Tectonic Awakening

Time seemed to stretch like taffy as Lyra made that crucial stride towards her father. The arena surrounding her faded, leaving just the throbbing glow of the Elyrian figure and her father's outstretched hand.

"Lyra, don't!" Maya's voice cut through the haze, pulling Lyra back to reality.

The cavern shuddered fiercely, with bits of rock falling down on them. Dr. Flynn's portrait flashed like a malfunctioning hologram, his warm grin morphing into something strange and unpleasant.

"No," Lyra said quietly, falling backward. "you're not my father."

The component with her father's face knotted up, its shape twisting and writhing. "The Awakening cannot be prevented, Keeper. You may be a part of us, willingly or not.

A tremendous tremor shook the cavern, sending anyone sprawling. Lyra's thoughts raced. The anticipated aftershock was no longer on its way; it had arrived.

"We want to go away, now!" she yelled, seizing Maya's arm and pushing her toward the others.

Dr. Reeves hurriedly attempted to contact the surface group, but her radio crackled with static. Marcus pulled a bewildered member of the survey team to his feet, and his customary confident air gave way to genuine worry.

The Elyrian shape pulsed with increasing intensity, tendrils of power darting out like lightning. One struck perilously near to where Lyra was standing, leaving a charred imprint on the cavern floor.

"How are we imagined to get out?" Marcus yelled above the din. "the entrance collapsed!"

Lyra closed her eyes and reached out using her senses. The Earth's music, which was usually a pleasant tune, had turned into a deafening scream. But beneath the pandemonium, she felt something else: a channel making its way up through the layers of rock.

Her eyes snapped open. "I recognize the manner. Follow me and stay close!"

Lyra started jogging without waiting for a reaction. The others fell in after her, trusting her intuition in the face of the chaos erupting around them. She guided them through a network of tunnels that appeared to form as they went, the rock bending to her whim.

An horrible screech resonated throughout the caverns behind them. Lyra did not dare to make an appearance again, instead focused all of her efforts on escorting her friends to safety.

"How are you doing this?" Dr. Reeves gasped as they rounded every other impossible flip.

"I don't know," Lyra acknowledged. "I can feel the Earth shifting, moving. It's as if it's trying to help us.

A loud crack breaks through the air. Previously, a gap sprang up, cutting off their escape route. The organization slid to a halt at the edge, peering down into a supposedly bottomless abyss.

"Give up on the line," Marcus said bitterly. "Any more tricks up your sleeve, Flynn?"

Lyra's thoughts raced. She may have wanted to feel the vibrations increasing because she knew they were running out of time. Without hesitation, she thrust her palms forward, closing her eyes and delving deep into the pool of strength she'd only just begun to tap.

The Earth responded with vengeance. Stone moved like river, arching across the chasm to build a bridge. Lyra's entire frame shook as she attempted to keep it.

"Pass!" she gritted out. "I cannot maintain it for long!"

The others did not want to be notified twice. They rushed across the stone bridge, which crumbled at the back of their toes. Lyra came in last, diving ahead because the final portion gave way. Maya extended her arm, dragging her to safety.

They had no time to hold their breath. The tunnels have begun collapsing around them, and the air appears to quiver with pent-up energy. Lyra pushed on, her actions becoming more natural with each stride.

Fortunately, she noticed a glimmer of daylight ahead. With one last surge of speed, they broke out of the mountainside just as the tunnel crumbled behind them.

The scene that met them turned out to be one of complete mayhem. The army camp fell into disarray, with systems scattered and tents crushed. They may notice dirt clouds in the distance caused by rockslides and newly formed crevasses.

Hawthorne stormed towards them, his face a mask of barely restrained rage and concern. "What the hell happened down there, Flynn?" Our sensors are acting up, and we're receiving reports of seismic activity throughout half the continent!"

Before Lyra could respond, the ground rocked beneath their feet. A legitimate like the globe itself ripping apart filled the air. To the west, the horizon seemed to ripple and move.

"My God," Dr. Reeves inhaled. "It is no longer only here. The entire tectonic plate is transferring!"

Lyra's imagination and vision swam, images overwhelming her mind. She witnessed towns falling, coastlines changing, and entire landscapes redesigning in the blink of an eye. Underneath it all lies a network of Elyrian structures throbbing with awakened vigor.

She returned to herself to discover Maya shaking her shoulders. "Lyra! Lyra, will you pay attention to me?"

"We need to transport," Lyra remarked, her voice distant to her own ears. "it's not safe right here."

As if to reinforce her point, a nearby cliff face abruptly broke way, bringing an avalanche of boulders closer to the camp. People yelled and scrambled for cover.

Lyra put out her arms without thinking twice. The falling rocks slowed and eventually paused in midair, soaring as if suspended by unseen cords. With a grunt of attempt, she diverted their path, hurling them harmlessly into an empty ravine.

The entire camp became silent, with all eyes fixed on Lyra in amazement and horror.

"How did you..." Hawthorne trailed off, perplexed.

Lyra ignored him and turned to face the stunned crowd. "Pay attention to me!" This is not a normal earthquake. It's part of something bigger, which we don't fully comprehend yet. However, I can predict where the following shocks will occur. If you need to survive, you should follow my lead."

Nobody moved for a second. Then Maya moved forward, placing a hand on Lyra's shoulder. "i am with you."

Marcus came next, smiling despite the perilous situation. "Well, I said I wanted a tale. "Might as well see it through."

Others eventually joined them. Even Dr. Reeves and popular Hawthorne, after a moment of doubt, nodded their agreement.

Lyra took a deep breath and stretched out her senses. The Earth's singing guided her, revealing safe paths through the pandemonium. "This way," she said, moving at a quick pace. "And stay close collectively!"

Lyra's mind raced with questions as they walked forward. What had become of the Elyrian shape she'd encountered? Why did it name her 'Keeper'? What has become of the issue masquerading as her father?

She drove the mind apart, concentrating on the task at hand. There could be time for replies later. For the time being, survival was the most important factor.

Lyra guided the company across the altered environment, keeping them safe at all times. A crevasse might open up, and he or she would lead them around it just before it appeared. A landslide could threaten, so she'd build a stone refuge to keep them safe.

Lyra could feel her abilities becoming more powerful and natural with each usage. It became both exhilarating and horrifying.

As night fell, they reached the relative safety of a tiny plateau. The worst of the earthquakes appeared to have gone, but the floor continued to quiver beneath their feet.

Lyra stood on the edge of the camp, looking out at the transformed world around her. Whole mountain slopes had been changed, valleys had become plains, and in the distance she should have seen the glow of what could have been lava flows.

Maya joined her and handed her a cup of water. "How are you retaining up?"

Lyra managed a vulnerable smile. "Ask me when that's all over. "If it ever ends."

"About that," Maya replied nervously. "Lyra, what you probably did back there... it wasn't normal. Don't get me wrong, it turned out fantastic! however..."

"But it scares you," Lyra concluded.

Maya nodded slowly. "A touch, yes." Doesn't it scare you?

Lyra fell silent for a long moment as she considered the question. "virtually? I am afraid. But not of the powers themselves. I am terrified of what they indicate and why I have them. And I am afraid of what might happen if I don't learn to manipulate them."

A ruckus in the center of the camp piqued their interest. Marcus was debating with preferred Hawthorne, their voices rising with each alternative.

"what is occurring?" Lyra requested as they approached.

Marcus became angry with her. "Our esteemed fashionable here must call in the cavalry. According to legend, the 'asset' is far too valuable to be allowed to roam freely."

Lyra's blood was bloodless. "The asset?"

Hawthorne at least had the decency to appear uncomfortable. "Ms. Flynn, you should understand. What you can do... is beyond anything we've ever seen. We need to look at it and understand-"

"To control it," Lyra cut him off. "to apply it as a weapon."

The general's silence transformed into all of the confirmation she desired.

Before we could react, the ground beneath their feet began to quiver again. However, Lyra recognized with increasing terror that it was not a natural quake.

In the distance, a large shape began to emerge from the soil. It was exactly like the edifice they had seen within the tunnel, but on an unimaginable magnitude. Lyra felt a tug deep in her core as it expanded into the sky, an irresistible attraction to electricity.

A big, historic voice boomed across the panorama:

"The awakening is upon us. "Keeper, join us or watch as the world burns."

As the others stood startled in quiet, Lyra felt a presence brush against her thoughts. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, she saw through new eyes: a global community of Elyrian systems pulsating with pure power. In the midst of it all, a swirling vortex of lightning threatened to consume everything in its path.

The image disappeared, leaving Lyra gasping for air. She knew, with bone-deep certainty, that the arena's fate now lay in her hands.

As she learned to be able to stand up to her companions and the impending opportunity ahead, one thought reverberated through her mind:

What am I expected to do now?