IMPALA (Farside Saga: Book One)

Idris stepped into Maylar's chamber exhausted from today's training, but quickly eliminating any signs of it upon entering. 'Show no weakness' was her motto. She didn't know where it came from, just that it stuck with her since becoming a Watcher. She walked to the polished round stone table, floating in the center of the room and sat down, thankful for finally resting her leg muscles.

She crossed her fingers in her lap and sat straight as she watched Maylar's back as he stood looking out the window in front of him. She knew Maylar knew she was there so she just simply waited until he was ready. She glanced about the room noticing it's emptiness for the millionth time.

The room itself looked like the inside of a yolkless egg that was being ripped in half. The different size and shape holes served as windows. Aside from the floating table and eight chairs, there was only two long drapes hanging down the wall on opposite sides of each other that served as a Watcher's Portal.

A Watcher's Portal is kind of a crystal ball except it can also be used to teleport a watcher to wherever it is viewing. Two are required, one to enter and the other to exit. Right now the entry portal's window was churning. A bit fuzzy but it looked like some sort of large room. Something green sat in the distance against a grayish background. Curious, she was just about to ask when Maylar finally spoke.

"It is time." Maylar started.

Now directing her curiosity towards Maylar, Idris placed her crossed hands on the table and starred at the back of Maylar's head trying to decipher where this conversation was going.

"Long ago,..." Maylar continued as he starred off into the rainbow colored sky but not really seeing it. "...we made a vow not to hold the Creator's title or interfere in the development of any species..."

Idris knew of this already. Has someone claimed to be the Creator? Do they believe She did it? Surely not, she thought to herself. She would never do such thing, not for fear of punishment, but because she loved being a Watcher and she knew it would be stripped from her if she acted in any way against it. In fact, a meer conversation with an Elder would not even take place, even if she is an old student and friend. You would be stripped of power, memory erased, and sent back to where you left off like nothing ever happened. If you were rescued from extinction, then you would be sent to a bi-plane planet as if you're from there and never left. Curiosity full blown, exhaustion forgotten, Idris sat even straighter as Maylar continued.

"...We tried many times to hold that creed. We've lost lots of Watchers behind that. At times we could convince those corrupted civilizations that we're just another advanced alien race and for those we can't, we place them in the bi-plane until they've outgrown the concept. But too many planets were becoming corrupted and to many civilizations were lost disrupting the balance of the universe, so the vow to never reveal yourself was made. The reintegration law was placed and balance was restored. Until now." Maylar said as he finally turned and faced Idris.

Idris starred intently into the golden eyes of her dear friend, on the verge of wanting to ask if she was being blamed for whatever it is thats going on. Something in those eyes wasn't looking at her accusingly, but somehow she knew she was about to be deeply involved in this matter and the the answer to the drape was about to be revealed.

Catching on somehow that she was about to go on a journey, she looked towards the entry drape, still fuzzy. She looked towards the exit drape, no window. Was this a one way trip, or was it just simply awaiting an answer?

"There is a new threat from an old enemy that is throwing that balance off." Maylar said as he walked around to the entry drape.

The fuzzy image cleared up as four green suited figures ran towards the green ship. The ship then lifted off the ground and flew through the doorway just as the room started exploding. Idris got up and stood next to Maylar as the image changed to open space. What once was a fleet of ships, now lay scattered debris as a yellow streak shot past, almost hitting the craft that just emerged from a giant flame ball of what used to be the ship it came from, and struck the purplish bottom dome of what appeared to be a dragon.

"Is that a Nefarion?" Idris asked, watching the dragon-like creature chase the little green ship into subspace.

Nefarions were very large space faring creatures that fed off expended energy from dying stars. They were peaceful yet powerful creatures that were thought to be extinct billions of eons ago. This one, somehow looked different. They don't have a dome anywhere on their body and their heads give the creature the appearance of their descendant earth dragon, not a smooth round surface. Idris's golden eyes got bigger at the realization of just who this old enemy might be and how old Maylar really is.

Even before Idris's time as a Watcher, Falron battled a great enemy. It was believed that Falron had destroyed his plane of existence in order to defeat this enemy. The Creator, feeling great sorrow for Falron's loss and knowing his love for life, created this plane and made Falron it's guardian. Falron somehow knew that the enemy wasn't destroyed and that it would show up again. A few millennials later, when life was just beginning to spread throughout the plane, it resurfaced. Once again Falron was thrown into battle. This time, with the help of a few advanced species who managed to discover him, he managed to trap it in the Bellatine Zone.

The Bellatine Zone, like the Nexus Boundary, exist but doesn't exist. It is in a plane all to itself. The advanced species that helped, became the first set of Watchers to guard the zone and the creation of Herion Energy was formed to protect them and guide any enlightened species to ascencion. It was rummered that Maylar was among that first group, the way he tells the story of Falron's battles.

"Im afraid it is." Maylar said as he turned towards Idris.

"Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but this particular one, may be the start of something much more than a problem." Maylar said as he brought the Nefarion back into view.

"I've seen these alterations before," Idris said as she studied the creature. "But to see them on a Nefarion...truely Falron's enemy can't be that powerful, can he?" Idris asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

"If he is, someone...or something, is aiding him." Maylar answered. "This particular Nefarion, was a Watcher. She played a major part during the second battle. Her, especially, was Falron's favorite. Her love for life was only matched by his. She was by his side during the second battle and after. She help in the creation of the Bellatine Zone and trapping his enemy. When her species were dying off, she went with the remaining few and was never seen or heard from again. He cherished her almost as much as the Creator. He even made a likeness of her and her offspring on a planet called Earth. They still have her gentle nature but some have been corrupted by an unbalanced entity that has been circling that region for a while now, but that is a matter that the Creator would like to leave for HIS doing..." Maylar said.

The image then changed to a vast ocean slightly churning around. A dark horizon indicating a severe storm approaching.

"This is Earth, at a time just before man. It is at this point that Falron had to let go of his past and decided to replace life, but he couldn't let them all go. He saved one. You, my dear friend,..." Maylar said as he turned and pointed at Idris. The image then turned to a hollowed molten core. Liquid fire encircled the whole chamber, dripping molten flames from the ceiling into an inferno of liquid plasma slowly slushing around like syrup.

"...are going to awaken the First Born." Idris looked at the image, then back to Maylar.

"He was placed here to be protector of this planet, but the entity that comes trapped him in here. We were going to free him no problem when the time comes, but now he is needed on a much more important basis. The only problem, is that, if you choose this, you will have to take his place...and i fear you might not be able to come back." Maylar said as he looked into Idris's golden eyes.

Maylar hated to she a close friend go, but he new she would be the right Watcher for the task at hand. He prayed for her safe return.

"Maylar my dear friend,..." Idris said as she starred back into Maylar's eyes.

"I've always wanted to be a Watcher since my ascencion. I love being able to help whenever I can, and being a protector is what I've been training for all this time. I will cherish every moment of it and protect this planet with all my might, even if it does mean me not returning. I will be honored to do this in the name of the Creator." She finished with a smile as she placed a hand on his arm for assurance.

Maylar returned the smile grateful that she was willing to do this but still holding the hope that she would return.

"Thank you, my dear friend." He paused for a second, just looking at her, then took a deep breath before continuing.

"Now, when the time of man comes, they find you as a God. Don't fret with convincing them for it will do no good. This entity will influence them in many ways. Do not worry about the life ON the planet, but the life OF the planet. There are two other life cycles that will accure after the human race before the planet will begin to serve it's true purpose." Maylar said as the edges of the image began to churn more and the image became even more clearer.

A strong gust of very hot air rushed through the chamber escaping through the many windows before settling back down to a gentle but scorching breeze. The two stood in front of the entry drape unphased by the infernious heat that eminated from the now open portal.

"Wait, so you mean to tell me that this is a living planet? Wow, I've heard tell but never thought i would actually see one." Idris said, even more excited about the task at hand.

A living planet was the biggest celestial life created by Falron. Like the Nefarions, they were gentle and patient. They have their temperamental moments, but if they carry life, then you couldn't tell it to be a living entity unless you threatened it. It was said that a Watcher could join in its life force and share it's energy enough to teleport it anywhere in the plane, even to a whole other universe. No other planets where heard of teleporting so the whole thing was thought to be a myth.

"Yes dear friend," Maylar said with a slight chuckle. "This, is Gaia. She is the life force of this planet. She will help you and show you how to manipulate the planet to its needs." Maylar said.

The pool of plasma began to churn violently as an eddy began to form in the center.

"Ahhh, the first part of your task is already done." Maylar said as they watched the spiky head of the Nefarion descendant rise out the pool and stretch it's wings.

It grew in size as it struggled its way out the pool then took flight straight through the molten ceiling.

"Great, he will be here soon." Maylar said as he turned to Idris.

She gave him a long hug then leaned back.

"Maylar,..." she said as they both looked into each other's eyes.

"...I have always thought of you as a close friend. You were the one who saved me from myself and helped me become a Watcher. Although I'm excited about this task, it pains me to be away from you for so long...and if I am to not return, I would like to remember you as the happy carring Watcher you are." She said, almost shedding a tear.

She wanted to tell him how badly she loved him and she could sense it also in him, but to do so would crush his heart should she not return. Better to save it til the time comes. She held her faith that the time will come.

"I know." Was all Maylar said as he released her.

She stepped back then floated a little in the air. Her long white robe began to glow with a golden light until she was no longer visible to the normal eye. She then levitated through the entry portal and floated above the churning plasma where the First Born left. Maylar shed a single tear, watching as she decended into the hot liquid. The portal closed, once again bathing the room in cool air as Maylar returned to the window he was looking out before. Lost in thought for a second, he focused his gaze towards the Milky Way Galaxy.