I gasp. I heave in more than my lungs can take. Placing my right hand on my chest I stumble forward and keep myself from crashing, being supported by the other. Space buddy supports me.

"What... What was that?" What did I see?

I'm shocked, stunned. The tears in my eyes have frozen in place as automatically, my mind starts trying to put the pieces together.

I hold my head. No. No, I can't...

This is too much. "This is wayyy too much! How do you expect me to think straight after all this. I wanted answers, dammit. I didn't ask for more questions! The world... isn't giving me rest. I... I can't breathe... "

Take it easy brother. You'd be alright. I'm here.

And as if on cue, he helps me catch my breath, ease my nerves and help me think straight. All this time, he didn't intervene. He let me shed tears over the loss of my planet. Because, had he controlled my emotions there, that would have made me a traitor to my home. If I couldn't even bear to shed tears for it, and had accepted the loss with a straight face, and moved on. No. I needed to feel it. And he knew. Because he had gone through the same. I respect him for that. I really do. But now... What was that vision? That wasn't the place I go when I have these visions. No, it's not even close. Yet... It is so familiar. Dammit, what's wrong with me?!

The more I think, the more I get the same vibe from it. Same to what? A dream. A dream I should have forgotten. I dream, in which there was peace. And then, there was destruction.

And I was the root of it.

"What's the meaning of this... I... I don't know what to-"

Jordan, it is finally time. Before, I did not drive you towards all this, I didn't make you see all of it. But now, I think it's time you address it all. It's not me, though. I'm... just a vessel. But, maybe, now you must see it. You can't let your subconscious ignore it. You can't turn a blind eye to whatever is happening beneath the surface.

What do you... mean?

You'd know. You've seen it. As I said, I don't know it all. I just know, how it works, and I make it work.

I stare at the screen, now with a  blank face, as the ravaged planet continues to break me, the text on the uppper right corner naming it "Earth" so very vehemently. It's even written in English. Dammit!

I breathe in, choking on another wave of sorrow, then breathe out, shedding tears involuntarily.

So, you don't know anything. You don't know the meaning. You can only show it to me, because...

Because, as a vessel, you can ask me to show them to you, you can borrow powers. But, at the same time, they can request a connection to you as well.

...

Yeah? How many times has it happened yet?

...A few times.

I shake my head, grab my hair. Something is coming isn't it? It's been coming for a while.

I feel him nod. So it seems, Jordan. And, it's not a singular entity only.

... I get that. But, I don't know what to make of it. What am I even supposed to do anymore?

I would say this. Whatever you do, don't let it break you. Don't let the world break you down, brother. You have to be strong... for what's to come. You must fight.

I grunt a chuckle. Fight. Yeah, right. Me, fight.

You can! You must believe. You got the blessing, being a human. You are chosen. It must mean something. The Holy Trinity and the Eye, chose you for something. There must be-

"A purpose?" I say, flatly.

Space buddy hesitates.

"Then what about the vision, huh? What about it! It shunned any purpose that may have been there! It shunned it and basically said it's meaningless searching for any purpose! We might as well be dust, be nothing! It doesn't matter! WHAT ABOUT IT!" I scream.

I hide my face in my palms. "Why... why..."

I feel my shoulders shake as cold drops hit the floor near my feet. "What am I supposed to do..."

A sudden warmth slides into me from behind. The gentle touch pulls me in close, and holds me still. I feel surprised, and at the same time, don't. "We... we must not give up, Jordan. We have each other. We have so many of us. We can't... I know, how hopeless it all appears right now. But, no matter how much I cry, how much I grieve, we won't get our home back, " her voice breaks at each and every word. "So, please, Jordan. Don't make it any harder on yourself. Please..."

I hold onto Diana's hand placed on my chest, but say nothing.

We simply cry, silhouettes in an unforgiving light.

___________

We have no goal now. No destiny.

What we have, what we are left with, is each other. And we must hold on to that, because, that's what our existence has amounted to at this juncture.

We may no longer be the same, but we would survive.

We did not come here, to die!

I walk outside with Diana by my side. We don't exchange words. Because, we both know what needs to be done now. However, a thought keeps on circling in my head. Why was such a sight waiting for us here in a hidden place. Why was it even hidden? And why in English?

Later, let's leave it all for later.

Yeah... right. Right now, I need to get back to class. I can't break the news just that easily, but it would be hard to act totally normally as well. This is really such a nightmare...

Space buddy tries his best to calm me down. But the frustration keeps coming back, not to say the grief that shall follow me into my sleep for days to come.

I wonder what face I'd make when I find my way back into the classroom. Has the alarm for Initiation rung yet? I sure didn't hear it, but considering the state I was in, I wouldn't bet on myself. But, even if it did, Diana should have left. Since she didn't, I'd hope it hasn't.

But if so, the break period sure is long. Maybe the aliens take more time consuming food than we do?

And as if answering my query, the alarm blares, two minutes after, where we part our ways at the lift.

____________

The frown that I have on my face keeps on growing deeper and deeper. My teeth are clenched, my face is contorted.

Because this is too cruel.

What the both of us have seen, is world-ending, literally. It changes our world view, causes us to ponder our existence, our survival, our destination- all of it. And yet, Diana has to go back to work, and I have to go back to my classes.

This is unfair. Heartless. And what's more? I'm serving the ones that destroyed my planet.

And are we all to just... accept it?

Is that what they expect?

Brother you-

I won't accept this. I won't stand for this!

"We aren't machines. We are humans. They have to realise that. And I would see to it, that they do." With that said, I change my course.

Brother, you shouldn't be thinking so rashly. It's dangerous!

"I know that full well. But, I can't... If I accept it and move on, I'd be the one most inhuman. I have a responsibility, having known the truth. And I'd make them realise that it's different from what they expect." I won't be their lap dog.

Before even a second of doubting myself, I march towards the hall where the Figsies and Flies are parked. I don't even consider going back to class.

And upon coming closer, he enters my vision. The wasphead from earlier. He looks at me, and I sense him cock his head the tiniest bit, as if perplexed why I am not heading off to class.

He dismisses the boy I saw him talking to earlier and he comes towards me. "It's far too early for your ambitious venture. You must take the classes now." He rubs his hands together, in the fashion of a housefly.

But I don't consider his words. I don't consider him. I take into account only, what his kind has done. What it has taken from all of us. "I have had ENOUGH!" I shout, catching his black vest and holding him up. I'm surprised how easily I lift him up. Strength I had never known. "Cut your bullshit understanding façade out. I'm not falling for it anymore."

Only a moment of shock, and then, he slaps his tail at me, but the moment it enters my peripheral vision, I grab it with my mutated hand. And then, I kick him to the ground.

He lets out an alien groan. All the others around stare in horror at what I have done.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO EARTH! TELL THEM. TELL ME! WHY! WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO YOU?! WHY HAVE YOU DESTROYED OUR HOME! WHY DID YOU TAKE US HERE!"

I kick him. Again. Again. And then I punch him, straight across his disgusting face. But he doesn't fight back. Which makes me rage, even more. "You couldn't even hide the secret well." I seethe as tears sting my eyes once again. My body... It is burning.

But, I stare in horror as he lets out a laugh. "How childish... "

Slowly, all of those who had been watching us, fall to the floor. They stumble, holding their heads then fall on the ground, limp bodies.

I gasp in shock, then a growing disbelief. I turn around to look at him. "W-what. WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!" My body grows cold.

He glares at me for a fleeting instant, then kicks me over. It sends me flying and knocks me on the floor. "Agh!" I roll over to the wall and hit my back hard. "Ugh!"

The pain hits the very next instant. I lie there, weakly, all the strength in me gone, as if evaporated after the momentary outburst.

Pathetic.

I bring my arms around. My body aches all over. I turn over with teeth clenched, and place them on the ground, and try my hardest to heave my body up. But, as I struggle to get up, I see him march towards me. It fills me with dread. "It seems it is finally time for you to know, the cause we are all fighting for."

And then with a whip of his tail, my vision grows blurry, and I'm knocked unconscious.

...

But it doesn't end there.

Instead of the familiar blackness I've grown used to, I see white. But there's a distant sensation, and it communicates to me in some manner, making me realise, that it is more than that...

As if, there's a conscience, a power. My power-

...

And then I see nothing.