by G Sauvé
I’m surprised until I remember my older self already experienced this moment. Taking full advantage of it, I retrieve the platter and start stuffing my face. I’m well aware the food will disappear from my stomach when I reset, but the explosions of flavour keep me from caring. I chomp down on the warm croissants, moaning softly as the layers of jam and cream cheese blend together, and literally inhale the mango smoothie that accompanies them.
“Take your time,” says my older self. “This will be your last meal for a very long time.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“Never mind. Just pay close attention. I’ll go over the plan as you eat.”
I nod and continue stuffing my face. As I eat, Old Will goes over the plan. I’m surprised by how simple it is.
“Are you sure it’s going to work?” I ask.
“I can’t be certain, but I’m confident everything will work out in the end.”
“You don’t sound sure.”
He sighs.
“Once you reset, the past as I know it will cease to exist. By travelling to the centre of the Earth, you will erase the timeline that led to me coming here. Everything that happens from this moment forward will be new.”
I was already aware of this fact, but now that I’m reminded of it, I realize Old Will’s plan has yet to be tested. There’s no guarantee it will work. This fact alone is almost enough to dissuade me from taking action, but deep down I know it’s the only option.
“What are we waiting for?” I ask. “Let’s do this.”
My older self chuckles. He retrieves my ring from his pocket and places it next to the platter.
“Is it fixed?” I ask. I pick it up and study it, but it looks no different than it did before.
My older self nods.
“It will reset you one last time. After that, it will be back to normal, which means you only have one shot at this. Make it count.”
I nod and slide the ring onto my finger.
“I guess this is it,” I say.
Will 2.0 nods.
I stand and open a portal. I stare at it for a moment before turning to my older self.
“Thank you,” I say. “For everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Is there anything else I should know?”
He shakes his head.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I say.
My older self nods. I turn toward the portal and brace myself.
“I have one last thing to give you before you go,” says Old Will before I can enter the temporal doorway.
I turn to find him rummaging through his pockets.
“Here,” he says, pulling out a metallic disc.
“What is it?” I ask, staring at the small object. The size of a quarter, it bears the same symbol that adorns my ring.
“Let’s hope you never have to find out. Just promise me you won’t activate it unless the plan fails.”
“Why?”
“Promise me.”
He’s so adamant I decide not to insist.
“Fine,” I say. “I promise.”
Old Will grins and offers me the mysterious object. I take it, and as I do, my fingers brush against his palm. Immediately, a mysterious force grabs hold of me. It yanks me toward my older self, pulling us together like two magnets. I fight it, but it grows stronger and stronger. It’s not until my older self yanks his hand away from mine that it finally stops.
I stagger backward, breathing heavily.
“W-What the h-hell was that?” I stutter.
Will 2.0 remains silent for a moment before a broad smile curls his lips.
“That,” he says, “was the solution to all of our problems.”
I stare at him, perplexed.
“What does that mean?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you,” he says. “One day, it will all make sense.”
I hate it when he does that. Then again, it’s not like he’ll ever get to do it again.
“Think fast,” he says as he tosses me the silver disc. I react on instinct and snatch it out of the air. I half expect the same mysterious force as before to grab hold of me, but it appears as though that strange phenomenon is restricted to my physical contact with my older self.
I stare at the disc for a moment before sliding it into my pocket.
“Is there anything else?” I ask.
My older self shakes his head.
“In that case, I should go before the portal closes.”
Old Will nods.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
I turn toward the portal, hesitate for a moment, then step through.
Memory 64
I appear in an old, decrepit park. I have seen it so many times it now has a soothing effect on me. But such feelings evaporate as soon as I notice Jonn and Kara. They stand nearby, their backs turned to me. The sight of them causes my fists to clench. They may no longer remember their betrayal, but the pain of what happened between us remains fresh in my mind. I don’t even hesitate before diving for cover.
My former friends call out to me when they notice me missing, but I ignore them. Let them wonder what happened to me. Let them suffer like I have suffered. But nothing they go through can ever compare to the torment of being betrayed by the ones you love.
I watch from behind a dried hedge as the sentinels emerge from the darkness and capture my companions. I feel a twinge of guilt at the sight of them being dragged away, but deep down I know it’s for the best. They will be safe as long as they keep their heads down. Once the humans are freed, I will escort them back to Atlantis before returning to my time. I haven’t decided whether or not I will give them my ring so they can continue pursuing Avalon, but there will be time to figure that out later.
I step out of cover as soon as the coast is clear. Following my older self’s instructions and using the knowledge I gained during my past adventures, I make my way through the underground park until I locate the doorway that leads into the abandoned housing facility.
Navigating it is slightly trickier, but I manage it with only a few wrong turns. After an hour or so of wandering and ducking for cover at every suspicious sound, I locate the spot where Kara first met A’lara. Though I’ve never been here before, my former friend described the counter with enough detail that I’m confident I’m in the right place.
I enter the storage closet where Kara and A’lara first got to know each other and get settled in. According to my calculations, I have a dozen or so hours of free time before A’lara strolls past my hiding spot. I end up spending most of that time thinking of Kara. Why did she lie to me? Why did she trick me into falling in love with her? And what of Jonn? What was his motive for keeping his daughter’s true nature a secret? I find no answers to the questions that plague me, but I succeed in distracting myself. In fact, I’m so successful I nearly mess everything up.
The closet door stands agape, a small object keeping the two halves from touching. The resulting crack measures mere centimetres, but it’s sufficient to give me a clear view of the corridor that lies beyond it. Unfortunately, I’m so busy thinking of my former companions I don’t notice the shimmer that glides past until it’s almost too late.
“Wait!” I yell. I burst from my hiding spot and focus on the shimmer that stands a dozen metres from me. Though I can’t see her, I know the camouflaged alien is staring at me.
“A’lara,” I say. “I know you’re there.”
The shimmer solidifies, and the Kra’lor is revealed.
Who are you? she asks, speaking directly into my mind. How do you know my name?
“I’m Will. I knew your father.”
You did?
I nod.
“He helped me in a time of need, and now I have come to ask the same of you.”
She cocks her oversized head and studies me. Does she recognize me? Does she remember me bringing the news of her father’s death?
What do you want?
This
is it. The next few moments will determine whether or not the enslaved humans can be saved.
“I’m trying to free the humans,” I explain, “but I can’t do it without you. Will you help me?”
A’lara considers the question for a moment before nodding.
Yes, she says. I will help you.
Memory 65
T he doors slide open, revealing a massive elevator. Made entirely of metal, the tube is vast beyond logic. You could easily fit an entire regimen of sentinels and still have space left over for a few rokks, a dozen humans, and a handful of Kra’lors. It’s hard to believe such a massive compartment will carry us to the center of the Earth.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask.
A’lara nods.
I will do whatever it takes to free the humans, even if that means destroying every last sentinel.
I can’t help being impressed by her commitment. She reminds me of her father. R’ha was so brave, so selfless. But now he’s dead. I just hope A’lara doesn’t meet the same fate.
Come on. The longer we stand here, the higher the odds we will be found. She enters the elevator and motions for me follow. I hurry in and watch as she presses her palm to the section of wall that stands to the right of the doorway. Moments later, the doors slide shut, and the elevator starts moving.
“How long will it take?” I ask.
Not long.
What does that mean? Will it take minutes or hours? Either way, now is the perfect time to extract as much information as I can from my new ally.
“Do you know where the computer that controls the sentries is located?”
A’lara nods.
“Is it guarded?”
Yes, but that should not be an issue.
“Are you sure?”
Certain.
“How can—” I begin, but that’s as far as I get before the elevator drops. One second we’re slowly sinking into the depths of the Earth; the next we’re plummeting like a rock dropped from the roof of a skyscraper. Weightlessness grabs hold of me. My feet leave the floor, and I slowly drift toward the ceiling.
“W-What’s happening?” I ask.
Relax, says A’lara. It’s normal.
I try to comply but fail miserably. Before long, the elevator’s momentum has me pinned against the ceiling. The pressure gradually increases until the mere act of breathing becomes a struggle.
“Help,” I croak, but A’lara ignores my plea.
Relax. The more you resist, the worse it will be.
I do my best not to panic, but it’s difficult now that my life has started flashing before my eyes. I relive the most significant moments of my existence with a mixture of fear and elation. Some are pleasant, but most are quite traumatic. I watch them unfurl for a while before the elevator slows and my body detaches from the ceiling. No longer blinded by the visions of my past, I float toward the floor. But I never reach it. Halfway there, the elevator comes to a sudden halt, and I find myself floating midway between the floor and the ceiling. A’lara hovers nearby.
“What’s happening?” I ask. While I’m glad the plummet didn’t kill me, I can’t help wondering why I’m weightless.
Gravity is inverted at the center of the Earth, explains A’lara. Everything is pulled outward instead of inward.
“That doesn’t explain why we’re floating,” I point out.
We have reached the midway point of our journey. Here the surface’s gravity meets that of the centre of the Earth. As such, there is no gravity.
That explains the floating, but…
“Does that mean we’re stuck?”
A’lara shakes her head.
The elevator uses a combination of ‘tal energy and gravity to propel itself. Now that we have reached the convergence point, it will use its energy supply to carry us the rest of the way. It should not be long—
We start moving again before she can finish. Unable to control my body, I rise toward the ceiling. Before long, I’m pinned once more. The pressure is less intense than before, yet I spend the next few minutes struggling to breathe. By the time the elevator finally slows to a stop, I have grown accustomed to the strange sensation.
I wait for the ceiling to release me, but it never does. I can now move freely, yet I remained pinned to the ceiling. I don’t understand how such a thing is possible until A’lara stands.
Gravity is inverted, which means that what was once the ceiling has now become the floor. Standing, I focus on the metallic surface that hovers above me. Sure enough, I find footprints.
“That’s freaky,” I say.
Wait until you see the centre of the Earth, says A’lara. It’s unlike anything you have ever seen.
I don’t doubt it for a second. I merely wait with bated breath as A’lara presses her hand to the wall. Moments later, the doors slide open, and I get my first look at the centre of the Earth.
Memory 66
I s that it?” I ask as I look around.
We stand inside a vast, empty chamber. Big enough to accommodate a dozen commercial airliners, the structure’s ground floor is bare but for the elevator that stands behind us. An exit stands at the mid-point of each of the surrounding four walls.
A’lara laughs. I think. Honestly, I still have trouble interpreting Kra’lor body language.
This is the elevator chamber, she explains. The true beauty lies beyond its walls. Follow me. I will show you.
She leads me toward the nearest exit. Reaching it takes a while, which allows me to voice a few of the questions that bounce around my mind.
“Why is this place empty?”
Kra’lors rarely travel to the surface.
That doesn’t answer my question, but I don’t insist.
“How many of you are there?” I ask.
In total, or on Earth?
“On Earth.”
One hundred thousand.
Damn! I didn’t expect the number to be so high. Reaching the sentinel command centre may not be as simple as I initially thought.
“And in total?”
We have no way of determining our population with exact precision, but there are roughly one trillion Kra’lors scattered throughout the universe.
Wow! And I used to think eight billion people was a lot.
“How—” I begin, but an alarm cuts me off. It sounds familiar, yet it’s not until I realize the high-pitched beeping is coming from my rings that I recognize it.
It’s the holo tracker’s built-in detection system. The beeping indicates another time travel ring was detected in this time. In other words, Avalon just emerged from a portal. I activate the tracker, and a green holographic arrow appears. It points straight up, indicating Avalon is high above us. Odds are, she’s somewhere in the human housing facility. Once upon a time, such information would have proven useful, but now it’s of no concern to me. Still, it’s with a sense of unease that I deactivate the tracker.
We keep going until we reach the nearest exit. It stands at the centre of the windowless wall, massive by normal standards, yet tiny compared to the vastness of the chamber.
I expect A’lara to lead me through it, but she merely stands before it and reaches out. I don’t understand what she’s doing until a hidden compartment appears to the left of the door and a shiny object rises from it. It glides through the air and comes to a standstill before me. Shaped like a miniature flying saucer, the metallic disc glimmers in the artificial light.
“What is it?” I ask.
It’s a cloaking device, explains A’lara. Her arms remain outstretched, making it clear she’s the one controlling the floating object. It will protect you from wandering eyes.
“How does it work?”
Don’t move. I’ll show you.
She flicks her fingers and the flying saucer slams into my chest. The impact is subtle, but it causes the device to come alive with beams of yellow light. Blinded, I shield my eyes as the beams solidify into waving, flailing tentacles. They snake across my frame and e
ncircle my every limb. I struggle to break free, but the tendrils are too powerful.
“Help,” I croak just as the glowing strands slither across my face.
Don’t fight it, says A’lara, but I’m too terrified to listen. I twist and turn, desperately trying to escape the attacking tentacles, but the more I struggle, the worse it gets. Soon, I’m completely entangled. I can’t move. I can’t speak. I can barely even breathe. I fear the end is near, but the strange cocoon of light recedes after a few seconds.
“What the hell just happened?” I mutter.
Humans aren’t allowed at the centre of the Earth, explains A’lara. The cloaking device will protect you.
I don’t understand what she means until I focus on my body. The tentacles are still there, only now they have weaved together, forming a cloak of shimmering energy. Beneath it stands my body, invisible but for a slight shimmer.
“Is it… permanent?” I ask.
You can deactivate the cloak by pressing the device attached to your chest, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Trespassers aren’t treated kindly.
“O-Okay,” I mutter. “What now?”
A’lara doesn’t answer. She approaches the door and presses a hand to it. Moments later, it retreats into the wall.
Welcome to my world, she says as a blast of hot air slams into us. Almost immediately, her body starts to disappear. Within seconds, it has been reduced to a mere shimmer.
“What happened?” I ask. “Are you all right?”
It’s normal. My body automatically shimmers when exposed to high temperatures.
I recall R’ha mentioning something to that effect, but so much has happened since I last saw him it’s a miracle I remember anything at all.
Follow me, says A’lara as she moves across the threshold. I hesitate for a moment then follow. What I find is so beautiful I can’t help gasping.
The center of the Earth is unlike anything I ever could have imagined. Massive by any standards, the spherical cavity expands for kilometres. Determining its exact size is impossible, yet its sheer vastness puts the cavern where Jonn and I spent a month of our lives to shame. Never before have I seen such a gargantuan void. But that doesn’t mean the center of the planet is empty. Far from it.