Thalora

Chapter Two: Voices From The Past

Alyssa tossed and turned in her bunk, her room dimly lit by the glow of the holo-clock on her desk. The Academy had gone silent hours ago, but sleep refused to come. Her muscles ached from the long day, but her mind was restless. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that figure again—the one by the ruins.

Or maybe it was just her imagination.

She sighed and sat up, pulling the thin blanket off her legs and swinging them over the side of the bed. The small, sterile room they'd assigned her felt more like a prison cell than a dorm. The walls were bare, the window offered only a limited view of the Academy's outer structures, and the coldness of everything made it hard to forget she was on a distant planet, far from anyone she knew or trusted.

She closed her eyes again, trying to force the memory of the figure out of her mind. It wasn't the first time she'd seen something strange since arriving at Thalora, but it was becoming harder to dismiss.

And then she heard it.

A voice. Faint, like a whisper in her mind.

At first, Alyssa thought she was imagining things, but it came again—soft and distant, like the murmur of a breeze. She froze, listening.

"... Alyssa..."

Her heart raced. She whipped her head toward the door. No one was there.

The voice came again, clearer this time, but not from outside. It was inside her head.

"Who...?" she whispered, panic swelling in her chest.

"... You were chosen..."

Alyssa shot up from her bed, backing against the cold wall, trying to block out the whisper. It was like a soft hum, vibrating and echoing in every corner of her thoughts. She clasped her hands over her ears, but that didn't stop it.

Her breathing quickened as she tried to push the voice away, but the more she resisted, the louder it became. For a moment, images flashed before her eyes—ancient cities, vast skies, towering figures cloaked in shadow, and gigantic beings, their eyes glowing like stars, looking down at her.

Her knees buckled, and she slumped against the wall, heart pounding in her chest. Sweat beaded on her forehead. This wasn't normal. This wasn't real. And yet... it felt like something deep inside her was being unlocked.

The voice faded, leaving only a dull ringing in her ears. Alyssa gasped for breath, her vision clearing. The room was the same as before, sterile and quiet, except now it felt even more suffocating. She looked around, searching for any sign of what had just happened, but there was nothing.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. What the hell was that?

The door slid open suddenly, startling her.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" It was Lucas peeking into the room with his usual grin. He didn't notice her panic, or maybe he was just too good at pretending not to. "You up for some company? Or still prefer the whole lone wolf vibe?"

Alyssa wiped the sweat from her brow, forcing herself to calm down. She didn't want to talk about what had just happened. Not yet. Not until she understood it herself.

"Yeah," she said, her voice a little shaky. "I could use some company."

Lucas sauntered in, plopping himself down on the desk chair and spinning it once before settling with a satisfied grin. He didn't seem to care about the late hour or the rules about being in someone else's room after curfew.

"Figured I'd come to see how you're holding up," he said. "I was told the first few days on Thalora can be... rough."

Alyssa nodded absently, still rattled by the voice. "Yeah... rough."

He eyed her curiously. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

She stiffened but shook her head. "Just... bad dreams."

Lucas leaned back in the chair, kicking his feet up on the edge of her desk. "Yeah, I get those sometimes. This place probably messes with your head. I've heard it's got something to do with the planet's magnetic field or whatever. People say weird stuff happens around here."

Alyssa frowned, trying to focus on what Lucas was saying and not the lingering sensation of the voice in her mind. "Weird stuff?"

"Yeah. People hear things. See things. Hallucinations, I guess. Or maybe it's just stress. Either way, there's a reason people don't wander around near the ruins after dark."

She felt a chill run down her spine. "The ruins?"

Lucas nodded. "They say the Eldarii built this place long before the Academy. The ruins are all that's left of their civilization. Some people think their spirits are still around. Like, haunting the place."

Alyssa swallowed hard. What Lucas was describing sounded too close to what she'd just experienced. The voice, the images, the strange figure by the ruins... It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Do you believe in that ghost stuff?" Alyssa asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Lucas shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen anything myself. But... some people here do. They say the Eldarii had powers—like, god-like abilities. Telepathy, controlling matter, that kind of thing. Some say those ruins are still charged with their energy. But it's just a story, right?"

Alyssa forced a smile, but inside, her mind was racing. Telepathy. Could that explain the voice she heard?

Before she could ask Lucas more, a sharp knock sounded at the door.

Lucas jumped to his feet. "Uh, I'll take that as my cue to leave. Catch you later, Tan."

He slipped out just as Officer Vasquez entered, her sharp eyes narrowing at Alyssa. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Alyssa stiffened, trying to calm her racing heart. "I wasn't... I mean, I just couldn't sleep."

Vasquez's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. "You have early morning drills tomorrow. I suggest you get your rest."

Alyssa nodded quickly, sitting back down on her bed. "Yes, ma'am."

Vasquez turned to leave but paused at the door. "And Tan... stay away from the ruins."

The door slid shut behind her, leaving Alyssa alone in the silence. The unease from before crept back in, but it wasn't just fear this time. It was something else—something more profound.

There was something about those ruins. Something ancient. And somehow, she was connected to it.

The voice had called her.

And she needed to find out why.