Echoes of Tomorrow - A Holozing Inspired Story

There's always a different perspective about how we see our world. PV preferred to call his home dystopian, while the rest were saying they now live in a post-apocalyptic world. There was so much to explore, but for the little boy... the bio-dome was the only place he seen his whole life!

PV filled his backpack and was all geared up for the biggest adventure of his life! He had all kind of artifacts, trinkets and gadgets in his bag, and was breathing at an accelerate rate! It was fear or adrenaline? He took the wooden chest from under the bed and slowly open it. He waited patiently until he turned 10, and now is the time!

Inside was a small shiny key, which levitated in the middle of the chest. He realized this will match the big rusty gate from the garden. This will be the first time he will leave the eco-dome, and he has no idea what adventures are waiting outside.

He discovered the secret of the chest, and now he was ready to go! The boots were the last piece of gear he had to put on, and he slowly walked towards the locked gate. The boots where dusting the leaves with every step, and the sound of twigs and pebbles under the footsteps was discreet but somehow weird!

Chapter One - The Journey

PV put the key in, twisted twice and the cogwheels spin and unlocked the rusty gate. He pulled hard but the gate didn't open, probably stuck after years of immobility! He pulled again...and again... harder and harder...

All the effort was in vain! The gate didn't move! However, PV noticed the "Z" symbol on the sturdy metal frame! The same "Z" symbol emborded on his gear!

He softly touched the rune-like inscription and the gate started to vibrate, and the protective ward that blurred the outside vanished! PV could see the land behind the gate and his eyes were dazzled by the tropical colors!

Beyond the gate he could see a tropical paradise! Palm trees, flowers in bloom, insects... and a lot of sunshine! He never seen natural sun in the bio-dome, or experienced anything like this. A TROPICAL PARADISE!

Birds where tweeting, insects were buzzing and the warm of the sun could be felt beyond the gate. The same gate that was stuck seconds ago... now was wide open! He stepped through the gate and nearby seen a wooden table, with a pair of binoculars on it. The "Z" symbol was glowing on the corner of the table.

PV took the binoculars and looked in the horizon! A brand new world was in front! He was ready to explore it! The mountains were miles away, and a lonely farmer's house could be seen in the distance!

The trek was long but he didn't panic. He was ready for the journey, and nothing will stop him explore the world. When he put down the binoculars he noticed a carving on the table! It was like a riddle about the trek that will follow.

Through misty paths and rugged stone, You must trek alone, with thoughts intone,
What lies beyond the peaks so high? A whispered truth, a distant sigh.
And at the top, with heart ablaze, You’ll glimpse the world in endless ways,
For in the climb, the journey’s key— The meaning of Z is simply me.

PV checked again his backpack, and everything was neat inside it. Read again the carving on the table and he strapped his boots tighter. He was ready for the trek!

He made only few steps from the gate, following the path, when a mechanical noise suddenly disturbed the buzzing insects. It came closer and closer, until he could noticed a drone approaching. Friend of foe? He waited patiently for the drone to approach, and was surprised to hear a robotic voice calling his name!

_Welcome PV! You are finally ready for the adventure of a lifetime! Here's your pazzport! Keep it always with you the blockchain signature will unlock paths, shortcuts and secret levels. _

The drone dropped a little booklet at PV's feet, and he noticed some strange symbols on the fr0nt cover. He picked his passport and seen the "s" was replaced with the "Z" symbol that he seen so much lately.

**Chapter Two - Epiphany **

How can you tell me that the sky is the limit? PV embarked the journey one day ago, when the Holozing Law allowed him to venture outside the bio-dome. The journey will lead to an epiphany as the child will discover long forgotten secrets.

He turned 10, opened the chest and found a key, then with his backpack filled with gadgets has open the mystical gate! He was ready for this! He was ready for the hike! The journey was a coming of age for the young hero!

Beyond the gate he could see a tropical paradise! Palm trees, flowers in bloom, insects... and a lot of sunshine! He never seen natural sun in the bio-dome, or experienced anything like this. A TROPICAL PARADISE!

PV looked in the horizon through the binoculars and seen A brand new world was in front! He was ready to explore it! He started walking towards the big mountain he seen ahead! The peak was so high that the sun was hiding behind the summit! He was up to the challenge, as PV was not the average 10-years boy! He was different... he was special!

He started the hike at the basecamp, heading towards the steep steps he seen carved in the rocks. Upper on the side of the mountain, the hike would become harder! The steps stopped and instead there were little digs that could serve as climbing shelters or camping in bad weather. The hike will take him at the top of the mountain, where the peak was covered by snow! Will the secret of "Z" be solved there?

He walked all morning, slowly climbing on the steep steps... when he felt a bit dizzy! He needed a sip of water and to catch his breath. The scorching sun was making the hike harder, as the air and the path was getting dusty dry.

PV heard some birds and looked in the sky. It was the first time in his life when he seen another living creature. In the bio-dome only humans and droids were allowed, so he wasn't even sure if the creatures he seen in books where even real.

But wait?! Is this a trick played by the fatigue and the heat? He seen another creature... much bigger? He seen something else chasing those birds! Was it a giant predator? He was both scared and tired now!

He looked again and couldn't see it, as the sun was too bright! Maybe was just his mind playing tricks! He had another sip of water and continued his hike!

A strange feeling took over when PV reached the peak of the mountain and could see the valley bellow! The lonely farmer's house he have seen in the distance yesterday was not there anymore, neither the crops or the tractor!

Were the lands shifting overnight? All he could see now was a plain landscape and a tent! He had nomadic expectations now, like he traveled back in time!

The forest he seen through the binoculars was gone, the farmer's lands as well. All he could se now was the nomadic tent, and an wooden rack where fishes were left to dry. Nomadic feelings indeed!

The hike made PV tired and hungry! He looked around for a place to rest, and found the perfect spot by a big tree. He sit on a big root, which he used as a stool, and opened his backpack.

Unfolded the cloth that was keeping his food fresh, and checked his snacks. Two days into his journey and he was already running low. Two small baguettes and some bird drumsticks, couple of apples and some sweets.

If things would go bad and he will run out of fresh food, he will had to relly and the energy biscuits and the zingworms, as one of those critters would keep an explorer running for days. Time to feast!

He eat and he fell asleep! When he woke up ... his theory was proven... the lands were shifting overnight! The nomadic lands were now sands and sea! The fabric of reality is so thin, and everything changes so quickly!

He could see a remote hut in the distance, through the dunes and into the sea. There was a path paved by rocks that was making the hut remote into the waters. PV knew that there are some answers in there.... at the end of the road!

He started walking towards the hut, watching over the horizon, when he noticed that the sea started to cover the sands around. PV walked as quick as possible, then started running!

The path paved with rocks was now under the sea! All that was left was was him, the hut and the horizon! He managed to reach the hut, which by now was fully surrounded by the sea.

There was a strange glimmer into the horizon, and he felt sleepy! When he woke up... the lands shifted again! There was no more dunes of sands, no more sea and waves, neither the sun in the horizon!

He was still in the hut made of sticks, but he was shocked to see giant creatures roaming outside. PV watched through the window and seen huge snails roaming upon the dusty field. No vegetation around, only snails roaming in every direction. Was this a clue? Was this part of his journey? Time will tell!

Chapter Three - Uncharted

His journey started only one week ago, but it felt like years of struggle. From the moment PV stepped through the gate, into the unknown, he accumulated the experience of a lifetime.

A hard hike on shifting mountains, the sea that almost got him off-guard, the hut made of twigs, the giant snails... all gave him unique feelings. Now he was in the hut ... looking for the next stage of his adventure!

Between the intertwined twigs he noticed something that looked like a small shelf, and the gaps between the branches were giving enough intel that something was hidden behind. He slowly approached and moved the obstruction to see better.

There was a dusty book behind the twiggy wall, the ZING Guidebook II, which maybe will provide some answers. He wiped the cover clean and opened the guidebook... and all pages where blank!

His sorrow was fast replaced by hope, when his pazzport started to vibrate. He took it out from the backpack and the vibration turned into a beam of light, which started to create symbols on the first page of the book.

A map was revealed, with the hut as a starting point. His journey will take him into the deeps, as a mechanical noise revealed an opening in the floor. PV slide the panel away and seen poorly lit steps going below.

He ventured into the underground, with a bit of fear, one step at a time. It was dark and humid at the beginning, slowly becoming brighter with every step he was doing into the unknown.

After 200 steps, or maybe more, PV stepped on solid ground and had a look around. He was not in a cave as he expected, he was into the jungle and the sun was bright above. How was this possible?

The lands shifted again and he didn't even noticed. But he noticed the huge grungy totem ahead, in between wines and leaves. It was in a poor state, cracked and unstable. The curious thing was that the ground around it showed signs of impact.

It looked like this grungy totem fell from the sky! The cracks on both the surface and on the totem shows that the force of the impact was incredible strong.

He was still thinking about whom or what could have carried the massive rock, when he noticed the background noises! He focused on them and could hear whispers!

The located a strange gizmo nearby the totem, a device that was activated by his pazzport the same way as it happened in the hut. PV started pressing buttons and listening carefully to the whispers.

The device was some kind of journal, the travel log of another adventurer. It contained details of her travels, from stepping through the gate until the discovery of the grungy stone totem.

The last voice entry was "This totem has seen it's best, and it's a miracle it didn't collapsed yet. Looks like an useless rock! Wait... what is this buzzing noise!".

PV was intrigued by the last words, but had something else to worry now... as the totem started buzzing and vibrating! The monument was shattering, but then the pebbles on the ground where linking together like magnets!

He soon realized that he is in danger, as the pebbles were merging into rock golems. In the panic that followed, instinct took over! He seen some mining tracks going deeper into a cave, and he run towards them!

The golems were rolling towards him, and he was afraid that his demise will be cruel and painful. But this was not the end... as PV stumbled upon a mining cart! He gave it a push downhill and started the ride of a lifetime!

The golems were still in the chase, but clearly slower than the mining cart rolling down on the tracks. He threw out the mining gear to make the cart lighter ... and the ride was faster then ever!

The mining cart was sliding through darkness at accelerate speed, and the rock golems were left behind. PV was safe! After few minutes he could see light in the distance, and by the look of it... he was approaching the end of the tunnel!

The cart started to slow down, but not enough to stop without a bang! The halt was unexpected, as it stopped with a crash into some logs that served as barriers. He stumbled out and rolled few times, without major injuries.

He dusted off and noticed the end of the tunnel was leading to a ridge! He thought he went deep into the earth but now he was standing on a ridge at a top of a mountain. He was on the roof of the world, watching clouds running so close that he could touch them.

A movement made him jump, and when he turned he seen a fluffy cat chilling on the ridge! It was the cutest creature he ever seen, but he learned to take nothing for granted. Maybe the cute cat is a deadly beast?

The cat's eyes were kind, so PV approached the "beast" and touch it gently. The fluffy creature moved and revealed a rolled scroll, then put the paw on it end looked like it was inviting PV to pick it up!

He unrolled the scroll and could see a map, and familiar places. He could see the mountains where he started his trek, the hut made of twigs, the totem where he was chased by rock elementals, and the ridge where he was sitting now!

The map ended here, and the dots where pointing down... into uncharted lands. He was on the top of the world, and had to go down from there! The clouds where tick so he couldn't see what lays below! Everything is uncharted!

The cat shifted towards the edge of the ridge and jumped on a close-by rock, then on another one, and another one... until she got lost in the mist. PV understood that he had to climb down, and as his eyes focused.... he could pierce through the mist.

He could see that the way down wasn't impossible, as the rocks were going downhill as stairs. The shapes reminded him of rhinoceros, some mythical creatures he read about it. Gentle beasts with a big horn on their nose!

PV prepared his ropes, hooks and mountain gear, and took a leap of faith. He landed on the first platform, and prepared for another jump. It was scary but this was the only way down!

Chapter Four - Sadness

It felt like a lifetime since he left home, but our young adventurer was far from reaching the finish line. His journey started with great challengers, and came with an epiphany about what's yet to come.

He heard the whispers of old gods, and traveled across the shifting lands! His goal changed from finding answers to survival, as the hostile lands were both deadly and beautiful.

The guidebook he found in the hut was useless, the journal he found in the cave was useless, and the map he found on the ridge was useless as well. He got so far on his own, going against all odds.

PV prepared his ropes, hooks and mountain gear, and took a leap of faith. He landed on the first platform, and prepared for another jump. It was scary but this was the only way down!

He was nearly half-way, and his hands and legs were hurting from the effort. The mist was left behind, and he could see the plains below without any obstructions. He could see shapes in the distance... he could see tents and signs of civilization.

Camp Ahead! It was clear that other adventurers were camping in the valley bellow, and he was hoping to reach them soon. He was alone since the start of the journey, and was looking for guidance and support!

The young explorer reached ground level few hours later, and the fluffy cat was nowhere to be seen. He knew that the camp was straight ahead, and he started marching towards it. However, he had to rush, as the darkness will soon cover the lands.

PV had no choice than to find a place to rest overnight. His search was successful, as he found shelter between the rocks within the canyon. It wasn't the most comfortable bedroom but will serve the purpose.

He had a good sleep, and when he woke up... the lands shifted again. This time he wasn't that surprised as the previous times. He got used with the overnight metamorphosis, and was ready for a fresh new start.

Ahead of him was a maze, with metallic fences and yellow brick roads. He could still see the camp on the hill ahead, so he started to walk. PV soon reached the centre of the maze, where a giant rusty cube was set as a landmark.

The metallic sides were full or rush, a clear sign that the cube was there for eons. The state of decay was so bad that the rust dig deep into the cube's core. A big "DON'T TOUCH IT!" warning sign was carved on the front!

The memory of when was attacked by rock golems was still fresh in his mind, so he stayed away from the rusty old cube! However, he could still notice from a fair distance that the rust was moving in-between the cracks and holes.

He quickly realized that the "rust" was a colony of metal-eating insects, which could devour skin and bones in seconds. The thought of a horrible end made him fast in the opposite direction, and when the panic ended... PV noticed that he was at the end of the maze.

According to his calculations, he will reach the camp once he's out of the jungle. He had to go through the tick vegetation, and hopefully he will be greeted by humans in only few hours. PV took out his binoculars and looked for the best route, ready for another chapter of his expedition! All he could see was trees and bushes!

It took half day to be free from the jungle, and he was tired of chopping wines and branches! As the vegetation began to fade, he could see the camp. More tents then he noticed from the ridge, and something sinister over watching the settlement.

A tall scarecrow was looking towards him, and even if the effigy was lifeless... PV went into a deep state of sorrow. The camp had negative vibes, and a sadness he could feel but not understand. Even if the campfires where lit, there was no one around to greet him!

He looked around, trying to find clues on why the camp was abandoned. As he looked into the tents, he found an antique camera that looked in good shape. PV took it and add it into his backpack, but not before he took a picture of the scarecrow!

The journey continued, as PV left the camp behind and started walking towards the horizon. He followed a road that may lead towards the end of the adventure, walking slowly along palm trees and shrubs.

How long will take? He had no clue about what was waiting for him and how his journey will end. The test wasn't about reaching the end, was about learning along the way. It's the journey not the destination.

PV walked along the road for hours, following it towards what he believe it was the end of his awesome quest. His senses went into panic mode when the ground started shaking and a trembling noise was becoming louder and louder!

He had no were to hide, and also froze in panic in the middle of the road when a jumbo silhouette covered the sun. All he could see was a massive creature advancing towards him. As it moved away from the sun he could see that it was the kitten he met on the ridge!

The jumbo kitten was strutting down the road like it owned the place! PV's fear gone away when he seen the familiar face, and knew that the fluffy kitten was here to help him again!

Chapter Five - The Destination

The destination was close! He could feel that every step on the road was getting him closer to the end of the adventure! The sadness was still fresh in his soul, after founding the deserted camp, and his hopes to find other people were now low.

He had several near death experiences, and he become wiser and stronger. It was still a miracle he escaped the golems, the descent from the mountains, the colony of metal-eating insects, and his fear for the unexpected was gone!

He conquered his fears, and not even the sorrow he felt when he seen the creepy scarecrow made him think about stopping. The scars are ever-lasting memories of the battles he won!

Meeting the kitten was a blessing, as he was helped twice by it... and he now had an attitude of gratitude towards all the creatures that dwell in world. He had to finish his quest and tell the story!

Swift as every cat, even as big as it was, the fluffy kitten moved away from the road and only then PV seen a mysterious box. It looked like a compass... a navigator! He picked it up and noticed the strange notes, as this one had some extra writing along North, South, East and West. On the edges of the navigator was written "lies" and "truth".

Imagine a compass crafted from a weird metal and its edges etched with worst representing honesty... and lies! Was the traditional needle able to detects truth and dims in the presence of deceit?

PV's mind was running at an accelerate speed as he was looking at the artifact! How will the navigator will work when faced with a decision? Will the compass subtly vibrates to guide him to consider the implications of his choices and the intentions behind them? He was looking at the gizmo and didn't noticed his feline friend vanishing!

He placed the device in his backpack and wondered how such a big creature vanished without a trace. So much happened in the last weeks that he didn't even bother to overthink, and was already used with the weirdness!

Night came, and PV camped under one massive palm tree. He wasn't sure if he slept for five minutes or the whole night, but he jumped wide awake when he heard some violin notes!

The music was loud, as if someone was singing on a stage and he was sitting in the front row! He wasn't sure if he was dreaming and he rubbed his eyes and pinched his arm to be sure! In front of him was a violin... a living violin!

The musical instrument didn't talk, but continued to play a soothing song! It turned around and started walking down a path, so PV followed and let the music cure his sadness.

He walked for hours and noticed how the landscape shifted into a wasteland. The path diverged into two, and the violin continued it's march by choosing the left one. The guide's music was somehow hypnotic, and PV felt that something was wrong.

The Navigator? he thought about the device... and with a swift movement took it out of the bag. It was glowing bright yellow and the needle was pointing the path on the right! He was lured on a wrong path but his quick reaction saved him. He stopped and took the path that the compass was showing, and watched the violin turning into dust. The last notes were somber and sinister...

PV had a chill and panic took over... and he woke up! He was back home, in his room at the 13th floor in the Holozing Tower. PV was living in the Bio Dome's landmark, one of the last bastions of civilization, and was one of the young scholars.

He had such a weird dream, with jumbo cats and rock golems! All the amazing adventures he had were only dreams, probably generated by his brain due to the excitement created by his birthday celebration. PV was looking forward to the ceremony planned later on, a coming of age celebration for all the citizens that turned ten!

His dystopian home had clear rules, and one of them was the initiation ceremony! Every child will receive the code to open the "Chest Of Memories" left by their parents, and will be able to venture outside the bio-dome.

We froze when he turned his eyes at the desk! The chest was wide open, and most of the content was visible. Between scrolls and artifacts... he noticed a familiar device! He recognized the compass from his dream, the one that could detects truth and deceit!

_This story was created after the Holozing challenge that invited the crypto enthusiasts to draw after a daily prompt. The "Zingtober" content was fun to create, and I had to give it my own twist. I started by writing few paragraphs for each image, and then linked each daily prompt as parts of a story. _

I didn't expected such a positive feedback, and for the story to grow bigger and bigger! This is just the "beta" version, as I have more plans for expansion! Who knows... maybe a paperback book... maybe an NFT collection?

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