The Stonekeeper...

26

Trellis's P.O.V
"There are so many memory cubes. How will we find the one we're looking for?" Emily asked. "I know the precise location of every memory that I have stolen. Even the most important ones are not gived a special place otherwise the enermy may realize just how valuable they are. The best protection is to leave the memories in locations only I can recall." Gabilan replied. He walked over to one of the towers and picked one up. "This is the one you want..but it feels heavier than I remember." I was very confused.

"Can it change?" Emily asked. "Added weight indicates more information. A longer memory." Gabilan replied. "There's only one way to find out. We take it to the viewing nexus." We walked to a building and I sensed something. "What's the matter, Trellis?" Emily asked. "I think we're being followed." I replied. "When you enter the memory, the enemy will know where you are. If the shadows are not already here, they will be by the time you return. I will do my best to fend them off, but I can only hold them back for so long. You will have to be quick." Gabilan said and we walked inside. There was a orange portal like screen with steps to it. "The nexus allows me to view the contents of the stored memories, but only stonekeepers can enter them. You can interact and ever alter the memories. A most enviable gift." Gabilan explained and the memory cube flowed to the portal, opening it. "How do we get back?" Emily asked.

"You will find exits when you are in need of them. But many who enter decide never to return, or they lose control of their powers to the stone. I hope you fare better than them." Gabilan replied. "How can we trust that you will be here when we get back?" Emily asked. We walked up the steps to the orange portal. "You followed me to the bottom of the ocean. I think it's too late to lose your trust in me. Besides..you'll need someone to stay here and help buy you time. I also have to trust you won't leave me here." Gabilan said. "You have my word." Emily replied. "Stay close, Emily." I say to her and we walked in. When we walked into a portal, we were somewhere that I remembered perfectly. "Judging by the environment, I'm going to guess we are in Valcor." Emily said. "Yes. We are at my home. I remember walking down this hallway many times as a child. It usually meant that I was in trouble." I replied. "It leads to my father's chambers."

"Is that...you?" Emily asked looking at my younger self. "It is becoming increasingly difficult to mask my disappointment in your training." My father said. "Yes." I replied to Emily's question. "Uncle Virgil has done nothing wrong!" My younger self said. "He asks too many questions." Father said. "That should not be a crime!" My young self replied. "Your focus needs to be on military training exercises. Not history lessons." Father said. "Studying the history of Alledia is an integral part of the training!" My younger self replied. "Your shift away from tactics worries me, and I believe your current interests to be a dangerous influence." Father said. "The danger is not understanding the truth of how things happen. It is what uncle Virgil always teaches." Young me replied back. "Uncle Virgil is not someone who can be trusted. I don't want you associating with him from now on. I don't want him poisoning your mind." My past father says.

"Looks like this memory is about to move." I said, seeing a bright light. "Hold on!!" We moved to another place in the palace. Emily and I were in the palace library where I use to be at. "Where are we now?" Emily asked. "This is the palace library. I remember spending a lot of time here. It was my sanctuary." I replied. "Their planet is dying. Isn't it, Uncle Virgil?" My younger self asked. "The planet's resources have been exhausted." Uncle Virgil replied. "Zoom in on the northern hemisphere." Younger me said and saw elf army ships live the planet. "They're leaving." My younger self said. "They left many years ago. This is an old signal." Uncle Virgil replied. "What's inside those ships?" My young self asked. "Approximately one hundred seventy thousand life-forms. Most of them are in hypersleep, tended to by other parasitic organisms on board. There are an estimated twenty thousand of these parasites." Uncle Virgil replied. "Show them to me." My young self said. The screen zoomed in and showed the shadows. "They are made mostly of gas and require hosts to survive." Uncle Virgil explained. "Shadows." Young me said.

"Is this the first convoy en route to Alledia?" Young me asked. "A recon mission was sent here many years ago." Uncle Virgil replied. "Why have you not told my father or any of ths officers?" Young me asked. "We can not go to them for help." Uncle Virgil replied. "Have the officers been affected?" My young self asked. "Yes." Uncle Virgil replied. "Is my father one of them?" Younger me asked. "Yes." Uncle Virgil replied again. "Trellis. I warned you not to be here. I warned you in order to protect you. Now I see that I can no longer trust you. Not without a little...adjustment." Father said walking don the stairs. "He would have seen past your lies. You can't keep him from the truth!" Uncle Virgil said. "He will learn what he needs to prepare for ascension to the throne." Father said. My breathe hitched and had a bad feeling about this memory. "Lair! You are preparing to gwt rid of him, to break apart this kingdom!" Uncle Virgil snapped back. "Stay away from us, you fools!"

"Sorry Virgil. Just following orders." A guard said. "Following without questioning will lead to our collective demise." Uncle Virgil said. "We'll get out of this, uncle." My young self said. "No, we won't. Whatever happens...try to remember." Uncle Virgil replied and the guards took him away. "Trellis. I want you to meet someone. This is sybrain. He will be your new guide to the world." My past father said. "Gwt it away from me!!!" My younger self yelled out. Then father lashed at me with his nails, cutting my right eye, making it bleed real bad.

"You will obey me whether or not you are willing. Realize how fortunate you are to be worth more to us alive than dead." My father said. "I've seen enough." I said to Emily and we walked away. "You father is not the one we need to worry about. The voice must be controlling the king the way he tries to take control of us. He's been trying to use us to prepare for the arrival of those ships." Emily said. "Trying? How do we know he is not succeeding?" I asked Emily. "Everything we have done seems to work to his advantage. At what point have we ever been in control?"

We found another orange portal we webt into infront of us. "I heard the voice commanded Y/n to destroy you, Trellis. She managed to push back and decided to spare you. You're not here because of the voice. You're here because of Y/n. And what happened? Y/n and you are dating. She loves you. And what I saw on her face was a blush and a whole heap of notes." Emily replied. I remembered Y/n and I sending notes to eachother. Hanging out and the way Y/n tried to confess to me. I smiled and nod. "Then I hope Y/n made the right decision. Let's go." I replied and we went into the portal.

We entered another environment that was like a maze. "Are we still in Valcor?" Emily asked. "Looks like Valcor, but something's not right. Here. There reliefs are written in a language that I do not recognize. Rhis must be where the shadows come from. If so, then we are very far from home." I replied and looked at the maze wall. "I see some familiar faces." Emily said and pointed around the corner. "Max..." I said. "And the king..." Emily finished. "Strange how they're mounted on tjose pedestals. They look like chess pieces." Emily said. "Probably not far from their intended purpose." I replied. "Trellis, look." Emily said and we saw three portals. A blue, a orange and a purple.

"We entered through an orange portal. I suggest we take the same way out." I said. "We should take the blue one." Emily said. "The blue one? What makes you think it's the blue one?" I asked. "I just think that's the one." Emily replied and started to walk to it. "Wait!" I said and held her back. "Don't tell me what to do." Emily said coldly. "That is not the exit. We don't know where that goes." I said to her. "I'm going to enter that portal..whether you like it or not!" Emily said and entered it. "Wait! Emily!" I yelled after her. "Y/n is going to kill me." I mumbled and entered fhe blue portal after Emily.