The sounds of the forest were new to Skye, growing up in the Steel Dome did not allow for such things, but it allowed them to live. It protected them from the harsh conditions of the world and the attacking Raiders. The winds would clash against their high iron walls and their blood would stain the dirt below them.
Inside the Dome wasn't much easier. It was cramped and stagnant, the air felt like it could choke you at any time and the people inside often tried.
The three layers of the internal walls separated everyone. There weren't enough resources to let everyone live a pleasant life, but without the bodies and labour of the Outer Rim it would all collapse, and so the people of the slums were allowed some protection.
They gave their blood and sweat to ensure those in the inner walls would be able to keep living as always and they were provided rags and scraps in exchange. Many wouldn't make it to 40 before they died due to one of the many illnesses that plagued them, yet they woke up every day just the same and continued living just the same.
This was Skye's first time breathing in clean air like they had in the Central City, first time feeling sunlight on his skin that didn't hurt instantly. If he was going to have to kill himself to avoid whatever hell he's about to learn about, at least he got to experience these things once.
He took a deep breath in and appreciated the lack of wanting to cough it all back out.
"Slow down, let's get a few things straight before I decide what to do. Let's start with this god. I know a few different gods are worshiped as the one true god, who was right? Was it the Death Cult in the West? Please tell me it wasn't the Death Cult in the West."
"This is going to come as a big surprise to no one, but you were actually all wrong. I mean, what did you expect? You all believed some sheep farmers thousands of years ago and then spent every day killing each other over it? Or that one with the tentacle face? Kind of stupid if you ask me, well ask you? This is going to get confusing isn't it."
Ignoring the burning question, if this ball was really his soul or not, Skye continued.
"Then who is this god? And they're dead now?
"Not just "this god" it's your god. And they're not dead but they are very very close. They've been left powerless to protect themselves due to all that killing you friendly folks have been doing. The planet you live on isn't a planet at all, it's the soul of your god, your existence and the existence of all life is what gives them power. Every ant and every plant, it all feeds them with essence and allows them to hide.
"Hide? Hide from what?"
"It's a bit of a longer story then we have time for right now, I have too much to get you caught up on, and if I told you the whole story you'd have to sit here until you starve to death at best. Let's just say that they had a lot of enemies and for the most part, gave them good reason to want to see your god dead."
The wind picked up and the trees rustled as if in agreement to the idea, as if the whole world hated their god as well.
"Your god, let's call them Gaia for now, and we'll even say it's a woman to help you better fit your mind around the idea. The whole idea of energy existing outside of gender norms might be a bit too much right now. You all loved to call them Mother Earth as you destroyed her, for a long time anyway, she was a bit of a war monger until she discovered her more motherly side."
Skye knew that if their god was one to wage war, that meant there must have been others powerful enough to fight. The reality of one god equates to the reality of many. Maybe it is also where her children got the taste for fighting as well.
"She used to have these big ass lizards she would send to harass the other worlds with their little arms and pointy heads, she thought it was the funniest thing. But anyway, back to the main point."
The ball shifted up and down, doing a few circles as if looking around before sharing the juicy secrets.
"She's now powerless, and you're currently in Phase One of her program to get you ready to face the challenges ahead. This was the fail safe she created the second she noticed you little fuckers had a bit of a love of destroying things. Like I said, I'm a part of your soul that was carved out, marking room in the space created for the power to take hold. You'll have to go through these phases to build not only yourself but a new form of society that can withstand the others who are bound to invade, and the sickness that comes from a dead soul. Luckily for you I'm here to guide you."
The ball didn't look very sexy at this moment, it actually looked… worried at the mention of the others? Can a cluster of a human soul be worried?
"Who are the others and when are they coming here? And what type of sickness, like a plague?"
Skye realised he was alone in the woods with this talking ball and nothing else, he had nothing but the clothes on his back and a sore head. Whoever these others were, he was an easy target.
"Trust me the longer you don't know about the others the better, and you have more important matters to attend to at this moment, like discovering what powers took my place in your soul and seeing if they're good enough to let you survive. And if they're not? I can once again suggest the quick way out. It will save us both a lot of time and a lot of talking. It's going to be exhausting for me to continue being the comic relief like this as you get eaten."
The orb paused and scanned the area.
"And I have a feeling we'll run into the type of sickness soon."
This was the second time the orb mentioned powers and now it was directly telling him he had some. Skye used to dream as a kid of being powerful enough to escape the reality of the Dome, to right the wrongs that were being done to him and everyone around him. He imagined himself with the strength to break down the walls and lead the charge, he would give everyone a good life with his strength alone.
"How do I see these powers?"
His tone was too rushed, giving away his eagerness. His soul orb one hundred percent used this as an opportunity to tease him.
"Now calm down killer, I know you're ready to live out your white saviour complex in real time but let's not get too excited. You're not going to be given full access to your power just yet, or maybe ever. You'll get a taste of it. The rest is up to you. You'll have to improve yourself. Like I said she used to be a bit of a war-o-holic, so she'll most likely use these phases to harden you all into something that can survive the consequences of her old habits."
The soul orb continued on, content on the amount of teasing and ready to actually give helpful information.
"If you want to see what you've been given then just close your eyes and focus on that part of me that's gone. The valley in your soul that is missing, filled with something foreign, like it's not meant to be there."
Skye did as he was told, closing his eyes, trying to drown out the throbbing of his head. His mind scanned his body, unsure where the soul would resign. He was quickly directed to his chest which was still burning in the background of his mind. Clinging onto the pain and letting it pull him in, his consciousness was brought from the forest surrounding him to the grasslands of his soul.