyes. “Artemis.” He stared.
“Viktor, you look unwell,” Artemis said. “How long have you been awake?”
“Huh? I don’t know. Listen, it’s good you’re here. We could use a new perspective on something.” Viktor explained a dilemma his team had been working on. He solicited Artemis’ opinion at the end, then turned to a man nearby who typed furiously on a tablet.
“Hey, you, number monkey, you heard that, right? Get—,” Viktor said.
“Already on it, sir,” the man said.
“Good man, good.” Viktor ran his fingers through his hair. “We’ve been wrestling with that one for a while. It’d hurt my ego if I wasn’t so grateful to finally have a legitimate, feasible solution.”
Artemis looked around, now noticing several employees sleeping while others hurried about. Viktor glanced about as well until Artemis re-entered his gaze.
“Ah, Artemis, did you ask something?”
“I asked when you last slept.”
“What time is it?”
“Half past noon.”
“What day is it?”
“Tuesday.”
“Oh…”
“Viktor, you missed another board meeting.”
Viktor swallowed some pills, then coughed a bit. “So?”
“They aren’t happy.”
“Are they ever? What of it?”
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“If there’s one thing that would give them courage to undermine you, it would be money. You need to assure them of this project’s viability.”
“Bah. Those insignificant worms will fall in line when I tell them to. I appreciate the concern, but I’d forgotten how little time there is in the day. What I’m doing here, Artemis, with my own two hands,” Viktor raised and looked at his open palms, “will change the world. Again.”
“I understand. I will do my utmost to pacify them. Get some sleep, though, Viktor.” Artemis turned to leave.
“Ha. Thank you. I’ll consider it. A great man, Alexander, I knew once told me lack of sleep led to some of his greatest breakthroughs. Maybe I’m trying to emulate him.” Artemis froze. Her face tensed, jaw clenched. “Please continue to tolerate me, Artemis. I know I’m only able to do this because I can rely on you at the helm.” Viktor gazed at Avalyontis.
Artemis exhaled and continued on. “Of course.”
Artemis strolled to the elevator. After a brief time, a disheveled young man and woman appeared as the doors opened. The woman nearly walked into Artemis. The man stopped her just in time.
“Ms. Vigard! My apologies,” the young man said while guiding the woman out of the way.
Artemis stepped inside, then turned and paused. “Think nothing of it, Donna, Frank.” She looked over them, their fatigue as plain as Viktor’s. They whispered in surprise to one another at her knowing their names, then mumbled further apologies with slight bows to which she gestured they cease. “How long have you been awake?”
“Oh, uhm,” Donna muttered.
“Thirty-something, maybe?” Frank said, exchanging a tired gaze with Donna.
“President Weihelm should allow you to leave soon. Please prioritize your health.”
“What? No, no, Ms. Vigard. We’re not being forced or anything. I hope we’re not giving that impression.”
“At first, we thought he was implying it, but he said nothing when some went home. Right?” Donna asked Frank.
“Yeah. But President Weihelm’s passion is infectious. All the talk about building the future, we’re really doing something here.”
“He even started giving us nicknames instead of just ‘you’.”
“I see,” Artemis said. She continued in as the elevator door nearly closed. “Thank you. And congratulations on your pending nuptials.” It closed. Donna and Frank stood in shock for a moment.
“Wha?” Frank mumbled.
“Holy shit, Frankie,” Donna said as she shook him a bit. “Were the rumors really true?”
“Don’t be so loud, D. But, uh, yeah…I’ve never had a boss I’d never even met before already know my name. Hell, I don’t even know everyone’s name in our department. And she knew about the wedding? Didn’t we only tell people like a week ago?”
“Yeah! She was so serious, but that she even recognized us, like this? Wow. Should…should we invite her?”
Frank gave Donna an exaggerated, disapproving look. “No, you nut.”
Some time later, Artemis sat in her office. She interacted with her IRIS, but her movements were sluggish. She stopped to sip slowly at a cup of tea.
“What if the world’s better with him in it?” Xandr asked.
Artemis sighed as she put down her cup. “Thought you would show up sooner,” Artemis thought.
“I had to put my thoughts in order.” A pause ensued. “What? Can’t laugh at a joke your own mind technically made? When’s the last time you did laugh?”
“Get on with your spiel.”
“Fine, fine. Part of how you justify your whole crusade is the world would have been better with me in it. So what if this ‘Avalyontis’, stupid name, has the potential to make everything better? It’s got the funding, and countless talent Aegis has collected behind it. You saw the fire in those two’s eyes.”
“I don’t care.”
“You do. A little, at least. That’s why I’m here.
“Even if it were a utopia, it doesn’t absolve him. What he’s done.”
“And how are you any different at this point? The countless you’ve stepped over to reach this office?”
“I’m not. I won’t seek absolution, either.”
“Ahh.” Xandr chuckled. “Of course you would. You tricked me. You’ve already been doing this for a while, haven’t you? I should’ve realized it sooner. But you were always the only person able to pull one over on me. Only you would repurpose a piece of your own fractured psyche to reinforce your resolve. Bravo. Imagine clapping sounds, will you?”
“Had to put you to use, somehow.”
“I’m sure I’d like it. I always saw through all the kid’s pranks. Until they recruited you. I was so salty until I realized the three decoys were intentional from the beginning. They were never meant to succeed.”
“Four.”
“Yeah, yeah. You didn’t even look smug, which made it worst. Speaking of, how close were you to, something, I don’t know what, when Viktor so casually mentioned me?”
“I’d have bled twenty years ago.” Artemis mused at her palms for a moment, with fingers curled.
“Has it happened before I was around? Have you seen that Viktor ever? Or only read about it from my journal?”
“Journal.”
“He always had a talent for talking up tomorrow, even without a lot to back it up. That’s how it was when he adopted me. It was him who spurred me on to dream bigger. To reach beyond. His ability to not just acquire talent, but nurture it, hasn’t dulled, it seems.
“There was something more. I think. A scent of desperation. Never hinted at in your journal, at least. Perhaps him being involved past just management, has sparked something or maybe even a long sought-after desire.”
“Are you worried?”
“No, if anything, his obsession is a boon.”
“Right.”
“Do you remember when—?” Artemis reminisced for a time with Xandr.
“You know, if you want to just have a conversation, you needn’t rely on the voice in your head. I know you wouldn’t with your sycophants, but why not take up Reina’s offer?”
“No. I shouldn’t.”
“Does she really seem like the type to break her word? Don’t be a coward.”
“Fine, I’ll think about it, happy?”
“As happy as a figment could be.”
Artemis gestured. In her IRIS, a virtual journal appeared, opened to the first page. ‘If you’re reading this…’ started the first line. The pages flipped to the very end. A single paragraph on the last page.
“Reading this again?” Xandr asked. “How old are you now? How many times have you re-read this? I’m flattered, but that’s my queue. Too cringe.”
Artemis’ eyes were ever so slightly glassy. The paragraph read ‘With all that junk outta the way, the hardest part. Artemis. I know in my head that ‘love’ is for the most part something humans tell themselves to explain chemicals. We want to believe in something more than simply dancing to nature’s tune. I’ve pondered so much on this damned topic. I’d like to think there are real answers and I merely lack the knowledge to see them yet. Until then, I turn to the metaphysical. The soul. Soulmate is such a nonsensical concept. The idea there is only one other out there for you. Despite that, I can not fathom the depths to which I view you, for another, ever. I hate thinking anything is impossible, and yet, it feels impossible. I’m rambling. I wanted to sound cooler at the end. It’s longer than I’d intended. I already regret so much though, I mustn't regret this, too. You’re probably thinking this is typical me, though. Words fail to do justice for what I feel towards you. What I want to say. Pretend this string of symbols is a language I created about you:’ Strange, indecipherable language-like characters filled some space on the page until the end.
‘Artemis. On the bright side, if I assume my consciousness is energy, it shouldn’t be destroyed when I’m gone. I’ll try to reach you. If I can’t, I’ll wait for you in the afterlife. If there isn’t one, then I’ll coalesce with you in oblivion.’ The entire last page had large indecipherable symbols.