January 16, 2112
Night-Shade
By complete accident, Night-Shade found herself floating in the white nothingness of someone else's dream. It wasn't her fault. Along with being able to walk outside her body, she could walk among other's dreams. But it was all new to her, and she had little control or understanding of how to use her dreamwalking power. Last time she dreamwalked, Night-Shade touched the forehead of someone sleeping while already out of her body. It only works when that person is sleeping, and even then, it fails sometimes. In fact, she had more success dreamwalking when done by accident. Just as some people sleepwalk, she finds herself accidentally dreamwalking into another person's dream without having any intention of doing so. She always was a klutz.
It had only been a few days since the aces of Project Aurum were sent on mission. The Broker came through with his promise. After Day-Bringer made a deal to exchange someone for information, The Broker gave Kalvin and Day-Bringer a series of coordinates to use in the hunt for this unforeseen, unknown threat to the ARW. Now on a mission, they traveled on a star cruiser, and this was the first night aboard.
A shallow female voice whispered into the wind.
Night-Shade turned her heard in the direction of the voice, but there was nothing. Every direction was white space in which she floated. She couldn't make out any words as the voice whispered once more. A rush of happiness flooded her body and mixed in with her intrigue. It wasn't her feelings that she felt, however. It came from whomever was actually the one dreaming. Sharing dreams with someone else came with this side effect, feeling what they felt.
Night-Shade always found wonder in the experience. It happened so little, but she loved being someone else from time to time. Walking in their shoes, seeing through their eyes, experiencing what they experience; all of it was thrilling. It's the feeling she has inside of her in the dreams she shares, the people who pay a visit in those dreams, the ventures she takes, the places she goes, the things she tastes; even if they're not real, she still feels every bit of it. Like quenching a thirst she never knew she had.
A dream, so magical, so unbelievable, so perfect.
"Drayvan," the same shallow female voice from before whispered into the wind.
On the words of the wind, she now knew whose dream she was in. It had to be Drayvan Pryde's dream. It could be no other.
"Drayvan Pryde. That's a good name, my cohinla." This time, the voice in the distance was male.
Then Night-Shade could see. But not much was there. Two silhouettes of black shapes held a baby maelkii in their arms together. The baby, it shared a similar skin tonality to Drayvan and was the only thing visible with any makeable details. Everything else, setting especially, was blurred and not in focus. Night-Shade could make out what seemed to be a nursery of some kind, but it was not clear. It was like trying to look through a smoke-filled room.
"She will be the pride of our house," the same male voice boomed.
But there was a silhouette, one farther away from the rest, that began to grow into shape. And even covered in black, Night-Shade was able to make out the cruel sting of jealousy; tight lips, sour gaze, crossed arms. Its eyes were focused on just one thing - Drayvan.
This was no fictional creation. No, Night-Shade was certain this dream was replaying real memories from Drayvan's past.
The dream shifted. The setting swirled like a tornado around her and started to sprout into somewhere new. When her vision had time to adjust to the rapid change, she noticed an open field of obsidian rock. Outside in the rather barren area, there was a maelkii, and it was beating down on another, younger maelkii. Repeatedly, the older male child hit the female with a rock until she was on her knees, looking into the ground. Bruised and blood-stained, Night-Shade could feel her own empathy radiate for the poor girl. It was overtaken as a sudden pulse of anger and pain surged in her body. But it was not her emotions. She could feel what Drayvan was feeling during the dream, and she understood the girl getting beat on was Drayvan. The very same rage grew and grew as Night-Shade watched a younger Drayvan get beat to the ground.
"How come Mom and Dad only dote over you? What makes you so damn special, you cocky brat?!" The male hit Drayvan again with the rock.
"Stop!" Drayvan yelled, and the rock hit her back once more. "I said stop hitting me!" Drayvan grabbed the arm of the male maelkii and squeezed. He let go of the rock and fell to his knee in pain. Drayvan did not relent, and Night-Shade watched as she snapped his arm!
The moment switched away just as it happened, leaving Night-Shade relieved she didn't have to see it all through. The swilling dark clouds of the dream opened away to Drayvan standing over ten hurt maelkii warriors. Each hunched, and in pain in the mud as rain poured over their shamed faces. Drayvan did not share that look, she had a glow of pride over her work. And Night-Shade felt that feeling through Drayvan. So much of it, and so strong was the fire fueled by Drayvan's pride. How can someone be so sure of themselves, so unrelenting in their belief in their abilities?
The crowd of maelkii gave Drayvan a warrior's shout of honor. Their cheers roared. Their stomping feet shook the ground, the surfaced ice pillars, and the structures built around and into them. The village was at the base of a volcano, with a small stream of molten rock pouring down a side. Among the setting, someone came forth; another maelkii, older and wearing decorated armor. "I'm proud of you, Drayvan. In our history, you will be the youngest ever to take charge of our house."
Drayvan bowed. "I accept, Father."
The members of the crowd cheered once more. But it was all interrupted as a starship came zooming above. Night-Shade recognized the Order of Aegis symbol over the hull.
Pieces of the scene then started to fall away into detail-less empty space until the setting was gone completely. Night-Shade was soon taken elsewhere. Another place put itself together like a magic puzzle. Inside a hut of some kind, Night-Shade watched as Kalvin Keefe entered. He was wearing a breathing mask due to the harsh air of Maelkiin and escorted by some maelkii warriors. Drayvan waited for him, with her father at her side.
Kalvin stopped in front of Drayvan. "My name is Kalvin Keefe, director of the Order of Aegis. Am I in the presence of the one called Drayvan Pryde?"
Drayvan stood tall. "Do not speak to me as if we're friends. And I ask that you do not waste my time either, for my time is valuable because it belongs to me."
Kalvin's eyebrow raised to her words. And he didn't hesitate to jump to the point. "I hear you are quite powerful. Join me and fight for the ARW, and you shall bring more honor to your house than any maelkii before you. That is my proposition to you."
Drayvan looked to her father for advice. He nodded. "You'll be a shimmering ray of hope to your allies… to those lucky enough to fight alongside you."
Those words of encouragement echoed over and over, becoming quieter each time. They were a trigger that sparked the dream to change once more. Everything began to fade away to nothing. No, not everything. Kalvin remained, and the image of him grew shadowy, even as the scene drowned out and Night-Shade was left with almost nothing again. Until it all formed back again, every detail formed around the image of Kalvin. And Night-Shade recognized the new setting as one of the training facilities of Project Ace; a wide open rectangular room with a viewing glass on one side and a few double doors throughout.
Drayvan stood by Kalvin. "The Bruising Brothers asked me for a challenge. I say you give it to them," Kalvin said and began to walk to a double door behind them. "I want to see for myself just how strong you are."
Drayvan didn't look away and waited until both Geariic and Alabon came through the doors at the other end. Drayvan walked forward, unarmed and without armor, until she was just a meter from the Bruising Brothers. Both the twin brothers marched in confidence, both with their signature weapons, and both baring their metallic skin courtesy of their ace ability.
There was a look of disgust in the eye of Geariic, and he spat at his side. "Kalvin didn't mention we'd be fighting another honor-high maelkii of some snobby house," he growled.
Drayvan moved forward until she was eye-to-eye with Geariic. "Do not mistake me for a lesser house. You stand before Drayvan Pryde of the glorious Escanorinn House. Honor has never held a higher meaning than when uttered in the same sentence as the name of my house, for our honor is greater than any other because we embody it through our own prowess."
Geariic smirked. "I don't care what your pigshivf house believes in. You're all the same to me - hypocrites. What honor is there in deserting your own kin? Tell me, Drayvan! Tell me what honor came from leaving Alabon and myself on the streets to fend for ourselves?" Alabon nodded in agreement with his brother's words.
"Your hunger for my sympathy bores me, and your demeanor is that of a pouty child. A shame, really; you two are as unlucky as you are foolish, seeing as you've come before me, only to forfeit what's left of your pitiful reputation." Drayvan flexed her shoulders, and the tattoos on her back began to glow.
Alabon left loose a laugh. "Can you believe the mouth on this girl? Who is she to talk to us like that?"
Taken aback for a moment at Drayvan's unabashed words, Geariic questioned, "Wait a second. You're not a maelkii, are you? You're an ace, just like us."
"I am a maelkii - in blood and spirit. But--" Drayvan put one finger high in the air, "--I am also the one who stands at the pinnacle of all that live in this galaxy."
Geariic laughed at her. "Pretty bold of you to claim you're at the pinnacle of this galaxy. You are, without a doubt, the cockiest person I've ever met. Tell you what, let's put what you say to the test. I've got a game in mind."
Alabon clapped his hands. "Oh, boy! I love games!"
Geariic continued. "We each take turns hitting each other. Last one standing in this spot wins. What do you say? I'll even give you the first punch."
"I accept your terms." At that moment, Drayvan brought her fist straight down into the jaw of Geariic, with lightning speed. Night-Shade almost missed it, and she almost missed the ink of Drayvan's tattoos run back up her arm and back to its original location. Geariic was sent right out of his laughter and to his knees.
"Brother!" Alabon was shocked but did not leave his place.
"What's the matter? Can't find your shattered ego down there on the ground?" Drayvan taunted. Her eyes met Alabon, as if to gloat. And he stared back, unable to shake away the shock on his face.
One strike! That's all it took to send Geariic down to the ground! Night-Shade was beside herself in amazement.
"Don't pat yourself on the back just yet. My brother is far from done. I promise you it is not over," Alabon said.
Geariic growled, rubbing at his jaw. After collecting himself, he stood back up to face Drayvan. The sourness of his mood shifted, and he became spirited. "You're strong, I'll give you that. However, Alabon and I rank above all other aces in the ARW, so it'll take a lot more than that to beat me."
"I'm aware of that, of course. And I'm grateful, otherwise this game wouldn't be as exciting for me."
"You make it sound as if you intentionally held back," Alabon added. "You really are arrogant. But you'll soon be put in your place."
Geariic grabbed his warhammer from his back. "Let's assume for a moment that what you're saying is true. I'll still make you regret ever playing this game with us. Your mistake was not finishing me off with that first blow." Geariic lifted his warhammer over his head, and the back of the hammer's head gave way to an engine. Suddenly, fire erupted from the back of the warhammer, but Geariic held it at bay over his head. All that force was building up for one massive attack. "This next attack is quite impractical in an actual fight. Even for someone of my strength, this amount of energy is tough to hold at bay, making it too hard to land on a moving target. But you have to stand still and take my strongest attack, or you lose."
Drayvan stood still and did not flinch as dust and wind kicked up around them; all due to Geariic's warhammer. Alabon energized his two war-glaives with electricity, and both prepared to strike Drayvan from both sides.
They made the move! Sparks flew, the warhammer exploded, dust and smoke blasted all around the room - all making it impossible to see what had happened. Night-Shade waited as the dust cleared, and when she saw the scene, she did not believe her eyes.
"You're kidding, right? That was the absolute best the both of you could do?" Drayvan sighed. "And here I had my hopes up." She had both arms up, guarding against both strikes. Standing there with no visible damage at all in spite of the fact that both Geariic's and Alabon's weapons had made contact. Her tattoos had moved from their original position and covered her arms and seemed to act as some kind of protection for the areas that Drayvan was struck.
Geariic and Alabon's eyes were wide. "Impossible! Y-you stopped… you stopped both our attacks! How?" Geariic stumbled on his words.
"Brother. We need to flee this fight!" Alabon pleaded, dropping his war-glaives.
"Never! I will not lose to this arrogant fraker!" Geariic pulled back his warhammer and smashed the head into the ground. He pointed to Drayvan. "Come on! Let's keep this up till the end."
"If that's your wish. I believe it's my turn, right?" Drayvan cracked her knuckles and looked directly at Geariic. Her eyes were dark and intimidating. Night-Shade found herself trembling just being close to her presence. Drayvan then readied herself for another go and made it clear she intended to hit Geariic. Only this time, she didn't look like she was going to hold anything back.
Geariic let it all get to him, and he bolted out the door, bashing it open as he left. He was gone without a second thought. Drayvan then looked to Alabon, who was stuck staring at the dust kicked up from his fleeing brother. Drayvan sighed. "What a shame. I was prepared to show him a glimpse of my true strength. Though I can't really blame the guy for running away, since he was up against me."
"Brother." Alabon's voice was soft and trembling.
She continued. "Now, then. This game has gone and got me in a good mood. As a special favor, Alabon, I will allow you to back out now. Make your decision while I'm still feeling charitable."
Alabon left without saying a word, dragging his feet away in defeat and shame. Drayvan and Night-Shade watched him go. All the while, Night-Shade could feel her body getting hotter under the burring sun that was Drayvan's immense pride.
As the time went on, the setting began to slowly decay until she was left in that same white empty space as when it all started. Then something else began to bloom. Just like the scene, the pride she had in her was gone.
After some time, the distinct image of Alabon walking away in shame came into view. He kept walking, endlessly, in the white space, and Night-Shade was forced to float behind him. Never getting closer or further. Endlessly watching him drag his feet in shame. He was not alone. Night-Shade shared that same shame; rather, the feeling came over her like a dark cloud. That moment, she realized it was not her who felt it. It was Drayvan's emotions that she was experiencing.
There was a voice in the air. "You'll be a shimmering ray of hope to your allies." It was Drayvan's father's words.
As Drayvan watched Alabon, she was contrite and full of guilt. Drayvan had let her own pride get the best of her. Instead of being a beacon of hope for her ally, she was an instrument of intimidation and only forced him away. That was the origin of the shame and regret.