Songs of the Light - Glory to the Dawn: Dreams Always Fade

Chapter 3: Only Hallucinations

"There is nothing I know I can do... but I will try. I will do anything to keep her alive." He whispers. He can feel himself falling again, as he so often does. This time he senses that something is different, but he is unsure what. 

He sees a command deck similar to the one of VCC Golden River, but he can tell that it is different. For one it is larger, and there are more officers. He can tell that he's wearing the same uniform, or so he thinks at first. He realizes after looking around that he isn't himself at all. His vision shifts, but his body does not, as if he is an observer trapped in another's form. An officer walks over, "Commander Helvete, VCC Golden River is having some issues. They have suffered a major hull breach and have rotated to fire on Starfeld." The man says. He can sense that the form he occupies is worried, afraid. "Understood, provide covering fire for them and allow for rotation." The form speaks, it is the commander, Isaac's friend. Her tone does not betray the fear she feels, but Isaac can sense it. Another person shouts, "Commander! VCC Golden River is firing on us!" The form is shocked, startled into silence. This couldn't happen, it couldn't possibly happen. How could he do this? How could he betray her and Shadowkeep? How could he throw away his career, his friendships, everything? "Shift shielding and do not return fire. Order VCC Golden River to stand down." She says, the illusion of calmness in her voice breaking, although her words remain professional. Isaac's vision suddenly breaks, shattering, throwing him back into reality. 

"Stop firing! Please! Stop!" He screams, fear in his voice. His first officer speaks, "Sir, we are not yet in position. The guns are not aligned to fire." The officer's voice is calm. 

Isaac immediately feels himself falling again. 

Isaac is standing next to the commander and some other friends, although he cannot recognize their faces he knows who they are. They are all clearly younger, and none of them wear the uniforms they had since grown used to. Isaac steps forward now, he looks at the crowd of people around the same age as him, sitting at tables, watching him intently. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Isaac Erovra, vice president of the Junior Command Council. It is with great pride that I announce this year's Council. We have President..." The name is distorted beyond recognition. "...Helvete, Vice President Isaac Erovra, First Officer..." Distorted once more. "... Second Officer..." The vision is beginning to deteriorate. "... Third Officer..." His vision is almost completely gone. "And finally, Fourth Officer..." He steps back now, his vision clearing. The Council President steps forward and speaks, "Although not everyone made it into the Junior Command Council, be proud of your position as citizens of Shadowkeep. The position is not a measure of value, nor is it a measure of potential. Everyone here has great potential and infinite value, I believe that every one of you will be successful in whatever you strive for. Remember always, 'Honor burns brighter than the stars' Keep the candle in your heart alive, and it will light the way to a bright future." She raises her hand to cover her heart as a salute, before lowering it back to her side. She then steps back. She whispers to Isaac, "Isn't it strange that all of us made it into the Council? Some of us didn't even win the popular vote for our positions. I think the advisors are planning something..." Isaac replies, "I wouldn't worry too much about it, we'll find out their intentions soon enough." He feels himself falling again, deeper and deeper into the abyss of memories. 

Isaac is sitting in his room, alone. It is late at night. He takes a scrap of paper and a pencil and sits down to write. "President..." A tear falls and blurs the name. "Helvete, it is with great sorrow that I must resign as your Vice President. I no longer consider myself to be capable of leadership or of retaining my composure in a stressful situation. All are inherently given a gift: The power to change their future through their actions. I do not deem myself worthy of this gift, or even worthy of life itself. My own life I cannot take from myself, for in doing so I proclaim myself greater than life. If death should claim me, let it." Isaac shreds the letter, not willing to send it, not willing to look at it. Isaac picks up a picture of Helvete. He realizes that he can see her face, and he recognizes her. He suddenly feels himself rising out of the abyss, rising back from the darkness, his fall ending. 

His rise back to reality stops suddenly. 

Isaac is sitting next to Helvete. They are both wearing the uniforms, but Isaac notices that neither of them wears a rank insignia or a company insignia. "Sometimes... Sometimes we all break, don't we? No one is perfect... No one can make it out unchanged." Isaac speaks, his voice quiet. "That's true. Everyone falls down sometimes, but it's getting back up that matters. Once you find that you can't... Well, that's when it's really over. And... even if you give up on yourself, I won't just abandon you." She says the final sentence quieter than the rest, but it's clear that she means every word of it. "I won't abandon you either... And I won't give up." Isaac says, seeming mostly sure of his words. Isaac feels himself rising back to reality now, the visions completed. 

"Have I... Have I given up?" Isaac whispers, looking around the deck, seeing the despair on the faces of his crew. "Have we all given up?"