Chapter 25. EPHIRIA

I was in some sort of fortress. The last thing I remember was Carter and I in an underground mansion. When…how did I get here? My vision was not very clear. It was almost like this was… a dream! A very loud engine was heard in the background. Gears churned and steam was pumped around. I was in a dark room with a woman in the corner.

She had black hair and with the dim lighting, I couldn't tell her skin tone. She looked at me. Her piercing grey eyes tore threw me. She could see me. She was holding some sort of communication crystal. She said, "Save me. Find the heart and you shall find me. Follow the metallic bird. Tell him." Tell who? Before the words escaped my mouth, the dream ended.

I gasped. My eyes widened. Air brushed my whole body. I was in midair. Panic rushed through my veins. I looked for Carter. He was a few feet from me. I swam to him. He was still unconscious. I slapped him awake. He mumbled, "Hum" He was still confused until he asked, "What was that for? And why do I feel like I'm…" He screamed.

I said, "Stop that and get yourself together." I hoped he couldn't hear the quivering in my voice. He asked, "Can't you fly? Calisto can." I said, "Hybrids don't get the full package deal any way focus. We need you to get us out of here." He asked, "How?" I said while my eyes darted to the ground that was quickly closing in, "You can teleport. Isn't that what you did in the mansion?" He said, "I don't think I did it. I remember tapping a surf…" I cut in, "Doesn't matter. Try it now or we will end up becoming pancakes." He looked confused but nodded.

He closed his eyes. Nothing happened. He can't do it. Come on, think quick. I looked down. All I could see was deadly ground, some bushes and… a pond. That will have to do. I pointed at it. Carter understood. I tried to maneuver my body to the pond. I wasn't experienced in skydiving but neither was I in dying. I positioned myself like a diver and dropped into the pond. The water made sure to give a nice slap. Splash. I resurfaced. I turned to see if Carter had made it. He was groaning as he swum to the shore. I quickly caught up. I activated my chaos.

In a blink, we were dry. I sighed, "That was close." A smile was spread on Carter's face. He commented, "Your hair surely looks nice." I didn't have a mirror but I could tell it looked like a bird's nest. I elbowed him, "Don't make me blind you." He looked at the sun that was almost hitting the horizon and said, "Let me first come back."

I watched as he went into a confined area to pray. I got the chance to observe my scenery. I was in a park. There were multiple walking trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas around. It offered a beautiful view as the sunset was reflected in a distant river. I recalled the weird dream before I awoke. Who was that lady? Why was she in that fortress? Was that the heart of the veil? Who did she was me to tell? I pushed those questions back. right now I needed to figure out how we can group up again. Then we will save her. We're going to the heart anyway. How would we find them?

Carter returned some minutes after the sun had completely descended. He had a gloomy look on his face, "Without the drive, how will we find the rest?" Are we sure he can't read minds? I didn't reply. If they were following the sanctuaries to the heart, then we had to find another way to the heart. I don't think the mostri just left behind a map to it.

He said, "Do you have anything?" I told him about my dream. He stood up as if his sit was burning. He said, "Are you sure she had black hair and grey eyes?" I said, "Yeah" Hope lit up in his eyes, "She is alive!" I asked, "Who?" Was it a family tradition to not be specific? He replied, "My mom" I had never heard him talking about his mom before so I don't know how to react. I said, "Congs. What did she mean by the metallic bird? A plane"

Carter said, "I doubt she meant a plane. She doesn't speak in riddles." I suggested, "If she meant it literally then I don't think that makes sense for a bird made of metal to be flying around." Carter said, "We live in a world where fish can talk and weapons form from cubes. I think we already crossed the line of logic." True. It hit me. I said, "If we went underwater when it was like 2 how did we come out at 6:30. Teleportation takes seconds so what kept as aloft." Carter said, "The metallic bird. It means it is nearby watching us but it is dark we won't be able to see it."

I said, "I can handle that. One thing that I remember from 7th grade is metals are shiny when exposed to light. Try to activate your night vision and watch out for the bird." Carter obliged. I walked to the river. God, please enable this to work. I recited the motto all Calisto forced luxis Parians to learn, "Glister like the stars that shine in the night sky. Reveal to the world what makes you overwhelming and bright. Burst into bloom, imperial light."

I raised my khopesh and pointed it to the sky. A wave of golden light burst out of me and ascended to the sky. It accumulated and exploded. I saw a flash of aluminum in the corner of my eye. Carter shouted, "THERE" I saw it too. It was a metallic bird. We dashed on its tail. It led us to an abandoned aluminum fabrication facility.

The grand entrance was adorned with faded letters spelling out a name. nature had begun to reclaim its territory with vines creeping up the decaying walls. The floor was cracked and barely holding up. The broken windows allowed in gusts of wind. A sense of warmth was in the air like the facility was still being used. Wait what. I turned to Carter. He had also noticed it because he was hiding behind a bending brake.

I heard murmuring. I joined Carter. It was the voice of a man baby. I peeped. It was an automaton man. He was 6 feet tall with polished brass as his skin. His eyes were spheres of glistening glass with two glowing indigo tori. His hair and beard were made of copper wire. He had an earpiece in his ear. He looked like he was talking to someone on the phone.

Carter asked, "Is he a robotic Ken doll? My little cousin would go crazy over him." I ignored him and eavesdropped. The automaton said, "I have a package of candidates ready." The person he was talking to said, "Make sure to bring them unharmed?" He replied, "Yes, of course. I would never get carried away." The voice said, "Are you sure your ship can survive the journey? It is a dangerous path you chose." He said, "I'm sure. I'm Magnus Demed. A mere storm can't beat my inventions." What storm? What paranormal storms do I know of? It was close to my mind but I couldn't get it. The voice said, "Good luck. I'll see you in three days." He ended the call.

Carter said, "If he is taking the candidates, he may be our entrance into the heart." He said, "Did no one ever teach you it is a bad habit to eavesdrop?" I wanted to turn and run but the brake flew to the side. An aluminum bar grabbed us. It wrapped around us like a gift. Being kidnapped by a metallic Ken doll, now that is one for the books.