by TheTimeTrust, T5 and The Eurostar
"And we're the only ones left, Doc!" cried the thirteen-year-old, redheaded Brianna in a dark, underground room. She stopped, because she couldn't speak.
Her twin brother Kevin held her and continued, "Yeah, it looks like Devlin was the first to fall, fighting all those vampires out there. Well, actually, Axel's been missing since this thing began, but we did a mind-sweep, and he's nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. We hope he's okay, but he's either dead or a thousand miles away from here. Stefano... he... his mind just shattered the psychic plane when he died, y'know? We both felt it at the same time. Same with Guida-Sofia."
"We think Daniela's still out there... somewhere," added Brianna. "But her mind's been closed off to us, as if she's not herself any longer. We really don't know where she is anymore."
"The PSI-Unit is dead, Doc. Of the seven of us, we're the only ones still here," said Kevin sadly, scratching his bright red hair. "Everything you, Marc, and Tanya worked so hard for is just, like... gone!"
Dr. Hugo Brechert nodded as the youngsters he had raised to become champion telekinetics and psychics huddled for warmth in the underground shelter. All seven of them had been orphans -- extremely gifted orphans -- recruited by the La Perditan government. After the metagene incident occurred, their natural ESP abilities increased tenfold, and the PSI-Unit was soon born, aided by talented older psychics Marc and Tanya, who acted as mentors. But now the dream was over.
"Do not vorry, little vuns," Dr. Brechert said in his German accent, smiling a grandfatherly smile, which -- along with his bushy white eyebrows and round-spectacled glasses -- gave him a very fatherly look. "I vill take care uff you from now on. But ve must leave La Perdita now."
Kevin and Brianna looked at him with confused eyes, and Kevin finally said, "Leave La Perdita? But... but what about all those people who need our help?"
They had gone to look for Dr. Brechert to make sure he was safe, but they were planning on braving the storm once more to ensure that the rest of the island's citizens were safe, just like their "big brother" Devlin had taught them to. He had grown up reading stories of the heroes of mythology and history and had instilled in them all a sense of duty for their fellow citizens, to always serve and protect them despite the risk to their own lives. And they had for three years. They'd faced threats most other Caribbean islands never had to deal with, and they'd overcome them all. The Perditans loved them for it. But now the PSI-Unit founder and director -- and the only father the kids had ever known -- was asking them to abandon their only home.
"Trust me on this, kinder," said Dr. Brechert once again, "it iss the best thing you can do right now. La Perdita iss better served by these MBL people, and ve musst ensure that you survive, to... to continue to save people in the future. It iss the only heroic thing you can do right now."
"All right, Doc," Brianna finally said. "If you're sure it's the best thing to do, we can transport you to America with our TK powers. The storm won't be able to touch us."
"America? Nein, nein, although I vould luff to revisit that great country vunce more, it iss best that we rebuild in Argentina," said Dr. Brechert. "I haff... friends down there." He grinned once more, and Kevin and Brianna left the bunker, flying off in secret through the storm, heading south. No one saw them leave.
Wiping the memories of his existence had put a lot of strain on Marc. The few surviving members of the PSI-Unit would be safe without him. Now he could follow his own agenda and start over. But he swore a silent oath that if he ever found those guilty of the gruesome murders of his past colleagues, he would avenge them.
Looking around the now-messed-up island, he saw a few attempts of restoring order. Good, he thought, no one would notice him as he entered the police station. Inside, only one officer remained, as the others were out busy helping out in the chaos. Marc easily put him to sleep and sat down by the computer.
Locating the password was child's play for the Grandmaster Class telepath. But locating his files seemed a trifle harder. They sure needed a more up-to-date system there.
Eventually he found it, but it had already been altered. He was presumed dead years ago, just as the PSI-Unit had gotten started. Apparently he had been only a lab technician who got caught in a fire and died. This was too good to be true, but who had done it and why?
A noise behind him made him turn around. Who could have caught him by surprise?
"Hello, Marc," said a very old, strange-looking man. "We have need of you. The world needs you, before it's too late."
Edulcore Cicciotto:
There were two dozen vampires clinging from the UFO like a bunch of grapes, and as funny that image could have been, they managed to take down my vessel.
The velocity of the ship would have trashed normal humans, but the UFO technology seems affected by the magic that empowers the vampires.
So the UFO crashed over the side of the volcano, and I am now inside, protected by a tin shell of an alien metal, with a battalion of undead out there, trying to open their tuna can.
I will be dead meat in no time. I will fight, I will even take down many, I am sure, but I know I can't stand all alone against so many enemies.
The light inside the UFO goes off. It is only a matter of minutes before they find a way inside. Then, there is a sparkle, a minuscule light appearing out of the darkness. It grows, takes shape.
It's a girl, a glowing girl, young and familiar, although I am sure I have never seen her before. There are tears on her face, but she is not crying, now, although she seems to have been crying earlier. It's a ghost.
"Hi, Edulcore," she whispers.
"Who... are... you?"
"I was Guida-Sofia, Edulcore... of the PSI-Unit."
"You... were?"
"I died. The PSI-Unit has died. And maybe it's not for the worst. But our duty now passes into your hands, into the hands of the MBL."
"You came... to tell me this?"
"No. I came because it was supposed that we meet somehow, somewhere. I died before meeting you, but some things must happen, and I cannot go away before I talk to you."
I am dead, too? Have the vampires killed me, and I am dreaming? No, if I am dead, this can't be a dream. I am a ghost talking with a ghost?
"What you are thinking is wrong. You are alive, at least for now. I came because I have to reveal something to you, Edulcore."
"Talk, girl!" The imperative in my words is a surprise to me. I never talk this way. But since my departure from the EPS, I am changing. Maybe it's the eagle part of me inside.
"I had dreams. I dreamed of your coming, Edulcore. I am no seer, so this means I was somehow reading your mind, the memories locked in your head, the memories of your childhood. Your role, in the past, in the present, the paths you are supposed to walk in the future. You are no common person, Edulcore. There is much more besides your metagene."
The glow dims.
"Tell me something more. You have revealed nothing for real, kid!"
"There are so many things I would say to you. But my time is ending, and on the island there are others that can reveal the same to you. I just want to say this: you are the Timeless Champion. Your sword is buried here, right within the UFO. Take it, and all will be easier. But be warned: you are not alone on this plane of existence. There is another like yourself, and when you get the sword, that person will know, and the whole universe will be not large enough for the two of you. Farewell."
Sword? Champion? What crap is this? The phantasm's gone, darkness everywhere.
The metal vibrates. The vampire are nearly inside.
And then, the flat surface of the UFO under my feet seems to liquify, and I fall into a hole, a sort of hidden chamber, circular, with a dome over it. In the middle, as impossible it would seem, there is a sort of stone altar, and over it, a sword, a big, leaf-shaped bronze sword, with an obscene hilt and veins of gold running throughout the blade.
I stroke the hilt. It's like a charge of electricity. And the sword jumps into my hand.
And memories and visions flow into my mind, and I am myself, in a dark and doomed world, planning to battle one of my best friends. I am myself, screaming at the revelation that my sword has been recovered. I am myself, on the sands of Mars, worrying about the decision I have to make. I am myself, looking at the Sahara under a star-filled sky, ready to call my comrades into mission. And I am myself, in thousands other situations, but always I know of this sword.
I know its name: Ladnikia.
I rise it. I feel the balance in my hand. I feel her thirst of blood, which is my thirst. The fear is gone. The Raptor has found his claw.
I jump outside, right in the middle of the crowd of vampires. And at the sight of the sword, they panic. The Sword of the Abyss is here. And it's beginning to sing her song.
Two minutes later, I am over the roof of the saucer, looking at the dozens of heads of undead rolling down the hill. And I laugh.
UFO, bring me to my friends.
And while it takes flight, I don't get inside, I remain over the cockpit. Finally, I feel the wind on my face once more.
Standing over the fast-flying UFO is a joy, riding the wind, fast as I could only do with my wings, in the most desperate dive. It's like when I was windsurfing in Croatia, many years ago when I was a champion, rich and famous.
Now I am riding a UFO, seizing an ageless sword, and I am going to battle vampires. Life is too fun!
Over the horizon is the gray wall of the approaching second half of the hurricane, below me, the beach, and hundreds of people running toward distant caves. Near the sea, a gigantic beast, like the one we battled in Chicago, big, towering, fat, and furious, trampling over dozens of dead bodies. And there is a giant werewolf fighting it: Fenris.
Why do I know his name? Memories of distant past.
I know that it's their battle. I know only Fenris can take it down. Yet too many innocent people are being killed by the Beast. The Beast shouldn't be allowed to roam the beach.
I raise Ladnikia, grasping her hilt with both hand. UFO, dive.
I turn, while the UFO quickly takes speed, regaining altitude.
The Beast is reversed over one side, roaring its hate toward me, its hind left leg neatly cut away and lying on the sand fifty meters away. Fenris jumps at its throat.
Back in the middle of the winds, I raise the sword, feeling the blade feeding over the otherworldly blood of the creature. I watch the beast, now very small down there, on the beach. But I also see the sea and a swarm of creatures heading toward the island.
I must investigate. UFO, bring me down, over there.