~Wake up human, you better not die here~
An unfamiliar voice kept ringing in Dave's head, dragging him back toward consciousness.
He felt strangely comfortable, almost forgetting what had happened moments ago. This place… it was different.
His eyes began to open slowly, answering the call that had pulled him back.
"Where am I?"
All around him was white. The ground, the sky, if there even was a sky, looked the same as the ground.
The white plain stretched endlessly in every direction. No clouds, no buildings, nothing in sight, only an endless white plain.
He stared for a while, confused, trying to make sense of the place he was in, then turned toward what had woken him.
"What da.....?"
Dave jerked back, getting a clearer look at what stood before him.
He knew this creature. Pale skin, large black eyes, tall frame, and a grey robe that looked like a torn rag but somehow still sat neatly on its body.
Pieces of his memory started to come back.
I was just going to save my mom… I was almost there. Then I….
It hit him all at once. He dropped to his knees, clutching his hands tightly.
"Am I dead?"
"No, you're not," the creature said calmly. "Now stand up so we can fix this. We don't have much time. If we wait, you really will be dead."
Dave's eyes widened, and a small wave of relief ran through his chest at the words. He got to his feet and walked toward it.
"So… where am I? What's this place?"
"We're in what I'd call the Veil Plain. A part of your consciousness can reach here, it's like your inner mind."
"And you? How are you here? Is this common among Izigans?"
"That, I don't know," the creature replied. "I don't even know what I am. What I know about myself is… limited, and most of it is unreachable. I only understand my abilities, and my awareness woke the moment you fell into this place."
The figure was similar to the one he had seen some years ago, and he couldn't help but ask.
"You're from the Arath clan," Dave said, studying it closely. "You look just like one I saw years ago. Your face is different… but you're the same kind."
Dave took a step back, looking up at the figure that stood a few inches taller than him. The creature stared at him with a puzzled expression, clearly not understanding the word he had spoken.
"I wish I knew what you're talking about, but I can't fathom it," the creature said.
"Yes, but…" Dave's voice trailed off as a strange humming sound from above cut him short. It didn't stop, he kept hearing it.
"That's your bodily consciousness, just outside this plain," the creature said. "You're in danger, Dave. Look at your arm."
Dave glanced down and saw his Izigan tattoo glowing. A mix of surprise and relief washed over him as he turned back to the creature.
"What's happening?" he asked.
"You're unconscious. What you have to do now is wake up. They're tampering with your cosmic energy. Your powers have awakened, Dave, now you must wake up."
Dave began to feel faint sensations from where his real body lay. The place was cold and dark.
His hands and legs were tied to a huge stool, and something covered his mouth. He couldn't see anything.
His body was too weak to move, and his strength was gone. He knew he had been kidnapped, but he didn't know how to free himself.
"Where am I now?" he muttered through the gag.
-----
Hina had just gotten home after the long, silent ride in the car.
They pulled up to their huge, magnificent house, its grand walls and tall gates standing proudly.
The outer walls were coated with silver steel, with glass on some parts. The building had a bent shape, almost leaning to one side, making it look stylish and different from other houses.
The place had been a gift from Galaxia to her father because of her mother. Her mom had been one of Galaxia's warriors, an Izigan who lost her life during a mission. For her loyalty and service, Galaxia had honored her by giving the house to her family.
But her father had never forgiven her for leaving. Hina could still remember him pleading with her mom to stay, telling her she had a child and a family who needed her. He didn't want her to keep fighting.
But her mother never agreed, she had sworn an oath to Galaxia, and she kept it until the very end.
When she passed, he was called to be given both the good news and the bad news. From that day, he was never the same.
Her father, once cheerful, became cold. The worst mistake she made was the day she told him she had awakened her powers.
From then on, he made sure she never attended the Izigan Sub Station Academy for Izigans. He didn't want her walking the same path as her mother.
It was Friday, and she knew what that meant, they were going to the mine. She was of great help to the miners; her power had saved them more than once during past encounters.
As evening drew near, Hina went to her room and changed into a dark brown overall, with a large pocket on the chest and more on the legs. Stepping out, she headed straight outside, where her father was already waiting, ready to leave.
"Good, now let's go."
They headed for a different car this time, a black, old-fashioned model with huge tires, like something from the early 1900s.
After a while of driving, they arrived at the site. Tall pole lights stood everywhere, casting a white glow over the area. The yard was filled with machines, massive drills, conveyor belts, and carts loaded with chunks of rock.
The entrance to the mine was up ahead. The moment they showed up, people took notice. Her father was the site coordinator, so almost everyone recognized him. Some waved, others greeted them warmly.
"It's the Scarlet Girl! She's here!"
One man shouted from a suspended platform, hanging on thick ropes high above the ground. He had spotted Hina from a distance. She was no stranger here, her visits were well known.
They walked through a heavy metal door that led to the main mining area where the real work happened. Hina stepped down a rough set of rocky stairs, heading for a chain-powered elevator.
A few men in blue overalls, the same as her father's, joined them. The elevator rattled as it descended deep into the earth, dropping several dozen feet until they reached the main level.
Down here, miners worked in every direction. Some chipped at the rock walls with powered drills. Others used scanning devices to detect hollows or underground openings.
Large floodlights lit the place so well that darkness wasn't an issue. But there was still a problem, one that would need the Scarlet Girl's help.
"You're welcome, Mr. Haku."
One of the miners stepped forward, stretching out his hand to greet Hina's dad.
"What's the situation?" Haku asked, going straight to the point. He wanted this sorted out quickly.
The man nodded and gestured for them to follow.
"We just hit something big. Our machine and tools couldn't break through it. This could be a cave full of rare gems… or maybe even a lost alien ship."
"You made the right choice not to use full power," Haku said. "I thought you were careless."
"Heh… heh…"
The miner scratched his head in embarrassment, forcing a small smile. Truth was, he had almost made a mistake that could have shut down the entire site. But now that Hina was here, things would be different.
"Preparations are done," the miner continued. "We've found the weakest point in the material. The substance is definitely alien. We also found traces of it in areas mixed with Earth's natural resources. Whatever's inside, our scanners can detect the excess energy coming from it."
Everyone knew the Scarlet Clan of the Izigans had the ability to break matter down to the atomic level, dismantling it bit by bit until they could reshape it.
Hina and her father now stood in front of a massive wall unlike any other in the mine. Its surface was smooth and fine, colored a deep grey. The tunnel leading to it was filled with people waiting to see Hina dismantle it.
"Hina, you know what to do," her father said, looking at her and giving a small nod.
Hina took a deep breath and stepped forward. This was the only thing that gave her a bit of joy, using her powers.
She had thought her father would never let her use them, but she had learned on her own over the years, studying until she understood most of it and practicing every day in secret.
She touched the metal with both hands, channeling her cosmic energy into it. A pink glowing mass spread from her palms, stretching over the entire wall like a sheet.
The wall stood over twelve feet tall and five feet wide. Slowly, the pink mass began to sink into the wall, as if the surface had holes.
She kept her focus. This was no ordinary rock. Sweat formed on her forehead, it dripped from her forehead down her cheeks, and her hands trembled like she was about to slip.
'I'm almost there… just a little more.'
Molecularly, her pink power was tearing through the wall's structure at an incredible speed.
Then, suddenly, a long crack split across the center of the wall, followed by a loud, sharp sound. Everyone gasped, surprised but happy they were making progress.
Haku smiled, clearly impressed. But then, things started to take a different turn.
The lights began to flicker, and bits of dust and small stones rained down from above. They noticed it but ignored it at first.
Hina was close to breaking through. More cracks spread across the wall, and the bogey cheered with every new one.
Then the cave started to tremble. The lights flashed on and off, the roof cracked, and huge rocks began falling. They had to dodge for their lives.
Panic spread, people ran for the only elevator. Everyone pushed and fought to get inside, cramming in far more than it could hold. With a sickening snap, the cable broke, and the elevator plummeted to the bottom.
"Hina! You have to stop, stop now!" her father shouted, trying to reach her. But she was too focused on the wall.
She finally broke through it only for disaster to strike. The ground beneath them gave way, collapsing completely, and they all fell into a dark, massive hidden cave below.