Secret to Oblivion
Authors Note: This is just a random piece of writing that revolves around a question… it's rather short. And please forgive me for any mistakes I might've made with the history of the Crayak. (And NO, I'm not implying that the Crayak is a girl, it's just his disguise. You'll see why later in the story)
CHAPTER ONE
It was a brittle carcass. The decayed husk of what could have once been a human, it's supposed arm hung haphazardly over the side of the railing, jaw wide open as if to swallow the ash colored sky. Then all of a sudden it collapsed inward and promptly fell as dust, rotted flesh, to the ground below, unceremoniously. The ashes scattered.
He watched on in horror from the window of his mind, at the despair that clouded the planet in the form of a dense fog through which no light could be seen. As far as he was concerned, nothing lay beyond the wasteland that once was the prosperous city of New York. Parts of buildings and tall skyscrapers produced the wreckage that littered the streets, encased in an everlasting darkness of shadowed misery and pain. Bodies too lay strewn over the pavement, some recognizable, some not at all. His eyes swept over the remains, uncomprehending.
"What happened?" He whispered.
Then the vision began to fade.
"TOBIAS!"
Caught off guard by the sudden noise, his eyes snapped open and he tightened his grip of his branch, bracing himself for whatever dangerous predator had taken to invading his meadow, wings ready to take flight. What he was not prepared for was the laughter, or the loud resounding footsteps that thundered towards him in an unbelievably clumsy fashion.
"Whoah birdboy, looks like we actually managed to sneak up on you this time."
Something scuffled across the grass. A mouse, he thought, maybe. His stomach began to rumble. Next was a sound that sounded like a slap across the head.
"Ow, what was that for?"
"Don't be a jerk Marco."
Tobias smiled secretly to himself. He recognized those voices. Confidently, he leapt from his lofty perch and flew through the air, riding the thermals with remarkable ease until at last he felt his body adjust to its usual speed, quick and nimble. Then he glided back down to the two awaiting figures and landed on a lower branch just above their heads, and began to preen himself.
Hey Rachel. Hey Marco.
"Hey yourself." Rachel replied, glancing up at him with a grin on her face. "Were you dreaming?"
Huh?
"You know, to account for the 'I didn't seem to notice or hear those loud stomping elephant like creatures' and all. Before you took to the sky like a mad bird."
Oh, yeah, not something I want to talk about though. He shifted uncomfortably on his branch, eyeing them to gauge their reaction. It was pretty disturbing. And that wasn't 'mad bird' behavior… it's my morning exercise.
Marco chortled, but then Rachel dug her elbow into his stomach and he immediately shut up.
She shrugged. "Suit yourself. There's an emergency meeting at the barn." Her eyes narrowed. "Something about the Crayak wanting to… never mind, I'll let Jake explain it all. He's been better informed."
Damn, what's he up to this time?
"That's what I want to find out." Marco said impatiently. "So we if we're done talking, and if Tobias is done grooming, I suggest we hustle. We're already five minutes late."
"And since when were you ever on time for anything?" Rachel snapped.
"There's always a miracle waiting to happen. So are we going or what?"
You go first. Tobias said distractedly. I have something I need to take care of.
Immediately Rachel grew concerned.
"What could possibly-"
Then the world tore apart.
* * *
"Ok, so what the hell is going on?"
When they had woken, they found themselves standing in what appeared to be empty space, a void that existed somewhere between the limbo that divided the material world and whatever lay past it. Tobias had a sinking feeling that they had somehow been transported to zero space, though he could not get be sure. But it was space all right; an inky expanse of air lit only by the surrounding stars. He would've begun pacing back and forth, but there was no telling what would happen if he inched forward a bit. And so, he chose to stay rooted to his present position, that is, until a logical conclusion could be reached. He also found himself amazingly in his human morph. But what had triggered it…
"I don't know." He admitted, shifting his gaze slightly over to Rachel. "But the gangs all here, so that has to account for something."
He was right. Everyone, all the animorphs, were there. Jake, Ax, Cassie, Marco, Rachel… and they all looked as bewildered as, he was sure, he was. But with Ax he was guessing. Andalites weren't very big with facial expressions.
"Thanks for stating the obvious." Marco remarked, reaching out to grab a fistful of air. "But that didn't answer the question. Where the hell are we?"
"Dead?" Rachel said sarcastically, taking a look around her. "Although this isn't exactly what I pictured heaven to look like. You know, no fluffy white things or angels floating about."
"This is so unreal." Cassie whispered in awe. "I mean, it feels as though we're standing in the center of the universe."
"But that isn't possible." Ax insisted, opening his mouth to go into a long lecture about why it wasn't, but Rachel beat him to it.
"We know it isn't possible Ax, in fact, a year ago I didn't think many things were possible. A year ago I didn't think I'd be caught up in a whole Yeerk world domination conspiracy, much less be able to morph into any damn animal I wanted. We know it's not possible, we know Marco trying to be civil just once in his life isn't possible, but then how do you explain this?"
Ax kept quiet.
"Look," Jake began, bringing his fingers up to rub his aching temples. "We've just got to keep calm now. Arguing with one another isn't going to help things."
"Then what do you suggest we do fearless leader?"
"I don't know!" Jake answered, throwing his hands up in the air as if to punctuate his statement.
Disgusted, Rachel slumped her shoulders then turned towards Tobias.
"What do you think?"
"You don't want to know what I think."
That was true. His whole limbo, zero space theory was absolutely ridiculous… was it? He breathed deeply, then focused his eyes heavenward.
"Besides, I have a bad feeling something's going to happen."
"I just hate it when you say that."
And indeed, something did. Just at that moment, Tobias felt a searing heat engulf his entire body, and he fought the urge to cry out, not in pain, but in terror. It was something he couldn't explain. It was as though, with a heat, came an extreme coldness… like an evil of physical body that slithered up and down his back, biting into the very core of his being. He fell to his knees.
The burning sensation began to die as the light began to disappear. He looked up slowly; squinting his eyes, then checking to make sure everyone else was all right. They appeared to be, although they too had fallen on their knees and were apparently assessing one another for injuries.
Only then did they dare to look at the figure that stood before them.
It a little girl, maybe no more than eight, with silken blonde hair that fell to just below her ankles. Her face had been painted meticulously; cheeks rosy red and a nose slightly pinkish at the tip, however disgusting scarlet lips parted in a smile revealing a perfect set of white teeth. The effect was ever more so enhanced by the elegant splendor of her dress, for she reminded Tobias of one the cherubs he had many times seen in ages old picture books of the renaissance period, even complete with the wings that she wore on her back like part of a Halloween costume. But her young beauty was marred by the terrible savageness of her eyes. They were black; pools of swirling black rimmed with red and reflected nothing. Her eyes… were empty.
She stepped forward, the smile never leaving her face.
"Welcome."
Her mouth didn't move. It was as though the voice had emanated from inside of her, in a loud thunderous boom that resonated in his ears. With it came a frightening epiphany. He needn't have conferred with the others to affirm his suspicions. He knew.
The Crayak.
"What do you want?" Rachel hissed. "And where's that cowardly Drode of yours? I thought he did all your dirty work."
"Nice disguise." Marco remarked dryly. "Who are you supposed to be anyway?"
The Crayak just kept on grinning.
"The question is, what do you want more than anything in the world? Rachel, I once made you an offer, a very generous offer which you so foolishly refused."
Rachel gritted her teeth, and they all stared at her questioningly.
"Now I'm about to make another proposal that applies to every single one of you."
"And for this you had to ferry us all the way here, in the middle of outer space?"
The Crayak turned her eyes towards Jake.
"It was necessary. For what I had to show you."
Tobias felt his blood run cold.
"You know that I'm a being of immense power, one superior to even that of my brother, the Ellimist. While my brother is determined to continue meddling in my affairs, I have decided that to ward him off I'm to do a favor to humanity. An immense favor."
"Just where are you getting with this?" Cassie asked nervously, digging her hands deep into her pockets.
The Crayak paused before continuing. "I have decided to intervene even though it is forbidden. In other words, in exchange for a price I destroy the disgusting parasite that has invaded your world. The disease that has plagued your planet will be no more. Everyone can return to leading their own, pitiful lives. Your families will be saved and the war forgotten."
The Crayak narrowed his eyes. "I'm willing to exterminate and destroy the Yeerks, along with their homeworld. Completely."
For a few good minutes, no one said a word. They all stared at the young girl in open-mouthed shock.
"Let me get this straight," Marco began, the first one to snap out of it. "You, the Crayak, brother, and enemy of the Ellimist, wants to help us, pitiful humans, in our war against the Yeerks by wiping them out of existence?"
"They would never have existed. No one, except the six of you will remember that they did. They won't even be a memory."
"And the price?" Cassie whispered.
The Crayak turned its gaze towards her; it's eyes taking on an eerie glow. "You. Every one of you will become my humble servants for all of eternity."
There was silence once more.
"How do we even know that you can do it?" Marco yelled desperately.
"A fool's question. You know that I can."
Tobias buried his head in his hands. "The visions…" He said softly. "That's what they were, right? They were of the future."
The Crayak nodded. "Visions of a future that you can prevent. You have two days to give me an answer. By that time you will either say yes, or no. The choice is yours."
With the lift of her arm, Tobias felt the world, reality as he knew it collapse around him as he was thrust back into his own time. Next thing he knew, he was curled up on the floor of Cassie's barn the wind knocked out of him. He blinked a few times before struggling to stand.
"Please tell me that that was a nightmare." Marco groaned from a pile of hay within the horse's stall. "Actually, the more I think about it, please tell me that that wasn't a nightmare and that we have a chance to end this once and for all."
No one answered him. Instead, they all sat cross-legged in a circle around the floor, expressions of disbelief unwavering.
"You do realize that the fate of Earth rests upon out shoulders, right?" Rachel intoned softly.
Tobias reached for her hand and held it tight, hoping to comfort her.
"Yeah." He replied. "But truthfully, this isn't a decision I want to make."
"Why not?" Ax demanded from opposite him. "Finally, we have the ultimate weapon against the Yeerks. Are we just going to simply squander it?"
"That's not what I meant Ax. I mean, there's more involved than just a simply yes or no answer, or trading our lives for the planet."
"What more could there possibly be?"
Tobias set his mouth in a grim line. "As much as I hate the Yeerks, no, despise the Yeerks and what they stand for, we must understand that the Crayak doesn't only mean to eliminate the Yeerks from our planet. He means to commit genocide."
"Tobias is right." Cassie cut in. "We don't have the right to push an entire species to the brink of extinction. Wait, I stand corrected. They'd be past the brink of it. They'd be extinct."
Marco, who had finally wandered over to join the circle, stared at the both of them incredulously.
"Am I hearing you correctly? How can you discuss moralistic issues at a time like this! Ax's brother died trying to escape from the Yeerks, and who knows how many more. They're multiplying in numbers every day, and yes, the Crayak was right. They are a disease. A disease that got to my mother, to Tom… and it won't stop until a cure is be found. The Crayak is the cure." He looked to Ax for support.
"And it won't be long until they infest the Andalite homeworld. Think about it Ax. Think about it all of you."
"How do we know the Crayak will even do it?" Tobias argued. "How do we know the Ellimist will even let him? As much as I hate to admit it, the Ellimist respects all forms of life just as much as we do. Look at what he went through to save the Iskroot?"
"You mean what we went through to save the Iskroot."
"Whatever. The point is, the Crayak is known for an oversized ego. Perhaps his power combined with the Ellimist could do it, but by himself? Who's to say he can even be trusted?"
"That's an awful lot of maybes Tobias." Jake spoke up. "Fact is, the Crayak has made us an offer, and we have two days to answer him. So what do we do?"
"The Iskroot." Cassie murmured, ignoring him. "Who could forget the Iskroot? Remember that they are symboites. They hold the key to the Yeerks future."
"So?" Marco demanded. "What has that got to do with anything?"
She glared at him. "That given time, perhaps the Yeerks could evolve to that state of being."
"And what about Tobias's visions? Looks like they didn't evolve quickly enough."
"Tobias?" She quipped. "Is it possible that those visions… weren't… real? Perhaps fabricated versions of the truth?"
"Maybe." He admitted. "It might've been an illusion created by the Crayak, but don't trust my word on this. I really don't know."
"What about you Rachel?" Cassie asked softly. "You've been awfully quiet throughout all of this."
Rachel sighed. "I don't know what to think either. I mean, here I have a chance to save my family. Here I have a chance to be able to take away all my fears and not worry about some slug crawling into my sisters ear or my own for that matter, ever"
"But Tobias is right. We live in a world that's the survival of the fittest. The predators on top of the food chain kill those below it for food. They do it to survive, not out of the glory or pleasure of killing over species. Infesting is how the Yeerks survive, like it or not. They were made that way and who are we to- "
"God Rachel!" Marco shouted, jumping to his feet. "I can't see how you of all people could be defending those slugs!"
Her eyes flashed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just- "
"Quit it you two!" Jake demanded harshly, stepping into the line of fire. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. Now we have to work out a solution, with or without you!"
"Then without me." Marco said sullenly. "You know where I stand on this. Any choice you make is yours." Then he strode out of the barn without another word.
"Rachel." Tobias pleaded, "Please sit down."
She slowly lowered herself onto the floor, but the fire hadn't gone out of her eyes.
"Ax?" Jake tried, averting his attention away from Rachel. "What are your thoughts on this?"
Ax titled his head thoughtfully.
"I'm sorry Prince Jake, but I have to agree with Marco, although I can't say my opinion is objective on this." He looked down. "I have my own prejudices against the Yeerks, and my own reasons to hate them more than anything I've ever hated in my life. They killed my brother, and they seek to infiltrate the Andalite homeworld. And don't think they'll stop there. I don't mind sacrificing my life to save billions."
"But it's not a matter of giving up our lives." Cassie interjected.
"I don't care."
To hear that coming from Ax jarred Tobias completely. He stared at his friend, but the Andalite refused to meet his eyes.
"Well, we're getting nowhere fast." Rachel commented dryly.
"We're animorphs not philosophers, so lets just make a decision!"
Tobias bent his head low and squeezed his eyes shut. Whatever they choice they made, he just prayed it wouldn't be the wrong one.
(So what do you think the animorphs should do? Email me and give me your views… hell, I haven't even made a decision yet!)