Shattered Dimensions

by Nicole Coverdale

  They dropped their hands, and Josi swung the sword, slicing the blade across the Gargoyles neck and chopping it’s head off.

  “Whoa! That is some cool power!” Jorja cried, staring at Josi. “What does it feel like?”

  “Weird,” Josi said, dropping the sword to the ground and stepping back. “The moment it glowed, these images flashed through my head. Kind of like a tutorial, and suddenly, I knew exactly how to use the sword.”

  “So basically any weapon you know how to touch, you just automatically know how to use?”

  “Yup.” Josi cocked her head to the side. “And I think I hear more Gargoyles coming.”

  “Then let’s get going!”

  They turned, and shoved the door open. The door slammed shut behind them as they stepped forward. A gold light showering over them, as it lit up the room, piles of gold lying on each side of them, glimmering underneath the light.

  “Oh my! Do you see this?” Jami cried, her eyes widening. “There’s so much gold in here!” She raced forward, giggling as she jumped into the pile. “We’re rich!”

  “It’s not ours, Jami,” Jasmine said, staring at her as she played in the pile of gold. “You know one of the rules of being a witch?”

  Jami shook her head.

  “We can’t use it for our own financial gang.”

  “But we didn’t use our powers to get it!”

  “No, but we also can’t put ourselves above the rest of the world,” Jasmine said. “We’re still people, Jami, and as people we work for what we get.”

  Jami pouted. “Lame!” She sighed, dragging herself out of the pile. “Okay. So where do we go now?”

  “Through there,” Jorja said, pointing to the door on the other end of the room. “The weapons are in there.”

  “How could you possibly know that?”

  “Wouldn’t you hide your weapons in a separate room?” Jorja asked, rolling her eyes. “Come on.”

  They took a step forward, weaving through the piles of gold sprawled out throughput the room, and stepped in front of the door. The door slid open, and they snuck inside.

  “Yup. This is definitely the weapon room,” Jasmine said, staring around at the bows and arrows hanging on the wall behind her. The swords hung on the wall to her left. Sledgehammers and axes just to her right. “Shall we pick?”

  “Pick as many or as few,” Jorja said, stepping forward. “Our powers aren’t going to be enough in this realm. Not when we’re facing giants, ogres, and gargoyles.”

  “And don’t forget about vampires!”

  “Right, vampires. How could I forget,” Jorja muttered, rolling her eyes again as she broke free from the group. She stepped toward the table on the other side of the room, and picked up a stake laying there. Sliding into the sleeve of her jacket. Before selecting a small dagger from the wall to her right, and shoving it into her boot.

  Weapons. What on earth should I choose? Jasmine wondered, walking around the room and eyeing the weapons. Walking past the axes, the sledgehammers, and stopping to admire the twin knives lying on the wall. “Josi? Jami? Are you going to pick something?”

  “I guess I might as well, huh?” Jami asked, stepping forward. “You know, when I started this day, if you would have told me I’d be stuck in some strange realm, facing beasts I only thought were fiction, and selecting weapons I would have told you that you were crazy!” She picked the crossbow up off the table and aiming it across the room. The arrow slung through the air, hitting the wall on the other side of the room. “Josi? What do you think?”

  “I think… I like this,” Josi said stepping forward and eyeing the sword embedded in the wall. “It’s so pretty, with the gold handle and the jewels along the arch.” She pointed. “And the blade. It’s made of…”

  “Diamond,” Jorja said. “That’s the Harpe sword, Josi. Used by Cronus to defeat his father, back in the time of the Greek Gods. The sword has been sought for, for centuries, and only the most powerful are meant to handle it. Josi… it might be too much power for you.”

  “Too much power? I doubt that!” Josi cried, wrapping her hand around the handle and pulling it from the wall.

  Thunk!

  A loud roar filled her ears, and she gasped, stumbling back. She gripped the sword in her hands, the power rushing through her, and nearby she heard a door slam open. “Someone’s coming,” she whispered, snapping her eyes open.

  “Who?”

  “An Ogre?” Jami asked, aiming the crossbow.

  “A giant?” Jorja asked, raising her sword.

  “A vampire?” Jasmine lifted the daggers in her hands.

  “A gargoyle?” They all turned to the door.

  “I don’t care what it is!” Josi cried, as she gripped the sword. An arm reaching out from the wall behind her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her somewhere into oblivion.

  “This is ridiculous.” Sky jumped to his feet, pacing the perimeter of the room for the millionth time, stopping to glance out the window. “What kind of people are we? Standing here, concerned about our own safety, when everyone else is fighting for their lives out there?”

  “Smart,” Liam said, walking up next to him and gazing out the window. “These humans. They don’t understand this world, Sky. Look at them, running for their very lives. Even in the face of danger, they refuse to fight. It’s pathetic.”

  “I used to be one of those humans, Liam,” Sky said, glancing over is shoulder and glaring at the God. “In fact, you used to be a human too. Why do you talk about them like that? Like you’re so above them?”

  “Because we are.”

  “That’s a stupid thing to say.”

  “Watch your tone, boy.”

  “Or what? You’ll banish me?” Sky asked, laughing. “Sir, there are no heavens anymore! The demons have taken over, which means, you no longer have the upper hand. None of you do!”

  “Sky. I urge you to stay in line.”

  “Why?” Sky asked, again, getting annoyed with every word coming out of Liam’s mouth. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll clip your damned wings and forbid you from seeing that damned witch of yours!” Liam shouted, wind rushing from his lips, and slamming Sky back against the wall. Sky yelped, his body hitting the wall with a loud thunk, and he slid to the floor. “Liam!”

  “Liam!”

  “I’m sick of his mouthing off!” Liam shouted, glaring at the other Gods as they stared at him from around the room. “He’s nothing but a nuisance ever since he got here. Telling us this, telling us that. Running through the heavens as a little boy. I’ve put up with it long enough, and I will not put up with it long enough. He needs to be put in line!”

  “But Liam, we can’t use our powers to punish other angels!” Myron shouted, rising from where he was sitting in his chair. “It’s not right!”

  “We were given our powers for a reason, Myron,” Liam said, turning back to Sky. He stretched a hand out, extending a finger. “Come here, boy.”

  “No!”

  Sky turned, trying to run away, but his feet suddenly left the ground, his body floating toward Liam.

  “So you want to be a hero, huh, Sky?” Liam asked, clenching his hand into a fist. “Well, I’ll grant you your wish, boy. Without your powers!” he shouted, jerking his hand back, a gold ring of light seeping from Sky’s body.

  “Liam!”

  “Now we’ll see just how well you do in this world,” Liam said, snapping his fingers, Sky’s body disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

  “Liam, you’re a terrible God!” Myron shouted, striding across the room, and getting into Liam’s face. “You’re just like the old Gods. We were supposed to be better than them! Sky was given this gift, this life, because he has a pure soul! Now you’ve endangered him! Zeus is going to kill you when he finds out what you’ve done!”

  “Oh, he’s just a spirit. He can’t hurt me.”

  “Except for the fact, that he can still fry you!” Myron shouted. “We are supposed to be tea
ching these angels, Liam! Not punishing them! You’ve just tarnished everything we’re supposed to be standing for!”

  “Oh, would you chill, Myron?” Liam asked, sitting down in the chair and taking a sip from his glass. “And watch, because I am teaching him. I always have been.”

  “Josi!”

  Jami screamed, racing forward, as Josi disappeared in a cloud of blue. “Josi!”

  “Jami! Get back!” Jorja raced forward, grabbing her by the arm, and pulling her back. “You don’t want it to take you too!”

  “But where is she?”

  “I don’t know, but we’ll find her. We have to.” Jorja dragged her toward the door. “Come on, we have to go. Someone’s coming.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Jasmine muttered under her breath, as loud footsteps sounded. “I think I hear another Giant.”

  “Then let’s go!” Jorja cried, turning, and throwing the door open. Jumping back, as an ogre, giant, and gargoyle stampeded through.

  “Whoa!”

  “Witches!” The ogre shouted, raising the bat in his hands. “I will eat you!”

  “And I will add your bones to our castle,” the giant added.

  “And I’ll take your soul!” the gargoyle said.

  They lunged forward. Jasmine, Jorja, and Jami stared at them as they surrounded them.

  “What do we do?” Jami asked, lifting the cross bow.

  “We fight!” Jorja shouted, letting out a loud scream. The wind rushed from her lips, hitting the beasts. They stumbled back, shaking their heads, and lunged forward.

  “They’re too big! They’re not even phased by it!”

  “How are we supposed to fight something that big?”

  “Together,” Jasmine said, glancing over her shoulder at Jami. “We got this Jami. Come on…”

  A whirl of lightning suddenly lit up the room. They all blinked, jumping back, as a young, brown haired woman appeared before them.

  “Well, so much for going to Elijah,” Jade said, frowning. “I guess I still have a lot to work on with this power of mine.” She grinned, glancing at Jami, Jasmine, and Jorja. “Hey guys. Glad to see you’re all still alive.” She glanced over her shoulder at the monsters behind her. “Hmm. Looks like you’re having all the fun without me, huh?”

  “Jade!”

  “Jessi!”

  She turned, hurling her hands forward. Lightning shooting from her fingers.

  “Ahh!”

  The giant let out a loud scream, the lightning hitting him in the eye. He turned, slamming his axe down and Jade turned, somersaulting out of the way, barely missing the sharp blade. “Whew! That was close!”

  “Jade! Watch out! He’s coming back!

  “Jami! The crossbow!”

  “Right. The crossbow! I forgot I had this thing!” Jami cried, raising the crossbow, and aiming it at the giant. “Jami, now!”

  She pulled the trigger, watching the arrow fling through the air toward the giant.

  “Jami! You aimed for his head! We need to get his heart!”

  “Well, how was I supposed to know that?”

  “You just are!”

  “Girls, will you stop yelling! I’m trying to concentrate!” Jasmine cried, closing her eyes, and envisioning the arrow. She raised her hand, her eyes snapping open, and watched as the arrow slung upward and stabbed the giant right in the heart.

  “Jasmine! Way to go!”

  “No!”

  The ogre and vampire shouted, their eyes wide, as the giant toppled downward.

  “Guys! Get out of the way!”

  They all scrambled, as the giant tumbled toward them and fell to the ground with a loud thunk. The ground shook, collapsing underneath them.

  “Get off of me!” Jessi suddenly cried out, as the ogre lunged toward her, wrapping his large arms around her.

  “No! Jessi!”

  Jami rushed forward, shoving Jessi to the side, just before she and the Ogre pummeled downward into the dark hole.

  “Stupid Gods. They really think they can force me to abide by their rules?” Sky asked, groaning, as he shoved himself to his feet and glanced around him. He stared at the fire streaking down the streets. His eyes catching sight of a winged demon as it hurled a fireball toward a little girl.

  “No!” He jumped to his feet, wrapping his arms around the young girl. “You’re safe now,” he said, trying to teleport.

  The fireball struck him in the arm, and he let out a shout. Pain rushing through him, as he suddenly realized that he no longer had his powers. He couldn’t teleport.

  So this is what it’s like to be human, huh? he thought, grinning, as he grabbed the car door lying on the ground next to him and hoisted it above his head as the demon tossed another fireball at him. The car door blocking the ball of fire, and flinging back toward the demon. “Ha! Gotcha!” he shouted, dropping the car door and grabbing the girl by the hand. “Come on! We gotta go! Where are you parents?”

  “In Times Square,” the girl said, as they raced down the street. “There’s a bunch of people holed up in the building, trying to keep safe, but they’re running out of food.”

  Times Square? Sky stared at her in disbelief. “This isn’t St Paul?”

  The girl laughed at him. “No, silly! This isn’t even Minnesota! You’re in New York!”

  Liam had sent him to New York? Of all places? Rage filled Sky. Liam had betrayed him again, and this time, it would be the last time he ever betrayed him.

  “Come on,” he said, swallowing back his rage, as they raced down the street. “Let’s get you back to your family, and then I am going to get myself back home. I have someone I have to deal with.”

  “Jami!”

  Jessi screamed, dropping to her knees, and staring down the dark hole in utter disbelief. “Jami! Jami! Answer me!”

  Silence descended underneath them, as Jade, Jorja, and Jasmine peered over her shoulder.

  “She saved me,” Jessi whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks as she stared at the women. “Why did she do that?”

  “She’s your sister. Why wouldn’t she do that?” Jade asked, resting her hand on Jessi’s shoulder.

  “But I can’t lose her!” Jessi whispered. “She and Josi…” She trailed off, glancing around. “Where’s Josi?”

  “We don’t know,” Jasmine said, softly. “She disappeared into oblivion with some demon. We don’t even know where she went.”

  “What!” Jessi screamed. “My sister is gone! How could you let this happen?”

  “We didn’t let anything happen,” Jorja said, plopping her hands on her hips. “We’re in Ogreville, Jessi, and everyone is trying to kill us!”

  “And we need some light,” Jasmine said, interrupting them, and lifting her hand. White light reigned down below them, and they all peered into the hole, staring down at Jami’s twisted, broken body as she lay underneath a pile of wood far below.

  “Oh my God! Jami!”

  “One down…” the Gargoyle behind them said, flying forward. “Now who’s next?” He lunged forward.

  “Not on my watch, Gargoyle!” Jasmine shouted, swinging her hand around. The white light zinged toward the Gargoyle, and he ducked, missing it. “Ha ha! You missed me!”

  “Ahh!”

  Jorja opened her mouth, a loud, piercing scream sounding from her lips. Wind rushing against the Gargoyle.

  “Jade! Now!”

  Jade tossed her hand forward, a streak of lightning streaking from her palm, and the Gargoyle disappeared in a cloud of dust.

  “There we go! Teamwork!” Jasmine cried, as she stared at the pile of dust lying on the floor. “I’m just going to say it now. I do not like Gargoyles!”

  “Do we like anything in this world?” Jessi asked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared down the hole. “Ever since I met you guys, everything has been horrible! My sisters and I have been kidnapped, our memories taken, and now one of my sisters is dead and the other one is missing! I hate being a witch!”

  “Ou
ch.”

  Josi groaned, lifting a hand to her head, and rising to her feet. She stabbed the sword into the ground, wincing as her knee buckled in pain. Staring off across the snow-covered mountain.

  “Where am I?” she asked, a groan sounding behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder. Stumbling back, when she saw the Ogre rising to its feet.

  “Get away from me!” she shouted, raising the sword high in the air as it shook its head. Turning and lunging toward her.

  She ducked, missing his outstretched hands, her feed sliding underneath her on the snow-covered turf, and she slid underneath him. Jumping to her feet and striking the sword forward. The blade slicing through his chest.

  “There! Take that!” she shouted, as his body turned to dust, and she sighed, leaning against the sword. Staring out across the snowy mountains. Staring at the black castle lying in the distance. “Hmm. I wonder if that’s where Josslyn is?”

  She took a step forward, walking gingerly along the ice-covered mountain, suddenly wondering about the evil witch. Why had she taken Josslyn?

  “I guess I’ll find out sooner than later,” she said aloud, just as her foot slid on a sheet of ice and she yelped as she fell on her butt.

  “Oh ow!” she cried, gasping, as her body suddenly propelled down the mountain. The world flew by, and she grabbed for the tree branch next to her. Her fingers just missing it, and tumbled down the steep incline, falling into a snowbank far below.

  “Agh. Ow. That really, really hurt!” she cried, as she rose to her feet. A hand wrapping around her ankle.

  “Ahh!”

  She jumped back, jerking her foot free. Her eyes widening as a black snowman rose from the snow. “You’re…a…snowman?”

  “My snowman,” a feminine voice said from behind her, and Josi gasped. Jumping to her feet.

  “Who was that?” she asked.

  Silence rippled around her.

  “Who said that!” she shouted, her voice echoing around her. The snow above her trembling, and she pressed her lips together. Be quiet, Josi! You don’t want to start a freaking avalanche!

  “She’s gone crazy!” the snowman cried, rising from the snow. It reached for her, and Josi ducked. Dodging his branch arm and raising her sword. Swinging it around and slicing through the snowmen.