To Be Wanted

The Antimatter Condenser

      The atmosphere surrounding Xieren tower felt cold and surging with electricity, as though we were venturing into the eye of a storm. This was the building which had been the center of nearly every plot the Veltsen could devise, every attack which had been planned.
      It baffled me as to how I could not feel this energy inside after having been taken to face Altridem's torture? I suppose I had drifted too far into a pensive mode, staring up at the monster of a building, as Jet begins gently nudging me back to reality.
      "Your majesty?" He repeats. I jump back out of my head, Jet giving me an exasperated though relieved look. "Do not worry, my queen. I will not allow him to hurt you again."
      "What exactly is our plan?" I croak, eyes focusing on the tower once more.
      "Altridem sent me to kill you both, suppose we use that to our advantage? I claim that you were to be taken as prisoners and run through the Antimatter Condenser. Once we are inside, we slip past the guards and shut that damn thing down?" Chekello suggests.
      "That is exceptionally risky. What shall we do if and when they call our bluff?" Jet grumbles.
      "I am open to suggestions. This might just be our best chance. I don't suppose you really believe you could just waltz on in there and find your way to the condenser without being caught by Altridem? He could have killed Serrima once. If he gets his hands on you, next time he will succeed."
      I could feel the tension building between the pair, with Jet appearing as though he desired to rip Chekello apart as Altridem had before. I place myself between them, suspecting that neither of them would run the risk of attacking, as doing so would put me in harm's way.
      "He's right, Jet. We have no other option." I attempt to alleviate the irritated god.
      "If that is your wish, my queen, then that is the course of action we shall take." He sighs, glaring at the deformed Veltsen.
      "Alright folks, put on your angriest faces," Chekello advises, gently grabbing hold of our arms. "Let's put on a show."
      We nod, laughing briefly before Chekello leads us inside. As we stumble through the doors, we go from joking around to as serious as possible, "struggling" against Chekello's grip with the entire building practically leaping to their feet at the sight of us, preparing to attack us if given the word. One Veltsen approaches Chekello with a stern look.
      "What exactly is the meaning of this?" He hisses at the mutant, glaring at the three of us. I don't suppose he had yet noticed my wings.
      "Watch yourself, soldier. I was sent to collect the queen and her guard to be taken and put through the... Condenser." He lowers his voice. Not all of the workers in Xieren tower knew of the machine. The Veltsen raises an eyebrow.
      "Very well. Sixth floor, southwest wing. A guard will let you in, we cannot risk the passcode leaving this building. I am sure you understand."
      "Well, as I am forever in Altridem's service, and there is no plan for these two to leave after today, I doubt there will be an issue."
      "Then move along."
      We shuffle towards the elevator, trying our best not to smirk as we do. The interior of the elevator was plated with chrome which acted as a mirror, reflecting our images back at us.
      Chekello scanned the walls for bugs whilst avoiding looking directly at his reflection, he could not bear the sight of what had been done to him. Meanwhile, I decide to- for the first time since I had begun accepting what I am- take a good look at my wings. Jet laughs as I twirl around, admiring the black and white feathers which blanket my wings.
      I couldn't help but imagine how the world would be if and when we win this battle, I'd be sitting up in the High Grounds, Jet by my side and, perhaps, maybe even the Marrows. It just feels... right.
      We quickly step back into position as the doors open up. Faking being dragged behind Chekello, we earn a few devilish smiles from workers lining the halls, perhaps even a few snickers as they pass.
      As we head down the southwest hall, it felt as though the air was being sucked out of the room, as well as all the life. Echos of what sounded like thunder roar through the hall, it was almost deafening.
      The man guarding the door seemed suspicious of us as we approached, his eyes narrowing and hand hovering ever so slightly over his gun as we grow closer. I turn to Jet who raises an eyebrow at me, he appeared to be having the same thought as I was.
      Time to add some drama to the occasion. Chekello pauses in front of the guard, taking in a deep breath and tightening his grip around our arms.
      "P-Please, don't kill us." I whimper, forcing a tear from my eye as I try and shuffle away from him. He tugs his arm closer to his body, pulling me with it and almost tripping me in the process
      "Child, what fate has in store for you shall be much, much worse than death." Chekello laughs, the best sneer he can muster on his face, playing more into our game."
      "What- You're not going to put us in that thing?!"
      He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, fighting back the smirk that was trying to form on his face, though you could still see the amusement in his gaze- he was trying his best not to burst out laughing, then again, I think even Jet and I were doing the same.
      The guard examines us closely before visibly relaxing, turning to the door and pinning in the code. As the door swings open, we rush up behind him and knock him out, checking carefully that he was not faking himself.
      We smile and quickly slip inside, checking for any cameras on the inside as we carefully push the guard out of the doorway and slam the door shut behind us.
      It somehow felt deserted, perhaps it was simply the vibe from the condenser which was switched on, that oddly empty feeling, as though you found yourself lost along a winding path and can't find your way home.
      The condenser almost resembled a giant toaster, a large cube with rounded corners at the top, one door on each end and a long window along the sidewall. Below the window was a control panel filled from corner to corner with many buttons and levers as well as an ignition slot for a key that was already prepped and ready to go.
      Atop the structure were spheres of glowing glass, attracting strands of energy from the air into the three on each side to keep the machine power. I felt myself getting chills- which was odd considering I was sweating, perhaps the condenser made the room feel colder than it truly was.
      I watch as Chekello sheds a tear. This machine took away the man he was, the man he could have been, and I think he was looking forward to tearing it apart. We approach the control panel, which had a hatch on the front-side of the smooth metal paneling that could be used to access the wires and motherboard of the machine.
      "How do we open it up?" I ask.
      Chekello runs his fingers over the rim of the hatch, reaching a corner before using his fingernails to pry up the corner enough to slip his fingers under, gripping onto the hatch as tightly as he could before jerking his hand up and ripping the hatch off of its screws, exposing the wires.
      He looks at us with an evil smile, cluing to Jet and me that we should probably step back. We nervously slip back a few steps and watch as Chekello absolutely demolishes the machine, wires flying everywhere, hitting us every so often. He seemed rather joyful in his rampage.
      As the machine powers down, it becomes deathly silent as the thunderous rumbling and hums die down with it. We could hear our own breathing. While life seemed to be returning to the room, there was still an ominous feeling in the air.
      I hear a small shuffle from behind us- of course, someone would be lurking about in here- but it sounded too light to be Altridem, his footsteps were larger and heavier, this was more... Delicate. Careful.
      From behind a storage shelf stepped a girl, a little older than me, a Sevitan. She looked... Familiar. As she grows closer to the light, I immediately recognize who this girl was.
      But, how? Why? It was Tayoa. The girl whom I called my best friend for the longest time. She looked so smug, resting against a table with her eyes fixated on me. It didn't make sense though, how was she here? They would never let a Sevitan in here.
      "Tayoa, what are you doing here? How? Sevitans aren't allowed in Xieren tower, do you know what they will do to you if you get caught?" I worriedly exclaim. Hadn't clicked in my head yet what was going on though I think Jet understood, he quickly became rather uneasy.
      "Oh, on the contrary, I think this is exactly where I am meant to be." Her face falls to a frown.
      I watch as she flexes her wings, the snowy white feathers shifting to a deep black as they ripple with her movements.
      She... Tayoa is a Veltsen? Or is she a Sevitan with the power to change her wing color? It's hard to keep up when people can do this stuff. Jet grabs and pulls me behind him, keeping an arm extended as Tayoa steps closer.
      "How-How is this possible?" I stutter. I can't even think properly right now. "You can't be a Veltsen. I was there, in the same room as you, the morning you got your wings, they were white."
      "No, actually they weren't. You see, I have had this power all my life. On the morning of my 16th birthday, I woke up early and focused all my energy into making my wings appear white, just like my mother had taught me because I knew the truth.
      I knew what you would become. She told me everything, my mother, how her brother helped to create a child who was destined to become the queen because he was injected with a serum that would allow him to change his wing color. The same serum which she later on injected herself with to try and beat him to the punch."
      "Her... Brother?"
      "That's right, Serry! I'm your cousin! Oh, but that isn't even the kicker." She begins to laugh. "My mother. My mother is Detrina. Your mother's supposed best friend."
      My jaw drops.
      "Enough! Stop filling her head with lies!" Jet growls, he almost seemed as though he wanted to literally reach over and cover my ears with his hands. I place my hand on his arm, causing him to look back over to me.
      "I don't think she is. I mean, how else can you explain how she knows so much about me. How she knew exactly who I was going to become?" I whimper.
      "Listen to your queen, false god. After All, you sort of have to." She slyly jokes.
      "Is this all our friendship was? Just a ploy to get close to me so that one day you could kill me?"
      "I didn't always want to kill you, not until I saw your wings. I had hoped my mother was wrong, that I was wrong, that it wouldn't be you, it would be some other poor child who had to inherit this fate. I did genuinely care for you. But now, now I see."
      "See what?"
      "It is because of you that uncle Orilek died and put my mother in danger. You see, had you not been conceived, they would not have had to test my mother's loyalty. The had her kill her own brother, and of course, she hesitated...
      At first. In the end, it was his life or hers and she chose hers. Though I think they always would have killed him, she only had to make the choice whether there would be one grave or two."
      "And how would you know any of this? You wouldn't have even been a year old?"
      "Altridem found me soon after you ran off on your birthday, he recruited me and helped me to see the truth."
      Wait. Okay, let me get this straight. Altridem told her, despite the fact that if they had never experimented on my dad and pissed him off to begin with, none of this would have happened- that because he met my mother and betrayed them, which they deserved, and had me, he wouldn't have had to have been killed by his own sister? There are a lot of details missing here, how does she believe this garbage?
      "And do you know what makes things even worse? Ten months prior to uncle Orilek's death, my mother conceived me. With a Sevitan. She wanted me to be the one destined to be queen. By the time she injected herself with the serum, she was almost at her due date with me so I ended up affected by the serum as well.
      She was so full of hope. Then, just before my first birthday, she learned of your mother's death and had a bad feeling about your fate. The moment I entered school and tested my blood, it showed me as Veltsen. You, however, did not get either Veltsen or Sevitan.
      They merely assumed it to be because you didn't have a parent in the database with close enough genetics to yours. That's because the last time blood was entered into the system for your parents was before your father was injected. Before his DNA was changed."
      "But none of this says that this is my fault. And do you know what I think, or rather would like to believe? I think the reason you turned out to be Veltsen is because she didn't really love the man who got her pregnant. She was trying to make you the queen. My father didn't intend to. He just sort of... fell for my mother."
      "And how would you know that? You have never even met them!"
      "Actually, I have. In Rtutasca. I saw them, and I could see the love in their eyes for each other. They were genuine people. Clearly, though, your mother was not."
      Tayoa picks up a nearby chair and flings it over her head at me, grazing my cheek and creating a long, deep cut across it. Jet and I quickly go to fight her off, however, Chekello seemed to have something else in mind.
      He pulls out a few strands of wire before looking to one of the walls, plunging his fist through the drywall and plucking out a long strand of black cabling. He chews it in half, causing the lights and electronics in the room to shut off all at once.
      He pulls it closer to the condenser, using one hand to hold onto the wire and the other hand to pry open one of the doors to the condenser. He inches closer and twists the damaged wires into one. He looks at us with a look of both fear and determination.
      "Keep hold of her. When I say, toss her to me." He commands.
      I exchange glances with Jet who now seemed to be very concerned. Even Tayoa was confused as we grab ahold of her arms and legs, with the Veltsen squirming as we do. Chekello connects the wires and twists the ends together.
      You could see the electricity surging into his body, but somehow, he didn't seem to be in any pain. The Antimatter Condenser switches on in hyperactive mode, a much more powerful mode than had been deemed safe by the scientists who created it.
      We almost blacked out from the sudden drain of energy from the room, even Chekello was visibly shaking, but still, he turns to us once more.
      "Now!" He yells.
      Jet and I hoist Tayoa up, swinging her back and then launching her to Chekello who grabs a tight hold on her. She tries to wiggle her way out of his grip but can't quite free herself. He sighs, another tear dripping from his face, and steps towards the door causing her to squirm even more, I think she knew what his next move was.
      He enters the condenser and forces the door shut once more, channeling the antimatter into the chamber. He lets Tayoa got and she immediately she begins to pound on the door.
      "Let me out! The hyperactive mode will kill us!" She shrieks in despair.
      "I know." I hear him say. "Serrima, I know you will be able to beat Altridem, and when you do... Just know that you will have honored me, for I have done this so that you may succeed."
      "Chekello?" My voice already begins to break as I tear up
      "Yes, your majesty?"
      "If you see them, tell my mom and dad I love them?"
      He nods his head and bows before collapsing to the ground. The power goes out in the room once more as the condenser shuts off for the final time.
      The wall of the condenser creaks before crashing to the ground with a loud bang. I slowly step my way over to see them. Their poor lifeless bodies. I kneel, head resting against my knee, in honor of them.
      The man who helped us and the girl who, though she betrayed me in the end, I saw as family. Jet comforts me, running his hand over my shoulder as I mourn the two. He gave his life, not only to help us but to stop more people from having to suffer the same fate he did.
      "How many more have to die?" I look to the supportive god.
      "If all goes well, none. But Altridem is ruthless, he will stop at nothing to get what he wants." Jet admits. "Whatever he does, we will make it through it."
      We sit and plot our escape, I mean it was going to be quite difficult to just slip past the many guards in Xieren tower undetected, especially after what just happened. Jet looks to me, still seeing my sorrow, before slinging Chekello and Tayoa's bodies over his shoulders.
      We head back to Corrisea where we dig plots out by the lake, even Caliama and her citizens came to help upon seeing us return. We found a couple of large rocks by the entrance to the forest which Jet placed by the head of the plots before gently lowering the bodies into each one. Once we had covered them up with soil, we picked a bunch of flowers to place over them.
      Caliama brings us a chisel and we carve their names into the stone before filling the carvings with ink to make them stand out better. Somehow, it felt as though their spirits passed through me as they moved on, it grew rather chilly for a moment even in the beaming suns. I can only hope that their deaths do not end up being in vain.