Darklight: The New World

Part 49: Homecoming

Commander Raine was at the central holographic projector in the centre of Eresmai's Command Centre, monitoring the energy spikes that had been coming from Utopia City. She had tracked Soran's EM signature from the south of the city, to the edge and then directly to the site that was experiencing a surge in Arcane Energy. But then the energy buildup suddenly dropped out of nowhere and Soran's EM signature disappeared. 

"Widen the scan" Raine commanded to the orderlies. It was the early hours of the morning but as soon as Raine had the call about the buildup of energy in Utopia City she headed straight back to the command centre. 

Laurent Faraa strode into the Command Centre and towards Raine.

"I hear we have an update?" He said to Raine. She sighed and pinched her nose, closing her eyes. He was the last person that she wanted to see right now.

"Another energy build-up and a promising EM signature. But they have both died down now".

"Why didn't you make me aware sooner?" Faraa asked, his temper short. Raine looked at him with indignation.

"Well frankly I've only just..."

The lights and computer terminals began to flicker and die out as the air began to vibrate around them. Raine turned to look at the Holographic projector and saw it flicker and fail. There was a faint purple light in its place. In a bright flash which forced Faraa and Raine to shield their eyes Soran and Natasha materialized, smashing the glass cover of the projector with their landing. Natasha was panting and clearly shocked.

"GUARDS!" Raine shrieked as she raised her hand towards the two of them, igniting a ball of fire towards them. Faraa copied Raine almost simultaneously.

"It's good to see you too, Commander" Soran retorted gruffly as he stepped down from the projector plate, lifting Natasha at the waist and placing her down next to him. The computers and lights were flickering again but slowly came back online.

"The last time we saw you was over a year ago Soran and now you turn up in the Command Centre with the High Matriarch? How do you expect me to react?" Raine replied calmly.

"With trust, like I still have for you" Soran replied.

"This is typical of you Raine" Faraa spat, lowering his hand and allowing his fireball to go out. 

"Now isn't the time, Laurent" Raine half-shouted at him without turning or lowering her fireball.

"For what its worth Natasha is my wife and was the victim of a possession by Vittoria Leon" Soran told Raine. "And do you really think that" he pointed at her fireball. "Can stop me?" Raine rolled her eyes and dropped her hand, extinguishing her arcane fire.

"Fine" She said. "But who is Vittoria Leon?"

***

Soran was exhausted. It had taken a few hours to explain his experiences to Raine and Laurent. Natahsa remained in the medical centre for observations and scans. Soran had explained her seemingly impossible use of Arcane Abilities as well as her long-term possession by Vittoria. He yearned to have some time alone with his wife, but now wasn't the time. As he walked through the corridors he knew that Rammachandra was still out there somewhere and that his work wasn't yet done, but he was beyond elated - beyond happy... he was ecstatic. His wife was alive. After two years apart she was alive and they were together again. But the darker thoughts also remained... had she changed? Had the long term exposure to such a malevolent force inside her own head damaged her?

"No don't think about that" he told himself. "Just live in this good moment".

Soran came to the door of his small apartment on the outer edge of the lower plate. He placed his hand on the metallic door handle and some part of him registered that it was warm. It must of been a warm day. He wondered if the Skry had packed anything away in his extended and unplanned absence? 

Opening the he looked at the familiar surroundings. Everything appeared to be in the right place and untouched. He pondered how the kitchen would probably stink. Without turning on the lights he walked past the kitchen door to the right and noticed through the blinds of the living room window opposite that the light of a new day was starting to appear on the horizon.

He pushed the handle down and walked into the bedroom on his left. 

Then he saw her. 

It was only for a split second, but he saw her.

She was at his desk on the right of the room, in front of the window - her silhouette framed in the emerging light. He held the Darklight Sai that Soran had kept in the air with a sensual and soft touch, cradling it in one hand and stroking the blade with the other. Her face was.... hideous. Half white woman with blonde hair, half her with a single crimson eye whilst the other was a bright blue. The hood that she had been wearing was pushed back revealing her half-half blonde-dark brown hair.

She snapped her head around to look at Soran - the man who had just interrupted her moment. He stood there, frozen momentarily as his biological mother stood in his bedroom. Then she chucked lightly as she held a hand out towards Soran, flinging through the open door and slamming against the wall opposite. As his consciousness left him he saw her turn to look at him, both Darklight Sai's in one hand and a single crimson eye burning into his. She smiled at him.

"I'll be seeing you" she whispered as she clicked a small device in the other hand and disappeared like smoke in a breeze. The darkness overwhelmed Soran's eyes and he passed out.