A swirl of light at the far end of the cavern descended from the highest of the stone carvings. It melted into the floor, spreading first green, then gold, and finally royal purple toward the pedestal where Colli had taken the seat. Lights dimmed, but below Colli’s feet colors continued to glow and change, forming a kaleidoscope.
“Illianna. Jovan. We all need your help.” A raspy voice chimed in.
“Why me?” Colli leaned forward.
“Watch and understand.” Illianna and Jovan both responded.
The brilliant display before Colli eased. A holographic image took form in the middle of the cavern. A child with soft golden hair played with large blocks in a brightly decorated play room.
“Trevan,” Colli whispered. It was the same ethereal youngster, from the forest near McAllister.
“Remember?” A statue closest to Colli, on the right side of the chamber, grew in brilliance. Illianna smiled down. “I told you he needed protection.”
From the statue beside Illianna’s, a powerful arm stretched to clasp her extended hand.
“Illianna? Jovan?” Colli exclaimed.
“Yes. We’re both here.” The strength of Jovan’s booming voice shook the air around Colli. “We must explain why we need your help”
“Why the humanities of our solar systems need your help.” Sung joined his voice in explanation.
Colli gasped at the deepth of emotion in his words. “But why me?” She jerked to a standing position. Fear weakened her knees, and she fell back into the chair. It swiveled in a full circle, then turned her to face the massive cavern. She felt the presence of the others in each of the statures. If only I could fade away. Disappear. But there was no escape.
“Evil will always try to overpower good.” The mesmerizing voice from the tube-haired being drew her attention.
“And evil is on the way.” A light and airy sing-song voice joined in the conversation.
“Wh…what kind of evil?” Colli couldn’t prevent the words from flowing from her lips. “How can I help stop it?”
Laughter rang out to bounce off the walls and swirl around the room. “Your gift is the mightiest of all.”
“The voices?” she asked.
“More than that.” Illianna’s smile brightened with a strengthening light from over her carving. “Yours is the gift of unity. The voices are simply an internal demonstration of that.”
Sung stepped back into the light. “You proved that ability by bringing us here.”
“But Keleon operated the vehicle.” Colli was confused.
“Keleon pressed the levers, but without you in the seat beside him, we would never have left Earth’s solar system. It was your link that guided us here.”
“It’s true.” Mary’s voice carried from the dark.
Keleon and Mary both stepped forward.
“I can adjust speed, but I can’t navigate. Otherwise, I’d have returned here long ago.” Keleon smiled.