Theo followed David outside to another cave not far away from the main cave where the tribe resided still rubbing his face.
"Your dad didn't have to hit so hard."
David sighed heavily.
"He had no right to do that to you for asking questions.", he answered harshly, "If he comes near Sarah, I will tell him about what I saw in there and what happened to our teacher on our hunt earlier today."
Theo raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?", he asked.
David tried to calm down as he knew that Theo was a more understanding person and sighed again.
"We were out hunting for the tribe for meat since we didn't have any in so long, but then Vincent missed a throw and our teacher grilled him on not waiting for the proper moment to shoot what he was aiming for. Next thing that happened was Vincent got mad and threw his spear and impaled our teacher killing him shortly after."
He paused a moment as Theo took it all in and Sarah suddenly showed up looking unsure and concerned at the same time.
"Sarah, what brings you here?", Theo asked being polite.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
"Thought I'd hang out here for a while before "God" calls me in for initiation."
David's expression hardened, but he remained silent as they entered to a seemingly bare cave with a single fire in the center along with four other teens around David and Sarah's age. Two were boys and the other two were girls, but one of the boys looked a bit miffed as he noticed Theo.
"What makes you bring in the stranger?", he asked.
David ignored the question as he introduced Theo who soon got to know the other four. Their names were Joshua, Elizabeth, Vincent and Heather and wore clothes similar to David and Sarah. Vincent had fair skin, whiskers, light blue eyes and a head that looked like the hair had been shaved off and never grew back since. Heather was also fair skinned, but had dark brown hair that came to her shoulders while sporting brown eyes. Elizabeth and Joshua were both dark skinned and sported hair that was similar, but Elizabeth had hers in a bun while Joshua's was not. Theo briefly believed they were related by the way their dark eyes looked, but thought it wasn't true. Even after introductions, Vincent didn't let up his suspicious look.
"So where is this guy from anyway?"
"Around.", Theo answered before looking unsure, "You don't get out of this part of the realm do you?"
"We're not allowed.", Joshua said sounding a bit disappointed.
"Because the "old world" was nothing but a period of disaster and overpopulation.", Heather added jokingly.
Theo noticed some old books nearby and went over while David followed him.
"What are these for?", Theo asked.
"I'm teaching my friends to read.", David told him.
Theo raised an eyebrow as he looked at the material David was using.
"May I suggest something a little more fitting for a reading lesson?"
/
Ted couldn't believe his luck. After Junior and him had gotten inside, they soon were met with a full show of Hyde and the Hydettes giving a performance they were famously known for. Ted couldn't help but tap his foot to the beat as the rest of the audience seemed to get in the groove as well. Soon afterward, they had gotten a chance to meet this Hyde character and he clearly was thrilled.
"Hey, I'm always up for a little talk.", he had said cheerfully, "And your plant there is mighty fine."
Junior couldn't help but grin.
"We were just in the neighborhood hoping you might be in town."
Hyde looked interested.
"Why is that?"
Ted stepped in.
"We were hoping that we'd find-"
He was cut off cause there came the sound of screaming outside and the trio came out to find quite a scene. The very dog creatures with a swarm of the flying serpents were in the area scaring pedestrians, breaking seats and causing quite a commotion.
"Let's kick some demons.", Ted said with a snarl.
Junior didn't argue with that as he and Ted jumped into the fray with Hyde getting his back up dancers out of harm's way. It sure took a while, but luckily nobody was seriously hurt as Ted and Junior finished driving off the last of the intruders.
"Looks like he's getting closer to us.", Ted said ominously.
Hyde had come out again and looked confused.
"Who's closer?"
Then the ground rumbled almost making Ted and Hyde fall down. Junior however used his roots to keep steady.
"Earthquake?", Junior asked.
They rushed outside only to see what looked like a giant black spidery shadow looming in the distance as if searching.
"Get in the van.", Hyde said quickly.
Junior grabbed his pot and the trio were soon inside where Hyde's dancers were as well. Hyde had already gotten into the driver's seat and tried to turn the ignition only for the engine to sputter for a few moments and that was it. Ted cautiously looked outside and saw the creature look their way and seemed to be heading towards them. Hyde tried again and this time the van started up and he hit the gas.
/
Theo put down the latest faded book he had helped David teach to be read. It was a book about weather and David looked impressed.
"So Theo, is it true that people had buildings that reached the sky?"
"They're called skyscrapers.", Theo stated, "They also had heaters for when the weather got cold and air conditioning for when it got hot."
David looked inspired as his friends did, but Vincent looked even more eager.
"Theo, you've..been outside our part of the realm. So you know how it works."
Theo rolled his eyes comically.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far."
"Did people really do and say whatever they wanted to?", Joshua asked curiously.
"Not quite.", Theo stated, "Even then people watched what they said. Some didn't take too kindly to it. Often thought it was trashy and inappropriate."
But that only made David's friends even more eager.
"Theo have you ever-"
"Guys.", Theo said sharply silencing the group, "People put rules in place for a reason."
David shook his head.
"Nah, the elders only made up all that stuff to keep us scared."
Theo looked unsure.
"David, have anybody here been "selected" like Sarah was?"
Elizabeth froze. Something about her expression drew attention.
"Elizabeth, it's okay.", David assured her, "We're all friends here."
Elizabeth took a breath.
"He told me…that he had something to show me.", she said timidly, "He said it was the…I can't bring myself to say it. He said he wanted it inside me, but…I didn't."
Theo looked shocked.
"Dear me.", he said before looking thoughtful, "Maybe I can help."
David looked unsure.
"How can you? Dad has pretty much the whole tribe fooled and under his sway."
Theo smiled as he pulled out his dice box.
"You'll see."
/
A while later, David and his friends met up with Theo outside the cave of the tribe. It had grown dark and the open area looked cold and unforgiving, but Theo didn't look worried.
"Are you sure it will work?", David asked hesitantly.
"Of course.", Theo said calmly, "In fact, it should be happening right about-"
There came a loud screaming from inside and soon, David's father shot out like a rocket as if his body was on fire and screaming at the top of his voice. Sarah and the tribe followed out and saw that David's father got engulfed in flames and once it lifted, the only thing that remained was a pile of ash. David looked Theo's way in horror and interest, but once again, Vincent beat him to the punch.
"Wow, he tried to have his way, and he got burned."
The tribe however didn't look so thrilled and turned to Theo.
"Witchcraft.", one said ominously.
"We don't want you here anymore monster!", another screamed.
Theo however shrugged.
"Sure thing everyone. I'll be happy to leave."
That only made the tribe come forward like an angry mob. Luckily, Theo had his dice box out and quickly threw the six-sided dice which landed on a 5 in the sand followed by an explosion which paused the tribe giving Theo a chance to get away. The dice reappeared in the box and Theo put it away as he made it to a lake a good distance away where he then used the three-sided dice to make some food in the sand which became reality and he had a late dinner before conjuring a bed with the same dice. After a while of sleeping, he felt something prod his side which woke him to bright sunlight and David standing over him with his friends including Sarah.
"Guys, what are you all doing here?", Theo asked as David helped him up.
"We're leaving.", David said with a hint of concern in his voice, "We tried defending you, but the tribe didn't take it too well."
"So we all decided to leave it.", Joshua put in.
Vincent however didn't look worried at all.
"Forget the tribe. We got Theo and his magic dice to make all out problems go away."
Theo frowned.
"Do not underestimate my potential Vincent.", he warned, "I was just trying to protect Sarah."
Vincent however grinned.
"And you got rid of David's father without him getting blamed. What else can those dice do for us?"
Theo could see the lust in his eyes and David did too cause he held Vincent back as Vincent took a step towards Theo.
"Leave him alone Vincent.", he said firmly, "Right now we need to find a place to live."
Theo dusted himself off and looked at the six young people.
"Well guys, you ready to wonder into the wilderness?"
They all let out a yell and Theo took that as a "yes" before striding ahead like a champion with David's crew right behind him. After a long walk, Theo felt the dry air get to him, but after they turned a corner, the sight of ruins that could've been once a city met their eyes in the distance.
"Wow, that looks promising."
/
The ground rumbled and then cracked as the dog creatures, winged serpents, and humanoid monsters pursued Hyde's van. Ted was looking pretty freaked out.
"Man of all the times I wish I could change in the morning."
"Just keep driving!", Junior yelled.
It had been a while since they lost the big monster, but the little ones were still on their bumpers. Hyde kept doing sharp turns and speeding up, but it hardly mattered.
"Any idea how to stop these things?!", Hyde asked out of a dither.
Junior opened the back doors and started tearing down telephone poles causing sparks to fall and make the creatures pause for a moment, but then he saw a fire hydrant and flipped a manhole cover its way making it spout water all over the place and the telephone wires made contact making the creatures light up as they got electrified.
"Wow, that's better than fireworks.", Hyde commented.
"What the devil was that thing that made those things chase us?", Junior asked, "It looked like a nightmare."
Ted sighed looking worried.
"If I had to call it one thing, it would be this: evil."
Hyde looked alarmed.
"We need to find Theo right now before that thing does!"
Ted nodded.
"And before I shift again."
"Ted, what made you change your mind about killing Theo?", Hyde asked, "Don't you want to?"
Ted looked hesitant.
"I guess…I just…want to help that's all."
Junior crossed a few vines as he closed the back doors.
"Uh-huh.", he said in a tone that said he didn't trust Ted, "You switched sides didn't you?"
Ted looked annoyed.
"What? No!"
Hyde smiled.
"First you want to be his executioner, and now you want to save him from someone who treated you like a dog? What has this realm come to?"
/
Theo helped David and his friends down, but after a ways, Theo tripped, and his dice box fell out and rolled a few inches away. Vincent had gotten to it and picked it up looking upon it like he was hypnotized.
"Vincent?", David asked.
Vincent didn't answer at first, but he stroked his fingers over the lid.
"To be able to hold such power in your hand. Be able to create feasts from dust, deserts to an oasis, even control other people."
"Vincent!", David called firmly snapping Vincent out of his daze, "Return to Theo his dice."
Vincent shrugged and handed it over and Theo tucked it away in his pocket again, but as Vincent turned away, Theo could've sworn he saw a hint of obsession in his eye. Shortly after that incident, a wind picked up and Heather paused.
"I feel a storm coming."
The group turned over their shoulders to see a sandstorm rolling their way. Luckily a cave was nearby and they could all fit into it. On the way in, Theo noticed writing on a nearby stone which he had just enough time to read.
"Primal or modern the drive is the same. Careful with dice or you lose the game."
Theo got inside and used his three-sided dice to make a door over the entrance just before the storm hit. Even though it was really dark inside, the group could hear the wind blowing outside. David took out something from his pocket and with a flick, a small flame illuminated the area as Theo put his dice back in the box.
"Good call Heather.", Theo commented.
"Let's try and get some sleep.", David suggested, "Maybe the storm will clear up by then."
As the group settled, Vincent went a little further back into the cave before talking to himself.
"Why should Theo wield such power and we live in hiding?", he grumbled as he eyed Theo enviously, "I need that dice, but I can't do it without David being near him."
Then he felt something on his leg and noticed a slip of paper with some writing on it. He was able to read it and look back at the group smiling as an idea came to mind.
"Enjoy the nap.", he said quietly before coming back and settling near the group, "Soon, that dice box and all its power will be mine for the claiming."