Beta Earth: Between Worlds 2.0 Edition (11 page)

Survival

An all-white, familiar place engulfs Vin. “I must be falling … I can feel it. The wind.” Vin rubs his face. “And the weightlessness … which means I’m only halfway between worlds.” Vin hears metallic steps. He looks around, but all he can see is white.

“Impressive. Usually when one loses consciousness—it doesn’t matter what world they’re in—they remain in that state.” Someone says with a hollow, metallic-sounding voice.

“Who’s there?” Vin asks.

“I am known as Kamon.” The voice says. Vin turns in the direction of the voice. Directly behind him is an incomplete image of a robot in the shape of a man. Vin jumps back in surprise. Kamon looks at his robotic hands.

“Interesting. Even in this realm I appear as this.”

“What are you?” Vin asks. Kamon continues to examine his hands. He flexes his joints slowly. He moves each finger individually. His synthetic eyes cycle between neon green and
neon blue
. Kamon eventually returns his attention to Vin. “My story is relative to your situation but too long to condense. I am here to save you. Well … from one fate.”

“I’m falling.” Vin says.

“Correct, but the only place I can bring you is not very safe.” Kamon replies. Vin rubs his arms. He’s getting very cold.

“Why would you help me?”

“I need you, toooo.” Kamon’s voice distorts and recovers. “Meet with Gaidon one more time.” Vin exhales and can see his breath. “Gaidon … why?” Kamon extends his metallic hand.

“Because I need to see Gaidon and I cannot contact him as I can with you. I need better proximity. I will send the location. I will be waiting ffforrorrror youuuuuuuuu—” Kamon’s image and the white world around him start to fluctuate. Vertical lines blur into falling motion. Vin slams through a roof and lands in a large, dusty room. He holds his side in pain and curls up in a ball. In the lower level of the building, members of the cult called Final Bloodline hear the ruckus in the upper level.

“What do you think it was, sister? Sector police?” One of the cult members asks. A hooded female stands up. She is riddled with tattoos and piercings on her face.

“I didn’t hear a helicopter. Let’s go check it out, brother,” she says as she picks up a large automatic rifle. The rest of the red-and-black-uniformed Final Bloodline members are packing serious weaponry as well. They head up the stairs to check out the ruckus.

“It could be space debris. We have been getting a lot more of that lately.” One of the members notes.

“Either way we gotta check it out. Telno is very close to finding our savior and the U.F. will do anything to stop us from finding him.” Another member says. One member, who struggles to lug a big gun up the stairs, blurts out.

“Telno … to think ... that man didn’t even want to join us and now to have such a position—”

All the other members stop and look at him as if to say. “Watch it!”In the attic, Vin finally recovers from his pain. As he steadies himself, he hears a few footsteps and pauses. Looking around, he sees an emblem painted everywhere. Written in red paint along the walls are the words:

Our savior will return soon. The Avatar is nigh. No more Redemption.

And the biggest one reads:

Soon will come the White Horse humanities TRYLE.

“Where the hell am I?” Vin asks.

Investigation

Location: City District 11—Aton Art Gallery.

Lana Mizrahi enters the destroyed art gallery. Dead bodies still litter the ground. Sector police have the area blocked off. An investigation unit is currently meticulously documenting the scene.

One of the sector police officers, Wiggs approaches Lana. “Redemption Riot Control Unit Member Mizrahi?” he says. Lana holds out her identification. “Call me Lana,” she says. Wiggs scans it briefly and nods.

“Good, we have been waiting for you. Normally this would have been just a matter for the sector police to investigate.” Wiggs pulls out a small display monitor hooked up to a data case. The monitor shows a quad screen on one half and the other half of the screen shows a P.O.V. view of the art gallery.“However, after reviewing this footage. We were told to contact your department.” Wiggs explains.

Lana watches the recording showing a meeting between the Syndicate and Faux Forsaken members. Wiggs points to the screen. “You are witnessing what we believe to be an alliance meeting between two different gangs.” Lana continues to watch.

“This hardly seems like something I should be called in for,” she says.

“Yes. I know, but just bear with me a few more moments.” Wiggs replies.

Lana continues to watch the meeting and bears witness to Clave’s attack. Her eyes widen at his ability and ruthlessness. The quad screen cuts out and all that is left is the POV. It seems as if the POV camera is being secretly handled by one of the members in the room.

“Who is that guy?” Lana asks as she points at Clave.

“We think he is a bounty hunter of some sort. Who possibly goes by the alias of Clave. Other than that we don’t know if he has any affiliation and his face doesn’t match any of our records. This is all the info we managed to get.” Wiggs hits a few buttons on the display screen and it enhances the sound:

“Wait … noooo
 
… please … we are the inside … please … Clave … i know—” Clave then slashes the member down with his sword.

Lana touches the screen and pauses the recording. She rewinds it to show Clave’s face.
He’s a monster.
Lana thinks as she stares at his face.

“Clave, huh? So … the Syndicate and Faux Forsaken try for an alliance. And someone calls in a hit on all of them.” Lana rewinds the display quickly back to the beginning. She pauses it and scans the image. She has already deduced the situation.

“It looks like one of the Faux Forsaken members betrayed them and lost his life to the assassin he hired.” Wiggs is impressed with Lana. He smiles as he watches her analyze the footage.

“You are sharp,” he says.

“I wouldn’t mind working for someone like you.” Lana brushes over the obvious job scouting remark.

“Thanks. However, this can’t be all. The General wouldn’t have sent me out unless it was something more important.” Wiggs nods and starts to fast-forward the display. The dead traitor’s P.O.V. camera shows a battle between Clave and Vin.

“Watch closely.” Wiggs says. Lana stares at the screen in amazement as Vin shifts around the room. She also notes Clave's ability to adapt to Vin's movements. Lana freezes the screen on Vin.

“Who is he?” Lana says with a shocked expression on her face.

“We were hoping you could tell us.” Wiggs replies. Lana rewinds the fight and watches it again.
Is this what that lady Akari meant? Is this the elite? They are unbelievable! How can people like this actually exist?
Wiggs watches Lana as she is locked in intense thought.

“Are you … okay?” he asks. Lana nods.

“Yeah … I need to take this to the General.” Wiggs folds up the display. “We were expecting as much,” he says as he hands the display to Lana.

“This is the only copy, right?” she asks.

“Yes and we will have all official documents transferred to you guys at Redemption.” Lana turns to exit the room. “Good. Thanks for your help.”

“Uh, wait.” Wiggs says. Lana stops and turns around. Wiggs reaches in his vest and pulls out some documents.

“I know this is a bit inappropriate but I was hoping I could join Redemption. I know you don’t know me well enough to recommend me but if you could put me in the pile for review. I’d be grateful.” Lana holds the documents and looks at Wiggs. She lets out a sigh and smiles slightly.

“I’ll see what I can do. No promises though.” She replies.

“I understand. Thank you!” Wiggs replies excitedly. Lana turns to leave.

Survival Pt. 2

A large metal door opens and a female Final Bloodline member enters the attic first. Five other members follow her. All armed with projectile automatic weapons. Vin stays completely still and silent in the middle of the room. The female member walks up to Vin who looks tattered and tired.

“Well, what do we have here?”

“A spy?” A member asks. The rest of the cult members surround Vin from the front.

“He’s injured.” A member remarks. Vin remains quiet as they approach him. The female cult member approaches Vin to get a better look at his face.

“My, he is a handsome one,” she says. One of the cult members looks at her.

“Sister!” he exclaims. The female member ignores him and walks closer to Vin.

“You should tell us who you are … if you value your life.”Vin breathes in slowly.

“My name is Vin,” he says as he looks around the room.

“How is it that you people know of the Avatar?” The members are shocked by his reply.

“A spy! How else could he know?” one of them says. Another cult member points his gun at Vin. The female cult member places her hand on the gun and lowers it.

“I am Kara Freeland. Sister of Ivan Freeland. Do you know where you are?” Vin shakes his head.

“No … I just … fell.”

“Then I must ask you. How do you know of the Avatar?” Kara says. Vin stumbles from his dizziness and sits on the ground to rest. Everyone remains on guard.

“Well, I visited his world, so to speak. I know there are many candidates and only one will be chosen.” All the Final Bloodline members lower their weapons.

“He knows and has been to his world?” Kara steps back shaking her head in disbelief.

“You … Who are you? How do you know so much?” Vin looks at Kara.

“I am a protector of the sprawls. And a—a man named Mizrahi told me all I know.” Some of the members drop their guns and gaze at Vin in amazement.

“I … I can’t believe it. He’s been dead for ages, but his—” Kara composes herself. “We are members of Final Bloodline. We are supporters of the Avatar and await his return.” Vin looks at the cult members and examines the design on their robes.

“Supporters? Why?”

“Well, it has been prophesied that God would come to bring Armageddon to this world. It was proven by the arrival of the four horsemen—Anubis, Setmet, Deis, and Tryle. We have not forgotten like the others.” Kara rests on her gun. “But because of the U.F.’s intervention that prophesied event was stopped. However, our leaders discovered that not all the traces of the horsemen vanished. The white horse Tryle remained in the blood of a few and we members of the Final Bloodline watch over them.”

“You all want to die?” Vin asks.

“He will destroy the sinners and rapture the remaining into another world and then with his chosen few. He will storm Paradise and create a new land.” Kara explains.

“So the members of Final Bloodline are the chosen few to start this new world?” Vin asks.

“We believe so.” Kara says. The rest of the cult members nod in agreement. “Even if we aren’t the chosen somehow. We still believe this is an event that must happen. My brother, he saved me from the streets and this idea gives me hope … gives all of us hope.”

The desperate cling to anything … I know this well. So who am I to judge them?
Vin thinks. “Well, some of it does fit with what I saw.” Vin says as he stands and heads toward the door. The cult members pick up their weapons.

“Sorry, you might be an innocent in all this but we have more questions. And, well, we can’t let you go. Because you know the location of this place.” Kara says.

“Then I must thank you.” Vin says.

“For what?” Kara asks.

“For giving me a moment to rest.” Vin replies. He shadow-shifts to the other side of the metal door and closes them in. The cult members are stunned by the action.

“What was that? How did he do that?” one of the members asks.

Kara runs for the door and finds it locked. “Damn!” She reaches for her com. “Ivan! We have an intruder! Try to take him alive. He has information.” Kara announces.

“Understood.” Ivan Freeland calmly replies through his com.

Zero to Hero

On the other side of the door, Vin holds his stomach. He wipes sweat from his forehead. Then, with little warning, he throws up. “I’ve overextended its usage.” Vin says while wiping his mouth. After a moment rest, he heads down a long hallway. The red carpeting is emblazoned with the Final Bloodline emblem every few feet or so. On the left and right there are rooms back to back. The setup is like a hotel.

Vin searches a few of the rooms for a window to escape out of. The rooms only have tiny medieval slits instead of full windows. Vin heads down a flight of stairs and runs along another hallway. This hallway is more advanced but still carrying a medieval feel.

Two Final Bloodline guards in full red and black robes appear. They wield their cult-issued carbon staffs as they approach Vin. The staffs are impressive, jet black with gold lacing and small grooves that pulsate slightly with a green glow. The two guards lightly crack the staffs on the ground.

This makes them flash dimly with light. The ground cracks and then dents at the points of contact. Vin realizes quickly that these staffs are dangerous and one hit could be fatal. One of the guards holds up his com and prepares to speak.

Vin charges and the guard doesn’t get a chance to report. “Defend, brother!” the guard yells. The two guards attack Vin. He dodges them and gets close enough to grab on to one guard’s robe. He holds on tightly. “Remember!” Vin says to himself. While struggling with them, he flashes back to his training with Abel.
Remember, Vin, the mind and body are separate. Both have to be trained to properly utilize the other. Even when you think you’re fatigued, that may not be the result of a poorly trained body, but a poorly trained mind. The body is much more resilient than we think. Work on pushing and finding your true boundaries.

Vin moves the guard and uses him as a shield against the other guard’s attack. The guard strikes the other man in the back, instantly knocking him unconscious. Vin throws his body down and grabs his staff. He twirls the staff skillfully and poses for combat.

The remaining guard attacks Vin, who parries the staff blow. Before Vin can counterattack, the guard charges, smashing him up against a wall. The guard isn’t particularly strong but Vin is very fatigued. He struggles to push him back.

A voice comes from one of the locked rooms. “Hey, is anyone out there?” the voice says. Vin continues to struggle with the guard.“Hey, if you survive, can you release me?” the voice asks. Vin finally manages to push the guard back and disarm him. “Please.” the voice says in a begging tone.

Vin hits the guard in the head with the staff. The blow causes him to drop to the ground motionless. Vin turns around and rests on the door for a moment before trying to open it. “Don’t bother. It’s locked. You’re gonna have to smash it with something. It’s only wood with metal hinges. Almost anything should do.” The voice says.

Vin lets out a sigh. He winds up the staff. He poses and then strikes the door, making only a small hole. The person looks through the small hole. He sees Vin and two guards knocked out next to him. “Oh, hey, those guards! Just grab one of their hands and put it on the side panel next to the door.” The voice says.

Vin, still tired from his fight, picks up a guard and places his hand on the panel. The door opens. “These are low-security holding cells. Thanks by the way.” Vin takes a good look at the stranger. He’s about sixteen, fit, a little bit scruffy and he carries himself almost like a prince. He doesn’t look like he’s been starved and he is carrying a small bag with him.

“Who are you?” Vin asks.

“Oh, people on the streets call me Zero G,” he says. Vin is unimpressed.

“What do people ... off the streets call you?”

“Zero G is fine.” he replies.

“Thanks, um …”

Vin realizes he is still holding the guard and drops him. Then he picks up the staff that isn’t stuck in the door and starts to walk down the hall. “I’m Vin. You should get out of here now.” Vin says. Zero G follows after Vin.

“Well, since we are both escaping. Let’s stick together.” Zero G says.

“Can you fight?” Vin asks as he keeps an eye out for more guards.

“A little, but my specialty is a little game called Blitzball. Ever heard of it?” Zero G asks.

“No.” Vin says abruptly.

“Yeah. I didn’t figure you would’ve. It’s still too underground. But it’s a great game. It involves two teams and we use these shoes that let us fly. The creator of the game stole the technology from the U.F. That’s why the game is still underground. But it’s gaining momentum fast, and—”

“Listen.” Vin pinches his nose and closes his eyes. He thinks of all the things he wants to say in his tired and irritated state but instead he calmly replies, “This is not the time.”

“Gotcha.” Zero G replies with a smile. Vin and Zero G run down the hallways until they reach what looks like the main stairway down. Vin stops when he sees the backs of two guards
.
I gotta take them out fast. I’m too tired to survive a prolonged fight
. He dashes behind them swiftly and takes them out in a flash. Zero G watches Vin’s skillful stealth takedown.

“Nice! I gotta remember that. I like the way you—”

“Let’s go.” Vin says. The irritation is clear in his voice. He and Zero G run down to the main courtyard. There they are greeted by fifteen Final Bloodline guards and Ivan Freeland. Ivan is wearing the traditional cult robes. However, his are laced with gold.

“This is far enough. You two, kindly come with me.” Ivan says in a deep calm voice. Vin whispers to Zero G.

“I hope you’re good at improvising.”

“As a matter of fact, that’s what Blitzball and sky riding is all about.” Zero G whispers back. Vin looks Zero G and whispers.

“Don’t half-ass it. These guys are dangerous,” he says.

“Don’t worry, I full-ass it every time,” he says out loud as he stands up and prepares himself. A look of confusion crosses Vin's face as he watches Zero G take his time and stretch. Zero G then takes off toward the guards at full speed and throws his bag high in the air. The guards swing their staffs at Zero G. He skillfully dodges all of their attacks by sliding, jumping, and dodging out of the way. His overall confidence and execution is impresses everyone in the room, including Vin.

Zero G runs out behind the guards, catches his bag and briefly looks back. He tosses a small salute. “Thanks for the help!” Zero G says. He then throws his bag through a stained glass window and leaps out after it. Seven of the guards follow after him.

“Well, that was unexpected.” Vin says.