Chapter 51：Other timely dilemma

James pushed Alcie away and she looked at him like a confused dog.

"How are you alive? I watched you turn to dust!" exclaimed James. Alcie's confusion deepened and she looked at the rest of the group.

"What are you talking about? And why are all of you so old?" asked Alcie. William stepped forward and placed a hand on James' shoulder.

"This universe follows a different timeline to ours. Something in the past must have caused Alice of this universe to survive the breaking of the scythe and the James of this universe to leave. Basically, you're both thinking about alternate versions of each other." explained William. Alcie's expression turned from confusion to understanding to completely shock and fear.

"Well, it was nice to meet you. I'll be on my way now!" Alcie said hurriedly. She put her mask back on and started to fly away but James suddenly appeared to the side of her and grabbed her by the arm.

Igniting into his blue blitz, James brought Alcie down to the ground and ripped her mask off. Alcie tried to back away at the sight of the satanic power but she was frozen in place by fear.

"Now. There are two possible reasons why you suddenly tried to run away. One is that you legitimately had something important to go to. And I really hope it's that. However the second reason, is that you realised why we're here and wanted to escape," James drew close to Alcie and her hair started to be lifted by James' aura. "So which is it?" Alcie darted for a nearby alleyway but James put his hand out towards her. Suddenly, two curved swords with flame patterns engraved on their sides soared through the air and to the neck of Alcie. She came to a stop.

The rest of the group caught up with them and watched as Alcie slowly turned around between the two swords.

"Seems like being the god of fire allows you to control any celestial weapon of fire. Even if it's from another universe completely." stated Jack. Alcie was now facing the group and James with the swords placed closely around her neck.

"Please, I didn't want to do it. It was Him. He made me. He said that if I didn't He'd kill the James from this universe. That's why I was so happy to see you. See! I'm practically innocent." begged Alcie. James looked to Abigail who gestured that it was his call to make. In the end, James brought the two swords to his hands and put them away. He tossed Alcie her mask who gripped it tightly.

"So who is this guy you just told us about?"

"Olrah. He's one of the many who search the multiverse looking for changes in the timelines. One day he came to this universe after going rogue and took this universe's James. He came back and gave me a choice. Wipe out all those with abilities in your universe or this universe's James would be killed." explained Alcie. She had taken them to a tower in the inner part of the city and brought them up to an office. It was quite simplistic with a single and almost bare wooden desk with the only things on it being a large picture frame, two smaller ones below it, and a name plate the read 'Alcie Kendrickson'. Around the room were signed plaques that declared friendship between different races of alien and the humans, a large, potted peace-lily, and a small bookshelf. The group had been sat in chairs opposite Alcie as she explained her story about Olrah.

"Do you know where Olrah took this universe's James. Any clues about his whereabouts?" asked Kyle.

"I know where he is but ... last time I tried to save James I was completely decimated by Olrah. He doesn't have an army or any guards because he finds them pointless." said Alcie. Sophie stood up.

"Well then this'll be easy. With our James, Olrah will be a breeze to beat." she said in a triumphant voice.

"No, he won't," James said looked at the floor in deep thought. "Just making a single portal here took all of Jack's energy and some of mine. If Olrah is powerful enough to just jump from universe to universe without a second though then we stand very little chance of being on par with him. It would take years for us to get powerful enough to just scratch him. ~And time is something I have very little of~"

"What if we don't fight him at all?" asked Abigail. Everyone turned and looked at her with perplexed faces. "What I mean is, what if we didn't fight Olrah and just rescued this universe's James from under Olrah's nose?" James looked at Alcie.

"Then I guess it's easy. Me, James, Jack, and Alcie in the distraction group while Kyle, Sophie, and Abigail go in the rescue group. How's that?" presented William. With time not being a luxury they could really afford, the groups were set and they made their way back to the portal.

"Jasmine?! You still there!?" called Jack. The portal grew back to full size and the group walked back through followed by Alcie.

"What are they doing here?!" cried Jasmine. Jack tried to settle her down by drawing her attention away from Alcie.

"We'll explain later but for now we need you to change to portal's destination. Alcie, you're up." said James.

"X is four, Y is eight hundred and thirty three, and Z is nine trillion, four hundred and three million, twenty thousand and six. Those are the coordinates of the universe Olrah is in." said Alcie. Jasmine walked over to the computer and punched in the numbers Alcie gave her. The portal flickered a little but finally looked through into a grand hallway. Jasmine shrunk the portal and the brief plannig session began.