The Life of Gaia

CHAPTER 33: CPU City

Clinging once again to Zantas, I was crossing the deserted stretch of land that separated us from the last destination of our journey. After all we had been through, we didn't know what to expect from the so-called 'CPU City.' Was it going to be a normal city, like the one that had greeted us upon our arrival, or a small world of its own, like the Gymnopedie Realm?

The area we had just emerged from had given me pause for thought, and so had the flying sign, which for one reason or another was avoiding the subject. When he had assured me that he had had no vision I sensed that he was lying. If we had talked about it right away, perhaps, we would have cleared the matter up, I knew that well: only, could we afford to waste any more time? Besides, I did not want to start fighting with him again - it had not been a pleasant experience at all.

The answer came on its own, when, in the distance, we saw a giant blanket of gray clouds covering the sky for several miles, pouring down an inordinate amount of rain. The downpour was so strong that it completely hid whatever was being drenched by the water, enveloping the area like a curtain with the stage.

The flying sign slowed abruptly to a complete standstill. We were suspended in the air a couple of hundred meters away.

°Gaia, please check the map. Let's make sure this storm is not yet another setback.°

When we were moving, pulling out the pink paper could be dangerous, because at that speed it was easy for the wind to snatch it out of my hand. I understood why he had stopped, and I shared his doubt: what if the one back there was not CPU City?

Luckily for us, we were in the right place: the markers placed us a short distance from the destination, which must have been right in front of us. I looked up to assess the extent of the obstacle. It was really a lot of rain, and I wasn't sure Zantas would be able to fly through it-not to mention how much I would hate to do it, considering I can't stand it.

"We are flying in the right direction, but can we be sure that this is the best way to reach the city?" The flying sign was silent for a few seconds.

°So the map indicates that that is CPU City?° he asked again in a serious tone.

"Yes," I replied, pointing to the paper with my finger, "I told you. Just, I'd like-"

My words were cut short abruptly by the blast of air that poured into my face. Instinctively, I slipped the map back into place and tightened my grip so as not to fall; it was only after doing these things that I realized we were heading full speed toward the wall of water. Yet another impulsive, authoritative outburst from Zantas.

"I can't stand it anymore, you have to stop-"

After the wind, it was the rain's turn to shush me. The icy drops slid over my skin, impregnating my hair and eyelashes with their pungent smell. I felt them enter my clothes and weigh them down more and more, forcing me to clutch harder at the flying sign to keep from falling. They slipped between my tight lips, between my fingers and into my ears, like trains building their own rails.

It was while I was sputtering and wincing in protest that I saw the first light of CPU City. My eyes burned and I saw everything blurry, but as the first yellow light cast its light on us, I could make out the dark silhouette of a building. The deeper we went, the more outlines of windows, streetlights, and floodlights I could count. Without even realizing it, we had reached a gigantic city.

As he had already done on Mécanique, I hoped that my companion would at least have the decency to stop on a roof to let me take cover. Instead, he had no qualms. He continued to maintain more or less steady altitude, and then began a slow diagonal descent toward the road. Everything was getting closer and bigger.