ROTU: Chapter Fifty-Five

One after the other, the master light warriors appeared in a burst of white light at different points among a large quiet field of flowers and trees with mountains looming in the distance.

Jarek scanned the large trees around him and the sunlit field before him. "Anyone here?" he called out. A warm breeze blew throughout the area, carrying floral scents with the wind. He looked down in surprise at his naked form, which now housed a variety of sacred geometric and new alchemic markings. He held his arms out before him as he studied the symbols, then shrugged. "Where are my clothes?" He looked up. "Hello! Am I dead?"

"I'm over here." Danika's voice was distant.

"I'm nearby," Valora said, "but don't come over!"

"Where?" Jarek called.

"I'm not telling you!"

Brogan laughed. He picked up a large broken leafy branch off the ground and twisted it around his waist. He walked out into the open field to survey their surroundings.

"Does everyone have new markings?" Hoshi asked from her place on a large branch of a tree.

"I do," Valora said.

"Me too." Lorcan walked to the middle of the field. "Where are we?"

"Lorcan! I don't want to see that!" Hoshi said.

Lorcan shrugged as Jarek and Brogan laughed. Brogan shook his head.

Jarek teleported and appeared on the same branch that Hoshi stood on.

"Jarek, get away!" Hoshi screamed shrilly as she kicked him off the branch.

He laughed and disappeared in a burst of light as he fell through the air.

A swirling mist of white light surrounded each warrior, forming white garments around them. Gradient white, silver, and gold shimmering cloaks formed over the clothing and spread across their shoulders. The design of the cloaks matched the symbols that marked their royal blue cloaks alongside new symbols embroidered into the design.

Brogan discarded his leafy branch as the remaining masters joined the three in the middle of the field.

"Looking good, Hoshi," Jarek whispered from behind her as he flipped her hair out.

She gave him a small smile and shoved him. "I know."

"So?" Valora said as she looked at the others.

Each in the team burst out laughing.

Danika stepped forward and peered at Tarak's eyes. "Your eyes—your halo is gold."

He smiled. "So are yours."

"All of ours have turned," Lorcan said as he peered closely at each in the team.

"It means we've leveled up," said Jarek.

"There are no words to describe that experience," Lorcan said. "I hope that our allies made it to safety."

Jarek grinned. "Did you not see it? Or hear his voice mixed in with Jalena's?

"No," Lorcan said. "What?"

"Gyan's shield. His blue blended with Jalena's dragon energy to protect the ships."

"I thought that Jalena was just her using the last of his power to help protect everybody, not that it was directed by Gyan," Hoshi said.

The others nodded.

Jarek gave her a knowing smile as flame markings appeared around his eyes. "Let's test it, shall we?" he said as a fireball formed in his hand. "Catch." He tossed the fire to Hoshi.

"Jarek!" Hoshi yelled as she threw up her hands instinctively. Her eyes widened as Jarek's fire bounced off the screen of blue light around her hands.

"Now there you go again, Hoshi—doubting my skills, just like you used to do when we were little until I schooled you differently on the chinálei."

The masters whipped around to see Gyan and Jalena standing together, wearing the same white garments as the rest of the team.

Jalena watched with a tearful gaze at their astonished expressions. She put a hand over her chest as she felt Gyan's affection for those in the group rise within him. His emotions spread through her as if they were her own.

Jarek and Brogan grinned as they rushed forward.

Brogan laughed and grabbed Gyan up into a large bear hug.

Jarek ruffled Gyan's hair and hugged him hard from the opposite side as the other masters joined.

He laughed. "About time you're back! Did you hear me calling you from space like I did Aderes?" He continued without waiting for an answer. "I woke up Aderes inside of Drasúl, and then I woke up Gyan—it’s a skill."

"You're the warrior whisperer," Lorcan said from beside him.

Jarek smirked. "My new charisma."

Tarak smiled as he grabbed Gyan's shoulder and brought him in for a quick hug. When Tarak released him, Gyan met Danika's crying eyes.

"I'm so happy you are back, Gyan," she whispered as her breath caught. He nodded and blinked away his own tears as he hugged her.

Lorcan grabbed Gyan without speaking.

When Gyan released him, he met Hoshi's defiant watery glare.

She crossed her arms and looked up. "I'm mad at you, Gyan," she said softly.

Gyan approached her slowly. "Now, you've never been able to stay mad at me, and I bet you can't for very long now." He made a heart shape with his hands.

Hoshi's resolve faded as she wailed and threw herself against him. "It's okay," he whispered as he hugged her tightly. "I'm not going anywhere alone again."

"Besides," he looked up to meet Valora's stare, "you aren't the one who is the most mad."

Valora shifted uncomfortably as Gyan let go of Hoshi and walked over to her. "Other than Jalena, I have a feeling I owe you an apology the most."

Valora sniffed and dropped her gaze. "It's okay. Brogan explained it pretty clearly."

"What did he say?"

"That no words are needed between mates."

Gyan smiled and raised his eyebrows. "Do you agree?"

Valora shrugged "I suppose."

Gyan grabbed her in for a hug. "He's right," he whispered. "But, sorry anyway. I just couldn't tell anyone what I saw, or you would have interfered with destiny. I know you wouldn't have let me go."

"You're right," she said as her tears fell. "I wouldn't have."

"I would have never left unless I knew there was a loophole."

"I know that now."

"What happened to Drasúl?" Brogan asked Jalena.

"The short version is that Gyan and I merged to destroy him, and then Darkone claimed his soul."

Lorcan frowned. "You merged?" He put a hand on his chest and frowned. "What was it like?"

"Like you are free to be everything that you are all at once," Gyan said as he walked to Jalena and laced his fingers through hers. I don't want to be very far from you for long, he told her.

I know the feeling.

"Ew, get away, Jarek!" She pushed Jarek from her.

"You looked like you needed comforting!"

"Not from you!" She glared at him and slammed her shoulder into his as she stalked past him.

Jarek winked at Lorcan. "Come on, Hoshi," he called out as he chased her. "We should merge. You know it, and that's why you haven't committed to Sorda!"

Hoshi retorted something inaudible as the rest of the team laughed.

"What happened to Aderes after Drasúl died?" Tarak asked Gyan.

Gyan explained what Nyhra told them about his energy remaining free. "He must go before the Legion members."

"But, he helped save us—from within Drasúl!" Jarek stated.

"They may determine that his lack of patience and concern for the consequence of others is also what led to Drasúl's creation and that he is partially responsible for the lives Drasúl destroyed," Jalena said.

"There were reasons for his rebellion!" Jarek continued. "He felt hopeless…"

"I agree, Jarek," Jalena stated.

A portal of white light appeared before the masters, and Lunara stepped through. "The Council will take it all into consideration, Master Jarek," she reassured Jarek as she approached the group, "including the strong bond you have with your former team member."

The warriors bowed to Lunara.

Shamira stepped through the portal, wearing the same white garments as the team. She ran to embrace Jalena and the others.

Jalena smiled as she ran a hand over Shamira's scar-free face. "I'm so happy for you," she whispered.

Shamira grinned.

"So, you have finally overcome your fear," Brogan said. "I told you, didn't I? Remember...in the bunkers."

She laughed. "You were right, Brogan. I did it with help from a friend of the Earth."

"I love being the wisest in the group," said Brogan. "It never gets old."

Valora rolled her eyes.

"So, do you know where we are?" Lorcan asked Lunara. "The other side or something?"

"Not quite, Master Lorcan," she said.

The portal before them brightened again and out stepped seven glowing figures draped in garments of silver, white, and gold.

"Sir Malik!" Jalena exclaimed. She ran forward.

Malik laughed as Jalena released her hold on him, and was tugged at from all sides by the rest of the warriors.

Shamira turned to bow to a man with light eyes, shaggy hair, and a beard to match. "This is Hermes," she introduced to the others as the warriors bowed. "He is the one that helped me while inside the pyramid."

The warriors stood before the seven as the rest were introduced.

"We are the Legion of Light," Hermes explained. "All of us, of course, are not present here, but we are representatives of the whole."

"What is the Legion?" asked Jarek.

"It is a form of High Council that is in charge of the state of the galaxies involved in the Federation and beyond," said a muscular man with blonde hair who stood several inches taller than Brogan.

"We have been watching this team during your time on both Elsaria and Earth," Hermes said.

Light emerged from the Legion members and swirled around the warriors. The warriors' robes began to glow as Hermes continued. "We wish to congratulate you on your evolvement and the success of risking your lives to help many civilizations, humanity included. As you understand from your experience and choices in the Realm of Illuse, you have solidified your core connection to each other. As a result, you have intertwined your powers successfully.

"In addition, Master Gyan has completed his quest to travel inter-dimensionally and assist Master Jalena in strengthening the bridge between the sister star systems. The advancement you have achieved through your transformation when opening all your Reserves and risking your lives for others is now marked on your skin. These sacred alchemic markings will serve you in your new positions as Intergalactic Light Warriors. They will allow you to transmute your power into whatever frequency is needed to complete your missions to help others. The good news is that none of you will have to incarnate into a system given the transcendence within your being that you have now achieved unless you so choose."

"What is he talking about?" Jarek whispered to Lorcan.

"He basically said we have powers to travel anywhere in the universe without limitation to help people."

Jarek smiled and nodded. "Sweet."

Hermes smiled at Jalena and Shamira. "Master Shamira and Master Jalena, you have proven yourselves capable of heightened adaptation. Even when you believed yourselves to be lost, you gathered and built the buried strength necessary to transmute your pain. Your inner resilience and conviction of heart assisted you in finding your way back to your truth. Because of the love and guidance you have granted to the masters, they have, most deservingly, embraced you as one of their own, as you already know. Master Jalena, the ability to manipulate internal energy remains yours and your father's."

Jarek and Lorcan scowled openly.

"You all have proven yourself worthy of your new positions as Intergalactic Warriors under the guidance of the Cosmic Twins," Lunara added as she smiled at Jalena and Gyan. "As you extend your journey, more will eventually join your team as they grow in compassion, integrity, and power."

A female in the group with blue skin and glowing silver hair stepped forward. Silver light spilled from her eyes as she spoke. "We will reveal the gifts you have been granted from your intergalactic family. From this moment forth, you will have the power to uplift energy within all. You shall understand any language that you encounter, including the language of healing light. Thus, your healing abilities will surpass that which they were before."

"As a part of your evolutionary abilities, we grant you the gift of removal, which means that you can now use your abilities to remove darkness without taking a life. You will know distinctly when to use this gift and when to use other warrior skills to ward off immediate threats to those you are protecting. The gift is to be used when one is completely lost to their pain but does not desire to cause violence any longer, for it is with great reward that someone overcomes internal darkness through awareness gained from personal experience. You will discern what is needed in each unique situation by how you feel when you scan an individual's energy.

"Along with the gift of translation and removal, your foundation of knowledge is now tied to universal light, meaning the answers will be revealed and internalized when the need to understand arises. Use your extended power and continue to restore the balance within all civilizations as you have done for this planet and your own. You will be called to various civilizations in other dimensions as a team when needed."

"You have overcome all obstacles set before you and have led others to do that which has never been done before," Malik added with a look of immense pride. "The Legion and Federation representatives have been searching for such a team for many years."

The Legion members bowed to the warriors.

"We are honored by your dedication and your spirit, Intergalactic Light Warriors," the large man stated as he stepped forward. An aura of gold and violet spread wide around him and radiated through the warriors. "You are celebrated in all dimensions, including the realms of the divine. In as much, it is our wish that you each participate in your own celebrations and then rest, for it is much deserved."

The light around the warriors brightened, and the Legion members faded from view. The warriors' new surroundings appeared as the light faded.

The master team looked around in surprise as an enormous crowd of inhabitants from Earth as well as the Vejar Star System came into focus within Earth's inner realms. Smiles matched those on the warriors' faces as the entire group erupted in thunderous applause.