Myelin Arzani lived under an assumption that he had nothing left to lose and that his life was going nowhere - it would only take a day to learn how wrong that could be.
Working behind the counter of Aunt Laura's food stall, the twelve-year-old boy took orders and served roasted green jellyfish: a species part of a long forgotten alien invasion, now enjoyed as a delicacy here in the lunar city of Neo York. The stall was just one hole in the wall of many in the long marbled halls of the city, where cramming crowds and chattering banter were only parted by a hollow gap. The gap revealed many halls, above, below, and across. Neo York was like a grand shopping mall. It came complete with neon lights and blaring advertisements left and right.
A holographic display implanted in everyone's brains—the neurattachment—showed a few more bucks entered his bank account all along with a few more orders. Man, I dunno if I should be happy 'bout the cash or pissed off I got more work. After one too many street fights with a gang of local mobbers, Myelin was forced by his brother and Aunt Laura to bide his time here. His angst no longer ran through his fists into others' faces, but through a spatula onto slimy, opaque meat on a grill.
Myelin perked up at the sound of screaming. Waves of civilians fled across the few sparse connections between the halls, crowding the area in front of the stall. Businessmen watched the suitcases they left behind, store owners just across shut themselves in pulling their metal blinds down. He knew this could mean only one thing: an alien attack.
He leapt over the counter to get a better look, shuffling through the murmuring and quivering crowd. Leaning over on the white marble railings that kept the void at bay, he felt the eyes of Neo Yorkers looking from above and below. Myelin felt his heart jolt when he looked across to see none other than Aunt Laura, alone and limping to the connecting point.
"Hey!" Myelin called, now pushing people aside as he made way to the crossing.
A quick side eye from her conveyed all the horror and shock she felt. He knew he had to make a break for it. Darting forward, he pulled himself out of the crowds into the empty walkway. He felt the floor rumble underneath his feet. For every three steps he took, one monstrous thump shook the ground beneath him. Oh my God, oh my God, come on!
Myelin couldn't bring himself to look the other way, knowing down the hall was a monster so big it would keep him paralyzed in fear. Go get her, just grab her and run. He saw Aunt Laura trip onto the floor, she was barely in front of the connection, right in front of him. He looked right to her and she looked right back. Aunt Laura had been there for Myelin as long as he could remember. Young, powerless, and a refugee, she had taken in him and his older brother, giving Myelin a place to work and sleep. I don't care if I die, I'll save you! He reached out his arm, ready to latch on and pull her back. It was then that the alien came into his view.
Aunt Laura's eyes were squinted, her brows lifted gently, she had a soft smile that etched itself into Myelin's mind as it snatched away into the air, hidden by the jaws of a monstrous beast. The alien came to a screeching halt, forcing Myelin to face it - a creature with thick maroon hide, standing nearly four times as tall as he did, sprawled on four legs as thick as tree trunks, and a horn that crackled in flames like a candle almost burnt out.
His heart sank, no longer able to meet a pair of eyes in front of him except the yellow slits of the beast grinding its claws against the floor. Aunty? Myelin wanted to call out to her, but it was much too late for an answer. Beneath his chest, he felt his insides boil. An expected sorrow was instead filled with an anger inside of him. A part of him wondered if there was still something he could do, though in the back of his mind he knew the truth: the alien had killed her, and it was going to kill him next.
Neo Yorkers stood behind clamoring, unmoved. They became frozen in place, struck by fear, a normal complacency that only enraged Myelin further. Do you idiots not know to run? It's gonna end all of us. The alien chuffed warm air into his face as it readied to charge, between its bared and now bloody fangs, it released a low pitched growl. He wanted to scream, to call out to his aunty, to ask the monster 'why?'. All that could be let out was a growl of his own in return, defying the helplessness in his mind.
Deep within, centered amongst the boiling heat inside of him, he felt a spark amongst the beats of his heart. Something inside him, something beyond his physical existence filled Myelin up like a vessel. Strength teemed as it reached the tips of his fingers and his toes, and when the power came up to the brim, it seeped out of every pore on his body. Like a clear mist, it fogged from his body surrounding him in its aura. Is this… soul energy? Of all times, now?
The monster charged, hitting the ground so hard in its stride it could've broken the connectionway clean off. Its head came swooping in, ready to rip him apart. The flaming horn warmed the cold lunar air, he felt a few sparks sting his skin. Myelin readied himself, though standing still he quivered in his feet. Maybe I have a chance. I can stop this! As the calloused jaw neared him, so close he could see its saliva drip onto the floor around him, Myelin twisted back, leaned forward, and swung his fist into an uppercut.
His knuckle crashed into the monster, impacting so hard he could feel the bone beneath the leather-like skin, so hard he could hear the smack as it sent the alien rearing back. It stumbled a few steps, before shaking its head clear.
"Run!" shouted Myelin, turned back to the people to get that back into their senses.
"We're saved!" He heard some shouting, "That kid's a bastion, he's gonna handle this!"
I'm not a bastion. Myelin didn't dare say it out loud. He always wanted to be one, to have his moment as a hero. Though he couldn't dare feel proud nor happy. Fear and sadness had sunken deep wounds into him, and his aura began to feel weak and frail.
The animal charged once more, and Myelin had nothing more to answer him. The misty aura began to flicker, the energy began to thin out inside of him. He braced himself, his heart pounding knowing the wispy aura could no longer protect him. Sorry, Aunty.
"I got it!" shouted a voice.
A large crash sent the creature into the railings, bending and cracking it under its massive weight. Myelin lowered his hands to watch it trip over and flail its legs around. The creature tipped over the ledge, squealing loudly but as it slipped over its calls grew quieter as it echoed across. He peered over the ledge, watching countless floors of civilians do all the same above and below. The alien's screams ceased a few dozen stories below as it puffed, its body dissipating into green smoke. The monster died before impact, Myelin knew a bastion had killed it. Aliens killed by soul energy all dissipated into smoke.
"Myelin! Are you okay?" The bastion at hand was none other than his brother, Atal Arzani.
His misty aura and rough long hair matched Myelin's, but he was much taller, with browner skin. Atal came running to Myelin, embracing his younger brother. He held a wooden sword, filled in its cracks with the very same mist inside.
Behind him stood a squadron, a handful of Neo York soldiers in thick plated black armor, their faces sealed away by their visors. A middle-aged man loomed behind, wearing a thick, furry coat and a long mustache over an emotionless face. With him, stood a boy Atal's age, a look of concern raised his brows. Unarmored, the two stood with wooden swords sheathed to their sides, as Atal did - they were bastions.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't—" Tears brimmed in his eyes. Myelin didn't know how to explain himself, to express his frustration and his sadness all at once. It clogged his throat from words he could've said. He hung his head in shame. "Aunt Laura… she, I didn't-"
"Hey, hey, it's okay," said Atal. Behind him stood the man in the furry coat. He was observing the two in an eerie manner.
"I could've helped, I couldn't save her," Myelin sniffled, "it's my fault."
"It's alright, Myelin," said Atal, patting him on the head and looking over his shoulder, "let's go home."
That night, Myelin didn't dare speak another word. They returned to their apartment, the brothers sat in silence and ate in silence, unsure as to how to handle what had just happened. But Myelin understood an implication as he laid down in bed, one that stemmed from the power that awoke inside of him. He was no longer going to be working in that stall, no. He was to become a bastion.
The heat, the explosions, and the fear: Myelin could never pinpoint where the memories came from, yet they haunted his dreams night after night. It was the same scene of the small village in the glass bubble, vines wrapped around its surface blotting the massive sun.
In his dream, it was Mercury, no doubt about it. Atal had told him this was their home, where the brothers originally fled from. Inside of a crib, Myelin could only rattle his hands in fear as a younger Atal ran off with him to the nearest spaceport.
The dream always played out the same. Atal would say some comforting words in a breathless voice as they scurried off into the distance. Much to the dismay of the adults waiting in line, the brothers were funneled right into the ship. The shuttle had a glass window that took all too long to close; takeoff gave an unsettling sight to the bird's eye. Houses collapsed in flames, smoke smothering the people, and the outstretched arms of the villagers. The helplessness in their eyes said they couldn't be saved, yet their voices screamed for a savior.
Soldiers in untouched shiny padding pushed around the village men in their torn robes. The view was awful and unchanging. Every time Myelin saw it he noticed a new tragedy he hoped to never see.
The soldiers - Myelin hated them more than anything else in the world. Their beefy suits and face obscuring visors made them into a crueler imitation of the Neo York Police. Why? I don't get why anyone could do this? Why kill them all? Why burn everything?
But alas, Myelin was simply a baby being held at the whims of his brother. The blast doors shut over the glass, the horrors are gone, and the dream ceases to be.
Weeks numbed away the pain of loss, but never washed it free. Myelin awoke, jolting straight up with sweat beading down his forehead. Last day here, let's make it count. His ears picked up chattering outside his room, any talk was easy to pick up in such a small rundown place. He kicked himself out of bed and swiped the clothes he laid folded at the edge of his bed the last night - he picked an outfit out ahead of time, planned out thoroughly. For every bit poor he was, Myelin was never poorly dressed.
Cracking his door open just a smidge, he eavesdropped to capture all the adult-talk he could before they silence themselves in his presence.
"Look, I need to run down to the caves first," said a boy just about Atal's age. He was one of the two bastions from that day, a young man with narrow eyes and broad shoulders. He kept a wispy goatee that contorted with his expressions of concern, talking fast and ready to leave any moment judging by the jittering of his feet.
"Man, tell me how many times we've been down there. I've spent too much time. It's done, you couldn't find them," said Atal, "please, I need you to take him. After everything he's been through… Geep can take care of him."
"Geep patched me up a map from some encrypted messages I stole from your governor," said the boy, "I can find them now. We can find the alien kings."
"He's passing encryptions after his mom just died?" questioned Atal, his hand in his face, "This is the guy I'm counting on to watch over my brother. Screw the kings, man."
"Everyone mourns in their own ways, Atal," said the boy, now approaching the door. "I'll see you in the caves, then I'll take Myelin."
When he heard one door slam shut, Myelin slammed another open.
"You finally up," said Atal, walking towards the door. "I'm gonna head out for a bit but-"
"I'm coming with you," said Myelin, scrambling to get in front of his brother, holding two stiff arms out.
"To the caves?" Atal raised a brow and shook his head. He kept walking to move past Myelin.
"I can't go to the caves, why?" taunted Myelin, raising a brow right back. "Give me one good reason."
"It's dangerous, simple as that," said Atal, throwing his hands in the air. "You're about to leave, why would I let you go there now?"
"Right, it's not like I'm going alone to become a Bastion on Mars and go on crazy missions too!" Myelin couldn't hide the bitterness drawn upon his face in a furled frown. "Why can't I be a part of the Lunar Bastion forces like you? You lose the babysitter, now you're throwing me out?"
"No, Myelin, for God's sake," said Atal. He punched a wall only to lean into it, "you can do better than this. All of this. You've got the skills, you've got the power - why do you wanna end up as a Lunar Bastion like me?"
"Cause I'd be a Lunar Bastion with you," pouted Myelin, "you've already made me train with you so many times now, at least just let me go on this one mission, please."
"Alright," said Atal. He sighed and held the door open, "but don't do anything stupid, be a little aware, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," chimed Myelin, skipping out the door.
The two brothers made their way through the gray corridors with dull yellow lighting that filled their apartment complex, down a flight of stairs that looked like it had been drained of color and cleanliness. Myelin hopped over roaches and checked his feet to make sure he wasn't about to step on something sharp. He kept his head low passing Aunt Laura's apartment. Atal gave him a slap on the back right then and there to get his head back in the right space.
Atal broke through crowds, Myelin followed in his wake. When he felt his face stuffed into the ridge of his brother's back he gagged at the smell of his shirt and stepped back. They were at a connectionway, this one had a column of glass with elevator carts blazing up and down its track. He approached the glass to call a cart down, in his periphery he caught sight of something a few meters to his side, a ball of fuzz standing up to his ankles. It was moving.
"Watch out!" he yelled, leaping back. Myelin felt his aura brimming, he was ready to make a move at any second. His heart pounded as the creature began to walk in a clear stride of confidence towards them. A ball of orange on all fours, it appeared agile and just as ready to move as Myelin was. That struck all the more fear into his heart as it hopped along.
Atal laughed, scooping up the creature by the belly. Huh? Myelin watched as his brother cradled the monster in his arms like a child, rocking it back and forth. "He's not gonna hurt you, he doesn't bite. That's right you don't bite, don't you buddy?"
"You mean that's not a killer monster?" said Myelin, watching his brother coddle and smother the creature with more affection than he ever got, "is it like a friendly alien?"
"It's not an alien," said Atal, pressing the button and setting the creature down, "it's a cat! I really should've put you in school."
The glass doors swung open, a cart locked into place awaiting them. It was clear as air on its sides, you'd likely not notice anything was there if it was not for the shiny chrome frame that bordered along it. Myelin stepped onto the glass pane, leaning his back onto the metal rail on the side. He watched as Atal stepped in, the cat followed too. Oh great.
Looking down past his feet, Myelin could see floors on floors of halls that led to an almost bottomless appearing chasm. The cart clicked and rocked so slightly, causing Myelin to grab onto the railing behind his back. The floors beneath him quickly became the floors above in seconds as the cart dropped, leaving a near sickly feeling in his stomach.
He noticed the cat didn't mind the force of the drop itself, it walked up to Myelin in order to get a good whiff of his shoes. Myelin retracted his feet back, the orange ball looked back up at him with wide, dilated eyes that made him feel a wave of sympathy for this creature, though he wouldn't dare budge an inch as the cart's descent left him feeling queasy.
"I think Gatito likes you!" yelled Atal, smiling ear to ear.
"That's what you call that thing?" yelled Myelin back, struggling to hold back his stomach whilst closing numerous pop-up ads on his neurattachment for nausea pills. How do they even- ugh!
The cart slammed to a stop, sending him hopping into the air, putting him eye to eye with Gatito ever so briefly. The cat fell into his arms as he landed onto the floor. Gatito meowed, a noise he found both new and amusing. Myelin chuckled, as he picked himself back up and let the cat down.
"Okay, maybe Gatito isn't so bad," said Myelin, "so, where to next?"
He looked to his brother, Atal, who was staring outside with fixed eyes shot open.
"He's not supposed to be here," Atal spoke without turning his head.
"Who?" Myelin looked out the glass pane following his brother's gaze. Awaiting in front of them in the lunar caves was the man from weeks prior, wearing his regal coat and a smirk beneath his mustache.
"The governor of Neo York, Morado Destino," murmured Atal, stepping out in front of Myelin, "The most powerful bastion on this moon."