Cory smiles at Annelise: You feeling better?

  Annelise smiles: Yes.

  Cory: Is that “fire” you were talking about gone?

  Annelise: It’s not gone. It’s still just as strong, and I can still feel it flowing through me. But it isn’t burning. It’s not hurting me anymore. I think that there are times when it’ll burn, but…

  Cory: You’ll be ready?

  Annelise nods: Yeah. Hopefully, it won’t need to be released physically for a while.

  Cory smirks: It would be pretty useful in battle, though.

  Annelise laughs: Yes, yes, it would.

  Meanwhile, Venessa helps Avonari sort files.

  Avonari: Can you tell me about the headquarters?

  Venessa: Why? It looks the same every time.

  Avonari: But it’s never boring there! I’ve been stuck here all day working on files! And not even the cool secret agent-y files in Ethan’s office! Actual paper files with numbers and stuff!

  Venessa: Paper? Really? I kinda knew the Keepers are usually older than they look, but I didn’t know Cory was so old-school.

  Avonari laughs: Yeah. Back in Anthra, they stopped using paper-like materials centuries ago. *she sighs.* It must’ve been a beautiful place before the War.

  Venessa: The War?

  Avonari: Yeah, with zircort bombs. It kind of…destroyed the planet. But I was only two when it happened, so I don't remember it. I’ve only heard stories from other Anthran refugees.

  Venessa: Gee…I’m sorry.

  Avonari: Don’t be. I was raised on Earth. Oh, and by ‘destroyed’ I didn’t mean the planet actually blew up into pieces Death Star-style. It’ll just be uninhabitable for a long time. Since Anthrans can live up to three hundred Earth years, maybe I’ll get to go home and see it one day. Maybe even live there, who knows? So, what happened at the headquarters?

  Venessa: The Vast seemed oddly calm today, it turns out that Annelise’s love literally burns inside her, and apparently Dortor and his buddies have this legend about someone who doesn’t destroy Wyverna, but helps the person who will. Oh! And it already came true back in 2029. There wasn’t a real fight, though, and Wyverna wasn’t badly injured until 2034.

  Avonari: Wait, 2034?

  Venessa nods: Yeah, why?

  Avonari: That was when the Night of the Red Sky happened!

  Venessa: I know. Weird, right? What even was that? I never learned about it in school.

  Avonari: You just heard about it?

  Venessa: Yeah. I think it was something bad, but I don’t know the details.

  Avonari: That was when the Hostilities tried to wipe out the human race! At least, that’s what Cory said when I asked him today. One of my old Anthran friends said that the sky turned red in Anthra, too. Then, the Blue Rains came a bit later, and we all got our gifts.

  Venessa: But why was the sky red?

  Avonari shrugs: Beats me. What was that thing you said about Annelise’s love?

  Venessa: It burns like a fire inside of her.

  Avonari: Wow! Oh my gosh! That’s an awesome power upgrade! I wonder what caused it?

  Venessa: So, you’d consider this an “upgrade” and not a new superpower?

  Avonari: Yes, I would. This seems like another way for her empathy powers to manifest.

  Venessa laughs: You’re such a nerd, Avonari!

  Avonari: I believe the correct word is “geek”. And I’m going to take that as a compliment.

  Venessa smirks: Alright, you do you.

  Avonari: What’s the Vast?

  Venessa’s face falls: You don’t want to know.

  Avonari looks up from her files: Well, I really wanna know now! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!

  Venessa sighs: Have you ever seen a picture of a hurricane from space?

  Avonari: Yeah, it scares the heck out of me!

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Venessa: ‘Kay. Imagine a neon blue hurricane from space. Except it’s the biggest hurricane you’ve ever seen. It covers half the World Sphere. Now imagine it’s alive and conscious. Not like an ‘animal’ conscious, but, like, actually ‘human’ conscious, or maybe something more.

  Avonari turns a slightly paler shade of green: This “World Sphere” isn’t Earth, is it?

  Venessa shakes her head: It’s every universe in the multiverse and the Bridge, where Dortor’s people are from. I think.

  Avonari: This storm could destroy…everything?

  Venessa: Yeah, but it seemed pretty calm today. Not like it’s in the mood to destroy stuff. Annelise talked to it and she’s still alive, but I don’t know how.

  Avonari: She talked to it?! So it can talk?!

  Venessa: I think so.

  Avonari jumps out of her chair: I wanna see this for myself!

  Venessa: Wait! It’s really far away! How are you gonna talk to it?!

  Avonari: If it’s far away, then how did Annelise talk to it?

  Venessa: I don’t know, but if I were you, I wouldn’t get close to it unless my life depended on it.

  Avonari: How do you know it isn’t nice?

  Venessa: Because…it looks menacing and scary and like it wants to kill us.

  Avonari sighs: I guess you’re right. But if it wants to kill us, why hasn’t it killed us yet?

  Venessa: I don’t know, but I don’t think we should…what’s the word?

  Avonari: Antagonize? No…provoke! Is that what it was?

  Venessa: Yeah, that’s it. We shouldn’t provoke it. If you wanna know more about it, I’d try Annelise or Dortor. I don’t think you’ll get much information out of them, though.

  Avonari: Shoot! You tell me all this stuff about some giant sentient storm, and now I can’t go see it?

  Venessa: I mean, the Cyclone Sector has a projection of the World Sphere, but you wouldn’t be able to talk to the Vast.

  Avonari sighs: I guess I’ll keep sorting my files.

  Cory enters: You can have a break, Avonari.

  Avonari: Yay! Can I go see the Vast?

  Cory: Not until you become a Keeper.

  Avonari: Dang it! Cory, have you seen the Vast?

  Cory smiles: Yes, I have.

  Avonari: Really?!

  Cory: Yes, really.

  Avonari: What’s it like?

  Cory: Well, I can tell you this much. The Vast is on our side. Wait! Let me rephrase that. We’re on the Vast’s side.

  Venessa: Why?

  Cory: Because the Vast cares about this universe and everyone in it. It even has a heart.

  Avonari: Wait, like an actual heart?

  Cory nods: An actual heart.

  Venessa: But why should we trust it? I mean, it could blow us to smithereens!

  Cory laughs: I used to have that same question. Then, I realized that it never acted on its potential to destroy us.

  Venessa: But how do you know it’s not planning to blow us up when we least expect it to?

  Cory: Because I know what the Vast is like. I’ve spoken with it.

  Venessa puts her hands up: That’s it! I’m gonna stay in my bedroom for a while and pretend this chat never happened!

  Cory: Alright, be my guest.

  Venessa rushes upstairs. Just as she touches the doorknob to her bedroom, she’s cast into another vision.

  Venessa: Why?!

  She sees, to her surprise, glimpses of the Presley house. Yet, she doesn’t recognize most of the foster children there. Annelise is sitting on the sofa with a girl in her late teens with fair skin and black curls. Annelise’s hands are gently cupped over her heavily pregnant belly.

  Annelise: What’s bothering you, Pearl?

  Pearl: I…I’m gonna have to face my father.

  Annelise pales: Your father?

  Pearl nods: My biological father. Dortor says my dad and his team are gonna attack San Juan. I don’t know why. *she stands up and paces back and forth*

  Annelise: Your father…*she tries to get off the sofa, but can’t*(smiling) Would you mind helping me up?

  Pearl turns around: Oh, sure.

  She helps Annelise off the couch.

  Annelise: Thank you. I was going to say that your father is in a very bad place right now. He’s not getting his powers from the source they’re meant to come from, and it’s very draining for him. He’s been emotionally manipulated into thinking that working for the Hostilities will help him find someone like your mom.

  Pearl: Well, how am I supposed to stop him?

  Annelise: Maybe…you can get through to him with your powers. Reach beyond his vengefulness…

  Pearl: Annelise, are you okay?

  Annelise: I’m going to be honest with you. Go get Cory. I think the baby might be coming.

  Pearl runs off. The vision suddenly begins to flash. Annelise seems to be in pain, though she doesn’t scream. Cory is holding her hand. The vision flashes again, and she’s holding a newborn to her chest. Her eyes are filled with such joyful tears.

  Annelise: I…Am I dreaming?

  Cory: No, Annie, you’re not. She’s beautiful.

  Annelise smiles down at her baby: She’s amazing. Do you wanna hold her?

  Cory: Of course.

  Annelise hands the baby off to Cory.

  Annelise: What should we name her?

  Cory: I was thinking Joy Erin. What about you?

  Annelise: Hmmm…That sounds pretty. I wondered about Jocelyn Sarah.

  Cory: Jocelyn’s a pretty long name…

  Annelise smiles: It was my mother’s name.

  Cory smirks: I know. All of your family members have long names.

  Annelise laughs: I guess you’re right.

  Cory: How about a compromise? Like…Josie.

  Annelise nods: I like that, and I like the middle name Erin better than Sarah. Josie Erin Presley.

  Cory: That sounds great. *he looks down at the baby* What do you think?

  Annelise laughs: I doubt she’s gonna coo for many weeks.

  Cory: Well then, it’s settled. Josie Erin Presley.

  Annelise suddenly flinches and seems to be in agonizing pain.

  Cory tenses: What’s wrong?!

  Annelise:(rasping) It’s happening.

  Cory: What?! What’s happening?!

  Annelise: I asked him to wait…until she was born.

  Cory: Why couldn’t you have asked him to wait longer?! What about you?!

  Annelise: I knew it would…hurt him and other people to wait any longer! I wanted Josie to be okay!