“Look Time, you can’t be yanking me away like that. It hasn’t even been that long since we last spoke.” I complained when Time’s hook finally stopped pulling on me through the emptiness between dimensions.
“I…” I utter before I notice that I can actually see. All around my bodiless form there are windows of sight into parts of the outside world inside the next dimension where Time exists. I can’t, at first, make heads or tails out of what I am seeing through each of the many view portals until a common theme finally comes into focus.
These are all points of view that Time has from eyes around his body, and they all are seen from different moments in time.
Regardless of this fact, one thing quickly becomes apparent as, within each of the windows, Time stumbles and falls to his knees. Time was cradling something in one of its hands and was trying to push it into a hole in the ground.
“Time! Buddy, talk to me! What is going on?”
“It is done. My children will find the light. They will finally fulfill their purpose.”
The viewing portals around me slowly started to frost the longer I watched them. Time was expending all of its remaining energy to force its hand and arm down into the strange hole.
“Awaken them and bring them to the source of my destruction. You will find what you need there.”
“Look, you didn’t say that you were going to die this fast!” I shouted, trying to get Time to focus on me and to be coherent long enough for me to understand what it was doing. Instead of answering me I was suddenly washed back inside the darkspace that I was within while I was speaking to the seven all at once. I could hear their voices speaking again, just as though I was indeed back in the same moment.
"Agreed. Time is running out. Two of us will die soon, leaving too few to hold the Void's attention. They will spread again, and the shield will fall." the floating spiky rock creature said.
"We are out of options. Out of Time." said the Eldritch abomination.
This time around I heard and understood what they were saying correctly. Time was on death’s door, and it had summoned me here right before it was about to die. I didn’t know who the second being was that they were talking about, but it was clear who the first was.
I could feel it all around me, like a shuddering of a great being’s last breath. It came in ripples, and I could tell that if I didn’t get out of its shared space before it ended, that I would join it in death as well.
“Hey! Can you please send me back?”
“Yes…” Came a soft reply as Time forced even more of its arm, all the way to its emaciated shoulder, into the hole. I could feel the sharp cold rippling around my mind and bodiless form. It was getting darker as Time’s body was shutting down. Something, some many things, had covered its body and was drawing its remaining life force away. Whatever it was, it was cold, and it had the ability to trade life force for frozen death.
“Am I going to die as well?”
“...no…” comes an even softer reply as lucid thoughts become hard to manifest. My mind was being pulled in so many directions and my memories were flying all around my mind. It almost felt like Time was looking for something within the moments of the last day spent on earth. It was trying to show me something before it faded away into oblivion.
My moments at my parents' house flew in reverse and was quickly followed by my ages spent in VR under my Prime Speed Control key, using my swarm to protect my home planet. Everything rewound quickly to the moment right as the light had burst forth from the Void Seedling surrounding me, pulling it all back into the seedling and causing Time to utter its next words. Words that I now realized were from before when we had met in the company of the seven. It hadn’t been answering me at the time to any questions that I had asked at first. Its sentence of “Yes, no, you made the trade.” was all for this moment.
This time, however, the answer continued.
“You made the trade and fed the Void Seedling all that it required to burst forth from its seed.”
An image appeared in my mind of my swarm body that I was inhabiting and showed, instead of an invisible shell, a swirling maze of infinitely small valleys surrounding my little form. Had the Void lived inside those invisible crevices? Did they propagate by using the black shell as a protective barrier for each new colony, a shell that my Void Seedling had given up in order to attach itself to me? I had no idea, they seemed just as alien to me as mushrooms were to normal plant life on earth.
“What does that mean? Burst forth to where?”
“You fed the Void Seedling spawn enough, emboldened it, so that it felt the need to go in search for more of the blackness that was stripped away by the shield. If it finds more, it will be able to claim all life in your dimension.”
It was getting so hard to think, to feel, to function. I had to hold on for just a second longer. I had to get an answer from Time before it died.
“You made the trade, now claim the prize, steal it from the spawns grasp before it can return!”
“Time! You are making no sense!” I shouted at the massive being before I felt it shove me away and back into the darkness that it had summoned me though.
“Time!!!” I shouted with everything I had only to come back to my senses screaming as I lay on the floor in my parents living room.
It seemed that my return had startled those that remained in the room, seeing the fact that the kids were gone, probably back to their rooms to protect them from the sight of their uncle passed out on the floor.
My mom, standing next to my father by the couch, had one hand covering her mouth and the other clutching her chest. Everyone had worry and fear painted across their faces. I could see relief begin to return to some of them, but not enough to count for much. It seemed that my episode had cemented something in their minds, perhaps the thought that I might yet have life threatening issues and that they might still lose me.
“Ah…” I let out as I lay there, looking around. George was kneeling over me, and he had several devices, very high tech looking, hooked up to my head and chest.
“Welcome back, Kevin. You had an episode.” George said to me, clearly only for the audience in the room. I could feel him requesting permission to play out a scenario where I was still sick and would yet need therapy and hospitalization until I had fully recovered, and I gave him the go ahead.
I could see that this had really shaken up my family and I didn’t want them to suffer like this again, not after they had already been suffering as they came to see me in the hospital.
“I see.” I say quietly as I lay there and listen to George as he explains what his fake machines had discovered while I was laying there. He used professional sounding words, putting my family at ease as he explained that he would check me into a recovery center for further study. His procedure to awaken me had been only a partial success and it looked like he would need further time developing his treatment before I was completely recovered.
“The good news out of all of this is, that the procedure works, Kevin is no longer in a coma. He just needs more treatments to stabilize his mind.” He said as he started to pack up his gear. Lights and a siren could be heard outside in the distance, probably from someone calling an ambulance.
My family soaked up his comforting words like water in a desert and I would have tried to say something to comfort them if not for all the emotional suffering that I watched them go through as I replayed what had happened while I was away from my body.
Yes, it was for the best that I got out of their lives until I was able to be functional around them. Either that or to let Meditati set up a placeholder in case it happened again, a simulation of my personality to maintain the illusion that everything was ok. I was a little upset that I hadn’t thought of doing this before it happened, it would have prevented the suffering that they just went through.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
I needed to do something before I left though, I decided as I pretended to struggle to get up from the floor.
George knew what I meant to do so he didn’t insist that I stay down. My mother rushed over to try to help me, and I gave her a hug in response.
“I need to go see the kids for a little bit. To tell them sorry and that I would see them when I am better.” I told my mom when our hug broke. She doesn’t say anything but only nods as I slowly make my way with Invicta protectively at my elbow guiding me to the stairs.
I can see that my brothers are fighting back and forth inside their minds whether they want to subject their children to more possible heartache, but in the end, seeing that I am weak and that it might be a while until I can come see them again, they decide not to intervene.
I left everyone’s sight and instructed Invicta to sit at the top of the stairs, as a layer of defense in case they decide that they want to listen in on what I have to say to the kids. I can hear the TV coming on as I get to the landing and for the announcer to suddenly have “An important announcement” to tell everyone.
I find Ariel sitting on the balcony by herself. Of all of the kids, she seemed to be taking it the hardest. She was sitting on one of the beanbags, nearly invisible under the blankets in the darkness as she quietly sat crying and looking off into the distance.
“Hey,” I say softly from the doorway as I push it a little further open. I think I startled her, finding her in the dark and alone. She probably thought that it was a good hiding spot to let out her emotions away from her cousins and older brother.
The darkness wasn’t an issue for me any longer, being as I could see perfectly with my swarm eyes regardless of the light.
The next moment she was a blur as she threw her blanket covering aside and rushed to give me a hug around my waist.
“Hey, it is ok. I am ok now.” I say as I smooth her hair and gently give her a hug back.
Her voice, full of mumbles and sorrow, spoke against my stomach, making whatever she was trying to say unintelligible.
I was at a loss for words until I felt a soft vibration pulse against my back where her arms were crossed. She sniffled before unlinking her arms and stepping back to look at her little watch that contained her Tutor. A tiny firefly pixy hovered in the air above the device, Ariel’s version of a Tutor, I supposed.
“It is ok Ariel. Your uncle is doing better.” The tiny voice said from the pixy. Ariel was clearly mesmerized by her Tutor as she worked at wiping her tears away while holding her wrist aloft to keep her Tutor in view. The little fairy was barely an inch tall and looked a little bit like a princess in her flowing robes and sparkles. Clearly it had been modeled after something that Ariel would love.
“Mommy says that I shouldn’t talk to you.” Ariel said as she wiped her eyes, finally wiping away all the tears.
“I know. She says that we are evil.” The little fairy said as she looked sorrowfully at me before she started to fade.
I reached out and cupped the little fairy in my hand, seemingly grabbing it and only letting the tiny light that she emitted leak through the gaps in my fingers.
“Do you want to see something interesting Ariel?” I asked as I moved my hand away, still holding the little glowing light inside my loosely closed fist.
“She doesn’t work that way silly; she is attached to my watch by a halogram.” Ariel said, getting the last word wrong as she was clearly repeating what someone else had told her.
“Oh? Really? Then what do you think about this?” I said as I opened my fist, showing a tiny fairy sitting in my palm as I walked away from Ariel and held my hand out over the balcony.
“You can leave and go make a home inside a tree until she needs you.” I tell the little Tutor while Ariel watches in amazement. The little pixy stands up before fluttering off a little distance away slowly, looking back between the two of us.
“Wait! Can I see you again?” Ariel asks as she reaches out her hand for the little sparkling figure.
The little Tutor laughs and bobs in the air, happy that Ariel wanted to keep her. “Yes, when it is time for your lessons. It may take your parents a little time before they understand that we are just here to help though.” She says as she glances at me for a second before pointing at a tree in the yard. “I will be living inside that tree until you need me. Just call for me and I will come out.” She says before flying away and vanishing inside the tree, leaving tiny starlike sparkles that remain after she entered the tree.
“Oh!” Ariel marvels as she watches the little lights as they remain softly glowing in the dark.
“How did you know that she could do that?” She asked as she leaned on the railing watching the softly glowing tree.
“Oh, because I have my own version of her.” I said as I leaned my head into the hall to call quietly to Invicta.
I knew what I was doing was a little crazy, but I thought it might be funny to see Ariel’s response.
“You do? Can I see him?”
“Him?”
“You have a girl as your Tutor?” She asked, her eyes round. “Can I see her?”
“Yeah, but you might want to stand back a little. She is a little… sparky.” I said as Invicta leaned her head around the corner, looking at both of us.
“Your girlfriend?” She asked in a giggly voice, clearly not believing that Invicta had any part of this.
In response to her calling Invicta my girlfriend the area around Invicta suddenly brightened by thirty percent, causing Ariel’s giggle to catch in her throat.
“Ustjay eavelay ouryay othesclay onyay easeplay.” I said to Invicta, giving her permission to fully transform into her smaller version if she wanted to.
The next instant the air is filled with sparkles and the smell of ozone as Invicta transformed and shrank before our eyes.
I watch Ariel’s face as she stares in wonder at the little flying figure of Invicta. Her mouth is open in awe and her eyes are alight with wonder.
“Why is she naked?”
“What?!? Ah!” I say as I grab at Invicta to try to cover her up and getting zapped in the process. It doesn’t hurt me in the slightest, but I do feel the tingle and know that I should at least try to pretend like it affected me.
“I told you to please keep your clothes on!” I whisper to Invicta as Ariel practically falls over on the floor at our antics in laughter.
“But they are on!” Invicta said as I peered at her for a second before we both turned to look at Ariel.
Turns out she knew Pig Latin because her parents used it around her often.
—
After seeing the rest of the kids and making sure that they were ok and assuring them that I would try to come by and visit again soon. I left them all and headed down the stairs to my awaiting friends and family.
Invicta was back in her human form, having secured a promise from Ariel not to tell her secret identity, and practically glowing from how often the boys and Ariel called her my girlfriend. I made sure to slowly increase the light in the living room so that they wouldn’t notice, hopefully, any of it coming from Invicta as we both reentered where everyone was gathering.
It seemed that we were gone long enough so that the new alien news channel had enough time to detail what was happening around the world and to give a timeline of what was to occur over the next week.
“Did you hear that they have free dental care?” I heard my older brother and his wife talking from inside the kitchen. “Yeah, and perfect vision correction procedures?”
Seems like the news had sparked some areas that interested each of them.
“How are you feeling son?” my dad asked as he turned away from George when he noticed me.
“I am doing ok, dad. Really. Sorry, that you all had to go through that.” I said as I glanced between him and my mom standing next to him.
“Well, that is good news. Doctor George here says that you are just in need of some therapy to keep your brain fluids constant… or something like that.” He said with a small shoulder shrug, signifying that he really hadn’t fully understood all that George had told him.
“I know dad. I feel ok and to be honest, I was quite surprised when it happened as well.” I say as I hold my head as though I was a little lightheaded. This increased their concern just enough to let me expedite leaving the house and getting into the fake ambulance waiting for me.
The night air was crisp and calm, belying the strange and very stressful day that the world had endured. It felt like everyone was just wanting to get to sleep and to wake up from this nightmare that they had found themselves in.
I waved goodbye to my parents and family as they saw me off at the door. My friends seemed to leave via their own vehicle, only to disappear down the block and to manifest in the ambulance with me once we had gotten far enough away.
“Meditati, I need you to study these memories and to see if you can make heads or tails out of anything that Time was talking about.” I say as I give them access to all of my recent memories.
“Tutor, I need to go wake up Time’s children and to see if they can help me to figure out what it was talking about. I think it may have had an answer to the Void Seedling that is imprisoning me.” I say as I review everything that Time said to me.
“Lastly, we will need to figure out a way to get to Time’s body. It said something about getting what I need from it.” I say as I stare off into space, trying to imagine a way to ever find its body in the never-ending branching space of the next dimension. Maybe the Leva King would have a map that might work? I didn’t know.
“Actually, Kevin, I think that you misunderstood what Time was saying.” Meditati said as she quoted the sentence in question. “Awaken them and bring them to the source of my destruction. You will find what you need there.”
“And? What have you gathered from it?”
“From it? Nothing. But from very recent events on a cosmic scale, possibly everything.” She said as she brought up a display showing news being broadcast on one of the many Tela feeds.
“If a being as big as Time stuck its arm through the dimensional barrier and out of the center of a star, it would probably cause it to go supernova like the giant red dwarf did while you were gone. The timing is too perfect to be a coincidence.” She said as we all looked at the display of expanding destruction.
“Yup, that would do it.” I mutter as we all watch a news replay of the eighteen planets that had been inhabiting the system just getting deleted from existence.