Isaac Woodman
T2 2025 - I awoke and found myself standing in front of the large theatre that stood alone in the void of nothingness, looking down, I found myself draped in the same clothes as before. I sighed to myself, readying my thoughts and sauntered towards the building whose doors opened upon my closeness. The interior was the same exquisite portrayal of pompous historical greed. Untainted marble walls and a flowing river of velvet beneath my feet, a sight I was all too familiar with. As I made my way down the corridor towards the large doors at the end, I compiled my memories, thinking of what Theatre would be next. But all my thoughts quickly fled from my mind as I stepped into the room and saw destruction. The once lavish decor was now wreathed in flame that snaked around it as if it was a living thing, dust and ash complimented each other as the once clean air was now a smog that caused me to cough. I turned to the door, but found it shut behind me. I walked further into the room, seeing the bars empty, the food corroded and liquids dripped off of the shelves, their containers shattered. I carefully walked towards the balcony and looked down at the ground floor. Smoke covered the ground in a blanket of black that seemed to swirl around a figure in its centre.
"Good evening Mr Woodman," the figure stated, bowing amidst the destruction. "Good to see that you have accepted our invitation." The voice was not one I recognised, which made me feel all the more worried. The fact that he had seemed to be the cause of this destruction also put me on edge, we had tried to destroy this place in the past, but found our efforts useless. I knew I had two methods of retaining a semblance of control in this situation, one was to act scared, get the stranger to accidentally relay information, or to act confident, throw him off. I chose the latter.
"You seem to know who I am, but I find it rude of you to not introduce yourself also," I said, conjuring up as much arrogance as I could in my tone.
"Well, I would be more than happy to introduce myself, but I can't. However, I am only here to send a message," he turned and gestured to the wall that displayed an image of Levin and Jason. A spike of fear, spite and happiness rose within me all in one go. Seeing their faces there, seeing them okay, made me feel better about my actions, that was, until I noticed the environment around them and how familiar it was. No, I thought to myself, and found my legs becoming numb. "You are to enter the next theatre with this man," the image changed abruptly, showing Harry's all too smug face. "Only the two of you will be permitted entrance, if you succeed, then we will give you something you want."
"What?" I muttered aloud.
"Time," he stated, "and of course, your friends returned safely. But I know that you really only want the first reward."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," he began to pace in the smoke, his outline the only thing visible, it was as if the smoke obscured him with its own will, "you manage to complete this challenge, then, we will close the doors for a year, should give you all the time you require. If you fail, well then, we carry on as usual, your, inconvenient meddling, will be over and we can go ahead as planned."
"Take the offer," a familiar voice stated, seeming to originate within my own head. "It will bring you a step closer to success," the formless helper seemed to nudge me slightly and I knew that I had no option to refuse the figure's request either.
"Fine, fine." I said aloud, making the voice pleased and the silhouetted figure clasped his hands together.
"Brilliant, you have-"
"But, I want an extra reward." I proffered, and the smoke in the room seemed to become thicker, angry almost.
"HOW DARE-" the figure started shouting before he suddenly stopped, the smoke's density falling also, he seemed to be conferring with someone, his whispering too quiet to hear. "What other reward do you want?"
"An audience with whoever is in charge." I stated boldly.
"We will see," the figure replied and the destruction seemed to rewind, pillars righting themselves, the smoke and ash seemed to suck in on a point in the middle of the room as if pulled in by a black hole.
"Hello Isaac," Harry's voice rang out from behind me and I turned, trying my hardest not to show my disdain. A knowing smirk told me that I failed in this regard.
"You are not going to like this," I stated, gesturing to the display.
"Really, straight to business Isaac, I thought we could -" he cut off quickly, recognising the background. His smile faded, replaced with one that was engulfed in sorrow. "What game is this?" he stated, furious.
"They want to get rid of us."
"They ? Who are they?"
"Those controlling everything, look, as much as I hate to say this, but we will have to work together."
"I know the kind of person you are Isaac, don't think that you can-"
"We are the only two who can enter," I looked at Harry's face and the incredulous expression that plagued it. "I, I think they've noticed my meddling."
"You haven't been subtle about it," Harry muttered, his playful tone all but dead, "but why only us?"
"Its as I said, they want to get rid of us, we, I, am distorting their plans, they know that we can't beat this trial, so we either don't attempt it and we get a repeat of that war, or we attempt it ourselves, and, in the off chance we succeed, then we will be given time."
"Time?"
"The doors to the Theartes will close for a year, it will give us time to train, get stronger, perhaps find a method that will enable us to survive this."
"That's wishful thinking Isaac, I know better than to believe in naive theories, but-" he looked at the monitor once again, reliving that time that was rough for everyone, "fine, this once. I will act according to your wishes, but afterwards, I need your word."
"What?"
"You come with me to meet someone, someone who is only alive due to your meddling."