Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Syrhahn Syrhahn and Xhisara were walking down unfamiliar concrete streets. They were in a less technologically advanced world than Syrhahn’s Cxielo, although they did have motor vehicles. In spite of their technological ability to lay down concrete streets, they seemed unable to repair cracks large enough to trip over in the pavement they were walking down.

They were after a girl. Just a teenager, new to the world of travelling. They had information she had dealt with William, as he had tried to recruit her.

The girl was living with her mother in a rougher area of the city, though by the state of the rest of the city, only just slightly rougher.

They approached the house, and Xhisara opened a portal to walk through the front door. They made it in undetected, as there was nobody downstairs. A quick look into the cramped living area revealed evidence of non-recreational drug use, and it was generally unfit for habitation due to the dirt, mess and dirty needles.

Music was coming from one of the upstairs rooms. Syrhahn knew he had to wait this one out, Xhisara would have to grab the girl very quickly so she could not walk through a portal.

A scream emanated from an upstairs bedroom, then Xhisara appeared holding a struggling girl. Syrhahn grabbed hold, and found himself standing in the middle of a desert with Xhisara and a plain looking tiny young girl with mousey brown hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in a while.

Xhisara had her arms around the girl, who was struggling. Syrhahn helped restrain her, as they could not let her escape.

“Wait, we don’t want to hurt you,” Xhisara huffed, still struggling with the prisoner.

“No, we really don’t.” Syrhahn joined in, holding her legs so she couldn’t kick Xhisara. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead already.”

“We want to know about William, we know he recently tried to recruit you into an army to take over the multiverse,” demanded Xhisara.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I don’t know a William!” she screamed, increasing her efforts to get free.

“You probably know him as Steve. You know, the murderous psychopath trying to take over the multiverse. Can’t have forgotten him already?” Xhisara’s sarcasm seemed out of place to Syrhahn, as he had never heard her use it.

“Oh yeah Steve, nice guy, doesn’t like the way the multiverse is, going to change it. Starting with that shit hole I live in,” she growled.

“The only thing that Steve wants to do to the multiverse is have ultimate power over it. Would you like to go to a world that he’s destroyed? Let’s go on a little field trip.”

Syrhahn touched Xhisara and was immediately engulfed by her portal.

They arrived in a ruined city, which must have once been beautiful. It was very old architecturally, appearing to be hand-made rather than by machine.

“See this!” shouted Xhisara. “See what he did! Come.”

They re-materialised at the opening of a cave, and could see a fire inside.

“Jahuden” called Xhisara, as a well-muscled man who only came up to her shoulder came out.

“Xhisara, why the prisoner?” his translator spoke out.

“She believes that William is a good man and she should join him in his quest to take over and destroy most of the multiverse,” Xhisara informed him calmly, as her prisoner ceased fighting her.

“A good man?” the translator was unemotional, however, they understood Jahuden’s feelings perfectly well as he roared in angry disbelief.

“You have seen what he has done to our world?” shouted Jahuden. They were able to follow the translation as the device increased its volume accordingly. April flinched at the sheer rage coming from the man.

“We were divided. There were those that believed William was good, and we should follow him through magic windows to fight for him. Then there were those that saw what he was. Those that didn’t go through the window to fight thought they would be safe here. Only, William brought the war through the window, to here. Now there is nothing left. Our great civilisation gone because of one man.” Jahuden walked closer to the girl and looked straight at her as she attempted to slink backwards into the wall that was Xhisara. April only came up to Xhisara’s solar plexus, she was so tiny.

“If you wish to go with him, to destroy more worlds, you would be better to fall on your own sword. Then it is only your blood on your hands.”

Xhisara thanked him and Syrhahn hung on again.

This time, they were in another city. The architecture was similar in character to the ruined land they had just come from. It suddenly occurred to Syrhahn that this was its mirror. There were people around them, milling around, others walking with purpose. It was a city full of life and colour. The people were all short and well built, like Jahuden.

“Do you realise what this is?” hissed Xhisara to the girl.

“The other place. Without Steve.” the girl stared at the floor, looking truly miserable.

“He’s got my son,” Syrhahn told her, stooping to look at her. “Did you hear anything about Viskra?” His heart stopped beating while he waited for her reply, a feeble shake of the head. He then calmed himself back to his previous state.

“I know where he lives,” she looked up, her eyebrows raised and hope in her eyes. Syrhahn hoped that meant she was comprehending the gravity of her allegiance with William.

“Please take us there,” he said all a little too quickly, which further scared the child.

“Okay,” she opened up a portal in front of them, and with Xhisara’s arms around her protectively, and the girl’s arms cradling them, they walked through the child’s portal.

The flat was empty. An orange street light illuminated the room, and they moved from room to room searching for a ghost.

“He was here, they all were,” the girl sobbed, dropping to her knees on the floor.

“It’s okay, we know he moves on,” Xhisara reassured her, while inside, Syrhahn rearranged himself again.

“So your name’s April then,” Xhisara asked gently. Syrhahn pulled up the girl’s sleeves to check for track marks, thankfully finding none.

“Yes,” she sniffed. “I didn’t know what to do or where to go, I mean, suddenly portals appeared in front of me and took me wherever they felt. I’m better at it now, but it was so scary, and I thought he cared.” April started crying fully as she continued.

“My mother’s a junkie whore, I had no heroes. I thought I wouldn’t be alone any more.”

“I tell you what,” smiled Xhisara. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll take you to my world, where you can get all the answers you could ever want.”

The irony of that wasn’t lost on Syrhahn, since the one answer they needed certainly wasn’t on holy world.

The girl smiled through her tears and then they were all standing outside Xhisara’s house. Syrhahn did have concerns about bringing a known cohort of William’s to holy world, but had to remember that she was just a scared kid who needed guidance, and to give her the benefit of the doubt until she proved otherwise.