“Lyman? What do you desire the most?”

“Haven’t really thought about that, to be frank… I suppose I’m good where I am right now.”

“No, but really. Everyone always wants something more.”

“I guess I’d want nobody to endure what I did. But now that I’m here, I just want to forget about that.”

“You still have your debts, don’t forget about those. Remember who helped you and your mother out of that shithole?”

“Eh, when they said debts, they just meant helping a beautiful brunette with magic like that of an 8th grade science project.”

“They aren’t to be trifled with. And neither am I. The Mithril Court isn’t a bunch of pushovers. I’m starting to think you have no respect for them.”

Lyman leaned in, whispering into his colleague’s ear.

“I don’t.”

Admittedly, Lyman wasn’t too scared about what was going on. He suspected this device had something to do with dimensional shenanigans, but he didn’t suspect the full extent of what had happened.

Either way, he was still a little nervous, as he was in a room of mildly bloodthirsty vagrants he’d just betrayed, and his plan had gone south just as he’d nearly completed it after all this time.

“Lyman?” Julia said, walking up to him nervously. She’d just come in from outside, where Nove and Stygian were sitting so as not to be near the therapist.

“What is it, Dear?” he asked, looking up from some maps.

“Why did you do this?” she questioned shyly, sitting down beside him in another chair.

“That’s what you want to ask?” asked Lyman, surprised. “I was expecting it was your turn to rag onto me.”

“Uh, not really. I’m just here to give you some company. You look sad.”

“Why aren’t you mad?” Lyman asked further, tilting his head.

“I don’t hold grudges against most. But… the people who I do… I make sure they suffer for it.” she whispered. She was kinda scary to Lyman all things considered. He noted it and moved on. “But… uh, yeah. Not you.”

“Well, I did this for… a reason that will be revealed in the future. But don’t worry dear, I have no intention of harming you, or them, despite their anger. In fact, I was trying to help you… truly, I was.”

“Sadly, I don’t trust that.” Julia replied quietly, shaking her head. Lyman sighed and went back to work, letting her decide to leave the room herself.

But she wasn’t gone long.

“Ummm… Lyman, could you look at this?” she asked, a little urgently, reentering. Lyman took a little bit, but he stood up after a moment and walked with her to the balcony of the watchtower.

Stygian and Nove were both looking over the banister at something moving below them. A figure, but it wasn’t moving humanly. It was more of an amorphous shape of darkness posing as a human, darting through the woods.

“What is that?” Stygian said for the group. Lyman suspected something, wanted to speak, but then stopped himself.

“Whatever it is, that shit is getting near to the tower.” Nove grumbled, feeling a bit uneasy.

It reached the bottom of the wooden stairs, standing still for a moment, it looked like a humanoid figure, albeit distorted at the edges. It looked like static on a television brought to life. Like somebody turned this figure’s skin into it. It brought a hand up, making sure they could peer into what could be called its ‘eyes’. It gave them a slow wave as it began to vibrate rapidly.

“Get inside. Now.” Lyman ordered. Nobody objected.

Before they could even get through the door, the figure had already zipped up to the balcony. It had some sort of super speed, and it was looking straight into Lyman’s eyes with its empty pits. It produced a constant static noise, except it sounded louder and more real than a broken TV, it sounded like something from the void.

“Other door, go go go!” Lyman huffed, ushering the others to the opposite entrance to the building. The group practically broke it down in their frantic rush as the static figure walked toward them, unable to move quickly at all times probably. Lyman quickly deduced the creature needed some sort of warm-up before moving fast. That’s probably what the vibrating was.

As they went out the other side and attempted to wrap around to the stairs on the opposite end, the figure began to vibrate inside the building, it was getting ready to move again, Lyman thought with fear, looking through the window as they ran.

Stygian nearly fell straight off the tower with fright as the figure zipped right in front of them, making an electrical sound that sounded ear piercing compared to its constant static noises, which were already pretty noisy.

But the creature just stood there, waiting for one of them to make a move. They were in a standoff.

“What do we do?” Stygian gasped, wishing he had a weapon.

“We jump.” Lyman said, not moving an inch. Nove, standing the closest to the banister, took a glance over the edge. There were around forty feet between them and the ground, and it was a drop onto the concrete base of the tower if they didn’t clear the gap. No way they’d not break their legs from the fall, forget running from Static Man after they land.

“Got any better ideas, asshole?” the Halicanth asked aggressively.

“I’m… not interested in fighting this fellow.” Lyman said with doubt, the figure still standing there. Why it wasn’t striking was beyond them. It was quite awkward.

“We’re agreeing it’s male now?” Stygian rhetorically polled.

“A Sycanthe couldn’t survive that… the only way we’re getting out is through him.” Julia shuddered.

Static Man took a step forward, and straightened his posture, the four misfits leaping backward in surprise. His form began to vibrate again, he looked different though, unlike his previous charging for speed.

It began to speak.

“Who is out there?” a woman's voice said. It sounded like it was coming from a speaker. Like the voice wasn’t really there.

“Oh, I suppose it’s just a frightened young lady.” Stygian sighed.

“Miss Laurane, it’s just me. Death.” said a different voice from the same body, a dark sinister tone. “You must not listen to him Laurane, leave now, follow my voice.” said yet another voice, this time a calm middle aged man.

The static man then stood aside, ushering them to leave.

“What the hell? Is it quoting a TV show?” Lyman cringed, questioning in his head if they were actually free to leave.

“It’s… creeping me out…” Nove said, holding her ground.

“It was simply tracking you, Laurane. He doesn’t want you dead, but I think he wants your help.” the calm middle aged man said from the static creature.

“It’s probably trying to talk to us. I suggest we should follow it’s advice and leave with our lives.” Lyman deduced aloud.

“I will see you again…” the dark voice said, as the static creature began to vibrate. It zipped down the stairs, trailing out into the woods, leaving a static residue in the air from its wake.

“So… this world has magic after all! Quite interesting!” Lyman chortled, marching back inside.

“We almost died, wacknut!” Nove shouted, following him and the others as they entered the small room and collapsed into the three chairs, Nove returning to the floor.

“Keyword: Almost!” Lyman said cheerfully, standing up, holding out a map.

“What’s that?” Julia asked, coming closer to look at an area circled red. The area seemed a tad more rocky and there seemed to be a building there. It had the words “Wang Fen Motel site” written there.

“A motel… Can you read English?” Lyman said snarkily.

“Not very well…” the Scycanthe confessed, unamused at the therapist’s attitude.

“And how are we gonna stay in a motel? The people in this world seem to hate magic.” Nove groaned.

“Well, I’ll sneak you in obviously, kids!” Lyman chortled. In his defence, indeed, they were kind of following him like lost sheep.

“We may want to ask the irishman what he thinks.” Stygian said, unknowing Drew was actually pulling up outside as he spoke.

“Gosh, is anyone else extremely famished?” Lyman said, standing up. He looked out the window and saw his food arriving.

“Well, speak of the devil.” Stygian said with a smile as he hobbled over to the door. He’d run but he was feeling a bit under the weather at the moment due the hunger and the fear. But he could definitely run. Just not on two legs.

They all followed, coming down the stairs to meet the agent and the ranger, the former carrying two to-go bags full of warm grilled cheese sandwiches in one hand and a paper cup three quarters full of vanilla milkshake in the other.

“You better have gotten chips!” Lyman scowled jestingly.

“I’m afraid I didn’t, tubby.” Drew smirked, lightly shrugging.

“Don’t insult him, he got us food.” instructed Julia, walking over to Drew and grabbing a sandwich from the bag.

“She is right, Lyman…” said a voice. Only Lyman heard it, and he knew it all too well. “Get away from them for a minute. I need your attention.”

“I have to step away for a moment, I’ll take the sandwich though.” Lyman said, pushing his way through the others already surrounding Drew to grab his breakfast. Stygian frowned, he definitely thought Lyman was more selfish than even him.

His captor stumbled off into the woods as the others sighed and looked at one another.

“Well, whoever wants to ditch him, say I.” Nove said, looking at everyone. At first some members of the group thought it was a joke. But they quickly realized Nove was not joking.

“I’d say we don’t... With monsters like that roaming around… we may need all the help we can get.” Julia said between bites, shuddering at the thought of that creature coming back.

“Monsters? What are ya talking about?” exclaimed Drew.

“This human… actually, more of a creature perhaps made of television static chased us around a bit while you were away. I don’t think it wanted to harm us, but it seems to have left as quickly as it came.” Stygian explained to the changeling.

“More magic creatures? Are you sure I’m not dreaming?” Cristobal stuttered, pinching himself to test if he really was asleep. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t.

“Does this mean… hmm, maybe we aren’t the only magic people in this universe after all, ayun…?” Drew thought out loud, puzzled.

“I guess…” Julia sighed, sitting on a small boulder while she ate. The others began to eat as well.

“That’s for us to discover, I suppose. But I’m thinkin’ we’ll like it here if we are stuck. The natives aren’t jerks like the Brits.” said the agent with a hint of xenophobia.

“Yo, Cristobal.” began Nove, looking his way. “What’s the Wang Motel? Lyman suggested we stay there for the night.”

“Oh… well, it’s a last resort. The place is nice, but the guy who runs the place… not so much.”

“I guess she’ll be used to it.” Drew chortled. Nove looked at him and growled a little, she looked ready to bite his head off.

“It’s better than no roof, I say.” Stygian gave his opinion.

“Are there any other hotels?” Drew asked, turning to his guide.

“Um… well… unless you want to stay at Vista Lodge, which is one hundred something a night, Wang Fen looks like a good option.” explained Cristobal.

“Don’t you have a house, Cristobal?” asked Julia, smirking devilishly.

“I don’t have room for guests.” the park ranger replied, breaking eye contact for a moment, then looking back for a second.

“Sure… sure.” the Scycanthe said sarcastically, going back to eating.

“Do you have mood swings or something Julia? Because now you are starting to scare me.” Nove said, wide eyed.

Julia said nothing.

“What do you want, I’m busy!” Lyman muttered under his breath as he walked through the woods carelessly. He currently was walking through grass that went half way up his shins and was probably filled with tiny little bugs and larger scarier bugs. Lyman had hardly ever been into nature… like ever. He’d probably never climbed a tree, at least not recently.

“Look what you’ve done now, Lyman.” said a female voice to him. It was angry, but a tad monotone.

“That wasn’t a good answer.” Lyman responded with a Lyman-esque response.

“I just want you to know what you’ve lost.” the voice continued. “The Old Ones will know you’ve failed them now, and you have nowhere left to run. Your time was up long ago, and you knew they were only keeping you around because-”

“I know, I know.” the therapist interrupted, coming to the end of the grass and leaning against a tree.

“Are you sure you don’t want to use your powers yet, Lyman?” she asked, as Lyman sighed, staring off into space.

He thought about what he’d done, where he was, how he’d survive. So far he didn’t need his powers, his powers killed someone he cared about last time he used them. He didn’t care about or stick around many people often, so it was definitely a massive blow on his self worth.

“Lyman.” the figure said, interrupting his thoughts. Before him stood a figure. She was tall, taller than him, wearing red high heels and had wavy long blonde hair and a white lab coat over a short, tight skirt revealing her leg to halfway up her thigh. Her form was just an illusion, he knew it. But she, her soul itself, it was there, he believed. She was real. But only he could see her.

“Harriet. I won’t use you. You’ve been good to me, but I cannot watch as your form takes control.”

“You’ve held me back, and I would prefer an eternity with you than an eternity in whatever is in the next life.” Harriet replied determinedly.

“It’s not like you have a choice.” Lyman stated.

“I would prefer you stay alive. That way I don’t have to leave this world, and I’ll still have you.” explained the splinter soul.

“Oh gosh you are so pathetic and needy sometimes.” replied Lyman. “Just know that I don’t condone using this magic of mine.”

“They taught it to you for a reason. These powers belong to you.” Harriet said.

“One of the many reasons I am doing what I am currently.” Lyman replied, adjusting his tie. He was sweating, yet it was nipping cold. “And for your information, they gave me them for their own interests. I find it embarrassing to use them.”

“We’ll see your stance on that when you are being chased down by Viola, Azbycx, or one of the others.”

“We’ll see indeed.”

“And aren’t you afraid of endangering the subjects?” Harriet asked, stepping forward to Lyman.

“They are useless to me now. I’m considering actually just getting rid of them. Kidding, obviously… unlesssss…?” he asked with a smirk, approaching her too.

“I don’t think you need them. But… you always intended to keep me around, right?”

“Yes, my love.” he agreed, beginning to make out with her, although to anyone else, he was smooching the air. Like a psychopath.

Stygian and the others were currently in Cristobal’s car on the ride up the hills to Wang Fen Motel, next to another place they discovered. The Darted Grotto, a beautiful little tourist attraction in a quaint cave where plants were able to grow, covering the walls in verdancy.

“Do you know anyone here, Cristobal?” Drew asked from the back of the car, crammed to capacity. “It’d be nice to have some friends.”

Cristobal, who was driving, remained focused on the road as he spoke, like a good driver. “I thought I already said I knew Wang?”

“I meant like... are you two friends?” the agent replied. Julia had to sit on his lap due to lack of space and Lyman kept turning his head back from the passenger seat in the front and chuckling at his discomfort. He was sure it was some kind of ‘payback’ for his actions back in England, but it wasn’t really that good. It just was more of a dick move by Lyman. ‘If you want revenge, do it well.’ Drew always said, but he kept his mouth shut this time.

“Eh, arguable, not besties or anything. Why are you guys so obsessed with getting my help, by the way?” the ranger asked, turning off onto another street.

“Well, you seem pretty normal about things. And you are a helpful sort.” Lyman chimed in as they passed by a graveyard. Stygian winced at it, remembering he’d also miss his son's funeral, something he’d hoped he’d never see, but now really wanted to attend. Funerals are weird like that.

“For what it’s worth, you guys, I don’t mind helping you. As long as I’m not some sort of prisoner. I’m just looking for answers, and I wont rat you out. I don’t really want the attention.”

“What a charming young man you are! You must get a ton of females and then some!” Lyman chortled. Cristobal ignored it, he seemed to frown in fact.

“It’s just up here.” the ranger sighed, turning off again onto an even smaller dirt road and slowing his speed. They drove up a small hill to a plateau where they saw a large enough victorian hotel with around three stories. It seemed to be undergoing renovations in some areas, but half of it looked fully operational.

When the words ‘Wang Fen Motel’ came to most of the group’s mind, they expected some run down, trashy bed and breakfast with little faculties and terrible staff. This wasn’t trashy, but it did look haunted as all hell.

“Can we perchance turn back? That Vista motel is looking quite a bit superior to this establishment…” Lyman chattered, looking at the building with fear.

“It looks beautiful…” Julia gasped.

“I’ll ‘andle the checking in.” Drew stated, getting out with a blank expression.

He bravely approached the building which could only be described as a ghost mansion. The exterior fit well in the forest, it seemed upkept decently on closer inspection. The intricate wooden architecture actually impressed Drew. He was never really fond of it, compared to the magical woodwork from the Wyld.

The world where Drew came from was very strange. The world was normal once, but after the pioneers and discoverers of magic, The Mithril Court, as they were known before they all separated, dabbled in unknown magics far beyond their control, they unleashed something.

It wasn’t evil, it was nature in and of itself breaking under their control, and thus a grand mutation spread across the entirety of Europe, part of Africa, and Western Asia. This mutation changed things, unleashing the rules and laws from another dimension into their world. It was known as Wyld, and while the Mithril Court he was once part of remained cautious of its power, some even opposing it. Drew was one of the few curious by it.

While the world has learnt to live with the mutated animals and magical races living among them, there is still discomfort among many humans in their dimension, and Drew is all too happy to have left that behind now. What magic could truly do to their world is a scary thought, and while he understands their points, he finds their fear of the Wyld unjustified for what it has brought. All the benefits of a magical world outweighed the occasional beast attack, he thought.

Drew opened the door, wondering what would greet him inside. Apparently not a soul. Or a ghost, or anything living or dead. Just a lobby, lit by a small crystal chandelier and housing a desk, some dead plants in pots, and several brown leather seats partially covered in white cloth.

“Hello?” the agent hollered into the room. There was a staircase up to the second floor, leading directly into a hallway which probably led to the rooms. There was another similar hallway on the ground floor, and a door to some sort of breakfast bar.

Out of the breakfast bar came a man with balding black hair, turning grey too by the looks of things. He wore a bellhop uniform and had a stubble covered chin and a pointy nose. He hunched over like a goblin as he shuffled up to Drew, who internally felt amused, sorry, and disgusted by the man. The former taking priority.

“What you want, ugly? We’re closed, read the sign!” the man said with a haughty and rough Asian accent.

“My friends and I would like a room. And I have no damn care if this place is closed, ancient one.”

“Wang Fen motel has the right to deny service to any of its potential patrons and annoyances.” the bellhop recited. The changeling thought this might be Wang Fen himself. Probably due to the plastic card unclassily pinned to his uniform that read ‘Hello! My name is: [Wang Fen]’ in bold lettering.

“You’ll reserve us a room, or I’m casting a spell on you. Got that?” Drew joked. He often jested with complete strangers like this. Why? Because it was fun! Why else?

“Ohhhh, you are one of those guys… check in during the night.” Wang replied, crossing his arms. He was pretty animated for an old man.

“I’m not kiddin’, mothballs.” Drew ensured.

“So… You… really do wizardry?” Wang sneered, pointing a skinny, shaking arm toward Drew, who then had an idea.

“Why yes, little puny man! And I will use it to turn into a beast that will kill you if you don’t reserve a room for us right now, ayun?!” Drew announced overdramatically at the top of his lungs. He was already into the role so well. Trickery was truly where he felt his fullest.

“Fine! You win, wizard! You can have your stupid room with your threats! But you still pay like everyone else! Got it?” he surrendered. “But, how do I know you not liar like your magical human friend who was in two nights ago?”

“Friend? I’ve got no fucking friends in this town. Get me my damn room or I’ll cast fireball and burn your beautiful hotel down. With guilt, nice place indeed, so don’t make me do it.” Drew ordered. He was unsure what other magical creature would live here, in this world. Either this was a madman’s ravings, or… maybe there really was magic in this world. His friends said of their encounters with it in his absence, but he’d thought they were just making it up. He hardly trusted anybody, himself included.

“I’ll prepare your room.” Wang replied begrudgingly.

“Make that five rooms, Doctor Mungbean!” he yelled as the entrance door swung open behind him.

“Oh. You aren’t yelling in sheer terror.” Lyman said in relief, sighing. “AGH! MILLION YEAR OLD HOBGOBLIN!” he shrieked, immediately turning the gun upon the old man, nearly giving him another heart attack following the several ones he held back prior.

After calming down and watching Lyman lower his weapon at Drew’s physical urging, Wang spoke. “You have some nutjob friends, wizard man.” he said sarcastically, walking over to the desk. “Rooms ready in thirty minutes, come back later. Get some fresh air, weather is beautiful out this time of year.”

He leaves the room, vanishing down the first floor’s hall and into another room. Lyman and Drew looked at each other in confusion…

And then they laughed their asses off.

Hopefully the beginning of their stay here would keep their levity alive.

Lyman hoped for more though. Relative ease of returning to his world. If not that, then he wanted happiness, physical safety, and the security of his secrets.

And boy… he really had a lot. So much so, as he thought, he stopped laughing, blankly turned around, and marched out the door. Drew couldn’t understand why, and couldn’t make the connection at the time, but he knew. He definitely knew enough to pin Lyman to a cross.

And if the situation arose, he’d crucify his old friend for his own gains.