The One Above Novels & Stories

Far above, a minor god clutches his sleeve and whispers louder this time, to anyone who will listen: “Black Root.”

One— BANG.

​The red pulse of the holographic console wasn't just a light; it was a rhythmic, suffocating heartbeat. It throbbed against the obsidian-tiled walls of the Vane Tower penthouse, casting Leo’s sharp, aristocratically rugged features in a bloody hue. The air grew heavy with a static charge, an ionization of the atmosphere that smelled of ozone and ancient circuitry. This wasn't a standard Syndicate hack or a rival corporation trying to break his firewalls. This was something from the "Above." This was the Pen-Ship.

the system said. A sharp sense of weightlessness surged through me. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on my own soft bed. Outside the window, the familiar neon lights of the city glowed quietly. Downstairs, the sound of traffic drifted in steady waves. There was no mission, no tasks, and certainly no obsessive man like Caspian. The system's voice echoed in my mind, carrying a rare hint of relief. "As per our agreement, 50 million dollars has been transferred to your account through legal channels. Now, initiating the final step—Restoration of Emotions."

"There's a difference. Pushing is aggressive. Not being present is just... abandonment dressed up as respect." "I don't know how to do this," I said. "Just move," Eli said. "Just let your hand touch mine. It's not a decision that needs strategy. It's just proximity. It's just connection." I turned my hand, and our fingers made contact on the counter. Not hands held. Just fingertips touching. Just that small acknowledgment of physical presence. The moment stretched. "I'm sorry," I said. "I know," Eli said. "But sorry isn't enough anymore. You need to show me that you're actually choosing this."

One step at a time. Together.

Sent by The First Ones obviously. ******

Evelyn immediately noticed. "Don't look up." "What?" "Don't." Too late. Alina instinctively glanced upward. For the briefest moment she thought she saw something moving inside the darkness. A massive shadow. Then it vanished. Her heartbeat spiked. "What was that?" Evelyn's expression hardened. "Nothing." "Liar." Evelyn looked away. Which confirmed everything. Whatever existed above them was dangerous enough that Host One didn't even want to discuss it. That wasn't reassuring. Not at all.

A key. ---

And perhaps. One final secret.