by Kyle West
The Point of Origin is the meeting of the physical world and the world of the Radaskim consciousness. When you enter, yes, you die to this world, and your minds will enter the consciousness. It...is a strange place, far different from the physical world. Within the Radaskim mind, you must find Askala and join with her consciousness
She doesn’t exist physically? I asked.
No, Elekim, Quietus answered. Otherwise, she could merely be destroyed. But you cannot destroy that which has no physical manifestation. You must conquer her mind, and that can only be done by entering the Point of Origin.
And all of us can enter it? I asked.
Yes, Quietus said. It would be death for anyone who did not have the xenovirus, but the virus will allow you to enter the Radaskim mind.
Even as an Elekai?
Yes. Even as an Elekai. There are deeper rules, deeper realities, within the melding of consciousness. An Elekai may exist among the Radaskim, but a Radaskim may not exist among the Elekai.
This has to do with the dominance of the Elekai virus?
Yes, and it is also why a Radaskim can never learn the Secrets of Creation, which are housed within the consciousness of the Elekai. If ever a Radaskim entered that consciousness, they would immediately become Elekai.
And that’s what will happen, when we enter the Point of Origin?
Quietus paused. It is not so simple. Askala will be fighting on a familiar front, a front that is unfamiliar to you or any of the Elekai. Her greatest strength would have been in destroying you before you ever arrived here. You have evaded her so far, Elekim...but it isn’t over, yet. The Radaskim consciousness is like a maze, and you would do well with a guide. Quietus paused. That is why I’m going with you, along with Askal.
You’re both going with me?
Askal looked at me intently. It seemed like everyone, dragons included, would be fighting with me once we passed through the Point of Origin.
Now sleep, Elekim, Quietus said. Askal and I will keep watch. I do not think she will attack you – not here. Besides, the Radaskim fear you, and they will cling to the safety of the Destruction Shore. Rest, for where we are going, you shall need it.
***
Despite Quietus’s ominous tone, I fell asleep as soon as I lay down. It was a long time before I stirred, and when I opened my eyes, it felt as if I were in a dream. The swirling black Sea of Destruction crashed against the rocks far below.
I sat up, focusing on the Point of Origin. It looked the same as it had before, but it still awed me with its immensity and power. The Two Seas, Creation and Destruction, fell into the maelstrom, melding into one. I couldn’t see the very center, hidden by the tumultuous waves, but I knew that was my end point. It wouldn’t be long until we were all entering it.
Around me, everyone else was waking. Everyone stood, stretched, and looked over the edge of the rocks at the roiling sea below.
“Crazy,” Michael said. “I wonder what Julian would think of all this.”
“Or Ashton,” Anna said.
“Jesus,” Michael said. “I can’t believe they’re gone.”
“I just want you guys to know,” I began, “that you don’t have to do this. I know you have people waiting for you, up above. I have nothing there. Everything I have is right here.” I paused, trying to collect my thoughts. “If anyone decides to take one of the dragons to the surface...no one will judge you for it.”
Everyone was silent for a long time.
“There’s no shame in turning back,” I said. “Michael, I know you have a family...”
“I’m this far,” Michael said. “I’m not turning back. I’m here until the end, wherever that is. I’m doing this to protect my family, and you’ll need me, Alex. I’m not backing down now.”
The others nodded. I looked at Makara, Samuel, and Ruth.
“I’m with you,” Makara said. “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
Ruth didn’t say anything, only giving a slow nod.
“We’re all in this together,” Samuel said. “As we all agreed earlier.”
As one, we turned to face the whirlpool, watching its swirling ichor fall toward the center.
“If everyone is ready...”
“Let’s just stand here, for a little bit,” Makara said. “I have stuff to say.” It was a moment before Makara continued. “Whatever happens down there...it’s been good, fighting with you guys. I have no idea if it all ends right here. It probably does. But I couldn’t have asked for a better crew, and I would never have imagined we’d be standing here, like this. We made it a lot farther than I ever thought we would. The fact that we’re standing here, at the center of it all, is an amazing achievement.” She turned, looking at each of us. “Don’t forget that.”
We continued to watch the Point of Origin. Finally, I had a few words to say.
“I was planning on doing this on my own, as much as possible. But I learned a valuable lesson. When you try to do everything on your own, everything proves to be impossible. Just knowing I don’t have to face this alone...it makes it easier. And a part of me thinks we have the strength to do this. The Wanderer told me a prophecy. Though a thousand worlds will fall, one will remain.” I looked at everyone. “I think that’s our world. We won’t let our world fall, and we won’t stop until the Radaskim have been defeated. Like Quietus, they’re imprisoned in there. But we have the power to free them. Even Askala. I can defeat her, but I will need your help to do it.”
“We’re all with you,” Makara said.
“I know. There might be a time, though, where there’s something that only I can do. If that time comes...then watch my back. Make sure I do it. It still all hinges on me, and there’s a time where I’ll have to go the final distance alone. If there is...promise me. Promise you’ll stay back, and get out, if possible. That’s my condition. That’s the only way you get to come with me.”
It was a long time before anyone else spoke. I had no idea where those words came from, but I felt, deep down, that there was some element of my needing to do something alone. I was Elekim, and in a sense, to be Elekim was to be alone. Only I had the power to infect Askala, and none of my friends could help me with that.
At last, Anna nodded. “We’ll go as far as we possibly can. But make us a promise as well: don’t go on alone unless you absolutely have to.”
“I won’t,” I said.
Everything had been settled. There was nothing more to say. We were all in agreement, and we all knew what we had to do, so far as we could ever know.
With that realization, I said the two fateful words.
“Let’s move.”
We mounted our dragons, Anna and I taking Askal while the rest climbed on Quietus. I felt a sense of both dread and peace, a strange combination. Dread, for what was about to come. Peace, because I knew it was the only thing that I could do. That it was what I was supposed to do.
It was my destiny as Elekim.
After we had settled, I connected minds with Askal.
Ready?
In truth, no. But we must do what we must do.
Then let’s go, I said. To the Point of Origin.
A moment later, Askal kicked off the ledge, spreading his wings. Before we fell too far, he glided over the surface of the black ichor. Quietus and the rest followed close behind, and both dragons flapped wings in tandem.
The tall rock was left behind, and the Point of Origin advanced all too quickly, growing larger in my vision. We would be over it within a couple of minutes.
Anna held on tightly, knowing we would only have a few more moments in the physical world with no guarantee of return. I knew for sure I wouldn’t be returning, so I cherished Anna’s touch, the feel of her face on my neck. It was something I would never experience again.
“I love you,” I said. “Never forget that.”
“I won’t,” she said. “I couldn’t forget that, even if I tried.”
“Without you, I could have never done this,” I said. “
You’re everything to me, Anna. Because of you, I have no regrets.”
Anna was quiet. A great hiss filled the air as we neared the whirlpool, just a minute away from crossing its horizon. The wind gusted heavily.
“There was so much more we had to do,” Anna said. “So much more we had to see.”
“We can’t think about that,” I said.
“I know,” Anna said. “Just...hold on to me, when we go in there.”
“I will,” I said. “I promise.”
We passed over the horizon. Below, the light of the Point of Origin shone upward, bright as the sun. I shielded my eyes as Askal sank lower and lower. We were now even with the ichor of the Two Seas, and still we sank lower into the whirlpool. Both dragons’ wings were outspread, spiraling toward the single bright point.
As we neared, the world faded. Images swam before me, but still, I felt Anna holding on. I grabbed both of her hands tightly, using only my legs to stay on Askal’s back. My vision failed, and my hearing became filled with white noise, until it was almost the entirety of my senses. Still, I felt Anna’s hands, and that feeling let me know that I was okay, that she was okay.
We kept falling, falling, until it was so bright and hot that I felt as if I was burning alive. We were suddenly pulled down. Askal had disappeared beneath me completely.
I shot downward, incredibly fast, feeling my body disintegrate and fade into the maelstrom. Though my body was now gone, my thoughts continued, struggling for something to grasp onto. But there was only the surrounding whiteness, a great nothing extending in all directions.
And in time, even that nothing faded, until I could experience no more.
Chapter 24
My first thought when I came to my senses was that this was far too beautiful to be anything created by the Radaskim.
Wide silvery trails arced from my position in miasmic streams. An infinite white mist spread in every direction. Points of light floated in the air, nodes toward which the silver streams flowed. I looked down, seeing that I was floating in the air, the mists descending for what seemed forever. It was like looking onto a galaxy of stars.
I focused on one of the nearby nodes of light, toward which one of the streams flowed in a cascade of molten silver. I needed to go there. As soon as that thought entered my mind, I flowed across the stream, like electricity along a wire, until I connected with the node. I looked around at my new surroundings. There were thousands upon thousands of these nodes, just floating in the mist like stars.
I’d have to search among these nodes for the others. I transferred myself to the next node. Movement was easy; all I had to do was think of the neighboring node and will myself to travel there, and I could do this so long as the nodes were connected by a silver stream. As I became used to this new state, I was flying from one point of light to the next in a flurry of movement.
After five minutes, I’d lost all sense of direction. Here, there was no down or up, east or west. There wasn’t even gravity. This place had its own rules, and I had to be careful since I didn’t know them.
I had just paused to collect my thoughts when I saw an orb of pink light racing along the streams. It bounced back and forth between the starry nodes, incredibly fast. I knew it had to be someone else. If we’d all entered by the same place, it would make sense that we were all in the same area. At least, that was what I hoped.
I made my way toward the moving pink orb, which had paused on a node below me. I directed my attention there, finding the quickest path.
The orb was still. I was only one connection away. If I wanted to move on, I needed to occupy the same space.
So, I raced along the stream, connecting to the node, joining with the energy. When I did, I found that I was not alone. Somehow, I knew I had come upon Ruth.
Alex? Is that you?
Yeah. It’s me. This place is really weird.
I know. Have you seen the others?
No. They have to be around, somewhere...
There were these black lights chasing me a while ago, but I think I got away. They...sort of looked like you, only black.
Like an orb?
I guess, Ruth said. I don’t know what they are, but I don’t think they’re on our side. We should keep moving. Find the others.
I watched the surrounding nodes and connecting streams, but saw nothing of these black orbs. I was thankful they weren’t here now, but they could show up any second.
I decided to turn back in the direction I’d come from. If Ruth had come from the other direction, then that was probably where these black orbs were. We traveled together, shooting from node to node as a single entity. Joined together, it seemed as if we were going faster than when I’d just been on my own. We sped faster and faster until our original area had been left behind entirely. Beyond the streams and glowing nodes, a thick constellation lit the distance, its collective glow radiant and mesmerizing. All the streams seemed to lead there.
Maybe we should go there, I thought.
Look.
My attention was drawn below. A bright pink orb shot along the silver streams as three black orbs gave chase.
We changed our direction to head straight down, following the chaos of streams so fast that everything passed in a blur. The three black orbs had converged on a single node. Apparently, they also had the ability to join, and with that joining, the black orb brightened considerably, shooting off toward the pink orb at a much higher speed. It seemed like when orbs joined, they became brighter and faster. This applied to both the black orbs and the pink ones.
We raced downward, seeking to cut off the path of the pink orb. That light was brighter than when I had seen Ruth, but it wasn’t as bright or fast as the black orb. This made me think there were two people sharing that energy. If that was the case, then if Ruth and I could intercept, it would be our four against the black orb’s three. Hopefully, that would be enough to tip the scales in our favor.
The black orb was only two nodes behind the pink one. There was a node that the pink orb was heading toward, the only clear spot where we could intercept it.
That node, I said. That’s where we meet them.
We were just a few nodes away. We flowed from stream to stream, connecting to the target node. At the same instant, the pink orb fused with Ruth’s and mine’s.
At first, I felt only shock. Then, I became aware of Michael and Askal’s presence.
Alex? Michael’s voice said. Ruth?
Yeah, it’s us, I said. We need to move.
The approaching black orb, was only one node away. It hesitated, trying to decide if this was a fight it would take.
We are too strong for it, Askal said.
The black orb flowed away, as quickly as it had come.
Sweet, Michael said.
They’ll be back, I said. And next time, they’ll have more. We still have to find the rest.
We saw some of them, over toward that group of really bright lights, Michael said. But those black lights chased us away.
Then we need to go back, I said. Everyone keep an eye out. We’re definitely not out of this yet.
***
With all four of our energies fused together, we were able to go faster than ever before. We raced toward the thick, interlocking nodes in the distance, on our way seeing a pink orb. It was about as bright as Michael and Askal’s had been, leading me to believe it was two people. We were missing Anna, Makara, Samuel, and Quietus.
But as we raced along the streams, the mist darkened. The only light came from the streams themselves and our own emitted aura. Black orbs flowed from every direction, all heading for the node where the lone pink orb stood its ground.
Hurry, I said.
We raced along the streams, but not before one of the black orbs attacked the pink one. The pink orb shot from the node, right toward us, as if knocked back. We moved to intercept it, connecting on the same node. I became aware of both Makara’s and Samuel’s presence.
Alex! Makara said. It’s jus
t me and Samuel.
We need to find Anna, I said. Quietus, too.
Right now, we need to run, Samuel said.
I saw Samuel’s point. Already, many of the black orbs were converging, forming an orb that would far overpower ours. It was time we left.
I oriented our orb toward the constellation of lights, glowing in the distance. We flowed along the streams at breakneck speeds, able to outpace the black orbs still converging. Soon, they would be fast enough to follow us, and we did not know these paths as well as they did. We needed Quietus to show us the way to Askala’s consciousness.
Even though Quietus was the one we needed, finding Anna was more important to me. I could only hope that the two of them had found each other, somehow. I couldn’t bear the thought of Anna being alone in this hostile place.
As we shot toward the constellation, the nodes and interconnecting streams were so close and tangled that it was dizzying to even look at them. Quietus was right; this place was a maze, and without her guidance, we would surely be overtaken by the black orbs sooner or later. In the overwhelming amount of lights, I searched for any pink orbs flowing along the streams. So far, I hadn’t seen any. There were too many streams, too many nodes...
There, Ruth said.
My attention focused on where Ruth was looking. And there it was. A pink light, navigating interlocking streams at incredible speed. It was as bright as Makara’s and Samuel’s. Hopefully, that meant Quietus and Anna were together.
Behind, the black orbs had regrouped, chasing us along the silver pathways. I watched the pink orb, twisting and turning through the silver conduits, getting closer and closer. I realized that they were coming to us. As much as I wanted to stand my ground to make it easier for them, we had to get moving – the black orbs would reach us before they did.
So, I directed our energy along random pathways, hoping to confuse our pursuers. Several of the black orbs fanned out on alternate paths; to my dismay, some of them even shot ahead of us. I angled downward, only to find several more black orbs rushing to block our retreat.
We had been completely penned in.
