The Antimatter Chimera

    TABLE OF CONTENTS
    Prologue
     Chapter 1 - Lion
     Chapter 2 - Goat
     Chapter 3 - Dragon

    Prologue

     Long before the arrival of divine judgement, there was a golden age for the Kyverz, an era in which they reached the technological pinnacle as a race. A period in their history in which they were the true princes of Logov and which was taken away by an invading force in what was known as the first great war. This is not only a history of that time, but also a requiem of their people.

     Amidst the emptiness of space, there is a planet where nature grows wild. Where its oceans are deep blue and its rivers translucent as crystal. According to legends, this world, ruled by the god Nol'shoy Zber, shares the name of his firstborn and only son, Logov.

     This promised paradise was the gift of a benevolent god for the progeny of his progeny, for a brave and proud people who respected all creatures that ran free over the surface of that world as if they were their own kind, those known as the Kyverz. In that world, there are several domains and one of the most flourishing was Lunisbeth, since it is considered the cradle of their civilization. In that natural paradise, in an esplanade of intense green, a couple of small offspring were running carefree towards a clearing to meet their friends who were waiting for them.

     Chapter 1. Lion.

     "Run Dykliev! They won't wait for us forever. Hurry up," shouted Letovy, a cub with abundant dark fur and short ears like a tree leaf, as he hurried his pace with the intention of triggering a reaction from his chubby mischievous companion.

     "Wait! You know I'm not as fast as you. Besides that, I'm tired, my legs hurt, I'm hungry, and there's a hill to climb,' Dykliev answered with difficulty, while panting rapidly. His abundant mane was wet from physical exhaustion, as outdoor activities were not good for him.

     Letovy continued running without worrying whether Dykliev was following her or not, so minutes later she reached the clearing where the rest of the group were waiting for her. In the place, two twins, brother and sister, were waiting for them. They were Malynovik and Ranzhevy, whom had a greyish-white coat with mottled speckles on their backs, short, pointed ears, and a long white tail.

     "Did you leave Dykliev behind again? He was supposed to arrive with you so as not to delay us again," Malynovik argued, annoyed as she made an angry gesture with her paws when she noticed that, once again, her friend arrived alone, despite what she had been told to do.

     "I know, I know, but I got bored of going at his speed. He's too slow and you know it. He always comes last and no matter how many times I have told him that he should stop eating so much and train harder, there is no way he will listen to me. He knows very well that if he keeps this way, he will never go through the hunter's rite and he won't be able to be like his brothers," Letovy argued with a cheerful smile on his face, while she looked in the direction of the hill to see if she could spot her childhood friend.

     "Maybe you are right, but you are the only one who lives close to him and that's why we agreed that you are responsible for getting him here quickly. If you leave him alone, he will come walking and it will take longer," Malynovik replied restlessly as she was about to walk in the direction where the newcomer was coming from while grumbling.

     It was at that moment that Ranzhevy, who had been quietly listening to the entire discussion up to that point, calmly got up from the place where he had been lying down to enjoy the morning breeze.

     "Stop arguing over something that isn't worth it. No matter how much you tell him something, if Dykliev doesn't want to change, there is nothing we can do. We all know that he is the slowest one of the group, although that doesn't matter because to me you are all slow," interrupted Ranzhevy with a mocking smile on his face as he took a strutting stance before continuing. "So far none of you have been able to defeat me in a race so no one can criticise him for anything."

     At these words, the fur on Malynovik's back stood up straight while a gesture of annoyance was drawn on his face.

     "That's a lie and you know it really well because I beat you once last month when we raced on the road near our home," replied the younger sister very annoyed because, despite having a very good fraternal relationship, both were very competitive.

     "That time doesn't count because I fell when I tripped over an old root. Besides, I asked you to repeat the race and you didn't want to," the older brother appealed, a little mad. At the same time, a breathless Dykliev came into view in the distance, trudging towards them.

     "Here comes Dykliev, so stop fighting you two and we can have a race to see which of us is the fastest, after we complete our secret mission," she said as she ran in the opposite direction of Dykliev, while doing little jumps and swinging her thin arms.

     At these words, Dykliev's ears folded forward and his body stopped. All this in reaction to the stress of running. He detested physical activities, even more so when they were to prove who was the best, as he was more aware than anyone else about his physical condition. He took a deep breath and with his head down, he walked in the direction of his friends.

     "I'm sure that if it wasn't for me discovering the tunnel you wouldn't have waited for me, right?" Dykliev commented as he rested his palms on his knees, trying to catch his breath with difficulty and hiding his discomfort.

     Letovy could not help but feel bad for having made such an impression on her friend, since she knew better than anyone else that since the loss of his mother, Dykliev had never been the same. She remembered with nostalgia his sweet smile before the fatal accident and a heavy conscience flooded her.

     "Don't say that.You know that no matter how slow you could be, we always wait for you before we do anything. Now cheer up and show us that place, because from what I could hear my father say the other day, it seems that they are conducting an important and dangerous experiment in his lab and that's why I want to see what's going on with my own eyes," Letovy explained to Dyklyev, pulling him by the arm.

     "Alright, but don't rush me. There are still several hours left according to what I heard from my father the other day," replied the cub whose mane was wet from the arduous physical exercise and the sun.

     "Let's go quickly. You must remember that in any case we must hurry to get back to the institute before the teachers realise that we escaped, or worse, that someone discovers the secret passage Dyklyev found," Ranzhevy added emphatically.

     "Stop arguing and let's go now!" These were Malynovik's words, anxious for the competition they would have after finishing their plans.

     ***

     While the group of cubs was heading towards the beginning of their adventure, in another place a little far from that clearing, one of the scientists in charge of the project that would change the course of the history of the Kyverz, Razvokiy, was absorbed in his thoughts. Again and again he was collating the information he had at hand. Every piece of information, every detail, everything had to match both the plans and the infinite universe of information inside his head. His doubts did not lie in the exhaustive work that his team had carried out, but in his fears and insecurities about the tragic consequences that could happen if something went wrong. This is why he had sought a procedure through which he replaced the processor he had harboured for years in his cerebral cortex with one of greater capacity in order to allow him to run a larger number of processes in parallel. As a result, he was able to carry a much larger amount of mental calculations in parallel, thus spending more time in his inner world. Ironically, this improvement had not only increased his performance, but had also isolated him from other people, as with each thought he became more aware of all the many ways in which the experiment could fail.

     Because of this, he developed a feeling of discomfort, as if something was out of place or as if something was not right. A strange sensation that came from deep within him and which sometimes governed both his actions and his judgement, pushing him to the brink of madness and delirium.

     That day, Razvokiy was pacing back and forth in his office, evaluating possibilities aloud, which left anyone who witnessed this behaviour with the impression that he was talking to himself. He thought about the uncomfortable feeling he could had growing in his gut about the project and struggled to convince himself that what he was feeling could not be his instinct, because to him, the instinct was something that lacked logic.

     "Maybe it's insecurity or maybe it's the fact that I lost her years ago in that accident. I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking something that's not worth it," he said aloud to himself moments before his friend and coworker Zafrasnov enters the scene, pulling him out of his mental bubble.

     He took a quick look around Razvokiy's office and got an idea of the situation. Data files everywhere, annotations on the walls, and furniture accompanied by a lot of clutter. He cleared a chair and proceeded to take a seat.

     "Are you feeling ok? You are farther than usual," interrupted Zafrasnov, a little uncertain and questioning himself whether he wanted to hear the answer to that question.

     Razvokiy raised his head in the direction of his friend. His face was haggard and his appearance dishevelled. It was evident that he had not been home to sleep for days.

     "What do you think Vlislytel would have said if she were here right now? Would she be as worried as me? I doubt it. She was always the most determined of the two of us. She was always the one who made the hard decisions without hesitation, without stopping to think about the consequences, and, despite that, she was not only able to solve everything with alacrity despite the unforeseen, but she also managed to encourage the group with a smile. At times like this, I miss her the most because she was the pillar on which I leaned on. She was my strength," Razvokiy reflected with a gesture of sadness on his face, while he kept his eyes closed, remembering the warm smile of the one who was no longer by his side.

     Zafrasnov looked at him, searching for an answer inside himself, for in spite of the long time they had known each other, sometimes words can't shelter a heart broken by the coldness of the loss of a loved one.

     "Even though she is no longer with us, you have done well anyway. If you don't believe me, think of your children. Do you think that if you had not been a good example for them, they would have passed the hunter's ceremony? Let me tell you something more important. Even though they are following a very different path than you two, they are still very proud of the legacy that lies on their shoulders. I know this because I happened to be walking outside the barracks the other day when I overheard them telling their squadron mates about how proud they were of their father and the work he is doing for the good of our race. Look at it this way: we are paving an even brighter and sharper future than we had at their age, and for that simple reason, I think Vlislytel would be proud of all that you have accomplished, both as a scientist and as a father."

     Razvokiy's face lit up for an instant and gave the impression of being the same as before the accident in which he had lost his loved one. For a moment, he felt as if a heavy spear that had been embedded in his chest had vanished. He cleared a grey seat at the side of the room and rested his exhausted body.

     "Thank you, my friend. Your words ease the pain in my soul and perhaps you are right, but until I have been able to make this a success, I'll not be able to be at peace. That is why, even though I have reviewed the plans in my head over and over again, I don't know, I feel that there is something missing, something that we are not seeing. I feel as if we are going to enter Nol'shoy's grounds without his permission. I feel that something is not right, but I cannot define what it is," explained Razvokiy with insecurity emphasising his dilemma, although his friend could perceive the relief in his voice.

     After these words, Zafrasnov looked around, interpreting the indications and calculations that were everywhere. "If it means anything to you, I checked the plans myself and everything is in order. Besides, in the worst-case scenario, the containment measures should be sufficient to prevent another accident like the one that took Vlislytel. I think you are worried because this reminds you of what happened with her and you are afraid of repeating the misfortune of years ago, but you must be calm. I'll not allow the same thing to happen again. It has been 10 years since that event and we have taken all the time necessary to make sure we avoid another misfortune. If you still have doubts, remember that in the same way you trust me, I trust you and I'm sure that even though she is now part of the guard of Nol'shoy Zber, she still trusts you too."

     "I hope you're right. I really hope you're right," was the terse reply of Kyverz, who was haunted by ghosts of the past, trying to force a smile on his haggard face.

     "And it will be, my friend, so it will be. That's why it's for the best that we carry out the final preparations, so that you can see both her and our god with pride when it is your time, although there is still a long way to go. Come on. I'll buy you a cup of something to relax a little," Zafrasnov said with a hand gesture, inviting his friend to join him.

     "It is on occasions like this that I envy your conviction and faith. Thank you, my friend," Razvokiy concluded with relief. At the end of these words, both researchers left the office for the test site, thinking of the legacy they were about to leave to an entire generation, the future of an entire race.

     ***

     While all events were taking place in unison in the laboratory, in another place farther away, in the very heart of the Lunizbeth Domain, in its capital, which shares the same name, an anxious regent by the name of Lostaya Repakha was waiting for news from Razvokiy and his team. Lostaya was a vile and tyrannical creature, who had disdain for all those he considered unworthy, which were the vast majority of Logov's inhabitants.

     It's been more than a week and I haven't heard anything from that bunch of ungrateful and irresponsible people. Who do they think they are to keep someone like me waiting? I think I'll have to take corrective measures to remind them of their place, the Verkhovot Lostaya thought aloud in fury, with an anger that was reflected both in his actions and in his gestures as he moved. He brought his hand to his earlobe and pressed it hard in order to activate his communicator. A series of electrical signals began to act at that moment in order to activate the command that succeeded the only word he mentioned after that action, "Korishne." After this, a forcibly animated voice answered to the call of the city regent, "Your Excellency, how may I be of service to you?"

     Lostaya could not help but feel a particular reluctance for his second-in-command, even though he knew she was too useful to him to be replaced. Despite this, he had not the slightest intention of hiding his dislike for her. Without waiting for an answer from Korishne, Lostaya cut the communication, leaving the alluded one without the opportunity to say anything, which was part of the relationship between the two of them. After this, the Verkhovot walked a couple of paces in the direction of his command chair, and he let himself fall. A heavy combination of muscle and metal, which once again put Kyverz's engineering to the test. He rested his head on his right fist and waited with a sadistic look on his face in the direction of the main entrance.

     A sepulchral chill ran down Korishne's back. Although it was already part of her job to deal with the whims of the Verkhovot, she knew better than anyone that there were times when he was particularly in a more sensitive mood than usual and it was precisely on occasions like this in which he should be more careful in his actions. Based on this, she had greater alacrity to go to the call of Lostaya. Moments later, a robust figure with brown fur and beige robes made an appearance before the regent of the domain. Her steps were firm but cautious because, in spite of her pride, she feared the creature that was the Verkhovot and what he was capable of doing. On more than one occasion, he witnessed how he effortlessly tore off the limbs of some unfortunate Kyverz that had managed to unleash his wrath.

     "But isn't she my second in command, Korishne Anko herself? Until you deigned to appear in front of me. I suppose you have news about the group conducting my investigation, right?" Lostaya asked sarcastically and disdainfully to her as he settled back in his chair.

     The truth is that Korishne did not have an answer for such a request since there were still several hours left before the experiment was to take place, but how to explain that to such an irrational being as Lostaya? In addition to this was the fact that she had been hatching a plan behind his back in order to sabotage the event, as she not only felt fear towards the Verkhovot, but also felt a mixture of contempt, hatred, and resentment. Korishne always believed that Lostaya was incompetent and overrated for the position and that he did not deserve it, along with most of the males of the city.

     The truth is that the regent was also a carefree hedonist who considered that most of the issues that afflicted his people were not something that someone of his class should attend to. This led to a not minor percentage of the nobles being against his actions, but out of respect for the title he held, they had to bite their lips in exchange for maintaining his favour. On the other hand, there were those who avoided any action or movement against him because they knew that with just one word Lostaya could send even the most fortunate of the nobles to ruin, because if there was something he knew how to handle well, unlike most of the Kyverz, it was blackmail and extortion. This was the main reason why he had remained in his position for such a long time, since even Korishne, with all the resentment she felt for him, had to maintain appearances by trying to keep the utmost care in her actions, as well as carefully filtering all the information that reached Lostaya's ears from Razvokiy's team. In order for her plan to succeed, she needed to attend the site of the event, and this was the perfect opportunity to advance her plot. She took a soft, deep breath, drew a faint smile on her face, and prepared for the best performance of her life.

     "Nothing yet, your Excellency, but you must not worry. I'm sure that everything will be fine. After all, you chose them yourself, remember? How could the experiment not be a success? I'm sure that everything will be as your magnificence expects. If you like, for your peace of mind, I can pay a visit to these facilities so that you do not have to expose yourself to interact with Kyverz, who is unworthy of your presence," the canine replied with a bow and kept her head down in a lack of submission, which made it easier for her to hide her true feelings.

     Lostaya was a narcissistic, vain, and arrogant being, and while these types of characteristics might have made Lostaya prone to manipulation, his greatest weakness was at the same time his best defence. His sudden mood swings made it impossible to know whether some flattering word might generate the regent's graces or his wrath, as experienced by some unfortunate ones who had their tongues, teeth, or part of their snouts ripped out in a fit of rage. Korishne knew she was playing with fire, but she had to be willing to lose everything in exchange for getting everything.

     Lostaya took a couple of steps in the direction of Korishne, but he stopped suddenly halfway. He stared at her for a few seconds, although his gaze was empty, as if his essence had left his body in search of the answer to his subordinate's words.

     After that, he turned and walked to a side window in the room from where he looked out over the main courtyard, imagining the statue that would be erected in his name. On the other hand, Korishne felt as if he had lost 50 years of his life in that short period of time. He raised his head slowly and smiled with difficulty since his body was still shaken by the fright of a few moments ago.

     "You mustn't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine. After all, just as you said, it was you yourself who chose them," Korishne warned, hiding both her contempt and fear between her teeth.

     "I hope so. I don't like unpleasant surprises, much less being lied to. You remember what happened to the last Kyverz who dared to hide information from me? Remember?" said Lostaya, looking at Korishne out of the corner of his eye.

     The second-in-command began to panic in response to the Verkhovot's unusual threat. She wondered if she had made a mistake in the execution of her plans, if Lostaya had discovered her true intentions. She reviewed in her mind again and again and again every detail, every event, every circumstance, trying to guess if she had made a false step without realising it. She felt as if the Verkhovot had seen through her mask of secrets and lies, as a voice inside her begged her to run away from that place, but she was aware that there was no place on the face of Logov to hide, to be safe. To be an enemy of Lostaya was a sentence worse than death itself. That is why she had only one option left: to continue with her lie and pray that Lostaya had not discovered her plans. She took a breath of air and prepared to continue with her performance.

     "I would never dare to do such a thing, your magnanimity. I'm only sincere in my thinking because your interests are my only objective."

     Lostaya felt so much disdain for Korishne that, fortunately for her, he did not even turn to look at her, otherwise, he might have noticed something strange in her body language.

     "I gave them the opportunity of their lives, therefore they must succeed, since their existence, as well as those of all the inhabitants of this domain, belong to me," said Lostaya, without taking his eyes off the window. After that, he walked to a reflective surface and, while contemplating himself, continued. "Perhaps I'm a little tired. I think it would be for the best if I rest a little to recover myself, since I must look good when I must speak to the citizens and inform them of the success of my project, of my creation."

     Korishne was so nervous that she could not think clearly. She began to question how much the Verkovot knew about the experiment. Did he find out that today is the day of the project's execution? No, I don't think so. I have control of all the information that goes in and out of that lab, but I better make sure everything goes according to my plans. I can't risk him finding out.

     Lostaya walked in the opposite direction from the entrance where Korishne was standing, towards a dark corner of the room where a door in the wall could hardly be identified.

     "I don't want to be disturbed, unless it is something related to my experiment. I'll be in the restoration chamber," were Lostaya's last orders before he was swallowed by the shadows.

     This stressful situation made Korishne feel overwhelmed by a mixture of emotions. Guilt for being unable to do anything against the being she hated so much, frustration for having to endure threats and humiliations, but mainly anger at herself for being so weak, mentally speaking. It is for this last reason that she clenched her fists so hard that her claws buried themselves in her skin, letting a couple of drops of blood fall to the cold floor.

     "I'm not going to let you succeed, you fucking bastard," she said to herself, before leaving the place. Once outside the room, she brushed his left lobe gently with her fingers. This displayed on the retina of her eyes a control panel through which she sent a message to one of her subordinates, giving her directions for a new vehicle to be waiting for her at the entrance to the main pavilion of the Verkhovot's quarters.

     As she walked, she stopped for a moment, turned his head and whispered: Rest, you damn buffoon. I'll make sure this will be the last time you can do it. After these words, she continued her walk to the outside.

     Only a few minutes later, an ivory white cylindrical vehicle arrived. It hovered a few centimetres above ground level. Korishne approached it and a door opened upwards, inviting her to sit in its comfortable interior. She entered a series of coordinates into the navigation system, along with some security codes, with the intention of hiding both her destination and her route. Once this was done, the vehicle began its journey to the destination traced by its passenger.

     All those connected with the event that was about to happen were ignorant of their participation in their life's play. With each action they were taking, they were getting closer and closer to that destiny that no one imagined. From a group of curious cubs to a second-in-command driven by her thirst for revenge, all the actors were playing their roles to perfection. Curiosity, anger, and anxiety were the melody that would give life to a requiem that would mark a race—the requiem of the Kyverz.

     ***

     In the laboratory, the members of Razvokiy's team were dancing with some of these emotions, although among them the yearning for glory prevailed, since unlike the rest of the actors, they were the only ones who had a better idea of what was about to begin. However, the bitter memory of an unfortunate accident that had happened a decade ago was a ghost that refused to leave, so among them all there was one in particular who was not able to enjoy the event because he felt that his responsibility was greater than anyone else.

     "I want you to check all the instruments once again. There are still a couple of hours left before we start the final stage, so we still have time, gentlemen. Everything must be perfect," Razvokiy indicated with a false confidence, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. He had to make a great effort to keep his composure, so as not to transmit to his team the feeling of insecurity that was eating away at him.

     Zafrasnov knew better than anyone the feelings of his friend and colleague. That is why he was determined to support him in the best possible way, to lighten as much as possible the burden he was carrying. He was one of the two managing minds of the project, which made it easy for him to anticipate with alacrity the wishes and indications of the one who felt responsible for what was about to begin.

     "Razvokiy, I'm in the cooling chambers and everything is in order. I personally checked the thermal converters and the extra heat should be reinserted into the system smoothly through the second motor. In case of any contingency, the in-line heatsinks are set to diffuse the extra power flow before automatically shutting down. They are programmed with a 95 percent critical point, so you can rest assured about this," Zafrasnov said with enthusiasm in his expression.

     Listening to his friend, the project manager felt brief relief. He could finally perceive a faint beam of light at the bottom of a long, dark tunnel through which he had been wandering for longer than he would have wished.

     "Perfect. Although the system is programmed to respond automatically to the variables that may arise, I would like to ask you to keep monitoring that area. I don't want to take unnecessary risks and I would feel calmer knowing that you are there because you could solve any eventuality that could happen," requested Razvokyi.

     "I already told you, you can rest assured that the zero point engines will be a success. You will see how everything works out wonderfully because the hearts of all those present and those who left were the fuel that gave life to this project," Zafrasnov ended, trying to soothe his friend and keep his team's spirits up. With these words, he prepared to give a final review of the interpretation they were getting from the instruments.

     ***

     While the group of researchers were preparing for the most important event of their lives, the quartet of cubs composed of Dykliev, Letovy, Malynovik, and Ranzhevy had managed to sneak in through an opening on the outskirts of the facility. This was possible because a small telluric movement caused by one of the tests that had taken place at the site had created a security breach. For an ordinary watchman to have noticed such a situation would have been very difficult, but for the curiosity of a cub, it was almost a day-to-day occurrence.

     "Let's go quickly. We have little time left and make sure you don't make any sound as you go. We don't want the guards to discover us and catch us. Missing what is going to happen would be the least of our problems," said Ranzhevy to the rest of the group as he ran half stooped in the direction of an area that would offer them the best views, according to his understanding.

     To Dykliev, every step was a stab in his chest, like an agony that dragged on and on. He was short of breath and exhaustion was taking hold of his limbs, so the words of his companion in the adventure did nothing but cause him discomfort.

     "But what are you saying? Either we go fast or we go quietly, but we can't do both at the same time. We are not the Ithunzi. What you are saying makes no sense. Let's take a moment to rest. I can't keep up with them an inch more," Dykliev grumbled with difficulty while resting both hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

     "Stop arguing. They will hear us," Letovy interrupted with a hand gesture, as he made his way through the thicket towards his target with the other hand.

     After that moment full of anxiety and childish curiosity, as if they were the most agile rodents, the whole group moved forward, avoiding security, using the details of the geography as cover. So it was that after a few minutes, they managed to reach a point where they allowed themselves to set up and deploy the gadgets that the twins had managed to take with great ingenuity from their father's office.

     A great feeling of illusion washed over Ranzhevy, who gently set down on the green meadow the heavy backpack he carried with him. Inside it was something he was very excited about: the vehicle that would help them carry out their carefully prepared plan. He slipped his hands into his backpack and shivered with excitement as he felt the cold metal make contact with his hairy fingers. Slowly, a black oval-shaped device, no bigger than the size of his head, appeared. At the sight of it, his eyes sparkled with excitement.

     "Is that the sentry? Let me touch it, okay? I want to see it," Letovy asked impatiently, stretching his open palms in Ranzhevy's direction.

     "I'm sorry but I can't trust you guys to handle this. From what I heard from my father, it is very expensive and fragile. I had a hard time learning to control it without crashing. Malynovik, give me the control you brought in your backpack. It's not safe for us to get any closer, so we'll have to see what happens in the lab from here," Ranzhevy argued as he looked around, making sure no one was watching them. Despite all the measures they had taken, he could not help but feel uneasy in such a situation.

     "You know that in another situation I would agree with you and I would tell my hateful brother to change his mind, but on this occasion I must agree with him. We already had a lot of problems when he crashed the sentinel in our home because he broke several things and we had to do many tricks so that our father wouldn't find out anything. So, yes, it is true that it is very difficult to use and that's why even I don't dare to handle it. Ranzhevy found it easy because he spends all day playing video games without doing anything else, but if it wasn't for that, believe me, we couldn't have brought it. Besides that, the hardest thing was to get it out of the house without our parents noticing. We have to make sure nothing happens to it, otherwise they will kill us." the younger of the twins explained before handing her brother a rectangular visor from which the sentry was controlled.

     "Ok, I understand, but was it so difficult for Ranzhevy to explain things well? How are we supposed to understand if he can't speak like a civilized Kyverz, instead of whining? I really wonder sometimes if your parents were not mistaken when they told you in which order you two were born," Letovy answered with a shrug of his shoulders, showing that he understood the situation.

     Hearing her friend's words, Malynovik could not help but let out a restrained laugh, as she did not need to see her brother's face to know that, as was usually the case with such remarks, he had become annoyed. It was no secret to her what he felt for Letovy, which was more than friendship, and that was why he always tried to look good in front of her, even though she didn't realise it.

     Ranzhevy, in response to the provocation, wordlessly put on the visor and extended from the back of his neck a cable which he connected to the visor. As he did so, the user interface was displayed on his retina. With a couple of movements of his eyes, he activated all the necessary commands for the mission they were about to carry out. In a matter of seconds, the small vehicle left the ground and then disappeared before their disbelieving eyes. This was the last necessary step before leaving in the direction of the facilities that were several kilometres ahead.

     The entire route taken by the sentry was projected on another screen that had been configured as an interface so that the rest of the group could see what Ranzhevy was seeing. At first, the group of cubs tended to get dizzy because of the speed at which the images of the sentry's route were passing, but, after a few metres, their processors adapted to the transfer rate of the images. Their euphoria at seeing their efforts rewarded with such scenes was unparalleled, so they set about enjoying their reward.

     ***

     While the group of cubs were acting up, elsewhere across the main road an unexpected guest was close to making her arrival. Just as if they had been waiting for her in the facility, every time she approached a checkpoint the automated doors in charge of guarding the checkpoint opened wide to welcome her. This anomaly caught the attention of the security monitoring team and they decided to investigate the cause of the event. Upon entering the system, they found that the passenger of that vehicle had in his possession a code that allowed him to bypass the security barriers. This could only be done by a high official of the Verkhovot or by a few nobles, so they decided to inform their superior about the situation.

     "Sir, someone with a special security code is coming by vehicle. Apparently, it is someone with influence. Should we stop him or let him pass?"

     Krovaya Trazha, who was the head of security, was an officer with vast experience in his field. His long career had given him experience and knowledge, which told him that whenever an individual with a special security code suddenly appeared, it was some buffoon who wished to show off his position of power to make himself look good in front of some guest of his.

     "Krovaya here. Let him pass. I myself will go to receive him to avoid unnecessary problems" Don't worry," replied the security chief calmly before heading for the elevator exit accompanied by a couple of escorts.

     Once at the main entrance of the complex, the strange vehicle arrived smoothly. It was the first time Korishne had visited this place, so she was surprised at what she saw as she stepped out of her transport. An acoustic shell-like dome with a faint air of progress and hope invited her to enter. The entrance was a glass curtain with a mirror-like reflective surface. Inside was a large hall, with white walls and neon lights of the same colour, a couple of comfortable armchairs at the sides, and some holographic projections broadcasting the local news. In the middle of the hall, a large metal desk, manned by an automaton ready to answer the visitor's questions, stood expectantly in its position. Korishne intentionally ignored the receptionist, as she had downloaded to her memory bank the detailed plans of the place. With arrogance and pride she walked towards a grey door and crossed it to continue along a narrow corridor that led to a cylindrical shaped glass elevator. Once inside, she entered an alphanumeric code on a panel to her right and the elevator began its descent into the depths of Logov. Having already gone down a few kilometres, a feeling of discomfort and suffocation took hold of her being. The air was heavier than usual and a sensation began to echo in her soul. She could feel the breath of her god, a fiery snort burning her neck at the same time that a lapidary phrase was drawn in her ears, "I'm watching you."

     Her heart shuddered with fear as her body began to succumb when a blinding light from outside suddenly snapped her out of that nightmarish trance. That flash not only took away her tribulations, but also her sight, and it took a few seconds for her to adapt to the new situation. As it happens with a newborn baby, her eyes got used to the new illumination. The shapes made sense until the moment when she could contemplate the witch and why the Verkhovot had so much illusion. Only a glass wall separated her from the most ominous engineering work in Lunisbeth since time immemorial. In front of her rose, like two towers seeking to touch the heavens, the pillars on which the future of a race was resting. In front of her, the glorious splendour of the zero point engines. A pair of twin white structures with rings of purple and blue light surrounding them from the base to the middle area. The top of the structures were uncovered, revealing their interior that looked like a dense greyish mass of ethereal texture, the antimatter, which was interrupted and then manifested again at the top of the engines, suspended in the air as if it were a balloon attached to an invisible thread. Although its shape was cohesive, it was somewhat irregular and changing, oscillating with the passing of the seconds. She could not help but feel mesmerised by that masterful vision. For a moment, she questioned her intentions, but her hatred for Lostaya was greater than any window to a new future. Because for her, any place where Lostaya was present would be a bitter nightmare.

     At the same time that Korishne was descending into the bowels of Logov, the head of security was advancing steadily and quickly to meet the unexpected visitor. Although he reviewed the images of both the hall and the elevator, the visitor's clothing did not allow his identity to be revealed. This gave the head of security some doubts as to the nature of the visitor, since all these characteristics did not match the pattern that Krovaya had demarcated in the profile he had created. The doubts led him to distrust the mysterious visitor, even thinking that he could be a spy from a neighbouring Domain, so he increased his precautions. In front of the elevator, he gave the last indications to his escort.

     "Stay in position and be ready to act on my signal. We don't know who is coming, much less do we know his intentions."

     Krovaya stopped half a metre ahead of his men and waited cautiously, but alertly, for the descent platform to make its arrival. The moment the doors opened, he could see a silhouette of a large Kyverz, which put the security chief on alert. The visitor's back was turned, as the exit door was located on the opposite side of the entrance, which is why the action of the visitor turning around and revealing his face was almost dramatic. A paralysing chill ran through Krovaya's body as he saw who the mysterious visitor was. A feeling of almost conditioned submission led him and his men to drop abruptly to one knee on the floor. Trying to keep his composure, he dropped a couple of words from his gut while keeping his eyes on the floor.

     "Your Excellency, to what do we owe your visit?"

     Korishne took a couple of steps out of the elevator and an air of tyranny and despotism coming from her great self flooded every corner of the place.

     "I come on behalf of the Verkhovot to oversee that everything turns out as promised," she explained with a slight smile of contempt and celebration on her face.

     Krovaya began to tremble at these words because he knew that they could mean a death sentence for those to whom they were addressed.

     Korishne stared at him with a motherly gesture, took a couple of steps in his direction, stroked his furry head, and replied with a dismissive tone:

     "If that had been the case, my arrival would not have been a surprise. The truth is that this project is very important both for the Verkhovot and for our people, which is why our regent himself asked me to come to corroborate that they do not lack or need anything additional to ensure the success of the project. For that same reason, some individuals who feel animosity towards our regent have begun to move. If they knew what was happening in this place, they would try by all possible means to hinder the future that is intended to be created here for our race."

     Krovaya found Korishne's answer weird, but in spite of it, he kept silent for his own sake and for the sake of everyone present. He knew perfectly well that for the right hand of the Verkhovot, he was just another pawn in a big board. He did not deny that Korishne's doubts and arguments were valid, but for him, her story was hard to believe, especially with all the trouble they went through, particularly that day when the engineers were hours away from turning on the antimatter engines. He quickly assessed their situation and considered that the most optimal course of action was to put the two scientists in charge of the whole project on notice.

     "I fully agree with your beliefs and I think it would be best for you to speak directly with those in charge of what is happening here. I'm in charge of the security of the place, so I could not say if anything is needed to carry out what they are developing," Krovaya cautiously replied while sending a message to Zafrasnov and Razvokiy.

     "Please, come with me this way. I'll take you to a place where you might be more comfortable until one of the two I mentioned earlier arrives," he said.

     Korishne nodded her head and then followed Krovaya, who accompanied the Regent's envoy to a room more appropriate to the situation, where she could talk in total peace with both scientists.

     ***

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    THE ANTIMATTER CHIMERA| Crossover Saga
     Copyright © 2022 by A.P.D. Leon
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