Episode 14: Timeline

Episode 14: Timeline
by Toni Walker

David Laskey was in shock. The world was stoic again, at least, the world he could feel. He was inside the stone statue again. He wasn't sure how this had happened. He had already decided he was dead from lack of oxygen and that accounted for his strange ghostly state. Now he wasn't sure what in the heck was going on.

As it was currently, he couldn't move. Only his eyes seemed to be able to see around. Two people were carrying the statue toward what looked like a large looming castle. Along with the men were a gaggle of others lead by the same woman whom David had saved from the violin statue not very long ago. He had stupidly spoken the enchantment and saved the red-head and then banished himself to death by suffocation.

None of the party surrounding him spoke except the red-head. She barked orders like a pro and then some. If he hadn't met her in this lifetime, he would have found her to be a serious hottie, but as it was, he was bound to hate her for causing his capture. Plus, he really didn't need the sort of mental baggage he was sure came with such a bossy woman.

It took him a while to realize he must have been trapped in the state all along. There was one positive side to this theory, at least he knew the woman did get out alive. That was the only favorable thing he could think of. And the only reason he didn't hyperventilate.

The dark castle was even more foreboding inside. This town sure had its fright night atmosphere down pat. It was probably a killer place to be on Halloween, but he doubted kids did that in this berg. Everyday was Halloween here.

The woman he saved from the statue -- her name was Morgana. Unusual name. The only other Morgana he'd ever heard of was the sister of King Arthur. And this woman had the evil queen sister act down to a science.

The evil minions departed with a wave of her pale, sun-deprived hand and that left David standing stoically alone inside the hunk of stone. Morgana soon retreated into the bowels of the dark castle and he hoped she'd stay there far away from him.

A glimmer of light flickered in front of him like a faint dying star, but this star didn't wink out of existence. It became brighter and more luminous until the room was so full of light he couldn't see anything at all. All he could do was close his eyes to the glare and hope he didn't go blind.

David wanted to scream, but his voice was stuck in his stony throat.. He wasn't sure if anyone could hear him or not, but he decided he wasn't going to go quietly if this was the hour of his death.

The air swirled around him followed by slashes of lightening. The air crackled with immense energy. Even from inside the stone, David could feel the power. Within seconds a man appeared in the room. He was holding a staff, atop it was a glowing orb.

The man appeared in Morgana's lair directly in front of David. He would have come earlier if David's mental shouts hadn't been masked by the charms surrounding the castle. Morgana was anything if not paranoid.

Before he could use his staff to release David from the statue, a powdery blue cloud popped up beside him. The magical being that appeared this time was a short, red-headed wizard.

"Figment. What brings you this far outside of the Realm?"

"Sir Merlin," Figment leaned forward, bowing deeply in respect to the highest of high noble elders. "I bow in your mighty presence." He shook his head and then muttered he was unworthy to be in the shadow of such a master.

"I humbly apologize but I must enlist your help and guidance. I know it is wrong, but I have attached myself to an Outlander ward. I know, I know. Wrong, very wrong. There is no excuse, I admit."

Figment glanced around finally realizing he was inside the dark queen's lair. His shuddering increased ten fold. "I have come to throw myself on the mercy of the head of the elders."

"I'm a little busy at the moment, Figment."

The small wizard nodded. "But, my Lord, my ward was unexpectedly attacked by a mad lupin. He now bears the mark of the beast."

"I am aware of the attack, and please know we are working to rectify the problem. Now, if you'll excuse me, Figment, I have a task to perform."

Merlin directed his staff toward David who was trying not to panic inside the statue.

"You must calm down, David," Merlin said with a comforting voice.

David's eyes did not calm, their irritation increased.

Figment noticed the direction David was staring in. He turned to where the boys eyes were fixed and stumbled backward letting out an audible gasp.

"Morgana!"

He promptly disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

***

Ella Morris didn't know how to explain what she was experiencing. Mostly it was irritation. The Ripper had started this mundane process. Yes, he had tried to kill her by sucking the life out of her, but what demon hadn't over the years, but ultimately where she found herself wasn't the result of what the Ripper had started. Ella had an idea that the elders were somehow responsible for her current state of annoyance.

It felt like part of her was in another place, while the rest of her was aware of Nicholas and a doctor hovering around her.

"Hell-loo," she said trying to get someone's attention. "I'm perfectly fine. I'm just... stuck."

After what seemed a few hours of protest, Ella realized no one was listening to her. At least, that was, until a doorway glimmered in front of her and a gorgeous male walked through. "Having a little trouble there?"

The man tried not to crack a smile but it was obvious he found this situation extremely funny.

"Oh, no," Ella mocked. "Everything is just peaches and cream." She tried to hide her ticked-off side, but of course, she never had much luck hiding that aspect of her personality.

"Well, if you're sure... By the way, I'm Mac. Mac Marlowe. You can tell your loved ones that I did offer to help but you were too stubborn to accept."

The man turned back to the glimmering doorway preparing to leave.

"Don't just stand there, gorgeous. Get me the hell out of here!"

Mac grabbed her hand preparing to pull her completely through the rift between dimensions, but something on her side of the universe had a stronger hold on her. As soon as their hands clasped together, Ella and Mac fell backward through the rift, landing once again in the Hollow and inside Nicholas's castle.

The two of them fell hard to the floor as the portal released them. Ella on her back and the man on his stomach. Once they were completely through, the shimmering portal promptly disappeared.

"Okay," Mac muttered. "That was not supposed to happen."

"What wasn't supposed to happen?" asked an angry voice above him.

Nicholas hovered over Ella and the newcomer, but the vampire's attention was completely on the man.

"You made a mistake, friend." Nicholas grabbed Mac by the throat and lifted him skyward. "A mistake you will never make again."

***

Sark was very good at his job. Morgana had asked him to bind Lane's essence to his body so she could test her vampire virus anti-toxin. But a more important newcomer to the Hollow had his allegiance, and he also wanted Lane's body, but for a different reason.

"You will do this for me, Sark." The Ripper hovered above him like a shadowy harbinger of doom.

"Yes, my master."

For centuries, Lane had laid inside of the de Charme mansion unmoving, a virtual dead man who could only venture into the real world by astral projecting himself out of his body. He would no longer be able to perform such a task, not with the new master residing inside his body. The Ripper wanted to take Lane as a host. His power could heal the sick man's body. And having the image of Larson would help him travel in the world of Hollow Creek virtually undetected.

Raising his hands, Sark began the chanting. The words were spoken in a powerful ancient language few knew of, and none but Sark remembered. The cloaked figure repeated the phrases countless times until he felt the essence of Lane drawing itself back inside his weak form.

Part of the shadow of the Ripper disappeared from inside the mansion and returned to the Shadow Realm. He wanted to be there when Cora realized there was no one to help her.

***

The feeling overcame Cora Laskey again. The feeling of detachment. The feeling of oblivion. She had experienced similar sensation when the shadow came near. Her thinking grew fuzzy and she only wanted to give in to the power. But she knew she couldn't.

Lane Larson, however, didn't seem to be effected in the same way as she. His image flickered like a motion picture projection that was about to come to an end. One moment he was there, and then next he was gone.

"Lane! No! Don't leave me alone here!"

A tingling sensation settled onto her body. She wasn't sure if it was friend or foe. She only knew she didn't want to die. The Ripper wouldn't be able to maintain this connection long. This half of his essence would have to return to be moved inside of Larson's body. But for now, he wanted to be with the woman he loved.

The Ripper came closer pulling her further into the thrall of his presence, then in an instant it was gone.

Cora collapsed to the floor of the Shadow Realm. No one knew she was there. No one could help her now.

***

The elders of Hollow Creek watched from their position as the events unfolded. This second time around they would put in new obstacles, people who would prevent the evil inhabitants from leaving Hollow Creek.

An evil had broken through the barrier the first time and with it, the rest fled. They had destroyed the world. The elders couldn't let that happen again. They had to take drastic measures to make sure evil always stayed trapped here.

The elders had the power to turn back time, to introduce new people to the mix. The only way to save the world was to go back and start time again.

This time around three new people would join the evil in the Hollow. Three people who were all essences of pure good, pure light, and pure hope. It was the only way the elders could save the world.

Cora Laskey, David Laskey, and Mac Marlowe would be a new threat to the evil in the Hollow. They alone had the power to stop the evil.

They alone would take on the responsibility to save the world.