In the Heart of the Empire

Across the realm, skirmishes broke out with Silence garrisons and outposts. Bases were raided. Airships pulverized weapon reserves. Violence spread swiftly. The Silence had to respond. Within hours, troops were mobilized and launched across the map of the continent to deal with this surge of rebellious offense.

Sayane had no way of knowing what was happening. She was removed from all of it, climbing with only Echo for company. Sweaty hands clung to ladder rungs. It was serendipitous. Echo was the first being she had faced when arriving in this surreal world, and now he was likely the last friendly face she would see. Life truly was strange.

As she climbed through the elevated shaft, her thoughts were with Azag. He and Esca were near, engaged in diversion attacks with The Silence’s undercannons that guarded the belly of the main city plate. Sayane prayed he was safe, and wished there had been more time. Their deepening connection had only just begun to flourish.

Alarms sounded overheard, causing Echo and Sayane to flinch. A digital voice called out over a speaker system.

“All defensive personnel to Sectors Three and Five.”

“Nice one, Azag,” Echo whispered as they reached their exit platform.

“You’re sure you want to go out during daytime and not wait for dark?” Echo asked.

A distant explosion shook the walls.

“Yes! A lot of famous idols would walk among fans and crowds unnoticed because they’d go out in the middle of the day with just a hoodie and a hat! If you go late at night, there are less people, so you stand out more!” Sayane said.

“I knew what most of those words meant, so sounds good!” Echo replied as he typed several characters into a security terminal.

The door opened and they rushed into the bombardment and into the capital of The Silence.

Citizens were running but no one was overtly panicking. Azag and The Revolution were very direct in their orders to harm no civilians. Thus, as Sayane raced into the massive plate’s surface, she saw explosions in the distant sky, but nothing near them.

“Thank you, Azag,” she said.

Colossal towers jutted upwards to the heavens. Each of them were connected by city block sized brackets, which held homes and other structures. Every time a layer went higher, the opulence of the decor and architecture became more dramatic. At the very top of the towers, Sayane saw entire buildings made of gold and precious stones.

“The upper decks of the highest points. Where the rulers of the empire live. The rest of us were beneath them. In class and physical location.”

Sayane watched dirt water spew from pipes that ran from the higher rings. Looking around the surface beside her, she could see waste and filth collecting in the corners of the streets.

“All this violence and oppression, and their own people were still left without?” she asked as they rushed across the town square.

“We were told to be grateful to even have this much. That life in the under rings, with the barbarians, would be infinitely worse,” Echo said as he pointed at a massive propaganda poster with foreign lettering and the image of snarling beasts reaching up from the darkness below a golden plate.

Color up above caught Sayane’s eye. The sky was more colorful now. What was previously muted and grey now showed hints of vibrance. The hexagonal barrier glyphs were so faint they were only visible at the peak of their pulses. A smile appeared on Sayane’s face when she understood it was proof that The Silence was weakening.

“This way. The old stories were that the Shard was in the very center beam.”

Echo led Sayane to another mechanical door. Everything in this place felt so manufactured and inorganic. There was artistry and decoration, but it was metal and made, not natural and formed. There was a flatness to the air.

As soon as they had entered the corridor, a new stench greeted Sayane’s nose. All across the dingy space were hundreds of bodies in tattered clothes. Makeshift tents hung from rusted scaffolding. They were in a slum. For all of the terror that The Silence said awaited in The Underworld, Sayane had never seen homeless down there. Yet here, The Silence let its own people rot.

Strained coughs rattled out from several beings that were hunched over. Sayane stopped. Their suffering was palpable, and she could not simply leave them this way. She set a voice carrier down at the feet of an elderly insectoid. Echo stopped and started to speak but stopped. Sayane knew she didn’t have much time, so she simply started to hum.

The response was instant. Digital lights hummed and sparked then broke. Several beings looked up in shock.

“Ooooooh oh ohhhhh ooohhhhhh. Ooooooh oh ohhhhh ooohhhhhh.”

Her voice drifted down the hall. Numerous beings reached out in wonder. A gentle current of faint yellow light rippled out along the floor. Whenever it touched one of the vulnerable bodies, they let out a sigh of comfort. Seconds later, the coughing had stopped.

“By the sounds. A songstress. In my life,” cried the elderly being.

Sayane winked at him as she rose. Echo knelt beside the being.

“Friend, you must gather who you can and flee this place. The Revolution is here, and they have promised a new world for those who wish for it.”

Nervous jeers and hisses sounded through the hall. Echo continued.

“I was once an imperial but The Revolution gave me a second chance. They will do the same for any who wish it. Forsake this empire and leave this place! Go to the western portal of Sector Two. Save as many as you can. And take that with you!” Echo said as he pointed to the voice carrier.

Sayane took his hand and they were once again running.

Deeper and deeper into the city they went. Each opening showed an ongoing battle in the sky.

“Azag, please be okay,” Sayane pleaded as they reached a gargantuan vaulted tunnel entrance.

“This was for logistics. They used to send goods from the surface up this path. It will lead us to the main column.”

Sayane knew Echo was right. A distant screeching sound scratched at her ears. Dissonance was near. Powerful, wicked Dissonance that felt more potent than any yet. The cries were unnerving enough to cause Sayane’s stomach to spasm as she listened.

“Songstress?” Echo asked.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go,” Sayane said as she ran forward into the abandoned shaft.

Within minutes the light of the outside world was gone. Only the glowing track lights guided them. Echo seemed to not notice the gathering screeching that was slowly becoming a cacophonous roar to Sayane. Even the air seemed chilled and malicious. Breathing through her mouth felt like inhaling glass. Sayane did not like this place. Something was terribly wrong with this Great Harmony Shard.

Finally, Echo seemed to feel it.

“Sayane, do you hear… voices? Voices screaming? By the gods, the screams…” he whimpered in an unsettled voice.

“Echo, they’re not screaming for me. But I hear them. This Dissonance feels very evil…”

“But we must continue…”

“Yes… please, stay by me.”

An hour later, the concussions of the outer battle were all but muted. All either could hear was the howling, gnashing lamentation of something truly sinister. It was close now. The tracks curved and split. On one side, the lights continued. On the other, pitch black void waited. That was where the sound was coming from. Echo steadied himself and stepped in front of Sayane.

“Stay behind me,” he said as he took her hand and led her into the dark.

Not even their echoing footsteps could be heard. Only the screams. Sayane wanted to weep and scream in horror, but she didn’t know why. Then Echo stopped.

“We’re here,” he whispered.

A massive steel door stood before them. Hums of untamed hate vibrated the frame. There was no lock or security. Though Sayane was losing her resolve and feared the simplicity of this entrance, she knew too much was at stake. There was no turning back or redoing this.

She had to enter that room. Alone.

“I will guard you with my life. No matter what you hear from me, Sayane, do not stop singing. Destroy this place. For all those we lost. Destroy this empire,” Echo said.

Sayane took his hand one last time.

“I’m sorry, by the way. I never found that hope or peace you spoke of. I have lived off hate these past weeks. I am sorry I couldn’t heal,” he added.

“You were wonderful. You have been an amazing ally, Echo. I am honored to have known you.”

“The honor is mine, songstress. Now, go. Sing your soul.”

Sayane hugged him briskly then faced the door as he opened it and looked away. Sayane rushed in without pause. As the door closed behind her, a scream of abject terror rushed from her mouth.