Dark and Deep as Sheol.

A deafening clang of metal on metal echoed through the octagonal chamber, its walls shimmering faintly with an embedded crystal glow, open to the breathtaking vista of the heavens.

Grandma’s voice, once a comforting melody of lullabies, now held a trembling edge. Her hands, gnarled with age, reached out to me, a silent plea for comfort. “Breathe deep, my child,” she whispered, her eyes filled with a sorrow that seemed to echo the endless expanse of space.

“What’s happening? Where are we?!” My scream died in my throat as the pulsating chains gripping my spine tightened further.

A wave of searing agony ripped through my body.

“My angel, I’m so sorry,” my grandmother rasped, tears streaming down her face. “We’re not on Earth anymore. We’re on a rogue planet, orbiting a star called Rigel. And these... these sentient beings who chained us... they’re a Type Two civilisation.”

“Type Two civilisation? But... how? How did we even get here, Grandma? Please tell me this is all just a bad dream.”

A surge of adrenaline flooded my system, momentarily numbing the excruciating pain from the chains.

“Oh, my darling,” her voice was a frail whisper, punctuated by sharp intakes of breath. “There’s no time. I must tell you everything before... before it’s too late. It all began when I was just a child, a tiny thing full of dreams. My mother... she made a terrible bargain.......... a pact.”

A sharp gasp broke her words as the chains tightened, and a low moan escaped her lips.

“Take it easy, Grandma. One word at a time. Don’t wear yourself out.” Genuine concern beamed out of my mouth.

“I’m Rigel,” she rasped, her voice weak. “Rigel Levison, as you know. I was named after their sun, a constant reminder of my mother’s... obligation. My mother told me she promised these beings a hundred pure souls. She had to deliver them as tribute after a supernova erupted in the Milky Way Galaxy. These Souls would be mixed with stardust, birthing a new star. They mastered something beyond our wildest dreams, something bordering on the fantastical. Not everything...” Her voice trailed off, a choked sob escaping her lips.

“This can’t be real! It’s impossible! A star... formed from souls and dust? Souls aren’t even physical! This is all a crazy story, Grandma! A nightmare!” My voice cracked with rising fear, heart hammering in my chest.

Defeated and weak, Grandmother met my gaze. Her face was pale, her eyes as bright and intense as the blue sun blazing overhead.

As the pulsating chains reverberated against her spine, she rasped, “My angel, it’s all true. These beings... they’re not human. They exist beyond anything we can even imagine. Back then, after the last war, everyone thought Earth was finished. A wasteland of despair. But then, one day, just as my mother described it, a massive portal, like a shimmering star, ripped open in the sky. And out of it stepped a being of pure energy.”

Grandmother paused, gasping for breath as the chains tightened and loosened in a cruel rhythm.

“There was a great war on Earth? But wait... those star-like portals you mentioned? Are those the same ones that opened up and... and...” My voice trailed off, a new wave of terror washing over me. “Those glowing emerald chains that impaled us? They came from those portals?”

“Yes. These beings have charted the entire Milky Way Galaxy. They can traverse it instantly, opening and closing portals at will. This requires an immense amount of energy harvested from stars themselves. To be blunt, Rigel is the ninety-third star they’ve colonised for this purpose. Once they’ve depleted a star’s energy, they deliberately trigger a supernova. That’s their signal to those bound by a pact, like my mother, that a hundred souls are needed. These souls are then combined with the dust of the previous star and subjected to a plasma-nuclear rebirth process. The newly formed star takes seven thousand years to reach a point where it can produce enough energy again. So, they exist in a cycle of nurturing young stars while pushing their own planet into new orbits, chasing after new energy sources. Rigel was next on their list when they made a pact with my mother.”

“This is insane! It doesn’t make sense! You’re saying these beings have harvested the energy of ninety-three stars, nursed them along... but where did they get all those souls to do that? This is all too unbelievable!” A million questions burned in my mind.

“This story is deep and dark as Sheol, my angel,” she rasped, her voice weak. “Earth is unique. It’s the only planet that harbours both corrupted and pure souls. The beings deemed Earth’s pure souls sufficient to ignite a new star. That’s why they sought a civilisation rich in unblemished souls, and Earth became their target. But before my mother’s pact with him, these beings acquired pure souls from another source... the Lord of the Iron Sky. He controlled all the...” Her voice trailed off as the chains ripped her aloft, yanking her through the open ceiling.

She plummeted towards a colossal catapult nestled within towering pillars of translucent gemstones. The catapult, aimed directly at Rigel.

A strained scream escaped Grandma’s lips as the catapult pulled her upward. ‘Oh, my angel,’ she gasped, her voice barely audible. ‘I never meant to sacrifice innocent souls. The world was ablaze, and I saw myself as a saviour. Forgive me, my child.”

A surge of raw energy erupted from the catapult, propelling Grandma towards Rigel at lightning speed. As she neared the colossal star, its intense heat and gravity tore her body apart, reducing her to a glimmering stream of dust.

“Ariel Levison,” a booming voice echoed from one of the beings. The chains groaned as they hoisted me skyward, depositing me before the jury council that loomed beside the towering catapults.

With a metallic clang, the chains released me, leaving me suspended in mid-air. Below, a transparent octagonal chamber housed more prisoners. Some, with features unlike anything human, stared up at me with a mixture of fear and defiance.

The beings in the council had an uncanny resemblance to humans, their only striking difference being their hair. All of them sported flowing white-silver locks. Their eyes, however, were unlike anything I’d ever seen. While they retained a pupil and iris like ours, the iris itself was an octagon, each segment of equal size and glowing with an inner light. Age seemed irrelevant to them – every face held the same ageless vibrancy, ablaze with a youthful intensity.

“Based on our assessments, she possesses a high degree of fluency in English. Therefore, I propose the Council conduct the proceedings in English.”

As I inhaled deeply, a tremor of anger ran through every fibre of my being.

“Greetings, Ariel Levison. I am Soulhound, leader of the Omionix civilisation. Flanking me are Ambersoul and Onysoul, our esteemed council members.

“So you’re the devil, the mastermind?”

“You stand before us today as a descendant of our former pact holder. To shed light on this matter, allow me to delve into a brief history.” Soulhound spoke, totally ignoring my remarks.

“We forged a pact with a human named Gary Anderson. In exchange for immortality and a fearsome weapon, he pledged one hundred souls to us. We bestowed upon him the Purgatory-Breathing flame Dragon, a colossal beast he concealed within the depths of his kingdom. The access point, a man-made subterranean tunnel named Sheol, mirrored human beliefs of a sinner’s afterlife.”

“Gary consistently delivered on the bargain – a testament to his status as our first Earth-bound pact holder. He enjoyed an extended lifespan, witnessing generations rise and fall. However, his thirst for power grew insatiable. We, in an act of misplaced trust, provided him with the Omionix Gem, a gemstone with the nightmarish ability to manifest any horror into reality. Blinded by this immense power, he deluded himself into believing he could defy our agreement.”

“His deception proved fatal,” Soulhound continued. “I, myself, materialised through a spacefaring portal, apprehended him with my life-draining chains, and reclaimed all the artefacts he possessed.”

“The avarice and hubris displayed by this civilisation are truly astounding. It defies comprehension that such a pristine soul could arise from such a corrupt lineage. They lack the fundamental virtues to be worthy of such a gift.” Ambersoul echoed with a voice that instilled fear in my heart and sent shivers down my spine.

“Across all the civilisations we’ve encountered and planets we’ve visited, your kind presents a fascinating enigma. An unresolved riddle, truly.” Onysoul remarked, their companions nodding in agreement.

“There’s more to us than you can possibly imagine. You lack the understanding to speak down to us as if you know who we are. We are different. That much is clear.” Infuriated, I expressed.

“No doubt,” Onysoul interjected.

“Ariel, address the esteemed Omionix Council with respect. Heed the proceedings.” The figure who initially summoned me spoke sharply.

Soulhound, meanwhile, glanced down at his translucent, octagonal tablet displaying shifting inscriptions. “As I was about to return and open a portal, Cynthia hid nearby, witnessing everything that had transpired. We approached her with trepidation, assuring her of our peaceful intentions. After a brief discussion, we forged a pact, offering her the gift of distant sight in exchange for her cooperation. The pact was duly signed, and she fulfilled her obligations until her passing. The mantle then fell to her daughter, Rigel.”

“It’s rather baffling that these humans pursue what they seemingly already possess. Do they lack awareness of their own potential?” Onysoul voiced.

“The Earth was in flames when we formed a pact with Cynthia. A catastrophic war orchestrated by Gary had left it ravaged. Cynthia pleaded with us to rebuild the Earth and make it hospitable again. ‘I will nurture pure souls,’ she declared. We restored the Earth, and life flourished once more. We also constructed a massive, self-sufficient octagonal city for her.”

“This city was separated from the rest of the world by an octagonal river. Years passed, and Cynthia fulfilled her end of the bargain. Rigel, inheriting the pact from her mother, requested knights to defend against the survivors of the great war. We granted her the Purgatory Flame Dragon, a fearsome creature that breathes fire and resides hidden within the octagonal river surrounding your hometown, Liniox.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Fury laced my voice, barely containing the tremor of anger that pulsed through me.

“What do you want with me? You took my grandmother! You aided our enemies in tearing down my home! What do you possibly need from me now?” The last word choked out, a strangled cry of disbelief and despair.

“It’s straightforward,” Soulhound said. “You were included in the pact. Your grandmother guaranteed us you’d inherit it, regardless of whether it’s broken or remains intact. However...” He trailed off, his voice laced with unspoken implications, as I cut him off.

“So, Grandma was supposed to offer the hundred young boys who were meant to perform at the Show of Secrets? That explains everything. The Forest of Secrets, the Lord of the Iron Sky, the octagonal river, the iron fibres... even the dragon tales. You were behind it all along.”

“Precisely so,” Soulhound rumbled, his voice dropping a notch lower. “Your grandmother failed to meet the deadline for the hundred souls. According to our laws, delinquency is punishable by death. However, we are here today to offer you a choice. You can inherit the pact and request anything from us.”

“Do I even have a choice in this?” My voice cracked, betraying the fresh wave of hate that ignited through me. “What happens if I say no?”

“The choice is stark. Inherit the pact, or face death. You are already privy to our secrets, and knowledge is a burden we don’t allow to roam free. Uncontrolled whispers could bring ruin. So, it’s not a matter of taking the pact or not – it’s taking it or facing the consequences.”

“Alright, I accept the pact. When Rigel explodes as a supernova, I will deliver the hundred souls.” I said, filled with fear and a mixture of anger.

“And what would you like the Council to offer you in return?” Soulhound’s eyes flickered with an emerald light.” “I would very much like the ability to travel through time.” I anxiously awaited a response, hoping my request wouldn’t be denied.

“Very well then,” Soulhound rumbled, rising from his chair. “The council will grant you a Galaniox stone. With it, you will be able to open portals to any time frame at will.”

A titanium-gold staff materialised from thin air, its top adorned with a magnificent emerald stone. My gaze fell to the Galaniox stone before I dared to look up. A jolt ran through me, a feeling akin to plummeting into a bottomless pit. Then, just as abruptly, everything froze. When I blinked, I was back home, surrounded by nothing but rubble and utter devastation.

It was clear, the ruins of Liniox were the grim aftermath of the battle with Iron Fibres. The unrelenting winter wind howled, and the distant sun, sinking towards the horizon, cast an eerie orange pallor over the devastation.

“Big sister! Big sister, you’re alive! Dad, it’s her, she’s alive!” My little sister’s high-pitched voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Danielle, you’re okay! Come here, give me a big hug!” I raced towards my little sister, throwing my arms around her before Dad scooped us both up in a tight embrace.

“I was so worried about you, my beautiful daffodil.” Dad squeezed us tighter before gently setting us down.

“Ariel, have you seen Grandma? Everyone in the city was evacuated to the underground bunkers, but Grandma just... vanished when the Iron Fibres attacked.” Danielle’s worried blue eyes held mine with an intensity that pierced straight through me.

My stare narrowed as I questioned, “No one was hurt in this attack? Everyone is truly alright?”

“Those Iron Fibres were sneaky this time,” Dad chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he met mine. “Flew right over and rained down explosive bombs, turning everything to dust. Thankfully, everyone got to the underground bunkers in time. Didn’t even bother looting our supplies – talk about a pointless attack! But gotta give it to Grandma, huh? Insisting on building that ‘bunker’ sure saved us.”

Danielle bombarded me with questions. “Ace, have you seen Grandma? And what’s that green thing you got there? Looks expensive! Did you steal it, big sis?”

“Dad,” I met his gaze, switching my attention from Danielle, “we need to have a meeting with the Iron Fibres. I have a plan.”

“Are you crazy?” Dad’s voice sent a jolt of fear through me.

“Danielle, get back to the bunker! Tell the guards to keep the drones searching for Mom.” Danielle shot off like a rocket, Snoopy trailing close behind.

“We’re unleashing the dragon and finishing what the Iron Fibres started,” Dad growled, his voice thick with fury. “Their metal home is coming down too. We’ll see if their sky stays iron when the flames of purgatory engulf it!”

“Dad, we’ve been completely wrong. Everything is a lie! There’s a dark force manipulating humanity since the beginning. I think the Iron Fibres... they’re the last remnants of the empire ruled by Gary Anderson, the Lord of the Iron Sky from Grandma’s stories!” Tears streamed down my face, uncontrollable.

“Gary Anderson?” Dad roared, his face contorting into a mask of fury. “How did you know that name? Where are you from, and more importantly, where’s your grandmother?”

“There’s no time to explain everything,” I said, urgency lacing my voice. “We have a chance to end this madness – aliens manipulating humans. We need the Iron Fibres to fight these aliens, to use their own power against them.” I thrust the Galaniox stone towards Dad’s face.

“I hope you have a good explanation,” Dad sighed, his anger simmering down a bit. “Let’s go see the elders. Apparently, Grandpa had a vision... something about you, an emerald stone, and leading Iron Fibre knights into battle.”

At sundown, Father assembled the elders of Liniox. We convened in a private sublevel room within the massive bunker. The elders, including Father, sat together while I stood before them.

“Elders,” Dad began, breaking the silence that enveloped the entire room, “I’ve assembled all of you here today because my daughter wishes to speak.”

“Esteemed elders of Liniox,” I began, my voice cutting through the oppressive silence.

“I won’t take much of your time. During the Iron Fibres’ attack on Liniox, coinciding with the Show of Secrets, Grandmother and I were abducted by strange aliens. Grandmother was on her way to unleash the dragon to aid our defence when emerald chains snagged us both. While en route, we witnessed Iron Fibres attempting to forcefully breach the seal of the Aquarium chamber.”

“Upon seeing us, they opened a portal and fled. The bombs that rained upon Liniox were not the work of the Iron Fibres, but rather these aliens, a ploy to facilitate their escape. I am certain of it. These aliens forge deals with humans, demanding innocent souls in return. Grandmother was intended to offer the hundred young boys scheduled to participate in the Show of Secrets. Coincidence, or something more sinister? I believe not. Elders, I am convinced that the Iron Fibres possess a power that, when combined with the stone, could be the key to defeating these aliens.” I paused, the silence around the elders thick with dread.

“I will take the dragon to the Iron Sky myself,” Grandfather declared, his voice breaking the weighty silence. “Your grandmother possessed the power of distant vision. Tell me, child, where is she? Where have these aliens imprisoned my wife?”

“Grandpa,” I choked out, the words heavy on my tongue. “I’m so sorry, but Grandma… she’s gone. The aliens executed her. As you see me now,” I gestured at myself, “I’ve taken on the pact. The hundred souls.....” A nagging thought wormed its way into my mind.

Which star had gone supernova, forcing Grandma to fail in fulfilling her terrible pact? And how had the aliens colonised Rigel so swiftly that Grandma was even aware of it? Distant vision… no doubt about it.

“Ariel, come with me,” Grandfather said, rising to his feet. He strode towards the hallway leading to the aquarium, a resolute glint in his eyes.

“Father, wait!” My father called out, his voice sharp and urgent. “Didn’t you have a vision about Ariel… about the Iron Knights or something?” He rose to his feet and shouted after Grandfather, who continued his determined march towards the aquarium hallway.

Without hesitation, I followed Grandfather down the emerald steps, their cool surface momentarily reminding me of Soulhound’s eyes. Reaching the aquarium, he produced a radiant silver stone and pressed it against the clear door handle. Light surged, bathing the room in a dazzling luminescence. A swirling vortex materialised before us, and with a firm grip on my arm, Grandfather plunged us both into the heart of the maelstrom.

The familiar sensation of being yanked through a rushing current gripped me once more. I gasped for breath, eyes snapping open to a suffocating darkness. My chest hammered against my ribs, a desperate plea for air. Just as my power flared, a final surge of frantic energy, a blast of wind slammed into me.

Disoriented, I found myself sprawled, clinging to shimmering, dark grey scales. My eyes flew open, taking in the sight of Grandpa atop a rapidly ascending dragon. A kaleidoscope of emotions – gasping fear, raw amazement, and a spark of exhilarating excitement – flooded through me.

“Don’t worry, my angel,” Grandpa boomed above the wind, his voice rough but reassuring. “It’s your first flight, I know it’s terrifying.” A hearty laugh escaped him, momentarily swallowed by the rushing wind. “Hold on tight! We’ve got a long way to go.” We surged forward, rapidly gaining altitude.

Soaring above the clouds, the colossal beast moved with an almost balletic grace. My heart pounded, but my soul was enthralled by the breathtaking panorama of nature unfurling beneath us.

For a fleeting moment, a whimsical thought flickered across my mind – to leap off and dance upon the cottony expanse. Yet, the thin air at this altitude made breathing a struggle.

Wrapping my scarf around my nose and mouth, I managed to ease the discomfort. Beside me, Grandpa exuded a sense of calm, a seasoned rider at ease with the skies. The full moon, as if on cue, bathed the landscape in an ethereal glow. The celestial beauty surpassed any notion of heaven; it was simply magnificent.

“Here we are, Ariel,” Grandpa announced, his voice dropping to a low growl. “Keep your eyes sharp.” A forest of razor-sharp spires clawed at the sky. As we descended, a breathtaking vista unfolded: a city of impossibly tall, gleaming skyscrapers. Grandpa guided the dragon to a central landing spot within this metallic jungle. An unsettling silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the thunderous echo of our colossal beast’s descent.

The entire city was a metallic expanse, an intricate network of pipes snaking across the buildings. These, I suspected, transported water.

A voice boomed from the swirling clouds, its words laced with icy disdain. “What a brazen act to land in our land.” A shiver of fear snaked down my spine. A swirling vortex materialised in mid-air, disgorging two figures clad in gleaming knightly armour.

“Henry Levison! Brother, look what the cat dragged in. The husband of that supposed witch who killed our founder has set foot on our sacred land!” The leading knight boomed, and suddenly, portals shimmered into existence. Countless knights emerged, carrying weapons.”

“Iron Fibres, we mean no harm or ill intentions with our presence here. We’ve come because we need your help, specifically yours. Aliens are manipulating our Earth and harvesting innocent souls. We don’t know when they first arrived or when they made a pact, but one thing’s certain: we need liberation from their manipulative grasp.” Tears streamed down my face.

“You too know the truth, don’t you? The Linioxian... they killed our founder and stole his dragon.” The knights questioned. “Bring them inside, and let’s have a civilized conversation.”

A portal leading to a massive assembly table whooshed open, and we stepped through. Taking our seats, servants arrived bearing steaming cups of creamy coffee.

“Gentlemen, I wish the circumstances were different, but we share a common enemy. Aliens who, as far as we know, saved humanity from extinction but now rule us. My granddaughter here has witnessed everything first-hand, and she’s the one who proposes forming an alliance to defeat these aliens.” Grandpa broke the silence.

“Leaders of Iron Sky, I’m Ariel Levison. Much has transpired between our nations. Your Founder wasn’t killed by us. He failed to uphold his pact with the aliens, which then became the responsibility of my great-grandmother, grandmother, and now me. The dragon was a gift to aid him in fending off invaders, not stolen. It was taken back because your founder failed to fulfil his side of the agreement. I believe there’s more to you than meets the eye. Perhaps hidden within your archives lies something that could combine my time-travelling abilities with the dragon to defeat these aliens.”

A knight stood up and took off his helmet. “I’m Plato Anderson, the twelfth successor of Gary Anderson. Your words seem to align with our findings. While studying our founder’s writings, we discovered evidence of alien influence. He mastered their technology for space travel, which is how we travel now. This also explains why the dragon previously stored in Sheol ended up in your river. We initially suspected an alliance with the aliens, leading to an attempt to eliminate you.

“The aliens bestowed upon me the power to travel through time. My plan is to utilise this ability to go back to the moment they met your founder and eliminate them then and there. However, eradicating them completely will require something more powerful than even our dragon. What resources can you offer to bolster our combined forces? Surely, you have something!” My gaze locked with Plato’s as his elders exchanged glances.

“Unveiling our most guarded secret is a significant step, but yes, we possess a weapon capable of achieving just that. It’s called a plasma wave bomb, crafted and entrusted to us by our founder. However, our intentions tonight were quite the opposite. We wanted to use it and eradicate you.” Plato’s tone held a hint of amusement.

“Excellent! Please prepare the plasma wave bomb. I’ll use my abilities to open a portal back to the time when your founder first encountered them.” Plato led me to a vast, open underground bunker. Six hundred knights stood in neat rows, each carrying two of the plasma wave bombs.

Stepping forward, I focused on my abilities. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and whispered in my heart, “Open a portal to the time Gary met the Soulhound.”

A shimmering emerald circle materialised, followed by a massive emerald chain that swiftly snatched me and vanished, closing the portal behind me.

A torrent of blinding lights ripped through me as I was pulled through time. Then, with a jarring jolt, I found myself sprawled within a catapult – the very one used to execute my grandmother. My body remained motionless, restrained by an unseen force.

“Ariel, you’re clever, I’ll give you that. But here’s something you don’t know: the Galaniox stone wasn’t for time travel. It was designed to return you here. I anticipated your actions, and you’ve fallen into my trap. We, the Omionix, are an advanced civilisation, yes, but we possess no inherent powers. All the abilities you inquired about were yours. We studied them extensively before our initial meeting, human. The dragon you brought back? It’s the last survivor from Earth’s dinosaur era. You were perceptive, and I knew you’d be a potential threat to our pact.

Oh, and one final detail: the plasma bombs? They’re programmed to self-destruct during a full moon phase shift. I wrote those instructions and placed them within Gary’s archives myself. Now, execute her.” Soulhound’s voice boomed with authority.

The catapult launched me, hurtling through the air. Numbness crept through my body, and then my mind raced.

These people harvested their star energy; indeed, fictional physics wasn’t off the Dyson sphere. And then everything faded to inky blackness.