[XWinterStar]

The fog lay deep around her, as it swirled in a contemplative motion. Her legs stood curled up to her chest, as she sat motionless upon the wanton, lonely world. Her eyes were ever blank as she stared into emptiness. She’d been there for a while.

“It’s been so long. I want to go home,” her thoughts came feebly. How long had she truly been there?

She laid her hand upon her knees and crossed her arms to cradle her dozing head. Was she really dozing? How long had she slept? “No, I’ve been awake this whole time... Really?”

Her heart stopped as she heard a pace. A rapid pace, coming from behind. The world moved as the fog around changed to land and waste, and soon the waste was covered in green. Before she knew it, Winter was sitting in a field-a meadow. Her heart beat fast as she was slow to wonder what was coming up behind her. Her mind jumped then slowed, all to it’s own device, as she reeled, realizing how she sat for so long. What was coming?

Unmoved from her spot, Winter turned to see the area in which the sound came, rapid and unchanging. Horror after horror ran through her mind of what it could be, and yet, she remained unmoving, staying in place. Soon the world was complete with sun and sky as blue as a cornflower, and a field full of loveliness and promises of fun, and yet, she couldn’t respond to it all. What was coming?

Soon Winter, saw a flash of white shoot across her gaze. It went so fast it seemed! She trailed it, as it suddenly seemed to slow down a bit. The alcove of trees it came from consumed her gaze so as to hide it’s true being. Startled and in disbelief, Winter started to see the form of the white being…

A rabbit.

She shook her head unbelieving and she closed her eyes. How long had it been since she’d seen something, anything, move? Besides the fog, Winter realized with dull set eyes, nothing…

She saw it run on the field with such high speed and yet, it suddenly seemed to be taking its time. Certainly not in a rush as before, and yet, going as if it meant to be somewhere.

Dazed and in a blur, Winter stonily decided to set her pace. She rose, oddly without ache from sitting long. If it were living, it would be something to follow through to perhaps something more useful.

Winter turned and looked. All across the field was empty. Not even a breeze blew. Her heart grew chill. “What should this mean to me?” She wondered. Her thoughts ever froze and could never formulate right.

The rabbit suddenly caught her eye as it stopped and stood upright, suddenly on its hind. What was it doing?

She noted the red eye, as it seemed to search across the artificial field. Suddenly its point was found and it went off like a light.

Again Winter shied, she felt aware and exposed to this place as if it were newly happening all over again; still, she steeled her resolve. Her wavering heart beat as she leaned into a run over the meadow and to her target. She didn’t know why she was here, but she had to find a way, some way to get to a place she knew. Maybe they could help her find who she was. Or at least end this. “End? Why would I want it to end? I want to live? Don’t I?”

Her mind took turns as she did, rushing after the seemingly easy shadow that blurred white deceptively as it was going. The wood she was now in turned thick with green and suddenly stumbling roots came ahead. Winter maneuvered them all, as if in a dream. She felt no air or wind as she pulsed through the endless trail, blindly following and not knowing. Reason, seemed to be lost.

At once the Rabbit fell, into a rift it seemed, or a void. No, it was a hole. A deep hole, she realized as she came upon it. She laid her hands on her knees, seemingly non-winded by the whole resort, as she stared into the darkened hole. The opening was unnecessarily large she noted. “Uh-uh” she whispered to her self, as she stood up straight, “I’m not going in there. That’s stupid.”

She looked up and noticed a sky that was now showing through a clearing, and not far off lay a cliff. The sky was now the dark of dusk. When did it become so?

Mesmerized by the nature of the sky, Winter had no time to notice the chill in the atmosphere appear. Fear ran through her like a knife, as she had no time to turn.

A rush of aura came from behind and suddenly she felt a hand grip her shoulder like a vice. Her eyes turned to see a face ever so familiar to her, cloaked in pure fear. Darkness fell upon the features, entirely cloaked, but Winter could tell it was the face of a girl. The eye of the face was terrifyingly close to hers as it hovered over her left shoulder, its hand on her right. Winter trembled, unwittingly so. Why was she so afraid of her? The females face was unseen as the eye that held winter’s glowed red. Stock-still, Winter new her presence. “We’ve met somewhere before,” she knew as her knees knocked. Suddenly the form, of her height, gazed into her, ever deep; it knew she knew her well.

“After you,” It said, suddenly breaking her stance. The hideous tone of a tri-voiced rasp resonated through Winter’s being as a fear unlike any other, gripped her mind. Violently, it thrust Winter into the hole as she reached for something to hold, her body free falling therein. Winter tumbled into the pitch screaming for all to hear and none to find, as the form in the dark stood, lurking behind.

[RashelKeller]

- Keller Manor -
With wings spread wide, the great horned owl glided through the upstairs hallway of the Keller manor, swooping from perch to perch, making use of furniture and banisters as though they were the branches of trees in the forest outdoors. In his wake, his bonded walked with bare feet upon the carpet. She held the appearance of a young woman retiring from a day of business or a night out on the town, with her high heels gripped in one hand.
Yet her demeanor was not relaxed. The owl grew agitated with each passing moment, feeling the concern that seethed inside the woman. They were linked spirits, a familiar and his bonded mage, and there was no concealing strong emotions from each other. His lemon yellow eyes regarded the few other humans visible, the staff of the household, with barely suppressed hostility, seeking the threat that caused his bonded distress. He was a creature of the wilderness, not capable of complex thought, yet he was still motivated by the instinct to protect one of his own.
Rashel was deep in thought as she swiftly moved through the manor. A startled gasp grew her attention back to present circumstances. A servant had stepped around the corner, going about the tasks his job entailed. The owl reacted viciously to the sudden appearance of a stranger, diving towards the man with talons raised. Her voice was harsh as she snapped out the name of her familiar and there was the flash of her disapproval shared between them. The owl veered sharply, avoiding the man before any bodily harm was inflicted, and continued down the hallway. As she hurried past, she spoke a brief apology to the man.
After that near disaster, she made a better attempt to control the near overwhelming concern she felt. There was no denying that the situation was dire, but that would be no excuse for her to fall to pieces.
The next few minutes passed with a false sense of calm. She stepped out of the hallway and into one of her aunt’s rooms. It felt as if it were an intrusion, although her uncle had granted her permission. Her aunt was away, perhaps on business in New Orleans, but if there was a protest upon her return she would do her best to make amends.
Such a thought was holding to the hope that Rashel herself would make it safely back home, that she and her uncle would be here to welcome her aunt back to the manor. Her lips tightened into a grimace as her thoughts tumbled down the dark path of what may happen to those left behind. The owl tilted his head as he silently watched her from his perch upon the back of a chair.
Her primary concern was for Anthony Lyall Waetcher, the teenage boy she had always considered a cousin. He was now her ward, though he was growing into a respectable man and an adept hunter. Though she considered him quite capable, she still worried, for he had lost so much in recent years. If she were to not return, there would be no other adult to guide him. It was a bitter thought.
As she considered the possibilities, or rather the consequences, she continued to act. Boots with suitable ankle support were located. Her high heels were discarded and soon forgotten. The boots were tugged onto her feet and her fingers tightened the lacing. Not a perfect fit, but they were quite acceptable.
The room darkened as metal plating slid down over the windows. Her fingers stilled before she finished tying the final knot of her left boot. There was an alarmed cry from her bonded. Her senses reeled as the intense alarm of the owl crashed over her. Trapped. Panic. Noise in the hallway, a predator approaching.
Raoul entered the room, pistol in hand. Two pairs of eyes were lifted to look upon him, wariness lurking in their depths. The only way out was through him. Her muscles were tense. A memory lingered between them, of the night she glimpsed how ruthless he truly was, of the night he had been prepared to kill her when she had been bleeding and defenseless. It was in the past, but the sight of him wielding a firearm aimed to end her existence was vivid in her mind.
Another memory came to her then, of how to breathe. Her chest lifted as she drew air into her lungs. The defensive instincts were forced aside as she noted the fact that this time Raoul was not threatening her with the firearm. Soothing thoughts were sent to her familiar, keeping it from going wild. Her relationship with Raoul had changed since that night long ago. She still thought him quite capable of inflicting harm upon her, if he was properly motivated, but while he worked for her uncle she had doubts that he would find such violent actions necessary.
He gave no sign of noticing her distress, but simply stood at attention and spoke. Her uncle had requested that she look over the security of the manor before she return to the library. Confusion had her blink, and she took a moment to consider his words. She did not believe she was best qualified to assess how secure the estate was, and such an action would cause a delay, yet she dipped her head down in a nod of agreement for she understood that her uncle was not a man who spoke gentle requests. This was an order.

[Zander Sakai]

Struggling to keep his balance he leaned against a nearby wall. It was obviously taking some time to adjust to the pressures of this world. Was he really in another world?, Zander thought to himself. Making his way through the alleyway a sudden loud explosion set off nearby. The aftershock of the impact sending him back to his feet. "This is not right...This realm is not right..",Mihkal stated from within. The sounds of war soon filled through the alley way as Zander mustered all of his strength to once again stand and rush out of the alleyway. Icy blue pools widened as they took in the scene of a one way battle. The rattle of automatic gun fire filled the air as he watched what he could only describe as soldiers playing with "shadow men". No, not men these things weren't men, they were beasts...monsters...demons. he watched as a particular group of three fought against the dark monsters. Working as a tight unit, Zander watched as they fought one shadow beast at a time, overwhelming it with bullets. Working so well in unison, they kept him from noticing the flying object heading his way. It was the scream coming from the flying form that alerted him to it, though too late. The screaming flying body crashed into Zander sending them both colliding into a nearby parked vehicle. Wincing a bit he managed to stand to his feet. Looking down at the battered body which slammed into him attempting to find support, he spoke, " Look lady...maybe you should sit this one out." The figure responded by removing the helment which hid its identity, exposing ringlets of fiery red which spilled down to shoulder length. Zander smirked upon seeing her face,fierce jade orbs and flawless features 'cept for one scar which lay diagonally across the center of her face. Perhaps it was the size and weight of the red head's body as it crashed into him that gave her sex away. That could have been it, but it wasn't. It was the scream, a high-pitched squeal only emitted by women and eunuchs. Instantly his piercing predator's gaze narrowed to the approaching dark monster. Zander's right hand reached up for the hilt of the massive blade behind him as if by reflex. He had not planned on using the GodSlayer so soon, but it seemed to call to him, wanting to be drawn. His eyes remained focused on the stalking shadow demon as he spoke out to the red head, who lay bruised and battered. "Don't blink....you might miss it all". As Zander drew the sword he noticed a difference. Normally once the sword was drawn his strength grew greatly but in the end he was always in control as to the amount of power received. It was similar to turning a faucet on and turning it off once the desired amount of water was reached. This time however was different, The power wouldn't stop, like a fire hose without a valve to slow the pressure. There wasn't enough time think, he had already acted and would have to ride out the wave of his actions. Mihkal's voice echoed with caution as he rushed forward but soon became a distant whisper, completely drowned in the flow of power. The dark beast whipped it's left limb in Zander's direction. The red head watched as she scrambled for a nearby firearm. Her mouth opened in shock as she watched what to her seemed unreal. Zander's form could only be seen to her as a blur as she watched the attacking beasts arm fly off after its attempt at an attack. One blink later the beast's body was seen flying through the air, its body splitting at the torso. The creature's upper half released an unnatural scream, a child's scream as it's upper torso landed near it's dark brethren. Black..it's blood a deep obsidian spilled all around it. The red head returned back to watch Zander as he drew his large sword in the direction of the beasts, his face covered in black blood. she watched on as a few of the shadow fiends rushed torwards zander, ignoring the soldiers which they had been battling, soon they all began to rush him. The remaining soldiers pulled together and seemed to be using this opportunity to make a silent retreat. The three which Zander had noticed working together before, approached the red head helping her to her feet. "Cap'n...who is that man?", one of the three asked. Catching her breath as she watched on she answered, " I wish I knew corporal..I wish I knew." Zander by now was at the center of the shadow horde, like a man possessed he cut into whoever was in his path. To them he looked like a man but he fought like a monster, cutting through three to four fiends at a time like a hot knife through soft cream. It was only when there remained a few of the shadow men, that they pulled back. It was not a full on retreat, but rather an attempt to space themselves from Zander. Pointing what should be their heads to the night sky, they all wailed in unison. The eerie resonance was that of hundreds of children screaming and howling in pain. The sound caused the red headed captian and her men to cover their ears. They knew what this meant and what was coming. "You with the sword, we need to leave here now!", she ordered to Zander. Zander ignored the order, he was becoming drunk with the growing power of the sword, surging through him. In the distance, a powerful hammering of the concrete could be heard. Each thunderous crash rose in pace, it was obvious now. Something or someone was coming fast; and whatever it was, it was large. As the sounds came dangerously closer, Zander could make out what he thought to be the sound of metal scraping concrete. As the figure came into view, it released a horrible cry. The shriek of a screaming infant echoed throughout the street. It was a shadow man but much larger than the others, it stood an intimidating nine feet tall.Two glowing red orbs formed where it's head should be and in it's right hand a large makeshift sword made from slabs and scraps of metal. The large beast came speeding into Zander with it's blade swinging. This hulking shadow brute was different from the others. It was strong, so strong that each blow which zander blocked with the godslayer caused him to skid backwards. Frustration began to build within Zander as the relentless monster slammed in hit after hit. Reaching his boiling point, Zander let out a roar as he swung out the Godslayer in an arcing horizontal slash. The beasts hollered as it held it's mid-section, deep black blood seeping out. The hit was a good one but the beast was not dead yet. "You're doing well....Zander...", this voice was not one he'd heard yet, but he knew it aswell as he knew his own. Looking up to the source of the voice he found staring back at him a man, dressed in black business attire and a long black wool peacoat. This man was suspended in mid air, hovering ifact about 20 feet from all on the ground level with his arms crossed. Zander's eyes widened in complete shock as his lips parted in the attempt to speak words, "F...fa..". "Watch your left", the red head suddenly screamed. The warning seemed a little too late as Zander turned to find a leaping shadow hulk about to crash down on him with this blade. He knew there wasn't enough time to properly defend. His feet dug deep onto the concrete as he braced himself and lifted The godslayer to attempt a block. Unexpectedly Zander suddenly felt an uncontrollable surge run through him which caused him to loose consciousness...........................................

[Keller]

With an easy manner and a rare smile, Raoul led Rashel Keller through the Huntresse Manor. He had come to like and admire the young woman and was pleased to have the task of showing her the defences of the manor.
"Perhaps, Fraulein Keller, it might be more efficient if I give you the basic security arrangements for the manor. Your uncle has done a remarkable job of fortifying his home."
Rashel smiled despite herself,
"Please do."
Nodding, Raoul clicked his heels together in an odd but characteristic gesture and led her off down the long hallway to the tall French doors that opened onto the back yard of the Manor.
"Our grounds and the area of Bayou and forest as well as public roads are covered to a distance of 3 miles"
As he explained he pointed her to various places on the huge expanse of lawn along the edge of the Bayou. The man's huge hand with their long, almost delicate fingers could have been those of a pianist rather than a professional security agent. In fact, Raoul did occasionally accompany his employer, Mayor Keller on the piano while Keller used his musical skills on a guitar or even occasionally the violin, playing it fiddle fashion.
"We have mounted visual units which can look at any square foot area within our grounds each is numbered and laid out on a master grid. Our staff, and our developers are hand picked from several of the finest armies and police organizations in the world."
He gave her a self-pleased smile that left little doubt that he had played a big part in that selection. After all, Raoul himself had once been a member of the East German Staats Polizei.
"The pointing of the cameras will simultaneously aim a 20 millimeter Gatling gun. There are eight mounted on the roof. If our officer in charge deems it necessary he presses an alarm button and every window and door in the manor is instantly covered by a shield in thick laminated armor plate, with another spaced slightly behind it."
He showed her the heavy layered armor. There were Kevlar and titanium steel layers, and a few made of other substances she didn't recognize.
Wilma Banky had been careful to see that her star agent was well protected by the latest in modern military technology.
"The roof is also laminated with heavy armor as are the walls and of course the Gatling guns have a full aerial range as well as the missile batteries."
"Missile batteries?" She said, a bit surprised to say the least.
"Nothing extravagant," Raoul answered nonchalantly. " Simple surface to air affairs."
He pointed to a bank of ugly, miniature machine guns that were spaced along the edges of the roof,
" These tripod mounted machine pistols will automatically activate on alarm, and aim," He continued, "Of course, if the command is given, they and the Gatling guns will destroy any target within their assigned ranges and without undue destruction among the shrubbery and plantings in the garden."
He went on like a sort of sinister real estate agent doing a walk through,
"The ammunition they all use is intermixed with depleted uranium, white oak slugs, and solid silver bullets blessed by the archbishop and anointed with holy water. Not even the supernatural creatures can enter here unscathed."
The big man turned and smiled, and for the first time she noticd how much he looked like Peter O'Toole the actor.
"I assure you, you and your young friend will be perfectly safe here. I shall make it my personal responsibility."

[Keller]

Keller woke from a sort of unconscious state, caused, he was sure, by his transport to this place, wherever he was. He found himself in a large room, the walls apparently made of smooth, seamless stone, as if it was all carved from a single granite boulder. On each of three walls were three ornately carved stone doors. The fourth wall was behind him and was unbroken, with no door at all. Given the way he felt, he might possibly have just been dropped from the ceiling into the spot where he lay. Of course, his natural powers of healing were still in place, even if his supernatural ones were not, and he rose with only a little stiffness or pain.
In the middle of the room sat the only item of furniture, an enormous wooden desk trimmed in ornate gold vines and scallops. Behind it, in an enormous chair, sat an amazing creature.
It was small, probably little more than five feet in height when standing, and round with greasy black hair and a matching mustachio, so thin it could have been drawn on with an eyebrow pencil. The creature took him in with his enormous dark eyes and grinned, exposing a set of razor sharp yellow teeth. He sat back in his big leather chair and his smoking jacket fell open to reveal yet another face, this one in his abdomen. Slowly the face opened its eyes and smiled just as the creature was.
"I'm Professor James P. Keller, and you are...?" Keller began.
The little man held up a hand and smiled.
"Bon jour, bon jour Monsieur! We know already who you are, so let us introduce ourselves. How do you do, it is I, your new friend, Ami." He said, a rather hopeful look on his face, "It is my name, Ami. It means friend."
"Bon jour, bon jour, mon ami. My name is Imp." The second face said. "It means Imp." And it giggled.
The creature looked at Keller standing a bit stone faced. Ami's smile faded. He blinked his huge eyes,
"Professor Keller, you do not like the French?"
Keller smiled,
"This is the 21st century, Ami. No one likes the French."
Ami blinked again, then grinned, showing his mouthful of razor sharp teeth,
"How do you feel about the Spaniards, Senor?"
"Why don't you just come to the point, Ami?" Keller replied, somewhat impatiently.
"Well, no need to be rude." Ami said.
"No need to be rude." Imp repeated.
After it pouted for a moment, the creature known as Ami shrugged,
"Very well," He said, "if it must be the hard way. So it must be."
He gestured around and behind him to the nine doors set in the walls.
"Each of these doors will take you to the young woman that you seek. However, behind each door is a labyrinth of sorts. Each has its own perils and follows a different route, some shorter, some longer. There are even towns and cities. An entire world to explore."
Ami grinned slyly, as did Imp, indicating that the two had ways of communicating other than word of mouth,
"The landscape and the cities and denizens of each world will be different, based on your own subconscious mind, and there are no maps. The choice is yours, my friend."
"Remember, please," He went on, "that you may not come back, each door exists only on this side. Once you enter, there is no return."
Keller smiled,
"And what's your job? Doorman?"
Ami's smile dropped a bit more,
"Oh mais non, mon Professeur. We are your help."
"Help?" Keller said, aghast, "What help can you be? And how could I ever trust you?"
The sly little face dropped a bit, in what appeared to be sadness that Keller didn't trust him.
"We've been here, the Tesserect, for centuries. Can you imagine what it is like to have every day a repeat of the last in a place like this? We're not the mindless zombies that crawl this world. We know something is up with this young woman, the Dark is restless and it may spell a change. We'd do anything for change, Professor. Give us a chance to prove ourselves."
Keller pondered. It would almost certainly be safer for him not to leave this one behind, and he might just be of help at that. After centuries he should know the layout here and there were no other maps or directions.
"All right, Ami. You might be of use at that."
He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, offering one to Ami, which was refused.
"So, tell me, Ami. Is any door better than any other?" He inquired.
That slow smile again lit the creature's round little face,
"As far as we know, they are all of equal interest and equal danger, Professor. We are ready to follow you, no matter which you choose. And we must confess, we do not know where the young woman is being held and we will possibly not know where we are any more than you do."
"Well," Keller said, "for all intents, they appear to be identical."
"So, toss a coin, Professor. Let's get this show on the road." Ami said and Imp giggled.
Keller walked along the walls, looking over each of the doors very carefully. Finally he stopped at the last door.
"Nine has always been a favorite number of mine."
As he gripped the knob and turned it he heard Ami's Voice in the background frantically saying,
"No, Professor! Be careful! If you even touch....oh shit!!!!!"
Instantly, Keller felt himself sucked into a sort of vortex. Swirling around in the utter blackness as he descended. The dizziness and disorientation were scrambling his thought to the point that any second he was going to pass out.
And then he did.

[Lorenz]

Through The Looking Glass: The Tesserect

Lorenz awoke in a blood sweat. He seldom if ever slept for fear of awakening back in the casket where he'd spent an eternity buried alive. The dream was of his past, of the time he'd spent with Azaiah and of the last time he'd seen him. It was so sharp, so plain. The shattered body lying there, the splinter of oak with its jagged edge.
Once again, Azaiah's face looked up at him, drawn and bloodied.
"Thank you, Brother." He'd said, "I will be with you in spirit and one day I will be with you in life again."
He could still see the flames erupt as he drove the stake into his friend's heart. He could still smell the greasy smoke.
Stiffly, he pulled himself to his feet. He'd been sitting in his chair by the fire and dropped off. Usually Alsaya, who he called Mama, would have found him so and sent him off to bed, but she was away, visiting old friends and blood kin in Europe. Rubbing his eyes, he shuffled to the bathroom and washed his face in the cold water. As always he smiled. Cold water at the touch of a hand, or hot if he wished it. This was the age of miracles and those who lived in it had no idea what it was like to be without their modern luxuries.
The face that stared at him from the mirror was pale and drawn. Big, pale blue eyes set in a long face with lank black hair and beard. A face lined with age, his age at the moment of his death, so long ago.
He'd been a man in his forties, old for the era in which he lived, and now fairly young by the new standards. Men lived to be one hundred years of age routinely now and women even more regularly. This made him smile, some of the women he knew, and loved best were millennia old.
Lorenz shook his head to clear it. Why were his thoughts so scattered? What was it that drew him back to the past?
His friend, Keller had been to see him and his mother. Mama had listened to his dreams and told him that he was channeling the spirit of Azaiah, and that spirit would one day merge with his, and James Keller would inherit everything Azaiah had been, his power and his memories. Lorenz knew that Keller had been tormented for months and more by the dreams as Azaiah's memories flooded into him, scattered and disjointed. He was pulled back and forth in time. Mama had said this was normal. Azaiah's spirit would have to gather strength before it had control again. To do so, the life force of the ancient one would have to feed upon blood. Somewhere, he knew, it was killing and feeding and would until it was whole enough again to possess Keller.
Now Keller had disappeared. He'd left Lorenz in charge of his duties for the city of Isle Voletta. What worried Lorenz was that Mama had sensed that Keller might never return from wherever he'd gone, and if so, not only he, but Azaiah as well, could be lost forever.
Maybe? He smiled. If either of them were mortal men, or even kindred of less power, there would be no question, they'd be gone. But his race had powers beyond his knowledge, beyond even that of Alsaya. Those few who had survived since the earliest times might well be true immortals. He didn't know which scared him the most, the thought of truly dying, or the thought that he might never do so.
His steps were heavy as he moved back out into the vast chamber that was their parlor. He'd bought the ruins of St. Januarius church and converted the crypts beneath them into living quarters for himself and his sire. The old stonework was familiar and comforting to beings of ancient times and they lived there quietly. Lorenz had reclaimed an old playground and worked to transform it into a safe place for the local children to play, and Alsaya drove a school bus and drove the little ones to class each day. For all anyone knew, they were a nice elderly couple who chose to live in the old church building. Some, of course found them strange, but, after all, they were foreigners and one had to make allowances.
The massive stones that formed the vaulted room were silent. How he wished Alsaya was here to advise him. When she had given him the blood, she'd also planted the seed of her extrasensory powers as well, or so it seemed. Since he'd freed himself from his prison of over a thousand years, he'd been able at times to see the future, or at least to know the outcome of certain events.
He'd known without a doubt that when Azaiah said they'd meet again, that they would. No details, only that knowledge to comfort him as he destroyed his best and only kindred friend. He'd had some sense of Keller's impending possession by Azaiah, and had told him so, warning him to always be on guard, as something dark loomed in his future. When Keller had gone off and left him in charge, Lorenz sensed that the darkness had closed at last, but he was left without even the vaguest clue what the outcome of it would be. He growled deep in his throat. What use was a power that gave one enough insight only to be worried?
The big man's thoughts were interrupted as a red light shone on the security panel, accompanied by an alarm so sensitive that mortal ears could not even hear it. He walked over and switched one of the half dozen small monitors to the main viewing screen, a broad flat screen that showed every detail of whatever target he chose, including scans for temperature and some delicate electromagnetic readings that would indicate the arrival of some ancient enemy of his of his sire's.
Sure enough, the body temperature of the woman who appeared on his screen hovered at about sixty degrees, just a bit above the ambient temperature of the cool Isle Voletta night. She didn't ring the doorbell on the ordinary looking entrance door, but smiled into the monitor instead, as if she knew he was watching her.
Tall and lean she was, and dressed all in black. A long black cashmere coat hung open over her tailored woolen trousers and hand sewn shoes of subtle Italian leather. Her black hair was wild and seemed to float about her oval face like the flames of a fire in much the same way Alsaya's did, and a black leather patch covered her left eye and part of a long scar that nearly reached her chin. Somehow the wounds seemed only to accentuate how beautiful she was, and how fierce.
There was but one kindred it could be, he realized. One who he'd heard many stories about, not only from his sire, but from his grandsire, Azaiah, as well. It was the dark one, Meme'.
She smiled patiently into the camera, then put her hands on her hips.
"Brother, are you going to let me in, or stand there and stare at me all night?" She asked.
Stunned and amused, Lorenz pressed the small release button and the door before her opened. He had no idea how she knew what she knew, but he often had the same problem with Alsaya, and he was used to it, if anyone ever could be.
He opened the door and she walked in and kissed him on the cheek.
"I am delighted to meet you at last, Brother." She said, "I've been aware of you for a long time, of course. I can remember your mother talking of little else at times."
And then she laughed,
"Forgive me, dear brother. I feel as if I've known you for a long, long time."
"Please to call me Lorenz, Meme'." He said, overcoming his amazement enough to speak at last.
Her laughter was lovely and he was surprised to see that she laughed easily. He'd heard she was not emotional.
"I'm not." She said, answering his thought and causing him to start and close his mind.
Meme' blushed a bit,
"Forgive me, please, Lorenz. The second sight is more a curse than a blessing most of the time. I did not mean to pry into your thoughts."
He took her coat and showed her to a large leather reclining chair that was Alsaya's usual perch as she and Lorenz watched the television together. Meme' wore a white cashmere sweater over her trousers, the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. She accepted a glass of wine and sat back until Lorenz sat across from her.
"I am not an especially emotional person, Lorenz." She said, "To finish the thought. I do find, however, that as the years pass, I laugh and cry more easily than I did in life, and in many ways, I find both laughter and tears to be remarkably cleansing."
He sipped his whiskey, smiled as he offered her a cigarette, which she refused. He lit one for himself and relaxed a bit at last. He was still not certain why his unexpected guest had arrived, but he found her fascinating.
"I too, have learned to laugh and to cry again, although I had those things already in life." He said, "I lost them during my..." He hesitated, a shadow of his dreams recalled by the remembrance of his suffering.
"My captivity." He said at last and she smiled.
"I know what happened, and I can't imagine how it must have been for you, or for Alsaya." She said quietly, "She took me to the place several times. Even when we were in Africa in the city we helped found there she made the long trip every twenty years, and sometimes more often."
She stopped.
"Forgive me," She said, "I do not presume.."
"It is not problem." He said. "We know each other better than people who have met, Sister."
"I must ask you, Meme'," He said, "and please take no offense. Why do you come here now? You are powerful lady, you know that Mama is not here. You come to see Lorenz? I cannot imagine why."
She nodded, pleased by his straightforward manner. The people of his time and hers were more innocent of the skills required for small talk."
"I didn't know Alsaya was away until I was quite near to Isle Voletta." She said simply. "I know now where she is and when she will return. If you don't mind, I'd like to remain here and wait with you. We can get to know each other."
Then her face grew more serious,
"I know Azaiah is trying to return, and I know this Professor Keller, who is to merge with him, is in danger. I sense it. The darkness is reaching out for us all, and all who walk the world, Lorenz. Our powers, together, may be needed before this is done."
He surprised her by smiling.
"You are welcome to stay as long as you wish it, Sister. I will go make up nice big bed in guest's room."

(to be continued)

[Zander Sakai]

Darkness nothing but darkness, till eventually his consciousness awoke and with it his memories of what had occurred. A sudden jolt ran through his body as he jumped into a seated position and opened his eyes. To his surprise he was unharmed, in a foreign place but still, unharmed. Icy blue orbs panned the room he was in, taking it all in. It was packed with supplies and boxes from corner to corner with one narrow doorway that led out to a long hallway. Wherever he was they had left him alone with the only obvious means of exiting left wide open. As he attempted to slide off of the cot he had been laying on there was a rigid resistance. His ankles were shackled. Upon removing the gray wool blanket that covered his lower half, it became clear. His ankles were locked into reinforced steel cuffs, which were bolted onto the steel frame of the cot. A slight smirk formed as it now made sense as to why the door was left wide open. His eyes studied he cuffs further as he reached for them, fidgeting. Down the long hallway he could hear someone approaching. From the weight of the sound and the spacing between each step he guessed it to be a woman approaching. He was right, as she came into view about 20 feet from the doorway. It was the red head. She stepped into the room wearing an army green tank top and matching fatigues. Her fierce green orbs lingered over him as her eyes met his. There was no fear or hesitance in her manner, only complete confidence. “I see you’re finally awake. That’s good because I have questions that need answers.” Zander managed a smirk through the weakness his body felt, “I’m guessing if my answers are acceptable you’ll release me huh?” She wasn’t amused with his playful tone; her demeanor was cold and unflinching as she glared at him in silence.

“I’m not the enemy here lady, you may have forgotten but I saved your ass back there.”

Her gaze lowered for a moment then rose to meet his own, “That is exactly the reason why want answers. As far as we can tell you look human, but your actions have us believe you aren’t. Not after what we saw.”

Zander’s eyes trailed over her form before he spoke, his eyes lingering over her visible scar, “And what did you see? … Is this how you treat everyone who saves your life, or am I getting the special treatment ‘cause you want to see me up close and personal…Red?”

“Incase you haven’t noticed you cocky prick, we’re in the middle of a war. When a strange man suddenly appears out of no where, moving with speed and strength that clearly isn’t human, it warrants a higher level of security and scrutiny…..Are you one of them…Are you working with the shadows?”

“Shadows?…Lady I’m not working for anybody. My name’s Zander, I’m not from…I’m looking for someone and ended up running into your little war with those things.” He kept from explaining too much, knowing he was in the Tesserect’s world he wanted to divulge as little as possible.

“So your name really is Zander…It makes sense now…that explains how he knew you and what happened.”

Zander eyes held much confusion as he listened on, “What happened? how did we end up making it here anyway…. last thing I remember was that huge shadow thing about to cut me down.”

“That massive shadow that attacked you, we call them Titans the smaller ones are fiends… The one that was up in the sky…the one that said your name….he’s what we call a shadow lord…. They are the only ones who can take human form, they have the strength and speed that you do….and…once in their true form….that strength doubles…also just like you…On that day Zander…when that titan attacked you a blinding light came from that weapon of yours. When the light was gone a massive shadow lord was wielding that blade of yours. It killed the titan and the remaining fiends in a few seconds. Then it flew towards the shadow lord that was observing from above. We all were expecting him to change to his true form too but he didn’t. The clash lasted but a moment leaving the massive beast crashing to the ground. Once it landed the other shadow lord vanished. My men and I rushed to the crash site only to find you lying there unconscious. If it were up to my men you’d be dead, but seeing you fighting against the shadow I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time…hope. So I ordered you brought in to base camp. We need to make certain if you are an ally or a threat.”

Taking in all of her words he pieced it together as best he could. The Tesserect seemed to have created a world that drew from who and what he was. His only question now was, where in the world was Keller and how was he ever going to find Winter in all this chaos.

Looking to the captain who stood to his left he nodded to her, “ I’m not a threat…I’m here to help…but I can’t help like this…” He gestured to his cuffed ankles.



To be continued……..

[Keller]

Into the Darkness

(This is part of the Into the Looking Glass SL)

"One pill makes you larger,
And one pill makes you small,
And the ones that Mother gives you,
Don't do anything at all.
Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall."
(Lyrics from "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane. )


Keller seemed to awake still in the swirl of black, which now was rapidly changing color. At first there was only darkness before him and a rush of sound. Then, he found himself hurled into a kaliedoscope of wild and random colors. They bent and turned and twisted and his body seemed to bend and turn and twist with them. Then, slowly, the whirling sound and the swirling colors ceased and a landscape appeared. It was like nothing he'd ever seen.

He stood upon a road paved in hard packed dirt mixed with small gravel stones and some sort of clay and lime concoction which made it more durable. Nonetheless, the road was badly in need of repair. The surface was rutted, with innumerable pot holes and jagged rocks sticking up through the dirt to form dangerous peaks. He snapped around at a sound, but it was only Ami dragging himself out of the brush alongside the road.
To either side of the road stood the forest, if you could call the scraggly, twisted stems and trunks scantily covered with occasional dry and browned leaves a forest. Keller couldn't even tell if they were alive, and if they were he had no idea how they remained so.
"Is the whole world like this, Ami?" He asked as he looked around.
It was hard to see through the trees because they were so closely packed together but he thought it seemed as if the ground rose and fell, hilly, like his native Pennsylvania.
Keller scratched his neck and felt prickly stubble. In a flash it dawned on him. His beard was growing, the stubble was causing his neck to itch. If his beard was growing, could it be...? He twisted his wrist and small knife slid into his hand. Carefully he made a scratch on his arm. He watched mixed curiosity and dread when it didn't heal at once.
The idea hit him like a thunderbolt. He was mortal again! To add to his troubles, he was feeling a growing sense of disorientation and confusion of thought.
Ami hadn't said anything since they'd entered the door. Now he, too, looked about.
"We're kind of new to the place too, Professor, and after all, it's your Tesserect."
"What do you mean my Tesserect?" Keller asked, puzzled.
"The Tesserect is different for everyone."
The little man thought for a moment, then,
"It is based on your own peculiar psyche, since we're with you it's the same for us as for you. The only thing in common are the shadows and their minions"
"Shadows?" Keller repeated, "What are the shadows?"
"The shadows rule all this world, and they are ruled in turn by the Great Dark, although not everyone believes in the Great Dark." Ami said idly.
Keller looked one way up the road for a few moments, then the other. For a while he just stood, stunned. There were so many implications to his mortality. How could he even survive here, let alone succeed? And if he did would he be able to regain his immortality, and if so, would he choose to?
He'd seen so much horror and so much sadness in just the short time he'd been kindred. Still, he had a wife and children, he had the makings of a life if ever he got back to Isle Voletta. He smiled. What would Dallas say? Her husband now a mortal? That would come as a shock. So many things to think about. So many facets to the jewel of his life, he thought sarcastically.
For now he had to get started. Mortal or not, he'd do all he could to accomplish the mission. Then he'd worry about what came next.
"Any idea which way we need to go?" He asked finally.
"None, Professor. If we understand you correctly, it could be anywhere." Ami replied and added, "Whatever it is."
Keller shrugged and then started off down the road.
"I guess one way is as good as another then. Come on, guys, let's see what's this way."
Above them the sky was gray and a cold breeze blew. Keller wrapped his coat closer about him. The very weather seemed to match his mood.
"Is there such a thing as summer here, Ami?" He said, bracing himself against the wind.
"Maybe this is summer, Professor." Ami replied, "If so, winter must a real bitch, believe us,"
The little man stepped behind him to use him as a screen against the powerful breeze.
Keller took pot luck on direction and they trudged along in silence for a while.
"Professor?" Ami said finally, "Can we ask again what exactly it is you must do?"
"Well," Keller replied, "we have to find my young lady friend and get her out of here."
"Out of here? How?" Ami asked.
"I don't know, Ami. I am told it will be made clear to me at some point."
"She is rich, this lady? Important in your world?" The round little man asked.
"No, I don't think so." Keller replied, "Important to some, as we all are, but not famous or rich."
"Is she at least beautiful?" Ami asked, having stopped walking.
Keller laughed,
"Yes, she's quite stunning actually." He said.
"Well," Ami murmured, "that's something, anyway." And began to walk again.

They trudged on for hours, Ami following doggedly behind Keller. He didn't know why he thought this odd man could do what no other being ever had, but then, even if they failed at least it was an adventure. A bitter smiled crossed his face, he had nothing to lose by dying, either.
Keller stopped so suddenly Ami nearly ran into him.
Ahead of them they saw a party approaching. There appeared to be several dozen people, leading and following behind a cart upon which a young woman was tied.
Her head lolled as she was pulled along, she seemed to be unconscious or nearly so. From the bruises and cuts on her face and what he could see of her skin, Keller knew she'd been badly beaten.
"What's that?" Keller asked his companion.
"She's a witch." Ami answered.
"A witch?" Keller asked, "And?"
Ami's big yellow eyes focused on his face.
"Professor, there's something you need to know. People here are all in various phases of punishment, no matter what your Tesserect is, enslaved by the Dark, but they don't all see that.
"They know they've been cursed, or some do anyway. Many don't know and don't care. They just like taking their frustration out on each other."
He looked ahead at the slowly approaching crowd,
"People like her," Ami went on, "orphans, or widows or strangers from other cities or tribes often get blamed, and burnt."
Grim faced, he thought for a second and swallowed hard,
"Like us, for instance."
Keller couldn't believe his ears or his eyes. These people were dressed much like those from the Medieval times of his own world, although the similarity was more in the crude style than actual cut and design, and they weren't all exactly people. Some were creatures the like of which even Keller had never seen.
Some part mammal and some part reptile, or so it seemed, and part God knew what. They mixed among the humans. He hadn't time now to figure out what they were or to care.
He started toward the cart, and Ami's small hand fearfully gripped his arm,
"What are you doing! You can't save her, Professor. You'll only get us burnt with her."
"We'll see about that." Keller hissed and pulled his arm away.
He stood in the road so that the cart was forced to halt. Immediately, people came from behind it to confront him.
"What do you want? Why do you disturb us?" A man in front said. He seemed a bit better dressed than the others, and to feel himself in charge. As he spoke, he brandished a large, crudely made sword.
"What are you doing with this girl?" Keller demanded, Ami cowered behind him, peeking out at the increasingly angry throng of people.
"She's a witch, one of those who has cursed our land!" The man replied. "She is to be burnt! The shadow lords have commanded it!"
Keller felt Ami's strong little fingers grip his arm again.
"Professor," The little man whispered, "this isn't your fight. You have a task, don't endanger it by getting us all killed here."
"They can't harm me." Keller replied.
"But they can, my friend," Ami said, "this isn't your world."
Keller started to answer him, but something made him stop. Something he'd not had time yet to think about. He was mortal again! Ami was right, they could, indeed, kill him and doom his whole cause. Somehow the creature known as Ami was already semi-aware of what had happened to him, his sudden return to mortality. Of course, that was assuming that Ami knew what he was in the first place
It took him only a moment to determine that he hadn't a chance against so many people. As he looked at them and rubbed his neck, he was painfully aware of his suden vulnerability. Mumbling among themselves, the group pf people seemed to grip their hay forks and clubs and axes tighter.
"Stand aside!" The leader of the townspeople said, "Let us do what we must do!"
Again Ami's harsh voice hissed in his ear,
"She's nearly dead already Professor, let it go or you risk your whole mission and your world."
It was true, what the little man said. Keller knew he had no chance of saving the girl from this, and even if he did, he had no way to tend her wounds, she'd been beaten nearly to death. There was only one thing he could do.
"I have no wish to stop you but rather to help protect you. Perhaps if I the girl a blessing, her curse won't revisit you from her grave."
This caused the mob to pause. They began to talk among themselves. The idea hadn't occurred to them that some evil might live on after the girl was burnt flesh.
At last the leader spoke, having consulted his companions.
"What is it you wish to do?"
Keller reached into his pocket and took out a small silver cross. It had been given to him long ago by his Sire and he never dressed without slipping it into his pocket.
"In my land I'm a priest and this is a symbol of good. I wish to touch her with it and say a prayer. That will defeat her demons and her curse."
Again the leader conferred with those closest to him. What could it hurt, they said, to let the priest try?
"Very well," He said at last, "do as you wish, but be quick, we have miles to go to the burning place."
Keller smiled and motioned to Ami to stay where he was.
"I'll be right back," He said.
"Promises, promises, "Ami grumbled.
Carefully he walked to the cart as the people stepped aside. He climbed up into the straw and knelt beside the girl. From his pocket he took the little cross and touched it to her face. She grunted but made no other sound or movement. Her blackened eyes rolled white in her head. There was little doubt that she had serious head injuries.
"I'm sorry, girl. I have no choice, forgive me." Keller whispered, and his hand reached behind her head and snapped her neck.
The body stiffened for a moment, twitched a few times, then went limp. No one would notice or care that they burned dead flesh, except those few who had come for the pleasure of seeing her suffer. If he couldn't save her from death, he could spare her from the final agony of the fire. They'd burn her all the same.
He stepped down from the cart, thanked the leader, and went back to Ami's side. The mob, satisfied, went on their way.
"Very clever, my friend," Ami said, "and compassionate. That's a rare thing here." He said with some sadness, "We have a new respect for you."
Keller rubbed the stubble forming on his neck. It had been years since he'd had to trim his beard or even get his hair cut. He'd not lost his physical strength, but he was mortal and he had no kindred powers, only his human skills. Well, he'd lived for sixty years on those skills and got through worse than this. He took a deep breath in through his nose, filling his lungs. Then, with a long sigh, he released it. He felt instantly better. Mind and body were once again one, perhaps his soul now too.
"Come on, Ami." He said, "Let's find some food, I'm hungry."
"Me too," Imp said, its weird little face beaming.
"We can always find food." Ami said, "Rest a bit and start a fire. We'll be back."
He slipped off into the stunted trees and Keller gathered kindling and wood for a fire.

They sat around the warming fire Keller had built. Ami slowly roasted several small animals, which looked suspiciously like cousins of rats, on a stick over it. Keller scratched the stubble on his neck and considered his sudden return to mortality again and what it might mean.
Later, as he ate the steaming meat he had the thought that he had missed it, the taste of food.
"Ami, I've been thinking. I believe Death chose me for this because of my training. I was once in the Marine Corps, an elite military organization, back in my world and I was trained to be an assassin.
"Two of the greatest weapons an assassin can have are deception and trickery. That's how we're going to find the girl and how we'll survive until we do. Somehow, maybe, Death knew I couldn't come into this world as an immortal, but they knew I had mortal skills as well. I think I see the beginning of the puzzle."
Ami nodded, listened.
"Something tells me we aren't just going to stroll to wherever it is and walk out with the girl. Death mentioned challenges." Keller continued. "One extra challenge will be to survive mortality again, and to do so we need a cover story. We have to find a place to get some priest's robes. I think I've discovered what this world needs most."
"What might that be?" Ami asked, carefully slipping a piece of meat into Imp's grinning mouth.
"Billy Graham." Keller said.
Ami's big yellow eyes blinked at him,
"Who?" He asked.

A day later two remarkable figures appeared in the village of Darkwood. Two priests, one tall and one rather short, dressed in black robes. The smaller one carried a beautifully hand written sign that said

Repent! The end is near!

(to be continued)

[XWinterStar]

The brush flowed softly ‘pon the sides of her head as she sat cross legged, her eyes closed. Swiftly the hand held her mass of thick full curls into one and trained the brush expertly, kindly, on the sides of her head, smoothing out the curls. This felt nice, she thought as she shifted her right leg slightly from the Indian Style Position to gain blood flow. Her head swayed obediently to the side as the brush trailed now on her right side. This seemed so calm as she felt the sweet warmth of the presence behind her. Such a nice feeling flowing through her heart. The dark seemed like a sweet place of velvet, a cushion for this moment, amplifying the feeling without having to see. Winter kept her eyes closed. This- was very nice. Her Head bent slightly to the front as the brush fell one last time on the back of her head, and suddenly the hair was bundled in a ribbon and a bow. The presence behind her sighed and Winter noted as the hand never left her head, but rather rested on the crown of her hair. The tips of the stubby fingers that were her mom’s, felt slightly ‘round the front of her foreheads’ hair line, absently massaging gently. Winter felt the pause and wished to dwell within the calm, but it was tremored with another emotion, and she waited. The hand stopped its absent massaging and lay lightly now, motionless on her crown; again there was a sigh.

“I don’t want you.”

Winter’s eyes flew open, but there was only darkness. She couldn’t see.

The hand rose from her crown slowly, the admittance was in the air, and the presence still remained. Winter’s body stayed stiff, her body never moving from its place beneath her form. Her heart felt sick. She closed her eyes again. The darkness didn’t seem so nice anymore.

The form moved slightly but didn’t stand. It leaned forward a bit; a disposition of resolve and pain lingered from it. Then came apathy…

“I don’t want you anymore girl…I don’t want you…” Her mother’s voice it was unmistakably so, just as it was to know the strokes of the brush upon her hair, were hers…

Winter felt that she was floating in a dream, but the firm feel of the floor beneath her form lent credence to where she was, and the situation at hand.

Her mother’s form seemed to feel frustrated all of a sudden as it leaned back in its chair. She heard her mother’s hands slap her knees in a position she did when she was observing what was in front of her, considering the options of what to do to it, and what to say to justify it’s punishment.

Time seemed to pass and though it felt longer for Winter, it was only but for a second. The form behind her began,

“I wish It wasn’t you that survived…If only you didn’t…We might have been alive…”

Winter’s mind rushed as she remembered. Yes, They were picking me up from the hospital that day. I had been in a bad crash with my cousin previously. He shouldn’t have been drinking…though it looked grim however, I made it…I made it…and they had to pick me up, because I was ready to go home…I didn’t know the weather would be so bad that day…



Daddy’s always such a safe driver….always…but even he couldn’t have done anything against the man…I didn’t make him drink, but he still got in his car…why did that man drink? Why did he drive? I didn’t know he would be there…I should have died in that crash right? Then you’d be alive now right? Right????!!!



Winter’s words choked in her throat. It seemed she was blind and dumb….everything but what she really wanted to be at that moment…deaf….

Oh Mommy, please make me deaf, she pleaded in her mind.

Her mother’s form suddenly stirred behind her, and laid its hand on her head once more. Her familiar breath was close to her ear and Winter for some reason, was afraid.

“No you Dumb Bitch…Did you forget how we really died? It was all to get to you…HE wanted to get to YOU, and killed my family instead…”

Winter’s heart stood stock still as the shock resonated through her like a wave.

Her mother’s body sat up but the hand lay still, changing form on her head.

“Why didn’t you just go when he asked? When he asked you? Why didn’t you just leave? I didn’t want you…anyway…”

Winter’s mouth fell open slightly as she felt the hand upon her, once lovingly familiar as her mothers, change form into a slender, firmer hand, whose long fingers turned into nail-like talons and dug hard into her forehead. The grip was like iron.

The form changed, as did the voice.

That voice.

That familiar voice.

Winter’s eyes suddenly saw, as they flew open in the midst of it all. Slowly the fog of black cleared before her and the voice spoke.

“When he asked…When Deebo asked…you should have joined him…despite what the others said, even Jay…

Your sweet cousin Jay..I’m sure even he would have let you become Deebo’s whore if he’d known the lengths he would go to make you his own…”

The head of the new being leaned in to her ear, “Nobody loved you THAT much.”

Winter sprang from her place noting the loosening feel of the hard grip that was on her head. Her face ran with blood cascading from different parts on her head; but it was the least of her concerns.

She bit back a scream as she saw the form sitting now in a throne like seat before her. The dark seemed to form and thrive around its very being.

The form of a girl, the very girl who lay cloaked in darkness…nothing to be seen, but the piercing eyes of glowing red. The possessor of the same voice, that threw her in that hole…

The hole…

Winter’s mind reeled now. The memories of before welled within her as a dam overflowing. The being never moved, gazing expectantly, waiting at the pathetic one before it. The hate grew even more.

“Shut up” The demonic voice bit into the atmosphere at Winter’s sudden whimper.

It raised suddenly, the dark around her seemingly rejoicing in her presence. Winter’s face, once contorted in utter confusion and pain, now lay straight in stark terror. She ached to trump her fears, but this was not happening now. It was all she could do to even stand on her two leaden feet.

The dark form took one step forward, but seemed to be restraining itself from doing something more. A murderous spirit saturated the air. It spoke,

“Oh if only girl…If only…” It began; it’s orbs digging into her very existence.

“I am going to make you see, many times over, how such a worthless being like you, caused so much…I will tear you apart…I will make you see that the pain you were experiencing on earth, was never enough for what you merely are…much less what you caused in so many peoples’ demise…”

The Dark Creature seemed to smile, “I will terrify you. I will destroy you”



“I will make you wish, you never survived…”

[Keller]

Spreading the Word

(This is part of the Into The Looking Glass SL)

The two men walked slowly into the village of Darkwood. They wore long black robes, hooded so that their faces, lowered, were hidden from view. Ami's robe was open a bit in front so Imp could peek out. They passed slowly up the muddy track that served as a street between the houses, which, themselves, were as odd as any Keller had ever seen.
There appeared to be neither square corners nor level floors in any of them. Odd shaped windows had no glass, only heavy cloth to keep out the constant wind. There were no sidewalks either, only slightly dryer humps at the side of the deep ruts in the mud.
As they walked, Ami was slightly behind Keller. He carried the placard that announced the end was at hand.
He wasn't entirely confident in Keller's plan. Oh, the professor had shown some promise, certainly more than any others he could call to mind, but this plan was so crazy. Not only that, he thought, this damn robe itches.
They halted at what seemed to be about the middle of the village, and those nearby tending their market or shopping stopped to look at them.
"Brothers and sisters! Hear the voice of one who was lost and has found the path.
"Friends and neighbors! Turn aside from evil and followed the path of God!" Keller called out, and people began to appear from the houses.
Soon a small crowd surrounded them.
Keller gave them time to gather and sized them up as he did. They were humans of all races, along with creatures he'd never seen before, a mix much like that of those who burned the witch.
The creatures were a mix of mammalian and reptilian features. Most had sharp fangs and claws, along with leathery or pebbled skin, powerful muscles and odd colored eyes. Now those red and yellow eyes peered at him from among the mass. And one of them, a huge brute with claws two inches long on his powerful hands, stepped forward.
His eyes were bright red, and he sported a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. When he spoke is was most like a hiss.
"We don't need no priestssss here!" He snarled and stepped closer to Keller. Ami strategically slipped behind his companion.
"My son, I come only to help you." Keller replied.
"I'm not your ssss....."
He reached out as he spoke and grabbed the front of Keller's robe. With the speed born of long training and practice, Keller reached over the monster's hand and gripped the edge of it. With a swift twist, Keller brought the huge arm out so that the elbow was out under extreme pressure. The brute was forced to his knees.
"I believe in God Almighty, my arm has the strength of many!" He said, and drove his thumb into the groaning creature's neck, blocking his carotid artery. Without blood flow to his brain, the creature slowly dropped to his face in the mud.
"Now are the mighty fallen and the great brought down!" Keller proclaimed.
He pointed a long finger at a woman standing nearby,
"Mother! Do you want your child to live and marry and bring you grandchildren to keep you in your old ages? Or would you rather he'd die of the plague or of war or be killed by outlaws?"
The woman's face brightened,
"Tell me how to save him, Father. Please, tell me how." She said hands extended toward him.
"Child, there is but one way! I am he who has come to lead you onto the true path to God. He has heard your cries and reached out his hand."
They had heard it before. Wandering preachers were not uncommon, even here, but there was something different about his one. After all, didn't he roll that bully Gub into the mud as if he were a child? How could a mere human do that? And so they gathered closer.
"Show us the way, Father," A small voice said.
"We are ready to follow you, Father," Said another.
Within minutes, more people had flocked to them, having been told of what had already happened. Of course, some had come mostly to see how Gub or his brothers would kill the priest, but some had truly heard something that gave them hope.
As Keller touched hands and gave blessings a stir went through the crowd. Gub's two brothers had arrived and they shoved their way through to the man who'd harmed their little brother. Both were reptilian and huge, like Gub and without a word they snarled and attacked.
Carefully, Keller swept the bystanders out of the way and stepped closer to the first brother. He drove the heel of his hand into the brute's nose, crushing it. It stumbled back, hands covering the fountain of blood that spurted. Before the other monster could move, Keller swung around and kicked into its solar plexus. The air was driven from its lungs, and Keller dropped it with a swift hammer blow to back of the head. He turned back and kicked the first creature in the ribs and sent him to sleep with a punch to the jaw that would have killed a human.
The second brother caught his breath and started to sit up, but Ami pressed the needle sharp point of his little dagger into the brute's throat.
"Now, now. We think you've had enough for one day. Father doesn't like to kill, but we're not as full of faith as he is."
The look in the little man's yellow, cat's eyes, and those of Imp, and the creature laid back down.
"Thank you Lord!" Keller exclaimed, hands raised in benediction. For the strength in your arms and the love in your heart! You have raised me above those who would harm me, and set me on your path! Hallelujah!"
"Amen Brother!" Imp exclaimed and gave everyone his inscrutable grin.
An official looking party of men appeared and approached. They were obviously the elders or leaders of the tribe and just as obviously they'd been watching the action. Keller smiled, his plan was working perfectly.
"Good day, Father." The leader of the group said, "Welcome to Darkwood. I am Simon Drew."
Keller grabbed the man;s hand and pumped it enthusiastically,
"Pleased to meet you, Brother! Gantry's the name, Father Elmer Gantry."
Ami and Imp just rolled their eyes.
"Father Gantry, perhaps you'd consider joining us for food? Drew said. We'd like to talk to you."
Keller grinned and bowed his head slightly,
"We'd be glad to break bread with you all, Brother Drew. We're starved from the road."

They sat in a sort of hall, which was basically a larger than normal hovel with one room. It was used for meetings and public trials, and at the moment, dinner.
"Father Gantry, we couldn't help but notice how easily you handled Gub and his brothers. Those three have been a plague for years hereabouts, after this they may behave a bit better."
"Glad to be of help, Brother," Keller said, "the good lord put us here to help each other with our burdens."
Drew nodded and the others joined in happy approval.
"That's exactly how we feel, Father."
He hesitated a moment before speaking,
"It's like this, Father. We get a lot of things like Gub passing through here along the Mud Road. Sometimes we've had to flee for our very lives."
Once again he hesitated, cleared his throat,
"What I'm trying to say, Father Gantry, is that we need someone who can keep law and order around here."
He raised both hands before Keller could respond,
"Now, don't get me wrong. We wouldn't ask you to do anything to break your vows. I just feel that perhaps your God sent you here for this very reason, not that I fancy myself as one to know God's mind.
"What about it Father?" He said, hopefully.
"Brother Drew, and elders." Keller said, "Mine is an order of monks who are trained in fighting for just such purposes as you have named. I will stay perhaps for a bit and help you get your town in order, but I may be called away at any time and I will have no choice but to go."
Drew and the others nodded,
"Well, we'll gladly take all the help we can get, Father."
Keller smiled,
"Of course, you know in return for our services we usually receive a donation."
The faces of the elders became suspicious at the mention of money.
"How much do you suggest, Father?" Drew asked.
Keller had taken the time to talk to Ami about the way things ran in the Teserect, including government and the economy.
"Fifty a week, gold," Keller said.
The elders blanched.
"Father Gantry, we could never pay so much." Drew said.
Ami rubbed his hands together at Keller's side,
"Now, we're negotiating," He said happily.

"I still don't understand, Professor," Ami said.
"Father, Ami, not Professor." Keller corrected.
"Er, right, Father." Ami said, "Anyway, I'm lost. We're supposed to go unnoticed, and we're already the talk of this village. Knowing how these people are, word has probably spread to others villages by now too."
Keller nodded,
"I see a chance here, Ami. Yes, we want to go unnoticed, yet sometimes that which is hidden in plain sight is hardest to see."
Ami, nodded, smirked,
"Oh, sure. Thanks for clearing that up for us."
The two were doing their nightly patrol of Darkwood and its environs. Each carried a heavy cudgel and wore a star made of some odd metal that hung from a chain around their necks.
Keller chuckled,
"Master Yan said that if your enemies already know you're coming they will expect you to try to hide. The way of the assassin is to make them invite him into their midst so he may strike them down. We'll build a base of power because we don't know our enemy yet or his strength.
"I also think the easiest way to find our enemy is to attract his attention without letting him know who we are. Whoever is setting this up has power, authority. We have to make ourselves catch his eye."
"I hope that's all we catch," Ami said glumly.
Keller patted him on the shoulder,
"Hey, I already got us room and food and 35 gold a week."
"I got the 35." Ami snapped back, "You've have let that idiot get us down to 32 if we hadn't kicked you."
"Oh, yes," Keller said, still limping slightly, "could you kick a bit softer next time? I'm not as resilient as I used to be."
"Sorry," Imp's sarcastic voice quipped from inside Ami's robe, "we're not as subtle as we used to be."

(to be continued)

[Zander Sakai]

( Wanted to apologize first and foremost for the long delay. Family emergencies and life seem to all have horrible timing. I apologize again)


The constant on pour of warm water sent a relaxing and soothing feeling over his tense body as the shower rained down over him. With palms planted firmly against the same wall as the shower head. Steely metallic in color and cold, the walls and floor of this shower room felt more like that of a prison. It all felt real enough, but Zander knew otherwise. Death's words clung to him as he released a deep exhale. His mind traveled back to 2 days ago, when she told him her name and released from his restraints. "Captain Nora...", he whispered softly...

2 Days Prior:

The red headed captain stood near the reinforced cuffs which held firmly to Zander's ankles. "It seems I'm going to have to trust you.....Zander." She leaned in and began to release the cuffs. "My father always said, if you want trust....first you have to give it......My name's Nora, but everyone here calls me Captain Nora or just plain ol' captain...". No longer held by his restraints he stood from the bed wearing only fatigue cargo's. Standing now inches from her he hovered over her in his full six feet two inch height. "That wasn't so hard now...was it Nora?" his lips curled in a playful smirk as his icy gaze locked on her fierce jade counterparts.

"umm captain Nora.....you're needed in Comm room 3", The voice was deep and masculine. Zander's eyes followed it to it's origin, Standing six foot, seven inches he was a what many would call a giant of a man. His dark eyes, dark skin and wide muscular frame only added to imposing character. Directly behind him and peeking in from his right side was a petite young girl, she looked no older than sixteen. Her dark raven hair braided in a long ponytail as her warm brown eyes stared at zander exposing her oriental features. Playfully Zander waved to her and grinned in return.

"Thank you, Sergeant..I'm on my way..." Nora slipped pass the group and torwards the comm room. The Sergeant remained for a second or so before following after, His ice cold glare lingered over Zander. Clearly he wasn't a fan, as he walked off dragging the young girl with him.

Present:

Pushing off of the shower wall he immediately turned to face the shower entrance, sensing he was being watched. Leaning there against the entrance was Nora with arms folded.

"Enjoying the view.....Nora?

Her features remained unmoved from his words as she spoke nonchalantly, "Command has made the decision to brief you on the footage we received two days ago."

The shower was turned off fully , " They need me to do something, don't they? No military ever gives anything for free."

Jade orbs trailed over his form before she slipped from the shower entrance and made her way to the comm room. "Put some clothes on before coming to comm room 3."

About a minute or two later Zander found himself in comm room 3, filled with wall to wall technology and countless monitors, the walls and large central table were all metallic. Even the seats looked uncomfortably chrome. The large dark sergeant was the first to notice Zander enter the room. His eyes never left Zander like a savage cat stalking it's prey. Zander knew the large man didn't trust him. Zander had given that look to others before. He knew what it meant, 'I'm watching you, and the minute you make your move, I'll be the last thing you see.' Zander knew it all to well, he flashed the sergeant a smile as he approached Nora.

Her eyes with his, "Alright now that you're here let's begin. On the day that you gained consciousness, we received a message, directly to this base." The captain places a firm hand on the right shoulder of one of the men sitting infront of the monitors. "Corporal, play the footage on monitor 2", she commanded.

The monitor came to life in a flash and instantly caught zander's attention. His eyes widened as he looked on and stepped a few feet closer to the large screen. It was the same man that he had seen hovering in mid air in the midst of the battle, which occurred when he first entered this world. The man he stared at was the complete likeness of his father Jonah Collins. Zander watched on as the man began to speak, " I'm sending you this message because you have something that belongs to me, or better yet, someone that belongs to me. His name is Zander and this message is for him...." Folding his arms he now gives a rather genuine smile as he pauses before continuing. " Hello Zander, I know our last meeting wasn't the kind you and i both wanted. I'm sure you have many questions for me. I want to answer them all, but only to you alone." He then reached out behind himself and pointed to a dark mountain side in the background behind him. "I believe they call it black cliff, in five days we will meet there, just you, just me.....I know you can't wait...I can't either...It's been a long time since we talked.....father...to son..."


to be continued.....

[Keller]

Up, Up, and Away

(This is part of the Into the Looking Glass SL)

"They have entered the Teserect, the game has begun." Aashtaa, the Shadow Lord said.
"My Lord Aashtaa," His counselor, Rugg replied, "how do you know this?"
"I have seen them, one of them at least. He has entered our world, and he must be stopped."
They sat in the massive stone hall of Aashtaa's palace, a huge edifice that despite it's size, still lacked the exact square corners or leveled surfaces. The roofs leaked and the lower cellars, where the torture chambers were located, flooded.
"You said they first, my Lord," Rugg said, "more than one?"
"Yes, but only one is in my eye now. The rest will be someone else's problem. Find me an assassin to take care of this problem. If we please the Dark in this matter we will prosper, my friend. Now go do as I say."

An hour passed and Rugg returned. He waddled into the room with another creature behind him and hissed to the Shadow Lord.
"My Lord Aashtaa. I present to you Siir. She is of the Felinisti and a mistress of assassins."
"A Felinisti?" Aashtaa said, staring "I've never actually seen one. How come you to be here, Felinisti?"
"I am sent by the Dark to serve you, Lord Aashtaa. I am to hunt the interloper for you."
Aashtaa's black eyes narrowed in sudden distrust.
"The Dark sent you to me? Does it not think I am capable of performing this work myself?"
"I do not presume to speak for the Dark, my Lord." She answered.
"No," Aashtaa said quietly, "no, of course not. I meant no offense."
"I took none, my Lord." Siir answered.
Trained nearly from birth to kill, she showed no emotion, but instantly sized up the two creatures. Rugg was Reptili, one of the reptilian humanoids. Aashtaa appeared only as a black shadow in the form of a man. Rugg was pure blood and such things were greatly important to her kind. No Felinisti would breed or consort with any other race but her own unless she wanted to die. Even her own parents would be duty bound to destroy not only their child, but any offspring of such a union.
Siir was the eighth generation of women in her family to become a mistress of assassins. She'd been taken from her cradle to learn the skills that her nature made her so perfect for.
"I am not sure of your target yet, Felinisti, but when I am I'll have work for you."
She almost smiled, but smiling is not the way of the Felinisti.
"I shall go prepare, my Lord." She said and took her leave.
Once she was gone, Aashtaa turned again to his counselor.
"My friend, use all your skills and those of your minions to find this man. Take the Felinisti with you."
He took Rugg's arm in a powerful clawed hand,
"Do not fail me, Rugg, or it is you and I who will die."
Rugg merely nodded and went off to make his preparations.

Keller was learning what he could about the Teserect and its people. They had no machines more complex than the wheel and the forge, where they turned out remarkably good weapons and tools. Still, they had no system of engineering or measure more complicated than a string with knots tied at intervals to use for measuring distances and dimensions.
There were many races thrown together. The lizard-like Gub and his brothers were called Reptili, and there were races based on mammals as well, all of whom, like the Reptili, kept the characteristics of their base animal. The Reptili, for instance, were enormously strong and resilient, yet they were slow moving and not especially smart. The Canini, a race that appeared to be mostly dog, were great hunters and trackers, with exceptional hearing and scenting capabilities.
Keller approached the smith, an enormous Reptili named Bogg.
"I welcome our new Sheriff and priest." Bogg said. "How may this poor smith serve him?"
Keller produced a small plastic ruler he had taken from his odd looking pack.
"I want you to make something for me, Master Bogg. We will create a device that will change this world."
He handed the ruler to Bogg, who carefully examined it in his enormous claw as Keller explained what he wanted and showed him the uses of the small, plastic device. In fifteen minutes time, they were fully engaged. Ami and Imp, who had stood quiet during the exchange, sat quietly eating some stunted fruit someone had donated to the new priesthood, or was that to the sheriff? No matter, Ami knew a good thing when he saw it. This Keller was going to shake the world, and he was going to be right there to gather the peaches as they fell.
Once Keller got to work he didn't stop but to eat for hours. He and Bogg made several measuring sticks of various lengths, and then created several squares, also carefully marked and measured. He left the smith to his new task and went to find the local builder.
The master builder was Almon Simms, a balding middle aged human with sharp eyes and a quick mind. In an hour, Keller had taught him the uses of the measure and square. Having measured a long line, Keller showed the builder how to take a long cord and wet it with mud, then hold it against a surface on the measure marks and snap it to make a straight line on a foundation. He also took a glass half full of water and showed them a basic leveling device. Bogg was already at work on a more sophisticated model.
The stonecutters and masons had the basic technology for producing lime, which was merely baked in a kiln until it turned from gray rock to white powder, but hadn't learned what other minerals to add to make solid mortar and cement. He taught them how to mix it and add stone to and steel rods to strengthen it. He taught them how to create a level surface using a large wooden trough of water measured inside so that an exact level could be obtained from all directions. Of course, smaller versions were soon to be created and put to service. Simms and his crew erected a new house for the father and his novice as the first building using the new technology and it became the talk of the town.
In a week, people from other villages and even a nearby city had come to see the marvels in Darkwood. The smith and the builder made and sold and explained and trained people in the use of their marvelous new tools. Where most people feared new technologies and shunned all but the most basic, the presence of Keller as the priest blessing the items and the buyers, and collecting a healthy fee in addition to the percentage of sales he'd already had Ami negotiate for them.
The people of the odd world had been able to produce paper by floating wood pulp and other materials which had been reduced to cellulose onto fine screens. The screens were dipped in the cellulose concoction, allowed to dry a bit, then dipped again. This caused layers to be built up and the paper could be made of any thickness or quality. Keller had books made and Ami began to put in writing the teachings about measurement and line, and the making of the tools and charts needed for the building trade. There would also be sections on creating lime mortar and concrete that would set even underwater, something Keller learned from the Romans, even as he'd learned the history of the measuring instruments created by ancient Arab and Greek masters.
Unceasingly, Keller pursued the rebuilding of Darkwood. He led parties of miners out to scout for materials and ores they could use to modernize this ancient world, and all in the interest of attracting favorable attention from outside the small village.
In this he was successful. Already people knew the village of Darkwood. Those who'd bought, at enormous prices, the devices the smith was creating. Bogg had to hire three apprentices to keep up with his workload. Copies of their own tools and a technological wave began to cross the Teserect. In Keller's world this process had taken centuries, but this place was starved for knowledge, especially that which could be used to make oneself rich.
His priestly robes, now made of the finest cloth, flapped in the breeze as he shoed a team of miners where to dig out sand from a beach a few miles from the village. He found himself looking out across a vast ocean and wondering if Winter or any of the others were looking back. By now the hair on his neck had grown long enough to soften and he needn't scratch it constantly any more. He'd have preferred to shave it, but there was no such thing as a razor yet, and Bogg was too busy to learn to make one. His hair was growing too, and it gave him a wild look, prefect, he figured, for a wandering priest. Ami never seemed to change appearance, but then Keller really had no definite what the little man even was yet, so he didn't waste time on that thought.
He had them haul sand back to the village and soda they'd discovered in deposits, and showed them how to create glass. They'd even found coal deposits. Keller was amazed how mineral rich this world was, and yet the only things mined were gold and silver and a few gems when they could be found. Actually the miners spent most of their time digging clay from which pots and other ceramic items were made.
Keller showed them how to use a bellows to increase the heat of their kilns and also Bogg's forge. The latter he taught them to bake coal into coke and to make a superior form of steel. In short time, by adding nickel and magnesium which were dug from the nearby wastes they'd created fine stainless steel, and blades of a new steel sharp enough to create the razors that Keller by now had decided not to use as yet.
His plan was working. He'd teach them to make roofs from the ceramics they could now produce, and glass for windows to stay warm. They'd create weapons and armor of unequaled quality and fine paper to make books. He'd use these basic technologies to create the printing press to publish Ami's growing and surprisingly well written guides to all the new trades and skills. And the world would notice.
He and Ami spent time mapping as well. It occurred to Keller that at some point he might have to find his way back to where he'd entered the door. They retraced their steps along the road and mapped to the approximate spot where they'd first appeared. They measured distances in a cubit based on Keller's stride. Not terribly accurate, Keller knew, but it would be close enough for now. He and Bogg had managed to find a way to magnetize metals using magnetite ore and he'd made a rudimentary compass, so their map also had directions that were based on accuracy.
Every day now, more people came to the village, not just to buy or marvel at the new wonders that were spawning there, but to see him, the priest who had changed their small part of the world. Keller blessed and advised, sat in judgment on behalf of the village, for which he was well paid, and even did some healing, using his knowledge, no doubt much of it from the spirit of Azaiah which cohabited his mind and body, of herbs and minerals and their healing properties. He and Ami hired some village women and began to manufacture skin creams and balms for various internal problems as well. Keller even took time to create a lanolin from sheep which he turned into face cream, which sold like hot cakes.
Through it all, he wrestled with his return to mortality. He suffered some long forgotten aches and pains now, and his hair began to become long and unruly. He lived well and bathed often, using the soaps he'd taught his ladies to make and he was clean and well dressed. He'd taken his old garments and cut them apart to show the seamstresses how to make patterns from them, and he employed some children to carve wooden buttons as the people had not yet discovered them, using clasps to hold their garments closed. They already had the ability to produce cloth, Keller found flax growing wild and showed them how to produce a sort of primitive linen. Now the heavy, itchy robes were gone and Keller and Ami wore garments that floated weightlessly about them.
They lived in their new house, which was expanded to include a jail. Since prosperity had come to town, naturally the outlaws came also. Keller, still the sheriff, used his well honed skills to find and either capture, kill, or frighten them enough to render them harmless. Those he arrested he also sat in judgment over, and it came to be known that those who resisted arrest the most violently, stayed in jail the longest.
Since he no longer had time to handle all his many responsibilities alone, Keller found and hired Gub and his brothers as deputies.
"Father Gantry?" A guard said, "Your searchers have a report to make."
Ami looked at him curiously,
"Searchers? What searchers?"
"I sent some people out to test a theory I've been working on, about this world." Keller replied.
"What about it?" Ami asked.
"Let's hear the report first." Keller said and motioned to the guard to show the party in.
Three of the reptilian creatures known as Reptili entered, the largest in the lead.
"Good day, Father," He said, bowing slightly. "I think we found what you seek."
Keller rose,
"Come on Ami, let's go take a look." He said and they followed the Reptili.

(to be continued)

[Keller]

Siir

(This is part of the Into the Looking Glass SL)

They stood and waited as Keller examined the search party's find. He stood beside what appeared to be an outcropping of red stone with unusual flat sides. He took a small trowel and scraped away at the dirt surrounding the outcrop and at last he came back to the waiting party.
"Well done, Grut." He said, "This is exactly what I was looking for. Get a party of diggers out here, I want the excess dirt cleared away."
The Reptili went off to obey and Ami looked at the red rocks.
"Okay, Professor, We give up. What is it?" He said.
Keller picked up a piece of the red rock that laid at his feet.
"It's a building, Ami. A building made of modern brick and with square corners."
Ami nodded, pondered, looked at Imp.
"And, so...?" He said.
"Ami," Keller said patiently, "ever since I arrived here I've wondered at something. Your language, place names, racial names, everything is similar to those of where I come from. The crafts and sciences here don't make sense either. They have smiths and carpenters and craftsmen of all kinds but no measuring devices or squaring tools. It's like they have the remains of what was once a fairly advanced science, not modern by any means, but more advanced than this."
He scraped his thumb over the fragment of brick,
"Ami, I think this world was once either a very Earth-like world or else it's based on my world a few centuries back. Now, it's like they have learned parts of our basic knowledge base, but not all of it.
"The odd thing is, which parts they have and which ones they haven't. These aren't the remains of a civilization, they're like someone chose certain things for them to have and others were withheld."
Ami listened carefully, nodded again,
"But why, Professor? Why give them part of what they need?"
Keller tossed the fragment aside,
"Did you notice how fast word spread of what we taught the smiths and tradesmen in Darkwood and how fast they came running for what we have? It's like they're starved for knowledge, and knowledge is power. Someone has withheld the rest of the science because by keeping it they can rule this world. Well, they are about to have some competition."
His mind was working overtime, had been since he'd developed his theory about this place. He was already gathering power, and this item would, no doubt, bring more. It was nearing the time when they would move on. A bigger city would provide more opportunities and he was ready to move. He'd had no success finding any trace of Winter or her captors and no one had contacted him about it. He reasoned that the more visible he became the better his chances of finding the young woman.
Of course she was important, but something else was stirring in his mind. The events in Darkwood and the discovery of the ruins had shown him that a man with his talents could go far here. This world was a plum, ripe for the picking.
"Professor?" Ami said, "I see the wheels turning in your head, even from here. What's our next move?"
"First," Keller replied, " we excavate these ruins and see what else we can find. Then, we appoint some deputies and managers to run our town here. Then, we're moving on to the next large city. It's time to expand."
The little man scowled,
"You know, or course, that the move will attract attention, and maybe the kind we don't want." He said, quietly.
"Look at the bright side, Ami. There's such a vacuum of power here that we can make ourselves rich as King Midas. Besides, we are trying to attract someone's attention, and we are."
Ami, of course, had no idea who that was, but he let it pass.
"Well, while we're making ourselves rich, someone might just show up and make us dead, too."
"You worry too much, Ami." Keller said, "Come on let's get back to town. We have things to do."

Siir stood before Aashtaa again, summoned to report on her progress.
"We have checked all the land for anything or anyone unusual. It seems there is one new arrival in Darkwood, a Father Gantry. He claims to be a healer and priest, but he has also taken on the task of sheriff and he's revealed some rather remarkable technical skills. Darkwood has become prosperous and the good father is making himself a name and a fortune as well."
Aashtaa nodded, cast a look at Rugg,
"What do you think, Rugg?" He asked.
Rugg's leathery face betrayed no emotion, a common trait among his kind. He scratched his neck with a sharp claw, carefully manicured into a manageable length,
"I don't know, my lord Aashtaa. My people have brought me news of this stranger also, and it seems he has appeared out of nowhere. There are no records of him that we can find. He may, indeed, be your man."
Aashtaa nodded, turned to Siir.
"Kill him." He said simply.
"My lord," Rugg said, "perhaps we might better capture him and question him. We could possibly learn what the Dark is so concerned about with this man."
Aashtaa's face twisted into a kind of smile,
"My friend, it is never smart to learn the secrets of those who can destroy you with a wave of the hand."
The smile dropped and he turned again to Siir,
"Kill him, and bring me his heart. I shall dine on it later."
The Felinisti assassin bowed slightly,
"It shall be done, my Lord."

Ami sat counting money and making notes in his ledger. He'd proven to be a shrewd and able manager for their many new interests. Beside him, Keller sat eating an enormous steak on unknown origin. They had seen a few cows and he was hoping it came from one of them.
The ruins hadn't produced much more than some ruined buildings. All that the residents had possessed they apparently took with them. What he didn't know was where they went. The logical choice, of course would be to Darkwood. If they'd gone there how did their civilization devolve back so far? The answers would have to wait, his plans were made.
"Father," Ami said, "I think we're catching up to your King Midas. In a few weeks we will own this whole town and the country around it."
He did a few more computations on his pad,
"We've got enough to move our operations to the closest city, which I am told is Despyte. It's a good sized city so there will be a hotel, possibly a decent one. We'll go in style."
Keller chewed a mouthful of tender meat, smiling. He'd quite forgotten the pleasure of eating real food. He found now that his enormous strength, the sole remnant of his former powers, used up a lot of energy and he needed to eat a lot as well. The thought of Dallas seeing him with a belly made him grin.
In fact, he was gaining muscle and he hadn't had a drink of bourbon or a smoke for weeks now and he worked out with the locals he was teaching combat skills to. Soon he'd be stronger than ever, at least physically. Still, he needed to keep it down, he wanted to stay as agile and fast as he could, and too much girth would not help.
"Ami, my friend," He said, "I'm afraid we can't make too big a splash yet. I don't want it to appear too obvious we're trying to get attention. Besides, it isn't proper for a couple of priests to live like kings. We're supposed to be poor and honest."
"For my part, I prefer rich and famous." Ami muttered.
Keller laughed and finished his meal.
"Are you done figuring up your money?" He asked.
Ami nodded.
"Well, then," Keller said, standing, "our wagon is loaded and waiting for us. We're off to Despyte."

The small tavern was new in Darkwood. It stood beside the town hall but, unlike the hall, it had square corners and level floors. The windows were covered with tight fitting shutters to keep winter winds out and the improved iron stove in the center of the room cast a pleasant warmth.
Siir stopped to examine the stove before taking a seat at one of the three small tables.
"Good evening, Miss." The barman, a human, said. "We have food and drink and rooms for the night."
"Good evening, Sir." She replied, "I'd like some food and a flagon of milk if you have it."
"I have, indeed." He said, and bustled off to prepare her dinner.
Later, as she ate, she looked about the place. It was clean and dry, the roof being tightly fitted, with casks of ale and wine lining one wall, and a small counter with four stools. Behind the counter stood the barman and behind him were shelves which held bottles of the better wine and jars of pickled meat and eggs and who knew what. These were all of ceramic, their glass technology hadn't advanced to bottle making as yet, something Keller was saving for now. Dried meats and strings of garlic and dried herbs hung from the exposed rafters and tubs of fresh apples and pears and other fruits and vegetables stood at the far wall. The back wall held a door which led to a hall, from which the kitchen and stairs to the upper level led.
"You have a nice place here, Barman." Siir said, daintily wiping her mouth with a soft cloth napkin, a product of Keller's textile knowledge. "For a town this size, I've not seen better."
"Thank you, Miss," Said the barman. "We owe it all to Father."
"Father?" She asked, "Who's that?"
"Why, Father Gantry, of course." He said, "He has brought us new knowledge and skills from the Gods."
He looked around him,
"Nearly everything you see he has caused to be made or improved the making of it. Our smiths are now known far and wide, and our farmers are no longer hungry. Look outside of town and see the wonders he's done with our farmlands. We need guards now to keep the Bovisti out."
The man beamed with pride.
"Our children are fed and our old people are made well again. All have prospered since Father came to us."
Siir nodded, smiled,
"Where can I see this Father of yours? I'd like to meet him."
The man's smile flagged a bit,
"Father has gone over to Despyte. He says he must spread the word and the knowledge and also that he will make us famous by sending people here from the cities to learn our new crafts and skills."
"He's moved on?" She asked, frustrated.
He nodded in reply.
She stood and pulled a purse from beneath the simple dress and cloak she wore,
"How much do I owe you, Barman?"
"Nothing, Miss," He replied.
"Nothing?" She asked, incredulous.
"First meal is free, Miss, Father pays me to provide anyone who is hungry with a meal. If they can pay, they pay for the next one, but Father will pay for all the food you can eat if you have no money."
She laid several silver coins in his palm anyway.
"This is just a donation, my friend. Father sounds like a good man, and in this world, good men always need help from us all."
The man smiled broadly,
"Thank you, Miss, may your God bless you." He said, bowing slightly.
She walked the town street, noticing that a second street was being laid behind it and better by far than the old one.
Everywhere she looked she saw progress of a remarkable kind. There was a new stone aqueduct which fed into iron pipes, which, in turn, spilled into a central fountain in the town square and was being brought into a number of the houses along both streets. The houses themselves were improved, with new chimneys and those little iron stoves like the one she'd seen at the tavern.
Outside of town she found that the farmer's fields were lush and bountiful, despite the season. Closer examination revealed that the fields consisted of a system of water filled canals with raised growing beds between them. It was, unknown to her or anyone in this world, an ancient Andean Indian invention, which even modern science had only begun to understand. The water apparently helped the air remain a consistent temperature, and to dispel the killer frosts that had made farming here difficult for as long as anyone could remember.
One after another she found wonders in practically every craft and trade. She stopped at Bogg the smith's and bought two small knives made of the ingenious steel that never rusts. Bogg had an example hanging half in a bucket of water outside his shop as an advertisement. She found the little weapons to be of excellent balance and sharper than her own by far. She slipped the knives into the sheaths she wore under her robes and put hers in her pack. They were now obsolete, but they were a gift from her teacher, and she'd put them in an honored place in her home.
She walked past the guards who patrolled the fields and started off back to town.
This Father is an interesting man, she thought. While most towns the size of Darkwood are backward and barely managing to survive, it flourishes. She decided to spend another day in Darkwood and talk to the residents. Whoever this man was, he was doing more good than had been done there for ages uncounted. He surely didn't seem to be what Aashtaa appeared to think he was. Tomorrow she'd leave for Despyte, she still had a job to do.

(to be continued)

[XWinterStar]

I want to be free...from this prison I'm in...

"This prison that I made myself," she murmured.
"Oh, you had help," a voice came. It was low, dark and sinister. It was her. She moved forward through the opaque way, "You definitely had help."

She shook her body from where she was being held. 'Strapped down like a leopard in the wild,' she thought as she wrestled away at the chains that bound her to her knees. The dark thing mused, "Close," It said regarding her just past thoughts, "...Close enough."

She looked, puzzled at the dark thing, and it's head moved, pointing towards her body. She then looked down and in a start, felt her heart stop cold. The markings, they were back, back on her hands, legs and arms. Her hands moved to her face, but was forced to halt at the protest of the bonds. She could only imagine her eyes.

The dark thing smiled. Only white teeth...'fangs more like it', she thought, showed in the dark that held Its eyes a glow and face shadowed. It was amused.

Soon It turned and began to walk away. Her heart was confused. What was It doing? But the thing only continued calmly to saunter away, stopping one last time to take a look at her by the portal gate, before it turned away and looked no more.

And then, the transformation, began...

[Keller]

Despyte

(This is part of the Through the Looking Glass SL)

The wagon rattled along the road up the steep mountain in an endless torrent of sound. The passengers bounced along, dozing as the Reptili driver urged the horses along as quietly as he could. Occasionally Keller would open his eyes and look out at the desolate panorama as they passed through. It seemed never to change. The trees were the same barren looking ones that he'd first seen when he stepped through the door, clinging to the scant soil of the rocky cliffs.
He smiled. It seemed ages ago that he and Ami had appeared here. Yet, he reminded himself that they still had no direction to go in or any sign that they would ever accomplish his goal. He was bitterly reminded that as a mortal he didn't have forever to wait any more. His beard was flourishing as was his hair and he looked more like a wandering priest than ever, and these things were more reminders. He shook off the thought, he still had a job to do, and if it took him the rest of his life, he'd do it.
He leaned up and whispered to Drub, the driver.
"Drub," He asked, "how much farther?"
Drub took a moment to ponder this. Reptili were not fast thinkers.
Then,
"Father, I think we will be there before Dawn." He rasped.
"Good." Keller replied, "When we are nearly there, pull off the road. I'd like to go take a look around before we enter the city."
"As you wish, Father." Drub replied.
They pulled off to the side of the road just before the city limits of Despyte and Drub cut branches to hide the wagon. He and Ami covered it and hid inside to wait for Keller to return.
An hour later a silent figure stopped to examine the wagon and then passed on. Siir had picked up their trail. She sped toward Despyte and her quarry. No matter how remarkable this Father was, she had sworn to kill him or die trying, and Felinisti always kept their word.

Keller moved around the streets of the city unseen and unheard. Around him the people slept. The alley he moved along ran between rows of houses, all built with the lack of measure or square like those in Darkwood. He smiled. The city was ripe and ready for him.
Something made him stop and slip into deep shadow. There was no sound, nothing moved, yet he sensed someone or something was behind him. Every instinct awoke as he felt the subtle changes in air pressure. Whoever it was, they were highly trained, this was no simple robbery. They knew who he was and were likely here to kill him, and they were creeping closer. He settled his back against the wall and waited.

Siir paused, listened. Somehow she'd lost track of him, but how could that be? He had no idea she was after him, and even if he had, no human could hear her steps. She peered ahead into the dark of the alley, eyes piercing the darkness. Nothing. She drew the little knives from her sleeves and moved forward.
Keller held his breath and tried hard to still even his heartbeat. The enemy was near now, very near.
He tightened as he saw her. Her small silent shadow emerged from a larger one and moved closer to him. In a moment she came within reach and he struck.
Siir was knocked sideways by a powerful blow to the head. Dazed and hurt, she nonetheless had the presence of mind to roll away and into a defensive stance.
It didn't help. Keller drove through her defense and punched her hard in the solar plexus, with a gasp she went down on one knee. Keller kicked the other leg out from under her and she sprawled. Before she could recover he had one of her knives pressed tightly against her carotid artery.
"Tell me, very quickly. Why should I not kill you?" He hissed.
Siir still gasped for breath, never, even in training, had she been taken down so easily. Whoever this man really was, he was no simple priest. A man so trained was not simple in any way.
"I am disgraced, kill me." Was her gasping reply.
"No, not yet." He said, "I think I'd like to talk a bit first. I'll tell you what. I'll let you go and we'll fight, and if I win you will come back with me to my friends and talk this over."
She blinked in surprise,
"And If I win?"
"Then I'll be dead." He replied.
He took the little knife away from her throat and threw it on the ground.
"Whenever you're ready."
Slowly she began to circle him, focusing her mind of him, his vital spots. Then, she exploded at him. Throwing punches and kicks with remarkable speed, she stormed at him. Keller took a hard kick to the face and went down. Siir immediately moved in for the kill.
She drew another knife and struck, but he caught her arm and twisted. She rolled over him and went on her back in the dust. Before she could regain her footing, he punched her hard in the kidney. Her vision filled with stars and again she felt the tip of the little knife against her throat pulse.
"I have just killed you," He said, "will you keep your word?"
She looked up at him, puzzled, and quite impressed.
"You will take my word?" She asked.
"Yes, I'd like to hear your story."
"You could have killed me," She said, "my life is forfeit to you. It is your right by the laws of my people."
Keller nodded,
"Then I will choose the moment of your death. If you're willing to help me, death may find you anyway."
She nodded.
"I will honor my word, Father." She said.
He smiled,
"So you do know who I am."
"Yes," She said, "I know many things about you."
Another smile,
"You can tell me all about it on the way back to my camp." He said.

(to be continued)

[XWinterStar]

These chains…how will I break free…



Her heartbeat, a pace that was undefined, Her mind flickered.

Where was this again?

Her “Body” ached.

What was it this time?

And then, it happened.

Without a second thought, her head reeled back in response to the sudden pain.

What- what was happening?

Her jaw locked in excruciating pain as madness felt her heart. Her arms jolted and turned in their shackles, until they soon were a braised by the small holds they were in…She was getting bigger.

She ground her knees against the hard obsidian floor of the holding platform she was on, in an attempt to break free. They only bled; and soon, they too started to transform. Slick skin seemed the theme, as the dark marks that once marred her form came to life, causing all her epidermis to own a new color. The process was damning as her jaw soon stretched to form a large maw, and her eye holding true to the dark inkiness therein.

Her face formed that of a dragon; her hinds and arms did the justice of the form.

Her face ached as a battling roar came from her embattled soul. She was lost, her mind now was, her skin now formed a sheer alabaster tone and her hide was rough like a dragon’s should be. The newly enlarged sinful cuffs there now, bound a monster, as she bucked and tore against them. The dark formed girl walked in, and all that was there was a smile. It looked up as she tried once again to cry, and lifted her head to the galaxy releasing a mournful cry. In response, the sky was filled with lightning laden clouds that soon consumed the Tesserect, rolling in every direction.

[Keller]

Despyte

(This is part of the Through the Looking Glass SL)

Ami and Drub came out of hiding as they saw Keller return.
"Father," Ami said, "look what followed you home."
This brought a hiss from Siir but Keller stepped between them.
"Ami, Drub, this is Siir. She has some things to say that you might find interesting."
Reluctantly, Ami and Drub gathered wood and made a small fire and set some food to cook. Then they all sat down to listen.
She spoke not only of the shadow lord Aashtaa and the Dark, but of the Teserect and the fate of its people. Her own kind, the Felinisti, had long ago waged a war against the humans and their Reptili allies. They lost and most went into slavery. They remained so to this day. She was one of the lucky ones. Her clan were assassins from time immemorial, they'd been in the background and not the main battles, and they escaped when it was shown that all was hopeless. After some years, they agreed to work for the ruling races and she, herself, had spent her life in training to kill.
"So, slavery still exists here?" Keller asked, amazed.
Siir nodded.
"But I saw no slaves in Darkwood, nor any mention of them."
"Father," Ami said, "little towns like Darkwood have never been rich enough for slave trading. You'll find plenty of it in Despyte."
Keller sat back and chewed the savory meat Ami had prepared.
"Siir, I assume the slaves are discontented with their lot in life?" He said.
She nodded,
"Of course, Father. Who would not be."
"Do you know any of them to speak to?" He went on.
She shrugged,
"All my people share common blood. I may speak to any."
"Are there any leaders among them?" He asked.
Again she shrugged,
"Yes, well, not leaders exactly. In most of the cities the slaves have a sort of hierarchy. My people are held together by common blood and common beliefs, which the slavers allow them to continue. It keeps them from going crazy."
In the firelight she was quite lovely. Her big green eyes shone like pale emeralds and her features were well drawn on a perfect oval face. Now she creased her dark brows,
"Father, why do you ask these things? Are they important?"
Keller nodded,
"Yes they could be, Siir. In my country long ago, and in ancient civilizations even before them, slavery was always a problem, especially when the slaves were captured or coerced. A famous man once said slavery is like holding a wolf by the ears. You didn't like it but you didn't dare let it go."
His three companions exchanged puzzled glances and he chuckled,
"In the southern part of my country, slavery was a way of life for centuries. But it came to be a bone of contention between the North and South and led to a great civil war.
"The leadership of the South were skilled soldiers and they fought the richer and more powerful north to a halt. Then the president of the North freed all slaves and put them in the army and that won the war. You see, there were more slaves than slave owners, and they were in better fighting shape, having toiled for years at manual tasks.
"Something very similar happened in an ancient empire of my world, the Romans. They went even farther. They actually put slaves into their armies, and trained them to fight in their arenas. The slaves revolted and nearly toppled the empire."
Siir's eyes fixed on him,
"The Felinisti slaves serve in the armies as well, Father, as do many other slaves. Few humans or Reptili fight for themselves."
Keller grinned,
"Guys, I think I've figured out our next move." Keller said, "Darkwood needed Elmer Gantry, but Despyte could better use a Spartacus."
The three others looked at each other and said, practically in unison,
"Who?"

(to be continued)

[Zander Sakai]

Five Days Later....

The sputtering growl of the classic Honda CB750 echoes through the sky as Zander speeds to his destination. A moonlit night perfectly set in the cloudless sky, it held an ominous glow which sent chills down Zander's sturdy back. As he neared closer and the ruined city seemed to fade behind him, his mind began to wander. Easing into each tight curve of the now dirt road one image burned into his mind vividly. Winter huddled up in some dark corner surrounded by shadow. The image seemed to burn clearer with each beat like a pulse. The passing days allowed his powers to return as Death had foretold they would. That is for the most part, though his powers had returned he still felt no connection nor had any communication with his demonic half, Mihkal. What does it all mean? What is this place really? These thoughts and more congregated his inner most concerns. Reaching the plateau which was known as black cliff, the motorcycle's headlight shines on a single figure alone in the dark. Dressed in all black, from the leather boots to the double breasted duster. Arms crossed as the cycle pulls to a stop, he is a menacing figure wearing a devilish smirk that mirrors one that Zander was known for.

As Zander kills the coughing engine and dismounts, it was clear to see he was armed. Knives adorned his midnight black tactical stealth suit, holstered across his chest and sides in an "x" formation. The massive Obsidian sword sheathed at his back his rugged boots took step after step closer towards the strange man.

"I knew you'd come, I know my son..."

Zander's eyes narrowed into menacing slits as the man's words echo through the air.

"Listen to me good, who ever....what ever you are..I know what this place is...what it does...I know you aren't real...so..let's end this charade. I have a girl to save.."

Tossing his head back in laughter, the Duster clad mystery man claps his hands in a fast steady rhythm till it tapers to silence.

"You have all the answers don't you?...I'll play along...So son, if me and everything here is but a dream...Who's dream is it?....is it your's....James'...Winter's....an even better question would be.....are you even real...or...just a dream....is anything real...did you die once you stepped into the Tesserect.....Is this the last bit of consciousness that you're clinging to before you truly die...."

His words agitated something deep to the core of Zander, as he had no real way of denying or confirming anything that was said. Reaching behind himself he grabbed hold of the hilt of the God Slayer. Teeth clenched he drew forth the massive blade it's obsidian properties causing only its glimmer to shine through the night.

"Quick to fight Zander....like father....like son...but I hate to burst your bubble kiddo... I'm not your ticket out of here......" A long pause came from the stranger before he started again. " Ok son... I'll be square with you....that's why I called you out here anyway....I....am...Jonah Collins...your father.....and at the same time...not..." Stepping closer to Zander, Jonah slowly eases his way pass the large blade held in his way,placing his right hand on Zander's right shoulder. " Son...you and I are in a rather unique situation. We both owe this situation to the fact that you brought a guest with you. The Tesserect tests all souls who enter it. You happen to bring one soul too many. The essence of all the souls that have ever found there way into the Tesserect...be it man...or beast...or both.... is used to create an orchestrated test for whomever enters it....A test fit...just for that one person...pertaining to their current want or desire....I was your original test....but once you activated him...a shift was created. I now existed outside of the test created for you both...able to see it all from the outside in....allowing the consciousness of the essence from which I was created to arise....."


"My father's essence?...."


"Yes... I feel a sense of completion seeing you now...as an adult...yet conflicted with the worry that you may not be able to defeat your test....During your fight with the titan you activated the god slayer...releasing the great demon that was locked away within....the demon Bhaal....It was him that Nora and her men saw defeat the titan and fly to me in an attempt to attack.....you must have had some seal placed on your soul before entering the Tesserect....or else once activated...Bhaal would have consumed you completely..."

Zander's thoughts rolled back to his preparation at Keller's Mansion. The blood ritual he had learned in order to seal the God Slayer from drawing from his spiritual energy,as was it's nature to do.

"I can see it in your eyes son... you know what I'm saying is the truth...The Tesserect has made you Bhaal's test...as much as he is yours....but...do not fear...I will guide you....



to be continued....