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cat-bird-griffin · 6 years

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Haathlion Part 1: Ascension of The Ghosts (snippet)

Prelude:

It has long been forgotten if it was from curiosity, or necessity, we spread into the reaches of space. Some speculate it was because of overpopulation, others think we could not restrain ourselves from possibilities. We explored hundreds of stars seeking for a new harth, a different home. Over span of many years we found them. Soon interstellar ships were sent; however, space is vast and things can be easily forgotten.

After nearly half a century of travel, a group of brave colonists arrived at the Red Dwarf Star Tarkaroo and finally three new worlds capable of supporting life was finally in reach. But it was not to be. Whether if was a micrometeorite, a rain of deadly particles, a failing part was overlooked, or space consumed somebody’s mind, it all went wrong. Their vessel failed and began an uncontrollable descent. Some survived most did not.

After the survivors gathered on an alien world the knowing of whom they were and where they came from was quickly lost to the vastness of space.

Chapter 1: Evening

“Hey, Hey Isa, wake up”. Isa’s vision begins to focus and she suddenly sees the dark round face of her baby brother staring down at her. “Makia, whaa, what time is it, why aren’t you in bed?”

“Come see come see!”

“Shh, you’re going to wake the house!” His excitement fades for a bit. “It’s okay, now what did you want to show me”.

With the excitement that only a young child could possess, Makia then leads Isa out of her bedroom, down the hallway, down a set of stairs, and finally onto the ground floor of their home. “Makia slow down, I can’t see!”.

“But, I see, just follow me”.

“I can hardly even see you, let me light a candle”

He replies “but I, okay”. After fumbling around to find a candle and match Isa ignites a candle and illuminates their kitchen. The Criella’s home is larger than most, as their family has had more success than most. The candle lightens near a group of three cooking stoves. The Stove’s cooking fire drawers still emitting the smell of their evening meal. Above the stoves there a set of primitive cast iron pots and pans forged by Adelard, the local blacksmith.

“Okay I can see now, what do you want to show me”.

Makia turns and points to the living room doorway and then skidaddles into the room. Begrudgingly Isa soon follows.

Practically jumping on one of the family’s chairs Makia exclaimes “look, look, look!” pointing through one of their french windows.

Isa responds with “give me a moment, I think there is still some coals smoldering in the fireplace.” Isa then retrieves a brand and start rolling the coals around “ha haa! I got it!”. A dim light and slight heat begins to creep into the room.

“Isa come quick it start!” Peering out the now open window Isa sees, illuminated from the light of Anima, down a slope leading to the perimeter, as well as, a small amount of water breaking through a cluster of mud. The water runs down the slope and over a small metallic object.

Suddenly, from of the object and a voice emmits “I can just about make out Tarkaroo from the observation deck. Ahh can’t wait to finally of this hunk of metal and on real bonafide soil”.

Then a spray of sparks fly out of the object and the voice goes silent. “What is that? It keep waking me up.”

Isa replies with “you found a ghost. It is a grave of one of the old ones.”

Makia smiles “what is a old one?”

“I think the verse was, when the three planets were still young, the old ones descended from Takaroo bringing with them the cradle of us.”

Makia lowers gaze and askes “could you stay here with me?”

Isa smiles and says “just this once, I think yes.”

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Isa awakens to the sound of running footsteps and sunlight streaming through her home’s windows. As the footsteps pass her house a courier cries “important N1 announcement at noon. Location at town center!”

Chapter 2: Announcement

N1 announcement, all those who can immediately become available are required to come. You aren't even technically out of the Schola yet; but, you are not technically a student so you are not there, Hektor thinks grudgingly as he walks a half revolution across town to reach the town center. To make it worse there is a storm brewing.

He then turns and looks at the sky and sees the dark clouds of a developing thunderstorm. Peeking out from the clouds he can just barely make out the fiery dark skyed world of Impes. Facing back to the direction of the town center, Hektor looks back up to the sky and takes comfort in the sight of the closest of the worlds, the blue with specks of green, Anima. A ways behind Anima, the cold white world Bruma impedes itself in front of the stars.

Gasping for breath, Hektor finally reaches the edge of the gathering crowd at the town center. As to be expected, the majority of attendees were elderly with a few exceptions. Just after Hektor, Isa enters the town center. Recognizing Hektor, Isa approaches him and asks “

Hektor, do you know what this is about?”

Hektor exclaimes “ahhhhh!” and spins around; the cry causes several heads to turn. “Oh, it's you, um no, I don’t know.” Hektor continues with “hey you have a sunburn, I didn't realized you could get a sunburn.”

Isa replies with “cut it out. Whatever this is, it is serious.”

“Wait Isa, aren’t you supposed to be at the Schola?”

“Well, yes, but I did not manage to get to the Schola today.” Turi, one of the older owners of the flower shops, glares at the group and points to the center podium. Isa and Hektor turn their heads right as Rudjek, the town captain, begins to speak.

“I thank you for all coming at such a short notice. It has come to our attention that fruges crop from the southeast district has absorbed Blood of The Ghosts into its root system” Groans emit from the crowd. “In response of this, for the safety of us and the fellow settlements, any remnant of Fruges in the southeast district from the current harvest must be destroyed.”

Gila, one of the southeast districts farmers, states “how do you know if its Blood of The Ghosts?”

Rudjek answers with “a group of traders found our Fruges in a shriveled form with a dark reddish liquid dripping out of them. They brought a sample to our fair doctor Amelot who identified the danger. Now, is there any other questions?” No one responds.

“Ryota is not going to like this news” says Hektor, as Isa and him walk towards Adelard’s smithery.

Isa responds “that is why we are going to tell him before anyone else does.” They turn a corner and see Ryota walking toward them with a wrapped left hand.

After seeing them Ryota runs to them an says “Hi! Before you judge me, while attempting to shape a tungsten ingot I hit my left hand with a hammer. Wait, shouldn’t both of you be at the Schola?”

“I’m not “technically” a student anymore. I was unable to make it to the Schola.”

Ryota replies “right, okay. Why does the two of you look so solemn?”

Isa answers with “I am sorry Ryota, all of the Fruges from the southeast district is set to be terminated.”

Ryota cheerful expression pluments and he says “how in Impes are we then supposed to pay for ourselves!” “Hey, me and Isa have to find career paths soon anyways.” “We can go look around for places that can offer pay” suggests Hektor. Isa chimes in “ya we can look around.” “At evening we return here?” Both Hektor a Ryota agree.

Chapter 3: The Loderr Farm

After running through the town that has always been called Sitecrash, Ryota arrives at the edge his family’s Fruges Farm. Already the effect of The Blood of The Ghosts was clearly visible. Spreading from the perimeter a bloody stain flowed into the farm. The Fruges plants at the farm edge had a putrid red color halfway up their stems and the rest of the plant was shriveled. At this very moment rain started to pour across Sitecrash.

Returning to the street, the day is near to closing. “Bruma’s breath it is cold” says Isa as she and Hektor meet.

“Your telling me; I don’t even have a woolen cloak.”

“Fine, do want mine?”

“Um, no,no no.”

Ryota turns a corner and vocalizes “i’ve arrived.”

Isa quickly replies “about time!”

“yeah, yeah…” Hektor enters the exchange “ so, we have gathered a list, here it is; some of the ink was washed away by the rain.” Ryota continues “thank you both so much, I wouldn’t know..” Hektor breaks in “hey we’ve been in this together for a long time.” Ryota glances to the ground “I need to head back to my family’s farm; I’m late already.”

After walking the radius of Sitecrash Ryota eventually reaches his family’s home. After entering, he immediately sees his grandparents sitting stone-quiet at their dinner table. Soon after noticing him, Ryota’s grandmother, Rei Loderr, states “Ryota, your soaked to the bone, before doing anything else take off your cloak and boots and place them by the fire.”

As Ryota work on completing this “so, today Isa, Hektor, and I collected a list of openings for pay.”

Mamoru Loderr, Ryota’s grandfather, returns “you can through that into the fire, we are not going to use it.”

“What, what do you mean?”

“The Loderrs have been farmers for as long as anyone can remember. We are not going to change for the whims of Rudjek!”

Virtually shouting Ryota “The crops are poisoned! The Blood of The Ghosts has poured into them! Have you even looked!”

His grandfather shots back “you don’t know what you’re talking about!”

What either of them did not know was that through natural erosion a small buried fuel cell from all those years ago had begun to leak. The leaking fuel, which is now called The Blood of The Ghosts, had burrowed through the earth of Haathlion until reaching the Southeast district of Sitecrash. Just as Ryota turned back to the fire, enough fuel had surfaced, in the same manner as two magnets of opposite charges, to attract lightning. Several things happened in rapid succession. First, Ryota saw the distant flash of lightning. Then, a massive seemingly all encompassing flash of light. Finally, the silhouettes of what looked like skeletons, two sitting one standing appeared. Somebody shouts “Get out, everyone GET out!”

“In the essence of Tarkaroo what was that!”

“The wrath of Impes descended against us.”

“Why! What had we done!” Rei and Mamoru Loderr discussed. Ryota scoffs then begins running to the crop fields.

His grandmother shouts “Stop!” “Ryota loderr stop!” Ryota did not stop and then froze at the site of the aftermath. The field was all but gone, a massive blackened trench spanned across the field through the perimeter wall and off outside of Sitecrash. A orange tinted powder coated everything around the trench, as well as, covered the back of the Loderr home. At this time Ryota noticed a small tingling irritation covering his skin.

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