Chapter 3

“What business have you in the Axiom?”, asked the large alchemist as he eyed her carefully, scanning for any sign of something amiss.

“Tending the garden.” Alliyson tired to hide the fact she was slightly intimidated. The alchemist places his hand on Alliyson’s hand, and on sensing no deception he allows her to enter.

Behind only the alchemist headquarters, Axiom is the second most guarded location in the city. Housing for Laureate, the Library, and the Record of Strings all justify the heavy military attention. Besides those institutions, the age and central location of Axiom means it also contains more cultural treasures such as the Garden.

Alliyson passes the last set of guards on her way towards the Garden, said to resided in the exact center of the city. According to legend Briele, the first Laureate, discovered the Garden after seven days of searching for a place to die, distraught from failures in his past. However when he came across the ethereal oasis in the desert, he was so inspired that he decided to instead dedicate his life towards rebuilding society so others might have a brighter future.

Since then the Garden has served as a place of beauty and inspiration for those who have just begun their journey. In fact, baring special permission, the Garden is off limits to those graduated above the scholar division.

Crossing the threshold into the unoccupied grounds, Alliyson felt thankful for the rule. Scholars are generally too hyperactive to focus on things like meditation, so the Garden is usually vacant save for those on duty.

With the place to herself Alliyson thought it a great chance to work on her combat footwork. “Back, back, parry, slash. Back, back, parry, slash.” she repeated to herself as she worked on the drill. “Back, back, parry, slash. Back, back, parry—“

“Hurry, we must hurry.”

Alliyson stopped in embarrassment, “I’m sorry! I know this place is for reflection…”, she paused again after not noticing anyone near her.

“Hurry, we must hurry. Do you see it? There isn’t much time.”

Now on alert, not knowing what to expect; Alliyson widens her feet, getting into a defensive stance. Her eyes dart around the room as she scans for potential threats.

“Focus! We may not get another chance dammit. You have to…”

Alliyson could hear the voice but not discern its origin. Odder still, she was starting to realize she wasn’t hearing the voice, at least not with her ears.

“Come on idiot, don’t you want to free this world?”

“Oh my Gods.” Alliyson’s heart skips a beat. In the middle of one of the ponds, her gaze was fixated on what appeared to be a floating orb, only visible by a slight aura it radiates.

“Finally. Enter, accept the pact.”

She makes her way to the sphere, the water resting just below her breasts by the time she reaches it.

“Hurry, initiate contact.”

“What is this pact, who are you, what it—“

“THERE. IS. NO. TIME. I can’t…much…”

Alliyson could feel it. The voice, the connection was deteriorating. She began to panic, there were a hundred questions and no time. “Fuck, why am I so stupid?”, she asks out-loud to herself, “Vanilla, Nico, wish we luck.” With that reaches out, touching the horizon. As if compelled, she explodes forward, swimming upward into the sphere.