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ALTOR:The Shadow Rebellion
For information about The Chronicles of Ageron, or to
contact the author, please visit:
www.ljdevet.com
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The Chronicles of Ageron
ALTOR:
The Shadow Rebellion
L. J. deVet
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Copyright Notice:
The Chronicles of Ageron
ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion
Paperback Edition
978 0 9873686 2 1
L. J. deVethttp://www.ljdevet.com
All rights reserved.
This publication contains material protected by Copyright
Laws. Any unauthorised reprint or use of this material is
prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the author and publisher.
Copyright L. J. deVet, 2012.
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Dedication:
For the three who inspire me,Khye, Halli and Avhaya,
and for John, the one who is forever.
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!PROLOGUE "
Fear is not an emotion I feel very often. Not at all, really. I guess asituation in which it has proved necessary has never presented
itself. Until now.
I cant help but feel it surge through me as I stare helplessly
into the ominous darkness that has engulfed me. Every part of my
body, both inside and out, is beginning to feel as empty and
lifeless as the endless shadow I now find myself a part. I feel nomore than an empty nothingness; unable to see, hear or feel
anything but the emptiness that surrounds me. I might as well be a
lonesome star, burning vibrantly in its dedicated place in the vast,
endless universe, as though possessing some form of purpose
within it, but illuminating absolutely nothing around me because I
am surrounded by nothing but darkness. Alone.The idea of the darkness alone is not what causes me alarm.
What type of Guardian would I be if that were the case? Instead,
its unfamiliarity and apparent endlessness cause a sense of panic to
surge through me; one I want nothing more than to disappear. I
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can feel no greater urge than to free myself from that which has me
so involuntarily helpless, but I am able to do nothing. I have
become nothing.
Unable to make any practical movement, and remaining at
the absolute control of the lifeless atmosphere around me, I cease
any further effort to free myself, knowing perfectly well that any
such attempt would be futile at best, and allow for the darkness to
consume me entirely. I release my mind from any further thought,
and force my mind, body and soul to relax at my will, ready for
the emptiness to take the control over me that it so desperately
wants. Ready for my insides to fall into a similar abyss of
emptiness to that which surrounds me.
Somewhere within my increasingly hollow being, I can sense
the panic growing uncontrollably; a sensation of which I am not
too familiar with. I have never before had reason to feel fear, andthe onset of this new and unfamiliar feeling is beginning to
frighten me more so than the darkness itself. I can sense the panic
growing uncontrollably, prompting my breathing to assume a wild
and irregular pattern. My heart is thumping erratically, and each
beat sounds as though my heart is preparing to leap out from my
chest, sick of ever having been contained within it. With each andevery breath that I draw, a short, sharp pain manifests within my
lungs. Its like my body is trying to tell me something. To warn
me of an imminent danger.
As I am forced to stare helplessly into the endless darkness
before me, my interest is captured by the most unexpected of
flashes of tiny, almost indistinguishable light in the distance. Thesudden flash quickly subsides, revealing behind it two similarly
tiny lights, but of differing colour; one blue, and the other red.
Although only small in stature, their vibrancy is made more
distinct due to the fact that they are surrounded by nothing but
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complete darkness, forcing their emanating glow to multiply
dramatically.
Drawn into a trance of admiration at the new sources of light,
I cant help but watch them. They posses an appeal that is almost
hypnotising. As my gaze deepens, I notice that the lights are
progressively growing in size, offering the impression that they are
gradually advancing towards me. After only seconds, they double
in size, and are continuing to grow with each passing moment.
Watching them progress towards me, my one thought is that the
glows are the oddly discoloured headlights of a car, travelling
towards me with great speed; oblivious to the empty darkness
before it, and unaware of my being in its immediate path.
With each second that lapses, the lights continue to grow. I
know full well they are gaining momentum, and within a matter
of moments I will be met face to face with what unknownphenomenon is approaching me. Whatever its source may be it is
headed in my very direction, increasing in velocity to now
resemble the headlights of a bullet train, more so than a car. This
is it, I cant help but convince myself.
Within only seconds, less time than I am awarded to draw a
final breath, the darkness surrounding me disappears. In its place,a bright, golden light appears, swallowing behind it the blue and
red lights that had me transfixed only seconds before. Its vibrancy
forces my eyes closed, and I raise my arm to protect my eyes. In
one, instantaneous moment, the golden light has taken over.
My one and only thought is that this is death, and I am its
next victim.
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!CHAPTER ONE "The Worst Day
I spring upright, drenched in the flood of sweat that coats my bed.
All other sounds are drowned out by the loud drum of my
erratically beating heart, each beat resembling what sound you
would expect a giants footsteps to produce.
The world around me, consisting only of the contents of my
bedroom at this point, is moving as I do. Everything thatsurrounds me rises and falls with each and every breath I draw. Up
and down. Up and down. I know full well that my bedroom
contents are not in fact moving, but they most certainly appear it
from where I sit.
With each breath comes an unbearably sharp burn that
sprouts within my chest, feeling as though it is eating my lungs bitby bit. I can do nothing but sit and make every possible attempt to
correct my breathing, hoping desperately that everything else will
sort itself out.
It takes only a matter of seconds for me to begin hearing the
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thumping of my heart subside, eventually slowing to its almost
regular rhythm. As the beating of my heart weakens, so too does
the urgency for breath, allowing me to regain some control over
my breathing, but not all.
I cant help but notice my chest, which until this point had
been bounding up and down, rising and falling at the command of
each breath, now settling to a regular rhythm and movement.
Whatever it is that is happening to me, it is beginning to correct
itself, much to my relief.
I can feel as my senses become my own again, my vision
steadying and the drone of my heart reducing to a standard level.
Only then do I allow myself to feel even remotely relieved. As
much as I would love to feel entirely relieved, I cannot help but
feel apprehensive about the entire ordeal. It was nothing, I try to
convince myself. It was just a dream.A nightmare.Looking up from my sweat-drenched bed, I know that isnt
quite the case. I am all too familiar with experiences beyond the
ordinary, but never have I experienced a dream so vivid; so real.
Even my strongest of premonitions has never been so detailed and
lifelike. Thinking about the mysterious events of the dream only
compounds what confusion I already feel. One that I cant seem toshake off, regardless of how hard I try. It was a dream, I further
persuade myself. Nothing more.
In an effort to distract myself from further thought, I decide
its best to withdraw myself from the place in which the strange
dream took place. I quickly leave what thoughts remain of my
dream at bay, and twist my legs over the beds edge, using everyounce of strength that remains at my disposal to heave myself up
and out of it.
Every muscle within me aches, searing with intense pain as I
rise. My joints and muscles feel as though they have just
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undergone several hours of intense training, or at the very least,
that they have been exposed to the torment of an unending
marathon.
Pushing through the sharp pain haunting every muscle of my
body, I trudge dawdlingly towards my bedroom door. As I
approach it, the periphery of my vision reveals that I have
neglected to open my bedroom curtains and window. I first
consider leaving them untouched, but know all too well that is a
thought my grandmother would strongly disapprove of.
As I motion to alter my direction, a severing pain sprouts in
my legs, which then progresses violently to reach every other
muscle in my body. The thought of causing any further pain by
walking to the window is one that holds little appeal. The thought
alone of doing so causes more pain than its worth.
Instead, I choose the path of laziness and decide to use mytelekinesis to open them. I know I shouldnt, but what good is
having all of this power and never being given the opportunity to
use them at all? In a slow and steady motion, I raise my right arm
and stretch it out in front of me. I open my palm, and turn it
vertically so it now lines parallel to the divide in the centre of the
curtains two halves. Whilst standing several metres away from thecurtains, I slowly slide my outstretched hand to the left, the very
direction my palm is facing, and force the left half of the curtain to
open steadily without ever touching it. As though an invisible
force is causing it, the left curtain is drawn open entirely, allowing
what light lies beyond the window to stream through it
effortlessly.I repeat the very same for the opposite half of the curtain, and
within seconds my entire bedroom is illuminated by the suns
radiant light, changing in colour as it passes through the different
colours of the ornately stained glass.
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Staring at the lock that secures the window, I concentrate
with all my might, carefully imagining my opening it by hand. As
though knowing exactly what I am hoping to achieve, the lock
snaps open with a reasonably loud click, allowing for me to levitate
open the window using a similar technique I did the curtains.
The very moment the window opens, I can feel the gentle
breeze that forces itself inside, delicately whisking across my face,
bringing with it the scent of freshly cut grass from outside. As I
stand admiring both the scent of the grass and the result of my
telekinetic ability, I cant help but feel smug with myself. Practice
really does make perfect, I cant help but think.
Practice is something of which I am all too familiar. In fact,
much of my life has been spent practising. Not so much
practising, but training. As a Sorcerer, particularly one assigned the
role of protecting the rest of my kind as a Guardian, I am requiredto train endlessly in order to gain complete control over the three
abilities I have developed to date; my telekinesis, premonitions and
envelishment, the ability for us to teleport instantly to any desired
location. Although seemingly impressive, I should have developed
further abilities by now. I can only hope that they will present
themselves soon.My favourite ability is my telekinesis. It is also one of my
more useful powers. Not that that means much, considering
theres never really been reason to use it. The only reason I am
given to use it is for the smallest, petty things, like opening
windows and doors. I am still developing my telekinesis. At first I
was only able to lift that which I could physically carry, but sincethen my strength has improved, and I am now able to levitate far
heavier objects, such as people and cars.
My kind, Sorcerers, particularly those who are Guardians like
myself, are not exactly supposed to use our powers for personal
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gain. The use of our power is intended only for fulfilling our
obligations to our people, and protecting all others within our
world, Ageron, and those on Earth, who we call the Earthly.
Such opportunity, however, has never presented itself. For as
long as I can remember, all those who dwell within Ageron and on
Earth have lived harmoniously, with not much excuse for us to put
our power into practice. Of course, there have been occasions in
our history where great evil has dwelled alongside us and
threatened to take over our land, but I have never been told of all
the details. Its as though everybody has chosen to put it behind
them, and that nobody ever considers future threats a possibility.
At times, I actually hope for something to happen. That way, I
would be able to use my powers for something other than just
training, for once.
As much as I would love to use my power for everything, mygrandfather, Cassaius, constantly reminds me of my greater duty;
all great strength and power can be attributed to an even greater
cause. As much as I dislike hearing of it, I know it is true. Using
my abilities for my own benefit is something I dont particularly
enjoy doing, simply because I know its not really the right thing
to do, but at the very same time I cant help myself. Not using mypower would mean that my abilities are going to waste completely.
Something I never want to see happen. Ever.
I know I was given my power for a greater purpose than to
open curtains, but I cant live my life knowing I have such great
power and will never see an opportunity to use them for anything.
My destiny has provided me with power to protect my people, andas much as I dont want to take advantage of that, I cant sit by
and allow for my power to weaken and remain undeveloped.
With that thought, I use my telekinesis to open my bedroom
door with a wave of my hand. It opens immediately, revealing
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behind it the previously darkened hallway that is now illuminated
by the light streaming through my bedroom window.
As I leave my bedroom and enter the hallway, all the while
feeling my muscles as they adapt to the pain of each progressive
step, I cant help but notice the photographs that adorn the wall to
my right. Normally I would continue down the corridor without
ever having paid attention to them. The pain they cause every time
I look is all too much to bear. Im not sure exactly what makes me
look on this occasion, but the very moment my eyes meet them, I
cant bear the thought of looking away. Its as though, for some
peculiar reason, I am particularly drawn to them.
Staring vacantly back towards me is my father, Lucillius, but
whom everybody called Lucas for short. Judging by the
photograph, he looks to be quite different in appearance to myself.
His thick, dark hair is neatly parted to one side, allowing for everyvisible part of his scalp to remain adequately covered. Although he
has similarly piercing eyes as I, his are a slightly softer tone. They
are not necessarily a lighter colour, but are not quite as vibrant as
my own. Like in every other photograph I have seen of him, his
square-shaped face, which features a strong, slightly hooked nose
at its centre, is covered generously with facial stubble, hidingbehind it the faint skin that is universal amongst our kind.
Although his skin appears slightly darker than my own, it remains
very pale nonetheless.
As I stare carefully at the photograph, I notice my own
reflection on the glass panel of the photo frame, made possible by
the background light that enters the corridor via the lightstreaming violently through my bedroom door. My every feature,
with the few exceptions of my skin and eyes, is completely
opposite to that of my father. My eyes are a more vibrant blue
than my fathers, and are more piercing than any others I have
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seen, made to look even more that way due to my pale, almost
glowing skin. Although my hair matches my fathers in colour,
mine is not quite as thick, and is far scruffier, made worse by the
fact that I have only just woken up. My face is relatively long and
defined, and adorns a small button-like nose in the centre. I really
couldnt look any more different to the man staring at me in the
photograph.
Stealing what attention Id been giving my own reflection is a
beautiful woman standing directly beside my father; my mother.
Long, dark hair, not quite as dark as my own, dangles graciously
from her head and almost reaches her waist. Like my father and I,
her eyes are a sapphire-like blue; not quite as piercing as my own.
In the centre of her perfectly symmetrical face sits the most
elegant, straight-edged nose I have seen before, which only adds to
her beauty and makes her even more deserving of her name,Mirabelle.
As my eyes move towards the final figure of the photograph, I
cant help but flinch, knowing full well whom my eyes will last
gaze upon. My baby sister, Anabelle, the only one of us I would
have considered to have a remotely normal name, lay peacefully in
her gleaming mothers arms. My gleaming mothers arms. She isthe only one I barely had a chance to meet. I have often overheard
people commenting that she looked exactly like my mother, but
how anybody can draw similarities in appearance between a baby
and a full grown adult, I will never understand. Whatever
comparisons people might make, she looks nothing but beautiful
and content in the photograph.The gaze I have been offering to the photograph of my family
is abruptly interrupted by a slight tickle racing down the side of
my face. As I motion to flick whatever its cause away, I feel the
warmth of a moist drizzle, only then realising that I have been
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crying. For how long I cannot say, but I most certainly know the
cause.
My parents and sister died in a fatal accident when I was only
five years old. On my fifth birthday to be precise. My parents were
both twenty-six when they died, and Anabelle only six months old.
Their lives had been prematurely stripped away from them. From
me.
Id always thought of my parents as invincible, a thought I
know perfectly well is impossible, but its how I considered them
nonetheless. I dont remember much at all about that night.
Instead I must rely on what information I am told. The story I
have always been provided is that there was an explosion caused by
a gas leak, but Ive never believed that for a second. No gas leak
could have killed my parents. Of that, Im sure.
My grandparents raised me from that night, and every time Iquestion them about what happened they either repeat the same
story, or refuse to explain it again. It has become quite the touchy
subject, as any topic involving lost loved ones is. But I have
promised myself I will find the answers to the questions that haunt
me. One way or another.
Unable to bear looking at their smiling faces a momentlonger, I begin to move off. As I walk away, I turn around a final
time and take one last glimpse of the family I once belonged. The
moment I do, a crushing thought strikes me. Today is my
birthday. My fifteenth birthday. Ten years to the day my family
was so undeservedly taken from me. A once happy occasion, now
overcome by sadness and loss. A day I have grown to hate.As I distance myself from the photographs, I straighten one of
the crooked frames using my telekinesis, before turning right way
round and bowing my head, allowing the tears to fall freely down
my face. I dont look up until I can feel the tears disappearing, and
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when I do I find myself standing at the bottom of the grand
staircase, not noticing I had walked down it.
I continue down the hallway that leads off the staircase,
relieved that the pain that had been haunting my muscles has now
almost disappeared completely.
Aurellius, I hear the familiar voice of my grandmother
emerge from the dining room Id just passed.
I carefully backtrack the few steps Id overshot the dining
room, and turn into it, where I find my grandparents sitting at the
table, sharing a pot of their daily morning tea.
Ajay, Gran, I correct her.
Only my grandparents ever refer to me by my birth name,
despite my making it perfectly clear how much I hate it being
used. My full name is Aurellius Jay Samuels. Who has a name that
bad? I do. Everybody who is not my grandparents knows me asAjay; a name I much prefer.
My birth name isnt exactly something Im entirely proud of.
That being said, it does hold meaning, as do all other names for
Guardians. A meaningful name is said to set us apart from those
Sorcerers who do not bear the added responsibility of protecting
our people. According to my grandparents, my name means TheGolden One. Something I am yet to see for myself.
We thought youd never wake up, my smiling grandfather
says sarcastically.
I look a lot more like my grandfather, and even my
grandmother for that matter, than I do my parents. Judging by the
photographs, at least. Although he only stands slightly taller thanI, he has a presence about him that makes him appear ten times
larger than he actually is. As with any other Sorcerer, he has
piercing, almost glowing eyes; his a vibrant shade of blue like
mine.
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Although the colour varies between each of us, we all share a
similar piercing-quality to our eyes. Much like humans, though,
our eyes are entirely unique to us. No two Sorcerers have identical
eyes, no matter how similar they may appear, and our eyes, as well
as the paleness of our skin, clearly set us apart from the Earthly.
Happy birthday, my grandmother interrupts the silence I
hadnt realised developed.
However greatly I despise being wished a happy birthday,
purely because I could never be happy on such a day, I force a
smile to show at least some gratitude. No matter how obvious I
make my displeasure of my birthday, my grandparents never allow
it to stop them from doing the one thing I wish they wouldnt.
Making a fuss.
Thanks Gran.
I walk over and offer her a hug, at which she smilesappreciatively. My grandmother, Mildred, is always smiling. I refer
to it as her trademark feature. Her eyes are also unique, even as far
as our own kind is concerned. They are an emerald-like green;
deep and mesmerising, unlike any others I have seen. As they gaze
into your own, you can sense that she doesnt just see into your
eyes; she sees what lies behind them. It feels as though she isreading your every thought, which proves difficult to hide
anything from her.
Everything else about her is not quite so unique. Her dark
hair, which is a few shades lighter than my own, is always held in a
neat bun at the rear of her head, revealing a youthful looking face
as pale as my very own, appearing only forty, although aged sixty.Both my grandparents look much younger than they really are. Its
a quality our kind possesses. Our life span extends to one hundred
and fifty, and at our eldest we can appear as young as fifty to those
who wouldnt know any better.
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How are you holding up, kiddo? my grandfather asks
concernedly, and the very moment the words leave his lips, I know
exactly what he is referring to.
Im fine, I lie. As good as I could be, I suppose.
A short silence fills the room. A silence I wish would
disappear immediately. I despise silences on days like today,
regardless of how brief they may be. They allow for nothing more
than the one thing I am so desperately seeking to avoid today;
time. Time to think and remember about what it is that I lost. Its
not at all that I want to forget my family. That is something I
would never allow myself. Its that I want to forget the fact that I
ever lost them.
So, whats on the agenda for today? my grandfather asks,
clearly understanding my uneasiness based on the expression Id
produced.Uh, I guess Ill invite some friends over?
The way I say it sounds as though I am answering, and asking
permission at the same time.
Just as well we wont be here to get in your way, then, my
grandmother says.
Why? I ask. Where are you going?Some of the other Altor have decided to call a meeting about
new Ageronian Legislation they are wanting to introduce, so were
needed at Sgon, my grandfather answers.
My initial reaction leaves me wanting to join them, but at the
same time Im not quite fond of the idea of attending a meeting
today. Sitting in silence will provide far too much time to thinkthan Id like.
Sgon is a building within Ageron that is used as the base for
governing our land, almost like a house of parliament. A place so
dull and uneventful would surely leave me with more thinking
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time than Id like.
The rulers of our land are given the name Altor, and consist
of all members of seven separate family groups that are direct
descendents of the very first Altor elected to govern our land. Its
much like a royal family, only there are seven of them.
My family is one of those seven. I am an Altor. Not only do I
possess the responsibility of protecting my people, I have the
added responsibility of governing them when I become of age. In
three years to this very day, on my eighteenth birthday, I will
become an active member of the Altor, and will be required to
attend these boring meetings my grandparents so often visit Sgon
for.
As an Altor, I will be responsible to make sure all Guardians
are fulfilling their obligations, and will be required to uphold the
law of our land; the many laws my ancestors had helped to create.Although a daunting prospect, there is comfort in knowing that
Altor are said to be amongst the most powerful of our kind.
Something I am yet to see for myself.
Dont let me stand in the way of your fun, I say sarcastically.
Try and stop us, my grandfather says, prompting a slight
pause. No, seriously. Please stop us.I cant help but laugh. I know the meetings are dull, and I
know my grandparents would rather be at home with me today,
but we all know how important they are to all of Ageron.
My grandparents stand, and leave the dining room for the
kitchen with their empty teacups. I am left alone for a few short
moments, but am joined once more as they return to the diningroom. As they return, they both approach me and offer a hug,
before whispering a final happy birthday in my ear, and walking
to the opposite side of the room, where they turn and face me.
Dont you have too much fun while were gone, my
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grandmother says with her trademark smile.
Ill try, I add jokingly.
Before I have a chance to do or say anything more, a gentle
breeze fills the room, and my grandfather offers a wink before his
entire body is replaced with nothing more than a bright, blue
light; one that complements the colour of his eyes, and illuminates
every corner of the dining room we stand. The shape of the light
still matches that of his body, but it is beginning to reduce in size,
as though sucking itself in at his chest.
With each progressing moment the light is drawing itself
inward, now becoming no more than a diminishing glow of light
hovering unaided in the air, continuing to decrease in size as it
progresses inward. In less time than I have to realise what is
happening, the entire glow that has replaced my grandfather has
become nothing more than a ball of blue light, still hovering of itsown accord in the air. With a soft slurping sound, the light is
sucked out of the air, removed from it as though being sucked in
by a vacuum cleaner, leaving nothing behind but the empty space
my grandfather had stood only seconds before.
Although Ive witnessed an envelishment many times before,
and perform it almost daily myself, it is still a concept that I findabsolutely remarkable. Not all of my kind has the ability to
envelish, but those of us who do are able to roam freely between
both Ageron and Earth. Those who lack the ability to envelish are
unable to leave Ageron, and are forced to remain within it for life.
Our envelished form, or how our envelishment looks from
the outside, depends on what Ageronian species we are. AllSorcerers take form of light, one that complements the colour of
our eyes, but other species can simply vanish, or are replaced with
a shadow. This makes it easy for us to identify who it is that is
envelishing.
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Although not an entirely pleasant experience, having your
body break down into tiny pieces of light just to have it sucked out
of the air and be reassembled moments later, it is one of our most
vital. I have grown used to it with more use of it, and it has now
become second nature.
Just as the glow of blue within the room vanishes, it is
replaced by a bright, green light that begins to swallow my
grandmother behind it, bringing with it the familiar gentle breeze
that whisks through the air. Within seconds, my grandmother is
replaced entirely by her blindingly green light, which then begins
to reduce in size, eventually becoming no more than a ball of light,
just as had been the case with my grandfather. A fraction of a
second later, the ball of light is sucked out of the air, and I am left
alone in the room that had seconds before been occupied by three
people.The very moment I know I have been left alone, rather than
stand in absolute silence, I leave the dining room in search of a
suitable distraction. The only place I can think of that could offer
such a distraction is the living room, which I find myself entering
only a few moments later.
In the corner of the room, in front of the generously sizedwindow that dominates the front of the house, I notice a small
table adorned with several candles and gemstones, each carefully
allocated a special place of its own. Instantly, I know its the
memorial my grandparents set up every year in remembrance of
my family.
At the rear of the table stands two tall candles, both a deepblue. The candles are placed meticulously behind two beautiful
gemstones of complementing colour, the flickering flame of the
candles reflecting somewhat weakly on their surface. At their front
sits a much smaller candle and gemstone, one that is a lighter
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shade of blue than those behind it. I know straight away what the
gemstones are.
All Sorcerers, even those who are not Guardians, are each
presented a gemstone at our birth. We call this an illuminatem. It
is not known where they come from, or how they are able to
appear out of thin air as they do, but they arrive in much the same
way as we envelish at our birth.
It is said that Usellius, one of the very first Altor to have
existed, and who is allegedly one of my earliest of ancestors, saw
need for each Sorcerer to possess a symbol. A tool of guidance that
assists us in the process of developing our power. Some have even
claimed that the stones are the source of our power and that, if
destroyed, will see no possibility of any future powers presenting
themselves. To this day, no illuminatem has ever been destroyed,
so it merely remains a theory. That being said, we do guard themas though they are our most valuable of possessions.
The illuminatem themselves complement the colour of our
eyes; our most unique feature, and the feature that sets each of us
apart. The stones remain with us for life and grow as we do, not in
size, but in ability. With time, and with the bond that is formed
between each Sorcerer and their stone, it gradually develops astrong glow that illuminates whenever we touch it, and when we
are in the process of developing a new power. Its like it warns us
when we are about to develop a new ability.
Standing before the memorial my grandparents had set up, I
run my fingertips gently across the surface of each of the stones;
my fathers first, then my mothers and lastly my sisters. I canthelp but shudder at the thought that my sister never had the
opportunity to see her illuminatem, or even understand what
significant purpose it had to her. The thought is enough to
produce yet another tear to form in the edge of my eye.
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I reach up to stop it from falling down my face, but I am too
slow. It slides gently down my cheek before plummeting towards
the ground below me. I stare helplessly at the falling tear as it
approaches the ground, plummeting ever so slowly, as though
trapped in a world of slow motion.
Before the tear makes contact with the ground below me, the
entire room, and everything in it, is illuminated by an intense
green light, one that I know not to be my grandmothers. I raise
my head at the interruption, staring blankly at the wall in front of
me, and immediately a sense of panic begins to swell within me,
much like that I had experienced in my dream.
A gentle breeze whisks through the air, and I feel my hair
fluttering involuntarily, as though in its grasp. Standing still, not
wanting to turn and face whoever or whatever has invited itself
into my home, I remain facing forward, looking away from it andhoping that it is nothing to be afraid of. Whether it is from fear or
carelessness, I simply cannot bring myself to look.
Within moments, both the light and breeze subside, and I am
left exactly as I was prior to the interruption. Only this time I can
sense something. I can sense someone. A lengthy silence fills the
space around me, only this time it is a silence of uncertainty andfear. I cannot bring myself to speak. I cannot bring myself to
move.
I slowly prepare myself to turn, hoping desperately that I am
ready to face whoever is standing behind me, the fear forcing my
heart to beat so violently I can hear it in my mind.
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!CHAPTER TWO "The Consor
With one fluid movement, I jump on the spot, twisting midair
and landing in the same place Id left the ground, only this time
facing the opposite direction. I throw my hand out in front ready
to use my telekinesis, only I stop as I notice the familiar face of the
figure before me. One of which I am relieved to see.
Before I have the chance to do anything more, I can feelmyself being hoisted off the ground, hovering helplessly above the
floor of my living room. Standing with one arm outstretched, the
person in front of me offers a single, undisturbed laugh, almost as
if to say is that all youve got?
I roll my eyes in my head, and steady their gaze back on the
person in front of me.Did you really think you had a chance? he says smugly.
Zaniel, if you dont let me down now Ill be sure to return
the favour next time we train, I say threateningly, although I
know it wont be enough to convince him.
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Zaniel Richards is my best friend. My Consor. Each
Guardian is allocated a fellow Guardian so that the two, together,
can develop and master their abilities as they grow, and fulfil their
destiny to protect Ageron and its people. These Guardians are
referred to as a Consor. I am Zaniels Consor, and he is mine. We
will remain that way for life.
We dont get to choose who our Consor is. It is something
nobody has any control over. Much like destiny. When a
Guardian is ready to be matched with a suitable Consor, often just
before the first of their powers presents itself, their illuminatem
will begin to flash, almost like a beacon. The flashing does not
stop until the paired Consor and illuminatem is found. It is a
process that often takes months. I found Zaniel within a week.
Consors always remain the closest of friends, and sometimes
even more than that. Often the bond that ties the two Consorstogether can be so strong that they eventually wed and remain
together for life, almost like soul mates. My grandparents are one
of those couples, as too were my parents. Its for this reason that I
am glad my Consor wasnt a girl. There would have been far too
much expectation if that were to have happened. Either way we
remain paired for life; either the best of friends, or soul mates.And thats supposed to worry me how, exactly? he asks,
clearly unworried about the threat Id made.
I dont justify his question with a response. Instead, I raise my
eyebrows and stare at him, and allow for the lengthy silence to
indicate just how pathetic I think his doubt of my ability is.
Happy birthday, he breaks the silence, the smirk stillplastered across his face.
I offer him a stern look, knowing he is well aware of just how
greatly I despise my birthday.
Yeah, I know, he responds remorsefully, understanding
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exactly what the look had meant. Im sorry.
With every ounce of care possible, he slowly lowers me to the
ground and releases me from his telekinetic grasp. Before a second
passes, I raise my arm and lift a nearby pillow without touching it,
hurling it towards him with the flick of my wrist. It collides
directly into his face, messing up his neat, brown hair.
Zaniel looks nothing like I do. He has the standard pale skin
and piercing eyes of any other Sorcerer, but he is tall and thin.
Everything about Zaniel is narrow; his face is relatively thin, and
he has a narrow and pointy nose that meets at its top with the ends
of his two thin eyebrows. He has an almost fragile look about him,
but I know all too well nothing could be any further from the
truth.
Dont mention it, I say in effort to make him feel less guilty.
Besides, it gives me an excuse to kick your keister next time wetrain.
A wide, arrogant grin produces across his face, one I am all
too familiar with. He does have an arrogant quality to him, but
thats just Zaniel.
Wheres Milly and Cassaius? he asks curiously.
Sgon.Another meeting? he asks, knowing perfectly well how
tedious and overbearing they can sometimes be.
I nod.
Although not an Altor himself, he knows almost as much
about it as I do. That is the one of the pros of being Consor to an
Altor, I suppose.So, what mischief are we going to get up to, then?
Zaniel always has been the more rebellious of the two of us.
Ive always gathered it is due to his arrogance.
That depends, I say. What mischief would you like to cause
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today?
He takes a moment to think about it, raises his hand as
though he has an idea to share, but lowers it again, suggesting the
thought he had has passed.
The continuing silence is one that is beginning to disturb me,
and I can feel myself beginning to do the one thing I so
desperately dont wish to; think.
How about we just train? I suggest, hoping to evade any
further awkward silences.
As much as training has become more of a chore than
anything else, purely because of how frequently we actually do it
and what few abilities I have to use, I know it is the perfect
distraction for me. Training will keep my thoughts from haunting
me.
He offers a slight nod.Ill meet you there, he says approvingly.
I can tell the thought of training has him excited. Zaniel loves
training. He loves any chance to use his abilities. For some reason,
he has himself convinced that he is more powerful than I, but deep
down I know he knows that isnt the case. Im an Altor. Im far
stronger than hell ever be. I just may not appear it yet.Before I have the chance to say anything more, he is engulfed
in his green light, sucking itself in at its centre just as I had seen
my grandparents do moments before. The familiar breeze whisks
through the room, and the light quickly begins to decrease to no
larger than a ball. In an instant, following yet another gentle
slurping sound, he is gone; nothing left but the empty space beforeme.
Without a second thought, I prepare myself for my travels.
There is only one thing we really need to do when we envelish. In
order for us to reach our destination, we simply must think
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carefully about where it is we are, and where it is we want to go.
Once we do this, our bodies do the rest for us.
I picture my destination in my mind, describing the location
to myself as though I am drawing a picture, and within an instant
I can feel a tingling sensation as it overwhelms every part of my
body. Everything in my presence becomes stained with a tint of
blue, matching the colour emitting from my now glowing body. I
can feel myself progressively shrinking in size, the world around
me appearing to tower around me as I shrink.
As I begin to shrink, my vision gradually widens to provide a
complete 360-degree panoramic view of the living room, nothing
within the room remaining hidden from my view. Before I am
given an opportunity to admire the view before me, a violent flash
of bright, blue light swallows everything around me. I am
simultaneously thrown forward with a forceful jolt, similar ineffect to that experienced following the slamming of a cars brakes,
and I know the air has sucked me in, and is ready to spit me back
out at a different location, just as I would if being sucked into a
small black hole.
In the instant following, the bright light that had swallowed
my every surrounding begins to subside, revealing behind it anentirely new surrounding that remains tinted with the same shade
of blue as my living room had been. I catch a brief panoramic view
of my new surroundings, before my vision begins to narrow,
gradually returning to its standard function as I feel my body
growing back to its complete form. The tingling sensation that has
remained with me during the entire process is beginning to lessen,and as the blue tint around me begins to fade I can feel myself
assuming my normal form once again. Just as quickly as the light
had appeared, it disappears entirely and I know I have been
revealed in my complete form, but this time in a completely
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different location to that which I had disappeared.
Although the process feels as though it takes several moments,
it is in fact almost instantaneous, taking only a few seconds at
most. I have always considered it a useful tool in battle, but have
never really been provided an opportunity to test that theory out.
The new surroundings I now find myself are not in fact new
to me. In fact, I am very well aware of precisely where I stand.
This is the place Zaniel and I frequent whenever we choose to
train within Ageron. There are places back on Earth that we are
able to train, but the use of our abilities is limited due to the
presence of nearby Earthlies. The place I now stand is safely
tucked within Ageron, away from any prospective humans, which
is for their own safety as much as it is for our privacy and
convenience.
Earth is twice as large as the Earthly know it. An ancient,heavily enchanted barrier that stretches across half of the planet
conceals the half that forms Ageron, leaving behind it the half that
the Earthly have grown to know as Earth. At its outskirts, the
barrier meets with several separate masses of land that, as a result
of the many enchantments of the barrier, make it appear to the
Earthly as though they have been merged together to form a singlemass of land. This single landmass is what the Earthly know as the
United Kingdom.
The Earthly are unable to see, hear and feel anything within
Ageron. To them, its simply as though absolutely nothing exists
where Ageron lies.
The barrier is the only thing separating both worlds, allowingonly those who can envelish the freedom to pass through it, and
leaving those who cannot trapped within its confines. Even if an
Ageronian who cannot envelish is carried in a shared
envelishment, whereby they are piggybacked with another who can
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envelish, the barrier will force anybody who cannot envelish back
into their physical form on contact with it, almost filtering them
from passing through it as though knowing they cannot leave.
Agerons protective barrier possesses a number of
enchantments, each cast upon it so that Ageron remains oblivious
to the Earthly. The most significant of these charms is that which
conceals it from view of the Earthly. It also possesses other sensory
incantations to make it feel as though nothing exists where Ageron
lies. Should an Earthly walk into the barrier, which is something
they quite frequently do, they will simply pass straight through it
with no feeling at all, and end up on the opposite side of the
barrier without ever having entered Ageron, almost as though
theyd taken a giant leap over it without ever knowing they have
left the ground.
Its a good thing that Ageron is hidden from the Earthly.Although it appears remarkably similar to any other place on
Earth, with the exception that it is far cleaner and more appealing
than any other place Ive seen on Earth, the people that dwell
within it are far different to the Earthly that dwell outside it.
My surroundings look much like any other place Ive been,
only neater and more inviting. I am standing in the centre of anenormous field, which is lined at three of its edges with thick,
green forestry, and a line of houses across its fourth. Behind the
row of houses looks exactly like any other neighbourhood on
Earth, only there are no roads. There never really has been a need
for them within Ageron.
I now find myself standing directly beside Zaniel, who I haveonly just noticed out of the corner of my eye, on one of the
farthest outskirts of Ageron. Immediately behind us, just beyond
the forest that lines the rear of the field we now stand, is an
enormous, almost transparently glowing light that forms the
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barrier protecting our world, wavering gracefully as though being
prompted by a gentle breeze.
From within Ageron, the faint contents of the world beyond
it can be seen through the barrier, almost like looking through a
wall of glowing, golden mist. It is particularly funny when
watching humans walk straight into the barrier, unaware of its
being there. They disappear the moment they make contact with
it, and reappear instantly on the opposite side, continuing as
though nothing ever happened.
So, are we going to do this, or are you just going to stand
there like an absolute idiot? I hear Zaniel taunt, distracting me
from my admiring trance of Agerons barrier.
Although hes a year older than I, I am far more powerful
than he, solely due to my being an Altor. That being said, he is a
very worthy opponent, even if Im not able to use my power to itsfull potential when training with him. He knows it, too. Hes
always hurling insults at me in hope that I might actually become
more of a challenge for him, but I know very well that if that were
to ever happen, it could lead to devastating results.
On very few occasions, as much as I do regret them, I have
lost my sense of better judgment and left Zaniel more bruised andbattered than I would have liked. On one occasion his relentless
insults became so much of a distraction that I raised him a few
metres from the ground using my telekinetic ability, and hurled
him towards the nearest tree. It left him with three cracked ribs, a
broken arm and a gash so deep even the most skilled of Sorcerers
with healing abilities was unable to heal it entirely. Although hewas quick to ever forget it had ever happened in fact, he was so
amazed by how much damage Id done to him he felt almost
proud of me for having done it it took some time for me to
forgive myself. His taunts have since been to no effect.
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As is normal for any day of training, Zaniel makes the very
first move. He extends his arm and raises a nearby rock as though
being suspended by an invisible force.
Watch yourself, he says with a grin.
Within seconds, the generously sized rock is hurling directly
towards me. With a single fluid movement, I raise both my hands,
even though I could just as easily do it with one, and flick my
wrists in the direction of the advancing rock. Mid-flight, the rock
is redirected, sent soaring uninterruptedly towards a large boulder
to my right, where it collides and crumbles to create several smaller
rocks.
Come on, I say as I stare at the rocks that now lay crushed
beside the boulder. Youll have to do better than that!
I turn back to face Zaniel, only then realising that he is
speeding towards me at such speed, it appears the world is movingaround him. Before he comes within reach of me I jump in the air,
throwing all of my weight forward and flipping midair,
plummeting gently towards the ground once Id known Zaniel
had passed by below.
All Sorcerers possess great athletic and inter-combat abilities.
Zaniel and I have developed ours to be able to jump several metresin the air. Paranormal athletic ability is something almost all
Ageronians possess. Its the only ability that is shared amongst all
of us, regardless of what species we belong to. Zaniels combat
skills are highly developed. Even more so than mine. But knowing
so is one of his greatest weaknesses; one of which I constantly use
to my advantage.You have to be kidding me, I laugh.
I notice myself sounding as smug as Zaniel normally sounds,
but Im trying as hard as I can for him to think strategy, more so
than rely solely on his strength. As I turn to face him, I cant help
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but grin. Not in arrogance, but to show disbelief that he couldnt
have seen that coming. To my surprise, he too shares a grin,
although unlike mine, his is of overconfidence; one he shares all
too frequently.
Are you going to come and say it to my face, or are you
going to stand all the way over there and hide like the girl we both
know you really are, he says mockingly, to which I cant help but
laugh.
With a roll of my eyes, I race intrepidly towards him,
charging at him like a stampeding bull. Just as I am within arms
reach of him, he jumps swiftly into the air at a forty-five degree
angle, almost parallel to the ground, where he spins rapidly several
metres above the ground. He spins so fast he looks like a tornado,
spinning rapidly at a peculiar angle, not knowing where to go.
Having predicted he would somehow dodge my approach, Itoo jump in the air after him, grabbing him by his spinning ankles
and throwing him to the ground. The very moment I motion to
throw him to the ground, he grabs hold of my torso, and I am too
late to stop. We are both sent crashing towards the ground,
wishing we were able to fly, but knowing full well we are not.
Mere seconds from impact with the ground, I raise my handsto my chest, and outstretch my hands so that my palms face the
ground below me. Using my telekinesis, I create a force between
the ground and myself that prevents me from colliding with it,
and am stopped midair, suspended only by my telekinesis just
centimetres from the ground. The moment I come to a complete
stop, I throw my arm in Zaniels direction and do the same tohim, catching him mid-fall and only centimetres from colliding
with the ground below. He is so close to the ground, his nose is
actually touching the grass.
He turns to face me, and smiles thankfully.
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I think this is the part where you release me? he asks
sarcastically.
Taking advantage of my control over Zaniel, I release myself
and allow my body to fall to the ground, colliding with it so gently
it feels as though Ive landed on a mattress, all the while focusing
on leaving Zaniel suspended helplessly in the air.
Come on, he urges me. Thats not fair!
Not fair? I ask rhetorically. This doesnt need to be fair.
This is payback.
Payback? What for?
For charging at me when my back was turned, I answer.
I can see him close his eyes as if regretting ever having done it,
but then he produces a smile that I know means hes expecting a
challenge; a challenge Im not willing to give him.
I turn the palm controlling Zaniel towards me, and with abackward flick of my wrist, he is sent soaring across the ground,
bouncing helplessly with every moment he collides with it. He is
brought to a stop beside the boulder that had crumpled the rock
Zaniel had thrown at me earlier, and he stands slowly, dusting
himself off as he does.
Barely able to see Zaniel due to the distance he stands awayfrom me, I instantly reduce myself to my bright glow, and vanish
from my spot, reappearing instantly only a few metres in front of
where Zaniel stands. I arrive to find him leaning arrogantly against
the boulder with one leg resting on its side, his elbow resting on its
edge and supporting the weight of his head as it lay on his hand.
With a laugh, I race towards him, preparing myself for thehand-to-hand combat I am expecting to follow. Within seconds of
having begun running, Zaniel pushes himself from the boulder
and extends both hands in front of him, overturning them so his
palms face upright. With a gentle flick upwards, I begin to feel the
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ground below me shake violently, trembling at the request of
Zaniel.
In the midst of trembling, the soil and grass begin leaping
violently from the ground, as though small explosions from below
are forcing it up. Before I have time to react, partly due to my
shock of witnessing Zaniels newly developed ability I had known
nothing about, I am thrown forcefully into the air, forced up by
the explosion underneath the ground below me.
Without so much as another second passing, Zaniel appears
midair, his arm raised above his head. With one sudden and fluid
movement, he slams his elbow into my stomach, and I am sent
falling to the ground once more, this time winded and unable to
stop myself from falling.
Plunging helplessly towards the ground, I can do nothing but
watch as the sky above me distances itself from me. I can see theclouds above me, which are only just visible through the wavering
barrier of light, getting smaller and smaller as I further myself from
them. As I feel myself nearing the ground, I am stopped midair
with a powerful jolt, and am lowered gently to the ground below
me. My only thought is that Zaniel has stopped me from falling,
knowing he has emerged as the winner for this training session,and not wanting to cause me any further harm. Or humiliation.
As I lay, still winded, on the ground, staring blankly through
the barrier at the sky above me, Zaniels face appears staring down
at me. At first, it looks as though his head is hovering above me,
but as I catch my breath I realise he is simply leaning over me, his
outstretched hand gesturing for me to take it.Sorry, he says as he hoists me up.
What was that? I ask enquiringly, confused at not having
known of his latest power.
My most recent ability, he responds, clearly impressed with
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himself. It only arrived yesterday, but Ive already been able to
control it.
Abilities can often take weeks, or even months to master. I
have been relatively lucky with mine. The longest it has ever taken
for me to master a power was a week, and that was for
envelishment, but I have never been able to control a power within
a single day.
Why didnt you tell me?
I was going to, but I didnt think the timing was right, he
says. Besides, I wanted to surprise you by kicking your butt.
I offer a laugh, but it emerges as more of a cough than
anything else.
That you did!
You dont need to tell me that, he responds with a smile
wider than I have ever seen him produce.I cant help but laugh. Its not often that I am taken by
surprise during training, but today has most certainly been an
exception.
I really am sorry, he offers, interrupting the short silence that
had filled the space around us.
Dont mention it. Youll get yours! I say.But, I dont understand? he asks mockingly, prompting a
short-lived silence. How am I supposed to defend myself against a
girl?
I reach out to grab him and place him in a headlock, but
before my arm reaches him he reduces himself to a ball of green
light that vanishes instantly from in front of me.Just as I prepare myself to envelish and join him back home,
the hairs on the back of my neck stand suddenly, and immediately
I know I am about to have a premonition. My premonitions are
far unlike those the rest of my kind experience. I do not really see
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anything in my premonitions. Instead, I feel it. In some ways, it is
more reliable than a vision. What can be seen may be easily
changed, but what is sensed is far more reliable and unchangeable.
Ive often found that those who have visions rely far too much on
what they see. I guess its for this reason that my premonitions are
more reliable.
Opening my mind to my imminent premonition, I close my
eyes and block out everything but the thoughts that now fill my
mind. Instantly, I am overcome with a flood of sensations that are
not my own. I have become somebody else, and am feeling his or
her every thought. I am sensing their every feeling. Emotions of
varying kind bombard my mind; fear, anxiety, relief, arrogance
and finally triumph. Alone, they are nonsensical, and I know I
must concentrate harder to make sense of it all.
Determined to further understand its meaning, I concentrateharder than ever before, releasing any other thoughts from my
mind and focusing on what sensations are to follow. The moment
I empty my mind, I can sense far more than I had been presented
before. I can sense a cold, dark atmosphere. An atmosphere filled
with emptiness and despair, much like that I had experienced in
my dream last night.Slowly, I can feel my thoughts beginning to fade, my senses
becoming less and less with each progressive moment. Knowing
my premonition has revealed very little detail of any sense at all, I
use every ounce of mental strength I have to search for one final
detail; one that might help make sense of everything. It takes a
couple of moments, but I can feel my mind become as one withthe person in my premonition. I am now thinking what they are
thinking. I am now feeling what they are feeling. I have become
them entirely.
It wont be long now, I hear their thoughts. They will be here
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8/22/2019 SAMPLE - ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)
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ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)
soon, and when they are, nothing will stop me. I will be freed, and
once I am, I will take all that is rightfully mine. Nothing will stop
me. Nothing.
The thoughts leave me there.
I am released from the premonition, and regain control over
my thoughts. Immediately I know something is wrong; all is not
well. I know a danger is looming, and it is my responsibility to do
everything within my power to prevent it, whatever it may be,
from ever happening.
With that final thought, I reduce myself to my ball of blue
light, and depart Ageron for home quicker than I ever have before.