Masters of Fate

by A. K. DuBoff

  The eighth dimension—not a place I ever thought I’d experience.

  “That count sounds right to me,” Toran confirmed. “It makes sense, then, why telepathic influence broke down when we transitioned to 8D, since it’s multiple planes away from 5D. Or, maybe that’s a coincidence.”

  “I wonder where those dragons we met fit in?” Maris pondered.

  “They live among us,” Hoofy said in our minds.

  “Okay, so sounds like the seventh dimension is the land of mythical creatures.” I smiled.

  Maris hopped giddily. “I can’t wait to go there!”

  “We have other things to deal with first,” Kaiden told her. “Namely, figuring out how to take out those Overlord guys.”

  I frowned. “Okay, since it’s come up a few times now, I guess I’ll have to be the one to say it: ‘Overlords’, really? I mean, the ego on these guys!”

  Maris laughed. “They clearly have some sort of ‘lower dimension’ complex. Like, ‘We’re only 6D so we should call ourselves something grandiose to compensate’.”

  Kaiden smirked. “No wonder their spaceships were so big.”

  Even Toran chuckled. “You three are ruthless.”

  “Hey, they brought this on themselves.” I grinned.

  “I believe the four of you have been chosen to set things right,” Hoofy told us.

  My smile faded, remembering the graveness of our circumstances. “We want to continue in our quest, but we don’t know how to travel through this place.”

  “I would like to help you.”

  Maris clasped her hands. “Really?”

  The unicorn bowed his head. “It is only right that I do.”

  “No complaints here,” Kaiden said. “Welcome to the Dark Sentinels.”

  Hoofy pranced to the side. “Come this way.”

  We followed the unicorn—I still had to check myself each time I thought the name—through the mirrored maze of corridors. Now that I was gaining a better understanding of our environment and what I was seeing, I paid more attention to the scenes on the other side. Each of the facets appeared to correspond with a specific location, and the fractal branches within each followed the threads of time for each of those places. Additional facets revealed the different planes of reality, not all of them visual, but each unique. They shifted as the interconnected threads intersected with one another, a woven tapestry spanning time and space of everything that had been, everything that was, and even the somewhat fuzzy things that might yet come.

  I wished I could find one of my own threads and follow it to see how everything worked out, but I knew that was impossible—or, at least, ill-advised.

  “What more can you tell us about these Overlords?” Kaiden asked Hoofy while we walked.

  “They thirst for power. They live in the dark and seek to shape others to be like them.”

  “Do you know where they came from?” I asked.

  Hoofy shook his head, fanning out his golden mane. A series of images filled my mind, not translating into words in the usual fashion. It was clear that the Overlords were outside of time in the same way as the other hyperdimensional beings, but they were obsessed with the goings-on in planes outside their own. They tied themselves to time by virtue of their meddling, and that would be their undoing.

  “We’ll try to make things right,” I told Hoofy.

  “There is a chance,” he replied. “They descended once before to go after the crystals, but they were ultimately driven back.”

  “What do they want with the crystals?” Toran asked.

  “To ascend,” Hoofy replied.

  My brow knit. “How? What does that even mean?”

  “They wish to be able to exist on a higher plane. I cannot say by which means or method they hope to achieve this goal.”

  “Sounds like something a bunch of power-hungry over-compensators would do,” Maris said.

  Kaiden chuckled. “That it does.”

  “You know the destroyed crystals we saw on Crystallis and in the caverns here?” Toran began. “I wonder if that happened the last time the Overlords descended.”

  “Very well could be,” I replied. “There was clearly some kind of conflict.”

  “I still don’t get why they would descend if they’re ultimately trying to get to a higher plane,” Kaiden mused.

  “We have the crystal interface terminals, so maybe that has something to do with it,” I suggested. “Considering that we jumped straight up to the eighth dimension from there, perhaps not all dimensions have clear methods to access them.”

  “Here.” Hoofy stopped in the center of a particularly jumbled section of corridor with reflective windows arranged in odd angles. Even the gravity in the place seemed strange to me, though that may have been in my imagination.

  The windows shimmered and seemed to tilt, revealing a landscape like the one where we’d seen Hoofy. The view through windows transitioned again, and I unconsciously moved backward.

  Through the windows, there was a massive city spanning as far as I could see. Cylindrical towers rose from a nest of massive black vines at the base. The structures themselves were formed from the same latticework material I’d seen on the ships. Creatures similar to the one we fought in the cavern scurried through the alien city. The world was dark, only illuminated by a subtle, blue glow.

  “Stars!” Kaiden breathed.

  “I figured they’d have something like this, but actually seeing it…” I faded out, not able to find the right words.

  At first glance, the activity reminded me more of an ant colony than anything I’d experienced with my own brand of civilization. However, as I followed specific creatures along their paths, I realized that they were actually interacting much like my own people would. They greeted some individuals as they passed by—acquaintances, but not everyone they happened to come across—and there appeared to be a brand of commerce. Certain areas were clearly designated social gathering places, which were adorned by organic pedestals that looked strikingly similar to the stone benches we’d observed on the planet’s surface. Having made the connection, I even noticed that the black stairways bore a similar structural design to the modified steps retrofit in the ruined city.

  I took it in with growing concern. “Did the aliens conquer the planet, or did the residents change into this new form?”

  “Never satisfied, they always seek what they do not have,” Hoofy said cryptically.

  “There are a lot of similarities here,” Toran agreed. “I could see it going either way.”

  “The point is, they’re organized and have a lot of infrastructure,” Kaiden said.

  “And there must be even more than this, since they also have constructed and launched space ships,” I said.

  Kaiden frowned. “That’s a good point. Why do they need ships at all if they can travel through dimensional planes outside of normal spacetime?”

  “Assuming they’re after something in our home plane, maybe that’s a more efficient means to go long distances?” Maris suggested.

  “Could be.” I considered the information we had so far. “Maybe they could only create animals on the Darkness-infected planets but there was no way to get their own consciousness there?”

  Kaiden nodded pensively. “They sent the Darkness through the crystalline network to prepare worlds, and then the fleet was to carry individuals to… do what?”

  “That is the big question mark,” I replied.

  “I wish we knew the extent of their civilization.” Toran stroked his chin. “Is there just a city, or are there multiple planets?”

  “Do you know, Hoofy?” Maris asked.

  The unicorn stamped one of its front hooves. “This world is theirs, with the core at its heart.”

  “Only this world, this city? Or is there more?” I pressed.

  “It is more than it appears to be.”

  Toran nodded. “Right, yes. It’s not limited to three-dimensional
space as we know it.”

  “Hey, what about the anomaly site?” Kaiden asked. “Remember, the gravity around the site was weird, like an entire system was there, even though we couldn’t see anything.”

  “I bet you’re onto something with that. It would make sense for them to build up infrastructure around a place where they could transition their fleet into our spacetime,” Toran replied.

  Maris brushed her hair back from her face. “I can’t think about it too hard or I’ll want to curl up on the ground.”

  “I understand the impulse,” I admitted.

  “I’m curious what location in our native spacetime corresponds to this city’s location. Do you know?” he asked Hoofy.

  The unicorn shifted uncomfortably on his hooves. “This is their place.”

  “Yes, but it would help to know where this is,” Kaiden said. “Is there any way to tell if this is a planet, or—”

  “Can you go down to a lower plane and find a location there that relates to this city?” Maris asked in a soft voice. “We can’t do it ourselves yet, and it may help us get back to our friends.”

  Hoofy continued his agitated side-stepping. “They might see me.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” I realized the conundrum. To get a clear view of our three-dimensional reality in this place at our appropriate time, Hoofy would need to descend to that plane. However, descending would require him to pass through the Overlords’ domain and then remain at a lower level as he assessed the surroundings, making him visible to them and vulnerable to their attacks. It was a huge risk—not one we could ask him to take.

  “Is there a way we can see for ourselves?” I asked.

  “Too dangerous,” Hoofy told us.

  “I know, but we need to,” Maris said. “You don’t need to come with us.”

  Hoofy snuffled. “There is a place that holds the answers you seek. Follow me.”

  11

  I found myself in even greater awe of the incredible eighth-dimensional landscape the longer I spent in the place. As we followed Hoofy through the corridors, I tried to peek through the windows to other planes, soaking in the wondrous sights.

  “Now that I’m not on the verge of a nervous breakdown, this is amazing,” I commented to Kaiden while we hung back slightly from the others.

  “It doesn’t feel as overwhelming now, does it?”

  “No, it’s just… wow.”

  He smiled slightly. “I’m glad to see you’re doing better. I was worried about you.”

  “Yeah, unnerved me, too. I’m not used to being out of control like that.”

  “At least those Overlord guys can’t get in our heads here.”

  I frowned. “You know, going along with the ‘Overlords’ thing is giving them too much credit. We need another name for them.”

  “That’s pretty petty.”

  I laughed. “Oh, yes, I’m well aware.”

  He smirked. “And I like you even more for it. What do you have in mind?”

  “Maybe the… ‘Saps’. Create a self-fulfilling prophesy of them falling for whatever trap we set.”

  “You have a delightfully twisted mind.”

  “At least I use my talents for good.”

  “What are you two plotting back there?” Toran asked, looking over his shoulder.

  “I propose a name change from ‘Overlords’ to ‘Saps’. All in favor?” I asked.

  Maris chuckled. “I like it.”

  Toran sighed. “Very well. ‘Overlords’ was too many syllables.”

  “Why do you find this new name amusing?” Hoofy asked.

  I smiled. “Just a little word play. We mere lower-dimensional mortals have to entertain ourselves somehow.”

  We eventually reached an open area in the maze, which reminded me of a theater. Mirrors formed a dome overhead and down the walls in irregular hexagonal segments, transitioning to windows at floor level where they could be accessed. At the center of the space was a single crystal pedestal a meter tall, similar to the structure our Master Crystal shard had come from in the Archive.

  “This is the infinity chamber. Here you may learn the ancient knowledge known to all ascended,” Hoofy said. “I cannot witness it myself, but if you can see, then you will know what must be done. You will be able to stop the menace.”

  I swallowed. “No pressure, right?”

  “Journeying to higher planes to glimpse the secrets of the universe—it’s a regular Tuesday.” Kaiden smiled.

  “Yeah, hardy-har.” Maris eyed the crystal pedestal like it was about to eat her. “How do we use this thing?”

  Hoofy pranced with agitation. “I will find you afterward. I cannot be here.” He galloped into the depths of the corridors.

  I let out a long breath. “Totally reassuring.”

  “He’ll be back,” Maris said confidently.

  “It’s not that—what information is here that a being wouldn’t want to know?” questioned Kaiden.

  “I don’t believe that’s the issue. It’s possible he can’t access this information,” Toran replied.

  I raised an eyebrow. “How could we see something he can’t? He’s native to a much higher plane than us.”

  “And yet we’re here now and were able to free him from a place he was trapped,” Toran said. “I believe the four of us were changed more than we initially realized.”

  “Do you think our magic and abilities…?” I wasn’t sure how to complete the statement, but I knew. Part of me had always known. Our powers came from somewhere, or something, and we were now close to understanding their origin.

  Toran simply nodded in response.

  “I guess we should activate this thing, or whatever we’re supposed to do,” Kaiden said.

  “Do you think we just touch it?” I asked.

  “Makes sense. All the other tech has worked that way,” Maris said.

  “Seems like a reasonable strategy,” Toran agreed.

  “Okay…” I approached the crystal pedestal. It hummed with the intense, sweet energy I’d come to associate with the crystalline network. I extended my hand toward it, and my fingertips brushed the surface.

  The world fanned out around me, my senses richer and deeper than I imagined possible. I was surrounded by warmth and light amid an energy network connecting everything around me. At the edge of my awareness, I sensed my friends nearby. They glowed brighter than anything else in the vicinity—even more than the crystal pedestal at the center of the chamber—but there was still something even greater out there, just beyond my grasp.

  As my awareness of my place within the energy network solidified, my consciousness expanded. The chamber, the eight-dimensional plane, were only one facet of my reality. At once, I was everywhere and nowhere. Darkness, light—it blended into a single sensory symphony. I knew that I was outside of time, yet I still had the urge to ground myself in a single place and moment from which to observe.

  I searched around myself for some kind of foundation. However, there was only the color and light—beautiful, but I needed a connection to the familiar elements of my reality. Something, anything, to latch onto.

  Beneath my present perception, I glimpsed a place teaming with life. I reached out for it, willing myself to pass through the dimensional veil so I could witness it for myself. As I descended through the layers of reality, I sensed my friends following me. Though we didn’t bear the physical forms of our usual selves, I had no doubt it was them, visible or not. We gravitated closer to each other on the way to our destination until I felt like I could reach out and take their hands, if we had had bodies to touch.

  The alien civilization we’d glimpsed through the window was now spread out before us, a fully populated planet and space dock beyond.

  The scene spun backward. Now, a new world was forming before me. Signs of civilization formed and grew before my eyes, flashing at irregular intervals as physical reality was reset. Cities rose and fell, and
then rose anew—bigger, more magnificent. They had achieved the pinnacle of development, and so the next phase began: to seek other life.

  As I watched history play out in the spectacular cosmic time-lapse, the civilization learned to harness the crystal’s power. They pierced the dimensional veil, to expand their consciousness to see everything that had been unseen. They found the other life they were looking for and welcomed the hyperdimensional aliens as gods.

  However, the alien beings had aspirations of their own—to control the crystalline network and harness its power to regulate the unseen building blocks of our universe. All they needed was a direct link to the crystalline network: the interface crystals in our spacetime.

  Blinded by ambition, the aliens tried to seize this power by force. In the end, their attempts to hijack the crystalline network backfired, shattering the crystals on many worlds. Interstellar society collapsed, with only a few scattered planets surviving to rebuild again. The aliens lost their gateway to the higher planes, but they knew that the keys to their ascension would emerge eventually. They would get another chance.

  So, they retreated. They waited.

  At last, civilized life in the lower planes—the reality my friends and I knew as our home—rebuilt enough to rediscover the keys that the ancient civilization had hidden for those worthy of gaining ascension to find.

  The sword in my hand pulsed, and I knew it was one such key. The artifacts we now wielded opened access to the higher planes, and possessing them had forever changed us. Our time with the artifacts had enabled us to enter this dimension and to witness this ancient knowledge held within the fabric of the cosmos itself.

  The aliens must not have realized our importance yet or we’d already have been killed. They were on the cusp of completing their plan to ascend, and we were all that stood in their way.

  In that moment, I understood my place. I knew what I had to do. And I was terrified.

  My consciousness returned to my physical form, and the multi-faceted dome came into focus around me. My friends were standing exactly where they had been when I touched the crystal pedestal.

  We stood in stunned silence.