At last!
Jordan knows she’s dreaming, but she’s awake all the same. The woman is there, her guide, and there’s a wall of light. Jordan knows she’s supposed to step through.
Adam is off doing something or other for school, so he’s out of the house. Her parents are home, but asleep of course. They won’t mind, right? Every time she’s mentioned being a princess, mom and dad just nodded and smiled approvingly. They’re going to be so proud of her! Not everybody’s daughter gets to be a princess, right? They’re gonna like this.
She decides to leave a note anyway. The woman just smiles, and waits.
She steps through the glowing wall, and finds herself strangely changed. The floor is further away! Her arms look weird. Her hands too. She glances down at herself, trying to orient to this. Oh, duh, I grew up. Right! I knew that was gonna happen.
She feels herself walking forward, like she’s only partially in control of herself. Where is she? Oh yeah, she’s at the top of some hugely tall massive tower, like a lighthouse where the clouds are underneath you. Through gaps in the clouds, she sees a city that’s all yellow and orange and metallic. The sun is harsh and bright, and it’s the wrong color. Ohh, I’m gonna be made a princess on another planet, like Etheria! I got summoned here!
Jordan is awfully proud of herself for figuring this all out so fast.
“It’s ten years in your future,” the woman tells her. “The ceremony is ready. Do you know what you need to do?”
She hears herself say “I understand, and I am ready.” She’s not sure she does, but that questioning thought brings to mind the knowledge. She is gonna go through another light wall, and there’s gonna be a temple. That’s the big stone building underground. And when the time comes, she’s gonna reach for a star, and it’s gonna become her sword, if she’s worthy.
The light wall opens up again, and she steps through. What is she wearing, anyway? It’s not her jammies. Some kinda robe. The robe of an Acolyte, her mind prompts her. Whatever that is.
An Acolyte seeks the power of the Void, to fight for independence and freedom.
Sounds princessy, alright. What’s the Void?
A rush of memories come back. Of the day she was taken from Earth, years ago. She was trained, made ready, for the war against… who?
The Concordance.
So the Void is the good guys? But Adam is part of the Concordance, right? Adam is a good guy!
The Concordance hurt Adam. I can never forgive them.
Oh, they’re definitely bad guys then.
Jordan finds herself in the temple. She’s standing with other Ankle-ites. There’s some - who are these guys? - Wardens - there’s some Wardens nearby.
She watches the light of the temple change, and move. She watches the distant sky change. New stars slide into place.
One of them calls to her.
Jordan reaches out with her hand. “I’m here,” she whispers. “I’ll be your friend.”
The shaft of light descends.
Just like that, the ritual is finished. There wasn’t a transformation sequence or anything. Jordan feels a little cheated. But the - what is this called? - Continuum Sword - in her hand pulses with power. She knows, if it were important, that she could transform herself.
There’s a talking tiara, too. She feels it speaking to her.
I am Antares Alpha-One. I am the Heart of the Scorpion. I am your Shard, Agent Amari. You are my Host.
I’m a princess now!