The Rift in the Domain- The Auranos Stories Book 2

Chapter 30 - The Power Grid

That night, I found myself standing alone in the dark, holding a lamp to the dusty air. It was almost silent, save for the low hum of a familiar song in the distance. I could hear the downbeats, but I couldn't see beyond the dim light of the torch. I started walking, following the sound, and with the first step I realized I was in a dress- a red strapless dress and black flats. It was more flattering than anything I'd ever worn before. And it had pockets! Score!

I felt fantastic. Something about the atmosphere made me feel strangely confident, so I kept walking, shoulders squared against the darkness. Now I could hear the distant clatter of cymbals.

I was going dancing, I realized. (I'd never gone dancing in my life.) The fact hit me like a blinding flash of the obvious. Of course I was- I just needed to find the music. If I followed the sound, I was sure to find it. The lamp now revealed that I was walking on a dark city street, lined with narrow shops. I tried to look inside a window, but my light glared in the glass, blocking my view. Instead, I tore myself away from the window and kept walking.

Then I heard footsteps.

I spun around, but nobody was there.

"Hello?" I said into the darkness, not afraid so much as curious.

I heard a light cough, and I turned back forward.

There stood man in a tuxedo, his face shrouded in darkness. I couldn't make out his expression, but there was something friendly about his demeanor as he offered me his hand.

My heart soared- I felt anxious, somehow. But I reached out, fingers pale in the light-

And I woke up.

"Hey, Madam Leadership," Comet's voice was saying outside my tent. "We've got news from inside."

I sat bolt upright, tiredness fading instantly. I forgot the dream immediately, though I couldn't shake a vague feeling of regret. But that didn't matter now- progress was calling.

"Hey, Madam... uh, Comet. Good news or bad news?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and climbing out of the tent. I'd been sent to bed by Kaian at nine, despite wanting to stay up to wait for the news from our energy team. Supposedly I was looking tired. It had been a long day... we nailed down the final guidelines for property claims, obtained a map of the city, and set aside a few buildings for combat training, meeting centers, and the like, as well as allotted farming space on and around the Kaonon plateau. Growing crops would be rough, especially considering we'd arrived in Kaonon just before winter, but we had to start somewhere. Comet had said it was an opportunity to build trading relationships with nearby towns. Sometimes I hate optimists.

"It's good news," Comet said, helping me to my feet. "They think they're done with diagnostics and have enough electricity in store to start resupplying the power grid."

"Thank god. Let's go turn the lights on," I nodded, anticipation making my fingers tremble.

We caught up with Lykar and Thunder, who were waiting with the panthers. Yomir was curled up by the campfire, looking dejected. The poor panther still had bandages wrapped around his stomach. I felt a pang of sadness, looking away.

"Hey," Lykar said, looking over. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I lied, smiling as genuinely as I could. "C'mon."

You're not fine, Jal huffed.

"You again?" I replied.

I do seem to be around a lot, don't I?

Stay out of her business, Jalakoro, Yraak chastised him. Just, Riser, remember there are people who care about you.

"People cared about Reinon too," I said in a low voice, looking at Yomir as I fastened Utopia's saddle. "That's the problem."

Yraak didn't seem to have an answer for that.

We went into the dark city once again, and I got an awful sense of déjà vu. I started remembering the dream, where I'd walked alone through the empty streets.

"We've checked all of the main systems," Tripwire said when we reached the reactor. "We haven't gotten to do any fine-tuning yet, but we figured that could wait for now."

"That's fair," I said. "But you're not off the clock yet- this has to be safe."

"Absolutely. We've just finished diagnostics," he agreed with a nod. "The turbines are online and workin' properly, the generators are, too, and we've replaced half the circuitry in the karra facility. Y'know, it migh' not be a smooth start, but it should work jus' fine."

"If you say so," I replied simply. But as my eyes searched his face, I saw that Tripwire looked exhausted and more nervous than me. I wanted to reassure him that it would all work out, but I somehow couldn't work up the sympathy. We had a lot on the line here- the power had to come on in the next hour to keep us on schedule. We were in danger as it was, staying out in the open for so long.

He gulped. "Yes, ma'am. I understand, ma'am. Ivy," he added, looking to an apprentice, "Run in and tell Terror I'm givin' the all-clear. Start 'er up."

Ivy nodded, a slender girl with long legs, turning on her heel and charging back to the front door. Electric lights were on inside- I assumed that was a good sign, at least.

"You've done good work, Tripwire," I said, nodding. "Thank you."

"Good work? Y'know, I really hope so," Tripwire said, taking a shuddering breath and wiping sweat from his forehead. But suddenly, Ivy was back at the front window.

"Tripwire! Terror and Orchard are saying there's still a problem with the brine filter!"

I took a deep breath.

"I-I'm sure it'll be fine," Tripwire said quickly, looking over at my friends and me with wide eyes. "That's- it's the one 'ing I was worried about- it's a quick fix, we jerryrigged a temporary... it mustn't've held- just- just give me a second-"

He ran back to the door, shouting something about the offending brine filter.

"I... I can't handle this," I said in a low voice, turning around. "...I'll be downtown if you're looking for me."

"A-Abigail?" Lykar said. I handed him both Jalakoro and Yraak's talismans and started walking off, into the maze of dark buildings. I needed to get out of there.

"Don't follow me."

I stalked through the darkness with the torch, staring suspiciously into the shadows. The wide, dark streets and glossy storefronts brought my dream rushing back, and parts of it began to make sense. I assumed I'd been dreaming of a dark city because a dark city had been taking up so much of my waking hours... but that didn't really explain the music, or the dress, or the other guy. Not that it mattered now, of course.

I sighed, leaning against a lamppost with a dead feeling in my chest. Kaonon might have stayed dark for another hundred years for all I cared at that moment.