The Nibiru Effect

Memory 85

I walk in near-total darkness. The light of the torch I hold is all that stands between me and oblivion. My footsteps echo throughout the stone tunnel that has been my only friend for the past few hours. The travel pack Korri gave me is slung over my shoulder. Every so often I retrieve the map it contains, wondering if perhaps I took a wrong turn. According to it, this tunnel should have ended long ago.

"Maybe I should go back," I say to no one in particular. My voice sounds high-pitched and whiny.

There's a moment of silence before I remember what my older self said.

As long as I believe in myself, everything will be fine.

The words should be comforting, but they're not. What if Old Will was wrong? What if my actions have caused the future he came from to change? What if Kara and Jonn are already dead? What if all I'm doing now is dooming myself along with them?

"Stop being so pessimistic," says a voice behind me.

My heart leaps into my throat as I stumble forward. There's nowhere for me to run, so I turn around and lift my torch, revealing the cloaked stranger who stands before me.

It's him. The man who taught me to control my shifting. Without him, I would still be a complete mess, terrified at the thought of anyone touching me. I'm grateful for all he's done, yet I can't help being a little suspicious.

"Why are you here?"

"I told you I would return to help you master your full potential," he says. "That time has come."

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, the fact that my mysterious mentor appeared just as I was beginning to despair is rather suspicious. On the other hand, I'm incredibly grateful for his presence as it proves the timeline has not been altered—Will 2.0 warned me about this encounter. This, in turn, means Jonn and Kara are still alive, and I may yet be able to rescue them. When moments before I was on the verge of total despair, I'm now filled with hope and courage.

"I'm ready to learn," I say.

"Very well," says the hooded man. "Have a seat."

I place my travel pack on the stone floor and prop the torch up against it. I then drop to the ground and cross my legs. My master takes a seat across from me. I can catch glimpses of his face, but never with enough clarity to determine what he looks like.

"Replicating humanoids is easy," says the hooded figure. "It's time for you to duplicate something a little more complex."

"I don't understand."

"Maybe this will help," says the man as his hand emerges from the folds of his cloak. Nestled in the open palm is a small animal.

It's a lizard. The tiny creature measures a measly ten centimetres in length and is covered in green scales. Its tail is curled into a neat spiral, and its bright eyes are fixed on me.

"What's with the lizard?" I ask, eyeing it suspiciously. I'm not afraid of it, merely perplexed by its presence.

"He's your next test," says my mentor. "Your final test."

"I don't..." I begin, but my voice trails off when the truth dawns on me.

"Oh my god!" I gasp. "Are you saying you want me to... to..."

"Become it? Yes. That's precisely what I expect you to do."

"I can't. Can I?"

"You are limited only by your beliefs. Believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything."

That's not exactly the answer I was looking for, but it will have to do.

"Okay," I say. "Tell me what to do."

"Close your eyes."

I do as told.

"Open your hand."

I outstretch my arm and uncurl my fingers. Moments later, something cold and scaly slithers onto my palm. It skitters around for a moment before growing still.

"Picture the lizard in your mind's eye," urges my mentor. "Focus on every detail until you have a clear image of it."

I focus on the memory of the lizard. Its scales were so tiny, its eyes so bright. Its tail was narrow and long. Its paws were frail and its fingers minuscule. Its mouth was but a slit, yet I can easily picture the rosiness that lies within.

"I'm ready," I try to say once I have a clear mental image, but all that comes out is a raspy whisper. I open my eyes and come face to face with a giant monster.

It's the lizard; only instead of being the size of a mouse, it's as huge as an adult crocodile. Its eyes are the size of soccer balls, and its massive mouth is lined with sharp teeth. Its legs are big enough to crush a full-grown korrigan, and its tail could easily strangle a dozen men.

My first instinct is to run away, but such a thought evaporates when I realize it's not the lizard that's big, but rather me who's small.

"You did it," bellows my mentor, his voice so powerful it makes the ground shake. At first, I don't understand what he means, but then I look down at myself.

Four legs. Green scales. A long tail. There's no doubt about it. I'm a lizard.

I can't believe I did it. But more than that, I can't believe how easy it was. I didn't even have to try. I just focused on the lizard, and I became it. It's incredible, but also a little scary.

I zip across the stone floor, thoroughly enjoying the incredible speed that comes with my new body. But even better is the fact that I can now scale walls. In mere seconds, I have reached the roof of the tunnel. I glance down, expecting to be assaulted by dizziness and nausea, but I feel nothing. Not only am I capable of things a normal human could only dream of, but I'm no longer afraid of heights.

It's an incredible feeling, and one I take full advantage of until my mentor grows tired of watching me climb walls.

"That's enough," he says. "To shift back, you must focus on your human body."

The last thing I want to do is reclaim my human form, but I know time is limited and every moment I waste scurrying about is a moment lost. Still, it's with a sense of disappointment that I go back to being Will Save, scrawny fifteen-year-old.

"That was amazing," I say once I have regained the power of speech.

My mentor nods but says nothing.

"Can I shift into any animal I touch?" I ask.

"Yes, but keep in mind your powers are still growing. In time you shall be able to shift into any humanoid or animal you have ever come into contact with. But that will take time and practice. For now, you can only replicate the appearance of the last living being you touched."

"How long?" I ask. "How long before I can master my powers?"

"It will take months. Maybe even years," admits my teacher. "All I know is that I have taught you all I can. The rest is up to you."

The hooded figure stands and walks away.

"Wait!" I say, but he has already vanished into the darkness.

I'm alone. In the past, this would have left me feeling sad and depressed, but I now feel invigorated. With this new trick up my sleeve, sneaking into Avalon's tower will be easy. I still need to come up with a plan, but I'm growing more confident with each passing second.

"You better watch out,Avalon," I say. "I'm coming for you."