Respite Beneath the Iron Dome (Book One of the Single Universe)

Chapter 6: Reframe Part 3

Half an hour passed into her hike. The valley's stillness ruptured by a distant hum, heralding the routine patrol of Nortian drones.

Ellen froze. Their glinting forms crested the horizon. Mechanical eyes swept the rugged terrain, hunting for any signs of disturbance.

Ellen held her breath. The omnisuit's biometric monitoring system detected her elevated heart rate and awaited a flight or fight command. She steadied herself.

Closing her eyes, she focused inward, recalling the invisibilis formula from the codex.

"Let the balance shift."

The omnisuit's surface shifted and morphed. The nanites rearranged to create a dynamic camouflage matching her surroundings perfectly from head to toe. She opened her eyes and took a tentative step forward.

To any observer, the air rippled like a mirage and then nothing. The U.N.I. fortified her. She stood invisible before the drones' sweeping gaze.

One hovered overhead. A ghostly sentinel confounded by an unseen anomaly. Divinity's grace intervened, and it glided past, leaving Ellen unscathed.

She dared not to move as the patrol continued its relentless circuit. Only when the drones faded beyond the horizon did Ellen finally release her bated breath. The equation succeeded—she was through the first trial.

The ground beneath her feet shimmered as if seen through flowing water, edges blurring into the surroundings. Ellen could still feel the hard earth under her boots. But it was as if she existed within a reality just slightly out of phase with the physical realm.

A smile crept across her face. She was naught to the drone's eyes but a ripple in the air. The exhilaration of the moment left her almost lightheaded.

"By the U.N.I.'s grace, it worked!"

She'd become a ghost, observing the world while remaining unobserved. Her heart swelled at the proof of the U.N.I.'s divine protection.

Veering from the worn path, Ellen opted for a trail fraught with risks and hazards to deter pursuit. The omnisuit's nanites provided a subtle cushioning effect, absorbing the impact of each step and reducing the strain on her joints. The advanced traction control ensured she maintained a stable footing, even on the most unstable terrain.

The valley thrust obstacles—gnarled roots grasping like woody claws, streams rushing to throw her off-balance. Ellen navigated them with nimbleness, never disturbing the living earth's sanctity. She bounded over the tangled roots and forded the stream in fluid leaps from boulder to boulder. The omnisuit's moisture management kept her dry and comfortable, wicking away any water splashed against her during the crossing.

Nature itself was her ally. Each threshold conquered with grace emboldened Ellen's objective. She moved with the land's rhythm, using its challenges to hone body and mind. The valley's threats became her teachers as she progressed, tireless and unfaltering.

The serenity ended as Ellen stumbled upon a secluded checkpoint. Fortified by biometric and quantum locks. Invisibility alone couldn't bypass such defenses.

"I don't know how to proceed."

"All barriers serve a purpose on this journey. Yours is not to break through by force but to realign."

Ellen pondered her words. Realign. External obstacles reflected inner barriers. She focused inward. The omnisuit's neural interface responded, enhancing her cognitive abilities to process the valley's discord.

The Nortian regime's grip did more than crush freedom. It unbalanced the environment, leaving it sick and out of tune. She took a deep breath, feeling the energy flow between her body and surroundings.