Scott and Elysif entered Iscariot’s home upon his request. The walls of Iscariot’s home were covered in papers and strings that connected in a fashion that most wouldn’t be able to identify. Various papers were adorned with mathematical equations along with overhead mappings of Whitechapel. To add to the weirdness, Iscariot’s home wasn’t just the usual single room but rather, was made of several rooms, some of which contained rare stones, while others held vials of many different colours, and each had their own unique lighting style to fit the mood of the room.

“So what was this amazing discovery you found? We’re a little busy trying to find Lou as well as a serial killer,” Scott asked Iscariot, who was sitting at his desk with a wide grin on his face.

“I have found out how the changeling has been able to kill without being seen as well as escape. I would think that this could be useful to you?” Iscariot replied in his normal raspy pubescent voice.

“How?” Elysif asked eagerly.

“Well, I was trying to figure out how anyone would be able to avoid your familiars when we had so many at large. Then it hit me. What if they distorted space? So, after testing the area in which both bodies were found, I discovered that this was the case,” Iscariot explained.

“But I thought you were the only one who knew how to use and control that kind of magic? The only reason that all the Table holding cells have them is because you designed them,” Scott asked with a confused look.

“It is true that my ability to manipulate space is far too difficult for most to use, but there are other forms that are quite easy to master. For example, if one wanted to make a copy of the space they were to be in, they could easily create a false space that seemed like an empty area to anyone who happened by. In other words, you’ll be invisible. However, with this kind of spatial effect, if someone were to enter the false space other than those already inside it, then it would disappear. The same could be said if the creator left the space,” Iscariot explained as he pointed at some of the documents on the walls.

“I see, but that still doesn’t explain how they could have escaped,” Elysif said.

“That one is a bit more difficult to do, but it is still an easy possibility. Do you know how our eyes see by reflecting light?”

““Yes!”” they both answered.

“Well, if one were to manipulate the space directly around their bodies, then they could make it so that the light passes around their bodies except for their eyes. If they did that, then they would be blind. From there, they could escape with ease as the familiars are on the lookout for a person, not a pair of floating eyes,” Iscariot theorized like a madman.

“That’s helpful, but how are we going to catch them if we can’t see them?” Scott asked. Elysif, on the other hand, was thinking this theory over because it didn’t make any logical sense to her.

“I’m not sure yet,” Iscariot said with a disheartened look.

“That’s not exactly reassuring,” Elysif replied with a roll of her eyes.

“What do you want? I just told you how it’s committing the murders and you expect me to magically know how to prevent it?” Iscariot asked.

““Yes!”” they both replied in unison.

“You both are bastards,” Iscariot stated with absolute disgust.

“Well, yes. We are both in fact by definition, bastards,” Scott replied in a strangely proud way.

“I didn’t mean—Don’t be smart-alecks,” Iscariot replied with a shake of his head.

“Hooray, we're bastard siblings,” Scott and Elysif sang as if celebrating, before locking arms and spinning in a very mocking dance.

“I hate you both,” said Iscariot with another shake of his head.

“Well, have you found anything else?” Scott asked, changing the subject and returning to standing still.

“Not on that subject, but I may have a way to track young Barrett.”

“Really?” Elysif questioned, surprised by Iscariot's success despite being well, Iscariot. He ignored her sassy remark, and continued explaining.

“I figured that since Lou was from the future, he may have a different effect on space than the rest of the population. Excluding myself and perhaps a few other sorcerers with my capabilities, Lou is the only one whose body naturally distorts space. He vibrates on a scale not too far off than you or I, but that difference is just enough to possibly track him,” Iscariot explained as he pointed at a drawing of Lou shaking next to a drawing of a random person who wasn’t shaking.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Well then, get to it!” Scott demanded, excited by this news.

“It’s not as simple as I explained. What I told you is a theory. Actually creating something to prove the theory could take days to several days here. For you, that would be a month to a year. I would tell you to speak with the College about this, but they wouldn’t be able to track Lou due to his natural distortion of space,” Iscariot said as he lowered his head in a bit of shame.

“Then attempt it out here, where time is normal,” Elysif stated as it made logical sense.

“I could, but I would need help moving the equipment to your home.”

“Can’t you just teleport it there with your, oh-so-great spatial magic?” Elysif argued as she started to get angrier and angrier on Lou’s behalf.

“No. A lot of the materials need to be taken carefully. The two of you need to do some real work from time to time. Scott, you are starting to grow a beer gut and Elysif, you are becoming slothful.” They both gave him an angry stare in return. Though he wasn’t wrong. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt for Scott to lose a few pounds, and Elysif could pitch in a bit more.

“Hey Scott, because I’m so slothful, I think I’ll just go home. He can easily do it himself,” Elysif said, as she turned to scott in an overly dramatic fashion.

“That’s fine, Elysif. With my beer-belly growing, I don’t think I can carry all this stuff anyways, so I’ll join you,” Scott replied in the same dramatic fashion, but with a swig of his flask, before they both headed for the door

“No, please, wait.” Iscariot pleaded… but they had already left. Because of this, he shook his head with a sigh and began writing out the equation for transporting things between his place and Scott’s temporarily. He wasn’t going to argue with them, especially since he just didn’t want to go through the trouble of doing it himself. They simply called his bluff.

***

The thick butcher's blade slid across my arm with clean precision. A sliver of blood started to run out of the cut, but within a matter of seconds, it returned to the wound and healed completely. I had screamed in agony when this first began. Before, every cut was agonizing, but now everything was numb. There was no pain to feel, but there was no bliss either. My eyes had grown cold and distant in the process. To think that I had reached a point of mental nonexistence. The only sliver of hope I had left was drifting away with every second. The last bit of mental and physical strength I had left in this body was going to be used to annoy the shit out of this asshole, whether I lived or died.

I tilted my head to the side and stared at the masked one. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could tell he was exhausted. “Do you really wish to continue? There isn’t even any point to this, now that I can’t even feel it,” I asked in the sassiest way I could muster beneath my weak expression.

He stopped the blade with a defeated slump before gracelessly pulling the knife to his side. “Have you forgotten that I still need you to go back in time? I will hurt you anyway I can and make you wish you weren’t even alive,” the masked figure replied with a tired but determined voice. He was ready to see this through. no matter what. Part of me felt as if he too was pointlessly grasping at any sliver of hope he could find.

“I don’t want to live anymore. I feel as if nothing matters now that my hope of escaping here has disappeared. I just want it to end,” I said honestly, but I kept my sassiness just to annoy him more if I could.

“If that’s the case then what if I torture your friends?” he said as he began to perk up with the new idea.

“How would that help you?” I asked, dropping the sassy tone as I realized it was probably just making things worse.

“Maybe it will make you more compliant?” the masked figure said aloud, but I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or himself.

“Why don’t you just kill me now?” I asked, hoping he would give in.

“Because that would only benefit you. I will capture the witch and the Table agent. Then I will make you watch as I tear them apart, limb from limb,” he answered sadistically with a sudden increase in energy.

“Don’t do it. It won’t make it easier for me to time travel,” I stated while my head fell back against the wood headrest of the barber's chair from exhaustion

“Oh, but it will. You see, when you told me that the one I wanted to save would die no matter what, I thought about it, and I came to an easy solution that helps all of us. Why don’t I have you take me to a time before their death so that I can be with them?” the masked figure asked with an opportunistic glare that I felt piercing my soul through the mask.

“I might be able to do that, but I still don’t know how to do it yet,” I replied tiredly. If it were possible, then I could drop him off and never see him again. Though I can’t even use my ability yet.

“Then you shall learn, or I will do whatever I deem necessary to your friends in order to force you.”

“We’ve been over this many times already over the past two weeks, and nothing has come of it. My power is dead set on watching me suffer at your hand. Just let me go home,” I begged with a sleepless and tired expression.

“No!” the Masked man exclaimed, bringing the knife down on my wrist and severing my hand. I didn’t even flinch, as blood dripped from the newly formed stub. The stub then started producing bones, covering them with flesh and veins, followed by several layers of skin and my fingernails perfectly trimmed. My old hand, which had been cleaved off, dissipated like water under the hot sun.

“Did that calm you down some?” I asked with the same sassy tone as before. My lack of reaction made him even more annoyed than before.

“Why, yes it did. Now go to sleep and demand that power of yours to take me back in time,” the masked figure said, before storming away in a huff.

“Sure thing, dickweed,” I said, happily closing my eyes and hoping to see the Realm of Stars.