Thread: Wold you like to go to anther world?

James spat at the floor again and spoke to no one in particular,
"I have lost my strength and conviction, and purpose the day that my strength failed to save my wife." his anger was building, "The day my conviction and purpose failed to save her!"
He crushed the bottle in his hand and walked out of the bar.

***********

James stood on the roof of a nearby block of flats. He looked out across the landscape but was unseeing,
"Why did you have to die Alice?" he asked the world in general, "I have lost what once made me respected and admired.... How much more do i have to lose before God will surrender you to me?!"
James sank to his knees and wept. A voice behind him startled him,
"You know that he will not give her up to you James." James turned his head to the left and saw a handsome man with black hair wearing a suit. James spat at the man,
"You have been trying to draw me away from Sensei's teaching for three years now and it has not worked. Leave me be." james said as he held his head in his hands. The man frowned,
"Why do you cling to her teachings James? Did you not see what happened in the market place? She hates you! Why keep fighting for her?" the man said in a smooth voice. James stood up abruptly,
"I don't care if she hates me Namro! She taught us how to live and I'm not her biggest failure... you are Namro. You turned your back on her long before i became what i am. You're a fine one to give lectures." James began to walk away when he heard Namro's sword being drawn form it's scabbard. James whipped round with his own sword out. The two men stared at each other as the rain fell on them relentlessly. They began to circle one another. James was soon forced to walk on the edge. Namro took his chance and shoulder barged James off the edge. James grabbed hold on Namro's suit and they both fell down into the crowded market place. James groaned as his broken bones healed and he got to his feet. Namro had done the same. They charged at each other with their swords flashing. James was retreating steadily one step at a time. He was gradually being forced back towards where Sensei and the other two had been standing. James shouted but it was not understandable. He looked down at the gash in his throat and could see why. His neck had been cut open. He swore mentally, as far as he knew angels could do nothing to repair their heads and Namro was swinging his sword for a beheading. Just as the blade was about to reach James' neck the blade stopped and Namro looked down at the sword that was stuck in between his ribs. John's sword then flicked upwards and Namro had to bring his sword from James' neck to stop it going in any further. John then exchanged a few blows with Namro before firing a silver bullet into his opponent's torso. Namro ran then to try and remove the burning bullet at a later date. John dropped his sword and ran to his brother's side,
"James....!" he shouted as he saw that the gash was not healing. James was only alive because of one strand of skin and muscle. John picked James' body up and carried it over to Sensei,
"Sensei please! You have to save him!" John was beginning to weep now, "He may be flawed but he has suffered greatly! Please!"
John let his head drop until it was inches away from James'.

"If the sun was going to set would you expect me to stop it?" asked Sensei.

"I do not know what you mean, James is dying, please, wouldn't you help to save him?" pleaded John.

"I'm afraid you didn't answer my question." Sensei stated smuggly.

"There is no time for games, now Sensei. Please. Won't you save him?"

"Oh, it seems that you like James might agree that our ways are but foolish religion. I am sorry but just like I would not stop the sun from setting, Jame's rash and ill tempered ways cannot allow him to survive. I can save him, its surely within my domain, but I see no use, he is unfit for our way of life. Come now, there is no reason for us to watch his life wither away." Sensei then turned and began to slowly walk away.

"Have you any honor Sensei?" asked John who was crouching at the side of Jame's dying body.

"Have you any sense?" asked Sensei as he walked off down the street.


* * *


James slowly opened his eyes and saw that it was dark. He felt two hands on his chest and it felt strangely warm and comforting.

"He's alive!" exclaimed John.

"I know that I'm alive." James softly spoke for he had not fully regained consciousness. James started to sit up.

"Relax James, lay down and take a few moments, you were just in a terrible fight and nearly died." James felt the hands on his chest lift and he nearly fell back unconscious.

"You were hurt pretty bad," said Vivian, "I didn't think I could help you, but your body seemed to do a lot of the work for me."

"Thank you very much kind Vivian," said James, "I will buy you the finest drink in town as a toast to your kind soul."

"I am sorry, James, but I am not interested in that sort of thing."

"What do you mean, the battle is done, we should enjoy the fruits of our labor" said James, being quite perplexed.

"Well, I train my mind at length through hard work, but what is a mind if it loses the body?"

"Huh," said James, he soon went into deep thought over this quite simple idea.

"Have you ever seen the crystal temple?" asked James.

"No, what is it?" asked Vivian.

"Let me show you," said James, "centuries before the great fires here, the monks practiced in it, most of it still remains, its but an hour walk from here." He said as he and Vivian walked off towards the mountainside.

James stummbled along the way and found it hard to breath. Although Vivian asked if she should hold him upright several times James had declined. James knew that they were not far from the temple now but he turned and sat on a stone ledge over looking the city,
"Before we go inside the temple I would like some time to think. I shouldn't take too long." James said as he slid himself off the ledge and landed a few feet below on another trail to the temple, "Meet me at the temple's entrance!"
James then began to walk the longer trail as he thought. He had come close to death. He had seen his own version of Heaven and Hell. But more immportantly to him, he had seen his dead wife. James looked up at the sky,
"What do you want from me God?" he whispered to the wind as the tears welled up, "Give me a sign. What do i have to do so that you may let me die?"
A small beam of light was his answer and it settled on a dazzling surface above him. The temple. So he was to help Vivian. James frowned. But that would mean once again becoming a puppet of that self Righteous fool Sensei. James looked up at the sky again and spat distainfully,
"So be it." he said before climbing back up to the trail where Vivian would be waiting at the temple's entrance, "Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."
James touched his forehead and a sliver cross appeared on his forehead. It was like a tatoo that shone in the dark. The mark of the trusted.

Vivian’s POV:

The Crystal Temple was like nothing I had ever seen. Light seemed to shine everywhere. The place seemed to be filled with magic. Perhaps now, I would get my “gift.” The Gift was the power of every Sleep Walker, & each was as different as the Sleep Walker who used it. It was also because of this gift that made Sensei have me practice simple combat, while Keith was already using his Gift during combat.

I closed my eyes & focused. Maybe I’d have the power of water, like Keith?

“What are you up to?” I jumped about a foot in the air. I hadn’t herd James come in.

“Nothing.” I said. “Are you sure you’re all right? What happened to your head?”

“Nothing.” James pulled his bangs down. “You know, in this light, you look just like Alice…”

“Who’s Alice?” I asked.

“My wife.”

I took him to late 20’s, but I never knew he had a wife!

“Oh.” I said.

“It’s ok. I just miss her.”

An awkward silence fell between us.

James then smiled,
"You want your gift eh?" he asked her playfully. She nodded, "Well i cannot help you. Your gift is for you to discover."
James stepped back and thought about the day he had first discovered his own powers. He had learnt to control the shadows when he had reached the temple as well. He smiled at the memory. Alice had been with him then. He had to remind himself that he knew that she was watching over him. Although he knew that both Heaven and Hell were real he was not a believer. He was a knower. There is a difference.

Vivian’s POV:

James & I walked back into town to meet up with the others.

“Hold on.” James said as we got close. “I…want you to have this…” He held up a red stone.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Garnet. It’s used to help you find your inner fire. In other words, it might help you find your Gift.”

“That’s great, James, but I don’t think I can take anything with me from the dream world back to my world.”

“Oh.”

“But I can hold while I’m here.” I said. Of course, at that moment I began to fade. Quickly, I tossed the stone back. “Tell the others I said bye!”

James quickly grabbed my wrist. He put the stone in my palm & closed my fingers around it.

The next thing I knew, I was laying back in bed. In 1 hand I felt something that was hard.

I opened my fist to revel a garnet stone.

James smiled as Vivian began to fade,
"I remember when Alice used to do that..." he walked back down to the town in a bad mood from that comment. He then thought of something to immediatly brighten up his mood. He touched the mark on his head,
"Wait until John and that uptight Sensei get a load of this! Back in the good books with God!"

Vivian’s POV:

The next night, I didn’t go to Chac. Instead, I fond myself in a city, not as big as New York or anything, but not as small as Chac’s town was ether.

“Where are we?” I asked Keith, who was standing next to me.

“I don’t know, but I guess somebody needs us.”

“Right you are.” Sensei said as he walked up to us. James & John followed him. “This is Luin, I have herd on the news that there have been mass kidnappings in the city.”

“Where should we start?” I asked.

“The diner.” James said suddenly.

“Why? What’s happening?” Keith looked focused, ready to attack.

“I’m hungry.”

“Oh.”

*-*-*-*-*-

Aque’s POV:

“Namro!” I cried as my husband entered. He had a bandage wrapped around his chest. “What happened to you?”

“I was shot. Had to get it out & stop the bleeding before I tried to come back home.”

“Please Namro, let me help you.”

“I am fine.” he said. “I can walk, & I am with you again.” He came & kissed me, & I kissed back. We have been married for a little over a year now, but we’re still in love with each other, as much as we were from the day we met.

He left to rest, & I was thankful. I was planning a little surprise for him. I walked back to my crystal ball, & began to watch over Luin.

My plan was working perfectly.

James and the other sat in the diner and they all seemed to watch as he and John ate large amounts of food very quickly. After his fourth hambruger and fries John finally began to speak,
"So... any ideas how to stop the kidnappers?" he asked the table in general. He smiled when no one spoke immediatly, "I thought as much. We need to go around the city and find some of the local low life scum and milk them for information."
James had finished eating and smiled at that point. He had a knack for interagation.

(Doll ID for Vivan when she's awke: 4492 Use the link at the begnng or in my signtre. Credt for doll shold be givn to TDP)

Vivian’s POV:

We split up so that while James & John asked around, Keith & I were able to keep working with Sensei. My Gift still had not come. Sensei had me do some simple combat while Keith made geysers hit targets.

I so want my Gift.

“Uh…Vivian?” Keith asked. “Now that things are getting more…intense…maybe we should meet when we’re awake…”

“I’d love that.” I said, maybe a little too quickly. Hey, if he was this much of hunk in his dreams, who knows what he looks like when he’s not.”

“I live in Chicago.” Keith said. “What about you?”

“I live there too! I go to Washington High, how about you?”

“Private school, but I’m trying to talk them into letting me transfer.”

I couldn’t believe it! Keith was not only a hunk, but a local hunk!

“So, where do you want to meet?” I asked.

“I think I know just the place.” We started to fade at that point. When I woke up, I quickly got dressed & went down town. I hope I was at the right place, Keith said it kinda quickly. Then again, who cares?

I was about to meet the boy of my dreams!

James threw the small man against the wall. The man screamed in pain upon impact,
"I don't know anything!" the man protested. James paided no attention and slammed the man's face into his knee. The man was about to fall down but James caught him and slapped him awake,
"Talk!" he shouted, his face a few inches away from the other man's face. The man squermed under James grip,
"I won't tell you!" the man shouted. James smiled,
"I was hoping you'd say that." he said before punching the man in the gut with the razer wire rapped tightly around her work gloves. The ravers cut deeply into the man while doing nothing to James, "Talk!"
"I won't talk!" the man screamed again. James took a step back and picked the nail gun up off the floor. The man's eyes wided when he saw it,
"Anything but that!" the man screamed, the legends of the angel with the nailgun were about to become true. James held the man against the wall with his left hand and brought the nail gun up to the man's chest. The man snapped,
"The price of heroin has increased due to the higher demand!" the man blurted out. James moved the nail gun quicker than the eye could follow and nailed the man's ear to the war,
"Thats not what I want to know!" he shouted and nailed the other ear to the wall. The man cried out in pain,
"The silver monkey night club is a whore house!" he shouted. James slammed the butt of the nail gun into the man's face,
"What's going on with all the missing people! Someone must be bragging about it in that shit pit, the blue lagoon! Who?!" he shouted at the man. The man began to cry,
"Microwave popcorn pops at the four minute mark in Chesterfield!" he shouted, almost pleadingly. James sighed. He'd broken another one beyond repair. He spread the mans arms so that they were sticking straight out and moved the man's feet together, one over the other. James nailed the man's hands to the wall and then nail his feet to the wall. James stood back and looked upon the crucified man,
"God damns you and all of your kind! You will spead an eternaty suffering for the sins of you kind!" he shouted at the man in a deep voice. James looked at the man, suspended above the ground like the son of God. He spat,
"I should have done it upside down. You don't deserve to die in the same way he did." He said before walking away.

Vivian’s POV:

I had to let Keith know I was here. I walked along Oak Street Beach & tried to see if I saw somebody looking as lost as I was. I went to the huge crowd that was around the stage.

Oh, right, it was an open mike karaoke festival that was here for the whole weekend.

I smiled I just had the most perfect idea for Keith to find me.

Keith’s POV:

I got a thing of fries & went to listen to the karaoke. I hope Vivian herd me tell her what I looked like, & to meet me by the stage. Oh well, I’ll just enjoy the show until she gets here.

A nervous looking girl took the mike. “My friend was supposed to meet me here, but I can’t find him. I…I want to let him know I’m here.” The music started.

Dream a dream
Lover, take me in your dream
Take me anywhere you please
Boy you’re making me scream

Wow. This was the first time I ever herd somebody on karaoke who was actually able to sing.

Dream a dream
‘cuz love is just a dream
If you wana set me free
Boy, you’re making me scream
Ooh la la dee
la da da
You gotta dream a little dream

As I listened to the song, I realized exactly who was singing.

It was Vivian

James sat down with a heavy thud. John looked up from his newspaper before returning to it. James looked around the bleak office,
"This is where you do you interrogating brother?" he looked around at the flacking plaster on the walls, "Not much to look at."
John smiled but spoke through his paper at his brother,
"I know ways to get someone to tell me what I want without physical violence." He said slowly as he turned the page. James twirled round in his swivel chair,
"I suppose there are other ways... but have you gotten anything?" he asked as he spun round. John turned the page and replied in the same, slow voice,
"Have you?" he countered. James nodded. There was some truth in what his brother was saying. He sat still for a few moments before drumming his fingers against the desk. He looked at the clock and saw that it was exactly one o'clock. He spun round in his chair again and drummed his fingers against the desk again in the rythem of pop goes the weasel. He looked up at the clock. It was one minute past one. James frowned,
"Your clock's wrong John." he said before picking up a rubber from the desk and throwing it at the clock and catching it again. John turned the page,
"No its not." he replied slowly. James stood up and began to pace back and forth. He looked at the clock. One o'clock exactly. He scowled at the clock and continued to pace. John put his newpaper down,
"Tactic number one. Madness. Break their mind and they will tell you all of their secrets." he pushed a button of the side of the clock and the time instantly jumped to quarter past one. The correct time. He smiled at his brother. James scowled,
"Its no wonder you don't have a girlfriend." he said before bursting out laughing. John followed suit and they left the office laughing wildly.

Vivian’s POV:

I quickly walked down the streets of Luin. The sun had already set here, because my folks made me stay up late to finish my homework. I didn’t want to make every body think I’d left or something…

Then, two very strong men grabbed me by my arms. “Hey! Watch what you’re…”

“Shut it, girly.” Anther really tough guy said. “You know the rules, all girls 10-19 were taken away today.”

“I…I’m sorry, I’m just a visitor here, & I…”

“But you’re here now, so you’re comn’ with us.” Then, I felt a thud on the back of my head, & everything went black.


***Later***

I sat up, slowly. The ground was moving under me. It was very dark in here; did my lamp burn out agan? Then, with a jolt, I realized what happened. I looked around, & saw I was in a train car.

“Good, you’re up.” A girl my age said. “I’m Kelsi. Are you all right? You were out cold…”

“I’m Vivian. Where am I?”

“Don’t you know about Aque?” I shook my head. “She’s been taking all the women in Luin. Nobody’s sure what for though. Rumor says it’s for an army, but I’m not sure if I believe that.” Kelsi shrugged. “You may want to get some sleep, now. We’re gonna be riding all night.

“Ok.” I agreed quickly. If I slept, I’d be able to get home!

That was the night I realized something had trapped me here, & I wasn’t able to get home.

James was struck by a sudden thought as he stuffed a fried egg into his mouth,
"hhjshjn juho..." he said with his mouth still full. John looked at him as he took a drink from his coffee cup,
"How many times James? Don't talk with your mouth full." he said before taking a drink. James swallowed before continuing,
"How old do you think Vivian is?" he asked as he cleaned his face with a napkin. John looked across his newpaper,
"You're thinking about sinning with her already?" he asked with a crooked smile. James threw his coffee cup at John, who narrowly dodged it,
"No I mean how old is she? Cus the people who are disappearing are all around her age and..." james smiled as his brother stood up and folded his newpaper,
"I don't often say this James, you know that, but..." he smiled and they began to leave the dinner, "You may have something there."