He looks down at himself, covered in robes. "This is a dream," he says.

"Yes, it is."

"You sent the dreams."

"Yes, I did."

He looks over at Elyon. "I don't understand, why me?"

"I don't want anyone to be away from me, Red. And when I called you, you responded to Me."

Red looks down. "You're not always going to be around for me to talk to, are you? This is a special thing, isn't it?"

"You will not always see me with your eyes, but I will always be here." Elyon's claw pokes Red's chest. "When you accepted me as your commander, you allowed me to live and speak to you inside you."

"That doesn't make sense," Red says flatly. "Am I your puppet then?"

"No." Elyon's voice is stern. "Never a puppet. This is how I keep my promise that I will never abandon you, and you may speak with Me anytime. I will guide you if you let me, but I will never force you."

"Elyon, are you really going to do what you showed Skiftsom and me? Is that really going to happen to you?"

Elyon gazes at him steadily. "It is not going to 'happen to me.' It is something I choose to endure for the sake of the Irken race, just as I have done it for the human race. There isn't a force in existence that could do to me something I did not allow."

Red's throat tightens. "I have never heard of a commander or a leader like you."

"Then it's time to learn, Red." The vision blurs, and Elyon's voice is coming from farther away. "I will always be with you, Red. Listen for me."

…..

Dantie had intended to remain where he was, just like the Tallest told him to. But when the Tallest fell over, well, he couldn't just stay put. Especially not when he caught sight of SIR units on the horizon.

He'd darted forward as fast as he could, noting the black streak returning the way it came while Ayam remained, crouched over Red.

"My Tallest! Ayam! Ayam is My Tallest alright?" Dantie skidded to a stop, unsure how to proceed.

Ayam nodded, slowly stroking Red's antennae. "He'll be alright. He'll wake up a little confused, but he'll be fine." He turned his attention to Dantie. "You will still stay with him?"

"Yes Ayam."

"His road is hard," Ayam warned, "I will be with you both, but it is not easy."

"I will stay with My Tallest, Ayam."

Ayam smiled at him. "You have a strong heart Dantie." He clapped the Irken on his shoulder, and Dantie shivered at the joy that coursed through him. "You will see me again."

And then He was gone. And yet, not gone. There was a strange warmth in Dantie's chest, and he smiled.

The distant sound of search drones snapped him out of his reverie, and he dropped to his knees, shaking Red. "My Tallest!" Red's skin was clean of all blood, and he now wore the same armor Dantie had seen on himself once Red had clawed something away from his eyes in the torture chamber. He set his joy aside, he had to wake his Tallest and get him away from this place.

…

Red felt someone prodding him. Calling him. But he didn't want to get up. There was so much more to talk with Elyon about, even as the dream slipped away, the details started to fade.

"My Tallest, they are coming!"

Dantie's voice. Red opened his eyes. Too many times passing out, had he damaged himself? A quick PAK check confirmed a concussion from their initial landing, and his headfirst collision. He lifted his head, scanning around.

Dantie was desperately shaking his arm. Elyon and Skiftsom were nowhere to be seen. There were, however, several SIR units visible on the distant mounds, scanning the scrap.

Red flailed to his feet, then sagged back, groaning. The concussion was almost healed, but his head was swimming a little. Had it only been a dream?

He glanced down at himself. Still covered in armor. If that was the case, then perhaps… yes. The cherub still stood nearby, eyes fixed on Red.

"Are you…" He swallowed, pulling up his courage, "Are you really here to protect me?"

"That is what Elyon assigned." Came the response.

"Then I can ask you to help." Red hedged. When the Cherub did not contradict, Red pressed, "We need a safe place. Do you know where we can hide or escape? Show us!"

The Cherub turned and began striding off. Dantie propped Red up, helping him struggle to his feet.

"My Tallest, your jets?" Dantie suggested.

"No, the SIRs will pick it up immediately." Red staggered on, occasionally leaning on Dantie. "We'll follow him."

The Cherub walked in front of them, and as they kept in its wake, the going seemed a little easier. After an hour of slow staggering, they stopped as the Cherub turned to them, pointing at a crumpled Vortion Rock-hopper. "Through there."

"Stay here my Tallest." Dantie propped Red up against a broken down Voot and inspected the Rock-Hopper. Prying back the door, he peered inside. "Oh! There's ground-level under here, I see a grate!" He squirmed into the bulky craft, and Red heard his spiderlegs clicking free. Screeching metal followed a few moments of grunting and groaning, then Dantie's head popped back into view. "My Tallest, a tunnel. Hurry!"

Red pulled himself over to the Rock-Hopper, swinging his legs over and nearly slithering into the hole, which had been made for much smaller bodies. Dantie had already begun descent down the holds carved into the side, as Red reached up to swing the grate shut over the top and descended after him.

The climb down was dismal and cramped. Red watched the light that was the top of the tunnel shrink down to a pinpoint before vanishing. Deeming them far enough away from the SIR units' range, he lit up his PAK, unwilling to face total dark in such a constricting place.

"Oh!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "Look, a tunnel." Right next to his head, two gaping holes yawned, much wider than the shaft down and running in either direction. "Maybe this leads somewhere."

"But there's light down below!" Dantie exclaimed.

Red grimaced. While he didn't fancy going deeper, moving away from a light source was unthinkable. As they continued down, they passed several other openings, but Red passed each, his reluctance to descend increasing each time.

Dantie reached the opening first, and called up in excitement, "The Cherub is here My Tallest, waiting for us!"

Red sucked in a breath, realizing he could have gotten himself and Dantie hopelessly lost had they taken the first tunnel. He slipped in after Dantie, both now following the receding light of the Cherub.

"Where are you leading us?" Red asked.

"To the Maker's second invitation." The Cherub's voice rang off the walls.

Red inspected himself again. The armor he wore was proof of acceptance for the first invitation, but Elyon had mentioned two.

"He does love to be cryptic, doesn't he?" Red sighed.

"It's not about being cryptic, Red. It's about teaching you to trust me each step of the way."

Red slammed his head against the roof of the tunnel. "WHAT?!" He looked around wildly. "WHO'S IN MY HEAD?"

Dantie paused, looking back worriedly.

"I'm not abandoning you, remember?"

Red's eyes widened.

"Trust me, Red. I'll give you what you need each step of the way. For now, just follow the Cherub, and listen for me."

Red swallowed, and mumbled, "It's okay Dantie, it's just Elyon in my head, nothing I can't get used to… I suppose…"

To his surprise, Dantie reached back, carefully patting his hand. "It's a great gift, My Tallest. You can see things no one else can, and Ayam speaks to you so clearly. Very few I have heard of can see or hear so clearly. We only know of Zim." He smiled, then continued forward.

Red sighed. Zim. For the first time in his entire life, he wished Zim were there. He'd never regretted the insane Irken's execution more.

"He's long since forgiven you. In fact, he is always asking me how you are doing, and has been requesting I reach out to you and Purple shortly after he arrived Home."

Red's breath caught. Zim had been talking to Ayam about him? The corner of his mouth lifted.

"Does he still go on non-stop without breathing?" He whispered under his breath.

"Of course. He is, after all, still Zim."