At the summit of Solaris Tower, President Caius stood before a circular conference table, the room dim except for the cold glow of a massive holographic screen. Project Codename: AIKO pulsed at its center, accompanied by shifting neural graphs and biometric data streams. Aelina's image hovered quietly at the side of the display, her face ghostlike, as if caught between two worlds.
Across from him, Dr. Elarion Vex, looked entirely in his element. With a flick of his hand, a complex schematic expanded into view: the remote neural interface they had spent years perfecting.
"Your Excellency," Elarion began, voice steady and confident, "we are ready for the final phase of Project AIKO. The remote system is fully synchronized. We only need your authorization to activate it."
Caius didn't look at him. His eyes lingered on Aelina's projected profile, razor-cold with determination. "And you're certain this will work?"
"There is no margin for error," Elarion assured him. "Her original neural protocols remain intact. Once activated, Aiko will respond entirely to our command."
In the corner, Valtheris folded his arms. "It's still a high gamble. If she resists, or if Earth detects the signal, we could lose everything."
Caius dismissed him with a sharp gesture. "We can't afford doubt. Aiko is the keystone to reclaiming the terraformation systems on Kaelion. With her under our control, we secure Edena's future."
His attention returned to Elarion. "Activate the link."
The scientist nodded. "Initiating neural link. Engaging remote protocol."
A single word expanded across the main screen:
CONNECTING…
On Earth…
In a quiet wooden home in Ravara, the Kirana family sat around their modest dining table. Candlelight flickered warmly across the walls, as if the world beyond the windows didn't contain mysteries capable of tearing it apart.
Aelina laughed at something Zephyr said, bright, unguarded, blissfully normal.
"So how was your hunt today, Dad?" she asked while nibbling on a piece of bread.
"Slow," Zephyr chuckled. "The deer are getting smarter."
Kirana poured tea with a teasing smile. "Or maybe they're scared because you've been teaching Aelina too well."
Aelina blushed, her grin wide.
Then, without warning, a hologram blinked into view before her eyes.
CONNECTING…
Aelina frowned. "What…?"
Before she could react, a piercing white light stabbed through her vision. Pain flooded her skull, sharp and foreign, like something clawing its way into her mind.
"Aelina?" Kirana's voice cracked with alarm. "What's wrong?"
Aelina clutched her head, breath shuddering. The pain vanished as quickly as it hit. The hologram shifted.
CONNECTED.
She forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just dizzy."
"You're pale," Kirana insisted. "Are you sure?"
"Really. I'm okay. Maybe I stayed in the forest too long."
Kirana didn't look convinced, but she let it rest. "If anything feels wrong, you tell us."
Aelina nodded, though her heart raced beneath her calm expression.
*****
That night, sleep refused to come. When it finally did, it dragged her into a nightmare that struck with violent clarity.
Flames tore across a sky she didn't recognize. Screams echoed through collapsing ruins. Warriors in sleek, futuristic armor clashed with monstrous silhouettes, energy weapons lighting the battlefield like a second sun.
Aelina jolted awake, breath ragged, sweat cold on her skin.
"What… what was that?"
She left her room, drawn by the soft crackle of the hearth. Zephyr sat alone, tending the fire.
"Aelina? Are you alright?"
She sat beside him, trembling. "I had a nightmare."
"Tell me," he said gently.
She described everything—the burning sky, the alien war, the soldiers she somehow felt she knew. Zephyr listened quietly, concern deepening in the lines of his face.
"It's just a dream," he murmured, though even he seemed unsure. "Sometimes our minds show us things we don't understand."
"But it felt real, Dad. Too real."
He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Whatever it was, you're not alone. We're here."
Aelina nodded, comforted but unsettled, her thoughts drifting back to the glowing device—
and the word she could no longer ignore:
CONNECTED.
*****
The next morning, Aelina set off with Draven to the nearby village. Meat had become harder to hunt in the Arbora woods, and supplies were running low.
"Aelina, go with Draven. Don't take too long, and stay sharp," Zephyr instructed.
"Got it, Dad," she said, pulling her cloak tight.
Once they'd gone, Zephyr called Kirana and Lyra into the main room. He told them of Aelina's nightmare, and the chilling details she'd shared.
"That dream wasn't random," Zephyr said. "It was too specific. Too real."
Kirana furrowed her brow. "You think it's connected to her origins?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure. But something's shifting. And this might just be the beginning."
Lyra, her tone solemn, nodded. "We need to keep a closer eye on her. If the Edenians are behind this… we need to be ready."
A quiet dread settled over them, but one truth echoed loud beneath it:
They would protect Aelina, no matter what came.
*****
Several hours later, the morning sun still bathed the small village of Ravara in warm light, casting shimmering reflections across the blue-glowing leaves that adorned the surrounding forest. Kirana's home, though modest, was always filled with warmth. In the kitchen, Kirana and Lyra were busy preparing breakfast.
Kirana stirred a large pot of herbal soup, while Lyra chopped fruits from their small garden. Occasional laughter echoed from outside, where Zephyr and Draven were constructing the frame of a new home for Lyra and Draven.
Aelina, freshly dressed in a simple cream-colored outfit, stepped into the kitchen with a bright smile. "Mom! I'm going to the forest. Okay?" she asked excitedly, bouncing slightly as she hugged Kirana from behind.
Kirana turned with a smile, returning her daughter's hug. "Okay, sweetie. But don't go too far, alright? Be back before noon."
"Yes, Mom! Thank you!" Aelina chirped, grabbing a piece of bread from the table. With light steps, she darted out of the house. In the yard, she waved at Zephyr. "Dad! I'm going to the forest!"
Zephyr, hammering a large wooden plank, turned and smiled. "Be careful, Aelina! Don't go too far, and don't forget your bow."
"Got it, Dad!" Aelina replied, slinging a small bow over her back and running eagerly toward the forest.
The Arbora Forest was a place of wonders, and Aelina never tired of exploring it. Towering trees with glowing blue roots pulsed gently like the heartbeat of life itself. Their leaves glimmered softly when brushed by the wind, creating a magical scene.
As Aelina ventured deeper, a holographic display appeared in front of her eyes, presenting detailed data about the environment. Names of trees, their age, and information about the forest soil scrolled across the small screen.
She encountered several unique creatures along the way. A MechaniRabbit hopped ahead of her, its body glowing with blue streaks that ran from its back to its tail. Her device scanned it:
MechaniRabbit
Age: 2 years
Status: Harmless
Aelina smiled as she watched the rabbit hop away gracefully. Not far from there, she saw a Luminox Buffalo standing by a small stream. The massive creature had an organic body with glowing blue crystal-like horns.
She also spotted a Silver Argenta Deer, a slender animal with metallic-looking legs and glowing blue eyes. The hologram noted that this species was a result of terraforming and only found in Arbora.
"Wow, this place always surprises me," Aelina whispered, walking further into the woods. She felt like a true explorer mapping out a new world.
But as she ventured deeper, the forest's atmosphere changed. The trees grew larger, their canopies denser, allowing only slivers of sunlight to pass through. The usual chorus of nature faded, replaced by an eerie silence.
Her steps took her into unfamiliar territory. The trees here were massive, their glowing blue roots crawling across the forest floor in living patterns. The breeze rustled the leaves with a hushed, whispering sound.
As she descended a small hill, Aelina suddenly froze. Her instincts screamed, something was watching her. She slowly turned and gasped.
A tiger stood several meters away, its body entirely made of dark silver metal that reflected faint light from glowing blue lines etched across its frame.
The tiger stood still, its glowing blue eyes fixed on Aelina. A low hum vibrated from its core, like a machine awakening. Aelina swallowed hard and reached for the small bow slung across her back.
"Stay calm, Aelina," she whispered to herself. "You can do this."
She took a deep breath, nocked an arrow, and aimed for the tiger's chest.
She released it with a sharp twang. The arrow zipped through the air,
CLANG!
A sharp metallic ping startled her. The arrow had bounced harmlessly off the tiger's armored body.
Its glowing blue eyes flared red.
The tiger growled, a deep, mechanical rumble. In an instant, it lunged forward with terrifying speed. Aelina leapt aside just in time.
"No! My bow isn't strong enough!" she cried, stashing it and sprinting away.
She ran as fast as she could, dodging the beast's relentless pursuit. Her breath came in short gasps as she vaulted over glowing roots.
The tiger moved with horrifying precision, cutting off her path and driving her deeper into the forest.
As she pushed through a thick patch of underbrush, its claws nearly grazed her back. She tripped over a root but scrambled up and kept running.
"I have to get out of here!" she thought in panic.
But her escape came to a halt as she reached a rocky outcrop that blocked her path. She spun around to face the tiger, which now approached with heavy, earth-shaking steps.
Aelina drew a small dagger from her waist and held it with both hands. "If I have to fight, then I will," she whispered, steeling herself as her hands trembled.
Just as the tiger was mere meters away, a blinding white light flared from the device on her finger.
Her vision blurred, her head rang like a struck bell. She screamed softly, dropping her dagger and clutching her head.
"What's happening...?"
A holographic message flashed before her eyes:
"ACTIVATING SELF-DEFENSE PROTOCOL..."
The light on her device shifted from blue to bright red. Something inside her changed. Her trembling hands steadied.
Her weary body filled with renewed strength. She grabbed her fallen dagger and stood tall, her eyes glowing with intensity.
The tiger pounced, claws stretched wide. But Aelina moved with uncanny reflexes, dodging the strike and rolling to the side.
She countered with a strike of her own, stabbing at its side, but the dagger barely scratched its metallic hide.
The tiger spun and slashed. Aelina leapt back, barely avoiding it.
"I can't hit it randomly... there has to be a weak point," she thought.
Her device scanned the tiger, displaying a diagram that highlighted weaker areas around its joints and neck. She studied it, then made her move.
With incredible speed, she dove under the tiger, plunging her dagger into one of its front leg joints. The beast roared, staggered, but remained standing.
The battle raged on. The tiger leapt and clawed while Aelina dodged, striking when she could. Each motion was a deadly dance, one misstep would mean her end.
Finally, with a burst of agility, she leapt onto the tiger's back. Clinging tightly, she avoided its thrashing claws. With all her strength, she drove her dagger into the glowing spot on its neck, sparks flying.
The tiger let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing violently, then collapsed to the ground with a resounding crash.
Aelina staggered off its motionless form, panting, her body drenched in sweat, but her eyes still burned with fire.