Embaixador

by Marcus John Beltran

“No!” I screamed in horror as the young girl jumped to her death. In that apartment over there was a young boy who injected a drug into his arm. He was handed another dose from a dark one as the boy gladly accepted. For the last time, the boy shot up, overdosed, and died.

  Everyone was listening to these fucks! They were all doing exactly as they said, while they gave whispers of death with a smile.

  All of these dark seekers were tormenting the people while causing belief arguments, fighting, stealing, and killing of all forms. They stirred up an unrelenting rage throughout the world, turning all of humanity against itself, fueling the wrath of political leaders, biker gangs, drug cartels, and gangs of all kinds. The seekers forced the hands of governments and presidents to war with other countries, while stirring hatred among the people, causing riots and race wars.

  All this while the seekers participate in music videos, movie screenings, and world events, celebrating in a mocking fashion, right in front of the blind people as if distracting them. Everyone was being used like puppets, as they cheered, laughed, and praised the carnage they created throughout the world. “Oh, yes! Help them, dammit!” I yelled in frustration to the figures in white, who were trying to stop the dark seekers. The ones in dark were even morphing into the forms of people with great deception, while possessing others.

  I saw these dark figures took the forms of young children and the elderly, and the drunken homeless who lay on the side of the road. I even saw a tiny baby suddenly walk around a corner, and morph into a demonic figure. The ones in white were desperately trying to stop and protect the people. Even though the light figures were greatly outnumbered, they still fought vigorously to guard and protect the people from the ones in dark. The ones in white were only helping some of the people, though, not all of them, for some reason.

  They can’t win. They’re losing! I thought.

  The dark watchers of the people preyed on them mercilessly. They caused all forms of horrendous evilness, pitting the people against each other. They are killing all of humanity! I thought. Enraged, I lunged to grab one of the dark seekers as they flew by, and went right through them. My heart sank, and I was filled with sadness, realizing I was helpless in the face of the chaos around me.

  I blinked a third time and felt my heart stop. I was blinded by a piercing flash and began to fall to the ground below.

  “Ah!” I kicked and swung my hands wildly as I fell, and screamed in horror. Woomph! I shot right back up, hovering once again in midair as my sight returned. When I looked again, I gasped. I was now looking at another realm entirely. Everyone and everything was illuminated with such intense, majestic radiance, it took my breath away. I looked to the ground below Maximino Jr., who was back in his mighty epic form, in battle stance. His epic, transparent wings were widespread with beams of intense light projecting from his eyes.

  All of the dark and light figures were now transformed into mighty, enchanted warriors. All the light guardians and dark seekers were viciously fighting each other in the air, on the ground, and in the sea. The light guardians fought riding on the backs of majestic horses with eyes of blue fire. The dark seekers fought, riding on sinister and demonic horses, bears, and wolves with beaming eyes. Every animal was nothing I had ever seen before. Almost humanoid, all of the animals were fighting vigorously.

  With brute force, all of them bucked, kicked, and swung their hooves, claws, and tails, with electric surges as they hit. There were others who fought in the sea, as the dark seekers rode on enchanted, battle-hardened, demonic sharks and fierce stingrays with red eyes and fire about them. The guardians rode on enchanted, battle-hardened seahorses and dolphins, who launched powerful ripple surges of water with swings of their tails.

  I even saw others fighting in the sky, as they rode inside the clouds. They rode clouds as chariots with bolts of fire surging throughout the cloud.

  Suddenly, total darkness covered the land. I looked down, and noticed an enormous shadow. I looked up and saw a massive cloud overhead, and stumbled back.

  I realized the cloud was alive! It was a giant electric cloud warrior.

  There were enormous cloud warriors, with blue bolts of fire surging through them, as the others had black bolts of fire, clashing overhead. “Oh my God,” I uttered in fear. Below were all the people, the roamers, who were in blurred forms, as Tiana and Taylor were back at the construction site. All I could see were the people’s faces in a blurred bubble as the mighty warriors battled all around them.

  The ferocious battle was unfathomable to witness as intense beams of light and fire flew back and forth, covering the sky. Every living thing on the planet, in the air, on the land, and in the sea, was now in a mighty majestic form, battling relentlessly. It was an all-out war!

  The trees, were mighty, majestic warriors that fired enchanted leaves that were alive themselves. The trees’ leaves were live mini-drones, vigorously seeking out their targets. The birds launched fiery talons from their claws, as the tiniest of ants shot electric beams from their antennae. The fireflies were now fierce and mighty, projecting laser-like beams from their eyes.

  Every small, timid creature and animal we knew of was now an enchanted, battle-hardened warrior. The fish launched blue bolts of fire from their fins, while the eels, jellyfish, and plants projected intense laser-like rays into the sea. Everything from the smallest insect to the largest animal transformed into an epic battle form, fighting alongside the mighty angelic warriors to the death.

  “Help them! Why aren’t you helping them all? We’re losing!” I yelled at Maximino Jr., who remained still. The sounds of grunts and clashes intensified around me as the devastating carnage continued. Unable to take it, I closed my eyes. “Caleb!” a voice yelled from below me. I looked down, and it was Tiana!

  I found myself standing back on top of the oil rig. Everything was back to normal. “Are you okay? Caleb, come down!” Tiana yelled again. I sighed in relief.

  I was in great shock and frightened by all I had just witnessed, and began sweating profusely. I hurried down the rig’s ladder, and rushed over to Tiana, hugging her tightly. I was unable to hold back all of the emotions as tears streamed down my cheeks. We all headed back inside, where I shared my experience on top of the oil rig. Upon hearing it all, Tiana began to cry.

  “You really are angels, aren’t you?” Max Jr. looked back at me, and to my surprise he said without his thick accent, “Caleb, we have no time to waste. Now that you’ve been enlightened to this revelation, Dain will quickly find out. And the second he learns of this; he will come after you with everything he’s got.”

  I felt my heart skip a beat, hearing this. Max Jr. said “Only together will we be able to beat him. Before we can defeat Dain, however, there is one last thing we must overcome.”

  “One last thing? How much more of this can one take? Who, or what are you guys?”

  For some reason Jr. Looked down at my feet.

  31

  A walk above

  A deep buzz echoed the room, and my feet became as cold as icicles. I looked down at my feet and noticed the carpet. What’s this? The carpet is suddenly another color, and it’s moving? It’s dirt! I thought, frightened. “What the hell is going on here?” I said.

  I looked up and found myself outside somewhere. All around me was a vast, gray wasteland.

  How can this be? I wondered. Tiana and Taylor! Where are they? Is it that dream again? I’m not sleeping, though!

  Unable to comprehend what was happening, I looked around. The screeching of the wind pierced my ears. I looked to my left, then to my right. Nothing for miles. I look behind me to only see more dirt, sticks, and rocks. Tumbleweeds roll here and there, and I see hills and bushes for miles. My feet started to hurt.

  I was barefoot. What the hell am I wearing? Some sort of a gray, raggedy, sleeveless covering. I heard howls from animals in the distance, as dust clouds surrounded me. I felt my stomach sink as I realized I was utterly alone.

  I walked around, to exp
lore this strange land, and I noticed something moving in the other direction. I felt as if I’m being watched. Is it a person over there, next to that hill? Cautiously, I headed over for a closer look.

  A person was standing there. A kid? To my surprise, it was a young, dark-skinned boy, sitting alone next to a cliff. What’s a kid doing in the middle of nowhere? He must be lost and scared. And why is he sitting so close to that cliff? I walked over to him. He was staring down at something. “Hey there, little buddy,” I said in a soft, calm voice.

  The boy jumped up, frightened, and looked back at me. “Oh, hi,” he said with a stare. The young boy turned back around, and again looked downward.

  Just like that, the boy sat back down, as If I wasn’t even there. I mean, this kid was so close to that cliff edge it made me uncomfortable. “Hey there, it’s going to be all right. Why are you so close to that edge there? Are you okay? You should scoot back some.” The little boy continued to look down, with no response.

  Something is not right. There’s no telling what he may do. I kept my distance. “What’s your name?” I asked.

  “I’m Rel,” the boy replied, not looking back.

  “Hey, I’m Caleb. Nice to meet you.”

  Rel continued looking down the cliff as I asked, “Where are your parents? And what is this place?”

  Rel replied, “They’re around.”

  What does that mean? I look around and see there’s nothing close by for miles.

  I heard something in the distance. It sounded like faint laughter and cheering, just over that hill. Curious, I walked over and stepped up on a boulder, to see what it was. While I was standing on the big rock, I heard louder, distant cheers and chatter.

  I heard a crash behind me. I looked back and saw, through all the dull greyness, a big, bright, and colorful city in the far distance. The massive city was glowing, and stood out in this dark and gloomy land that surrounded it.

  I marveled at the city’s vibrant colors, and I saw a wide pathway leading toward it. And on this single path, heading to the city, were many, many people coming from one direction.

  I noticed, in the opposite direction, a small, dark city, with no path leading to it. This smaller place blended in with the gray surroundings and was hard to see. Like the other city, there were also people heading toward it. However, there were only a few people going there. And they were coming from many directions, all around it.

  I looked back at Rel, and I could see he was still sitting there, looking downward. I walked back over to him, determined to know what all this meant. “Those two cities over there, what are those places?” I asked Rel.

  Again, he gave no response. He was even closer to the edge than before. Is this kid really thinking jumping off it? I wondered.

  “Rel, please. Move back from there, you don’t have to do this. Give me your hand,” I said, with my hand outstretched. Rel looked back at me with a blank stare, no emotion, and turned back once again.

  What the hell is this kid doing? What does he keep staring at? I walked over next to him and leaned over for a look.

  I leaned over a little more, and, “Oh shit! Shit!” I screamed in horror. I jumped back, to see there was nothing but clouds and sky. We’re floating in midair! How can this be? I fell to my hands and knees. Clearly, we had to be high on some overhanging mountain. I carefully leaned over once more, all the way, for a closer look.

  “Oh my God! Oh God!” I yelled, jumping back.

  We were on some sort of floating island. I got on my hands and knees, trying to regain control of myself, and make sense of this. Rel looked at me with concern, and I asked, “Are we really floating?”

  Rel replied, “Don’t worry. You’re going to be okay. We’re going back.”

  I hate heights. I leaned over for another look and saw nothing but a lot of clouds, and a few birds. Nothing but sky. Puzzled, I asked Rel, “Where are we going back to? And what do you keep looking at? There’s nothing. Am I missing something?”

  Rel looked at me, then looked back down as he pointed downward. I looked again, even closer. And there, through the thick clouds and flying birds, I could see what appeared to be ants. Like an ant colony.

  It was like a million of little ants, crawling all around. I asked, “Are those ants you keep looking at?” Without a word, Rel pointed downward again. Once again, I looked, and as I did, I could not believe my eyes. Suddenly it all became crystal clear. It was as if I looked through binoculars that zoomed in on everything. Those little ants weren’t ants at all, they’re people! Below us was some sort of place with what seemed like millions and millions of people.

  How can this be? I can see each person in detail as before on the oil rig. I grabbed a nearby shrub root to hold onto as I leaned down for a closer look.

  “Who are those people down there?” I asked Rel.

  “They’re Roamers,” Rel replied.

  “Roamers?”

  When I looked again, it was all familiar. I’ve seen this before! They weren’t all the same. Some of the figures were larger than others.

  I noticed the larger ones were darker and the smaller ones were lighter. The darker ones seemed to be following the lighter ones. Then I noticed something else, as a lot of the lighter ones that were followed by the bigger suddenly disappeared—as if they were grabbed by the dark ones and made to vanish. I saw them being chased and, just like that, they were gone.

  Yes! Those darker figures are taking those other ones. The dark ones are literally grabbing the ones in white and dragging them away I thought. “What’s going on here Rel? What am I looking at?” I asked sternly. Rel looks at me and replies “The ones you no longer see have been taken to their chosen place in time.”

  A place in time? I thought.

  I asked Rel, “Who are those larger, darker figures? And who are those other lighter ones in white robes among those roamers?”

  Rel responded, “The ones in dark are Trydentiums. The ones in light are Lytenials.”

  I didn’t know what that meant. All I knew was, it sounded like some deep, serious shit.

  “What is that place down there?” I asked Rel, who turned around and said something I didn’t understand. “I’m sorry, say that again?” I replied. All I heard was screeching wind gusts which echoed in my ear. I looked at the strange land of emptiness around me.

  32

  Come on in

  I was in the midst of nowhere. I looked again in the distance, at that small, dark, desolate city. And in the opposite direction was that big, colorful, glowing city.

  What are these places? I wondered again.

  The bright, colorful city continued to draw me to it. I couldn’t resist it any longer. I started to walk toward it.

  Out of a nowhere, I heard, “Don’t do it, mister. It’s rough there. It’s bad…”

  I looked behind me, and it was that young kid, Rel.

  “What do you mean? What’s over there that’s so bad?”

  Rel didn’t respond.

  Despite Rel telling me not to go, I wanted to find out and know what was over there. I couldn’t resist the allure of the bright and colorful city that was so inviting another moment as I continued towards it. “I think I’ll take my chances, little buddy. I’ll be all right. You really should get home. I’m sure your parents are worried about now,” I said while walking away.

  “No. you won’t be all right,” Rel responded.

  I looked back at Rel and asked, “I won’t be?”

  I walked toward the large city, and noticed Rel shaking his head as he looked at the ground. It was as if he was bothered or pondering something. To my surprise, Rel started to follow me, as I continued ahead anyway. I started to think this kid was maybe not all there, and knew I had to be on guard.

  A little way down the rocky dirt road, I looked back and noticed Rel suddenly stopped and turned around back in the direction we came from.

  He just stood there for a moment, staring down the hilly road. I looked a little farther do
wn the hill and saw three figures wearing black. They walked up the hill towards us slowly. Rel stood there in the middle of the road as they walked up and stopped a few feet away. Concerned, I started to head over to the kid, who stood there motionless. Suddenly Rel started to backpedal away from the three who were coming in my direction. I knew this couldn’t be good. Rel looked at me for a second and turned back to the mysterious figures.

  In the blink of an eye, Rel expanded epic blue transparent wings, trimmed of white fire. He’s an angel? I wondered. He leapt into a spinning spear punch, hitting one of them in the face, knocking them to the ground. The other two charged at Rel, who dodged so fast I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  That little boy launched a barrage of lightning-fast kicks and punches like I’d never seen. Rel grabbed a rock and threw it at the face of one of them as blood splattered, knocking them to the ground. Rel leapt into a spinning roundhouse, kicking the other one, knocking them to the ground. Rel jumped high over the head of the downed figure, stomping on his face, killing him.

  “Oh, no! No!” I yelled as one of the dark figures pulled out what looked like a glowing slingshot and fired it. I heard the whiff of it being fired, hitting Rel in the head, knocking him back to the ground. The other dark figure teleported over, grabbed Rel, and swung him like a rag doll, smashing him to the ground repeatedly. He threw him against a boulder. “Stop! Please!” I cried out. Rel was covered in blood as he struggled to get up. He sat up and coughed blood.

  I ran as fast as I could to Rel’s aid.

  I could see the two dark figures standing over the motionless Rel. “Hey! What the fuck are you doing?” The two dark figures looked at me for a few seconds. I ran faster. “He’s just a kid! Leave him alone! You’re going to kill him!”

  The two dark figures turned to each other, and just like that they walked away in a cloud of mist. I rushed over to Rel, who was lying in a pool of blood. I grabbed him in my arms “Rel! Are you okay?” He didn’t respond.