Yuri

“Right through here, sir.” The guard in the combat suit pointed into a corridor. A corridor which ended with a white, shimmering wall.

Yuri nodded. “Thank you. But please don’t call me sir.”

“But your uniform places you among Saif’s vanguard. Are you not part of the vanguard? We were told to show a member of the vanguard into God’s facility,” the guard said.

“Well, yes. I am part of the vanguard,” Yuri said but also added, since he didn’t want to argue with the guard. It was his third time trying to dissuade someone this day alone. “Alright, call me sir, then.”

“Just walk through the veil, you have been given clearance to pass, sir,” the guard said.

Yuri nodded and walked wide past the combat suit, he rubbed at the scar on his head. Those suits scared him, ever since Putin’s royal guard had slammed its gauntlet down on him. He shoved the bad memories aside and continued down the corridor.

The veil looked like a wall of white milk in constant movement, but there was a weird shimmer to it. The sweetness trickled down his tongue by reflex, but instead of retreating it he kept it there. Some of the pores on his arms widened by instinct, readying to deploy his pebbles. He stepped into and through the veil.

“Sand?” Yuri said as his boots sunk a centimeter into the golden sand.

It was more than just sand. The illusionary world behind the veil was that of a desert, but the sand clinging to his boots was real. That was how the lie was sold, having some parts real and some parts hologram. Sand dunes, shining sun and dry air. Yuri placed his fingers into the sand and the sweetness turned into a flood. The golden grains slid up the skin of his finger and curled around his hands and forearms until they slipped into his very pores. The added capacity stormed within him, like a hurricane coming to life. A second deposit grew distinct in his mind, its red liquid flowed from side to side, crashing into the transparent walls. Saif had told him about this one. The blood deposit. Which would provide a tenfold increase of raw strength to his manifestation. To his rocks and stones. He reached for it, but the mental image shattered and faded, as his concentration failed him. The storm still brewed within him, but its power had lessened and kept weakening. He raised his hands out from the desert sand.

A woman approached him, walking across the distance from the white buildings of the facility and him. Her raven black hair fell freely. She waved and he returned the gesture.

“Hello! I am Jelena, and you are our very own vanguard protector?” Jelena reached out a hand to him.

Yuri grabbed it and they shook hands. “Yes, I am this.”

“Thanks for coming. It’s so good to have a properly trained manifestee here again. Since Saif grabbed everyone capable and left, we have been without proper protection,” Jelena said. “But now all that has changed. Thank you. Thank the Great Saif.”

Yuri dared not to tell her that he would rather follow Saif on his empire expansion than babysitting here. But the desert sand made the assignment a little better.

“Saif was sorry that he had to rob you of your strongest. His campaign went along well and the empire now stretches from here back to the very Earth. But now he looks into the depth of space, wanting to expand,” Yuri said.

“You must be tired from your long journey. Come.” Jelena grabbed his arm. “I will introduce you to everyone. Then show you the mess hall and your private quarters.”

-

Yuri dug his toes into the warm sand, the grains slid over his skin. It was reassuring and pleasant. The first two weeks of his assignment had gone well. He had started to learn the names and roles of the people at the facility and grown into his new role. He lifted his gaze, watching across the sand dunes and the fake horizon. He knew what lay beyond, a Space City with the name of Europe13, and behind him was Saif’s manifestation facility, where subjects were given powerful gifts.

“Always keeping watch, Elbrus,” Jelena said behind his shoulder.

Yuri closed his fist. “Well, you never know. With Saif away expanding his empire and preparing us for the alien invasion, he has to put his trust in some of us. Thank the Great Saif.”

“Thank the Great Saif,” Jelena said, taking a seat in the sand on his side.

With his free hand he grabbed the water bottle Jelena handed him and swallowed a mouthful. “Thank you. What kind do you want to see today?”

“You know I love the green hue of a malachite rock,” Jelena said, righting a strand of her black hair. “Throw in some obsidian, too. They are so sharp!”

“Will do, miss,” Yuri said.

Jelena smiled. “Miss? You don’t have to be so old towards me. You are not old anymore.”

“I am still getting used to it,” Yuri said.

Sweetness rushed into his mouth and the anticipation rippled through his body. The energy pooled in his closed fist and something started to take shape within it. He extended the fist towards her and peeled open his fingers. The rock in his hand had the distinct green rings and coloring of a malachite mineral but with the added dashes of obsidian black edges. A deadly weapon in the right hands. He handed it over.

“It never grows old,” Jelena said, inspecting the rock from all angles. “The children will love this. Especially the new batch that arrived yesterday. You will have to meet them, they would like to get to know who keeps them safe at night.”

Yuri waved at her. “It’s Saif that keeps us all safe.”

“Of course, Elbrus. Thank the Great Saif,” Jelena said, placing a hand on his short hair, right on the scar that went across his scalp. “When Saif rejuvenated you, why did he not heal this ugly scar away?”

“We need to remember all our sacrifices,” Yuri said.

“Even those inflicted upon us by crazy Russian Dictators?” Jelena said. “I think not!”

Yuri shoved her hand away. “There is honor in remembering.”

Vibrations shot through the sands, he felt them move erratically against his toes. He looked up, the white veil that separated them from the remaining city was warping.

“The veil is failing. Something is coming for us,” Yuri said. “Round up everyone and make your way to the escape pods.”

“What?”

“Escape protocol.” Yuri got up on his feet.

“You are not kidding,” Jelena said.

“No. There has been no proximity alert across the city, so it cannot be the aliens invading. It has to be her. The one who escaped,” Yuri said.

“Elizabeth. It has to be Elizabeth.”

Sweetness flooded his mouth once more, but this time with acute alertness. From the center of his closed hands, his skin flowed into cold, hard marble. Across his arms, shoulders and head, and down over his abdomen and legs the white marble reached.

“Go!” Yuri yelled.