The Legacy of the Void

Message in a Bottle

Zeeal had kept her eyes on the heavens for three straight days. Whenever she wasn't looking for those who might want to kill her or on those she might need to kill, her gaze had gone above.

It had been over a week since she had seen Cairn - but he had sent word that if they were to succeed it would be soon. She might not like many people, and she trusted even fewer, but Cairn was one of the few she considered a friend. Behind her, Shea woke with a start.

"Anything happened?"

"Not yet." But even as the words came from Zeeal's mouth, a bright light blazed above. Suddenly both women were on their feet, gathering weapons, preparing to leave. Both were trained killers, both stationed where they were for that very purpose.

The bright streak landed just as Zeeal and Shea made their way to the same spot. They were on the boarder with the Melting Pot - a place where dessert met trees, often with brutal shifts of weather. Time spent outdoors was often limited to the night or early morning.

The curious angles of the balloon appeared to be made of space fabric, and the entire contraption was attached to an escape pod. Weapons drawn, they edged closer.

"Isn't it an escape pod?" Shea asked quietly.

"It should be - and one of this quality, it should only have come from one place." They both glanced up. High above New Atlantis was a ship so massive it could block out the moons. As they watched, the ship itself began to flicker - explosions rocking it's core, until in one final flash of lights, it exploded across the night sky. Without meaning to, both Zeeal and Shea flinched, ducking down near the reflective parachute.

"They succeeded then," Shea said with wonder as they watched small comets of debris reign down all across the planet.

"They did." Zeeal's tone was muted, and while Shea continued to watch the spectacle above, she moved to the escape pod. Fear gave way to a flicker of hope. If they had succeeded, if Cairn had succeeded, then this might be the only way he could have survived. Zeeal didn't much care if his companion, the Lady Alya had.

Scrambling to the hatch, she noticed that it was jammed. Grateful to never be without multiple weapons, Zeeal pulled out a laser torch, melting the jam and opening the door. Shea clambered over the wreckage to stand beside her.

"Who is it?"

"No one - it's empty." With a heavy sigh, Zeeal made to shut the door again, until something shiny caught her interest. Reaching in, her hands closed around a single orb - and the second her flesh touched it, a hologram sprang to life. Cairn was smiling back at her.

"Zeeal, I hope you find this. If you do, it means that we've won. The Overlord was defeated. You can finally go home. Please take my story with you."