Forever People
By lawrenceliberty

1
August 1985

The paradise of Adon was no longer a paradise! The lush foliage and vegetation that once boasted beautiful flowers and bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables were threatened by torrential rains. The crystalline streams that refreshed and delighted the primitive natives were swirling whirlpools stirred by powerful winds. The blue skies were a brilliant red and the former sounds of laughter and music once produced by blissfully happy natives were replaced by screams of terror and weeping! The Adonites didn’t understand what had changed their world in so short a time. They didn’t know how to cope with the elements that threatened them. They were lost and afraid and felt bitterly alone in an unfeeling cosmos; however, luckily for them as the Crisis threatened their home with waves of white antimatter, they were not alone or without champions!

The Forever People, as the young generation of the community of Supertown of the celestial New Genesis, were sometimes called had been trapped on Adon for a while and in that period they had become fond of the natives and had adapted to their simple lifestyle. As pacifists they cherished peace and as heroes they were determined to protect their charges. They felt a responsibility to the Adonites since they came from the other dimensional city of highly evolved beings ruled by the wise and benevolent Highfather. He led by example and these children of Supertown were equally determined to be guides and protectors to those in need. They were not sure how long they had been trapped on Adon since time itself seemed to be another prisoner of the paradise planet. They could not tell if it had been years or merely weeks and for some reason beyond their ever-searching souls it didn’t really matter.

Mark Moonrider was a handsome dark haired youth who shared the values of love and peace and freedom of expression with his friends but the stalwart man was also more serious and took his role as de facto leader to heart. He would laugh and love like the others but he was always watching out for them too like an older brother or in the case of the lovely Beautiful Dreamer as a devoted lover.

He wore a green costume with orange boots and yellow and purple trim. He had an orange helmet around his face that protected his head but left his facial features uncovered. Mark and his friends were extremely close and this bond had existed ever since their births on New Genesis where their parents were also leaders in the Council of Elders and shared many duties in the governance of the community of remarkable beings of Supertown. They had been told upon their births that they had a shared destiny. There was something special about them and Highfather himself had smiled upon them with warmth and pleasure as he decreed that they would enjoy a closer communion with the Source than most of his community enjoyed.

Mark shook his head as he glanced around at the scenes of approaching disaster. The Source was a mysterious well of power and passion that guided destiny and enabled its children to develop along the desired pathways. He would not ponder any higher or deeper meaning at a time like this. He would just take action and do the best he could.

He saw a towering tree toppling over toward a fleeing family and he concentrated before released a surge of explosive energy from his hands that shattered the tree into harmless splinters. The grateful family offered him thanks and he smiled to reassure them. He was a skillful user of the megaton touch and his energy could be used precisely as he desired although he had sworn to never use it to take a life.

He saw Beautiful Dreamer approaching and he hurried to meet the black haired woman. She had large and expressive eyes and wore a brief pink dress with a broad black belt and fringed high heeled pink boots. She said, “Mark, I’m trying to calm everyone down by sending them good vibes but it is so hard to do when so much is happening at once!”

Beautiful Dreamer was gifted in her own way. She could project illusions or dreams merely by concentrating. She often drew such images directly from the minds of those she came in contact with in order to give them reassurance or in rare cases to frighten them or deceive them as needed. Of course, the idealistic young woman preferred to spread love and comfort and like her lover Mark, she would never willingly torment or kill another living being with her power. In spite of their peaceful intentions all of the young Forever People had completed combat training on their homeworld and were capable of defending themselves or others if needed.

“The answer my friends is blowing in the wind!” said a massive red haired, red bearded youth with a muscular physique, wise eyes, and an abundant good humor evident in his tone and mannerisms. Big Bear wore a furred vest and gold pants with orange gloves and blue-black boots. He covered the ground between them with huge strides made possible by his height and his ability to alter density. He often referred to his control over atomic structure or free flowing atoms which he could use to enhance his own durability or in rare cases to lower his density and mass to near intangible levels. Each of the remarkable youths could do more with their powers than was immediately evident.

“ We have to do something. This is one bad scene with no end in sight!” he cried as he clasped hands with Mark and Dreamer.

Mark said, “First, we need to get the folks to safety but just where is a refuge from something this all encompassing to be found?”

Vykin appeared and said, “Mother Box is unsure. She doesn’t have an answer. This crisis is beyond even her ability to control!” he declared. Vykin carried their Mother Box which was once simplistically called a living computer in an effort to make sense of their other worldly entity to a mortal mind. Vykin could talk to Mother Box more easily than any of the others and this was only natural since the handsome and brilliant black man was a technopath! He could feel the meaning within circuits and wires and metal and gears spoke to his heart as someone else might understand an infant or a beloved pet. He wore a blue and green costume and his helmet enabled him to track Mother Box if they were separated. Of course, as his friends sometimes teased him, he didn’t really need such help since he was almost one with the amazing creation of New Genesis wonder working.

A series of loud pings echoed from the Mother Box and the others listened carefully.

“Mother Box says the changes in weather are secondary to the approaching antimatter waves!” said Big Bear.

Mark said, “Any ideas?”

Vykin said, “A slight possibility exists but I’d rather cling to any hope than curse the darkness!”

Beautiful Dreamer smiled and said, “All nightmares have to end eventually!”

Mark said, “What is it? Tell us more, Vykin!

Vykin said, “ As you know we reconstructed the Supercycle after being here a while. It was something to do and it was fun!”

Mark said, “Right. It was a blast. Totally out of sight to hear that marvel motor hum again but we can’t go anywhere. I mean it gets us around Adon but not off of it. We can’t escape from Adon nor can we possibly evacuate everyone one on the Supercycle even if we restructure it to accommodate more passengers!”

Vykin said, “The Supercycle works by locking on the electron road and phasing us from one spot to another. The weird barrier that surrounds this world has kept us here since we arrived but just maybe if we remove all shielding from the phase drive we can phase everyone out of sync with reality long enough for the waves of antimatter to pass by.”

“You mean move the whole planet? What an incredible idea!” said Beautiful Dreamer.

Vykin grinned and said, “Thank you. I don’t mean move it . I mean we could warp it temporarily away and then bring it right back in the same spot after the peril has passed! Mother Box says it might work!”

Big Bear slammed one fist into his other palm. “Works for me, buddy! Let’s get going. We’ll need Serifan too. Where is the kid?”

Mark said, “He was hanging out with the family he likes so much. You know, down in the village!”

At that moment a slender blond youth ran into view. He wore a dark blue cowboy hat that was studded with small bullet-shaped capsules. He had innocent features and his entire costume was modeled after a psychedelic version of Earth’s Old West. He wore a green kerchief around his neck and an orange striped shirt with white pants and blue boots.

Serifan was the youngest of the Forever People and he was a “sensitive” able to intuitively know things about his surroundings that might have escaped the notice of those who were less aware. He carried cosmic cartridges that served different functions. He dismissed their purposes by calling them probes, sensitizers, and such but he knew he could work miracles with the multitude of capsules he wore on his hat and most of their power came from his own will power. If he believed they could do something they usually could. He often used a blue cartridge to receive heightened awareness of the world around him. He was gentle and often enjoyed just thinking but not in the intellectual sense Vykin the technopath or Moonrider the leader did.

He said, “I’m sorry I’m late. I was trying to help in the village! What are we going to do, Mark?”

Mark said, “We’ll figure something out! We always do, chum!”

Mark’s smile was meant to reassure the others although he felt some trepidation as he led them forward to where their vehicle the Supercycle was parked near an open glade. The craft resembled a massive motorcycle of sorts but it was as far beyond such a mundane vehicle as the Forever People were superior to typical teens. Big Bear was the customary pilot although Mark and he enjoyed an ongoing joke about his questionable skills in that capacity.

The Forever People took the Supercycle out on a desperate high speed journey through the village and they rescued as many villagers as possible from the elements or simple accidents as they raced for safety.

Big Bear used his control over atoms to alter the atomic structure of the village full of natives until they were nearly devoid of mass.

Vykin used his own fantastic control of the magnaforce along with help from Mother Box and aid from one of Serifan’s cosmic cartridges to magnetically attract and then contain them all in a force field until they gently reached one spot- an open glade known as Woodstock. All the while Dreamer was sending out happy images to soothe the startled locals. Moonrider watched tensely as his own power seemed of less use at the time.

They worked swiftly as Mother Box pinged additional suggestions and Vykin seemed to join his essence with the Supercycle in an unseen meeting of mind and metal.

Slowly, a wave of energy swept out from the now exposed warp core and the five heroes and their nearby crowd of friends were enveloped in energies that warped them out of reality and returned them to a now calm world!

“It’s over! The sky and the weather are normal. Everything is cool again!” cried Serifan with a joyous laugh.

Beautiful Dreamer hugged them one by one and Big Bear bellowed with laughter.

“The Crisis has passed. Whatever caused it has stopped. Mother Box says so!” he yelled.

Vykin smiled in return. “Brother, you said a mouthful! I don’t understand how it worked but we are safe again. Adon and its people are safe!”

Dreamer said, “I can feel it too. Good thoughts! Sunshine days!”

Serifan threw himself down on a grassy field and said, “This is living, man! I can sense how happy everyone is. I’m trippin’ on their joy! It is a high of pure goodness!”

Thus, the Forever People managed to save their new home of Adon from the Crisis! In the time that followed, be it weeks or years, they could not say due to the timeless nature of the planet,  they enjoyed being with their friends but then at some unknown point later, they debated briefly a new and exciting option.

“What if we used our talents to sort of help the Adonites along the path of progress. We could turn the place into a modern wonderland!” said Moonrider.

Serifan grinned and said, “Whoa! We could get them into the era of the West with a little bit of Mother Box magic!”

Big Bear said, “No way! The Old West was romantic and you groove to it but it also was full of violence and racism and a whole lot of bad mojo these folks don’t need!”

Serifan looked chagrined. “What was I thinking? They are our friends not some kind of experiment like something Metron would whip up!”

“Metron? He is one happenin’ dude!” said Vykin as they talked about the super scientist and rationalist of New Genesis.

Dreamer said, “He’s so cold though. I doubt he even has dreams!”

Big Bear grinned. “Maybe he dreams about a female Metron! She could sit on his lap while he pilots that wild chair of his through space and time!”

Vykin said, “Now I’m going to have that image stuck in my brain all day!”

Moonrider said, “Seriously, I think we have to be true to ourselves. Remember, what code we live by? Our only objective is to stop those who won’t let us live our way!”

Serifan said, “Right on! We can’t be telling others how to live. We would be as bad as Darkseid if we tried to change how the

Adonites think or feel about stuff!”

Dreamer said, “He kidnapped me because he thought he could tap into some understanding of the anti-life equation that was in my sleeping mind. He wanted to use it to enslave the world!”

Moonrider kissed her gently and said, “That was when we left Supertown for the first time. We didn’t even ask Highfather’s permission. We had to find you!”

Vykin shrugged as he said, “And when we did rescue you, we learned that tyrant couldn’t even access the equation from you because of your own unique abilities.

Big Bear said, “And we met Superman! Now, he is totally righteous!”

Dreamer smiled and said, “If you’ll excuse the expression, he is dreamy!”

They laughed and agreed once more that using their gifts to influence the evolutionary progress of the Adonites would be wrong and against all they stood for as five young people who above all else wanted to be free to be themselves!

“Love is understanding! We got to be free! Those lyrics from Earth sum it all up!” said Moonrdier.

Big Bear added, “Yeah, love is the answer and you know that for sure! The thing is, we know love is infinite and exists everywhere. I wonder what happened to the Infinite Man though? He was our benefactor and he said he came from distant realms of time and space where natural laws didn’t apply. I took that to mean he could be more than one place at a time! And yet now he’s a real Nowhere Man!”

Dreamer placed one hand on the big man’s chest and said, “We all miss him. He used to come when we said the word and then we’d share all he experienced until he said it again and vanished while we returned to where we were when we said the word!”

Serifan said, “But where did we go when he came? I never have known!”

Big Bear said, “None of us remember anything except experiencing what Infinity Man did while he took our place in times of danger. I do know I always felt super good when I came back!”

Vykin smiled and said, “Yes, I did too. I just felt refreshed in some way!”

Mother Box pinged softly and Vykin grinned again.

“She’s right. We were with the Source! The Source embraced us when we said Taaru!”

Dreamer said, ”That is lovely but it feels so right! I suppose Infinity Man lived in the Source itself until we summoned him!”

Moonrider said, “We could only summon him by joining together with Mother Box and saying the word Taaru which means love in some lost tongue! I think that ability ….that gift…was what Highfather meant when he told our parents we would walk closely with the Source!”

Serifan said, “But it doesn’t work now! Ever since that fiend Darkseid attacked Infinity Man he’s been lost to us!”

Vykin said, “It is kind of like how we’ve all been trapped here on Adon behind that energy field ever since Devilance’s and Infinity Man exploded!”

A tall orange -hued humanoid with a blue and green body suit that left his arms and legs bare appeared before them. He smiled benignly.

It was the Infinity Man as a dream image or illusion conjured up from their minds by Dreamer.

“I can almost hear his voice. He was so wise and so kind!” she sighed.

Moonrider hugged her and said, “He’ll be back. I still believe that. I do wonder something though. Is the barrier around this world the same as the Source Wall?”

“No, Mark, buddy. I think it is different. I mean the Source Wall isn’t a real wall although we see it as a wall and it acts like it has the physical properties of a wall. It contains the origin of the Source but it isn’t a wall except that’s how our minds see it. We couldn’t conceive its true nature. I think Adon is just covered by a force field of some kind that resists all our efforts to break it or go through it!”

The Forever People exchanged startled glances as they heard a new voice at the same moment.

“Who is that? He has a real calming tone but I’ve never heard him before and we know all the villagers!” said Dreamer.

Serifan said, “He’s new to me and I spend more time in the village than the rest of you!”

The saw some of the villagers they knew assembled in the grassy glade they called Woodstock.

“Sisters and Brothers, who is he?” asked Serifan as he approached some young boys and girls and slapped palms with them.

He nodded toward the melodious speaker who was an older man with a bald head and a rather bland if pleasant face. He was dressed in white pants and a gold and white tunic.

“I am Master Peace! I welcome you here. You are the Forever People and yet aren’t we all Forever People if we live in harmony!” he said smiling.

Moonrider said, “Well put! I can get behind what you’re saying but where did you come from Master Peace!”

He gestured broadly and said, “I have always been here but I have spent a long time in solitary meditation!”

Serifan smiled and said, “Man! I am so into T.M. myself!”

Vykin said, “I guess in our travels around the planet on Supercycle we just missed you! I mean the place is covered with forests and caves!”

Master Peace said, “Of course. I returned here because I want to share such harmony with my people! You are welcome to share in the exchange of welcome and acceptance!”

Big Bear smiled broadly and said, “Sounds like a love in! Count me in, Maharishi!”

He and Serifan hurried forward as Vykin hesitated and then joined them.

Lingering behind, Dreamer said, “What a nice old man! Strange, though. I didn’t get any dreams or images when my power brushed across his mind. I’d never intrude on someone’s private thoughts but I usually see the color of their dream aura and he has none!”

Mark said, “I don’t trust him. I mean I do like him. He’s so cool but he seems to be hiding something. Am I acting like an old guy judging anyone new to me?”

“Things aren’t always black and white! I think we all judged people and things in absolutes when we were kids but like the Earth song says we’re younger than that now and we embrace everyone and all they need is to be individuals!” said Dreamer.

Mark said, “I’m glad I’ve got you, Babe!”

They followed the others and witnessed a strange ceremony of singing and the sharing of embraces and weeping as Master Peace smiled and urged them all to choose harmony above all else!

The ceremony or celebration had barely ended when a shadow fell across the gathering. It was like a wall of blackness that no light could penetrate. It was chilling cold and it frightened the Adonites! Master Peace was nowhere to be seen and his calming presence was sorely needed as the villagers experienced a horrible sensation of loss and anger and hate!

Serifan reeled backward as Mark caught him and steadied him.

“Mark, I feel sick! That shadowy thing is raging with bad vibes!”

He said, “I got to try the blue cartridge! If I can get a feel for what it is I can understand it!”

Moonrider said, “That might be risky, kid!”

Dreamer said, “I’m ill too. That thing gives me nightmares as I look at it.”

Big Bear held her as Vykin studied Mother Box and said, “It is a manifestation of the darkest elements of human nature. It is something like Darkseid would use to go to sleep at night!”

Big Bear said, “Well, maybe, I am being swayed by all the hate it gives off but I won’t let it hurt anybody!”

He rushed forward and swung one massive fist at the looming shadow. He struck it and an inky matter covered his arm.

“I’m numb... in a bad way!” he said. He struggled to pull free and did so with considerable effort.

Moonrider charged forward to help his friend but even his explosive megaton touch failed to do anything but shatter the shadow being for seconds before it reformed and continued its relentless march toward the frightened villagers!

Serifan studied it as he clutched a gleaming blue colored cartridge he had removed from his hat.

“I can’t commune with that thing. It repels my every attempt. I can only detect what I did before. It is full of anger and hate and envy!” he whispered.

Dreamer held him closely for a moment and then Vykin said, “It is not mechanical. I can’t touch it nor can my magna force affect it!”

Dreamer said, “It exists on a purely spiritual level!”

“Where is Master Peace?” asked one of the villagers.

“I am greater than that weak fool. I am Sensei Sin!” cried the shadow as it suddenly changed into a man with long red hair and blood red eyes. He wore a cloak of black and like his earlier shadow stuff form, no light reflected from his garment.

The Forever People hesitated. They knew their values of peace and love were greater than Sensei Sin’s dark emotions but what could they do to stop him?

Suddenly, Serifan smiled and he caught Mother Box as Vykin held the computer.

“Say it! Join me! The blue cartridge showed me we can do it now!” he yelled.

They rushed forward and trusting their friend’s assurances in spite of what felt like years of failure, they joined contact with Mother Box and as one shouted the Word- Taaru!

Suddenly, they were gone and in their place stood the powerful Infinity Man!

He raised his eyes toward the sun and spread his arms wide.

“Sensei Sin! Master Peace! My ability to detect thoughts of the enemy makes your true nature all too clear. You have two name and two natures but you are one being. What Master Peace does is give peace but what happens to the negative emotions when he offers such harmony? They form his other half the malevolent Sensei Sin! What you fail to see is that your narrow view limits you. What is harmony or hate,  cruelty or compassion in the infinite!” he said.

He gestured and a barrage of energy erupted from the glowing nimbus that surrounded his dynamic form.

The Infini-beam struck Sensei Sin and his demeanor flickered back and forth from the shadowy Sensei Sin to the blandly benign Master Peace! The alteration continued again and again until the power dimmed to reveal one shaken humanoid with calm blue eyes, red hair and a bewildered expression.

“I am neither Peace nor Sin!” he stammered.

“You are both and you are neither as are most of those who take part in the human condition!” declared the Infinity Man in a stentorian tone of voice.

The villagers came forward one at a time and helped the altered being to his feet. They led him away to rest and eat and find a common humanity that did not wildly embrace either extreme.

Infinity Man said, “These noble Adonites show love and compassion to one who toyed with their souls. I find hope for humanity in their actions! Taaru!”

He spoke the Word and suddenly the Forever People returned only to face the unexpected. The Infinity Man was gone as had always been the case upon the use of the word Taaru but in his place stood not only the five friends but also a burly man with a short beard and wide eyes that looked at them with a calm affection.

“Who is he? How did the Infinity Man come back after so long?” cried Vykin.

Mother Box pinged loudly and the Forever People smiled in unison.

Serifan cried out, “He is the Infinity Man!”

The burly man smiled briefly and said, “Correct, son. I was lost in union with the Source until something happened to finally erode the wall of force around this world. I could not return to it for I had been here before nor could I answer your summons! The force field around Adon defied my might!”

Vykin said, “The barrier around Adon is weakening at last! The Crisis energies did it! It took time and we can’t say how long because of the timeless nature of this world but it finally shattered the wall that kept us here! Mother Box confirms it!”

Dreamer said, “The destruction of that energy barrier explains how you were able to come back to us but why are you here with us and in that new form? You have pretty eyes!”

He said, “Knowledge of my past is mine for a brief time only. The breaking down of the wall around this world has also broken temporarily the rules that governed my existence in the past. Sadly, all awareness of my true nature will fade from all minds as will this precious ability to actually stay with you, my children!”

Vykin said, “Then the barrier around this world must be as powerful as the origin of your own powers!”

He nodded and said, “Yes, but the nature of that power is unknown even to me!”

Moonrider, ever practical, said, “Sir, who are you?”

The once and future Infinity Man said, “You know I always identified myself as an agent for Justice from beyond the Source Wall with powers that are not governed by normal laws of time and space. One such law prevents a being from existing in two places at once. I have never been bound by that law since I partake of Infinity itself!”

Big Bear said, “Heavy! You come from beyond the Source Wall! How did you ever get there? Were you born there?”

The burly man said, “No. I will tell you my story and it concerns the one you all know and dread: Darkseid. After your banishment to Adon, Darkseid dared to break through the Source Wall itself in his quest for power. In doing so he defied laws of time and space and was shattered by his own minions when he approached their realm after being transformed into a hapless Prometheian Giant. Beings who try to breach the Source Wall suffer such fates. They become nothing more than monoliths that pay silent witness forever to their hubris and folly.”

“He’s gone! Really! I can’t say I’ll miss him!” said a smiling Big Bear.

“No. Darkseid’s sense of self was so strong he managed to return with the help of his minions and some pawns from multiple Earths!” said the man with the kind eyes.

“Yet he was altered in some way!” said Vykin.

The other man nodded and said, “Truly the wisdom of youth amazes me!”

“Darkseid entered a realm beyond the Source Wall and was shattered but in that time beyond time, in that realm of infinite possibilities, a part of him was redeemed by such union with Source and was hurled back through time without malice or memory. He existed as a new being separated from his original evil self. And in this new form he knew nothing of his true nature except that he communed with the Source and he existed solely to champion Justice!”

Serifan gasped as he jumped up and said, “You are him! I mean you are the Infinity Man but the Infinity Man is and has always been a purified, good vibes version of Darkseid!”

He said, “Yes, I admit you simplify things but your true heart sees the truth. The redeemed Darkseid lived anew to battle all his old self stood for and with the power of the Source he became the Infinity Man. He was bound to answer the cry of Taaru from you five since it is your destiny to walk closely with the Source as none before you have ever done.”

“So, the Source Wall energy split Darkseid into two beings. His old evil self and a new heroic version called the Infinity Man. Neither of you knew the truth though? asked Moonrider.

“No, as the Infinity Man I existed beyond the Source Wall until I was summoned when you needed me. Then, you took my place within the realm and experienced all I experienced when we exchanged places again. Thus, you only recalled a feeling of renewal and peace upon your return!’

“I battled my other self and will continue to do so now that I am free and you are free to leave Adon since the Crisis energies finally saturated and shattered the wall around this timeless world.”

“Neither Darkseid nor I can retain our memory of our true natures. He will remain my enemy and consumed by evil while I remain his foe and the servant of Justice! You deserved to know the truth but that memory will fade when I depart!”

He vanished once more and the Forever People and perhaps Mother Box herself forgot his story. They only knew Infinity man in his orange hued form had returned to them when they cried Taaru because the Adon force field had been shattered over time by the energies of the Crisis.

They exchanged glances and hugged for a moment before Vykin said, “We can leave now! I can sense that the Supercycle will now work should we try to hug the electron road and leave Adon!

Moonrider said, “Yeah! I want t do so. I want to see more and experience more! I want to be free!”

Dreamer said, “We shall be but we must say goodbye to the people of Adon. They have been so good to us!”

Big Bear said, “I want to know how long we’ve been here. Can you tell us Mother Box? Now that the barrier is down can you lay the truth on our souls?”

Mother Box pinged a reply and they nodded in response.

“She says we still have work to do here!” said Big Bear.

Serifan pointed upward and said, “I think that’s the work we have to do! Look! A giant!”

He gestured to where a massive being in humanoid form but clad in gleaming red and gold armor loomed high above the village. He was impressive with his giant size and his silent majesty.

“He’s a space being known by many names across the galaxy. He’s an Eternal! An Immortal! He’s a Celestial! He put the force barrier around this world and he has a tie to the Source! He and his brethren travel to worlds and encase them in a barrier so their natural development can’t be interfered with by outside races. Then, at a set time they return to judge if the world is worthy to continue living!” cried Dreamer.

“His thoughts are so lofty like a dream I can detect them without even trying!” she explained.

Moonrider said, “He must be here because he detected the breakdown of his barrier!”

Big Bear said, “He can’t destroy the people or their world! We have to stop him!”

He said, “He’s too big to subdue physically but maybe I can glom onto the free flowing atoms around us and add them to my mass!”
He began to concentrate and he grew larger and larger until he matched the stature of the Eternal!

“I come in peace, Dude! Can we reason together and leave the cool people below to live in tranquility!” he said.

The Eternal made no sound but his silence did not stop Big Bear or the other Forever People.

Dreamer said, “People can’t be judged on what they do. They do good and bad. We all make mistakes. We all touch of the divine from time to time. We love. We hate. We live and learn. Can someone so grand understand how special it is to be human?”

Serifan ran into the village and returned with a woman, a boy, and an infant.

“Emba and her kids came with me. Surely, seeing the wonder of a baby and the love of a family will make this big guy see how he should let them live!” he yelled.

He withdrew a cosmic cartridge from his hat and held it out toward the giant with trembling hands.

“I’m going to try to raise his consciousness so we can rap with him!” he said.

Slowly, as Dreamer focused her own images of harmony and the power of one mother’s love for her children from Emba and her baby and stepson to the giant, and Serifan’s cosmic cartridge expanded the awareness of them all and attempted to reach into the fathomless depths of the alien giant’s mind, the Eternal raised one huge hand and gave a thumbs up gesture!

“He got the message! There’s nothing funny about peace, love, and understanding. All you need is love!” said Moonrider.

The Eternal, having judged the Adonites worthy of survival, departed in a silent rush of power that illuminated the sky and flickered away like a falling star.

“Heavy! Totally heavy!” said Big Bear as he regained his normal size and Mark and Vykin rushed forward to steady the much weakened man.

Vykin said, “So these Eternals partake of the Source in some way or at least have the power to contain or alter the Infinity Man’s nature. That was why their barrier kept him out until now!”

Beautiful Dreamer said, “I think it shows the miracle that is life in all its many forms!”

Serifan said, ‘I think I’ll go say goodbye to Anthro and the other villagers! I’m going to miss them! I sure hope they won’t forget us!”

Big Bear said, “We never did learn how much time has passed since we were stranded here. Let’s visit Earth again and Supertown too!”

Moonrider said, “Old pal, the sky is the limit. I’d say we can go beyond Forever itself as long as we have each other and the Source!”

The End