The Shadow of Eudaimonia

Chapter 28: Battle of Two Gaians

Ophelia felt like her head was floating in the sky. Her body though felt nothing. Sometimes, she would be able to open her eyes but all she could see was blurred silhouettes of strangers. Before she could recognize any of them, her eyes would flutter and eventually close back again. During those moments of darkness, her mind entertained her of her memories.

She remembered she was only six years old when she was promised that she would be an Obelisk. At that time, she didn't know what that meant but she already felt that that was something important. As a Huxley, she never experienced any real struggle. All her needs are given to her. Anything she wants, she could get. But as an Obelisk, Ophelia felt that she couldn't achieve what they wanted her to be. She was smart, but not smart enough to memorize every planet colonized by humans in the supercluster. She was athletic but not good enough compared to her third-degree cousin, Wren. She was drilled with lessons about the legends of the Obelisks, the skills they can use, the theories they have made and abolished but all those lessons felt like a wall that she must surpass. She's a royalty from Gaia and she was expected to exceed their expectations. And because of that Ophelia at six years old, never felt that she was enough.

"Ophelia, are you awake?" she heard. She tried to open her eyes but it felt like it weighs a ton, only managing a few winks before she felt she was sinking back to the void.

The faces of Lazzi and Calvin flashed in her head. She remembered how envious she was to the two of them. Lazzi was excellent as she heard. He was after all made to be an Obelisk, trained and fought to be one. She questioned herself if being an Obelisk was for her at all. She thought if she wasn't good at being one, maybe she was born for another reason. And then comes Calvin who had never been indoctrinated with the expectations of being an Obelisk. No one is expecting from him at all. He didn't have to train hard to be an Obelisk, he didn't have to learn everything yet he was chosen and tasked to save the Universe. Calvin, true to being a Veross, was the luckiest she thought, that's why somehow, she felt a bit of hatred towards him.

"Ophelia wake up!" she heard once again. This time she was able to open her eyes. The bright light stung her eyes and made her squint back but seconds later she fully managed to adjust. She was apparently sitting on a wheelchair and Wren was snapping his fingers in front of her face. "Nod if you can hear me," he ordered. Ophelia did.

"Now you're gonna listen to me carefully. Look around you."

Ophelia, despite her aching neck, turned and looked at everyone around the room. They were in a large hall with a lot of people, around a hundred or so. Most of them were old men. And everyone was obviously in a state of fear. Somewhere crying. Some were reddened and bloody.

"Now my dear cousin. If you try and teleport away from this hall, I'm going to kill each one of these rich old bastards and splay their insides for the world to see."

"You..." Ophelia tried to speak louder than she wanted but her throat felt strained and dry. "you wouldn't dare. That is not who you are."

Wren smiled. "I might haven't made it clear. These men had no shame from capitalizing from people's suffering. They have no problem destroying this planet nor exploiting people for their advantage. These are the men that rule this world with nothing in mind but money and pleasure. Trust me, I am itching to kill every one of them."

Ophelia for the first time after a long while laughed. She forced herself to stand up. Her legs felt weak but she supported it with her Obelisk. "Stupid. Then it's easy for me to escape knowing that." Ophelia was recovering fast. Her mind began to clear up and she was instantly picking up the information at hand. Though she was still dizzy and every fiber of muscle in her body flashed with pain.

"I know you're a lot better than me Ophelia. You wouldn't do it."

She pushed Wren away and her eyes lit up with a purple hue. "Goodbye Wren!"