Reading sample

Underground Station

In the twilight of the early evening, Reno stood at the top of an AVIOR cloudtower, surrounded by a dizzying view of the city spread out below him. The platform seemed to rise weightlessly into the sky and Reno could feel the wind making his clothes flutter slightly. There was no Tesseract to be seen for miles around. Liu was not there.

The skyline of AVIOR was a dazzling sea of lights and glowing buildings stretching endlessly in all directions. The sight was moving, but also unsettling, as the size and complexity of this city intimidated him at the same time. His eyes turned up to the sky, where three moons hovered over the city in a majestic arrangement. One of the moons seemed particularly close, its size and brightness giving it an overwhelming presence in the firmament. Reno felt as if he could reach out and touch the moon, it seemed so tangible in the still evening air. On this moon, the outlines of colonies stretching along the large crater rim could be seen with the naked eye. Looking at them, Reno recognized not only the undeniable beauty of the night sky, but also the countless secrets and mysteries hidden behind its luminous glow. Each moon seemed to tell a story, a promise of adventures and discoveries waiting to be unveiled. The scenery lent the night an almost mystical atmosphere and the soft light of the approaching night enveloped the surroundings in a warm glow. But at the same time, he was aware that this beauty was overshadowed by reality - the oppression he had heard about and the power of Darius that controlled everything.

Reno began to realize that saving this city would be a challenge of immense proportions.

Suddenly he heard a distant shout that seemed to come from the edge of the platform. He spotted two shadowy figures shimmering in the light of the stars. They were two men in uniform.

“Hey, stop!” they called out to him.

The two men looked like members of a security service. Reno knew he had no time to lose. He had to get away, now. Instinctively, he ran off, past machines and flashing consoles, towards a steel door at the other end of the platform. For a moment he thought it wouldn't give way, but then it opened with a hissing sound. He now discovered another door at the other end of the small room, which he ran towards as fast as he could and with a strong push he opened this door too. Behind it, a staircase led down, which he hurried down frantically. Every step made his heart beat faster and a heavy thudding filled his chest. When he finally reached the bottom, a sharp wind blew against him as he stepped out onto a small platform. The path nestled like a narrow ridge around the mighty Cloudtower, which towered into the sky. At the end of the corridor, he now saw an elevator. In the midst of the dizzying heights, this elevator was like an anchor that saved Reno. Without thinking, he set off and headed straight for it.

Completely out of breath, he reached the elevator, opened the door and jumped in. The door closed behind him and for a brief moment Reno could still see the two men through the narrow gaps, who were now also rushing towards the elevator. But the door closed just in time. He could still hear their footsteps, then the desperate hammering on the metal door, but it was too late. The capsule that had saved Reno started to move and slid down into the depths.

At the bottom, Reno hurried out of the elevator. People scurried through the lobby, some rushing to the other elevators, others disappearing through large doors leading in different directions. Reno headed for an exit door framed by a faint blue glow. A small queue of people waited outside the door. He now realized that the people there were being scanned one by one. He realized that he wouldn't get through without a biochip. At that moment, he saw another elevator arrive at the other end. It was the two uniformed men from the roof platform and they were apparently still looking for him. Reno had no time to lose. He waited for a suitable moment and just as the door opened for a scanned person, he ran as fast as he could to the door and pushed his way out with that person. An alarm siren immediately went off.

A security guard yelled, “Stop, stop! Stop right there!”

Reno paid no attention to the instruction, he only knew one direction: get away from this building quickly!

Once outside, he initially ran aimlessly along the street. Suddenly, he noticed a special hologram that he was able to interpret quite quickly. It pointed the way to the nearest underground station. Reno slowed down and matched the general pace of passers-by, as he didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention. He purposefully followed the hologram instructions to the next station.

  He finally entered the station entrance. People were running to the various waiting areas, while others were already boarding the special pods that rested on the platforms like floating cocoons. They were hypertube pods that offered a quick way to move through the city. The situation seemed to be thickening again, as he again saw scanners in the waiting areas with police officers. A quick decision was needed. Reno knew he had to act inconspicuously to avoid getting himself into even more trouble. He slowly weaved his way between the people waiting, looking for a way to reach a hypertube unnoticed.

But then he hesitated and stopped short. Perhaps a hypertube pod would be monitored by scan inside. His plan seemed too risky. At that moment, he recognized a small side door in a narrow side corridor. Reno resolutely headed for this door, which was probably intended for the maintenance personnel or technicians. He was aware that he was taking the risk of entering areas where he didn't belong. But at that moment, any option was better than the possibility of being discovered by the police.

The forbidden zone

The door was stuck and difficult to open, but it was unlocked and with a cursory glance over his shoulder, Reno entered the narrow, gloomy corridor behind the door. A weak beam of light fell through the sparse lamps hanging from the ceiling. The narrow corridor seemed to lead to a winding labyrinth and Reno hoped that he would find a way out without encountering unwanted company. The narrow corridor was flanked by transparent tubes and cables, some of which were illuminated. Many wires snaked along the walls and led to control boxes. The low hum of machinery echoed through the corridor, mingling with the regular hiss of the ventilation systems. Reno felt his way through the labyrinth of technology, trying to make use of the light from the few lamps. His gaze fell on a small, barely visible hatch. It was inconspicuous and somewhat hidden, like an emergency exit in a forgotten part of the tunnel system. There was angular, almost aggressive lettering on the hatch and the red markings made him instinctively realize that there was a warning here. This was a forbidden zone that he had better not enter. It was risky, but Reno didn't hesitate. He opened the narrow hatch and peered into the shaft behind it. It was gloomy and seemed unused. The shaft seemed to lead down into unknown depths, but it was a way to escape the policemen. Undeterred, Reno climbed down the ladder, taking care not to make too much noise. Then he closed the hatch from below again. The shadows swallowed up the light and surrounded him in darkness. With each step downwards, the feeling of trepidation intensified. The surroundings were silent, only the muffled sound of his own footsteps on the metal steps could be heard. The air became a little stuffy and the feeling of isolation enveloped him more and more. After the last rung, he reached a small room at the bottom, from which many narrow corridors branched off in several directions. Without thinking, he chose the narrow tunnel halfway to the right in front of him and continued on his way, driven by the desire to escape his pursuers. The gloom around him was almost impenetrable. Reno lost track of time as he wandered through the countless tunnels. The corridors stretched out in all directions, endless corridors that were lost in the darkness. Everything blurred into a single labyrinth of shadows and oppression.

 He came to an alcove in the tunnel. He stopped there because he had completely lost his bearings. A shiver ran down his spine and for the first time he was overcome by the realization that he could be lost down here forever. He would never find his way back, even if he wanted to. Reno dropped into a corner of this small bay, breathing heavily. His heart was racing and his pulse was pounding in his temples. He tried to remember how he had gotten here, but the labyrinth of corridors and shafts had swallowed him up. No one would find him here, which was what he really wanted, but on the other hand he would probably die down here and no one would notice. Huddled together, he leaned exhausted against a cool wall. An oppressive silence spread through Reno, merging with the empty and eerie silence of the deserted tunnel.

After a while, he sensed something, but he couldn't pinpoint the exact feeling. He couldn't hear anything - it was quiet in the tunnel. Nevertheless, he felt an invisible presence.

Then his breath caught. He was electrified. Small drones floated through the air in front of him and scanned him with their cameras. Suddenly, as if on a silent signal, the drones flew very quickly away from him in the direction of the corridor. There he now noticed a shadowy figure standing in the pale light. The drones seemed to gather around it, as if they were preparing for a common goal. Then, as if by magic, the drones positioned themselves behind the figure's back. It was as if they were mysteriously merging with her.

Reno paused, his heart pounding in his throat. He couldn't make out the face, only the outline of the person. He held his breath as the figure came closer. He was terrified. Would he die now? The person spoke quietly into the darkness.

“Who are you? What are you doing down here?” a feminine-sounding voice echoed faintly in the room.

Reno hesitated before answering. He could now make out outlines of her face, she was wearing a hood. He also saw a weapon on her belt and a strange little box. He couldn't see what was hidden inside. She was probably carrying other weapons hidden on her body. She also had a strange little device in front of her eyes, similar to a pair of glasses, on which mini holograms kept appearing.

He replied: “My name is Reno and I'm completely lost. I was in an underground station and went through a hatch. I was just curious. I actually wanted to get back to the station, but I got more and more lost. Then I ended up here.”

The mysterious stranger eyed him suspiciously. She stood still and looked him up and down. Reno looked at her uncertainly and questioningly.

She scrutinized Reno for a while, then answered: “My name is Nyala.”

Reno stood motionless, his eyes fixed on her. Her name echoed in his head, but he said nothing. The only thing he noticed was the calm that surrounded her - a quiet determination that enveloped her like an invisible aura. He tried to see her face a little better, but was unable to do so.

After a moment, she added: “I'm down here quite often. On business, so to speak.”

Reno thought he recognized a hint of a smile on the shadowed face. “Tell me the truth. Why did you really go down so low and why aren't you wearing a chip? Did you do something up there?” she asked with a stronger undertone.

“Are you a policewoman? Are you going to arrest me now? Or maybe even...” Reno expected the worst.

“No, I'm not a policewoman. And I don't intend to shoot you either!” she replied firmly. She gave him another demanding look and waited for an explanation. Reno felt her inquiring gaze resting on him and he wrestled inwardly with how much he could confide in her. He replied timidly: “If you knew everything that has happened to me in the last few hours, then you would surely understand that I can't tell you everything clearly. It's so incredibly complicated. So many strange things have happened that even I can't understand, let alone explain to you.”

Reno hesitated for a moment. Nyala was still looking at him questioningly. His mind was racing - should he tell her the truth? His thoughts were swirling. There was something different about her. It was as if her gaze could see into the deepest corners of his mind.

“Yes, it's true, I was being followed. I was running from the police and I had no idea where to hide because I don't know my way around this city and I've only been here for a few hours anyway and I'm from a different world. There are actually only two people I've met so far, Liu and Banto. Those two have helped me. Apart from that, your AVIOR seems to be pretty gloomy and extremely unfriendly. Then I was all alone again and now I've met you and I don't know what will happen to me next.”

He looked at her, “You probably don't believe a word I say, do you?”

After a moment of silence, she spoke to him in a mysterious and puzzled tone: “You met Liu?”

Reno nodded: “Yes. Do you know her?”

Nyala took a deep breath: “If only half of what you just said is true, then you have met the greatest enemies of the system in a very short time.”

“The system?”

“I mean the power structures of Quantum Helix and Darius.”

“Are you also against the system?” Reno asked cautiously.

“I'm AVIOR's most wanted resistance fighter. I'm the system's nightmare! A shadow walker!” Nyala spoke with a certain pride in her voice. “And yes, I know Liu,” she added. Then she continued: “I don't know who you really are and what role you play...” she paused briefly, as if weighing up her thoughts, “but I believe you. However, I don't know if the leaders☼of the resistance will believe you so easily.”

Reno looked at her doubtfully.

“You're taking me to leaders of the resistance?”

“I can't let you go so easily now. After all, you've just spoken to a wanted felon. Besides, you know Liu and Banto. It can't get any worse than this. The system will catch you up there quickly. So you're coming with me!”

“And what will happen to me then?”

“You will be a prisoner of the resistance for the time being. You will be placed in a holding cell until we find out more about you.”

Reno paused for a moment. Then he said: “In any case, I'd rather come with you than go upstairs again.”

She replied: “We still have a long way to go. There are numerous security checks, any one of which could prove fatal for you. One of them is particularly dangerous. We will go through the “cave of a thousand colored light barriers”. If you don't follow me there immediately on the same path, you will die.”

Reno hesitated briefly before replying: “I will definitely follow you exactly.”

Nyala led the way and Reno followed her. He still hadn't seen her face. She continued to hide it. He noticed how smoothly and safely she navigated through the dark corridors and shafts. Sometimes she blindfolded him so that he couldn't recognize certain paths.

Finally, they came to the entrance of the “Cave of a Thousand Colored Light Barriers”. Nyala turned directly to Reno once again and looked him in the eye. She said emphatically: “You must always stay behind me. Don't go any other way.”

At that moment, Reno could see her face clearly for the first time because there was enough light shining towards them from the cave. Reno was struck like a bolt of lightning! Goose bumps formed all over his body.

Nyala was THAT woman he had seen shortly before arriving in the city of AVIOR. It had only been a brief moment, but he hadn't been able to forget her since.

“Did you really understand me? This is very important!” Nyala said clearly to Reno after he looked at her as if frozen.

“Is everything all right with you? You have to concentrate now!” she said to him firmly. Reno was not so quick to understand what had happened, so he decided not to say a word about it.

He replied after a brief period of immobility: “Yes, everything's fine.”

Nyala looked at him for a moment before walking ahead again.

How could all this be possible? He had looked her in the eye when he arrived, of all people. From this point on, Reno no longer had time for such thoughts. It was a breathtaking sight. Hundreds of rays of light seemed to swirl wildly all over the large cave. He was ready to face this challenge and concentrated on watching her every move closely so that he could follow her safely through this complex labyrinth of light barriers. Nyala not only moved gracefully through the beams of light that crisscrossed the room, but she also walked partially ON the beams of light. It was obviously not a light as Reno knew it from his world. He remembered the light he had seen in the gigantic hall in Liu's world. He was able to walk on some light paths there too, but he didn't want to mention this experience to Nyala.

Streets of light and paths of light kept forming, which, after they had walked on them, disappeared again as if they had never been there. Reno followed her with extreme precision, his eyes fixed on her figure as she maneuvered deftly between the moving magical lights. The light played across the silhouettes of her body and the sight of her was like a choreography amidst the shimmering highlights. Nyala's every movement was filled with grace and lightness. Her steps were a graceful expression of her inner strength. Reno was mesmerized by the beauty of her MOVEMENTS.

Then Nyala slowed her steps. She raised her hand and Reno realized that they had reached a certain barrier of light that looked particularly treacherous. It was a narrow path between two pulsing beams of light.

“Careful now!” she said, ”This is the trickiest part. Stay on the path I'm taking.”

He nodded silently and concentrated even more intensely. Every step was precisely calculated, every movement executed with extreme caution. The air was charged with tension as they moved through this particular section of the Cave of Lights. His heart raced, but he paused and matched his stride to Nyala.

She led him safely past the menacing light. When they finally passed the last barrier of light and stepped into a room of calm, soft lights, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Nyala turned to Reno and a fleeting smile played on her lips.

“You made it.”

Reno was relieved, but also full of admiration for Nyala's skills. He was also overcome by a strange feeling that he could not yet place. For a moment, he just stood there and marveled. He found her smile incredibly beautiful.

Then he replied: “Thank you. That was really impressive. Where does this path take us next?”

She pointed to a dark corridor ahead of them.

“This is our way into a world of mystery and adventure. Are you ready for the underworld of AVIOR?”

Reno nodded in agreement and followed her into the darkness, ready for whatever lay ahead.