Page 11 of The Void

“Please.” Pandora motioned towards the throne. “It’s past time you took your rightful place.”

“Me?” Her voice squeaked and then, to her horror, echoed in the massive space so that she heard herself several times.

Elpis smiled. “Yes, you, djinn. You are the daughter of Malik al-Ahmar and Feng Li. The first of their kind. The creators of this realm.”

“You are the rightful ruler of Atlantis,” Pandora added with a wave of her hands.

The burst of laughter that exploded from Mia’s chest echoed into the evening air.

“Seriously?” She glanced around. “Atlantis? This is Atlantis? The legendary city that disappeared eons ago?”

Elpis smiled and then nodded. “These are your people. The Athaki.” She motioned around them. “It is time my sister and I take our leave.” Elpis started to move aside, then she stopped and motioned towards the throne and waited until Mia climbed the stairs.

“I really think you have the wrong person,” Mia said softly as she stopped next to them.

Both Elpis and Pandora smiled back at her.

“We have been waiting for you for thousands of millennia,” Elpis said, touching her arm lightly.

Mia frowned. “You don’t look a day over a hundred millennia,” she said dryly.

Was this all a joke?

Both Elpis and Pandora smiled back at her as if they didn’t get the joke.

“We are endless,” Pandora said softly.

“It’s time my sister and I took our rightful places in the universe and prepared for what is to come. It’s you who must lead your people through what is to take place here next,” she said with a slight frown. “You and the other with power who has followed you here are needed for the battle between light and dark before you can return to your new home. A warning…” She paused, her eyes searching Mia’s. “The war of light against dark can only be won if you are together in all things.”

“Who?” Mia asked with a frown. “Who is the other?”

“His powers are held back for now. Only you have the power to set them free,” Pandora said without answering Mia’s question. “Even now, he travels across the desert, mountains, and waters to rescue you.”

“He cannot take his animal form, nor does he have his powers of flight and strength,” Elpis added. “Which will all be needed if you are to survive, together.”

“Lucas?” Mia gasped. “He’s here? In the Void?” She glanced towards the sky, hoping to see him flying towards her. Then Elpis’s words sunk in. He didn’t have his powers. He couldn’t fly.

Mia turned back towards the women, a little more anxious now that she knew Lucas was on his way to her.

“We will meet again soon. You will know us, we won’t know you.” Elpis leaned closer. “The next time we meet, it will be your task to guide us,” she added with a wink.

“What?” Mia frowned, shaking her head slightly.

“Soon you will understand everything,” Pandora said.

Both women turned their eyes towards the sky just as the two suns slipped behind the horizon and the last rays of daylight disappeared.

As she watched, they lifted up into the sky and disappeared into nothingness directly in front of everyone, leaving a trail of sprinkling gold and silver stardust in their wake.

Mia would have thought that the crowd would be as shocked to see two women disappear into thin air as she was, but no one seemed surprised at all. Instead, they looked at her in wonder and in question.

Now, standing in front of a throne, her throne, she looked out at the faces staring back at her and wondered what they wanted. They were waiting. On her. To do what? Make a speech?

What should she say? What could she say? Did they even understand her?

Her entire life she’d believed this place was void of life. A dead realm. She’d never thought to travel anywhere other than the cave and the desert she always appeared in. She’d never once thought to explore it.

Clearing her throat, she straightened.