The Forbidden Domain - Part 24

“And you came with us then Wanderer?” I asked.

“Yes, there is still much that I do not know. You gave me the Tools but I haven’t learned too much about its use. Also I wanted to see Esta’s world, everything that I had learned about it previously was from books and her talking about it. Valarie showed me around some and I’m amazed at this place. I know it was different but actually experiencing it was something else. I want to know what is good and bad about this place so I know what sort of world I should guide my world too.”

“Well, I’m sure that Marilyn Linson will be able to set you up with identification and other stuff so that you can live here fine. Speaking of that, Valarie, did you contact Martin about us being missing? I told him to contact Marilyn if we didn’t show up.”

She nodded, “I managed to contact them fast enough to avoid Marilyn calling in some sort of supernatural SWAT team to rescue us.”

“A supernatural SWAT team? I thought she didn’t have anything resembling a team. The closest she had was Lyle assisting her.”

“Apparently that has changed recently. According to Martin she pulled some kind of bureaucratic magic and managed to put a real team together. Having actual evidence about real supernatural activities was apparently a large factor.”

“Wow, unintended consequences. Although I think Marilyn was her priorities right so I think that having access to a real team and more resources is probably good for her. I also got a message from Martin that Marilyn wants to talk with us again, that she wants our assistance with something.”

“Alright, we contact her later when I’m feeling a little less tired. First however I think we should return to our appartment. As comfy as your bed is Esta I think that I’ve abused your hospitality too much.”

She shook her head, “No, it isn’t any problem. This house hasn’t ever been as lively as it has been with all of you here. But you will come back and visit me again won’t you?”

“Of course, and you can come visit us too.” I quickly exchanged contact information with Esta so that we could keep in touch. I then eyed the Wanderer, “And if he somehow manages to get a phone or something then you can share it with him too.”

“Sure,” She said nodding.

“And he will probably need help finding out place when he comes over to practice so I’m sure he will need your help.”

She placed her arm against her chest to show that she could handle it. I smiled and then managed to pull myself out of the bed. Valarie helped me up because I still a little bit weak.

She asked worriedly, “Maybe I should contact Martin or Marilyn and have them bring a car here. I don’t think that you are in condition to walk.”

Realizing that what she said was true I grudgingly agreed with the car idea, “I would no want to inconvenience either of the more then we already are. Do you think we could just call a cab instead?”

“Yes, we can do that. Just wait here while I make the call.”

I leaned sat back down on the bed and waited for Valarie to make the call. She walked out of the room to avoid disturbing everybody while she talked. “Wanderer, do you need our help in finding some place to stay?”

“Esta said that her parents are rarely home so I could probably stay here without any issues but doesn’t seem like a good long term solution.”

“Come on” Said Esta, “It will be fine. Mom and Dad will never notice. Yiskah has been staying here for a day already and they haven’t even been here. Nobody would care, I promise.”

“Still, eventually they would discover me. It would still be better it I had a place I didn’t have to hide to stay at.” He said.

“I’m sure I could get Martin to find you a place. He we able to find a place for us within a couple of days. Do you think that would be good with you?” I said.

“I can probably managed to stay here that long without being discovered.”

Valarie came back and said, “Alright, I have a ride on the way. They should be here in a few minutes. We can probably get you down stairs by the time they get here.”

I let the Wanderer and Valarie help me up and while I was capable of walking myself, even if slowly, they still stayed by my side just to make sure everything was alright. Eventually I made it down the stairs and out of the house. Outside there was a nice red car driven by Martin, I eyed Valarie in disapproval but she just shrugged and I then let it go.

I managed to get into one of the back seats of the car before I said, “Don’t you have work or something?”

“Don’t you have a job or something?” Quipped back Martin. Touché, I had been supposed to work today but given everything that happened that obviously did not come to pass.

“Sorry about that.” I said while Valarie got in car too and Martin then took off.

“I hear you had some kind of epic adventure instead so I suppose that it is alright that you missed work. I had some of the others work your shift and you have the next two days off too. However it will be unpaid leave.” I chuckled was he said it.

“Well, thanks I guess.”

Valarie took over the conversation that I had trouble continuing because of my exhaustion. “It was exciting though. We went to another world and got to see all sorts of things. Ash falls from the sky all times of year and there are mushrooms and lots of bugs.”

“Sounds interesting. I would like to see that for myself one day if I could.”

Valarie said, “Maybe you will be able to. Even with my limited experience I’ve gotten better at opening the portal. This time it only took me a couple of hours to recover and I think that it will get even easier.”

“Indeed, well next time you feel up for it then maybe we should take a tour of that world. Your friend, that man there, was he from that world? I recall you mentioning something when you called me this morning.”

“Yes, Wanderer is from that world.”

“Trail,” I said, “I think that world should be named Trial and this world is named Hub. A method of avoiding confusion at the very least.”

Valarie nodded, “Alright, well, Wanderer is from Trial. He has come to our world to learn how to make his world a better place. He is rather clever and he made all sorts of machines in Trial that help him survive.”

Martin nodded and drove as he listened to Valarie ramble on about that world and Wanderer. She avoided mentioning anything about the Tools that I had created. While it would probably be explained to Martin at some point at least for now I was grateful.

Finally we reached the apartment and he stopped at the road while we got out of the car.

“Will you need help up to the apartment?” He asked.

I shook my head, “No, I should be able to make it from here. Thanks, for the ride and everything else.”

He grinned out the window of the car at me, “Oh, no need to thank me. You make everything around you interesting and I’m sure that things will continue to get more and more interesting. Then I will be thankful for you.”

“I’m not sure that interesting is a good thing in this case.”

“Oh, no, Interesting is always the best thing. If things where not interesting then what point would there be?”

“A profound question, maybe I’ll think of an answer while sleeping. Although I will likely just forgot instead.”

“Well, take care.” He said and then he drove off, probably back to the Pendulum Lounge.

With him gone I made my way to the apparent with only relying on Valarie’s help a little. Finally we reached my room and I collapsed on the bed. It wasn’t as comfy as Esta’s bed but it still felt nice. Even that small amount of activity that I had done to get here had exhausted me and I could barely pull up the sheets before I fell back asleep.

“Hmm…. This is strange.” It was Scarred Yiskah. We were in some other dream again. This one however was not a strange sea of shadows and darkness. It was a hill, one behind Master’s house. I knew the place very well.

“Strange?” I asked.

“You are continuing to speak with me. Normally I should have vanished into your subconscious and would never again speak to you like this. Maybe the creation of the Tools damaged your psyche more than I thought.”

“Weren’t you supposed to know these sorts of things? Being my suppressed thoughts after all?”

“I know the same things that you know, just that sometimes you choose not to know some of those things yet I still remember. Maybe speaking to you caused me to become too personified in your mind preventing me from dissolving.”

“Hey,” I said, “I was about to suggest that. Don’t steal my ideas before I say them.”

“They are my thoughts too. Don’t forget that.”

“Are you sure that you are really just my suppressed unconscious mind, you seem too different from me to be just that. Is there something more that you are not telling me.”

“If there is then maybe there is a reason that you are hiding it from yourself? Have you asked yourself that question before? Didn’t I say that I might just be a monster. Was it wise to entrust me with the Forge of Beginning?”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure that it was. And would you give it back to me if I asked for it back?”

“Maybe, but probably not. If you got down on your knees and begged then maybe I would let you use it for a while. Is that what you want?”

I shook my head, “No, keep hold of it. It is not a power that should be so easily used.”

“At least on that we are in agreement.” Said Scarred Yiskah. She paused and then said, “Although you shouldn’t think of me like that, Scarred Yiskah, it gives me too much substance. It would be better to just forget me and pretend that I don’t exist. Although I suspect that you are unlikely to do that. A pity.”

“Is that really the best? I gave Wanderer two choices for the destiny but he wanted to reject them and choose a new destiny for his world. Maybe instead of forgetting you I want to choose a different path.” I said.

“Indeed, but where that path leads is not something that I can predict. I hope that my existence does not cause your mind more damage then it has already received.”

“Was there another reason that you wanted to talk with me tonight or was it just to inform me about this alteration? Or maybe you are just a little lonely and want somebody to talk to.”

“No, that was it. If we speak in the future then I just wanted you to know why it was that it was happening. Now enjoy your dream.”

“My dream?”

“You remember, don’t you? Training with Master, those were fun times.” Said Scarred Yiskah.

I turned and could see Master walking up the hill toward me. I was younger again and Scarred Yiskah was nowhere anymore. I scrambled to my feet. I had been slacking in my training and had hoped that Master would not be able to find me up on the hill yet he always seemed to be able to find me.