Author's Note This story in a non-linear format, so if you're get confused that's ok. It's my first time writing in such a format, so I don't know how it will turn out.I have three storylines currently. The first one takes place in the present, the second in the past and the third in the future. Enjoy!
This is a summary/synopsis of the previous chapters. It is short and not very detailed. I give you the essentials here. If you get confused, please read the author's note in chapter 1. Seres and Wolf haven't seen each other in twenty years. In the present Wolf has found Seres and told him that he has a part of Seres' soul in the compass that he was carrying. Seres is skeptical, but eventually absorbs the part of his soul that was in the compass. In the past, Wolf has been searching for Seres. He finds an anomaly on a planet called Zeyaethay. He talks it over with his sister Crane and decides to check it out. Then Deucalion, Hiram's right hand, shows up and tells Wolf that the Collective can cure his mother if he brings Seres back. The last scene is a repeat of the first scene in chapter one, but from Wolf's side. In the future, Seres and Wolf have found the last piece of Seres's soul. Seres absorbs it and tells Wolf that he's going to rip out a piece of his soul because he doesn't understand. Since Seres calls him by his real name, Wolf knows he's being serious. Wolf is too shocked to stop him and gets his soul trapped in the same compass. Back in the past, we find out how Seres' soul is ripped from him and what his reaction was, not happy. The Collective had to restrain him and Wolf wasn't there when it started. Seres yells at Hiram and collapses again. Wolf decides to check up on him and Seres yells at him, then vanishes. Wolf tells Hiram who declares that they should leave him alone for a while and then go find him. Crane shows up to try and talk Wolf into looking for Seres. In the present, Wolf and Seres talk about what Wolf is doing in Cerina. Wolf tells Seres he has lied to him and tells him that the Collective has offered to cure his mother if he brings Seres back. Seres tells him that he will go with Wolf it if will make Crane happy. In the future, Wolf has gone back home. Crane comes to visit him and tells him to go see Seres. Wolf goes back to Seres's house and Seres,feeling guilty, returns Wolf's soul piece to him. The conversation then turns to Seres's sleeping habits. Then in the past, Seres and Wolf have a conversation which results in Seres leaving the planet. Then Wolf reports to Hiram and Hiram orders him and the rest of the Collective to leave Seres alone until he tells them otherwise. A couple of months later, Crane shows up at Wolf's aprartment and says that Wolf should look for Seres.
Present; One month later
It was a cold, gray morning and Balia's skyline was missing a building. The bookstore, which had been Balia's old technology museum was gone. It used to be a rectangular brick building, with a glass tower bisecting it. Now, half of the tower was gone. The glass was melted and had dripped down the brick walls. The triple helix of bookcases and the cast-iron staircase was twisted together to form a metal arch that bent down to touch the ashy ground. The front door was a puddle of glass. The inside was full of twisted bookshelves covered with ash. The electrical wires were exposed and sparks were crackling all over the ceiling. Seres frowned as he picked his way through the bookstore. Wolf was right beside him. The firefighters had let the fire burn out on its own before calling them in .
“How do you know that the Collective did this?” Wolf asked as they rounded another corner. Instead of answering, Seres pointed to the symbol that was engraved into the brick wall at the back of the store. It was the Elaragnian symbol.
“Oh,” Wolf said, staring at it.
“They didn't touch the rest of this planet,” Seres said, softly. His eyes held traces of silver in them. He's using magic, Wolf thought, and he doesn't even know it. “They had enough power to reach across the multiverse and set fire to my bookstore. I wonder how many focui they used.” The silver was more apparent in Seres's eyes now and Wolf decided he should intervene.
“What do we do now?” he asked as he studied the symbol. Seres didn't answer. Instead he stepped up to the wall and traced the symbol. Wolf felt a shiver run through him.
“Seres?” he asked, taking a step away from the symbol.
“They disrupted the order,” Seres said and turned to look at him. Wolf took another step back. Seres's eyes were completely silver.
“You shouldn’t be using magic remember.” he took another step back, hands out in front of him.
“The ley lines are a mess.” Ley lines were lines of energy that permeated the entire multiverse. Most mages could tap into them; though few rarely did.
Wolf blinked. “What do you mean?” he asked carefully.
“They reached out and use my power for something as trivial as this!”
Wolf stumbled back in shock. Seres had said 'my.' Seres never considered this power his own. “Seres,” he said, carefully, “what are you talking about?”
“They've been left unchecked for too long, using my power for their own gains. They weren't created for this!” Of course,Wolf realized, the multiverse contains enough energy to have some form of sentience. Elaragnia is talking through him.
“What do you mean they weren't created for this Elaragnia?” Wolf asked, deciding to take a chance. Seres smiled.
“You recognized me.”
Wolf snorted. “Seres doesn't want your power and would never consider it his.” Seres laughed.
“No, he would not. I created the Collective to police the multiverse. I cannot look after all aspects of it.” He frowned and rubbed his left wrist. “ I'm almost done.” He paused and seemed to be listening to something. Then he laughed lightly. “Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt him.”
“Pardon?”
He turned back to Wolf. “I'm afraid that this is all I can tell you as my time here is up.” His eyes darkened and he squeezed his wrist gently. “Poor child,” he murmured, “this wasn't supposed to happen to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Take care of him.” The silver bled out of Seres's eyes, turning them pale sapphire.
“Seres?” Wolf took a step forward. Seres swayed.
“I think I tapped into Elaragnia's power,” he said, tiredly, “I don't feel so good.” Wolf moved forward and tossed Seres's arm over his shoulder. “Come on,” he said, “let's get you home.”
I thought I got that down. 