The building stood tall and wide, bloated as it overlooked it's dominion. It wouldn't be fair to say that it blocked out the Sun, because it cast it's own light with the spotlights that ran down it's obese frame, and it wouldn't be fair to say that it loomed over the populace, because for the most part it couldn't even be noticed. It was nestled happily amongst a collection of plants and trees; the most vibrant colours and scents; a bombardment on all of the senses! Animals happily ran amok in it's gardens. A river blubbered and giggled down an artificial slope, casting off brilliant blues, greens and even violet shades, depending on the time and the mood of the place. Underneath the water was an obvious plate of metal; despite all of the 'natural' beauty, it did have a very fake feel about it; everything was tamed and manufactured. The railings were made of sleek, sturdy steel and there was an obvious difference between the untamed wilds and the man-made home.
People who would walk through the area would often comment on how blue the sky looked here. It wasn't just the colour of the sky, as it was everywhere else. It wasn't just the colour of the sea, or of coldness, or safety. This sky represented something more than base needs, though nobody could ever put their finger on why or what it meant. Perhaps it was just the beauty of the area letting them see the beauty that was already there.
It's a pity all of this was a distraction. The building dug far deeper than it had soared, with facilities and engines burrowing deep and far beneath the earth. The further one got from the sky, the less showy and more practical it grew. Sleek modern tiles degenerated into cold, aged metal sheets; the newest materials turned into older, more reliable ones the deeper they dug. Above the ground, the building was obviously some sort of office block, or perhaps a residential area, but below the truth was far more interesting.
It came to a particular shock to the boy as the elevator first opened, to see the new world behind him mixing and mingling with the old world ahead. Nervously, the young man wandered through the halls. His feet clanged against the grimy metal, before shyly peeking inside a research room. He didn't say anything as he slipped inside, instead watching the screens on the wall as he made his way to his station.
Energy shined upon the screens, subtly hidden underneath charts and graphs; brilliant strands of yellow and gold, flawless amber flowing throughout the pipes that ran and twirled throughout the place. 'This is what's inside them?', he'd think to himself, watching and staring at the monitors and levels.
"All's normal, today." said a colleague.
"Nothing's going wrong at all." remarked another.
There was a fluctuation in power earlier in the day, Rye noticed, but nothing that should cause any worry or alarm; it was common for spikes to come up as they tapped into more and more power. It wasn't anything unusual, so he thought nothing of it as he sat down in his seat.
He noticed, for the first time, that his seat was made of legitimate leather – strange, considering hunting had been outlawed for so many years. He ran his hands along the edge, taking in the feeling of it. He then observed himself, in his clean uniform; all formal and black; a blazer, a simple pair of trousers and a waistcoat. He looked the part, he thought; he'd fit in no matter where he went, unless it was particularly out-there.
The room was a mix-match of various times and cultures; the shiny modern plating, the ornate golden idols, the shining, holographic screens. It didn't mesh seamlessly – one time would suddenly jolt into the next, but at least it was warm in there.
A sudden jolt, and streams of golden light burst out of the valves, soaring their way through the corridors and forcing cracks open upon the pipes. The light, neither liquid nor gas, didn't quite seem real to those who saw it, but they hurried and did the best they could to seal the breach. Heavy iron caps closed off the area, and the routes were diverted so that they would not lose any more of the precious fluid. All the while, alarm bells screeched and wailed, lights blazed the most artificial red flare. The metal walls fell dark as the cracked room fell into disuse, sealing off the escaped energy until it could be harvested again, leaving Rye and his friends stranded in the workstation. One woman, long haired and bound in a corset that somehow managed to bulge in the wrong places – mumbled a few select curse words and swore that she'll 'lynch the Administrator when she gets her hands on him'.
Rye backed into a corner as the energy flooded the room, sending sparks and arcing electricity along whatever it touched. Soon the room was in disarray when it was so organised a few moments ago; screens lay discarded and broken, paper caught flame and burnt and the strangest wind tore past the sealed room. A strand hit one of the workmen in there; one moment he was there, the next he was not, without even a trace of his existence save for the loud 'pop' as air rushed to fill his gap. The same happened to many things – even the light from the holographic displays seemed to be displaced by the yellow lightning.
The intern's breathing hastened. His vision blurred, his pulse irregular. Perhaps it was the stress, or the sheer trauma of what he had just seen, but he found himself falling towards the floor, slipping out of unconsciousness... but not before hearing a noise he'd remember for the rest of his life; it was like angels screaming in terror, but at the same time like the sigh of relief from a thousand hardships. He slipped away to this bizarre tune, faintly noticing a flash of blue from the corner of his eye and a rather strange man running towards him.