When we went through the portal, we came out back in the city, a bit too close to the edge for comfort. I looked around, “We actually made it back. We should make it our priority to find Funk and Paul.”
Abby nodded, “I think the best place to look is in the library. They might have stuck around.”
Lory nodded, “I have to agree with Abby, it is what I would have done. Just as I stayed in the safe haven. I knew one of you guys would show up in due time.”
Alice sighed, “Are we going to keep talking, or will we check out the library?” Alice started walking, quickly, we followed her towards the crystal that would take us to the library.
As we teleported to the library, we saw Funk, Paul, and another woman sitting near the campfire. Funk got up, “I thought you guys would come back. Did something exciting happen?”
I sighed, “Zombies.”
Funk looked at me, “Those are some neat clothes you have, I wonder how long it is going to take before they are shredded into pieces.”
Paul sighed, “I am glad you are not dead, any of you.”
The woman got up and walked over to me. I could clearly see her face, no spiderwebs on it this time. When she came closer, I punched her, but she barely flinched, I think I hurt my fist my more than her face. She sighed, “Was that really necessary?”
“Yes, you were dead, and now you aren’t.”
Abby nodded, “Yeah, what’s up with that?”
Funk sighed, “She wasn’t dead. Bella was almost dead, and we left her behind.”
Lory chuckled awkwardly, “Sorry for that.”
Alice walked over to Bella, “Hello there, my name is Alice.”
Bella stretched her hand out, “The name is Bella.” While they shook hands, Alice looked at me for some reason.
Funk poked me with his elbow, “Zombies, huh?”
“Yeah, zombies.”
Funk rolled with his eyes, “Of course, zombies.”
I chuckled, “I dislike zombies, I even bit a zombie.”
Funk laughed, “And did it help?”
“As a matter of fact, it did help. Bella? Can we talk in private?”
She nodded, I took her apart, and she looked at me, “What is it Steve?”
“Yeah, I never said my name, but you would know it, as you dropped me off when I was a baby.”
Bella scratched her cheek, “You remember that?”
“Yes, I do, and you look very young for a woman who dropped off a baby, meaning that you are a magical being. As Lory looks younger as well.”
I tried to take a relaxed stance, I did not want to piss her off judging by the punch I threw, “Where did you find me? As a baby, I mean.”
Bella shook her head, “I cannot tell you that.”
I looked at Alice, “You dropped her off too, didn’t you?”
Bella sighed, “Yes. But she was older, she grew up for a while in Poluma.”
I slowly nodded, processing this information, “Alright, and what are you doing here now?”
Bella crossed her arms, “You are looking for a way to defeat the void. I gave Funk a map, it should lead you to a cave with murals, depicting how to beat the void. It is somehow linked to you.”
I gazed at her, “What do you mean, linked to me?”
Bella sighed as she looked around. “I think, it’s here to kill you. And if you were to die, it would leave.”
I laughed and snorted, “Sorry, I am not buying that bullshit unless you have proof.”
Bella shrugged, “Fine, don’t believe me then.”
I grabbed her shoulder, she looked at me intensely, “What is the deal, Steve?”
“Just reading your energy signature. Nature magic, green energy? You have quite a few walls up. Is there something you are hiding?”
Bella smiled, “I am just careful around people who want to learn more about me the quick way. How do you even know how to use energy like this?”
“It is just something that dawned upon me. Lory explained to me what energy is capable of. I don’t understand it all yet, but it is a work in progress. For now, I have to believe you.”
She started to walk away. “Wait, Bella?”
She turned around, “Yes?”
“Who are the strange people that visited me when I puked out a metal substance, I am not some kind of robot, am I?”
Bella blinked a couple of times, “Strange people?”
“Yeah, they did not want me to look at them.”
Bella sighed, “They were most likely from the Agency.”
“Who are they?”
Bella rolled with her eyes, “if I know, I will let you know because I have no clue right now.”
“Great, that does not help me one bit.”
Bella smiled, “You are going to have to find that out yourself, the hard way. Oh, and I am not convinced that you are a robot, they act differently, silly.”
I sighed, “I don’t think anything is out of the realm of possibilities, heck a grim reaper came out of a mirror, technically, that was in my reality.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Lory walked over towards me. “Were you able to shake some information out of her?”
“No, not much, just that she is hiding something. I touched her shoulder to pry some information out of her. However, she is just a single entity, unlike Alice.”
Lory looked at me, “Alice has a second being inside of her?”
“Yes, and she is very sensitive about that.”
Lory nodded, “It isn’t killing her, is it?”
“No, I think they are friends. It would make sense, the demon that came from the future also seemed to work together with the being inside of her. Maybe, they are from a different race? Potentially, Alice is not the same race as me, and she just has the same eye color by chance. Who knows, there might be a race out there that fuses two beings into one body.”
Lory looked at me, “I have read many books, but I have never heard of a race like that. If there is something like that, they have hidden themselves very well.”
I nodded, “Or, there is a universe next door.”
Lory giggled, “Do you know how batshit crazy that sounds? There is no other universe. And even if there is, there is no one strong enough to create a wormhole that would go that far.”
I sighed, “You are probably right, I am overthinking this. It is just, I thought, if there is a reality next door, there must be a different universe, but you are right, it is crazy. It makes no sense. That is out of our scope. We should try to save this reality, then we can leave the rest up to other heroes.”
Lory nodded, “What is our next stop?”
“Bella has a map that leads to a cave. It will give us some answers about the void. I think it is our only option currently. It is quite early, if we pack up, we could make some distance already.”
Lory nodded, she took my hand, “Together we can do this, Steve. I am glad you did not die. Because, I, you know.”
I smiled teasingly at her, “What?”
Lory blushed, “I love you.”
I blushed, “Oh, is that true? Well, then, maybe, you should know that I love you too.” Lory came closer and gave me a passionate kiss.
We walked back to the camp, “Alright pack up, Funk, Abby, you are coming with us. We are going to find that cave. Alice, Paul and Bella, I want you to return to Brickton.”
Bella looked at me, “Why?”
“You three will find other people and rebuild Brickton. The void is slowly converging at a main point. If it keeps going on this course, then it will end at Brickton. Which means we need that town back on its bricks. Bella, do you have any knowledge about the void?”
She nodded, “I do.”
“Great, can you try to make void wards?”
Bella looked at Alice, then at me, “I think so.”
“Good, Paul, you have been a foreman before you became a baker. You can lead the people you pick up to build.”
Alice looked at me, “And why should we listen to you?”
I smiled, “because Funk agrees with me.” Everyone looked at Funk.
He shrugged, “I agree with Steve. If he thinks this is the best plan, we should execute it.”
“Thanks for having my back Funk, you are wonderful. Now show me that map.” He handed me the map. “Alright, let’s see. This is a joke, right? We have to cross the last rest cemetery! And let me guess, it is next to a ghost town?”
Bella nodded, “That is right.”
I sighed. “I hope we don’t encounter zombies or ghosts. Then we need to cross the violet plains. Oh come on, this can’t be right. There is a mountain blocking our path, the ethereal mountain?”
Bella nodded, “But I put down where the mountain pass is. It should lead you straight to through the mountain.”
“Yeah, great, it is called the blood path. That is not making me very confident, Bella. Who taught up these names anyway.”
Funk looked at me, “People who used to live in this place.”
I slowly nodded, he had a point, “On the other side of the mountain, we will find the Ebony mines. There is the cave that Bella is talking about.”
Abby had been packing up. “I am almost ready to go.”
Lory nodded, “Me too.”
Funk got up. “It will be quite a journey, but if this helps us stop the void, then I guess we have no choice.”
Alice sighed, “Paul, Bella, come with me, we are leaving for Brickton.”
I ran over to Alice. “Are we alright?”
“Yes, we are fine, Steve. Just, be careful, alright?”
“Of course, Alice, careful, is my middle name.”
She sighed, “It really isn’t. Will we meet in Brickton after you have visited the cave?”
“Yes, once we are done there, we will continue our trek towards Brickton.”
Alice nodded. “I will be waiting for you, and the others.”
“Thank you, Alice. Good luck on your journey.”
“Thanks, Steve, I wish you the best of luck too, and, make Lorraine happy.”
I smiled, “I see you are coming around.”
Alice shook her head, “Not at all, but I just want you to be happy.”
I nodded, “Thanks, Alice.” She left with Paul and Bella in tow. I looked at Lory and the others, “Are you guys ready for the next part of our journey!?”