p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Silence reigned throughout the base as nightfall descended upon them. Lloyd was the only one awake, watching surveillance. He flipped through the cameras, his eyes narrowing with each passing second. Nothing. Not even a trace of where the Superior had gone, or any signs of blackmail./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes moved to the desk he sat upon, the monitors hovering over him. Pictures of him, Nox, and Angel littered the desk, along with reports and files. Nox's engagement ring rested beside him, gazing up. Taunting him. His breath caught. He hadn't even looked at it since Nox threw it at him in rage as she proclaimed their separation./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Grounding his teeth, he stood up, his chair toppling over. His swept his arms across the desk, sending the broken memories flying across the carpeted floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A pair of icy blue eyes watched him from the shadows. When he saw Nox's engagement ring roll to his feet, he swiped it up. He pocketed it and disappeared into the shadows./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd braced his hands against the desk and bowed his head between his shoulders, feeling utterly broken. He would've willingly went through another round of hell as a prisoner of the resource war, if it meant bringing Nox back to him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes darkened. The Superior was to blame for it all./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Then, something sparked in his mind. A switch was flipped. Broken pieces of a puzzle clicked into place. He moved towards the window, looking out into the night sky, specked with stars. Something bright and powerful darted across the horizon, headed straight for them. It burned with the light of a thousand suns. Lloyd's heart stopped beating as the light collided with the ground, shaking the Earth beneath him. He braced his hands against the wall to keep his balance./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Every Elite Rebel member radioed in at once./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What the hell's going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "We have an unidentified object in our area space."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emObject/em? That thing sounded huge! It made a crater in the ground!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" After a moment of silence, Romanov spoke up. "A doorway has been opened."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd checked the monitors. "Sensors are picking up high levels of radioactivity."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Element Evil?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Stronger."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "It fell from the sky. Could be an extraterrestrial."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd rolled his eyes at Boomer's comment. "emOr/em, it could be from the Superior. Let's get out there and investigate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd grabbed his sword and weapons, not needing to get his armor on. He'd been wearing it for the past week, not getting any sleep, and just unleashing all his anger into training./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd met the others in the armory, stocking up on as many weapons as they could carry. They slipped on night vision goggles, not wanting to attract attention to themselves with flashlights./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Elite Rebels journeyed out into the darkness of the forest./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Owls hooted in the trees above them, a chilling wind drifting past. A golden glow permeated through the trees overhead, casting long shadows through the ever-present fog. An overwhelming sense of responsibility fell over the team like the weight of the world. They felt a calling, a need to protect something with their lives./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The glowing died down to a flicker, like a dying candle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius held his weapon close. "Everyone, stay behind me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" They moved in./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" In the center of the forest clearing, trees were uprooted and shattered to splinters. A large crater burnt the soil in the ground. In the center of it, a lone girl lay on her stomach, golden light radiating around her. It burned and kissed the air around her in an ethereal way./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A Fallen Star./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The team fell silent./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Do we… know her?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Boomer rolled his eyes at him. "Sure, a girl falls from the sky and you immediately know her."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Shut emup/em, Boomer." Lloyd snarled./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm moving in," Etrius holstered his pistol and clicked off his flashlight. He didn't need it. The light the unconscious girl radiated made the area seem like daytime. Even the trail of fire she left behind turned the sky blue and orange again./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Etrius, emwhat/em are you doing?" Beecher grabbed his shoulder. "You nearly died three months ago, and now you're moving towards that emthing/em without any weapons! How many times do you have to die before you learn?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius yanked himself out of Beecher's iron grip. "I know what I'm doing."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "No. You don't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius gave him The Glare./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Beecher rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever. But at least let me give you come backup."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius grunted in response and moved in closer, slowly climbing his way down the crater hole. He approached the girl. Every step he took only made him want to stay there forever. Beecher remained only a couple steps behind, not denying that he felt the same way as well./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" When Etrius was close enough, he grabbed her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. She had coarse, curly black hair that lightened to rose gold at the tips. She had dark features, wore a Pierce the Veil T-Shirt and ripped jeans. She slightly stirred under the surface of consciousness. Etrius jumped back at the slightest movement. He felt… inferior. Inferior to the teenage girl that fell from the sky like a ball of fire./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He took a deep breath. "Let's get back to base. There's an aura in the air that shouldn't be here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Agreed," Beecher said with aggravation at his comrade. "There's Element Evil in the air. Let's get out of here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius reached down and scooped her up into his arms. "Let's move."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Beecher scurried away from him, aiming his sniper at the stranger, although his heart urged him not to. "emAre you insane/em? Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "No, we should interrogate her," The General descended into the crater. "Nobody with that much power should be allowed to roam free in the forest, especially with a power-hungry Superior on the loose."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She awoke chained to a chair, but she didn't dare to open her eyes. Feigning unconsciousness, she tried to assess her surroundings before she got into deeper trouble./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Footsteps thudded from some other room, muffled. A door swung open, and multiple footsteps entered the room. She counted at least five men. They spoke in hushed tones. Their voices sounded oddly familiar. Like she remembered hearing them in a faint memory, a distant dream./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Something emclicked/em on the armrests, and something cold and stick was pressed against her forehead temples./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A violent shock jolted her awake./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She gasped, eyes flying open. Her vocals chords wouldn't move on command. She couldn't scream. She was paralyzed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Her vision was hazy, but she managed to focus on the people surrounding her. Green, blue, brown, and red eyes. One of them wore a blue military beret, but he wore the same uniform as everyone else. She'd seen these people somewhere before. Perhaps she'd slightly regained consciousness when they brought her here, and she caught a glimpse of their faces./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She swallowed hard, trying to remain strong and accept the fact that she might die here. "Who the fuck are you? What do you want from me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The oldest one who wore a beret sneered. "You know emexactly/em what we want."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Uhh—No, I don't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A man with a brown haired ponytail, goatee and beard, and a sword slung across his back approached her, grabbing her by the collar of her Pierce the Veil band T-shirt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Hey, watch the shirt!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emWhere the fuck is your base/em!?" He screamed into her face, making her forget completely about taking care of her band shirt. "We're not taking your shit. We know you're a spy!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She opened her mouth, but no words came out. "emAre you guys insane?/em"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" But his accent… She'd heard it before./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She narrowed her eyes, only slightly suspicious. Then, she shook her head. No. It wasn't possible. They were just characters. They didn't exist. These were completely different people than the characters her mind made up. They were just all too real./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "She's doing it out of fear," The man in the beret bowed his head, shadowing his eyes so only his mouth moved. "They all are. If anyone gives away their secrets, the Superior kills them, emand/em everyone they love."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The swordsman backed off, but anger still boiled beneath his skin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author's heart pounded. "The Superior…?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The green-eyed man tried a different approach. "Listen kid, you look young. You're probably scared shitless. If you tell us, we won't tell your Superior you were here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I don't know what you're talking about!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Something in the swordsman snapped. He grabbed her shoulders, snarling into her face. "I WILL FUCKING RIP YOU APART IF YOU DON'T TELL US!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Lloyd, relax!" The man with red eyes and a sniper at his belt grabbed his arm and yanked him away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "That's strike two, Beecher." The swordsman growled./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" If her mind was capable of being literally blown, it would have at that moment. "Lloyd…? Beecher…? The Superior… You guys… You're from Castle."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A man with blond hair - she assumed he was Boomer - tossed his hair out of his eyes and scoffed. "Nice try. We're from Earth, just like you and your shitty-ass boss."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "This isn't real… I'm dreaming right now. Right? emYou/emem're/em not real - none of you are!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "So you don't feel like talking," The General's eyes narrowed as his thumb stroked the trigger. The Author was suddenly very aware of the jumper cables connected to her metal chair. Her pulse quickened./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General growled. "Maybe I can change your mind." She saw the familiar darkness stirring in his eyes. She'd seen that darkness before. She created it./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Despite Lloyd's anger, he saw the familiar flicker of darkness in his eyes and took a step away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author shut her eyes. If this truly was a dream, he would press that button and she wouldn't feel any pain. But if she was supposed to be numb, why did the bindings on her wrists and ankles feel so tight?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "General, stop!" A rough, edgy voice resounded from the speakers mounted in the corner of the room. "Release her."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "You've gone crazy, old man." The General snarled back. "It's no doubt the Superior sent her here. She has information on—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Dr. Romanov pushed past the iron door that blended into the interrogation room walls. "I said to release her. Now. Because whether you like it or not, your fates are tied."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author curled her hands into fists, more confused than ever./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What are you getting at now, crackpot?" Beecher crossed his arms./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Dr. Romanov closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I truly wish you'd stop calling me that. Before the Castle project began, I was working under the General and the Superior. We were working on a top secret project. Very few people were allowed to work on this project, and those that did were sworn into silence."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General stepped back. "You're not talking about…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Yes."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "…Alright. It's safe to tell them, then. If it's getting this much out of hand." The General shut down the voltage and released the restraints. The Author held her wrists./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emWhat/em the fuck are you talking about?" Etrius demanded. "More secrets, huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I didn't think it would come to this point," Romanov continued. "The Castle Project wasn't the first discovery of alternate universes. Around the time Nox was discovered living in Jacksonville, I opened the first secret portal that led to a realm far beyond our own. It was so similar to our own, and yet so different. I knew there was a high chance we only existed as a work of fiction, so—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emFiction/em?" Nox repeated./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "—So the project was abandoned. For the sake of this world's stability, we couldn't explore it further. The portal was destroyed. But now, you're here," Romanov turned to the Author and held up a glass vile filled with red liquid that glowed a white hue. "Your genetic material is so much different than our own. I took a blood sample when you were unconscious and ran a te—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emYou what/em?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "…Just tell me one thing. What happened to you before you entered this world?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I don't know! I was in my room, writing. Then some nut-job with horns protruding from his head grabbed me and shoved us into a… Wait, are you telling me that all of this is real?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Precisely."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author burst out laughing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm afraid this is no laughing matter. If Arthur was in your realm, then the Superior must've rebuilt the portal and found a way to get into your realm."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "This isn't real."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General was utterly shocked. "emHe/emem's using Arthur/em?!" He paced the room, stopping only to brace his hands against the wall and shut his eyes. "God… We're all fucked."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Who the hell is Arthur?" Beecher demanded. "And how many more secrets are you going to keep behind your back?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General sighed. "Arthur was an experiment. A genetic mutation of a human, and a demon from the Castle. My DNA was used to try and craft the perfect soldier, but everything went to shit. He turned psychotic, believing only death and destruction was the answer to everything. We had him put to Cryo-Sleep. If the Superior's released him, and he has the ability to reach into the Creator's world… God help us all."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius narrowed his eyes at the Creator as she rose to her feet. "emThis/em is the Creator?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm a lot stronger than you think I am." She didn't fully understand the message in his olive green eyes, but the indignation surged that people emshe/em created should be looking down on her. In emher/em dream, no less./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Creator gazed at each character individually. If she was dreaming, her mind was creating details even stronger than she imagined herself. And if she wasn't, and this was some kind of trick… Only someone who had access to her imagination would be able to replicate this room, and the characters. The grungy texture on the walls and floor, the steady breathing of the characters, the scent of Beecher's cigar, the intense white noise in the air… The details were too accurate, too perfect./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author took a breath. "Okay. Alright. So if what you're saying is true, then…" She squealed. "I was right! I posted a theory on DeletionQuality about how the characters might be real, just in another dimension. Nobody took it seriously, but I was right!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "DeletionQuality?" Etrius repeated, perplexed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Romanov grumbled. "Sounds a lot like the sarcasm I received while working on the portal."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General narrowed his eyes. "What's your name?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author opened her mouth to respond, but Romanov stood between them. "Ah! Don't! The Superior's done enough damage by rupturing the fabric between our realms. Perhaps it's safer if you kept your identity anonymous, young writer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Boomer ran his hand through his hair, and Nox tried not to look. "Then what do we call her?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Blue," The Author blurted out. "It's… What the readers back in my realm call me. EternityBlue."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius was silent for a moment. Then he raised his head in expectancy. "Alright, Blue. It looks like you'll be here for a while. And since you know so much about this world, you might as well help us while you're here. We need to find the Superior's base, and find Angel before it's too late. The Superior can only use the portal to a certain extent, because he's not from your world and can't use it to it's full potential like you can. If he did, it would kill him. He's taken a huge risk bringing you to this world. Hopefully, it'll be some time before he can use it again."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Before the Author could follow the team out the doors, Lloyd stopped her and backed her up back into the room. He waited until the team's footsteps faded down the hallway. He and Blue exchanged glances. "You. You control what happens in this world?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue shrugged, still not used to the feeling of being trapped beneath the gaze of her characters. She felt cold and vulnerable, as if a warm blanket had suddenly been ripped away from her. "Uhh— Y—yeah, apparently I can. Since everything I've written so far is exactly what's happened in this world."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's eyes darkened until they looked almost black. His voice adopted a threatening undertone. "Then change it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emChange it/em!" He shouted. "Angel is gone, and Nox won't even look at me because you emhad/em to write it in."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue sighed and shut her eyes. "Lloyd… Look, I'm sorry. Alright? I had absolutely no idea that what I did in my writing, affected this world. I didn't even know that this world—that emyou/em—existed! I didn't know I was hurting anyone! And if I did, then I wouldn't have done it. Honestly."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd ground his teeth, every muscle in his body becoming tense. Almost as if he were trying to hold his inner demons inside. "emChange it. Now./emem"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue froze. "I can't! Don't you get it? Whatever happens in this world needs to be written down. And I'm not exactly anywhere near my manuscript right now. And I can't tell what's going to happen in the future, either. I never wrote past the part where… you and Nox separated. If it's not posted for the readers, it's not canon."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Lloyd braced both of his hands on either side of the wall behind her, trapping her in place. His dark eyes bore holes into hers. "Then find a way."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes moved to the desk he sat upon, the monitors hovering over him. Pictures of him, Nox, and Angel littered the desk, along with reports and files. Nox's engagement ring rested beside him, gazing up. Taunting him. His breath caught. He hadn't even looked at it since Nox threw it at him in rage as she proclaimed their separation./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Grounding his teeth, he stood up, his chair toppling over. His swept his arms across the desk, sending the broken memories flying across the carpeted floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A pair of icy blue eyes watched him from the shadows. When he saw Nox's engagement ring roll to his feet, he swiped it up. He pocketed it and disappeared into the shadows./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd braced his hands against the desk and bowed his head between his shoulders, feeling utterly broken. He would've willingly went through another round of hell as a prisoner of the resource war, if it meant bringing Nox back to him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" His eyes darkened. The Superior was to blame for it all./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Then, something sparked in his mind. A switch was flipped. Broken pieces of a puzzle clicked into place. He moved towards the window, looking out into the night sky, specked with stars. Something bright and powerful darted across the horizon, headed straight for them. It burned with the light of a thousand suns. Lloyd's heart stopped beating as the light collided with the ground, shaking the Earth beneath him. He braced his hands against the wall to keep his balance./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Every Elite Rebel member radioed in at once./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What the hell's going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "We have an unidentified object in our area space."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emObject/em? That thing sounded huge! It made a crater in the ground!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" After a moment of silence, Romanov spoke up. "A doorway has been opened."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd checked the monitors. "Sensors are picking up high levels of radioactivity."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Element Evil?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Stronger."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "It fell from the sky. Could be an extraterrestrial."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd rolled his eyes at Boomer's comment. "emOr/em, it could be from the Superior. Let's get out there and investigate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd grabbed his sword and weapons, not needing to get his armor on. He'd been wearing it for the past week, not getting any sleep, and just unleashing all his anger into training./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd met the others in the armory, stocking up on as many weapons as they could carry. They slipped on night vision goggles, not wanting to attract attention to themselves with flashlights./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Elite Rebels journeyed out into the darkness of the forest./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Owls hooted in the trees above them, a chilling wind drifting past. A golden glow permeated through the trees overhead, casting long shadows through the ever-present fog. An overwhelming sense of responsibility fell over the team like the weight of the world. They felt a calling, a need to protect something with their lives./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The glowing died down to a flicker, like a dying candle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius held his weapon close. "Everyone, stay behind me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" They moved in./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" In the center of the forest clearing, trees were uprooted and shattered to splinters. A large crater burnt the soil in the ground. In the center of it, a lone girl lay on her stomach, golden light radiating around her. It burned and kissed the air around her in an ethereal way./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A Fallen Star./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The team fell silent./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Do we… know her?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Boomer rolled his eyes at him. "Sure, a girl falls from the sky and you immediately know her."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Shut emup/em, Boomer." Lloyd snarled./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm moving in," Etrius holstered his pistol and clicked off his flashlight. He didn't need it. The light the unconscious girl radiated made the area seem like daytime. Even the trail of fire she left behind turned the sky blue and orange again./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Etrius, emwhat/em are you doing?" Beecher grabbed his shoulder. "You nearly died three months ago, and now you're moving towards that emthing/em without any weapons! How many times do you have to die before you learn?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius yanked himself out of Beecher's iron grip. "I know what I'm doing."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "No. You don't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius gave him The Glare./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Beecher rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever. But at least let me give you come backup."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius grunted in response and moved in closer, slowly climbing his way down the crater hole. He approached the girl. Every step he took only made him want to stay there forever. Beecher remained only a couple steps behind, not denying that he felt the same way as well./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" When Etrius was close enough, he grabbed her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. She had coarse, curly black hair that lightened to rose gold at the tips. She had dark features, wore a Pierce the Veil T-Shirt and ripped jeans. She slightly stirred under the surface of consciousness. Etrius jumped back at the slightest movement. He felt… inferior. Inferior to the teenage girl that fell from the sky like a ball of fire./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" He took a deep breath. "Let's get back to base. There's an aura in the air that shouldn't be here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Agreed," Beecher said with aggravation at his comrade. "There's Element Evil in the air. Let's get out of here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius reached down and scooped her up into his arms. "Let's move."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Beecher scurried away from him, aiming his sniper at the stranger, although his heart urged him not to. "emAre you insane/em? Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "No, we should interrogate her," The General descended into the crater. "Nobody with that much power should be allowed to roam free in the forest, especially with a power-hungry Superior on the loose."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She awoke chained to a chair, but she didn't dare to open her eyes. Feigning unconsciousness, she tried to assess her surroundings before she got into deeper trouble./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Footsteps thudded from some other room, muffled. A door swung open, and multiple footsteps entered the room. She counted at least five men. They spoke in hushed tones. Their voices sounded oddly familiar. Like she remembered hearing them in a faint memory, a distant dream./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Something emclicked/em on the armrests, and something cold and stick was pressed against her forehead temples./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A violent shock jolted her awake./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She gasped, eyes flying open. Her vocals chords wouldn't move on command. She couldn't scream. She was paralyzed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Her vision was hazy, but she managed to focus on the people surrounding her. Green, blue, brown, and red eyes. One of them wore a blue military beret, but he wore the same uniform as everyone else. She'd seen these people somewhere before. Perhaps she'd slightly regained consciousness when they brought her here, and she caught a glimpse of their faces./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She swallowed hard, trying to remain strong and accept the fact that she might die here. "Who the fuck are you? What do you want from me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The oldest one who wore a beret sneered. "You know emexactly/em what we want."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Uhh—No, I don't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A man with a brown haired ponytail, goatee and beard, and a sword slung across his back approached her, grabbing her by the collar of her Pierce the Veil band T-shirt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Hey, watch the shirt!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emWhere the fuck is your base/em!?" He screamed into her face, making her forget completely about taking care of her band shirt. "We're not taking your shit. We know you're a spy!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She opened her mouth, but no words came out. "emAre you guys insane?/em"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" But his accent… She'd heard it before./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" She narrowed her eyes, only slightly suspicious. Then, she shook her head. No. It wasn't possible. They were just characters. They didn't exist. These were completely different people than the characters her mind made up. They were just all too real./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "She's doing it out of fear," The man in the beret bowed his head, shadowing his eyes so only his mouth moved. "They all are. If anyone gives away their secrets, the Superior kills them, emand/em everyone they love."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The swordsman backed off, but anger still boiled beneath his skin./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author's heart pounded. "The Superior…?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The green-eyed man tried a different approach. "Listen kid, you look young. You're probably scared shitless. If you tell us, we won't tell your Superior you were here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I don't know what you're talking about!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Something in the swordsman snapped. He grabbed her shoulders, snarling into her face. "I WILL FUCKING RIP YOU APART IF YOU DON'T TELL US!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Lloyd, relax!" The man with red eyes and a sniper at his belt grabbed his arm and yanked him away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "That's strike two, Beecher." The swordsman growled./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" If her mind was capable of being literally blown, it would have at that moment. "Lloyd…? Beecher…? The Superior… You guys… You're from Castle."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" A man with blond hair - she assumed he was Boomer - tossed his hair out of his eyes and scoffed. "Nice try. We're from Earth, just like you and your shitty-ass boss."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "This isn't real… I'm dreaming right now. Right? emYou/emem're/em not real - none of you are!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "So you don't feel like talking," The General's eyes narrowed as his thumb stroked the trigger. The Author was suddenly very aware of the jumper cables connected to her metal chair. Her pulse quickened./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General growled. "Maybe I can change your mind." She saw the familiar darkness stirring in his eyes. She'd seen that darkness before. She created it./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Despite Lloyd's anger, he saw the familiar flicker of darkness in his eyes and took a step away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author shut her eyes. If this truly was a dream, he would press that button and she wouldn't feel any pain. But if she was supposed to be numb, why did the bindings on her wrists and ankles feel so tight?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "General, stop!" A rough, edgy voice resounded from the speakers mounted in the corner of the room. "Release her."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "You've gone crazy, old man." The General snarled back. "It's no doubt the Superior sent her here. She has information on—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Dr. Romanov pushed past the iron door that blended into the interrogation room walls. "I said to release her. Now. Because whether you like it or not, your fates are tied."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author curled her hands into fists, more confused than ever./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What are you getting at now, crackpot?" Beecher crossed his arms./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Dr. Romanov closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I truly wish you'd stop calling me that. Before the Castle project began, I was working under the General and the Superior. We were working on a top secret project. Very few people were allowed to work on this project, and those that did were sworn into silence."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General stepped back. "You're not talking about…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Yes."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "…Alright. It's safe to tell them, then. If it's getting this much out of hand." The General shut down the voltage and released the restraints. The Author held her wrists./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emWhat/em the fuck are you talking about?" Etrius demanded. "More secrets, huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I didn't think it would come to this point," Romanov continued. "The Castle Project wasn't the first discovery of alternate universes. Around the time Nox was discovered living in Jacksonville, I opened the first secret portal that led to a realm far beyond our own. It was so similar to our own, and yet so different. I knew there was a high chance we only existed as a work of fiction, so—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emFiction/em?" Nox repeated./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "—So the project was abandoned. For the sake of this world's stability, we couldn't explore it further. The portal was destroyed. But now, you're here," Romanov turned to the Author and held up a glass vile filled with red liquid that glowed a white hue. "Your genetic material is so much different than our own. I took a blood sample when you were unconscious and ran a te—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emYou what/em?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "…Just tell me one thing. What happened to you before you entered this world?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I don't know! I was in my room, writing. Then some nut-job with horns protruding from his head grabbed me and shoved us into a… Wait, are you telling me that all of this is real?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Precisely."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author burst out laughing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm afraid this is no laughing matter. If Arthur was in your realm, then the Superior must've rebuilt the portal and found a way to get into your realm."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "This isn't real."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General was utterly shocked. "emHe/emem's using Arthur/em?!" He paced the room, stopping only to brace his hands against the wall and shut his eyes. "God… We're all fucked."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Who the hell is Arthur?" Beecher demanded. "And how many more secrets are you going to keep behind your back?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General sighed. "Arthur was an experiment. A genetic mutation of a human, and a demon from the Castle. My DNA was used to try and craft the perfect soldier, but everything went to shit. He turned psychotic, believing only death and destruction was the answer to everything. We had him put to Cryo-Sleep. If the Superior's released him, and he has the ability to reach into the Creator's world… God help us all."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius narrowed his eyes at the Creator as she rose to her feet. "emThis/em is the Creator?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "I'm a lot stronger than you think I am." She didn't fully understand the message in his olive green eyes, but the indignation surged that people emshe/em created should be looking down on her. In emher/em dream, no less./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Creator gazed at each character individually. If she was dreaming, her mind was creating details even stronger than she imagined herself. And if she wasn't, and this was some kind of trick… Only someone who had access to her imagination would be able to replicate this room, and the characters. The grungy texture on the walls and floor, the steady breathing of the characters, the scent of Beecher's cigar, the intense white noise in the air… The details were too accurate, too perfect./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author took a breath. "Okay. Alright. So if what you're saying is true, then…" She squealed. "I was right! I posted a theory on DeletionQuality about how the characters might be real, just in another dimension. Nobody took it seriously, but I was right!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "DeletionQuality?" Etrius repeated, perplexed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Romanov grumbled. "Sounds a lot like the sarcasm I received while working on the portal."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The General narrowed his eyes. "What's your name?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" The Author opened her mouth to respond, but Romanov stood between them. "Ah! Don't! The Superior's done enough damage by rupturing the fabric between our realms. Perhaps it's safer if you kept your identity anonymous, young writer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Boomer ran his hand through his hair, and Nox tried not to look. "Then what do we call her?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "Blue," The Author blurted out. "It's… What the readers back in my realm call me. EternityBlue."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Etrius was silent for a moment. Then he raised his head in expectancy. "Alright, Blue. It looks like you'll be here for a while. And since you know so much about this world, you might as well help us while you're here. We need to find the Superior's base, and find Angel before it's too late. The Superior can only use the portal to a certain extent, because he's not from your world and can't use it to it's full potential like you can. If he did, it would kill him. He's taken a huge risk bringing you to this world. Hopefully, it'll be some time before he can use it again."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Before the Author could follow the team out the doors, Lloyd stopped her and backed her up back into the room. He waited until the team's footsteps faded down the hallway. He and Blue exchanged glances. "You. You control what happens in this world?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue shrugged, still not used to the feeling of being trapped beneath the gaze of her characters. She felt cold and vulnerable, as if a warm blanket had suddenly been ripped away from her. "Uhh— Y—yeah, apparently I can. Since everything I've written so far is exactly what's happened in this world."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd's eyes darkened until they looked almost black. His voice adopted a threatening undertone. "Then change it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" "emChange it/em!" He shouted. "Angel is gone, and Nox won't even look at me because you emhad/em to write it in."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue sighed and shut her eyes. "Lloyd… Look, I'm sorry. Alright? I had absolutely no idea that what I did in my writing, affected this world. I didn't even know that this world—that emyou/em—existed! I didn't know I was hurting anyone! And if I did, then I wouldn't have done it. Honestly."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Lloyd ground his teeth, every muscle in his body becoming tense. Almost as if he were trying to hold his inner demons inside. "emChange it. Now./emem"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;" Blue froze. "I can't! Don't you get it? Whatever happens in this world needs to be written down. And I'm not exactly anywhere near my manuscript right now. And I can't tell what's going to happen in the future, either. I never wrote past the part where… you and Nox separated. If it's not posted for the readers, it's not canon."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Lloyd braced both of his hands on either side of the wall behind her, trapping her in place. His dark eyes bore holes into hers. "Then find a way."/p