Like many story, even this start with simple realization that something is off, that something is not right. On that day, I raised my head toward the skies. Like many even I saw the sings on the sky, telling tale about the meteor shower. It indeed looks like a meteors, but as they fall, they continue to shine on ground. What falls down don't look like meteorites but seems like chunks of gold ore. On touch it dint fell to me like gold. Anyway I pick them into a bag, wondering when that gold will start to move like alive. One of them was like a wax candle that get heated for moment to point that some quickly leak out on table, then it cold and become solid so it make that weird shape. Maybe they were beacons or message carriers but we failed to understand that message.
But then, the catastrophe has be send down from the sky, a massive amount of dry salt was raining from heavens. No, it seems to be salt but its was more like a flood, a nuclear fallout. The heavens darkened and people starting panicking. I run toward apartment building and hide in it the moment the really heavy salt fall down.
The main wave event was stressful enough for any survivor to mourn for those who lose that game.
Then after the wave stop, I venture out and saw the land covered by salt. It was dark. People on street, who dint hide from salt flood, were like a statures covered in ice. So many of them... Why they dint hide inside?... Curiously I was hasty going in a direction from where they had been running. I had heading to the epicenter, but it feels like I was trying to get home for the last time. I feel that this is not over and I have obligation to at last try.
Only when, I try to look around at the horizon, I realize that not all salt got into ground. There were those big thick salt pillars that hold this massive water lily like domes from salt. As if the heavens opened and that salt was pouring down like a thick syrup or honey, creating those prolonged sticky drop slime-lines. Then as the substance touch the ground or people, something like electric discharge must occurred that caused a reaction. That reaction was solidating, hardening the substance, turning it from liquid into solid mass. The reaction itself must have its own speed, as it claimed back the pouring liquid; going higher and higher, the still pouring liquid was spreading to sides, creating the pillars, then the dome. That was what obstructed the most of sun light.
But even the wave ended, the danger was not gone, the weight of the dome was to much and it was no good for any sandstone to be in this shape without proper support. I hurried home, stretching my ears for the warning sings. The moment I heard that the stretching of mass turn into tearing, I run onto door to apartment house. In luck lottery it was open, or the lock was broken. After getting in, right behind that entry door, I hide behind another. On that moment many pieces of ice shard from polar ring fell down onto the streets, crushing those who dint take the warning sings seriously.
I venture out once again, still in need to reach home. Helping those who got crushed, because if they don't get finished by weight, then salt property do what salt do. Now, there were holes in the dome that letting the light in. But the overall structure was still holding. I knew that even that will eventually fall as this was not dry environment to preserve them. So I hurry.
I found the place where the apartment house with my family apartment shall be. Sadly, there was destruction, some building collapsed, or leaned on side. But… my house, was gone… Not destroyed, not turned into debris or ruins, it was gone… there was no wreckage indicated that it even stay there. I found another person from that same building, who had exactly the same idea as me; rushing home for the last time. But, the finish red line was gone.
So it just sit there on a piece of grassed ground, defeated, with lowered head, not bothering to looking at what is not there. How it was even possible, when the salt wave acted as a flood? How is there a piece of untouched grass? At that point I realize that the coverage of salt is uneven and it dint make sense for that rate of uneven destruction and salt mass coverage. It nearly feel that the piece of grass was the epicenter. Thinking about the apartment building, there was only one pleasurably logical explanation that don't turn you mad; the building itself was kidnapped. Someone can propose theory about crushed, sway away or burred underground, but those sway away by looking at the scene. No matter what tragedy happens anywhere, the ground zero will always sad the hearth.
So I sits down next to that colleague runner. When I glanced at side, the bag of gold ore that I don't remember having with me or carrying to this place, sits next to me. On that small circle of grass that was protected from the salt tide way; I make a desperate laugh, then I rise my head straight up and call. "Can we talk about this?!" I don't even knew what shall hope to archive with that, but from the hole in salt dome that was directly above us, I saw something that shall not be here. Something alien that block the sky.
It surprised me. Even if I never saw it before, it really look to me like an alien spaceship. Or at last, the part that was seen through the hole. Something like a bubbles surface on its bottom shine up and light came down directly on me.
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The next part was on some sci-fi ship observatory, or astromethic, or it was just a meeting room. A voice was talking to me explaining for what reason the visitors do this. They were talking of some kind of sound-resonance laser thingy created during some experiment on our solar system. Its hard to explain, but they civilization, far away, was destroyed because that. The only thing I said was: "Oh shit."
They gathered the last resources they had as civilization and went here. But its not sure if they don't had enough strength to finish they revenge. Or if they call it off, because they got moved by the constant struggle of our kind, battling against chaos every single day on every single individual case; something tripping, falling, wriggling in pain, then trying to stand up, to shine. Or they realize a some kind of mistake. I mean, how far is they home world from here? Maybe the civilization that do that to them was already gone for long time, and that really make an empty feelings. Or what hits them, hit us sooner and we already manage to rebuild.
I mean there are sings that we had on this planet and advanced society with global reach that used wireless electricity millennia ago, before it was reinvented again and again. During a dooms day; the magnetic poles shifted polarity, all the global wireless electricity crashed down onto planet surface, pushing continental tectonic plates down several meters, that make seas and oceans to pour out. It was a global flood. With shifted polarity the pyramid power-plants stop function, stop supplying crafts, machinery and devices that without battery technology, stop functioning. Only outpost on high ground survived, but even they dint last the test of time as people just venture out leaving the old custom and rules behind. There were evidence of trying to resurrect the tech, but without knowing how to make a refit on pyramids that can restart them, they become just a monument of past. Without electricity, world forget.
Now we had another flood, made from salt.
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I got back from the ship, realizing that people already cleaning the salt fallout. The pillars and dome were gone, probably falls down on its own weight. Machinery was not enough to clean everywhere, so people were shoveling the salt blanked into a plastic bags and putting a then on side, making piles of bags. Well, its clear that if the soil got salty enough it will be problematic. I saw that on one of those bags, someone put a dead fish. It was there as if preserved an I was wondering from where it get there. It was not something you will find in a home aquarium but in rivers. We were in inland, next fish pond is over kilometer away, next river over five. Then I had this (Something about this is not right.) feeling once again. Those are not just salt, it feels like a dead bodies, a bone dust. As if the aliens droop on us they dead civilization to show us; (This is what you do to us!), (Now deal with it!). I tried to help the locals by reaching for an empty plastic bag, but I was jelled by one of the person working there. I said "I trying to help." but they dint reply only stared at me with (Go away!) expression. I look around and saw that the working field was divided by lines for every surviving street number as if it was theirs responsibility or theirs salt on they land. I do remember when that place was just a park with grass, bushes, trees a walk path drilled into soil with many steps.
.
So I sighed, and continue to walk, walk and walk, not hurrying anywhere. I was stomping on little thing to observe them for a minute to think whats they story. Like wheelbarrow filled with coal and a small chair, left in a wast field of some growing veggies. Or the field was actually left lie fallow. I dint know, or care. But after a minute I continued to walk.I stop when that older lady was sitting under the tree on bench seemingly nowhere, giving me this strict stare of (Go away!).
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I continued to walk, seeing in distant over some obstacles like trees, something like a monument, that don't fit into the surrounding. It was black, alien looking. Maybe I was the only one who see it, as if it was on my mind, seemingly disappearing and repeating as if it was leading me somewhere.
The, I actually reached it.
I steady walk onto something that looked like a gathering place around that monument, to pay respect to past and such. Maybe it was a memorial monument, crafted by artists with the aliens in mind. Once again I was not the first one to reach this place, this finish line.There was few if not many others, and they give me look like I was the last one to arrive and they waiting for me to begin. All of them wears this heavy personalized black uniform as if they were some kind of knights in ceremonial wardrobe that double as combat suit. Heck if they were wearing swords on they hips, then we can jump straight into the fantasy novel we shooting there. On second though it give out the feeling of a game event, called raid on dungeon. But the condition make the group to be stuck, because the gate will not open until they have enough high level players to trigger the raid event.
I noticed that I wearing the same uniform as them but whit extra fluffy coat hoodie vest with drop down hoodie. The outside was coal black, while inside was white looking like a fake hairy fur, even if the entire thing was 90% cotton. Maybe that uniform manifested the moment I steeped into that circle, capturing attention from many. Or it was continuously transforming my plain clothing onto this as I was approaching this site, still giving me the chance (to change direction), (to walk away), (to turn away). Or it was like this from my return from that spaceship and I ignored it. But I do remember to have a plain clots, when the meteors falls.
Anyway I dint cared enough to think about it. Not even about they stares they give me as I causally walked over a quite muscular guy who give out the aura of a person in charge of warehouse that deals with hanging out weapons to troops. Actually I don't think he was wearing the top uniform and only a tank top, but this big fella was struggling with this large date stamp to set the correct date on it. He barked back at other in uniform to stop complaining, that he doesn't have a strong hands. That was weir because this big guy from and its hands give out a feeling that he is used to barehanded moving heavy crates with equipment and weapons on and from shelves. Maybe he make mistake and wanted to say a delicate hands? The hands that are not used for paper work and administration.
I reached my hand toward him in gesture that he shall hand over the stamp. But even if I stay in front of him, he ignored me for wile, struggling with the office device. Then, when he finally noticed me, he actually bend forward his body, not just tilting his head to look at something that was half his height. At that moment I realized I got smaller, and practically everybody around me they tower over me.
He ask if I am okay, so I reply dry. "I am poisoned by my own guts bile acid as I don't like how something evolved." Finally, he hand over the stamp, and it was just second I finished its calibration work. He was actually nearly done, only the year was a one digit higher. So I hand it back asking if anyone else here have an experience with office work. Because there was a silence I sighed deeply. "It on me, then."
Only later I found out that the year was correct and for some reason I somewhere lost and entire year. Maybe I was walking to that gathering for like an entire year and dint give a shit about time flow.
Somehow, few of the black uniform have an issue with my extra layer of clothing as if I was from cold areas. They stand right behind me, but I dint bother to look back, so they start doing something malicious on my back. The big tank top guy actually point it out as I acted as if I ignoring it. So I spoke out. "Let them be! Its better if they turn they malice on me, instead of leaching out when they will be on missions." Without even looking around, I feel that they don't likedwhat I spoke aloud so everybody around can hear it. "Whoever, if they cause something that make me livid, they just subscribed for an episode of me releasing on them the stress from my bottomless pit. Heaven smites are just a B-Class to what I will deliver to the post address of they asses." I don't know if I was threatening or not, but for me it feels like defining a fact.
Some of them back out, but one, right behind me stay. Tank top asked me from where my self confidence come. "Actually I don't care. Or I am just dead inside, waiting to awake from a vampire dead like sleep. But do you see here, someone other like me? Our bodies were modified, transformed and we had been send back. This body of my was not tasked to be the strongest around, or the most capable one, but to do stuff. No matter what leading structure has been chosen, the bureaucracy and administration will stay in any organization that grow past threshold. And its nonsense to keep the strongest one in pack to be allocated on diplomacy and scribble work when I need that blade to be sharp in one to fook-You chance, when the adversary will bring up they top beast. That based on a theory, that claim;If (What?) they are now, is what they hoped to become. Its just the poker card in our hands, that make us what we are. It doesn't matter what the cards are, its how good we play them. I am player, but also I am the only one who are unable to quit this game, before everybody else. Or I missing the fact, that every body here, having a clairvoyance and had personal chit chat with aliens?"
.
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After a deep sigh: There was a clear pause in story telling from the short leader of 'the knight from black monument order'. It was not clear at first sight if this person is boy or girl. But siting on chair behind a table, on one side of desk; it radiated an authoritative aura.
Across the table sits this talk-show moderator with uneasy expression. "So~o, that how you become a leader? Some people can think about the lack…" Moderator quickly searched for suitable words. "-in leadership skills."
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Knight with hoodie vest sighed again, but more slightly. "I do really want to show my warm side, but I somehow failing to build up the motivation. So let my say this: I really want to create a suitable working condition. But I am bound to pursue the Rule of Rules instead of dictatorship. So instead of strict orders and military like structure, I visioned something like guild with a commissions. I hate getting orders that I don't like, so I will not give specific orders to those who had problem with that topic. I have a task, a commission, if is someone from you can do it right and without want to kill you boss or yourself, then proceed to counter to book it. Or, you can leave and not take any commission, but remember that you are part of this club. I still do ask individually or in group, if there are other opinions to my plans, always open to reactions. Or send plans and novelization to out company institutions to professional commenting and reassessment. Its clear, that I cannot afford to make big mistakes that cannot be solved anymore. I think that after we established our group, there was practically no power struggle, as I offer to anyone the opportunity, to learn how to lead the group in my stead. But my prediction was correct, they not suitable for administration work bound onto the leadership. Skip that safety rope rule and through history we saw many examples of incompetence at the top down leadership structure."
Moderator, check out something on its note, and continued with next point. "There are some questions about the legitimacy of this... club. Some people may see it as threat to world peace and security. Especially saying that its goal is unclear."
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The leader think for a moment until it reach for the cup of water on its side of table. Hovering its hand above the cup, the water flow from it toward the open palm forming a big water bubble. Then as the hoodie person grab that bubble it froze into solid ball of ice. The knight look at it, observing it for a moment and without a hesitation send it to roll across the table. "Check this out."
Moderator was scared about that small thing and tried to stop it with its pen, notepad and such. It really looked as if there was a fear from explosion or from the freezing effect to spreading. It take a few second to grain trust toward that object, to try to use a finger to touch it. Only after few touch-retreat attempts, it grab it into hands. "Its… ice…" Of course that ball of ice was already slowly melting, returning to its water state.
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Hoodie knight waited until the (Its ice.) was uttered. "Now try to think about it this way!: According to know laws of physic or thermodynamic, we missing an adequate opposite reaction to what I just done to that water from glass. Do I using something more, something alien or fantastic, like a magic? Or I am simply know more about the laws and using them correctly?" Then leader stand up, placing one hand on table to grain stability, leaning toward opposite side, pointing its finger at moderator face. "Then how big do you think, is the effect radius of the thing I just done? A cup? A human body? A building? A lake? A town? A sea? A county? A continent or Ocean? A Planet? Or Solar system? How far I can reach to still see you as something more that a dust left after crushed bones?"
Moderator leaned back with fear. A relief shows on this reporter face when leader sits back on the chair.
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Knight sighed again. "Absolute power, corrupt absolutely. So I do not wish to have fully free hand to push my agenda as much as I please. But as I have a previous experience with trying to push a novelizations into government senate discussions, I decide to cooperate with United Nations to establish a one global government body. Also I accept the regional, continental, countries governments for home efforts. But its always the same condition concept:(If there is order on paper where rules are written, then in most cases we can expect order on street.)"
"That don't answered my question."
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"You cant demand from artist to not using his skill for its own benefit, or just for fun. Whats there to fear, is general missuses the power and lack of responsibility for its usage. Especially the greed of those who dint have it they hands, and neither want to shrewd sweat, blood and work its ass to obtain it. Remember: (Words have power to heal and hurt.) In contrasts, everybody in order already proved they are worthy of they power, by answering the call. Calling someone hero or devil is just a personal truth, an explanation of fact from certain point of view, additionally colored with emotions. When a strong person going rouge, in most case, is not a problem of organization, that aim for rule of rules. Its individual build up, that everybody muss deal on its own. A positive help lead to a hero. While negative poisoning leads to devil. That's why I establish an organization that provide the necessary back up, from they training, rest and education, to future plan. I will not give up on anyone, its all they decision. I even offer to build an academy for any new candidates that will eventually start emerging, as this fact is not just my theory. When they graduated, they can chose where they will be operate, or what they will be doing. They are not bonded to become heroes to risk they life for others or higher cause."
"Yes, bu~ut…"
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"Technological advancement based on aliens intervention are already reshaping the global economy faster that one can expect. And we just scraping the top layer of possibilities. Everybody wants a piece of it. The problem is; those who demand a (tithe of respect) for absolute nothing. They want steal that profit for themselves and not use it for further development.
"Eh…"
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"Before you ask another question, I have an input." Leader rise its glare as if it talking to ceiling. "Hey mister Central Intelligence Agency; What is on black market, the current price for my head?" Returning it glare to moderator, the knight continued. "Why do ask? Especially when I trying to do a good things for the planet and its civilization? Its because, I see the liquidation of crime syndicates as essential. Especially those who pretend to run a governments. Its not a question if they missuses the new opportunities. Its only a question of when. They will go onto history books, warm or cold. No more bull-shits."
"…"
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"Money? I can raid the camps of bandits and pirates of my own. Alone, turning that action on one sided skirmish. Taking they hoarded treasures out of they dirty hands and agenda. But then, where they get that treasure? They stole it form anyone, and anything they can. So shall it be mine? Or shall I invest it back to the regions development? Or, shall I aimed it where I saw they are needed. It will be an instant net good think. But was is right to do it alone? On my own initiative? There is so many problem to solve, but they are always been connected by common excuse. (Lack of resources.)"
"That seem to be the goals..."
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"Not quite. Establishing functional and dynamic system for solving our shits on this planet is only one point of the long terms of this institution goals. We must ask question as: (Why the aliens just drop they shits, staff here and then went to float around the solar system like an abandoned ship?) Without any hesitation we can say that the exploration of our solar system is already a thing. We need to solve so many things before humanity become an interstellar civilization, that rushing it is more harming that usefully. Grabby greed is not the best answer and we definitely cannot fall to old habits of drawing colored borders on stellar maps. I really don't see a war as a sport. For that, one of the goals is to visit the home world of aliens, found if there is something we can do to help. Individuality is what give us a strength. Conflicting between different opinion give bird to many awesome thing, especially in art. But working together is what make us as humanity to shine. I am not a fool, just a human who can do more that 99% of a planet population. I fully know, that justice is toothless, if it lack the power to enforce it. There will be many challenges that will challenge the aging civilization, many time threatening to destroy it. So for that, the variety is what make us survived for those days."
"Truly speech of Inspiration. Then, whats about that hoodie vest?"
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"Oh… sure… in past, this was just become my favorite accessory for cold autumn and winter season. I dint liked wearing a hats because they press on my head, but baggy hoodie was perfect. Now its literally part of me. I can show. Hmm. This room is not so big, so one pair is enough." As the leader stand up from the chair, he pushed that furniture behind the table so it have a popper space. Then after one inhale and exhale, the hoodie moved on it own, unzipping in middle. Part of it from bottom splits to sides forming a wings with something like fake feather that were black on top and white on bottom. Soon the wings spawn was like twice the person height and the knight rise a meter to air. "Dear, to call me an angel." Then he stop to think. "Really there is no space for more presentation. And yes, this activated state is something based on a personality. It can change, evolve, but most time it take shape of what we are comfortable with." Leader returned its gaze to moderator. "So tell me, are those wings of liberty?, or wings of mercy? Or… something else?"
"Hard to say. Any problems with it? Like when is time for a bath?"
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"Actually this is just a manifestation of our powers that we can undo. Take down or shed. But every time its manifested, the previous manifestation will disappear into particles. That's why they are so personalized, but also hard to modify. Because its a person own energy, it doesn't exist to far from its source. So mass manufacturing is out of question. Whoever, still, an energy shield like bubble is Over-powered, but not non-penetrable." Landing down and observing its wings as if checking something. "There is a saying that depending on individuals, this ability is the strongest defense and offense. But still, many from order chose to use something physical as a core for they concentration." Knight sighed again. "What curious we got a complain: That me, bringing an Avenger aircraft Gatling canon to a gun-fight, is a pure bullying of the entire battlefield. From all possibilities they can chose, they complained that I cause an environmental damage." Then the leader become suddenly hit with depression. "Also the power line wires on poles are problem for me. Imagine the scene: angel stuck on wires like on trap." Its shoulders sank a little. "Or crash slam into concrete pillar, because for a second he glanced at something on side." Its shoulders sank a more. "There is so much junk floating in oceans." Its shoulders sank a lot. "Sometimes I wonder for what we are preparing for, when we already as civilization held so much power to alter the environment." The hoodie angel bend over, its limbs and wings hung up without a life. Then that being just only mumble and making a Desperate laugh.
Moderator saw that this is its Que to end the talk show. "And that's all for today, folks. Dear audience, (Thank you!), that you tuned us for today, watch the stream, or record. We had been discussing with the leader of the Knight from black monument order. I hope that many get a little insight on the theme and inspire to know more. Then until next time. Bye."
With that the transmission was cut out.
End