Blood Ties

Chapter 10: S.T.L.

The S.T.L. was towards the center of the city a circular building with an observatory dome. Along with what was affectionately known as the ring, the outer structure that surrounded the observatory. Goliath and Dorian made their way towards what was referred to as the front entrance. It was around the sixth hour of the morning; the city was quiet. In another hour it would be buzzing the merchants from the back half of the continent. It wasn't like in the kingdom's where they had an abundance of cross-trading between the sevens. Still, the back half of the continent was sparsely populated with fur trappers, herders, and wild herb growers.

" It's was silly to bother trading, with back continent merchants, since our laboratories greenhouses have been growing superior versions of the plants," Dorian argued.

Goliath laughed just then, " Dorian you're missing the point. We can't have everything centralized in the city. What medicines will we have left if Aero's men find our labs and destroy our research?"

"Ugh!" Dorian moaned at a headache that was the Kingdom Guard. " You think they'd leave us in peace? No, I suppose the dumb bastards wouldn't."

Just then as they were approaching the S.T.L. They saw to their utter horror that the outer ring was on fire. Which was, of course, the central research facility aka where they kept the prototype serums.

"Ships! Alright, alright no need to say I told you so! Hurry let's get to the ring!" Dorian started off running. The fire burned brighter like a pillar of hope lost. Moaning an internally cursing Goliath ran after Dorian, beginning to think himself more a firefighter than city leader. As he got to the base of the third tower a stride or two after Dorian, he noticed the smoke was already dying down. Dorian had a suddenly gleeful child-like exuberance about him once again.

" It worked it worked!" He started clicking his heels together.

"What worked?" Goliath looked at him puzzled.

" My rain makers! They're set off by an alarm system that registers smoke! Little faucets mounted everywhere along the ceiling!"

" Little faucets??? Are you sure your quite alright Dorian?Did you inhale to much smoke running here?"

"No time captain the smoke billows!!!"He said, pushing his way into the tower, from the base outer door was unlocked because the tower was on fire all synthetic fortifications were automatically disbanded.

Sighing Goliath did what he thought to be yet another utterly stupid act of heroism. Balling his fists to brace himself, he winced remembering his blistering palm that he'd earlier neglected. Taking a gulp of fresh air and praying to avoid yet another burn he plunged through the doorway.

Smoke was filling every floor of the building, the ventilation in the building was doing nothing to circumvent the smoke, racing through the smokey lower floors of the building his gladiator sandals slapping the stone beneath his feet. Dorian being the much quicker of the pair was far out of sight. Coughing through walls of smoke Goliath had no idea where this mystery fire was raging. He could use his powers, but it was risky business. What if someone saw him? Smoke would reflect any light he radiated, and they wouldn't be able to see anything but a silhouette. Goliath took a deep breath and decided to risk it, after all, he couldn't just give up, whether it was the ever present fire or the Sevens injustices. Another deep breath, still running through the ring he centered his focus on the happiest memory he'd ever had to call upon the light.

His mother's voice was singing ever so bright, each note she released swooned Goliath toward sleep. There was a kind of sweet clarity in her voice, even as she lulled the notes softly off before taking up the next crescendo.

Suddenly his light filled his heart pulsing silvery white against his sternum. He brought the light into his eyes making them look like molten silver. As he ran he scanned for souls; it was like he'd put on a special pair of goggles, but instead of the night vision goggles the synergists had created, he could see the heat of a person's soul.