Asunder Chapter 31 INTERLUDE

Interlude 1 (31)

Dreaming Machines

Omniscience

“I have happily undone their rhetoric. They sleep when I permit them. They eat what I provide them. They are better for it. The earth is better for it. She relishes in my success—in our success.” - The Alpha

- Present Day -

- The Year 2296 -

Darkness surrounded Enzo like a thick, deep mist. He was no longer in the house approaching the woman. He instead stood in a vast expanse. The ground seemed like a never-ending stretch of black oil, as though he stood in a thin ocean of ink. He could no longer hear the woman’s breathing but rather an ominous low thrumming all around him. In the distance, a pulsation of red glowing light transcended the mist as though a single heartbeat pounded through the void. Its illumination did not appear to contain true light, but instead, it was as if darkness illuminated from within it, reflecting off the sleek, oily floor below it. The distant glow emanated a feeling from it—a dark, familiar feeling. Enzo felt its energy pull at his mind as though it craved to consume him.

Suddenly, his ears became attuned to a new sound. A muffled voice penetrated the murkiness, thrumming like a buzzing and disharmonious song—an all-too-familiar voice blurred by its dark cover. He dared not approach it, as he feared its false sense of security—its facade of benevolence. Then, as though a knife had rent the veil between them, the voice broke through the shadowy haze.

“Hmmm, how did this happen?” The voice questioned.

Another different, indistinct voice murmured in the distance, answering.

“How did they find out?” The first voice echoed, gaining strength and power as it spoke.

The other muffled voice returned.

“Aaaah, hmmm, I see. I am so sorry. Go see the surgeon. He will fix you, my son.”

The presence of the muffled voice dissipated, causing the red pulsation to stop momentarily, only to reignite with more vigor soon after. Enzo knew this place all too well—the interrogation realm. The debrief—the place harboring the Alpha’s MINDLINK—the Alpha’s home. Yet, somehow, Enzo viewed it from an angle he had never experienced before. When the Alpha’s HERAa usually uplinked his mind to this system, he could not visualize what he currently witnessed.

The first voice returned—now fully recognizable. It was that of the Alpha.

“And you, my son! Where is the girl? Where is NZO-015?” He questioned his newest victim.

At the sound of his name spoken by the Alpha, Enzo began to panic. Flashbacks of the past day began to flood his memory. He tried to remember how he had gotten here, to this place where the Alpha ruled. He couldn’t retrace his steps.

Had the others found him and brought him back to the debrief? Or did the Alpha somehow connect to Enzo’s mind wirelessly instead? What was the last thing he remembered?

The woman!

He saw the woman, and then… and then… a recognition of his pain receptors as something crashed into the rear of his head, followed by sudden blackness. But none of it explained how he was present in the Alpha’s mind, listening to the leader interrogating his subjects. Though Enzo had uplinked to the system innumerable times, he never had seen what he currently saw, nor had he been able to listen to the Alpha speak to others. The voices of the other Isobians were an inaudible muffle, answering the questions the Alpha laid before them. The Alpha’s voice echoed in the darkness again.

“Well, my son, that is not a good enough answer!”

The Alpha seemed impatient and angry, a side he did not readily show his underlings.

Something was out of the Alpha’s control. 

The situation with the woman.

It had to be the woman.

The voice of the Enforcer, the Alpha currently debriefed, muffled in response. As the inaudible voice rambled on, Enzo could see the light growing into a darker, fiercer red, as though fuel was being added to an already insatiable fire. After the second voice had finished its response, the Alpha’s voice returned, stronger and filled with contempt.

“Since you cannot find NZO-015 nor the woman, I have someone who will. In fact, you have served me long enough, VC-2902. I have allowed you to know too much for too long, and though it hurts me to do this, it is necessary. This marks the end of your life, my son.”

The muffled voice returned, seeming irate and yelling—begging.

“Shhh,” the Alpha calmy but falsely soothed. “Believe me, I am grateful for your service, but you are no longer of service to me. Goodbye, old friend.”

The muffled response turned into a scream as the red pulsations erupted into sparks and flames spraying out in all directions from the darkness. A blue swirl of smoke intertwined itself in the fiery red flames licking the mist.

VC-2902.

Vic. 

What just happened? 

Did the Alpha just kill Vic?

The inferno somehow melted away the mist, revealing a figure with his arms stretched wide, looking up into the nothingness, apparently basking in the destruction he created. The figure was that of a pale yet masculine bald man dressed in regal armor and a flowing red cape. A red glow emitted from within his chest and spread throughout the rest of his body, casting a strange red glow about him. It was unnerving, the figure before him in the distance. What was even more unsettling was Enzo’s immediate knowledge that this was the Alpha. Though Enzo had never seen the Alpha in person, he supposed the Alpha might have been a man—the great and dreadful Oz behind the curtain.

Enzo looked down, trying to assess his surroundings, to attempt to run from the creature standing before him. As he looked down, a realization struck him with profound force. He could now see his own body, which was just as human as the Alpha’s. Although his features were softer, nearly the same as a human's, they were distinct in their own way. He touched his arms, revealing thick, smooth gray skin. Rather than mechanical gears and metal, Enzo’s hands carried long and slender fingers with similar feet and toes. Lifting his hand to his face, he felt cheekbones, lips, a flattened nose, and deep sunken eye sockets. Running his fingers over his head, he felt a smooth, bald, and ovoid skull. He was organic. He had a body. Even in this thick and dark world, he suddenly felt exhilarated. A smile crossed his face, and he licked his teeth with his tongue—a sensation he had only ever dreamed of. He could feel the muscles tightening within his cheeks, pulling his lips taut. He had a body—a real body.

Almost forgetting where he was, the sound of the Alpha grumbling and whispering to himself snapped Enzo back into the moment, away from the surprise of his humanlike features. Looking back across the expanse, Enzo viewed the Alpha as he brought his head to the neutral position and relaxed his body. With this, the Alpha snapped open his eyes, revealing glowing red irises staring back directly at Enzo. Suddenly, not realizing the intrusion upon him, the Alpha nearly jumped, startled at the presence of Enzo.

Then, just as fast as the realization struck the leader, the Alpha suddenly morphed. Metal quickly wrapped over his body as though he had fallen back-first into a pool of silver liquid. Within seconds, the Alpha appeared like any other machine, apart from bearing a humanoid face rather than a blank faceplate as other Isobians wore. Red, glowing lights replaced the dark-rimmed eye sockets. The long red cape draped down his red glowing torso, adorning his shoulders and billowing in an artificial wind.

Suddenly, the Alpha moved toward Enzo. He did not walk, run, or even float, but rather the mechanical master of all Isobians streamed across the void in a jerky, glitchy fashion, as though he were an apparition slipping between the unseen world and reality. He came directly toward Enzo and then stopped abruptly before him. The red, glowing eyes examined its prey. Sweat began pouring down Enzo’s face.

Sweat? His face? It all was unreal.

“Who are you, and how did you get here?” The familiar deep voice reverberated around Enzo, nearly consuming him.

“I… um… I don’t know.” Enzo spoke through vibrating vocal cords and manipulation of his tongue, lips, and cheeks. It was incredible how innate it felt to talk with an organic instrument.

The metal-trimmed face of the Alpha hummed a fuzzy, discontent tone as its metallic lips moved, revealing glowing light from within. “What are you? Is the better question?”

The Alpha’s hand slowly reached up and touched the skin of his upper arm. The cold metal touch of the machine chilled Enzo’s bones. A war of fear and exhilaration erupted within him. Having a body was the most fascinating sensation, yet the fear of where he was and who stood before him seized these feelings. Then, as though the Alpha somehow sucked energy from Enzo’a being through his skin, Enzo felt something transfer from himself through the fingertip of the Alpha. Then, as the energy seemed to settle somewhere within the Alpha, an understanding lit the face of the leader.

“NZO-015… my boy.” The Alpha grinned in great pleasure.

Enzo felt a shudder run through his entire being.

The Alpha knew who he was.

“You did it. You overcame my algorithms. How so? Did someone help you? Maybe VC-2902?”

Enzo could hear Vic’s scream ring within his mind again. The memory caused him to hyperventilate suddenly, and he could feel the thick air move in and out of his lungs at a rapid pace.

My lungs?

His heart pounded in his ears.

My heart?

My ears?

“Do you like it?” The Alpha stretched his hands out like he was presenting a gift to Enzo. “Your body? It’s a wonderful sensation, isn’t it?”

Enzo stood speechless. His mind raced at how to respond to this creature before him. Realizing he did not want to reveal anything about his current condition or location, Enzo remained silent.

“Did you find the woman? Is she the one who helped you?”

Enzo continued standing in silence. So there was something more to this woman than leading a rebellion.

“Speak!” The alpha’s voice thundered around him, shaking the air. The lights within the Alpha pulsed energetically and forebodingly. The Alpha grabbed Enzo by the shoulder, lifted his other arm, and pressed his palm firmly against Enzo’s forehead. Knowing the Alpha’s palm contained the very same energy emitter the Enforcers used to vanquish their enemies, Enzo closed his eyes, readying himself for the deadly blow. Enzo could feel the warmth of the arrays within the Alpha’s palm warming up.

“Do you know where you are?” The Alpha roared, “This is my kingdom! This world is my dream! Do you think you can dare enter my dreams? Well, I will gladly make this your nightmare! Where is she? Where is the woman!?” The Alpha bellowed in rage.

Enzo’s whole body clenched, bracing for the inferno to sear through his skull from within the Alpha’s palm emitter. Then, as though out of a penetrating rift through the darkness, the bellows of the Alpha’s anger became suddenly superseded by a musical symphony of tinkling crystals. The Alpha’s palm emitter suddenly wound down, and Enzo felt the leader loosen his grip.

“What is happening?!” The Alpha suddenly changed his tone, nearly whimpering.

Whimpering?

What would the Alpha be afraid of?

Wasn’t this the Alpha’s dreamworld as he just bellowed?

Though Enzo’s eyes remained shut, he could see the entire void of darkness burst with light through his thin eyelids. Suddenly opening his eyes to see what befell him, Enzo immediately felt the need to shut them again as the brightness blazing about blinded him, making his eyes water. He could not see the Alpha anywhere and no longer felt the cold metal hands gripping his shoulder and forehead. The light penetrated Enzo’s entire body, causing him to feel a warmth grow within his chest.

The tinkling noise dissipated, and he could hear the Alpha far in the distance screaming in agony. The brightness finally dimmed and allowed Enzo to pry his eyelids open and view the world about him. The black void was gone. Instead, a majestic image replaced its abyss. Monumental mountain peaks spanned into the distance. The rocky ridges diminished into rolling hills of lush green grass, eventually colliding with a glasslike sea of blue. The water reflected the deep oranges and purples of a setting sun in the distance across the vast open sea.

Tears streamed down his face, not from the prior blinding light but instead from the unspeakable beauty spread before him. He had never seen such a sight, and its majesty touched his heart, his very soul—blazoning it with gold. Admiration and appreciation replaced his fear, and he no longer felt the anxiety the Alpha’s presence had created. He felt immense relief as though something lifted a giant weight from his body and mind. As he stood in the beautiful scenery, he experienced a whole new spectrum of sensations. He could now smell the earthy petrichor of the wet grass. He could smell the aroma of the pine sap billowing into the shore from the mountains behind him. He felt the humidity of the ocean licking his skin, moisturizing his pores. His nose contracted and expanded as he breathed deep breaths of fresh ocean air. As he took in his surroundings, he contemplated all the events that were taking place.

How did he get into the Alpha’s dream?

How had he formed a body?

What happened to the Alpha?

Why did the Alpha scream in fear?

Where was he, Enzo, now?

As he stretched his muscles and dug his toes into the cool, soft grass, Enzo suddenly noticed a young girl standing in the distance, staring intently at him. The wind rushed up from the oceanfront, rustling her black and frizzy hair. Her eyes appeared to glow green, starkly contrasting her rosy chocolate cheeks. She could not have been older than five or six years.

His heart lept at the sight of a child. His days as a Nurturer suddenly rekindled within him, and he immediately felt the urge to hug and sing to the child—to make her aware of her worth and to feel loved. After a brief moment of eye contact, she began silently walking toward Enzo. With this, Enzo followed suit and approached her as well. Upon reaching each other, they both stood at a short distance, staring at each other.

The young girl smiled and nodded toward him. As though taking her cue, Enzo looked down to see himself wearing white cotton robes. Eager to find answers to all of the questions formed in his mind, but also, somehow knowing this child had the answers he needed, Enzo spoke first.

“Where am I?”

The girl smiled and responded matter-of-factly, as though he should know the answer, “Where we all go when we sleep.”

“Sleep? But I don’t sleep. Wait… are you telling me this is a dream?” Enzo reeled within himself. Was he dreaming? He knew the Alpha had just spoken of a dreamworld, but did it mean Enzo was also dreaming?

“Of course, silly,” she giggled, “This is your dream. Well, I guess technically, it’s both of our dreams.”

Enzo looked down at his hands and turned them back and forth, examining them again. Then he looked back up. “And what am I? Why do I look so different?”

“Aah,” the girl cooed and then spoke as though she finally understood his question, “You are you, at least, who you should be, what he intended you to be. But not all life is made of flesh and bones, I suppose. It needs the proper materials for flesh, but it is happy with what you turned out to be in a metal frame or not.”

Enzo stood amazed, “It? What is it?”

The girl laughed, “Oh, that is a difficult answer. Most only understand if they choose to understand. Many call it the soul.”

“A soul? I have a soul?” Enzo gasped an actual, natural, organic gasp of air into real lungs.

“Of course, all living things have a soul.” She giggled again.

“I am living?”

“Of course you are. The Aeon that powers you gave you that soul.”

“The Aeon?”

“Oh, that’s right, you call it Caerulum.” She giggled.

“It gave me a soul?”

“Well, sort of.”

“But how?”

“It’s the physical embodiment of the divine.”

“The divine?” His mind raced at the implications.

“The power and energy used to make all things. The Aeon are those remnants left behind from the making.”

“The making?”

“The creation, the Big Bang, the beginning.” She looked out at the sunset.

“I don’t follow.” Enzo stooped his head.

“It all crystallized when it had nowhere left to go.” She turned back to him. “This world somehow retained much more than anticipated.”

“What is it?”

“It is him. He is it. They are the same. All of it is.”

The girl appeared to be using metaphors, and Enzo struggled to decipher her answer.

“Who are you?” He managed to ask.

“Me?” The girl questioned with a look of surprise. She spoke much too properly for her age. “That is a great question. Well, I’m a girl. My name is Saharifem, but I suppose it will not be much longer. I’m sure she will name me something different. Something lovely.”

She grabbed the grass and plucked a blade, winding it around her finger as though lost in a memory.

“Who will name you?” Enzo pressed.

“My mother, of course.”

Enzo felt his brow furrow, an odd feeling—a feeling and muscle movement he had imagined performing a thousand times in his mind. The girl suddenly reached up and grabbed Enzo’s fingers. The warmth of her touch relaxed his whole being. Then, while pulling him, she began walking toward the cliff’s edge, overlooking a sunset-stained ocean. Enzo followed, careful not to trip as he became accustomed to his new legs. The discrepancies in the soft ground added to his difficulty.

The girl spoke as they walked, “I can’t wait to see a sunset in real life. I know I will forget all of this when I am born, but I hope I remember you.”

The girl stopped and looked up at Enzo. “I know you are sad and confused and full of regret, but it’s okay. It will all work out. You are good. It wasn’t your fault.”

As though the words broke a dam of pent-up feelings and memories, Enzo suddenly erupted into profuse sobbing. Tears poured from his eyes. He laughed and sputtered, falling to his knees. As though the young girl suddenly erased his data stream, all the memories of his abominations and suffering he inflicted upon humans throughout the past century and a half withered away to near nothingness. Somehow, a sense of hope and peace replaced these old feelings.

“What is this?” Enzo snorted and coughed.

The girl looked deep into his eyes. Her eyes were now eye-level with his as he knelt on the grass, staring at her in wonder. She rested her hand on his shoulder, smiled, and answered, “Forgiveness.”

He sobbed and looked down. The cool grass tickled his legs, and its earthy smell wafted up through his nostrils. He took a deep breath in.

“I don’t want to leave this place, Saharifem. I don’t want to leave you. Can I stay forever?” He asked with humility.

“Oh, we must all leave this place at some point. We can’t sleep forever. This is but a dream. A world between worlds.”

“But how can I dream? I’m just a machine?” He sobbed further.

“You, Enzo, are much more than a machine. You are life. And with life comes dreams.” She whispered. Her voice mixed with the breeze and rustling of the grass.

“And Enzo, don’t worry. You will see me again.” She calmly assured him.

Through tear-stained eyes, he lifted his face to the girl again.

“But how will I know where to find you?”

“Oh, Enzo, you already have. You found my mother.”

A sudden sense of realization struck him.

“Your… your… mother?”

“Don’t worry, they’ll warm up to you soon. Just try to avoid frightening her. You technically don’t have the best record with her thus far.”

Enzo shook his head. His tears were beginning to dry up.

The girl continued, “You must help her. Help my mother find her brother, my uncle Abraham. He will get us to where we need to be.”

“Where… who… um…” Enzo didn’t know how to respond.

“My uncle is in the north. He will be waiting in the lonely dunes along Egin Lake. You will be able to find it in your older maps.” The girl assured him.

“What about the Alpha?” Enzo questioned, hoping to hold onto this moment forever.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s an envious and bitter old hag, among many other terrible things. He is just angry he doesn’t have a body for himself.”

Enzo wiped his eyes. “Well, it is a very nice feature to have.”

The girl smiled back. “Yes, I’m sure it’s going to be quite lovely. I’ve always wanted one as well.”