LIMINALITY
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 56 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 ENDChapter 6
To think Schrodinger himself would be captured at a moment like this is nothing short of ironic. All that claim of being anywhere and everywhere leads him into this misty, dense forest as he is wrapped around with magical rope radiating with strange energy that dumps his ability to use his powers, therefore rendering him useless as a hostage.
After they mysteriously leave him in this state while he pounders the incoming doom that will befall him, he wonders if he made the stupidest mistake by rushing back home rather than going along with Janus.
Although the cats of Ulthar are able to traverse across all time and space, the Zoogs were always their prey of choice due to their naturally occurring ability to escape beyond causality just to catch the unexpected, traveling cats moving from one place to another.
Shaking away his thoughts, he looked at the nearby trees. His fellow brethren were hung by the ropes that secured them above the ground, tied around their chests like a bundle of gifts to be given to some beast. But instead, they were left dead.
Freshly killed and mutilated or rotting skeletons hung there, most likely all picked clean by scavengers. It made him feel sadden, almost angry at their sworn enemy; if his people had a way to raid whatever the Zoogs called home in retribution, it would be a satisfying massacre.
Alas, he's stuck here, alone with nothing but his thoughts and the smell of death hanging in the air. With them temporarily gone, Schrodinger hopes his death will be a quick one, but then again, those disgusting beasts would rather maim than kill their prey.
Sighing in frustration, he wished there was something he could do; if he could somehow get rid of these damned binds and save his own ass from dying, then maybe, just maybe, he might be able to get his revenge on them. But suddenly, as if some divine power had answered his desperate plea, the sound of footsteps broke through the silence.
Turning towards the source of the noise, he expected them again of all places, but instead there was none other than Janus himself, along with the spear in his dominant right hand, walking directly in his direction with a look of indifference. "You came to save me?" The white cat asked in surprise, finding it very odd that he would even come rescue someone as insignificant as him.
Stopping just in front of him, Janus nodded and said, "I am," not particularly sure why he would even bother to risk his life for someone who betrayed him. "Mind explaining first why you left me?" The God of Time asked, hoping the betrayal wasn't merely a selfish act of forgetfulness.
Schrodinger paused for a moment, taking breath before answering, "You see..." trying to think up an excuse to give Janus what he wanted, but at the same time, he couldn't lie to him as this was his fault for being captured in the first place. "I was going to notify my people first of your arrival," unable to come up with anything plausible that he would accept, "and then I will come back and save you, of course," wanting to redeem himself for failing to remember the fact that this was all because of him.
The cat anticipated questions in regards to this reasoning, but Janus shrugged without much care and nodded, "understandable," accepting that simple answer as truth; although he must say that he finds it odd for him to not tell him to begin with, "regardless whether you are lying or not, I still have my trust in you," giving out the impression that he's willing to forgive him regardless if this was all premeditated.
A smile then grew on his face. "I promise to be your guide," he said, swearing on the graves of his ancestors to ensure this newcomer wouldn't experience another betrayal again. "Now I think we should hurry; the Zoogs are probably going to return anytime soon with their comrades for the second round of assault," reminding him that their lives are in danger if they don't move their asses fast.
As he moved in and touched the bindings, a sudden zap of static came forth, instinctively forcing him to take a few steps back in confusion. "Uh...?" Blinking multiple times, he felt a shock of unease from experiencing pain of this degree; was the binding this powerful? Or was it simply him not realizing their strength until now?
Strange enough, no supernatural or physical force can hurt God like himself. But this...how is it possible? First, he was assaulted by a powerful god; second, he experienced pain for the first time from those little vermin; and now the bindings holding his only guide have hurt him once again.
Dread came to his face, imagining the possibility that he could actually die in this strange world. Causing his inner voices to also begin questioning the current state of things, "we have to be more careful now," the narrator told everyone. "It seems whatever properties the dreamworlds have can hurt us and potentially bring our demise," alerting all of them to the possible dangers in their journey.
"Ah, what!?" Culsans shouted in dismay, "You're kidding me! We could not only get hurt but be killed just by being here." It sounded overly dramatic, but it was a true statement regardless: "Oh well, I suppose this will make things a bit more interesting," feeling a spark of excitement coming over the whole thing.
Vesta replied with worry in her voice, "If what Janus and the Narrator said is true, then that means the danger we face will be much greater than any other time. Therefore, I suggest being cautious when confronting the threats we shall be facing," cautioning everyone for the safety of themselves and their host.
Even Saturn sounded alarmed. "This is very bad, very bad indeed!" Exclaiming the threat this may have to offer, "the mere idea that we can actually get hurt and killed by things is driving me to the brink of madness! Do you have any idea what this means?!" Continuing to state the obvious facts of how bad the situation had become.
While Portunus and Quirinus were reminded silently of this new discovery, Schrodinger furrowed his brows in perplexity, seeing the sight of frozen Janus, who is currently looking down at his left hand with the utmost display of contemplation.
Schrodinger can't outright read the newcomer's face due to lacking lips and other readable features except his eyes; what he can do is sense Janus's growing distress emitting out of him as if he's conflicted with what he's experiencing and how to respond to it.
"Aren't you going to free me?" Breaking away Janus concentration, Schrodinger blinked at his savior with a concerned expression as the man's look was unreadable, and he stood motionless, staring straight ahead at him. "I'm waiting," he said impatiently.
Widening his eyes, "I'm sorry," he said before taking a couple of steps forward. "I was surprised by what had transpired to myself, that's all," but soon, he stopped on his tracks once again. With a twitching eyelid, he let out a deep sigh, "touching that," pointing at the bindings, "hurts me, and I can't undo it because of those small annoying creatures," admitting that he had failed to break him out.
"You are not breaking me free?"
Complete letdown from hearing those words from Janus before looking away in disgruntle, "then I am dead if those Zoogs won't let me go, but I appreciate the attempt at least," saying that with a bit of gratitude as it is rare for someone like this person to come their way in rescuing another.
However, the god of time simply shook his head; "what? I'm definitely going to set you free," speaking those words with confidence, "after all, if you die, then that means my only guide will die as well, and that would be horrible because I barely know the place," stating the reason why he would come and save him even when he doesn't have to.
A brief moment of pained expression flashed his face. "Relieving to hear," Schrodinger felt a little hurt by that reason but was nonetheless relieved of getting saved. "Now get me out of here; the faster we leave, the better." He doesn't want to stay in this place for any longer than he already has.
"Yes, yes, I'll get to that now."
Taking several deep breaths, Janus closed his eyes and went straight back to the past, where he entered into the flow of timestream, seeing the transparent trail of a colorful, light blue bridge constantly moving forward and backward. Within the distance, he saw the white cat being forcibly grabbed by those vermin all around.
Without wasting another breath, he brought his spear up and raised it above the heavens themselves in this starry void of place, conjuring an imaginary mass of distorted reality appearing above the unaware huddled group in preparation for bringing judgment.
Then, Janus plunged his spear, Genitalis, downward into the flowing streams themselves, creating a large wave of blue temporal energy that came crashing down towards them, where everyone except him and his guide remained unharmed as the Zoogs were then erased from all time and space.
Opening his eyes, he watched as the surprised Schrodinger fell down without a sign of rope being present on him, making the white cat land himself on four of his legs as he stared up at the man with a mixture of interest, confusion, shock, and curiosity.
"What did you do?" He asked, looking over his shoulders to see the once mysteriously vanished out of thin air as if it had never existed in the first place, "These bindings prevent any form of sorcery affecting the individual being held captive. So, how did you remove them?"
Shrugging nonchalantly, "I went back to the past," the simple and blunt answer that he had given was "went back to the past, went to your rescue, and erased the nuisance causing the problem, easy as that," describing what happened in a brief summary without going into the difficult details.
"You can go back into the past." The surprised cat questioned with widening eyes, "I thought my kind were the only ones capable of doing that," growing more intrigue for this newcomer, especially given what his people prophesied about.
Chuckle escaped Janus. "I can do many things, some considered unnatural, but we are currently in the process of returning to your home," he said, turning his entire body away from the cat. "Are we ready to start going?" He generously asked, awaiting his companion's response.
At first, he wanted to ask more questions in regards to the newcomer's nature. And yet, he knows this isn't the right time to ask when they have important tasks at hand. "Yes, we are ready," answering Janus's question with determination in his eyes, Schrodinger slowly marched onward, "let us depart." Waving his tail, he moved past him and began walking.
Giving the area one last glance, Janus silently follows the white cat with the only thoughts in his mind: the chance of meeting an equal opponent that can give him some feeling other than his divine nature that he had grown bored off.
To think that he can get hurt and die in a place like this has not only made him wary of the world around him but also brought him a newfound purpose of some sort. While he doesn't consider himself to be the strongest individual, let alone God, he is nonetheless excited to see what will transpire from this journey.
Although Saturn didn't take the idea lightly, "I thought we were the strongest out there?!" Expressing both fear and shock at this revelation, "And then, when we came to this world, we learned that even the smallest thing can kill us!?" Now he is fearful of his own future once more.
The narrator is annoyed at having this conversation for the umpteenth time: "Just shut up already and enjoy the ride," speaking those words in a frustrated manner. "If I can learn not to worry about our situation, then you could too," calmly telling the frightened old man.
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