Previously, on the Caretaker...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________


You look at the gash behind you…You are not crazy enough to jump into the end of reality…not yet, Potter might have to deal with that on his own there.

You look back at the incoming horde.

“They are too many, and even then, our spells deal no damage to them, all we can do-”

You see the creatures pouring out from the holes on the cliffside under the castle.

“-its buy some more time…Everyone! start digging!”

“What do you think I'm doing!?” Shouts Merula, a big hole already being dug in front of her.

Olivia and Willow look at each other, then at you, seemingly understanding your plan before starting blasting holes into the ground.

Water spells, blasting spells, charms, transfigurations. You use everything you know to dig a huge triangular shaped trench that surrounds the entire area and then turn its diagonal walls into very loose sand. Everyone had to follow your lead for several minutes, but eventually, you ended up with a moat filled with quicksand.
No matter who walks through there, there is no way anything can make it across, one way or another, they will end up stuck there.

Time to test that theory…

“Incoming!” You alert everybody.

The first of the creatures steps into the sand trap and immediately falls to its center. It stumbles all the way down until it ends up stuck in the sand.

The creature claws at the sand, kicking and flailing as much as it can, but all it creates is a layer of dust that falls down, trapping it back every time it makes a small progress.

“It vorks! It really vorks!” Willow says excited.

“Dont get cocky, girl. There are still many more!” Merula says after blasting another creature back once it started climbing the sand, making it fall into the center of the trap.
“They are not going to stop trying!”

“She is right! it's only a matter of time before they find a way out!” You blast another.

“So what's the plan then?” Asks Olivia while throwing spells at the ones that are trying to dig their way out.

“One second, I'm thinking…”

You look around but see no exit, you are surrounded by quicksand, and beyond that, certain death.

“Apparition?” Impossible, Hogwarts anti-apparating spells are still up.
“Summon a broom?” You can only take 1 person with you and leaving the others alone isn't an option.
“Follow Potter and jump into the gash?” …You have no idea what's in there, and The Beast is on its way, for all you know, it's probably right there.

You keep thinking and thinking, but cannot find an exit to your predicament.

…You are stuck.

“I-i dont…I dont know what to do…”

Willow looks at you, worried, she then begins passing around, walking from one side to the other.

Olivia is getting hit with the reality of your situation, she slowly stops casting spells to keep the creatures away, seemingly accepting her fate.

Merula on the other hand, is too focused casting spells, but notices the lack of cover fire.
“Hey! What's going on back there!?”
She turns to berate the rest of the group.
“I know I'm the best there is but I could really use a hand here!”

You look at her, she looks angry at you but is forced to turn back to the creatures and keep casting spells.

“No, if she can keep fighting despite the odds, then I can find a way to save all of us, I just need something crazy enough to work.”

You turn back and stare at the gash, there is some sort of purplish mist coming out of it, it looks mystical, it even shines when the sunrays go through it.

“I guess Potter had the right idea…Everyone! Into the gash! Now!”

“VHAT?!”

“Just do it! We´ll be fine!”

“I dont know if you have noticed but these things are making it across the quicksand!” Merula shouts back.

“Its ok! It´ll stop them long enough, now go!”

Merula throws one last blast and starts running towards the gash, with her running start, she jumps into the gash and disappears from view.

“Willow! You next!”

You take Merula´s spot and start defending, blasting the creatures that start climbing up.

“Vhat about you?!”

“I´ll go after you guys are safe! Don't worry! I´ll join you in a minute!”
You blast another creature that got way too close to where you are, they are starting to learn how to traverse the quicksand.

“Take Olivia with you!”

She hesitates for a minute, but she ends up taking Olivia´s hand and guiding her to the gash, they both jump at the same time and disappear from view.
Now, only you remain.

“Alright, now it's just you guys and me.”

You see the gash in between shots, it's slightly separated from the ground.

“Perfect…”

You start blasting spells at the ground under the gash, just like you did with the moat filled with quicksand, creating a sink hole.
Each time you blast the ground, you turn to blast a creature away, you repeat the process until the hole is becoming almost impossible to cross.

“Now or never”

You run at the gash, trying your best to run as fast as you can with your prosthetic leg, and then, you jump.
You aim at the ground and concentrate all your power to cast one final spell while in midair.

The spell hits the hole and you create another pit of quick sand right under the gash. You then cross the rift and disappear from the face of the earth.

…

You open your eyes to a stinging sensation on your face.

“Wake up!”

*SLAP*

“AAH! IM UP! IM UP!”

You sit up on the floor, everything looks and feels weird.
You touch the floor, it looks like some sort of marble, but it's soft to the touch, fresh but not cold, it extends infinitely in all directions.

Behind you, you can see the gash in reality, from there you can see outside, and you can see the creatures, all jumping into the pit trying to reach the hole in reality, but none can make it and fall into the deep shifty trench.

You feel relieved and your lungs let out a deep breath you didn't know you were still holding.

“Oh zhank god you are ok!” Willow gives you a tight hug and fills your face with kisses.

“Yes, I'm ok, how about you?”

“Im fine so far, but zhis place feels veird, i feel…good, strong and rested, even hydrated somehow”

“Nevermind that, where. THE FUCK. ARE WE?!” Merula almost screams at you.
“What is this place?”

You look around and take in your surroundings with more detail.
The white marble floor goes infinitely in every direction, the sky is pitch black, peppered with constellations and stars, you see planets and galaxies too.
That's the normal stuff.
You also see the sun and the moon are orbiting each other and moving across the “sky” at high speeds, yet, the lighting doesn't change, it looks like no matter where they are positioned, it's always illuminated, somehow.
There are dark purple clouds in the dark sky, but they feel far far away, they must be galaxy sized, it's dizzying just imagining how massive they could be.
It's mesmerizing, but it makes you feel pathetically small compared to everything.

“Brandon…”
Willow gets your attention once again.
“Vhere are ve?”

You finally stand up and look around, trying to find any hints of your exact location.

“I…dont know…”

“So you made us jump into who knows what and you don't even know where it took us?!”
Merula grabs you by the neck of your coat and shakes you.
“I could kill you right now!”

“Me-Merula! Calm down, please!” Olivia tries to stop her.

“Hey, I see somezhing! over zhere!”

Willow points to something far in the distance, it almost looks like…

“...A city?”

Then, in that city, something lights up, it looks like fireworks exploding in the sky along with black shapes crawling around the white marble buildings, from here they all look like ants…Angry ants.

“Hey, there is something over here too!” Olivia gets everyone's attention while pointing in the opposite direction.

It appears to be another city, colored white like the other one, but it feels old, from what little you can see, the buildings appear long abandoned, yet, still sterile, untouched for who knows how long.
In the middle of it, a huge building, probably half the size of the entire city itself, you can see a massive door in the middle of it, reaching almost all the way to the top of it…An ominous “cooing” comes out from it.

“So…where to now, genius?” Merula ask.

“How am I supposed to know? i dont know this place!”

“Fine, just pick one then, aren't you the leader of the group? How did you survive this long? Sheesh…”

“Mostly luck…and a big dick”

“What?”

“What?”

You look at both cities then turn to Willow.

She looks at you and nods.
“I´ll follow you everyvhere, vherever you zhink it's best”

>Go right, to the city with fireworks and ants
>Go left, to the old city
>Other (Write in:)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

And now, we continue.

File: IT BEGINS.png (369 KB, 706x402)

369 KB PNG

Update coming soon.