PROLOGUE
The being called Neforat frowned. The human Earthling Cassie reminded Neforat of herself—caring and compassionate. Neforat could see that Cassie was lonely and missed the others who were like her, the other humans who were considered Animorphs, who were dead. She felt sad for Cassie and her deceased friends. Making a quick decision, she said, "I have tired of them, Ellimist and Crayak, those fools. Destroying one life after another just to pass the time."
"I agree. What shall we do about it?" asked another player, Neforat's uncle Bygol.
The third and last player, Onotys, suggested that make the Ellimist and Crayak to only play their small game in a galaxy created by the three more powerful players. "The creatures in the galaxy would not be sentient. Anything Crayak or the Ellimist do will not affect any other galaxy."
The two others thought this to be an excellent idea. They called Toomin and Crayak to them.
WHO ARE YOU? asked the Ellimist.
"Just as the Animorphs are pawns of yours, you are pawns of ours. We are much more powerful than you. Neforat sees the havoc you are wreaking on less powerful lives with your awful game. We have decided to put you in an different galaxy in an alternate universe. You will not be able to affect anything outside that universe, nor any sentient creatures, because there will be nothing sentient there. You may play your game there."
With a single command, Crayak and the Ellimist were gone, transported to their new universe. Then Neforat formed a plan to fix the lives that had been lost during the game within a game.