They emerged slowly, their movements synchronized like soldiers of a single will. Each one's body was made of mirrored surfaces that reflected Max's form back at him a hundred times over. The air trembled faintly, and the surface of the lake reflected ten versions of Max, each standing beside their mirrored counterparts.
The guardians tilted their heads in eerie unison. The next instant, the calm lake exploded into motion.
The ten guardians moved at once, shattering their mirrored shells into fragments that darted through the air like shards of silver lightning. Max immediately activated his Three Dimensional Body, and the world slowed down around him. Every reflection, every shifting ripple, every hidden current of spatial energy became visible in his perception.
"Ten at once," he muttered, his red eyes narrowing. "Perfect."
