Chapter 2 - Conspiracies

Something slept in the darkness of a cavern deep in the heart of the forgotten continent. Starlight fill the cavern even though these are not that stars anyone would recognise and there is no hole in the roof for light to enter.

In the depth of slumber the subconscious affects our dreams and when a dreamer has powers like this dreams can enter the world of the living. Imagine some of your dreams…yes it could be that bad.

Across the world of Gaia the supernaturally talented are visited with shadows of the dreamer’s nightmare. They dismiss these as mere dreams, soon they will realise the terrible reality of truth.

***

Even in the warmer climes The Sea can be bad at the start of the year, the Cutty Sark wallowed in the swell of foul weather somewhere off the coast of Dagarroe. Ships that plied their trade here tend to trade information, for the great library had little else of interest to the world except the vast resource of information it possesses. As for Dagerraro all it wants from the world is more information, paper and inks to put it down on and large amounts of coffee. A ship that could make the dangerous crossing in winter would make a decent profit.

Still this didn’t help captain Kam as he stood the third watch near midnight. The driving rain had turned to sleet and the helmsman was having a terrible time keeping the ship from drifting. Although serpents were uncommon and squids were sluggish at the surface, things could still turn nasty in this weather. Navigation normally difficult would be impossible without the stars and rolling storm clouds covered the sky tonight. Both Hal and Crowley had tried to divine a path with their magic but the disturbance was too great.

He moved with care over the rain-drenched decks, waves huge and threatening broke over the bow but the sturdy ship held steady. A sudden flash of colour in the blackened sky drew his attentions, something gleaming flashed amongst the clouds vanishing even as it appeared. A terrible foreboding suddenly overcame Kam the ocean’s roar rang in his ears. Focusing his mind, imagining the cold wetness of the ocean he extinguished every candle and light on the ship. From below muffled curses and indignant shouts rang out. Crowley bust from the hold a sphere of light in his hands. Kam tackled him at chest height knocking him flat on the deck, the light faded.

"What the hell did you do that for?" the white mage demanded.

Kam sat up feeling flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry I just…"

Suddenly an undulating cry rang out very close. Crowley ran to the rail followed by Kam.

Even with his eyesight not quite accustomed to the dark he made out a vast golden shape off the port side. Shimmering wings coppery feathers gleaming pounded the air. They caught a glimpse of a long crested head swaying left to right searching the storm-wracked seas. Then it rose silently and struck out for the west.

In the Eye of the storm a colossal and alien shape floated, the massive waves were dwarfed by its immensity. An island, huge floated free from the ocean floor. The sides of the vast bulk sank into the fathomless depths like an iceberg; even the wrath of the storm barley moved it.

A figure watched the storm rage outside.

"Another ordeal we must weather and survive." He murmured softly, around him in an alien language were the reports on damage suffered to the master plan. He felt that the challenge was more than any thing he would be able to overcome. Flexing his muscles he sat up had he sat here for hours? days? Things must be set in motion; standing against a window a flash of lightening threw light over him. In black body armour Geraint stood tall, white hair and brown skin could enhanced his well-formed features, eyes milky white seemingly filled with pain and resolve scanned the room.

Organic, grown from the immense bulk of the floating island it was little more than a cell. Data was projected into the air itself and changed as he watched, reports from bellow. Geraint sighed. So much work to be done he left the room shrugging of his despair like a cloak.

Geraint made his way down to the research area the air here was moist and smell of vital fluids was everywhere.

"The Golden made it back I see." He said to the chief researcher Asoire a slender creature in bone coloured exoskeleton armour. "A success I hope?"

The chief researcher lifted an eye from the streams of data flowing under her hands.

"Yes wings able to withstand the stress of the inclement weather conditions, a 50% improvement on the previous organism."

"The silvers?" asked Geraint

"Yes! Who were already a thirty five percent increase on the operating Red specimens."

"Are we up to the nova standard yet?" Geraint passively asked he was rewarded with a certain degree of agitation from the chief researcher

"I am unsure that organism was meant for testing, without the gene types I was unable to advance on that particular form…However with these new golden possessing breath attacks and including the increase in body size and stamina not compromising speed or agility they are at least as powerful if not more than the Nova specimen." Geraint nodded the evacuation had been hurried much vital information had been lost.

"I see it did not come back with any research specimens." They turned to see Veil the insurgent standing in the alcove.

Nondescript and average build he possessed no distinguishing features, totally bland he wore it like camouflage. But there was a terrible energy about him always just kept in check. Geraint was unsure of Veil’s past perhaps an ancient relic kept from the age of war; Garland had a habit of holding onto thing long after the out lived their usefulness. Asoire was clearly terrified of him. Veil refused to donate any genetic material for research and when asked he had reacted murderously. Geraint kept him around because the thought of Veil running around out of control was frightening.

The researcher rallied "I had no such orders this was a test flight not a data reconnaissance!"

"Reconnaissance? Does the word hunt offend your sensibilities Asoire?" sneered Veil he turned to Geraint. "You honour us with your presence at last commander." He grinned before turning and walking off Asoire shuddered.

"What about the advanced guardian’s?" asked Geraint to change the subject.

"I was going to report that, the basic subjects are already prepared, but I was thinking when it comes to elemental properties perhaps complementary elements?" Asoire smiled.

"Such as…?" Geraint grinned this was interesting.

"Tonight inspired me air water and lightning." Asoire said. "Storm! They will watch over the inhabitants of Terra!"

Geraint put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"The world has yet to be tamed." he told her calmly. "The inhabitants do not know of their transition to Terra they must be made understand."

***

In the early morning light a man crossed the high plains of Alexandria the frost under his boots crunched and his breath misted

Behind him his companion stopped to nuzzle the frozen stalks a hoof scrapped of a layer of ice.

"Hmm if only I could eat the grass like you I’d have no need to spend what little funds remain to me." He smiled rubbing the side of his companion affectionately he was rewarded with an affectionate whickering. "That’s if they don’t chase me out for looking like a beggar, stay here I will return in a few days."

With that he set out for the city the Amdusias watched him go, a horse with wings like a dragon it looked like a nightmare hardly any ordinary travellers companion

Laudo had been put on gate duty again pretty much for show considering the gaping holes in the city walls.

Still he tried to stand at attention despite the freezing cold occasionally stamping his feet to warm them.

"No one around." He sighed glumly pulling out a small notepad and a badly chewed pencil from his armour. What had the idea for the last chapter been?

"Excuse me do I need permission to enter?"

"Wah!" Broken from his reverie Laudo leaped to attention "Fault! Friend or hoe?" He demanded

"Umm the first one I hope."

Laudo found himself starring at a very faded man. "I hardly stand in the second category." Grinned the man.

"Noo! I messed up my big line!" Laudo wailed.

"Sorry?"

"Just go through take your taily behind and get out of here."

The man rather bewildered thanked the knight and walked through the gate.

Laudo searched for his pencil for a few moments then something dawned on him.

"Tail! No I better tell the captain!" With that he rushed off towards the castle.

"A Tailed man?" Garnet asked a thrill ran down her back could it be him!

"That is what Laudo said my Princess but he is a rather fanciful man perhaps he imagined the whole affair."

"We will find out soon enough." Beatrix leaned against a pillar her winter uniform of furs and leather had a small coating of frost on them she must have run across the city to get here, she wasn’t even out of breath.

"Here they are!" Finding it impossible to keep the excitement out of her voice Garnet leaned over the banister to try and get a look at the man surrounded by a small knot of knights.

The spread out in front of her and bowed the man bowed before she could see his face. Her heart fell when she saw his face.

Tall and faded was probably the best description of him. His eyes and hair had seemed to have had the colour leached out of them so now they were only ghostly blue and pale grey respectively. A tail the same faded grey as his hair twitched behind him undeniably a genome he was taller than any she had meet. Beside that there was little else to tell he was so covered in clothes all grey black or white he seemed devoid of colour.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"Me name? I suppose you could call me Fade. I can only assume that I am standing in front of the illustrious Princess Garnet. Do all new comers to this city receive an audience?" he asked graciously.

"Silence." Barked Steiner "Oh princess I’m sorry." He mumbled.

"It’s alright, I apologise for this rather unorthodox treatment sir. We were under the impression that you were someone else, a man named Zidane."

"Zidane!" You know of the Zidane." The man seemed shocked.

Beatrix fascinated walked up to him "Who are you really? What are you doing here? What’s your purpose?" She asked coolly "Princess I think a private audience to see what this genome knows."

In the Spartan room that Garnet had chosen for her temporary headquarters the grey genome stood ill at ease under their scrutiny.

"We can’t just abduct someone of the streets."

"He could have come here hoping to cause some kind of mischief."

"Then why would he walk through the front gate if it were under guard?"

"Perhaps the best council here is to have a little faith and hope he’ll be honest."

She stood up and arranged her clothes "you must excuse my outburst earlier Mr Fade but the similarities are striking I can only assume that you are one of the race of Terrans know as the Genomes."

He said nothing for a moment "You seem aware of a great deal he said but I can not enhance that knowledge without information perhaps you can tell me how you crossed paths with this Zidane and how you know the identify of an extinct race?"

Garnet shared a puzzled look with her two knights Beatrix made an imperceptible nod.

She began the tale leaving out the details that had been deemed classified by them. Half way through he raised a polite hand.

Please Princess let us have no secrets between us, I recognise that you have sanitised things perhaps better brought to the open."

Both Steiner and Beatrix looked ready to teach him some manners but Garnet raised a hand.

So she began again from the start, Her meeting and adventures with Zidane her crossing paths with Kuja the Failure of Terra's master plan and the battle at the Crystal and its aftermath. She still emitted details of her past and the fate of the genomes more for safety than mistrust.

She felt drained after the story but somehow exorcised she had refused to review things until now and they had begun to weigh her down. Fade starred at them in awestruck silence.

"This explains much. Perhaps things would have run differently had this not have happened but now growth is possible."

"What are you talking about?" Steiner demanded Fade ignored him.

"I am from Terra. You are correct in that extent." He told Garnet.

"So you are a genome."

"Not a the. My existence has resulted in much of this coming to a head." Fade’s expression turned grim. "I was still am the first genome that was created."

The first? Tell me what you know." Demanded Garnet leaning foreword.

Fade bit his lower lip and nodded slightly.

"I’ll give you the basic history of my creation. After countless cycles of rebuilding the extinct forms or Terran life an individual stumbled on a life form that would prove perfect for their master plan. It proved high dexterous and adaptive even if the environment continued hostile they could adapt to new adverse conditions.

The first genomes." Breathed Garnet Fade nodded.

"The prototype was produced to be disposable after a series of massive trails and testing, it was to be discarded. Before mass production could begin. Next a test colony would be established in one of the habitat areas to see if conditioning would be necessary."

"Bran Bal." Murmured Steiner.

"I only ever saw it for a moment it was well guarded."

"You were not taken there?" Asked Beatrix.

How could I, I was to be dissected not conditioned for taking the souls of Terra. I was tainted with a few scraps of soul energy for testing this made the prototype unsuitable. It was taken to a final test area for termination.

"Monstrous." Steiner gasped

"However the proto type proved very resilient indeed and escaped its constraints, this was not considered much of a problem it couldn’t possibly survive long with the scraps they had given it in place of a soul.

"You escaped!"

"A moment there’s more. The new life form proved to be beyond expectations suitable test subjects were chosen for enhancement to be used a weapon in the master plan. An attack on one of the test stations alerted them that the prototype might be a threat it was hunted down but some how managed to escape. They tracked to area where phasing though to other existences had left the area weak and full of holes out of continuum. They lost visuals of it around there. They left it at that, without conditioning it would sicken and die no matter what world it escaped too."

You escaped to here."

"Not this world elsewhere. I died there but for me there are many types of death. They made me well my body fought back I found myself alive. Elsewhere is not like here. It is insubstantial I wandered for years my travel took me between these to worlds eventually I ended up here.

"I make no mistakes my mind was in tatters. For years I hid concealing myself, relying on instinct. My mind recovering information on who I was. Then some months ago I realised that I had nothing to be afraid of any more the crimson light had been extinguished forever. I wanted to learn what had happened to the world and to me and of the enhanced that could have devastated your world."

Garnet and the two knights looked at one another.

Your words have brought a great deal of solace to me, and responsibility my creation paved way for the creation of Kuuja and Zidane. But they went beyond their destinies for better and for worse. Is there any way I can help you?

Garnet looked at him the first genome taller and leaner than Zidane there was an unmistakable similarity. Her hand wandered to the desktop covered with paper amongst it was one of Kuja’s books she had found it impossible to figure out the Terra script.

Perhaps then you could help us do you understand this." Garnet picked up one of the journals that she had been trying to decipher.

Fade carefully picked up the book and read the page of indecipherable text. He looked mesmerised.

What is it she asked fascinated?

He smiled. "This is very good princess I had no idea that you wrote poetry."

"Poetry? These are Kuja’s journals!"

Fade looked at the book for a moment. "Aren’t you taking a risk showing it to a person from Terra? Is there not the threat of fate repeating itself princess you have faith in a man you have just met?"

I think a little faith is necessary for understanding." Garnet noticed approving smiles on the faces of Beatrix and Steiner.