home

search

38 - Inheritance (3rd Arc: MONAD444)

  Solaris woke at 4 AM, his mind unusually clear despite the early hour. The cabin was silent aside from the gentle rhythm of his own breathing. After a moment's consideration, he sat up and activated his integrated state.

  With a mischievous smile, he vanished—not shadow-sliding, but warping directly to Eli's room in the main house.

  The space was softly lit by moonlight, revealing Eli sleeping peacefully beneath a mountain of blankets. Her blonde hair spread across the pillow like a golden halo, her face tranquil in unconscious repose. For a moment, Solaris simply watched her, struck by the divine synchronicity of their existence.

  He approached the bed, leaning forward with intent to gently wake her—

  Eli's eyes flew open, a startled scream rising in her throat before Solaris reflexively covered her mouth with his hand. Despite their profound connection and shared experiences across dimensions, his sudden appearance, looking the way he does in Alice Mode, had genuinely startled her.

  "It's just me," he giggled softly, removing his hand when her initial surprise subsided.

  "What are you doing?" she hissed, pushing herself upright. "You nearly scared the piss out of me!"

  "I wanted to test something before training," he explained. "Come explore with me."

  Her expression shifted from irritation to curiosity. "Maron specifically said no 'alice mode nonsense.’"

  "Yeaah, buuuut," Solaris started, offering his hand with a roguish smile. "Besides, it's not training—it's just a little bit of fun."

  Eli studied him for a moment, conflicting emotions playing across her features. Despite her embodying cosmic wisdom, she shared Solaris's mischievous streak—a trait that had endured across countless lifetimes.

  "We should follow Maron's rules," she said, though her tone lacked conviction. "This is his territory."

  "Just ten minutes," Solaris promised. "I'll have us back before anyone knows we're gone."

  With a defeated sigh that couldn't quite hide her anticipation, Eli took his offered hand. "Fine, but we teleport directly. No wandering through the compound."

  Solaris pulled her close, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. "Your wish is my command."

  They vanished from the room in an instant, reality folding around them as Solaris warped them outside the compound's perimeter, materializing above the mountain where they hovered amidst wisps of cloud beneath a star-filled sky.

  "Oh," Eli gasped, momentarily disoriented by the transition. Though she could fly and translocate independently, Solaris held her in a princess carry, her arms instinctively circling his neck for stability.

  "Watch this," he said, eyes alight with childlike enthusiasm.

  Before she could respond, they were moving—warping in rapid succession through short distances across the night sky, each transition placing them in a new position relative to the mountain below. Solaris's face bore an expression of pure, uncomplicated joy as he exercised his abilities without restraint, teleporting them through cloud formations, beside mountain peaks, and across valleys in dizzying sequence.

  Eli's initial apprehension dissolved into laughter as they danced through the night air, the freedom of movement awakening something primal and joyful within both of them. This was what they were meant for—not just cosmic responsibility but the simple, transcendent pleasure of existence itself.

  Only when Solaris began to show signs of disorientation did he finally stop, hovering above a particularly magnificent vista where moonlight transformed the landscape into something ethereal and otherworldly.

  "Getting dizzy?" Eli asked, still secure in his arms.

  "A little," he admitted with a breathless laugh.

  They remained suspended in the night air, their shared laughter gradually subsiding into comfortable silence. The mountain spread beneath them, Maron's compound a barely visible collection of lights in the distance.

  "This is nice," Eli said finally, her eyes reflecting starlight. "I'm with my husband, in the clouds, and we're having fun. I wouldn't want anything else."

  Solaris didn't respond verbally. Instead, through their telepathic connection, he shared an image—a beautiful mental portrait of them suspended in the night sky, clouds parting around their forms to reveal golden light, and at the center, a shimmering tether connecting their hearts.

  Eli's expression softened at the shared vision. She shifted in his arms, repositioning herself until they were chest to chest, her legs circling his waist in midair. Their foreheads touched with their eyes closed, each noting every beautiful feature of the other through telepathic whispers.

  When their lips met, it was with the unhurried certainty of beings who had kissed across time and space, dimension and density, each connection both familiar and novel in its perfection.

  The moment shattered with painful abruptness as a high-pitched hissing sound assaulted their ears, nearly causing them to drop from the air in surprise. A green laser pointer darted across Solaris's shadow jacket from below, its origin unmistakable.

  Uh oh, they thought simultaneously, the telepathic exchange carrying equal parts dismay and resigned amusement.

  They descended slowly, the romantic atmosphere entirely dispelled by the knowledge of what awaited them. As they touched down near the compound's perimeter, Maron stood with arms crossed, the laser pointer and another small device still gripped in one hand, his expression communicating volumes without a single word.

  "You like that, fucker?" he asked conversationally once they landed, the casual profanity somehow more intimidating than shouting would have been.

  "Maron," Solaris began, deactivating his integrated state as the shadow jacket dissolved. "I can explain—"

  "Save it," the ex-Delta operator interrupted. "My mountain, my rules. I distinctly recall saying no 'alice mode nonsense' without permission."

  "Technically, you said during training," Solaris attempted, immediately regretting the words as Maron's expression darkened further.

  "Training started the moment you entered my compound," he corrected with dangerous quietness. "Every moment is training. Every action has consequences. You think you're above the rules? If you're so filled to the brim with vim and vigor and joy and whimsy, why don't you just go warp around the world and save it with that fancy black jacket of yours, Sunshine?"

  Eli stepped forward. "Don't blame Solaris. I agreed to—"

  "I talked her into it," Solaris interrupted, unwilling to let Eli share responsibility. "It was my idea. My mistake."

  Maron studied them both for a moment, professional assessment never wavering despite the pre-dawn hour. "Five extra miles during today's run. Weighted vest doubled to one hundred pounds." His gaze shifted to Eli. "And as for you—"

  "I know, I know," she said, hands raised in surrender. Even this immortal multidimensional Being yielded before Maron's authority on his mountain. "I should have known better."

  "You should have," he agreed. "But since your chum so gallantly took full responsibility, your consequence is living with the knowledge that his suffering today is partially your fault."

  With that pronouncement delivered, Maron turned and headed back toward the main house. Over his shoulder, he called, "Training begins in twenty minutes."

  Once he was out of earshot, Eli turned to Solaris with a grimace. "Sorry about that. I should have been the responsible one."

  "Worth it," Solaris replied with a tired smile. "Even with a hundred-pound vest."

  "Was it though?" Eli asked, linking her arm through his as they walked toward the cabins.

  Solaris considered this, replaying their moments above the clouds. "Absolutely," he decided with a playful wink. "Some experiences are worth any consequence."

  True to his word, Maron expanded Solaris's training regimen to account for his nocturnal excursion. The five-mile run became ten, the weighted vest doubled in heaviness, and every exercise included additional repetitions that pushed even Solaris's enhanced physiology to its absolute limits.

  "Again," Maron commanded as Solaris completed his fiftieth push-up, sweat soaking through his shirt despite the morning chill. "Ten more."

  "Ten more," Solaris echoed, focusing on controlling his breathing as he lowered his body once more. The hundred-pound vest made each repetition an exercise in determined suffering.

  By midday, every muscle in his body screamed. When they finally paused by a mountain stream, Solaris collapsed onto a flat rock, the vest feeling like it contained the weight of the mountain itself.

  "That feeling," Maron said, calmly sipping from his canteen while Solaris attempted to remember how breathing worked, "is your body adapting. Discomfort is the space between what you were and what you're becoming."

  "Philosophical torture," Solaris gasped, "is still torture."

  Maron's laugh was short but genuine. "Pain is information. Your body sending data about its current limitations. The trick is learning to process that data without being controlled by it."

  As Solaris gradually recovered, he again noticed that strange sensation at the edge of his perception—the feeling of being observed by something that existed just beyond conventional awareness. This time, the sensation seemed stronger, more focused than before.

  "There it is again," he said, sitting up straighter as he scanned their surroundings.

  Maron's posture shifted immediately, casual relaxation replaced by combat readiness. "Where?"

  Solaris pointed toward a densely wooded area approximately fifty meters east of their position. "There's... something watching us. I felt it yesterday, and again last night."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Without a word, Maron withdrew a compact device from his pocket—something resembling a sophisticated compass but with additional components and displays Solaris didn't recognize.

  "Nothing on EM or IR," the ex-Delta operator reported after studying the device for several seconds. "But that doesn't mean nothing's there." He pocketed the instrument, expression thoughtful. "Your enhanced perception might be detecting something beyond conventional parameters."

  "Should we investigate?" Solaris asked, already rising to his feet despite his exhaustion.

  Maron considered this briefly before shaking his head. "Not yet. For now, we continue training but maintain heightened awareness."

  The afternoon brought more varied exercises focused on practical application rather than pure physical exertion. Maron introduced Solaris to the compound's extensive security systems, teaching him recognition patterns for various threats and appropriate response protocols.

  "Different intruder types require different approaches," the ex-Delta operator explained as they monitored security feeds in the underground command center. "Human hostiles are straightforward. Anunnaki proxies require specialized countermeasures. Higher dimensional threats need completely different protocols."

  Solaris absorbed the information with focused attention, recognizing its vital importance despite his lingering physical exhaustion. Throughout these lessons, the sensation of being watched remained, fluctuating in intensity but never entirely disappearing.

  As evening approached, they returned to the surface to find Eli waiting on the main house porch. She had changed from her morning attire into something that immediately caught Solaris's attention—a pink varsity jacket with white sleeves, a striped white-pink collar, white buttons, and two white stripes around the bottom. Most notably, the number 14 appeared prominently on the back and over the jacket's heart.

  "Like it?" she asked, turning in a small circle to display the garment fully. "I figured if you had your shadow jacket, I should have something similar."

  "It's perfect," Solaris replied, genuinely appreciating both the aesthetic and the symmetry with his own manifestation. "How’d you make it?"

  "Just like you did, sorta."

  Maron studied the jacket with professional assessment. "Functional or purely decorative?"

  "Both," Eli answered with a smile. "Enhanced protection, temperature regulation, and it looks cute."

  Maron acknowledged with what might have been approval. "Good. Function and form should not be mutually exclusive."

  As they entered the main house, Eleanor greeted them from her position near the fireplace, where she appeared to be reviewing data on a tablet while simultaneously knitting something complex. "Productive day?"

  "Adequate progress," Maron replied, heading toward the kitchen area. "Solaris's noticed something observing us from the eastern perimeter again. Not registering on conventional surveillance."

  Eleanor's hands stilled, her expression sharpening with immediate interest. "When?"

  "Multiple instances over the past twenty-four hours," Solaris supplied. "Most recently during our midday break by the mountain stream."

  The elderly woman set aside both her knitting and tablet, rising with that surprising fluidity that belied her eighty-one years. "Show me exactly where on the compound map."

  Maron retrieved a detailed topographical representation of the mountain and surrounding areas, spreading it across the dining table. Solaris indicated the locations where he had experienced the watching sensation most strongly.

  "Interesting," Eleanor murmured, studying the pattern. "These positions form a perfect pentagon around the compound. They’re not random observation points, they’re deliberate."

  "A ritual?" Eli suggested, examining the map alongside her.

  "Possibly," Eleanor agreed.

  Maron's expression darkened. "Invasion preparation."

  "Too exposed," Eleanor countered, tapping specific locations on the map. "These positions would be disadvantageous for mounting an attack. No, this is something else—purposeful, but not immediately hostile."

  "We should investigate directly," Solaris proposed. "I can sense whatever it is. If I get close enough, I might be able to identify it."

  Maron and Eleanor exchanged a look that contained volumes of unspoken communication. Finally, Maron nodded. "Tomorrow morning. Full security protocols engaged. No unnecessary risks."

  The discussion continued through dinner, speculating about possible explanations while developing investigation strategies. Throughout the evening, Solaris noticed the sensation gradually intensifying, as if whatever watched them had somehow sensed their awareness and was responding accordingly.

  Later, as Solaris prepared for sleep in his cabin, the perception of being observed became almost tangible—no longer at the periphery of awareness but directly focused on his location. He sat on the edge of his bed, closing his eyes to concentrate more fully on the sensation.

  It didn't feel threatening, precisely. More... curious. Evaluating. As if whatever watched him was attempting to reconcile observations with expectations. The energy signature felt completely unfamiliar—not Anunnaki, not human, not anything he had encountered before or could categorize from integrated memories. The most similar energy would be… someone from Tara.

  A soft knock at his door interrupted his concentration. Eli entered without waiting for a response, dressed in comfortable sleep clothes, her expression concerned.

  "You feel it too," she observed, settling beside him on the bed.

  "It's stronger now," Solaris confirmed. "Almost like it wants to be noticed."

  "Or it's responding to our awareness," Eli suggested. "Many interdimensional beings become more perceptible when consciously observed. It creates a feedback loop—the more you perceive them, the more substantiated they become."

  Solaris considered this, finding the explanation aligned with his experience. "It doesn't feel hostile."

  Eli agreed. "Curious, perhaps. Like a scientist studying an interesting specimen."

  "Greaaat," Solaris said with a tired laugh.

  Eli smiled, leaning against him companionably. "Sleep. Whatever it is, we'll face it together tomorrow."

  Despite his exhaustion, sleep proved elusive. The sensation of being observed remained constant throughout the night, occasionally intensifying when his attention focused on it directly. By dawn, he had managed only intermittent rest, his mind continuously processing the strange energy signature that seemed increasingly intent on making itself known.

  Morning arrived with unusual stillness—no birds calling, no wind rustling through the pines, as if the mountain itself were holding its breath in anticipation. Maron appeared at Solaris's door precisely at 5 AM, already fully equipped for their investigation.

  "Time to meet our observer," the ex-Delta operator announced, handing Solaris a compact tactical vest containing various equipment. "Eleanor and Eli are already prepping the security grid. We move in fifteen minutes."

  The investigation team assembled at the compound's eastern perimeter—Solaris with his enhanced perception leading, Maron equipped with an impressive array of specialized detection equipment, Eleanor carrying what appeared to be a simple walking stick but likely contained capabilities beyond its mundane appearance, and Eli whose natural abilities provided protection beyond conventional defense.

  "Security grid is active," Maron confirmed after checking a handheld device. "Any hostile action within compound parameters will trigger immediate countermeasures."

  "Let's proceed," Eleanor directed, her tone suggesting this was far from her first tactical operation.

  They moved through the forest with practiced caution, Solaris extending his perception to maximum range, attempting to pinpoint the exact location of the strange energy signature. The sensation grew stronger as they advanced, becoming more defined without revealing its specific nature.

  "There," Solaris indicated finally, pointing toward a small clearing approximately thirty meters ahead. "Whatever it is, it's centered there."

  The clearing appeared entirely ordinary—a patch of winter-dormant grass surrounded by pine trees, morning sunlight filtering through branches to create dappled patterns across the forest floor. Nothing visibly unusual occupied the space, yet the sensation of being observed emanated strongly from its center.

  "I don't see anything," Maron stated, checking his detection equipment. "No heat signature, no electromagnetic disturbance, no conventional presence."

  "It's there," Solaris insisted, activating his integrated state to enhance his perception further. "Just... not exactly visible."

  He advanced toward the clearing, hands relaxed at his sides in non-threatening posture. As he approached the center, the air seemed to shimmer slightly, like heat rising from sun-warmed asphalt. The sensation of being observed intensified dramatically.

  "I know you're there," Solaris stated calmly, addressing the empty space directly. "You've been watching us. I can sense you."

  For several moments, nothing changed. Then, gradually, the air in the clearing began to distort—not randomly but in patterns suggesting a deliberate manifestation. Colors shifted through spectrums beyond conventional sight, eventually coalescing into a defined form.

  A being appeared before them, its manifestation gradual yet precise. Gray-skinned with a slender, humanoid form, it stood approximately six feet tall with proportions that seemed simultaneously familiar and alien. Most striking were its eyes—large, almond-shaped orbs containing opalescent irises that shifted colors with each slight movement.

  The being appeared startled by its own visibility, looking down at its now-perceptible form with evident surprise. When it spoke, the words seemed to form directly in their minds rather than through conventional sound.

  You perceive me, it communicated, focusing those extraordinary eyes on Solaris. Fascinating. Few can see beyond the veil without assistance.

  Maron had moved into a protective position, weapons drawn but not yet aimed directly at the entity. "Identify yourself," he commanded, voice revealing nothing of his internal assessment.

  The being turned toward him. I am Un'Claye of the Watching Ones. I mean no harm.

  "The Watching Ones?" Eleanor repeated, her walking stick subtly positioned for immediate use if necessary. "I'm unfamiliar with this designation."

  We observe, Un'Claye explained, gestures accompanying the telepathic communication. We witness cycles. We maintain records of patterns that repeat.

  "You've been watching us," Solaris stated. "Why?"

  The being's attention returned to him, opalescent eyes studying him with undisguised fascination. I was sent to find the Sun God. To deliver a message about inheritance.

  Solaris felt unexpected tension flowing through him at the title. "If you mean me, then you've got the wrong person. I'm not a 'Sun God.'"

  Yet you wear the number thirteen, Un'Claye observed, indicating his shadow jacket. You shine with light even through darkness. You are what the Old Records name 'Solaris.'

  "Okay then what message?" Eli asked, moving to stand beside Solaris. "And what inheritance?"

  Un'Claye's opalescent eyes shifted to her, recognition evident in its expression. The Light Bearer. Eternal Companion to the Sun. Its attention returned to Solaris. I bring knowledge of New Tara and your inheritance from below.

  "New Tara?" Solaris repeated, the name resonating through his integrated consciousness. "There is no 'New Tara.' Tara was destroyed. Earth was created in its aftermath."

  Not destroyed, Un'Claye corrected. Fragmented. Scattered. Some used for Earth during formation, carrying patterns of the original world.

  Eleanor walked closer, her analytical interest overcoming cautious distance. "Are you suggesting there are physical fragments of Tara within Earth's structure?"

  More than fragments, Un'Claye confirmed. Entire regions preserved in pockets beneath the crust. What was once called the Crystal City. Access point triggered by the Precession.

  Maron's professional skepticism remained evident in his posture. "Convenient timing."

  Synchronicity, Un'Claye corrected. We are all one. The inheritance awaits its rightful claimant.

  "I'm not claiming anything," Solaris stated firmly. "I don't know you or your 'Watching Ones.' I don't accept titles or inheritances from unknown sources before I check it out myself."

  Un'Claye's expression shifted to something resembling desperation. You need not accept immediately. Simply... see. Witness what awaits. Then decide.

  The group exchanged glances, silent communication flowing between them.

  "This could be valuable intelligence," Eleanor observed quietly.

  "Or an elaborate trap," Maron countered.

  Eli studied Un'Claye with penetrating attention. "Their energy signature feels genuine," she reported. "They’re not deceiving us, as far as I can tell."

  Solaris considered his options. Finally, he addressed Un'Claye directly. "Okay, show us this 'New Tara.' But we go as a group, fully prepared, with security protocols engaged."

  Relief evident in its opalescent eyes, Un'Claye bowed slightly. As you wish, Sun God.

  "And stop calling me that," Solaris added.

  As you wish... Un'Claye hesitated, then finished with visible uncertainty, ...Solaris?

  "Thanks," he acknowledged. "When should we leave?"

  When the moon reaches zenith tonight, Un'Claye replied. The dimensional boundary thins at that time, allowing easier passage.

  Maron's expression remained professionally skeptical. "We'll be ready," he stated, the simple assertion carrying unmistakable warning.

  As they returned to the compound to prepare for the unexpected expedition, Solaris found himself questioning the wisdom of his decision. The journey ahead represented a significant unknown—potentially valuable insight into Tara's fate or possibly an elaborate deception designed to separate the Sovereigns during their critical gathering phase.

  Yet something about Un'Claye's desperate sincerity resonated with him. Whatever awaited beneath Earth's surface, it seemed connected to his cosmic identity in ways he couldn't yet fully comprehend. The inheritance from below might prove crucial to the Convergence they sought to manifest.

  With the sun climbing higher in the morning sky, they entered Maron's compound to begin preparations for the night's journey—equipment checks, security protocols, contingency planning. Whatever awaited beneath the surface, they would face it together, prepared for either revelation or deception.

Recommended Popular Novels