The engine thundered in their ears. Will was pressed against his seat as the plane accelerated. They hurtled forward for about half a minute before the plane rocked sharply as the wheels left the ground.
Sunlight streamed in, and Will blinked the stars out of his eyes. The world opened up in an expanse. No more were they entombed by walls and false ceilings. The airship burst through into the outer world, and Will was left staring at the open sky.
It was a color that he had long since forgotten. The sky displayed on every tower ceiling were mere facsimiles compared to the deep, vibrant blue that was in front of him.
The passengers and the crew silently watched the outside world and felt the sun on their skin.
"This is the best damn VR I have ever been in," Remy said in awe.
The windows tinted by themselves, and the skies darkened a little. Will blinked in surprise. He wasn't sure if he had imagined it, but some kind of barrier had been erected between the plane and the outside world.
He glanced up at one of the stewardesses—no, she had a different uniform—stood up and addressed the students. She had a slate-grey coat over a white shirt. A grey knee-length skirt completed her look.
"Good morning, students. May I have your attention, please?" Her voice came over the intercom. The surrounding chatter stopped, and all eyes were on the lady.
"I am Amina, and I'll be your guide for this trip." She gestured towards the windows. "For many of you, this might be your first trip out of the tower. So, a little tip before we begin: Do not look directly at the sun; it damages your eyes."
Many students looked away from the windows, and the guide smiled. "Next, let me say congratulations to all of you who are soon to be awakened. Atlas Mons needs young psyphers like you, and with time and dedication, soon you too will be among the many pillars that support the Tower."
Will and Remy exchanged a look. They had finally spotted the tower symbol on the lady's shoulder.
"Now, does anyone have any questions?" she asked. None of the students spoke, and the guide continued. "No one? Alright, why don't I start with a brief introduction to today's itinerary. Our destination today is the Sun temple in the Hallucia mountains."
"It has been a longstanding tradition to awaken at Hallucia even before the devastating wars of the previous century. Hallucia, like the tower, has an accessible subspace line extending underneath it. The field strength is high enough to provide a safe zone for awakening. Once we land, we will soon undergo the ceremony, and hopefully, by the end of the day, most of you have awakened." She paused her speech to look around at the students. "And for those who have not, do not worry. Nearly eighty percent of the participants awaken. Failure is not the end; there is always next year."
The guide gestured towards the windows. "We are currently flying above the Pulvan pass. From there, we will pass over Serkvan valley, and it is a ten-minute flight to Hallucia."
Will went back to staring out of the windows. The cloud cover was dense, and he tried to peek back at the tower, but it was nowhere in sight. However, in the distance, he spotted other aircraft flying in formation. Judging by their size, these ships were massive in scope. Appreciative mutterings filled the cabin, and the tour guide seemed to share the sentiment.
"Yes, those are cargo ships. The Tower is the commercial center in this region, and ninety-five percent of all trade passes through our ports," said the guide. "Iron, copper, and aluminum from Karnakov, or etherite from Maltic Gates, all come from one of these ships."
One of the students raised their hand. "Do we get to see any of the ships land? Are there any ports where we are right now?"
The guide looked pensive. "No... We are not flying over any viable human settlements at this moment."
The plane dipped below the cloud layer. Wind and snow battered the plane. It was like they had entered another world underneath the clouds. Through the snowstorm, in the distance, Will spotted the source of the guide's apprehension. A ruined city stood in the middle of the land of ice and snow.
"What is that?" asked one of the students.
The guide looked distinctly annoyed, but she answered the question. "That is the former city of Belgrave, bombed out during the final war."
Even through the snow, Will could see the devastation. Most of the city was rubble. In the most severely bombed region, there was nothing left; like part of the city had been erased from the map. Elsewhere, skeletal buildings pierced the sky like the blackened bones of some giant prehistoric beast.
"The war was total and thorough," said the guide. "There are still scars of the old world today. It has taken fifty years for us to rebuild, and we are more united than ever. The Tower stands strong."
Will clenched his fist. Remy looked over his shoulder at the devastated city. "There it is."
"Yeah..." said Will. He desperately searched for his old home, but every building looked the same in the snowstorm. Before he could make a serious attempt, the plane swung around, and the city disappeared from sight. A little bit further away from the former metropolis, however, was something else that caught their eye.
Smoke was rising from a massive hole in the earth. Buildings and structures were built into the walls of the hole in layers, and giant stacks rose out, belching caustic black smoke.
Tiny people scrambled up to the roofs, machine guns in hand, when they spotted their airship. Several of them took aim and opened fire.
The ship rattled as the bullets pinged against the hull. A few of the girls screamed, and the guide tried her best to calm everyone down. "It's alright. Everything is fine. We have a shield covering the plane. There was no damage done."
She let out a breath and continued speaking. "That was Derbent, one of the many settlements outside the tower. The people there live hard lives without the protection of a field. Radiation poisoning and signature sickness are very common. I'm sure all of you are familiar with the subspace theory."
Many among the passengers nodded, and the guide continued. "The Tower sits on top of one of the few surface-accessible subspace laylines in the world. It is what made the Tower possible. We direct the folded space and embed it into the very walls of Atlas Mons, making it virtually indestructible."
"There are other zones too which offer some protection, but those are too few and far between. We must welcome these unfortunate souls under our banner and extend the Tower's protection to everyone," she finished.
The students seemed to have calmed down, and the guide smiled. "There is another region that has a substantial subspace lay line and a strong enough psion field. That's right, it is the Hallucia mountains."
She gestured towards the right. "Look outside your window; you will be seeing it soon."
Will and Remy looked towards the other side of the plane. Everyone there was glued to their windows. Few of the students from his side of the aisle got up from their seats to stare.
The guide clapped her hands. "Everyone, stay seated. The plane will swing around. You will all get a turn to see it before we land."
The scant few students went back to their seats. The plane swung around after a minute, and Will saw it.
A mountain hidden in the clouds. The summit peaked above the cloud layer, and a golden temple shone in the morning sun. Carved on the sides of the mountain were massive stone steps that snaked their way up to the temple.
The plane descended lower, and the base of the mountain came into view. Lush vegetation grew on the foothills. The green stood out in stark contrast to the snow-laden landscape. Hallucia looked like something out of a fairy tale.
Everyone watched in awed silence as the plane began its descent.
"Fasten your seat belts," said the guide. "We are about to reach Hallucia."
