Shawn struggled to rank which was the most bizarre thing he’d learned today:

The fact that avian aliens existed.

The fact that magic, or magic-integrated technology, existed.

Or, that other worlds, with other sapient species that could have come out of the game manual for a fantasy game, were floating everywhere.

Or, possibly the most dramatic factoid, was that magical rocks gave people powers in this world, after Telga gave him a brief explanation of the magic.

“I'm going to need a minute to process this.” He glanced around at the spartan laboratory, filled with equipment, wiring, and half-finished projects. Once again, strangely empty. “Telga, where is everyone else?”

“Mostly resting. It’s technically the middle of the night, but I heard the teleport activate since it’s close to my chambers.” It didn’t feel like the middle of the night, but Shawn also realized they were in orbit.

“I swear, you don’t sleep at all, Telga,” Regia pushed back, her cheek feathers puffing out. A sign of agitation, Shawn figured. “And, you pulled these two poor souls. Sucks to be you guys, I’m sorry in advance. Usually, we get some basement-dwelling losers with bad hair and degenerate personalities.”

Shawn sighed in resignation. Someone had soured the experience for her, long before he could prove himself. “I don’t basement dwell. I’m an engineer, thanks. I’m a man of science. So is my cousin." Regia perked up at that, eyes glittering with interest. “But, didn’t you just say that the last time she tried this was thirty years ago?”

“I’ve got a good memory.” Regia looked smug as she announced that. “Don’t ask a chick her age, though. It’s considered universally impolite.”

“Ooh, someone with a dose of snark! Shawn, you’ve been replaced as my favorite personality!” Claire called out with a grin. “Now, I’m no expert on Aveeran physiology, but I do know avians from our world live proportionately longer than their body mass would indicate. Mimetic birds such as parrots about the size of my arm,” she added as she gave them a scale to go on, “have been notable for outliving their trainers!”

“That was a long way to say, they age slowly,” Shawn stated dryly.

“We do. We live longer than humans, about five hundred Remarian orbits. The Radiants, those with exceptional powers, are theoretically immortal. Well, barring a violent outcome or being eaten by predators,” Telga summarized. “My brother is the most dangerous predator, preying on this world, killing those that resist him, enslaving the rest…or using them for unspeakable things.”

“We left this problem unanswered for too long, between us, and the other Radiants.” Regia leaned in, with the closest analogy to a ‘frown’ he could read from her beak, and her sullen eyes. “And despite my protests, Telga got her powers zapped by her brother, in an ill-fated attempt to find a solution on the core world, the bottom-most layer. This should not be your problem to solve, Shawn. For the record.”

“I appreciate the advice, but I have reasons to be here.” Shawn turned to peer at Telga, sitting composed. “Let’s talk about the gestalts. Most everyone on this planet can use some form of magic. Correct?”

“Almost everyone is born with a gestalt, or they can acquire one, from this.” Telga lifted a case from a locked cabinet, with no less than two separate layers of security locks. She opened the casing, made of some unremarkable dusty-looking metal, and pulled out a glass jar with a metal frame five centimeters in diameter. Housed within it was a blue fluid that seemed to glow with its own light. Inside, was a roughly hexagonal crystal array, no longer than his finger, that looked like bismuth–the facets appearing iridescent, as she shifted the jar gently.

“And by touching it, it will give me powers.”

“A simple explanation. It will absorb into your body, and the powers it may grant you, are varied. No two gestalts are the same, though some can be functionally identical.” Telga did not let go of the jar, but regarded it with a frown, and ran a thumb gently across the glass, contemplatively. “You’ve seen my light gestalt. Even without my full power, I can use it to generate light, or when concentrated, various simple rigid shapes that can interact with physical objects, or I can make energy-based projectiles. They can be…deadly, if need be.”

“Mine isn’t the same.” Regia held out her hand, and particles of a clear fluid formed seemingly out of the air. A wavering sphere of liquid condensed, hovering just over her claws, and she twirled her fingers gently. The globule of liquid slowly rotated, forming a torus shape, rippling dimly. What was fascinating, was that as it grew larger, Shawn noted the air seemed to feel a little dryer around him. “Can you tell what it is?”

“Hydrokinesis. The power over water.” Claire beat him to the conclusion and stared at it, fascinated. “You’ve accumulated the water moisture in the room.”

“Not quite. I think I also can store some elsewhere, where I can recall it later,” Regia explained, and held the globule of water aloft cupping her hands around it. It slowly took the shape of a small Aveeran, its form looking remarkably well-defined, despite being made of nothing but water. It even flapped its wings gently, in an incredible sign of animation. “I was born with it. I…also had to master it quickly. Not all gestalts are benign.” She gritted her beak gently, eyes lowered, before the figure broke into tiny particles of water that evaporated back into the air in seconds.

“Incredible. And you can control it to that fidelity, form complex three-dimensional shapes?” The possibilities of this one were immense, the potential limitless. He hoped she hadn’t had a bad experience that would limit her willingness to experiment.

“With the right level of focus? Yep. I can get them to move, manipulate, I can throw out a torrent of water…and occasionally, combine it with other gestalts to do some cool stuff.” Her mood brightened at that last mention, and she smiled. “It’s not as wild as some other powers I’ve seen, but it is mine.”

“So, you’re either born with it, or acquired through this material?” he pointed back to the crystal. “What is it called?”

“This is Etteria. The backbone of all magic in this world,” Telga explained, and tapped the container gently. “Anyone can touch the metal and it will grant them a gestalt–usually. It may also lead to some physiological changes, as well, in certain cases. Some good…others…” she trailed off.

Regia took note of the hesitation, beak pressed tightly. “Just tell him, Telga. No need to keep the suspense.”

Telga let out a whisper quiet breath, head tilted down. “Shawn, Claire, I’ve summoned others to help me solve problems before this, numerous times. Many went to live fulfilling lives in this world. But, the last time I tried, was almost thirty years ago. I had a…bad experience.”

“Meaning, the power went to their head, and they were a danger to themselves, and others. We had to put them down.” Regia pointed at that strange crystal with a single claw, her finger practically shaking. “And you want to do this again. To strangers who owe you nothing, Telga.”

“That part comes later. I actually have a different purpose: I need you two to study these samples,” Telga corrected, surprising both him, and Claire.

“Telga, before I commit to anything…” Shawn took a moment, and looked for a reassuring sign from Claire. But she was in utter focus examining the crystal, eyes tracing those gleaming edges. “What happened to that individual?”

“They became a monster. Not all gestalts end well. Some people…get controlled by magic. Not the other way around. Or, they believe that might makes right–that they can use that power forcibly upon others, and are beyond reproach.” Telga closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I won’t lie to you Shawn, I’ve made mistakes before. As a Radiant, I should be setting a better example, trying to guide people to enlightenment and a growing civilization. But I didn’t. Other people paid the price.”

“You can’t blame every fault on yourself, Telga. You’ve tried, which is more than I can say of the other Radiants. They’re content with sitting on their damn perch above the world, and showing nothing more than a sneering indifference.” Regia sounded solemn, her feathers no longer bristled. “You two should consider this: There’s no coming back from this. You can’t undo the changes, once you take in the Etteria. It may change you, in ways you don’t want to change.”

Her gaze never broke the lock from Telga, even as she spoke in a sharp tone. “You tried peace, Telga. It didn’t work. He’s not gonna stop, and you know it. I told you, take out his golden general, and he could be delayed by months, or even years!”

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“That was a plan of futility, and would have had less effect.”

Shawn put up a hand of restraint. “Okay, I’m not sure what your contention is with each other, but I have more questions. Why do you need me? And what are the risks?”

Telga straightened up. “I have some theories about Etteria I’ve gleaned in recent years. I want an outside mind–well, two, now–to explore the material. I want to study the crystals we haven’t been able to before–and how we can use it against Revarik. I have a theory that there is a way to beat him, without fighting a battle we have no hope of winning.”

“That’s Telga’s plan A,” Regia said with a ruffled set of feathers. “It’s also a plan that banks on us finding a solution to deal with her brother. He is dangerous and powerful. You how they say, a general should never be at the forefront of his armies? Well, he does that sometimes. And when he shows up? Armies get murdered and cities die, turned to ghosts and ash. Luckily for us, using his full power like that takes a lot out of him, then he has to go on vacation for like…a few weeks.”

Maggie for Fate’s sake, if you’re on this world somewhere? I hope to whatever powers exist in this world, that you weren’t there when this guy started murdering cities. Shawn nodded while he processed this. “This implies there’s plan B. Probably a crazier plan, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s crazy,” Regia whistled. “We hand that etteria off to someone who can use it, which could lead to a number of really bad things happening. Worst case? It doesn’t kill you, and it makes you into someone monstrous,” she stated calmly, her gaze shifting to him, and looking decidedly less hostile. “Best case? You get powers. Then, we fight a battle we have no chance of winning, against an egotistical god who is teetering on madness.”

“That was the best case?” Claire echoed. “Screw it, send me and the enginerd back to Massachusetts–”

“Claire, hold up a tick,” he interrupted before she could start venting. “There may be other ways to help without rolling the dice on dangerous magic. I have expertise in manufacturing, weapon design, and modern infrastructure that could help, indirectly. And studying the Etteria. I do know materials.”

Claire straightened in her seat. “I don’t know how far along your chemistry and other physical sciences are, but we may have knowledge that could be useful, even without attempting to take on funky powers. No offense, I’m a little wary about messing around with magic crystals.”

Shawn realized something, the way Telga kept regarding, running her finger across the case--not a nervous tic, but the way someone would trace their finger over a photograph, or other memento important to them. A thought clicked into place. “This Etteria is different, isn’t it?”

“It came from the core world. This sample…and its twin…” Telga sighed and glanced at the casing. “The material will only bond with someone who doesn’t already have a gestalt. It won’t work on myself, Regia, or anyone else here in this sanctuary.”

“Except us.” Shawn mulled his response. This world below him had problems. Danger was building, if he believed Telga. Danger that she had witnessed personally, and already taken losses. “If this material is so prevalent in your world, why only two samples? Why not more, and recruit an army?”

Telga’s eyes dimmed, as did Regia’s, and her gaze lowered to the sample. “These are different. These are a rare kind of Etteria–primal crystals. It was…not easy to acquire these.” The strain in her words, the way she held the case close to her chest, told Shawn that this price had been too high for her.

“You lost people, trying to get these. I can see it on your face. They were so important, you were willing to put yourself at grave risk.” Claire, ever the insightful one, beat him to the punch. Regia opened her beak to say something, but Telga put a hand up. Claire continued, speaking softly. “Why?”

“Because I believed this was the only way to stop my brother–to find a champion, with power and cunning to match his own. Which meant, I had to take a risk.”

“You were betting on a Hail Mary, weren’t you?” Shawn’s theory found purchase, and Telga nodded, running a thumb across the glass gently.

“A fleeting hope?” Regia regarded her counterpart, arms crossed over her chest, claws tapping her armor. “More like a foolish hope. But an honest one.”

A sharp metal chime filled the air, and Regia glanced down at her armor vest–a silver disk with small runes etched on it had lit up red, and she put it up to her ear crest–a tuft of feathers that sort of looked like an ear. “Garrett, it’s the middle of the night, what is it?”

“We lost ground-side communications with our primary contacts.” A sharp male voice broke through. “Arcane transmitters are not working except on our close-ranged stuff, too. I can’t reach Vea’lant or the Valtirian capitol. I’m headed down to the portal to check it out.”

“Do it, as a precaution.” Regia placed the silver disk back in her vest pocket, frowning. “Telga, I worry you might have overplayed your hand. When you activated your teleport pad to reach the heavens, you lit off a beacon any competent arcanist could follow. You took a massive risk without consulting me.”

“A necessary risk–”

A thunderous sound shook the whole room: metal cabinets rattled, and a few jars tumbled and shattered. Shawn felt his feet sway, and they were all on alert. The disk on Regia’s vest glowed bright red.

“Telga, Regia, all hands on deck! The cargo platform is compromised, they blew open a locked bulkhead, I see it on the observation lenses!” Garrett called out in a squawk of panic, and he tapped something in the background. Alarms started going off like shrill whistles. “Security team, rally at the stairwell by the observation floor! Regia, get Telga out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you, Garrett!” she responded, a warble in her words.

“You damn well will, if you want her to live through this! Get the emergency teleportal escape plan going, right now!” Garrett barked, and she went wide-eyed, before tapping the relay.

“If you can’t contain it, you fall back. Don’t make this a hill to die on.”

Claire looked ready for a fight. Telga was terror-struck. Regia looked like she was about to murder some fools. Shawn knew he needed to make a decision, right now.

“Telga. You say you have two samples? We’re using one. Right now.”

“Shawn, this is a monumentally bad idea, and you know it is!” Claire’s biting words did nothing to deter him. He locked eyes with Telga.

“I have one question for you, Telga. I need you to be honest with me.” He took a deep breath, prepared to brace against an answer he knew might destroy his will to keep going if he was wrong, and Maggie was likely already dead.

“Did you take someone else, ten years ago?”

“No. But, why?” she asked, sounding confused.

“Shawn, don’t–” Claire’s warning to not tip his hand came too late.

“The person who was taken ten years ago was my sister, Maggie Pentecost. The whole world believed she drowned when we fell into a river during the winter, when the ice broke. It grabbed her, and they dragged me out, barely alive. Her body was never found. I know the truth now: she was taken here, by someone else.”

“Shawn…” Telga’s eyes were wide with dread. “It has been ten years. This world is filled with danger. The odds of her survival…” she trailed off, unwilling to state how faint a glimmer of hope there was.

But it was still there.

“Why would two people who know each other, both be pulled by the same magic, on a planet of eight billion people?” he asked.

Telga’s answer was a deflated sigh. “The pull of regret, Shawn. This magic always seems to pull exceptional individuals. I couldn’t tell you why. But sometimes…Fate is cruel.”

“Then I’m here for this reason. I’m right where I need to be.” She slid her clawed hand away from the case. He hit the latch, with the dread building in the air. He glanced at that crystal suspended in the blue fluid, feeling the vibration on his fingertips as he gripped the canister. He glanced at Telga. “If there’s anyone scrappy and resourceful enough to survive this world, it's her. Help me find her, help me bring her home, alive. I’ll help you in whatever way I can against Revarik. I think it's in both our best interests to work together on this one.”

“Shawn, you’re trying to rationalize a stupid idea with a fantasy–” He ignored Claire, and waited for Telga’s answer.

Telga stood resolute, and nodded firmly. “Done. Your sister, Maggie? It might be possible to trace her. Or at least, who brought her here.”

“Good enough to start. Claire, protect that other sample with your life," Shawn instructed.

“What about my say in this?!” she snapped. “Shawn, you are taking a monumental risk with your own life. You’re being irrational, emotional, and this is a bad idea on every level,” she insisted. This was the first time he’d seen fear etched in her eyes. “This is what your mom was worried about. You get obsessed, and you’re going to chase a ghost. It wasn't your fault. She’s gone, Shawn. Don’t do this.”

Another thunderous sound of devastation, and the room shook again. Garrett’s voice came through the relay. “Regia, we can’t hold them, you need to run! Grab Telga, and tell her that her brother’s zealots are here to finish the job! If she stays, she’ll die!”

“But what about the staff, there’s sixty people here–”

“Telga is the only one that matters. We are expendable.” The shock on Regia’s face, her beak agape, told Shawn she was not prepared to leave him.

Shawn knew, it was now or never. Whatever this was going to do to him, couldn’t make their situation much worse, and turned his gaze to Telga. “If I don’t survive this…promise me you'll find her, and keep Claire safe.” He hovered his hand over the jar, ready for a plunge into the unknown.

Telga stiffened, her actions no longer plagued by hesitation. She gave him a firm nod. “You have my word. Help our world, and I will do everything in my power to keep you two safe, and find your sister.”

“Shawn, rethink your choice, there’s an armory nearby, we have a contingency escape,” Regia interjected, trying to edge closer to him, her face tense. “I have watched good people die horribly because of the gestalts. I don’t know you, but I don’t want your face added to the people I have to remember.”

“Regia…he’s made up his mind.” She turned to Claire, a look of acceptance on her face. “He does that. He sets a goal, and gets to it, every time."

“Ah, by the Radiants,” Regia sighed while she threw open a cabinet, grabbed supplies and stuffed it in a case, as if she had a plan in mind. “Every human I meet is just a little bit crazy.”

“Not exactly untrue. If you die from this, Shawn?” Claire asked, her whole body tense. “I’m using your corpse for science. You live through this, I still might use your dead-assed corpse for science.”

“I love the ringing endorsement for really bad ideas.” He closed his eyes and went back to that moment. When he saw Maggie gasping under the ice, falling into the portal, and his own body was shutting down from the cold. He’d barely made it back above the surface. He remembered her last pleading look.

Don’t let me die.

He opened his eyes, his mind utterly tranquil in the chaos around them. “Maggie told me the most important thing in my life. There’s no hope, without bravery.”

He was not going to die in orbit before he’d even set foot on Remaria. He was going to find Maggie and bring her home. He would survive to make that happen for all of them, no matter what it took.

Even if he had to fight his way past a self-declared god, to do so.

He plunged his hand into the jar, and grabbed the crystal.