State of Mind (5)
Axeon receives a message
Author’s Note: Hello! If you’ve gotten this far into this series (Thank you!!) I have some questions for you:
does any of this shit make any sense at all?
what parts of it compel you and which parts of it bore you?
what is this series about, to you?
Seriously, if you’ve read to this point in my story, thank you so much. This is my oldest and largest project I have ever worked on. I care about it a lot and it means the world you would get even to this point. Enjoy chapter 5.
5. Visitant of the Mindsphere
Year C-91, Quarter 2
Axeon located his mind from across the abyss in a barren desert. He became a spectator in his own body, helpless and lacking control. He wanted to scream but couldn’t move his lips. A spaceship landed in front of him, crashing against the dune. The wind from the ship scattered the sound surrounding it, creating a whirlpool of sand. As lightning struck and the sky lit up, his father’s old, pathetic face appeared on the clouds, and he called out incomprehensibly. Axe’s view was blocked for a moment, his mind was crying but could not convey the message to the body. It was excruciating to the point that it woke him up, covered in sweat, in an unfamiliar room. It was a small room, not much larger than a closet, but a space for himself nonetheless.
After fully waking up and establishing himself, he walked toward the room’s door and put his hand on the latch. However, before he had a chance to open it, a far away shimmering light caught his eye. There was a small window in the ceiling and something… a star or a planet, maybe a ship, blinking in the distance. Axe watched as the light dwindled and eventually extinguished into the vast emptiness of space. He took a long deep breath and pushed down on the latch, opening the metal door into the hall.
It was fancy for a space cruiser. There were paintings on the walls of abstract shapes and colors and a dark violet carpet stretching into the rec room. Axeon walked toward the alluring couch facing a screen. He reached his fingers around the monitor to find the ‘on’ button and jumped back as the newscaster was arguing with someone in an extremely high volume.
“I’m not the one calling the president a puppet!” The newscaster clarified. He wore a grey suit with a blue tie and his curly hair was carefully groomed on the top of his head. His beard was another story altogether. His guest was a young woman who passionately responded.
“Well of course you’re not, you’re on that same payroll.”
“Oh, come on.”
“The truth is Mike, that we are all slaves to the rawhack. You, me, and everyone watching right now would have their life blown up in five seconds if the systems crashed. There is a thin wire holding us all on the brink of chaos and the one who could cut it at any moment is Eliar Turner. An unelected trillionaire, who is not even a Tertian citizen, let alone an authoritative figure–”
“Casey, be realistic for one second. If our system of currency crashed, we would not suddenly revert to cavemen. It would be rebuilt, and in that time, humanity has proven that it can be civilized.”
“Oh, has it? Civilized like apartheid Memorio or Wynsberg, the murder capital of the universe?”
“You’re proving my point– civility is not reliant on a functioning market.”
“I wish that were true, Mike.”
The television conversation continued but became background noise as Runda opened her door and walked sleepily toward the rec room.
“News, huh?” She asked, with unsubtle judgement.
“It’s just what was on.” Axeon remarked, which was technically the truth.
“Well, is anything happening?” Runda chuckled and pointed to the screen where Axeon read the chyron out loud:
“Renowned Author Casey Allister: ‘Tertia is becoming an oligarchy.’”
“Becoming?” Runda pondered, seemingly offended, “that’s rich, Casey.”
The sound of another latch opening caught both of their attention again off the news. The 9 foot tall man gently ducked under the doorway and had to lean forward slightly in the hall to not hit his head on the roof. Each step he took made a clanging sound, even through the carpet. It felt like the ship was shaking too, but that was most likely just in Axeon’s mind. The giant crossed his arms and sighed.
“News, huh?”
***
Runda, Tohm and Axeon sat at the kitchen table, watching the stars fly by in the windows on each wall. In front of each of them was a small bowl of protein cereal. Axeon was plowing through his like he hadn’t eaten in weeks. Even that was better than most Zip meals. Tohm and Runda were both a bit more hesitant, but eventually consumed their bowls as well. Tohm stood up, patted his belly and returned back to his room quietly. About a minute of silence that felt far longer passed before Axeon turned to Runda with a question that had been eating at him.
“So, uh, why exactly are we going to this moon… mansion?”
Runda took a few seconds to respond after a deep breath.
“It’s the middle of nowhere, and Egg isn’t going to wander into a wealthy Duke’s property. Don’t worry, we’ll protect you with our lives.”
Axeon winced again, “So who is Egg?”
Runda laughed, “Duncan Egg is the Tertian High Commander who has been tracking you personally.”
Axeon looked over in surprise. “Oh, actually I think I’ve met him. Bushy blonde beard? Punchable face, weird chin, high cheekbones, smells like–”
“That’s the one.”
“Right, fuck that guy. What does he want with me now?”
Runda sighed, “leverage, I’d assume.”Axeon sat further into his seat. He looked around the ship. It had red and yellow wallpaper with patterns of diamonds overlapping one another. He was exhausted and could feel the weight of his eyelids closing. He hit himself and focused. Runda looked over, concerned. Then she stood up and turned on the kettle. “D’ya want a hot drink?” She asked in a somewhat sinister tone that Axeon couldn’t quite place.
“I’m okay, thanks.” He responded as Runda heated her water. Tohm looked him intently in the eyes and he turned away. “What are your nightmares about?”
Axe took a deep breath. “Uh, well, my father, I guess.”
“The Sunset King.”
“Yeah, well, he’s not the great hero you’ve probably heard about.”
“I am under no delusions. The man means nothing to me.”
“Then you’ve fallen for the illusion. Because that’s how he gets to you. Honestly, you should be afraid of him. He’ll come for you. Those you love.” Axe immediately regretted his words as Runda stood up, wiping away a tear from her cheek. Her ears were red long bombs about to go off and her forehead veins were ready to tear through her skin. “I’m sorry. I… I didn’t… I’m sorry.” Axe pleaded desperately. Runda took a deep breath and sat back down, with her head slumped into her hands.
“Just move on.”
Axe turned, a little weaker than before. “So, uh, have you been to… wherever the hell we’re going to?”
Runda stared back blankly for a few seconds and then started talking.
“No, never to Jama. I’ve been to Wynsberg, the city-province on the planet it orbits. They call it the City of Fog. I did some work there in my younger years. Many aren’t fond of the over-industrialization of Kyena. I never really had an issue with it, other than the occasional dust storm. Hardly anyone would visit the Duke’s vacation moon. We shouldn’t have to worry about Tertian cops doing some kind of check-in.”
“When I left their captivity and Morgan found me, they told me I’d be free on Memorio. That they would leave me alone.”
Tohm, who had been there sitting silently the entire time, shrugged and slyly offered,
“Yeah, well, Memorio is no paradise.”
Axe laid his head back on the couch and stared into the infinite stars through the living room window.
“I don’t deny that the folks there suck,” he explained, “but its spiritual and historic value is one humans from anywhere in the universe can hold dear. We can’t let them take that from us. Walking on the ground there, feeling the soil between your toes… it’s a deep rooted connection to our primal being. Like, alright, what’s your dad’s name?”
“Tohm.” Tohm grunted. Runda giggled and Tohm darted his eyes toward her.
“Okay, so your father Tohm, and his father Tohm, and dozens of Tohms before that came were born on that special, tiny, beautiful blue space rock.”
“My grandfather’s name was Matthew.”
“There’s no other intelligent life in the universe so that place must be special. Everything that the human species ever offered to the universe started on that rock.” Tohm moved away on the couch from Axeon. Axeon moved his head back, confused. “Did I offend you?”
Tohm stared down at his long stick-like legs. “I believe in aliens.”
“Dumbass, everyone believes in aliens. Hell, a hurdeal is my favorite animal and that thing didn’t come from Memorio. And what were we talking about the other day? Wu– Woolburns?”
“Wularn. And that isn’t what I’m talking about.” Tohm started to get angry. Axeon backed off and shook his smile. “Real aliens. Smart ones.” Tohm said, with a slimmer of shame.
Axeon giggled. “Let me get this straight. You believe that despite all modern science and the most well-produced space drones in the universe insisting it’s impossible, a lifeform as intelligent as the human race is still out there waiting to be found.”
“Universal anomalies are occurring exponentially with each passing moment. You would know better than anyone.” Tohm stood up, immediately crouching so he wouldn’t hit the ship’s ceiling. Runda had a confused look on her face but let the conversation continue. The light from a distant star shined through the window onto Tohm’s back.
“I don’t really know how it works.” Axeon admitted.
“And that’s the problem, right? It’s easier to accept something as is than to question why it might be, but we often embrace the opposite philosophy. Our history tells us that life requires certain things to exist. That all living creatures all over the universe must need water, or breathe oxygen. That’s exactly why those scientists never found anything. They make conclusions based on what their reality allows. They become ignorant to the unknown.”
Axeon snorted. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
He relaxed a little into his seat. “I’ve spent a lot more time around the galaxy than you have, kid.”
Axeon sat up straight, his fake smile fading. “So then what do you think they’re doing? How are they hiding from us?”
“Perhaps they’re being hidden from us.”
Axe stood up and pondered. “Seems you’re full of surprises, Tohm.”
The giant walked towards his room, slamming the door behind him. Axeon sat quietly, with Runda, letting the sound of the whirring ship fill the empty void. Before heading to her own quarters, she asked Axeon one question of her own.
“Back wherever you came from… Was there maybe some sort of way to see people who are gone?” It was a hail mary that she knew would only hurt more. Axeon shook his head definitively.
“To be honest, I don’t know for sure. My people have secrets buried in secrets laced with falsities and folk legend. But.. as I understand it, death is the true end. For all of us. I’m sorry.”
Runda flashed a toothless smile and nodded before wandering back down the hallway, a light on the side beginning to flicker. Axe fell asleep alone with the stars.
***
Axe dreamt he was in a dark cave, shivering, and trying to light a fire. An overpowering stomping noise echoed throughout the cave, but was coming from outside. The cave was somewhat dim towards the small opening. It was tight, and the rocks were sharp as Axeon placed his hand on the wall. The outside was the only light source, however, and as the stomping got louder, for a moment the light was blocked. The cave was pitch black and Axeon scratched harder at the wood, trying to light his fire. He closed his eyes and reopened them, not noticing a difference, until a light flickered behind him, further down the cave. Axeon noticed a large angry flame and an accompanying figure. Axe approached the shadow cautiously..
“I could use some help with my fire!” his cries echoed through the cave. The figure was dark and silent behind their blaze. The stomping was getting louder again and Axeon looked towards the light.
“No... “ the figure calmly proclaimed. Axe didn’t recognize the male voice. As he approached the shadowy man, he saw a flash of his father, Nylon Gray, the upper half of his face drenched in darkness. This must be a dream.
The stranger continued, “You don’t want to see what’s outside.” Despite some facial similarities, this person wasn’t Nylon. With a gulp of curiosity, Axe approached the other side of the man’s fire. Axe could see his curly black hair and his groomed beard. He was tall, and older but didn’t seem like the type of person to mess with.
“Is this a trick, Father? A ploy in my dreams to manipulate me?”
The man walked around the fire, around Axeon. He moved with grace and patience, but there was fury sheathed in his marches. For a beat, his footsteps matched the stomping outside.
“I only have one son.” He said lightly, repeated by the cave. “And he certainly isn’t you, Axeon Gray.” The mysterious man stood behind Axe, breathing onto the back of his head.
“So it’s some sort of mind game then? Get over yourself, father, you’re acting petty and desperate.”
“I am not Nylon Gray, boy. And I did not intend to cross your path.” Axeon felt the warmth of the everlasting fire fill the dark hole they shared. The stomping got louder and less predictable. “Though I suppose it’s nice to finally put a face to the name, Sunset Prince.” The loud banging halted for a moment, and the figure approached the opening of the cave. “I see great potential in you. Return here when you wish to reclaim your roots. I’ll be waiting.” The background turned to blank space and Axeon called out,
“Who are you?”
The fire quickly extinguished. Darkness engulfed all. One word, uttered by the strange man, echoed through his mind as Axe woke up:
Brother.