Lauren arrives at the antique shop and used the keys to enter. She makes her way to the back room and walks down the stairs to the bunker. As she walked down the passage, she sees Quade relaxing on the couch. he stood up and welcomed her while being a little agitated.
"You made it. You ready to know the real world?" asked Quade.
"Wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Replied Lauren optimistically.
“Good, good.” said Quade.
“I thought you’d be more excited than that?” she said sarcastically as she chuckles.
“No I am, It’s just-” he replied as he pointed to the young man, standing in front of them, smelling his clothes.
"I've never smelled clothes this good. Oh man-" said the young man.
"-We have a guest. Lauren, Richard. Richard, Lauren." said Quade.
"My lady." said Richard Lawrence as he bowed with a robe on.
"Hi." greeted Lauren as she looked at Quade, visibly confused.
Richard continued looking around, feeling astonished of his surroundings.
"I found him chained up in what it appears to be an old mine. He told me his name but wouldn't tell me where he came from as for how, might have an idea. This whole morning, he just kept poking around things as if it's his first time seeing it." whispered Quade to Lauren.
“That doesn’t sound entirely bad, right?” she asked.
“Last night, he literally looked like a pair of chopsticks. I let my guard down for a couple of minutes and as I went to check on him, he slit his own throat. I watched as his body regenerate to- this. He's build a greek statue.” replied Quade, who felt suspicious of Richard's anomaly.
Suddenly the lights flickered on and off. Richard was laughing as he was fascinated that the entire room was filled with light with a flip of a switch.
"Now he's playing with the lights. It's like I'm parenting an immortal toddler." said Quade.
"There's something else I need your help with. That report you gave me, wasn't completed. So I did my own digging, and there's some tunnels I want to explore." She said as she showed him the map.
"The sewers? No, two reasons. First I don’t want to smell like shit that came from forty thousand different people including my own and secondly, as you can see-- my plate is full. I can't leave him unattended." replied Quade.
“You said he’s been locked up for who knows how long, maybe what he needs is some fresh air outside. We can show him the town along the way.” she said.
“Yeah I don’t think he’s ready for that. We have no idea what could happen. I want to break it down slowly for him.” he said as he hands her files back.
“but we won’t know until we ask him now, would we.” she pressured.
Quade sighs and sits back down.
"Richard, we're going out and you're coming with." said Lauren.
“wonderful.” said Richard as he smiled. “See, no problem. Even going through such an ordeal, he’s still optimistic.” said Lauren.
“That’s what I’m worried about. Uh-- Alright then, first we need to get him some clothes then we check out your treasure hunt." he said.
The trio enters the car and they drive off to a local clothing shop. They went inside, spending time gazing at all the different clothes. Each one chose a set of clothes for him to try out. Richard, still in his robe, tries it on in the dressing room. He comes out wearing a set of clothes looking like a 1980’s Rock star.
“no.” said both Quade and Lauren.
The second time, he wore an outfit resembling to what a grandpa would wear at a function.
“He looks fine to me.” said Quade.
“Absolutely, Not!” replied Lauren as she waves her hand back and forth .
Richard went back in and came out for the third time wearing a vintage outfit.
“hmm okay.” she replied with a smile.
“I’m not feeling this.” said Richard as he went back in.
Quade leans back as he knew it would take a while. Richard came out wearing a tropical shirt with gray pants and a pair of casual shoes. The Final touch was missing in which he took red circular glasses from the shade stand and puts it on.
"I like it.” said Richard as he looked into the mirror.
“yes?” asked Quade as he looked at her.
She nods in approval. Quade paid the clothes and they left the place. They arrive at off-site sewerage entrance. To reduce health risks, He brings out sets of rubber boots, hand gloves and construction suits for each one to wear.
“Wear it, unless you wanna play ball with diseases.” he said as they suit up.
Lauren grabs her digging equipment from the trunk which consisted a Shovel, trowels, spades, brushes, sieves, and a bucket.
“I figured you would have access to everything. I was wondering, are you in like a government contract or something. I mean they wouldn’t allow anyone to just walk around with keys to everything, right?” asked Lauren.
“I don’t work for the government. As far as they are concerned, they know nothing that goes on around here. They can’t even handle the country's affairs. All they know is to steal and wipe their own ass.” he replied as he opens the Sewer entrance.
“but if you're not working for the government and you’re only fighting here, alone, what about the rest of the country or the world? who’s protecting the other places?” she asked.
“What do you think, it is as you said. I’m alone.” he replied as he unlocks the gate. They enter and as they followed the map, they walked into several dead ends until they discovered a secret tunnel, which was barricaded with wood, along with it, the Kal Blade emblem engraved on it.
"fuck’s sake, Another one." said Quade pissed.
"You know what this is?" She asked.
"I don’t know anything anymore, clearly some Kal's had secrets of their own. First one had Richard in it. Luckily, he's friendly but I can't say the same for what is on the other side.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
This was never in the records either-- We probably shouldn't go through. I don't even think he's aware that a Kal chained him away-" whispered Quade to Lauren before he was interrupted by Richard as he overheard the conversation.
"You have nothing to fear from me. I know very well about the Kal's. As for what is beyond this wall, you never know until you actually go through. Like my captain used to say, what could go wrong?" said Richard as he was optimistic and grabbed them both in a trio hug.
Lauren agreed with Richard as they both stared at Quade until he agreed, in which he submitted. They break the wood down with sheer force through kicks and using the shovel. They made it across and continued walking down the tunnel which stretched out as far as the eye could see.
"Well look at that, nothing to worry about." said Richard with excitement as he down the tunnel.
His reckless sense of mind had Quade worried, with no choice but to follow through. They finally arrived at the end of the tunnel, with stairs leading to an angled door that opens upwards like an exterior basement door. Quade tried to open but the door felt blocked. As he tried pushing it, Richard aided him forcefully opened the door.
They succeeded and walked out the tunnel, into a little green valley, filled with trees and surrounded closely by mountains.
"Look." said Lauren as pointed towards the ruins covered with plants. They remove their suits and neatly sat it aside the door
"I was right." she said as she chuckles with joy.
Quade looked at his phone and saw there was no cell service. For Richard, his compass that he picked up laying around in the bunker, went haywire.
"Look at this, it can't tell which way is north." he said as he showed Quade.
As lauren started to unpack her, Quade noticed something unusual behind the a large stone, piece of clothing. He went closer to investigate and to his surprise, found a pile human skeletons on the ground, still in their world war outfits. He began to feel something was off and started smelling an odour closely, which they could not figure out where it came from.
“We should leave, now!" he said, but before he could forcefully make Lauren and Richard leave with him, several warriors came out of hiding with weapons, threatening them. Quade surrendered as he was outnumbered and told Lauren and Richard to do the same.
"Richard, what are you doing, get down!" shouted Quade anxiously.
Richard ignored the threats and tried communicating with the warriors using several languages to see which one they understood.
"hello, marhaban, konichiwa, ola, ni hao, bonjour, anything? We mean no harm, just passing as local merchants." said Richard.
"They don't understand you, Richard please just get down." pleaded Lauren.
Richard mockingly spoke gibberish. One the warriors shouted in their native language, warning Richard to get down as he stood his ground, which caused three of the warriors to shoot their arrows straight into his chest without hesitation. Richard fell to the ground, bleeding out.
"Oh that hurts." he said as blood came out his mouth. He eventually stopped breathing.
"fuck's sake!" said Quade as he was angered.
Lauren was terrified as they were about to be executed next. She tried her best to recall certain words from the Sumerian language. She screamed 'Peace' in their native language but it fell on deaf ears as she was not pronouncing it properly.
As they were about to let their arrows fly, Quade tried to reach for his gun, but untimely Richard came back alive.
"That was unnecessary." he said as he stood up, freaking out everyone.
He pulls out the arrows from his chest and the wounds slowly healed, leaving no scars.
The warriors out of fear, took steps back, in confusion as what just happened.
"What are you doing, Capture him! They are sorcerers, The King will know what to do with them." said the leader as they feared Richard.
It took four warriors to detain Richard while Lauren and Quade cooperated. They were tied up, their possessions were confiscated and was ordered to move in a single line. As they were walking through the forest, the warriors were on alert, keeping eyes at the bushes and top of the trees.
"They're agitated about something." Whispered Quade to Lauren.
"I noticed, I don’t think they were expecting us." She replied before they were ordered to be silent.
Lauren was amazed by the view over the landscape. Houses made of mud bricks, giant ruins and many other ancient sumerian architectural designs. They walked through the town and all the residents just kept staring at them. Richard started greeting, winking and smiling at the people.
"Hello, good day, beautiful dress ma’am, hey man cool hat" he said as struggles to keep up with the rest.
One of the warriors hits the back of Richard's head, ordering him to move faster and stay silent. His behavior was amusing to the kids that were watching. They couldn't help but laugh at him. Moments later, they were escorted to the center of the town, where the fortress was, brought right before King Senki, who is to judge the outcome of their trespassing. The leader approached the king and bowed before speaking in his native language. King Senki stood up from his throne, walked down the steps and silently took a closer look at Richard.
“Your highness, we came here meaning no harm to anyone. We just came to see you and your beautiful-- old, valuble stuff that she, the lovely lady with the brown hair, yes she the one who brought us here, is intrigued to take some of it back with her to our home. Your men over there has done nothing but treat us with hostility. That was not very nice, I mean with that ugly hair cut of his, I understand his frustration. He must not been getting cake if you know what I mean, of course you do, You’re a king. So, how about you untie us and I’ll accept that as an apology?” said Richard optimistically.
“They don’t understand you and don’t antagonize them.” said Quade.
The king spoke in his native language and a guard approached him.
“See, I think he did.” said Richard as he smiled.
The guard hands a knife to the king. Senki grabs the back of Richard’s head, holds it firmly while he looks straight into Richard’s eyes and stabs him in the heart. He chokes in his blood and died for a second time. There was complete silence in the hall. Everyone was frozen with curiosity as what happens next.
Richard came back alive, gasping for air as he was fully conscious, again. King Senki laughs as the guards and the servants watched in awe. Lauren tried communicating with the King by repeating “Peace” in their language and pointing towards her bag that one of the warriors confiscated.
“What are you doing?” asked Quade.
"Trying to keep us alive." she replied anxiously.
Quade sighs, briefly closes his eyes and hopes for a chance of surviving this situation. The king notices Lauren's hints and orders the guard to give him her bag. He removes her Sumerian language translation documents containing the letters and words for basic communication.
"You understand my language?" asked the king in his native tongue.
Lauren replied by lifting her tied hands up gently. "Release her" ordered King Senki. A guard removes her restrains and helps her get up. He hands her the papers.
" How did you find us?" he asked in English.
The switch-up mocked Lauren, who was visibly confused.
"a neck- necklace brought us here. We thought your people were extinct." she replied cautiously.
“We stayed hidden from the new world to preserve what's left of us. I've heard stories about your world, I have been tempted to see it, but I have a responsibility protecting my people and my culture. It’s been a hundred years since the last people came here from your world.” he said.
“If I may ask, why did we stop coming here?” she asked curiously.
“One day a man found his way to our world. The very same men that brought you here are known as the Watchers. They were attacked by night crawlers, vicious beings and then the man knew exactly how to defeat them. The King was very fond of him as the two got along very well. The man called himself Kal Blade. During his stay, He taught us ways of defeating creatures of the night, what to do if others arrive from his world and my people get sick, as well as teaching the King English which we passed down for generations. The King had two children, one was a daughter, Princess Sumi and the other was a boy, my grandfather, Prince Hurin. She had an arranged marriage with her soon-to-be husband With the Greatest warrior in the kingdom. The warrior was in favor of the King but that was cut short when Kal Blade fell in love with her. The two had a secret affair. She became pregnant with his child. After giving birth, he killed her and stole the infant to your world. The watchers was posted at the gateway for decades, waiting for anyone to return. Those who did would be sentenced to death indefinitely.” he replied.
“shit.” thought Quade to himself as he realized Henri was a decendent.
“Although, I have changed my mind on the law which my great-grandfather set a long time ago. Lucky for you Kal Blade, You’re not dying today. Even so, you have trespassed into my kingdom and pose a severe threat if you return to your world, Take them away. I will deal with them later." he said as he walked back to sit on his throne.
The guards take the trio to their individual prison cells where they will remain for the rest of their lives.