50A/N I think it's safe to say that I finished this story just in time for spring. I spent the weekend at the cottage - dressed in shorts and a t-shirt next to the frozen lake! It's completely crazy. But it was fun. And, for the last time, I don't own Skyland.
I'm a little sad the story's over actually... I guess fanfiction is addictive like that. I won't be able to stop writing now. Skyland still has a lot of story gaps to work with though so I'll probably be back... I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed/read my story. Thanks to: eeniemeanie, Someonerandome, Kunaigirl, Watch2muchtv, annea101. Keep being awesome! Reviews and/or suggestions are always appreciated - Laissez un commentaire!
The Academy was in disarray. The neatly paved streets were bustling. Shadows of rushing people coated the shiny metal walls. The slapping footsteps of passing guards echoed ominously in the cool air.
This morning, the man in charge of the Academy had been found dead. Poisoned. The guards had been searching for the culprit all morning but so far their efforts had been fruitless. Of course they had a main suspect; it was a worker by the name of Katie. This same girl had failed graduation a few weeks earlier; she had always been an unstable student. Perhaps she had even been mentally ill. It was this emotional imbalance that could have easily led her to murder; and of course, she'd had the motive to commit such a crime too.
Unsurprisingly, the girl had gone missing. No one had seen her since. She had somehow managed to disappear.
Oslo watched the teeming Academy streets with contempt; he was standing aside, dressed in a pale Sphere uniform, grey eyes narrowed.
He shook his head and darted down a less crowded passage that would lead him to the docking bay. He walked briskly through the shadows, wanting nothing more than to leave this place and get on with his life.
Even as he navigated efficiently through the passages of the Sphere block, elbowing his way through groups of whispering people, he couldn't stop thinking. Memories and thoughts wouldn't stop swirling around his brain; it was becoming so overpowering that he was already getting used to randomly occurring urges to punch walls.
He gritted his teeth, trying to let the building anger ease away. It wouldn't, if anything, he was feeling more and more furious by the second. Two escapes from the Academy in the span of two weeks. He couldn't accept this. The Sphere world was losing balance; he could almost sense Skyland slowly tilting sideways, succumbing to chaos again.
The fools in charge of the Sphere would now fully understand the dangers of rebellion that were seeping through the citizens of Skyland like a horrible plague. Contaminating even those who had been loyal to the Sphere for years.
The Sphere extended its control across ninety percent of the Archipelago but Oslo wasn't satisfied. It wasn't enough. How many uncharted blocks were still drifting out there, full to the brim with natural resources? How many pirate bases were there now?
Oslo stepped out into the sunlight and walked across a vast square. He was in front of the docking bay now; the bay was buried into the side of the block and only a few stories of the building itself actually emerged from the pavement overhead. The docking bay's smooth walls lined those of the main spire-shaped building on his left.
His fury multiplied again as he glanced at the gigantic edifice and remembered everything once more. After all the anger and frustration, only one question remained. Why? Why had Mila left him like this?
He was the seijin. He was one of the most promising graduates of the Academy; he had a career. A career that he had nearly lost trying to help her. After her departure with the pirate, he'd had to endure countless dull interrogations about his failed mission. Why had Mila left with Marcus Farrell? How could she have betrayed the Sphere? How had he, Oslo, been knocked unconscious and allowed the criminal to escape? Oslo shook his head angrily. As if he needed to be reminded that the pirate had fractured his nose and given him a slight concussion. It was disgraceful.
In the end, the sphere officials had stopped badgering him with questions; they were now preoccupied with more serious problems after all. Oslo still considered himself lucky to have kept his ranking intact through this chaotic affair. He could achieve the title of Commander if he played it safe. At least he had tried to complete the Prophecy, which had always elevated to a far greater importance in his mind. Oslo had only one regret; not having killed the pirate when he'd had the chance. Instead, he had waited so that Mila could complete her mission correctly. So that they could hand over the pirate together. After all his efforts though, she had risked her life to escape with the criminal.
Oslo hated the rebel. He hated the name, Farrell; the very sound of it repulsed him. He despised the pirate, wished that he were dead.
It made no sense. It was completely illogical. Everything had been perfect; graduating from the Academy had been new beginning, and he would have been there with Mila. Just the two of them.
He still remembered the storm clearly in his mind, and how shocked he had been to see Mila inside the Hyperion with the rebel. After that raging storm, he'd managed to find the Hyperion again thanks to a glowing trail of blue; of course, he had been foolish to feel somewhat hopeful about that faded path of seijin energy. It wasn't a sign. When he finally found the Hyperion, it was to see them standing together on the hull. Pirate and guardian, holding each other close. Kissing.
There had been a sort of red blur then, clouding his vision. A blackout of rage. He barely remembered what happened afterwards, only that an argument had sparked between former best friends. Mila had refused to cooperate and then the terrible words had spilled from her mouth. Oslo had been shocked to say the least; how could she have been so unappreciative when he had simply been trying to help her? It was as if she had morphed into another person; a complete stranger. That the pirate could have tarnished her loyalties in such a limited span of time had disgusted him. Even so, he needed Mila to complete the Prophecy. He'd taken her to the Academy. Given her a new chance. He'd lied for her, telling the officials that she had been kidnapped.
But Mila had betrayed him! He still couldn't believe it and he tried to ignore the pain in his chest every time he thought about it.
He had learned one lesson through all this; that it was foolish to trust anyone. He had only one thing to trust now and that was the Prophecy; the only unchanging, bright objective left. He would rise to power, no matter what, and achieve greatness and then everyone who had ever done him wrong would pay. Every last soul who had dared oppose him in the past would suffer. For Oslo had plans; great ideas that could seem extreme to others but he cared not.
He recalled the fleeting past, so many years ago in the Academy gymnasium, when a lone scientist had presented the idea of light panels to recharge seijin energy. How incredible it would be to build a functional model; a chamber of light... An invention he only would know of. A great secret. He would become the most powerful seijin in the world! Unstoppable. He could feel the adrenaline soar through his veins at the very thought of such unlimited power.
Oslo had arrived to the docking bay entrance now, and he stopped momentarily to glance back at the main Academy block, giving it one last sweeping look.
This wasn't about the Sphere. The Sphere was but a stepping stone to something greater. The Prophecy would fulfill itself; no one could escape destiny. The rebels would fall, Farrell would die. One day, he would be reunited with Mila. She would come crawling back to him, begging for forgiveness. He would be merciful. Then they would take control of Skyland. Together at last.
He laughed darkly as he turned towards the aligned sphere patrollers.
Fools!
This wasn't the end.
This was just the beginning.
~ END ~