Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 34 - Claire

December 3rd 2012

After returning to the Grand Temple in New York, Claire and Desmond barely paused to catch their breath. The weight of the mission was pressing down on them, and, almost instinctively, neither of them removed the plain gold rings Aiden had given them for their cover in Brazil. The bands felt like something more now, a quiet, grounding presence as they stepped back into the solemn silence of the Temple.

With the artifact safely in hand, they made their way toward the southeastern stairway. The ancient stone steps were crumbling in places, but they moved carefully, their footsteps echoing softly in the vast chamber. As they approached, the air grew colder, a charged energy filling the space around them, and suddenly Juno's voice materialized, weaving through the silence like a haunting melody.

Juno's form flickered into view, her gaze distant as she began to speak. "What is a fact? Is it fixed? Immutable? Certain in its existence and only awaiting discovery? Or might it be changed?"

Claire and Desmond exchanged a glance, but they remained quiet, listening as Juno continued.

"Here we learned the answer—and thought that it might save us," Juno's voice was calm, almost detached. "They were used to command. To control. To own. But we soon discovered another use. When enough sat in thrall and were told to believe, their thoughts took on form. What was imagined became real. If a hundred minds could wish away a wall or create a tree, what might a thousand do? Ten thousand? More?"

Her voice echoed in the silence, a thread of desperation weaving through her words.

"Might we change the consensus and will the threat away?" Juno's voice became softer, almost wistful. "We resolved to send one into the sky where it would illuminate us all. Once placed, a sentence would be uttered: Make us safe. In this way, we would change the consensus. We would save the world. But it never came to be. We sent a dozen of them skyward—but there was no way to maintain control."

Her figure began to waver, and as her voice faded, Desmond and Claire glanced at each other, sharing a look of resolve before moving forward again. They continued up the fractured staircase, carefully maneuvering over broken steps and avoiding crumbling edges. Claire felt the cold stone press beneath her fingers as they climbed, her focus shifting to the tangible path ahead, even as Juno's words lingered in her mind.

Halfway up the stairs, Juno's voice returned, breaking through the silence once more. Her form materialized before them, the haunting echo of her presence filling the air. "To direct the beam. To enthrall the world. To speak the words. Though this was strange and dangerous—what we tried next was worse... Our first instance was to travel back. To change the past. But we could not find a way. But forward... We could look forward."

Her gaze drifted past them, as if seeing something far beyond the Temple walls. "And so here we sought to see beyond ourselves—and know what was to come. First we watched to learn if our work would succeed. But the answer was always the same."

Claire shivered, feeling the weight of Juno's words settle over her, a haunting glimpse of the First Civilization's desperation and the lengths they had gone to in search of salvation.

Juno's voice softened, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "So we moved on to other things, but she remained. The one you call Minerva. In time she too stopped looking—and instead began to speak. She called out across time in the hopes that you might be saved. She hid messages where none might find them, save for you and those within this place..."

Over the comlink, William's voice crackled in with a faint awe. "Fascinating..."

But Desmond's patience had worn thin. "I'm tired of it. The cryptic warnings. The threats. Just tell us what you want!" he shouted into the silence, his voice carrying through the temple, his frustration bleeding into every word.