Elyssia the Lost Paradise

Lost Paradise Part 18: Era

I awoke in a small room with my vision blurry. My head was spinning and I couldn't remember what I was doing either than I fell into a purple portal. Portal generation is advanced technology that the military used! "Well well, it appears the civilian is awake, or as I should say, Kinetta Keats." I quickly got up and scanned the room from where the sound came from. The room was just an empty white box that appeared to have no visible exit.

"Who said that? Where am I? How did you know my name?!" I asked slightly panicked. "Do not be alarmed, you are safe with me." the voice said. It was hard to tell if the voice was male or female over the intercom filled with static. "I also know your name because that's what it says on your ID" I checked my pocket and looked at my wallet and sighed. "Oh, right. But still, were you the one who put that purple portal on the walkway I was walking on?"

Suddenly the white wall I was facing faded into a window and revealed a girl who was probably 5'4" and had light blue hair slightly passed her shoulders. She wore all black and on her arm, it had a symbol that represented Avus Science Team, or AST for short. AST is a private military group that did experiments with new weapons, then sold it to the government of Mizra and made big bucks off of the weapons. So great, I'm held captive by a private military group because they want my knowledge, huh?

"Well, I've been keeping an eye on you for a while, Kinetta. And seeing how well you've made a steam powered ship with such a small crew, it really catches...my eye." she said as the wall next to me turned into a picture of her eyes widely staring at me. It startled me, but I quickly realized that her eyes are like mine. "You...you're from Elyssia, aren't you? Those eyes, they're exactly like mine. The mechanic's eyes?" She turned off the screen and smirked at me with a bit of sass.

"Yes I am and I believe you need my help. However, if you want my help, you must help me first. If you don't, I'll have you dropped into a furnace that's right below you." I stared at her, comprehending what she just said. "You're...kidding, right?" She then pressed a button on the console in front of her and suddenly the floor below me became transparent revealing a red hot furnace below me. I felt like I just sharted myself when I looked down at the fire below me. "....You got a deal. So, what is it you want?" I said looking back up at the girl with sweat dripping down my forehead.

"Okay, you promise me you won't tell a soul about this to anyone?" she asked looking at me concerned. This sounded familiar. "Of course! I won't tell anyone anything like the last person who...told me...that." I started to trail off, suddenly having visions and memories of Volta flash through my mind. I remember the laser knife she showed me with the threat if I told anyone about her secret. I shook my head and came back to the picture. The girl looked at me funny and one of the transparent tiles slid open next to me. I felt the heat from the furnace. "YES! I promise I won't tell a soul!! Cross my heart and hope to die! And not in this fire, please!"

"Good." She closed the floor back up and the wall opened next to the window. She then walked out and came up to me and bowed. "My name is Era. And I'm actually an ex-AST soldier who is on the run from AST themselves." I scratched my head and looked at her. "Hold up, you used to work with them? What made you leave and what made AST want you?" She sighed and looked downwards. "Long story short, they want my knowledge of the planet Elyssia. They know I'm from there and they want me to...turncoat Elyssian military." I felt like I shat myself again. How many people want Elyssia blown off of the solar system? I gathered my thoughts and one conclusion came to mind. Relias.

"If I may pry more into your situation, would these men you know part of a local gang who's ran by Relias?" I questioned her. Era looked at me for a bit and nodded. "I don't know how they were able to get into AST, but apparently they mentioned something about three people who have the most knowledge of planet Elyssia just like me, which is two girls and one boy. Volta, Meredith, and you, Kinetta." My heart sank as she stared deeper into my soul as she said my name. "Uh, no...no...you're not...going to kill me, right?" And when I said that, I'm pretty sure that time my pants was actually soiled.