Stumbling around through dreams wasn’t exactly something that was new to them. The foggy ground that encompassed their feet and seemingly open and endless sky above their head. It was dark in the way a camping trip or a midnight walk was dark. Open and welcoming with a hint of danger that was more exciting than scary.
As they navigated the darkness though it was like being on a path they walked dozens of times. It was the path in their mind they followed since they were children and now adults reliving it. One by one they made their way to the center of the darkness but it was done in confidence not a daze. Their minds and bodies were both familiar to this.
They stood cloaked in shadows looking at one another knowing what they were looking at inherently. One reached out to the other and their hand hit something solid like a wall that prevented them from moving their hand further.
The ground rumbled and an orb of light raised from the ground. It was faint and see through, a smoky orb of light but bright in its center. Another rose, from the ground and a third that rotated around one another. The orbs spun around one another rapidly scattering the mist and extending light in every direction.
Each of the shadows covered their eyes, looking away as it flashed even brighter. Raising their gaze slowly they stared at the shape that stood in the center of them. A white glow of a shape with eyes that glowed even brighter and a flame above its head like hair. Turning slowly the new being raised their hand and six beams of light erupted from the ground illuminating the shadows and dispersing them.
“Holy shit.”
“What the fuck.”
“Haven’t been here in awhile.”
“Haven’t needed to.”
“Is that Ley?”
“Holy shit you’re back!”
The celestial looked around at the six of them and chuckled softly before nodding their head. “It is good to see you six again as well. I am glad to see that you six are still alive and thriving.”
“That’s one word for it,” Cal said looking at the pink tinge on his skin and feeling a strange sort of completeness waft over him. He didn’t know that he had missed it until now. Almost like the feeling of finally getting his wedding ring back after losing it in the apartment.
Jack looked down at his pillar feeling the green. They had met once or twice since the invasion but it felt more official with Ley there with them. “It’s been over a year. Where have you been?” Jack asked his face easing into a casual grin.
“A year. Hm. That is quite the passage of time. I did not think that much time had passed but a great distance had to be traveled. I apologize for my absence.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Kathryn said quickly. “You’re like an alien fighting a war. We’re just humans living our lives.”
“I appreciate your concern. Though the war being fought I am not a part of. I merely wished to turn their attention away from this small blue ball,” they chuckled softly but something about their body language change and grew more serious. “But unfortunately, my return is accompanied with troubling news.”
“Troubling news?” Marco repeated. “What is it?”
Seth sighed, “Another world ending crisis? We haven’t had one of those in a while?”
“Please Violet.”
“Just saying Kat.”
“Glad somethings don’t change,” Sarah shook her and looked back at Ley. “What’s the bad news?”
“As a Celestial I am somewhat unique. When I was born I was great being like much of my kind. But many millennia ago I separate my being into two forms. One of those forms is the being you see before you. We went our separate ways to travel this universe. However the other half of myself I do not always see eye to eye. Often time they actively try to sabotage the things that I do or create. And they are attempting to do the same here.”
“What does that mean exactly?” Marco asked.
“They will seek to undo what I’ve done here meaning they will try to destroy you six.”
“Destroy. Us.” Sarah repeated. “What the fuck?”
“So your what? Twin? Is gonna get pissy and fuck us over?” Seth asked glaring at the alien being.
“Yes. I am sorry for this. I will do what I can to protect you and stop them. However I thought it fit to warn you ahead of time.”
Marco nodded slowly feeling the stone at his neck humming suddenly. “Thank you, Ley. What does it take to stop your twin?”
“Something similar to what it would take to stop myself.”
Kathryn slow blinked and asked, “So something like a miracle?”
“I would not go that far,” Ley looked at each of them in turn. “The only thing that can truly harm a celestial is another celestial. And because you all are imbued with my power you could potentially harm and stop them.”
“Huh,” Jack said. “New info. I like it. Do you know how they’re going to try and attack us?”
“I do not. I simply advise you to be on your guard,”
Jack punched his fist into his hand and nodded, “Looks like the Terran Knights are back.”
“We’re scattered all over the country right now,” Kathryn said. “When are you all coming back?”
“We’re flying home tomorrow afternoon,” Marco said. “We shouldn’t get home until the evening. Late.”
“Me and Ben are driving back tomorrow morning. Be there by the afternoon,” Cal told her. “Then we do this all again in the dream.”
“Probably,” Sarah said and sighed. “Hopefully nothing bad happens in the meantime.”
The Harlequin Library 