The Eldest Cipher

Journey To The Other Side

   Ford glared at Bill and began to walk towards him, reaching into the inside pocket of his trench coat. Before he could retrieve the item however, Bill raised his hand and pushed Ford towards the wall. Everyone stared in shock as Bill's hand, engulfed in yellow flame.

   "I thought Asilea took your powers," Ford said through gritted teeth.

   "She did," Bill answered, "But she gave them back." He slipped his hand into the inside pocket of his vest, pulling out the vial that now only contained a blue essence.

   Bill stood and everyone in the room slowly back away. Bill chuckled. If only they knew that without the extra power, and Matthias holding sway over him, they could have put up a good fight. Maybe even won if they were smart.

   "I'm going to get my brother," Bill explained, "Don't try to stop me." He opened a yellow portal and glanced back at his unconscious sister. She had saved him after all, and he better than anyone what it was like being under Matthias' spell. Whatever she was seeing, it wasn't pleasant.

   He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. "One problem at a time," he thought. He walked through the portal.

   It was a little disorienting whenever he entered an alternate dimension. Upon first glance, it looked virtually the same as the Mystery Shack he had just left, but the more he looked the details didn't add up. The slightly didn't positions of furniture, the bits of blonde hair on floor that mixed with what looked like chicken feathers. He didn't stay for long. He had to make his way to Will.

   As he walked around town, he could feel the link between himself and his brother, as faded as it was, and followed it until it became so strong that Bill knew he was inside the ominous mansion on the hill. 

   "Here goes nothing," Bill thought. He made himself invisible and stealthily snuck into the house. He continued to follow the link until he came up a steel door with a hand scanner. As he thought as ways to bypass it, he heard footsteps come from the stairs above him.

   A man that looked identical to Ford stepped in front of the door. The only big difference between the two was wardrobe. This Ford wore an aqua green dress shirt, black dress pants and dress shoes, and a royal blue cape being held onto his body with golden straps. He placed his hand on the scanner and opened the door. Bill followed quietly behind him.

   They walked down a long dark hallway before another steel came into view, this one with a padlock, and on the other side of the door was a cowering Will.

   Bill had to hold in a gasp when he saw his brother's state. He silently cursed Matthias for forcing him to do this to his brother. He didn't know how, but he was going to find a way to repay everything he had done.

   "Do you have anything to show me?" Ford asked. His voice was smooth and soft, but there was something dangerous lurking underneath.

   Will shook his head, and clenched his body, preparing for the attack that would come. Ford raised his hand as if to hit him, and gently lowered it. 

   "That was warning," Ford whispered, "The next time I won't be so kind." He left and slammed the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Will began to sob uncontrollably. Bill couldn't take any more of his brother's suffering. He made himself visible, and conjured a yellow flame in his hand to generate light.

   Will's eyes widened, first in wonder and surprise, but that quickly turned to fear. He slowly back away into the corner he was in.

   "Bill..." he whispered, "How...how are you..."

   "I'll explain later," Bill answered, "Right now, I'm here to get you out of here." He began to walk towards his brother, but Will flinched and pleaded for him to stay where he was. Bill reluctantly obeyed.

   "Why are here Bill," Will muttered, "What could you possibly need from me that you haven't already taken."

   Bill stood in silence. He realized that no matter what he did, Will wasn't going to believe that his intentions were pure. But he still needed to get his brother out of this hellhole. He pulled out the vial that contained Will's power.

   "I know you probably won't believe me," Bill started, "But I came here to rescue you because I couldn't stand by and watch you be tortured. Matthias manipulated me, but not anymore. I just... I just want my brother back. I understand if you don't want that, so if you don't want me to rescue you, you can rescue yourself." Bill smashed the vial on the floor and the essence started creeping towards Will. At first Will tried to get away from the it, but he could feel the familiar pulse of the power that used to reside inside him. Hesitantly, he reached out and absorbed the essence.

   In a flash of blue light, the chains around Will's limbs snapped in two. He slowly stood up, he legs incredibly shaking, and warily stood in front of his twin. There was something about him that seemed different from the last time they had met.

   "How did you..." Will couldn't think of the right phrase to explain it, so he gestured to Bill's body.

   "I didn't," Bill explained, "Asilea did. She stripped me of Matthias' control and the excess power that had made me incorporeal."

   "Asilea," Will gasped, "Where is she?"

   Bill's expression became solemn as he explained Matthias' ambush. When he explained how Asilea had been overpowered, Will's eyes light up with surprise and worry.

   "We have to go back and save her," Will exclaimed, "Our combined power should be enough to break the enchantment."

   Bill was silent. Will was right, but he was still having a hard time trying to forgive Asilea. Bill shook his head. He was being ridiculous. No one deserves to be at Matthias' mercy.

   "Let's go," Bill said. He opened up a yellow portal, and gestured for Will to walk in first. Will shook his head and insisted on Bill going in first. Bill complied, and the two brothers became engulfed in the yellow light of the portal.