Excerpt: Guides

She was looking down at a ring of planets, rotating slowly but able to be seen by the naked eye. They each had a unique colour, the colours criss-crossing at the points where they were joined with the planets beside them.

Red... Blue... White... Green... Black...

And Earth.

'The Guides must be united.' an ethereal voice echoed. It was a gentle, soothing tone which seemed to put her at ease immediately. As if following the voice's command, the planets began to morph into shapes of people. Their Guides. She knew it was important to remember their faces and appearances, but it was as if she couldn't bring herself to look at the four other Guides. They were there, and suddenly, the planets reappeared. 'The worlds must be travelled.'

It was like remembering sudden flashes of memory, though it was obviously of events that had not yet come to pass. The images flitted about. The first world... Second... Third... Love, betrayal, heartbreak, and resignment. These were all things she couldn't understand yet, but would as they came to pass. She could not be shown too much, else the future be changed and unstable.

'Many things will happen,' the voice spoke again. It almost sounded like the voice was sighing in remorse. '...but you must keep in sight your final goal. Do not be led astray.'

She was confused by that last statement. It was almost like the spirit was implying that something could happen on their journey that could mean doom for all the worlds. Would it be caused by one of the Guides? She yearned to ask, but knew she could not.

'Do not worry.'

'For it has begun.'

Jade jerked in her bed, beads of sweat on her body as a sign of her weariness. As she opened her eyes, the dream vision disappeared and her eye vision swam for a moment before her bedroom came back into clear focus. Sitting up slowly, almost reluctantly, she placed one hand over her eyes. Even if she couldn't feel it now... the spirit's words were never wrong, and not to be doubted. She exhaled slowly, "Damn..."