by Marty Chan
Ba Tian laughed. “And it can all be yours if you return me the favour of opening the portal here in Demon Gate.”
Tesla warned, “Don’t do it.”
“We have no other choice, sir. If we want to put an end to everything, we have to give Ba Tian what he wants.”
“You won’t be ending anything,” Bess said. “You’ll just be getting out of here to leave the rest of us to his forces.”
“You can come with Dash and me.”
“I can’t leave behind the only world I know.”
“I’m sorry, Bess, but this is the only way.” He shot a look at Tesla, who grimly nodded and walked over to join Ehrich at the console.
Bess started after them, but Ole Lukoje grabbed her by the arm. “No, my dear. You’ll s-s-stay with me to guarantee they follow through with what they promis-s-s-e.”
Tesla joined Ehrich at the console and began to manipulate the dials. Ba Tian watched carefully, asking questions about the functions of the gears, absorbing all the procedures.
“You must be careful with your selection of the worlds,” Tesla explained. “We can narrow down the field to a few worlds. The portal will be stable, but we can only bring a few over at a time. We’ve never tried to bring in any more than that because the hunters have to process them.”
“But you can bring more, can’t you?” Ba Tian asked.
Tesla shrugged. “You’ll be the first to try. As long as the portal stays open, you can bring through as many as you want.”
“Excellent. Open the portal.”
Tesla shot a look at Ehrich. Then he proceeded to pull the lever. A screech filled the air as the Demon Gate alcove shimmered and lit up. The raggedy man and Bess were standing between Ehrich and the gate. Ehrich began to inch over, ready to sprint and grab Bess, but Ba Tian caught the movement.
“It’s a trap,” Ba Tian yelled. He swatted Tesla across the face and knocked the scientist against the wall, but it was too late.
The portal opened fully and the air distorted as the fields of two portals intersected with each other. The worlds shimmered in and out of form as the room itself began to bend out of shape. Ba Tian clung to the console as a powerful wind picked up. The two portals merged into one amoeba-shaped portal that threatened to suck everything inside it. Bess ran from the portal with Ole Lukoje on her heels. She reached the console and grabbed on. He had hold of her legs as the powerful force lifted both of them off the floor. Ehrich braced himself against the console and reached out to Bess.
“Take my hand!” he screamed, but the roaring wind drowned him out.
He felt something slam against the back of his legs. The unconscious Tesla had slid over and pinned one of Ehrich’s legs against the console.
Next to him, Ba Tian made his way across the console to shut down the machine. Ehrich had to fend him off and save Bess. He couldn’t do both at the same time. Ba Tian had let go of the console as he tried to reach for the control next to Ehrich. This was his only shot.
Ehrich howled as he swung at the crimson warlord and caught him in the jaw. It had little effect on Ba Tian. He grinned at Ehrich, grabbed the boy by the hair and hauled him over. Tesla’s body slammed against the bottom of the console as Ehrich’s leg pulled free. Ba Tian smashed his head into the console.
When Ehrich lifted his head, he felt a trickle of liquid running from both nostrils. The pain was excruciating, but he couldn’t give up. He threw another punch at Ba Tian, but the warlord easily grabbed his fist and began to squeeze.
Ehrich howled in pain, trying to pull himself free. Ba Tian would not relent. He gripped Ehrich’s hair harder and prepared to slam his face into the console again. Ehrich placed both hands on the console to keep himself upright, but the man was stronger.
Ba Tian grinned. “I will visit havoc on your world for your betrayal.”
The crimson warlord gripped Ehrich’s head for one final blow.
.
At the other end of the console, Bess clung to the edge, screaming in pain as Ole Lukoje’s metal claws tore at her legs. He climbed up her body, struggling against the suction of the vortex. The gale force winds threatened to throw both of them into the distortion field.
Bess redoubled her efforts to hang on to the console. The raggedy man’s claws now dug into her back. She shrieked.
She began to pull herself further up the console, fighting off the pain of his claws digging into her body. Her arms started to give out.
Suddenly, a metal claw slashed her arm, drawing blood. Ole Lukoje was now face to face with Bess. He was so close. She could smell his fetid breath. He raised his claw to strike a killing blow. His other hand clutched the edge of the console.
Bess had one chance. She slid her hand across and dug her fingernails into his wrist with all her strength. The shock and pain was immediate. Ole Lukoje let go, and the force of the wind sucked him toward the distortion field. He stabbed one metal claw into the floor like a climbing piton. He did the same with the other claw, anchoring himself against the suction of the vortex.
Bess regained her grip on the console, but her strength was starting to ebb. Ole Lukoje howled in terror, his arms flailing. One claw after the other, he began to pull himself back toward Bess. His crooked smile flashed. “Time to die, little pes-s-st.”
Ehrich gritted his teeth. The crimson warlord was obviously stronger, but he could turn this to his advantage. He pulled away, feeling some of his hair come out by the roots. He ignored the pain.
Ba Tian clutched the boy’s hair tighter and pulled him over. This time, Ehrich did not resist. He pitched his body toward Ba Tian, throwing the man off balance. Ehrich gripped the lever on the panel, then threw his legs up, using the suction of the void to lift him. Both feet connected against Ba Tian’s chin, stunning the warlord. He staggered back and the void’s vacuum energy drew him away from the console while Ehrich positioned himself back behind the equipment, clutching the lever to keep from being pulled away.
Ole Lukoje continued to climb along the floor, moving inch by inch toward Bess, who was now trying to move toward Ehrich.
Ba Tian reached out to catch hold of the console. Ehrich shot his foot out and stomped on the man’s red hand. Ba Tian let go of the edge and the force of the void pulled him away.
“Noooooooo!!!” The crimson warlord screamed.
His body slammed into Ole Lukoje, knocking the raggedy man off balance. For a second, the one claw that was in the floor held, but the added weight of Ba Tian was too much and the claw slid out of the rock floor. The two men hurtled backward into the vortex. Their bodies were rent to pieces, each bit flying into the myriad of worlds that were flashing through the opening.
The crimson warlord and the raggedy man were gone forever.
“Ehrich!” Bess screamed. “I can’t hang on any longer.”
She clung to the console with one hand. He reached out and grabbed her arm just as her other hand slipped off. His arms felt like they were being ripped out of their sockets. He held onto her and started to reel her in. The force of the void was strong. He redoubled his efforts to hang on to her.
He felt her grip slipping. He tried to reposition his hold on her, but she continued to inch away from him.
“Bess! Hang on.”
“Ehrich!”
Her hand slipped off and her body flew to the distortion field. Ehrich lunged, not for her but for the lever that controlled Demon Gate. He yanked it to the off position.
Too late. Bess flew into the vortex, but her body didn’t split apart. Instead, it floated into the distortion field that wrapped around her. She howled in pain as the dimensional portal closed in around her.
“Bess!” Ehrich screamed.
Then the portal and Bess blinked out of existence.
“No!”
She was gone.
Ba Tian and Ole Lukoje had been defeate
d, but Ehrich had paid the ultimate price for victory. He stared at the empty space, willing the girl he loved to come back. Only cold air and silence greeted him.
.
Amina and Dash entered the chamber. With them was Mr. Serenity. Ehrich stiffened.
“Kifo?”
Amina waved him off.
“It’s all right, Ehrich. It’s Mr. Serenity. He’s back. Kifo is no more. The Infinity Coil is destroyed.”
“What? How?”
“It’s a long story,” she said. “What happened?”
Ehrich looked down at the floor. “They’re gone. It’s over.”
HOME
In the aftermath of the battle, the group surveyed the Demon Gate chamber. Amina, Mr. Serenity, and Tesla had planned to go back to the surface to help Charlie and the hunters take down the rest of Farrier’s soldiers. Tesla had access to the arsenal and the bomb that he had constructed. He was certain it would give them a distinct advantage in the fight.
They prepared to go but Ehrich and Dash remained.
“What are you doing?” Amina asked.
Ehrich said, “I made a promise that I mean to keep.” He looked at Dash.
“We’re going home?” his brother asked.
He nodded.
Tesla walked over and put his hand on Ehrich’s shoulder. “You know you are welcome to stay in this world.”
Mr. Serenity added. “We could use the two of you in the fight.”
Ehrich shook his head. “There’s nothing to keep me here anymore. Tell Charlie I will miss him.”
Tesla nodded.
Amina came over to them. “Ehrich, I am sorry for what you have lost, but know that you have saved worlds. Bess’s sacrifice will be remembered.”
He had no words. She kissed him on the cheek. “I know your heart belongs to Bess, but I will forever be your friend. If you ever need me, I will come to your call.”
“Thanks, Amina, but I hope never to see anything but my world from this point on.”
“I understand.”
They parted. Ehrich took Dash’s hand and walked to the alcove. “Mr. Tesla, can you find my world?”
“Let me see if I can.” Tesla operated the controls on the console and Demon Gate opened up once again.
Ahead of them, the images of worlds cycled through. Dash squeezed Ehrich’s hand when the Appleton graveyard appeared.
“Stop!” Dash squealed. “That’s home. Right there.”
Ehrich turned to Tesla. “I won’t forget you. Thank you.”
The trio waved back at him. Ehrich and Dash walked through and fell into the other side.
.
Landing among the gravestones, Ehrich felt lighter than he had in years. The return home felt good. The air smelled familiar. Beside him, Dash acted like his old self again. Though they were both older now, they felt like they were kids again. They headed out of the graveyard and made their way to their home.
“You think mother and father are still in the same place?”
“Knowing them, they’d never leave.”
“How do we explain where we were?”
“They always suspected I wanted to be in the circus. Maybe we can tell them we ran away to be entertainers.”
Dash smiled. “Mother’s going to be fit to be tied. Dad’s going to yell at us for days.”
“Yes, I can’t wait.”
“Me, too.”
They sprinted to the apartment complex that was their home. When Ehrich reached the door, he opened it. Inside, his mother and father were seated at the table. Their eyes widened with surprise and wonder and recognition. “Ehrich! Dash!” They rushed over and hugged their sons, finally returned home.
.
Three years later, Ehrich cut a dashing figure in his black suit. He performed on stage as the great Harry Houdini. His assistant, Dash, had also filled out. The two of them performed Metamorphosis for an enthralled audience. Ehrich missed having the codex to project the image, and Dash hated to have to squeeze into the box to disappear, but they were making a name for themselves.
On this night, however, Dash was late with his entrance and the trick was ruined. The audience jeered the act and Ehrich had to leave the stage in shame. As soon as they were backstage, he tore a strip off his brother.
“Move faster. You can’t dally on this.”
“We need a bigger trunk. I can’t fit in there anymore,” Dash countered.
“No, you need to move faster or lose some weight.”
“I’m telling you we need to build a bigger trunk.”
“We can’t afford to do that.”
“Then scrap Metamorphosis out of the act and we’ll come up with something else.”
“No. It stays,” Ehrich said. He clung to this act as the only thing that made him feel at home. Though he knew this was his dimension, he felt empty in this place.
“Well, either it goes or I do,” Dash said.
“That can be arranged.”
“You wouldn’t dare. You can barely afford to pay me. Who’s going to work for you for free?”
“Anyone is better than you, Dash!”
A cough interrupted their argument. Ehrich turned. From the wings, a beautiful young woman stepped forward. “I might have a solution.”
It was Bess. Ehrich was at a loss for words. She was a little older and much thinner, but the face he knew so well was staring back at him. Was this a mirage or had she somehow miraculously found her way to him again?
“Hello. I’m sorry for eavesdropping, but you need a smaller assistant for that illusion.”
Dash cocked his head to the side. “It’s her. Isn’t it?”
She smiled. “I see you kept your old magician’s name. Harry Houdini. I like it.”
“Bess? Is it you?”
She beamed. “In the flesh. More or less.”
“What happened? How did you? I thought you were …”
“I’m not quite sure what exactly happened. I landed in another dimension. Had to find my way to a portal. You can’t imagine how hard it is to find one of those things. Took me forever. I wasn’t going to leave you without an assistant.”
“Don’t you want to stay in your home world?” Ehrich asked. “I mean I don’t want you to go, but this isn’t your world.”
“Anywhere that you are is my world.”
He straightened up.
“Really?”
“Without a doubt.”
He wrapped his arms around her. She returned the warm embrace. A rush of emotions filled his mind and heart, and all he wanted to do was kiss her.
He began to lean in, but Dash interrupted. “Um, does that mean she’s in the act now?”
Ehrich glared at his brother.
“I’m just saying she’s the right size for the trunk. You can do Metamorphosis with her, but where does that leave me?”
Ehrich growled. “Anywhere but here, Dash.”
“Oh. Right.” He backed out of the wings, leaving the two alone.
“Where were we?” Ehrich asked.
“I think right about here.” She took his head in her hands and kissed him.
Now he felt like he was truly home.
The end