The Mage Paradox [BOOK THREE]

Chapter 7: Attempted murder

Harith, Lylia, Nana, Dyrroth, and Cyclops reached the bottom of where the hatch led to; a bunker.

Before they knew it, Hester whipped around and put his hands on Dyrroth, and started to shake him.

"Dyrroth, your okay, I swear to god I saw you got murdered right before my eyes, but you're here!" The boy let go of Dyrroth and he fell back, slightly dizzy.

"Wait, I got murdered here? No wonder I felt like half of myself died." Dyrroth muttered.

"But it's a miracle, how are you still alive?" Hester gasped.

Dyrroth took a moment to respond. "I did die here, I'm just from another dimension."

"Hold up...what?" Hester's eyes bulged.

Lylia stood in front of an awestruck Hester. "No time to explain, we just have to get Harley out of here."

Hester's eyes bulged with fear. "Get Harley? Oh no, turn around I say, turn around!"

"What's wrong?" Lylia asked.

Hester didn't say anything but shuddered. The others took a while to understand why Hester was terrified.

"I mean, the Harley from our dimension, not this one." Lylia corrected.

Hester sighed with relief but some anxiety remained on his face. "I don't know what happened to Harley in this dimension, he just kinda, changed." he stared at the floor so they won't detect the sadness in his eyes.

"It's too late Hester," Lylia went forward to comfort him. "But we will save this one, for the other...you."

The frosty boy nodded. "Anyways, welcome to the bunker, if you're wondering why am I still here...There's just no way out, whenever we try to conjure up a portal, it just never works."

The kids stared at Hester with a look of pity, they wanted to help him escape...Maybe they can...

"We can take you back to your Land of Dawn after we get Harley if you'd like."

Hester jerked his head up, looking into Lylia's pale green eyes. "You can??" 

The witch nodded and smiled at Hester, and he looked as if he could jump all around the place, full of energy, fueled with happiness.

⌛ 

Octo and Harley stood in the elevator, each trying not to look in the other's eye. Harley stared at the floor and he seemed like he's in a trance. His other self just stared at the elevator buttons. They looked up to see the elevator door slide open with a ding, revealing a dark and wide room with metal walls once again. 

The duo heard bangs and soft whimpers in the cells that lined the walls, and they occasionally heard them yell loudly or scream help. This made Harley jump with every sound, and Octo grinned a little bit more.

"Who are they?" Harley gestured to the cells.

Octo looked at them for a moment until another scream came. "Prisoners, they were once the citizen of Zlatan, they are the ones that really bring us trouble, so I round them up and keep them in here."

Harley gulped. "And what happens to them after...?"

Octo sneered. "I just keep them there until they lose their minds, then I kill them."

The genius mage's eyes bulged with fear. And worst of all, his other self didn't notice and went on with those gruesome talks.

"... but of course where's the fun if you kill them with magic, I usually drop them down the black pit."