Memorize (Book One)

Falling into place

"Do not worry about my intentions. I only mean good."

Kizuna doesn't move, and Jay slowly gets to his feet. Both of them stare at the stranger. It is a most unnerving sight: a man alone in the desert, his white tunique gently floating around his knees, his tall, sun-tanned figure bent over the inanimate bodies of their friends. His gestures are slow and precise, and he doesn't seem to heed the warm breeze that is pulling up swirls of yellow dust around him.

Jay and Kizuna start walking together in his direction, somehow hesitantly. None of their companions seems to be alive, a dazzling wilderness surrounds them, and you could swear that this unknown wanderer belongs to another time and place. Getting closer, Jay notices that the man is indeed different, although he has already seen people like him in his weird dreams. He remembers more and more of them now. The man's skin is thin and his face is marked with delicate lines in some areas like his forehead and around his pale blue-grey eyes. The stranger nods at them and placidly opens both arms, showing empty hands and harmless intentions.

Jay feels a rush of mad emotions. His head is in pain, and Kizuna, on his right handside, seems quite shaken herself.

Is Starling still alive? Ananda? Where is Arende? And that blond rat? And... who is this man?

"Who I am is not the most urgent matter. Your friends will live. I have taken care of them. It won't be long before they all come back to their senses. Although I am not completely sure about one of them... He's really in a bad shape."

Uttering these words, the man from the desert makes a swiping movement in the direction of the various bodies scattered on the ground. Some of them are actually beginning to stir. Jay steps towards Starling. Ananda is lying a few meters from him. Further down, near the wrecked pod, Arende is standing up very cautiously. His left arm is badly cut and one of his eyes is swollen, but the wounds seem to be healing already.

"So who's the one you're not sure will recover?" asks Kizuna. "I'm from The Medics Squad, I can help!"

"I know who you are, Kizuna. I have a very good memory and I remember all the files I've processed." Uttering these words, the man smiles. "I was talking about the blond man whose body wasn't ejected from the pod. For whatever reason she didn't want to release him. His collarbone is broken, and he suffered severe injuries from the crash. His name is Epos Meane by the way."

"Who... who are you," blurted Kizuna, "how do you know our names? Where do you come from?"

"I am afraid many of you know me." An air of unfathomable sadness brushes over the man's face as he looked down at the nearby bodies. "My skills as a Medic will never make up for the twist of fate that brought you here. This seals your destinies..."

And the man fell silent. Whimsical gusts of wind were now pressing on Jay's and Kizuna's faces. Jay realized that a burning sensation was pervading his lungs. As he started choking, he felt Kizuna's hand gripping his arm. He helped her up carefully, as she bended over in a coughing fit.

"Welcome to Sulphur Bay, the most inhospitable part of B24, where only death can keep renegades safe. We have to move on quickly. If you feel strong enough, please help me take your friends somewhere we can breathe properly."

Arende, who had been approaching, stopped a few inches from the man.

"I will help you... Come on, Jay, Kizuna. We'll take time later to thank our saviour."

The stranger reluctantly turned to look at Arende, who paused and gasped.

"Galloping Wallops! I... this can't be..."

The stranger stared at Arende for what felt like long minutes. Upon which, Arende suddenly cried, in a hoarse, shaking voice:

"Aura... Is it you?"

"This is me, old friend."

"What the hell is going on?" Suddenly Starling's clear voice could be heard above the singing breeze. "Where is Ananda?"

"Ananda is fine, Starling," said Jay, "everyone's gonna make it, except maybe the blond rat. We were lucky to be rescued..." As seconds passed by, Jay could feel an acid sensation crawling on his skin and flowing through his sinuses. He instinctively checked on Kizuna, who was  breathing with difficulty.

We have to hurry.

"You'll be okay?" he asked the young woman. She nodded and turned to the stranger.

"Where are we going then, Mr Aura?... Mr Aura?"

But the stranger refused to turn in their direction. Starling, who had managed to sit up, was trying to get to his feet. As he struggled to keep his balance, the man dashed to hold him, and looked into his eyes. A muffled sound could be heard. Starling fell to his knees without uttering a distinct word.

"What's going on?" whispered Kizuna.

"Well... this was bound to be awkward... I don't quite understand how... I mean..." muttered Arende who had joined their side.

"This ... is just... impossible." Starling's voice sounded unearthly. As the man remained immobile and silent, Starling erupted:

"Is that you...? Dad...?"

The stranger smiled timidly, and within an instant Starling rose and rushed with all his remaining energy into the stranger's arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Aura Kite!" said Arende.

"I thought... I thought you were dead...! Is that really you... Oh, dad!"

The man's eyes were red and there was a new shyness about him in the way he hugged the young man. The quiet assurance was gone. As for Starling, his exhausted physical state was now boosted with an intensity of emotions he had never reached before. Father and son stood there amidst dust swirls and dazzling white crests of salt, while the rest of the crew remained suspended in time, not knowing what to do and not daring to say a thing. That is, until Kizuna knelt down and started spitting blood. At that precise moment, the man from the desert regained his determined, efficient composure.

"We need to hurry. The acid atmosphere is attacking our respiratory systems. We must find shelter now. Arende, take Ananda. I will help Kizuna. You," he said, addressing Jay, "you need to find Epos in the pod. All of you, follow me and don't ever get sidetracked. Sulphur gases are poisonous, and liquid sulphur will kill you in no time... Star, tag along. Your vitals are very low and I want you to stay near me. You'll be okay, son...right?"

Beaming and voiceless, Starling nodded in agreement. Aura bent down and administered a few drops from a tiny container to Kizuna, who recovered her strength within seconds. She stood up and started walking beside Starling, carefully copying Aura's circumspect steps. Arende, carrying Ananda, followed their lead, and Jay soon joined them, holding Epos who looked more like a corpse than like a living being.

Night was falling quickly now, and bright fumaroles rivaled with yellow coated rocks of various sizes in a festival of surreal colours. The air was growing more and more acrid, and Jay realized that the atmosphere felt like a second warm envelopping skin. Aura Kite was tredding extremely slowly, he was obviously prudent yet confident.

This man knows the place like it's his home.

Soon the only sounds were those of their short respirations, echoed by puffing sounds of sulpur gases and dust flurries. Soon the only reliable sight was the white silhouette of Aura, like a banner in the night, doubled with neon green mist. Soon darkness swallowed them all, as they disappeared into B24's unplumbed obscure wilderness.