Chapter XV: We're off… to the other side?
"What?!" Azkadellia whipped her head to her sister, "You can't be serious."
"Serious enough that I'm sure that was him that just attacked me through the body of one of his guards," DG folded her arms over her chest, "Well, he tried to attack me. I used my magic against him and Cain shot him through the head."
"Did you find anymore information on the blade or what happens when someone escapes being stabbed?" Cain walked behind Glitch to read over his shoulder.
"Not much more and you leaning over my shoulder and breathing in my ear isn't going to help it either," Glitch rolled his eyes and pushed Cain away from him and toward DG.
"So what did you find?" DG sat on the small love seat with her mother. Lavender held DG's hands and waited with her.
"All it says is how it is supposed to work," Glitch waved with his hand as if to elaborate, "In DG's case we broke the would-be bond before it even existed. In doing so Soren has no one to find on the other side. Assuming all the facts I would believe that he would be stuck in that limbo for the rest of time."
"That's the problem," DG frowned, "He's not staying there."
"From what you said, it seems like he is working through others to get to you on this side of existence. He will continue to do so. He can't get back to his own body with out finding you on that side, so why not use the body of another to fulfill his goal?" Glitch laid it out as well as he could and leaned back in his chair.
"But how is he using other's bodies?" Azkadellia asked and scanned through another book of magic.
"Everyone falls into a deep sleep if they are exhausted. The kind that takes everything to wake them up from," Glitch thought to himself for a moment, "For example, I was so exhausted putting together my first ball for her majesty and fell asleep in my office for a day and a half. I was almost late for the ball I had worked so hard for. During that time people had come to the door and tried to wake me up and they could not get to me. It was as if I was completely out of my body. Maybe that's where he is sneaking in to other's bodies. He uses the trance of deep sleep as a bridge to reach this side."
"That could be," Cain nodded, "Those guards seemed a little ragged."
"And some probably couldn't sleep for a day or two for fear you may come and kill them in their sleep," Glitch nodded to his friend.
"Very funny, zipper-head."
"I'm serious. The way you were acting, I would be afraid to fall asleep too. If nothing else, I would fear you in my nightmares," Glitch smirked and then turned serious, "Joking aside, we must make plans to protect DG from him. We don't know where or when he will strike at her."
"Or through who," Cain added.
"What about Galdra?" DG asked a little scared for her new friend, "Will he act through her?"
"She has been sent for," Glitch said with a nod of his head, "Your mother sent for her once you were awake. She will be partially safe within the palace."
"No one will be safe anywhere. He will only continue to come over and over until he is stopped," Lavender said with her eyes downcast to the floor.
"I'm afraid so, your majesty," Glitch nodded.
"He told me that he will find me and I will never escape him," DG's eyes glazed for a moment, "He'll keep coming."
"We'll find a way to stop him," Glitch looked at his friend to assure her of her safety, "He won't have you, doll."
"No, he won't," Lavender shook her head and stood up from her seat, "I'm calling a travel storm and sending you to the other side."
"I'm not going to run from him," DG frowned, "I'll admit that I'm frustrated and a little scared, but I'm not a coward. If he wants a fight, a fight he will get every time. But I am not running."
"The only problem with that is that he will be taking control over more people of the O.Z.," Lavender sat back down next to DG, "He will take innocent lives to attack you and to fend him off you will be injuring more innocents. Or worse."
DG paused, "I didn't think of it that way."
"Too many people have died by the hands of a witch," Lavender put a finger under DG's chin to connect with her eyes, "I will not have a mad man kill off my people and then my daughter."
"But what will running to the other side do other than hide me again?" DG asked.
"It will keep you safe," Lavender sighed, "As of now he still has to cross the plane of living and dead to come after you. If you are on the other side then that is just another plane for him to cross. Instead of one, it would be two."
"And I don't think that's possible," Glitch added, "Maybe your mother is right, DG. Just until we get it figured out."
"Of course Cain will go with you," Lavender looked at her body guard.
"Of course," he nodded.
"And so will Azkadellia and Ambrose," Lavender looked at Azkadellia. She opened her mouth to argue, but Lavender put a hand up to stop her, "You are carrying one of the most innocent lives of them all, my 'Dellia. I will not have that ruffian take control over that. And I could not ask for your husband to stay behind."
"Who will research?" Glitch asked with a frown, "I am the best you have, your majesty."
"You are, my dear friend," she nodded, "But your place is at your wife's side. Not mine."
"You're staying here?" DG asked and then shook her head, "You could be targeted."
"I am always a target for murder," she smiled in a chance that it may calm DG, "And I can promise you I am not a heavy sleeper. I never have dreams anymore unless there is something that my magic or the O.Z. wants me to know. He will not catch me. I need to stay behind and make sure that the people do not think we have abandoned them."
Jeb walked into the room, "Excuse the interruption, but they finished the examination of the intruder."
"Already?" Cain narrowed his eyes.
"There wasn't that much to see. He was a normal man, except for the hole in the head," Jeb stated. He turned to Lavender and DG, "Is it true, your majesty? I heard before I came in… Are you sending them to the other side?"
"Yes Captain, I am," she nodded.
"When do they leave?"
"As soon as I conjure a travel storm," Lavender turned to them all, "You will have to leave your things here, or others in the kingdom will know something is wrong."
"I can get supplies on the other side," DG nodded, "Clothes, food, shelter- wait, how's the condition of the farm house?"
"I had sent other men to the other side just in case this situation should arise. The house is fixed and back to its former glory," she smiled, "Will you all have enough room?"
"Well, that depends," DG asked with the tilt of her head, "Are mom and popsicle joining us?"
"Not this time," Lavender shook her head.
"Then Az and Glitch could take their room. It has a bigger bed and a bathroom connected to it," DG nodded, "Cain and I will take my old bedroom. I'm more worried about you staying here by yourself."
"Then I will stay with her. So will Kelly," Jeb stood by the door and waited for a response from the queen.
"Thank you for your offer, Captain. I accept your protection," the queen nodded, "You may come in and talk with your father if you'd like."
"Thank you, your majesty," Jeb walked to his father and gave him a tight hug, "You be careful out there, father. And take care of her."
"I will," Cain patted his son on the back, "You take care of Kelly and the Queen and hold down the palace."
"Yes, sir," he saluted him and turned to DG, "Watch him, will you?"
"Like a hawk," she nodded. Lavender stood, held one of DG's hands and held her other hand out for Azkadellia's. She held both of their hands and kissed their knuckles.
"Be careful, my loves," she whispered and both DG and Azkadellia could feel the magic come off their mother and then wind begin to pick up. Outside the window a large twister roared and thundered, barely touching the balcony outside the sitting room, "You must go."
The girl's nodded and held each other's hands. Their magic light glowed brightly between then and then they held their hands out to Cain and Glitch. They held on to the girls and they all jumped into the twister. DG screamed a little as she was spun away. No matter how magical she and the land of the O.Z. were, she would never get used to the idea of traveling via twister.
Lavender looked out from the balcony as Jeb walked next to her with one hand resting on the top of his sword, "When do you think they'll be back?"
"When the time is right," she turned and walked back into the room, "Now, how much has your father told you about the situation?"
"Not much, your majesty," she shook his head, "But what I gather, not even the palace is safe for the princess."
"No, not even the palace," she shook her head, "Come, I must find my cabinet of advisors and Raw. We have much research and planning to do. Not to mention a new guest is arriving at the castle any time now."
The twister landed within fifty feet of the old farm house and smack dab next to the already temperamental generator. DG was the first one out of the twister with her hands on her hips and an unsure smile on her face. Cain walked out from behind her with Glitch holding on to Azkadellia at the end of the group. The twister dissipated and floated back into the clouds above their heads.
DG put a hand over her eyes to survey the farm house nearby and the familiar surroundings. She was back in Kansas.
"No place like home," she sighed and patted her hands in front of her to get rid of some dust that had come from the twister.
Cain walked up next to her while Azkadellia and Glitch were too busy trying to get a small lay of the land. He sighed and scanned the immediate area, "So this is where they stuck you, huh?"
"Yeah," DG smiled with a small chuckle, "This is where I grew up. What do you think?"
Cain paused for a moment before a smirk was plastered on his face, "I've seen worse."
Cain began to walk toward the generator which was knocked up a little from the travel storm. DG rolled her eyes and put a hand to her forehead. She could feel another headache a mile away, "Yeah, thanks."
"Are we going to need this pile to work for anything?" Cain looked down at the generator and kicked it lightly in the side.
"Only if you want to have some hot water and maybe some electricity," DG pushed the headache from her mind, pushed Cain a step back and didn't notice the quirk of his eyebrow at the word of electricity. She plugged a few wires back in that the storm had knocked out and turned a small knob toward the front. Suddenly the fan inside began to turn as well as the huge fan at the top.
"Nice work, kid."
"It's what I do," DG looked over at Azkadellia and Glitch who were still unsure of their surroundings, "Az, Glitch? You two going to be okay?"
"I think so," Azkadellia frowned, "There are no forests."
"Nope. Sorry, no forests. This is the middle of the Americas. All flat land," DG looked at the horizon and the sun was beginning to set, "Let's head inside."
The group of four headed into the empty house. DG led the way up the porch and Cain, of course, had to search the house from top to bottom before anyone else could go in. He came back out to the porch and with the nod of his head stated that it was clear.
"We'll need some light soon," he mentioned and looked at DG, "Where are your lanterns and candles?"
"Don't need them," DG shook her head. She bent around the front door and flicked one of the closer light switches that turned on the lights for the small front room.
Both Cain and Glitch stood for a moment before they both stared almost blinded by confusion from the simple bulb. Azkadellia walked in and shut the door behind her. DG locked it after Azkadellia stepped away. Her older sister began to stare at the bulb momentarily before moving on to sit on one of the couches.
"How did you capture sunlight in a bottle without your magic?" Glitch flicked at the bulb.
"I didn't," DG laughed and pulled Cain away from the light before he blinded himself, "You may want to step away, Glitch. That is before you lose your eye sight."
"It will do that to you?" he asked and backed away slightly, "Then why even have it in your home?"
"It will give the same effects as if you were staring at the suns for too long," DG explained.
"Is this part of that 'electricity' you were talking about?" Cain shrugged off his duster as the heater kicked on and blew at his back.
"Yeah," DG nodded and then paused for a moment, "Wait a minute, I thought we had electricity in the O.Z.- I mean we have all those machines. They run on something."
"Most of them are powered by some kind of magic, fire or bare materials from the earth," Glitch explained as he kept tapping on the light bulb in front of him, "Just like the witch had to have the emerald to power her machine."
"Ah," she nodded and then roughly pulled Glitch from the bulb, "But I saw lights just like these in the Realm of the Unwanted."
"They were made with a bright, phosphorescent material from the earth. They are meant to last for annuals at a time. And some say that they even hold sunlight from the suns. That's why I thought you had used your magic on these. They are made differently, aren't they?"
"Yeah, no big earth materials in there. It's all man made. Still, would be better for your eyes if you were away from the bulb."
"That's what that's called?" he tilted his head.
"I'll let you read through some of my old science books. I know they had a few chapters about electricity in there," DG promised him, "Now sit down."
"Is there other marvels that you could show us?" Glitch asked and sat down next to Azkadellia.
"Well, we have the microwave for one, the radio and- Oh, you guys are going to love this," DG smiled and jumped over the other couch to turn the television on, "Welcome to the wonders of the other side."
All three of her companions stared slack jawed at the screen as it came to life and a news program began. Glitch and Cain walked closer to the set. Cain looked at its back and couldn't understand where they pumped the potion into the box- or how the liquid was staying in it. Glitch looked at the glass screen and then began to poke at it.
Azkadellia smiled a little and looked at DG, "It's a form of seer's potion. Like the alchemist had in the tower."
"Nope, more electricity and waves of some sort," DG shrugged and couldn't get over how Glitch had the need to tap everything that was new to him on this side. She took both guys by the collar and pulled them back. She sat Glitch back by her sister and then Cain by her on the other couch, "It's mainly used for entertainment purposes, but it is also used as a way for us to know what's happening around the world or locally."
"Entertainment?" Azkadellia asked.
"Instead of going to a theatre or a playhouse, you could watch different programs or shows on the screen just by changing the channel," DG picked up the remote and changed the channel quickly to a cartoon show, "See?"
"The drawn pictures move," Glitch smiled, "Brilliant."
DG laughed and shook her head.
"You never cease to amaze me," Cain put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.
"It's another talent I am superb at," she put her head on his shoulder.
"We should probably figure out sleeping arrangements," Cain mentioned to her and she nodded her head.
"Okay," she turned off the television with the remote and stood up, "Az, Glitch, you two will be sleeping down stairs in the main bedroom."
She walked down the short hall and into the master bedroom where the old, large bed still sat, "There's a bathroom on the right side just in case you need it."
"And what about you?" Azkadellia asked and sat on the bed as Glitch flicked on the lights. He smiled proudly at himself and his accomplishment.
"There's another bathroom in the middle of the hall way," DG pointed her thumb backwards.
"I meant where will you sleep?"
"Up stairs in my old room," she tilted her eyes straight up, "It has a good amount of space up there and I can probably do something with the bed with my newly found magic."
"When does the first sun rise?" Azkadellia asked as she tried to untie her boot. Glitch came around the bed and took it off for her and then continued with the next one. Once her job was taken over for her she looked to DG for an answer.
"There is only one sun here," DG took in the look of shock from her sister, "It usually raises about seven or so in the morning."
"I thought that the first one had already set when we arrived," Azkadellia explained why she still had thought there were two suns.
"Nope, just one lonely sun, the same with the moon," DG nodded and noticed Glitch trying to get his jacket off and put it neatly on the side desk, "We'll have to get some clothes tomorrow."
"With what? We don't have any currency for this place unless they accept platinum," Cain asked from behind her.
"I have some of my savings stored under the house. They should still be there," DG motioned her eyes to the floor, "And I should still have a savings account in the bank… unless they think I'm dead. Let's hope that's not the case."
"So it's our first day adventuring out into the other side world," Glitch leaned back on the bed and cushioned his head with his interlocked fingers, "What wonders will we see?"
"It'll be a culture shock, I'm sure," DG began to close the door, "Sleep well you two. And don't forget to turn out the light. It won't go out on it's own like a candle."
"Good night, DG," Azkadellia called to her before she closed the door and walked back down to Cain who was already half way to the front room again.
"Alright, Tin Man. Time for bed," DG turned off the light to the front room and began to climb the stairs to her room. There she found everything as it was when she left. Who ever her mother got to clean up the mess did a very good job. She looked at the drawings of Central City and the brick route that she did when she was younger and apparently knew nothing of the O.Z.
Cain looked around the room as he shed his vest and rolled up his sleeves of his shirt. Every once in a while she could hear him grunt in approval at some of the paintings in the corners. Those were mostly of Central City, Finaqua and the Ice Palace and were drawn with greater detail.
She quickly turned to her bed and knew that both of them on her small bed would be a tight squeeze- not that she would mind being squashed up to Wyatt Cain. They had no idea how long they were going to be here and she thought that they both would enjoy the extra room. She placed both her hands out in front of her and then slowly slid them apart to stretch out the bed into a queen sized mattress.
"How did I never live without my magic?" she whispered to herself.
"Sometimes I ask the same thing about you," Cain said from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "What was that you said to me about making it worth my while?"