When Elias looked through the violet haze of the sphere, the ruins of the observatory vanished. In their place stood a towering structure of glass and steel, bathed in a blinding, natural gold. He saw people laughing, their skin bronzed and healthy. He saw green things—vast, waving oceans of emerald leaves that he had only ever seen in tattered picture books.
The explosion wasn't a sound, but a silent ripple of violet and gold. The "Dark Light" rushed out like a tidal wave, consuming the soot, the lead canisters, and the gray buildings. As the wave hit Elias, he felt the last of his name dissolve. Dark Light
He didn't hesitate. He smashed the sphere against the stone floor. When Elias looked through the violet haze of
But the vision came with a price. Every time the Dark Light pulsed, Elias felt a piece of his memory slip away. He forgot the name of the street he lived on. He forgot the taste of the synthetic nutrient paste that kept him alive. He forgot the face of the sister he was scavaging for. He saw green things—vast, waving oceans of emerald