Nowhere Boys - Without a Flame
Sam, Andy and Jake are sent on a multi-world adventure thanks to an unknown man who has Felix in his grasp. The boys have to endure different versions of Felix to get back to their Felix before it's too late. Sequel to 'Isolated Flame'
Disclaimer: I do not own Nowhere Boys
Without a Flame 2
"Oof!" Andy grunted as he slammed down against dirt, he heard Sam and Jake groaning from the places where they landed nearby.
"Oh that hurt." Sam rubbed his head as he sat up slowly.
"Are we home?" Jake asked as he grasped the talisman tightly.
"I don't know, I can't tell anymore." Andy said sadly before they looked over at Sam, who was thrusting his hands into the air, but nothing happened and he slumped down depressed.
"Looks like we were just sent to another world." Sam grumbled.
"Why didn't it work? We did everything right." Jake ran his hand through his hair annoyed.
"Maybe it was something to do with that hooded man who took Felix and sent us into that other world in the first place. Maybe we have to go through a bunch of worlds before we can get to our home." Andy theorized.
"That would make sense, aw man this sucks!" Sam flopped backwards, staring at the roots above his head.
"So we have to find Felix in this world, let's hope he isn't in a wheelchair again… I don't know if I can deal with seeing that again." Jake admitted quietly, drawing his legs up to his chest.
"Different versions of events happen in every world I guess, we have no idea what might be happening here." Andy stood up; brushing his pants off and the group slowly crawled out of the undergrowth.
"So far so good." Sam muttered as the trio moved down the street toward town when Jake heard a crack under his foot, he paused to look down. He picked up a piece of paper and felt all blood drain from his face.
"Guys, I found out what happened here." Jake shakily turned the paper around for the others to see and they instantly went pale as well.
FELIX FERNE ARRESTED AS PRIME SUSPECT IN DISAPPEARANCES OF ANDY LAU, JAKE RILES AND SAM CONTE. SENTENCED TO BREMIN HILLS MENTAL HOSPITAL BY DETECTIVE ROLAND.
Underneath the headline was a mug shot of Felix and images of the three boys like the time they had all been missing back in their world.
"Oh Felix." Sam hugged him self, he had heard horror stories about people that were put into Bremin Hills.
"We have to find Felix, without letting anyone see us." Andy concluded as he folded the paper up into a square and placed it in his pocket.
"So in this world when Alice sent you away, we must have been sucked in as well and left Felix behind. We need to find him fast and maybe help him get his versions of us back, I mean we figured out how to get you back before." Jake decided as the three moved back to the tree line following Sam, as he knew where Bremin Hills was located.
"Yeah, it's just getting Felix out of Bremin Hills without people realizing who were are is the problem." Andy listed off their objectives for this world's Felix.
"A walk in the park little dude!" Sam said with force cheer as the gates of Bremin Hills came into sight.
"This place is giving me the creeps." Jake shuddered, rubbing his arms as the trio moved around the perimeter of the mental hospital, keeping low and their heads down.
"There's a hole here." Sam whispered as he pushed opened the hole in the chain link fence using his sleeves as makeshift gloves and held it open wide enough for Andy and Jake to slip through and he followed them. The trio knelt behind a long, decently high cedar hedge that lined the pathway that led from the garden to the main building.
"Someone is coming, get down." Jake placed his hands on the tops of his friend's heads and pushed them down as he went. They peered through the gaps in the hedges and spotted two female nurses walking down the pathway.
"Is he down at the pond again?" The blonde one asked concerned.
"You know he loves it there, I have no idea why though." The brunette sighed, crossing her arms.
"He told you once remember?" The blonde chided.
"It didn't make sense, he said he likes it there because he's close to them. Close to whom? Ugh here I thought he was one of the saner ones in this mad house." The brunette threw her hands up in the air.
"At least he doesn't cause problems, he just sits in the corner drawing nonsensical images and words. It could be worse, now come on. We're going to be late for our shift." The blonde said gently, calming her sister before grabbing her hand and dragging her back into the main house.
Once they were out of sight the three boys slowly stood up and exchanged glances before they took off running towards the pond that they could see glittering in the distance under the bright sun.
"There!" Sam pointed towards a teenager who was sitting at the edge of the pond wearing all white that contrasted against his black hair. One hand was curled into the dirt he was sitting on and one was tracing patterns on the surface of the water and his head was tilted upwards letting the wind ruffle his hair.
"Felix?" Andy asked softly trying not to startle the teen. It didn't work however because Felix jerked forward at his voice before twisting his head around. His face was paler than they had ever seen it, his eyes were missing their eyeliner but the purple black circles under his dull eyes made up for it. Felix inhaled sharply in shock as he stared at the three teenagers.
"Sam… Andy… Jake. No, no you're not real. You're figments of my imagination, you're not real, you never are." Felix was starting to shake, fingers gripping at his hair as he rocked back and forth on the ground.
"Oh Felix." Sam said softly.
"Felix we're real, we're here." Andy came closer.
"Not figments huh? Then lookalikes sent by Alice to torment me." Felix said, voice going high.
"We aren't your Sam, Andy and Jake, but we can get them back for you. We can get you out of here, we can get you your elements back." Jake said firmly and Felix let out a choked sob.
"I've tried everything I could to get them back, what makes you so sure you can?" Felix asked sarcastically. Sam grinned at the familiar tone, knowing this place hadn't broken Felix completely.
"Because in our world, Andy was the only one taken… Together we fought Alice, the Restoring Demon and we got him back, you figured out the spell. You were ready to sacrifice yourself to get Andy back." Jake said, placing his hand on Felix's shaking shoulder and Felix's whole body slumped under the physical contact.
"Do… Do you know the spell?" Felix asked, wiping his nose with the sleeve of the shirt he was wearing.
"Yeah and with us, you can get your versions of us back and then you can help us get back home to our world so we can save our Felix." Sam said cheerfully, offering Felix a hand. Felix gave them a watery smile and gripped the offered hand tightly like he was afraid they would disappear. Sam pulled the fragile boy onto his feet and tugged him into a hug; tight enough to hopefully put some of the broken pieces back together. Felix sagged into the embrace and hugged Sam back just as tightly.
"Group hug!" Andy grinned, joining the hug by wrapping his arms around Felix while Jake engulfed the whole group with his long arms. After a moment they parted and Felix wiped at his eyes, not even trying to hide the fact there were tears in them.
"Thanks, I uh, I think I needed that." Felix gave a watery laugh.
"Then let's get out of here dudes!" Sam grinned and tugged Felix towards where the gap in the fence was located, they had to duck down into the hedges again when more nurses walked by.
"I can cause a distraction." Andy whispered and picked up a handful of nearby rocks and he threw them further down the path they just came from.
"Go." Jake pushed his friends and they took off running. They slipped out and where down the street out of sight before the panic the flying rocks cleared.
"Are you okay?" Andy asked the wheezing fire element.
"Yeah, sorry I just haven't had to run like that for a long time." Felix smiled at the boys, holding his chest.
"Uh… How long do you think?" Sam asked awkwardly.
"I… I don't remember anymore." Felix said quietly, hand going up to clutch at the talisman before he let his hand drop realizing that he no longer had it.
"So, why were you at the pond? We heard the nurses say you're always there?" Jake asked changing the subject.
"The pond for water, the dirt for earth and the wind for air. It keeps me balanced, from being overtaken by my fire… It makes me feel closer to them, but now… Now I can finally get them back." Felix smiled brightly as they kept to the back roads of Bremin towards where the warehouse district.
"Damn right you will!" Sam nudged Felix playfully and got a small laugh in return so he counted it as a win.
"This is the one." Jake nodded at the warehouse and they entered the rundown building.
"Whoa." Felix stared at the ornate alter in shock before waving a trembling hand and the lights flared to life with his fire.
"That felt good." Felix admitted.
"Why didn't you use it before?" Andy asked curiously as Jake pulled the talisman off and placed it in the lock and turned it.
"Didn't want to be labeled a pyromaniac as well as a insane murderer." Felix said wryly.
"Ah." Andy said awkwardly.
"This is what you have to say." Jake repeated the words to Felix who nodded.
"Wait what about Oscar? He's spirit right?" Felix asked, swallowing hard.
"Oscar's power is in the talisman from our world, it will work." Andy assured Felix while mentally praying he was right.
"Okay… Okay let's do this." Felix said, straightening his back.
"I can't let you do that." Alice's voice called out from behind him.
"Alice." Sam growled.
"Cast the spell, we can deal with Alice." Jake instructed Felix.
"Elements of the universe, within and without. Space be no hindrance, no barrier, no bar." Felix chanted while the other three boys guarded his back from Alice who was trying her best to use her magic against them, but Felix acted fast and the portal glowed brightly and a purple portal into negative space appeared.
"SAM! ANDY! JAKE!" Felix shouted out, desperation in his voice.
"Felix? Guys over here! Felix found us! I told you he would!" Sam's face appeared in the portal and he waved his arm out of sight.
"Sam." Felix slumped forward against the stone railing. Andy and Jake appeared and their faces lit up at the sight of their fire.
"Felix, but we can't… Someone needs to be here!" Andy said worriedly looking over his shoulder.
"Oh we know that, that is why Alice here so kindly offered her services again." Jake said cheerfully as he and the other two boys had managed to subdue the blonde witch with strength alone, turns out this version of Alice didn't have a Phoebe and was actually rather weak when it came to physical strength.
"What the hell?" Sam stared at the other versions of them.
"It's a long story, just get out here before the portal closes!" Felix waved his hand. Sam grinned and leapt through the portal first, followed by Jake who was dragging Andy, just as the other three boys tossed the struggling blonde witch into the portal. Jake snatched the talisman off the alter and slung it back around his neck.
"That was easier than the last time." Sam dusted his hands off. The three otherworld boys watched as the elements of this world united and tears were falling down Felix's cheeks now not bothering to stop them as his friends ask about him and his new fashion sense with worry.
"Thank you guys so much… I can help you get home so you can save your Felix." Felix smiled at boys by the alter who were now being studied by his elements.
"Yes! You're the best Felix!" Sam fist pumped.
"It's the least I could do, you broke me out of Bremin Hills and gave me my friends back." Felix smiled at Sam's energy.
"Wait Bremin Hills? The mental hospital?" Felix's Andy asked in shock.
"Felix will tell you about it after we're gone, tell them everything Felix and you three. If we hear anything about you ditched him or something stupid like that we will come back." Jake threatened Felix's elements, eyes narrowing.
"Thanks Jake… Now lets get you guys home before the Restoring Demon comes after you." Felix ducked down to grab a half broken bowl that was lying on the ground by the alter.
Jake took a handful of dirt by his legs and poured it into the cup before he handed it over to Andy who poured water into it before passing it to Sam who blew into the mixture and held it out to Felix who waved the flame under the bottom of the cup warming it.
"Divinity of the elements, I summon thee. Through this world, we can see. Another place where we can be. Take the fire make it burn, take the air and make it turn. Take this water and this earth, and to another world call us forth. Earth, Water, Fire, Air. Earth, Water, Fire, Air." The four boys chanted and Jake's talisman glowed brightly before the light expanded and engulfed the room, when it faded the three were gone.
"I take it we have a lot to catch up on." Jake asked, laying his hand on Felix's shoulder.
"That is an understatement." Felix laughed, feeling balanced again.