Maria read aloud from Dr. Wilkins' letter.

Dear Miss DeLuca,

Spurred on by your enthusiasm for this poem, I worked hard on translating more. I believe I have finally discovered the missing key. If I am correct in my findings during the last half then we have much to worry about. I'm sorry for not being here in person but I need to clarify a few things before revealing the entire poem to you. Here's the completely first half.

Jeffery Wilkins

PS I have deciphered the meanings of the three names. Uriah means confidence, Zimri means endurance, and Tarikan means passion.

Once upon a time,
Three were born to shine.
Triplets by the Sphona,
Uriah, Zimri, and Tarikan.

Destined to be the legend,
The mystical trinity.
Some say they were equal,
Some say not.

Both cursed and blessed by Him.
One destined to rise above,
Two to lead the way.
Hidden from forces of sinister.

Untapped and unknowing,
Leading lives in Toki itself,
Until the day when the Tertius
Sees the world for what it is

Awakening the interpreter,
Who brings the truth to mind.
The memories are slow and fast,
Terrifying and calming.

They have their place,
To rid Lantica of this evil,
A Dark Angel, Claurican, comes,
And Lantica is to die.

The Zaide is brave and strong,
He does not betray.
But Kelznoz is weak,
And reveals all.

Claurican travels to destroy
The hero, the one called Savior.
Bound to fail, but determined to win
The Holy Three march together.

Trusting instinct over courage.

"What do you think he found?" Isabel asked, her nervousness evident in her wildly tapping fingers.

"What I'm more worried about is the whole going after this… dark angel guy and saving our world," Michael cut in, massaging his temples. This was getting out of control. All he wanted to do was find a nice normal home, but NO, he couldn't get that. He got a home in peril, which relied on him to save their asses before welcoming him. "This sucks," he muttered under his breath.

A small, tentative hand slipped around his, instantly forming an eerie connection. All of Maria's feelings seemed to surround him and it was surprisingly comforting. She was emoting fear and pain yet her confidence in him to keep her safe touched Michael deeply.

"Do you feel that?" Maria whispered, squeezing his hand even tighter.

"Feel what?" Max asked, eyeing her carefully.

She opened her mouth as if to say something and then snapped it shut. Then Maria shook his head as if to cast off her confusion as she might a veil. "Something's coming," she finally whispered solemnly. Michael felt a shiver pass through her body and into his. He held her tighter much to his own benefit. "Can't you feel it? It's in the air…"

No one knew quite what to say. They acknowledged her insight without question but what now? How did one go about saving a world? It wasn't like there was a rulebook or anything.

Max cleared his throat. "Well, let's get out of here before it gets dark."

The car ride was shorter than expected. Once they hit Main Street, they were bombarded with flashing lights and sirens.

"Oh god!" Maria cried, standing up in her seat trying to get a better view of the surrounded Crashdown. "Liz!"

***

"I can't believe she's gone. I just can't believe it."

Max stopped the jeep in front of Michael's apartment building. "Maria, we'll find her, I promise."

She nodded vigorously as if the movement would alleviate her fears and doubts.

Michael hopped to the ground and held out a hand to Maria.

"Max, we need to go now. I promised mom that we'd be home before eight."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Michael, don't let Maria out of your sight."

Maria watched the car drive away from them before realizing that she had all her things at her house.

"Feel like taking a walk?" she asked.

"Why would you want to take a walk at a time like this?"

She grinned sheepishly. "I want to go to my house to pick up my tooth brush."

***

A dog was howling two or three houses down the street-a small wimpy dog, from the sound of it. Then a larger dog joined in. They sensed death, didn't they? They knew he was here.

The girl and boy came into view along the deserted sidewalk.

It was too tempting. He knew he couldn't do anything permanent but he needed a little fun once in a while. Too bad he had to get back.

BUT a little fun never hurt… at least not him.

Corey snapped his fingers and then ran off towards the desert grinning like the Cheshire cat.

***

Maria stiffened causing Michael's heart to race.

"What? What is it?" he whispered.

"I don't know… I-"

"Maria!" The cry was faint but they both heard it loud and clear.

"Mom?" she asked, her voice taking on a childlike quality.

"Wait… you mom's not supposed to be home for another two days, right?" Michael asked, confused.

"Maria… help me."

She needed no more prompting as she leapt into action, running as fast as she could after the voice with Michael right behind her.

They turned the corner and saw Amy DeLuca sitting calmly on a bus stop bench.

"Mom?"

"Yes, honey. It's me… mother. You have been a VERY naughty girl!" At that her face began to liquefy into a horrifying sight. It was a mix between a wolf and what Maria would later refer to as a jelly monster due to it's jiggly and wet substance.

"Oh shit!" Michael breathed, grabbing Maria's hand and slowly backing away. "What the hell is that?"

"What you don't recognize your girlfriend's mother?" The creature stood up, dripping trails of goo on the ground. It's body shook as it started to change form.

"You are not my mom!" Maria screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"Of course not dear." The voice slurred into a deep, gruff one. Michael could hardly hear anything except his own heart beat. It seemed that with each pound the monster morphed a little bit more.

"Maria, run!" he called, pushing her in the direction of his apartment. He wasn't sure what he was going to do but whatever it was he needed to do it now before that THING finished changing shape.

He turned and saw Maria stumbling down the sidewalk before checking out the surrounding houses for any prying eyes. Michael wondered why this neighborhood seemed to be virtually deserted at eight o'clock on a Saturday night.

He raised his hand and felt the power surge through his body and out his palm. When the bright light faded, Michael saw a large wolf in place of the thing before it AND it was hardly phased.

"Shit!" he screamed, feeling the panic swell in his chest making it difficult to breathe. So he did the only thing that she had left to do.

He ran.

***

Liz flinched as Corey entered the cold cabin. He seemed to be in a good mood, which terrified her.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice. "Are you an… alien?"

Corey smiled. "My name is Claurican… and, well… I'm not from around here."

That's just great. An evil alien with a sense of humor. What next? A juggling cow? "Who isn't?" she bit back sarcastically. "Why me? I don't understand."

"You, my dear," he said, placing his fingers under her chin. "Are the visionary… the Teritus' true love. I can't have you revealing anything important now, can I? That would just ruin all my fun."

"Then why haven't you just killed me?" Crap! Shut up, Liz before you give him any ideas.

"I can only harm them when they are together. You, sweetheart, are the bait."

***

The door was slammed shut, locked, and a bookshelf moved in front of it before Michael allowed himself to catch his breath.

A noise startled him and he flew around, ready to attack when he realized it was just Maria sobbing uncontrollably on the floor, cradling her hurt wrist.

"Come here," he whispered, joining her on the floor and scooping her up into his arms. They had barely escaped the rabid wolf thing and Michael wasn't sure what would come at them next. He needed to be prepared but all he wanted to do was curl up with Maria and sleep.

It was hard to believe that just three days ago all this girl had done was annoy him. Now, he could picture a future. And not just any future, but one with her on Earth.

He had never wanted to get married or have kids but now he found himself contemplating names for his son as if it were the meaning of life.

A brush with death could stir up peculiar thoughts.

***

Having recently brushed against death, Maria was more aware than usual of her mortality. Life was finite. In the busyness of daily life, that truth was often forgotten.

She had so much left to experience, so much more to learn. And she wanted to do it all with Michael. She knew that now.