Death Of A Dimension - Part 4
[This story has been co-authored with DawnCharger. Again I would also like to Thank Myrios “Malak” LeJeans player for allowing us to use his RP hub (The Rift) as the centre of many of these stories and for his input to the roleplay.
To recap; Ceara, Faolán and Alpharius have been visiting The Rift in Dublin every night for a number of days. They still have no idea if Áinfean has received the pocket safe supplied by Mr LeJean, but are ever hopeful. At the same time Áinfean, in the alternate dimension, has made haste to get to the aspect of the shop that exists in Cork.]
<<<In the Alternate dimension - Áinfean makes her way to The Rift in Cork>>>
At The Rift Continued
Áinfean’s parents’ investigations had been slowed by the prevalence of the Filth about Dublin, as they tried to find more information about their missing twins Freya and Branán. They weren’t due back until tonight. Áinfean knew she’d have to come clean and was desperate to at least have some answers about Ceara and Faolán for them.
She and her two Confidi bodyguards reached the curious shop in Cork after taking a convoluted route to ensure they weren’t being followed. Her guards blend invisibly into the shadows. Holding the door knob she can’t stop herself from checking behind them again. Her entrance heralded by the soft tinkling of the bell.
The interior was almost what she had expected … In truth she really had no idea what to expect because the store’s layout changed a little each time she’d visited. Looking around, still a little wary of threats … finds nothing of concern.
As with her other visits, when she first entered there were endless shelvers packed with various items both strange and mundane, books, tools, nik-naks and the like. She looks up from the shelves and she is less surprised by that, as with her first visit, there is now a counter with a man standing behind it.
What is now different is that the shopkeeper is looking at her as if expecting her to approach.
To the side of the door is an umbrella stand. In it, along with an ornate bow of possibly Mongolian or Asiatic origin, was an ancient Katana and another blade that was possibly even older (This blade looked of Nordic origin if she had to guess). Considerably more modern was the shotgun resting near both blades.
She instantly recognises the katana as The Kachigaru, Ceara’s blade. The cut-down Remington 870 pump gun was Faolán’s favoured Weapon.
Her smile lights the room as she looks to the Shopkeeper “Ceara! Liahund! Are they here?”
+++
Unknown to Áinfean, her parents had returned home sooner than expected and were both surprised and anxious on finding that their daughter and her guards had headed off to Cork just a short time before they had arrived. These feelings were exacerbated when they learned that she’d done this for the last 2-3 nights, always about this time.
They had become a little worried about Ceara and Liahund and with the death of Branán and Freya, they both wanted their children home with them. Now Áinfean had headed off towards the filth. They knew from what they had seen in and near Dublin, Cork’s relative freedom would be short lived. Hell, The Barn, one of the safest places on earth, was threatened.
Now was time for the family, or what was left of it, to be together.
Áinfean’s Confidi guardians became aware of their tail soon after Aath and Brean took up the chase. But they remained silent … Aath was their Bretava, and Brean her husband. They obeyed the instruction to not inform Áinfean of her parents’ presence, as their charge was in no danger from this particular tail.
Aath watches her daughter enter the quaint little shop with a name she knew well, The Rift. She and Brean quietly discuss what their actions would be, their words lost to the world as they fall back on their magical and mental bond, and a few choice hand gestures. Once decided, Aath uses her abilities and moves silently and invisibly towards the shop to watch what’s happening inside through the window.
+++
Áinfean spots Faolán among the stands, squealing out his name as she charges and crash tackles the lad. “Liahund! … It is you two … thank the gods …”
Faolán had been wandering about looking at the various and curious objects on display … good lord … who would want … or need a shrunken Effreet head?
His name shouted out gives him only just enough to replace the shrunken head before he’s enveloped by his sister’s hug.
Holding the man at arm’s length, she looks him over “And you’re whole.” Now looking about “Where’s Ceara?”
It’s then that she finds her sister leaning on the wall a little away from the door, near a man whose features she knows all too well, “Ceara! … “ She starts backing away from the man and Ceara … “What the FV<K is he doing here … and why is he still breathing?!”
Ceara’s expression goes from joy to befuddlement in a split second. Then the cogs slip into place.
Holding her hands up in a halting gesture, “Áiny! … Áiny … it’s not him!”
Áinfean does stop at her sister’s call, but her eyes remain fixed, boring into the most hated man she knew of, reflexively reaching for Anima, which is denied her by the fact that The Rift is The Rift.
Ceara, seeing her sister readying for combat, continues quickly, “This isn’t him … well at least it’s not our him … and you can’t smoke him here anyway … we’re in The Rift. besides, this one’s uncle to our brother so, … he’s sort of … (scrunching up her face a little apologetically) family”
It’s obvious to all, that of all the things Áinfean was expecting to hear … that was not even on her Bingo Card. She dons a face of complete confusion and her eyes finally leave Alpharius, turning to Ceara … “What?”
Taking her opportunity Ceara now quickly gives the now confused woman more information trusting that her sister’s agile mind will be able to process it as quickly as Ceara hoped.
“It’s looking like we weren’t just sent back in time … they think that the damage to our world mixed with the power of the chaos Ancili, somehow opened a small tear between our world and theirs. This is their Alpharius … In their world there has only been one bomb … Mum and Roxana have a son … Atreus … Alpharius is Roxana’s half-brother … he isn’t the Alpharius who fv<ked up our home!” She pauses a second before adding, “Poo and Astra are handfast … he’s not coming home.”
Faolán’s eyes opened wide at his sister’s last statement, he hadn’t realised she had understood that … also … that was his news to tell “Ceara!”
Áinfean just looks at her sister and repeats “What?”
Alpharius appreciated the pups’ approach to things … subtle, nuanced, breaking things gently a piece at a time to let Áinfean process one earth-shattering revelation before moving onto the next. Eh, sometimes a sharp shock’s just what the doctor ordered.
He relaxes a little as he sees Áinfean intercepted by her sibling. He didn’t think she’d go far enough to try and attack him, but after everything Ceara had talked about he was glad he hadn’t needed to do more than stay out of the way for the time being.
Interesting to know about the Rift’s properties … would his Glock work if he needed it to? It’s not like .45 ACP hollow points need Anima to fire. Mystery for another time, if ever.
He takes another pull from his flask (dammit, last mouthful) and then puts it away, standing up straight.
“Let’s back it up a bit, maybe start with some bullet points?” Realising the pun too late, he internally groans and congratulates himself for a joke only he would get.
“Starting with the most important one: yes, I am Alpharius. No, I’m not pulling anything.” Nodding to Ceara. “She’s been looking for a way back home for a while, and I’m helping as a favour to my nephew.”
Ceara quickly gives Faolán a look to silence him.
She’s gained control and wasn’t going to lose it over who told who what. Alpharius chimes in and Ceara’s a little surprised she’s not surprised and finds herself nodding in support of his interjection. She looks back to Áinfean and takes another step forward, repeating.
“This is not the Alpharius who fv<ked up our world. If the clever people who have been helping us are right, then his world isn’t just the past in our world … it … it’s completely different. A parallel, similar … but effectively a different reality.”
She sees Áiny is listening, but her sister’s eyes keep flicking to Alpharius with distrust and hatred. Ceara knows this will be her only chance to win her sister over.
“Over there it’s still 2022 … I don’t know how long I’ve been gone in our world, but I’ve spent a little over 18 months there.” She points at Faolán, “Poo has been there nearly three years. Long enough to find Astra and fall in love.”
Áinfean looking between her siblings and Alpharius, nods and adds quietly “Liahund a couple months, you about four weeks.”
Ceara nods but can see a multitude of questions building in Áinfean, so pushes on quickly. “Astra is still alive here and Roxana and Mum are a thing … and they have a son, Atreus.”
She allows only a second for this repeated history to sink in, “By this time in our world there had been at least four filth bombs … in theirs there had been only one … There are so many more differences that tell me their theory is probably the truth of it.”
Áinfean cannot remain silent any longer, “Only 2022 … what if the terrible things that have happened in …” she struggles with the concept a little, “Our world just hasn’t happened yet? They’re just delayed? Perhaps influenced by your and Liahund’s travelling?”
Ceara quickly shakes her head “No … no, I don’t think that’s the case. You know as well as me … look at the dates and there is more anyway.” She takes a breath, “Home, Astra was lost in the Quebec bomb and Roxana left us not long after. There is no Mum and Roxana, there is no Atreus.”
“Do you remember that Templar traitor … Abrienne Helsing … the one that turned on us after Da defected from the Temple. The one that Mum and Da disposed of in the Ankh?” There is a short pause, “In their world she is alive and well loved and trusted. She is friendly with the family … hells … she even has access to the Barn.”
Áinfean closes her eyes for a moment as she ponders this new information. Her sharp mind quickly explored the various permutations they presented. She nods and looks over to Alpharius with cold distrustful eyes, “I trust my sister and brother … I just hope you prove worthy of the trust they show you.”
Then looking over to Faolán, “I can see from what Ceara has said and what you haven’t, that it’s true. You are not planning to return home.”
He returns her look and nods.
“I have found something I thought I’d never find home, someone I thought lost to me. A semblance of peace … maybe even some happiness. I’m not coming home. I can’t face the horror of it anymore. I don’t know if it’s simple cowardice, but I think I may be able to do something here to avoid what is happening at home.”
Áinfean sighs and then smiles sadly “As much as I’d like you home, things are worse, and I have nothing but bad news … They hit Buenos Aires, just before Ceara travelled and only a week or so ago they hit Dublin …” Then something happens that they have rarely seen … Áinfean’s lip starts to quiver and her eyes brim with tears, “It took Branán and Freya.”
Both Cera and Faolán are stunned by this news.
Before they can react, the door opens again and the small bell tinkles rapidly. Standing in the doorway is a woman everybody in the room recognises.