Arrival : Ruptures

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Welcome to Arrival : Ruptures , the story of a world plagued by constant trans-dimensional ruptures, where your suggestions of your culture, food, traditions and ideas can take place, and so can you. Simply leave a comment or send a message, describing which part of your culture you would like to see.

—
​

Meltral

RIC Central Base

Yumiko slowly pushed the wheelchair, careful not to jostle her daughter. She had signed the discharge papers and her daughter was finally free to leave the hospital. Down the wheelchair ramp and through the base gate after displaying their IDs, they were outside.

A black van with an open back for wheelchairs was waiting to take them to the airport.

Fortunately, they would not have to suffer the plane ride.

The door slid open automatically, extending a ramp. She pushed her daughter in. Clamps from the floor secured the wheelchair and she sat on the seat behind.

"Morning," Thairon said, fixing the mirror. "Found the perfect place to teleport us. We'll just have to drive for five minutes."

"Good morning to you too," she said. Her condition had improved but her swollen eyes and face still made her look like a wreck.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, starting the car.

"I will be great as soon as I can go to the toilet on my own."

"I finished the machine and the tests were successful. You'll be up on your feet in an hour," he said. He had tested it on tissue samples first and then wounded animals.

"Too bad you can't distribute it. Imagine the good it could do," Tomoe said. This technology, even if she didn't understand the specifics, was centuries ahead of their world. Just like his teleportation device, this too could start a war.

Thairon didn't answer, pressing several buttons on his bracelet. A holoscreen appeared before her and she froze. It was the Mural Chamber, where the meeting of the three headhonchos was taking place.

"We share your worries over the device, its origin and creator. But this device has already saved us from a deliberate invasion by a superior enemy and three ruptures in population centers. Unless any of our nations can create a similar device, we can't afford to dismantle it or stop its usage. A single, catastrophic rupture would have the people revolting because we turned the ERWS away," King Octavian said.

"Agreed. I propose a joint investigation task force to determine the origin of the device. We failed individually but cooperating might yield new results," the Chairman replied. She had to breathe slowly when she saw his face.

"The proposal has merit, the Republic of Netara will join this task force."

"Geez, I was wondering why they were so quiet about it," Tomoe said. Of course they would keep the public in the dark.

"I usually would have no issues with distributing the Morphostasis Bed but the trouble it will bring is not something I can handle without violence," he said. They would try to reverse engineer it for other purposes and then he would have to kill someone.

"Best it stays with you then. Perhaps one day when we are not led by a bunch of narcissistic bastards, it will be possible," she said.

"Good luck with that," he said, stopping the car.

"Wait, what are you going to do with the car?"

"Send it to storage," he replied, opening the door and stepping out.

The side door slid open once more, showing they were in a sterile white empty room.

"You teleported the entire van?"

"Didn't want to leave it lying around." It was something the fabricators had put together in hours. He had no need for it otherwise.

"Fascinating," Yumiko said. She pushed the wheelchair, gazing at the room with a gaping mouth. There was nothing other than the white panels but the fact that she had just been teleported to who knows where was a concept she was having a difficult time accepting.

She had more important matters to handle.

The next room was less spacious but it had a bed in the middle. Rectangular with a white mattress and a small pillow, it did not seem advanced at a first glance.

"Alright, come on," Thairon said. He helped her up by one arm while her mother took the other, gently laying her on the bed.

"What's going to happen now?" she asked. She raised her head as a whirling sound came from beneath. Four pylons rose on each side, curved inwards with green lights shining on her.

"It will put you in stasis and basically rearrange your molecules until your wounds are healed," he said.

"Like putting together blocks," she said, watching with raised eyebrows as a robot approached. It held a device over her arm. It projected a red beam on the cast, cutting it in several parts without harming her skin. Thin, nimble fingers removed the cast parts, leaving her arm itching.

"Yes. It will be as if time stopped for you so you won't realize anything is happening."

"This is safe, right?" Yumiko asked. This was all surreal for her and she began to feel concerned.

"Of course," he said, pressing several buttons on the holographic screen. The green lights intensified and Tomoe went still, lips halfway open. A shell of hexagons covered her body, moving up and down in a wave pattern.

A holographic projection of her injuries appeared on the small console on the side of the bed. The structure of tissue, bone and capillaries were mended slowly as the bed moved the relevant molecules to their places. When it wasn't enough, the molecular forge beneath the floor created the lacking molecules.

Yumiko approached the bed, standing next to her daughter. Her most visible wounds, the bruises across her face, were fading away like paint washed away in the rain. Her swollen eyes were returning to normal as well.

She breathed out, feeling the tension in her shoulders disappear. She had gone to great pains to keep her daughters healthy, happy and away from their father. When Tomoe, against her wishes, joined the RIC, she knew that her daughter would return with wounds one day.

Knowing the inevitable did not prepare her heart for it.

She checked her clock every minute or so. At the ten minute mark, the green light began to dim and the shell disappeared into nothingness. The pylons retracted under the bed and Tomoe moved again.

"I am sure it is fine, mom," she said. She blinked repeatedly at the sensations spreading from her face, ribs and arm.

"It's done," Thairon said. Tomoe raised her hand, fingers gliding over her skin to see what had happened. The weight on her eyes was gone. She could open them easily. The constant need to shed tears was gone as well.

She felt no pain or discomfort.

A screen over her reflected her face, showing not a single bruise had remained. She patted her face lightly, still not feeling any pain. She glanced at her broken arm, gently moving it. She clenched her fist but the stabbing pain she had experienced days ago was absent.

She sat up, legs dangling over the side of the bed. She took a deep breath, moved her jaw side to side and finally landed on her feet. She went through the familiar stretching motions, relaxing her stiffened body.

She stopped once all kinks have been worked out, taking slow breaths.

"You do understand the value of good health when you lose it," she said, turning to Thairon. A dry thanks wasn't good enough and she couldn't just shake his hand. She wanted to hug him but he was a private person by nature. She wasn't sure how he would take it. What she knew about him was limited except for his brothers. He did not like speaking about his parents or his childhood.

People like him tended to dislike physical contact from everyone, except those that were close to their heart. She was about to see if they had moved to that level.

"Mind if I hug you?" she asked.

"Uhh," he said, blinking at the question. He didn't remember the last time anyone except his brothers hugged him. His mother might have when he was really young but the memories were blurry. "Sure."

He didn't see the harm in it. At least, the thought of hugging her didn't feel unpleasant, far from it.

She wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest. "Thank you," she said. Her voice was soft and he noticed a distinct smell of peach beneath the stench of the hospital. He wrapped his arms around hers, enjoying the moment. It was a new feeling, obviously different from the brotherly bonds.

He liked it.

They let go at the same time.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Oh, starving. I can't wait to eat solid food."

"Come on then."

—
​

Retrol

Sky smiled, watching justice actually be served. With Jason spilling the beans and the operatives sent after his family in police custody, a lot of people had found themselves in prison.

It was not enough, it never would be, but he was content for now.

What he did had certainly made a difference but it was merely a drop in an ocean. Exploited workers, criminal organizations and most importantly, government cover ups because the truth was economically or socially damaging. Justice had become a toy in the hands of their exalted leaders. He would not let it stand.

His next target was the food industry.

In the interest of cutting costs, the food production across the planet included preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, flavor enhancers and artificial colorings poisoned the people everyday. Most did not care. Those that did were not heard.

Had it been because of actual concerns, he wouldn't do what he was about to do.

Yulesi Industrial was the largest producer of food additives on the planet. They made every additive there ever was. When one was banned, they made an alternative. Most of the time, it was a formula slightly different from the original.

They were about to get a rude awakening about public health.

The Board of Directors, the CEO, the CFO and the Chief Legal Counsel were his targets. Eight people in total, he had the perfect idea on how to punish them.

—
​

Yulesi Industrial Headquarters

The Board of Directors were in a meeting with the CEO, Ashlam Bedver. A nice little package for him to collect at once. The remaining targets were in the headquarters as well.

He walked into the meeting room, whistling a merry tune. At his current speed, everyone around him appeared frozen while in fact they were simply slowed to a crawl. He flicked his index finger up towards each member, causing them to float behind him like statues. He found the CFO and the CLC as well, adding them to the line.

His next destination?

The chemical production facility.

—
​

When the whole world was frozen before him, doing everything he wanted was easy. Fortunately, his brother had taught him better than that. He had also learned to stand up for his values.

He strolled into the main chemical production center where enormous vats were stored, flying up to the catwalk. A dozen vats contained base materials for the additives and he was about to make it their problem for the first time in their lives. He raised his hand, crumpling the top of the vat like paper and ripping it off. He dropped the ruined metal to the floor, slowing himself down to relative speeds.

"What the?" Ashlam asked, looking around wildly, his long, well groomed hair swinging as he was held upside down.

"Gentlemen!" he clapped his hands, voice echoing. "Welcome to the worst day of your lives, ever. I hope you are all in good health because I want you to suffer while at your best."

"Who are you?! How are you doing this?" Ashlam demanded to know. They were just in the meeting room. How did they suddenly appear in this chemical plant? His colleagues were in the same boat, wild expressions on their faces.

Their voices combined into an ear grating noise.

"I am not taking questions at this time," he said, moving them up and down in quick order to silence them.

The existence of the Adventurer and the rumours that a vigilante had threatened Jason Velgrad into confessing made them realize the severity of the situation.

"What are your demands?" Ashlam asked.

"Straight to the matter, ey? As expected of a businessman," he said, lips stretching into a wide grin."I want you to stop the production of all harmful food additives."

"No," one of the board members said. Sky raised and dropped his shoulders, letting gravity take hold of the man again. He stopped for a second before falling, screaming his lungs out. His arms fluttered in a futile effort and then he was drowning.

Sky didn't know what the chemical was but the man's struggles ceased quickly. He began to sink, disappearing into the vat.

"Oh dear, is he dead?" he asked, putting his hand over his parted lips.

"Of course he is dead," Ashlam screamed, face ashen. "What did you think was going to happen if you dropped him there?!"

"I don't know. People eat these chemicals everyday. You wouldn't sell harmful chemicals for consumption, would you?" he asked. They fell silent now, watching the chemical vat where their colleague had disappeared to.

"Anyway, the deal is simple. I'll spare your lives, no more food additives. Clear enough?"

"Even if we stop selling it, our competition won't," Ashlam said, mind racing to develop an exit strategy.

"You didn't think I was going to stop with you, did you? I am going after the entire industry. Yulesi is just the biggest and naturally the first target."

—
​

He had given them twenty four hours to notify all relevant people and shut down their operations. He knew it would have economic repercussions and cause a political nightmare but he did not care. If the individuals at the top refused to be human, to treat their fellow men as brothers, he would make them.

Or kill them, whichever worked.

He might have warned Ashlam and the Board of Directors but he wasn't about to take their honest word for it. They had already called the police, requesting protection from him. The police weren't too keen on believing the existence of another superpowered individual but they had taken it seriously.

He would let the twenty four hours run its course before taking more volatile action.

In the meantime, he sent a warning to all the entities responsible for production of food additives.

Cease or he would make them.

—
​

Aurum City

Kael read the message he had received on his livestream.

He was about to depart for another adventure when he was bombarded with a message from government officials, requesting a meeting. What the purpose was, he was sure Nax could figure out. However, he didn't ask the AI, preferring the surprise. It became even more interesting when he contacted the messenger. A paragraph, pre-written most likely, said that officials from the Republic, the Kingdom and the Union all wanted to meet.

At the same place.

They were even polite enough to ask permission to call him, or for him to do so when he was available.

He laid on the sofa, considering his options.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Panic room in the basement," Nax said.

He raised his right foot as high as he could and stomped on the ground. The floor caved in, the expensive carpets were torn apart, and the boards were pulverized to sawdust. The reinforced metal and masonry were meant for conventional threats. They could not stand against one of the fundamental forces of the universe.

He floated down, hands behind his back, a slight gravitational push settling the dust.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Welcome to Arrival : Ruptures , the story of a world plagued by constant trans-dimensional ruptures, where your suggestions of your culture, food, traditions and ideas can take place, and so can you. Simply leave a comment or send a message, describing which part of your culture you would like to see.

—
​

Meltral

With all three nations looking to speak to him at the same time, the only possible location was Meltral.

He strolled into the building at the address. A breeze, one that hit the sweet spot between cold and hot weather, washed over him. He bent his neck backwards, watching the blue sky and the clouds swimming in the air. The weather was perfect, so perfect that, in fact, he felt sleepy. To lay under a tree, let the wind caress his hair and just doze off.

He breathed the crisp air and walked inside.

The building was nowhere near as glamorous as the Mural Chamber. It was simple, built to accommodate officials for meetings that did not include the three leaders.

The guards on either side of the gate stiffened up as he approached. They fixed their ties, standing in perfect attention. One of them moved to open the gate, but he just walked through it. The other guard gasped, seeing the Adventurer actually pass through a solid object right in front of his eyes.

The one who was supposed to open the gate fainted.

He continued walking.

An attendant came bursting out of the door. She bowed deeply. "Please, this way, sir," she said, gesturing at the door. He followed her in. She pushed the wooden door open, standing at the side.

Six people in total were inside, three officials and an assistant for each one.

They were seated around a table and rose to their feet at the sight of him. A chair was reserved for him, and he sat down without a word.

"Mr. Adventurer," the woman dressed in a business suit said. All six had pins on their clothing, showing which nation they belonged to. She had three stars on her pin, indicating her rank .

"I am Delina Veruz from the Republic's External Affairs Ministry. A pleasure to have you here today," she said with a small incline of her head.

"Sa-na Tes-re, Union Speaker of the Diplomatic Corps," the Union's representative introduced himself, careful so his robes wouldn't be creased.

The second man was familiar. It was possible he saw him in some sort of gathering when he was a child. "Royal Arbiter Jaqad Rivera, an honor." His white and red uniform was decorated on the shoulders and on the belt. High enough on the ladder to be sent for these tasks but not enough to be irreplaceable should something go wrong.

"What exactly is this about?" he asked.

"I am sure a man of your powers is busy, so we will get straight to the matter. We would like to reach an accord for you to limit your livestreams to the weekends," Delina said. Negotiating was their only option.

For now.

Jaqad pulled out a chart, which showed drastic increases in several fields. "There is a severe increase in sick calls coinciding with the dates of your livestreams. Citizens stop working to watch you. You are, unintentionally, causing great economic losses. It could be solved by limiting your livestreams."

"Of course we are aware that expecting you to agree to this without proper compensation is not possible. Everything is written down here, but to summarize, you don't have to reveal your identity to use streaming services, receive donations, and spend your earnings," Sa-na said. More than half the planet's population wanted to donate to this man's streams. That was billions of aurels. Since they were unable to track or intervene in his livestreams, legalizing his work was the best choice.

Otherwise, billions more would be lost.

"Honestly, I don't care about donations. I am doing this for fun. But I am surprised at the offer. I actually expected to be hunted down by now," he said. Someone with his powers must be scaring all the relevant people by now.

Sa-na smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Possessing powers, no matter how outlandish, is not against the laws."

He smirked, but they could not see it. That was an interesting way of saying they had no way to actually catch him. Nax was kind enough to hack into the national crisis centers created to research, understand, and capture him.

For now, though, they were playing it safe.

He flipped through the pages, his accelerated mind and eyes reading and comprehending the entire thirty-page agreement within seconds.

"You know what, I'll agree to it as long as I get a tax exemption. If I am not allowed to sell what I loot from other universes, then I should get this much," he said. Overall, they just wanted him to keep the bloody scenes off screen, not sell anything from other universes, such as gold or other valuables, and obey the usual rules of streaming.

The negotiators whispered among themselves before reaching a verdict.

"That should be doable," Sa-na said, his counterparts agreeing verbally as well.

He smiled, reaching for all three copies of the agreement, flipping them through, and signing by simply writing Adventurer on the last page.

"Done," he said, sending the files sliding back to the negotiators. "Anything else?"

"No, that will be all. Thank you for your time," Delina said.

He began to sink into the chair, disappearing entirely before their eyes.

—
​

Aurum City

He appeared back in his room, dropping onto his beanbag chair. He rested his left leg on his right knee and interlocked his fingers. The tax exemption was just for the heck of it. He wouldn't be caught spending money as the Adventurer. What intrigued him was the deal itself.

The three nations had released statements saying that he was under investigation but nothing he did was illegal by their laws. They couldn't declare jurisdiction over a citizen's actions in other universes.

It felt satisfying.

His brother's strongheadedness was something they admired. He did not take orders from anyone, always doing what he wanted. There were times he had to play along until he could achieve his purpose, such as his time in the academy.

Now though, he was free to do as he wished. He knew better than to abuse it, but the freedom it offered was exhilarating.

He now had to make an announcement about keeping his livestreams to the weekends and then find himself another universe to plague.

—
​

Retrol

He floated down to the safe house where his targets were kept under security. It was a luxurious mansion because those narcissistic bastards wouldn't be able to live in anything less. Their egos wouldn't allow it.

He strolled to the metal gates. The security was alarmed, getting out of their boots to stop him.

"Sir, this is private property. Please turn back," the guard said, a hand over his weapon holster.

"The Board of Directors is expecting me," he said.

"Can I get a name? I need to run it with them."

"I am the guy that warned them what would happen if they didn't stop producing certain additives and killed one of them for refusing."

The guards fumbled, reaching for the weapons on their belts. He pointed his index finger at them and then at the ground. The guards fell flat on their faces, one breaking his nose. He raised his arm halfway, flicking his wrist backwards. The police officers running towards him were flung back to their car, stuck to the vehicle.

He took a deep breath. The mansion was exquisite. The walls were pristine white with golden avian decorations and a brown laminated roof. The lawn was well organized with trees from different parts of the continent, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

A pity he had to ruin it.

More guards came, this time from the inside, guns raised. They fired without even demanding surrender. Time slowed for him, each noise becoming muffled and the environment darkening. He caught each bullet, pressing them to a sphere. When their guns ran dry, he ripped the spare magazines out of their hands.

"Tell me, gentlemen, do you really want to die for these rich assholes? Are your lives worth so little?" he asked, throwing the sphere at speeds that allowed it to go through the house.

"It's our job."

"Your job is to die for the elite who couldn't be bothered to give you a bucket of water if you were on fire? No offense, but that sounds like a horrible job to have."

"You know what, you are right," the lead police officer said, lowering his gun to the ground. "I was not trained for this, and I am not risking my life for them." He raised his hands, slowly walking away.

His men followed his example, lowering their guns and leaving the area.

"Smart men," he said. He didn't want to have to hurt them. The ones inside, though, they were fair game.

He sent the metal door flying in, embedding it in the wall. There was no one in the living room, but he knew they were here.

"Panic room in the basement," Nax said.

He raised his right foot as high as he could and stomped on the ground. The floor caved in, the expensive carpets were torn apart, and the boards were pulverized to sawdust. The reinforced metal and masonry were meant for conventional threats. They could not stand against one of the fundamental forces of the universe.

He floated down, hands behind his back, a slight gravitational push settling the dust.

"Damn it, I stepped on shit," he said, seeing one of the members crushed beneath the debris. "Well, lucky him." He tapped his foot on the floor gently. The effects weren't anywhere near as gentle. The board members found themselves kissing the floor as the room shot upwards.

The room shook as it broke through the upper floor and once more when it sent the roof flying off. His targets were screaming, though it was muffled by the floor.

He stopped once he felt they were sufficiently high enough in the air.

"Any last words, gentlemen?" he asked, ready to flip the room upside down and send them falling through the hole.

"Wait, wait," Ashlam said, trying to get off the ground. He was on his hands and knees, heaving for breath. His face scrunched as the CEO began to puke on the floor.

"Go on, Ashlam, make your sales pitch," Sky said. He floated up, interlocking his fingers behind his head, resting in the air.

"If you kill us, they'll just elect new members and a CEO. You'll have to do this again," he said, stumbling between words.

"Provided your replacements are as stupid as you," Sky said. He wasn't about to repeat this warning again.

Ashlam fell on his knees again. "We'll do it. We'll stop the production of additives. Just give us one more chance."

"Why not do it the first time, though? For the love of it, I literally had you all dangling over a chemical vat. Which part of it didn't convince you?" he asked. He had killed one right before their eyes. The news channels were covering it non-stop. What had gotten in the way of their self-preservation instincts?

"You have no idea how much I earn from this. Giving up all this isn't as easy as you think," Ashlam said. It paid for his house, the education of his children, and every single thing he desired.

Even now, he did not want to give any of it up.

"What changed?"

"Our security and the police are useless."

"Heh. Let's put it to vote, shall we? Raise your hands if you agree to stop the production of additives forever," he said, raising his hand first. Ashlam's hand snapped up, and the board followed his lead.

"How wonderful. Also, tell the investors that if they try to replace you and stop the announcements, I am going to wreck every single asset Yulesi Industrial has. Are we clear? " he asked. He hadn't done it out of concern for the environment, but he could always send it all to space.

"Crystal," Ashlam said, falling on his back.

He lowered the room to the ground, right near the emergency services arriving at the scene, and left.

—
​

"You know, this is going to put a lot of ordinary citizens out of work, raise food prices, and affect the economy. It'll only get worse as you take more action," Nax said. Yulesi shares would plummet; they would lose their contracts, which would force them to cut expenses, starting with the workers.

Because god forbid they ever stop paying the CEO millions.

"I want a better world, one way or the other. That's why I gave them a chance to end this with the least amount of harm," he said. They could take it or he would force it.

"What if the people don't want it? What if they are happy with the way things are? Or content at least."

"I am doing this for myself and my brothers. I don't want to live in this world when it's going down to hell," he said, already prepared for his next target.

But he had to answer the phone call first.

"Hey Keela," he said.

"Oh my lucky stars. Did you see the news? That new guy who threatened Yulesi's Board of Directors is actually real. The news says he attacked a safehouse and threatened them again. They are going to actually stop the production of additives," she said, almost shouting with how excited she was.

He smirked.

That was fast.

Keela was a friend, someone who he continuously worked together with in their protests and attempts at civil reform. Their efforts had not yielded anything, which is why he was taking a more proactive approach.

"I saw it. It's great actually. Finally some changes for the good," he said. Good that he had brought with his own hands. Perhaps food additives weren't the most immediate threat to the people, but they certainly had an effect. Research papers tying them to an increase in cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and many more illnesses were plenty. No one cared, but he would make them.

"When are you going to join us again?" she asked. He has been away ever since he was remade. He understood her worries, but he had more important things to do.

"Not sure. I'll let you know."

"Alright, take care."

"You too," he said, ending the call. He had enough of inaction; perhaps he would never return. Not when he was capable of making all the differences he wanted.

He returned home to watch the news.

—
​

"Due to concerns over health and environmental issues, Yulesi Industrial will be stopping the production of all food additives. We encourage the entire industry to follow a similar path," Ashlam said before the cameras.

He was pale, right arm in a cast, and kept stuttering every few words.

Questions regarding why they bowed to the threats from the Skyborne were ignored.

People, as always, were quick to give names. Whether it was an event or a person, naming them in a memorable way was tradition. His was Skyborne, so unwittingly close yet so far away.

He liked it.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"The Circle of Nine?" he asked. The Temple of the Gates certainly had lost a lot of artifacts over the past few centuries.

She showed him a photo. "It is a bronze circle with nine gold commas on it. It was stolen from the temple two centuries after the Arlex. Since we have nothing to do, why not another treasure hunt?"

A quick rise and fall of his shoulders told him his answer. "Sure. What do we have?"

"Ever heard of Teigo Lernin?"



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.