Sign In

Close
Forgot your password? No account yet?

Trials of Family and Friendship Chapter 35 by emperorwolf

Chapter Thirty Five: Into the Astral Plane!

"the astral plane is a world of the collective unconsious, in this place, mortal thought directly influences reality- emotions affect the individual, feeling trapped will put them in chains, feeling lost puts you under a shroud, and so on. it is a place where mental strength is superior to physical strength."

-Bastion's description of the Astral Plane.

Benson got the call from Dyson a short time after 4am.
"what?! you need us for some machine?"

""correction, I need you and your associates to use my device to retrieve the Betawolf. once I reach Gentiki and my collaborator, we can finish the machine and get you all inside the Astral Plane to bring Beta out.""

Benson could hear Patrick shouting down the line.
""look, what's the use of us goin in? isn't that place a mental world?""

""it is,"" Dyson replied ""and you'd only have a small impact without the mental prowess required to get there naturally, but we need Beta out now, we need as much help as possible.""

Kevin's voice came next.
""Ben, you ever been there before?""

"I have, yeah."

""is it... dangerous?""

Benson sighed "really, really dangerous."
he wasn't lying, one rogue thought could put someone in mortal peril inside that dimension.

Carl's tired voice spoke next ""jeez... doesn't exactly inspire confidence. if it's that dangerous, how're we gonna survive it?""

Benson groaned, future Ciril looked at him wondering the same thing.

"well... it won't be easy, but it's not like we're pushovers."
Ciril smiled at him and hugged him to his chest.
"so look, Carl, we'll stay alive... I won't let any of us get hurt."

""plus,"" came a familiar voice from Dyson's end ""we've got Alpha and me. Alpha's got a strong mind, we'll be fine.""

Kevin chuckled ""well, you're bold for a kid, aren't you, Zenef?""

Zenef chuckled embarrasedly ""hehehe... I try, but it does help having Alpha to encourage me!""

Dyson grumbled ""okay, okay, enough. we all need to meet up at the Ixcorp building in Zenebatta. your 'pack' group should randevous there.""

Benson sighed again "okay, everyone get that?"

there was a general 'yes'.
Benson hung up.
"okay, Ciril, you three coming?"
he nodded "yes, dad. and the younger usses should--"
"no," Benson barked "I won't put my sons in danger."
Ciril looked at him curiously "but... I'm your son."
"you are," the fox growled "but you're older and stronger. your younger self just isn't strong enough and I don't want him hurt, nor Virlan... and I'm sure Ian and Amelia don't want Velian getting hurt, either."

"you're damn right I don't."

Ian descended in front of them and tucked his wings away.
"my son might be a Nephilim, but he's not a fighter. the future version maybe, but not the way he is now."
Ciril groaned "yeah, okay, point taken uncle Ian."

Ian chuckled "I'm only your biological uncle."

Ciril smirked "well... not when I'm from, you're not."

Benson's eyes widened
Ciril nodded "you're thinking right, dad."
"you mean...?"
the foxcat gave a toothy grin "uncle Ian is trying to abolish prop.99, isn't he?"
"I am... I win, I take it?"
Ciril jokingly put a paw over his mouth "I've said too much." he laughed


Carl hung up, sighing sadly.
(if what Ben said is true... oh god, what'll I do if Sy gets...?)
he grabbed his head and shook it, trying to drive those thoughts away.
(no, Sy won't get hurt... I'll keep him safe.)

he silently padded into the bedroom, finding Syrus sleeping soundly in the Giki-scaled bed they shared.
his ears folded; he didn't want to disturb the otter's long-awaited sleep, but he had no choice.

"Sy? 'scuse me, Sy?" he whispered as he gently prodded the slumbering otter with his claw.
Syrus grumbled and latched onto the big digit, smiling and sighing contentedly.
Carl smiled "aww~"
Syrus snuggled into the finger, hugging it tight and mumbled "mphh...Carl..."
every time he tried to free his finger, the sleeping otter protested and tugged it back to himself "nrr... drn grrr...."
Carl realised that was probably 'No, don't go'.
Carl lowered his face to Syrus and the instant he got close enough, the otter latched onto his face.
"mmm... Carl..."
the big leopard's heart fluttered, his little otter loved him so much he even displayed affection while still completely fast asleep. how could he not love him? "best otter ever~"
Syrus' eyes trembled "unnnhh?"
Carl smiled lovingly as the little otter woke up, those small but beautiful brown eyes gazing back at him through the haze of sleepiness. "ugrel moracho bitti?...." he said groggily in his mother tongue before realising what was happening "Carl? ugh... what time is it?"
"a little after 4."
Syrus groaned "why? whyyyyyyy?" he whined "you want me to sleep and then you wake me at four? what the helllllllllll?"
"oh, have a sook" he taunted Syrus "we need to do something."
Syrus rolled his eyes "not now, it's too early..."
"Sy--"
"no." he groaned, settling back down to a sleeping position.
"Sy, what do you think I'm asking?"
the otter groaned again "I'm not having sex with you this damn early, Carl."
Carl went wide eyed "I'm not askin' for that!"
Syrus waved a paw dismissively "what else would you wake me for?"
Carl scooped up the little otter and held him in cupped paws.
Syrus was only in his briefs.
"Sy, Dyson just called... it's time to get Beta out of the coma."
Syrus' eyes shot open, then he blushed "o-oh... right, right..."
Carl gently licked Syrus' face with his tonguetip "little slut~"
Syrus pinched his pawpad "you're such an ass."
Carl hugged him to his face "hey, I've caught you sneakin' peeks every so often, you naughty little--"
Syrus grumbled "yeah, yeah, guilty as charged. but can you blame me?"
Carl deposited Syrus on the dresser to allow him to get dressed. "well, no... I sneak peeks o' my own, so I can't really judge you for it"
Syrus giggled "we're just a couple'a dirty boys, aren't we~?"
Carl popped his head behind the changing screen and stuck out his tongue "oh yes, in your words we're 'just a pair of gutter-brained, miscievous boys' if I remember right."
Syrus glared at him and smiled "we're perfect for each other... now stop it, you peeping-tomcat!"
"I'm a leopard."
"I know, but 'tomcat' worked better."


Kevin hung up, with a sigh "it's finally happening..."
he turned to look back towards the bed where Oriado sat, the black-and-white wolf clad in only the bedsheets as he looked back at the german shepherd sadly "Ori... it's time to get Beta out."

the wolf whimpered "Kev... I'm a bit scared."
Kevin padded over and hugged the wolf tightly "it's okay, don't panic."
Oriado's eyes watered, and he licked gently at a recent bite-scar on Kevin's neck.
Kevin felt his ears descend "c'mon Ori, you don't need to do that..." he said with a reassuring tone, but that did little to stop the wolf.
"Kev... I'm so sorry..."
"don't be--"
"does it still hurt?" Oriado cut in with genuine concern.
"no, it--" Kevin winced as his wolf prodded the wound with his nose "o-okay, yes."
Oriado inspected it closer, still sobbing "it's, uh... it's pretty deep, ain't it?" he asked guiltily.

"eesh. that looks bad, even from down here."

Collin had walked in at some point, and he was cringing at the sight of the bite-mark.
"I didn't think your teeth were that long..."

Oriado hung his head "they extend."

Kevin squeezed his wolf tighter "don't feel too bad, hon, I still love ya'!"
Oriado managed a chuckle "thanks, babe."

Collin cracked his knuckles "we should get ready."
Oriado groaned "Bailey..."
Collin proudly thumped his chest and went steely-eyed "I'll stay with him, as long as I'm alive nothing will harm him."

Kevin smiled at the little white wolf "good boy. you keep Bailey safe."

Collin saluted him "yessir!"

Kevin noticed a lick at his muzzle and looked to Oriado "hm?"
the black-and-white wolf had stopped crying and was beaming "and I'll watch your back, babe."

Kevin smiled as Collin sprang up to the matress and Oriado moved in to kiss the german shepherd.
"thanks, hon."


Patrick had already roused his children and parents, and they were all getting ready to leave.
"okay. I'm going in and so is dad, but you three aren't going into the astral plane."
Malcom nodded "gotcha, we're on lookout, right?"
Patrick nodded "you two protect Grandma and Grandpa, okay?"
Felicia smiled "we'll do our best, Dad."

they all linked up and Patrick focussed "Mal, I'll need a little help moving everyone."
his son understood and readied his own powers, the family group vanishing with a Whump

however, they rematerialised in an empty void of white.

nearby, an aging husky sat in a recliner reading a newspaper.
Aeon laughed "hello, old friend!"
the husky looked up and groaned "Aeon? how'd you...?"
Aeon gestured to his son and grandson "teleportation, Kierran. how else?"
the husky grumbled and resumed reading "I go by Ray these days, Dylan."
Verona sighed "Aeon, not that your old friends aren't interesting, but we should go."
Kierran let out a short laugh "Madam, I see you're not afraid to keep Dylan here in line."
she giggled "I tell Aeon off all the time."
the black dog protested "hey, Verona, that's not fair."
Felicia jokingly slapped her grandfather "Bad Grandpa." she giggled.
"I'm sure he had his reasons" Patrick and Malcom said at the same time.
Kierran waved a paw dismissively "alright, alright, off you go."


Zenef and Gar walked down the street to Dyson's lab from the store, having arrived at last.
"bro," Gar spoke "are you... alright?"
the question confused the canine "uh, 'course I am... why?"
Alpha materialised in his gold vapour 'Zenef, your brother worries for your wellbeing.'
Lothis appeared beside Gar "right, he's all torn up inside about you."
Gar sighed "they're right, bro."
Zenef peered into his sibling's sad eyes "so... why are you worried?"
"if something happens... like... uh, well..." he looked at Alpha "if Zen dies in the Astral-whatever-it's-called, what happens... to the real him?"

the gold spectre recoiled 'well... he'd be... braindead.'
Zenef looked mortified.
'but that reason...' he continued 'is why he will stay out here.'

they entered through the large glass doors of the lab, into the pristine white lobby.

Lothis eyed Alpha curiously "I thought you were going in?"
'I am.'
they entered the elevator and the two phantoms briefly dissappeared, the device in the elevator suppressing them within Zenef and Gar.
Gar looked up at the little grey ball on the roof of the elevator "why'd master Dyson put this in, anyway?"
Zenef wrung his paws in anxiety "uh... dunno, guess we should ask..."
they reached the basement and exited the elevator, allowing Alpha and Lothis to re-manifest.
Alpha seemed to choke 'dammit I hate that thing.'
Lothis looked dizzied.
finally, they were in a metal room with a large electronic cylinder in the centre.
everything was whiter than snow, and the cylinder was attatched to a ring of stasis pods.
inside one of them lay Beta, Dyson watching over him.
Dyson was talking to the comatose wolf.
"why'd you do it? why'd you save me?"
of course, he recieved no answer.
"I never asked you to, I wanted him to do it... you didn't have to--"

'Dyson.' Alpha spoke up, catching his attention 'don't dwell on it, it's never been in my nature to just let others suffer.'

the man sighed and looked away "I saw it again..."
Alpha flinched 'no... you mean...?'
the others listened in confusion.
"I do, I saw that odd scenery again..." Dyson said sadly "it is becoming more vivid each time... as well as more gruesome..."
Gar scratched his head "what's all this about?"
Alpha looked at him sadly 'Dyson... had a vision of the future... a bad one.'

"Albert, I've finished the mods." came from behind the cylinder, and the voice's owner emerged from behind it.
a squirrell in a wheelchair; Jeremiah.
following him was a red-haired human with two orange streaks in his hair, and wore a blue jacket that allowed his large cerulian wings to poke through.
Alpha smiled 'hey, how've you been, LB?'
Lightningblazer rolled his bright yellow eyes "fine. you've looked better, though."
the gold phantom shrugged 'I am dead.'

soon, the 'pack' members had arrived.
it was decided that the trio from the future, dubbed the 'time tuners', would accompany Benson, Kevin, Oriado, Ian, Alpha, Lightningblazer, Syrus, Carl, and Patrick into the astral plane.
each was placed in a pod, and the machine powered up.
"good luck..." Dyson said, before they all lost consiousness.


they found themselves in a cold, dark place. standing in front of them was a foreboding castle.
Lightningblazer went up to the gate and found it torn off its hinges.
he stared "I don't think we got here first."

sounds of fighting came from up ahead, where figures Lightningblazer recognised as Beta's guards fought against faceless monsters.
it seemed things were already under way.

(Next Chapter: Internal Affairs)

Trials of Family and Friendship Chapter 35

emperorwolf

chapter 35

Submission Information

Views:
146
Comments:
0
Favorites:
0
Rating:
General
Category:
Literary / Story