Secrets of Our World

Chapter 8 - Lukan, Josiah, Antillia, and Nagama

Lukan

The young man stood in front of me with a look that was simultaneously relieved and witless. He deserved to know what was going to happen.

"I am Lukan and your sister is dangerous. I'm sure that you don't disagree." He nodded cautiously. The only way to stop her is to ... kill her." I paused to give him some time to react.

"You are sure that the only way to stop her is to end her life?"

"Yes. There is no other way. All other options have been considered. All other futures have been seen. She will never stop her plan."

He put on a brave face. "OK. What's the plan?"

"You're sure you are with us on this. You might want to leave?"

"No. She's caused me enough pain over the years. I've kept her under control until now. Her time has come, and as much as I love her, she must be stopped. At least she'll see our parents again." I heard Liam start to say something behind me, but Nagama slapped him.

"OK." I said. "Here's what is going to happen. My power is to copy the powers of others so I now have all your powers and you four here are the strongest and most important of the powers." At this, Josiah raised an eyebrow. "I know, I know, incredible and hard to believe, but very true. Anyway, do you see those men out there dressed like secret agents. Their organization desires to wipe us off the face of the planet. They will get involved unless we can keep the force field up. Your sister uses the rain to control them and do her bidding. Her first step was to surround us, and she has succeeded."

"We have to expand the dome if we are to defeat her. After that we will deal with the agents."

"Percy," he seemed stunned that I knew his name, "you have a special job." I relayed to him telepathically. "I shall fight Yvonna, the rest of you will fight around me making sure the goons surrounding her don't interfere, but stay near me."

Everyone had nodded in agreement, even Antilia who had been straining to keep time frozen.

I turned to Liam, "I know that your skill set includes the martial arts," I produced an ancient sword with inscriptions in a language long since dead that had belonged to one of our ancestors. "It was the sole weapon of one of the first of our kind, chosen to protect humanity from all sorts of threats, while we waited for them to join us." I explained as I gave him the bronze handled weapon.

"How? What? Huh? Are you serious?" Liam said in amazement. Finally he managed, "I am honoured."

"You had that entire time! No wonder you so heavy!" Nagama exclaimed, laughing to herself.

"The whole plan hinges on your distraction of the goons. Are you all aware of what is expected of you?" I confirmed as Antilia restarted time.

"I couldn't hold it any longer." she said, totally out of breath.

"That's ok. Josiah, go speak to your sister. We'll come with you."

Josiah turned on his heel and took us to where Yvonna was. Liam followed, awkwardly wielding his sword. Antilia trudged on, utterly exhausted. Nagama almost looked as though she was bouncing with each step. And Percy, poor Percy, his task was the hardest. The ages of these children combined didn't even come close to the time that I have walked this earth. I've experienced so much joy in my 785 years, but just as many losses. I'm asking them to do the impossible, just as they had all been settling into their lives. Lives that I have watched and nurtured. Guiding them to become the best. I just regret that they could not have lived innocently for just a few years more, but the events of time wait for no one.

Josiah

My sister, my enemy. They have become synonyms over the years. I miss our time as children, fun, playful, caring, protective. It seems so long ago but the images are as vivid in my mind today as they were back then. Now, I must, for the sake of mankind, help get rid of her. She has been a cause of so much pain for me, that the thought of being released from it, should bring comfort, but the thought of losing her also causes me pain. Through all the troubles, and trauma, she is still my sister and I love her, but she has lost her path and can't be stopped in any other way.

Antilia

I tried to stay away from sadness but it always seemed to find me. Maybe, I looked for it. I still do. When I see a war, I don't see the peace that it's end brought. I see all the death that there was. When I see the future, I don't think about the joy of new relationships that are created out of bad times. I see old ones ending. My perspective must change. If I don't, I may die. I can't die, not now. I'm needed here to help protect the future, to make sure that there is one. For everyone that is here now and for those that will be born. They say that blood is thicker than water. Blood builds you up but water helps you survive. I'll do this for everyone. My father always quoted the Vulcan saying from Star Trek, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." Right now, they outweigh mine, and give me my strength.

Nagama

Family has always meant mama, dad, grandma, granddad, sister, brother and me, but family means more than that. It means protecting those that you love and knowing who they are. A family is a group of people that will fight for each other because we believe in each other, that there is good in all of us. Sometimes a family may have fights, they may become divided, but it doesn't mean they are not a family anymore. It does not mean that they are not connected. It means, we are normal.

Now as I walk into this, as I go to my post. I think where I stand, I stand for my family, all of them. I do this for them. Though many of them fight alongside me. I fight for them and for those that have fallen. I want to save them, even the ones that have left in the wind, to save them from ever being as tarnished as the enemy we fight against.