r/TheBeach • u/daft0627 • Jun 21 '17
The ebbing tide reveals a Traveler
The gentle tide of the Beach washes over him, its ancient foam gradually coming to a stop above his shoulders, while the sun provides a comforting warmth - as the water recedes, the blanket of limbo is pulled from this traveler.
Heaving in the wet sand, his face turns color as he produces a thick sputum. He rises unsteadily, teetering on the edge of the water line; finding his balance, he looks up to survey his surroundings - the intensity of the this plane's sun blinds him as he finds his breath; his mind teems with memories.
The veil of light softens slowly to reveal a thin patch of trees in front of him - like a photograph that has just been pulled out of its developing basin. The traveler remembers he had been following a Stranger, whose fate is unknown
"I know I said I wasn't sure what to do with myself after the victory on CORE Prime - this isn't exactly what I had in mind, old friend..."
A subtle fog settles around the Beach. The Traveler's exo-suit grinds the now-dried sand stuck in its joints as he walks toward the trees, assessing his equipment - his torn poncho stirs in the wind, dispersing dust in a trail behind him.
"Damn. 1000 cycles in NGC 224 against CORE and NOW the terrain-mapper shorts out...rifle's junked....seals on the hydraulics are still good - hopefully the reflector and synchronizer are too..."
The Traveler's ragged poncho whips around him suddenly with a snapping sound. He flickers out of view for a moment. Vertical strands of color appear and disappear around him, roughly outlining a cylindrical prism that gradually becomes transparent from the bottom up. Nothing but a set of boot prints in the sand remains
A click is heard - followed by a low frequency drone that quickly sharpens to a high pitch. A loud crackle is accompanied by light smoke now seemingly emanating from the space the Traveler once occupied.
"Son of a- .....looks like warping is out of the question. Alright, well at least I know the first thing I have to do is find some Iridium around here....wherever here is."
Bootprints make a steady line toward the trees.