Sometime in the future...

  “Why?” Chris huffs. The battle had taken it's toll on everyone. Despite all their strength, all their years of preparing for this inevitable fight. They were defeated.The man from over two decades prior slowly walks forward. Who brought Chris and his parents to a new parallel Earth. Who said to make that world a better one. Now strolls toward him, overlooking the fallen. Only the sound of the wind and his footsteps filling the area.“There are so many answers to that simple question.” Axus tells him.

  Chris instinctively throws a punch but it's caught with ease. He squeezes Chris' right arm but the composite cybernetic construction keeps it from being crushed.“Such a shame that she couldn't be here.” He said as he looks at Chris' cybernetic arm whose components were once his wife. “Kristoff was truly a remarkable man. But then she killed him.” Axus kicks Chis' legs out from under him and he hits the ground hard.

  Axus squats down to get closer to Chris. “To answer your question. For one, despite our advances here on my world, nano machines are a bit of a rarity. At least when used like your father did.”

  Chris wanted to punch him but his strength was gone. “After all we went through, all the years we fought together...how could you do all this?”He stands up. “I've conquered many worlds. Even ones like this one. Other me's. But it gets boring after a few thousand years. And easier. You have all gotten more powerful than I could have anticipated. Even breaking the Surge limit.”He goes silent while surveying the desert ndscape, the lights of Atntis in the distance.

  Chris gets up on one elbow. His breath still boring. “So...what now? You kill us? End this, adding another notch, another Earth, on your belt?””Axus hums in contemption. “It would be too easy now. How about this.” He turns to face him, he drops a remote into Chris hand. “Go get help from your original world, the best of your Guardians. Then come back. Maybe then it will be a fair fight.”Chris couldn't believe it. He just gave him a way out, back home, to his old world.

  “I'll see you when you return. Rest up.” He raises into the air and banks toward the city. “I look forward to the st fight.” And he was gone with a sonic boom.Chris colpses back onto the ground. What was he going to do?

  * * * * *

  Spring, 1990

  All Chris can remember of the journey is the sensation of being in a tunnel of light, traveling at immense speeds. The trails of light having a hypnotic effect. Then nothing as he became light-headed and passed out.

  “Wake up travelers. Your new world awaits.” Chris hears the voice of the man who said he would bring him here, to a different Earth.He slowly sits up, rubbing his head. He’s still light-headed, like he just stood up too fast. That experience was one he was not looking forward to experiencing anytime soon again. He sits up and looks around. His wife and son are lying next to him on a bnket. They begin to stir and wake up.

  Axus, the name of the man who brought them here, is standing and looking outside. Larry could hear the sounds of seagulls, the ocean and far off sounds of dock machinery. They were in a port area. He stands up, helping his wife and son to their feet. Making sure to steady them as they want to fall form their own light-headedness.

  “Sorry, but that does happen the first few times between worlds.” He said as he walks toward them.This man had said it would be a new world, with new rules and culture. One that could benefit from his world’s technologies. The ndscape looks the same, but the air smells different. The energy of the air is off. Almost polluted. One of the things he had asked was to help restore this world to its once healthy state. Much like his own world.

  He was a man in his mid to te fifties, from the look of him. A good amount of beard on his face, same color as his hair. The darkest bck one could imagine. Even speckled with grey it seemed to suck in the light. He wore sungsses, stating before they left, that he wasn’t used to so much light. His world was rather dark and shaded. It was a long story he said, but the short version was a man long ago cursed the world to be shrouded in eternal darkness before he was defeated. Chris could only ponder what that meant.

  He walks toward them, past the passenger door of a rge moving van. Loaded with items brought with them from Chris' ‘old’ world. He picks up a legal binder from inside and hands it to Chris' dad, Larry. “Everything you will need to get started is in here. Such as birth certificates, social security cards. Even bank info and the money converted from the credit system from your old world. All you will need to start your new life here.” He says.

  Larry flips through it as he speaks. Indeed everything was here and in order form the looks of things.“What about the Earth? How different is it exactly.” Ariel, Larry’s wife, asked.“Well, a lot of things. The biggest one is the popution. On this world there are close to five billion people.”This shocks Larry. How could so many people be here?

  “I still can’t imagine this many people being on one pnet myself.” Axus ughs. “But, it’s probably due to the fact that people here can have babies a lot easier then on your world. Seeing as your world has barely over one billion. Hell, mine only has a couple hundred million. But other than that, the biggest difference is the ck of people like yourselves. Those who are attuned to certain powers. Elemental attuned, Spirit, Shade and Dark attuned as well. Those who try to use them are hunted down and put through some rather nasty treatment. If not out right killed. Cause this world is scared to death of things they don’t understand.”

  “So we’re the only ones who can use our powers?” Ariel asks.“Far from it. This world has its fare share of attuned, don’t get me wrong. But those who do…hide. Subtlety is survival. I’m sure you may run into a couple though.” He points to a name on the binder. “Like that one I marked. He's a brilliant business man. But make sure you trust them first before you use your powers. As I stated, survival.”

  “Yeah, I understand.” Larry says.“Other than that, this world has started to really use coal and other simir resources to excess. The environment is suffering. Maybe with our inventions, you can help with that.“Oh, and I marked Tailorton on the map there. It's a fairly new town that would be perfect to start a big business. And it's not too far from New York City. Your old home of Juneau is here but I wouldn't set up there. For obvious reasons. I do apologize for having brought you all the way down here to Charleston though. But, I actually own this warehouse. And I needed a safe spot to transport to and from my world, or from yours.” He ughs a bit.

  “Anything else we should know?” Ariel asks.“Thus this world has seen its fair share of horrific wars. But you’ll learn about them in time. Another interesting tidbit is, that because of the different history there are no Guardians here. So crime is nearly out of control. Especially international crime. Guard your inventions well. Some of the overseas bosses might just take a deadly interest in you, should you get sloppy.”

  Larry doesn’t like the sound of that.Larry and Ariel thank him greatly for everything he’s done for them.Axus steps away from them and pulls out a small hand held device. He reminds him to keep his wits about him, this world is not pretty right now. He pushes a button and bolt of electricity sparks out of it and a rip in space appears in front of him. The wind around the area swirls and seems to shake as Axus waves goodbye and jumps through. The rip closes and all is back to normal.Chris hopes he doesn't see that again for a long time.

  Larry looks to his family. Ariel gives him a look of worry, yet exhiration. Chris couldn't share in the excitement.Larry kneels down and takes his son by the shoulders. “Hey. I know it a sudden drastic thing. And I know you had to leave your friends. But, we can make a difference here. If we work hard, we can save a world from itself.”“I guess.” Chris quietly says.

  “We have new challenges here. And a whole bunch of new friends to make.” His mom assures him.“Yeah, I guess.” He gives a weak smile.Ariel kneels down and gives him a big hug. “Just give it time all right, son.”“All right, well.” Larry stands up and looks at the three rge crates. “Guess we better get moving to Tailorton.” He hands the map to Chris. “You navigate.”Yippie.