“What happened they told me that you guys were caught in a storm led by something they were calling an o-onryu?” Anna asked carefully examining Ethan and Jack while glancing over Jason not wanting to overstep her bounds.
“Honestly I have no idea what those things were it was like a fever nightmare mixed into an action movie, one second we’re driving through a hurricane, then we’re being attacked by ghost or demons and it was like we were gliding across a lake while the other people were battling outside of the car fighting the demons, now that I think of it, that was easily probably the most badass thing I’ve ever experienced.” Jack spoke as he recounted the experience looking over his own body seeing how everything was still in tact.
“Good lord, well at least you’re all okay.
Do you think you guys need to rest up or do you want to go see these people?” Anna asked as she looked at the three who had taken the space on one of the couched across the seat Anna was in.
“Honestly I think it’s best if we get it over with then we won’t have to go somewhere just to come right back here in a few hours.” Ethan spoke as he was tinkering on his phone trying to scope the layout of the network being used at this underground installation.
“I agree, besides we didn’t have to fight those things, if we did I’m sure we’d probably already be dead.” Jason spoke up while blankly looking ahead.
Once this was decided they let Captain Aria know they were ready to proceed to meet with the King’s Counsel at this time.
The captain led them through the building which seemed to be built as an outer layer with a classical square office design leading them through a maze of halls, desk, holographic dividers and computers, toward an inner area seeming to have a more ancient design with modern materials.
There was a dark colored solid brick arched tunnel that led to a large concrete door.
The captain pushed the large brick door which let out a ghastly crunching noise, revealing an inner tower that held a spiral staircase along the outside wall and each floor having a couple of rooms that created a cross pattern of floors as they looked above.
There was a single tower at the base of the spiraling staircase in the center of the cross that stood as high as the ceiling.
The inner area was also impressive, the entire tower had a circumference wide enough to fit a tennis court in the middle but instead there was a tower built with 4 entrances at each corner on every floor leading to another concrete door.
The tower seemed to be made of a material that resembled glass and dark amber, with walls thick enough that it was impossible to make out what was on the other side.
Seeing this all four of them were stunned for a bit, modern architecture had advanced leaps and bounds from ancient times but not a single one of them had ever imagined actually seeing something as elaborately designed as this.
“This is what we like to call the watchtower, it’s a structure built by one of the ancient kings as his test for the kings challenge.
Originally there were 100 floors but a few of the kings were able to redesign it and create one where we could experience all the levels and beyond floor 100 these days.
But it’s called the watchtower because there is an organizational ranking for who has completed the highest floor.
The saddest thing is only a single person has ever made it past floor 81.” Captain Aria said realizing the group hadn’t kept up with her and we’re all staring at the towering jewel at the center of the staircase like a perfectly nested doll.
“How much have you guys actually kept from public knowledge?” Jason couldn’t help but let out.
“I’ve seen some top secret documents…
but this it feels way different than what we were working on.” He continued as he looked at the scene in front of him like it was one of the wonders of the world.
“This is why we thought it was best if we brought you guys here to meet with you prior to your commitment to our agreement.
Normally we try to ease people into these things but seeing as to how times are changing and we will have to prioritize bringing the right people in at the right speed we thought it was best we get you guys in as soon as possible.” Captain aria said as she walked up to the inner watch tower placing her hand against it the ground slightly shook as one of the bricks began to sink into the ground near the tower.
More bricks continued to sink into the ground one after the other until a path could be seen being created that led further underground resembling a dungeon.
As the path grew a light would turn on gently illuminating the way ahead revealing a short stairway about 20 steps into a large room with two statues along each side of the entrance.
“This way, we have a lot to tell you and hopefully talk about.” Captain aria said as she began to walk down the path.
The four Ethan, Jason, Jack, and Anne exchanged glances, “I-is this real..
am I dreaming right now?
It has to be a dream right.” Anne began, as she was shaking and tears began to well up in her eyes.
“This is real, don’t worry you won’t be here alone as long as I’m here.” Jack said as he wrapped his arms around his wife allowing her to lightly sob into his chest.
“You probably could have gave us some warning that we were walking into some technological alien base.” Jason said understanding what this moment was.
‘Things like this will always happen the moment anyone’s reality is either flipped upside down or they are introduced to an idea far beyond their realm of possible thoughts.’ He thought to himself as he looked over to the others who had slightly chuckled before gulping.
“That’s why I told you we normally ease the new guys into our agency but things are changing and fast.” Captain aria said as she reached the bottom of the stairs waiting near one of the statues for the others.
After a small moment Anne took a deep breath and wiped her eyes.
The denial showed clearly on her face but she had her family, there was still something in this nightmare world that she needed to be strong for.
They went down the stairwell with each step feeling more tension than the last as their expectations and thoughts of what they were about to learn played out multiple possibilities at a time.
When they got to the bottom they could see a large square room with a circular table in the center, along all of the walls was a a horse shoe shaped fish tank where a a long serpent like creature swam revealing the depth the glass walls of the fish tank were hiding.
“Honestly…
the decorum here is a bit?” Jason couldn’t help but let out.
Hearing this remark the room became filled with a light chuckle as the people seated at the far end of the table had also thought that at one point in time.
The room had blue lights in the ceiling alongside the waters moving reflection making the entire room feel as thought it was gently floating underwater.
The center table was surrounded by chairs and alongside the outer edges of the rooms were larger cushions seats alongside smaller circular tables .
“Welcome it is nice to meet you guys, I am King Leonidas, come on in you guys can sit wherever you’d like there will only be us three kings here and you guys we just want to make sure both of us understand what is currently happening.” One of the men in the room spoke, the lights didn’t highlight his features that well but from his stature, voice and what could be seen he seemed to be around his early thirties.
“Why exactly is that even something you need to do I thought what the captain brought to us was pretty straight forward?” Jason asked slightly annoyed with all of the flashy things wondering just how long something had existed under all of their noses.
“That’s why you’re here because we are being straightforward but we haven’t gotten through all of it yet.” The man said as he took his seat next to the other person who had a more feminine figure.
After the four entered they chose to sit next to one another one the far side from where the kings had taken their seats.
“The world is not only changing but has already changed, and is constantly changing every moment humans exist.
Since the inception of human kind we have advanced and done so faster and faster through the ages.
The job that you two were working on was actually something that our civilian department manages this current day, I’m amazed that you guys were able to create a way to actually travel backwards in time.” The man said as a hologram began to generate from the ceiling showing the schematics for a Time Machine with equations and explanations.
Seeing this Ethan’s eyes lit up, “I couldn’t help myself…” he began to speak before Jason who was next to him kicked him beneath the table.
They exchanged glances and Ethan shook his head indicating they should wait.
Seeing this the king slightly nodded and continued speaking, “as of today we have a 20 year time frame of when the project needs to create real results or we will have to put the project idea in queue until technology advances.
Either way it goes you two must be pretty brilliant.
I don’t know what you guys plans might be for the future but there are only a couple of solutions I can think of, either one we find a way to return the world to what it was, or we find a way to restore order to humanity before they turn wild.” King Leonidas spoke his words carrying a certain weight.
“What exactly has happened to the world, if you don’t have a definite answer for that question I think it’s best you find out how to restore some kind of order.” Jason asked almost immediately once Leonidas had finished speaking.
“We don’t really know either exactly if we are being honest but we think with your help we would have the best chance at finding out.
One thing we do know for sure the veils that used to protect earths reality from physical intrusions from other dimensions have almost completely gone.
Cassilia Hargreaves or you can just call me KC.” The woman sitting next to Leonidas answered as she began to look up at the time travel documents hologram.
“Veils protecting reality from intrusions of other dimensions?” Jack repeated as he heard it aloud while the other could help but think the same thing.
“Yes those are what normal people would have called things like the laws of physics, thermodynamics and the lot.
Those things still exist however the limitations and restrictions that they created are no longer completely accurate.
It’s been like this for a while historically where the breadth of human knowledge cannot explain the entirety of the human experience.
Things like dreams, thoughts, emotions, death.
Even the most studied human can’t answer the question of where was their consciousness before this lifetime.
The veils like these protected humanity and made sure nightmares didn’t leave your dreams too often.” Cassilia said as she looked across at the newcomers carefully inspecting their faces under the dim light.
“So it is a nightmare?” Anne couldn’t help but mumble as she remembered some of the terrors she had faced in her own sleep before.
“It would be if you were sleep, but since none of use are unfortunately, it’s the new life.” Cassilia said with her voice hiding contempt and excitement she let out a slight chuckle as the others continued to process the information they had just been given.