Salvation Earth

It was not a large room but contained a row of reclining chairs and helmets. Arran had his helm, sword and his travel bag containing a canteen, flint, knife and bowl. Danfour explained that the helmets contained many very fine needles that pierced the scalp. It was painless but allowed connection to brain waves and he should arrive with everything he carried.

Arran stepped from blackness into bright light. He had to shield his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he was shocked? Before him lay a lush, rich green landscape. Unlike the rough scrub of his homeland, this greenery seemed to go on forever with the occasional wood and small lake, all under a deep blue sky. He was mesmerised. The spell was suddenly broken as a large animal walked up to him. He took a step back in surprise. It stood on four legs, its head higher than his and had something strapped to its back. Thinking out loud he said, “Well, what are you?”

“A horse.”

“And you talk? Who do you belong to?”

“You. It was thought that you may need one. I can take you wherever you want to go. This whole world was created and maintained by an AI. It will provide most things you need. But anything you can imagine, you can create yourself. There are very few limits on this world. Where would you like to go?”

“I am not really sure, but I would like to see that lake in the distance,” Arran said, pointing.

“No problem, climb up on my back and I will take you,” said the horse.

As they travelled, Arran became aware of many things he had never seen before. Beautiful butterflies of many colours, birds flying overhead or sitting in trees singing. It was the most wonderful place he had ever experienced, and the green, he had never seen such lush landscape. He did not think he would ever want to go home again. He dismounted by the lake’s shore and wanted to eat.

“I need to hunt for food,” he said, and as he turned, there was a camp fire already alight. Then a fat fish jumped out of the lake at his feet and a rabbit ran to him and fell.

“We could have provided a hot meal for you, but thought this might be more you.”

After eating, Arran sat back and dozed as the light faded. Stars started to come out in their millions. The sky was so clear they all shone brightly and illuminated the landscape in shades of silver. In the morning, Arran finished off his meal and climbed back on the horse.

“Take me to the top of that hill. I need to look around,” asked Arran.

On the peak, Arran looked around. The land was pretty much the same, mostly green and besides the occasional small lake and wood, there was the odd small outcrop of rock. They all seemed evenly spaced, not at all natural, but beautiful all the same. He looked behind him, and realised that he had not looked behind on entering this world. He did not have a clue what he had come through. If it was not for the horse, he would never find his way back.

“Even the grass has straightened itself after I passed. There is no sign of a trail, and the landscape is the same whatever way you turn. So, no landmarks. I would be lost here forever,” he thought.

“Horse, do you know of town or village?”

“No, only the place of the gathering,” answered the horse.

“Then that is where we need to go,” said Arran.

The next day, Arran and his horse stopped at a stream that meandered out of a wood on its way down to a lake.

“I had better top up my canteen,” Arran thought. “I don’t know when we may find more water. And I wonder why I came in here so far away. Surely, anyone coming here for a meeting would enter closer to the meeting place, or at it?”

As he stood, they were rushed by a striped cat almost as big as the horse. Arran fell on his backside, sword half out, surprised at the suddenness of the attack. But the cat missed him and grabbed the horse by the throat. Recovering quickly, Arran jumped up and thrust the sword into the cat’s side as it was tearing the horses wind pipe out. Screaming, the creature swiftly turned on him and hanging on to the sword, Arran was spun to one side. Like a dog chasing its tail, the two of them circled and the sword came out. Arran did a back roll and brought the sword up as the animal pounced. It was too late for the creature to change direction and it fell on the blade which was now upright on the ground. He felt a small vibration and the animal vanished.

“What the hell?” said Arran, astonished.

The horse was dead.

“I’ll hack some meat off it,” he thought. “I need a fire.” None appeared.

“Now what? Was the horse arranging everything? I’ll have to make a fire, myself, then.”

Picking up his canteen, Arran made his way to a nearby wood. To his surprise, there was nothing on the forest floor, no dead leaves, no dead branches.

“Well, that’s out then. I would dry the meat, but there is no sun in the sky, as bright as it seems. This place is strange, it does not behave by normal rules. I am out of my depth here, I must proceed with utmost care,” he thought.

Arran walked on for the rest of the day, carefully avoiding anything that might hide a foe. He saw no danger, just a beautiful landscape. He slept against the shelter of some rocks with his sword in his hand. He awoke just before dawn, but as it was getting light, he noticed that the sword blade had a slight orange glow to it. Puzzled, he jumped up looking around. Within seconds he saw a large two-headed wolf racing towards him. At the last moment, Arran jumped to his left, swinging the sword in an arc, knocking the wolf to his right and taking off a head. That did not stop the wolf though, it just turned and leaped. Arran did the same as he had with the cat and again the wolf vanished. Standing, shaken, he placed the sword tip down and leant against it. As it sank slightly into the ground, he noticed a very slight ripple go through the landscape.

“Strange, I wanted a fire and food,” he thought.

And they appeared.

“So, I do not need the horse. Soulreaper’s purpose is here I think, and I will keep Soulreaper out and handy. I think it will warn me of danger. I’ll eat and carry on, but I think I’ll have to walk. I’ve always walked and I didn’t like being jerked back and forth, anyway.

On Arran walked, for two days. Occasionally, glancing back, he caught glimpses of the hill he had climbed, although it seemed further away. The landscape was featureless, and he could not tell if he was travelling in a straight. He was trying to keep in the direction the horse had been taking him, but he could not be sure.

“I could miss the place and wander on forever, he thought.

Two days and no attacks. He was beginning to relax and enjoy his wonderful surroundings, when he noticed a black cloud ahead and slightly to the right.

“A storm coming, looks strange though, a bit low and the sky has never changed from deep blue.”

The cloud seemed to be coming straight for him, just skimming the trees. Then he noticed his sword begin to glow.

“This is no storm but another attack on me, by the Gods. What can that be?”

He could hear a distant buzz and the cloud kept coming.

“Run.”

He ran, not away, but across its path.

“Maybe it will go past.”

It turned towards him. He turned away and ran flat out. He was fast, but the cloud was faster. On glancing back, he saw it was getting closer. Now there were a few flies buzzing around him.

“By the Gods, it’s a cloud of flies. How far can they travel? I can run all day, but not at this speed. Whatever is sending these things at me has realised that I can defeat large animals, so it wants to smother me with flies. Soulreaper cannot defeat a cloud. But what can flies do, even a lot of them? Arran wondered.

He was beginning to breath heavily now and the flies around him were increasing. He tried just breathing through his nose, but the flies were going up cutting off his breath. He stopped and was immediately immersed in the cloud. He had to take a breath through his mouth, which was soon filling with wriggling insects.

“I am going to suffocate,” he thought.

He dropped everything, pulled his jerkin up over his head holding it in place. He had to swallow the flies in his mouth and blow them out of his nose. Unpleasant, but under control now.

“How long will they keep this up, now I can breathe?”

He could just sense through the jerkins fabric that it was getting lighter outside.

“They’re going, didn’t wait long.

He pulled his jerkin down spitting out the last of the flies. The cloud was swirling around next to him forming a twenty-foot column. This was slowly increasing in density and taking on the form of a warrior with shield and sword.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Arran thought. “Who are you and what do you want?” he shouted at the form.

“I am lord of the flies and I am going to crush you, worm.”

Arran picked up his sword and the giant warrior stepping forward, swept his sword at him. Arran parried his blow and half of the giant’s sword burst into flies that just reformed. There had been no resistance and Arran’s blow swept wide. Instantly, the shield slammed into him and he did a back roll jumping to his feet.

“What? The monstrous form can be solid when it wants,” Arran thought.

The giant struck again. This time Arran was ready and after cutting the sword, he slashed through the shield, cutting off the giant’s arm.

“That blade is cursed, it is evil. No matter,” said the giant, as his arm reformed and the sword and shield merged into his body.

“Had enough?” asked Arran, ready to swing Soulreaper again.

Ignoring him, the giant turned and stomped over to some trees, where he ripped off a stout branch and shortened it into a heavy club.

“Soulreaper will not cut through that, I doubt if I can parry it,” thought Arran.

Arran had an idea. He pushed the tip of his blade into the ground.

“Spiders. I need spiders, and a lot of them.”

The giant was back and as Arran stood, the giant swept down a crushing blow. Arran tried to block it with all his strength, but the branch crashed into his helmet making his head ring and eyes water.

“Now I have you,” cried the giant.

But Arran twisted away and ran for the trees. The giant was not slow, but clumsy and stomped after him. Arran stopped just inside the tree line, adjusted his helmet and turned to face his opponent.

“He will have trouble swinging his club down through these trees,” thought Arran.

Sure enough, the giant was ripping off branches to get at him. Then Arran noticed the green on the ground outside the wood was turning brown. Spiders, millions of them that began to swarm up the giant’s legs and more were dropping from the trees.

It seems that whatever they throw at me, I can throw as much back. “How do you like a taste of your own medicine, Lord of the flies? Ha ha, I am lord of the spiders.”

Arran was in fits of laughter. He thought it most funny as the giant turned and turned beating off the spiders. Although tiny pieces were dropping from the giant, Arran did not think the spiders were gaining much. The giant had dropped its weapon and was a little preoccupied, so Arran crept up behind it and thrust his sword through its ankle into the ground. There was a roar and the giant disappeared down the sword into the ground.

“Just like the others. I couldn’t do that with it in cloud form, though.”

Arran turned and made a sharp exit before the spiders took notice of him. They still seemed to be searching for the flies. He picked up his bag and made to put some distance between them. He snuggled in between some rocks again that night. It was about the safest position to be in, although, he barely slept, and when he did, it was full of nightmares. In the morning, he magicked up another fire and made breakfast.

“I should have brought some tea with me,” he thought.

Once he had had his fill, Arran set off again, glancing behind him for the hill, his only landmark.

“I still do not know if I am heading in a straight direction, let alone on the right course.”

It was mid-morning when he saw it. On the horizon. A black cloud.

“Oh no, here we go again. Well, I can deal with flies. I had better run for some trees. Do I call up the spiders yet?

On reaching the trees, Arran could see that the cloud was a lot closer and coming straight for him. This time, he could hear a distant drone.

“That sounds different. Not flies, I think.”

He soon found out.

“Bees, shit.”

He pulled his jerkin up to the top of his head again and held it tight with his left hand. He shoved his right into his pocket. Soon the drone turned into a deafening buzz and his hand was being continually stung.

“Ow, ow, ow, that is getting painful, but I daren’t let go.”

It was not long before his hand was so painful that he could not feel any further stings. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity, the bees, as if sensing that they were getting nowhere, gave up and went away. Arran looked at his throbbing hand which was visibly swelling. Soon, it was twice its normal size.

“Well, I am glad they did not get to my face. But I cannot use this hand now, I can’t bend my fingers. At least my right is good, my sword hand. I would be in trouble otherwise.”

Arran spent an hour picking stings out, before going to a lake to immerse it in the cool waters.

“I can’t imagine what they could throw at me next, whoever they are. I had better speed up. The sooner I get there, the less I will have to fight off.”

At last, from a small rise, Arran saw buildings in the distance. It was not a village, but as he got nearer he could see what looked like a temple and several other smaller buildings. In the centre, there was a large stone circle with steps going half way round. As he approached, he saw six thrones around the half circle, occupied by six ten-foot giants. They were all deeply tanned to a deep bronze, and holding something, a trident, a sceptre, or a large hammer.

“So, you have made it through. We are surprised at your resilience, but it will not help you. You cannot begin to imagine our power,” said one of the giants.

“You really do think you are gods, don’t you?” said Arran, stepping into the circle.

“We are, we are immortal. Our minds have been transferred into the AI. Our bodies have gone. We are immortal, this is our world and you cannot change it. Anything created here is just a plugin. But the world, all you can see, is part of the operating system. It cannot be changed. We cannot die, but you can. If you are killed here, then your mortal body dies, so I bid you farewell.”

A huge warrior, clad in armour, stepped from the temple and went straight for Arran. He swung his sword down at Arran’s head. Arran jumped to his left, swinging his own sword to slash the unprotected area behind the giant’s knee, hamstringing him. The warrior turned, swinging his sword again, a vicious back-handed swipe as he began to crumple to the ground. Arran ducked, sliding his sword up under the warrior’s breast plate, under his ribs and into his heart. As the warrior continued to go down, Arran’s sword hilt touched the ground and his enemy vanished.

“It seems that my blade has a connection here. This is the weapon you have been searching for,” said Arran.

“Ha, a mere sword, the alien device. I don’t think that can help you.”

“Neither can you create something to beat me. You have no experience or training in battle, so anything you create will be my inferior.”

“So, we have a standoff then, and the aliens are not so clever after all. They sent an emissary here, to swap technologies, they gave us the ability to upgrade our AI to the point it has absorbed our minds, our full brain pattern. The aliens were very interested in our virtual world, something they had never considered. We developed it because it was an efficient way for us to meet with the commanders. With everyone living on different orbitals, it was too much trouble travelling back and forth. But when they left, we realised that their study of our internet gave them access to our defence systems. So, we shot them down and I do not believe that sword is their weapon. Anyway, it matters not now. Intermind was on the 3M orbital not only for you, but to launch the missiles, which they will do soon. And, unbeknown to them, some of the missiles will take out all the orbitals and the moon base. We of course, are a mile below the moon’s surface, with what will be the last of 3M’s manufacturing ability for our maintenance. The military, if they survive, will come back to nothing. They won’t last long. It will be the end of the human race. You see, only the gods will survive.”

“You are insane, that won’t happen,” said Arran. “My men are guarding the central computer, the access is all locked down with robots in control, and your mindbenders cannot affect them.”

“Your men will be dealt with. You did not leave enough of them, or enough of your mind protectors. They will be easily overcome. And once the doors are blasted open, robots will not stop men. So, I bid you farewell once again, ha-ha-ha,” laughed the giant.

“I see, so these aliens improved your AI, did they? Well, I’m betting they left a back door, and I have the key. You see, it is no coincidence that they made this weapon in a fashion that my people would value. Secondly, they made it special so that a lord would want it. Or it would make a man a lord, a man who would likely end up here. Thirdly, they made it detectable by your people so we would have contact. It has all been cleverly planned, don’t you think? Do not be fooled by its appearance. And something I had forgotten, because I did not understand at the time, something about delivering a virus. I am also betting that there is a portal in that temple. Are you betting men?” asked Arran, stepping off the stone circle.

“We don’t need to bet, we are gods remember,” answered one of the giants,

“You can go to hell,” replied Arran, as he sank to his knees and pushed his sword into the ground. He shut his eyes and thought of home. The ground shimmered, the green faded and soon it was a landscape of scrub and a few stunted bushes. The sky turned grey and a chill wind blew grit in their eyes.”

“No,” cried the giants, rushing forward as Arran backed away.

“No.” The first one to touch the sword screamed in pain and fell back. Arran ran for the temple. Inside he saw a modern pod, nothing like the old-world style of the temple. He ran into it, could not find any means of control and started to panic. But it was all right, it was fully automatic. He just entered and it sent him back to where he came from.

Arran jumped to his feet stumbled, legs weak, something tangled them. It was his sword, “Strange, I thought I left it behind. But it was here all along though, weird experience.” Danfour grabbed him and pulled him upright.

“Soulreaper, or its virtual twin, stayed behind. I bet it is destroying that world and those evil gods. Get Harrad to bring fifty men and the marshal, we must get back to 3M urgently.”

Arran felt weak, but-half supported by Danfour, they set off as fast as they could.

They all met at the hub and took a shuttle back to the 3M orbital. On the way, Arran explained about the missiles.

When they arrived back at the control centre, Arran found that his men were already suffering, but picked up quickly on seeing him. They had not yet been attacked, and all still survived. Danfour went to the computer to disable the target programme.

Everyone crowded round Arran.

“Thank you, Arran,” said Marshal Strighton. “It seems you have saved humanity and we are all on the same side now. It seems that you really have achieved the salvation of earth. It only remains to find out what these aliens intend to do. I think we will not have a long wait.