TGC Prologue

Varonis is the mastermind of the game. He enjoys running the business and playing with people, as he likes watching them going through various of situations. Varonis' trick lies in his ability to completely cover up his true identity, and get the medium attention all Agori do. Varonis is the true "man" behind the Henchmen business in Spherus Magna, and is an assistant of the Great Beings. He will later help both sides, helping and backstabbing when needed.

The Grand Creation
Prologue

Varonis grasped the last crate tightly and lifted it with some effort. Spreading his legs to gain a lower center of gravity, hands wrapped around the bottom two edges, the Fire Agori carried it into a nearby doorway. The hall into which the entrance led was long, polished white marble lining the floors and walls underneath dimmed yellowish lights embedded in the ceiling. His footsteps echoed in the silence.

It was late, definitely too late to be within the chambers. The Great Beings had drummed repeatedly into the minds of their assistants that they did not — did not — want anyone roaming about their buildings unsupervised. Dangerous technology, they said. Varonis couldn’t help but wonder if they meant secrets.

With that thought came a hint of annoyance. He didn’t like being left out of the loop; his leadership talents should not be so ignored. Why were they?

The Great Beings called him an “assistant”. He cleaned up after them, moved supplies, did darn well everything they asked him to do: In his mind, that made him nothing more than a slave.

Varonis stopped before the marble doors, their large golden handles glistening underneath the artificial light, and scowled a little. He didn’t like the “Great” Beings. Yet, somehow, he felt that they liked him. In his current position, of course.

More annoyance flared up inside his chest.

Gulping it down, he pushed against one of the great doors, easily ten times his size, with the crate. With nary a whisper it pivoted open; Varonis slipped through the now-Agori-sized gap between the two doors and made his way around the grand chamber’s table. Against the walls were tables sporting elegant carvings, most depicting past creations of the Great Beings. This was where the Great Beings made big decisions, decisions that would control the fate of Spherus Magna.

A small smile met his face at the majestic sight. He knew that somehow, some way, he would find a way to sit here one day. He would be the one with the power.

The thought evaporated as his gaze slid to the ceiling. Eight columns, almost larger than life, held a large, domed, ornate ceiling in place far above Varonis’s head. That ceiling was decorated with a fantastic mural, one that told through beautiful art of the day the Great Being arrived upon Spherus Magna, and how they brought the Glatorian and Agori beyond their normal potential.

Varonis hated it. It had been a sad day, in his opinion, when the Great Beings had come. They took over, leaving people like Varonis to join them or find few employment opportunities.

But someday, perhaps...

Varonis walked to the right wall of the chamber, the large, marble entrance door closing behind him. Here was set an alcove, tucked away from the table itself. Within the alcove was another door; Varonis opened this door and entered a small backup storage room. He set his crate down upon another crate and, as he walked out the little doorway, let out a sigh of relief at his work being finished...

Footsteps. They came from outside the large marble doors; and with them—

“...he has been doing nothing but grasp for power, power, and more power...”

With a curse Varonis leapt backwards, through the doorway, shutting the door and peering out through the tiny gap between door and doorjamb.

Two beings walked into the chamber, two of the Great Beings. Varonis recognized the taller and thicker of the two as Osavus. Smaller and thinner, Invidior was right behind, his hands clenched into tight fists.

They were both yelling.

“Invidior! Do not speak of our Elder in that manner. If anyone else heard you they would have thrown you right from the Tower!” Osavus said angrily.

His “brother” sighed, wiping his forehead clear of sweat with his right lower arm. His right hand, Varonis noted, remained a fist. “Our Elder is an old hag,” said Invidior, his tone as harsh as a storm above open ocean, “and he had absolutely no right to remove me from the project! I had solved our largest problem! If I’m not reinstated into the project, then I will personally end it by any means necessary.”

Varonis knew the project they spoke of: a gigantic mechanical being, millions of feet tall, limbs the size of entire villages, a torso the size of a mountain. If one were to see it, amazement and perplexity would simultaneously fill the mind. Varonis had been confounded to the point of speechlessness the first time he had seen it, and even though it had only been the creation’s leg, it had left an impression on him.

Even a couple years after the fact, he didn’t know whether the Great Beings were true geniuses or insane. He continued to listen, holding back breaths even, to hear every word of the conversation.

Osavus sighed. “Brother, there is no need to be so angry,” he said, adopting a quieter tone of voice. “Our Elder is simply making the best choice for everyone, especially you. He does not think you are ready yet for such a large and grand experiment.”

And he placed a hand on Invidior’s shoulder But the younger Great Being refused to calm himself, he shruged the hand off, speaking again. “No,” he said, “there is a reason to be angry. I am fully capable of leading the project, but that old fool refuses to see my way!”

Osavus sighed again. “I do not hate our Elder, but I must agree with you,” he said, and Varonis saw a glint of white as Invidior grinned a little. “Your punishment was harsh, and uncalled for; I do not see any reason in it. But what use is yelling and cursing?”

The grin vanished, and Invidior responded to Osavus with a curse. “I built the stabilizers so we could work inside the robot, without problems due to gravity! All that work, just so I could be thrown out again... just because I ‘wasn’t ready’ for it.” The younger Great Being sneered, burying his right fist into the palm of his left hand.

The other Great Being, however, wasn’t old, either. Varonis knew that Osavus had been denied positions of authority as well, perhaps even greatness, many times, simply because he was “too young” or “not ready”; if anyone knew what Invidior was going through, it was Osavus.

Osavus. Who was wincing now, finger half-raised, like one on the verge of telling terrible news.

“Invidior...” He trailed off, blinked hard. “I must tell you something.”

The other Great Being waited stoically.

“The Elder, and the High Council, have decided to keep you out of the project permanently,” he said, and winced again. But Invidior said nothing; in fact, Varonis realized, the corners of his mouth had twitched upwards, into a... a smile, of all things. Invidior was actually smiling at this news.

Varonis wondered what that meant.

“Perfect.”

Osavus’s eyebrow shot up in obvious confusion. “Excuse me?” he questioned. “What’s so ‘perfect’ about that? Just a second ago you were in a fury!”

A shake of the head. “I believe I am done with the project, Osavus,” said Invidior, slowly. “In fact... I am done with the Great Beings entirely.”

Osavus took a small step back, his right hand reaching out to grip the edge of the meeting table, as if the taller Great Being were afraid he might fall. His mouth weakly formed the words: “What? Have you been driven to madness? Over — over a single project?”

Again, Invidior shook his head. “Osavus, do you agree with the project?” he asked quietly. Osavus, his eyes still widened in surprise, slowly shook his head no.

“Even though some call this our Golden Age, we still do not have the time to waste on a project as large as this one.”

Invidior’s smile widened, just a tad. “Then aid me, my brother, in destroying it.”

Osavus blinked.

“Putting it out of commission,” Invidior repeated. “Stopping it.”

The air seemed very still for a moment. Varonis let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Invidior,” began Osavus cautiously, turning away so his gaze was directed toward the table, “I am in disagreement with the project, but not to the point of wanting to destroy it; that... that is worse than letting it continue...”

“Osavus” — and here Invidior’s expression turned deathly serious — “please. Help me. This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed.”

For the umpteenth time, Osavus sighed deeply. He turned toward Invidior. “As long as we don’t hurt anyone; I don’t want to get my hands dirtier than necessary,” he said. “Yes, Invidior, I will aid you in this task, but only for the safety of the people.”

Again, Invidior’s smile surfaced, a smile that made Varonis wonder: If the Great Beings as a whole were not insane, Invidior surely was. “That’s what I’ve been telling you: This project is more a danger than a protection.”

The Great Beings moved out-of-sight behind the doorjamb. Varonis didn’t hear the marble doors open, but a very faint click confirmed that they had closed. There were faint footsteps from outside, and mumblings: Invidior and Osavus, leaving Varonis behind to wonder what on Spherus Magna he had just witnessed.

The storage room door opened silently. Varonis stepped out just as quietly, closing the door behind him and stealing around the meeting table. At the entrance doors he paused, removing his helmet to place his ear against the cool marble and listening hard.

Silence: utter, absolute.

He pushed the doors open just a crack and slipped through, running down the hall, rolling his feet from heel to toe to reduce noise; and in the silence his mind raced, replaying Invidior and Osavus’s conversation over and over.

“This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed.”

Had he been in the right place at the right time to eavesdrop? — or the wrong place at the wrong time? Was he alone in knowing of this plot, or was it perhaps being talked about throughout the Great Beings’ Tower?

And most importantly of all, what was he to do?

The Grand Creation
Prologue

Varonis grasped the last crate tightly and lifted it with some effort. Spreading his legs to gain a lower center of gravity, hands wrapped around the bottom two edges, the Fire Agori carried it into a nearby doorway. The entrance hall was a long one, with large polished marble lining all over the floor and the walls, covered by the dimmed yellowish light of Solis Magna. His footsteps echoed in the silence.

It was late, definitely too late to be within the chambers. The Great Beings had drummed repeatedly into the minds of their assistants that they did not — did not — want anyone roaming about their buildings unsupervised. Dangerous technology, they said. Varonis was almost certain that they were hiding something.

With that thought came a hint of annoyance. He didn’t like being left out of the loop; his leadership talents should not be so ignored. Why were they?

The Great Beings called him an “assistant”. He cleaned up after them, moved supplies, did darn well everything they asked him to do: In his mind, that made him nothing more than a slave. Falling even deeper into he thoughts, he recalled that his ten year old deal with the Great Beings' Elder didn't turn out as he expected it to be.

Varonis stopped before the marble doors, their large golden handles glistening underneath the artificial light, and scowled a little. He didn’t like the “Great” Beings. Yet, somehow, he felt that they liked him. No, not like him, but favour him in his current position, as if...

More annoyance flared up inside his chest.

Gulping it down, he pushed against one of the great doors, easily ten times his size, with the crate. With nary a whisper it pivoted open; Varonis slipped through the now-Agori-sized gap between the two doors and made his way around the grand chamber’s table. Against the walls were tables sporting elegant carvings, most depicting past creations of the Great Beings. This was where the Great Beings made big decisions, decisions that would control the fate of Spherus Magna.

Varonis' hand met the polished surface of the table. A small smile met his face at the majestic sight. He knew that somehow, some way, he would find a way to sit here one day. He would be the one with the power, again.

The thought evaporated as his gaze slid to the ceiling. Eight columns, almost larger than life, held a large, domed, ornate ceiling in place far above Varonis' head. That ceiling was decorated with a fantastic mural, one that told through beautiful art of the day the Great Being arrived upon Spherus Magna, and how they brought the Glatorian and Agori beyond their normal potential.

Varonis hated it. It had been a sad day, in his opinion, when the Great Beings had come. Not because they would change the very foundation of civilization, but because they took over, believing the planet was as good as theirs. It's times likes this, he wishes he had never come across the Great Beings' dark plots. A day he regrets with the same hatred that powers his will to keep this filthy job. The hatred that drives him to revenge, vengeance.

But someday, perhaps, he shall no longer be forced to obey...

Varonis walked to the right wall of the chamber, the large, marble entrance door closing behind him. Here was set an alcove, tucked away from the table itself. Within the alcove was another door; Varonis opened this door and entered a small backup storage room. He set his crate down upon another crate and, as he walked out the little doorway, let out a sigh of relief at his work being finished.

Footsteps. They came from outside the large marble doors; and with them—

“...he has been doing nothing but grasp for power, power, and more power...”

With a curse Varonis leapt backwards, through the doorway, shutting the door and peering out through the tiny gap between door and doorjamb.

Two beings walked into the chamber, two of the Great Beings. Varonis recognized the taller and thicker of the two as Osavus. Smaller and thinner, stood Invidior behind him, his hands clenched into tight fists.

They were both yelling.

“Invidior! Do not speak of our Elder in that manner. If anyone else heard you they would have thrown you right from the Tower!” Osavus said angrily.

His ''brother'' sighed, wiping his forehead clear of sweat with his right lower arm. His right hand, Varonis noted, remained a fist. “Our Elder is an old hag,” said Invidior, his tone as harsh as a storm above open ocean, “a lie I tell you, and he had absolutely no right to remove me from the project! I had solved our largest problem! If I’m not reinstated into the project, then I will personally end it by any means necessary.”

Varonis knew the project they spoke of: a gigantic mechanical being, millions of feet tall, limbs the size of entire villages, a torso the size of a mountain. It stood the size of a planet, but not as big as the vast Spherus Magna. If one were to see it, amazement and perplexity would simultaneously fill the mind. Varonis had been confounded to the point of speechlessness the first time he had seen it, and even though it had only been the creation’s leg, it had left an impression on him.

Even a couple years after the fact, he didn’t know whether the Great Beings were true geniuses or insane. He continued to listen, holding back breaths even, to hear every word of the conversation.

Osavus sighed. “Brother, there is no need to be so angry,” he said, adopting a quieter tone of voice. “Our Elder is simply making the best choice for everyone, especially you. He does not think you are ready yet for such a large and grand experiment.”

Osavus placed his hand on Invidior’s shoulder, attempting to calm him down. But the younger Great Being refused to calm himself, and shrugged the hand off, speaking again. “No,” he said, “there is a reason to be angry. I am fully capable of leading the project, but that old fool refuses to see my way!”

Osavus sighed again. “I do not hate our Elder, but I must agree with you,” he said, and Varonis saw a glint of white as Invidior grinned a little. “Your punishment was harsh, and uncalled for; I do not see any reason in it. But what use is yelling and cursing?”

The grin vanished, and Invidior responded to Osavus with a curse. “I built the stabilizers so we could work inside the robot, without problems due to gravity! All that work, just so I could be thrown out again... just because I 'wasn't ready' for it.” The younger Great Being sneered, burying his right fist into the palm of his left hand.

The other Great Being, however, wasn’t old, either. Varonis knew that Osavus had been denied positions of authority as well, perhaps even greatness, many times, simply because he was “too young” or “not ready”; if anyone knew what Invidior was going through, it was Osavus.

Osavus. Who was wincing now, finger half-raised, like one on the verge of telling terrible news. As much as it pains him to admit, Osavus wasn't sure about the Elder either. The years after the new Elder took over have been foreshadowed with secret wars, plots, and deals that only served the Great Beings.

“Invidior...” He trailed off, blinked hard. “I must tell you something.”

The other Great Being waited stoically.

“The Elder, and the High Council, have decided to keep you out of the project permanently,” he said, and winced again.

An awkward silence fell in the room, as Varonis realized the corners of his mouth had twitched upwards, into a... a smile, of all things. Invidior was actually smiling at this news.

Varonis wondered what that meant.

“Perfect.”

Osavus’s eyebrow shot up in obvious confusion. “Excuse me?” he questioned. “What’s so 'perfect' about that? Just a second ago you were in a fury!”

A shake of the head. “I believe I am done with the project, Osavus,” said Invidior, slowly. “In fact... I am done with the Great Beings entirely.”

Osavus took a small step back, his right hand reaching out to grip the edge of the meeting table, as if the taller Great Being were afraid he might fall. His mouth weakly formed the words: “What? Have you been driven to madness? Over — over a single project?”

Again, Invidior shook his head. “Osavus, do you agree with the project?” he asked quietly. Osavus, his eyes still widened in surprise, slowly shook his head no.

“Even though some call this our Golden Age, we still do not have the time to waste on a project as large as this one.”

Invidior’s smile widened, just a tad. “Then aid me, my brother, in destroying it.”

Osavus blinked.

“Putting it out of commission,” Invidior repeated. “Stopping it.”

The air seemed very still for a moment. Varonis let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Invidior,” began Osavus cautiously, turning away so his gaze was directed toward the table, “I am in disagreement with the project, but not to the point of wanting to destroy it; that... that is worse than letting it continue...”

“Osavus” — and here Invidior’s expression turned deathly serious — “please. Help me. This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed. The Elder has been mindlessly guiding us for a long time, brother.”

For the umpteenth time, Osavus sighed deeply. He turned toward Invidior. “As long as we don’t hurt anyone; I don’t want to get my hands dirtier than necessary,” he said. “Yes, Invidior, I will aid you in this task, but only for the safety of the people.”

Again, Invidior’s smile surfaced, a smile that made Varonis wonder: If the Great Beings as a whole were not insane, Invidior surely was. “That’s what I’ve been telling you: This project is more a danger than a protection.”

The Great Beings moved out-of-sight behind the doorjamb. Varonis didn’t hear the marble doors open, but a very faint click confirmed that they had closed. There were faint footsteps from outside, and mumblings: Invidior and Osavus, leaving Varonis behind to wonder what on Spherus Magna he had just witnessed.

The storage room door opened silently. Varonis stepped out just as quietly, closing the door behind him and stealing around the meeting table. At the entrance doors he paused, removing his helmet to place his ear against the cool marble and listening hard.

Silence, utter, and absolute.

He pushed the doors open just a crack and slipped through, running down the hall, rolling his feet from heel to toe to reduce noise; and in the silence his mind raced, replaying Invidior and Osavus’s conversation over and over.

“This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed. The Elder has been mindlessly guiding us for a long time, brother.”

Had he been in the right place at the right time to eavesdrop? — or the wrong place at the wrong time? Was he alone in knowing of this plot, or was it perhaps being talked about throughout the Great Beings’ Tower? Perhaps the time of change had come, and he was the first to know.

And most importantly of all, what was he to do?

The Grand Creation
Prologue

Varonis grasped the last crate tightly and lifted it with some effort. Spreading his legs to gain a lower center of gravity, hands wrapped around the bottom two edges, the Fire Agori carried it into a nearby doorway. The entrance hall was a long one, with large polished marble lining all over the floor and the walls, covered by the dimmed yellowish light of Solis Magna. His footsteps echoed in the silence.

It was late, definitely too late to be within the chambers. The Great Beings had drummed repeatedly into the minds of their assistants that they did not — did not — want anyone roaming about their buildings unsupervised. Dangerous technology, they said. Varonis was almost certain that they were hiding something.

With that thought came a hint of annoyance. He didn’t like being left out of the loop; his leadership talents should not be so ignored. Why were they?

The Great Beings called him an “assistant”. He cleaned up after them, moved supplies, did darn well everything they asked him to do: In his mind, that made him nothing more than a slave. Falling even deeper into his thoughts, he recalled that his ten year old deal with the Great Beings' Elder didn't turn out as he expected it to be.

Varonis stopped before the marble doors, their large golden handles glistening underneath the artificial light, and scowled a little. He didn’t like the “Great” Beings. Yet, somehow, he felt that they liked him. No, not like him, but favour him in his current position, as if...

More annoyance flared up inside his chest.

Gulping it down, he pushed against one of the great doors, easily ten times his size, with the crate. With nary a whisper it pivoted open; Varonis slipped through the now-Agori-sized gap between the two doors and made his way around the grand chamber’s table. Against the walls were tables sporting elegant carvings, most depicting past creations of the Great Beings. This was where the Great Beings made big decisions, decisions that would control the fate of Spherus Magna.

Varonis' hand met the polished surface of the table. A small smile met his face at the majestic sight. He knew that somehow, some way, he would find a way to sit here one day. He would be the one with the power, again.

The thought evaporated as his gaze slid to the ceiling. Eight columns, almost larger than life, held a large, domed, ornate ceiling in place far above Varonis' head. That ceiling was decorated with a fantastic mural, one that told through beautiful art of the day the Great Beings arrived upon Spherus Magna, and how they brought the Glatorian and Agori beyond their normal potential.

Varonis hated it. It had been a sad day, in his opinion, when the Great Beings had come. Not because they would change the very foundation of civilization, but because they took over, believing the planet was as good as theirs. It's times likes this, he wishes he had never come across the Great Beings' dark plots. A day he regrets with the same hatred that powers his will to keep this filthy job. The hatred that drives him to revenge, vengeance.

But someday, perhaps, he shall no longer be forced to obey...

Varonis walked to the right wall of the chamber, the large, marble entrance door closing behind him. Here was set an alcove, tucked away from the table itself. Within the alcove was another door; Varonis opened this door and entered a small backup storage room. He set his crate down upon another crate and, as he walked out the little doorway, let out a sigh of relief at his work being finished.

Footsteps. They came from outside the large marble doors; and with them—

“...he has been doing nothing but grasp for power, power, and more power...”

With a curse Varonis leapt backwards, through the doorway, shutting the door and peering out through the tiny gap between door and doorjamb.

Two beings walked into the chamber, two of the Great Beings. Varonis recognized the taller and thicker of the two as Osavus. Smaller and thinner, stood Invidior behind him, his hands clenched into tight fists.

They were both yelling.

“Invidior! Do not speak of our Elder in that manner. If anyone else heard you they would have thrown you right from the Tower!” Osavus said angrily.

His ''brother'' sighed, wiping his forehead clear of sweat with his right lower arm. His right hand, Varonis noted, remained a fist. “Our Elder is an old hag,” said Invidior, his tone as harsh as a storm above open ocean, “a lie I tell you, and he had absolutely no right to remove me from the project! I had solved our largest problem! If I’m not reinstated into the project, then I will personally end it by any means necessary.”

Varonis knew the project they spoke of: a gigantic mechanical being, millions of feet tall, limbs the size of entire villages, a torso the size of a mountain. It stood the size of a planet, but not as big as the vast Spherus Magna. If one were to see it, amazement and perplexity would simultaneously fill the mind. Varonis had been confounded to the point of speechlessness the first time he had seen it, and even though it had only been the creation’s leg, it had left an impression on him.

Even a couple years after the fact, he didn’t know whether the Great Beings were true geniuses or insane. He continued to listen, holding back breaths even, to hear every word of the conversation.

Osavus sighed. “Brother, there is no need to be so angry,” he said, adopting a quieter tone of voice. “Our Elder is simply making the best choice for everyone, especially you. He does not think you are ready yet for such a large and grand experiment.”

Osavus placed his hand on Invidior’s shoulder, attempting to calm him down. But the younger Great Being refused to calm himself, and shrugged the hand off, speaking again. “No,” he said, “there is a reason to be angry. I am fully capable of leading the project, but that old fool refuses to see my way!”

Osavus sighed again. “I do not hate our Elder, but I must agree with you,” he said, and Varonis saw a glint of white as Invidior grinned a little. “Your punishment was harsh, and uncalled for; I do not see any reason in it. But what use is yelling and cursing?”

The grin vanished, and Invidior responded to Osavus with a curse. “I built the stabilizers so we could work inside the robot, without problems due to gravity! All that work, just so I could be thrown out again... just because I 'wasn't ready' for it.” The younger Great Being sneered, burying his right fist into the palm of his left hand.

The other Great Being, however, wasn’t old, either. Varonis knew that Osavus had been denied positions of authority as well, perhaps even greatness, many times, simply because he was “too young” or “not ready”; if anyone knew what Invidior was going through, it was Osavus.

Osavus. Who was wincing now, finger half-raised, like one on the verge of telling terrible news. As much as it pains him to admit, Osavus wasn't sure about the Elder either. The years after the new Elder took over have been foreshadowed with secret wars, plots, and deals that only served the Great Beings.

“Invidior...” He trailed off, blinked hard. “I must tell you something.”

The other Great Being waited stoically.

“The Elder, and the High Council, have decided to keep you out of the project permanently,” he said, and winced again.

An awkward silence fell in the room, as Varonis realized the corners of his mouth had twitched upwards, into a... a smile, of all things. Invidior was actually smiling at this news.

Varonis wondered what that meant.

“Perfect.”

Osavus’s eyebrow shot up in obvious confusion. “Excuse me?” he questioned. “What’s so 'perfect' about that? Just a second ago you were in a fury!”

A shake of the head. “I believe I am done with the project, Osavus,” said Invidior, slowly. “In fact... I am done with the Great Beings entirely.”

Osavus took a small step back, his right hand reaching out to grip the edge of the meeting table, as if the taller Great Being were afraid he might fall. His mouth weakly formed the words: “What? Have you been driven to madness? Over — over a single project?”

Again, Invidior shook his head. “Osavus, do you agree with the project?” he asked quietly. Osavus, his eyes still widened in surprise, slowly shook his head no.

“Even though some call this our Golden Age, we still do not have the time to waste on a project as large as this one.”

Invidior’s smile widened, just a tad. “Then aid me, my brother, in destroying it.”

Osavus blinked.

“Putting it out of commission,” Invidior repeated. “Stopping it.”

The air seemed very still for a moment. Varonis let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Invidior,” began Osavus cautiously, turning away so his gaze was directed toward the table, “I am in disagreement with the project, but not to the point of wanting to destroy it; that... that is worse than letting it continue...”

“Osavus” — and here Invidior’s expression turned deathly serious — “please. Help me. This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed. The Elder has been mindlessly guiding us for a long time, brother.”

For the umpteenth time, Osavus sighed deeply. He turned toward Invidior. “As long as we don’t hurt anyone; I don’t want to get my hands dirtier than necessary,” he said. “Yes, Invidior, I will aid you in this task, but only for the safety of the people.”

Again, Invidior’s smile surfaced, a smile that made Varonis wonder: If the Great Beings as a whole were not insane, Invidior surely was. “That’s what I’ve been telling you: This project is more a danger than a protection.”

The Great Beings moved out-of-sight behind the doorjamb. Varonis didn’t hear the marble doors open, but a very faint click confirmed that they had closed. There were faint footsteps from outside, and mumblings: Invidior and Osavus, leaving Varonis behind to wonder what on Spherus Magna he had just witnessed.

The storage room door opened silently. Varonis stepped out just as quietly, closing the door behind him and stealing around the meeting table. At the entrance doors he paused, removing his helmet to place his ear against the cool marble and listening hard.

Silence, utter, and absolute.

He pushed the doors open just a crack and slipped through, running down the hall, rolling his feet from heel to toe to reduce noise; and in the silence his mind raced, replaying Invidior and Osavus’s conversation over and over.

“This project is nothing but a waste, and a danger to everyone on Spherus Magna. We must destroy it before we — or rather, our brothers — lose control, and innocent lives end up destroyed. The Elder has been mindlessly guiding us for a long time, brother.”

Had he been in the right place at the right time to eavesdrop? — or the wrong place at the wrong time? Was he alone in knowing of this plot, or was it perhaps being talked about throughout the Great Beings’ Tower? Perhaps the time of change had come, and he was the first to know.

And most importantly of all, what was he to do?