TwoKinds: Dimensional Catastrophe

Part 25: Journey, pt. 3

... H-how!? She was my favorite! My best mercenary, my soldier of fortune! How'd she turn her back at me!? This mortal's power is strong, stronger than I thought! More reinforcements, more Sentinels, more Protectors! I shan't be vanquished! I mustn't perish! Thou shalt die, mortal!

Trace *gasp!*
Keith Another vision?
Trace He's frightened. He thinks I made her "turn her back at" him. He's getting more men--er, Keidran. Sentinels, protectors. He wants me dead.
Laura 2 What nonsense does my Lord say? Who is "he" He speaks of? Nobody can kill Him. Nobody! Who intends to slay thee, my Lord?
Trace Uh, an impostor. An impersonator. Whether it's Kyle possessing me or not, I'm really catching up to his wording.
Laura 2 An impersonator, you say? He shall be killed.
Trace Uh, yeah, do that. And don't fall for his deceit.
Laura 2 As you wish, my Lord.
Trace That's pretty annoying...
Keith *whispering* How are you?
Trace What?
Keith You know, so far?
Trace Oh, uh, you know-
Keith *whispering* You know what I think?
Trace What?
Keith He made us fall asleep.
Trace What?
Keith He invaded our dreams and made us think we left the mansion. This is only an illusion. We should try to wake up and *whispering* kill him...
Trace That's ridiculous!
Keith Ugh, what is...?
Trace Wait a minute...
Kyle/Trace E!?
Kyle <He followed us!? How!?>
Keith E!? How dare he-
Kyle <We should hurry or get out of here.>
Trace "Or?"
Kyle <We still can help this world, but the devicehas a strong charge to get us to another world. The sooner we leave, the harder for E to track us.>
Trace I want to help.
Kyle <Very well...>

A little while later...

Natani 2 Something's coming...
Kyle The men-of-wars and sentinels?
Natani 2 Ready yourselves for a fight.
Trace Take up arms!

Everyone unsheathed their weapons--including Laura and her BC-41 and corvo daggers--and positioned themselves into a circular formation.

Laura 2 Who dares attack the Lord!?
Trace Uh, it's those who see me as a false. They follow the impersonator, blind to the true Lord.
Laura 2 No! Then we'll show them not to listen to false soothsayer!

Suddenly, many Keidran of the Tiger, Fox and Wolf clans charged, some purging from the treetops, arms with swords and knives. In short, it was a gruesome and bloody battle, but--with minimal injuries--they defeated all the troops, Trace's magic assisting with a vast majority. Raine and Flora had light gashes of their arms, Natani had a similar gash on her chest and a stab wound, Sythe had his leg sliced with a nick or two, Trace got tired from using his magic, Raine was exhausted, Laura was unharmed as well as her horse and Kyle. They decided to set up camp; but instead of the big tent, it was a few Sibley tents and a firepitin the center, each tent circling it. Raine, Flora and Natani shared one; Keith and Sythe shared another; Laura wanted to be with Trace in order to pray, so she went to Trace's tent and protected him from any danger. Kyle, posing as both a clinician and a physician, tried his best to heal everyone. This setted them days behind, for the Chief Justice grew suspicious, as well as the Chief of Police.

Sythe 2 They have been gone too long. I'll round up my men and head out to investigate.
Adelaide 3 It's been a few days since they left. I should order Lynn to find them and either bring them here or explain for their idling.
Kyle It has been about a week. The strength of the bonds between the paradoxical atoms are weaker here than the previous worlds. Another week more and we might cause a  interdimensional timespace paradox and destroy this whole world! I must get off the dime and heal them as fast as possible and head out ASAP; but before that, I must inform Trace and Company about this, just in case they get suspicious...

Kyle first headed to Trace's tent, where Laura fell asleep and Trace Trace woke up.

Kyle Morning- No, good afternoon. We need to head out, now.
Trace Ugh, but why? I just woke up, like, a hour ago.
Kyle The bond is getting weaker; the paradox will open itself by the end of the week.
Trace W-what!?
Kyle We need to leave quickly, as in now!
Trace W-what about the others!?

Laura woke up.

Kyle I've done the best I could; either we wait and die or go and live.
Trace Okay, tell the others. I'm surprised we weren't attracked for a while...
Laura 2 *yawn* What's wrong, my Lord?
Trace We're leaving.
Laura 2 Alright, my Lord. Here's your arms.

Outside...

Kyle The fire's put out. Now time to- What?

Lynn ran up to him.

Lynn 2 Sir! Sir! *huff huff* I catched up.
Kyle What do you want? Alms?
Lynn 2 N-no, sir. I want to ask your leader to-
Kyle I am the leader; Trace is my, uh, companion.
Lynn 2 Oh, I see. Well, the Chief Justice is getting suspicious about your idleness.
Kyle Is the Chief Justice the supreme leader too? We had encountered with the other Trace's troops and had serious injuries. They're healed (mostly) and we'll head onwards. We'll get there before the end of this week.
Lynn 2 Oh, okay. I was worried I was just hallucinating...
Kyle Oh, and Lynn? Here's a drink. You look parched.
Lynn 2 Th-thanks...

Lynn ran back.

Trace What was that about?
Kyle Adelaide's gotten suspicious about us; no doubt the other Sythe is too, probably gathering his soldiers after us.
Trace Should we go?
Kyle Y-yes. Just let me fix my frontal lobe; I think the stress is frying it.
Trace O-okay.
Kyle Tell the others.

After that...

Kyle We must head onward! And quickly!
Sythe *tiredly* Really? Now?

After the tents were stored away, everyone setted onward towards the visible fortress.