4.01

It was a blistering cold night in Athena City. Though it was the city that never slept, the streets were nigh deserted. If people didn’t have to be on the streets, they weren’t. Some people stayed where they were, even if they didn’t want to be there.

However, not everyone could get out of the cold. For as grand a city as Athena was, there was still those that struggled to stay afloat. Among the many winding streets, the cramped back alleys and the abandoned buildings, there were those that were homeless.

On nights like these, these people definitely noticed the struggle. Huddled around a drum in an old building that barely stood, was a small group. Cast aside by some, these people had banded together and become a family.

“Hey Brionni, can you get us some more wood? This fire’s starting to get a bit low.” An old lizardfolk wrapped in some rags pointed out into the darkness. Snow began to fall like dancing fairies, adding to the slicing cold of the cutting winds.

“As if. Its way too cold out there. You go get it, Salek.” a small, stout woman with a scar over one eye was holding onto a blanket full of holes. She couldn’t see out of the eye with the scar.

“You’re the newest member of our little family here. You need to earn your keep, just like the rest of us.” Salek stared at Brionni with his cold, dim, yellow eyes.

“Right, my keep. Sewer rats again for dinner I see.” Brionni set off into the dark, muttering obscenities to herself.

“I don’t like that one very much,” grumbled a large, rotund woman. She was easily over six feet tall and carried an intimidating presence. She was the muscle of the group. Standing against many threats that had found their way toward the family.

“Come now, Mallow. She’s just disgruntled to find herself in this situation. Unlike most of us, who were born into these circumstances, she fell into this life when many things went wrong.

“Still, she needs to pull her head in, before I do it for her.” Mallow punched her knuckles together, a sight that always made onlookers wince in fright.

“Mallow…” Salek took a few steps closer to the dying fire. He stretched his arms and put his hands in the fire. It was just warm enough to thaw his creaky bones.

“I’m just saying she can be a little more grateful.” Some of the others nodded their agreement.

“I know, but you need to gi-” Salek put his hand up and licked his lips.

“Wha-” Salek emphasised that his hand was up. He licked the air and slowly moved his head around. He had picked up a strange scent and didn’t like the story it told.

There was a scream out in the darkness of the alleyway. Salek silently signalled Mallow to go check it out. Mallow melded into the shadow and made for the source of the sound.

The other members of Salek’s family all looked scared, none of them knew how to fight.

Mallow ran through the shadows and came upon Brionni. She lay on the ground, huddled in a ball. Mallow slid down by her side and leaned over her.

“Are you okay?” Mallow asked.

“Yeah. Something attacked me from the shadows. This weird looking creature. It looked like it was made of rubbish. Just random crap, and it had a putrid smell. It burned my skin when it touched me. It was like I touched a frying pan.” Mallow looked it over.

“Where’d it go?” Mallow observed the shadows.

“Back off that way. It fled when I screamed. I think I startled it.” Mallow scooped Brionni up in her arms and carried her back toward the camp.

Salek could now smell another presence, and this one was different. Unlike the first one, it didn’t smell of rot. This smelt more like a light, salty, summery breeze. A warm welcome in comparison to the first scent.

The salty smell grew closer and Salek readied himself for a fight. He may have been old, but Salek was a champion fighter back in his heyday.

“Relax old man, I’m not here to fight.” A teen wearing only a t-shirt and shorts stepped into the light. An ethereal blue mist swirled around his body and his eyes were completely black.

“Then why are you here?” Salek did not ease his stance. His muscles coiled, ready to pounce.

“I’m here to find a place to live.” Salek noticed his jagged teeth.

“And why is someone as young as you needing to find a place to live on the streets?”

“I need somewhere safe. I need somewhere quiet.”

“I don’t want any trouble.” Salek flicked his tongue and he picked up on the rotten scent once again. It appeared to be getting closer to where he was.

“There won’t be any trouble. I can promise you that. I just want somewhere where I can lay low and not be hassled.” Salek noticed the ethereal mist that floated around the boy flickered into the shape of a shark. The shark looked straight at Salek and disappeared again.

“You have great power; I can feel it. You can work by protecting our family. Something rotten this way comes.”

“Yeah, I can smell it.”

“I want you to take care of it.”

“Yeah, sure.”

*

Hunter, Jimena, and Michael were together in Michael’s secret base underneath the school.

Silas was visiting his parents and Gauzelle insisted that she needed some time to herself.

A beeping came from Michael’s communicator, and he brought it up on his big screen.

A character hidden in shadow came up on the screen. Hunter had no way of making out any details of who it was.

“Michael. There is word going around that a visitor from another dimension has come into ours and they seek somebody. They’ve said their target is dangerous and needs to be executed immediately.” The screen flicked off.

“What?” Hunter asked.

“Another dimension?” Jimena asked.

“Yeah. Writers use them all the time.” Michael winked at nobody.

“How many other dimensions are out there?” Jimena asked.

“Endless.”