Dalirena entered the meditation room, tightening her cloak around her. She was more paranoid than ever, expecting a SECURE officer to barge in and arrest her any minute.

She sat down and waited anxiously. Part of her wanted to go to her bedroom and fall into a slumber, but it would be unwise. She couldn’t sleep, anyway.

Since the day she had that vision, she had tirelessly searched for a hidden way to contact Lisa and warn her of the upcoming competition. But with every attempt, she seemed to be exposing herself too much. SECURE was onto her, maybe tipped off by one of her previous customers. It wasn’t uncommon. Many of them were unhappy with the future they had, even though it wasn’t her doing. She was merely the messenger.

People couldn’t tell the difference between seeing the future and controlling the future. Dalirena merely saw what was to come. Whether she saw it or not, it would happen anyway. The difference was that the people knew. She would try to make it clear to them, but they still operated under that illusion, thinking they could make a difference by knowing about it.

Of course, that wasn’t to say that the future couldn’t be changed. Sometimes, warnings would come to avoid something catastrophic. Ruhirians had all types of visions.

This last one felt like a warning. Calista Medley was walking down a path to death, and as God’s messenger, Dalirena was tasked with informing those involved and trying to prevent it. The scary part was that 90% of the time, her species’ visions would be fulfilled regardless of any effort to change it.

She hoped she’d receive another vision that told of a solution, or some hidden hero she couldn’t see in the previous one. Some light in the darkness. She wasn’t sure she would be able to contact Lisa White at all, not with everyone on the prowl for her. Maybe not her specifically, but she was being followed. She could feel it.

She took a deep breath, sitting in the middle of her meditation room. She lied down on her back and put her hands on her chest, then closed her eyes. Deep meditation usually got her the answers she needed. Then again, it all depended on what the Almighty wanted her to see.

“Please forgive me… I know I’ve done wrong… but she doesn’t deserve this. Let me help,” she whispered.

Her vision eye opened, glowing powerfully. The soft meditation lights flickered as she entered the flow of time, traveling forward. Once again, she saw the young girl, emerald eyes shining in their glory. She wore a combat suit, but it wasn’t of the USA nor of Earth; it was… pink. Where would she ever wear that?

She then saw many other figures. Harrison Smith was first, then a Hajjian girl, then a… not a human. Mearthian? Then a Seeyastian, and finally, an Ilamikoan— Lílitha Houdge.

She saw Lisa White fighting multiple figures, but she couldn’t make out who or what they were. She seemed to be in an office…

Then Calista was with her sister, Catalina, crying with her. They were locked in a tight embrace, as if desperately clinging to each other.

Then a Hajjian boy… but he looked different than most of his species. He smiled, sort of mischievously, and approached Calista, who smiled back at him.

Dalirena was then surrounded by what felt like hundreds of fighters, all of them in a battle to the death. She could feel the cold, icy environment of death, as if knives were pointed at her from all directions. She didn’t understand what was happening. How would this happen?

Calista was then running, terrified. Dalirena was now in the perspective of someone chasing her. A hand reached out and grabbed the girl’s arm. As she turned, Dalirena did as well, seeing a hooded, shadowed figure. Their face was hidden.

Her vision eye closed before she could see them take off their hood.

The meditation lights flickered again, then went back to normal. Dalirena held her head, massaging the part of her forehead where her vision eye was. These visions were getting too crazy. She was used to them being ambiguous, but this was too much. So unclear and out of order.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

There was nothing coherent to tell Lisa. The most she could tell her was that the girl was in danger. Lisa herself was in danger. Something was coming to the Versus. She just wished she knew what.

But how exactly would she warn Lisa in time? The training period was over, and for sure, Calista would be on the team. There was no doubt about it.

Her sister knocked on the door. “Dalirena, dinner’s ready. You’ve been in there forever.”

“I haven’t been in here forever.”

“Yeah, you have. Come on, I’m hungry. Mon’s waiting.”

She sighed, rising. She turned off the lights and headed down to the dining room. Pustani was already at her chair, eating her food.

“Did you pray?” Dalirena sat down.

Pustani nodded hastily.

“No, you didn’t.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I did.”

“I know you.”

“Oh, my- I’m hungry! I waited long enough for you.”

“Pustani.”

She shuddered. “I told you not to call me that.”

“I mean business. Please, isa.”

“Just don’t say that name.”

“Let’s just say grace, okay?” She held her hand out.

“Do I hear bickering?” Their mother approached with a bowl of hot loln, a popular Ruhirian soup. She set the bowl down and held out her hands. Pustani reluctantly took her hand and closed her eyes. Once the prayer was over, she hurried back to eating.

“You’re such a pig,” Dalirena muttered.

“I heard that.”

“Good.”

“Girls.” Their mother gave them a stern glance. “We’re missing the lajke sauce.” She went to the kitchen for the handmade sauce. “You can start without me.”

“What is up with you lately?” Pustani drank some of her wine.

“What do you mean?”

“Your head’s been in the clouds. You’re always so anxious. You go out every day and don’t come back for hours. What have you been up to?”

“Nothing. I just… like to go out a lot,” Dalirena answered. “Many exciting things to see. I’m sorry if I’ve been… erratic lately.”

“I feel like you’re hiding something.” Pustani eyed her from across the table. “You usually tell us why you’re so jittery.”

“I’m…” —Dalirena trailed off— “excited for the tournament this year.”

Her sister furrowed her brow. “The Versus tournament, you mean?”

“What else?”

“I didn’t know you were a fan.” Pustani continued speaking while eating some meat. “Why the sudden interest?”

“It’s not sudden. I’ve always been interested.”

“I never saw you watch it.”

“Well, I’ve had a few visions about it and it seemed exciting, so I started following it.” At least she wasn’t completely lying.

“Uh-huh.” Pustani looked unconvinced. She swallowed and shrugged. “Well, when you’re ready to tell me what’s really going on, I’m home all day.”

“Can we discuss something else?”

They ate in awkward silence. Dalirena hated lying to her family, but getting them involved wouldn’t do anything good.

“Pustani, could you help me, please? I need to add a couple of tilk eggs,” their mother called.

The woman cringed. “Mother.”

“What?”

“What did I say about that?”

“Pustani is a beautiful name,” the older woman argued. “Come help.”

The woman rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen. Dalirena relished in the few moments she had alone until the two returned with the sauce. Their mother looked at Dalirena. “Dal-dal, you’re quiet. What’s on your mind?”

“Who knows.” The younger of the two eyed her with slight contempt. “She’ll never tell.”

“Isa… please.”

“What is it?” their mother asked.

“You notice she’s been going out all the time and acting all weird, and she won’t say why? She’s also been locking herself in the meditation room every day.”

Her mother gave her a knowing look. “Dal-dal, are you force-seeing?”

“No, I’m not,” Dalirena lied.

“Yeah, right. Just before you came down, I heard you crying up there.”

“I wasn’t crying.”

“Well, you sounded distressed. And then you get all tense when I tell you.”

“Dal-dal, I’m 267 years old. And I’m your mother. Tell me the truth.” Her black eyes stared at her daughter.

Dalirena ate hastily, practically swallowing her entire plate. “I’m full. It was delicious. I’ll be up.” She hurried away.

“Dali-”

She went to the teleporter, cutting them off. She felt terrible, but if she stayed there any longer, she’d crack and tell them everything. She couldn’t risk that.

She went into her room and texted the hundredth message to Lisa. ‘Lisa, this is your business partner. Once again, I’m trying to contact you about the deal with the other company. You need to break this deal. There are motives behind it. Please respond to me ASAP. This is entering very dangerous territory for both of us. Please respond. If you see this too late, I will try to reach you during the trip. Please read this.

Regards,

Your Friend’

She sent it, but was met with the same firewall block. She grunted in frustration. She had no choice now. She’d have to go to the Versus herself and try and contact Lisa there.

She needed another hidden AIDA she could use. By now, the passes were nearly sold out. She’d have to buy a black-market one… maybe three. Her mother and sister would be furious if she went all the way to Vorax without telling them. Maybe Dalirena could convince them that someone gave her the passes, or that she won them.

She only had a few weeks to find passes. Otherwise, it would be even harder to warn Lisa about whatever deadly future awaited her and her students.