Ezra Vance's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Ezra traced his fingers across the atmospheric chart, watching the purple wisps drift outside the navigation tower's window. His tendril-eyes shifted independently, each one scanning different wavelengths of Auster's churning sky. The electromagnetic frequencies buzzed against his consciousness like static before a sneeze. He wanted to master these patterns, to read the planet's dangerous zones the way others read simple maps. The wisps outside began their slow counterclockwise spiral. A storm was building, and he could feel its hum in his bones. He left the tower and headed for his training ground. The makeshift workshop waited three blocks away, all exposed metal beams and wall-mounted instrument racks. Sunlight poured through large skylights, casting bright squares across the concrete floor. Ezra stepped inside and rolled his shoulders. This place would teach him what he needed to know. The racks held sensors, frequency readers, and atmospheric monitors. He pulled down the first instrument and carried it to the center of the room. Above him, through the skylights, the purple wisps continued their slow dance. He pressed the sensor against his palm and closed his eyes. The electromagnetic whisper grew louder. He would learn to hear every atmospheric zone, every danger, every warning the planet offered. Today, the real work began.