**song** “I Dare You” by Shinedown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iazu5htQT4I

The hour The moment…as if guided by a Star…
By Magic…by her words…through my
Minds eye I see…and the door opened…
…a door that had been locked for years…
…that I had almost forgotten about…
…the door opened…

From the mind through the eyes…
Down the arm into the hand through the fingers

Into the pen onto the paper…The words come…

In the chair before them…
Varence just said. “Write it…tell it…”

They were as eager to hear it as I was to see
It on the paper myself. I don’t know how…
As much of a mystery as the light, the artwork…
The words…

Ceres face, her expression warm and
Intrigued…”You owe me a story.” I said to
Her. She only smiled and said, “I know…
But tell this first.”

Kierista and Evangella quietly nodded, while
Rana held this mischievous smile…”Yes,
Please say it, tell it…”

And Vala with her charm, her flashing eyes and
Long pointed eyelashes…Her movements…The
Siren’s song that was her voice…She was
Magic incarnate… “Do you see now? So
You see?”

Varence eyed her wild enthusiasm… “Ah, now
Your timing…if only you had come sooner.”

“The right approach commands the right time.”
She told him.

“Wait,” I hesitated, “What about Brishan? The
Ship...last time he…”

Vala laughed, “Forget him for now.” She
Threw her head back with a
Louder laugh… “His moment will come…
His deeds and actions are only a part of
The spell…just as on your world…will
The reactions be…and the events…The
Fumbles…the confusion…Spells take time to
Play out…Allow the twists and turns to come
With the new year…and you will see, so will
They…For now, this,” She pointed her finger
Firmly to the moment, “This is what matters…
Now allow the words to come, the door to
Open…No Distractions…And you will see
The players that will shape things come forth…
Even now they feel it and are searching
Out the meaning…The Gathering comes…
NOW…put the words to paper down…”

The chill, the tingling…The pen was a sword…
The words the spell…The paper the riddle,
The game board…The map…
The Light…The door opened…

From here to then…Time had no boundaries anymore,
Backwards…crossing over to now…

The dream that was more than a dream…
I was 22…it was the month of May…
They always come in May…?
11pm exactly at night I had only laid
Down to rest a moment, too early to sleep…
I passed out…I had no control…

The overwhelming scent of Roses, their heady
Perfume, the rich musky scent filled my nose…
I was sitting on a stone bench in a garden
Of roses…walls and walls of roses all around…
They looked like glass…They changed color
In the light…Every color was rich and intense…
I had never experienced the stimulation of
My senses like this before…My eyes…my
Nose, my ears…touch…
The roses…orange, pink, peach, yellow…
Creamy yellow…pastels and rainbows of
Light…only the greenery of the leaves of the
Bushes and trees remained calm, but even their
Color was rich…
Potent vivid senses!

My waking world was dull by all comparison.
I saw stone columns throughout the walls
Of roses around me…encircling where I
Sat…My eyes followed until I saw the opening…

There a tall woman stood, flawlessly
Beautiful…familiar features…The sight of
Her…she had the darkest red hair I had
Ever seen, shiny thick…a loose wave passed
Her shoulders in garnet red…The kindest
Sweetest expression on her face…Her eyes
Were like the roses…glassy, changing colors
In the most mesmerizing way…She wore
Some kind of light blue uniform-like dress…
On either side of her were two very tall,
Muscled, blond men that could only be her
Escorts…They were very similar in light blue
Form fitting uniforms…shoulder length straight
Blond hair…blue eyes…and identical skeptical
Scowling faces…that looked at me as if to
Say, to judge me, by saying…this is him?

She smiled very kindly and said, “Hello.”
They were perfect looking, I could not
Believe my eyes…I was younger then…
The way things looked was a powerful influence…
“Hello,” I said back to her…
She took a soft step and gestured for me to
Come…Her smile, in her eyes, on her face
Never broke…I looked down at my pajama
Pants, bare feet…I was about to go to her…
But my pajamas…I was dreaming?

She knew what I was thinking…”Please
Come, come with me,” she gestured. But her
Escorts…very handsome faces, full of doubt…
I could feel it, they did not understand why
I was there? They said nothing though, she
Was the leader…at this point.

Nothing else to do, the curiosity was overwhelming.
I got up, went to her…Let’s see what happens…
I started asking questions…Where am I?
What is this? Who are you? “You will understand
Soon,” was all she would say; was allowed to say.

She led me through the two pillared gateway
Of the garden onto a long, smooth stone
Path; a road? It stretched left and right
As far as I could see, with lush thick tree
Branches arching above blocking out the
Sky…

“What is this? Who are you?” I kept asking.

And all she would offer was, “You’ll see. Just
Come.”

We walked a bit when suddenly to my left
The trees parted to the most spectacular view…
I froze…my eyes, what they saw…like nothing
I had ever seen…no movie, so special effects
Not even today could create the view…

There, far across from where I stood stretched
Mountains…with a city-scape carved right
Into it perfectly…I can’t even explain in
Words…The mountains, the skyline…The buildings,
They were mountains, but it was a city…
Skyscrapers, the structures framed in
Complete harmony with the shape of
The hills, rocks and slopes…with trees
And forested slopes blended perfectly
Throughout…The moving lights told
Me it was an active, living city…There
Were people there…This was unlike
Anything I had ever seen. My senses were
Razor sharp, keenly aware of everything…
It was real…

Below, a valley lush with woods, streams
And meadows…With big domed buildings
Throughout…Somehow, very quickly I
Became aware…that this place was an
Absolute perfect blend of man’s hand
And nature…willed into solid reality…
It took my breath away.

With a greater smile she stepped back, gestured
Her arm around me…”Come on, there’s
Much more important things for you to see…”

“What, where is this?” I asked…She
Would not answer…

We walked for quite a bit…It was
Definitely a road, beneath the trees…The two
Tall blond men leading the way…The air
Was mildly cool, no breeze…Very comfortable
Actually; I should have been cold but wasn’t.

Then the trees parted…And the scene,
The view was…enormous…To the right
A gentle slanting slope that rose to a
City-scape…larger closer than the one
Opposite…with towers of stone and glass
Carved of, built into the mountains…
The architecture…There is nothing to compare it
To; manmade things never impressed before…
Greek, Roman, Egyptian-like? In stonework
Yes, but the style was unique…curvy…linear,
The geometric design of it would leave an
Architect spellbound…All I can say is, it
Looked ageless…
If eternity could have built a city, named it,
Owned it…This was it.

She kept urging for me to follow…It was
Impossible not to be distracted.

The two blond men walked on at this point;
No need for them anymore…She guided me
Forward to this wide spread marble-like arena
Edged with a thick ornamental stone railing
That separated us from a low rolling valley.

There was a little bridge of stone over a
Gently running little river…The water was
Absolutely crystal clear…so clear I could
See the colorful fish that swam in it…I
Swear it was so clear I had the irresistible
Urge to drink from it…And I would have
If she had not kept ushering on and on…

Past the bridge, past a large ornate fountain…
I saw what was the intention I presumed…
A large domed building, very much like the
Capitol in Washington, D.C…Only this was
Born from the hillside…Huge, blocky…
Everything was huge, it all felt enormous…
And I felt so small.

In front of this great building was a crowd
Of people…everyone stood there, in their
Pajamas…Like me, they were all looking
Every which way awestruck by the new…
Throughout the crowd were more of these
Blond, blue uniformed perfect looking tall
People…moving among everyone smiling,
Giving re-assuring words…
These blond, uniformed people…I can understand
Now…They were studying the group, the crowd…
Checking everyone…reading minds, attitudes…
Then re-checking…Taking inventory, a census…
This was a collection of people…I didn’t know
Then, but I do now…They were specifically
Chosen…

The red-haired woman urged me to join the
Crowd…then joined her people…She
Exchanged private words as they gathered…
For what was next…

As I stood in the crows in my pajamas…
I took in as much as I could…There was a
Very excited elderly woman in front of me…
There were all ages here, from 16 to 60? Maybe
Older…I can only guess…This elderly
Woman kept clapping as she stood there
In her nightgown, robe and slippers…She
Struck me by her accent…German…
Someone’s grandmother…She was so excited…
Clapping, clapping…”We’re in heaven, this is
Heaven…Angels have taken us to heaven!”

I just couldn’t say it to her…But someone
Else did…A man wearing a T-shirt and
Boxers…Hispanic-looking, kept walking, spinning
And staring at the sky, and said to her, “I
Don’t think this is Heaven.” He kept staring
At the sky which made me look too…

The sky was a rich blue…ultramarine-like…
Like twilight but not coppered by any sun…
There were no stars visible…Yet the sky was
Crystal clear…no clouds…only this cascading
Living light that moved across above…
Much like the aurora borealis I had seen
Pictures of; it was totally breath-taking.

He stopped in front of me, very friendly, and
Came up to me…”I’m Robert.”

“I’m Bill.” I told him.

“You’re so young, Bill.” He told me…He looked
Maybe 40-ish…salt and pepper hair, and
Goatee…”So young to be here…”

Before he could ask my age they, the
Uniformed people, were suddenly asking us,
The crowd to follow them, to move into
The great building in front of us…And they
Spread out to gesture everyone forward…
It was our turn to enter…

There was no time to argue…Curiosity compelled
Everyone on…Inside the building was as
Impressive on the inside as on the outside…
Polished stone floors…Elaborate
Stylized artwork…statues, busts, paintings,
Etchings and carvings…some art historian’s
Dream…

High ceilings, wide halls…nothing was
Small…giants could walk here…

They lead us through the wide corridors
To a set of two massive doors…dark wood
Or stone, I couldn’t tell?
Then suddenly they were separating
Everyone…into lines, a line…
They knew everyone’s name…
But there was something careful here…

One by one people were lead into the Great
Hall…I could not see until it was my
Turn…then, that’s how I knew…
Those in uniforms at the door checked us
In…not with papers or devices, they simply
Knew…
This was all planned very carefully…
For how long I couldn’t say…
But it was planned…

The red-head reappeared for me, when it
Was my turn…”Come with me, it’s alright.”

I couldn’t resist…I felt absolutely no
Threat…no fears…which was a mystery
Because at that age EVERYTHING
Terrified me, I was scared to move, I
Had spent my life hiding in the corner…
But here…I felt different…
The atmosphere was so comforting…
For the first time in my life I was
Away from home…and it felt so right.

She led me inside…Into the Great Hall…
It was massive, wide, high and tall…
With rows of seats that descended down…
Like a theater, only wider…not packed in…
It was roomy and casual…
The Hall was full of people…Thousands?
To my left there were spread sections
Of people…8 sections…
And in these rows of sections sat people…
But not like people I know…
Each section was specific, with its own
Specific selected persons to fill each
Appointed seat…
They had all been seated already…

To the right…The very last section nearest
The wall…was our section. The crowd
That I was apart of. We were the last
To arrive, to be seated, on purpose.

She lead me down the steps…
People watched…Everyone everywhere was
In their pajamas…
Here is where it became odd…
Somewhere in the middle…She led me
To my seat…I sat on the very end of the aisle
And the seat was labeled Jeff…my
Middle name? And as I looked down my
Row…and saw everyone shuffle in their
Seats, I saw that their seats were labeled
Too…Beside me sat a huge black man,
Somewhat my age, built like a linebacker,
His seat was labeled Joe…
Beside him, a very pretty blond, her
Seat labeled Julie…and next to her, a Jason,
Then a distinctly Native American guy, Jacob…
Beyond him…Jennifer then John…
I took in all the seat names I could…
Behind me, empty seats…Kathy…Karen…
Kyle…Behind them…Lily…Larry…
Farther…Marco…Mary…
Alphabetical…Middle names? Why?
Or were some their real names?

“Here is your seat,” She instructed, gestured…
She waited for me to sit down… “Everything
Will begin very shortly…” Then she was gone…

I looked around, studied everything…
There was some quiet chatter among the
People, but mostly everyone looked around
Quietly in confusion like me…there was a
Small collection of the blond blue-eyed uniformed
People down in the very front talking around
A podium…The only difference about them seemed
Like their hair…otherwise, they looked so much
Alike they could be family…blonds, dark blonds,
Light brown hair…One taller man with a beard
Had orangey blond hair…He seemed older,
The center of attention…the one in charge.

“Jeff, right?” The black guy said to me suddenly.
He was huge, broad shoulders…looked like a
Football player, built like he could take down
A wall…but he had the friendliest face and
Smile… “Is that you, huh?”

“Bill, actually my name is Bill.” I told him.

He laughed. “I figured. I don’t know why these
Seats are labeled. Weird.” He looked around
With a casual smile. “Strangest dream I ever had.”

“You think this is a dream?” I asked.

“Sure. Yeah. Hope so.” He said. “You look familiar
Though, man you look real familiar…”

“I do?” I asked, but he looked familiar to me too.
“So your name…isn’t Joe?”

“My middle name.” He said…For some reason
I had the feeling he did not want to tell me
His name.

“Jeff is my middle name.” I told him.

“Interesting.” He laughed, then pointed
To the pretty blond beside him; she was beautiful
Actually, she could have been…a model, a movie
Star? “Barbie over here wouldn’t tell me
About her name at all…I don’t think she
Knows how to talk…she won’t talk to me.”

“Don’t call me Barbie.” The blond, Julie, said
Sharply.

“OK she speaks.” He laughed. “Finally.”

She groaned…she did not seem happy at all…

“Why am I dreaming of all these white people?”
Joe said laughing for himself… “But look at her, wow,”
He said pointing to her, “She’s wearing this little
Nightie…Miss Penthouse.”

“Excuse me?” Julie replied fast. “What did you
Say about me, Mr. Ape?”

“Chill out girl,” Joe laughed, “No harm intended,
Just my dream…You just look like the blond
In Penthouse…The one I was looking at
Before I fell asleep.”

“Oh my God, you’re sick.” She snapped. “Don’t
Even tell me you were doing something with
Yourself before you fell asleep…This is like a
Sick dream to me!”

“Relax, would you.” Joe said. “Man what a dream…
Here I am sitting next to the mean Barbie.”

“Don’t call me Barbie!” Julie snapped.

“OOH she’s mad,” he joked to me, “Watch out she’ll
Call Ken to come take her back to Malibu
To her dream house.”

“UGH!” She groaned.

“Watch her say she’s from California.” Joe laughed.

“So what if I am?” Julie said angrily.

“Ha! I knew it.” Joe tossed his head back with
A laugh… “I knew it. Man…Some dream.”

“Could you please be quiet?” Julie asked him.
“I feel sick enough.” She leaned to me,” Pleas
Tell him to shut up.”

“I – I,” I tried to say…

“What is with the people here?” Joe asked me…
“That woman that brought you here, the red-head,
Holy S**t! My God, Beautiful! How come
You get that? The guy that brought me…Big
Bald head, goatee…beady eyes…cold…barely talked.
Looked like a big talking penis. And then he sits
Me next to the mean Barbie. Somebody up there
Either hates me or is trying to teach me a lesson.”

“UGH!” Julie groaned. “You’re sick. And stop calling
Me Barbie.”

I laughed! Oh my God they were funny to watch…
And others were noticing, listening…

“At least he thinks I’m funny.” Joe said of me.

“Sorry, Sorry…” I apologized.

“Don’t be sorry.” Joe said, “It’s weird.”

“You do look familiar,” Julie said to me, “I
Know you from somewhere…”

“No, I don’t think so,” I told her, “I would
Remember you. You look like someone from a
Magazine.”

She smiled…She was hiding something. “Please
Don’t act like this big meat head, Please.”

“Meathead?” Joe barked. “What’s that Barbie
Humor? Is Pansy Boy Ken going to kick my big
Bad a**?”

Julie only glared at him. “Do you have to talk?
Seriously?”

“Man I wish I would wake up.” Joe said. “The
Friggen Coach was right…You mess with junk during
Training and it F***s with your head!”

“You play football?” I asked him.

“Yeah, I have to.” Joe said in a grumble.

“Have to?”

“My Mom needs the money.” He briefly explained.
“Scholarships…deals…a bunch of crap. I
Hate it though. Not that it matters, my life
Is f***ed anyway.”

“Why, what do you mean?” I asked him.

“Doesn’t matter.” He said looking down. “Bad
Dream.”

“Tell me,” I said. “What else are we going to do
Here?”

He laughed. “It’s cool that you ask…But, it
Doesn’t matter…What are you Sigmund Fred?”

“Sigmund Fred?” I asked.

“Freud…” Julie corrected sarcastically,
“That’s Sigmund Freud you idiot.”

I laughed, Oh my God they were funny.

“Look, Mean Barbie,” Joe told her,” I get it OK,
I’ll throw the magazine out when I wake up, OK?”

“You’re disgusting!” She only said.

I had to laugh, I couldn’t help it.

Joe shuffled in his seat, “Man, I have to Pee
Bad, why can’t I wake up?”

“Oh my God!” Julie rolled her eyes. “Could you
Just keep that to yourself. Why do you have to
Announce that?”

“What, nobody pees in California?” Joe snapped at
Her, “Nobody Pees where you live? Fake drink,
Fake Pee, plastic Barbie?”

“Shut up!” Julie snapped. “Call me Barbie again…”

I laughed!

Joe raised his hand abruptly. “Hey! Yo!
Mr. Spaceman, Mr. Blue Pajamas! Can I go to
The bathroom?”

“Oh my God!” Julie groaned.

Everyone was looking…Everyone…One of the men
In uniform immediately responded to Joe… “What?
That’s impossible…you couldn’t possibly…’

“What is wrong with people here? What, no one
Pees?” Joe yelled. “I need to take a leak now!”

The uniformed group in front whispered curiously
Amongst themselves…they were totally confused by
Joe’s request…?

“Oh my God!” Julie groaned.

“Hello, Yo! Mr. Spacemen…You gonna let me
Pee or what?” Joe demanded. “You want me
To Pee right here?”

“Don’t you dare!” Julie demanded.

Someone, the girl behind me, was tapping me on
The shoulder…I turned around…The dark
Haired girl, Kathy, was leaning over my shoulder
And pointing… “Over there…the guy across from
You…is trying to talk to you.”

I looked over…the section beside us…was full
Of people dressed strange…all in shades of green…
They were white…blond, red, brown hair only…
Odd…the man across from me…orangey hair…
Was waving at me…He wore this long
Green night shirt and strange little green cap…
He kept waving like he knew me? I swear I
Didn’t know him…He kept saying these words…
A foreign language…I picked out
‘Tu est…’ French? No. What was he saying?
I couldn’t understand?

“The pee’s gone!” Joe shouted. “How the hell
Did you do that?”

“Shut up!” Julie kept telling him.

The man across…his face…his words…
My mind saw his lips move…but the language…
Tu Est? What?
Then it hit me? “Where are you from?”
“New Jersey.” I told him…
The man struggled to repeat my words…
His face…His questions…He meant something…
I took a gamble, a guess…
And then I said, “Earth.”

The man’s eyes widened, “Earth!” He exclaimed…
He repeated it to the people around him…then
Suddenly the entire auditorium was echoing,
People repeating it…”Earth…Earth…Earth…’

My eyes bulged…Oh my God, it struck me.
“They’re from another planet! All of them!
They’re from other planets!”

“What?” Joe asked in shock.

Julie leaned to me, “What did you say?”

The Native American down the row leaned in,
“What did he ask you?” Jacob…he was
Watching me, listening!

“He asked me where I was from…I told
Him New Jersey…Then I told him…Earth!”

“They’re from other planets!” Jacob exclaimed.

“This isn’t a dream!” Kathy said in shock;
Everyone was gasping in shock. “This isn’t
A dream at all!” What is this?!”

“Dances with Wolves, chill out!” Joe said.

“look at them, look at them over there,” Jacob
Pointed to the different sections, “Their hair, their
Clothes…”

“Those Asians have red hair,” Julie said of one of
The far off groups, “I’ve never seen Asians like that.”

“Those at the end,” Joe said in shock, “They got no
Clothes on, they’re naked…No, they have collars on?
The tattoos! What the f…”

“You would notice them,” Julie groaned. “Those
People next to us…why are they all in green?”

“Everyone is looking at us.” I said nervously; I
Should have kept my mouth shut. “They keep pointing,
Saying Earth. Why? It’s like they know the name?”

“They .look like the guy, the little guy…Lucky
Charms,” Joe said nodding to the section beside
Us dressed in green, “Always after me Lucky Charms…”

“Leprechauns?” I laughed.

“Yeah, that’s it! They look like Leprechauns!”
Joe said with a laugh slapping me on the arm.
“France has Leprechauns?”

“Not French Leprechauns,” Julie scowled, “He
Said they’re from another planet APE!”

“Chill Penthouse,” Joe grumbled at her, “I
Was just saying.”

“Penthouse, now you’re calling me that?!” She yelled.

Just then the tall Orangey-haired man in the
Blue uniform below at the podium raised his
Hands and bellowed, “Ladies and Gentlemen Please…
Calm down…We realize you are alarmed, but
There is no need here…”

The others in the pale blue uniforms around the
Speaker whispered urgently and kept pointing
In my, in our direction…the red headed woman
Who brought me was with them nodding in my
Direction…They were discussing us very seriously.

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” I said nervously.

“Why?” Joe asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“They’re talking about us, they’re looking right at us.”
“So what?” Joe laughed.

“Ladies and Gentlemen Please,” the Orator said
Loudly. “We are here to help you, Please.”

The audience only grew even more unsettled. But it did
Appear everyone understood him, his language…
He spoke English…at least to me, us…But
Somehow he spoke their languages too?

“Ladies and Gentlemen Please!” He begged.

No one listened…
Just then the man turned, appearing to nod for
Assistance…
And then the curtains behind him parted…
And a giant 10 foot tall Lion Man stepped out…
He was massive, HUGE! Muscled, an awesome
Looking Black Lion Man with a Smokey mane
That flowed over his white robe…He was a
Sight to see…Immediately the audience fell
Quiet…There were gasps, meek whispers…
Dull hidden screams…then absolute silence…
As the Lion Man stood next to the Orator…
“This…” He said with great respect, “Is BR’riel…”

“Holy Sh**!” Joe exclaimed, “Are you seeing
This? Are you seeing this?! Is that a Lion Man?”

“Yeah…” I only agreed stunned.

“BR’riel is the leader of his People here on
Our world…What remains of a great lost
Race…of the Paschat…The Lion Men of Sirius.”

“Look at him,” Julie said, “Oh my God! What
Is this?”

The uniformed group below kept pointing, nodding
At us.

“We have brought you here for a great purpose, it
Is our hope that you will listen…understand…
You have been chosen…” The Orator said with
Powerful sincerity, “You, like us, share a
Common ancestry…We are a human race…
And though we may differ slightly in our
Appearances and our ways…We all share the
Same genetic gifts…”

“Holy Mother F***in Sh**!” Joe groaned. “What
Is this Sh…”

“Please understand, I appeal to you…listen...Please,”
The Orator went on, “Yes, it is true we came
From different worlds…You have seen this
World we live on…But this is not our home…
This, our home, is a hidden world…of refugees…
From many lost Human Worlds…Worlds lost
To a terrible Evil that has plagued the Universe
For millennia…”

“I have a bad feeling about this…” Julie whispered,
Looked at me, here eyes terrified.

“You…” The Orator proceeded cautiously, “Are
What we would call…The Lost Children of
Humanity…Your worlds exist outside of safe
Space…Our Original home worlds of Humanity
Were conquered by a Diabolic Dark Force, by
Races of flesh and supernatural design…
That conquered all other races throughout the
Universe before humanity fell…such as the Paschat,
The Great Lion Men...who were the first to fall…”

“I don’t like this, I don’t like this,” Joe said, “I
Want to wake up now.’

“I realize my words may frighten you, but Please
Listen...These Conquerors have ravaged the
Universe for too long...And now threaten all of
Space beyond our own…Other universes…
Other races…The threat is real...This is not
A dream…Shortly we will present to you a
Means of explaining this to your subconscious…
We have found it is the fastest safest way to
Do this…as the information is complicated.”

The group below kept pointing, nodding at us…It
Made me nervous.

“Your worlds are not like others in our universe,”
The Orator said carefully, “Please…do not be
Offended by this…The Sirian and Reptilian
Conquerors, who nearly annihilated The Lion Men…
Do not exterminate worlds…but consume and
Enslave them…They manipulate…re-shape and
Do this as a means of…creating resources for
Fuel…for their sciences, technology…and food.”

There were gasps…a great fear grew in the huge
Room.

“Yes,” The Orator apologized… “What I am
Telling you is…that because you exist outside
Of safe space…you come from slave worlds…
Worlds of resources…Fuel…For pleasure and
Food. Nothing of what you have been taught of
The universe is true. You are not alone. Earth
Is not a Mother World…God has not forsaken
You or given your worlds to the Devil. You
Are not condemned to suffer for sins of
Your ancestors to get into Heaven…Your
Religions were created to manipulate you to
Keep you obedient...or reckless…”

“What the hell is this?” Joe bellowed.

“Good and Evil have always existed,” The Orator
Said, “The Devil was not born when your
Worlds were made…For the Devil as you know
Him is in fact your conquerors…God as you
Know him is an Echo of this…The True Creator
Is a mystery to all of us…But he does exist…
And we, as do all in Free Space…seek out the
Truth in this constantly…We explore to find
Answers to our questions of our creation.”

We, Joe, Julie and Jacob, as did everyone
In our row looked at each other with
Confusion.

“We have brought you here,” The Orator said,
“Because this Dark Force that consumes
All things is growing…it must be stopped
Before it escapes and spreads outside of
Our universe…Or…As we have been
Told from outside sources…Our Universe
Will be destroyed to prevent this…We,
Working with all possible allied forces, have
Done our best to fight this…And we
Have come to believe that hope must
Be extended to every possible option…
You are our greatest gamble…we hope
That in our selection of you…that we
Find that vital clue, that piece of a larger
Puzzle that can help us stop and conquer
This evil that threatens us.”

“How could we possibly help them?” Julie asked
Of this nightmare, “If it is at all true?”

Just then the Orator locked eyes with Julie…
“It is true…unfortunately.”

The group below kept pointing…And The Great
Lion Man took notice and stared intently too…
He locked eyes on to me…I froze in panic…
The intensity of his stare…I swallowed…In
Seconds he had taken, one two three steps and
His face was inches away from mine…His
Large blue eyes diving into mine…needles inside
My mind…I couldn’t breathe…

There were echoes of voices…
“What’s he doing to him?” Julie gasped.
“He’s shaking? Some kind of convulsions?”

“Or shock?” Jacob’s voice echoed.

“Do something?” Julie demanded. “You’re huge,
Push him!”

“What? Me?” Joe yelled. “Why don’t you
Show him your boobs Penthouse!”

More voices from them…words…
The Lion Man, BR’riel, inside my head.
Searching…his voice, deep…rumbling yet
Soothing, only said, “Not there yet.” Then
He let me go…Backed away…But
Kept staring at me…

“Are you OK?!” Julie exclaimed…She
Had my arm, as did Joe…They were pulling
Me back into the chair; I was on the floor?

“What happened, are you OK?” Jacob asked.

“Dude, Bro, you there?” Joe asked…

“He said,” I told them, “Not there yet?”

“What?’ Julie asked. “What’s not there yet?”

“I don’t know,” I said completely confused,
Terrified as I watched them watch us, study us…
The staring was awful. “I don’t know!”

The Orator watched, then waved to the side…
Curtains opened…to a screen…then there
Was a blinding light…Everyone fell into
Their seats…And the information came…
The mission…the commandments…the
Secrets forbidden to tell…

I remember then talking with the red head
Back in the rose garden at the bench…
Shaken, confused, holding my head…
And her telling me how sorry she was…
That I had to do this…
I was afraid of an implant or tumor inside
My head?
She insisted she didn’t know, only that
Something would be there one day…
And then her closing words…
“I want to tell you something, and you will
Remember this when you wake up…
Nothing as you know it is imagined…
It does somehow in some way EXIST…
It’s important that you know that
And believe it.”
I remember that to this day clearly…

“Now do you understand?” Vala asked me…

“Help us.” Varence asked me…very very humbly…

“Tell them…Find the others,” Ceres said softly,
“We’re here to help you...And we can only hope
You’re here to help us.”

“I’m trying.” I said.

“It takes time, I know.” Varence said. “The
Timing…The Purpose…it’s there…You...Your
People…It will come…I’ll show you.”

“And I will make things happen,” Rana
Said mysteriously… “But then I’m here for
More than one reason…”

WE ARE NOT ALONE.

SOON.

Valiant.
Note: Repeating a favorite...originally from The Bell Toll series, which can also be found in Valiant's book "The Bell Tolls", at Amazon.com