Prologue IV

Visions of The Future

BOOM!

An explosion rocks nearby me, causing me wake up in a panic. All around me shots are being fired. I see two fleets fighting with each other, the Humans and the Endarians. Instinctively I know that somehow, I’ve ended up on the Endarian. They even made a nice uniform for me and everything, one that allows my wings to wrap around me freely.

“Kyle. Kyle!” A frantic voice that sounds so familiar screams through my comms device in my ear.

“Yeah, I’m here.” I manage as I begin to get up and look around at the devastation around me. There was clearly a high impact strike, one that likely should have killed me, but I somehow survived. Looking down at the charred earth below me, I see a clean silhouette in the soot covered ground. That clean spot I instantly realize was me when I ducked down below my wings.

Almost on instinct, I reach out and touch the wing. Its malleable metallic presence is instantly reassuring to me.

“Kyle, you need to move.” My mission handler says in my earpiece. Once again, she sounds so familiar, that I can’t help but figure I’ve heard her somewhere before.

“Where?” Is all I manage.

Ping.

With that, I get sent a set of mission objectives that are overlayed on my suit interface. Instantly I see several objective points. Then I realize what I am looking at. The world tree, or at least one of the baby world-trees that I have planted. Odder still, I think I know exactly which world tree this is.

“Father, yes, it is me, Prime. Your favorite world tree.” The little tree says in my mind. That solves it, I must be close enough for the tree to talk directly to me.

“Not quite father. We are still many light years away. But you are going too deep into this vision of the future. Your vitals have already begun to spike.” The Tree, Prime, states.

“What?” I ask.

Mind Pulse.

At the sudden thought, the world around me pauses. This is both good and bad, as it lets me realize just how messed up of a situation, I am in.

I can feel a throbbing in my mind, but I don’t know if that is a subconscious bleed over of this dream, or events that have unfolded in the real world that have gotten me to this place.

“Rest assured father. The pains you are experiencing are a bleed over effect from the real world. Your body is still very damaged. But your mind is using this time to warn you of a possible future.” Prime states.

“If this is a possible future, then how are you here?” I ask.

Dribble.

Blood is running down my nose and splattering like tiny water balloons on the ground.

“I exist in all time and space, so long as I am alive. I heard your mind call out in need, so I decided to join you. I figured since this vision involved me; I would especially be curious about what my possible future would be. But I think you must hurry if you are to see what this vision is really trying to warn you about.” Prime says.

“Right.” I say, then with that the reality around me that had been paused suddenly comes back to life in full motion. My body takes a slight stutter step, as I try to readjust to the state of things once again. Then with my second step I am once again re-synchronized with the vision.

Knowing that this is a vision makes things a little easier. I have a blaster in my hand. This is odd as I have recently taken to not using a blaster. I wonder if it is likely due to me not wanting to have any accidental misfires in the real world.

“That, and the fact that you cannot use two powers at the same time.” Prime offers helpfully.

I am about to chastise him, but that is actually a really good point. I can’t use two powers at the same time. So, trying to do so in this proves that this is a vision. Well, is just more proof. With that in mind, I decide to go all out. This is after all just a vision of possible future.

I am fighting my way forward. I don’t quite know why we are fighting the humans at this point. Then I figure since I have a mission handler, I might as well ask.

“Hey, um handler? Is there a reason we are fighting the humans?”

“Is this a joke?”

“No?”

UGGGHHH! “Just how badly did you hit your head?”

“Let’s go with pretty bad. Assume I lost track of why we are here, who you are, though your voice sounds familiar, and why we are on this Endarian planet.” I answer.

Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.

I fire off shot after shot at incoming humans and Prolaxians alike.

“Also is it just me, or are the humans working with the Prolaxians?” I ask.

“No, it is not just you. Don’t you remember. Thanks to the Admiral, the humans were offered a peace treaty, all they needed was your head and this tree to be destroyed. The Endarians gave us asylum, but now they have come in with the big guns to finish the deal.” The oddly familiar voice calls out.

“Oh, well fuck.” I say, pausing for a second, and nearly getting shot by laser fire for my troubles. Fortunately for me, my wings move and react on instinct, folding and flexing to best protect me from incoming fire. I don’t know if I have said it before, but these wings sure are handy in a fight.

“That’s right, well fuck. Now get out there and get the Prolaxian Herald before she destroys the world tree.”

“She? So, this is not the admiral?” I ask.

“No, this is the Dwenvarian Queen’s Bro Consort.”

Badump. Badump.

My heart is racing, as I realize I’ve just gained knowledge from one of these stupid visions. Knowledge of a person that I have never met so I could not use Total Recall to get to them, but if this vision is true, then I now know two of the remaining Prolaxian Infiltrators, or Heralds as they prefer to be called.

I also remember the word Bro being somewhat important.

“There is more.” The so, sooo familiar voice says.

I make the final turn and see the herald that my handler is talking about. I am glad she told me the identity, for all I see is the Prolaxian’s true form, a disgusting writhing sac of charred muscles and flesh.

“What?”

“They have Goldie.”

“Goldie? Don’t you mean the Goldhammer?” I ask.

“No, Goldie. Don’t you remember that was our first lead. Well, it has been confirmed.”

“What has been confirmed?” I ask still running forward. The scene before me makes no sense. Goldie as young, feminine, and beautiful as ever is strapped to the tree. Her protruding belly easy for anyone to notice.

My mind is trying to take in the different details, but there is too much. I see colors, shapes, images from the trees.

Then I hear the gravelly voice of the Prolaxian Herald, this Bro consort to the Dwenvarian queen. She is there with a malicious smile forming on her lips as her green glowing sacs for eyes stare at me.

“You are already too late.” The Herald speaks with a gravelly voice. Then snaps her tendrils together. With that one sound, the vision is broken, and reality around me begins to crumble and break apart.

I begin to struggle, trying to avoid falling from the world that is crumbling away from me.

“Hey, hey. Easy there.” A gentle but commanding voice calls out. “You’ve had a lot happen to you, but it is okay now. Everything will be all right.”

I open my eyes, only to find that was a big mistake. I feel burning skin sealed around my eyes.

“What where am I?” I manage.

“You and a young woman were found on the island resort Wango Tango.” The man, clearly and orderly or nurse begins.

“Wango Tango?” I say, as a slight smile fills my lips. I also did like that place; I remember we chose it originally for the name. Or rather, I chose it for the name, and Jess, well she chose it for the scenery. Then with that thought I jump.

Ping. Ping. Alert.

My actions set off several alarms, but that is beyond the point. “Jess?” I ask.

“If you mean the woman that you somehow protected and shielded with your wings from most of the blast, then yes. She is fine. Still listed as critical, but the latent healing magic in her system is doing wonders.”

At that, I relaxed, letting my aching body fall back to the bed. I am tired. So, so tired. But before I pass out, I cast Healing-X on myself. This time I hope everything sticks.

In my mind I try to make a note of all the different details from my dream, no, my vision. There are so many things that happened in that vision, but one thing was for certain.

The voice, my handler. That was Jess, we were together.

With that thought, I let a faint smile fill my lips, as I closed my eyes and passed out completely.