After a couple of minutes of flying over the endless ocean, the angels a few metres further disappeared into thin air. In the next moment, her gaze went wild over scanning every detail of the astonishing world, unravelling before her.
Thousands of feet above the ocean floor was a land that stretched out as large as an average city. "Am I hallucinating?" she whispered.Her jaw dropped over a commercial flight passing far beneath her. "How could such a place exist… hidden from the knowledge of so many?"
Various decorations filled the entire area, showcasing angelic sculptures crafted from holographic materials. These sculptures would morph and change colours in response to the physical and elemental interactions and sounds of those around, resulting in a captivating and ever-changing visual spectacle.
"Welcome to Revivification Land!" an angel said. "The final locale upon Earth, which you shall ever behold."
Echoes of screams and cries filled the air, with no source of such agony in sight. As time went on, the cries grew louder, fuelling her restlessness and aggression. An area that is expected to be ruled by such artificial beings.
The edge of the city was a bustling hub of activity, with hundreds of ports for ariots and flying trains. They would disappear into space through a rectangular opening between the sky, leaving behind a trail of awe in their wake. The formations in the sky stretched across the clouds—not only concealing the place—but also acted as a door connecting Earth to the vastness of outer space.
"Aery, could you zoom in?"
'You lack the device to fulfil the command.'
"Wait—why haven't you disappeared with the particles? Don't tell me you also ejected earpieces from the SL."
'The earpieces are stronger compared to basic SLs.'
"What's the point?"
'To confirm the survival of the user.'
"Wow. Can't add feature to save someone from embarrassment, but made sure that there should be a feature to confirm one's death? Amazing."
An ariot passed her. "Aery, I was a part of a team called 'Sevians.' Can you trace their location?"
'The designated team did not achieve success in completing the mission.'
"They failed?"
'Yes, the said team experienced failure.'
Manya let out a light chuckle. "Aery, did they survive?"
'No data available regarding their survival.'
***
Despite the port being far, it was easy to distinguish captured people by the way they gestured and moved. Their captors forced them onto trains and ariots. Helpless and injured humans with bound hands. The ones who refrained either got stunned… or killed.
"Are they trafficking them? What in the world is going on here?"
The sights before her exhausted her eyes. The trains she had known—always had tracks below them; unlike the angel trains, defying gravity. Some left for outer space and others dived into the ocean. The buildings were strategically built, forming an impenetrable infrastructure around a majestic pillar.
A familiar voice caught her attention. It was the angry roar of an elephant. A warehouse appeared beyond the expansive buildings, connected to multiple paths that led to a drop-off location, divided into various sections. Each one had different things or beings. Among their possessions were animals, technology, human goods (Clothes, books, etc), and humans. The subjects that filled the remaining paths appeared alien.
"They are selling everything," she whispered.
Moving closer to the source of the never-ending agony, her heart pounded. She flew over a large expanse enclosed by towering walls, brimming with screams, violence and death. The air itself trembled after beholding such immense suffering and people, locked in a desperate struggle for survival.
There were multiple queues, each leading to different paths, with survival depending on taking turns. Four exit points were present, each emitting a different colour: Pink, White, Black and Golden. What they all were fighting for was the golden exit. Most alluring among all.
"A cunning scheme to lead them towards their righteous fate," an angel said. "Fear not, mortal, for your destiny has long been ordained."
"Do you wonder if she shall ascend to the ranks of higher ones?" another angel said.
The angels scanned her upside down.
"Are you saying that I could exercise my desires over a potential celestial entity?"
Previous one nodded.
"I wonder if she possesses the capacity to embrace us all," the bald one said.
There should be a way to free from this.
"We are beholden to the will of the divine, prohibited from touching her without the grace of the Lord."
Does he say I am saved?
"Such concerns are unnecessary. Lord Karulsh would never hesitate in showering his blessing upon us."
I am so dead! Wait—did he say Karulsh?
"Where is he?" an angel said.
"Where else?" they glanced at an enormous pillar witnessing the despair of captured beings.
"Attend to the protective veil surrounding her and bring her before his divine presence."
As she flew past the enslaved land, they removed the barrier, dropping her to the ground below, into a room. In a split second, the glass ceiling closed.
A burst of brightness filled the room. There was no window, nothing; just walls—soft on touch and entrance made of glass. A sudden sensation of a pinch jolted through her body. "Argh!" she spun around. A set of mechanical arms were wielding lasers, focused on her SL.
'Don't move, please cooperate, or it could be fatal,' the mechanical arm said.
The array of tools unfolded from the mechanical arms, gleaming under the light. She rushed towards the entrance, trying to break through it, but got pulled back by the mechanical arms and it again injected something into her neck.
The sensation on her neck was akin to the sharp sting of a needle. In an instant, a penetrating coldness seeped into her body. Numbness overcame her limbs, collapsing her on the floor.
Persistent shiver wrapped her body, while a dull ache spread across her chest. Her hands lay inches from hers, but she couldn't lift a finger. She wasn't worried about death but the coldness which will surely lead her to pee if not stopped. Her breath became shallow and tears froze at the corners. Thousands of needles were marching towards her heart.
"I'll kill him!" the mysterious male voice said. With a melodious sound, a powerful rush of energy ran through her, defying the cold's presence. With every heartbeat, warm energy enveloped her body.
Vapour emanated from her body. Despite lacking faces, the mechanical arms conveyed their confusion through their movements. "Thank you," she whispered.
Before the mechanical arms could understand the mysterious phenomenon, she lunged forward and seized them, feeling the satisfying snap as they broke in her hands—activating the emergency alarm. With a broken mechanical arm, she pried open the door and hurried into the deserted alley.