A New Journey

by StoryDiva

Post season three except Maria chose not to go with the rest of them. Her life afterwards but can she ever really move on when danger seems to lurk everywhere?

9. Part Nine Volandra's Place

A/N: So here's chapter nine of the story after a very long time. First, I have to give a huge thanks tosvmadelyn for organizing the WIP Pact on livejournalbecause I'm certain that's the only reason there is not only an update, but the story is finished! Second, to Steph for her continuous great beta work and looking after my comma problem.

A/N # 2: This is dedicated to my partners in crime through this thing, the A-Teamgirls from the pact, for all their support throughout the writing huckering down time!

A/N # 3: The remainder of the story is done, and I'll be posting as I finish the edits/beta work. So there shall be no really long waits anymore, I swear (well, not on this story).

A/N # 4: Crossposted to my website and livejournal. Anywhere else, ask first. Feedback always appreciated.

---

Part Nine – Volandra's Place

I woke up in another bare room that reeked of mildew and lack of options. More time had passed though I had no idea how much. There were no clocks and there was no daylight. I looked around as everything flooded back to me, but rather than falling back into bed and trying to wish it away, I felt strangely calm. The desperation of before faded into the background, taking the Meddecchi's pronouncements with it. With it gone, I could remember the person I was. Not the girl who didn't go with her friends in the first place. Not the one who ran off to Boston but could never quite get away. Definitely not the weak-willed person that had watched as Jesse was gunned down – I didn't fight back or save him and I would never understand how I could've allowed that to happen.

That pea-pod version that had been holding me hostage was gone and all that was left was the Maria Deluca of before. I was tough and didn't take crap from anyone, especially when he messed with my friends. I moved pass insurmountable grief to a rage that I hadn't felt since Tess murdered Alex. Jesse, Liz, Isabel…whoever was behind the things that had happened to them was going to wish they were never born. I would see to it.

For the first time since Jesse and I began our journey, I felt confident and clear. There was something almost comforting in realizing my destiny. Finally, there was a purpose, albeit very surreal, to my life and all those damn mistakes I made along the way. After all, they made me into the woman I was, and something in my gut told me that was what I would need to fight the Meddecchi in the end.

I glanced at my appearance in the mirror and even my skin seemed to hum with energy, the color having returned to my cheeks. I studied myself, appraising every freckle as I tried to find anything different about myself, the way I used to after my mother explained puberty to me. I kept expecting some sort of neat little explanation for why all of these powers fell into my lap – of course you're the chosen one, Maria. Look at that perfect physique – but it didn't appear, at least not in the mirror. The image reflected back at me was still plain 'ole Maria Deluca. Same as always.

Except, not quite. Jesse was dead. Liz was responsible, and the only ally I had was a hologram. Obviously, I should've looked worse for the wear, or donned a straight jacket.

I heard my stomach grumble, pointing out that it had been days since I had eaten anything, and I spun around when I felt the presence of someone else in the room.

I stumbled back when I noticed Michael staring at me. I clutched my chest and said, "What did I tell you about sneaking up on me?"

"I didn't sneak."

I folded my arms and asked, "How long have you been standing there?"

Michael smirked and said, "I'll never tell."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Figures." I glanced around the room and asked, "Where are we?"

"Lonnie's place."

I nodded and asked, "And where's that?"

"Los Angeles. I'm not sure what the hell you did to get us here, Maria, but it could've killed you."

I waved him off and said, "That's not the problem, Michael."

Michael picked up on my avoidance of the topic at hand. For once, he didn't push it either. Maybe we were finally making progress in this twisted relationship of ours. He stepped across the room until he was next to me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and said, "You look a lot better. Whatever Lonnie did, it seems to have worked."

"Where is our hostess with the mostest?"

Michael shrugged and said, "She mentioned something about making sure we were safe."

"She left?"

"We're okay, Maria. I had my doubts, but she helped me take care of you yesterday when you passed out again." He stared at me in a way that I wasn't used to and finally added, "I really don't like this sudden urge of yours to keep fainting."

"You're not the only one," I muttered. I glanced at myself in the mirror again and said, "But I feel better than I have since before this whole mess started. I don't know if Lonnie did something or…" I paused mid-sentence as it hit me. I pointed at Michael and gasped, "Michael, you're not blue anymore!"

He raised his eyebrow and replied, "Just noticing that?"

"I guess so and…" I stopped talking and practically tackled him as I threw my arms around his neck. I held on tight until he pried himself away and I said, "I thought the key couldn't be removed until—"

"—until all three pieces have fallen into place?"

Both Michael and I turned around. Lonnie stood there with a bored look on her face and I momentarily wondered if she was capable of anything other than indifference. Michael placed his arm over me protectively as though Lonnie was the one to blame for everything that had gone down. I glanced at him and then to her. I said, "You're a chosen one, aren't you? That's why you pawned the key off on Isabel – hoped they would go after her instead of you."

Lonnie rolled her eyes and motioned for us to follow her. I sighed and pulled Michael along behind me. If this was ever going to end, I needed to know what I was facing. I needed Lonnie, god help me.

I took a seat on a velvet red couch next to Michael while Lonnie plopped down in a brown leather chair with patches of stuffing sticking out at various places. Yard sale chic ambiance with cracked walls and chipped paint that could almost pass for experimental art.

Never one for patience, Michael draped his arm behind me and said, "Start explaining what you did, Lonnie."

Lonnie sighed and shot me a "what do you see in him" look, probably trying to figure out how much like her boy, Rath, he was. The thought of that freaked me out and I snuggled in closer to Michael. If he figured out my motivation, he didn't let on. The sure sign that I had scared the hell out of him – he was letting me be clingy. Lonnie looked from me to Michael and back to me. Rather than explaining anything, she asked, "You've had the dreams, haven't you?"

I blinked, trying to keep the wave of hysteria that surrounded those dreams from invading my mind once again. Lonnie didn't give me a chance to answer. She leaned back in her chair, lifting her legs off the floor and under her, and went on, "They started for me last year. I thought maybe it was some sick thing from Kivar or Nicholas—"

"Nicholas is dead."

Lonnie smirked at Michael. She tilted her head and said, "The things that the four of you believe would be funny if they weren't so sad."

"You're saying he's alive?"

Lonnie shrugged and replied, "I'm saying that trying to use the Gantuk to control the universe seems like a very Nicholas sort of thing to do."

"But not Kivar? You're telling me he was happy just ruling over our world?" Michael countered.

I didn't want this to go off on some alien tangent. That wasn't the most important thing at the moment. Once the Gantuk was taken care of and things were back to some semblance of normal, the two of them could argue for the rest of their lives. I snapped, "What does this have to do with the trinity or me?"

"Kivar craves power, I'll give you that, but he doesn't think that big. Never has, never will. Nicholas on the other hand…" Lonnie paused, a weird grin forming on her face that freaked me out a bit, and glanced upward. She said, "He was never happy being the second in command." She focused her gaze on Michael and added, "I'm sure you'd understand that if you weren't so infested with humanity."

Before Michael could get angry and do something stupid, I spoke up, "The dreams started a few months ago."

"And it always goes the same way, doesn't it?" Her eyes flickered to Michael for a nanosecond and she said, "You're told to make a choice."

I nodded and said, "The ultimate sacrifice."

Michael turned to look at me. He frowned and said, "I don't like the sound of that."

I replied, "I don't know what it means."

Lonnie's face twisted in what I'm sure she thought was sympathy, but came across more like constipation. She replied, "You're kidding me, right? After everything that's happened, you still can't figure out what's going on? Do you think it's a coincidence that your good pal, Jesse, walked into that coffee shop that day in Boston? That you managed to find Kyle on a subway in New York City? That you're the chosen one and you happened to be in love with the carrier of the amulet?"

"How do you know—" I stopped mid-sentence as Lonnie's word sunk in. I turned to face Michael. His face was expressionless as he tried to process the information. I bit down on my lip and said, "He's not…"

"After the Nagi defeated the Gantuk, they divided up the Power Trinity."

"I heard this part of the story in the caverns with Jesse. Gram told me how it was in the best interest to keep all the parts separated because no sane thing wanted the Gantuk to have an encore performance. I know all of that, but that doesn't mean—there is no way Michael is the carrier of the amulet. Wouldn't that be a little bit too convenient?" my voice trailed off. I had come to Lonnie for answers, but I wasn't prepared to accept what she was saying or what it would mean for Michael and me. I told myself that she was crazy or lying or maybe both, but nothing in her body language made that clear. I reiterated, more for my own peace of mind, "Michael's not the carrier of the amulet." Off the look on Lonnie's face, I called out, "Gram?"

Gram popped out of the air and said, "Master?"

"Did you hear what she said? Is it true?"

Gram moved closer to Michael and sniffed the air. I wondered if he could actually smell anything considering he was a hologram, but the momentary curiosity passed as soon as Gram nodded his head and said, "She speaks the truth, master."

I practically jumped off the couch and said, "Why didn't you explain that to me before?"

"You did not ask, Master."

I folded my arms and said, "But you knew that I was worried about him—"

"Because of the key." Gram turned his attention back to Michael and inspected him before saying, "He seems to have freed himself of the key. That is a dilemma thwarted."

"Gram!"

Michael stood up and put his hand on my shoulder. He looked at all of us and said, "I don't have any amulet. Never have."

Before I could process his words, Lonnie had closed the distance between us and struck Michael's arm with her knife. Michael raised his arm to use his own powers against her, but Lonnie held up her hands. She said, "It had to be done, Michael."

"You had to cut me? What the hell is going on here?" Michael glanced at me and said, "I knew coming to her was a bad idea. Let's just take her back to Max and—"

"We can't go back there, Michael. We can't trust him or the others right now," I stated.

"She stabbed me, Maria. She's a nutjob, just like the other dupes."

Lonnie ignored him and pointed to the bowl. She ordered, "Hold the bowl under his cut and let the blood flow into it."

It wasn't until I heard the word "blood" that I registered what Lonnie had done. I knew Lonnie had cut Michael, but for some reason, until that moment, I didn't comprehend what that meant, that Michael was bleeding. I gaped at the sight of Michael's blood and practically pushed Lonnie back as I hollered, "What the hell did you think that you were doing?"

When I didn't move the bowl, Lonnie forced Michael's hand over it. Michael grimaced and there was a strange humming in the air around us. I couldn't decide if it was my imagination or some side effect to dealing with all of this, but energy swirled around us, the type that reminded me of the moments right before a storm. As drops of Michael's blood slid into the bowl, the humming sound became louder. Suddenly the eye on the bowl flickered open. A bright blue light streamed out of the center of the bowl in all directions. I let go of my hold on the bowl, but it rested mid-air and I could almost see the cloud of energy before Michael pushed me behind him, ready to attack.

Lonnie stood between us and the bowl. She pointed to Michael and said, "Don't you get it? He's the amulet. It's his blood. You've had the dreams, Maria. You know what I'm talking about. When his blood is added to the bowl in the caverns, the key can be used to unlock the hidden caverns, caverns where the Gantuk rests."

I shook my head. It wasn't possible. This couldn't be happening. And if that was the case, why hadn't Liz, or whatever was using Liz, already ended things? As though she read my mind, Lonnie said, "They tried Rath…bled him dry in hopes that it would lead them to the bowl."

Michael grimaced and I said, "Then it should've worked, right? I mean, I'm guessing that's how you got the key."

"I was meant to find the key."

"At Rath's expense," Michael muttered.

"It's complicated," Lonnie stated. Her gaze shifted to the door and there appeared to be something in her expression, a palpable fear that I hadn't recognized before.

I felt my gut twist and muttered, "You had to watch it, didn't you? You saw him die."

Lonnie pushed a strand of her hair back. She said, "I'm not like Isabel, Maria. I remember being Volandra. I remember who my loyalty was to, and it sure as hell wasn't Rath. My one concern is for my own safety and getting home."

"Yeah, I think we're all well aware of that," Michael countered. He stared her down and said, "Ava told us what you did to Zan." Michael focused his gaze on me and said, "We can't trust her, Maria. We need to go back to the others."

"I already told you Michael, we can't go back," I replied.

"We can trust her?"

I scoffed and said, "Oh please. I don't trust Lonnie anymore than she trusts me."

"Then why are we here, Maria? What if that thing comes after you again—"

Lonnie laughed. She pointed at us and said, "You haven't told him anything, have you?"

"I didn't have a chance. Everything happened so fast," I said, stuttering over the words and feeling guilty even though I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. I reached for Michael's hand and said, 'What matters right now is that you tell us everything you know."

"Maria…"

I squeezed Michael's hand and glanced at him. I forced a smile and said, "I know what I'm doing here. Trust me, okay?"

Michael motioned to Lonnie and said, "You're not the one I'm having a problem trusting."

"Oh, this is so cute…I might throw up." Lonnie clutched her chest melodramatically. She met Michael's annoyed expression and explained, "What you don't get is that I need Maria as much as she needs me."

Michael rolled his eyes and asked, "Since when?"

"Since these events have unfolded and I realized who the chosen one was. A joke of the fates of time and space, I suppose. I expected it to be one of my alien brethren, you sickeningly human hybrids. My guess was on Isabel. She was from the good batch of aliens – the chosen ones meant to rule. Surely, our people thought she was the only worthy one, but it's been Maria all along. There was a reason that Max saved your friend that day – and it has nothing to do with true love. It has to do with your destiny, Maria."

I didn't know where to begin. I had so many questions and I could only guess that those answers would lead to more questions. None of this made any sense to me. I was having enough trouble wrapping my head around my destiny, but to find out that it was all predetermined long ago, that I was meant to meet the pod squad…my brain was on overload. "You mean Isabel isn't a chosen one? But she wore the glasses and knew—"

"The glasses aren't part of the Trinity."

"That doesn't explain how she knew about it."

"Whoever had control of Isabel thought the same thing that I did—that she had the same powers that I possessed."

"But she's not—"

"Just like Rath wasn't the amulet. Those guys learned that the hard way."

"What guys? Isabel and Liz?"

"Their infection only occurred recently. They were fine when I saw them."

"I don't understand this." I turned to face Gram and said, "You told me that Meddecchi was in possession of the amulet. If it was Michael—"

"The Meddecchi uses others – he can take them over," Gram stated.

I glanced at Lonnie and then Michael. I said, "I'm not sure that makes sense though. At the time I came into possession of the sacred relic, the Meddecchi had the amulet. Isabel and Liz weren't with Michael though. How could they—"

Lonnie frowned. It appeared that she hadn't thought about that. I was torn between savoring the moment as the look of superiority vanished from her face and an intense anxiety that if she didn't know what was going on, we were all doomed.

Gram spoke up. "Seeing as the amulet is this creature's blood, it would make sense, master."

"And how's that?" Michael asked.

When Gram remained silent, I turned to Michael and said, "Sorry, he only talks to the chosen one."

"Oh, of course," Michael muttered.

I stared down at Gram and asked, "Explain that please."

Gram pointed to Michael and said, "As long as the Meddecchi is aware of the amulet and has the power to control someone near to it, it is possible that he is able to use it. Since the amulet is a living creature, he can tap into its energy force. Use it to come after you." Gram moved over next to me and touched my head. He went on, "Why do you think the pain vanished when you arrived here? Have you felt the Meddecchi's presence in your head since you woke up?"

I shut my eyes. I had felt empowered when I had woken up, had thought that maybe I was ready to face this mess, conquer the bad guy, and save the day. Turned out it was Michael's presence all along. The irony wasn't lost on me.

"It's because Michael was with me?"

Gram nodded and said, "Even though you were not utilizing him, he was in your possession. You controlled all three pieces of the trinity and that shut the Meddecchi out."

"If I was some sort of amulet, then why did I turn blue when I put the key around my neck?"

"You're the amulet, not a chosen one," Lonnie responded with frustration oozing out of each syllable as she spoke.

"And I didn't have the relic yet. The key is the last piece of the trinity. It could only be removed once the other two pieces were in our possession." I replied. I had a hang on that part of the situation. It was everything else that was messing me up. I shook my head the way I used to when there was water in my ears. That was how I felt right then. Like I wasn't hearing things quite right. I let out a slow breath and glanced at Michael. I said, "That still doesn't explain why Liz or the Meddecchi didn't finish me off after I was shot. They would've had access to all three pieces too. Didn't it know that Michael was the amulet?"

"The Meddecchi knows it's in the blood of the second in command. Like I said, he thought Rath would work, but now he knows better. You were right to bring Michael with you, Maria. You need to keep trusting your instincts."

I wasn't sure how much of bringing Michael along had to do with instincts rather than the all-consuming need I felt to keep him with me. I sighed and asked, "So why didn't the Meddecchi make a move while I was out of it?"

No one, not even Gram, offered up an explanation. It didn't make sense. If this Meddecchi was so strong, wanted the power so badly, why hadn't it made its move when it had the chance? Was this some sort of game? Probably – anything to keep making me doubt myself.

I stood there, studying one of the cracks on the wall, and remembered what Gram had shown me and Jesse in the caverns. I stepped over next to Gram and asked, "I know you can access things that are going on right now, but do you have some sort of memory bank? A way to replay a conversation that took place in the past?"

Gram stared at me and said, "I have access to whatever you need to enable your journey, Master."

"I want to see the conversation between my friends, Isabel and Liz, that you showed me and Jesse in the caverns. The one from when they were being held hostage," I stated.

Gram snapped his finger and disappeared with a pop. On the wall, the scene I had already watched before played for us.

"It'll be okay," Liz whispered, trying to move her chair closer to Isabel. Her hair was a short reddish color that I imagined probably suited her under normal circumstances. At the moment, it was mangy and oily, from days of no management. Her bottom lip was swollen and it matched the bruises on Isabel's cheek.

Isabel shook her head, "They're going to kill them. I saw it."

"You're imagining things."

"Why are you saying that? Have they gotten to you?"

I grimaced at this part – the horrified look on Isabel's face, the oddly calm expression that Liz wore. It made some sort of sick sense now. I had been too late to keep whatever had taken over Liz from invading Isabel's mind. That was my fault. I was so caught up in bickering with Jesse and worrying about Michael – Isabel wasn't the only one with Jesse's blood on her hands.

Michael must have noticed my guilt because he inched closer to me and squeezed my shoulders as the conversation continued to play…

Liz patted her friend's leg comfortingly and said, "You're hysterical, Isabel. You need to calm down and tell me what's happening. Max will bring the key and we'll be let go. That's what they want, right?"

"No, no, no," Isabel sobbed. Her eyes moved quickly over the room as if she knew that their conversation was being listened to. She said, "He will rise, won't he?"

Liz smiled reassuringly, "Everything will work out." She patted Isabel's leg again as Isabel struggled against her words. Liz said, "I saw this, Isabel. I saw us here and we survive. We have to hang in there. You have to trust me with what you've been keeping to yourself. Tell me what's going on with this key."

"I can't, Liz. I can't! He's going to die. I know you saw it too! They're both going to die and it's our fault."

"No one is going-"

"Lonnie knows. She saw it too and that's why she gave us that stupid key. We would be safe if it weren't for her!" Isabel sobbed.

"Max will find us, Isabel."

"Not if they get to him. They have ways."

"They won't."

"They got to us. They'll get him and then the others. And once they've got all of us, they're going to kill everyone else! It's too late. Too late and there's no hope." Liz stared at her as if she were trying to read Isabel's mind. Isabel's eyes shut against the intensity of Liz's line of vision and she mumbled in an exhausted tone, her words nothing more than exaltations, "No hope."

When the conversation ended, Gram reappeared and asked, "Was that helpful, master?"

I turned to face Michael and Lonnie. My eyes traveled over both of them and I asked, "Why did you give them the key, Lonnie?"

"I told you. I didn't want any part of this mess. I'm all about survival."

"Then why help me?" I asked, my hands going to my hips reflexively. I glared at her and ordered, "Tell me what's going on."

Lonnie waved her hand in front of her face. She said, "I'm guessing Isabel and I have the same sort of dreaming abilities – we're connected by our DNA, by our powers. It's the same dream that you've had, Maria. The same one where the same people die. It never changes because that is how it's destined to go."

I swallowed thickly and replied, "That's not going to happen."

"It has to."

I shook my head and replied, "Like hell. We've got to think outside the box on this one, Lonnie. I'm not going to lose anyone else to this madness."

"It's not your choice to make, Maria. He's the amulet. His blood allows the key to work. How did you think this was going to play out? What did you think the ultimate sacrifice was?"

Michael seemed to understand what was going on. He turned me to face him and said, "Maria, if something has to happen to one of us—"

"Don't even finish that sentence, Michael. God, you always have to put yourself in the line of fire, don't you? It's like…"

I noticed a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he responded, "…like my destiny?"

I narrowed my eyes until they were nothing more than little slits. I shook my head and said, "This is serious. Why does it have to be you, huh?"

"Do you think I like the idea of you being in danger? I'm trying to come to terms with these feelings of powerlessness because there's nothing I can do to change it, or what you have to do. All I can do is keep you safe and help you see this through."

"I'm not going to do this if it means hurting you, Michael," I stated

"I'm not sure either of us has a choice, Maria," Michael stated calmly. I hated when he got like that – resolute in his destiny – and wished I could shake it out of him.

"Yes, we do. I can choose not to do anything rather than use your blood to open some sealed cavern that's been keeping a power hungry loon imprisoned." I turned away from him and stared at Lonnie. I asked, "Why would they put the amulet inside him? Why would they sacrifice one of their own?"

Lonnie looked down and then at Michael. She said, "Because it was considered a great honor to be chosen for such a sacrifice and he was a warrior in our world. His destiny has always been to die to protect the inhabitants of the universe. And yours is to finish this."

"And what if I can't?"

"Then the Meddecchi will catch up with you. It will kill you, and then use Michael to open the cavern anyway. You'll die in vain and the entire universe will suffer for it." She said it so simply, without histrionics, that it almost could've been disregarded. Almost.

I sighed. It didn't seem like the proper response, to sigh at a time like this, but nothing else came out. I couldn't lose Michael to something like this. I had spent the past few years without him and it was like a death sentence, a half-life with no real purpose. I never planned to be one of those girls, like some Victorian romance novel character who got the vapors and died of a broken heart. Yet, there I was, ready to turn my back on the rest of the universe if it meant Michael would be okay.

I finally had a destiny, it seemed, but I couldn't accept that it involved ending Michael's life. It was wrong. It couldn't be true because if it was, then the universe was created by some screwed up monster that got its kicks from inflicting pain. I bit down on my lip to keep the tears from falling, to somehow force myself to hold it together. I managed, "We don't know that."

"You're forgetting that I saw what they did to Rath."

"Who did it? Do you know who the Meddecchi is?" I questioned.

"It's hard to explain the Meddecchi. It can be so many different things and control so many creatures. I don't know if it was even the Meddecchi that ripped Rath apart," Lonnie replied.

I couldn't stay the calm way she talked about Rath's death, like it was commonplace and no big deal. I shut my eyes as the image of someone doing that to Michael inundated my thoughts. I remembered my dream – how the little boy struck Michael in the chest with the sword and the blood wouldn't stop until Michael was dead, lost in a pool of his own blood. I stepped closer to him as though feeling his breath on my neck would make this nothing more than another one of my nightmares. I gritted my teeth and forced out, "Do you know who killed Rath?"

I heard Lonnie's footsteps and the squeak of the leather as she sat back down. She said, "There were two men…one with a scar—"

"Gasher. It has to be."

Lonnie raised her eyebrow and smirked. "Well, well, it seems you're not as in the dark as you appear."

"Lonnie," Michael warned.

"He was the guy that attacked me in New York. The one…" I paused and focused on Michael. I said, "He was the one that you killed."

"When did you find that out?" Michael questioned. I could hear the agitation in his voice, the unasked questions lingering near the surface – was this while we were still in New York? Did you choose to trust Jesse over me?

I focused my attention on Gram and said, "When Jesse and I first got back to Roswell, I remembered how I recognized Gasher. There was a bar I performed at from time to time before I moved to Boston. Gasher was one of the truck drivers that used to frequent the place. We all knew to stay away from him."

"So he's from Roswell?" Michael replied. "Isn't that a bit too coincidental?"

"I don't know. He works for Congo Chemicals."

"How does some truck driver for Congo Chemicals get caught up in any of this? He wasn't an alien. We know that for sure, so how did he end up looking for the key?" Michael asked.

It was a question that I kept wondering too, but I answered, "There was an invoice in the caverns. When Jesse and I went exploring and found the bowl and Gram…"

Gram spoke up, "He was not a chosen one. He had to be removed from the sacred areas."

I nodded at Gram and said, "Jesse said that there have always been rumors of illegal dumping going on in some of the caverns. Who knows what Gasher or anyone else from that company could've stumbled upon if they were in there?"

I noticed the look on Lonnie's face and questioned, "You don't like my idea?"

She smiled smugly and said, "You humans…it's as though what's right in front of you never crosses your minds."

I placed my hands on my hips and glared down at Lonnie. I replied, "Care to elaborate on that?"

Lonnie took a deep breath and let it out as slowly and loudly as possible, in a way meant to convey that I was the biggest imbecile ever. She stood up and said, "You look at the world and see it at as a bunch of random coincidences. You don't get that every single thing that has happened in your life was leading you to this minute. Look around, Maria. Look where you are. Think about everything that has happened – without all of that, would you even be ready for this?"

I mimicked her stance. I was in no mood to be told that I was an idiot. What I needed were answers and for some force to appear and promise me that Michael would be okay. He was the reason behind all of this – the one motivation I had all along. I said, "If you're so knowledgeable about the Gantuk and what's happening…you are a chosen one, right? Why didn't you handle this when you had the chance? Because you were too busy looking out for yourself?"

Lonnie shrugged off my words and said, "You still don't get it."

"Get what?"

Lonnie motioned to Gram and said, "This was all set into motion a long time ago, Maria. Tell me you get that. Tell me you understand that much or we're all screwed."

"Hey, back off," Michael stated. He stood up and put himself between us.

The gesture was sweet, but I didn't have time for an overprotective whatever-he-was. I pushed Michael aside and said, "Gram said as much. That this was decided long ago. But I don't know how that explains anything."

"You're the one that has to do this. You're the only one who can defeat the Gantuk. Not me and certainly not the Meddecchi."

"You're a chosen one too, Lonnie," I countered.

"Yeah, but I'm not the same as you, Maria."

I shook my head and pointed at Gram. I said, "No, that's not what I was told."

"After everything that happened the first time around, when the Gantuk abused the power that the trinity provided him and he was destroyed, the people of the galaxies aided the Nagi," Gram responded, focusing solely on me.

"The people of the galaxies?" Michael repeated with a raised eyebrow. I couldn't say I blamed him for his hesitancy to accept this information. It wasn't everyday that a guy found out his girlfriend was actually important to the survival of the world or that he would have to die in order for her to save it…even if he was an alien.

Lonnie rolled her eyes as though what she was about to share with us was common knowledge, as though we were idiots for not understanding what she was talking about. She took a deep breath and answered, "There was a time when the galaxies were sewn together and everyone realized that their survival was interconnected. Why do you think this place was chosen for the Royal Four to come? Because of its wonderful ambiance?"

I glanced at Michael and he shrugged. He said, "We figured they had their reasons."

"It's a wonder you developed your powers at all, Michael," Lonnie snapped. She forced her gaze on me and said, "Our ancestors were put in charge of the amulet and, because of accepting this duty, there would be one in the line that would be able to control the trinity. The Royal family was always responsible for the amulet's safety – but when the kingdom fell, when we were created and put in those pods, they sent the amulet with us to keep it out of Kivar's possession. They chose a form for the amulet that they considered being the safest."

"Then why didn't it work for Rath? Or Isabel?" I asked.

"Our family wasn't stupid. They weren't sure that what they were doing would work, that both sets of us would survive, or who would locate us first. They didn't want the pieces to fall into the wrong hands, so they attempted to make it harder for someone to discover. They made me like the original Volandra – I was the chosen one. They made Michael the amulet, not Rath. It turns out it was a good idea, otherwise none of us would be here right now."

"And you led them right to Michael. Did you know what you were doing?" I replied. Off the look on Lonnie's face, I almost jumped across the distance between us and ripped her apart. The idea that she purposely put Michael into danger, that she put this chain of events into motion that got Liz and Isabel corrupted somehow and Jesse killed, was too overwhelming to properly digest. I felt an anger pulse through me that I had never recalled before.

Before I knew what was happening, the bowl had risen from its resting place. It shook and steam came bursting out of the top like a volcano about to erupt. A gust of wind blew in through the window and knocked Lonnie and her chair over. The wind seemed to focus around her, slapping her around the room. It lifted her off the ground, swirling Lonnie around in the air over and over, knocking her against the ceiling and a wall. She hollered out in pain, but the more she fought against it, the stronger the wind got. It only stopped when Michael shook me.

He said, "Stop it. Stop whatever the hell you're doing before you kill her."

I shut my eyes and clutched my head. I had no idea what was going on, but the power coursing through me was overpowering, what I imagined tripping on drugs for the first time was like – new sensations and delusions of grandeur clouded my head. Michael's fingers squeezed my arm, and I looked up to see the all-too-familiar worried expression embedded on his face. When exactly had our roles reversed?

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Is she okay? She could've killed me," Lonnie replied before I managed to find my voice.

Michael shouted, "Shut up" in her direction, but kept his eyes concentrated on me. He forced a small smile, the typical Michael bravado, and said, "Talk to me, Maria."

"I'm not sure what I—"

Lonnie pushed Michael aside. She placed her hands on my shoulders. She said, "You feel it coursing through you. That's a good thing, Maria."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Michael replied. He stood over the two of us and said, "Whatever that was, Maria, it was not a good thing."

Lonnie grabbed my face and said, "Ignore him. You have to focus on me right now. You have to get a grip on the power. If it overtakes you, you'll be no use to any of us."

"What's happening to me?" I gasped out. I felt like the earth was rumbling beneath my feet with each breath that I took. It was as though the ground was responding to the power inside me.

"You've got all the pieces of the puzzle. The relic, the amulet, and the key are all in your possession. The power source has found its conductor."

"Whoopee," I replied, though it was nothing more than an exhalation as I struggled to manage the energy.

"Whatever you're doing to her, stop it, Lonnie. Stop it now," Michael replied.

Lonnie turned to face him and said, "Let me try and get this through your thick skull. Maria needs to do this, she needs to find some way to control the energy, otherwise none of us are going to live for much longer."

"Take the power from her. You're a chosen one, right? Maybe humans can't handle this," Michael replied. He wrapped his arm over my shoulder and guided me to the sofa. He brushed my hair back and said, "It's gonna be okay. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

I smiled at the tenderness in Michael's voice. The words he said might not be true, but it meant a lot to hear him say it, to know that he still cared about me. The thing was that I couldn't let that distract me. Lonnie was right – if I couldn't harness the energy and get my act together, things would spiral further out of control. I'd have no chance to save Michael or the others.

I shut my eyes again. I revisited all those yoga and tai chi classes that my mother used to force me to attend with her (bonding time). Rather than attempting to harness the energy, I allowed it to flow through me and forced my mind to follow it to its center, the drilling rumbling in my gut. I kept my eyes closed for what felt like hours until I felt my body stabilize.

I opened my eyes to see both Michael and Lonnie hovering around me. Michael kissed the top of my head and said, "Good job. The bowl isn't moving anymore."

"Good."

"There's no turning back now, Maria. You know that, right?" Lonnie asked with what almost sounded like pity.

I sighed and said, "I realized that a few days ago. I have to see this thing through. For Jesse."

"What did all of you see in that Boy Scout?"

I raised my finger in warning and said, "Do yourself a favor and stop talking about Jesse." The nerves on my arms tingled and caused the hairs on my arms to shoot up. I shut my eyes and said, "They're coming for us. We've got to get to the caverns." When I opened my eyes, I focused on Lonnie and said, "You need to tell me who the Meddecchi is, Lonnie. Who's using Liz and Isabel like this? Who has that type of power?"

"The Meddecchi could be anyone and I would suggest you start thinking like that. The enemy could be anywhere," Lonnie replied. She glanced around the room. She kept her face neutral, but I could see the fear there. She knew they were coming for us as well as I did. She knew that there was no place that we could truly hide.

"Why wouldn't the Meddecchi come for me himself?"

"You're asking the wrong questions, Maria," Lonnie responded. She glanced at Gram and added, "You need to start thinking like a chosen one and not some normal girl from New Mexico."

I crossed my arms, pretending not to hear Lonnie's disdain as she said normal and pointed to Gram. I said, "What does she mean by that Gram?"

Gram moved over next to me. He said, "The way the chosen ones were decided was simple. One would come from each of the three galaxies that fought against the Nagi. The three would come into their powers at different times, some chosen ones passed down through time, others simply prophesized. The three chosen were you, Volandra, and the Meddecchi."

"So he's not from earth?"

Gram shook his head. "The Meddecchi is not from this dimension at all. Its galaxy subsists on a completely different plane of existence."

"Oh great. That will make this so much easier."

"There is more that you must know, Master."

I looked at Michael and replied, "A few days ago I had to pry information out of him and now he doesn't want to shut up."

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Michael said.

I shot Michael a dirty look and snapped, "You're one to talk and—" I took a deep breath because now was not the time for bickering. I waved my hand in front of my face and added, "Ignoring you now." I shifted my gaze back to Gram and said, "Go on."

"Your friend spoke of complications. That is true. When the Holy Gantuk was overthrown, there were those in each of the galaxies that continued to support him."

"Well, who wouldn't like a mass-murdering, power-hungry freak running things?" I commented. I met Gram's appraising glance and added, "That was sarcasm. You really need to learn about that, Gram, if we're going to work together."

"Master?"

"Nevermind. Keep talking."

"Should the time ever come when the Gantuk would rise again, a choice was made to appease this faction of the universe. After fighting the Gantuk for so long, the Nagi were sure that the peace between the galaxies could not continue to thrive without a compromise. Most did not want the Gantuk back, but to avoid the wrath of those who did, they came up with a plan. There would be one chosen one to defeat the Gantuk, one to aid its return to power, and the other one would be neutral. If and when the universe aligned itself for the chamber to appear—"

"Appear? You mean the chamber wasn't there before?" I asked. I shot a look at Michael who was as curious as I was and at Lonnie who again looked at me like I was the dumbest person alive.

"When the Gantuk was captured within the chamber, it was sealed in a portal outside of space and time. No one knew when it would open, but it was prepared for nonetheless. The chosen would battle and it would be the one in control of the Trinity that would decide how things worked out. His aid would assuredly bring him to power once again, leaving a wake of death and destruction in its path. His adversary, you, would annihilate his resting place and him in the process."

"And the neutral chosen one? Why did we need a neutral one?" I glared at Lonnie and muttered, "Figures it would be her."

"I can control the pieces of the Supremacy Trinity. Like Gram, I have the knowledge to both defeat and help the Gantuk, but even if I wanted to, I have no control over how it will play out. We live in a dualistic universe, Maria. If the advantage was tilted to either side, it could have thrown off the natural balance of things. I can only put the relic, key, and amulet into play – so to speak – to get them to one of the other chosen," Lonnie explained. She studied my face for a time, and I tried not to appear unnerved by how she seemed to be able to read my mind. Her hand moved to her necklace and she said, "That's why I couldn't keep the key. Once the process has begun, I can only help the person who controls the trinity – until then I'm neutral."

"So why help me?"

Michael answered before she could, "Because you have all three parts."

"Why didn't you give me the damn key? Why go through all this…crap…for me to get my hands on it?"

"I didn't know you were the chosen one then. Now that I know and you control the trinity, I'm meant to help you as long as you hold onto the pieces."

I said, "Great. As the neutral one, you'll provide me with the information I need." I rubbed my hands over my eyes and added to no one in particular, "So I have to trust you? Wonderful."

She said, "If it's any consolation, I hope you do this. As much as I hate being here on Earth, I'd prefer not to return to my world to find it ravaged by the Gantuk and his disciples." She stood up and moved over to the window. She stared up at the night sky and said, "When I saw what they did to Rath, I grabbed the key and ran. I didn't know what else to do, so I dreamwalked Isabel and the others to find where they were located. I figured she was like me and could control it. I didn't figure out what the Nagi or even our family had done until a little later."

"You thought Isabel would be neutral too. She wouldn't have been allowed to help Maria," Michael countered.

Lonnie rolled her eyes and said, "Isabel also interacts with humans. All of you do."

"So?" Michael questioned.

"I figured that if anyone could find a way around the rules, it would be her. Love and friendship are strong forms of energy, Michael. Think about your powers – when are they at their strongest? When it involves those you love or the random stranger on the side of the road? Rath, Ava, Zan, and I never developed those types of relationships, not even with each other. We stuck to ourselves, always focused on our plans to get home."

Lonnie paused for a second, choosing her words carefully, before fixing her gaze on me and saying, "I didn't know the first thing about getting the pieces to the right place. I was scared and angry that this was my problem. I did the best I could." She pointed at me and said, "It worked out in the end. It worked out like it was meant to. You found Michael in a city with millions of people because you were supposed to."

There was a humming noise buzzing in my ear. My head shot up and my eyes darted around the place in a panic. I couldn't decide if I was paranoid or finally getting a hang of the powers that went with the gig. The only thing I did know was that I had to trust my instincts now. I placed my hand on Michael's leg and said, "The three of us need to get out of here. We've been in one location for too long."

I motioned to Gram and asked, "When is all of this set to go down, Gram? When is the Gantuk supposed to rise?"

Gram replied, "Tonight. I told you that there were only a few days left, Master, when we began this journey. One way or another, it will end tonight."

"What do I have to do to stop this Gantuk?"

Gram answered simply, "You will know when the time comes."

"Right. Between panicking and more panicking, I'm sure I'll have my head in the right place long enough to deduce how to defeat the Gantuk."

Lonnie said, "You're going to have to if you want to live."

"Comfort. Look it up," I commented. I stood myself up and shut my eyes, visualizing the relic in my hands. The familiar popping sound echoed through the room and the bowl appeared in my hands.

Michael rolled his eyes at my smile and said, "That was just lazy. It was sitting right there on the floor."

"I think I need the practice, don't you? Especially if I'm expected to simply know how to handle things," I replied. I took his hand and pulled him off the sofa. I studied his face, memorizing it out of fear that it was the last time we would be like this together, and that the ultimate sacrifice would have to be made.

Michael grinned that overly-smug smirk of his that he used whenever he won an argument. He leaned in and kissed me. He said, "I know you can do this, Maria. No matter what."

"I think you're the only one with that sort of faith in me."

Lonnie joined us next to Gram. The three of us formed a small huddle together. She patted my arm – a big move for someone like Lonnie – and said, "I have faith in you. Well, some anyway."

"One last thing – who is the Meddecchi, Lonnie? You keep babbling about not being sure, but I need more to go on than that."

Lonnie said, "The Meddecchi isn't a person, Maria. It's an essence or something like that. It invades a person's body and uses it. It can move from person to person – human, alien, random animal in the woods. It finds a creature's weakness and uses it as a gateway to getting control over the body. There aren't many that can match the strength of the Meddecchi and it's able to use that to its advantage. The Meddecchi…it's best not to talk about it for too long. It's as though it knows when it's being mentioned, knows where to go and how to remove your power over your own body"

"The Meddecchi is a shapeshifter?" Michael asked.

"Yes and no. They can take on whatever form they want, the same way that a shapeshifter can, but the Meddecchi isn't like anything we're used to."

Michael glared at her, obviously unhappy with the answer, but I just reached a hand out to both Lonnie and Michael. I said, "Hold on guys. No matter what, don't let go." I motioned to Gram, who snapped his fingers and, within seconds, we were sucked up into another tunnel.

When we landed, both Lonnie and Michael fell to the ground. I raised my hands in victory and said, "I'm still standing. I might be getting the hang of this after all." Off the looks on both their faces, I shrugged and said, "It's the small victories that matter."

"Not tonight," Lonnie replied. She stood up and brushed the dust off of herself. She glanced around the caverns and said, "Now we have to find a place to hide until it's time."

"What about the Meddecchi? Won't it expect to find us here?" Michael asked.

I looked to Gram and said, "We're safe in the caverns." I pointed to the left, where the water splashed down into another small pool of water. I continued, "This is where the map was stored. It can only be accessed by whoever possesses the relic. As long as I've got it, we're okay here until tonight."

"You should rest, Maria," Michael said.

I shook my head, but then agreed with him, "So should you." Michael frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but I added, "Lonnie and I need to have a private chat first."

Michael must have determined that I had my stubborn face on because he gave in without an argument. He shrugged and went over into the far corner and sat down, back propped up against the altar. He stared at me for a moment before shutting his eyes.

I found myself watching Michael for a few seconds. It reminded me of all those nights when he had his arms wrapped around me and I thought we would be like that forever. Unfortunately, forever was rarely in the equation no matter how much I wanted it. And, at the moment, I was willing to give up the idea of ever having that with him again if I knew he would be spared from what was about to happen.

Lonnie cleared her throat to garner my attention. I met her annoyed gaze and shot her one of my own. I didn't pull it off very well though. I wasn't annoyed with her as much as her given role as the "I'm the neutral chosen one."

"Spare me before I gag," Lonnie commented.

Totally annoyed now. I was never fond of people witnessing me at my most mushy and girly, especially when it was someone I barely knew. I frowned and said, "Shut up, Lonnie."

"How about we get back to the matter at hand – saving the universe from the Gantuk. Remember that?"

I didn't answer. I was in no mood to fight with her. Instead, I pulled Lonnie out of Michael's hearing range and said, "There's a ritual to this. Like in my dream."

"The chosen one's subconscious holds all the information necessary for the coming of the Gantuk. That's why we dream about the ritual. It's to prepare us for what's to come."

"But in the dream—"

"It's exactly like the dream. When you place the relic in the center of the room, a weird diagram will form around you and it. That's when you'll need Michael. The amulet is the second part – the piece of the trinity that creates the doorway for the key."

"In the dream there was a little boy. He told me that to save Michael I had to make the ultimate sacrifice."

Lonnie shrugged and said, "I don't know anything about a little boy. There was no little boy in my dreams."

"How did your dreams go?"

"It depended – sometimes you were there, sometimes some random guy, sometimes…" her voice trailed off as though she was afraid to say it.

I finished for her, "Sometimes it's Liz?"

Lonnie replied, "It's her body, but she's not in control."

"I know that," I replied. I did know that. I couldn't fathom my best friend wishing anyone dead.

"But you might have to forget that. It might be better for you to think of Liz as the evil Meddecchi."

I placed my hands on jutted hips and asked, "How do you figure that?"

"Because if it comes down to you or her, you need to be prepared to kill her."

"I'm not killing anybody. I thought I was the good chosen one."

Lonnie laughed mirthlessly. She studied my face and said, "Good, not stupid. The Meddecchi might use her, Maria."

I nodded and said, "Because it knows that hurting Liz would be hard for me. It would give it the advantage."

"It's a possibility. And don't think for a second that the Meddecchi won't think twice about removing any obstacles in its way," Lonnie stated. She moved over toward the altar. She glanced at Michael's resting form and said, "I don't think he can be saved."

I wanted to embrace the five-year-old in me. I wanted to cover my ears with my hands and shout out, "la, la, la…I can't hear you." Instead I moved over next to Michael and slid to the ground. I rested my head on his shoulder and he draped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to his chest. I looked up at Lonnie and said, "There has to be a way."

I shut my eyes – my not-so-subtle way of letting Lonnie know that our conversation was over. I couldn't discuss sacrificing Michael like it was no big deal. There was no way I could do it. I wondered if that made me a bad chosen one. I bet Max would do what he had to for his people – so why couldn't I get past my own selfishness?

I knew what I had to do. I had to face the Meddecchi and stop him from helping the Gantuk to cause destruction. When the Gantuk rose, I would have to be the one in control of the trinity, or it would only be the beginning of a lot of pain. And it was time to end this.

I just hoped I didn't get us all killed.

to be continued...