Episode 3: So Far As We Know…
As I went down with Louis, some thoughts wandered into my mind. "If I leave now, Dan and the others will be upset. But, what other choice do I have? I can't just stay here forever, can I? Ugh.. once I get some information about this land, I'll find Jack. He surely can't be dead.", I thought as I lunged towarss the window. Louis continued descending as I ran towards Xavier's last location.
The hallways were now empty. There was this eerie feeling everywhere I went. I reached back to the floor but as I soon turned around the corner. There were security guards, escorting Xavier to somewhere. My mind didn't bother to ask why or how. I ran towards them and tackled one of them from behind. Xavier fell to the ground. The other guard pointed his nightstick at me but was sent flying into the air because of Xavier's psychic power.
"Thanks, Xavier!", I said as I looked at her.
"No, thank you! Otherwise, I would've been taken to the director. The guards really did a good job of portraying him as some god-like figure.", Xavier replied as she bent over to one of the knocked out guards.
"Anyways, we are leaving. Now!", I said as I took the nightstick from the unconscious guard.
"What about Dan and the others?", Xavier asked as she stood up.
"They were fine without Jack so they'll be good, I think. Look, it's simple. I just don't want to die from the hands of a… psychic witch?", I argued as I looked over to a set of cameras watching us.
"Fair…", Xavier said as I grabbed her hand and started running towards the stairs.
"Hey! What's the rush?!", she yelled but her yell was caught short as alarms started to blare.
"Yeah, this isn't a game. Cameras exist. Good to know.", I remarked as I let go of Xavier's hand seeing that she's following him.
We rushed the stairs to find our path blocked by guards. I ran into them head first and pinned one of them down to the concrete pillar in front of me. Xavier grabbed the nightstick, which had fallen from the guard, and went to fight with the other guard. I got up just in time to see Xavier's finishing move, a nightstick slam on the face.
"Okay… now what?", she huffed as she gazed upon some guards running towards us from the opposite end of the hallway.
"Umm.. downstairs.", I said as I swiftly slided my way towards the stairs.
The downstairs was in a bad state of disrepair. The walls were losing their paint and the floor had broken tiles. It seemed like it was abandoned some years ago. There was a dead end on one side and a metal gate on the other. I took my chance and ran over to it. To my surprise, the gate wasn't locked so I opened it for Xavier. Once, she was on the other side, I slammed it onto the guard following her and locked it with my nightstick. Seeing accomplished, I made a wave gesture and dashed along the remaining section of the hallway till I met Xavier meeting on the other end.
We were out and right next to the concrete staircase.
"Wait here.", I asked as I went closer to the structure.
"Louis! Now!", I yelled as I looked up at it.
"I can't. They have the lower floors barricaded. The window was the only way out.", Louis exclaimed as he poked his head out to look at me.
"Xavier? Can you use psychic on him?", I asked as I turned to her.
"Isn't Louis a dark type?", Xavier replied as she looked at Louis.
"Right… always forgetting that.", I responded as I turned my focus to him.
"Louis? Could you perform a ground slam on the ground?", I continued.
"Yes. Hope that won't break my legs. Give me some room!", he yelled back as his head disappeared behind the floor.
"Eugene? We may want to hurry up.", Xavier remarked as she looked at the dark corridor. Clanging noises had started to come from within the passage. The gate won't last long…
Just then, Louis let out a charging, "AAAA" and leaped out of the staircase. As he fell, he clenched his fist and positioned himself, head-first to the ground. I and Xavier got enough time to make a hasty escape away from the impact zone. A loud bang erupted behind us and we fell to the ground. I rolled to my side and looked behind me. Louis, although panting and possibly confused, looked fine even after a fall from the third floor of the structure. He stood up and brushed the dust off from his shoulders. Just as I was about to head over to him. A loud clang came from within the corridor. The gate let loose the horde of angry guards. Louis quickly turned around to look at the corridor and jolted in the opposite direction, towards the metal gate. I helped Xavier up and we made a final dash towards freedom. Only thing which was stopping us was the giant metal gate and the guard who looked at us puzzled.
"The metal gate. What about it?", Louis asked as Dark caught up to him.
"Just punch it down.", I replied as I looked behind me. Xavier was clearly falling behind and after them were a mob of guards. The whole college's security was after us.
We reached the gate in a few seconds. Louis punched down the gate from its hinges and shrugged it off. Simultaneously, I shoved the shocked guard aside and waited for Xavier to catch up. When she came close I ran out to catch up with Louis but to my surprise he was waiting for us next to a parked red jeep on the other side of the road. Without hesitation I ran to him, ordering Xavier to follow as well.
"Get in, quick!", a familiar voice said as I climbed up from the rear. The jeep left off when Xavier got aboard, throwing dust into the eyes of our pursuers.
Louis took some deep breaths before he asked, "Where we going, Mike?".
"Mike?", I said soon after in confusion.
"And.. Lucas.", the person in the front seat said as he turned to look at us.
"Lucas?!", Xavier exclaimed in shock.
"Ugh.. do I have to do this again?", Mike protests. His voice indicated that he had gone through a lot of trouble.
"Don't worry. I have this handled. Focus on driving. After all, it's a long way to go.", Lucas volunteered himself for the explanation.
"No shit. It took us hours to get here in the first place.", Mike remarked as he eased off the gas.
"Yeah.. explain why we all are here in my and Louis's dream. Wait, don't tell me that Kevin and Zen are here too.", Xavier says as she turns her focus to Lucas.
"Firstly, it isn't your dream anymore. Something or someone brought us all here and we don't know who or what. Secondly, Kevin's here but not Zen which I find odd. But, why are you so annoyed about this?", Lucas followed up with a question.
"You know exactly how they both act. One is like Lando and the other is just a kid.", Xavier replied in an aggressive tone.
"So, how did you know that we were here?", I asked in an attempt to change the topic.
"Well.. umm.. where should I even begin. It's just a very long story.", Lucas responded casually as he turns his attention towards me.
"Well, here's the story of Venty. My version that is. So.. this is a small island nation in the middle of some Ocean of Reminiscent currently ruled by a democratic party. It was all butterflies and rainbows till the last election where some other party won. This party was.. not so kind to the residents, like at all. They were driven by the deadly sins. Greed flew amongst the members and lust of power was ever growing. They made this… machine of some sort which has an ability to control people's mind and thoughts. Thankfully, this was a rushed project and the people who were chosen were at random. The ones who survived formed the 'Venty United'. A lowkey name but it was the best they had. It had been like this for some weeks until a distress beacon reached us. Mike was sent to check it but then, he didn't return back. Later that day, I was sent to look for him and I arrived at this place. I won't go through the entire 'How we met and how this came about?'. It's just too long.", Lucas paused after his speech.
"But.. what about our powers? We can use them but we can't transform into our primary forms. Why's that?", Xavier asked immediately after his speech.
"Simple. This world is like that. We can use our powers but we can't transform. Except for that one little island.", Mike answers back.
"Which island?", the group said in unison.
"Ugh.. there's this small island just on the outskirts of the capital city 'Bringhem'. Apparently, it's more of a tourist attraction where you can happily transform into the mon whose power or ability you're using. We don't know yet how or why but.. it is what it is.", Lucas replied rather calmly.
"I just call it, 'Kevin's paradise'. Man went in and stayed there for a whole day, hiding from the patrol guards.", Mike commented on it as he brought the car along a foothill.
"That makes sense, oddly.", Xavier responded as she looked at me. I had clearly run out of my energy and needed a quick nap.
"Eugene? Are you okay?", she followed up with a question.
"Sorta.. just need a quick nap. I'm tired as heck.", I replied with a small yawn.
"Oh, okay.", Xavier said as she quickly went over to Louis's side for me to sleep comfortably.
"Heh.. thanks.", I commented as I removed my shoes and lay down on the whole seat.
"Sweet dreams.", Xavier exclaimed with a smile as I closed my eyes. Exhaustion took over my body and it had to rest, for now.
I woke up after a few minutes. The jeep had stopped at an intersection. "We there yet?", I asked as I lifted my head up.
"Wake up sunshine, we are in the city now.", Mike says as he looks at me.
"Well, so much of a shortcut.", Lucas shrugged as he lowered his head down onto the dashboard.
"Hey! Don't you sleep on me as well.", Mike yelled as he looked at him.
I turned my head to the other side. Louis and Xavier were fast asleep in their seats. I turned my head to look at the sky but instead of the sky, I saw a brown cover on top of the jeep. "Well, no more free sunburn for me.", I joked as the jeep jerked ahead.
"Ah, you're awake.", Mike chuckled as he passed a glance at me.
"Really Mike? A Skyrim reference, now?", I said as I got up slowly.
"Ha! Typical expression.", Lucas joked along as the jeep zoomed by the traffic.
"I like how the reference wasn't intentional and you happen to pick it up.", Mike added his view as he readjusted the rear view mirror to get a better look on my face.
"So, what's up Eugene? Reminiscing of your mysterious Skyrim playthrough?", Lucas smirked as he turned around to look at me.
I was flustered and caught in the center of attention. "H-hey! We don't talk about it…", I stuttered. Clearly embarrassed about my last playthrough where I ended up dying in the tutorial section.
Both of them gave out a good laugh. "Right, right. Sit tight behind there, for a lil longer. We're almost there.", Mike comments as he gets over his laughter and focuses on his driving.
"Anyways, what's this place where we are going?", I asked as I looked outside the windshield. We were clearly ascending by the looks of the tarmac in front of the jeep but everything else was obscured by Lucas's and Mike's heads accompanied by the brown cover-top.
"A garage on a cliff. Overlooking the majestic skies and abysmal depths of the sea. On top of the world; where we now reside.", Lucas responded in a poetic way.
"In the proper way, Lucas", Mike remarked as he made a sharp left turn.
"Basically, it's a garage on a cliffside. The local rebellion was kind enough to give us this place with some necessary supplies.", Lucas said and nudged Mike.
"Oh, that makes sense.", I replied as I looked at the small opening at the back of the jeep. We were clearly high enough to see the sea and the city beside it. It was clearly a beautiful view even if it was just past noon.