Project Eliora

I heard muffled sounds and slowly opened my eyes, but my vision was obscured by my surroundings. I then remembered that I was submerged in the pool of Lumen and began to move my arms and legs, feeling my way towards the surface. As I broke through the surface of the Lumen, my first instinct was to remove the breathing apparatus from my mouth to take in a deep breath of fresh air. I seemed to have interrupted a conversation between Yazmin and Reuben, as they looked startled but rushed over to help me out of the pool.

“Are you okay?”

Reuben immediately asked, and I nodded before delivering the news.

“Eliora is waking up.”

They both turned towards where Eliora lay, and we could see movement in the lumen as it rippled gently. I voiced my concern.

“Do you think the forcefield came down?”

My gut feeling told me that was the case since for Eliora to move, the forcefield had to be out of the way. Yazmin took a fighting stance, and Reuben brandished his energy blade, ready for anything. As for me, I felt powerless in this situation, but I recalled my previous analysis. Eliora was a formidable opponent in terms of physical strength, but Reuben and Yazmin were capable of taking her down. It was a definite possibility.

My attention was brought back. I could see the ripples, which grew steadily in size as something began to emerge. The Lumen flowed down her body like a second skin, revealing a tall, elegant figure with an incredible physique and shape. Her long, flowing hair was a vibrant shade of violet that stretched all the way down her back, with locks so thick that they seemed to have a life of their own, swaying with every move. Her features were flawless, with sharp cheekbones and full lips that curled up slightly at the corners.

I couldn’t help but be in awe of the woman in front of me as she came out of the Lumen. She was like a goddess; her body was sculpted to perfection, with curves in all the right places. She appeared to be made of pure light, as her skin glistened with a delicate, ethereal glow.

Her eyes, however, caught my attention the most. They were a bright shade of violet, the same as her hair, but they seemed to shimmer and sparkle, like tiny stars embedded in her irises, revealing a depth and intensity that I had never seen before.

It was her—not the past version, not the suppressed one. This was the true Eliora.

“Finally”

Reuben said only this, and his murderous intent was revealed in his eyes. Without warning, he closed the distance between them and lunged at her with his energy blade, aiming straight for her head. My horror grew as I watched her bare hand stop the blade, which pierced right through it. She remained unperturbed and showed no signs of pain.

Reuben stepped forward to strike Eliora in the gut as another blade formed on his second arm. But before he could, she tightly gripped him with her free hand. Seeing an opportunity to attack, Yazmin charged at Eliora, leaping towards her and aiming a kick at her back. However, Eliora foresaw the attack and swung Reuben at Yazmin, causing the two of them to collide and fall into the Lumen pool with a loud splash.

She turned her gaze towards me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Yazmin launched herself at Eliora in anger, throwing fists and kicks, but Eliora effortlessly blocked and dodged each one. Reuben returned to the fray, conjuring small energy balls on the tips of his fingers and firing them at Eliora, but she dodged them all with ease.

Suddenly, she moved with lightning speed, delivering a devastating punch to Reuben’s face that sent him flying back into the Lumen. She quickly grabbed Yazmin’s arms in a single motion, effectively limiting her movements. Despite Yazmin’s best efforts to break free, Eliora’s hold on her was firm. Eliora’s head tilted back before whipping forward at incredible speed, connecting with Yazmin’s and disorienting her. Yazmin fell to her knees, and Eliora followed up with a well-placed knee to the chin, sending her flying backwards.

This was absolutely insane. Despite being outnumbered, she easily overpowered them both. I was aware of her abilities, and I knew she couldn’t possibly have the strength and speed that she did. I remembered the deity saying that she had reached her full potential and that there was no room for improvement. But was that all a lie? I needed to figure it out quickly; otherwise, the battle had already been decided from the start.

My lungs felt as if they had collapsed as a sharp blow to my abdomen knocked the breath out of me, causing excruciating pain. I was lifted off the ground. Blood filled my mouth as I struggled to keep my eyes open and make sense of my surroundings. The naked figure in front of me moved too quickly to follow, and I was completely disoriented. She yanked me up by my clothes and brought me face-to-face with her. Even though my breathing was difficult and my vision was blurry, I managed to lock eyes with her. Her violet eyes were as lifeless as they were when we met in the loop.

“We finally meet, Elisa Nunez.”

If I hadn’t been wearing the Evizot, the situation would have been much worse. The weight of my eyelids made it difficult for me to keep them open. Was I about to lose consciousness?

“Elisa!”

I heard Reuben’s voice in the distance, and he and Yazmin, who had both recovered, rushed to my side. I collapsed to the ground, my vision fading rapidly, and my breathing slowed significantly. The sounds of the battle were muffled, and I could barely make them out. My ears rang as a loud explosion suddenly shook the entire area. Then hands wrapped around my head and leg, lifting me off the ground. Reuben’s face appeared in front of me, blood dripping down his face.

“Through the hole, come on, Reuben.”

“On my way.”

I tried to speak, but my lips wouldn’t cooperate.

“You’ll be okay, Elisa. I promise”

Reuben’s voice echoed in my mind as I slipped into unconsciousness, and then everything went black.

—

I groaned as a wave of pain coursed through my body. Blinking a few times, I tried to make sense of my surroundings. As I opened my mouth to speak, a bout of coughing overtook me, and I winced in pain. Yazmin gently slipped an arm behind my back and assisted me in sitting up. We were in an unfamiliar room, but the stark white decor gave the impression that we were still on the halo and had not returned to the ship.

“What happened?”

I asked, still wincing.

“Before I answer that, where are you hurting?”

Yazmin asked, her eyes scanning me.

“Everywhere, but it seems I will manage.”

I said, and Yazmin’s posture relaxed slightly at my words, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Reuben had to blow up a wall, and we managed to escape thanks to a lucky break.”

As she spoke, my hand moved down to my abdomen, and I lifted up my shirt to inspect the area. With the exception of a minor bruise, it seemed fine. I couldn’t help but wonder, “How could such a blow leave only a small mark?”

Then it dawned on me: Lumen. That was probably why.

I quickly looked over Yazmin and Reuben, and their injuries appeared more severe than mine. Reuben’s face was previously coated in blood, likely from a head injury. It had since been cleaned up, but he still looked shaken. As the reality of the situation set in, I realised that they had used a significant portion of our lumen supply on me. I clenched my fists in anger at how useless I had been in the fight. I had merely stood there, watching as my comrades fought.

“Where are we?”

Yazmin cast a worried yet frustrated glance my way.

“We’re in one of the rooms within the halo.”

She replied, her tone conveying the seriousness of our predicament.

“Eliora has locked down the entire area, making it nearly impossible for us to escape.”

“Why didn’t we make our way to the ship?”

I asked, attempting to make sense of our situation. Reuben’s voice was filled with a sense of urgency as he explained.

“We tried, but we were quickly overwhelmed. It was a swarm of Eliora’s forces, and I had to take cover to protect both of you. That’s how we ended up here.”

Taking in our surroundings, I noticed the room was strewn with various pieces of equipment. It seemed as though Yazmin had dismantled them, using the components to her advantage. I gestured towards the equipment strewn haphazardly around the room.

“Has all of this been helpful?”

I asked Yazmin about what they had been up to while I was unconscious.

“Only a little bit.”

She retorted, her gaze fixed on the device fastened to her wrist.

“I’ve made some progress, but it’s not enough to get us out of here just yet.”

It was obvious that Yazmin had been using all of the resources she could find in the room to find a way out of this situation.

“How long have I been out?”

I asked, wondering how much time had passed.

“About thirty minutes.”

Yazmin replied, not looking up from her work. Even though thirty minutes might not seem like much, given our dire circumstances, it was much longer than I had anticipated.

“What about Eliora?”

Yazmin shook her head.

“I have no idea. She’s probably waiting for us to make a move.”

I had the impression that there was more going on and that there were at least two possible reasons why she was waiting for us. I turned to Yazmin.

“Reuben told you everything we learned there, right?”

“Yes,”

She affirmed this as she finally stopped what she was doing.

“And I must say, that was a very stupid thing to do.”

“I know”

I responded.

“But it was worth it.”

I exhaled deeply before posing my next question.

“Yazmin, do you know about the deity?”

She seemed taken aback by my question.

“Of course I do. Everyone does. It’s the source of all our beliefs and actions.”

“Did you know it was an actual living creature?”

“Yes?”

She replied.

“It existed over a millennium ago.”

“A millennium?”

I repeated, stunned. So how old was it? Was it immortal or something else?

“Well, according to my experience living through Eliora’s body, it was still very much alive at the time when you were going through training.”

I explained, and Yazmin appeared bewildered.

“That doesn’t make any sense. What exactly did you see?”

“I had a sort of out-of-body experience where I could see what Eliora saw, feel her emotions, and hear her thoughts.”

I said.

“You mentioned that Eliora always went to the Obelisk after the first batch of training; well, that’s where the deity is. She was haunted by him, fearing and dreading every second she spent with him.”

Reuben listened intently as I continued.

“The deity controlled her and demanded that she be the perfect being. One reason I think she has not come after us is because of him. I am not sure if he is on Earth with her or back on your planet, but given that she has awakened after all this time, I assume she would want to contact or communicate with him as soon as possible.”

I conceded that this was a bit of a stretch and that there was no concrete evidence that the present-day Eliora would act in the same way. She may have changed and become bolder and less afraid of the deity. But then I went on to my second reason.

“More likely, it’s because of the alternate version of Eliora, Yael.”

“Yael?”

Reuben said, clearly taken aback.

“I didn’t know she had a different name.”

“It makes it easier to tell them apart.”

I explained before continuing.

“Eliora has to be dealing with that right now by possibly erasing her.”

“Erasing?”

Yazmin repeated, sounding slightly concerned, and her eyes briefly diverted as she took in my words, and then they returned to me with a thoughtful look.

“There is still so much I don’t understand about this alternate version of Eliora, Yael. Reuben has filled me in on everything he knows, but I believe you may have more information on her. Am I right?”

I nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I do have some insights into Yael, but at the moment, my priority is to return to the loop.”

Reuben’s voice wavered as he spoke, his fear palpable.

“But won’t Eliora take action if you enter the loop?”

Recognising that Reuben’s worries were valid, I scowled.

“It’s a risk I have to take.”

The stakes were extremely high, and so were the risks. Going back inside the loop was a gamble, a daring move that could result in catastrophic consequences. Eliora had the upper hand and could instantly wipe my memories, making all of our efforts useless. I had to trust in my plan and my abilities. Every move had to be calculated, and every word had to be carefully chosen.

“Have you heard of the Chosen Day?”

I asked Yazmin as I turned to face her. She shook her head, indicating that she hadn’t.

“It’s the day that Eliora took over as queen. But I believe there’s something that happened on that day that can help us beat her.”

Reuben and Yazmin both listened intently, but neither of them spoke, so I continued.

“Yael showed me how to access that memory. As for Eliora herself, Reuben, I need you to take care of her. Yazmin, I need you to manipulate the loop from outside as soon as I enter. Create a big distraction, something that will split her attention.”

“Why do you need that?”

Yazmin asked.

“Because I don’t think Eliora will let me out of her sight, even with a distraction. But if I can avoid being the centre of attention for a little while, I might be able to slip away unnoticed.“

I replied

“I need you, Reuben, to enter the loop at intervals of five minutes. I’ll be leaving to check Eliora’s memory, so I need you to periodically check the loop and meet me when I come back. That will be our signal for you to retrieve me.”

Reuben nodded, understanding his role, and Yazmin expressed her worries.

“So much can go wrong with this plan.”

I knew that she was right. The plan was intricate and required a lot of moving parts. However, it was the best option we had, and we had to take the risk.

“I know it sounds risky, but it’s our best shot.”

I replied.

“And during the intervals, you two can create a diversion outside. You can try causing a little destruction. I’m not sure how you’ll manage it with such a short timeframe, but I trust you’ll come up with something.”

Feeling the need to catch my breath, I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. After explaining the plan’s fundamentals, I proceeded to fill them in on the loop’s details. It took me about seven minutes to finish, answering questions along the way.

“It’s a lot. I had no idea.”

Yazmin admitted.

“Eliora went through so much. I can see that, but actions have consequences. I am still going to kill her for what she has done.”

Reuben added. I understood everything Eliora had gone through and even felt some sympathy for her because I had been inside her head. However, that did not absolve her of the other things she had done. I looked at Yazmin to see what she was thinking and feeling about the situation.

“How do you feel about all of this, Yazmin?”

I asked, and she sighed heavily before answering.

“I feel terrible.”

She began.

“Eliora wanted to connect with people, to have friends, and to be social. I could have done more to help her, but I don’t blame myself or her. I blame the deity for making her this way. I never could have imagined...”

Yazmin’s fist clenched in frustration, but she quickly regained her composure.

“I want to free Eliora from this cycle.”

She continued.

“At first, I thought she was leading our people to do these things, but now I see that it was the deity pulling the strings. Once we take care of Eliora, we’ll take care of the deity too.”

Reuben agreed by nodding.

“I agree. If we don’t stop the deity, he could just create another person like Eliora and start this all over again.”

I couldn’t agree more with their sentiments. This was about more than just taking down one person; it was about breaking the cycle of violence and control perpetuated by the deity.

“Just to reiterate, I will enter the loop and make my way to Eliora’s loop. Yazmin, your job is to create a diversion by causing chaos inside the loop. This will give me some time to complete the mission. Reuben, you will enter the loop at intervals to check on my progress. During the intervals, you will also create distractions in the physical world. Is that clear?”

They both nodded in agreement. I was aware that even if we discovered the key and defeated Eliora, we would still have to deal with the deity. It was a bigger problem that needed to be addressed. But for now, we have to focus on completing our mission.

“Shall we get started?”

I asked, looking at Yazmin and Reuben.

“The earlier the better.”

Yazmin replied.

“Elisa”

Reuben said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“I don’t know if you’re being brave or reckless, but make sure you come back, okay?”

“I promise”

I said, feeling a lump in my throat as he gave me a tight hug. Yazmin joined in, and for a brief period, the three of us held each other tightly. Even though I didn’t want to admit it, I was scared. There was so much at stake, and if this plan went wrong, I could lose everything, but I couldn’t let that stop me. I knew I couldn’t win in a physical fight, but I had to believe that I could outsmart Eliora in a mental one. I knew it would be difficult, but I was committed to seeing it through. I just had to make sure that I was one step ahead of Eliora and her manipulative tactics. This was a game of wits, and I was ready to play.

I took a deep breath and tried to relax as I backed away from my friends and forced a feeble smile.

“After we’re done, we’ll have to celebrate with Yazmin’s amazing food.”

I said, hoping to lighten the mood, and Yazmin grinned.

“You bet. I’ve got a special dish in mind.”

Reuben nodded in agreement.

“We’ll definitely need to try that.”

With that, I turned and walked toward the door. A wave of dread hit me as I opened it and entered the hallway. The hallway looked exactly the same as it always did: white, sterile, and indistinguishable from every other hallway I had ever walked down in this place.

I walked in a random direction, trying to remember the path I had taken before. Looking out the glass to my side, I saw the spherical object that Eliora was in. Maybe she was still inside, I thought. Maybe I should head there first.

I heard footsteps behind me suddenly as I was moving down the hallway. Thanks to the hearing amplifier I was wearing, I could tell that two people were approaching. I knew it couldn’t be Yazmin and Reuben, so I assumed they were guards. I turned around and sprinted in their direction, hoping to make my eventual capture appear unintentional.

But before I could get close enough, I felt a sharp pain in my leg and fell to the ground. I wondered why there was no less painful way to restrain someone’s movement. One of the guards pulled me up and put my hands in restraints. I winced in pain as I was escorted towards the spherical object. When we reached the entrance, the doors opened, and I was forcefully pushed inside.

I noticed the changes as soon as I stepped inside the spherical object. A steep throne had been positioned on the opposite side of the area; in addition, the lumen in the room had decreased, creating more space. Seated on the throne was a person with their eyes closed, legs crossed, and arms by their sides. It was Eliora.

But beside her, dressed in armour, was the overwhelming presence of the Guardian, Zillah. Gazing at the location where we had discovered the unidentified form encircled by Lumen, I observed no discernible outline, leading me to conclude that she was the one who had been contained within it. It made sense that she would be close to Eliora’s body while she was in the loop, given how seemingly close they were.

“That was a quick reunion, wasn’t it?”

Eliora abruptly interrupted me as I was deep in thought. Her eyes opened as she slowly stood up and walked towards me, stopping right in front of me. I couldn’t help but wonder how tall she was. Using my own height of 1.65 metres as a baseline, I estimated she was about 1.98 metres, or 6′6", towering over me and adding to her already intimidating aura. This was quite different from Yazmin’s height; in fact, I was a little taller than her. It made me wonder—was her height also a result of the deity’s influence?

“Elisa”

Eliora said as she leaned down to my level and grabbed my chin. Her enchanting purple eyes captivated me, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else. As Eliora removed the restraints from my arms, I couldn’t help but comment on her height.

“You are way too tall.”

She seemed amused by my observation but didn’t seem to want to dwell on that topic and changed the subject.

“Let’s keep that aside for now. You gave yourself up willingly, didn’t you?”

She asked, and I was surprised.

“And why would I do that?”

I asked, and Eliora continued.

“That’s because you have some kind of plan, a plan that involves those two being outside.”

Her eyes scanned my body as she walked around me. I knew then that she had seen through my scheme, but I had anticipated that and was ready for it.

“I see you are quite clever, but you should know that we intend to bring an end to all of this.”

I said.

“How interesting”

She responded, walking back to take a seat on her throne. Examining it closely, I noticed it had the same design as the deity’s.

“I have faced countless forms of resistance and pushback over the many years of my conquest, even from some of my own people. They all met their fate, which was death.”

Her words sent a chill down my spine, but I suspected that was her intention. I waited for her to explain why she had not yet killed me.

“After 84,814 loops, you accomplished what was thought to be impossible—you broke free from the loop’s control.”

She stated.

“How did you manage to break free from the loop’s control?”

“Well, I wasn’t the first person to resist the loop’s control. Reuben and Yazmin are also capable of it.”

I replied.

“They entered the loop after it was already initiated and configured, so it wouldn’t work on them unless I performed a reset.”

She explained.

“That ball of energy was the reset, wasn’t it?”

I guessed.

“Correct. The loop had been configured for you already, and there was no way you could escape.”

She confirmed.

“But I did. Maybe your technology is just as flawed as you.”

I said, laughing.

“Normally, I would have ripped out your spine for that, but I’ll try something else if you don’t answer my question. How did you break free?”

She threatened. I recalled Yazmin’s explanation that she was behind my ability to resist the loop’s control, thanks to her experiments. But did Eliora already know this? She appeared to be aware of what was happening with Reuben and Yazmin in the loop, but she made the decision to do nothing about it. If that was the case, then I was grateful for her lackadaisical approach, as it had enabled my escape.

“I’m not sure how Yazmin managed to do it, but I think you had something to do with it as well.”

“What could I have done? I was still under the loop’s control.”

I said, and Eliora tilted her head slightly.

“I could have killed Reuben, but he was just an inconsequential bug bent on revenge for his fake family.”

She said this, referring to a story Reuben had told me.

“Yazmin, on the other hand, has lost those closest to her and is now the sole survivor of her group, yet she remains an overly optimistic fool.”

Eliora said. I hadn’t asked Yazmin about this yet, but I had noticed signs that there were likely others who had been with her on the ship.

“And then there is finally you, a mere mortal in the midst of gods.”

She added. I couldn’t argue with her on that, as I was well aware that I was outmatched against them.

“But we’ve still caused you a lot of trouble. Maybe you’re not as powerful as you think you are.”

I teased, and suddenly Eliora’s expression turned from cocky and conniving to pure rage. She kept quiet while keeping her gaze on me, and I decided to push her buttons even more.

“Are you worried that you’re no longer perfect?”

I asked because I saw an opportunity to provoke her and make her angry. Although most people would avoid agitating someone more powerful than them, I had a different approach. I knew that anger could cloud judgement, and that’s what I was aiming for. I could gain the upper hand in our mental battle if she became enraged.

If she got angry, it could serve two purposes. First, it could lead her to put me back in the loop. Second, it might throw her off her game when Yazmin and Reuben execute their plan. Taking this risk seemed like the best course of action, and the plan has worked thus far.

“I can see you are bolder than usual.”

She got up from her throne and walked over to me, complimenting my newfound bravery. Despite my racing heart, I refused to show any signs of fear or weakness.

“You invaded my memories.”

She muttered in an irritated tone.

“Those were never meant for anyone else’s eyes.”

Her expression turned sinister, sending shivers down my spine as she continued.

“I detest you for that.”

I felt her hand move quickly towards my face, but it was too late to react. She struck me with such sudden and powerful force that I stumbled severely to the ground. My vision became blurry, and I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face. When I put my hand to my face, I saw blood pouring onto the ground.

My left eye was useless. I could not see anything with it. Slowly, I placed my hands on the other half of my face. Pain and grief hit me all at once. The realisation that I had lost my eye was unbearable. I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping that the pain would subside, but it only grew worse.

“What’s wrong? Did you lose an eye?”

She asked in a taunting voice. My rage finally erupted, and I cursed at her, calling her every name in the book, but she just laughed.

“ELIORA!”

I screamed out in agony and rage. She pulled me across the ground by grabbing my hair. I tried to fight back, but my movements were sluggish and ineffective. I was still shouting in pain, my voice echoing off the walls. With little to no effort, she tossed me into the lumen. The pain was excruciating as I buried my face in the lumen. I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins, and my heart was racing.

“Would this incentivize you to talk now?”

Eliora sneered, her voice dripping with malice. The lumen had performed its function and had immediately halted the bleeding, but it couldn’t fix my vision. The other side of my vision was dark. I was partially blind. As I emerged from the lumen, I slowly turned to face Eliora, who was standing before me with a cruel grin on her face.

The anger and frustration boiled inside me. I wanted to lash out at her, to make her feel the pain and fear that I was feeling. What I had been trying to do to her had backfired on me, but that didn’t matter. I was going to break her.

“You think you are perfect? Better than everyone else? You are not.”

I taunted her.

“Watch what you say.”

She cautioned me with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

“You are utterly oblivious to your own flaws, and yet you believe you’re perfect.”

I hissed through gritted teeth as her lips curled into a sneer.

“I knew you wouldn’t tell me how you escaped, so I had a plan in place for when you entered the loop. But an interference ruined it.”

I lashed out at her in frustration.

“Interferences? Is that what you think your other side is?”

“Of course, it was just a mere issue I needed to take care of.”

She replied, her voice icy and detached.

“That was a part of you, a side you chose to hide from the world.”

I bristled at her words.

“You talk too much.”

Before I could react, she pushed me face-first into the lumen. The liquid enveloped my entire body, and I struggled to keep my head above the surface. But Eliora was too strong, and with one hand, she held me down. I choked and gasped for air, feeling my strength ebbing away.

I felt something dig into my skin, and despite my resistance, I found myself succumbing to the pain, screaming and struggling as the thing latched onto different parts of my body. As I writhed in agony, the lumen cut off my attempts to scream by entering and blocking my airway. I noticed when I looked down at my hand that what had latched onto me were tentacles, and they were eerily similar to those that had emerged from the deity. Was Eliora planning to scan my memories?

The tentacles lifted my body just shy of breaking through the surface, leaving just my face above the lumen. Gasping for air, I tried to calm myself down.

“I will break you in your own loop.”

Eliora threatened as she commanded another tentacle to slither up my body and into my mouth. The sensation made me want to vomit, and my body trembled with discomfort. Without warning, she shoved me into the lumen, and I struggled to breathe as it filled my nostrils. But the tentacle that had invaded my mouth provided a source of oxygen. Through my one remaining eye, I watched as Eliora’s towering silhouette disappeared from view, leaving me alone in the darkness.

I vowed to make Eliora pay for what she had done to me as the pain in my head grew worse. She had taken my eye, and no amount of lumen could restore it. But I was more determined than ever to find her weakness, take advantage of it, and kill her once and for all. I knew that this was just the beginning of our battle as everything went black.