Chapter 32

Dylan sipped the last of Ra’Nelle’s tea while Adama briefed him on the situation. “The Luminary has informed me Bane’s ship, along with the armada, have passed Saturn’s solar orbit and our defenses have retreated to regroup. He estimates you have half a day before it reaches the Earth. If they do, even the Scion’s power will be unable to stop them from destroying the entire population. We also believe Bane’s ship has the firepower to destroy Shasta, which, in essence, would cripple the entire planet.”

“So even if I make it, we’ve got a fight on our hands.” Dylan’s eyes narrowed, weighing the severity of the situation. He looked across the room at Zalee, who was readying a small pack for the trek.

“Dylan, the Scion has always had a life filled with sacrifice. Those sacrifices do not go unnoticed. Shasta will aid you. Do not get in her way. In fact, take cover. The animals, they do not understand your words, yet they know your thoughts. Speak to them as you would a friend and they will be there for you.”

“Got it.” Dylan bounced like a boxer before a fight.

“One final thing, Dylan,” Adama said. “Your power will manifest further and be less damaging to your body once you are synchronized. Until then, your power is emitted rather recklessly. When you release it, imagine you are taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. That will help you to control the power and how it affects you.”

“I have some things for you, Dylan.” Zalee handed him a brown cloth sack.

“Oh, no!” Dylan pounded his fist to his hand.

Zalee flinched, insulted. “I had hoped you could use these.”

“No, no, Zalee,” Dylan gripped his forehead. “Not you. I just remembered… I dropped our backpack.”

“Do you still need it?” Zalee asked.

“I guess not, but it had this chime in it-” Dylan’s eyes drifted, realizing it was the last gift Max had given him, and also his way to call Chevro Buffer.

“Dude, I didn’t even think about that.” Norm shook his head. “Maybe we can find it on the way back.”

Dylan sighed. “If not, we’ll never see Chevro Buffer again, either.”

“Chevro Buffer?” Adama asked, his eyes widened.

“Yeah, he brought us here.” Dylan perked.

“I know the chime you speak of. I will do my best to see that it is returned.” Adama nodded. Almost on cue, a Steller Blue Jay flew through the window, landed on Adama’s shoulder, chirping. Adama whispered only a few words before the Jay darted out the window again. “The best eyes on the mountain are working to find it.”

“Thank you,” Dylan said, relieved. “It was just the last thing Max gave me.”

“I understand.” Adama wrapped his hands around the young Scion’s. “But Dylan… Max will always be with you.”

Dylan nodded and closed his eyes, absorbing Adama’s truth.

“So,” Zalee interrupted, opening the pouch she made for Dylan. “Inside is Lemurian crystal dust.” She sprinkled tiny bit in his hand.

“It tickles.”

“It creates a flare and can hurt the void. I also put some comfrey poultice from Ra’Nelle. It will help you heal even faster. Though I hope you won’t need it.”

“Thank you, Zalee.” Dylan tucked the pouch into a pocket and leaned to hug her goodbye.

She surprised him by grabbing his head and kissing him full on the lips again. “I have a better one for when you return,” she whispered and hugged him as tightly as she could. “Please come back to me.”

Zalee released him, tears in her eyes, and stepped away. Dylan looked at Norm and smiled. “Dude, I don’t care how dreamy your eyes get, I’m not gonna kiss you. But even though I’m not going… I’m with you, brother.” Norm bear-hugged him, then extended his knuckles for what he thought might be his last fist bump.

“Thanks, Norm.” Dylan started toward the doorway and turned. “Norm, if something happens, just make sure Nan’s ok.”

“She’ll think I’m just there for the food. And she might be right, but… you got it, Dylan.”

Dylan hugged and thanked Ra’Nelle before leaving with Adama.

“This is a levidisc, Dylan. Simply shift your weight in the direction and think about where you wish to go. The northern tunnel will exit just above the trees. Take the trail just to the west, toward the top, but beware of avalanches. The slightest noise can set them off. Remember, night has fallen and when a void consumes your soul, you cease to exist.”

Dylan swallowed hard. “I’ll try to stay clear of them. Thank you, Adama, for everything.”

“Thank you, Dylan Maximilian. May the light guide you.”

Dylan’s levidisc hovered toward the North end of the massive cavern and disappearing into the tunnel. Norm, Ra’Nelle, and Zalee joined Adama outside the healing den.

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“He may already be the greatest Scion I have known,” Adama said, Dylan’s image shrinking against the shimmering crystal walls of Telos. “He has endured much loss… and even if he succeeds, he will endure even more.”

“Whaddaya mean?” Norm asked, scrunching his eyes behind his glasses.

“If he succeeds, he will have much to look forward to.” Zalee said, somewhat perplexed.

“A Scion’s life is filled with sacrifice,” Adama turned to Norm, “Dylan, unknowingly, sacrificed more than he knows.”

“I’m still not following you.” Norm shrugged.

“The Praesidium knight who rescued you was indeed captured and is no doubt being tortured by the Terovians.” Adama’s words trailed off. “The Praesidium… her name is Alaris.”

“Her?” Norm asked, somewhat surprised. “The space knight is a girl?”

“A female, yes. A human.” Adama took a deep breath. “She is also Dylan’s mother.”

Dylan emerged from a tunnel on the north face of the mountain just above the tree line, the night giving way to the brisk high-altitude gusts. A light drizzle whipped through the trees below as began his ascent. Within minutes, his shirt already damp, clinging to his arms, Dylan absorbed himself in thought. He missed Max, worried about Nan, and wished he could spend more time with Zalee. And the lost chime, the last thing Max gave him. Would he ever be able to call Chevro again? Through it all, since he awoke in Telos, Dylan had a strange longing to know more about his mother.

His worries raced from one to another with no rhyme or reason, only a surreal anxiety blended into the pain where Vorgan’s blade had torn through him. Dylan was not at full strength and probably not doing himself any favors by pressing this hard, but after his dream of Adama, he had a clearer understanding of his role. Waves of purpose and selflessness clashed with his own fear of failure. If he did not succeed, all the people he loved, all the people everyone loved, would die. No pressure.

Trudging up the cold, wet rock-face, Dylan thought of everyone he knew. Their lives, their families, the pictures above their fireplaces of birthday parties, holidays. A warm buzz wrapped around him from the inside. He imagined all the people in Westwood, the country and the world. He stopped. Sensing. Everyone. They all had one thing they’ll fight for. To the death if necessary.

It’s all about love. The words consumed him. There was no choice, his task in life, stronger than any feeling he’d ever had. It was in his heart the way a soldier selflessly fights for those he does not know. Dylan, once envious of other’s lives, knew how much love he and everyone had in their lives and this was his opportunity to save it, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

“Purpose,” he said to himself when he heard a tiny mewling from behind a pile of rocks. He thought to ignore it, but after only a few steps, a tingle in his center told him to investigate the sound.

He carefully sidestepped across the slick surface, looking, feeling for any sign of the void. He peeked the pile. The mewling grew louder and then stopped abruptly. He ignited the tip of his finger for light and leaned forward. A shadow squirmed and drew back, wedging itself into a crevice. Dylan reached closer, casting a light over the tiny creature. The puppy popped its head out, startling him, and licked his glowing finger.

“What are you doing here, little guy?” He picked up the wet, trembling ball of matted fur. Dylan figured it to be a coyote pup. “How’d you get up here? Did you lose your mother?” As the words rolled off his tongue, the baby coyote nuzzled him, looking for a warm place. Dylan couldn’t help but think of himself and how he was alone. “Orphan too, huh? I know the feeling. What happened to your mom?” He cradled the puppy under his arm, a vision flashed in his mind. His thoughts shifted to the first animal he met on Shasta. The one who sacrificed herself so he and Norm could escape the void.

“Ka’ana,” he murmured. “Was Ka’ana your mother?” The puppy whimpered, pressing tightly against Dylan to keep warm. “Well, little guy, I owe your mom big time, but I can’t take you back down.”

The baby canine growled, wiggling up to lick Dylan’s face.

“I think you get that if I leave you here you probably won’t make it alone, so… you want to come on this crazy trip with me? I’m supposed to do this by myself. But they said the mountain will help.” Dylan paused. “Maybe you’re supposed to be here.” To Dylan’s surprise, the pup hopped down and headed up the incline. His tail wagged, bounding easily across the loose rocks, showing the safest path for Dylan.

“I guess you’re in.” The pup looked back and scratched his paw on the ground. “Do you understand me?” The puppy barked. “Okay, but you gotta be quiet. Let’s try something. One scratch for yes, two for no,” the puppy responded by scratching once. “Are you a raccoon?” Dylan asked, to which the little dog growled and scratched twice.

“Okay, that worked. Now you just need a name. How about… Rover?” The puppy scratched twice, looking as insulted as a dog could, and trotted up the mountain. “Okay, okay. Rover’s a dog’s name. Sorry. Wait, are you a girl?” Dylan chased after the pup, doing his best to keep up.

As they climbed higher, the inclines and ridges became sharper, steeper, slicker. His sneakers were losing traction on the wet rock. The coyote continued to make the slippery slopes look easy, while Dylan clawed his fingers into the hard surface for any additional traction. Despite his enhanced physical energy levels, he was tiring.

Dylan reached a semi-flat level and sat on the damp ground to catch his breath. His hands stung, cut and shriveled. A faint glow below his skin. Blood filled the pruned creases until the rain washed it away, leaving no sign of injury. The little coyote lifted his other hand with his tiny, wet snout.

“We gotta come up with a name for you.” Dylan paused for a second. “How about Rocco? I mean, I found you under a rock.” The pup scratched his paw once, shook himself, and snuffled Dylan’s hand. “Okay then, Rocco it is.” He patted his wet-furred friend between the ears.

Wisps of fog like ghosts hovered around them as dark, bulbous clouds settled on the peak. “It’s getting worse up there.” Dylan said, motioning up the mountain. “It only gets steeper, so if you don’t want to go-” The little dog looked up at Dylan with soulful eyes, and fearlessly trotted up the mountain. “I like your style.”

Rocco’s ability to choose the easiest path kept them moving up at a decent pace. They came to another ridge, even steeper than the last. The gentle drizzle built into a steady torrent of fat drops. There was no way around it, but straight up. Rocco took a running start and made it halfway up before dropping to his belly and wiggling the rest of the way up. Dylan dug his fingers hard into the rock face, the rain pounding; every inch gained an effort.

Thunder rumbled across the sky as he crossed the half-way point of the incline. Clenching his eyes shut tight, he ignored the pain, fighting for the best grip. With every muscle burning, Dylan grabbed hold of the ledge and pulled himself up. He braced his foot to give one final push when the stone under his hands broke loose. Tumbling backwards, he instinctively flipped to his side. Over and over, he rolled until he bounced away from the rock-face and into the air before he crashed to a halt. He groaned in agony, trying not to scream or cry. Electric jolts shot down his arm, throbbing from his neck to his fingers. He tried to move it, only to find it was stuck underneath him. Slowly, he wiggled enough to free his limb, but when he tried to raise it, he almost blacked out from the pain. He cradled his arm, knowing until his healing ability took effect, it was next to useless. The rain washed over him like a waterfall from the sky when a familiar chill crept over Dylan… and the air sucked out of his lungs.