((Author's Note: Such a weak story. I wanted to put more character into Ghin but really had to work within the limits of the commissioner. Yes, this story was commissioned but ultimately not used for its purpose. A sad day in writing indeed.
The Way It Was
From a cliff, Ghin looked down into the flatlands. She could see the shimmering of Gate. She took one last look before she turned to join her companions at the camp. The fire became lively with her approach, crackling and dancing. Around the campfire they sat and ate. The Gate Archives Bureau has funded this expedition to the mountains to trace how the survivors migrated from the other side of the continent. She was the only survivor now, the others having passed away long ago, leaving only their descendents. Her memory was impeccable, every nook and cranny, although dulled by the passage of time, were still there for her to remember the very path she undertook to seek refuge in the only bastion of humanity left since the war. Ah yes, the war, that was over 22 centuries ago. That fact was known by many, and that everyone gave her a strange form of respect no one else could understand. The exact year the nukes rained down was 2370 years ago, on the 30th day of the 12th month. It had changed her, her body, down to the cellular, nay, the molecular level. She could no longer age as normal men and women did. Complete heterochromia may be her outstanding feature, but even the subtle green in her hair exudes a hauntingly alien aura.
“Ghin, how about a campfire tale about the way it was?” asked one of the men in the expedition.
Ghin took a deep breath before starting,
“That was a long time ago. It was a turbulent era, one nation’s paranoia feeding the other with fear. There were only two great nations, their names are long forgotten but locals refer to themselves as the Eastern Pangea Coalition while those behind these mountains called themselves the Union of West Pangea. As you all know, this continent is just one big landmass. The difference between then and now is by how many craters and island chains you can count.”
Before continuing, Ghin took a sip from her mug as the men murmured amongst themselves.
“Then it came, distant first, a cacophony so immense it could probably be heard in the heavens. The fortunate ones died quickly and instantly in the blast. Those that suffered from the after-effects would be the ones who died a slow painful death. Only one city in this whole world was spared. It was a neutral city-state. That city my friends, is the city of Gate.”
There were smiles all around. Ghin continued,
“I was only a young woman then. Since I was so patriotic back then, I was about to leave my hometown and enlist. Thankfully, that was also the day that news of the attacks came, I stayed put. Finally two weeks after the mutual destruction, the survivors came by our residence, asking if we’d join them on the trek to Gate, the sole remaining city. My family stayed behind but I packed what belongings I had and left. It was brutal trek up the mountains, the chill claiming many of our group. I had emerged relatively unscathed, only having a minor cold. As we approached the city limits, we were greeted by a throng of grotesque abominations, crowding around the west of the city. Even within our group, there were those that hid their limbs and appendages until they were aware of others with similar physical mutations. Only a select few that still remained physically human were allowed to enter. I was one of them. Native residents regarded us with suspicion with is a feeling that has remained unchanged to this day. Those that weren’t allowed entry were either gunned down or retreated to nurture their newfound hatred towards humanity. I’m still looked upon with jealousy and hatred in equal measure by those that live out here.”
The conclusion came in a sombre note, leaving her men to reflect, Ghin got up to fill her mug. As she returned, the men around the fire were silent. One of them gestured towards a newcomer. The thing that stuck out was definitely her right arm, which was lacking a hand and apparently a normal skeletal structure as it undulated. It was more like a tentacle than an arm. Then the newcomer spoke in surprise,
“Ghin?! I can’t believe that you’re still alive.”
“Neither can I,” was the reply.
The newcomer introduced herself as Ron, one also cursed with Ghin’s longevity and one of the groups that crossed these mountains to seek shelter in Gate all those years ago. In the panic, she lost sight of Ghin and had to escape. After years of planning, she and a few likeminded individuals had come back to see whether Gate had changed, for the better or the worse, as the descendents of the survivors grew up hating humanity and with violent tendencies. It was far too dangerous to live in that area anymore. Ghin saved her the trouble,
“Humanity is a stubborn bunch, no offense to my co-workers.”
“None taken,” replied one of the men.
“They still don’t have trouble tolerating your presence. I can take you as close to the city as you want, but if you want to get inside, I can’t help you there. But you don’t want to set foot inside anyways.”
“Why not?” asked Ron.
“Vigilantes, they shoot to kill, no questions asked,” explained another man.
“What are these Vigilantes, Ghin?” asked a now interested Ron.
“About twenty years ago, normal citizens like these men, took the law into their own hands to curb the escalating crime rate. They were quite successful and their ranks grew until the old mayor gave her full support, legalizing vigilantism several years back. The last major attack on Gate by an external force was about 5 years ago, that is why they will not hesitate when confronted by our kind.”
“Well, I guessed you saved us a lot of trouble. But another question remains, what brings you to these unforgiving mountains Ghin?”
“Well, we were about to return to my hometown, but since its now crawling with a hostile population, I guess we’ll head back, the main purpose of this expedition is complete anyways,” replied Ghin.
“We’d like to travel with you to Gate, if you don’t mind.”
Ghin looked at her men, they all nodded. They were used to close contact with mutants, at least the friendlier ones. They set out in the morning, crossing the barren terrain before setting foot on an old road. The tarmac was cracked and baked under the unforgiving star, Raon. It was only a few days journey before Gate’s black walls appeared over the horizon. Actually it was just a collapsed highway, used as a makeshift fortification against a recent external threat. When Ron and her entourage came within a distance that sated their curiosity, they bade Ghin’s expedition farewell, turned and left.
The Way It Will Be
Several days after an unexpected encounter with Ghin, Ron had managed to recruit the local population on a bold plan that would give them the revenge they all dreamed off. It was simple, they would induce mutation within the city, and if humanity was still the same, then the infighting would bring Gate down to its knees, ripe for the pickings. Their target was one of the numerous research labs, but this one in particular dealt in retroviral engineering, some of which is rumored to not be only for curing. Their avenue of approach would be through the river that bisected Gate from which they could access the sewers, the underground roadway for mutants who managed to make a living in Gate. They were well prepared, motivated, and all were ready to lay down their lives. Even the date and time of execution was chosen for a special reason. It would be the New Year and they intend for it to start off with a bang.
New Year’s Eve and Ghin was still working late in the Gate Archives Bureau. She asked for access to an article within the archives to further her research and it was taking the better part of night. Not one to give up easily, she continued searching until one of the security guards came and asked her to leave. They were closing up for the night. Everyone had a right to take the night off. Ghin walked down the sidewalk with a sigh, she’ll have to wait until the morning came to resume her search. She crossed the now empty street into the Riverside district, where she had a small studio. As she passed one of buildings, she could not help notice a trail of blood. Inquisitive as usual, Ghin peered into the doorway that gave way to the lobby. There were blood smears across the walls and behind a nondescript plastic shrub were a pair of legs. Throwing caution to the wind, she pulled out a small firearm she kept with her at all times for self-defense. If anyone came and asked her why she was there, she would just flash her ID card from work, which gave her authority to investigate and report on events that happened in the city for archiving. She moved to the lobby, behind the desk was only an upturned chair and a few security monitors. She looked at them, until she spotted movement in one of the corridors. Examining the intruders revealed them to be mutants. What they were up to, she was not sure, but it could be something serious. She looked for the alarm under the desk, found it and triggered it. She returned to study the monitors, the scurrying in corridors were more frantic now. One of them broke off from the group and was heading back towards the lobby. Ghin tightened the grip around her pistol and checked the guard’s corpse for any weapons, she found an electrified baton. She preferred non-lethal weapons. It would give her a chance to interrogate the intruder. Hiding behind the desk she could shear someone, or something move by. Peering, the mutant had its back turned to her. Faster than a normal man could react, she jammed the prod in between the mutant’s shoulders, applying the electricity as close to the heart as she could. The shocked mutant was easily subdued, falling to its knees as it cried out before collapsing. Ghin turned the mutant over, it was Ron. She could shear bustling from the outside, armed men, Vigilantes, burst into the lobby, she pointed towards the direction the Ron came from and they continued into the building. In a dry voice, Ron spoke,
“Get out…of the blast…zone…before it is too late.”
“What’s going on? Why?” asked Ghin.
“Just…trust me. Now…do me a favour…I’ve lived…long enough…to see this day come.”
“What day? I need answers Ron!”
“No time…please…kill me now.”
Ron grew silent and lost consciousness. His breathing was slow and shallow. Ghin had to take Ron’s word for it. Pulling out her pistol, Ghin completed the euthanasia formation, once in the head, twice in the chest, and one final round in the head. Within minutes she put considerable distance between herself and Ron, heading across the river, all the way past Los Sinistre until she finally could not run any further. Not a moment later, she could only shear a thunderous boom echo throughout the city before she collapsed on a park bench in Loggy Lawns.
It would be several months before she and her colleagues could piece together the cause and effect of the event. Many had been infected with something that altered their DNA, almost like subatomic radiation only the effects were more varied. Some mutated to look like mutants from the wasteland and were killed. The majority had a common quality though, they were able to manipulate energy with their minds, bending it to their will, absorbing it, expelling it, and doing whatever they wanted with it. The Magi, they were called a pseudo portmanteau of mentally gifted, numbered at least one million strong and the numbers rose each day. The city administration was swift and decisive, setting up a school/shelter for such individuals in a small plot of land in the Loggy Lawns district. Ghin already could see the potential in them. They could do so much good in the city, just as much as they could cause harm. The possibilities were endless. It was such a major event that everyone dubbed it Year 0, they old archaic system that kept track of the years was thrown out and hastily replaced. As for the future of the city, where the ordinary and extraordinary coexist in an uneasy peace, Gate will still remain standing for a long time yet. Many events, discoveries and people are yet to play their part, to shape an unending story, until the end of time, or at least, until they run out of recording material.
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