“Okay, so the first thing you need to know is that the problem is not alternate realities for us, it’s time travel. Or rather protecting it.” Cameron spoke to them all as they gathered around a table that was projection images and documents that seemed to make no sense.
“So, why the need to protect it? And what does this have to do with alternate realities?”
“Okay, that’s the complicated part- because we don’t truly know. Remember how we said some believe the TimeSource to be the Tree of Life? Well, running on that theory – only because it’s the best one we’ve found – we are assuming that the TimeSource is an actual, physical, thing that can be touched. Now, according to these legends, the TimeSource was removed from the garden when Adam and Eve sinned so that they could not use it again. However, it was no completely removed from earth. Instead, its branches were split so that they spread out in different directions and it was hidden in a dimension all of its own.”
“So basically it created its very own safe haven that no one could get to.”
“Something like that. Anyways, guardians were set to protect the tree from any attempts to use it to travel time. However, you can’t protect something that you can’t even get to. So, in case of an emergency, clues were left throughout the realities to lead one to the TimeSource.”
“Like a treasure map.”
“Yeah,” Aaron responded, “except this is a treasure map that’s cut into a million tiny pieces that lead to each other through impossible clues and can only be reached with another map to get you to the right island. Oh, and the treasure that you’re looking for could even be a hoax.”
“Thank you, Aaron, for that optimistic message.”
“So why exactly are we looking for this, if only the guardians are ever supposed to reach it?”
“Well,” Cameron pulled up an image of an ancient pot with faded hieroglyphics on it, Simply put- because the guardians don’t exist. Or rather, they don’t exist anymore. If the TimeSource really exists, then the guardians did at some point. But the TimeSource has continued even through today in literature and myths, but the guardians disappeared. They are gone, but the TimeSource is not.”
“But The Company is after the TimeSource now, and they’re four steps ahead of us. The Company used to be Black Company, but without Black… well, it hasn’t come up with a name yet so we’re just calling it The Company. OH WAIT- I have an idea! We could call them The Evil Company of Hackers, T.E.C.H. for short. It would be so cool!”
“Yeah…” Raven wasn’t too enthusiastic about it, “I think not. ‘The Company’, as corny as that may sound for the bad guys’ name, is better than T.E.C.H.”
“Clues?” Kaya asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Emilia pointed to the image of the pot that was sitting in the table, “This was the first clue. Or at least we think it was. We’ve never actually seen it. You see, The Company was already in existence before Cameron took it over. They also knew about the alternate realities before he became involved. In reality, they only wanted his money, which was why they put his name in their title. They didn’t expect him to find out about their search for the TimeSource. This was an image that we found in their computers before we packed up and left. It connects to this clue,” She pulled up a second image, this one of a Van Gogh style painting, “This was the second clue, which was found in an alternate reality, although we don’t know which one.”
“Suffice it to say, we have access to the first four clues. They have access to the first eight. We need to catch up, and fast. Right now, our only advantage is you, Raven.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you see only one person can use that necklace, and for some reason that one person is you. The necklace will get us into some realities that are otherwise locked. We can’t be sure that we can get into all of them, but we can get into more than The Company can.”
“Uhm, clues.” Kaya was definitely back to her brief and lofty self.
“Kaya’s right, we need to focus on the clues before we can worry about where to go next.”
“On the plus side,” Aaron kept the discussion going, “no one can actually take a clue from its hiding place. Somehow, they are always cemented into their surroundings. So, even when The Company gets their first, it won’t keep us from going on.”
“Clues.”
“Right then, let’s get to it.”
The first clue was just a picture hidden in the hieroglyphics. The picture was that of a mirror into an alternate reality and right inside of the drop out landing was the next clue. So on and so forth until the fourth clue which was found in an alternate reality resembling a worldwide London. It was found in the form of a poem in the earth itself. Or perhaps it was a riddle. Whatever the case, this is what is read:

This is the fourth
In a series of clues,
Each one designed
To simulate truths.
This ‘tis the hardest
Of all you have faced
But it must be solved
With the greatest of haste.

Where the world ends, and your journey begins,
There you will find yourselves.
Where you are lost and never are found,
There will your journey begin.

If you are lost, you will surely be found.
If it is dark, the light’s up ahead.
Look very closely at the ground which you own
Before it burns and is dead.

The riddle’s not done, your journey won’t end.
The clues you will find are ten from the end.

Run, run, as fast as you can.
The Source must not end, the Source must not end.