“In a beginning, before our precious Zetalon, before there was earth, factions, huemans, and more. Before there was time, there was a vast dark void. However, the void in all of its chaos seeks order and freedom. You can’t really explain it, you can’t really describe it, but it’s comforting,” spoke an elderly yet soothing ASMR-like voice.
“The void was ruled over by a primordial one called Yahayah. He was the Most High, The Creator Father, The Great Architect, and a master of time. However, the void can be a fickle thing and from that fickleness was born four more primordials over time. Yadabaq of knowledge and division to separate the dark from the light. Yarakham of earth and plants to give meaning to life.”
A young child’s voice interrupted the old man, “She’s the reason we have food, right, mister?”
The old man laughed, “Yes, she is the mother of the plants that feed us and feed the animals we eat.”
The old man sat upon a chair with a book in his hand with a group of elementary aged children in front of him. He was surrounded by a sea of books on shelves as others walked around. He smiled at the children again before continuing his story, “Next came Yadayan of justice and order, to oversee the balance and be the source of law. Last was their youngest sibling Yamauat of death, life, and reincarnation.”
The old man turned the page of the book he was holding, “They became tired of their existence in its original form and worked together to create a world they could explore and dwell in. And in seven thousand years they created the very first universe and called it…”
“All right children, time to head back to school,” A woman’s voice interrupted him. It was the young children’s teacher from the neighboring school.
The children voiced their displeasure in unison with groans before one child spoke up, “But Ms. Peterson, we were just starting the story.”
“I know,” she replied, “you can hear it when we come back next time. Now come along you all,” she began to signal for them to get up and to head to the door, “Don’t forget your books.”
The old man closed his book and pulled out his pocket watch to look at it before leaning back in his chair, “Youngins nowadays, always so linear.” He had milk chocolate skin with noticeable wrinkles on his forehead. His hair was a salt and pepper mixed forming a three-inch beard with handlebar mustache. He wore big round bronze glasses that protected his sad yet strong brown eyes.
“Not everyone can live to be as old as you, Caretaker,” the Chief Librarian, Omicron, approached him with her arms and a stern look on her face.
The old man looked back at her before standing from his spot. He was short in stature with a slight hunch to his back. “What can I do for you, Chief Librarian?”
“You know the Gavah Moatzah outlawed teachings about the five churches,” Omicron sighed and placed her hand on the shoulder of The Caretaker, “Look I enjoy you being here and the children love hearing your stories every time they visit the Athenaeum, but you gotta be careful so they don’t send you off to Beyt-Kele.”
The Caretaker moved himself away from Omicron as he went to put his book back on the cart, “This institution existed before the Moatzah and will still stand even when it is gone,” he paused to calm himself and looked back at her with saddened eyes, “Thank you, friend, I’ll be fine.” He turned his attention back to the book shelves, “What brings someone of your status down here?”
Omicron crossed her arms over her chest as the aura of the room changed, “The Council has requested your presence. They need your help.”
The Caretaker let out a boisterous laugh, “Letting mere politicians boss you around now, I see.”
“This request came from the High Chancellor, himself,” her answer struck the old man as he turned to look at her.
The day went on but it was not a dull experience. The hovercrafts of the Mishtara had been dispatched. The militaristic police served under the rule of the four goddesses of Zetalon, maintaining order at all times amongst a land that was once chaos.
As their pyramid shaped shifts passed through the land it shook the buildings and ground, announcing their presence to all that were below them.
In the distance was their destination, the lavish Emporium. It was one of many financial centers in Zetalon, but this one served as home to Gavah Ya'amat and her allies. One of the walls to the building exploded and from it jumped out a man with several bags on his shoulder.
He landed on a hover car that had its sunroof open while it zoomed past, “Good catch, bro,” said the robber.
The driver laughed “You picked me for a reason for this job. You get it all?”
“Definitely, not sure what the client wants these for but got ‘em all,” replied the brute.
“Totally sway, bro,” the driver turned down a corner and increased speed.
Inside of the Mishtara’s ship was a team of officers with their dispatcher, Rickshaw, “Listen up, privates, the target has stolen several important financial documents from the main Emporium, it is our job to retrieve them. They are two mid-tier criminals known as Mob and Dash. They have…”
One of his subordinates began to yawn while he was talking, “Am I boring you private?”
“Sir, they’re mid-tiers, we can just go in there and take them out,” replied Huntress while leaning on her long sword that was pointed into the ground.
“Overconfidence is how mistakes are made,” replied Rickshaw, “just because you graduated top of your class doesn’t mean you have the practical expertise.” The team of officers nodded their heads in agreement, except for the woman who rolled her eyes.
As they approached the Emporium, they could see a group of people gathered outside. The officers quickly jumped out of their ship and made their way towards the commotion. They could hear screams and shouts of panic as they got closer.
When they arrived, they saw a woman lying on the ground with a gunshot wound in her chest. The officers immediately went into action, trying to save the woman's life. They called for an ambulance and tried to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile, the criminals, Mob and Dash, were making their escape. They had already left the vicinity and were now driving through the city at high speed. Huntress quickly took one of the hoverbikes from the ship and chased after them.
"Damn it, Huntress!" called out Rickshaw as he saw he heard the sound of the hoverbike hit top speed.
The chase went on for a few minutes, with the criminals' car swerving in and out of traffic, trying to lose Huntress once she had caught up with them.
She was too skilled for them and got above them with the hoverbike upside down. She then released and fell like a rock slamming against the back of Mob and Dash's hover car. The hover car dropped a little from her weight while Mob pulled out his gun, firing two rounds.
She kicked the gun away after dodging, then spun on the trunk of the car and knocked Dash unconscious, causing the hover car to lose control. “You crazy bitch!” called out Mob as he took a swing at her.
Huntress easily dodged his punch and countered with a swift elbow to his nose, breaking it instantly. Mob fell back, clutching his face in agony as Huntress restrained him with handcuffs. The handcuffs electrocuted him, knocking him unconscious. She took control of the hover car and landed it. Once on the ground she then dragged him and Dash to the Mishtara's ship, where they were taken into custody.
Back at the Athenaeum, The Caretaker had just finished meeting with the High Chancellor and was making his way back to the library. He was deep in thought when he heard a commotion coming from one of the nearby alleys. He made his way over as quick as his old bones could manage to see what was happening.
As he approached, he saw a group of men surrounding a young woman, who was clearly in distress. One of the men had his hand over her mouth while the others held her down. The Caretaker knew he had to act quickly.
He flicked his wrist and a long metal staff extended from a bracelet on his wrist. He walked towards the group of men. The men looked up in surprise and quickly released the woman as The Caretaker jammed his staff into one of the men's back and sent a shock through it.
"Who the fuck are you?" asked one of the men.
"Just your everyday librarian, young chap," a smile crossed his face and you could hear the sounds of his cane striking the remaining three men as they let out screams of agony.
At the branch headquarters for the Mishtara, Rickshaw sat in a room across from his superior, Prowler. “She thinks this is all a game, she’s going to get her teammates killed out there,” Rickshaw sat with a sense of swagger while wearing his square sunglasses inside. His helmet sat on the table revealing his afro textured short cornrows and afro textured short beard and mustache.
Prowler smirked and placed the file he was looking at on the desk, “¡Anda ya! She’s just like you when you were a vigilante,” the Cuban man’s skin had begun to age over time and was becoming more wrinkled.
“And a lot of people got hurt before you brought me in to join the Mishtara,” replied Rickshaw.
Prowler raised his hands to stop the conversation, “She brought in the criminals,” he placed his hands back on the arms of his chair, “brought back the files. The four mothers are happy, and Alpha wants Huntress to bring them to Beyt-Kele for imprisonment.”
“She’s a private,” he spoke with negative excitement and disbelief at the words Prowler spoke to him, “she can’t go there alone, she doesn’t have clearance.”
A large smile crossed Prowler’s face, “and that’s why you’re going with her.”
“I can take them myself,” replied Rickshaw.
“That wasn’t a request, that’s an order for the General,” the smile disappeared from Prowler’s face, “this is above both of our pay grades now.”
Rickshaw sighed, “understood, sir.”
In the locker room of the Mishtara’s branch headquarters, Huntress was putting away the heavy artillery when Corporal Inferno entered the room clapping, “Good work, Huntress, a modern day superhero,” he said with sarcasm in his voice.
“Thanks, Inferno, they weren’t too bad to take down,” she put down one of the guns and placed her hands on her hips in confidence, “I’m about to head back out to see if I can stop anymore criminals.”
“That’s going to have to wait, Lieutenant Rickshaw wants to see you in his office,” replied Inferno.
“Me?” Huntress paused in hesitation, “why?”
Inferno shrugged at her question, “he didn’t seem too happy about it, but all I know is you shouldn’t make him wait any longer than he already has been.”
Huntress became frantic putting things away then looked at her Corporal “Right, finish later,” she set the weaponry down and walked out of the room quickly while Inferno rolled his eyes at the whole situation.
Huntress walked through the narrow corridors of the branch headquarters, her heart pounding with anticipation. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The fact that Rickshaw wanted to see her in his office was suspicious, to say the least. She had a feeling that her recent heroics had not gone down well with the rest of the team, and Rickshaw, being the senior officer, was probably going to reprimand her for her actions.
She finally arrived at his office and knocked on the door. "Come in," came the stern voice from inside.
Huntress pushed the door open and stepped inside. She saw Rickshaw sitting behind his desk, his sunglasses still on his face. He looked up at her and motioned for her to take a seat.
"Huntress, we need to talk," he said.
Huntress sat down and looked at him. She could sense the tension in the room and wondered what was coming.
“I don't think you understand, sir, I was just doing what I felt was best to apprehend the suspects," she said.
“I know," he stared her down and the air felt thick enough to cut, "but that's not why I called you here. We've received orders from the General, herself," he said sternly.
Huntress raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Orders?”
Rickshaw put a file down and leaned forward, “We need to take the criminals we captured to Beyt-Kele for imprisonment.”
Huntress nodded, “I understand. When do we leave?”
Rickshaw stood up from his desk, "We leave immediately. We're taking a transport ship to Beyt-Kele in half an hour," he said.
Huntress stood up as well, feeling relieved that it wasn't a reprimand, but also feeling uneasy about the sudden urgency. "Understood, I'll be ready," she said, turning to leave.
"Huntress," Rickshaw called out, causing her to stop and turn back to him, "be careful when we're out there. Beyt-Kele isn't exactly a friendly place and I don't want to end up dead because of your antics."
Huntress nodded, "I will, sir."
As she left the room, Huntress couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. But she pushed the thought to the back of her mind and focused on the task ahead. She grabbed her gear and headed to the transport ship to meet Rickshaw, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.