DUST AND THE SWEEPER
Chapter 16 - Gray Eyes
"I can't believe it's really you, Elder! Erm…Gray," Dust fidgeted.
"I just thought you'd be shorter than this," Fidget commented. "Not gonna lie."
"Age before beauty," said Gray. "Now, I feel like you know what's gonna go down, right?"
Fale nods. "Yeah. You're gonna forge Ahrah an' seal away some ancient evil who just came back an' sent us here."
"That's too bad cause it means the creature's still gonna be active when they're locked up. These swords are supposed to put them to sleep, not create a minor setback."
"Swords," Ginger pondered. "You mean you already forged the other 4?"
"Just three," Gray explained. "I'm getting help for the 5th, but I took it upon myself to work on Ahrah here. I already got the resources. Just need to get started."
"And yer usin' Time Crystals to build him too," Blinx asked. "Never would'a crossed my mind."
Gray motioned to another part of the cave, "Well there's that. But I'm saving a majority of the crystals for a little…cross-promotion. Lemme show you somethin' real quick."
He motions over to the metal door behind him, grabbing it with both hands to slide it open, putting all his weight into it. Inside the room is a facility, well constructed like the Time Factory, able to be navigated by catwalks stretching across a huge cavern. Along the walls, lines of pods in the thousands rest in sleep mode, clearly built with the Cat-Sith in mind but fit for taller creatures such as Dust to remain in.
"Stasis pods," Blinx was shocked!
"Blinx, your boss contacted me not long ago," said Gray. "We struck a deal to make an evac site in these regions."
"So ya met my ol' man an' didn't say anything in the future?! Wait. Nah, that's right. Y'probably didn't remember cause of the mess Benito was up to."
"Him again, huh?"
Dust shook his head, "Not anymore since we took him out earlier."
Gray Eyes nodded, "Good. I heard he was scum. Can't have him finding out about our little backup project."
Ginger asked, "He knew about the Advanced Regions but not this?"
"No one does besides us, plus the Administrator."
"Guess there wasn't a need to break the ice on his part," Blinx shrugged.
"When I forged the blades, they provided power to these pods like a generator. One of them's even used as such right now, but it needs extra juice to remain fully operational. That's where Ahrah comes in. Every strike with my hammer will spike the energy output to keep you all in stasis for however long you'll need until you're back in the present."
"It ain't gonna hurt, will it," Fale wondered.
"No," said Gray. "You're just gonna be frozen for a few centuries. Think of it like an extended beauty nap."
"Yikes…!"
"Well I'm still a little groggy from being in the desert for a few hours," Fidget rolled her eyes. "May as well get used to it."
Gray explained, "Stasis isn't uncommon in Falana's history either. But the Time Sweepers know what they're doing. If you want to, you can hang out for a little while before you get some sleep. You think the desert's harsh? Wait till you return with that beast in control."
…
Hours pass as the group split to explore different sections of the stasis chamber and the workshop. Blinx even sits with the Nimbats and Moonbloods arriving with supplies and discussing future events.
Blinx tells the tale with excitement in his voice. "And there we were, completely screwed, face ta face against an elder cat God. Which I guess is kinda like me, but point is…we were about to be dead meat had it not been for our bestie usin' a magic sword. Er, Magisword I guess. He tapped into the afterlife just to get the lady's soul back. And thanks ta that, she brought us all back to where we needed to be."
"Wouldn't that cause you guys to disappear cause of the change in history," asked a Moonblood drawing Blinx's story on the wall.
"Nah. I'm born outside'a this timeline. An' Dust an' co were basically back where they left off."
"Oooooooooh," everyone nodded.
"Sportsy had unfinished business since he quote on quote died. I had a bunch'a crap I needed to get done with my boys. All kinds'a goofy things."
In the back by the open dojo, Fale fashions his crossbow to take with him to the present, strapping arrows made from runes based on Gray's advice. Not a second goes by where he isn't thinking of how he could possibly save Mordecai from possession. But for the time being, he'll make sure to make each shot count for what's to come.
Meanwhile, Haley and Dust sit in a prayer position meditating in front of the young version of the Elder, guiding them both in a sort of harmonic trance while Fidget introduces Ginger to the art of fire. She waves small flames around with her paws like a magic trick, which Ginger tries and fails to emulate with Fafnir, accidentally turning a trashcan to ash.
"Focus my student," Fidget smirked.
"I am focused, master," Ginger whined. "I just have trouble getting used to the swing. You know I'm not a fighter."
"This coming from the gal who smiled while shooting man eating plants at one point."
"I was in the moment."
"Sure gonna be a lotta that coming up."
The bulky Moonblood accompanying the rabbit and wolf opens his eyes
"Yes, I can feel it," he said. "There's a lot of potential in you both. But it's not time for you to claim your sword, Haley. Not until you awaken in the future."
She bows, "I understand, Elder. I mean Master."
"You're eager to go out and fight alongside the Mithrarin, I see."
"Sorry, I just never had the chance to do stuff like this with him. And I'm worried about Matti and everyone else."
"Once you're in the rhythm of it, it'll all come together," Dust assured her. "You already got the skills for it. Plus, I know Matti better than to back down. We'll see your brother again. Now Trio on the other hand…I'm not sure how we'll get her."
Haley nudges his shoulder, "Hey, you're Dust. You've been through stuff like that already, right?"
"Well yeah, with Tethys and Baron Kane. But her... The way she fought and the fact that Mordecai's in there... I'm not sure how this is going to turn out."
"It's never certain what the future will bring," said the Moonblood. "But we mustn't fear it. All that matters is the moment. You have the chance to take matters into your own hands. Trio doesn't control that." He pauses and faces Haley with a smirk. "And when she tries, there's always someone to help circumvent it. After all, how would you know how things will play out if you do not try?"
He sits up, stretching his arms and summing Ahrah over to judge the two Warmbloods. They both bow with Gray tapping their shoulders lightly with the blade.
"Arise, knights of Elysium," Ahrah said.
Knighted, they stand and Ahrah is given to Dust for his next mission: Go to stasis and return to the present day to defeat the Goddesses of Time and Space. They along with their allies are guided to the rows of pods in the long stasis chamber where the Nimbats and Moonbloods accompany them.
"Once I forge Ahrah, the pods will activate immediately," said the master Moonblood. "Then it will be up to you when you wake up."
"You're gonna remember we came here, right," asked Fidget.
"Knowing what you said about me in the future, probably. But you can't expect me to learn how to fly a ship to come pick you up at my old age."
The Nimbat sighed with a slouch. "Agh, I figured you'd say that…"
Fale joked, "Let's hope if Trio found out about this place, we don't get buried 100 feet unda'."
"Don't worry, Fale," said Ahrah. "This area is magically sealed. She might spot it but she won't get in."
"All the better," Dust said holding Haley's palms. He opens one of the pods next to him and together with the blacksmith steps inside.
"Mushy," Blinx snarked.
"Like you're any different," Ginger smirked.
Stepping into one of the capsules with Ginger, he retorted, "Yeah, well when I get flirty, I don't make it look like fanfiction."
"I was about to say that," Fidget replied, getting in with Fale.
Slowly, the pod doors begin to shut as Gray returns to the forge. "Prepare for stasis, and good luck out there."
"See you on your birthday, dear," Gareth said to Fidget.
"You already di-"
Fidget's cut off immediately from the doors shutting over her. With a slam from his magic-infused mallet, the young Gray Eyes prepares the very sword that would become legendary over the forge in the great plains. The skies begin to darken as the clouds roll in signaling a storm where lightning shocks the stone above the cave. Through the narrow tunnels underground, the electricity is summoned around a blade shaped very much like Ahrah but with sharper edges like a tuning fork. Soon the capsules containing the warriors activate and obscure whoever's inside, sealing them in for long hundreds of years…
As Blinx opens his eyes from freezing mid-blink, he overhears a light click from the inside that carefully opens the hatch in front of him and Ginger, whose still in stasis. Once unlocked, he steps outside to stretch but the Warmblood collapses into his arms, not used to a prolonged nap like he is. Likewise, Dust, Haley, Fale, and Fidget fall to the metal floors. But the clang of Ahrah slamming down grabs their attention as Blinx grabs his Sweeper and helps everyone up from their daze.
"Not use'ta a good ol' stasis lock, are ya?"
Dust groans holding his head, forgetting his hat was destroyed. "Ugh… I feel like my legs turned into water."
Fidget added, "I feel like my whole body's turned into an orange slushie."
"How come it feels like we've only been in there for an hour," Haley asked while fluffing her long hair.
"Stasis basically keeps us frozen while the rest of the world moves on without us," the Cat-Sith explained. "Think of it as puttin' a pause on our internal clocks."
"Then…why do we look slightly different now," Ginger questioned. "Haley's fur is darker and her hair's longer, so is mine. And Dust has bangs."
"Maybe it's to compensate for the lack of hat," the Nimbat joked.
"Just a side effect," Blinx shrugged. "There's some parts that age, albeit at a snail's pace."
"Then if we're up and about now, we should be back in our time, right," Fale asked.
Blinx motioned for the exit, "Why don't we head outta this joint an' find out?"
"Wait, before we leave," Ahrah stopped. "Haley, I believe there is something that belongs to you."
"In a place like this," she wondered.
"Remember that sword," Fidget asked her.
"Oh right. Um…which way do I find it?"
Ahrah answered, "Like Dust, you must let the blade find you."
"That's not fair," Fale barked! "Me an' the boys found Aquaritus, an' Blinx gave Fafnir to Ginga'!"
"Some swords honor warriors differently than others, Fale."
"In other words: They're lazy," said Fidget.
"Alright alright, lemme concentrate for a sec," Haley interrupted.
As she shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath reaching her hand away from the rest of the group, Dust holds her shoulder and guides her through the process.
"You're the expert, hun. Tell me what to do."
"It's not that hard," Dust said. "Think of what you want and it'll come to you. Don't overthink it."
Her mind is clear. All she focuses on is the name that calls to her. Shocktra. The spotlights in the corridor shut off one by one as the blade travels into her palm, jolting her with an aura of electricity as her eyes shine blue from the rush! She is worthy.
"Haley, you are worthy of the 4th blade of Elysium...Shocktra," Ahrah announced.
Blinx added, "You also went an' took out the lights."
"I got it," she replied.
Waving the blade into the air, the spotlights jolt back on from the shock of the lightning crawling around them! With them, the exit is clear. A hidden hatch opening from the side into the workshop still intact like Dust and Blinx had seen from their first visit. All is quiet and extra supplies have been left behind, including engineering boots and gloves for Haley to wear, as well as combat garments for Ginger.
"Hey, Gray and the others must've remembered we'd come here," she said.
"Good thing too," Dust replied. "I know you don't have combat gear like us."
Blinx in the meanwhile checks the front door to the outside at the stone stairwell. Arming his Sweeper and putting on his goggles, he slowly opens the gate only to stare in absolute silence at the sight of a few apparent oddities. One, whatever vegetation the plains had has grown, transforming the empty land into a meadow. Two, past the clouds is a nebular void with abstract stars in the night sky.
"Uh, guys… Are we sure we're on the same planet anymore?"
Baffled, Dust checks to see what his friend meant by that statement. Sure enough, even he's left speechless along with everyone else facing the skies and the land they're on.
After straightening her dropped jaw, Fidget remarks, "Welp, I guess we're screwed, huh?"