Asunder Chapter 47

Chapter 9.5 (47)

The Isobian

Inevitable Slumber

“My dearest Enzo,

Something is wrong. They know too much. You may not hear from me again. Know this: I have loved you since the day I met you. Thank you for always being here for me, even though we are far apart. 

Sincerely and yours truly,

Forteny”

- Present Day -

- The Year 2296 -

Enzo sat upon the peak of one of the sand dunes, looking out over the desert. The sun rose at the valley’s edge, causing it to glimmer within the amethyst-speckled haze the world took on at this time of day. He had felt the breach of the sun's warmth as it penetrated the cold residue of the night's vestige. His skin absorbed the light, and he felt a sense of resiliency growing within him—a sense of purpose. The world felt right for the first time in his outstretched life.

Not noticing before, the coo of a sleeping infant aroused his consciousness, and he looked down to see Imogene cradled in his arms. She opened her eyes, and the stunning green spoke a sudden sense of affection into his mind. He felt something he couldn’t quite explain: a feeling of amiable devotion to the child, an inexplicable connection, and affectionate guardianship.

Then, she spoke the word for him through a thousand generations of voices into his mind.

Love.

He felt love for the child and his newfound friends and peace in their association. Feeling the urge to protect them, he would ensure their safety at all costs. This child had given him the gift of knowledge—the knowledge that he had received forgiveness for his past crimes. He understood the importance of such an act, and he resolved within himself to live up to the child’s expectations of who he should be.

Looking back up, Enzo took his gaze from the infant as something In the distance caught his attention. Within the flaming disk of the rising sun, a silhouette slowly appeared. It started as an obscure blob, distorted by the sun's brilliance behind it. Examining it closely as it approached, Enzo could visualize it better as it gained more detail. The entity formalized into the figure of a bird flying toward the sandy peaks where he sat. He continued watching, admiring the sight of the creature in flight. The sight made him consider the recent interaction with Wind-Winder and his friends.

Where were his friends? He looked about himself and struggled to remember where he last saw them. As Enzo did so, he realized he could not remember how he had arrived at this very point, sitting atop the sand dune.

Then, suddenly, the realization struck him. As he cradled Imogene in his arms, he noted how his arms bore the skin of an organic being, not the metal plating of a machine. He could not remember how he arrived here because he was not actually here. He was not actually sitting upon a dune in the setting sun. His body was with Jane, Imogene, Jeremiah, HERAa, Patrick, and the two elk along the lake's beach. He must have fallen asleep, and the world he currently resided in was only a dream. Upon this realization, a sense of anxiety immediately rose within him.

He focused his attention more consciously back onto the flying figure. As it approached, it grew more prominent, and soon, it was much larger than any bird he had ever seen. Its flight course was not smooth like a bird’s but instead erratic and jolting. As it made its final approach, the sun's light no longer distorted it, and the black silhouette began to gain its color and show its true self.

Rather than a majestic bird appearing, an eerie winged man finally came into focus. His scarlet skin radiated the light surrounding him, and his eyes burned a fiery crimson. A cloak hung about his shoulders and draped around his bat-like wings, giving him the appearance of a darkened angel of death. Realizing what and who appeared before him, Enzo quickly jumped to his feet. He gripped Imogene tighter and began descending the opposite face of the sand dune, attempting to escape the demon's sight.

It was too late. The deep, wretched voice of the Alpha rang out, “So this is where you’ve been hiding!”