Prologue

Crayak

It was so simple. The Ellimist was a fool. His feelings of superiority and altruism were foolish. They were weaknesses to be exploited.

And so I exploited them.

For so long, since the beginning, the Ellimist has considered me a warmongering savage, a destroyer of life. This was not untrue, but this was not all I was. Just because I was direct did not mean I was simple. He could scheme. I could scheme. And scheme I did.

I waited for the perfect opportunity. I won games he expected me to win. I lost games he expected me to lose – sometimes on purpose. I wanted to lull him into a sense of control. That was the only way my final End Game, the last showdown, would leave me victorious once and for all.

We had learned, the Ellimist and I. We had grown. I fed his power as he fed mine, until we reached the point of being true gods. We could manipulate space and time. We could shift entire galaxies with a whim. We had gone far beyond our beginnings of flesh and machine and technology. And as we learned, we also destroyed. Destruction had ever been my goal, but not like this. Not all at once. If we burned the galaxy down in a flash of power, I could not savor the slow deaths and the mayhem. I couldn't enjoy the sweet, unpredictable madness of races turning on themselves.

And that was the best part. Unacceptable to miss out on it.

We played different games, but our unspoken favorite was one race verses another. It simplified things. It allowed us to really appreciate the nuances and brilliance of our individual moves. I played, pretending to care, but really just playing a larger game. I was setting up for a death blow to the Ellimist. When the odds were right, when I had manipulated the situation to my liking, I would raise the stakes. And the Ellimist would match my raise; I would ensure it with manipulation. I would allow him to believe he had a better than even chance at winning, when it reality, I would be the only possible winner.

The thought was exhilarating. It would be the ultimate victory. The decisive ecstasy.

But it would not be easy.

For it to work, I would have to find the perfect conflict. Out of the hundreds of thousands of sentient species in the galaxy, I would have to find just the right one. They would have to have the intelligence, empathy, and kindness that the Ellimist held so dear. They would need to possess the potential to bring peace and harmony to the galaxy.

They would also need another side to them, a side that suits my desires. They would need the potential to bring destruction instead of prosperity. They would need to be potential conquerors. It didn't have to be much; just the potential to be tipped off of one edge or another. The Ellimist would need to be confident he could win them over to his side.

After almost a billion years, I found the perfect scenario. The Ellimist was even the one to find the brewing conflict, which made it all the more perfect. He would never see the trap I'd laid for him until it was too late, because he'd helped me lay it.

Humans. Perfect! They were the perfect blend that I needed. We came upon them in an impeccable time of their development. They had started out as warlike animals who crushed any and all opposition to their rule of their planet. They even made war on each other. Tolerance was a new concept to them. They were beginning the process of ending conflict with each other, but they weren't there yet. They were disarming themselves and focusing on goals of unity. It was slow work, and they were like a proton bomb just waiting for the spark to ignite the explosive. The Ellimist wanted to believe in their goodness. I secretly thought that, while outwardly the perfect race for the Ellimist to win with, I could win them over.

I could provide the spark to ignite the proton bomb.

There was even more advantage for me in the scenario. A parasitic race had found them and was taking over. The humans didn't know. The Yeerks were intelligent enough to know that the humans would annihilate themselves before becoming slaves. The Yeerks were ruthless, cunning, and figuratively heartless. I claimed them, and predictably, the Ellimist claimed the humans.

'How do you win a game in which I control all of the pieces, Ellimist?' I wondered, laughing to myself. 'The illusion of control will draw you in too deep. By the time you realize that I own both sides, you will be helpless. You will eventually realize you cannot win…but by then it will be too late. And that will be my ultimate victory.'

(Let us decide terms,) the Ellimist said as an insignificant factor, the bothersome Andalites, tried to prevent the Yeerk threat to the humans before it could fairly begin. I smiled as the Yeerk Blade ship destroyed the Andalites' Dome ship. I cheered as the Dome flared on atmospheric entry and slammed into the Earth's largest ocean. The Andalites' interference was not wanted in my plans. They could help the humans beat the Yeerks, but that wasn't why I wanted their absence.

If the humans won, fine. But if they won on their own, they would become what I wanted. If the Andalites helped, they would poison the humans with ideas of peace and altruism.

(Exile for the loser,) I proposed. (If I lose, I will go back to the boring galaxy from whence I came. I will destroy any progress that has been made there in my absence. You will be free to follow me there and take up the game again whenever you choose, or you can choose to stay here and nurture this galaxy into the peaceful, disgusting soup you so desire.)

The Ellimist was not stupid. (It would seem I win either way, Crayak,) he said thoughtfully. (Because if I leave to another galaxy or timeline and leave this one to you, you will just follow me eventually. You will become bored without the competition.)

I smiled. (So will you. I have no doubt that you cannot live without the competition any more than I can. But the one difference will be an undeniable win on the scoresheet. If you win this game, you win this galaxy. And you will have a head start on the next round of the game. The same goes for me.)

The Ellimist liked to present a façade of being a benevolent god…but I knew where he came from. I knew what he was. He was a gamer. The game was life. And the possibility of being a clearly defined winner was too much for him to resist. He considered for a long time; we had stopped the timeline while the ocean on Earth was still steaming from the Andalites' Dome's impact. I did not let him sense my eagerness. I could not. Finally, after forever and also no time at all, I got my answer.

(On the other side, then, Crayak.)

It was the Ellimist's acceptance of my challenge.

And so our final game began.