Death in the Clouds

This sense of dread. I remember it deeply. The day that I still think about the most when it comes to this, is the day I found out what happened to my father. I could never forget the look on my mother's face. I had entered the kitchen to get a drink. It was about midnight. The mother planet's light had made its way into the windows and to a single area of the kitchen. There sat two people. Uncle Phoenix and mom, who look like she had been crying for the past hour, considering how stressed her eyes were. Phoenix had his back to me so he was unaware of my presence until mom saw me and her eyes lit up. He turns around and looks me in the eye for a second, then smiles.

"Hey kid." He says reaching his hand.

I approach him, feeling a bit on edge. The atmosphere felt tense. Something was in the air and I could feel myself choking on it.

"What's going on?" I asked. 

"Come, sit."

I sat in the open seat between them. Mom just looks at me and smiles, but it was that fake smile. The "everything is fine but it's actually not" smile. I know what this is. Phoenix looks out the window as mom speaks. She sounds choked up, like her lungs were exhausted and gasping for air as she spoke.

"What's going on?" I asked again.

"Demi. You remember that promise your father made?"

"Yes."

"Well, how do I say this..?"

"He's dead, isn't he?" I ask, interrupting her.

Mom was left shocked. She did know how to respond to my question. She struggles for an answer but can't find it. 

"He lied again!"

"No, Demi." 

"The both of you! This house is just full of liars!"

"Demi!"

What little sadness I have turns to anger. I just left the room. Looking back on it, I know I went a little overboard. I felt so stressed already that all my frustration and anger erupted all at once and I guess I couldn't cope with the reality before me. I lie in my bed, staring into the ring he gave me. It faintly glows a dark blue, but I saw nothing inside. I felt nothing too. Like I should be sad and disappointed, but I was just mad. Angry at myself for not doing anything to stop him. And it's not like I could. I don't know where he is, what he is doing, nothing. What am I supposed to do? 

I didn't talk to either of them for the rest of the day. Phoenix later knocks on my door that night. I don't answer, however, and he opens it anyway.

"Hey kid." he whispers.

"Go away." I said with my head buried in my pillow.

He ignores me and sits on my bed. I had my back to him but I could feel the bed shift around. He reaches over and touches my shoulder, gently rubbing it up and down like he was petting my arm or something.

"Kid look, I know you are upset-."

"-Was it my fault?"

"What?"

"Did I do something to him?"

"No!"

"He told me, he will come back but now he's gone forever."

Phoenix goes silent for a second. It was almost disturbing. I know he was still there because I could hear him breathing.

"Scoot over," he says.

"What?"

"Move over, I wanna lay down too."

With all his might he starts pushing me from behind. 

"Wh-the hell are you-?"

"-Little more. And watch the language."

I could feel myself sliding toward the wall until he thought there was enough room for him to lay down. As soon as he got comfortable he reached his hand over my head. I finally turn around to see what's going on. He nudges his head, suggesting I slide under his arm.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just…come on. I want to show you something."

I look him in the eyes to see if he is serious. He didn't even twitch. I shift closer to him until he pulls me in and I am laying my head on his arm. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. It was old and beaten up. It had scratch marks and a worn maroon color to it. He observes it in his hand. He admires its craftsmanship and quality.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Whenever I get upset, I think about Caroline."

"Your…wife?"

"Um-hum."

"You don't talk about her much."

"I try not to." He says as he gives me a fake smile. I could see the strongest urge in his eyes to hold back his tears. "When I think about her, I pull out this box."

"What's in it?"

He opens the box. Inside was a picture of her, smiling in front of a large window facing out into a nebula. Her hair was short but curly and jet black. She had light skin but seemed to be short in stature. Her smile was so large it could cure any frown, including Phoenix, who smiled as he looked at the picture.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"There will be days where you will be upset and alone. Before they come, I want you to get something like this, to help bring you to peace when it arrives."

He reaches over to my desk next to him and grabs the ring, holding it in front of us.

"Use this." He said. "This might help you out."

I grabbed the ring from him and held it in my hand. I looked at it closely, inspecting it, but there was nothing. I felt nothing! I broke down in tears, frustrated at myself. Phoenix held me under his arm and stayed there till I fell asleep.

Shortly afterward, I was awoken by a loud bang then silence and the gentle hum of the ship.

I didn't sleep well that night. The flight here was already rough as it is, but my dream left me, disturbed. I look out the window to observe our destination. We were in the Marcaria system. Home of the moon Cloud 9, the destination of the funeral. The system was located on the border of the country, home to what is said to be the most beautiful waterfall in existence. It's said to be the king's favorite. That's probably why they picked it, to offset the sadness. On the other end of the planet sat the eerie shadow of the legendary Starfire. A massive planetary engine mounted to the back of the moon. The most important engine in all of human existence. Everything uses it, from our ships to powering our homes. When taken and scaled to maximum capacity, it has the ability to shift planetary orbits. Two of them sat at the rear. They tower high into the sky and had a width at the nozzle of at least 3000 meters. The base engine compartment is much larger. It is at least another 1000 meters long along with several supporting structures. Though as I took a closer look at it, it was sparkling with lights. They had converted the building into the rest of the planet's cities. A common occurrence after Starfire has had its uses and is no longer needed. The systems are so big that they don't tear it down. I personally think they use it as a status symbol. A form of 'look what we can do' without saying anything. 

Next, I find myself staring in the mirror. My hair was a mess and it was covering my right eye, making me look like some sort of monster. I sigh and get to work. I fix up my hair, straightening it out till it reaches my shoulders. I went to my closest and looked for an outfit. Phoenix told me that the chief of security will be meeting us here on the ship. The funeral is being held below. We have no choice but to attend. I search for and find my black dress and put it on. It fits quite nicely and reaches halfway down my thigh. The cape that came with it was a mere inch from the floor. The cape had a shifting holographic design of a system facing from top to bottom. The sun stood still but the planets around it rotated around the star, like a star system. I stood in the mirror once again, doing a bunch of random poses to try and get a feel for everything. When I was satisfied, I search the box I had on my desk and pull out the necklace that held my ring. I remove its chain and look at it for a moment, admiring its faint glow and sparkle.

I sigh and place it on my left index finger.

I get a ping at the door. A screen opens near my desk where I get a view outside. It was Phoenix, dressed in an all black suit with its seams glowing a soft blue.

I opened the door and greeted him with a smile.

"You look handsome." I said.

He grunts, scanning me up and down. He had this strange look, almost like a look of disapproval. A chilly sensation tingles down my spine, like he was undressing me with his eyes or something.

"What?" I ask nervously. 

"Come on, the officer is waiting for us."

He reaches his hand out for which I timidly grab. We made our way to the hangar which wasn't a far walk. It was quite busy. Ships were moving in and out the bay doors along the wall. Cargo containers were a constant hazard as we arrive at the landing location. It turns out we were right on time. As we approach, a ship flies over our heads. Its large thruster in the back rotates points down to hover while its small thrusters and propellers hidden inside the wings kept it steady. The ship kept itself level for a second, then slowly touched the ground. The words, "Pandoria" were written on it.

The doors behind the ship open out and down as the engine above continues to spin. Two figures stood inside. A man and a woman. The man was slightly taller and also had a slight blue hue emitting from himself. It was a bit strange and none of his clothing had any glowing edges. My mind went a little nuts trying to find out how he was glowing like that. The woman wore an elegant outfit. Her skin was pale and her brown hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a long, black dress with a cut on the right hand side, allowing her right leg to poke out a little as she walked. The man wore a simple black suit. As they exit off the ship, the glowing man is chatting it up with the woman, who seemed very interested in the conversation. Man reaches his hand out first, firmly shaking phoenix's hand before gently shaking mine. His hand was cold, almost stiff as I grabbed it. It felt lifeless, in a way I couldn't quite explain.

"Hello." The woman said. "My name is Melena, this is my A.I. Soul."

"Your…soul?" Phoenix asked, grabbing his chest where his heart would be.

"No, A.I. Soul is his name."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No worries m'am. I am currently operating a skeleton and projecting myself from the ship."

"Wait, a what?"

I look up at the starship and sure enough, there is what looks to be some sort of camera protruding from the bottom of the ship and seems to be following Soul's location. Melena smiles a little.

"Anyways," Melena continues, "he was giving me a tour of the ship. It's very impressive."

"Tour?" I asked, "You just got here."

"One of my specialties." Soul said. "Your ship is quite the masterpiece. It has enough firepower here to take on several capital ships at once."

"Thanks?" I hesitantly responded.

"Shall we get going?"

Melena nods and immediately turns toward her ship. Soul reaches his hand out toward me and greets me with a friendly smile as I reach back out to him. Still a bit on edge he guides me up the ramp, his cold hands leading the way. He sits me down in a seat just outside the ramp where I can still see everything below me as well as out the window beside me. Phoenix sits next to me smiling in excitement as we prepare for take off. I could hear Melena in the cockpit talking with the tower.

"Boseman tower, this is Pandoria requesting permission for takeoff."

"Stand by Pandoria. Alright you are cleared to head downstairs. Good hunting Pandoria."

"Thanks tower."

The ship lifts off the ground as the ramp closes. Dust kicks up into the air as the rear booster expands, increasing its thrust. As the ramp is nearing its close, I spot Marcus. I can see the disappointment on his face but waves us goodbye as we float away. I yell at him to try and get his attention over the increasingly loud thruster in the rear but it's too late.

I assume he couldn't hear me because all he does is salute as we pull away and finally exit through the hanger. The ship tears through the atmosphere of the small moon. Red plums of fire raced alongside the heat shield until the view was completely obstructed. It only took a few seconds before everything began to calm down again. The heat shield retracts. We hit the cloud layer where I spot a massive city at the base of a huge glowing waterfall. The sun rises as the ship arrives at the government tower at the top of the waterfall. A 20-story structure whose bridges on either end stretched across the falls till they touched land. The rest of the building stretches backward, though not at the same height as the rest of the tower. On the very top sat what looks like an engine, glowing a bright blue.

"What is that?"

"What?" Melena asks.

"That over there."

I point at the engine up top.

"Exit strategy." Soul says

"Huh?"

"Ignore him." Melena said, "It's a jump engine."

"For what?"

"Like I said." Soul says, "Exit strategy." 

As I stare at him, confused, we land on a pad reaching just over the edge of the water where I can catch a glimpse of the entire falls. They are at least five or six stories high or at least that's what it looks like from up here. I make my way to the exit ramp as the ship touches down on the surface. The door opens, greeting me with a loud, deep rumble from the waterfall. The sheer force generated from the falls creates a misty atmosphere as the vapors from the water could be felt everywhere as we exit the ship. It's almost like I've gone swimming in shallow waters. Its roar echoes so intensely that the engine of the ship couldn't even be heard anymore. Phoenix tries to say something to me, but I can't hear him. He eventually has to point. It was toward a balcony hanging off the side of the tower about five stories up. It had a dome roof and arched supports all the way around. As we enter the building and into the lobby Melena gets a call from her comms device. She picks up the radio and answers it. I cannot hear what she says but after her conversation, she turns to Phoenix and I.

"You and Phoenix go ahead, we'll catch up with you."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah go."

Phoenix nods, grabbing my hand and guiding me toward the elevators. We made our way inside, pressing the fifth button that was available and sat down, knowing this was going to be a long trip. The elevator begins its rise. The views of the planet started to become more apparent as I grew higher and higher. The stadium down below was huge and magnificent, and the city surrounding it gave it a nice touch. The bay could be made out as the city begins to shrink around it, revealing its outline. The elevator arrives at its stop. I could see the entire horizon stretching across the window and the other eight planets were dotting away in the sky, looking down upon our small little moon. The doors behind me open, greeting me with a massive doorway and suddenly, silence. The gut-wrenching kind. The smell and feeling of pain and suffering filled my ears and nose. Even the waterfall in the front fell silent. At the entrance of the door were two guards in full suit and attire, quickly swarming us when they spot our movements. Phoenix pulls in front of me to take care of them.

"Name please?" One of the guards asked.

"Phoenix." he responded, "Irving Phoenix."

"Phoenix, one moment. Okay and you must be Demi. You both are cleared to enter."

The doors open behind him. Immediately everyone looks in our direction. We stand out here. No one knows who we are, and we don't know anyone. Everyone is wearing black. As quickly as they look in our direction, they return to their usual business. We enter the room and the doors close behind us. The aura of sadness filling the room was suffocating. Some cried into the corner, the rest stood at the memorial in the back. The king's face sat in the back, framed a large enough picture that it could be seen from the front of the room. He smiled from end to end. His dark skin and short hair had the most amazing detail. His eyes were a dark brown, too.

I walk closer to the picture for a closer look. There is no casket for him. Just the picture. Someone calls over Phoenix leaving me with the photo. Shortly after a woman approaches me from behind and stands next to me. She was tall and beautiful. Her hair is long and black. She had dark skin and looked very toned and built, like she workouts for hours on end. Probably an expert in hand to hand combat too. I have seen her before, but I don't know where. She notices me looking at her and smiles. Her dark blue eyes stare into mine before she returns her attention back to the picture. 

"What do you think of him?" She says.

"Sorry?"

"What do you think of him, the king?"

"I…I don't know much about him."

"Just, tell me what you see."

"Uhh."

I look deep into his eyes. What do I see looking at him? I could only guess. I don't know what I am looking for.

"He is handsome." I say.

"That's a start."

"Confident. Strong. A womanizer."

"Really?"

"Come on, a guy that handsome, you can't help but think that. I am sure everyone went after him." Realizing the context of what I said, I panic and quickly correct myself, "Sorry I mean the ladies."

"Fair enough."

"I have been wondering, do you know when the prince and princess will be here? I want to give my condolences."

The woman giggles for a moment before giving me a long and hard look.

"You are not from here, are you?"

"Not really."

"Follow me. I'll take you to them."

She leads me to the other side of the room. There stood a man and a woman. The woman had pale skin. Her hair was also black and long. Her eyes were as green as grass and stood shortest of everyone in the room. The man is much younger than the woman I am standing next to. He did have the same skin tone as her as well as the same eyes, and hair, and nose, wait a minute.

"Cadence. What's going on?" The man asks.

"I want you to meet my new pet." She says as she wraps her arms around me.

"Your pet?" The other woman asks.

"Yeah."

The man stands up and approaches me. He prys the woman's arms off me and bows his head.

"Good morning, Commander Demi. I am glad you came."

"Sir?" I hesitantly responded.

"My name is Immora Dillon. Behind me is my fiancé, Stella. My sister is the one who had her arms around you. Her name is Cadence. I hope you didn't have much trouble getting here."

Immora? The king's last name was Immora. Is this…

"Princess Cadence? Prince Dillon?"

"Yes ma'am."

A wave of panic washes over me. I was just talking about the king in front of his daughter, oh shit! At that moment, Cadence rushes over and hugs me again.

"It's ok Demi. I forgive you."

She winks at me, then walks away.