Wings Below

chapter 4

My fall was cushioned by some kind of goo that absorbed all types of kinetic energy that would've broken my body. As I got up, some people stared at me as if I just fell out of the sky, which I think I did.

"You okay?" a little girl in a purple dress asked me.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's happening? Wait! I'm late for school!" I blurted out.

She turned to her companions and ordered," We have a newbie! I'll her to the downcity. It's the only place that's stable. I think the stabilizers may not hold on any longer.Keep the search going! "

She offered her hand out and I took it. I got up and surveyed the damage around me. I must've fallen into a skyscraper,

"Long story short: War and we need to run." the youth said as she started to sprint off.

I tried to keep up with her, but I doubt my body could go that far or that fast. This girl must've spent a lot of time on practicing her running skills.

"Who are you?" I asked

"All will be explained dear, but not now." she jumped over a fallen hoverbike and turned a corner. It was a dead end, but she slammed a brick and the wall slid open. Some type of smoke hissed out and she shouted,"Get in!"

I did as she asked and got into the test tube like room. She got stepped in and took a seat on a peach colored couch.

"3...2...1" the escape pod's doors closed and it detached itself and the rocket boosters activated.

"Who are you?" I asked.

" I'm Owl, who are you?"

"Why should I tell you my name! I just met you."

"Well, you may be wondering where this is, but I doubt you'd want to be here for long, so saying my name will do you no good. All I can say though is that we're heading to one of the most dangerous places in this planet, and that you're the only human here in a few decades. "

"Oh? Aren't you human?"

" No," she said as her skin changed from peach to pale red and back to a light peach color.

I was nauseated and almost lost my lunch, but luckily, the spacecraft lamded on solid ground and the door hissed open. Outside, buildings were ruined and humanoid species of all types literred the streets fighting each other. They stooped and stared at me and the girl before scampering off.

"Why did they run ?" I asked.

"You're a human. Here, humans have the highest brainpower which lets them control our most advanced weaponry. We'll meet what's left of the council soon." she replied

"Where is this place anyway?"

"The planet's called Cadris. The place you were a while ago is a country called Amonie. There are multiple countries floating throughout Cadris, but the largest of them all is the downcity. We can't really consider the downcity as a country because it doesn't have a proper system of governance and such."

"What happened to the downcity? Why is it all ruins?" I asked, jumping over a fallen log.

"It was all the Tellerans' fault. They invaded Cadris a long while back and destroyed Cadris Proper, the previous name of the downcity, now all you can find here are cannibals and monsters which have gone lose. "

We turned a corner and the girl punched a brick on the grimy wall. The ground below us gave way and we slid down a tunnel. I was screaming in fear, but the youth seemed to be enjoying it. Our fall was broken by the goo which seemed to have saved me a while back from the fall.

"Energy Renders, don't worry, there was no proven side effect." she reassured.

I gasped for breath and got up. The room was a bustling hub of humanoid creatures running around in similar clothing. The room was huge and was lit with some type of goo running along the wall. Just when we started waking, a hoverbike flew past us and blew the girl's skirt upwards. Her cheeks turned bright red and she shouted, " I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS YRATRUM!!"

I placed my hand over my ear to try and reduce the volume of her voice. She was breathing deeply, but after 3 seconds, her skin turned back to a peach color.

"Sorry about that, Yratrum is a spoiled child of a noble. Don't mind him. Let us walk you to the council room." she stated as she started walking towards a small corridor behind us. "This place used to be a research facility, but when the war started, the council converted it into a bunker. There are still unexplored rooms and if you manage to tumble into one, do not touch anything."

I tried to keep up with her while looking around the area. The walls seem to be made of metal and have etchings of mathematical equations I did not understand.

"Anyway, the councilor's office should be at the end of this hallway." she said.

After minutes of walking, we arrived at a victorian style door with mathematical equation etched on the wood. The thing that creeped me out the most was the words,"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE HERE!" that were scratched onto the wall. It sent shivers up my spine, but my guide seemed to be unafraid. She knocked the door and it slid open.

"Whatever you do, don't look the councilors in the eye." she warned as she shoved me in," Good luck, you may need it."