Odyssey of Eden

Chapter 2: Empty the Quiver

Prologue Part 2

“We're almost ready to launch ma'am."

One of the science officers was speaking with Ariadne. Commander Ariadne, as she was then known. We had all been summoned, everyone in Olympus. It was finally time to do what we had been planning for all these years. Commander Ariadne said something indiscernible to the scientist working the controls for the Paris, a massive rocket that stands where the great spire once stood. He began doing calculations and working the controls, the Paris roared to life as Commander Ariadne took the podium standing before the crowd.

She gripped the podium tightly, as if bracing herself, “Today is the day of reckoning. Nearly thirty years ago, we journeyed here, we braved the unforgiving elements of our world to reach the safety and promise of Olympus. We and so many of us that are now lost sailed across an ocean of stars to reach Gaia. So many brave men and women rode aboard the great Odyssey, a vessel intended to save our people from living in caves and fearing the natural wrath of Ares for our entire lives," Ariadne paused for what seemed like forever, she looked about the room, almost as if she were trying to look each and every person in the eyes before continuing on. But finally, she started up again, “We succeeded… we found Eden. A beautiful world filled with more water than we knew what to do with, endless fields of grass and trees. Remember the animals?" some slight murmuring ensues, “Rain that didn't scorch the skin and destroy everything we built. We'd found it. Paradise. Little did we know the Children of Gaia had no intention of allowing us to stay. Like a stampede in the Storm of Phobos, the Gaians came out of nowhere, demanding that we return to Ares, to where we belonged. The bravest of us, a young woman named Eve, tried to explain who we were, tried to tell them we just wanted to be safe, and that we would only use as much of their world as we needed. But did the Gaians care?"

“NOO!!" the crowd standing before Commander Ariadne roared.

“No! They slew brave Eve where she stood and said it was our one and only warning to run back home. We couldn't stand up to them. They were too many and too powerful. So, we ran, just like they wanted us to. But we didn't give up, did we?"

Again, the crowd yelled in response, “NOO!!!!" it was more ferocious this time.

“No, no. A few daring souls stayed behind, for in our short time on Gaia we discovered a way to get revenge on the Gaians and to truly save our people. These brave few gave everything, including their lives, to give us what now stands before you!"

Commander Ariadne gestured behind her to the Paris. A testament of will, determination and rage.

“The greatest weapon ever created!" Commander Ariadne raised both her arms as she turned to face the Paris. The crowd cheered and cheered until Ariadne finally turned back to face them, “Nuclear weapons. That is what the Gaians call them. They claim that these are instruments of peace, and that their existence ensures the safety of their world. Today, we will prove them wrong. As Achilles once fell, in his overconfidence and self-assuredness, to the arrow of Paris, so too shall the Gaians fall to our Arrows of Paris!"

The crowd roared and cheered and shouted as loudly as they possibly could. I didn't join in. As much as I wanted revenge for what the Gaians did to Eve, I wasn't sure this was the way. I felt… uneasy about it all. But in the end, I knew there was no other path to save my people… and get justice for Eve and the other Warborn we lost to the Gaians. A more deafening shout than all the others shook me from my thoughts.

“LAUNCH!" Commander Ariadne turned and pointed up at the Paris. The scientist at the controls pushed a giant flashing button. For a moment the room was completely silent. Then a massive explosion rocked the entire complex and massive flames began to rise from the base of the Paris. The massive rocket rose into the sky as the crowd cheered and rushed to the observation deck to watch the might Paris leave our world.

Commander Ariadne came and stood beside me, looking on as the Paris grew in distance from Ares. The observation deck had been redesigned in the past few years so that we would be able to watch the Paris' entire journey to Gaia.

“What will they do to Gaia?"

I looked over at my mother expectantly.

For too long, she said nothing. She stared in awe at the Paris, much like Eve I once stared at the spire when we first arrived, “Mother?"

She blinked and grabbed the railing in front of her, “I don't know," she shrugged as she turned to face me, “nobody really does. We've never seen what one does before. I can imagine though."

I looked away from my mother and put my hands against the glass, using it to brace me, “What do you imagine?"

Commander Ariadne smiled at me. Nothing like the smile I saw when we first arrived at Olympus. This time I wanted to look away, I did look away. There wasn't any joy in her expression. Something else was there. Finally, she answered my question.

“I imagine… peace."

A single tear slid down my cheek. I'm not quite sure why. Just then I heard gasps from various places about the crowd of observers. I looked up to find that the Paris was gone, and Gaia was covered in glowing dots that grew larger and larger and seemed as though they would never stop. The bright glow covered the entire planet, and we couldn't see anything anymore. Like Gaia was just… gone. We had saved our people. We had gotten justice… at least that's what everyone said.