Daily Short: Sleeper 01

Thomas stared at the walls around him that were plastered in pure white. They were so bright and vibrant that they appeared to glow with luminescence. He innately knew they were not stone, as his link to the Earth Element informed him. A few tests of breathing, push-ups, and punching made him decide it might be a prison. His suspicion heightened when all he was wearing was a white armless shirt. That combined a pair of pants tied by a thin rope the same color as the shirt.

This place is strange. Thomas thought, looking at the giant white cube. It feels natural, but it isn’t.

Shrugging, he prepared to sleep on the floor. Wherever this was, if there wasn’t anyone to communicate with, there was no point being awake. As he positioned himself against a wall to sleep, a small rectangular table and two chairs appeared. Thomas paused as his eyes narrowed in thought. The sudden appearance of something that broke the featureless white implied an intelligent creature watching.

Could it be Eve? Thomas thought before dismissing it. No, she doesn’t like little games. This is someone else, someone different.

Going over the memories in his mind, the last one was stepping into the plant pod for a long sleep wait. Going by the logic of the streets meant this wasn’t his physical body. Something or someone had gone to a great length to make him think he wasn’t still sleeping. That told him there was leverage. They had also waited until he was asleep and isolated to contact him.

They are afraid. Afraid of someone learning about them. Thomas tested the thought and found it good. Only a limited number of people could make someone this powerful terrified, and I’m not one of them.

Thomas moved to sit down at one of the offered chairs and said, “So, terrified Eve is going to find you?”

A figure cloaked in fog with a hood appeared, sitting across from him. There was a short staring contest before the hooded figure said, “I can predict the future to a minimal extent. It told me that I would die if I didn’t use this contact method. I tend to listen to such warnings, unlike my brethren, who are mostly dead now.”

Thomas grunted as he digested the sentence. It was clear that Lady Eve had grown in titanic proportions of power. He’d heard on the streets of people who could bend fate, tangling the skein in their favor. If someone like that was willing to be cautious, there was no way the person whose family he’d joined had become weak.

If this mook can chat with me now, it must mean Eve and, by extension, Sara is busy. Thomas thought, looking askance at the hooded figure. The fact that he wasn’t willing to chat before I went to sleep is telling.

“Spit it out. What’s the offer, Hoody.” Thomas said before, tensing that this place might not be honest, but he’d be more than willing to test it if required.

“Calm. I require assistance. I am looking for someone with the ability to manipulate the Earth. I have sacrificed much to reach the chance for accommodation. Could you give me a few minutes of your time?” Hoody said, not denying the nickname.

Thomas looked around and said, “Don’t have much besides time. Lay it on me, then.”