Episode 11: I Believe I Can Fly

  Yamantau Secret Base: Aetherium Training Zone

  Yuri led Chris and Victor into the zone known as Aetherium. It was the hidden academy for the gifted, buried deep within the base. The interior was divided into theoretical classrooms, power demonstration rooms encased in thick reinforced glass, and a massive combat arena.

  Yuri introduced them to the senior instructors and the young students practicing their arts alongside mentors who were once students themselves. Yuri’s eyes sparkled as she shared that she grew up here; she was both a star pupil and now an instructor. Her father, General Nikolai, suspected nothing, believing his daughter was simply a high-performing regular officer.

  Victor followed closely, though he had little interest in the history of the academy. His eyes were fixed on Yuri’s back, captivated by her smile, lost in his own infatuation.

  Chris, however, was in a different kind of daze. He walked the corridors listlessly. The sounds of training echoed in his ears but never reached his mind. His heart was shackled by the image of the soul orbs and Ren’s warning that his family might return incomplete. A plan to "solve it himself" began to thicken in his mind, obscuring the reality before him.

  Tactical Design Room, Yamantau Base

  They passed through several labs until they reached a room where a strange machine was working with surgical precision. It was the specialized garment design room for the gifted. Victor’s ears perked up, and he stepped closer, fascinated.

  “This is a production system that no longer relies on traditional sewing,” the instructor explained, pointing to the machine weaving fibers. “We use the SAI system, an intelligent AI that controls needles to weave cloth or special metals into a seamless whole. If a human did this, it would take months for a single square inch. With SAI, we can complete the most complex tactical armor in just one day.”

  Victor watched the high-speed machinery. His mind began processing rapidly.

  “What if... we integrated Stealth materials into this structure?” Victor blurted out, causing everyone to freeze and turn toward him.

  “Since we can fly using our own power, what we lack is a suit that can withstand immense friction and the heat of atmospheric drag,” Victor continued, his eyes glowing with scientific excitement. “If we create a friction-resistant suit and combine it with light-refracting materials, we could achieve near-perfect invisibility in the sky... Radars won't see us. There would only be a faint heat signature and the sonic boom during high-speed flight!”

  Yuri’s gaze toward Victor shifted. She began to see that this man from America wasn't just a pretty face; he had a visionary mind capable of elevating her superhuman army.

  “And what if we flew directly out into space first?” Chris suddenly asked, his dim eyes lighting up with hope.

  “I’ve designed a theory for that, but it’s in the main computers back at Area 51,” Victor replied, frowning in thought. “If you fly vertically into space, you need massive power to overcome gravity. But once you're in the vacuum, you can reach incredible speeds with zero resistance. However, the problem is the return journey.”

  Victor paused, his expression turning grim. “When you drop back from the void into the Earth’s atmosphere, the friction is beyond imagination. The heat will rise until you become a giant fireball, falling like a comet. If the suit isn't strong enough, you’ll be vaporized before you hit the ground.”

  “And if we descend at a controlled speed... a speed that doesn't cause a fireball? What speed should we use?” Chris pressed immediately.

  Yuri and the instructor stood baffled, watching the two exchange scientific codes and flight theories that felt far too serious for casual talk.

  “To avoid ignition, you’d have to control your reentry speed to no more than 200 kilometers per hour,” Victor calculated.

  “That’s enough... and how long would it take to reach the ground?”

  Victor closed his eyes, calculating the distance from low orbit. “About 30 minutes. It would take a while. You’d be a sitting duck in the sky for too long.”

  “30 minutes... that’s plenty,” Chris whispered to himself.

  “Why are you asking so many questions?” Victor became suspicious.

  “Just curious... just want to know,” Chris brushed it off, avoiding eye contact. But in his heart, a plan to fly from Russia to Tibet by "detouring through space" was perfectly drafted.

  Chris’s eyes flickered with satisfaction. But Victor quickly dampened the dream with advanced science.

  “The problem doesn't end there, Chris,” Victor shook his head. “Space is harder than you think. The temperatures are hellish—it swings from 150°C to -150°C in minutes. There’s no oxygen, and worst of all is the Gamma radiation from the sun. Humans don't have a planetary magnetic field for protection. Without a suit that supports these factors, you’d be dead before you saw the view. Otherwise, I would have gone space-touring long ago.”

  “I don’t know about all that,” the instructor chuckled. “My job is to weave what’s ordered. How eccentric the design is, is up to the wearer.”

  “Then design it! I want to travel to space once myself, Victor...” Yuri interjected, stepping close to him. “Design a suit like that for me... please? Pretty please?”

  Yuri gave him a pleading, wide-eyed look. Victor froze, his face and ears turning a deep red from embarrassment.

  Chris and the instructor smirked, but beneath the smile, Chris was thinking deeper. He knew that the suit Victor would make for Yuri was the "final key" he needed to obtain.

  Private Quarters of Oon’s Family

  “You kept everything exactly the same, Oon...” Meia praised her husband as she watched Russian soldiers carefully place old wooden furniture from their original home into the new room.

  In the corner, on the same old wooden bench, Ren picked up the bird-bone flute and played a soft, resonant melody. The music was so beautiful that even the soldiers stopped to listen in a trance.

  “You haven't played it in so long... yet you remember the tune so well,” Meia walked to her son, her eyes full of pride.

  Ren lowered the flute and sighed, his calm eyes showing worry. “The outside world is too chaotic, Mother. A new world war is about to erupt. I don't want our family to be scattered and separated like in the past.”

  Seeing his son’s anxiety, both Oon and Meia embraced Ren tightly—a warm family portrait amidst the cold base.

  “That sadness won't happen again, my love...” Oon said confidently. “The ‘Liberator’ is with us now. Everything will be fixed by his hand.”

  Meia tilted her head curiously. “What is going on? How much have I missed while I was asleep?”

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  Her innocent question made Oon and Ren burst into laughter together—the brightest laughter this family had shared in 8,000 years.

  Military Quarters, Yamantau Base

  In a small room with two iron beds, Yuri dropped them off with a smile. “I’ll find you a better room tomorrow. Today was too rushed.” When the door slid shut, silence took over.

  Chris lay back on his bed, hand over his forehead as he often did when thinking hard.

  “That’s your bed. I thought you were going to take mine. Good, no need to fight! Haha!” Victor laughed, exploring the room.

  “Brother Victor... can you really design a suit like that?” Chris asked seriously.

  Victor stopped and looked at Chris. “I should be able to... if I have a powerful computer, I could recover some of the designs in my head and tune them for Yuri’s needs.”

  Chris paused before playfully changing the subject. “Do you like Yuri?”

  “Are you crazy?! I just met her. You can’t just fall in love like that. Love takes time!” Victor denied loudly.

  “I just asked if you ‘like’ her, I didn't ask if you ‘love’ her,” Chris shot back.

  Victor lost his cool, blushing and fumbling with a shelf until something fell to the floor with a metallic clang.

  “Okay... yeah, I like Yuri,” Victor finally confessed, red-faced.

  “That’s it. Stop being so shy,” Chris smiled, and both laughed, relieving the tension of the day.

  Knock, knock!

  Yuri stood there, smiling, holding a slim laptop.

  “Is that a Macbook Air?” Victor asked, the device looking out of place in a secret base.

  “Yes... but don't worry. I’ve upgraded it so much that Steve Jobs’s ghost would be stunned!” Yuri bragged, handing it over. “Honestly, I don't know how fast it is. The young scientists here gave it to me as a birthday gift and bragged about it.”

  Victor felt skeptical; as a scientist, he preferred raw power over design.

  “Try it, Brother. It might work,” Chris encouraged, wanting Victor to start as soon as possible.

  Victor opened the lid without high expectations. He pressed the power button.

  Voom!

  The screen lit up instantly! Faster than a flagship phone unlocking. Victor paused. “Is it really this fast?” He muttered, checking the specs.

  “Whoa! These specs are real? Even the top-tier Apple Case at the American lab isn't this powerful!”

  Victor didn't waste another second. His fingers blurred across the keyboard. He began coding the tactical design software from memory, and within minutes, he was drafting the Space-Stealth suit under Yuri’s excited eyes... and Chris’s calculating gaze.

  General Nikolai’s Private Office

  “My love... how is it at the front?” Nikolai spoke softly, a stark contrast to his fierce persona. “I miss you today... so much. More than any other day.”

  Nikolai was talking to his wife over a secure satellite line.

  “The situation at the front isn't good,” Yura replied, her voice weary but firm. “The Ukrainians have something new... a fellow student from our monastery. I don't know what they’ve been practicing, but their skills are far beyond ours. I might have to step in myself tomorrow.”

  “Should I go help? I’m best at smashing things,” Nikolai offered, worried.

  “You stay there. Don’t worry about me,” Yura answered. “The kid still respects the monastery; our seniors only have minor injuries. But tomorrow I need to reinforce them, or we’ll have to retreat. Master Pintu ordered us to avoid heavy weapons—just zone control. If we went all out, Ukraine would have been over long ago.”

  “Don’t get too stressed, dear,” Nikolai coaxed.

  “I miss you too...” Yura’s voice softened. “And watch our daughter well. Don’t let her ‘fly too fast’ so often.”

  Nikolai nearly fell off his bed. “Wait! You... you know Yuri can fly, Yura?”

  “Master Oon asked me not to tell you. He wanted to see if you’d pay enough attention to find out for yourself,” Yura revealed.

  “I love her... but I’ve been working too hard. I completely overlooked her,” Nikolai replied guiltily. “I promise, dear. I’ll pay more attention to our daughter.”

  Western Theater Command, China

  “Send troops to surround and monitor The Great Kora immediately!” a Chinese General slammed the table. “Intelligence says the Americans are planning to infiltrate the restricted area of Mount Kailash, using Indian soldiers as guides.”

  He scanned the digital map. “Declare a 52-kilometer no-entry zone around the mountain. Keep pilgrims out for safety. And remember, no warnings. Open fire on any intruders!”

  “Should we send our ‘Grandmasters’?” an aide asked.

  “Not yet. Our masters are currently spread thin at the Taiwan Strait and other strategic points.” The General smirked. “But to be safe, I’ll send one expert... Notify Captain Li Wei, codename 'Sanlong' (Dragon of the Mountain). Move him from the naval fleet to Tibet immediately. The high mountains are his home. A dragon must be on a mountain to show its true power!”

  Tibet, Mount Kailash Perimeter

  The roar of troop carriers and attack helicopters echoed through the once-silent valleys. Chinese special forces seized strategic points along The Great Kora pilgrimage route. Portable anti-air guns and electronic jamming systems were deployed every meter.

  In the skies above the snow-capped peak, hundreds of the latest surveillance drones circled like hungry hawks. Thermal cameras and high-res sensors were at full power. In low orbit, Chinese spy satellites were locked onto Kailash without blinking.

  “Status report every 5 minutes! If any atmospheric anomalies or unidentified movements are detected, fire immediately without confirmation!” the company commander barked.

  The atmosphere around Kailash was a powder keg. Everything was ready for intruders—be they Indian, American, or "flying humans."

  Naval Fleet, Chinese Navy

  “Call for Captain Li Wei! Cease duties immediately and return to base for an urgent Code Red Level 3 mission. Acknowledge!”

  “Acknowledged!”

  Captain Li Wei stood 193 cm tall, a perfect blend of modern soldier and ancient aura. He was handsome, clean-cut, but packed with muscles. He was fast as the wind, and unlike other soldiers, he had a passion for ancient weapons—specifically the Long Spear, which he swung as if it were part of his body. His comrades called him "Lu Bu Reborn."

  In the secret records of elite units, he was Sanlong, one of the "Pa Xian Long" (Eight Dragons), the iron wall of China. Each member possessed mystical powers.

  Li Wei grabbed his gear and headed for the helipad, bound for the "Roof of the World." His mission was no longer at sea, but to protect the "Secrets of Heaven" at Mount Kailash.

  Area 51, USA

  “Satellite confirms it... China is tightening the perimeter around Kailash. How did the news leak?!” General Miller raged. “Are there still 'unclean' ones in our organization?”

  “If they are unclean... we just clean them more, sir,” the Vice-General said coldly.

  “Watch your words... we haven't fully secured the Pentagon yet. If we are reckless, we’ll all suffer,” Miller whispered. “Find the filth quietly... then eliminate them one by one. The world will remember us as those who brought true peace.”

  Miller paused. “Are the clones of the soldiers we ‘cleaned’ ready?”

  “General... are we really bringing them back after the mission?” the Vice-General asked, seeing no point in waking the dead.

  “I don't know,” Miller replied, looking at the culture lab. “Master Hoto ordered it. I don't know his game, but if he orders it, it must benefit us. Perhaps to fool the Pentagon inspectors.”

  Miller suddenly raised his left index finger. He focused for a moment, and a bright orange-red flame erupted from his fingertip. The Vice-General frowned.

  “You’re a leader; playing like that is beneath you... tasteless,” he said, reaching for his own lighter. “I can light it myself...”

  “YOU ARE THE FILTH!!!”

  Miller roared, his voice shaking the glass. He pointed his finger at the Vice-General’s forehead. A powerful fire bolt shot out at light speed, piercing the skull before charring the wall behind him.

  The body slumped. The unlit cigar fell.

  “Master told me... you were the dirtiest ‘rat’ in this room.”

  ‘Don’t forget to make his clone,’ Master Hoto’s icy telepathic voice rang in Miller’s mind.

  “Yes, Master... I’ll handle it now.”

  Yamantau Command

  “China sent secret word that America is preparing an incursion into Kailash,” Nikolai reported to Oon. “China has deployed special companies to every point. What is our move?”

  “Is there something important there, Oon?” Meia asked.

  “It was once a home for our people, Meia... a group that secluded themselves on the peak to escape the southern humans in ancient times,” Oon explained. “But they seem to have vanished. Only an ordinary old man remains in Chris’s head—Tenzin, a lone Tibetan monk, whom China is watching closely.”

  “What is ‘China’?” Meia asked, unfamiliar with modern geography.

  “An Asian country... the region where the Hoto once set their kingdom. Where our family lived together before everything fell.”

  Meia lowered her head, eyes reflecting sadness for her birthplace—the sweet past that became a bloodbath. She eventually looked up and smiled firmly.

  “It’s over... it’s all in the past,” Meia changed the subject. “And what about our companion? Odd, who fought by our side? Where is he?”

  “Mmm... after you fell asleep, I last heard hundreds of years ago that he left the world’s chaos to live in solitude at Loch Ness with his friend, Nessie.”

  Military Quarters, Yamantau Base

  Silence filled the small room, save for the steady typing of Victor on the Macbook Air. Blue light reflected off his sweating face. He wasn't just coding; he was putting his heart into "Project Y.U.R.I." to protect the angel who made his heart skip.

  He glanced at his bed. Yuri had fallen asleep in her uniform, exhausted. Her steady breathing made him smile before he returned to the 3D model of the Space-Stealth suit.

  On the other side, Chris was in a deep, death-like sleep. The stress of his family and the 8,000-year-old gods had knocked him out. But in his dreams, his mind began to connect to something thousands of kilometers away.

  The digital clock ticked. The most advanced suit design in the world was taking shape.

  —————————————————————————————— Ruth VT-Hin ————