The Guardians of Color: Royal Pinnacle

By Emmanuel Beachem

An inner-city teenager named Manuel Beakum also known as Man-yo finds an ancient power source. Man-yo is chosen by the ancient power source to save multiple dimensions from being destroyed by evil beings from the first dimension. Man-yo meets one of the evil beings named Geriss. A battle between Geriss and Man-yo enforces Man-yo's refusal to accept the bestowment of power and responsibility to save countless lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886541359

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The Guardians of Color

Royal Pinnacle

Emmanuel Beachem

Copyright © 2022 Emmanuel Beachem

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 979-8-88654-134-2 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-135-9 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

About the Author

Chapter 1

School day had come to an end for D. S. Wentworth in Chicago, Illinois. He lived on the south side, 6800 Block of Green Street. The year was 1991, the month was June, and summer break was about to begin for public schools throughout the Chicago area. Manuel Beakum aka Man-yo, a black teenager at the age of thirteen, was about to experience a summer that would reinforce his belief in magic.

The final school bell rang, and seconds later, the brown double steel doors swung open. Children ran out the building, happy to be free of school for the next ten weeks. Man-yo followed the crowd of rushing, energetic children into the bright rays of sunlight and heat. Some of the children exiting the school were being received by relatives waiting in cars or on the sidewalk. Kids talking loudly sounded like gibberish to anyone not honed in on one conversation. The blue jean pants cut into shorts, and the white T-shirt Man-yo was wearing turned out to be perfect for the weather. Walking home from school every day was always interesting in this big city, never knowing what one might see, find, or get into. While walking down the stairs, Man-yo heard a voice saying, What are you doing after you check in?

I don't know. I don't have anything planned, answered Man-yo, looking into a slim, light-brown-faced kid, with big ears and dark-brown eyes.

Well, I'm going to go with you to your house, then you can come with me to mine. I want to show you the new game I got yesterday for Nintendo, spoke the big-eared kid.

That sounds like a plan, agreed Man-yo.

The big-eared kid and Man-yo moved with the crowd of children in front of them, leading the way north on Sangamon toward Sixty-Eighth Street. In the midst of the noisy talking and laughing, a voice called, Man-yo!

Man-yo and the big-eared kid stopped walking and looked behind them for the voice that grabbed their attention. Before locating the source of the voice, Man-yo already knew who had called out for him. He came running from behind the left side of a caramel-skin girl, while she was stepping to her right-hand side to let him pass. The light-skinned, hazel-eyed, husky kid came into focus, running toward Man-yo and the big-eared kid.

Why didn't you wait for me? yelled the much younger and shorter light-skinned, hazel-eyed kid.

You know how to get home, responded Man-yo.

The short light-skinned hazel-eyed kid caught up to Man-yo and the big-eared kid, breathing hard, saying, I'm telling Mom you didn't want to walk home with me.

I was going to wait right here for you while Terrance went into the game room. Man-yo shoved Terrance a little toward the game room while they stood on the corner of Sixty-Ninth and Sangamon.

Terrance separated from Man-yo, and the short light-skinned, husky, hazel-eyed kid headed the twenty-five feet to the game room. While Man-yo and his youngest brother watched Terrance enter the game room, another recognizable voice called Man-yo, Ted.

Ted's and Man-yo's attention was immediately grabbed by an approaching boy appearing to be a shade lighter than Man-yo's brown skin. This approaching boy and Man-yo were always being mistaken for each other even though they were not twins and had six inches difference in height, Man-yo being taller.

I thought you were halfway home already, yelled Man-yo as his unofficial twin got closer.

I was talking to Charlene until I heard Ted call you, spoke the unofficial twin, joining his brothers on the corner, creating a miniature huddle.

As the three brothers stood in their huddle conversing among themselves, a girl's voice broke through their nonprivate meeting, saying, Hi, Nick, Ted, and Man-yo.

The soft feminine voice commanded their attention as all three of them looked in the direction the voice came from. Grayish-green eyes attached to a flawless glowing light-skinned beautiful-faced girl, looking upon them. Hi, Toni, the three of them spoke in unison.

Toni didn't stop her stride; she walked on by the brothers, smiling. They watched her cross the street heading east on Sixty-Ninth Street.

No hot corn chips, shouted Terrance, walking out the game room, drawing Man-yo's and Ted's attention.

Nick continued to watch Toni walk away. Man-yo looked at Nick watching Toni walk, thinking, Mannish little dude, while slapping him on the back of his head, knocking Nick out of his daydream.

Why you do that? Nick frowned as he rubbed the back of his head.

What's up, Nick? What's up, Ted? greeted Terrance as he approached the brothers.

What's up, Terrance? Nick and Ted returned the greeting.

Terrance didn't stop his stride as he and the brothers headed to cross the street, going east on Sixty-Ninth Street, stepping off the curb into the street. Terrance revealed from his blue jeans' right pocket a sandwich bag half-filled with different kinds of penny candy, preoccupying Nick and Ted as they asked for some candy. Man-yo looked to his left, smiling at the fact that Terrance was being harassed by Ted and Nick for some candy.

The time of day was high noon, not a cloud in the sky, allowing the day to look brighter than ever. About one hundred feet away on the sixty-eight hundredth block of Sangamon, a flash of light caught Man-yo's eyes while in the middle of the street. He saw a small figure in the midst of a brilliant light flying in the air, then disappeared into nothingness.

Did y'all see that? asked Man-yo, stopping in the middle of the street, puzzled by what he just saw.

See what? replied Terrance as he looked in the same direction as Man-yo.

A horn sound shocked Man-yo, causing him to flinch and draw attention from Terrance, Nick, Ted, and the children who were headed in multiple directions. Man-yo looked to his right through the windshield of a shiny white '82 Cadillac Fleetwood. An arm of a black woman motioned Man-yo to continue across the street.

Sorry, yelled Man-yo to the woman in the car as he jogged to the sidewalk to his brothers and friend.

What did you see? asked Ted when Man-yo was safe on the sidewalk.

I don't know. Let's cross the street and go down Sangamon. I want to see if I can find what I saw, suggested Man-yo while he looked toward the sixty-eight hundredth block of Sangamon.

Once Sixty-Ninth Street was safe to cross, they did so. About one hundred feet into the sixty-eight hundredth block of Sangamon, exactly in the same spot where Man-yo saw that small radiant figure, he stopped. Man-yo looked around in the air, toward the street, at a green duplex house, and at last to the ground.

What are you looking for? inquired Terrance, looking around on the ground around him, not knowing what he was looking for.

Whatever it is, I hope it's worth almost getting hit by a car. Nick's dimples deepened as he smiled.

I don't know. I saw something flying that was bright and vanished right here, stated Man-yo, motioning his arms back and forth around his body, referencing the area he was standing in.

That sounds like you just described a faerie, spoke Ted while he looked around.

I couldn't really focus on it. It was moving fast and almost seemed like it was hurt. While speaking, something shiny and almost transparent caught Man-yo's eyes on the ground in front of him.

Man-yo bent down and picked up the object sparkling in the sunlight. To Man-yo and the other three, it looked like a sparkling shard of glass, broken perfectly in the shape of a sword. Colorful lights danced around inside the shard, then burst out, blinding them all instantly.

Whoa and Ahh were the words that spewed from among their mouths as they covered their eyes.

That's the bright light you seen flying in the air. Someone must have thrown it, spoke Terrance as he opened his eyes, while his head was still turned away.

Man-yo covered the shard from the sun, causing the colorful brightness to cease. Man-yo opened his eyes and began to study the shard closely within the cup of his left hand, using his right hand as a blocker from the sun.

Is that a mirror? asked Ted, walking closer to Man-yo's hands to get a better look without the blinding shine.

I can see through it, so it didn't come from a mirror, spoke Man-yo, destroying Ted's idea.

With closer examination, Man-yo could see the multiple colors that danced in the center of the entire shape of the sword shard.

It looks to be two inches long, figured Terrance while taking another look at the shard in Man-yo's hand.

What if it's a diamond that fell off someone's necklace? questioned Nick after looking into Man-yo's hand at the shard.

The world around them had become excluded as they fixated on the colors within the shard. Each of them had now been captivated and taken into a small trance. They became quickly shaking out of the trance by a voice saying, What you got there, young men?

Being startled by the voice, they looked up in the direction the voice came from—an old black man with a long white beard hanging to the center of his chest, bald head, and multicolored pajamas standing on the threshold of the downstairs part of the duplex with the screen door wide open. Man-yo dropped his hands to his sides and continued to slowly move the left hand to place the shard into his left back pocket.

Nothing, just a piece of glass we found, replied Man-yo.

The old man stepped past the threshold, saying, Just wondering what you young ones are up to these days.

The white trimming around the green duplex and black screens on the windows and doors made the house stand out. The old man's right eye sparkled a light-blue shine only Man-yo seen in the midst of the old man's light-brown eye as the old man moved toward the black banister on the porch.

Last day of school before the summer begins, I see, spoke the old man as he leaned on the banister with his forearms.

What are you young ones planning to do for the summer? The old man was curious.

None of your— Nick was shoved by Man-yo, stopping him mid-sentence.

I'm going to Tri Star Gymnasium for gymnastic training, spoke Terrance.

Don't know, spoke Ted.

Find something fun to do, spoke Man-yo.

Have fun, spoke Nick in a grouchy tone.

The old man smiled, looked to his left, then to his right, and back at the group of four.

You want to know what I did every summer when I was around the youngest of you four ages until I graduated high school? asked the old man.

Terrance tapped Man-yo on his right shoulder, saying, We don't have to stand here entertaining this old man.

I want to hear what he has to say, whispered Man-yo back out the corner of the right side of his mouth at Terrance.

At that moment, two girls walked by, looked to be around Terrance and Man-yo's age, and seemed to come out of nowhere.

Hi, Mr. Johnson, the girls spoke and waved one at a time.

Hi, Carla and Paula. Tell your parents I said hi, spoke Mr. Johnson.

What did you do every summer when you were a kid? asked Ted.

Glad you asked. I went on a magical adventure, replied Mr. Johnson.

Laughter erupted from Terrance and Nick as Ted smiled, wanting to laugh but didn't know why.

I'm going home. I heard enough, declared Nick as he headed back toward Sixty-Ninth Street.

A magical adventure. Laughter continued to pour from Terrance as he followed Nick.

Man-yo and Ted stood there, waiting to hear more. The old man looked into Man-yo's eyes saying, Hmm, one who believes.

Then he looked at Ted, saying, You will believe. Mr. Johnson turned and walked slowly toward his front door, saying, Catch up with your brother and friend Man-yo. They have a lot to learn.

Man-yo and Ted looked toward Terrance and Nick, then back toward the old man's house after hearing the screen door slam.

How did he know my name? thought Man-yo as he and Ted jogged to catch up with Nick and Terrance.

How did he get in the house so quickly? pondered Man-yo, looking back at the duplex out of curiosity.

Man-yo and Ted caught up with Nick and Terrance, hearing laughter.

A magical crack adventure, blurred Nick between laughing.

You believe that old man? He must think we don't know magic is fake, spoke Terrance as his laughing began to calm.

They turned left on Sixty-Ninth Street, admiring the cars driving past.

Actually, I do believe magic exists, somewhat, spoke Man-yo.

Of course you do. Walt Disney is your head wizard, blurred Nick before laughing again.

How do you think we got here? Man-yo threw this question in the air.

What, you mean? Terrance did not understand the question.

How do we come to existing, breathing life? Man-yo gave the question clarity, pointing at each of them.

Our mother's gave birth to us, answered Ted.

Even Ted answered that question, snickered Terrance.

How can I put this? spoke Man-yo as he searched his mind for the right combination of words.

Okay. Who created earth? Man-yo asked.

God, said all three of them at the same time.

Right there. God. In all aspects of God exist magic, insisted Man-yo.

What? God doesn't do magic, said Nick.

Well, tell me what it takes to create a universe out of nothing, urged Man-yo.

I don't know. Do you? asked Nick out of sarcasm.

I believe magic had a part to play in it, and that same magic continues to flow on this earth. Most people choose to ignore it when it happens, Man-yo explained.

Enough of this magic talk. I want to talk about this new game I got. It's cold. Terrance changed the conversation as they turned left on Green Street.

They walked through the four-foot-tall chain-linked fence. Terrance latched the gate behind him. The grass on either side of the three-foot-wide concrete walkway is vibrant green. Neatly trimmed hedges stand four and one-half feet high and two feet in front of the porch, on both sides of the white stairs. This apple-red-and-white trimmed duplex is the third prettiest on the block. Man-yo tried to open the white iron screen door, finding it locked. Using one of the four keys he was wearing on a shoestring around his neck, he unlocked the screen door and opened it. Man-yo then used two other keys to unlock the front door. Upon entering the downstairs part of the duplex, Man-yo stopped in the vestibule, staring into the living room.

Where did all the furniture go? asked Man-yo into the space of the empty living room.

Nick and Ted shot past Man-yo and stopped at the entrance of the dining room as Ted said, We've been robbed.

Man-yo moved slowly as Terrance followed, asking, What happened?

Man-yo walked past Nick and Ted through the dining room to the bedroom on the right. He tried twisting the doorknob, finding it locked.

At least the mirrors and wallpaper are still on the walls, joked Nick.

Man-yo moved faster now, from the locked bedroom door to his left, straight through a seven-feet hallway toward the kitchen. Passed the bathroom on the left-hand side of the hallway. On the right-hand side before entering the kitchen sat a bedroom. Man-yo saw the table and chairs were gone from the kitchen before he turned right into the bedroom. A twin bed sat eight feet in front of him. He glanced at the TV against the corner five feet to the left of him, yelling, No! They took the Nintendo and the games!

Nick and Ted came running into the bedroom, looking toward the TV. Ted walked over to the closet, opened the door, and said, Looks like all our toys are still here.

"Damn! I just got that arcade version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles two days ago." Anger burst from Man-yo as he looked at Terrance.

Terrance slowly entered the bedroom, saying, At least they didn't take the TV, trying to lighten the mood.

That old TV ain't worth anything, spoke Man-yo, looking sad.

Nick walked out of the room as Man-yo walked to the bed, flopped down on it, and took off his backpack. Ted sat next to Man-yo, taking off his backpack, asking Where do you think Mom and Dad at?

I don't know. Maybe at the police station reporting the burglary, suggested Man-yo, looking sad, thinking about the stolen game system and cartridges.

A slamming of wood against wood and Nick voicing, Hell nawl, startled the three boys in the room.

They went running out of the room into the kitchen as Nick said, They stole the food too. Who robs a house taking all the food too?

Ted went to open the refrigerator as Man-yo went to open the cabinets. Man-yo saw yesterday's groceries were no longer there. Ted stood in front of the empty fridge, looking for something to appear. Man-yo shot out of the kitchen through the dining room, through the living room to the small vestibule at the front entrance. Turning to his left, constructed six feet straight across the front door was the basement door. Man-yo grabbed and twisted the doorknob, opening the door. The door opened on Man-yo's left-hand side. He reached for the light switch on the right-hand side and flicked on the light. He jotted down the stairs and walked past the door on his left at the bottom of the staircase into the open dimly lit section directly in front of him. About a foot into the dimly opened section hung a pull string light switch. Man-yo pulled at the string, hearing a click; the open section brightened with light. Man-yo lowered his right hand from the string, scanning the open area. He walked slowly toward old-fashioned bucket-divided sinks with the swivel faucet. Next to the bucket sinks sat the washer and dryer. This brought a little relief seeing the burglars didn't get everything. He turned to his right as he reached another pull string light fixture. He pulled the string, turning on the light. The light now illuminated a third section of the basement. Three feet to his right, just two feet past the threshold stood the water heater. Five feet away, parallel to the water heater, was a room. Man-yo walked past the water heater and looked into that five-foot space between the room and water heater, seeing all their bikes were there. Making it to the room, he opened the door, seeing the deep freezer. He walked a few feet into the small dimly lit room to the deep freezer, opened it, and peered in. It, too, emptied of the contents that once filled the deep freezer.

This is a weird break-in, thought Man-yo as he turned toward the exit while closing the deep-freezer door. Man-yo traced his steps and turned off all the lights, preparing to leave the basement. Man-yo approached the staircase, Ted standing at the top, asking, What's missing down there?

Only the food, answered Man-yo, walking up the stairs.

What are we going to eat tonight? worried Ted.

Man-yo made it to the top of the stairs and flicked off the lights, saying, I don't know. Maybe Mom and Pops is out taking care of it all.

For this to be a break-in, there's no doors or windows broken, shouted Nick from the dining room.

I can't stay no longer, stated Terrance as Ted and Man-yo approached him in the living room.

Man-yo walked past Terrance and sat down on the extended window ledge, saying, Go home. I'll catch up with you later. I'm going to stay here with my brothers until our parents come home.

Okay, man, sorry about the break-in. See you later. Terrance walked to the front door, opened it, and left.

Ted sat on the windowsill on the right. Nick sat on the windowsill on the left of Man-yo.

None of this makes any sense, spoke Nick.

I know it don't, agreed Man-yo.

How long do you think it will take Mom and Pops to get home? Ted threw a question in the air for both older brothers.

Hopefully soon, answered Nick.

You know what I just noticed? spoke Ted, looking up behind him.

What? asked Nick.

The drapes are gone too, said Ted.

Man-yo and Nick looked up behind them, realizing the truth Ted spoke. The three of them sat there quietly waiting for their parents.

Thirty minutes later, a light-skinned heavyset woman with short hair entered the front door, followed by a brown-skinned thin man, balding on the top of his head. Mom, we got home from school to see—

Man-yo was interrupted by his mother, saying, We know about everything. We'll tell y'all about it later. Go outside and play. Their mom walked to the bedroom on the right-hand side of the dining room, unlocking the door in a hurry.

I'm hungry, spoke Ted, running to his mother from the windowsill.

Go outside and hustle up some money to get y'all something to eat for tonight. Besides, it's nice outside, ordered their mom, pushing Ted away before entering the bedroom.

But, Mom—

Nick was interrupted by their pops saying, You heard your mother. Now go outside.

Their pops enforced their mother's order. The three brothers left the house, knowing they got to make money to feed themselves for the night.

Chapter 2

Aflash of green light followed by a suction popping sound caused Mr. Johnson to look up from a strange book he was reading at a dark-brown wood table.

He lost it, spoke a female voice as Mr. Johnson removed the thin blue-framed reading glasses from his face.

Not good, thought Mr. Johnson out loud.

Not good. What does that mean? asked the mocha-skinned, midtwenties-looking woman, wearing a pink flexible armored uniform, pulling out a chair at the table.

A new selection of Guardians will be chosen soon, answered Mr. Johnson.

You think the prophecies in that book are coming true? The warrior-dressed woman looked puzzled as she sat at the table.

She removed her pink helmet, revealing four thick long French braids. Her eyes glowed a golden hue that matched her fingernails, easily seen as she placed her helmet on the table.

"I've been the Guardians of Color Pinnacle for longer than I expected. The words in the Book of Color always come to pass. Mr. Johnson stared directly into the warrior's beautiful eyes, adding, Tasha, there is a war upon us. Allen being attacked by Geriss in the World of Color and losing the Brush in the third dimension is only the beginning."

Mr. Johnson pushed the opened ancient book across the table into the vision of Tasha and said, It is written.

Tasha began to read the ancient writing. The return of Exneau will begin with the loss of the Brush in the third dimension. The World of Color will be vulnerable to the attack of the Dull.

Tasha looked up to stare into the light-brown eyes of Mr. Johnson, saying, Oh no.

We must go to the World of Color immediately, urged Mr. Johnson.

He stood, slapping his hand together above his head. Mr. Johnson's multicolor pajamas turned into a blue armored flexible suit, appearing to be designed with the same material as Tasha's uniform. A dark-blue diamond the size of a baseball materialized six inches above his hand followed by a gold casing underneath, attached to a stainless steel staff. After Mr. Johnson's transformation, Tasha got up from where she sat, stepped to the right of the chair, grabbed her helmet, and kneeled, saying, Honor and power to the Pinnacle, Your Highness.

Mr. Johnson placed the staff on her left shoulder while she was kneeling. A flash of blue light and a suction popping sound replaced them as they vanished from the kitchen.

The Pinnacle and Tasha reappeared inside a huge room the size of a football field. They emerged in front of two thrones. Tasha moved with urgency to the larger throne, grabbing the crown of multicolored jewels off the seat. She then went to the back of the same throne and grabbed the robe hanging on the high backrest. The royal insignia of a colorful sword was woven into the back of the robe the length of Mr. Johnson's back. She rushed over to get behind Mr. Johnson, placed the crown on his head, and placed the robe over his shoulders as he reached to latch it to his chest armor. Tasha headed down a path of purple carpet toward huge double steel doors in the distance. The throne chamber was magnificent. The walls were fourteen feet high. The ceilings and walls were decorated with exquisite artwork. The artwork also had life, kneeling as the Pinnacle approached their area as he walked the purple carpet. The columns that stood on both sides of the carpet appeared to have an eight-feet circumference, standing six feet apart, holding up the massive roof. The paint scheme changed every ten feet, displaying so many different colors as if the chamber was alive. Tasha led the way by thirty-five feet ahead of Mr. Johnson. She pulled open the steel double doors, exiting, saying, The Pinnacle.

The two five-foot-tall guards that stood outside the chambers rushed into the chambers, holding the steel doors open while kneeling, saying, Your Highness, may I behold your royalty?

You may, responded Mr. Johnson, continuing his stride.

Tasha pressed a button on the wall of the hallway ten feet down to the left of the chamber's entrance. The button activated a royal tune that played throughout all the World of Color. The citizens and residents that resided in the World of Color stopped everything they were doing when the royal tune began to play. Some citizens teleported from where they were to the spacious courtyard of the palace. Other citizens teleported to their living rooms to turn on their viewing screens with residents too far away to travel to the palace because residents could not teleport. Anyway, even though the palace grounds were gigantic, it was still not large enough to fit all the citizens and residents. The flying creatures that resembled so many of earth's flying creatures landed in fields, rooftops, and trees. The animals on the ground, no matter where they were, gave their undivided attention toward the palace.

*****

Just out of the eye's reach of the World of Color sat a grayish glowing mist that housed an army and their commander, Geriss. They also gave the World of Color their focus as the royal tune played. Geriss was draped in dull dirty-looking gray attire that moved like smoke as she walked to the huge viewing window of the grayish mist. Her face was pale as if no life ran through it. Her hair flowed like she was in water. Her left hand clutched a black staff that carried a clear diamond the size of a softball. Her black boots tapped against the steel beneath her as she stopped in front of the viewing window, gazing upon the World of Color.

Just what I've been waiting for. Her voice sounded soft and wicked.

She turned from the window to look among her crew in the control room with her. The crew was outfitted in dull-gray armor and black boots. The crew could be distinguished as male or female. The command room held the max of twenty-one beings. There were all types of buttons, knobs, and levers in strategic engineered places. Behind a twelve-foot console stood two beings that stared constantly at their control boards. Directly in front of Geriss was the command chair, and on both sides stood one male being at full attention with their hands behind their backs. Throughout the command room, the other sixteen beings worked at their post, waiting for her command.

Sergeant Cla, spoke Geriss as she approached the command chair. The soldier on the right side of the chair dropped his arms from behind his back to his sides, prepared to act out her command.

Get Texlicz, ordered Geriss while ascending the five steps to the chair.

Right away, Commander, uttered Sergeant Cla before removing himself from the side of the chair.

Commander, a cracky female voice spoke, drawing Geriss's attention.

Geriss looked to her right while sitting, into a pale face womanlike being, standing at a three-foot-wide console. Geriss's eyes seemed to be hollow as if the glowing gray pupils weren't there. What is it, Controller Tang?

Chief Jurgs is live, requesting your presence, spoke Tang.

Prepare the Psyche-Jump, ordered Geriss, resting her head on the headrest.

The headrest glowed bright white as Geriss closed her eyes. Send me in.

Within a blink of an eye, Geriss's image and conscience traveled through a black tunnel. She exited the tunnel into a room with a glass window that stretched the length of the room. She looked out the window, seeing a baseball field and a stadium filled with spectators. Panning from right to left of the room, she could see a TV and refrigerator against a white wall.

Welcome to the third dimension, Commander Geriss. A deep unnatural voice with three different tones of bass came from the left of her.

Geriss turned to see a large muscular white man sitting on a sectional couch wearing baseball gear. Looking closer, Geriss could see through the molecules of the human makeup and see a distorted figure of a being aura dwarfing the human.

Geriss knelt, quickly saying, Chief Jurgs.

She paused and then said, What's the reason for meeting in this strange place?

At ease, Commander, spoke Chief Jurgs, reaching for a bottle of top-shelf champagne on the smoked glass table between them.

Geriss stood, trying to focus her eyes to see Jurgs without blurry vision, saying, Why is your image blurry, and how are you occupying a human?

Come, sit with me while I explain, spoke Chief Jurgs in that deep three-toned voice, unwrapping the foil off the cork.

Geriss walked around the right side of the table and sat down next to Chief Jurgs, asking, What is this place we're in?

This place is called a skybox to watch the game privately and comfortably, answered Chief Jurgs.

He poured a glass of champagne and offered Geriss the glass.

Geriss refused, asking, Can you taste that?

You could too, stated Chief Jurgs, then sipped from the glass.

Looking through the window, Geriss could see a team running to the field as the crowd cheered.

I wanted you to experience this first. To show you firsthand the vain lives these humans live. The wasted energy they spend can allow us to live longer if these parasites didn't exist. I also need to know your progress to report to Exneau. As long as the present human sits upon the throne of the World of Color, freeing Exneau from the banished dimension is pointless. With all that being said, why is the Pinnacle still breathing?

The large muscular man turned his bald head toward Geriss. The human chiseled pinkish face and gray eyes were easier for Geriss to look at than trying to see Chief Jurgs inside.

The mission is afoot. I had to get the Pinnacle back to his subjects to execute the last part of the plan, spoke Geriss.

A knock on the door drew their attention. The man reached for a controller that sat on the table near him.

Chief, I'm in my regular form, worried Geriss.

Jurgs pressed a button out of the many choices; the door to the skybox slid open. A Chinese teenage girl walked into the skybox carrying a silver tray of food and another bottle of champagne. She walked by the left side of the couch to the table and placed the food and champagne on the table. She looked at the man, saying, Good afternoon, sir. Your order.

Then to Geriss, saying, Good afternoon, Mrs.

Then back to the man, saying, Anything else, sir?

The pretty vibrant teen stood there with her hands in front of her waist, waiting for a response. The man handed her two one-hundred-dollar bills, saying, No, thank you. Keep the change.

Thank you, sir. Enjoy the game, she spoke with a smile.

She turned and headed out the skybox. Once the girl was out of the skybox, the door closed.

Geriss said, How…why didn't she freak out over my appearance?

She saw and only heard humans. I told your controller of tech to add a new program code to your hardware for Psyche-Jump. The program allows us Nexesiez to take control of the body and mind of anything in any dimension in fleshly bodies. You are in the body of the mate of the body I am in. We are still looking for a way to allow our powers to be used without being attacked by these colors. He pointed to the colorful scene outside the window.

By the way, did your eyes adjust yet, and did you notice the colors don't attack us in these human bodies?

My eyes are still seeing a blurry image of you, and you just made me aware of the colors not attacking us. Geriss got up from the couch and walked to the window, fascinated by the new technology.

If we can get our powers to work without the colors snuffing them out—

Chief Jurgs was interrupted by Geriss, saying, We can come straight here and destroy these humans without the Brush.

"Even if we do figure out how to use our powers in this dimension without destroying the Brush, we