A worrying 'ripple' affects the planet Kaelestia's harmony. Borak, a many-eyed being, transports a team inside his body to retrieve the Gift - a rare element that will determine the ripple's cause - from a distant planet called Edon. But Lord Stygei...
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Sofiel focused on the display ahead. Two cigar-shaped craft hovered beside a huge rock structure hanging in space and fashioned in the form of a doorway. Her close-fitting safety shroud restricted her movement but the curve of the circular pews allowed her to look at the others. Jango barked a command beside her.
"Enhance resolution... please, narrators!"
A red circle appeared on the display, encircled the craft and enlarged their detail with a buzzing sound. Sofiel guessed the narrators were harnessing one of Borak's many eyes to zoom in on the ships. Disguised to resemble space debris, the vessels were brown, with lumpy sections along their hulls. Sofiel thought they looked like lumps of scitan.
Fereshte spoke. "What is that structure, Jango?"
"It's a Grimlick's Gate – it marks the entrance to a shortcut in space-time, a pathway to distant galaxies. Thrones use them to cross the universe incredibly quickly. But it's strange Stygien's ships are there at this moment... maybe someone told them we were coming!"
"I expect it's just a coincidence, Jango," said Cylvah. "Lord Stygien's evil knows no bounds. He probably sends out patrols to destroy anything beautiful in the universe, especially Thrones."
"I've never heard of the Grimlick or his gate, who is he?" Fereshte asked.
Another red halo enhanced the structure's detail.
"The Grimlicks were a race of huge creatures who loved to build things," Jango said. "I know quite a lot about them."
To Sofiel's surprise, Jango's usual boastful tone had changed to one of reverent admiration. The carved stone came into focus, its elaborate symbols and decoration clearly hewn by a mighty creature possessing superior workmanship.
"The Bright One asked them to create the gates and they were happy to oblige back then," Jango added.
Another of Borak's eyes focused on etched depictions of alien creatures and landscapes, of star formations and galaxies with two suns, and planets with horizontal rings, while the top of the gate bore a legend: 'Gate number 5-1-18-20-7. Built with love by Grimlick Linnet. All must enter with open eyes, open minds and open hearts.'
"That's beautiful," Sofiel said. "What happened to them? I mean, you said they were a race of huge creatures..."
But before Jango answered, Cylvah called out.
"I think they've seen us, Borak!"
Sofiel realised Cylvah had kept an eagle eye on the ships while she and the others viewed the Grimlick's Gate. One of the craft turned to face them. Sofiel was glad of her safety shroud when Borak's body tilted sharply...
