Timekeeper

20. The Dark Realm.

I burst out of the water and crawled onto shore, coughing and gagging on god knows whatever was in that water. Damn it, Patton. Warn a man before you push him off a damn ledge. I rolled over on to my back, stretched out and exhausted. I wasn't made for near-death experiences. That's Roman's department. 

I held my hand up in the air and felt the pulse of energy around it. A small smile crept on my face and I jumped up, running for home. Every step was a struggle, but eventually, there was a steady pace, getting faster and faster until the world rushed behind me. I slammed my eyes shut and forced my self to stop, nearly falling as a result. I held my arms out and just felt the energy push past me like the wind on a nice breezy day. I took a deep breath as the tension just melted away. 

An Image of home crossed my mind. I thought of calming blue walls. I thought of the bright light I have on my desk. I thought of the soft rug and clean wood floors. I thought of the banging I had heard the last time I was in there. I thought about the last thought... the last word spoken... the last sound heard. 

I felt a rush and soon the sound of someone punching a door intruded my thoughts. I opened my eyes to find I was standing there in the middle of my room. The door burst open and I was crushed under the weight of someone. I slammed my eyes closes and the rush came over me again. 

Once again I was brought back to the present by the sound of someone banging on the door. I quickly jumped out of the way, just as the door burst open, and both Roman and Virgil fell forward onto the floor, right where I would have been. They both looked up at me and got this look of embarrassment.

"Hey... Teach." I rolled my eyes as the two of them scrambled to get up. Virgil looked around and frowned. "You ok?" 

"He's obviously not ok, Virgil." Roman said as he picked up the broken door and leaned it against the wall. I wonder... I walked over grabbing the door and placed it against the hinges. Roman looked like I just offended him but I just rolled my eyes as I took a deep breath. I felt a slight breeze brush past my hand and I smiled, letting go of the door. "Logan!"

"Yes?" I said as Roman just froze in place. He just stared at the door that was now back to how it was before they broke in. Intact and in place...

"How? YOU DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!" Roman rushed over, nearly shoving me out of the way, and started swinging the door open and closed. "HOW?!"

"Is now really the time to be focused on a door?" I said annoyed at how Roman is always so... extra! He just rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. I looked back at the door and an idea popped in my head. A smile grew on my face as I left to find Deceit. I won't ask him how to go there. But I can still get him to help.

"Lo, where are you going?" I froze in my tracks. They were seriously following me? I spun around to see Virgil standing there, his hands in his hoodie pockets. "Where are you going?"

"To get your father." I went to leave again, when he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"You know where he is?" I nodded and he started to smile. It only hurt considering where Patton was."Is he ok? Where is he? Why did he leave?"

"Virgil..."His smile dropped and I looked away. "Virgil, I..."

"Where is he?"

"I can't..."

"LOGAN!" He squeezed my arm harder and I cringed. "Where. is. he?"

"You can't come with me." He let go and waved me off. "You can't. Patton would kill me. It's not safe."

"Then the more people that go..."

"Virgil, You're not listening to me." He looked away and I sighed. "Where I'm going... the whole place it's... dark." His eyes went wide and he stumbled back in shock, into Roman, who held him tightly. "If either of you got hurt, Patton... I would never forgive myself."

"What's Deceit gonna do?" Roman asked as he tried to calm Virgil down. "I don't quite understand everything you said, but... I know where you were heading."

"Wait you were going to have Deceit help you?" I shook my head and they just got more confused.

"Deceit's been there, but I'm sure he brought something back with him. I would never subject him to anything that might set him off. Instead... I would just use what he brought."

"What he brought... You lost me, Nerd." They both were staring at me so confused. I looked back at Patton's door and sighed. I don't have time for this.

"Look, I can't explain. I don't have time. All I can say is that, If I can get my hands on something that been in the dark realm. I can go save your father." They both gave eachother a look and I cringed. What are those two...

"You need something that's been there before. Does it matter what it is?" Virgil said and my heart sank. "We want to help."

"Virgil, you don't know what it's like there. You were too young to remember."

"There's no use, Lo. When he gets his mind set on something, there's no changing it. You're stuck with us." I ran a hand through my hair and groaned. I reached out grabbing both their arms and gave them a concerned look.

"Are you sure about this?" They both nodded and I smiled. Pat, you got some amazing sons. "Alright then. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Wait, what?!" I heard Roman yell as I gripped their arms tighter and watched as our hair and clothes began to float like there was no gravity. I couldn't help but smile at that rush washed over me and the others stared wide-eyed at the world began to spin around them. Things spun so fast that object became colors, and colors faded to black. The temperature dropped and I flinched. I did not miss this cold. "What was that? Where are we."

"The Dark Realm."

Just hold on Patton. We're coming to save you.