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Life in the Death Zone

In an abandoned tower where no one dared enter, a group of people lived within it watched as a sandstorm came in. Ever since settling that place, they had fought against unpredictable weather, raiders, and some wildlife that had settled the desert area. The tower was the only one that had its roof intact, mostly because it was higher than most other building. The storm itself wasn't that dangerous if they were inside the tower, but then, against many, they settled in the Death Zone.

Based on the abandoned city's information and the visitor center, which was mostly intact, the people living there learned that it was an oasis city, and that the desert area was a desert before the war happened. Maybe because it was in a desert area, it was the first that got what was commonly known as 'Aether contamination' due to a failed experiment that caused the contamination, and had been abandoned since. While it was supposed to be nothing but a patch of land by that point, the magic shield erected to combat the sandstorm was still there, and wasn't entirely turned off even after the Aether contamination. With this, it saved the city from destruction. However, years of neglect and the intensity of the storm rendered most of it useless, and the small group of people used it to protect the only standing structure there: the tower.

In it, the people who had called the place home, wasn't entirely defenseless, either. The Danger Zone was uninhabitable and full of mutated beasts and mutated victims of the Danger Zone, whose exposure to Aether had turned them into mindless undead that hunt by instinct. There was a lot of them inside the tower, and it was infested by it, but the people who eventually settled there ended their suffering with little effort.

Of course, not everyone was a mindless zombie. Some, despite of clearly mutated by Aether, held in that city and tried to make a living despite of losing most of their physical characteristics. Years of being exposed by Aether had made them like others who were unfortunate, but unlike them, they were the harmless. Their brains had not decayed yet, and they could reason. The only thing that made them different were their husky voice, their almost skinless appearance, and decaying body parts. The people who came to settle the tower and co-exist with them called them Galhud, the elven word for 'ghoul'. Though it sounded very bad and causing people to perceive them wrong, the fact that the new settlers were the only one who survived the Death Zone desert and their good reasons to be in that tower was enough to convince them that they meant no harm.

This was especially true to the leader of these people, the elf Ganymede. She knew they were victims of circumstances and was terribly sorry for her people, the ones who started it all. The ghouls, being immortal and had lived before and during the war, forgave her, for they were also the ones to blame. In exchange for letting the people stay, the ghouls would help them in their quest. Words of the Collectives and the Agents' propaganda had not reach the settlement. Or, with the other way to say it, there was absolutely no way the news could reach them. It was, in essence, their safe haven.

After talking with the leader of the Galhuds about their present problems and their provisions, the leader said, "The people of this city does not require food or drink. They just need something more...arcane."

"You mean mana? We can provide you with that. What's your term?"

"Term? We don't need terms. You don't need terms if you're going to protect us from whoever is hunting you. Just make sure whatever you do don't endanger us."

Ganymede went silent, before she asked, "I know this is sudden, but...would you care join us?"

"Join you? Elven leader, we are merely relics of the past. We may be long-lived, but we don't have any magical knowledge like you and your disciples. We are only alive because of this thing called 'Aether' in our body."

"That's exactly why I am asking you that. That Aether is still magic, and if it's in your body, then they are also conduits. You can still join us, and we will flow our spell through you, so you can join us?"

"Elven leader...that sounds like we are actual conduits."

"I'm sorry if it sounds bad, but...will you help us?"

"We...must talk about it among ourselves first. But, I have a feeling that the answer will be a 'no'. Our body is dangerous to all of you. Whatever the reason, we...cannot risk your life."

"I understand," said Ganymede. "Thank you for your understanding."

The Galhud leader left the room after nodding, which Ganymede returned. Upon getting out of the small room, the elf was greeted by one of her pupils.

"Ah, Brock," said Ganymede while walking beside the dark-skinned human. "Have you scout this city?"

"Yes. This city, and its citizens, seems to be using magitech extensively during the prewar times," said Brock. "Most of them are still functional, and we have many experts in magitech who can help us tune the crystals into something we can use."

"Who are these...experts...you are talking about?"

"Prewar mechanics."

"Oh...," said Ganymede in astonishment. "There are a lot of them left?"

"Apparently so. Leader, may I ask who they are? You seem astonished."

The elf looked around, making sure that no one could hear them. After being sure, she said, "These people were the ones who maintain the magitech levitation cars back when civilization still existed. Of course, for contemporaries like me, that is a menial job, far from academic pursuits or even professional services like medical services or even portal operators. But, now, with no one left with such skills, they are very valuable."

"I failed to understand how some mechanics can do it. I mean, we have a lot of scrap mechanics in settlements."

"Prewar mechanics are different. They don't improvise. They learn how to do things properly," replied Ganymede. "But never tell them this, or I am sure that they won't support our goals."

"Why is that?"

"Even when the world ends, people who still remembers the past will never forget it. Sometimes, Brock, I envy your short lifespan. You don't need to remember so many things that had come to past. Immortality...is more of a curse for me."

"But, leader, you're an elf. You're long-lived."

"Yes...and I wish I can still live in peace and harmony, like the wood elves of old, where they keep away from metropolitan society and becoming a community in tune with the forest, like the druids of the past. Oh, I've sulked in the past for too long. We must make haste. We may have eluded them, but they are not stupid."

"How can they get through the Death Zone with that heap of metal?"

"That heap of metal has a built-in radiation filter that can protect them from Aether contamination," said Ganymede. "And yes, the filter is magical in nature." "What? Then they..."

"Like I said, Brock. We cannot survive without magic. Not in this time. Fossil fuel is a thing from the past. In my childhood, the human government had overruled the use of fossil fuel, and used up mana to power up things. While I know there are other that used science-based things like nuclear and stuff, it would lose popularity in my academic years, and thus, magitech was born. A marriage of science and magic, it's a marvel in both sides."

"Remind me of your age again?"

"I'm 750 years old," said Ganymede with a smile. "I'm past my prime now, but I can still achieve the magic that my brethren and my ancestors had tried to perfect. Please, continue your job."

"Yes, ma'am," said Brock. He nodded and hurried walked past the door to the left of the elf. Ganymede looked at the human and smiled to herself. She knew what she was doing, and she knew her disciples and followers needed results. The magic she was planning to use had a secret they did not need to know, as she was the only living witness as to why it was forbidden.

Things didn't go as planned for her when her hideout for the past ten years was compromised, but at least the magic was not lost. Though she knew it would take another year until the whole magic was complete, she had time to teach the galhuds the way of magic. With the concentrated Aether within them, they would not harm others, but they could use it to turn on their magic circuits. She believed that, except Chaos races, everyone could use magic.

For the next days, Ganymede walked in the tower to explore it and to help the galhuds in matters they needed to know. While she could help them with the harder matter, she politely refused trivial matters and let her disciples help them any way possible. It was easy to do, like recharging crystals and simple magic use, but she doubted that these galhuds could use them properly.

The Collectives lost communications the moment they decided to open a portal in that tower. Ganymede wanted to use the emergency teleport to a nearby elven tower, where the magic circle for it was readily available. But, after she reached the point, she realized that the situation was worse. There was a conflict on the ground floor that caused the Agents to be more careful, and that almost jeopardized their escape if not for the discovery of an inactive portal gate. As a former portal operator, Ganymede managed to return it to operation and let the others use it, yet they ended up in that tower, also elven in origin. Returning through the portal needed considerable power, as it drained a lot of energy and the thing was as old as Ganymede herself.

A day went by while they were trying to settle in that tower. For the past week, the galhuds had been so kind in helping them adapting to the town's problems, as if there were no suspicions between them. That development was the thing that they needed if they wanted to survive long enough to achieve their work.

The Collectives, despite of the notoriety they had cumulated due to their constant conflicts with the Agents of Tomorrow, had no time or even intention to start another bloodshed. Ever since the three outsiders found one of their own being refitted into a human bomb, they realized that open conflicts would lead to their destructions, and possibly, as Ganymede feared, another so-called 'War that ends History', except this time, with the world damaged beyond repair, it might end everything Ganymede knew. The history of the world might end there and then.

Despite of her extensive knowledge that the continent they were on were devastated beyond repair, she had no information regarding other places, island or such, beyond the dreaded Aether Sea. Except for some expeditions, for which few came back, the sea itself was full of death. After the war, the Aether residue due to the anti-magic bombs used washed to the sea through rivers and streams, after settling due to rain. The Aether was so deadly that the sea itself turned into death, causing its color to turn black. While select ships could past the sea, most never came back. Ganymede had no way to know if they died or refused to return to the land beyond repair. Other parts of the sea, however, miraculously looked the same as it was before the war, so it was a relief for some.

The food supply for the Collectives quickly ran out after the second week they got into the tower, so Ganymede devised a plan to finally open the portal gate to a coordinate. The tower had coordinates of all the portal gates around that region, both intact and not. To prevent the risk of being lost, the elf used the same gate coordinate the group came from, and operated from there, despite of knowing the risk.

For the next week, things went on as planned. With some advice from her personal assistants, Ganymede let the less prominent members of the Collectives, those who could blend in, to maintain supply. She picked those who, despite of not wearing a cloak, could still go with the masses and not raise the Agents' alarm. Her most common choices were beast races since, due to their bestial appearance, could blend in easily. Humans were second choice, and she forbid elves to go back through the portal.

By time, the same portal slowly became compromised due to the amount of traffic. Ganymede knew this was inevitable, so she asked Brock to make teams of scouts to scout intact portals and write down the coordinates, so she could operate easily. For countermeasures, Ganymede gathered some promising mages and teach them the old skill of operating a portal gate, in hope that they could make it right and possibly replaced her when the magic was in its late stage. When there was time, she selected some of her disciples and teach them the teleportation spell she used to teleport everyone to an emergency point.

Weeks turned to month, and their life in that tower turned into something better. The Galhuds who helped them had also found a better living quality that they had not remembered for a very long time. They slowly expanded out from the tower as they fix the shielding and settle in, along with many people who felt wronged by the Agents' abuse, or otherwise just wanted a safe place. While many were mages, they did not want to join the Collectives, with a reason that they needed to help rebuild. Ganymede respected their decisions, for it was a noble and honest one.

As the town grew, Ganymede looked out from a window in the tower, where she saw the town once abandoned due to sandstorm thrived again. She could also see other disciples not in the Collectives finally able to get the portal worked again. She smiled to herself, thinking about how it became one of her achievements.

Brock then came in and joined Ganymede. She looked at him and said, "Any news?"

"So far, nothing's happening to the portals we opened," said Brock. "They are kept secret and out of the Agents' sight, or others who did not wish to get inside."

"Have you taken care of it?"

"We have," said Brock with a smile. "As discreet as possible."

"Good. Remember what I teach you. Use it if that person is suspicious."

"I will. But, Ganymede?"

"Yes, Brock?"

"I know we are being hunted by an overzealous machine cult, but are you sure making this place a settlement a good idea? This place won't be a secret anymore if words come out."

"That is why I ask you to do what I told you to. If we don't do anything to preserve this secret place, then there won't be any place to go, and our dreams will not be finished."

"I suppose you're right."

"How's the preparation for the final magic?"

"It's coming out nicely, and we are entering the final phase. I was just going to let you know about it."

"Good. I will prepare and join you soon. Make sure it's in perfect balance. From this point on, it is a different thing."

Brock excused himself and walked out of the room, while Ganymede looked down towards the settlement she had made. She looked at it with both sorrow and relief, knowing that when the magic had finished, things she left would go on as planned, at least for a year. What came after, however, would be something that's beyond her control.

The elf, knowing how crucial her plans were, had started to dwell into shady actions that almost caused people to fear their cult. As the settlement grew, the desire to protect it also grew. It was that mindset that turned the Collectives into a more secretive organization with many assassins being employed and other briberies to divert people's attention away from their activities.

Ganymede knowingly let her followers torture or otherwise kill those who she deemed dangerous. She could not fight the Agents, but soon, as the ancient magic began its final phase, she would launch an attack to the Agents. Her information was abundant, and she knew most of the Agents bases her scouts gathered for two months. The attacks would be enough to distract them from their activities, though she knew settlements nearby would be affected by it.

She didn't care about them anymore, now that her plans were almost complete. She could not let her mind be distracted by trivial matters. Her dream and ambition was almost finished.

When it was all over, she wouldn't be a bother anyway.