Follow Through

Way Back When

I marched into the dining hall that doubled as the conference room and snarled at Glob's perfect face.

"I want to go home."

He was seated at the head of the table,with Keanu and Logan on either side of him.

"Ms.Bishop,please sit." he asked in a tone that made me feel like a little girl that was barely tolerated.

I folded my hands and stared him down,wishing I could use one of his beautiful horns to give him an enema.Wayne walked past me and took a seat beside Keanu who conspicuously avoided meeting my eyes.

Which added fuel to the flames of my anger.

Make it an enema and a prostate exam.

Wait,why is there now an image of two perfectly proportioned butt cheeks in my head.

You're angry Judah! Keep it together!

"Who the hell do you think you are? Commanding us like a herd of sheep,keeping us here against our will and wooing us with you're irresistible good looks.I want to go home.Right now."

"While I'm very flattered,I cannot allow you to leave Aorta,much less Opa."

"Is that so? You might control weirdville but you don't control my feet."

I turned to leave,fully intending to walk right out the door in a theatrical exit.

I walked smack dab into an invisible wall.

I turned,wincing knowing my face was red and would be bruised.

Logan's gasp of surprise and Wayne's "blimey!" were drowned out by Keanu's "Jude!" 

He lept to his feet and raised his fist to punch Glob in the face but was flung aside with a flick of the wrist.

"Enough!" Glob commanded,his face set and resolute,slapping his huge hands on the table and rising to his full height

I went over to Keanu and helped him up,looking in his eyes and wordlessly telling him that despite what had happened,we were still best friends.He put his hand on my shoulder in wordless support and I turned to face Mr.Good Looking.

I dug deep inside and recalled the weightless feeling I had in the suite.I used all my pent up frustrations and anxiety that had accumulated throughout this harrowing day as a tool to ferret out the power I knew lay dormant within me.I felt the telltale tingling in my limbs and a swift burst of lightheadedness before my feet left the ground.I rose right up to Glob and got within two inches of his face.

Almost popped an eyeball on his pointed horn but I'd like to think no one noticed that minor little detail.

Needless to say I backed up a little and ignored his tiny smirk.

"Listen here you self-important,patronizing,unicorn looking block head, I've almost been killed more times than I can count today,"

"My head is not made of block," he points out with a raised finger but I barrel right over him.

"My body aches in places I can't even name and I haven't had a sip of coke in more than twenty four hours!"

He twist his face just like Ulrik did so before he accuses me of bring a d**g addict I make it clear for him.

"It's a drink! A wonderful gift to mankind that I've been needlessly deprived of! You've dragged us all here to do your bidding,expecting us to help you save the world and I don't know about the rest of these guys," I jab a thumb behind me,"but that doesn't sit well with me and I've about had enough.I don't give a flying banana about your stupid war and if you don't let me out of this God forsaken, ostentatious hell hole right this instant I'll use the same powers you gave me to tear this place apart and do as much damage as I can to that pretty little kingly face of yours." 

I poked his stupendously buff chest and tried to block out how velvety his muscles felt.I mean,would it kill him to put on a shirt? 

He frowned.

"Bananas don't fly," he rested a pensive finger on his bottom lip.

"Or do they? It seems I need to update my royal archives and-"

"Let me out of here!" I yelled at him.

"Judah,calm down, he's going to get really mad," Logan spoke up behind me.

"We're already here and it's not like we're being mistreated.Let's hear him out," Wayne agreed.

I whirled on them,my hands fisting at my sides,all but foaming at the mouth.

"What is wrong with you? Do I look like I care of he gets mad? Dont you have families? Jobs? Lives that you want to get back to?"

"My folks are definitely going out of their minds," Keanu guaranteed, verbally taking my side and I shoot him a grateful glance.

I felt a huge hand on my head and I was easily pushed to my feet.I tried to get back in the air without success.

"Noone will miss any of you while you are here."

The nerve! 

"The nerve of you! Presumptuous jerk!" I attempted to step off to get back in his face (more like his belly button,tall as he is) but my feet appeared to have grown roots and now anchored me to the floor.

"Glob you riberry asshole! Stop playing with me! I swear,I'm gonna-"

"Silence!" Glob roared,slicing the air with his hand and shutting us all up.

My teeth vibrated from the impact of being slammed together so forcefully.I do a quick prayer of thanks that my tongue wasn't between them.

"You did not think of your precious fizzy beverage when you were scarfing down the evening meal! And If you would just remain quiet and allow me to elaborate," he spoke through gritted teeth and there was a tic jumping crazily at his temple.

"You will not be missed because you exist right now outside of your dimension and on a different plane,therefore you are moving through this time and not yours.For all intents and purposes time has stopped for all of you."

Well then.

"Oh," I mutter,feeling a teeny bit chastened but also relieved that I wasn't going to be featured on 'Without A Trace.'

Glob sighed wearily and took his seat once again.

"Let's try this again.Please sit down Judah.Keanu." 

We wordlessly complied,sitting next to eachother in a subtle show of mutual support.

We were best friends,forever and always.

Even if we wanted to rip eachothers' clothes off a couple minutes ago.

"I had hoped my attempt at welcoming hospitality would be enough to convince you of my virtuous motives and make you more inclined to help voluntarily but I guess it will not not excuse my initial underhanded methods to get you here," he bgan,looking at each of us in turn then resting his gaze on me when he continued.

"I apologize for the bruise on your face Ms.Bishop and for the measures which have been taken in order to get you here.Rest assured it is not in my intention to cause you," he looks back at the group "or any of your fellow humans harm in any way but I had no choice in my means.Time is of the essence and Opa is on the verge of unraveling and you,Ms. Bishop were being rather," he hesitated and if I didn't know better I'd describe the look on his face as sheepish,"petulant,shall we say."

I looked at him defiantly.

"It's been a shitty day,"

His brows furrow in consternation.

"There are faeces in Opa? Tell me, where did you encounter the excrement? I will-"

"No,she means she's had a bad day," explains Logan,putting a hand up to still his concerns and I shake my head while she smothers her giggles.

His face clears and he starts to say something then changes his mind.I bet he's considering the pros and cons about discussing fecal matter.

"You and Ulrik spend alot of time together don't you?" I ask and he nods.

"He is my most trusted friend."

"Can't say I didn't see that one coming," Keanu murmurs and I give him a quick grin that he returns.

"Why is Opa unravelling?" Wayne asks,bringing us back to the topic at hand.

Glob utters one word filled with venom and obvious distaste,

"Gargol," then continues with rancor in his voice.

"He has been dispatching his Noir and hounds throughout Opa to drain the magic of my people and strengthen his own.This land is sustained by white magic and will be transformed into what you know as a black hole if none remain."

"The meadow," I whisper,but somehow I'm heard by Glob.

"Yes,Ulrik told me that it has begun."

So that's what they were whispering about.

"What do you mean? What happened in the meadow?"

Wayne inquires and I fill them all in.

"I have managed to reverse it's course and channel it's energy back into the earth but the meadow is gone.Nothing remains but a scar where there was once such beauty." His voice is tinged with regret,the love for Opa clearly evident.

"I knew this day would come and that is why I gifted you all with portions of my power."

"Why didn't you just keep it all back then and get rid of YOUR nemesis by YOURself? Why did you have to drag us into your mess?" Keanu asks insolently, putting up a facade of tempered indifference though I knew he was wound as tight as a violin string.

"It must be used by multiple entities to be fully effective so the spell keeping Gargol in Nazir weakened throughout the centuries.I am but one.My family were the last remaining Globites and were betrayed by their people when Gargol promised them powerful magic and unspeakable pleasures.They were sentenced to death,starved and tortured till they grew weak and had no chance of defeating Glob.My mother hid me when I was a babe,feeding me most of the scraps they received so I would be strong enough to withstand their infusion."

I put my hand up.

"Infusion? I'm confused,you needed blood?"

"No," he met my eyes,"their magic.The night before Gargol sent his Noir for them my parents drew every last drop of magic from my older siblings and themselves and gave it to me so it would grow and flourish.I was their last and only hope.I was hidden and they were killed.The magic will not be contained in one body which is why each member of my family had a different ability.The energy is eternal and never ceases to grow so it must be dispersed and passed on or it destroys the host.This ensures the preservation of magic itself."

I feel like I'm listening to the ramblings of a crazy hippie but Glob's face is all too serious as he continues.

"When Gargol consumes the magic of my people it turns rancid and evil,weakening Opa and giving him strength.When he managed to take refuge in Nazir I knew I had to seek help outside of my realm,lest my people be deceived once more and my body is torn apart by my family's magic."

"Should have made sure he didn't get to Nazir then," Keanu commented,earning a lifted brow from Glob.

"My folly will not be repeated.I went to human kind because I've read that thy are benevolent, resilient and love a challenge.Was I wrong?"