The Hermes shook with the impact, rattling like they just got blasted. It jounced side to side, Inari desperately trying to keep the ship aloft. Several of the Artucian started panicking, wanting off the ship immediately, but they were calmed quickly by Korsa. Another shot hit them, frightening everyone further, before Alex demanded to know what was happening.
"We're getting hit by something, but I don't know what!" Inari screamed in response. "I'm picking up zero contacts across the surface and nothing in the system, aside from the Perseus!"
"Are you saying we're being attacked by nothing?!?" Alex growled.
"Seems like it, sir! I have no idea where these attacks are coming from!"
"If I may, Commodore?" Stanley said, his image quickly materializing on the holocomms.
"Anything you know would be helpful Stan!" Alex shouted as another blast rocked the Hermes.
"There is a single life sign below. Scans indicate that it is bipedal and possibly Artucian in origin. It's holding something that appears to be responsible for the attacks on the Hermes," the VI explained.
"Inari?"
"Scanning!" the Iranian woman huffed as she focused on flying. "There is a life sign below as Stanley has said, but I'm not picking up any energy signatures! Whatever it's using is something we can't pick up!"
"Take us down, Commander!" Alex ordered.
"Sir?!?"
"Bring us down and power down the engines. Whatever this threat is, we will have to deal with it on foot. Staying up here, getting shot at by God only knows what, we'll be dead for sure. Get us on the ground and we may have a fighting chance!" he explained hurriedly.
Nodding, Inari dove, taking them to the Landing Zone next to the Columbus. Her sudden change of flightpath must have tricked their assailant, because the Hermes only suffered a few glancing hits. They set down and the Sentries, the crew, the Chiefs and the honor guard readied themselves, cocking their weapons.
They landed with a gentle thump, the rear loading ramp opening almost instantly. Nearly as quickly, the honor guard, Sentries and crew of the Perseus were out like a flood. Keeping their weapons held at the ready, they all fanned out, searching for the life form that had taken shots at the Hermes.
"Sir, over here!" Kasumi called out. Everyone turned their focus to the human woman and moved quickly to her location. What they found mystified and stumped them beyond all belief. Standing there, calm and cool as ice, was an elderly Artucian male, who looked like a hermit.
His face was cracked and wrinkled, like he'd been out in the snows for too long and he had no facial hair. He was dressed in a collection of old rags and blankets, as though he'd salvaged these items from the surrounding ships. His hands were spidery and gnarled and they clutched a staff that was adorned with doodads and trinkets of various make.
The man looked very much alive and if anyone was doubting that he was, his flickering and shifting eyes said otherwise. The eerie glow of his yellowish green eyes gave several people chills and the Artucian present looked uneasy at seeing him there. It was almost like they feared this man but could not understand or fathom why.
The old man walked towards them, using his staff as a walking stick, closing the distance to the group. Even with their weapons leveled at him, he walked as though he was the one in charge and not them. His gait was slow, but strong, as though he possessed a strength that went beyond his age. Considering the deep impressions in the snow, it seemed a logical explanation.
"The Ghost of the Ages!" one of the honor guard exclaimed. Every Artucian then shuffled back, away from the approaching man, as though he was death itself. Alex was flummoxed as to why and disregarded their caution, stepping forward.
"Who are you and why did you attack our craft?" he asked, the translator spitting out his response in Artucian as well. The old man turned to regard him and after a quick look, smiled. He then started jabbering at Alex, almost like he was trying to explain something, Alex didn't know what the hell he was saying. The old man continued talking, until he saw the puzzled look on the Commodore's face.
His excited look quickly turned to one of rage and almost immediately, he swung his staff at Alex. Though the old man was nowhere near enough to hit him, bolts of energy flew out of his staff and surged towards the big man. Alex dove and dodged around these blasts, barely getting out of their way.
These direct assaults on Alex triggered the Sentries and other crew members to open fire on the old man. Before anyone could level their weapons, the old man drove his staff into the ground, causing more of this grey energy to burst outwards. It ensnared everyone present, Sentries and Alex included. The old man laughed at their struggles to free themselves, as they all strained to break the hold this energy had on them.
The old man continued to talk, but now in a berating manner, speaking as though he was mocking them all. No one knew why he was doing this, but he continued on with his rant, moving about the immobilized people. He scoffed at the Sentries, dismissing them, but yammered at his fellow Artucian, almost like they should understand him.
He then came to the crew of the Perseus, his eyes roving over each one of them. He took a particular interest in Natalya and Shazza, but also making his interest in Korsa and Kasumi known. Alex could feel a powerful rage rising within him but was powerless to do anything with it. The old man caressed Nats' face and Alex just lost it, his rage ascending to another level entirely.
He strained and struggled against the bonds of energy, trying to free himself. It was then that he noted a small spark of purple light dance out of his hand. Before he thought about it, the energy holding him dissipated, vanishing into thin air! Not knowing how it had happened, but not caring, he roared as he charged the old man.
The elderly Artucian turned and his face lit up with surprise at Alex being freed. His surprise turned to a smug supremacy and he waved his hand once more, entrapping Alex. Only this time, the bonds held the big Croat back for all of four seconds, before they too fell away. Alex continued his charge as the old man executed a series of complex gestures, drawing on more power than he had from before.
The energy coalesced into a large ball of energy and he turned it loose. The energy sought the Commodore out, like a seeker missile, slamming into him. Though it should have trapped Alex in a more permanent fashion, it hit him and fell apart almost instantly. Shock and awe now dominated the old man's face, as he could see luminescent, violet energy setting Alex aglow.
He tried another sequence of gestures but ran out of time as Alex closed the distance, decking the brittle man across the jaw. The blow was powerful enough to where it sent the old man flying away from Alex, knocking his staff out of his hands. Purple blood stained the snow in a long trail from where Alex hit him, to where the old man landed. He looked up, somewhat dazed, but wearing a creepy smile as he stood.
Others nearby from where Alex was held, started to come out of their bonds as well. First Shazza, then Korsa and Natalya and Kasumi soon afterwards. The old man cackled wildly, as though he had lost his mind. Maybe he had, as Alex's hits were not lovetaps, but hard enough to knock the unprepared, out cold.
It was then that the old man reached out and like it had a mind of its own, his staff flew into his hands. He started chanting in that weird language he was speaking, his voice quickly rising to a crescendo. Before anyone could react to him, the old man drove his staff into the ground. A burst of grey light flooded the Dead Snows, before his staff ruptured and fell apart, clattering to the ground in pieces.
As quickly as it had arrived, the light cleared, the surrounding area returning to normal daylight. Alex and the crew women with him watched as the old man aged even more rapidly that was thought possible. He was literally turning into dust before their very eyes, crumbling into nothing. Before he was completely gone, he raised one of his hands to wave at everyone, his laugh carrying on the wind.
He soon vanished, having left behind no evidence that he was even there, save for his broken staff and a pile of empty clothes. The moment the old man was no more, the energy that held everyone in place, disappeared. With that, everyone stood up and looked around, to make sure that the old man was truly gone.
Alex turned around, to check on his crew and after seeing them relatively unharmed, he looked down at his hands. His face a mask of confusion, he turned them over several times, as though looking for something. He finally found what he was looking for, a small spark of violet light, dancing across his palm, before it faded. Before he could say or do anything, his world spun and his mind went black.
******************************
Alexander floated along in the same black void that he often would see when he dreamt. There was no real need to do anything or go anywhere, but he felt something pulling him. It was almost as though something was calling to him, but he didn't know what. For the first time since he dreamt it all those weeks ago, he saw the light that led to that place again.
Sensing that this was where he was supposed to go, Alex headed right to it, allowing himself to be led. The light washed over him and he saw the land once more. The floating spires with their waterfalls, the mist shrouded ground, the mountains in the distance, everything. He felt the tug even more this time, drawing him towards the city that lie just ahead.
He put all his focus on the city, willing himself to go there. He couldn't explain how or why, but it just... felt like it was the right thing to do. Alex felt and saw himself fly towards the golden city, coming close to where it stood. He drew nearer and saw that it was perched right on the edge of the waterfall. It almost appeared that it would fall over and into the river below, but it stayed firm, never wavering.
As he drew closer, Alex could see a series of walkways and platforms that stood right by the city. While it was attached to it, they were separate from it, sticking out over the open air, almost like a tongue. He landed on one of the circular platforms, touching down softly, like a feather. Seeing the path before him, he moved along the walkway, headed for the large gate-like structure, that led into the city.
As he proceeded along the path, Alex noticed a series of figures, occupying seven small daises by the gate. They stood in front of the stone and crystalline archway, like gatekeepers. All seven of them wore elaborate armor, each one tailor made for them alone. From what Alex could tell, all of these people were women, judging from the feminine cast of their figures and how the armor was constructed.
It didn't take him long to reach this meeting place and each woman turned to regard him. Each woman that stood before him was different, in height, stature and facial features. One looked like a barbarian warrior, with long red hair and a battle hardened look about her. Another was a beautiful East Indian woman, with the air of an arbiter. The third was a black woman, who was curvier than the rest and piercing green eyes.
Three of the others wore elaborate masks, hiding their features from sight. The seventh and final woman, wore her black hair short, with dusky skin, brown eyes and held a staff in her right hand. Her armor was more ornate and exotic than the rest and the aura of command that radiated off her, pointed to her being the leader of this group. She looked down on Alex as though expecting him and at the same time, surprised to see him there.
"Well, it took you long enough, didn't it?" she asked, trying not to sound exasperated.
