Record XI: Through the open door...

"Calm yourselves!" I shout over the chaos of the feuding individuals. Shadow is taking a defensive stance, his feet spread apart. Zach bends over Iris, doing something to her. I don't care. Oculus brandishes his cane like a sword, and he could probably make it one, too.

"Time for a change of scenery, eh?" Shadow says, tipping his hat slightly backwards, most likely preparing to run.

"Indeed. Now, if we still need to run, let's do so. If not, let's set up camp and allow poor Iris to rest. She hasn't been able to sleep all night, and I think she might have a fever. I'm not sure though...I don't know how warm is normal for a human." Oculus says, his voice tight and strained. Shadow stares at Oculus, his mouth agape. I was aghast - Oculus actually agreed with Shadow?

Zach feels Iris's throat, then her head. "...Mr. O...she doesn't have a fever," Zach says grimly. Apparently, Oculus didn't agree with Shadow - he just is trying to keep the little monster at bay.

"Oh goo--" Oculus starts.


"Her body is way too cold to have a fever," Zach interrupts. An ominous pause, and the message sinks in. What in the world could that mean?

Shadow pulls out and throws a ring-shaped object at Zach, who deftly catches it, sneering at Shadow. Shadow says something incomprehensible, obviously important, and he grasps his ring with two hands. Atmos adjusts his belt, his hand on his glowing green sword.

"Shadow, you realize all we have to do is build an enclosed structure, and then I could teleport everyone inside? I did that last time, remember?"

"Oh. Bollocks," Shadow replies.

"W-what? You can teleport buildings?" Atmos says, stuttering and shocked. Of course he can - he's a fear, isn't he?

"What else is new? You notice that he has three eyes yet?" I say, rolling my eyes.

"WHAT?" Atmos says in mock surprise, then he slaps my back lightly.

"Come on Mister O, Zach will be safe ware that portal leads, the Runners will take good care of him." Shadow says. He says 'Runners' as if it is an actual thing or group, not just some people who run.

"Runners? What is going on?" Oculus says excitedly. He crushed the portal device.

"Yikes! Don't make him mad. Also, he doesn't like surprises," Zach says in a hoarse whisper, as if Oculus couldn't hear him.

"Oh, right, you think Runners as the people that run from Fears. No. I meant the organization," Shadow says, as if talking to dumb little children that don't know better.

"We are going to meet up with two fears at the ruined infirmary," Oculus says, ignoring Shadow's remark. All the while, Atmos, Malim, and I are exchanging looks about whether or not to run. Or to attack. Malim's eyes keep on pleading to attack them, while they're still vulnerable, his eyes say to me.

Iris closes her eyes, her chest glowing with the power of Zilvra glowing around her. The thrum of the dome being formed disturbs me, only slightly, but enough to make me shudder.

"If anyone does not wish to come, speak now," Oculus says, his voice insistent and decisive. After a pause, and nobody speaking up, Oculus continues, "We're going through my old domain before I changed it. You know? That old jail cell full of people rotting alive, which I had to clean out when I relocated...ugly business..." I could see how it could be so.

"Don't think about it! Iris will suffer!" Shadow says worriedly. Ever since Iris and Oculus were linked by thought, Shadow has been trying to can Oculus's demented thoughts about his victims. A little bit of an exaggeration on my part, but still.

"And you think the Godsway would be better?" Oculus says, again ignoring Shadow. "The last human to try and enter there went into a coma after one look at the place. That place is much worse than--" Oculus stops, then continues on just as fast "--AND I MERELY MEANT LETTING THE PEOPLE GO AND CLEANING UP THE CELLS. I didn't do anything to those people because they had suffered too much anyway. Besides, there were only three of them, and they were the worst human beings to ever walk the planet." How many times he must have said that, I am not really sure. Maybe somewhere up in the examillions.

"And I had to help clean up..." Zach says. Why don't you keep your mouth shut, Zach?

"Besides, Iris just passed out, anyway...probably from the lack of sleep." Oculus continues.  

Or maybe it was because of the fact that she's hooked up to your sick brain? I think. Malim and Atmos both can sense increase or change in emotions, and they both looked at me, each with a different reaction; Atmos looks at me worriedly, and Malim looks at me viciously, as if to say: You got something there for her! ADMIT IT! In fact, he agrees with me, and says that is what he said in his mind. He is looking over my shoulder as I type this.

"Ah yes, Zach was still new as a gavel, and I needed some help, so since he didn't have any duties yet...anyhow, now it is the empty prison. Sometimes I use it for other things, but mostly teleportation," Oculus says, one of his eyes glazing over in the warm sea of memory

"Any-who, we'd like to go," Malim says.

"Excellent," Oculus says without enthusiasm. He turns to Zach. "Are you ready?" Zach nods his head in reply. "Iris is passed out, but judging from her mind..." Oculus tilts his head, as if listening. "Yep! She's ready." He's more enthusiastic this time. Gee, I wonder why... "Shadow?" Oculus calls out to him.

"You know what?" Shadow says indignantly. "Bollocks this," he says, thrusting his hand towards the wall. It begins to act like some sort of a vacuum.

"Suit yourself. If that's how you prefer to travel..." Oculus says, shaking his head slowly and disdainfully.

"Don't act rash," Atmos says to Shadow. He then realizes that it applies to both Shadow and Oculus, so he then looks at Oculus, repeating the question mentally.

Atmos shoves his hands in his pocket, trembling slightly. Malim is smiling menacingly. I wait, watching expectantly at Oculus. Shadow grabs me, and throws me at the open door.