Wordcount - 1097 words

It was time.

Cordoba travelled to her Wonder for the first time in two months mind made up, shoulders squared, eyes forward.

The only way Xifeng would move past he demand was to do as she asked, and then the shade may yet tach her. Teach her the ways of the Wonder, the porpuse of the Knight of Cordoba - or, well, page. She was a page a year, never feeling any more skilled. Never feeling stronger - but at the same time much was invested in studying her wonder - and in thought.

Heels touched down on the ground as she arrived, the page beginning to walk. She had arrived on the outskirts and now intended to move forward, proceed to the core slowly. For a long time, Cordoba was left to her thoughts, heels clicking on crystal as she moved in silence the sound marred only so.

She was soon joined by the now-familiar chill and vision of Xifeng.

The ethereal page followed Cordoba for the core, as if sensing what she planned, but still after a time, Xifeng spoke, voice almost hopeful.
"You've deciuded?" She asked.

"I have. I'll do it." Cordoba shrugged, sighing. "If you're going to train me, you need over this fixation with restoring power."

Xifeng huffed, an annoyed, unneeded sound born of mortal habits and human origin.

"It is your duty, but yes. If you do but one task, I will train you properly."

Cordoba only just managed to not roll her eyes, but the procession - if it could be called that - was measured and slow. Heels remained clicking on crystal. Xifeng remained cold, ephemeral, and past and present were quiet.

The door opened readily. Cordoba once entered long ago, but soon began to approach the control room, a sealed chamber that she'd never permeated - but now the time had come and now she carefully forced the door open to go inside. She withdrew her flashlight, and looked inside.

It was dark and still, lost computers closed down, silent - the room was naturally cold thanks to construction airing in just enough cold air to chill the room and, likely, nearby ones as well. A large pillar in the center was waiting silently - Cordoba recognized it from a dream - or nightmare - involving the Code, and seeing no sign now, she sat in a large chair as Xifeng came up beside her. The desk surface was smooth and shone like a prism in the pale light rebounding across crystyal, and Xifeng closed her eyes.

"The generator - the backup - should let the console react. Touch the surface and play the tones I give you."

Cordoba nodded, and Xifeng's voice echoed like a bell, ancient and mysterious. Cordoba's fingers found the surface and small motes on it lit before she finally emulated Xifeng, the melody playing hauntingly in the area as Cordoba did so. Xifeng nodded approval, and sighed as a small, new interaction flipped.

Not her favorite part.
"Remove your right glove. p***k your finger on it." Xifeng instructed. Cordoba hesitated - a wise mov. Xifeng sighed, and shook her head.

"To initialize the dore it needs learn your blood. I know not how but it only responds to the current knight of Cordoba, page, squire - any range.It will know you. It will hurt, but it will respond."

Cordoba paused still, then slowly, the glove was removed. Her right hand touched the needle, and she pricked her finger.

In an instant, the red bead forming on her finger was on the tip, and it withdrew. Pinpricks of light began gfilling the room. Error message upon error message sounded around in words Cordoba had no hope of learning. And suddenly, the lights filled the room.

Light spilled from the floor, the wals glowing blue, the core humming and whirring, even if coughing every so often. Finally, Cordoba sank back in her chair and looked up, before her eyes shifted to Xifeng.

Her ancestor was silent for a long time before saying something softly Cordoba did not catch, and the spirit sank to her knees in disespair.

"Xifeng?" Cordoba asked warily. The ghost was on her knees, expression shock and horror at the countless error messages flooding the screens, and she finally choked on a sob.

"There is nothing but the lights." Xifeng finally said. Cordoba blinked, wondering, until she realized what happened.

She'd only been able to turn on the lights. The vehicles remained dead - the computers lifeless. Storage, worthless....

"I'm sorry." Cordoba murmured.

Sorry didn't bring back machines. Sorry didn't bring back broken down vehiclers. Sorry didn't restore any sort of life.

But the Wonder had light and it was something - they could work and build, and try. But it did not matter now to Xifeng, the ancestor spirit sobbing, and Cordoba seemed humbled, sighing as she sat by her ancestor, trying to touch. To comsole. She earned a look of sorrow them from the woman - the face of an ageleslly tired ghost whom felt her duty failed. Cordoba breathed slowky.

"Hey. Hy it's a good start. We can keep at it. We can." Cordoba soothed. Zifeng shuddered.

"And if not?"

"We will. We'll take a break to train, and then? We'll get to working on things." Cordoba assured. "We will."

The spirit shuddered. While technically not touched, the effort brought some solace - a comfort her descendant would try, far from her first arrival's impression. Xifeng nodded, wiping her eyes before looking to Cordoba, a sad look of gratitude on her face.

"Y..Yes. But... You need to return. Do you not have anyone waiting on you?"

Cordoba blinked, and thought. Her mother and brother may - and he would send people to find her. Cordoba groaned, and nodded.

"Right. I probably should get home." She acquiesced. Xifeng nodded, and stepped back as Cordoba shut her eyes to focus on the return trip. One eye popped open briefly, and she glanced to Xifeng, the female frowning.

"Are you sure you'd be alright alone till I can come back?" She asked.

"...I think so. There is light, and it is a beginning. Please, do not worry. Return, spend time off with your family; rest. You earned it this day." Xifeng said, softly. Cordoba nodded, sighing as she re-closed her eyes, and focused - focused on home, in her little apartment downtown, with her equipment and painting supplies, and away from gleaming light and shining crystal. She would mend it, soon as she knew how, and only after she teleported did Xifeng seem to disappear to her starseed, nothing but silence and light in their wake.