Author's Note: It's another one of those ideas that refused to leave. At the moment, I only know two things about this story. One, what and where everyone will be. Two, it's going to be long. Really long. I hope you guys will accompany me on the ride!
Chronicle One
-Ellimist-
I gave the dying child the comfort she needed before crossing over. What more could I do?
"Yes." I told her. "You were brave. You were strong. You were good. You mattered."
The human, one of those who called themselves "Animorphs", said her last words. "Yeah. Okay, then. Okay, then."
I watched as her timeline ended and I felt a great sorrow wash over me.
I am Ellimist. Though that is not my true name, it is what I have been called by numerous beings throughout the galaxy. I believe that only the now dead human and I were the only beings in existence to know my true name.
Many call me the meddler of the galaxy and I will not deny that is the truth. However, for the sake of the game, I cannot meddle, as I would like. I could not have saved that dying girl. She was called Rachel. It's a human name with no specific meaning to it. Or, to be honest, the meaning was lost years ago, changing from eon to eon as the opinions and attitudes of humankind changed and evolved. Her name would now have a different meaning thanks to all that she had done. Any girl named Rachel would henceforth be thought of as a strong, independent woman.
Though I said she had mattered out of a need to comfort her, I had not lied. Rachel was much more important than she realized. On her the fates of many were saved from a doom caused by the Yeerk menace.
Such as the fate of Tobias, as he had been named. A human name that too had a lost meaning. Tobias was a lucky chance, as had been his father. With the love that had blossomed between him and Rachel lay hope.
Hope that had saved many in ways both direct, indirect, and to always be veiled in mystery. Hope for millions.
It was that reason which filled me with such sorrow. I would never make any claim to know the whole future without any chance of mistake, but I could see the pain twisting in Tobias's timeline. Pain stemming from sorrow.
I could see the timeline of Jake Berenson fade. He had dived without looking into the pool of depression, a pool of loss, sadness and pain that he could see no way out of.
I could see timeline of Elfangor's brother, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Ishthil, twist and merge with the timeline of another. The timeline of the corrupting being known as The One. I could see the horrors of Aximili and the other beings trapped within The One.
I could see the timeline of tortured boy who was the son of Visser One's former host. Marco, I believe he was called. I could see him falling into the same trap many humans had, of attempting trying to ease his pains by material success. I could see the pain he was trying his hardest to hide.
I could see the timeline of the anomaly called Cassie. There was guilt and pain still flowing through her timeline, but she had been the only one to find happiness despite her sad fate. It would be on her that I would depend.
It would be on the strength of Cassie Branch that many fates would now lie. I would place my faith in the one who had the strength to let go.
I could alter all of their fates if only it weren't for the game. I had wanted to save her. I had wanted to save Rachel.
I wanted to spare the six of them, of whom I had grown so fond, of their continuous pain.
I had not chosen their fate. I was not the one who was responsible for forming the guerrilla fighters who had destroyed the Yeerk Empire. That had been a happy accident beyond my control.
Or perhaps all part of a plan being played out by a being even stronger than myself. I did not know.
In my other life I had been called a brilliant loser. I could not deny that I felt that I indeed had lost somehow.
They were only six lives, I told myself. Six lives that had saved millions upon countless millions, but only six lives all the same. They were a happy accident I had watched unfold with no interference.
They were an accident that deserved to be happy.
I hoped the one called Cassie could handle the burden I was about to place upon her small shoulders.
I had no doubt that she could. I chose at that moment to place my hopes on Cassie. For if I didn't, then the lives of six and millions upon millions more could be destroyed by this one act. This one bit of rebellion from a brilliant loser.
Rules of the game be damned.
I know it's short but it's only the prologue, so that's allowed, right? Now, will you please be courteous enough to leave a review?