They found themselves aboard a strange craft, made for traveling
at the bottom of the ocean. Nothing, not even the nuclear submarines
of the twenty-first century, had this ships capability for submerging
to the great depths or traveling the incredible speed that this craft
had.
The people that had rescued them from the sea reminded Kandor and
Starfire both of the Temple Elders from First World. They seemed
ageless in their appearance, having an unearthly quality about them.
They were silent however, as they undressed Starfire and Kandor,
wrapping them in blankets to warm them.
It didn't seem to take long for them to reach their destination.
Soon the craft was surfacing, but it was surfacing into an air bubble
under the bottom of the sea. Kandor and Starfire were carried from the
ship and placed on what seemed to be a conveyer belt. They observed
everything they saw in amazement as they clung to each other.
The halls were illuminated by a type of fungus and crystals. The
two seeming to pass the light between them, reminding Starfire of the
flooring in the saurus back on First World. She remembered when Kandor
had first taken her aboard the saurus, and her amazement at the flying
machine. The floor had glowed just like the walls did here. He had
told her that the saurus was self sufficient, the mossy looking stuff
in the floor not only helped to provide a light system, but was part of
a self contained eco-system. Comparing this place she was now and the
saurus, she wondered if one might have something to do with the other.
Where the conveyer belt carried them through an open cavern to the
strangely illuminated hall when they had first arrived, it seemed to
branch off now taking them downward through a narrow tunnel. Now the
only lighting came from the large crystal orbs, placed at even
intervals on both sides of the walls.
It seemed they traveled this way for a long time. Just when
Starfire and Kandor both clutched at each other feeling on the verge of
panic, the conveyer brought them into a great room.
Four beings awaited them. Like the beings that had pulled them
out of the sea, they appeared ageless. Kandor was amazed at their
height, they were approximately eight feet tall. Finally one spoke.
"Welcome. I am Atarza," Atarza smiled at them and held out his
hands to grasp theirs, "you are?"
Kandor spoke, "Kandor, and this is Starfire."
"You are the Gate travelers," Atarza stated. "We have much to
talk about."
"Where are we?" Starfire asked.
Atarza smiled again, "that's a good question! We are far beneath
the ocean floor. Follow me, first you need clothing, then all of your
questions will be answered."
Atarza led Kandor and Starfire through beautifully decorated
rooms, finally pausing at a doorway which slid to the side revealing a
comfortable room, apparently used for resting. They entered the room
with Atarza.
Atarza laid out two long loose robes for them on what could only
be a bed, saying, "I'll be back for you shortly, then we will eat and
talk."
Starfire and Kandor watched as the door slid shut, and donned the
robes left for them.
"What do you make of all of this?" Kandor asked her.
Starfire answered, "I think we're with the Temple Elders on Eighth
World."
Kandor mused this over, "I guess that's possible, but you know, I
kind of figured the Elders would be above ground."
"Think about it. You know the disposition of the population as a
whole on Eighth World. They would never accept the fact of planetary
Elders, not with their supreme attitudes about themselves. That would
be too much like having proof that there is a God. That would take the
whole faith thing and turn it into a certainty. People have to be able
to have faith something exists first, and those of Eighth World are
still fighting with that concept!"
"True," Kandor raised his eyebrows, "but if they made themselves
known to Eighth world, wouldn't that take care of the problem?"
"Oh really! Come on, think! The last thing the people of Eighth
World want is proof. It would shatter all of their concepts they've
struggled so hard to bring into existence. First they'd have to accept
the possibility on faith. You offer them proof and you'd start seeing
the Elders being slaughtered just to protect their ignorant
hypotheses."
The door slid open just then, Atarza waiting for them. "She's
right you know," Atarza told Kandor, "we have been here ever since this
planet has been able to support life. We've seen the populace of
Eighth World destroy their own civilizations numerous times, around
every six thousand years! Still, people fear what they do not
understand and with human nature being such as it is, if we were to
reveal ourselves we certainly would suffer dire consequences."
Atarza led Kandor and Starfire down the hall to a large room where
they were joined by others. Finally all were settled, seated in a
circle.
"We care for the Life Carriers and we are the Observers of your
worlds. Since the time this planet's evolutionary life established
which was approximately 997,458 years ago, we have been here. We are
not supposed to interfere with the natural occurrence of man's
evolution, including spiritual uplifting, which is one reason why we
are, where we are."
Another member of the observers spoke at this point, "you see in
this room only twelve of us, we are the Observers. We were assigned as
assistants to the two Life Carriers placed on Earth, in this dimension
you refer to as Eighth World. The only reason you have been able to be
brought here, is because you have already evolved spiritually to the
point of accepting us on faith first, besides having a purpose of
extreme importance that you will fulfill."
Starfire asked, "you are also the Elders on First World?"
"Only two of us can travel through the many Gates of Destination,
only the Life Carriers can cross the barriers of the Gates. First
World has their own Observers, or Elders as you have named them, but
there are only two Life Carriers for all of Earth, no matter how many
dimensions the Gates of Destination lead to. But, to answer your
question, your Elders are of the same Order as we."
An Observer got to his feet and crossed the room, touching a place
on the wall. A window that reminded Starfire of the viewer in the
saurus, opened up revealing the ocean above them. They saw a pattern
of cracks resembling the structure of large stones placed at right
angles to each other. Above this they could see flickering lights, and
light shining from above the ocean.
An Observer spoke, "I am Marethia. Several thousands of years
ago, another planet far from this solar system faced ecological
disaster. They started their journey here several million light years
ago. Finally landing on this planet, they were the first ever
contacted by the Observers. This planet was so young still, no-where
near the six thousand year mark; and not ready for technological
advancement of their type. Part of our existence here is based on one
of non-interference of evolution. And though these travelers needed a
home, they were contacted because of how they would change the
evolutionary process of the people of Earth. Instead of barring them
from the planet, we allowed them an Island they named after their own
great civilization on their planet that was destroyed, Atzlan. They
were instructed not to use their technological advancement on this
planet. But soon they had used it anyway, making weapons and offering
them to the different governments of the Earth, and making a
teleporter. This teleporter opened a way for others to come here, but
once here, they could not use it to leave the planet itself.
Eventually they used this teleporter to get off of their island
effecting the population across the rest of the world with their ideas,
living as if they were Gods themselves. They provided the means of
their own destruction of their own world, and now spread it to Earth.
The power they drew from Earth's magnetic fluctuations got out of
control and caused the island of Atzlan to sink, leaving a gate open in
it's wake. The many Gates of Destination. The gates lead to other
times and dimensions, not only allowing those from Atzlan to travel to
eleven other electro-magnetically charged places on the earth in this
dimension you refer to as Eighth World, but to other times and
dimensions as well."
Starfire and Kandor were stunned. Speechless.
The meal was served in silence, the Observers waiting for Kandor
or Starfire to speak. After so many minutes of silence, Marethia spoke
again.
"We tried to turn the power off, we laid many bricks of stone
directly above us covering the shield we had to place. The stones that
cover the floor of what you refer to as the Bermuda Triangle, also
cover the remains of that lost island destroyed by it's own power.
Even though we were able to mute the teleporter's power, in instances
of unusual electrical interference the Gates still open."
"Is this why a storm is needed?" Kandor asked.
"Only to reach some specific destinations, there are times when
the gate will open even without an electrical storm," answered Atarza.
Then Starfire asked a question, "Will we be able to return to
First World?"
"Eventually you will be returned to First World, but the gate does
not always open only to First World, it also opens to the past, future,
and other world dimensions. We know you are needed on First World and
we will try to get you back there. You just may not make it on the
first try!" Atarza replied.
The gathering had ended, Starfire and Kandor were escorted back to
their quarters. They spent the remainder of the day relaxing and in
heavy thought about what they had just learned. Their door slid open,
revealing the Observer Marethia.
"It is time."
"Time for what?" Kandor and Starfire asked
simultaneously.
"Time to prepare you." Marethia led them back to the same room
they had all gathered in earlier for the evening meal. They were
seated between Atarza and Marethia. As they were being served, a being
who seemingly glowed from within appeared in the room. Starfire and
Kandor heard the being communicate to them inside their heads, and they
knew him. They received images in their mind of the plans for their
immediate future. They would be placed on a floating device on the
surface of the ocean with provisions for only a few days, while the
Observers would try to provide a way for the Gate to open without an
electrical storm.
Then the being spoke aloud, "Athelia Starfire, and Kandor, it has
been a most difficult decision whether or not to speak with you."
"Oh Most High," Starfire started, "please, I am so confused. I
feel as if I am dreaming, and everything seems so disjointed and makes
very little sense."
The Life Carrier nodded, "I know. As I was saying, it has been a
most difficult decision to tell you what I am about to tell you, so
listen carefully."
The Life Carrier went on to reiterate what the Observers Atarza
and Marethia had told them about the Gate being a way to travel from
dimension to dimension and through time, once again cautioning them
that other beings can and have used this Gate, which is how the
aberation of First World, the Dark Kallan of Shadowkeep had traveled
there to begin with. Even now as they spoke, the Life Carrier told
them that the dark Kallan and dark Kalla of First World called to
others to join them, using the power of stario to do this. They called
upon a dangerous caliber of people who had once, like Artimis, belonged
to a much larger organization. An organization who is represented by a
pyramid with an eye centered in it, above another pyramid. This group
of beings who started this particular organization on earth, dates back
to biblical times, long before the arrival of Christ, showing record of
their existance by nine hundred years before the Son of God's arrival.
On this planet their written records show that they started their
deception in a place known as Daligasta, when the assigned planetary
prince faced ursuption because of his deviated teachings.
"Learn as much as possible, gather your forces, you will need it
in your fight against the aberation of all worlds. The organization I
speak of, planted a seed that grows like a fog. In some ways they are
very subtle, though they have promised power to all who agree to co-
operate that they have taken into their confidence. They promised to
expedite technology once we got to the point in history where it would
look as if the people of the planet got there on their own. Although
the start of this organization in First World is comparatively small in
numbers at this time, it's following grows through Shadowkeep. Artimis
was a part of this in Eighth World, though he was unsatisfied because
he knew he was only a small part, he believed he was overlooked and
passed over by the organization. He felt that he was being shut out
and ignored, after they decided to use him in ways that even now he is
not aware of, even now he thinks he is striking out on his own. It was
no mere chance that put him at the Gate to find Ilia, the organization
merely manipulated him in order to spread their "disease" to First
World."
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Kandor spoke nodding his
head.
"Yes, and now Artimis believes himself to be in a position of
absolute power, he is anxious to prove to himself and a whole new world
of people that he should not be taken lightly. He thinks the
organization will be sorry that they dismissed him as a minor
influence. Little does he know that this was exactly what they wanted
him to do," the Life Carrier finished.