Between the 4th and 5th Dimensions (Just Beyond Time)
"You go right, I go left," Alice said. LJ and she have been doing a dance trying to get into opposite sides of the room and it was becoming awkward.
"Your right or my right?" LJ asked, a smile on his lips. Alice wanted to slap it off his face.
She huffed in frustration, "Never mind." She sidestepped him again but LJ grabbed her shoulders, planting her right in front of him.
"Did I say I'm sorry?" LJ said seriously, "I know you weren't happy about me and Haneul asking Veronica to create projections of us without consulting you first."
Alice looked at him as if he were insane, "Seriously? That was days ago. I'm long over it. Did you really think that was the reason why I'm mad at you? I'm not that petty."
"No, I know why you're mad at me." LJ said quietly, "It's the same reason why we can't be any closer than we are supposed to be for centuries. Victo
Between the 4th and 5th Dimensions (Just Beyond Time) Tina and LJ sat on opposite sides of the long couch, both icing the numerous bruises on their faces. "Why do I have a feeling like you don't like me?" LJ asked Veronica, sucking on his bloody lip. "I never said I liked any of you," Veronica replied, calmly observing her work. "This sucks," Tina commented, "I don't think I'm progressing at all. I'm just getting pummeled." "Me more than you. And I'm supposed to be the assistant coach here." LJ said. He still looked at Veronica curiously. "Seriously, did I piss you off or something? More than usual, I mean." "Oh, what in the hell?" Alice entered the living room and did a double-take as she saw the scene before her, "Your faces are beaten into a pulp! Ronnie, I told you to take it easy." "Hey, I don't tell you what to do when you're teaching Christina all those boring lessons," Veronica responded. "Is everyone here? I need to tell you--" Haneul emerged from behind Alice
Between the 4th and 5th dimensions (Just Beyond Time)"Alice, do we really need to bring that many weapons to Hell?" LJ asked, scratching the back of his neck as he examined the faerie's stash. "Yes." Alice replied, "We'll be bringing Tina with us. We need to be fully prepared to protect her." "You worry too much. Everything will be fine. We just need to trust Haneul's plan." LJ said. "I know. It's just...I have a bad feeling about this." Alice responded, "And I'm not just worried about Tina. I'm worried about you, too. In your state, I don't think you're in any position to be traveling to Hell. You struggled last time, I could feel you literally gasping for breath the last time you were there." "I'll be okay. Raphael's pills are working." LJ assured her. He took out a couple of daggers from Alice's bag and replaced them on their shelf. "Are you absolutely sure? Because I--" "So, you two are friends again," Veronica commented. She had been standing in the corner, waiting for the
Between the 4th and 5th Dimensions (Just Beyond Time) "They found us," Haneul announced, barging into the living room, Tina and Minho on his heels. "What? How did that happen? We were so careful." Alice asked. LJ dropped the bag he was holding, "Wait. Are we talking angels or demons?" "That doesn't matter. We need to get moving, to go someplace else. Any ideas?" Haneul was fidgeting, something Tina hadn't seen him do before. It was nigged at her, making her more nervous, too. So she reached out and touched his shoulder in assurance. "We could try other interdimensional areas. Maybe a dream plane like the one that Theodora has," LJ suggested. "Do you know of one?" Veronica asked. LJ shrugged, "No." "Then why suggest it?" "Are we back to antagonizing me again?" LJ countered. "Come on, you guys. Not a good time." Alice chastised. "Why is it not a good time? Just because some lowly demons are coming for us? I can handle them no problem." Veronica said. "So, you know th
Seoul, South Korea (July 2019) "I'm starting to think that girl is more trouble than she's worth." Veronica commented. Haneul, Minho, and her were standing on a sidewalk in Seoul, avoiding bumping into any humans that passed by. "This is all your fault. If you hadn't argued with me back in that cottage, we would've--" Minho stepped toward Haneul, pointing a finger to his chest. "No, this is your fault." Haneul lashed out right back, gripping the sword hilted on his hip, "If you had just stayed with Camael and followed orders like the good soldier that you are, everything would've been alright. Instead, you had to interfere--" "Maybe if you had been doing a good job of protecting her, then I wouldn't have to interfere." Minho spat back. Haneul scoffed, "Is that so? Then, why don't you answer the question this time? What is Tina to you? Why is she so important to you? Worth risking your life over? I know for a fact that you left the battalion when Camael had already given you a wa
Manila, Philippines (July 2019)Tina was trapped and bound to a chair in her own living room. "Seriously. Again?" she murmured, more to herself than the demon who called himself Asmodeus. When Haneul told her who and what she was, she expected it to be hard, but the constant kidnapping was getting on her nerves. Asmodeus raised his eyebrows, studying Tina curiously. By the way he moved, he reminded her of Veronica. She guessed it made sense. They both ruled the Province of Lust back in Hell. The sensual way Asmodeus leaned into the wall, the calculating and hungry glint in his eyes as he looked at her, they both were the same. Coming from Veronica, a woman who was wearing the same face as hers, Tina felt uncomfortable enough. From Asmodeus, it was downright lecherous. "Christina. I would say it's nice to meet you, but that would be a lie," a voice appeared to her left and Tina gasped. The woman wearing her face was dressed in a pristine white chiffon dress that looked like it belong
The 5th Dimension (The Traveler Institute) Haneul awoke with a headache. He was in a strange room, but one that was also familiar to him. He could not place it at the moment, though, with his throbbing head. But with the air around him, he did know he was no longer in the third dimension. "Feeling better?" a woman entered Haneul's room. "Nazrene." Haneul smiled at the friendly face. "Hello, Haneul. How long has it been?" Nazrene greeted him warmly, smoothing her long blond hair behind her ear. "Well, we met in the 1800s so about two hundred years? Not that time exists here. From the looks of this place, I'm in the Traveler Institute." Haneul said, looking around, " What happened? The last thing I remember, we were overrun by demons..." He tried to sit up, but groaned at the searing pain in his hip. Nazrene gently pushed Haneul back down into the bed, "Yes, that's right. You and the others were overpowered by demons. We sensed a disturbance in the dimensions before that so we a
The 5th Dimension (The Demonworld) A hand ran through Veronica's face and she surrendered to it. She couldn't remember the last time she was held like this, it almost felt like a dream. Maybe it was. Her consciousness must be in one of her dream planes because she was back with Geronimo. "Veronica. Hey, wake up." He said. But his voice was different. Veronica frowned. Something was wrong with her dream. Wait...dream? Why was she dreaming? Demons don't dream... Veronica jerked, opening her eyes. "Latte," she whispered at the face looking down at her. She sat up, feeling disoriented, "What--what happened? Where are we?" Veronica looked around her. They were in a cell. The Pocket. Was she back in The Pocket? She had gotten out, didn't she? No, it was so much worse than that. The Pocket's cells were pristine white and didn't have a particular smell. This one stank of sulfur and ichor of gold and blue-black ran on like a fountain on its walls and onto the floor. Veronica looked at
The 5th Dimension (The Traveler Institute)Minho woke up in pain. Wound around his chest were golden-stained bandages that were too tight for comfort. Demons...his senses had caught up to him. There were a lot of them at Tina's house. He had to go find her. Tina was in danger. But Minho's body would not cooperate, he almost fell as he struggled to get up. As if hearing his struggle, Alice entered the door, set down the tray she was holding, and helped him as he stumbled off his bed. "Minho, it's okay. You'll be alright." The faerie said, worry lines on her forehead. "Where are we?" Minho looked around. The place was oddly familiar. "Is this..." "Yes, we're in the Traveler Institute. They arrived and saved us just in time before we got dragged to Hell. Well, Minho, you, and me. The travelers didn't get to..." Alice trailed off. She ran her hand through the curls of her bandaged head, anxious. "LJ?" Minho asked. Alice nodded, "And Ronnie, too. But they'll be alright, the travelers