Lost Worlds

by Luna Lais

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Jimmy replied. "I never got a call. Something's not right." Lauren grabbed Jimmy and hysterically shook him.

  "We have to do something!" she yelled. Jimmy smacked her back.

  "Listen!" he said. "There's no time for this! We gotta find this guy and put him out of our misery!"

  "But what if he does to us what he does to Chrissy?" she said. Jimmy paused for a moment.

  "We'll just have to be extra careful," he replied. She looked at him with a scowl. Suddenly they saw a bright flash in the distance. "It's the east end of town. And by the size of that blast, it doesn't look pretty." They replaced their helms and took off for the other end of Bane-Barre.

  * * *

  "This place shall meet its end like all I see, in destruction!" it said. "I will find more of my life force here!" He began trashing the local Wal-Mart, crashing through the front wall and destroying the shelves and gondolas in front of him. The night manager escorted customers out of the store, but there was widespread panic. The store burst into flames as they all ran out. Jimmy and Lauren rushed into the building to get everyone out and confront the monster. They arrived to see Adam, one of the workers, fighting hand to hand with the monster, and doing a good job of it. It knocked him back at one point, and went to fire an energy blast at him. Jimmy ran at light speed and pulled Adam out of the blast's path.

  "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Jimmy asked him.

  "It's a long story," he replied.

  "I need you to get everyone out of the building," Jimmy said. "We'll take care of the monster." Adam nodded and turned. He pulled something from his pocket...a golden coin with the picture of a mastodon on it, with a huge gash in it. He put it back in his pocket and ran, helping everyone out of the building. Jimmy began hitting the monster with sword blasts, but they had no effect on him.

  "Time to join your friend, Hel Flame!" he yelled as he charged that energy blast again.

  "No!" Lauren screamed. Jimmy dodged the blast, and the explosion caused the sprinkler system to activate. The water hit the monster, and he began to fizzle. He fled from the store, firing back at it. The building began to collapse, and Jimmy and Lauren blasted through the roof to escape. When they landed, Lauren went hysterical again.

  "It's all my fault," she screamed. "All of this is my fault!"

  "Come on!" Jimmy said, looking her in the eye. "If Chrissy were here, what would she want us to do?" Lauren paused for a moment and thought.

  "Come up with a plan," she replied.

  "OK," Jimmy said, "the monster seems to hate water. It fizzles and weakens as..."

  "That's it!" Lauren yelled. "The creature absorbed the chunk of pure sodium last! Before that, it was nothing but a fizzing puddle of goo to be diluted! If we could get him to the water, the sodium would explode, destroying him, converting the sodium into sodium hydroxide! He'd lose all his power and melt into nothingness!"

  "Let's get him to the river," Jimmy replied.

  "Leave that to me," Lauren said, as her eyes focused. The reddish glow could be seen as the fires in her eyes burned. She broke into a full sprint at the monster, but as she did, something happened. All at once, in a flash, the rage in her heart mixed with the knowledge of what needed to be done and the tears of hope streaming down her cheeks. The bronze armor transformed into fiery red, and she pulled her hands apart as her sword split in two, transforming into the Dragon Warrior. She swung the Ice Brand, and a wave of ice hit the monster, sending it flying into the distance. Lauren took off like lightning in pursuit. Jimmy took off after her, trying to keep up.

  People at a local fast food restaurant saw the sky darken, then they ran out of there as the monster crashed through the roof. The entire building fizzled and disintegrated. Lauren came flying right at the monster and began swinging her blades wildly. The monster tried to block the shots, but the fury of the Dragon Warrior caused him to be continually knocked back. Jimmy caught up and fired shots as well, helping to drive him towards the river. Jimmy got close into hand to hand, and Lauren joined him. They hit him with one combined punch, sending him over the dike and into the river. He screamed in pain, fizzing violently. They crossed swords, and the combined blast hit the monster, and the explosion flung them backwards off the dike. The wave of energy flowed through everything, repairing the buildings and scarred grounds. Jimmy's armor vanished as he hit the ground. He looked up as Lauren landed on her feet. She twirled her swords, then combined them over her head and resheathing it in one motion. The power left her, the armor faded, and she fell to her knees.

  "I think we did it," Lauren said, breathing heavily.

  "Yeah, we did it," Jimmy replied. "Wisdom and good triumphs again."

  "But Wisdom didn't survive this one, Joey," Lauren said sadly. "She's gone forever. It's still my fault." Just then, a bolt of lightning shot out of the ground, and a portal appeared six feet above the ground. Someone dropped out of it covered in goo, falling to the ground. The portal then closed behind them. Jimmy and Lauren approached as the goo covered silver armor melted away to reveal Chrissy.

  "Next time I'm taking the bus," Chrissy said as she got up. She faced Lauren, and Lauren cried...then slapped her.

  "Where were you?" she yelled. "You had us worried!" Chrissy wiped the ooze from her eyes.

  "What was that for?" she asked.

  "She's been edgy lately," Jimmy replied. "Forgive her, or slap her back."

  "No," Chrissy said, "but thanks for the suggestion. Actually, that beam the monster fired at me created a six-dimensional portal. I think you are familiar with this concept, Jimmy." Jimmy nodded. "I was suspended in a parallel universe...but it was exact and opposite. Time flowed opposite to what we normally perceive. I don't even know how I was able to survive there as long as I did. When you destroyed the monster, the portal reopened, and I was able to escape. It's as if something ripped open the fabric of the space-time continuum, causing a rift between time and anti-time."

  "The cycle," Jimmy said quietly. Chrissy heard him...and understood.

  Wisdom shall be swallowed up

  By Power's will to be

  But Wisdom and Power must coexist

  For the Ultimate Power to endure.

  The next day in class, Janie and Jimmy were scheduled to do their presentation. To the surprise of the professor, Lauren helped them in order to get credit as well.

  "Good morning, class," said Janie. "We are going to study electricity and conduction!" She looked at Lauren. "Say 'Good morning' Lauren."

  "Good morning, Lauren," Lauren replied, staring off at the class in a hypnotic state.

  "Now," Janie continued, "let's see what happens when a small electrical charge is applied to the victim...er...I mean, 'test subject'. Jimmy, would you do the honors?" With a grin on his face, and the memory of Lauren slapping him fresh in his mind, he threw the switch. It would be something Lauren would remember for a long time.

  Chapter 23 - Some Common Sense

  * * *

  23

  "Some Common Sense"

  Jimmy woke up the following morning with all kinds of thoughts running through his head. He knew he and Lauren would be a cohesive unit for the rest of their lives, but something inside would never let them be like they were before. What is worse, his luck when it came to love had been less than stellar, being turned down time and time again.

  "What is it about me that repulses women so much?" he asked himself. He looked deeply into the mirror. "I am what I am, and won't change it. No one I know will ever admit any flaw I may have...but if I am ever to find love, I have to know what is wrong about me in order to make it right." He let out a heavy sigh, got dressed, collected his things, and left for breakfast.

  On the way down, Ron stopped Jimmy again.

  "Jimmy!" he said.

  "I know," Jimmy replied. The cafeteria is closed again."

  "Actually, no," Ron said. "They are open, but there is a ceremony for the new transfer students going on. I me
an, I still would avoid the milk, but it's worth watching."

  "Alright," Jimmy replied. "Let's see what new blood the college has lured in." They walked down the steps and through the lobby and slowly peered into the cafeteria. Surely enough, it was bustling with new people, and one in particular caught Jimmy's eye. A stunning brunette with a beautiful smile came through the door on her way to the cafeteria. On instinct, Jimmy said something.

  "Hi," he said. "My name is Jimmy. What's yours?" She looked at him funny.

  "Rachel," the girl said. "I really need to get going." She quickly walked away, as Jimmy was left speechless. Janie approached him, smacking him across the backside of his head.

  "You really are clueless," she said to him. "She's way out of your league. You still lack common sense. You need to be more rational in your thinking, but the world isn't black and white. But I guess I should expect nothing less from that seemingly positronic brain of yours."

  "You're probably right," Jimmy said with a sigh as Janie continued walking. Jimmy suddenly lost his appetite, and decided instead to go check out the local theatre group.

  * * *

  Jimmy arrived at the Learning Center a short time later, and walked into one of the meeting rooms the theatre group uses for practice.

  "How's it going?" asked Tom, the theatre director.

  "It's going," Jimmy replied. "Mind if I sit in on the group? It's been a while since I was in your class."

  "Not at all," he replied. The group began doing warm up relaxation exercises.

  Little did Jimmy know that beneath them, less than a mile underground, another portal opened up. Deep inside this alternate reality, the spirit of a monster from the other side crept slowly towards it. A voice from beyond the portal yelled out to it.

  "The cycle G’riel spoke of is reaching its apex," the voice boomed. "You must go into that world and prepare it for my coming. The world beyond the portal must become one with ours if we are to survive. Do not let G’riel's precious Avatars stop you...we cannot let the cycle continue!" At that, the spirit passed through the portal...and through the rock. As it did, the spirit inhabited the rock itself, taking humanoid form, and moving through the rock towards the surface.

  Just as the exercise was completed, the room began to shake. The entire class fled to the door, and suddenly something burst up through the floor, trapping Jimmy inside the room. Everyone ran out as the monster took on humanoid form...completely made of rock.

  "I'm free!" it yelled. "The master sent me forth to claim this world for him, and soon it will become one with ours, bringing forth the master's new age!"

  "I don't think so," Jimmy said. "I don't know who your master is, and I don't care. All you need to know is that I have the power to stop you." The monster laughed, but soon stopped when Jimmy reached behind him, gripping the hilt of his sword, and slowly pulling it out of the cloaked sheath and raising it high.

  "Courage, be my strength!" The sword sparked to life, and the energy flowed around him, wrapping itself around his entire body. The energy became a golden light, surrounding his body in the golden armor of the Avatar of Courage, transforming him into the Hero.

  "Virtue!" the monster yelled. "The Master told of the Avatar's interference! I will not let you defeat me!" Jimmy ran at the monster and began swinging at him with his sword. He managed to cut away at him, but the monster punched him so hard, Jimmy flew through the wall and into the lobby, skidding across the floor to a stop. The monster climbed through the hole in the wall after him. It ran to Jimmy and began stomping him into the floor repeatedly. Jimmy finally grabbed the monster's foot, and used his strength to send the monster hurling through the far wall to the outside of the building. Jimmy got to his feet and charged his sword. He dashed at the hole in the wall as fast as he could and swung the sword with all his might. The resulting blast hit the monster, and while it didn't really harm him, it sent him flying across the street. Jimmy ran across the street, and before the monster could recover, he punched him so hard, he flew over the dike and into the river. Jimmy leaped up to the top of the dike and looked at the river.

  "Water beats rock," Jimmy said. Just as he was about to turn away, he noticed movement. Indeed, the monster was walking out of the water and onto the shore. "Doesn't this thing give up?" He leaped down to confront the monster, but it grabbed Jimmy, and threw him so hard, he was flung clear to the dorm. Jimmy thought for a moment as he shook off the fall. "I wonder if there's a way I can cage it." He thought to himself a moment. "The Martz Center! They reinforced it due to all the attacks! I might be able to use part of the building like a cage to trap it!" He all at once flew towards the Martz Center. The monster climbed over the dike, and made a beeline towards Jimmy. Jimmy took his sword and started slicing away at the second floor of the Martz Center. He lifted it off the building, and flew at the monster. It landed with a thud, and for the most part remained intact, seemingly trapping the minster inside. Jimmy landed and peered through the thick glass windows.

  "I will not be defeated by the Avatars," it yelled as it started to sink into the ground. "I will be back to defeat you all!" At that he disappeared into the ground, gone from sight. A crowd began to form, and Jimmy took off for the dorm. He knew he would have to figure out what this creature was, and in time, he, Chrissy, and Cat would have to figure a way to defeat it once and for all.

  * * *

  Later in the day, Jimmy and Ron took a walk over to look at the damage to the learning Center. As they approached the gaping hole in the ground, they both peered down and saw a gigantic cloud of purple haze. Jimmy recognized this right away and let out a sigh.

  "Pretty impressive?" Ron asked.

  "Pretty dangerous," Jimmy replied.

  "A portal to another world," Ron said. "Can you only imagine how fascinating the idea that other dimensions actually exist along side ours? This here is living proof!"

  "Could also be the key to all these attacks," Jimmy said. "I don't like this one bit, Ron. I think purple is quickly becoming my most unfavorite color."

  "Say what you want," Ron said. "I think this is fascinating. I'm going to get a closer look with the others. You coming?"

  "Nah," Jimmy replied. I'll catch up. I want to check out the damage at the Martz Center." Ron shrugged and left. Soon after, a bright flash of light appeared behind Jimmy.

  "Hello, Karen," he said.

  "Bonding with Chrissy has sharpened your perception," Karen replied.

  "I could feel your presence even if I felt nothing," Jimmy said. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

  "The Red Witch has only seen this phenomenon once before," she replied. "The Great Cataclysm came, and droves of minions came forth from portals just like this one. Could this be a gateway to his realm?"

  "You tell me," Jimmy said. "I had a one on one with some sort of rock monster."

  "It could have come as a spirit through the rock, and merely used the rock as a body to contain the essence," she said. "I can feel the energy emanating from this portal...and I don't have the orb's power influencing that ability."

  "I can tell you one thing," Jimmy said, "that monster had an awesome amount of elemental power. It was like nothing I had ever fought."

  "I remember a tale passed down through the generations," she said. "G’riel predicted a horrible cycle within our own universe that would haunt the past, present, and future. I sense such evil from this portal...as if the evil one himself rested beyond its reach."

  "The cycle is very real, Karen," Jimmy replied. "And if I have anything to do with it...if I really am this 'focal point' that G’riel spoke of, then I have to find a way to stop this event from happening and break the cycle."

  "I know you can defeat anything," Karen said, "but...I don't think anyone has the power to break the cycle. Not even Life itself." At that, Karen vanished in a flash of light.

  "I don't think I can break the cycle," Jimmy whispered to himself, "I know I can..
.and I have to." He reached for his TD and hit the button. "Chrissy, I need you and Lauren to meet me back at the dorm in one hour. Another portal has opened up, and another monster is on the loose. I am going to try and close the portal from here. I will be out of communication until you get here. Stay safe." Jimmy started to tinker quickly with the TD. He then walked carefully away, ensuring no one was watching. He accurately threw the band over his shoulder and into the pit. As it passed through the portal, it exploded, and the portal reacted, violently collapsing into nothingness. Jimmy acted startled, and everyone came running.

  "What the heck happened?" Ron asked. "Did you do something?"