Chapter 2: The Parallel Wasteland

The three of them walked along however it became apparent to Nate that Rik and Anne looked quite tired.

"Okay," said Nate "let's make camp and rest."

"Make camp?" Rik asked. "With what supplies?"

"Yeah" said Anne, "we don't even have sleeping rolls!" Nate looks at them with a smirk, he then holds up his finger. Before the both of them knew it he materialized everything they needed from the gem. He had stones and wood, as well as something that he claimed to be a lighter for making a fire. And he had what he needed for two tents too.

"Oh yeah" said Rik, "I forgot about that trick"

"Trick? No its raw magic to be honest" said Nate. Anne looks at the camp Nate has set up, she then notices that there are only two tents.

"Mr. Nathan?" Anne asks. Nathan looks up from the fire he was poking.

"Oh, please my dear, Nathan is my first name, you can call me Mr. Reyes or just plain Nate."

"Okay" Anne says, "Mr. Reyes, where is your tent?"

"I'm not tired" says Nate, "I do not need rest, however you two need it." Rik looks at Nate a bit puzzled.

"Didn't you say we had to move quickly and some evil was on it's way?" Nate looks up towards the sky and answers

"Yes but the threat isn't imminent, a few hours rest will not delay us." Anne takes to her tent and goes to sleep. Rik sits at the campfire with Nate. He is feeling quite tired sure but he wanted to sit and talk with Nate. 'How could anyone never be tired?' wondered Rik. 'He could not be serious' he thought. After a few moments of quiet Rik asks,

"So you don't need to sleep, ever?". Nate glances at him amusedly.

"Of course I sleep Rik!" Nate chuckles, "I still need it but not as often as normal people."

"Normal people?" asks Rik "what do you mean by that?"

"Well" says Nate, "when I was very young my home town got caught up in a war" "And" continues Nate, "my father disappeared and my mother met an untimely demise." Nate takes a moment to think and the continues,

"I was adopted by the lieutenant of the enemy army when he found me alone in the ruins of my home." "I was taken to reside in the headquarters until the war was through" Nate continued on. Nate coughs, and materializes some water to drink.

"As I was saying," he continued "that was also the work place of a scientist known as Dr. Marx. "He saw opportunity in making a genetic soldier and altered my DNA to be more resistant to wounds and disease as well as heighten my senses."

"What?!" asked Rik, "and you were only a little kid?"

"Yes" said Nate, "however when I fell very ill he was afraid of the damage it could do to his 'flawless' image, so he pulled the plug on the operation." Rik was surprised to hear such a thing. Not only was he shocked on this childhood Nate had, but he was also shocked that he even told him all of this.

"That's kinda sad to hear, why did you tell me this?" said Rik

"It's how I became sub-normal, that's what you asked." said Nate, "Anyhow It was fine after all, I went to lead an adventurous life and even made a family." He had him there, he did ask what he meant by that after all. Then upon hearing that Nate has a family Rik asks,

"Oh you have a family?"

Nathan then pulls out a picture. It was a family photo only to Rik's surprise they were human. In the photo there was a pretty looking girl with red hair, a boy with auburn hair and a man with auburn hair also, "Wait" said Rik "you were a human?"

"Yes" said Nate, I was turned into a fox after... the attack". "I guess" Nate continues, "they thought it would weaken me changing my form." "In truth it just made me angrier."

"Attack?" asked Rik.

"It was what provoked my quest in the first place", Nate said "that's all that there is to say".

Rik was in no mood to push the matter further, he was tired. It must have been only mere hours till morning and Rik needed sleep.

"Wow" said Rik, "thanks for the insight on your past, I'm a bit tired so I'm goin to get some sleep, see you when the sun comes 'round."

"Sleep well" Nate said.

Rik goes into the tent and gets some rest finally. And Nate stares into the fire poking it. A few short hours later morning arrives and the trio gets moving again. After a while Nate sees they are near some old city.

"What is this place coming up?" asked Nate

"This is the ancient holy city Havenbrook" answered Anne. As Anne told Nate the history of the old city and how the Ten Lines were supposedly composed there Rik notices up ahead Sonya was there. She still had her robin hood looking attire still complete with the green hat.

"Hello again Rik, didn't expect to see me again so soon I bet" said Sonya, "What has brought you to Havenbrook?"

"Well no," said Rik, "and I'm here cause my strange new friend says we have to go this way." Sonya glances over at Nate

"He looks like an outsider alright" says Sonya. She approaches Nate

"Sonya?" says Anne, "by the skies, I was not sure I would see you again so soon."

"Hello" Sonya replies, "I'm just visiting momentarily"

"What's Up?" asks Nate.

"You are a strange looking beast" says Sonya

"Yeah well, I try to stand out" Nate says with a smirk

"I do not find you amusing" says Sonya

"My apologizes" Nate says putting his hands up, "I was just trying to be funny, seems you are more of the serious type." Sonya looks at the touch pad thing on his arm and then the strange bracer with the hooked tip.

"Is your left bracer supposed to be a grapple hook of some kind?" asks Sonya.

"Yes" Nate replies "I use it quite a bit especially when climbing."

"I can tell" says Sonya, "the tip is dull and worn, you should grind it" Nate looks at the tip and see that she is right.

"You are right" said Nate, "I never had the chance to think about that."

"Anyhow, Rik" said Sonya "what are you and Anne doing with him anyway?"

"I can explain that" says Nate, "you see I came to the world from another universe, now you may find this hard to understand but…" Nate then would continue to explain the whole situation again to Sonya. Rik already knows and didn't need to hear it again. So he wandered off a bit. He took out the can of soda that Nate gave him to try it. He looked at the top part, still unsure how to open it. Eventually Rik took out a throwing knife and punctured the top.

"Well I got it open now at least" he said. He drank it, and it was a strange taste, fizzing all the way down the gullet. The substance practically made him cough since it was warm at this point.

"Well" said Rik, "at least it was sugary" He takes out an apple and bites it, washing down the weird sticky taste of the soda.

"Would have been better if I drank that cold" Rik reflected. He looks toward the others, "are they still talking?" "Better see if they are about done." Rik walks towards the others and overhears Sonya saying

"And you are attempting to cross the parallel path? Just to defy the sky and bring Tox back?"

"No" answers Nate a little exasperated, "I'm not bringing him back to life, or replacing the original Tox in this world". "I need him to stop this evil force." Rik could tell Sonya was giving him a hard time.

"You do realize how dangerous that is right?" Sonya questions, "You do not know the power of the skies." "They could reign vengeance on us for such a task."

"Trust me, I have it under control, promise." says Nate.

"Hmph", Sonya huffs, "fine, but I'm going with you."

"Alright, fine" says Nate, "hop aboard the outlandish express and let's go then."

"Be warned" Sonya said, "if you displease the skies I will strike you down so as not their favor is lost with me."

"Okay", says Nate. Nate looks towards Rik,

"She always like that?"

"What?", asks Rik, "the thing with the skies and such? Yeah she takes that stuff pretty seriously."

"Yeah I can tell" says Nate.

"She does have a point though" said Rik, "Tox's spirit is still in this world, would that seem a little rude just to bring an alternate world version of him here?"

"Rik" says Nate, "do not worry, I'm sure he would understand, it's only temporary." Rik did not know what else to say, he was right. Tox will be back and once he helps out Nate it will be just like any other day again. However, Rik knew that it would not be easy to see Tox as the same when the real one is still gone. 'Well, at least it won't be too hard to say good-bye when the time comes', Rik thought. They moved on, it seems the tear was in the Feverlands. Rik usually only comes back there to visit Syx (another friend from his adventure over a year ago) but very rarely since Syx hasn't smelled any better since he made his home in the swamp. He did once again tried living among others in society but many complained and so he remained in the swamp. As they continued walking Rik could smell the Nox from Syx. There were still a good five minutes walk from his cave.

"Whoa" said Nate, "this swamp stinks."

"It's from our friend" said Anne "his Nox gas is pretty strong." Nate plugs his snout as they kept walking they soon arrived at Syx's cave. The green dracon mage was still stinky as ever, even if he did decide to wash those also green robes it would not help one bit.

"Hey Syx", said Rik

"Ah, Rik it's good to see you visit and with friends new and old as well!" Syx said.

"Hello Syx" said Anne.

"How do?" asked Sonya. Syx looks at Nate unsure like the others had at first, unsure of what to make of him.

"Hi" said Nate, "we are on a mission and it appears we must go through your cave's back exit."

"A mission?" asked Syx, "whatever for?"

"Well…" Nate began

"It's complicated" said Rik, "something about a parallel world and bringing Tox from there for a bit to help out with something."

"Eh, what?" asked Syx nervously, "you are crossing worlds, I read somewhere that it could cause ill effects to both realities".

"Where did you read that?" asked Sonya, "anyhow, that's why I'm watching him closely, this could be dangerous."

"Hey, I know what I'm doing" said Nate a little annoyed. "I told you I have done this before and everything turned out fine."

"Hey!" said Anne, "the two of you need to stop disagreeing." Sonya looked at Anne,

"Alright then, but I would like some form of proof; you come off as too foolish for such magic".

"Well I can't really prove it" said Nate, "but I'm no liar, I have been doing this for awhile now."

"Awhile?" asked Rik.

"Yes", Nate, "even before this I have traveled around universes, with my old friends.

"Who were they?"

"Friends that just moved on," Nate said, "Syx can we pass through? The Nox gas is making me begin to lose my breakfast."

"Yes, of course my friend" Syx said, "I would recommend a clothespin the next visit" he added.

"Thanks for the tip" said Nate.

"You want to go with us Syx?" asked Anne.

"No" said Syx, "if anything went wrong I would rather stay here".

It was clear that Syx wanted nothing with the matter. He always was the more anxious one.

"I understand" said Anne, and so they moved on and to the outsides of the swamp. Rik thinkin back, thought it was slightly strange on how Nate hastily changed the subject when he asked about his old friends. 'Perhaps' he thought 'he just wanted to get away from Syx's nox'.

"Um" asked Anne, "we are pretty close to Silkwind Crossing."

"Yeah?" asked Nate, "sounds like something wrong with the place from the way you say that though what is it?"

"Spiders, huge ones" said Anne

"I hope we don't really have to pass through there again" said Rik. "I'm not afraid of spiders but there are thousands and they are pretty nasty."

"Oh, well I don't think we have to go through" Nate said. "We are closing in on the location… here."

"This is it," said Sonya, "be sure that no mistakes are made." Nate begins to tap on his touch screen bracer. There is a flash of light, and a sound of a crude portal opening. And right before Rik's eyes a glimpse into a desolate destroyed world was opened. Then Black poisonous smoke began leaking out right onto Rik's face.

"Gah!" yelled Rik, "Black Dracon mage poison! (Cough!) (Cough!)" Rik then falls over and Nate quickly drags him away from the opened rift.

"Rik!" yelled Anne. Sonya points her bow at Nate.

"Look at what you have done!"

"I had no idea!" Nate said defensively, "I couldn't have known about this beforehand!" "Is he going to be fine?" asked Nate quite concerned.

"Move." said Sonya, she kneels over Rik. "He will be fine, it just made him faint, he should come too in a moment."

"Thank the sky" said Anne, "that was quite a bit of black dracon mage poison all at once."

"Yes" said Sonya, "it was". She turns towards Nate, "and you" she said "are lucky he wasn't closer". It will not take much Black Dracon mage poison to kill him, there is no way he could travel in there with you."

"I'm immune," said Anne, "I could go"

"I would rather that you not" said Nate "I will go alone, it did not affect me."

"(Cough) wait", Rik said suddenly coming to, "I should go".

"Rik, you will die" said Sonya

"I know but there has to be a way" said Rik, "it might go a bit smoother with me there."

"I'm sorry Rik", says Anne, "but you cannot go." Nate knew Rik would argue endlessly to go with him. Nate then materializes from the gem something strange looking... a mask.

"Well," he said' "this should keep you alive."

"What is that?" asked Rik, "it looks like a mask?"

"Yep, a gas mask especially made for vulpines" he said. Rik looks at Nate with a confused expression.

"What?" Rik asks

"Vulpines are foxes" Nate said.

"Uh, I'm a kobold" said Rik.

"Oh," said Nate, "oh right, based off the loose mythology interpretation, I got it."

"Um, sure" said Rik, "so that should fit?"

"Well, it should" said Nate. Rik puts on the strange looking mask, it was stuffy. And it clamped tight around his muzzle.

"Mphf," said Rik "a little tight."

"Good" said Nate, "poison won't get at you with that." Both Anne and Sonya looks at Rik,

"You look kinda scary." said Anne.

"I think he looks ridiculous" said Sonya with a half smile.

"Alright" said Nate, "only one way to see if this works." Rik approaches the rift, moving slowly, he was worried that the mask would not work. He takes another step towards the spewing poison. He then takes a deep breath, and it worked! He was not gasping for clean air, the mask somehow made the poison harmless.

"Ha ha it worked!" exclaimed Rik.

"I knew it would", said Nate "here take these." Nate then hands Rik some circular looking objects. Rik looks at them with curiosity.

"Uh, what are these?" he asks

"They are spare cartridges for your mask" Nate said. Nate continues "The one your mask has now is only half full, it will need to be changed". "Step away from the rift and let me show you how to change that real quick." After the real quick lesson on how to swap the mask cartridge while holding his breath Rik was as ready as he would ever be.

They walk towards the portal, Rik looks back and waves. Both Anne and Sonya wave back,

"Clear skies be with you Rik", said Sonya.

"Clear skies from me as well" said Anne.

"And to the both of you as well" Rik said back.

And then the two of them enter the ruined world. The land was cold, desolate and wasted, there was hardly any life. As the two of them walked they began to see Black Dracons strewn about the land. They were malnourished looking, it's clear that food is very scarce due to the state of the world.

"This is crazy" said Rik, "it's hard to believe that this could have been my world."

"Yeah" said Nate, "but that's why this parallel timeline exists." "A cataclysmic event is averted so another reality is made, it's what we would call a splitting point in the timeline. They continued walking, this place made Rik feel uneasy, it was like walking on a massive grave. They walked towards what looked like the feverlands but the swamp was killed by the black dracon mage poison. The moist soil is now hard and dry and the water is quite toxic looking. As they approached the cave Syx lived in Rik was surprised to see the green dracon was still alive and well. And by well of course as well he could be with nothing but dead roots to eat

"AAA! What in the skies is that?!" yelled Syx.

"What?" asked Rik, "oh it's just a mask Syx, it's me Rik!"

"A mask? Ri- Rik?" stammered Syx. "No" Syx said, "no I can't be seeing ghosts again it's just in my head!"

"Nope he is real alright" said Nate.

"Who are you?" asked Syx

"I'm Nate" said Nate

"This is strange, oh so strange indeed." said Syx, "follow me Tox has got to see you Rik."

"Tox is here?" asked Rik.

"Well, yes" said Syx, he did not know where else he could go after everything happened".

"Wow, it's been rough then?" asked Rik.

"Well, yes" said Syx, "between the ever looming darkness and lack of food spirits are hard to keep up." They reach the other side of the cave, Tox is standing there, staring down at something. He was a black dracon (similar to dragons) and still wore his black robes, it was definitely him. Looking past him Rik saw what he was looking at 'a grave?' he thought; He knew where this was going because who else would it be? Tox turns around and sees them…

End of Chapter 2