Free The Soldiers of Halla by D.J. MacHale Page B

we’ve got left. But I’ll tell you something I do believe. I don’t think that saving Third Earth is as important as how we save it,” Uncle Press answered.
    We all exchanged confused glances. We had no idea what he was talking about, which was pretty much par for the course even at this late date.
    â€œMake no mistake, we are on our last legs,” Uncle Press continued. “The spirits of Solara no longer have the ability to move through the physical worlds. They are all here now. Or at least, what’s left of them. There is no way of knowingwhat is happening throughout Halla, except through your eyes.”
    â€œUs?” Siry said in surprise. “How can we know what is happening out there? We’re trapped here too. And the flumes are destroyed.”
    â€œYou’ve all heard how the creation of the Travelers was our only hope to stop Saint Dane. That is still true now. More than ever. The spirits of Solara have gathered back here in order to channel their remaining energy to you. To us. I’ll be with you until the end.”
    â€œWell, there’s one spot of good news!” Spader declared, trying to be positive.
    â€œThat’s how we will be able to maintain a physical presence and make our final stand. The remaining positive spiritual energy that exists in Solara is being channeled to us. The Travelers.”
    Aja looked glum. “Nothing like a little pressure.”
    Alder said, “But if there are no flumes, we will be unable to travel.”
    â€œYou don’t need the flumes anymore,” Uncle Press declared.
    That made everybody start talking at once. I was right there with them. What the heck did that mean?
    â€œWhoa, whoa!” Uncle Press called out, trying to get everybody to settle.
    I said, “I think you better explain that.”
    â€œSaint Dane created the flumes to connect the territories. He wanted technology and physical items, and ultimately people, to travel freely and blend all the worlds. To converge. He was able to travel between territories whenever he wanted and from wherever he happened to be. He stepped from one world into the sea of time and space, and right intothe next world, instantly, effortlessly. You all experienced it yourselves when you arrived here from Third Earth.”
    That was exactly what happened. My family and I took two steps—the first on Third Earth, the second here in mysterious lavaland. But the idea that we could have been doing that all along made me a little, oh, what’s the word? Angry. Yeah. Angry is a good word. None of the other Travelers looked too happy either.
    Loor was the only one who had the discipline to ask the question calmly. “Was there a reason that we were not told of this ability?” she asked.
    Uncle Press answered with equal calm. “Because you didn’t have it before.”
    â€œWhy not?” was my obvious follow-up. “It would have made things a little simpler, don’t you think?”
    â€œFor one, we wanted to maintain the illusion that you were natural to your own territory. By hitchhiking through Saint Dane’s flumes, you didn’t need to know of your true origins.”
    â€œNot a good enough answer,” I said, testy.
    â€œBut the main reason is that the flumes were there. They worked. Changing your physical selves to step in and out of the sea of time and space would have been too great of a drain on Solara. The same would have happened if you changed your physical beings the way Saint Dane did. Each time he became a different person, he took more of the spirit of Solara along with him. If you all did the same thing, we wouldn’t be talking to each other right now. That’s how draining it is for us to manipulate matter.”
    Spader jumped forward. “You mean we have the same spiff powers as Saint Dane?”
    â€œNo,” I countered. “No way. I tried to change myself,more than once. Unless there was