CHAPTER ONE - PROLOGUEMy name is Logan. I can't tell you anything more than that. I can't tell you my last name, or where I live, or who my friends are.
Well, actually I sort of can.
My name is Logan Berenson. I live in Washington, D.C, USA. My friends are ... well, I had friends. A few trusty ones. Before I was dragged into this mess. You see, my whole life I've been raised by my aunt Cassie and her husband Ronnie. My aunt's black. African-American. Like it matters. See, my parents, along with Cassie, were this famous group of superheroes who had the power to change into animals. They used that power to fight an evil race of alien space slugs called the Yeerks.
Now, usually, you'd think I was mental. But you know of the Yeerks. The whole world does know.
That famous group of superheroes were called the Animorphs, and they fought the Yeerks in secrecy for three years.
They were comprised of six teenagers - four humans, one hawk, and an alien called an Andalite.
There was Jake, Jake Berenson, fearless leader of the Animorphs. He was in the fight because his brother was infested by the Yeerks and made into a Controller. In case you've been living under a rock, Yeerks are the space slugs that crawl through your ear canal and enslave you, using your body as a host. Then there was Rachel Berenson. She was Jake's cousin. She was fearless too, they say. But she died. Then there's Marco. Go Google Marco. He was a famous billionaire and playboy, and he was also Jake's best friend. Then there's my aunt Cassie. She's not really my aunt, but she was my mother's best friend. Next up is Tobias. He was a human before he trapped himself in the body of a red-tailed hawk. According to Aunt Cassie, an Andalite prince called Elfangor had given them the power to morph into any creature that they touched by acquiring their DNA and staying in that animal's body for less than two hours. After two hours, you became trapped forever. But he managed to somehow regain his power to morph. And he also happens to be Elfangor's son. Weird, huh? Last but not least, there's Ax. Aunt Cassie said he had a full name, but I can't remember it. In any case, he was an Andalite...and Elfangor's brother, therefore making him Tobias's uncle. And making him my great-uncle.
You see, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm the product of a little Animorphic relationship. I happen to be the son of Tobias and Rachel. When Aunt Cassie first told me the story of the Animorphs when I was 4 or 5, I couldn't believe her. But the world around me knew the whole story, and eventually, so did I. When I turned 10, she morphed in front of me. I heard she was a beautiful morpher and made morphing seem like an art; but seeing her become a fly was not artful at all. So naturally, when I was 11, she told me who my parents were. I was angry and confused for the longest time. I've heard of Tobias and Rachel since I was 4, and I waited 7 years just to find out they were my parents. On top of that, my dad wasn't even human. He was a guy trapped in the body of a hawk while my mom was a beautiful, supermodel resembling war-loving woman who ending up dead because her cousin, aka my uncle, Jake, sent her on a suicide mission. But that was six years ago. I'm 17 years old now. And I admire and respect both of my parents. They were warriors through and out, and sacrificed their life for the sake of mankind everyday.
But there were some holes in the stories I heard about my life, and they didn't really click until my 17th birthday, where I got a surprise visit from some old man.
You may have heard of him. Or maybe you haven't.
He looked frail yet powerful. I felt like I knew him.
He looked at me and gave me a comfortable yet disturbing smile.
"Logan Berenson, son of Tobias, son of Rachel. Heir to Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, and relative of Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. I have been expecting you."
CHAPTER TWO - THE ELLIMISTI stared at the old man looking at me.
"Who are you?" I asked. "Are you a friend of Aunt Cassie's?"
The old man smiled.
"Do you know about your parents?" he asked.
I stared at him. I didn't answer.
"Well, do you?"
"Y-yeah," I stammered. "They were Animorphs."
"Do you ever wonder how you ever came to be?"
"Came...to be?" I asked. I was confused.
Who was this old geezer, and why was he in this house, sitting on the living room sofa and asking me questions.
"Your birth, my boy."
I rolled my eyes at him. "I don't know, maybe a C-section?" I replied sarcastically. "Why don't you ask my mother? Oh wait, she's dead."
"You are time lost, Logan."
I scoffed at him. "I think you're lost, old man. How did you even get in here?"
"I belong here. Your Aunt Cassie knows who I am." he said, smiling still.
"Well, I'll call her and ask." I pulled out my iPhone 6 and dialed her number. It rang a few times before she answered.
"Hi, Logan. What's the matter?" she asked sweetly.
"Um, there's an old man on the couch here at home. Says he knows of you."
"An old man? Are you sure it's not my dad?" she asked, laughing.
"I know Grandpa Walter, and this is not him."
"What's his name?" Aunt Cassie asked.
"The Ellimist," the old man replied, as if he could hear our conversation. Or maybe he could.
"He calls himself the Ellimist," I said blankly. "Do you know him?"
She went silent.
"H-hello?"
"I'll be right home," she whispered.
"WHO IS HE?" I yelled into the phone.
"Just an old friend," she whispered again before hanging up on me.
I turned and looked at him. He smiled at me.
"Every one of you has been time lost. And I've saved every single one of you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.
It was the second time he was calling me time lost, whatever that meant.
But he remained silent and just closed his eyes. I kinda wanted to run up to my room but I didn't want to leave him here alone. Soon, I heard the door click and open and my aunt Cassie walked in. She stared at me and whispered "Is he still here?"
I darted to the living room where he was sitting on the couch. The moment I entered his eyes fluttered open.
"Yeah," I muttered. "He's on the couch."
Cassie walked into the living room and sat on the couch opposite him.
"What brings you here?" she asked.
"Cassie," he gleamed. "It's been a while."
"Seventeen years exactly."
I froze. Today was my 17th birthday.
Cassie gave me a glance and turned to face him.
"What graces us with your presence?" she asked.
"I have just discovered some info about your friends from the Drode."
"My..my friends?" she whispered in a soundless voice.
"The Animorphs."
I sat abruptly on the armchair.
"Apparently Crayak has managed to save some of the Animorphs."
You see, a bit over seventeen years ago, after Rachel's death and the demise of the Yeerk Empire and the leader Visser One, the rest of the Animorphs, including my father Tobias, went on a space journey to save the Andalite Ax, but they never returned.
"Some?" I echoed. "The whole world thinks they're goners. FBI has them marked as presumed dead."
He turned to face me.
"Do you know who your father is?" he asked.
"Yeah, his name was Tobias. And he was a warrior." I huffed proudly.
"He was also time lost. Like his father. Like you."
"What's that supposed to mean? You keep calling me time lost!" I yelled.
Aunt Cassie just stared at him.
"Even after all these years...they're alive?" she asked.
"Crayak has only saved some. Knowing Crayak, we all know Jake is not a survivor." The Ellimist said staring at Aunt Cassie abruptly.
Aunt Cassie started sobbing and put her head into her hands. My uncle Ronnie had once told me that Cassie and Jake loved each other. I felt like comforting her but for some reason I didn't. I just stared at this Ellimist guy.
"So you're just the bearer of bad news?" I said coldly. "Nice of you to come."
"Not just bad news," he replied. "Good ones too. The rest are alive. At least some of them."
"Who's alive?" Aunt Cassie said, looking up, tears streaming down her cheek.
"I believe everyone except Jake and Aximili."
My heart was in my throat...and it was pounding fast, beating rapidly.
Aunt Cassie just stared at me and then back at the Ellimist.
"My father then?" I croaked.
"I believe he is alive too. For the time being," he replied.
"Time being?"
"He may die soon. They need assistance. They're trapped in Crayak's world." he sighed. "They've become the Drode's play things."
"Who's the Drode?" I asked.
"Crayak's apprentice."
"And who is this Crayak?" I demanded.
The Ellimist laughed. "Dear Cassie, have you never told the boy anything?"
Aunt Cassie stood up. "I told him most of it."
"You didn't tell me about this Ellimist chump," I snapped as I glared at him.
"As a matter of fact I did. He was the one who saved our lives a few times."
"How many times were your lives saved? You never mentioned him."
"He's the Ellimist...the guy who restored your dad's ability to morph."
My eyes widened. It couldn't be
him. It just couldn't be.
The almighty...the god-like guy...the guy who helped my dad free the Hork-Bajir?" I said in awe.
The Ellimist laughed. "So he does know me."
I stared at him in surprise. "Is it true you can bend time and space?" I sounded like a fanboy.
"Yes, Logan. But enough chit-chat. I need your help."
"For what?" I asked.
"I need your help in saving the lives of Marco, Tobias, and two other warriors."
"Why him?" Cassie said. "He's only seventeen!"
"You were thirteen when this all started. Ended when you were sixteen." he replied.
"He...what can he do?"
I looked at Aunt Cassie. I was kind of hurt.
"No, I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I meant what defense does he have against Crayak, or the Drode?"
"He is Tobias's son. And Rachel's as well. That will intrigue the Crayak enough. For they do not know of the boy's existence."
CHAPTER THREE - THE DRODE CHALLENGE"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" came a booming voice. "I am the Drode, and I am your MC for today!"
"Can we shut this guy up?" Marco asked.
"Today we have four challengers! Two Animorphs, and two ... other Animorphs. AND WELCOME TO THE DRODE CHALLENGE!"
"WE ARE NOT A GAME SHOW!" Marco exploded.
I bet you're confused. Before, I had to do long introductions. Now all I have to say are two things.
My name is Tobias. And I am an Animorph.
I bet now you understand. Yesterday, I was a red-tailed hawk flying around the country.
I was- and still am- pissed at Jake at sending Rachel, the love of my life, on a suicide mission. But then Ax, my uncle and my best friend, was assimilated by the Blade Ship after it apparently it came alive.
So me, Jake, Marco, and two of Jake's students, Santorelli and Jeanne, stole a Yeerk vessel, which we dubbed "The Rachel" and tried to save Ax. The last thing I remember is Jake yelling "Ram the Blade Ship!", and I was knocked out. I woke up on a beach - not your average beach though. I'm talking no trees, crimson red water instead of blue, jagged rocks, hot red sand and a huge red sky. Crayak's world. But there was one problem; Jake was missing. And the only way we could find him is if we completed the Drode Challenge.
"Are you all ready?" the Drode cackled.
"What do we have to do?" Santorelli asked.
"Easy!" he hissed. "Swim into the sea, until you reach the bottom and find the crystal."
"And then we find Jake?" Marco asked.
"No. Then with the crystal you must travel through the Red Cave and place the crystal there."
"Where do we place it?" Jeanne. She was silent this whole time but now she was just staring at the Drode intently.
"You'll know where to place it when get there."
<I'm guessing there's more to it.>
"Right you are, bird boy!" The Drode now looked at me. "But you will find out as you go along."
"And then we get Jake back?" Santorelli asked.
The Drode smiled. "Your time starts now."
And with a snap of his fingers, the Drode disappeared, leaving the four of us, on the shores of Crayak's little beach. We had quite the challenge in front of us. But we had to do it, we had to save Jake. Our leader. Our friend. The guy who defeated the Yeerks. The guy who had saved Earth. The guy who had sent my Rachel off to her death.
"Should we trust this Drode?" Santorelli asked.
<He works for Crayak, and this is his world,> I explained. <And this is technically a game.>
"So if we pass this game, we're good to go," Jeanne said.
"It won't be so easy," Marco explained. "I bet there are a few creatures down there waiting for us."
"Alien sharks?" Santorelli scoffed. "No match for Earth's great white."
"You acquired a great white shark? That might work."
"I-I have a dolphin morph," Jeanne said. "That'd work too?"
<Dolphins have to come up for air. So it really all depends on how deep the sea is and where this crystal thing is,> I told her.
"Well, the French-American bureau of morphing department recently worked on sonar development. So we acquired dolphin for underwater sonar practice and bats for aerial sonar practice." Jeanne replied.
"Whatever, let's just do this already." Marco jumped into the water and began his hammerhead shark morph.
We waited a few seconds before Marco poked his hammerhead out of the water.
<It's not crystal clear, it's actually quite murky, but it's still visible enough,> he reported.
"Any creatures?"
<Not as far as I can see, dude,>
"Well, Marco, I don't know
how you can see," Santorelli began. "Your eyes are on opposite sides of your head."
<Shut up and morph.>
Santorelli and Jeanne slipped into the water and morphed into a great white shark and a bottlenose dolphin respectively.
I flew a bit overhead and tried to soar a bit but some kind of wind was pushing me back down. Clearly Crayak and the Drode wanted me grounded.
<The dolphin brain is going crazy!> Jeanne cried. <Two sharks!>
<There's about to be three,> I replied as I went into a nosedive and crashed into the water.
PAH-LOOSH. I was a hawk underwater. An unhappy hawk. The saltwater was stinging my eyes, but I could still make out the three bodies under the water. I focused my mind on the hammerhead shark and felt as my wet feathers retracted and as my eyes traveled to the left and right sides of my head. Speaking of my head, it became oblong and stretched out. My reddish tail feathers disappeared as a long, grey tail emerged. My wings hardened and became grey fins. Within seconds, I became a hammerhead shark.
<Cool transformation,> Santorelli noted. <I can now say I saw a bird become a shark. How many people can say that?>
<Let's get moving,> Marco said as he propelled himself further down to the seabed. We followed him.
