~ Xenoblade Chronicles 2
The ancient Sumerians believed that the dead went to a place called Kur, deep beneath the ground. A vast desert where the dead would only have dust to sate their thirst and hunger, and it did not matter whether one had been virtuous or sinful. All buried dead went to Kur. It was neither Paradise, nor Hell.
Maribel stared out across the desert. Red sand and dust as far as the eye could see, disappearing into the distance. On either side, just visible, the great walls of the Orbital Ring curled around and over her. The last dregs of sunlight shone through the transparent roof, illuminating the remains of Elysium.
She was dreaming. She knew, because the last thing she could remember was settling in for bed after dinner with Renko. A dinner that had mostly been spent with Renko complaining about her day. Apparently, Professor Klaus was a difficult man to work with.
"Galea has it worse," Renko said, shaking her head. "Since she's the one that works with the computer that runs everything. Speaking of, Galea's still trying to get you permission to work with her, but none of the higher ups are interested."
"It doesn't surprise me," Maribel had said. Aside from the directors of Rhadamanthus, Klaus was the only one who was higher up in the hierarchy than Galea. "Relative psychology isn't exactly a prestigious field, especially for a lab filled with mostly physicists."
"That's more their loss," Renko shook her head. It was an amusing statement since Renko herself didn't have the easiest time with Maribel's subject.
The wind that blew was not sweet or cool. It was dry. Dead. When Maribel turned, she was at the edge of one of Elysium's lakes. Once filled with sparkling water, now all that Maribel saw was the cracked lakebed. Beyond the dried basin were the ruins of the city. As soon as Maribel's eyes alighted on it-
-she found herself in it. The city was half collapsed, half buried by the wasteland sands. She walked. Never had one of her dreams taken her to a place as silent, a place as lifeless , as this. What was this place? Why did it look so much like Elysium?
She stood in front of her and Renko's flat. Weathered, yet still standing. The same could not be said of the door, which was gone. Inside was dark. Staring at that empty darkness, a sudden panic rose up into Maribel's chest and strangled her heart. It rooted her to the spot, driving the breath from her lungs, and it was nearly a relief when the monster showed up.
A grotesque thing of warped flesh, like plastic that had been partially melted. Human in basic shape, though to Maribel's eye it seemed more like a bug with its chitinous armor plates over emaciated white flesh. Between its ribs, jutting out from its chest and head, was a blue crystalline organ. The monster appeared suddenly, with a snarl, and swung a terrible claw at her.
Panic broke, filling her veins, and allowed Maribel to stumble back in time to avoid the blow.
In her dreams, Maribel could be hurt.
The monster was faster than her though. It loomed over her, readying another swing. She wouldn't be fast enough to dodge it.
The world became dark, the monster wailing as violet-black flames enveloped it. Like dry tinder it dissolved into ash in an instant. Maribel sat on the ground, stunned, as her rescuer stood over her.
"Are you Maribel Hearn?"
He was a man, Maribel decided. He had the gruff, deep voice of one, as well as the proportions, though she couldn't be sure of anything else. He was covered, every inch of him, in black armor. A strange mix between the armor of a knight and a samurai, so black that it seemed to suck the surrounding light in. In his hand was a vicious sword, the likes of which Maribel had never seen before. On his chest was a dark violet gem, cut like a cross.
"What are you?" she asked. Like the young woman, he didn't feel like a yokai. Neither did he feel like something entirely earthly.
"You can call me Logos," the man said. "Where are we? This location looks like Elysium, but that's not possible."
"This is my dream."
"Impossible," Logos crossed his arms, blade disappearing. "This can't be your dream, since I'm here. And I don't dream."
Maribel shrugged.
"For as long as I can remember, I've been able to see gaps and boundaries in the world. My dreams take me to impossible places. This is the first time I've taken someone else by accident however," she said, frowning. It was a concerning development.
"Gaps? Boundaries?" the man repeated. "Doctor Galea didn't inform us of this when she told us she wanted us to meet you."
"Then you must be the computer that the scientists work with," Maribel said. She felt tired, all of a sudden.
"One of three," Logos said proudly. "Now, where is this place?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Maribel said helplessly.
Logos grunted. Though she couldn't see his face, he was clearly disgruntled. He was remarkably human for a supercomputer.
"Thank you for saving me," she said.
Logos tilted his head.
"It's my job to protect those aboard Rhadamanthus," he said. "Besides, isn't this a dream?"
"In my dreams I can be hurt," Maribel smiled, mirthlessly.
For the most part she'd come to terms with her powers. Still there were times she wished she had a simpler, safer ability like Renko's.
"That so?" Logos said. "That sucks."
The bluntness of his words drew a startled laugh from Maribel. Logos radiated smug amusement at the sound.
"There might be more of those things," he said, becoming serious. "We should move to a safer place."
Logos turned around, his vicious blade appearing once more in hand. Maribel made to follow him, only to stumble as her vision swam.
Whatever Logos said next, she didn't catch. When Maribel opened her eyes, she was in bed, Renko snoring next to her.
She could still feel the sand on her skin.
