The Paragons

Chapter 18 (Intermission): Touring the Plane

Caspian led Shocker, Herman, and Mitchell down the hill and into the city. There, the First Blade treated the three humans to a heartrending sight; Enlightened Ones groaning in pain and barely managing to summon their strength to crawl down the sidewalks, all the while tears of fear and despair streamed down their faces. Many of them were scattered across the streets, and it was clear all of them were suffering. They appeared just like regular humans, except their eyes were a solid light-blue hue and both their clothes and bodies seemed to have an overall blue tint to them. 

Of note, a young woman and her newborn child---whom she carried the swaddle of---was leaning against the side of one of the buildings, trying futilely to "catch" one of the soaring energy streams and place it into her baby so he could survive in her stead. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, it always seemed to be out of her reach. Much to Caspian, Shocker, Herman, and Mitchell's horror, both of them soon faded away into nothingness before their eyes. 

There was no body, no ashes, no organs, and no bones remaining. One second they were there, and the next they were gone, having completely disappeared without a trace.

"This will be our fate, too, if we do not find another dimension soon," Caspian explained. 

So Malcorchus really wasn't kidding when he said the Plane was dying..... Shocker thought to herself. Still....I'm from Earth, and so are Herman and Mitchell. Pigs will fly backwards in front of a blood moon during a solar eclipse on a leap year before we do anything to help this place. 

Mitchell feigned worry, but like Shocker, he was indifferent at best. Oh, dear.....that.....almost looked bad. If I had actually lived here, I might've actually given two hecks. 

Herman, on the other hand, quickly rode his motorcycle over to where the woman and her child had dissipated, scanning the immediate area with both his eyes and his heat visor in an attempt to discern any possible remaining trace of them, but to no avail. ".....Can you tell us more about what just happened here?" he asked, intrigued. "It was almost like.....like they got Snapped or something. I'm not picking up any evidence of their systems anymore.....they're just.....gone....." 

"You might be quite the smart one, but there's one thing you must realize," Caspian replied. "Even the mightiest kingdoms come to an end eventually. And the Shimmering Plane is no exception. But isn't it normal instinct to want to survive? To thrive? To want nothing but the best for your people? To ensure their well-being for as long as you are able?" 

Shocker raised her hand. "Wait.....why does it have to be Earth? Can't you assimilate a different planet? One that's uninhabited?" 

"The heroine whom you know as 'The Viper' is a mutant-Opulent hybrid; although she was born and raised entirely on Earth, at least some of the people on her mother's side have Opulent blood in them. She cares for the people of that planet, does she not?" 

His three guests nodded. 

"And we're trying to get revenge on her for all the pain she's caused us, right? I will admit, I have never run afoul of her before, but if she's every bit as powerful as His Majesty says she is.....then she's a high-priority target," Caspian continued. "She is messing with powers that she does not own. And whenever she confronts Malcorchus, she will learn that the hard way." 

"You didn't answer my question," the electric girl pointed out. 

"We want to assimilate the Earth because it's The Viper's home," the First Blade said bluntly. "It houses everyone she knows and cares about.....but that doesn't include you three anymore, now, does it?"