The Immortal's Gamble

Chapter 35 Limbo Zimbo

My eyes opened and I was no longer lying in my desolated living room. I was in a barren land that stretched for miles. Littered with random cactuses and broken piles of rocks, there was nothing else.  The ground sandy and dried, there was not an inch of grass. The sky blue and bright with not a cloud in sight. I couldn't find the sun, yet I knew it was light. I patted myself and was relieved that I was dressed, but as I brought my hands tp my face, they were not just trembling, they were pale and translucent. At the sound of my gasp, Alastor was quick to assure me that things were fine.

You've reached, there is no need to worry child. I know you're worried about disappearing but it's normal. Your physical body is here with us, it's your aura that is there. Spirit, if it makes you feel better. But you're fine. 

I whipped around at Alastor's voice but he wasn't around.

Relax, love. You're already in the Limbo. Follow my voice and you're safe. Alex can hear you so just let him know any questions you have. I won't be able to tell where the boundary is, so you need to keep your eyes peeled for any differences in your surroundings. The moment you cross over, neither Alex nor I would be able to connect to you anymore.

"It's bright and the land stretch for miles, I have no idea where to go," I said aloud. Hoping that Alex heard me.  

I could almost see Alastor nodding as he replied.

Yes. The Limbo is set to look like a desert. It would drive even the toughest of Immortals nuts if they were to hide away there. It was never meant to be a place to live.

He ended quietly and I knew. Cameron has been in hiding for god knows how long. Who's to know if he had any semblance of humanity left in him.

No, Laura. We must keep hope. Not only is he the oldest and most powerful Immortal, he's your father.

I nodded and continued walking. Checking in with Alastor every few seconds. But the land never seemed to end and it was almost as if I was walking in circles. But as Alastor mentioned, this was only my spirit form, I couldn't feel any sense of fatigue but the mental stress of everything is bringing me down.

Laura, wait -

I froze in my tracks as the figure in front of me lumbered forward. I shouted for him in my mind to hang on while I hid behind the broken pieces of rocks. I was out in the open and if that was an enemy I'd rather have the element of surprise on my side.

"Alastor! This figure, it's nothing human. It's far away, too far to look this huge." I whispered, hoping that they heard. I have never seen a demon like that. The hair on the back of my neck stood as I watched the creature move across the field until it was a safe distance away.

"Alastor?"

I tried again and again, but there was no reply. My breath grew uneven as I paced around in circles. This is not possible. How could I have walked over the boundary? I tried every name, Alastor, Alex, Bri, Soren and Arden. Silence greeted me like a friend and I knew, this time I was truly alone. I had to find Cameron.

********

Groaning as I pushed myself up to a sitting position. I dusted the sand off my body. I had slept 2 nights away and I was still nowhere close to getting an answer. I had barely avoided the creature when I first entered and now I had no one's help. I stomped on the dying embers, remnants of the fire that I had created before I fell asleep. I looked around and made my mark on the cactus so that I knew I had been here before. I understood what Alastor meant now as I dragged my feet, I had no end-goal in mind.

"Hey there! Whatchu doing?" 

I whipped around at the voice. It wasn't from my mind. Oh god, I must be losing my mind. "Who's there?" I tested, my voice sounding rough from lack of use. 

"Down here." 

Looking down, the familiar black tendrils was enough to make me take a step back and activate my cloak of fire. The Puppeteer floated back in surprise. Its features less demonic than the one I had previously encountered, but in a place like this, I can't let my guard down.

"What do you want?"

"That is so cool! Do it again! Again!"

While I questioned its presence, it shouted with the excitement of a four-year-old child. I had no time to feel perplexed as it lunged forward and circled me curiously.

"You're on fire, this means that you're dangerous. Oh no, Papa said to never talk to strangers." Stopping in midair, it slowly backed away from me.

"I spoke to you." It whispered to itself in a horrified manner as it continued moving away.

Isn't this puppeteer going to attack me?

"Hey, I won't hurt you. But tell me more about the Limbo. You're different," I paused when it remained a good distance away. Oh god, I hope I'm making the right decision.

"There, you see? I'm not dangerous anymore." I snapped my fingers to turn off the fire. The creature became excitable again and bounced forward.

"You wanted to know about the Limbo? Pshh, Limbo Zimbo, it's such a lame place. There's no good, no evil. We're just here. I don't know how we'd get out either but once we do I guess we'd be either good or evil?" It questioned then bounced around me again. Turning around to keep up with the wisp and trying to make sense of its words were mentally draining.

"What do you mean by that? There's more of you?" I asked again. If only I could grab it to make it stop. Almost as soon as I had the thought, the creature stopped in its path.

"I'm guessing you've met my kind before. So you'd know that we're different. I don't know whether I'd end up like that, but I do know that being in the Limbo means I'm different. The creatures on the Otherside are big meanies, Papa said if I don't get corrupted by them then I won't become like them." It stopped in its tracks.

"Or at least that's what Papa says. There are Dee, myself, some golems and a couple of other creatures and, oh, Papa too, how could I forget." It floated up to my face again. As though it cocked it's head to the side, it remarked, "You seem like a nice person. You look familiar too."

"Oh no, I have to go. I'll see you around!" It laughed once again and zoomed off to wherever it needed to be. 

Slumping down to the ground, I needed a moment to think over what it said. I wonder who this 'Papa' creature is. A caretaker of sorts? A monster at the top of the food chain? There's only one way to find out.