The Magic Cube [BOOK TWO]

Chapter 5: The fiend reborn

It has been a couple of long minutes ever since Cyclops refused to tell anyone, anything. Harley was getting a little annoyed that no one was gonna tell him anything that his attitude got really backward, trying to let out his frustration slowly in words.

But the main question that was pounding in their heads right now was... why in god's name is Cyclops human? Wasn't he a one-eyed giant who was like, a thousand years old? (That means 17 if he wasn't a giant somewhere away from the Land of Dawn)

He could have just drunk a potion that kept him this way... but that potion was too complex, so why was Cyclops here... and human?

And why do people develop this attitude, like this, for instance, since Cyclops isn't telling us anything, Harley thought, cheeks heated while fuming.

Nana and Harith were chatting over biscuits and shooting darting glances at Cyclops, clearly wondering why was he human now and what was the problem he mentioned.

I will explain when we get to Harley's home. said Cyclops. But now they were in Harley's home and yet he wasn't giving answers.

"Cyclops are you gonna tell us what's the problem?" Harley said at last.

Cyclops didn't break his posture.

"Cyclops?"

Cyclops didn't move a muscle.

Harley squinted suspiciously at him, so did the leonins. To their horror, Cyclops burst into bright light and disappeared.

The trio gaped as Cyclops' enormous timeglass fell to the floor with a clink.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

The trio spun in unison to see Cyclops, well and alive.

"What was that?" said Nana.

"My replica," said Cyclops, picking up his timeglass. "I left it here and went to the toilet."

Everyone gawked at him, including the guards.

"All that... And you went to the toilet?"  Harith frowned.

Cyclops smiled sheepishly but didn't say anything.

"Now can you explain?" Harley snapped, arms crossed.

Cyclops took a seat on where the replica of him sat, breathed deeply but no words came out of him.

"Cyclops," Harley frowned.

Cyclops exhaled. "Look, I got this message three months ago. Diggie received the message first, the special cuckoo clock that he carries around would tell him whenever a portal opens in time and space."

"A portal was opened again for the second time that came from the Abyssal Crack, and Diggie knows that it isn't a good sign," he said, folding his legs. "He tried to find out who was going into the portal all these times and found out what dimension it was, but not the people that opened the portal."

Cyclops paused, taking in the silence from his friends (And the guards) while trying to make a dramatic effect.

"It leads to the city of-"

"Wait, where do we fit in?" Harley cut across him.

"Sorry?" Cyclops said, baffled.

"I know you need our help, but I do not see where do we fit into all this stuff."

Cyclops raised a finger. "I'm getting there."

"So as I was saying, the portal leads to the city of Zlatan."