The twin suns bled amber light over the horizon as the wind howled across the endless desert. White dunes shimmered with an almost crystalline glint under the setting day, like ghostly waves frozen mid-surge. A figure stood atop the ridge, stark and otherworldly against the sepia-toned wasteland—white lace fluttering around her in the sharp desert breeze, defying the bleak environment. She surveyed the dunes with a stoic grace, the only movement coming from her gloved hand gently resting on the hilt of a curved, gleaming blade strapped to her back.
Her name was Kaelis. Skin pale as moonlight, short silvery hair veiling one piercing eye while the other glimmered with a faint blue light—both discerning and calculating. She wore a bodysuit as intricate as any artisan’s masterpiece, blending solid white and sheer, gossamer-like patterns that whispered of a long-forgotten era. It clung to her lithe frame as if forged from the sand and stars themselves. Her gloves wrapped her hands with purpose, pale yet powerful, seamless yet deliberate. The sand beneath her bare boots hissed faintly, hinting at how even the wind dared not disturb her presence.
From the ridge’s peak, she gazed down at a valley swallowed by shadows, where the ruins of an ancient, cyclopean city sprawled like a skeleton exhumed. Twisting spires jutted from the sand, broken walkways bridged nothingness, and colossal arches whispered of an age where gods walked among men. Somewhere within those ruins, it lay—the device that could either save her world or doom it for eternity.
The faint hum of drones interrupted her thoughts, their mechanical whir slicing through the silence. Kaelis didn’t turn; instead, she whispered into the stillness, her words calm but cutting. “They track me, still. Fools.”
The flashback hit her like a thunderstorm—its echoes vivid enough to steal her breath. Moments seared in memory unfurled in her mind: the city of Polaris burning, its inhabitants reduced to ash as crimson beams rained from the heavens. Gloved hands clutching the lifeless body of her brother. And the face of the Overseer, donned in robes as black as the void between stars, declaring with unfeeling finality, “You must find the Relic, Kaelis. Or everything ends.”
Shaking off the vision, Kaelis spun on her heel in perfect synchronicity with her blade, unsheathing it in a deadly arc. Three drones streaked toward her with blinding speed, their engines a chorus of rage. She leapt. The world slowed to a heartbeat. In mid-air, her coat shimmered, catching the amber glow from the twin suns as the blade sliced through the first drone like water, its shards falling to the earth in a mechanical wail. She twisted sharply, flipping through the air as her free hand projected a silken energy barrier, deflecting the second drone’s plasma burst back toward its core. The final drone unfolded its armaments, but Kaelis landed already pulling a concealed dagger from her thigh. The throw was quick, precise: the dagger lodged into the drone’s center with a spark before detonating, the explosion punctuating the quiet desert with finality.
She landed softly on the sands, as if carried by whispers of the wind. For a moment, there was stillness. Then the explosions gave way to distant echoes—a new sound. Footsteps. Heavy, deliberate, human.
Kaelis turned. Emerging from the ruins was a man clad in dark, battle-worn armor, his helmet under one arm. His face was scarred, as if carved out by experience rather than time, and his amber eyes matched the desert sky’s glow. “Kaelis,” he greeted, his voice like gravel. “You’ve come for the Relic.”
She raised her blade, the inscriptions on its surface glowing faintly. “That depends,” she replied evenly. “Are you the keeper or the threat?”
The man smirked, his expression a canvas of grudging admiration. “Does it matter? The Relic answers only to those who understand its cost.”
Kaelis stepped forward, the dunes cascading softly beneath her heels. The ruins loomed taller now, their jagged edges catching the light of the twin suns before being swallowed by shadow once more. “Then tell me, stranger,” she said, her voice calm yet firm, “how much does this cost us?”
His smirk faded. “Everything.”
A low rumble vibrated beneath the sands as the air around them grew heavier. The ruins seemed to awaken, their spires trembling faintly as ancient mechanisms stirred to life. Kaelis narrowed her glowing eye and tightened her grip on her weapon. Whatever lay within that Relic was far from salvation—it was a reckoning.
“Then it’s a good thing I’ve accepted the cost,” she said, her voice resolute, as the first rays of moonlight began to illuminate the battlefield-to-be. Blade raised, poison drifting on the air, she charged forward, and destiny met her halfway.
The Source…check out the article that inspired this amazing short story: White 2B Cosplay Costume: Futuristic Elegance Meets Ethereal Beauty
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations and reviews are always independent and objective, aiming to provide you with the best information and resources.
Exclusive Stories, Photos, Art & Offers - Subscribe Today!
Post Comment