“If I could have one lifetime wish, one wish that would come true, I'd pray to God with all my heart, for yesterday...and you.”

 

“I would say that you are lucky to be alive, but it is apparent to me that He has a higher purpose for your existence.  No one that has fallen into the doctor’s clutches, be they hero or innocent, has ever managed to escape his dark designs.  I thank you for your help in this matter Desolate Joker, and I wish to return the favor.  It is clear to me that our meeting was preordained.  Therefore, I will show you the path, but it is up to you to decide whether or not to take the first step.  Ask your question.”

“I don’t understand.  How do you know my name?  What question?  What path?”

“I know your name because I have been told to search for you.”

“Told by who?”

“By Him, of course.”

“Oookaay, but what question am I supposed to ask?”

“I do not know.  I only know the answer, nothing more.”

“Then what is the answer?”

“I do not know this either.”

“Then what DO you know?”

“That all our fates, all our destinies, are tied to your own.  I do not understand how I am to help you, only that I will.”

“Wonderful.  You mind if we leave this place before confusing me any further?”

 

The trip outside went much quicker than the trip in, and in minutes we were back in the cool breeze of Steel Canyon.  The faint light of the approaching dawn reminded me of how long I had been down in that pit, and the fresh air was quickly washing away the last traces of the horrors I had seen below.

 

What question is he talking about Joker?

“I haven’t got the faintest clue.  I’ve got a million questions about this world, but he’s expecting just one.”

Then it is undoubtedly NOT about this world, otherwise you would not require his help.

“Do you honestly believe he was sent to find me?”

I am beginning to believe that there is a lot more going on here than we can even begin to understand.

“Good point.  You know what, I think I’ve got it.”

 

“Tell me, have you ever heard of an Antikytheran Gateway?”

“That is an ancient term.  I am surprised that anyone of this world would know it, but yes, I have heard of them.  I am no authority on such things, but I will lead you to one who is.”

 

******

 

Joker, how did you know?

“It all makes sense now, well at least part of it does.  I’ve been telling you that all of this seems uncannily familiar, and now I think I know why.”

Brantiff’s Theory?

“I don’t think we can call it a theory anymore.  Dr Brantiff was right, let’s just hope my hunch is wrong.”

Are you going to enlighten me?

“First, I need to see Azuria again, but before that, I think it’s time we rested.  The last few hours haven’t gone completely without strain, and I fear we may soon need our strength more than ever.”

 

I must admit, this city knew how to take care of its heroes.  A quick phone call to set up a meeting with Azuria also gained me the address of my apartment within the city.  Though it wasn’t as extravagant as some I’ve had the pleasure of crashing in, it was no where near the worst.  On the way I stopped off at a small diner where my meal was both delicious and, more importantly, free.  The apartment’s bedroom was more than adequate, and in moments I was out like light without even bothering to remove my sword.

 

******

 

“How the hell did this happen doctor?!  Tell me!”

“I don’t know Joker.  I honestly don’t know.  You have to believe me.”

“Then turn the damn thing back on.  I’ll go after them myself.”

“You’ll do no such thing Captain.”

“But sir, the team should still be at the extraction point.  We only lost them a few minutes ago.”

“According to the doctor there, that few minutes could translate to centuries on the other end.”

“He’s right Joker.  The wormhole has essentially cut through both space and time.  There’s not telling what’s going on out there.  It’s best if we just sit and wait for the safeties to be reset.”

“Dammit general, I told you not to send that psychopath Hergotz through that portal.  I’ve been telling you he’s not stable for months now.  There’s no telling what he’s doing out there.”

“Captain, the only unstable person I see right now is you.  You will stand down immediately!”

“Turn that damn machine on NOW!  I will not sit back and watch everything I love just be taken away!  I will not allow you destroy my life!”

“You are doing a perfectly acceptable job of that yourself Captain.  Guards, throw him in the brig.  Maybe that will calm him down a bit.”

“I’m sorry sir.  I’m just following orders.”

“You’ll regret this General.  I’ll guarantee you that.”

 

“So, apparently you’ve outlived your usefulness as well.”

“What do you know of it Brantiff?”

“I know that she isn’t lost…yet.  However, your time is definitely running out.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever read my book?  You know, the one they never let me publish?”

“I tried, but I didn’t understand it.  There was too much scientific mumbo jumbo, and she was always too busy to explain it.”

“Then perhaps I should start at the beginning, especially since we will undoubtedly be spending quite some time together.”

“If it means finding a way to save her, then I will listen to what you’ve got to say.”

“Excellent.  First you must understand this simple fact.  This world is not the only one in existence.  There are in fact a multitude of worlds, each separated by the choices made in their combined histories.  Every choice we make creates a branch in the dimensional tree.  As the tree grows forward through time, it continues to branch out.”

“This part I understood.  That means there are basically infinite worlds, each separated by some small decision.  That means that as you go back in time, the worlds become more and more similar.”

“Correct, but there are not, in fact, infinite worlds.  In truth, the number of worlds is VERY finite.  You see, just like a real tree, the dimensional tree can only support so many timelines at once.  Inevitably, certain decisions will lead directly to the complete and utter destruction of a world, and thus, every world further along the dimensional tree.  You see, it is just like a real tree.  If part of the tree dies, then everything that stems from that point dies as well.  We are all slaves to our history, Joker.”

“So you’re telling me that there aren’t infinite earths?”

“Yes.  You see, not every choice warrants a new earth.  Whether you put 2 sugars or 3 in your coffee this morning isn’t earth shattering enough.  The choices have to be monumental.”
”Like the dropping of the atomic bombs at the end of World War Two?”

“Exactly.  There are undoubtedly other earths where those bombs never left the planes.  The planes could’ve been shot down, the bombs may have malfunctioned, or the decision to drop them was just never made.”

“So how do you know what will and won’t create new earths?”

“You don’t.  It’s just that simple.  ANY choice can become monumental if made under the right, or wrong, circumstances.”

“Okay, I think I got that part.  What’s next?”

 

“Next comes the gateways.”

“The Antikytheran Gateway?”

“Yes, but there are more than just one; many more in fact.  Each is connects its earth to the trunk of the tree.”

“So, if I follow this correctly, the gateways are all interconnected?”

“Precisely.  Therefore, you can get to ANY world from ANY other, as long as that world’s gateway has not been disabled.”

“And exactly how is one of these gateways disabled.”

“You need a key.”

“Right.  I remember you mentioning that the Antikythera Mechanism was the key, but isn’t it too old to be used.”

“It IS a key, but as I was trying to tell my colleagues before your sergeant and his squad so rudely interrupted, the key is not ancient.  The key was aged by its trips across worlds.  I have a theory on how to prevent this, but unfortunately your Doctor Irons is too blinded by his work to hear it.  He’s quite mad, you know?”

“Do you think it would be possible to create another key?”

“Actually, scientists from some other sector have spent time with me discussing just such a possibility.  They’ve been very open to what I have to say.”

“What sector?  Was it Red Sector?”

“Yes, that’s the one.  The said something about some sort of suit, battle armor or something.”

“Yes, I remember hearing about that.  Dr. Irons all but laughed it off as a possibility, but I must admit it sounded intriguing.”

“You know, with the proper application of energy and resistance…”

 

Joker.  Time to wake up.  Your meeting with Azuria is in 15 minutes.

 

The late afternoon sun was beginning to fall behind the western wall by the time I made my way in to Azuria’s office.  The journey from my apartment hadn’t gone entirely without notice by the local inhabitants, but I can only hope that the city’s teleportation grid was as reliable as I had been made to believe.  Otherwise, the city’s graveyard was about to find itself overwhelmed.

 

Azuria’s office was more akin to that of a lawyer than a supposed witch.  Shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls, save for the area directly behind her desk.  This space was dominated by a floor to ceiling window filled with frosted glass.  A lingering essence of sage, however, dispelled the comparison to a simple law office immediately.

 

My first reaction upon stepping into Azuria’s office was that this meeting was not to be, as I had originally thought, one-on-one.  Instead, two of the three chairs facing Azuria’s own were already occupied.  Figuring it best to conceal my curiosity, I quickly dropped into the remaining seat, and awaited the explanation for these strangers’ presence.

 

To my right sat a young man in a dark windbreaker.  His lack of distinguishing features could almost be considered an asset.  In a city filled to overflowing with weirdos in brightly colored spandex, his clean-cut and simple persona was all too easy to overlook.  The young woman on my left, however, was anything but.

 

My first impression was that of fire.  I had seen, and felt, too much of it in the last day to be truly convinced, but the vivid red hair cascading gently off her shoulders reminded me of the hellish rain I had witnessed only hours before.  Nodding in my direction as I sat down afforded me a perfect view of her face.  Framed beautifully by her laser straight red hair, her face seemed at once both confident and demure.

 

Set behind a simple yet elegant pair of glasses, her vivid blue eyes locked at once upon my own.  In that instant I could sense the strength of her resolve, and I knew at once that she was no stranger to the rigors and pains of combat.  Though my own eyes have been hidden for longer than I care to remember, I felt sure that she was somehow able to penetrate the technology to what little remains of the man beneath.  Her gaze was captivating, to say the least, but I have long since become immune to the baser desires of our species.  Though I can honestly say she is one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever rested my eyes upon, her presence was bringing back far too many painful memories.

 

Tearing myself away from her hypnotic stare allowed me to take in the rest of her.  A neatly tailored business suit hung in all the right ways, and was completed by a pair of the strongest, yet smoothest legs I can remember.  At once she struck me as a pure professional, and I have little doubt that just such a thought was her intended goal.  In short, she was stunning, breath-taking even, but then again, I’ve always had a thing for redheads.

 

“Joker, I’d like to introduce you to Willy Starbuck…”

 

The young and somehow forgotten man on my right.

 

“…and to Ms. Evelyn Casey.”

 

The vision on my left.

 

“I’d like to start by explaining to everyone present exactly why I asked you all here, but first let me explain where everyone’s talents lie.  Mr. Starbuck is one of a handful of locals with a working knowledge of the 5^th Column’s current schemes.  Ms. Casey, as you may have guessed, moonlights as a hero by the name of Shattered Dusk, and she has quite a bit of experience in dealing with the 5^th Column.”

“So I take it you have found something out about that mysterious Column soldier I put in the hospital?”

“Yes.  Ms. Casey, Mr. Starbuck.  This is Desolate Joker.  He’s the one I told you about.”

“Well well.  I heard about that piece of work you and Cinaed did on Dr. Vahzilok.  He’s lucky I never got MY hands on him though.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.  Cinaed made quite sure that he will never bother this city’s people again.”

“Yes, he has quite the reputation for…rehabilitating criminals.  I believe the Ziggurat has an entire wing dedicated to his work.  I’m told that even the soundproof walls are hardly enough to silence them.”

“Lady, gentlemen, please.  There is no telling how far behind we are, and I fear that we may all be in grave danger.  Willy, if you would?”

 

“Alright, here’s what I’ve got.  Two weeks ago there was something of a minor upsurge in the Column’s activity surrounding their ongoing search for mystical objects.  This upsurge corresponded with the recruitment of a number of unknown individuals into the upper ranks of the Column’s leadership.  Rumor has it that these individuals were accompanied by a scientist or doctor of some sort. However, unlike what is typical of the Column’s handling of their existing scientific staff, this individual was basically given the royal treatment.”

“Any ideas on who this guy is?”

“Not even the slightest, but here’s the kicker.  Yesterday an order was sent down the ranks to begin some sort of massive supply relocation.  At the same time, that minor upsurge stopped immediately.  All plans, present and future, were put on indefinite hold.  In short, they’ve found what they are looking for, and now they are waiting.

“What they are waiting for is why I brought you here Ms. Casey.”
”Exactly.  As Azuria has said, I have no small amount of experience dealing with these fascists, but what I ran into yesterday came as quite a shock.  I have never seen the 5^th Column stop an assault once it has begun.  However, yesterday I saw just that.”

“Now, Joker, the thing that’s so strange about this is that the assault stopped about 30 seconds before your little flaming punching bag arrived in the Zigg’s infirmary.  I told you I thought it was strange, and now we know why.”

“If I’m following this all correctly, then that means the jewel the gangers mentioned was probably what the 5^th Column were looking for.”

“Precisely.”

“But what kind of jewel is it?  I’m guessing it’s no ordinary pawn shop piece.”

“And you’d be right.  My sources within the Column are concerned about its discovery.  Apparently a large number of people were upset about the amount of manpower dedicated to its retrieval.  They have no idea why so much effort was wasted on a simple magical artifact.”
”Right, according to my research, the jewel in question is of little magical significance.  It was actually no more than a small bauble recovered from the remains of an abandoned section of caves once used by the Circle of Thorns.”
”Well, then, your research has missed something.  Can you at least describe the jewel to me?”

“I can do better than that.”

 

The stack of photographs contained very little of actual use.  The cave system depicted in them looked, at first glance, to be little more than an abandoned section of an old mine.  If you’ve seen one mine, you’ve seen them all.  The jewel, though, caught my eye.

 

Is that what I think it is?

“Yes.”

 

“Can you take me to this cave?”

“What is it Joker?”

“That’s no jewel, but I wouldn’t expect a mage to fully understand.”

“You’re right, I don’t.  We examined the jewel, and beyond its near perfect cut, it was unremarkable.  The little magic in it was undoubtedly a mere residue left by the Circle.  If they left it behind, I can’t see of what use it could be to the Column.  If it’s not a jewel, then what is it?”
”The item in this picture… is a Garrin Crystal.” 

 

******

 

It didn’t take me long to realize that Ms. Casey, was an old hand at this game.  Before excusing herself from the meeting, she agreed to meet me at the imposing gate to a section of the city called Perez Park.  I was informed, before leaving, that the entrance into the park required special clearance.  According to Azuria, however, my survival of Doctor Vahzilok’s lair was more than enough for her to reward me access.  This promotion came with the now expected clearing of numerous combat protocols, and only helped to strengthen my belief that I had at least discovered the cure for the system glitches, if not the source.

 

How does this fit in Joker?  I’m not comprehending this situation.

“I’m a bit confused as well.  Garrin Crystals were the absolute peak of technology back on World 1, and I have never seen their equal in all my travels.  Beyond their near indestructibility, they are almost perfect conductors.”
Yes, I believe Doctor Brantiff said that it took Garrin nearly a year of testing to place the decimal point for the energy loss, but that doesn’t explain why we’ve suddenly encountered one after all this time.

 

“So, you ready to rock?”

 

My reverie was suddenly broken by the soothing voice of Dusk in my ear.  Once again my ponderings of recent events had allowed someone to sneak well within my threat range, but I must admit that her presence wasn’t exactly unwelcome.  I suddenly realized exactly why she had excused herself back in Azuria’s office, and I must say I’m glad she had.

 

The smart business suit and skirt had been replaced by form fitting leather practically painted onto her ample form.  Her liquid hair had been pulled back into a ponytail hanging almost to her waist, and the simple glasses were nowhere in sight.  The dark blue leather mirrored her eyes, and the bright orange of her hair could be seen on both her gloves and boots.  All together, the vision I had seen in the office as professional and reserved now appeared to be barely able to contain her exuberance.

 

Azuria had told me that the park was a dangerous place even in the daytime, but Dusk appeared unimpressed even as the sun made its curtain call behind the trees towering to the west.  From what I gathered during my stay at the library the night before, this area was once a thriving business district, but had recently fallen beneath the mud stained boots of the local gangs.  The businesses still clung to their offices as a refuge from the violence on the streets, but the gangs were becoming increasingly malicious in their attempts to control the territory.  All in all, the area was powder keg just waiting for the right match.

 

“Don’t worry Joker, I grew up in an apartment building overlooking this park.  I know every nook and cranny, and the locals know better than to start anything with me.  Still, you’d best stay close, just to be safe.”
”Will do.  So tell me, are you a magic user as well?  I don’t see any weapons on you.”

“God no.  Let’s just say I gained my reputation by bending the old Skulls boss into a knot.”

“Wonderful.  I guess I know who to come to if I ever need a jar of pickles opened.”

“Not if you want them to go in the right end you don’t, and trust me, I don’t need to take them outta the jar to make that happen.”

“Perhaps we should get started.”

“That’s what I thought.”

 

She talked a good game, but talk is cheap.  When the shit hits the fan I needed to know what to expect, and the sly smile she shot me before trotting off towards the tree line told me plenty.  The strange glint in her eye, however, was a little more difficult to read.  Not wanting to fall too far behind while I pondered this, I quickly followed my would-be tour guide into the trees.

 

The darkness of the woods seemed to swallow the world whole, and if not for the night-vision built into my mask I would have been as blind as a bat.  My guide, on the other hand, seemed quite at home.  As I picked my way along the path, stumbling on outstretched roots and the occasional hole, I slowly became aware of a faint light emanating from the surrounding trees.  It seemed almost without source, yet it was easily growing stronger as we continued deeper into the woods.

 

“What’s that strange light?”

“That light is coming from a Circle of Thorns ceremony.  It’s somewhere up ahead, and my guess is we’re going to need to go through it to reach our destination.”

“What makes you think th…”

 

Of course, she was right on the money.  The words had barely left her lips when a small group of hooded figures came into view.  About twenty yards in front of us, along the crude path we had been following, were 5 individuals surrounding a strange column of green smoke.  Just as I was about to draw my sword, Shattered Dusk charged.

 

“Darkness falls gentlemen!”

 

The men were obviously prepared for a fight.  Dusk was still ten yards away when the first figure fired.  It was the second crossbow I had seen since I got here, but this one didn’t have quite the same effect.  Ducking a split second before impact, the bolt hit home near Dusk’s shoulder instead of her heart, but this didn’t seem to slow her charge in the least.  The rest of the group were drawing wickedly curved blades instead of crossbows.  Figuring I’d best step in to help, I began to close the distance between myself and the fray. 

 

I needn’t have bothered.  In the time it took me to cover the 20 yards the fight was over.  One figure was crumpled in a heap about 20 feet into the trees.  Two more were wearing their swords.  A fourth had left his face on a nearby tree, and the fifth guy was leaning against a stump, cradling a badly mangled arm.  The crossbow he had dared to fire at Shattered Dusk lay in pieces to his side.  I seriously doubted this guy would ever be able to use a pen again, let alone fire a crossbow, even though there was no evidence that the bolt he had fired had actually made contact.  The skin of her shoulder was just as smooth as when she broke my concentration back at the gate.

 

“These guys are nothing but foot soldiers.  The lead mages only bother when there’s a victim to sacrifice.  None the less, I enjoyed the warm-up.”

 

Warm-up?  She hadn’t even broken a sweat.  I guess she wasn’t just being playful about that pickle jar.