With what resembled a mouth, an empty cavern on its face, the Switcher attempted a sneering smile. “Friend, you know I only want what is best for them. I will be gentle with my delivery,” the Switcher lied.

  “Oldest first. Would you like to guess, Walter? Or should I say Wally?” As the Switcher spoke Walter’s nickname, the creature morphed into the dark silhouette of a short teenage girl. Its voice perfectly mimicked Walter’s crush. The figment floated inches from Walter’s face, taunting him.

  “That’s impossible. I’ve known Stacey since grade school,” Walter gasped at the appalling betrayal.

  “Time is my friend, and patience is my ally. My plan started many centuries ago. I’ve lived countless personas that spanned a human’s lifetime. Do you think a single childhood is of any consequence to me, Wally? What do you truly know of Stacey? Have you met her family? Have you seen her house? Your innocence made you gullible and easily fooled,” the Switcher bragged.

  Walter hung his head, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. To ensure it delivered blows as quickly as possible, the Switcher turned its attention to Dez. As it began to speak, the dark silhouette shifted to a lumbering man with a booming voice. Dez immediately recognized Mr. Rothchild. “Oh, EC3315763, ruling over you was particularly satisfying. Isn’t your life just terrible? And to think, a chance at happiness was right under your feet. You naively believed E-Corp would eventually benefit your parents’ lives, but E-Corp was created by me to benefit me and only me.”

  Not wanting to be encumbered by her E-Corp identity, Dez completely ripped off her already dangling sleeve. In her anger, she balled up the jacket piece and threw it at the insidious brute. The sleeve harmlessly passed through the Switcher and hit the ground with Dez’s identification patch faceup. Red-faced, she yelled, “You tyrant! You’ve created all our suffering!”

  “Oh no, my valued member, Euporians, as all humans, created their own suffering. I just nudged people in the right, I mean, wrong direction.” Keeping the momentum, the Switcher finally focused on Arabella. “Ah, the youngest. This confession is going to be particularly cathartic. I’m immensely proud of how close I was able to get to you.”

  The girl’s hands trembled as she looked to Author for comfort. With a pat of the chest and a reassuring nod, Author provided the support needed. Arabella tightened her fists at her side to steady her hands. She was ready to hear the ominous news.

  The Switcher shifted its form once again as it began to hum an intimate tune, “A Daughter’s Dance.” The dark silhouette changed into a previously reassuring profile. “Hello, my precious daughter. Would you like to take a walk to Gryffin Park with me?” spoken in Caius’s voice.

  Arabella’s face twisted in anguish, tears rolling down her cheeks. The father she once loved was a farce. The young teen had never experienced heartbreak until now. The weight of this news sat heavy on her. Reveling in this reaction, the Switcher gleefully offered more devastation. “Don’t cry, my child. It’s not all bad. I’m not actually your biological father. Your upstanding mother had a relationship with a common man before she married me. You are a product of that unspeakable connection in a plane obsessed with status. Thankfully, I was there to swoop in and rescue the family’s honor. How silly? To let tradition and formalities determine one’s future.”

  Not believing the Switcher, Arabella quizzed, “If you’re telling the truth, then who is my real father? And, what about Maximillian? None of what you say makes sense.”

  “You’re not as smart as I thought if you haven’t figured it out yet. Ask your foolish mother. You’ll probably be happy to hear that I’m not Maximillian’s father either,” the creature taunted.

  With pain in her voice, Arabella responded, “But my father was so kind and loving to me. Clearly, you’re neither.”

  Caius’s avatar grinned and snickered. “Arabella, you’re being small-minded. Think about it. I walked you to the park, said a few flowery remarks, and taught you some nice songs. That’s it. It was all a means to an end.

  “After my ‘death’ is when I did the real work. I’m most proud of the manufactured journal entries I left for you. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. You have idealized our relationship.” The Switcher took great pleasure in twisting the knife deeper into Arabella’s heart.

  The creature returned to its revolting form. Addressing the group, the Switcher said, “It was all a ruse. I positioned myself in roles of authority or influence in each of your lives to cause as much strife as possible. Arabella, I divided your mind by multiplying your sorrow. Dez, I held your head below water by keeping you above ground. Walter, I pierced through your heart by going around your sensibilities.”

  “You weren’t the only ones I was concerned with, though. I wanted to create as much destruction as possible on each plane, and I’ve become quite good at that over the last few millennia. In Aurelia, I lulled them into their own complacency through abundance. In Euporia, I struck fear into their lives through oppression. In Immerxia, I overwhelmed them with an abundance of inconsequential information. Really, manipulating the planes was utterly easy. I only employed one tactic in each plane. I am ruthless but calculated in fashioning suffering.” The Switcher savored these moments in the spotlight.

  Not wanting to entertain the Switcher’s madness any longer, Author ended the creature’s soapbox monologue. “Enough! You’ve served your purpose for today. The next time we meet, you will not be so cavalier. Do not underestimate The Intrepid Three.”

  The trio of teens felt the tension rising between the two powerful beings. Their fear firmly cemented them to the pulsating vegetation. All life in Animus was aware of this pivotal moment. The Murk slowly encroached on the heightened situation. Late to the gathering, Lumen raced over the rolling hills to defend their leader and The Intrepid Three.

  As if sensing the danger Arabella was in, Maximillian slipped out of the family compound in search of his big sister. The boy rushed toward Gryffin Park. His sense of worry began to override his short but distinguished gait. Usually after sneaking out, he casually strolled around Aurelia, but it was unlike Arabella to disappear, especially for this long. No call, no message, and no sign of Arabella for at least eight hours.

  Along the well-lit road that led to the park, Maximillian perceived flashes of stringed lights in his periphery. There was no time to waste, though, so the brother did not slow his pace. He entered Gryffin Park and searched for his beloved sister across the fifteen acres of trees and ponds. Maximillian continued to notice the peculiar threads of light throughout his search.

  Almost ready to give up hope, the child paused as the illuminated ropes swayed directly in front of his face. No longer able to ignore the anomalies, Maximillian focused his attention. The atmosphere flapped open at different points as it waved. The boy stood in front of one of the openings. On the other side of the portal was a creature staring back, and it was unnervingly kindred.

  Arabella’s little brother was faced with one of his own iniquities in the form of a Murk. Maximillian and his evil refraction maintained an arm’s length distance. The dark monstrosity shared the boy’s proportions and features. The main difference between the child and his dim reflection was the creature’s spectral body. Even from the other side of the locus, Maximillian could tell the Murk possessed an immaterial frame. As the form watched its creator intently, it paced side to side. Waiting.

  17

  ANIMUS MONDAY 11:47 P.M.

  “Our time has not concluded. You’re not the author of my path. I’m quite enjoying myself. Why don’t I give your three children a sampling of my force?” Without waiting for an answer or giving anyone time to react, the Murk initiated an assault. With giddy anticipation, the Switcher backed away from Author and the impending conflict. It planned to watch and revel from a shielded distance. The Lumen sprinted forward to counter their attack.

  As the supernaturals advanced toward one another, Author shouted to The Intrepid Three, “Follow Lux! Hurry!” With feet planted, Author removed the trusted stylus, Calamus, from a concealed jacket pocket. The powerful being held the object up to the oncoming army of Murk, which were only twenty feet away and approaching quickly. With a simple stroke of the instrument, Author erased a single Murk with a slash. Author continued this motion to defeat each nearing enemy.

  The gobsmacked teens froze in the middle of the battlefield. It was as if their legs turned into cement. Lux, whose typical dimensions were the size of a duffle bag, had grown to the size of a car. It hovered over the teens while repeatedly flashing a blinding white light to get the three teens’ attention.

  Dez, the coolest under pressure, grabbed Arabella and Walter and pulled them forward. Lux flew toward the Lumen, leading the unprepared adolescents away from the fight. Before they could reach the safety of their allies, a phalanx of Murk broke rank and ambushed the fleeing party.

  Recognizing the sneak attack, Lux cast its light as far as possible, enveloping The Intrepid Three as they escaped. The legion of Murk was surprised by this defensive measure and could not slow their blitz. Dez, Arabella, and Walter braced themselves for the imminent impact. The group of evil soldiers crashed into the light of Lux and immediately collapsed. The three teens did not slow their pace as they looked back upon the lifeless Murk.

  The escapees crossed through the first rows and columns of the Lumen's noticeably loose formation. It did not take long for the three promising heroes to run beyond the small company. As Walter quickly assessed their odds of survival, he recognized a stock-still figure on the crest of a nearby hill. The seated girl appeared horrified as she watched the mystifying scene unfold.

  The Intrepid Three painstakingly sprinted along the ever-changing gradient of the hills toward the young woman. “Caroline! Go! Caroline!” Walter screamed in horror.

  The boy grabbed the handles of his new friend’s wheelchair, swiveled it around, and pushed her forward to keep her under the protective cover of Lux. All four of them continued to dart up and down the hills of Animus. On one of their climbs, Walter gasped to the newcomer, “How did you find me?”

  “I have no idea. None of this makes sense,” Caroline replied breathlessly as she helped propel her wheels forward.

  Behind the teens, the supernaturals prepared for impact of their opposing hues. The beings knew the collision of light and dark would create devastating harm. A loud whirring from within the dominating Murk met the beat of deep bass drums from within the Lumen. The Lumen halted and formed a defensive position. As each Lumen joined the growing blockade, they intensified in radiance. The Murk, undeterred, prepared to fire their first round of armament.

  Author, having the foresight of the events to come, turned away from the Murk and spotted the retreating group of teenagers. They were safely away from the battle and climbing one of the many hills in Animus. Once again, Author readied Calamus.

  Author drew three invisible circles in front of the distant group. Their respective planes clearly appeared before the fleeing crew. The atmosphere opened to Immerxia for Walter and Caroline. Aurelia appeared before Arabella, and Dez could see The Core in of Euporia.

  Immediately following these motions, Author brought hands together at chest level, still holding Calamus, and quickly flung them apart. Lux multiplied from one celestial body into three. The starry forms continued to protectively hover over all the teens and their loci.

  In the same moment, the first wave of the Murk’s weaponry came crashing down on the wall of Lumen. The sinister creatures rushed into the wounded ready to devour their enemy. Upon this impact of the gleaming and tenebrous supernaturals, there was a great explosion. A blast wave flattened the vegetation under and around the Lumen and carried beyond the battlefield.

  The blast reverberated across Animus and threw the teens back to their separate homes. Lux, in its three embodiments, followed through to the three different planes and quickly closed the loci behind each of them.

  Effortlessly moving amongst the casualties, the Murk reached out and drew in the surrounding darkness between their hands. As if the darkness was tangible, the evil beings manipulated it like clay into missiles. Synchronously and without an utterance, the Murk fired off their next volley of darkness. The black projectiles rose like a tsunami, high in the sky.

  Within the split second before the impact, the remaining upright Lumen emitted forceful sparks of light from within their bodies. The flickers, which appeared miniscule compared to the Murk’s weapons, blazed forward with incredible speed toward the enemy. Upon contact, the tiny flares exploded into great balls of light, engulfing the ill-fated Murk.

  The missiles crashed down.

  18

  ACROSS THE PLANES TUESDAY 12:33 A.M.

  Dez felt the familiar ground of The Core’s tunnels under her feet and used the force to maintain her stride. Unlike the other teenagers, fear was a constant in Dez’s life, so she knew exactly what to do. Run. Dez was propelled forward faster with the fresh memory of the haunting scene. As her feet barely touched the ground, she shouted, “Lux, what just happened?”

  Walter and Caroline, with Lux floating above, skidded across the floor of the library. The astute girl recognized the impending collision with the circulation desk, so she locked her wheels to save them from a nasty impact. From the momentum, Caroline tumbled face-first out of her wheelchair and barrel-rolled up to the heavy furniture while Walter flipped head over heels and landed comfortably in the friend’s padded chair. Realizing what had just happened, the boy popped up and rushed over to the still girl. Walter gently rolled Caroline to her back.

  “If I had known you could make the library this thrilling, I would have gotten you here a long time ago,” Caroline quipped.

  Astonished at her jocularity, Walter asked, “Are you alright?”

  Before she could answer, he gently carried Caroline to her wheelchair. The pair tightly held hands and stared at each other in disbelief. The new sidekick gave a reassuring squeeze to the boy’s hands.

  Looking up to Lux, Walter inquired, “Lux, what are you doing here?”

  Arabella’s momentum forced her back into Gryffin Park and coincidentally into her brother’s stocky frame. The two children hit the ground with a thud. Realizing who broke her fall, Arabella embraced Maximillian with great emotion. While still in the lush grass, Arabella slightly loosened her grip and said, “Max, I have so much to tell you.”

  With wide eyes, Maximillian pointed at Lux and exclaimed, “Can you start by telling me what that is?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything,” Arabella promised her little brother. Raising her head, she asked, “We have to do something. Lux, what do we do?”

  Lux, in its three separate embodiments, bounced above the heads of The Intrepid Three in each plane. The guides heard all their questions and simultaneously communicated with all of the teens, plus Caroline and Maximillian. No noise left the stellar formations, but all five heard their inner voices speak to them with the words of Lux.

  The spirit began, “Do not be afraid. You are safe for now. You may be separated by planes, but you are together in task and purpose.”

  Addressing each member’s question, Lux continued, “Dez, you saw the beginning of the great last battle. The warring is still ongoing, and it will continue until you all succeed. Author is untouched and is rallying the remaining Lumen as we speak.”

  Without hesitation or leaving room for response, Lux pressed on, “Walter, I am here to guide and protect you all. Author, with wisdom, multiplied my single embodiment and separated me into three parts. I am with each of you now and forever, and will always be available.”

  Lux persisted with a greater emphasis. “Arabella, your task is not small. Author has entrusted you three to restore the world. To begin the restoration, you must find others who will believe in your mission and become transformed in their deeds. And then, you must use your gifts to end the war once and for all. I will help you hone your abilities. Dez, you will heal the physical and emotional scars of people to prepare them to fight. Walter, you will touch and manipulate the tangible world to gain an advantage over your enemy. Arabella, you will use your understanding of the future to warn others of what is to come.”

  “Who do we approach?” Walter asked.

  “Anyone. Everyone. Every person is a word, and every word is precious to Author,” Lux said. “Tell all you can of what you now know. It does not matter who they are, what they have done, or how they appear. Oftentimes the people who appear most righteous are the ones who need the saving. People have become obsessed with labels, rituals, and dogma, but they do not prove a person’s worth or value. You must try with every person, and they must decide for themselves. They may not care for you, but you must care for them.

  “The more people who choose to be transformed, the more Lumen will be created, and the more Lumen created, the stronger the force opposing evil. War has already begun in Animus and will soon come to all the planes. We need as many people and their Lumen as possible to fight for humanity.”

  The soundless voice continued, “Now, you will need help with this challenging mission. I implore that you select a few trusted individuals to be your companions and support along this difficult path. This will not be as easy as it sounds. They have not seen what you have seen, nor heard what you have heard. But these exceptional friends will sharpen your abilities to pierce through wickedness. I will also guide and protect those who decide to accompany you.”

  Lux, in three bodies, moved with unity and fluidity in the three separate planes throughout the entire conversation. The cosmic constellation twinkled, almost as if winking, as it said, “Walter and Arabella, I believe you may have your first volunteers already. If they are willing, Caroline and Maximillian will be invaluable to you.”

 

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