Following

Wayward Galaxy
Ongoing 2793 Words

Chapter 1

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A young woman sits atop a balcony with her feet dangling over the edge. She leans backwards as she stares at the unnatural, starless night sky. The golden light of the sun peeks over the horizon. It rises above a chain of snow-capped mountains that surrounds the landscape, the only world she has ever known. She winces her eyes and lets them adjust as the golden color sun shines through, removing the darkness. She leans forward, spotting a glistening city in the distance, but a bright light from underneath shimmers in her eyes. Peering down towards a pink lake hundreds of meters below, illuminating as a mirror as she can see her reflection. A face full of boredom, as she looks at the split of her eye and hair color. Her short hair splits down the middle. The right is darkness, while her left is bright white, yet her eyes tell another tale. Her right-eye is light consuming darkness, while her left-eye is darkness consuming light.

She stands up as her muscular physique and tanned skin gleam in the sunlight as she takes a deep breath, giving a powerful shout that shakes the balcony. "Someday!"

She takes a moment to hear an echo in the silence before she retires to her room. "Once again, no change." The room is dark and cold as lights flicker to turn on as a room of despair appears before her. Mad writings etched from top to bottom, leaving no one space open. The words are random and jagged, but similar in meaning as they deal with time. Words such as tomorrow, another day, soon, later, maybe today, again tomorrow, just repeating in unique phrases, some writings seem bloody.

She enters the mad room feeling the coldness of the floor travel through her body. Walking barefoot, she can feel the etching beneath her feet. She pushes her finger through the metal wall, etching a tally besides the word "yet again."

There are dozens of tallies even more so overlapping one another as she feels defeated looking at it. Part of the metal wall beside the door becomes liquid as motherly voice speaks from a mechanical arm holding a red eye.

Good morning, my lady. Did you rest well?

"Good morning Void, I slept fine, as always. Anything happen?"

Nothing occurred during your slumber. We remain adrift for the unsaid time yet again.

"Yeah, the sun was on time again. What about my work today? Will I be able to connect to section 10?"

It seems so, my lady. You are a step away. You may find those answers you seek. Please take caution.

"I gave up on answers cause they'll always have 10 more afterwards, also when will you stop calling me 'Lady'? Just call me Abby. Being called a lady all the time is exhausting."

Understood, but it's my purpose is to serve and protect you, so as your humble servant, I can't bring myself to call you by your name.

"Suit yourself. You raised me. Prepare my work clothes for me."

Before her, the metallic floor becomes liquid growing into a pedestal. A pair of clean pressed clothes placed atop with a pair of boots. She changes her clothes and leaves the boots. Under protests by Void, Abby prefers to walk barefoot. Abby wants to feel the cold floor, as it's one of the few sensations she can feel. As she leaves her room, two enormous figures, each one 9ft in height, one gold and the other silver, turn to face her and kneel. The golden knight who shines as bright as the sun and a silver knight whose armor is as sleek as the night sky.

"Morning, Dawn and Dusk. How are my knights doing today?"

"..." They don't respond as they look towards Abby. Just emptiness within these hollow suits of armor. After their greetings, the two knights stand and turn towards a dark corridor. The side of the dark corridor opens allowing golden light to brighten the metal hall. As Abby walks down the hallway, Dawn walks in front as Dusk walks behind her.

Midway through the hallway, they're 3 empty rooms. Abby glances at each one as she walks past, each one decorated differently with many items. The rooms labeled 'friends, family, and kids.' Abby just has a look of defeat as she reaches the end of the hallway. She always looks back, hoping someone would pop out, but it never happens. She whispers to herself "someday". Dusk places his hand on Abby's back as she gives a tired smile and nods.

As they walk deeper into her home. She turns her attention towards the two glistening knights as they walk in perfect sync, even as she changes her pacing to mess them up, but is still in perfect sync. "Would I still be here without you two?" She examines the golden knight before her.

Golden knight Dawn is an imposing figure, standing at a towering 9ft tall. An intricately crafted body, each plate of gold polished to a mirror-like shine. The helmet shaped to resemble more of a crown of a king, yet cracked in dozens of places. Was it due to damage or age? The helmet has a number 01 etched on its forehead of its breaking crown.

In his left hand, he holds a mysterious dark flame that burns cold to the touch even causes cracking in his left hand. The flame seems to be alive, pulsing and flickering in tune with his movements, but it doesn't affect Dawn, rather he grown accustom to it. Abby has touched the flame, but it does no harm. Void has tested it, but nothing gives an answer. The hilt of a sword hangs from his waist, but the blade is missing, leaving only a space. More questions Abby wishes to answer, but questions she gave up on.

Dawn's movements are smooth and graceful, despite his massive size. Abby silent protector. He may not speak, but his actions speak louder than words. He's fiercely loyal and protective of Abby, and will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Dawn places his large hand on Abby's head and messes her hair a bit. Abby smiles a bit at his antics.

Dusk moves quickly to fix her messy hair and even without words or a face, Abby can tell Dusk scolded Dawn for messing her hair.

Dusk is a sleek and elegant figure, standing at a towering 9ft tall. His body is precision. His body is walking a silver polished mirror with exotic cloth around his shoulders and neck. Dusk's helmet seems like a jail with bars sealing something in or keeping something out. The helmet has the number 02 etched on its forehead.

He carries a staff, much taller than himself, coiled with a blue metal and adorned with white jewels on top and bottom that have blue lights dancing within them. The staff glows with a soft silver light, as if it had a life of its own.

His movements are quick and graceful, and he carries himself with a sense of calm and wisdom. A silent protector of Abby alongside his brother Dawn, but takes responsibility as a kind brother through his actions. He's fiercely loyal and protective of Abby, and will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Why they are loyal is a question she stopped asking a long time ago.

Abby doesn't seem to mind as she finds a small amount of comfort in these actions, but it disappears quickly as it came as she reaches the end of her home, a dead end. "Well, time to head to section 10. Maybe something will happen?" Abby no longer hides her exhaustion and boredom.

Dusk takes a few steps forward as electricity emits from his staff. Abby's hair to rise because of the electricity. Dusk slams his staff onto the floor as an electrified liquid seeps from the jewel beneath his staff. Dawn grabs Abby and places her behind him. The liquid floats upwards, collecting into an orb as lightning bolts strike around him. Dusk slams his staff once again, condensing the orb, then implodes it.

The rampart energy stabilizes and expands into a blue, glowing portal. A floating puddle, as Abby calls it. Abby can see storms colliding within, but Dawn walks into the puddle and disappears through the storms. A few moments later, Dawn's arm appears with his hand open towards her.

Void appears beside her.

Be safe, my lady. I shall be with you once it's online. I will have snacks on standby.

Abby nods and takes Dawn's hand as she enters the puddle and appears in a dimly lit room. The room is a scene of chaos and destruction. Dawn is scanning the environment for any threats, but Abby looks at this mystery bored and exhausted.

Dusk passed through the puddle, joining Abby in this destroyed room. "Welcome." Dusk nods and stands behind Abby as the puddle loses its charge and disappears into the air. Dawn nods, showing there are no threats to Abby. She closes her eyes and focuses her mind as her hair brightens the dimly lit room, then her opens eyes becoming darkness and light, then they return to normal.

Abby can hear something calling her. She walks deeper into the broken room with purpose as her steps echo throughout the room as her knights walk behind her. Abby walks to the end of the room in front of an enormous pile of debris. Abby grabs a large concrete debris three times her size and tosses it with ease, as her Knights aid in clearing rubble. She spots a static screen on the wall. Abby's vision narrows onto the screen as it becomes clearer.

She stands before the screen while the knights stand guard. The world around Abby seems to fade out as the screen extends towards Abby. The screen types something out to her.

Mother of before and daughter of now, will you learn?

"Yes."

Do you accept pain?

"I will."

Beginning connection to the Silver Star

The screen shows solid colors of gold, silver, white, green, brown, blue, orange, red, gray, and black. The colors combine into two colors, matching Abby's eyes. Light emits from the screen and flow towards Abby. Abby takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. The colors pierce her chest flowing throughout her body as never felt pain grips her body.

The number 1 appears on the screen, followed by 2, and the pain increases with each number. Increasing the pain by the multitude of the numbers. When the number 10 appears, Abby has a small hope. It would end reaching 10, but the number 00 appears, crackling the screen. Abby strikes the wall, creating craters with her strength as heat burns her chest, moving towards the center.

Abby endures this painful feeling of bones breaking and organs tear till the screen splits in half and shuts off. She falls backward, but Dusk catches her and places her on the floor.

Abby's body has gone numb as she feels nothing, just dull soreness throughout her body. Exhausted, Abby has the last laugh. "A simple yes would've worked."

Dawn extends his right hand over Abby's body and emits a pleasant heat to ease some of Abby's pain. "Thanks, Dawn." Dawn Nods in agreement but tilts his head in confusion, then Dusk tilts his head in confusion.

"What's wrong? Dusk, lift my head. I can't see."

Dusk gently lifts Abby's head as steam rises from the beautiful onyx crystal on Abby's chest. Dawn pokes it, making a sound or crystal hitting metal, "Ow, that hurt?!" Abby reacts in pain, making Dawn and Dusk react in fear and panic.

The floor underneath Abby becomes liquid as a bed forms underneath her and lifts her off the cold ground. Two mechanical arms appear beside Abby, placing a warm blanket over her and a fluffy pillow underneath her head. Another arm appears, holding a tray of warm food and cold drinks. The destroyed room takes shape as it repairs itself around Abby.

My lady, congratulations on connecting to section 10. Everything is running on 100% power. Section 2-9 is now operating on full power without an issue and wide scale repair operations have begun. So please rest, you earned it. No more working on sections, my lady.

"That's good to hear. So, before we celebrate, what's this thing on my chest!?"

Void's robotic red eyes turn to see Abby's chest. It takes a moment before Void responds. My Lady, what happened?!

Many mechanical eyes appear, doing scans of every inch of Abby's body.

My Lady, tell me what happened!? Are you in pain?! Who did this!?

"Myself, probably. So what is it?"

Forgive me my lady, I can't get a proper reading on the thing, even at 100% power it... eludes me. We need to more serious tests.

The crystal turns to a purple color as Abby becomes anxious hearing Void need for tests. It confused both Abby and Void why it can change color. Void then pinches Abby, making the crystal turn red as it enrages Abby.

It seems to show emotions, how unique. Oh, this place you call home is called the Silver Star.

"How do you know that?"

With the connection of section 10, new information is flooding my mind. My lady, do you want to see something amazing?

"Sure, I can't really move, anyway."

A screen appears beside Abby's bedside, showing a bright silver orb in a large chamber. Such a sight amazes Abby.

My lady, it seems your core is a star of unknown origins and material! The mathematical equations and the technology to allow a star to be harvested in such a matter are quite... complex.

Abby turns with a smile, hearing the word. 'Complex,' "Complex? That's a rare thing for you to say, anyway Let's return to my room to have a party. Completing a lifelong goal means a party."

Dusk picks her up as Abby's smile fades as sadness consumes her. "Void, How long have I've been here?"

Dusk and Dawn don't move hearing Abby's question. Void doesn't respond. "Please, Void, I know I ordered you not to tell me, but I need to know now that my life has no purpose anymore."

3,223 years, your birthday is tomorrow.

Abby buries her face in Dusk chest to hide her tears. "Why I'm I here? 3000 years of coldness. Metal and lies are the only thing I know. Why am I so alone?"

They made no sound as Abby's cries echo through her home. Mechanical arms appear from the ceiling, morphing into a woman, wiping away Abby's tears. It lifts Abby's head to look at her. "Void?"

My dear Abby, Since I found you, as a crying infant. I've never left your side. You have grown into a strength no one can copy. I'm just a machine created from numbers and parts, but know I love you and I will never stop loving you. We have gone through so much together and we'll continue to grow stronger no matter how much time passes or what comes our way, because we'll always be together.

Void embraces Abby, stopping the tears and sadness. Void lets go and returns to the metal walls. Abby wipes her tears as she smiles at Void's red eye. "Thank-", the world shakes. It surprised everyone, as nothing has ever shaken before.

My lady, please hold on to something! The core seems to have started an auto program and I can't stop it. I recommend holding onto something.

"What do you mean!?" her home experiences a powerful tremor, causing Dusk to stumble backwards. Dawn catches them as they stumble, as they regain footing. Dusk places Abby on Dawn's arms as she grips tight as the shaking becomes more violent, causing walls, floors, and ceiling to crack under pressure. Void tries its best to maintain room integrity, repairing any damage, but it becomes too violent as each second passes. Void struggles to keep up, giving up on the room and focuses on the floor underneath Abby. Dusk slams his staff onto the ground, creating an electrical field around the three of them. Dusk's barrier turns falling debris into puffs of smoke as Dawn kneels, using his body as an extra measure of protection to protect Abby. Dawn lifts his dark burning hand and slams it into the ground as ice secures the breaking floor around Dusk's electrical field. Abby closes her eyes, as it seems like the end of days. The crystal in her chest glows silver as her eyes shine bright with color.

My lady, I apologize.

Everything disappears in a flash of light as Abby and her home blink out of existence.

 

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