An Unknown World: Volume 1 Replayed

CHAPTER 8: DIMENSIONS

One after the other, it's just like life doesn't change. It's almost mortifying how crazy it is, and it just isn't right anymore. It's like my luck has been on a roll now, the amount of things I've witnessed are something genuinely strange.

"Hey, I finished." said Clyde. He hands me the sword, and holy...It's black and red handle, the sleek black design. Reminds me of a katana. "I can tell by your expression, it looks very good." said Clyde. "Yes, I do find it very nice. One question though?" I said. Clyde's eyes widen as I ask, "Can this cut through boulders?"
"Well, I mean if your powerful enough to cut through one." He said. I guess he's right, and very right.

"Yeah yeah, want a drink?" Clyde said, "I have a lot of Cola's." Where the hell do you find Colas in this dimension!? I don't get it at all. I hear a banging noise near us, and it clearly doesn't sound pleasant at all.

"This is Magen's search squadron. We have a warrant. Let us in, Clyde Jacobs, or we'll enter by force." The voice behind the door says. We look each other in the eye, and decide not to reply. "This is your last warning. If you don't let us in, we'll enter by force." The voice repeats. But I can only hear one person. Is this a trick? Not too long after, that agent starts banging the door harder and harder, until it breaks, and it really is only one. I make quick work of him, a clean cut through his neck.

That sounds foolish, though. Who would try to catch me alone? It doesn't make sen - "Agent 04, are you ok?" Another voice says. Oh, crap. "Quick! Out of here!" Clyde says. I'm sure I can handle these agents, if the first was easy, but what about Clyde? It's best to put him to safety first. I focus my power and create a portal.

"JEEZ! HOW DO YOU TRAVEL LIKE THIS?!" said Clyde, "You'll get used to it." I said. We fall back on the gummy I previously landed on. We need to find Jess right now, and we need to make sure she didn't get captured by Magen. I have Onix's death right in my head, I can't let that happen to another person. I run over to Jess's house, and I see some guards near the house. I teleport closer, and we're now near a bush. "What's your plan?" said Clyde, "I don't have one. Just stay back, I'll deal with them." I said. "Wonder if these are edible-" I cut him off, "Don't even think about it." I teleport closer to the house and I pull out my blade, ready to strike. I crouch down to make sure that no one is looking.

I check the corner and I see a guard knocking. I have one of the toughest decisions of my life. It's either play it passive, or go in guns blazing. Screw it. I draw my blade and I speed over to the guard, slicing him in two. Some of his blood lands on my face. Disgusting. I wipe my face using the sleeve on my sweater, that's genuinely gross. "Hey! It's him! Get him!" said a guard. Sorry Jess! But this is going to be a mess.

I cut one of their heads off, the other is cut in two like the other guy. I think that's really all I had to do, surprising. I knock on Jess's door, and she opens. "He isn't her- Oh, look who finally showed up!" said Jess, "Thought you would take longer."

"Harsh response. I thought YOU were going to be imprisoned." I said, "Can I come out now?!" Clyde yelled from a distance. I teleport Clyde near us and I make him bump into Jess. "Hey! Jax what's your problem?!" said Jess. I start laughing and having fun. I can't remember the last time I had fun with people, it's such a pleasing feeling.

But... what now? Magen city is filled with guards, and Candy land is about to be. I'll choose a random dimension. Let's see..."A lright guys, let's continue." I said. I open a portal and it leads us to something unexpected. A big mansion, but it looks really...abandoned. It looks like something really...Unknown.

The nearby swamp welcomes us with a putrid smell. "What the hell is this place, Jax? Where the hell are we?" Jess said. "I don't know. But we had to go somewhere." I replied. "Yeah, but why here?" She asked. "I didn't know any other place." I said. "Ugh. Fine." She said.

We enter the mansion carefully, both because we don't know what these mossy walls hide and because we don't know how much these rotten wooden floors can support. What strikes us right off the bat is how dusty it is, and how ashy it smells. As if it burnt down, recently. The hallways are hollow, and so are the first few rooms. In the living room, only long decomposed furniture. In the kitchen, a persistent smell of burnt food, and charred tapestry and furniture.

We proceed up the stairs, each step creakier than the last. We decide to divide to explore faster. In the room that I chose, on a large table, there is a computer? And it's functional as well. How long has it been here? And who left it here in the first place? I wonder about the significance of it, until I'm grabbed by the neck and mouth.

"Shhh... who do you work for?" The voice said, prompting me to type on the keyboard. I write: "What? I don't work for anyone. Let me go." Through the screen, I can see the reflection of her face. She doesn't seem convinced. She pulls out a sword, bring it to my neck. "Who do you work for?" She repeated. I write: "No one ok?" She seems conflicted. "Can you prove it?" She asked. I wrote: "Go read a newspaper or smth I'm Jax Trevor." Suddenly, her eyes light up. "Jax? The one who escaped King Magen?" I write: "yes." She lets go, and I ask her: "What's this about? Who are you anyway?" But what I find is a sword pointed at my face.

"If you truly are Jax Trevor, then face me, Amarah Bishop." What. The. Hell. "What's happening over there?" Both Clyde and Jess say. Amarah gets distracted for a moment. I pull out my sword and attack. I push her back, until she has to roll over the table to the other side. We circle around it for a while, until Clyde and Jess arrive as well. "Who the hell are you? Another of Magen's minions?" Jess says to Amarah. "Are you ok, Jax? Clyde asks me. "Magen's minion? Me? Never!" Amarah responds, yet again getting distracted. I jump over the table, and this time, I disarm her. The sword hits the ground, again and again, with a clinging sound each time.

"Alright, Jax. I surrender." Amarah says. "Wait a minute, do you think you'll get away so easily?" I snap back at her. "I also work against Magen." She replies. "Oh yeah? Why?" I accuse her. "Magen took everything from me. My family, my home, my people." She sobs. "And you want to deny me my revenge?" I don't know if I should trust her. "Alright. You can join us, if you want." I finally say.

"Alright. Now, toss me back my sword, will you?" Amarah says. "What if I don't?" I say. "Well, I guess I won't help you then." She says. While always keeping an eye on her, I pass it with my foot. "Well, let's get right into it, then." She says. "What's the magic word when you almost kill someone, Amanda? It starts with S-" Jess says. "Suck it. And it's Amarah." She says. Well, she doesn't seem polite, that's for sure. I guess it's time to continue.