RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Writer's Block Worldwalkers #1: Avant-Garde

In the Northern Sea, far off the coast of Denmark, in front of the mouth of the River Elba, lies the island of Helgoland, nothing more than a rock shaken by the fierce winds and the colossal waves of the Ocean. Some archaeologist and historians, ostracised by the official scientific community, claim this was the northern outpost of the Atlantean Empire, back when the walls of ice of the Arctic Circle stretched from Scotland to Norway to Siberia. Today, the memories of those days lives only in an handful of living beings.

One of them immortals lives in a stone manor of the XIII century at the top of the highest hill of the island. In the surroundings garden, among rose bushes now in their winter sleeps, play two Dalmatians. Inside, in the library located in the northern tower, the owner of the manor, the immortal known only as Myrrdin, is sipping from a glass of amber coloured century old Porto, his big eyebrows of Neaderthal eritage frowning at the standing figure of his guest, the metahuman known as Edulcore Cicciotto, who is looking outside the window, giving his back at the old man.

"So, you are saying each one of this windows look at a different reality? It seems all the same landscape to me". The words were pronounced in English, with an heavy Italian accent.

"Usually the differences are nearly unnoticeable. The flight of a butterfly, the angle of the rain. Sometimes the sky become dotted by spaceships, and it is then that I begin to play." The old Neaderthal man was smiling, like what he had said was a sort of private joke for someone who was not there to hear. "In any case, the answer is yes. This place is a hub to different dimension. Like the Metatithenai, the Castle of Crossed Destinies or their offspring that you and your friend protected the last day. This is a small, private hub, not something on the scale of Haven, but, it does his work pretty well. From here, you can go in any parallel reality you desire."

Edulcore turned, to face the man. "Why are you helping me on this?"

"Because I want to win your trust. Times are approaching that will need your support for my cause, that is the cause of Earth. Of the Earths. With Hoods and Capes gone, I need true champions for fighting the claws that soon will close over our planet. And with my son, Jack Merlin, pulling the strings of much of the metahuman community of the planet, I must choose carefully who will wear my flag. So, I am giving you my help, and the help of my associates, to let you find your son and save him from the hand of EN.KI and Aurochs, certain that one day you'll pay your debt to me."

Euro looked far, to the sea outside the windows, to the violet clouds and the lighting in the distance. A thunder clapped, and the Dalmatians stopped to play on the lawn to barks at the sky. he looked back at the Neanderthal and nodded.

"Good" said the old man. "My butler will accompany you to the Tracking room. There, Ameristar will help you to find a possible location for Aurochs and Eddie. I will meet you at the Red Dining Room at six PM, with your family and my associated. Go, now."

The old man pressed a button, and a young man with a strange uniform appeared. "He's Marcus, my butler. He will show you the way".

Without a word the young man preceded Euro, across narrow and dark dungeons beneath the manor, to an ample hall full of scientific devices, monitors and hologram decks. Sitting at the only armchair present, was a tall woman in a hi-tech armour.

"Jakie?" wondered Euro, surprised.

The woman stood up, one hand suddenly going to the helmet, and the index finger pressing a button on the back of it. The visor retracted, revealing a face that was not the one of Jackie Munroe. "Tanya. Tanya Landsvitter. I am sorry, but Jackie has retired. She..."

"I know, I know. She is taking care of the Old Man's daughter" said Euro, one hand raised to stop the woman to telling a sad story he was perfectly aware of."

The woman produced a smile of circumstance, and went back to her seat. "I need clues and suggestion to narrow down the range of possible parallel realities where the wizard could have retired to." She looked at Euro. "Anything could be of help".

Euro closed the yes for few instants that seemed to last hours. "Look for a place where I became an hero and then died. And where magic doesn't works".

"Where magic doesn't works? Why the hell a wizard should go where magic doesn't exist?" exclaimed the woman.

"Because the man is a coward. He fear much more my mythical weapons and my supposed knowledge of the Book of Life than trust his own powers. I am sure he has found a good refuge and has plenty of henchmen armed to the teeth. Living in a place where he knows nothing can stands between my skin and a bullet makes him feeling safer than relying over his own skills."

"And the bit about you being dead?"

"Years ago he saw me becoming dictator of the world and killing him. Since then, he has always tried to kill me. I am sure he has chosen a place where that possibility for me has been rendered null."

The woman's hands began to dance over the touchscreen of her virtual desk. "As amazing it sounds, there are just three parallel boards that share those two conditions. I will prepare for your travel in the afternoon. I will meet you at the red Dining Room at six, then."

Edulcore nodded, and left the room, doing in the reverse the way Marcus showed him before. Soon, he reached a winter garden, where a surprise was awaiting him.