"Attention students." the speakers announced. Everyone looked up at the speakers. The voice of the announcer was shaky.
"An unexpected event had taken place within school grounds. Please stay in the classrooms as the military, err, first responders arrive.
The class broke out in chatter. Altan turned to Everleigh; "What do you think's happening?"
"A toilet probably blew up." she replied.
Lindsay glanced at Everleigh. "Hey, you two want to see what's happening up close?" she asked, with her usual grin.
"No, they said stay in our classes." Altan answered.
"Come on, it'll be interesting." she begged.
"What if it's a shooter? They said the military was coming." Everleigh reasoned.
"And if it's not? We'll be the cool kids for the first time in years."
"We've never been the cool kids and we don't need to be, we don't get bullied, that's all that matters." Altan reminded.
"What a let down." Lindsay groaned, "Come on Everleigh, we don't need him."
Altan scoffed and continued doodling in his notebook. Everleigh rejected the offer and Lindsay groaned. "I'll ask Peter."
"Do it, you'll ruin our group's reputation forever but sure." Altan dared.
Lindsay stood up and approached Peter, side-by-side, Peter was a giant compared to Lindsay. "Hey, you want to go on an adventure?" asked Linsay.
Altan was ready for a deep laugh from Peter before pushing Lindsay away. But the two stood up and left. Altan looked at the teacher, she was nervously staring out the window waiting for the military. Then, a shriek, and red cover the small glass on the door.
Apocalypse Studios presents;
Fever Land; Aasimar
Everyone screamed and ran for the walls. Altan and Everleigh under their desks. Tension filled the room. Bam! The metal door flew off and crushed some kids. Everyone screamed and begged. The being, an Elve with wings hovered to one of the football players and made their eyes meet. Intimidation in the boy's eyes was clearly present and there was no denying it. Then, the player blinked.
"Just the same as always." the being whispered before snapping the boy's neck.
"Have humans evolved at all since you pushed us under?" he asked, grabbing a girl by the neck.
"Have, humans evolved?" he asked, slowly.
"No-" she stuttered.
"Mhh," he grunted, then he slammed her into a table.
The girl moaned in pain but was alive.
"Altan, Altan!" whispered Everleigh.
Altan turned away from the atrocities being done towards Everleigh.
"What?" he asked.
"Run for it." she ordered.
Altan nodded and bolted out the door. Everleigh followed. They met at a corner. Lindsay was there too, just barely breathing.
"What happened?" asked Altan.
"They got Peter." she sobbed.
"Who, those things?" asked Evereleigh.
"Aasimar." Lindsay corrected.
"Hey," greeted a rocky voice, Everleigh, Altan and Lindsay turned. There was an Aasimar standing before them. Its smile reached from one ear to the other.
"Leave us alone!" demanded Altan.
"I would love that." replied the Aasimar turning around and beginning to hover away, "But I've been under for too long, I need a meal."
It darted at the three at unholy speeds and missed Everleigh's head. He turned and looked at the three, then locked onto Lindsay.
"Can you run?" asked Everleigh, her eyes darting back and forth between Lindsay and the Aasimar.
"Yeah, I'm just panicked."
"Let's go!" yelled Altan as the Aasimar leaped again.
It flew over their heads again and freed the exit. The three ran. The Aasimar lunged again and grabbed Lindsay. She kicked around and struggled before giving up and yelling at her friends one last thing; "I love you Everleigh, always have!" Then, she screamed as the Aasimar tore her apart.
Tears strode down Everleigh's face. She wasn't lesbian, but losing Lindsay and those words being her last, it hurt. The two made it out of the school. Trucks full of soldiers were outside. The soldiers pointed their guns at them.
"Please." Everleigh begged.
"Take us home!" yelled Altan.
"Where do you two live?" yelled a soldier.
"Harp's Market, downtown." Everleigh responded.
The soldiers aimed down and motioned for them to get into one of the smaller cars. They were aided in and soon were driving.
"This isn't the way." Everleigh said, looking out the window.
The general sucked his teeth, "Well, listen here, we saw what you did through some thermal cameras, that was very brave. But uh, I have some good news and some bad news, the good is your sister escaped the wreckage. And the bad is the wreckage, and your parents died. As for you," he looked at Altan, "you don't have any siblings or?"
"No." Altan replied.
"Ah, well, that's just swell. Listen, you seem down to earth," the general took a breath, "your family died."
Altan didn't react. He looked into the man's eyes and blinked. His eyes were unfocused and dead. Bam! The car flipped. Altan somehow stood on the floor even as everything around him moved. Everleigh grabbed onto a bar. The car fell down a hill and into a small valley in the local park, "Foothill Park." the general hushed the two and stepped out of the car. Whoosh! An Aasimar flew and hovered in front of the general.
"Where are they?" it asked.
"Who?" asked the general.
"Bow." the Aasimar demanded.
"What?"
"Bow before my presence!"
The general, obviously taken aback, bowed and continued, "Well, I have no idea who you're talking about."
Altan saw a brief moment of the interaction, the Aasimar was skinless this time, its wings soaked in blood. His eyes were full of anger and death.
"I have seen the future, I can show you the future. Tell me where the two are and I'll spare your insignificant life in the name of honor."
The general chuckled nervously and said again, "Who are you talking about?"
"Last chance, the boy, Altan, and the girl, Everleigh."
"No, I don't have them."
The Aasimar landed 5 feet away from the general and reached out his arm. His long, fleshy fingers wrapped around the man's head and the Aasimar flew into the air, his speed was lightning speed. Then, just 10 feet off the ground, they disappeared. Altan and Everleigh bolted out the trunk like they did at the school. The park had been turned into a mess of death. The ground had become purple and the trees began dying. They saw the Aasimar land with the general, but he was different, like he'd seen the world end. He led the Aasimar to the car. Seeing they were missing, the Aasimar wrapped his fingers around the man's face and crushed his head. Everleigh gasped at the sight. Altan's back was turned. Then, the Aasimar looked in their direction. He lunged at the two. Altan jumped between Everleigh and the Aasimar. Everleigh braced herself for her last friend's blood to be slaughtered all over her. She waited and waited, but soon she opened her eyes. Altan was holding up some kind of matter wall against the Aasimar. Then, it slapped the shield. It grabbed Altan and flew at the same speeds he carried the general. They disappeared into thin air, again.
Altan couldn't believe his eyes. Somehow, he saved Everleigh and was still alive. But not for long, he was being carried through some kind of wormhole. He watched universes crumble and people die in horrific ways.
"Do you like what you see?" he asked.
The wormhole ended as he watched nuclear warheads being dropped onto the world. People screamed and ran.
"This is the end." he began, "You might want to deny it, but, it is. You don't live to have kids, you and Everleigh? No, you get sent out to war, and then, you die. You want to know who kills you? Everleigh's son. He shoots you with a big ol' bullet to the head and pop! There it goes. But, tell you what, you let me kill that girl, you survive, you live to have kids of your own. They love and adore you, but, Everleigh's kids, they're junkies. They all die in their early 20s. So please, just let me do you and her a favor." the Aasimar explained.
"No!" yelled Altan, kicking him and going flying into the future.
"Nice one, more death, you just created another universe, but it still doesn't help your situation."
The Aasimar hovered in front of Altan, "Please, don't make this harder than it has to be."
Altan jumped and hit the Aasimar. Bang! A nuke went off in the distance.
"You see? The future is grim! Let us end the suffering!"
The two went into the wormhole again. Altan punched him into space. They floated around. Space was weird. A hot air balloon drifted for a distant planet. But Altan couldn't take in the view, the Aasimar (Zadkiel) grabbed onto Altan's shirt and began speeding towards a planet. They slammed into the school. Debris flew around and Altan yelled.
"Now, let me deal with that,"
An artillery shell blew up on him. Zadkiel groaned and zipped at the source. Altan stood up and realized he had wings. I'm an Aasimar? He wondered. But, he saw Zadkiel zooming towards Everleigh. He flew to her and wrapped his wings around her. Altan hugged her tight, hoping it'd help brace the impact. Poof. they were back in the wormhole. Altan loosened his grip on Everleigh. She floated through the wormhole like it was water. Bright colors made up the walls. Every moment there was a new universe opening up. Then, Everleigh was grabbed by Zadkiel. He dragged her to the same place he dragged Altan. The nuked city.
"Do you see this? Your future daughter is within this mess, and she dies, just like all your other children."
Everleigh struggled. She couldn't watch.
"Alaya, she dies miserably. She thinks she can escape the bomb, but her attempts just make things worse. Like I said to your friend, the future is grim, so don't struggle like your daughter and accept our presence, just let us end the world right now, before this happens." he zoomed into the city and there was Alaya, she was covered in blisters, her body being cooked from the inside. She held onto a cross necklace Everleigh must've given her. She prayed, then she fell. Her last words being, "Mom."
Everleigh screamed, "No! No! please, "
"Yes, it will happen, but let me prevent this," he proposed.
Everleigh struggled even harder until Altan bashed against Zadkiel. They struggled. Everleigh realized the wormhole was still just barely open. She ran inside and hoped into the past. Alaya was strolling through the town when the nuclear sirens went off. She ran into the alley she would die in. Zadkiel and Altan fell into the city. People ran around them and screamed. Everleigh followed Alaya. When they met, Alay knelt down and said; "Where are your parents?"
"I'm your mom." she replied.
"What? Now's not the time for jokes!"
"No, listen, you die in this alley, I can save you."
"What?" Altan ran into the alley.
"Who the hell are you?" asked Alaya.
"Has your mom ever told you about Altan?" Everleigh thought, "Or maybe your dad is?"
"Yeah, she told me."
Zadkiel stepped into the alley along with the three.
"Well, let's fight!" he yelled.
Altan planted his feet. He stretched his arm out and summoned a portal. "Go!" he yelled.
Everleigh and Alaya ran. The portal was getting smaller and smaller. They jumped in just as it slammed. Zadkiel grinned; "A smart one eh?"
Altan watched. The nuke was beginning to fall, he rushed to it and flung it. The bomb exploded in the middle of space. Zadkiel grunted, "Like I said, all the decisions you make in alternates make new universes, you're just killing more people! Let's take this to space, what'd you say?"
Altan lunged at Zadkiel. Again, they fell into a wormhole. They fell into a new planet. Altan fell like an asteroid, Zadkiel stood up, Altan was nowhere to be found. A loud groan came from above the trees. Then, a wide orange jelly leg landed with a Thud! On some trees in front of him. The trees dissolved. Zadkiel looked up, a large orange blob was just walking around. Altan took a brief look around, nothing but endless trees surrounded him. Zadkiel raced to Altan, somehow finding him. He crabbed Altan and flew before the orange beast. He slowly began pushing him towards the jelly body of the creature. Altan shook and soon they were both close to the thing. It groaned and turned. The wormhole opened up.
Alaya and Everleigh looked around, confused. This wasn't their world. It was all purple and pebbles seemed to defy gravity.
"Where are we?" asked Alaya, confused.
Everleigh took a good look and replied; "Their planet."
Alaya shook a tentacle off her leg. She stomped it back into the ground. In the distance there was a temple, a light beam shot into the sky and probably beyond the moon.
"There has to be some answers to this attack at that temple." Everleigh suggested.
"Hey, listen, uh, mom?" Alaya asked.
"Yeah?"
"I just don't think this is the smartest decision."
"Why?"
"Because well, there's going to be guards and if they see us,"
Everleigh thought for a moment, "Well, you can stay, I don't have much going for me at home."
Everleigh began walking. Alaya stood, then gave in. She ran to Everleigh. "Hey, you know, I'm still older than you. I still have responsibility over you, so we're not going to that temple."
"I'm still going to be older than you and technically, I still am." Everleigh brushed her off.
Alaya groaned. "Look, I can't live with knowing that I could've saved my mom, so please, just come with me." she begged.
"It won't be your fault I die."
When they got to the temple Everleigh immediately found a vent. She looked towards Alaya and grinned. "Help me up." ordered Everleigh.
Alaya hesitantly boosted Everleigh up to the vent where she slid in. Alaya gripped onto Everleigh's leg and jumped up. The two tightly squirmed through the shafts. Then, when they found an exit, they went down. A tank of gas, some working tools and other stuff from a garage, but something caught Everleigh's eye. A red car, one broken windshield and a popped tire; Everleigh's car. She slid her hand against the license plate; 1Q88J, this was her garage! They had used her house as a temple! Everleigh shook; "This - this is my house, this is our planet, we shared a planet."
"Yes." confirmed a man.
A floating Aasimar went down the stairs. "You're smart, very smart. Somehow survived super-time and didn't age a day."
Alaya wrapped her hands around Everleigh's shoulders. "As for you, the timeline you're from, makes you look strong, smart, but really, hiding in an alley during a nuke?"
"Like, come on. You should've died a long, painful death, but, I'll spare you the pain and kill you quickly."
The Aasimar kicked the ground and leaped off. Then, Altan fell through a portal. The Aasimar collided with Altan and they went tumbling to the ground. Alaya grabbed the gasoline can and spilled it all over the wrestling Aasimars.
"Do you have any matches?" she asked.
"Upstairs." answered Everleigh, already running up the stairs. Alaya followed. An Aasimar hiding behind a door jumped but was splashed with gas. Everleigh ran to the kitchen and saw three Aasimars. "I'll distract them." Everleigh said.
"So?" asked Alaya, "This is trippy enough as it is."
"I'l go." Alaya said, already running in and spilling the gas everywhere.
Everleigh ran to the cabinets and flung all of them open. There, under some crafts supplies, a box of matches. She lit one and tossed it onto a gas trail. Then, she ran downstairs and tossed the match onto one of the Aasimars. Altan threw himself back and cried tears of joy as the Aasimar fell to the floor and rolled around.
"We have to go." he said, grabbing Everleigh's sleeve.
"No, Alaya's still in the house!"
Altan sighed and zoomed up the stairs. But, he was met with a flaming wall. He turned and looked at Everleigh. He shook his head and went back down. He reached for Everleigh but missed. She took off into the fire and dropped to the ground. The fires were mostly on the walls. She groaned in pain while the fires burnt her skin and clothes. But eventually, she found Alaya. She was squatting under a table. Her skin was blistered but not as badly as Everleigh's. Alaya pulled Everleigh under the table. Then, the fire was blown away, a bubble of cool air surrounded the two. Everleigh's skin healed quickly. She turned her head and saw Alaya, her hands out, holding the bubble up.
"Alaya, you're a - "
"Celestial." Alaya interrupted, "Altan's my dad."
A wormhole opened beneath them and they fell right back to The Fever Land. They stood in the middle of Harp's Market. But standing before them, the military clapped. Altan fell through super-time and stood up. The prime minister walked towards them and began; "For saving their city, their country, and maybe, the world; Altan, Everleigh, and Alaya, it would be an honor for the country for you to accept the purple heart medal."
The prime minister knelt before them, holding three medals. Altan thanked the minister and took his medal. Everleigh took hers. But Alaya noticed something; in the sky, a god, an evil, another Celestial, a pure one.
FIN
