Prologue: The Planet
On the distant and idyllic planet of Zorther, life was a perfect harmony between nature and technology. The sky shimmered with a vibrant sapphire hue, unmarred by pollution, as sunlight poured through clean, crystal-clear air. Rolling plains of emerald grass stretched endlessly, punctuated by towering, ancient trees with silver leaves that glittered like stars. Rivers of turquoise water carved gentle pathways through the land, their currents soft and melodic, like whispers from the planet itself. These rivers were not just beautiful—they were lifelines, infused with natural minerals that sustained both flora and fauna. Zorther’s wildlife was gentle and diverse, with glowing insects, birds that sang harmonies, and animals whose fur shimmered faintly under moonlight.
Yet, It’s inhabitance, the Zorthians, lived in a remarkable society with highly advanced technology. Amidst this natural paradise, Zorthian cities rose as symbols of innovation. Majestic skyscrapers—smooth, white, and curving like works of art—pierced the horizon, their surfaces glowing faintly under the twin moons. Elevated platforms and sky bridges connected districts, seamlessly blending urban life with suspended gardens that cascaded flowers and waterfalls. Below, sleek metallic highways snaked through the landscape, their shimmering surfaces seeming untouched by time or dust.
The Zorthians themselves were a people of great physical beauty and grace. They cherished simplicity despite their technological prowess. Walking remained their preferred method of travel—an intentional choice to admire the beauty of their world, to feel the soil beneath their feet, and to embrace their connection to nature.
When walking was not practical, however, Zorthians relied on gravity-defying transportation systems. Their cars, motorcycles, and buses were works of unparalleled engineering—sleek, spotless, and otherworldly in design. Crafted with marvelous technology, they floated inches above the ground, emitting a soft hum as they moved with effortless precision. The trains, fixed on levitation tracks, were the crown jewels of their transport networks. Silent and almost invisible against the landscape, they could traverse vast distances in mere moments. From afar, their speed seemed impossible, yet they carried no visible machinery—only a faint, white glow that hinted at their energy sources. Zorthian transportation reflected not just progress, but a civilization that valued both aesthetics and efficiency, where technology enhanced life rather than disrupting it.
Their unmatched advancements in chemistry were equally remarkable. Zorthians had discovered unique elements such as Luminite (L), Vazron (Qa), Silquor (Sq), and many more yet to be named. With these, they created Xerithium (L₃Qa₂TiNi), a revolutionary metal capable of absorbing and containing dust and particles for decades. When exposed to the inert gas Valxuor (L₄Sq₂Ar₃H₂), Xerithium would expel all the particles it held. This element, along with others, fueled countless inventions that defined Zorthian life. The exteriors of almost everything, from sky-touching skyscraper to handheld devices, were designed with this sleek metal.
One of Zorther’s most extraordinary achievements was its layered infrastructure—a system of hollow spheres nested within each other, defining the planet. There were ten underground layers beneath the surface, each functioning as its own world. The Surface Layer was no more luxurious than the deepest underground level.
Each underground layer of Zorther possessed its own distinct architectural identity, reflecting the diverse tastes and functions of its inhabitants. From sleek, minimalist designs with smooth surfaces and open spaces to intricate, ornate structures adorned with elaborate patterns, every layer showcased unique styles while maintaining a cohesive harmony across the civilization. As one descended deeper into the subterranean realms, the natural light from the surface grew dimmer and more subdued, giving way to innovative artificial lighting systems—vividly hued panels, bioluminescent sculptures, and glowing mosaics that turned every space into a masterpiece, illuminating each layer in its own perfect way. These artificial lights did not attempt to replicate sunlight but instead created environments that enhanced the beauty and functionality of their surroundings, ensuring that every Zorthian space remained vibrant and inviting regardless of its depth within the layered planet.
Zorthians valued equality, and anyone could move freely between layers using public transportation systems. Most notable were the massive elevator platforms—circular, high-speed platforms that could transport thousands of people between layers within minutes. Some Zorthians, particularly wealthier families, constructed private elevators to connect their multi-layered residences. Children, too, enjoyed these systems, gleefully crawling through interconnected tunnels built for their amusement.
But beneath the tenth layer, in the planet’s deepest depths, lay the forbidden Depths. Encased within the solid planetary crust just above the mantle, these two layers were reserved for life imprisonment of the most dangerous criminals. The Depths also housed sealed vaults, safeguarding abandoned, deadly inventions too dangerous to exist on the outer layers. There was only one entrance and exit to these layers, guarded with unyielding vigilance.
The heat in the Depths—around 40°C—was stifling but survivable. Combined with the thick, oppressive air, it was an uncomfortable place, far removed from the beauty of the upper layers. Few had ever seen it, for only the highest-ranking authorities were allowed access. It was said, “No force can escape the Depths.”
The Depths were Zorther’s darkest secret—a place of finality, punishment, and forgotten history.
Chapter 1: The Scientist’s Folly
In the fifth underground layer, Dr. Vekroth Ilzhar hunched over his workbench. His workshop was a maze of glowing panels, holographic screens, and intricate machinery. Vekroth was a brilliant mind, but his recklessness and unrelenting ambition often put him at odds with Zorthian authorities. Today, his young apprentice, Rinn, stood nearby, equal parts awestruck and concerned.
“Progress demands risk, Rinn. Without it, we’d still be crawling on all fours,” Vekroth declared as he tinkered with his latest creation—the Zephyride, a sleek, mind-controlled mobility device. A device designed to offered unparalleled ease and comfort, allowing its users to traverse any terrain and perform complex tasks effortlessly.
Rinn, a boy of seventeen with dark, questioning eyes, hesitated. “I still think you’re pushing this too fast,” he said softly, clutching a stabilizer module in his hands. “That’s why I’m the scientist and you’re the assistant,” Vekroth replied tersely, extending his hand. “Now, bring me the stabilizer.”
Rinn sighed and handed it over. As Vekroth made the final adjustments, his eyes gleamed with excitement. “This will change everything.”
The Zephyride demonstration was held on the Surface Layer with great fanfare. Crowds gathered as volunteers stepped forward to test the device. At first, the Zephyride responded smoothly. Then, chaos erupted.
“I can’t control it!” one tester screamed as the device jerked violently. Panic spread as other users staggered. The device caused users to lose control of their bodies and minds, as though it were overtaking them instead. Worse still, some reported sensations of their minds “corroding” and their bodies succumbing to a hidden malice, as if “boiling.”
“Shut it down!” an official yelled. The demonstration was terminated, and the crowd fell silent.
Vekroth stood frozen, his dreams shattering before his eyes. Moments later, Zorthian authorities stormed the stage. “Dr. Vekroth Ilzhar, you are under arrest!”
As Vekroth was dragged away, he locked eyes with Rinn in the crowd. The boy stood still, torn between pity and anger.
Chapter 2: A Family on the Surface
Among Zorther’s surface-dwellers lived the Eryssian family, nestled in a serene neighborhood on the edge of the crystalline lakes. Their home, a blend of organic and geometric design, stood against the backdrop of emerald grasslands and towering trees. Light filtered through the delicate canopy, creating a warm, dappled glow across their living space. The scent of blooming white flowers permeated the air, giving everything a peaceful, idyllic quality that most of the surface-dwellers took for granted. Yet for Lirien Eryss, the tranquility of her surroundings often felt like an illusion—a barrier preventing her from seeing the truth that lay beneath.
Lirien, at fifteen, was still growing into herself, but she had always been drawn to things that others considered unsettling or dangerous. Her room was a testament to her inquisitive mind—piles of discarded technical manuals, holographic displays flickering with snippets of data, and sketches of strange devices filled the space. But today, she sat at her desk, her fingers hovering above a small device she had never truly understood—the Zephyride.
The events of the demonstration still haunted her thoughts. She could still hear the screams of the testers, feel the shock of the device slipping out of her control. She had managed to regain some control before it was too late, but that had not stopped the sensation of her body being overtaken by something… unnatural. A shiver ran down her spine as she replayed the chaos in her mind.
“What was that thing really doing?” Lirien muttered to herself, glancing at her reflection in the shimmering surface of a nearby holographic monitor. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made. The Zephyride was supposed to be a marvel of convenience, not an instrument of terror. But the way it had twisted her body, as if she were nothing more than a puppet to its will, couldn’t be ignored.
As she pondered, a soft knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. Her older brothers, Toris and Valtor, both in their early twenties, entered without waiting for an invitation. Toris, the more energetic of the two, had a habit of invading spaces without permission, his exuberant curiosity always getting the better of him. Valtor, on the other hand, was quieter and more reserved, yet his sharp eyes missed nothing. Between them, they made a formidable pair—Toris pushing forward with bold ideas and Valtor keeping a careful watch on the details.
"We found something you might want to see," Toris said, holding up a small device wrapped in a cloth. "In an old storage facility on the outskirts of the city. Looks like another Zephyride prototype."
Lirien’s heart skipped a beat. "You did what?" she asked, her voice catching with a mix of surprise and concern.
"We figured you'd want to take a look," Valtor added calmly, his voice steady but carrying a weight of unspoken caution. “It’s hidden away. Didn’t look like it had ever been used.”
Lirien stood from her desk, her curiosity immediately piqued. She moved quickly, pulling the cloth away from the device. The Zephyride in her hands was slightly different from the one used in the demonstration, but the sleek, elegant form was unmistakable. “Why was it abandoned?” she muttered, her fingers gently tracing the smooth surface. It seemed untouched, yet something about it felt… wrong. There was a hidden potential here, she could feel it in her bones.
“I don’t know,” Toris said, sitting down across from her. "But we thought you might be able to figure it out. You know more about this stuff than we do."
Lirien set the device down on the desk. As she examined it, she felt a growing unease. There was something faintly sinister about the way it hummed—almost as though it were alive. Her fingers brushed over the surface, activating a set of holographic panels that began to shimmer in the air. As the interface came to life, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
“This isn’t just a tool for convenience,” Lirien whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. “There’s something… off about it.”
She zoomed in on the hidden programming, her mind racing as she deciphered the code. The deeper she dug, the more unsettling it became. The device was designed not for ease of use, but for control—mind control. “It’s designed for enslavement,” she muttered, her breath catching. It was clear now: the Zephyride was not a marvel of technology, but a tool of domination. "The creators were playing with forces they didn’t fully understand."
Her hands shook slightly as she continued to analyze the device. The implications of what she was discovering were staggering. She could feel the weight of the secrets pressing down on her. What had she gotten herself into?
Toris and Valtor exchanged a glance, sensing her growing concern. “What do you think it’s for?” Toris asked.
Lirien pulled back, her mind racing. “I don’t know yet. But I need to know more.”
Chapter 3: Earth’s Forgotten Layers
Centuries ago, Zorthians had invented cosmic travel technology. This allowed them to visit planets with ease. They had invented starships to travel anywhere in space, and vast-distance transporters named Hypergate that allowed them to travel between two fixed points on planets.
Hypergate was much faster than starship, which was used to travel between planets, sometimes even less than a day, but it required setting up endpoints. With these in hand, Zorthians had visited Earth, sharing their advanced knowledge with its inhabitants. They built layered systems identical to those on Zorther, enabling humans and Zorthians to coexist in harmony. However, when the Zorthians left during the mysterious abandoning phase, they buried these systems deep beneath the ground, fearing the potential misuse of their inventions. Only a few human elders, such as Mara Efrain, retained knowledge of this history.
As a child, Mara had witnessed the Zorthians’ departure and the deliberate concealment of their technology. Her family agreed to keep this knowledge hidden, understanding the dangers buried alongside the layers. But now, in her twilight years, Mara feared that silence was no longer the answer. “If the wrong hands discover these secrets…” she whispered, “humanity could be in danger.”
Mara saw a spark of potential in Kael Yorran, a curious fifteen-year-old rich neighbor with an insatiable sense of wonder. She first met him years earlier when he was a precocious child, fascinated by her stories and inventions. “Kael, you’ve always asked the right questions,” she told him one afternoon. “Perhaps it’s time you learn the truth.”
When Kael lost a coin in his backyard, Mara gifted him a device that could detect buried objects. “This might help you find your coin,” she suggested, knowing he would tinker with it and inevitably uncover more than he bargained for. As expected, Kael quickly pushed the device’s settings to their maximum depth. Moments later, the detector showed him a stunning object: an enormous, buried structure far beneath his home.
Driven by curiosity, Kael brought equipment to facilitate excavation. “Let’s see what else is down here,” he said excitedly, ready to dig. In the upcoming days, he secretly began digging with the machinery they could afford, unearthing fragments of the forgotten Zorthian layer system. With each new discovery, he found himself drawn deeper into the mystery of Earth’s hidden past.
Chapter 4: Escape and Convergence
In the fiery Depths of Zorther, Dr. Vekroth languished in his prison cell, consumed by rage and regret. One fateful day, a lapse in security and his brilliance allowed him to escape the prison cell. “This is my chance!” he thought, his mind racing as alarms blared. Guards rushed to contain him, but Vekroth, knowing there was only one exit and it was already guarded, sprinted in the opposite direction, hoping he could find something to aid his escape. “There has to be another way out,” he muttered, his heart pounding. He slipped into the unguarded vaults of the Depths.
To his astonishment, he found himself surrounded by relics of Zorthian ingenuity—abandoned inventions he had believed destroyed. “I can use this,” Vekroth whispered to himself as he inspected a familiar device—a Hypergate. This prototype, capable of crossing vast distances, had been invented by his very own ancestors. He recalled the history books he had read, which detailed Hypergate’s usage. Driven by desperation and a flicker of hope, Vekroth began to repair the machine. “If I can just fix this,” he said, his hands trembling as he worked, “I can escape to Earth.” He activated the device, setting endpoint coordinates for an ancient Zorthian colony: Earth.
Boom. The device propelled him into the heart of Earth’s now deeply buried layer system, triggering subtle tremors on the surface. He had landed deep within the Depths. Meanwhile, the guards on Zorther were left confused, searching every corner for him. “Where did he go?” one of them asked, frustration in their voice. But Vekroth’s escape had already set the stage for something far bigger.
At the same time, Kael’s digging brought him perilously close to the surface level of the hidden infrastructure. Within the forgotten Zorthian layers, Vekroth was now plotting his next move.
Chapter 5: Beneath the Layers
Back on Zorther, Lirien’s investigations revealed that the Zephyride was no mere invention—it was a tool of control, possibly tied to a long-buried conspiracy. “I knew it,” she muttered as she poured over the hidden programming she had uncovered. “This device was never meant to help. It’s designed to dominate.” Determined to uncover its origins and prevent further harm, Lirien set her sights on the Depths, preparing to defy the laws that barred her from venturing there. “I have to know the truth,” she told herself, packing a bag with supplies for the journey. “I’m going, no matter what it takes.”
On Earth, Kael had made significant progress. After days of digging, he finally reached the surface of the hidden layers. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he surveyed the scene. “This… this can’t be right,” he thought, staring at the vast structure before him. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t seem to reach the edges. The layers stretched out far beyond what he had imagined. It almost felt as if the structure was… infinite. His frustration was evident, but then, by sheer chance, Kael stumbled upon the entrance to the underground layer. He paused for a moment, staring into the dark abyss. “This is it,” he whispered, taking a deep breath. “I’m going in.” Without another word, he jumped in.
Inside, Kael was stunned by the sheer scale of what he had uncovered. “This… this is impossible,” he said aloud, walking through the expansive underground space. It felt as though he had left Earth entirely. Strange, cryptic inscriptions covered the walls, and alien artifacts lay scattered across the floor. Kael’s curiosity grew with every step. “What happened here? What is all this?” he muttered, tracing his fingers over the inscriptions. His journey was only beginning, but he could already sense that something far greater was at play, something tied to Zorthian history, and to the man who had escaped into Earth’s Depths: Dr. Vekroth.
Epilogue: A Collision of Worlds
The fates of Lirien and Kael were now set on a collision course. Their shared curiosity, once personal, had become a thread that bound them to the same mystery, spanning across two planets. The more they uncovered, the more they realized that their paths were not just parallel—they were destined to intersect. The legacy of Zorthian technology, the schemes of Dr. Vekroth, and the buried truths connecting Earth and Zorther were closing in on them. Together, they would have to face the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
And as they ventured deeper into the unknown, they would come to understand that the secrets buried beneath their worlds were not just fragments of history—they were the keys to their futures. The question was: Would they be able to unlock them in time, or would the truth tear their worlds apart?
Their worlds were only beginning to converge, with secrets buried deeper than they could fathom and dangers lurking just beyond their reach. What lay beneath the layers was more than history—it was the future of two civilizations.
To be continued… continue?
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