Tales From a Parallel Universe: Part III (Lexx Fan Fiction)

Part I and Part II

We open to the present to see a single balloon making a spiraling descent out of the sky above Fire towards one of the many cities below. These Cities were essentially super tall brick and mortar skyscrapers each towering high above the barren desert of Fire. These cities were so ridiculously tall that any higher and they would presumably topple over. Apple and the shaven face thug continue to pump more air into the balloon to slow their descent the a volley of arrows begin shooting upwards from the city further puncturing the balloon. Apple hard steers the Balloon away from the city and towards the desert below. "Are you crazy lady!? We're going to fry!" yelled shaven face in disbelief with Apple's maneuver. No words could have been better spoken as it felt like they were descending into hell quite literally. As they sank in altitude towards the ground below it got hotter and hotter.

April held on for dear life as the metal she grasped became hotter and hotter painfully burning her hand. She looked up and away to distract herself from the agonizing pain to notice the large dragonfly shaped "comet" gracefully passing through the clouds above.  Apple and Shaven face pumped as hard as possible but it seemed futile at this point. The cities were too heavily guarded to just simply land, the only clear choice was the desert below.

The balloon glided away from the city and far out into the desert away from the city but towards another which seemed to tower out of the haze like a mirage. Eventually the gondola smacked into one of the dunes launching April and Shaven Face overboard and into the sands. Apple hung on for dear life waiting for the carriage to come to a complete stop from this turbulent crash landing. April wiped the sand off of her face to notice the wrecked gondola a about twenty yards away from her coming to a complete halt. Shaven face lifted himself off the ground coughing up dirt. Apple still on the wrecked gondola began scavenging for supplies, immediately arming herself to the teeth with the left over weapons including a bandoleer of at least six daggers and a quiver of crossbow bolts. However despite finding plenty of weapons, she could not find any water cantines.

April and Shaven face both sat in the scorching sand. Although they could not tell which was more hot, the air, or the ground beneath them. Shaven face simply giving April a wink while April stared at Shaven face with a 'don't come near me' look on her face. Their attention was diverted to Apple emerging from the wreckage all geared up with a crossbow in hand. Apple pointed her bow at Shaven Face who just continued to sit there nonchalantly with a grin on his face. "Are you kidding me sister? We're all going to die now but you go right on ahead." Shaven face chuckled. This was no ploy. The heat and humidity was no joke. With the sun and the atmospheric pressure beating down on the three of them Apple continued to aim her weapon at Shaven Face while remaining silent with a serious look on her face.

"Go on, but make the most of your time as the heat is going to kill you in forty minutes" jokingly proclaimed Shaven Face as he spit some of his saliva towards the ground. Apple lowered her bow not feeling this was even worth it now. Shaven Face propped himself up to his feet and dusted himself off "Well then, I guess I will walk until I die, I have failed my Prince, might as well contemplate my next life." Apple remained silent. "Enjoy whats left of yours sweetheart." Shaven face finished smugly as he turned away to slowly wander off. Apple motioned to April to come to her as she turned her attention back towards Shaven Face who was now rambling to himself as he walked off.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Questioned April as Apple remained silent. "Where did you learn how to fight like that?" She added. "I don't know, and I don't know." muttered Apple back as she continued to watch Shaven Face who was now singing out loud as he babbled incoherently like lunatic. Shaven face began laughing only for it to complete to an abrupt end as he all of the sudden dropped through the sand into a pit. Apple began to rush over to investigate with April tagging along. Shaven Face struggled to lift himself out of the rocky debris around him and coughing up dust after falling at least fifteen feet. As he finally pulled himself to his feet he looked up to notice April and Apple looking down on him, he then looked around to notice that he was in a tunnel system and it was significantly much cooler down here as opposed to the surface above.

Shaven Face felt a sharp pain coming from his chest, he applied pressure to it with his hand to notice that he had possibly fractured a rib during his fall. Feeling the cool air coming from below Apple and April began to lower themselves down into the pit. Shaven Face takes notice as the two women climb down with sun rays engulfing them. "Coming down to finish the job, eh?" he attempted to laugh but could only muster up more coughing instead. Shaven face steps off into the shade placing his back against one of the brick walls where he slowly slid down it in order to sit as Apple and April finished their climb to the bottom. Apple notices he is inspecting a wound. "We should leave him here, he's our enemy." silently spoke April to Apple. Apple turned to April with a stern look on her face. "No." she responded.

Shaven Face lifted his shirt to notice he had a large gash on his upper left chest where a falling brick had hit him. Before he could do anything he heard the sound of a piece of fabric tearing. He turned to notice Apple kneeling down in front of him with an improvised bandage much to April's surprise and disgust. "Really?" He says still putting on his thuggish bravado. "Yes, really.. Don't make me regret doing this." Apple responded in a neutral tone. Apple wrapped the fabric around his chest at one point lifting him off the wall briefly to get the fabric around him. "Do you have a name?" asked Apple. After some hesitation and a few painful cringes from the first aid treatment he finally replied. "Rand, my name is Rand..." still coughing from his injuries. "I'm Apple. and that's April." April turned away in revulsion refusing to acknowledge him.

"Don't mind her." Apple calmly stated. "A woman's scorn is nothing compared to what Prince has in store for me in my next life." Rand finally managed to get off a chuckle leaving Apple confused. Rand continued. "Prince is going to punish me for my failure. He will make me suffer."

"I am going to kill Prince for what he did to my beloved." Apple firmly stated in a determined tone still furious over December's death only to be surprised by Rand trying to laugh much to his pain. "Prince is no ordinary man..." Rand began to crack up "I have seen him come back from the dead with my own eyes, you can't kill him lady." Apple finished up her bandage with a knot much to Rand's discomfort. She sat down next to him vexed by the information she was receiving. "You keep mentioning your next life, and you said Prince has come back from the dead? What's going on here?"

"Well aren't you uninformed. Almost everyone on Fire who is smart knows that death ain't the end." Rand smugly stated as if this information was common sense to him. "What are you talking about?" Apple continued with a now seemingly disturbed look on her face. "When people here die, they just 'wake up' again only they don't remember before, except for Prince." Rand jeered. "He's LYING!" April intervened frustrated with Rand's games. Apple turned to April with a look of shock on her face from this revelation. Rand then proceeded to mock them by snidely asking "Are all people from Water really this stupid?"

At that point April snapped. She pulled out the sharp metal object she used earlier to cut her bindings and charged Rand only to have Apple jolt upwards to stop her and hold her back. "April STOP!" Apple exclaimed while wrestling her to the ground as Rand burst out laughing only to be interrupted by even more pain from his fractured rib. "He killed my friends!!! He killed my friends!!!" April yelled repetitively until Apple slapped her in the face. "I need you to focus if were going to make it back to Water alive." Overhearing this Rand spoke up. "People from Water really are that stupid if you actually believe you are going to get off Fire alive!" Apple turned to Rand who was still sitting up against the wall with a smirk on his face. "Shut up!"

As Apple tried to calm April down a raspy southern accented voice echoed out of the dank tunnel followed by the sound of a heavy metal object dragging through the sand. "Darlins, I don't think anywans makin' it outta of here alive." A silhouette of a large, big boned middle aged man wearing a cowboy hat begins to emerge from the end of the tunnel. Apple let's go of April as the sound of the dragging metal becomes louder and louder. As he steps into a sliver of light we see more of his rough features, He is basically your stereotypical beer guzzling redneck except he is brandishing a chain which happens to be lugging a large morning star on the other end. He let's out a loud "HA!!!" in amusement as Rand sits there with an amused look on his face, accepting his fate. April looks at this figure in fear, while Apple gives him a 'do you're worst' stare.

"What are you lookin at lil girl? I outta teach you sum manners, Rodent is king of Fire, everybody down here respects Rodent!" Rodent angrily picked up his mace and swung it through a brick column like a wrecking ball demonstrating his brute strength. "Now you come to papa and drop on your knees girly!" Apple rolled her eyes and whipped out her crossbow firing a single arrow. Before Rodent could blink he looked up to notice there was now an arrow protruding out of his forehead. "Rodent king of....." Before he could finish his sentence he fell backwards creating a resounding thud as his large body hit the ground. Rand looked up at Apple in total astonishment.

"Alright, you might have a small chance of getting off Fire." Rand states in a more respectful tone. Apple offers her hand to Rand who accepts as she helps him to his feet. "So where are we?" Apple asks. Rand explains that they are in a complex tunnel system which connects the various cities of Fire which were used to safely travel between the cities long before they invented hot air balloons. "From a very long ago time, so long ago most people have forgotten about these, except for the damned, nobody ever comes down here anymore, because "they" are down here." states Rand. "They?" asks Apple. "The worst, even Prince avoids this place."

"Then we had better get going?" Apple remarked. April seemed hesitant but Apple assured her that we are going to need Rand's help to escape this place alive. Rand points the way to the nearest city and the group ventures off. The Tunnels for the most part remained eerily quite with the exception of a few screams and even some laughter reverberating from a distance. Fire was a much different world than Water, unlike the cities on Water which were beautiful and welcoming. The architecture of Fire was run down, ancient, and desolate. As if these structures had existed for thousands, perhaps even a million years without seeing much use or maintenance as everything was in a state of disrepair.

Apple while determined to make it back to Water and avenge December was now going through an existential crisis upon learning that everybody here has lived and died before. How come she could not remember who she was? All she could remember was waking up on music town."So, we have lived before? Is it really true?" Apple calmly questioned Rand. "Nobody on Water really pays that much attention do they?" Rand responded for Apple to simply nod. "Who was I? Do you know?" Apple asked knowing it was a long shot as perhaps may have encountered her in one of her previous lives. "Hell if I know, whoever you were though you were one tough girly. The way you killed my mate back on the balloon, I'll be damned that you didn't end up here on Fire." 

"It just happened, I don't know how, Instinct I guess." Apple further questioned herself. "You didn't even hesitate. You were definitely something before." stating Rand before he quickly came to a complete pause placing his hand up motioning for everyone to stop. "Don't go any further!" Warned Rand. "He's stalling!" yelled April who defiantly continued on only to step on a pressure plate. The sound of metal gears began churning as two shovel like blades descended from the ceiling towards April. Apple in a nick of time pulled April out of the way saving her from certain decapitation as the blades met one another resulting in a loud clang. "Idiot...." scornfully mocked Rand at April's stupidity in nearly getting herself killed.

"Yeah, this place is booby trapped! Maybe you should listen to someone who is actually from Fire!" Rand continued as April finally began to acknowledge him. Before Rand could get another word out, him and Apple were randomly tackled by two random psychos dressed in filthy rags. April watched in horror as a fierce struggled ensued as one of them managed to pin Apple to the ground completely restraining her. This deranged looking bearded man looked at Apple with eyes bloodshot as he began drooling all over her, almost foaming at the mouth with lust.  Rand while having fractured ribs put up an impressive fight with the other goon.

Rand managed to place the thug into a vice like headlock to attempt to snap his neck. The thug let out a groan which got the attention of the demented man who was still pinning Apple to the ground. With him temporarily distracted, Apple kneed him in the groin freeing one her right hand. But this man weighed twice as much as her and was exerting his force to keep her on the ground despite being stunned. Apple kneed him again in the same spot while grabbing one of her daggers, as she unsheathed it the attacker simply swatted it away disarming her.

April looked on in shock contemplating whether or not to help or run away. As she pulled herself off the ground a set of four hands grabbed her as two more attackers attempted to drag her away. Rand finally managed to break the neck of the thug resulting in a loud crack. Distracted again Apple quickly bit into the arm of her assailant causing him to cry to out in pain. Apple quickly pulled out yet another dagger and lunged it into the side of his skull. Apple pulled the now bloodied dagger out of the man's head to notice his brain matter now dripping off of the blade. As she lifted herself off of the ground she noticed two men holding April, one of them with her crossbow which she dropped in the struggle. The thug grinned as he pressed it up against April's neck with the arrow poking her and with his finger inching towards the trigger.

Apple held up both of her hands to surrender, her right still clenching the dagger, she slowly worked her hand down from the hilt and onto the slippery surface of the serrated blade. Rand panting and still out of breath looked on from the ground at this standoff. The thug made a sudden move to point his crossbow at Apple. But before he could twitch Apple hurled the dagger towards him which managed to land in his shoulder instead of the forehead in which she was aiming for. The thug dropped the crossbow and attempted to slowly and painfully remove the blade from himself, as he was doing so Apple drew a third dagger from her bandoleer and proceeded to charge towards the second thug tackling him to the ground. As another struggle ensued with Apple seeming to have the upper hand this time. The thug finally managed to pull the dagger out of his shoulder, as he contemplated what to do with it he turned towards April who was now holding the crossbow he had dropped. Before he could react she squeezed the trigger sending an arrow into his heart.

Rand looked at April clenching his fractured ribs and both without saying a word to each other looked onto behold Apple savagely bashing her opponents head with a rock repetitively over and over again. Each time she struck with the rock created a splatter of blood as she rendered this man into an unrecognizable husk of his former self. Even though this man was clearly now dead, Apple continued to slam the rock into his head in a frenzy. Rand pulled her off of him to calm her down only for her to turn towards him with her face now covered in blood and her teeth clinching. "Stop! He's dead!" Rand exclaimed as he held an out of breath and fuming Apple in his arms. Rand held Apple for a few moments until she finally calmed down.

"Sorry I got carried away, I don't know what came over me." Apple stuttered almost horrified at what she had done. "Are you sure you're not from Fire?" Rand asked in a serious tone as he handed Apple one of her daggers which she dropped earlier. April held onto the crossbow and Apple reequipped herself with her other two daggers not being one to waste resources. The group pressed on further into the tunnels this time treading more carefully.

Agonizing screams, cries, and random maniacal laughter echoed through out the tunnels. Some of the sounds close while others very faint and in the distance. Luckily while did not encounter anymore of the psychos they did however stumble upon something truly horrific. Apple being curious wandered up a small flight of stairs under a brick arch to find herself overlooking a massive dark and moldy room about the size of an acre. Piled in this room from each corner was a mass grave containing thousands upon thousands of human bones and skulls. "This sort of thing is everywhere on Fire, we need to move on." pressed Rand. It was almost like a repository for the millions who ceaselessly have lived and died in the tunnels over the many eons.

The group eventually reach a narrow staircase leading up to nothing except for a gaping hole in the ceiling. The light from the ceiling beamed down illuminating a countless number of books and scrolls which were stacked on each of the steps. Apple and April helped push Rand up into the ceiling as he couldn't do much in the way of climbing due to his fractured ribs. April went up next as Apple gave her a boost, and then both Rand and April helped lift Apple out of the hole. The three found themselves in another abandoned but seemingly active room. There was yet more books, thousands upon thousands of books filled the room with the sound of a wheel churning. There were three clothesline ropes in the middle of the room, each moving single papers on hooks like a conveyor belt.

As we continue into the lower levels of this seemingly empty but yet somewhat active city we find more of the same. The orange, yellow hues of the crumbling brick walls also dominated this city like the Tunnels before it. Apple, April, and Rand reach a small room room which is poorly lit by sunbeam through a small window. The sun ray illuminates the heavy amount of dust in the room. Apple coughed as the amount of dust in this room was almost choking. Everything here was covered in either sand or dust as if we were in a room full of antiques. Mostly books, but one device stood out which Apple and Rand noticed right away. A communications device, a much older model than the one she briefly glimpsed at back in Music Town on one of the invading gondolas containing Prince. Apple went to fiddle with it as April and Rand took a breather.

April noticed her skin was now a deep red and it stung anytime she touched almost any part of her body which was exposed to the sunlight earlier. Apple had it too but didn't seem too bothered by it, April however felt fatigued and borderline feverish. Severe sunburn for only about an hour of exposure proving just how unforgiving Fire is. April asked Rand still with some discontent what was going on with her. "People on Water don't ever get sunburn I take it?" Rand asked showing some restraint this time in not being completely smug. April nodded. Rand examined her a bit. "You got it pretty badly sister, I would take a rest."

"Rand how do you work this thing?" Apple shouted across the room. Rand painfully lifted himself to the ground and moved towards Apple who was fooling around with the communications device. "What are you hoping to accomplish here?" Asked Rand. Apple explained that she wanted to see what was going on back on Water and that she was hoping to intercept the transmissions between the armies of Fire who she assumed were still occupying the cities of Water.

Rand reached under the device and clicked on a button turning on the device. The sound of radio static and the visual image of television snow filled the distorted bowl like screen. Rand then pointed an antenna towards the direction of Water only to receive more Static. "Broken." Rand commented before he retreated to go sit in a corner and rest. Apple not being one to give up continued to move the Antenna in Random directions until she heard a sound which was intelligible. It was a garbled voice. She continued to move the antenna further looking for the hot spot. As she got warmer the voice became clear. It was a radio newscaster reporting on the ongoing Nuremberg trials for Nazi war criminals. Images on the screen began to pop in and out as she moved the antenna slowly towards the sunbeam coming through the window.

As she finally pointed the antenna towards the sun, the images yet spotted came through. They were black and white and grainy. They varied as if they were a collage. We see glimpses in this smattering of moving images of the old NBC logo with a radio tower beacon (long before the peacock.) Actual footage of the Nuremberg trials, a commercial for a Chevrolet 1946, and excerpts from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Rand and April both drew closer out of Curiosity of what they were seeing as more black and white images flooded in. Bleak images of factory smokestacks billowing smoke, A thriving scene of Detroit with 1940's era trucks and cars driving on a highway. Images of the "Great American Family." And finally, footage of an early atom bomb detonating before the device finally ran out of power and died.

"Where is this?" Apple asked. "I really have no idea.... Perhaps a distant part of the universe." Rand replied. Unknown to them radio signals travel at the speed of light. They were in fact seeing ongoing transmissions from a mid forties era Earth which was hiding behind the sun in a counter orbit. Ghostly images taking place on a world only sixteen light minutes away from them.

Rand and April sit down to rest while suggesting that Apple do the same but Apple becomes curious and begins sorting through some of the various books and texts scattered through out the room. "We need to rest girl." Rand states noting that April has already passed out from exhaustion. Apple ignores him as she dusts off an old but well bounded book. "You get some rest, I will be fine." states Apple. "Very well." acknowledges Rand as he himself lays down cringing a bit from his injured ribs. Apple sits on a broken brick ledge in this dilapidated room and begins reading this book. Surprisingly she is able to read and understand the text as reading seems to come natural to her almost as instinctively as fighting did.

Apple proceeds to read from this book which documents various court like trials of countless low lives, degenerates, and murderers who presumably lived and died a long time ago. Each with their own story to tell about how they just 'woke up' one day and proceeded to serve under either Prince or Duke only to end up in the clutches of the "Commission." who captured and tried them for their 'crimes.' in a process known as adjudication. Big words for someone who has never read before. Reading about these adjudications brought a sense of fear and dread to Apple, while she had never been through a trial like process (as far as she knew.) This triggered an immense feeling of distress with her and she couldn't place why.

Eventually Apple finds some of the finer details in the gruesome details of these kangaroo court trails. Evidence that people do indeed, live, die, and reawaken elsewhere with no memory of their lives before thus confirming what Rand said earlier. Her eyes lit up as a the truth was made final to her. She looked over to notice April and Rand had both fallen asleep together, an odd sight considering the tension between those two. Apple decides to finally get some much needed rest herself as her fight or flight rush from earlier had finally subsided. She put the book down and decided to close her eyes for a bit.

Only a few moments pass by for her until she feels a hand gently touching her on the shoulder, This soft hand proceeds to give her a soothing massage. She calmly opens her eyes assuming it is either April and Rand but notices that is none other than Prince himself. Apple quickly pulls a dagger and attempts to stab Prince only for him to catch her hand. Prince proceeds to pry the dagger from her hand. "I'll take that." In a sensual tone almost as soft as a whisper. Apple's eyes filled with a tense rage met Prince's seductive blue eyes. "Don't worry, I am not here to hurt you, In fact I have come to make a deal." Prince giggled.

Apple looked over to Rand and April who were still sound asleep. "They won't be able to hear you so don't bother, but you should hear what I have to say." Prince noticing right away what Apple was thinking. "There is nothing to I want from you!" Apple's voice deepened. "Wrong, Do you want December back?" Prince calmly asked while Apple looked at him in disbelief. "You killed him! My beloved is dead because of you!" She furiously stated.

"True, but he doesn't have to be dead, not if you don't want him to be." Prince in his charming demeanor continued. "I take it you have been doing a bit of reading to know that death isn't the end here." Apple remained silent. "I will tell you what, not only will I give you December back alive and well, but I will throw in a bonus. I will tell you who you were before." A tempting offer from Prince indeed.

"And what would you possibly want in return?" questioned Apple.

"It's very simple, that man snoring away behind you is a traitor, I want you to end his life."

Apple remained silent as Prince moved behind her placing his hand on her shoulder.

"He killed your friends and your family, This should be an easy task for you, just as killing came so natural for you an hour or so ago. Think about it, you and December can be together again." Prince soothingly whispered into her ear.

"And why should I believe you? It was YOU who ordered my people dead!" Apple swatted Prince's hand off of her shoulder with her eyes bloodshot with anger. "I almost never lie, it's much more amusing to tell the truth. I may be bad but I always stick to my deals." Prince cheerfully gloated as he begins to circle her. Apple gives him a rotten stare of death not taking her eyes off of him. Apple stands ready to snap, like a cat arching it's back to fend off a predator, but Prince approaches her none the less. "Think about it." Prince whispered. "Go to hell!" Apple posturing to attack.

"Already there." Prince smirked before blowing on Apple's face causing her to jolt awake.

Apple's eyes search the room which is now much dimmer than before as some time has clearly passed. No Prince to be found, just the sound of light breathing coming from Rand and April still asleep on the other side of the room. Apple writes this off as just a nightmare but spends a few moments in contemplation as it all felt so real. She looks down to notice that her dagger is still in it's sheathe. Apple's thoughts inch closer to 'it was just a dream' but she remains skeptical as that was not like any dream she has ever had before. Apple gazes out the window to see notice the sun beginning to set behind Water. A single tear fleeted away from her eye. It was an eclipse similar to the one she and December viewed on their first night together.

Apple proceeds to wake April and Rand by gently nudging both of them. Both groan as they slowly regain consciousness. Rand still in pain from his fractured ribs while April throws up coughing violently. Unbeknownst to April, her third degree sunburn had begun to poison her. April was now feverish and worse than before she slept, to make matters worse there was no water around to ease her dehydration. Everyone was thirsty. "How do you people do this? Live here without water?" April spoke barely getting her words out as her throat was incredibly dry. "We usually don't, it's why we hate you guys so much. Welcome to Fire." Rand coughed and chuckled holding his rib cage.

Apple showed April the book she was reading earlier. "April, he wasn't lying, we have lived before and will live again." April seemed distant and disinterested as usual, who could blame her as she had fallen ill? "So?" April snidely asked as if this information was irrelevant. "So if we get this book back to Water, it could turn the tide of this war." Apple responded only for Rand to walk over and snatch the book out of her hand. "Hey!" Yelled Apple as Rand began silently skimming through the book himself. "Turn the tide of the war, please don't make me laugh even harder than before with my broken rib. I don't know who you were in your previous life but don't think you can..." Something in the book made Rand stop and pause, his eyes popped in a sudden fear.

"What's wrong?" Apple remarked as this kind of behavior was uncommon by Rand standards. Rand had so far put on a bravado but that was now shattered. "We're in Hogtown..." uttered Rand. "Hogtown?" April questioned now more curious than ever.  "Well it's what we call this city anyway. I don't know about them." Rand softly spoke in a nervous tone. "You mean the Commission?" Apple asked unphased by Rand's sudden display of terror. "Some of my mates were taken by them, I heard they skinned them alive! This is another place that Prince avoids as if they day couldn't get any worse!"

"So we have a choice, either die of thirst, be found down here by the commission where we will surely be killed, or better yet we can go back into the tunnels and joust with the lunatics down there until they kill us!" Rand monologued and then continued. "Either way, we're all dead." 

"No." Apple firmly stated.

"No?" Responded Rand.

"No, we go up into this 'Hogtown,' We steal a balloon, and we all make it back to Water alive."  

Apple was determined even if Rand and April weren't feeling it, But seeing no other options they unanimously decided to go with her plan. "You're stupid, naive, and foolish but you are more of a fighter than my mates back in Princetown, I'm in." Rand nodded in respect. "I guess..." April hesitant and sick but saw there really was no choice. The sun reemerges from behind Water filling the room once again with light and ultimately a glimmer of hope. Apple motioned Rand to hand her the book, he respectfully complied and Apple placed it in a small satchel she was carrying.

The group finally leaves the room and carries on, eventually they reach a massive chamber containing what seems to be an endless amount of stairs ascending upwards almost infinitely. Like everywhere else on Fire this area felt abandoned and falling apart, having not been used in hundreds of years. Climbing all of these stairs was already proving to be taxing, especially on Rand with his hurt ribs and April who was fatigued from her fever. The group took frequent breaks and attempted to quecnh their thirst by filling small vials with each other's sweat and drinking it. A scout trick commonly used by the inhabitants of Fire.

Thousands upon thousands of steps with no end in sight. Lined between the stairs were more rope lines shifting papers on hooks which seemed to go down as far as the bottom. This chamber was becoming darker and darker as the sun was actually setting now. As they drew closer to the top the temperature became progressively cooler, It's no wonder these cities were built so tall. After countless breaks in this quickly dimming room they finally reached the top which was lit by candles on the floor as if Fire wasn't already hot enough.

They are greeted by what appears to be a thug dressed similar to the men encountered from Princetown back on Water. The man threatens Apple as Rand as April are off to the side panting out breath from their climb. This thug underestimates Apple and grabs her, only for Apple to knee him him in the stomach stunning him. Using his own weight she catapults him off of the steps sending him plummeting to his death. Rand looks on unsurprised of how efficient of a killer Apple is at this point but brings up something rather peculiar.

"That man was from Princetown, Well he was wearing Princetown garb anyway...." Rand pointed out. The group continued in a stealthy manner trying not to draw any attention. Much of the look from the tunnels below remained the same. Dust covered clutter and junk remained scattered all over the place but it appeared people were actually living here. Case in point another thug, this one armed with a crossbow who was randomly patrolling the candle lit corridor so far unaware of the group. Apple raised her hand motioning for Rand and April to 'wait here.' Apple quietly drew one of her daggers whilst sneaking up on the thug. With precision, Apple placed her hand on the thug's mouth while driving her blade through his neck. She kept her hand pressed against his mouth to keep him from screaming as he died in her arms. As she lowered his body to the ground she proceeded to take his crossbow as April had hers, as well as a small vial of water from his neck.

Apple then waved her arm motioning April and Rand to come to her. Apple handed April the vial of water and without saying a word shook her head signaling for her to drink it. April opened her mouth getting ready to thank her but before she could Apple covered her mouth quickly. Apple put her finger up to her own mouth in a 'susshh' fashion.

The pair continued to ghost through the halls which at this point was easier than if they would have done this during the day. Most of the city was asleep. Eventually they reached a large room which was dark and mostly built with rusted metal. Lit by thousands of dim candles. In the center of the room was what appeared to be a torture chair with a demented work of art hanging behind it made out of more dark metal. A single white light glowed behind it illuminating the silhouette of the chair. In front of the chair was a large rectangular table filled with books. Apple became paralyzed with fear and couldn't understand why. This room was devoid of people but it's purpose was very clear. This was the room where the previously mentioned "adjudications" were held in which she read about in her book.

Apple could not remember anything of her previous life, but for some reason she had an intense fear of courtrooms, especially ones which were barely lit and smelled of rust and grit. Despite the Cluster from her previous life being something she could not recall, not even remotely, It's terror had left an imprint on her soul. A mark that not even death and reincarnation could extinguish. After four thousand years it continued to haunt her sub conscience like a trauma wound.

A dim yellow light creaked beneath a door at the end of the room with the sound of a crowd chattering muffled behind it. So far Apple had been fearless in the face of danger. But now she seemed unusually nervous, even Rand could smell it. It was the only possible pathway to where the gondolas were kept. Whatever or whoever was behind that door, they would have to go through it in order to escape from Fire. Apple's adrenaline surged as her veins tensed. Unlike the slaughter of music town and the tunnels. For once Apple was truly terrified for reasons that escaped her. But whatever they were, she was ready to make those reasons pay.

Rand and April comforted Apple. "We got you're back, let's go." said Rand encouraging Apple to proceed. Apple slowly approached the door and placed her hand on it as the noise of the crowd grew louder and louder. The sound of chatter and laughter could be heard. Apple slowly opened the heavy metal door to find herself in a circular room brightly illuminated by a candle chandelier hanging from above filled with old men in black robes sipping on water and having what seemed like a party of sorts. Shock filled the faces of both Apple and Rand. Not only were there objects from the various cities of Water decorating this room, but there was plenty of water to spare for drinking purposes. A commodity that was extremely rare on Fire.

But that was not all. These men were all old. While Duke and Prince appeared to be middle aged. These men were almost ancient looking with white hair and grey beards and wrinkly skin, Something neither Rand, April, or Apple had seen before. Everyone on Water was young, beautiful, and stayed that way and nobody on Fire ever lived long enough to age, except for these men apparently. One of the men noticed this woman dressed in tattered blue, face covered with blood, short dark hair spiked from the heat, and heavily armed to the teeth brandishing a crossbow. Joined by an attractive blonde woman also adorning blue and ill looking, and a man wearing Princetown gear holding his ribs. This unusual trio seemed almost seemed as alien as old people were to them.

One of these politician like men approached, this one had a red dot painted on his forehead, presumably indicating that he was a high ranking official here. "Who are you? You are not permitted to be here." The aged man spoke in an entitled tone before Apple grabbed him, spinning him around and placing her bow up against his neck effectively taking him hostage. A few men dressed like Rand drew their crossbows and aimed them towards the 'intruders.' Apple looked on at these "bureaucrats" with utter contempt and hatred in her eyes, she could not understand why but she felt more resentment towards them than even Prince. "Have your guards lower your weapons or I end him!" Apple demanded. "Let them pass!" One of the men yelled who appeared to be the leader. He nodded and the guards as they all lowered their crossbows.

"You! Grab us some water vials, do it now!" commanded Apple towards one of the men as she pressed the arrow of her bow further into the chin of her captive. The man scampered off immediately following through with her order fearing for the life his comrade. Moments later the man rushed over with several small glass tubes of water and handing them to Rand. The cowardly frail man gave a fearful gesture of respect as he hurried away.

Apple proceeded to move forward through the room using the bureaucrat as a human shield. April and Rand followed her as their eyes scanned the room. Rand noticed that the bureaucrats had not only pilfered luxury items from Water such as lavish pillows, fruits, blankets, and decorations. But they also had female sex slaves who had also aged chained up naked to the wall, presumably kidnapped from Boomtown from previous battles. In addition, they had even employed ex soldiers of both Prince and Duke. With enough water and then some. these old men were living a good life at the expense of everyone else on Fire whilst acting as Judges bestowing their own form of sick justice upon people they had captured from other cities on Fire.

"Which way to the balloons?" Apple growled at her captive. "Tell me which way!" She further insisted. "Okay! Okay, through those doors!" Her captive whimpered. The rest of the room looked on completely powerless as Rand snickered at them and sarcastically shrugged his shoulders enjoying every moment of this. Eventually, they reached an exterior which was on the edge of the city. The bright stars and stellar gas clouds lit the night sky. Water hung above dark with only tiny isolated points of light where it's individual cities were. A single hot air balloon was docked at the ledge with only a single rope holding it in place. Apple shook her head towards the balloon instructing April and Rand to board it. "This is not permitted" The petty alderman spoke. Before Apple could react to his patronizing remark a familiar voice to come out of the blue.

"But they do not care..." Prince softly spoke.

Apple turned around still clutching the man in her arms to notice Prince who was standing in the door frame from which they had just come out of. But Prince wasn't alone. Several men appeared in the battlement above the door with crossbows drawn and Prince's hand was on another man's shoulder. This man was none other than December.

As soon as Apple noticed this she let go of her hostage who ran over and proceeded to thank Prince kissing his hand in a groveling manner before fleeing back into Hogtown. Prince may not rule Hogtown, but he was still the boss. Almost everyone on this planet respected and feared Prince and the wealth hoarding bureaucrats of Hogtown were no different. Apple from this moment on knew that the dream she had earlier was indeed real. It did not feel like a dream, but then again what was reality at this point?

"You still have a chance Apple!" Shouted Prince. But December had different plans. He ran over to Apple and kneeled before her in a frantic manner begging for her forgiveness. "Please forgive me, please forgive me, please forgive me, I didn't know I would fall in love with you!" 

"Forgiveness for WHAT!?" Apple furiously questioned.

"He sold you out, He fed me your cities defenses, isn't that right December?" Prince cheerfully yelled. Apple's heart sank in her chest and Prince knew it. "See! It is more fun to tell the truth!" Prince laughed clearly aroused by Apple and December's shared grief.

"You spoiled my temptation December!" Prince barked as he looked up to his men in the rampart above him and nodded. One of the thugs fired and arrow impaling December. As December died in front of her, Apple looked down on him without a shred of sympathy still feeling the sting from his betrayal. Prince walked closer as Apple drew her crossbow. A smile lit up Prince's face as Apple opened fire. The bolt hit Prince in the chest causing him to collapse to the ground. Surprisingly his men did not return fire, they just stood there and watched. Prince let out a dying laugh as a bright light exploded from his core. After being briefly blinded by this flash, Apple noticed that he had seemingly vanished from existence.

"Where did he go?" Apple yelled angry and confused as she look around on in disbelief. Prince let out a loud whistle which came from her right. She looked over to see It was none other than Prince, revived and alive and well. What Rand had said earlier was true, he can't be killed! Apple raised her bow to fire another shot only to notice that her bow was not loaded. "April, I believe we had a deal." Prince charmingly beckoned towards a shockingly willing April. April gracefully strutted over to Prince and kissed him on the cheek much to Apple and Rand's surprise. "You know what you have to do..." Prince whispered in her ear as he spooned her in his arms helping her aim the crossbow towards Rand.

"April WHY!????" Apple distraught. "Prince is right, that man killed all of my friends!" April responded. "PRINCE KILLED ALL OF OUR FRIENDS! WHY WOULD YOU LISTEN TO HIM! YOU SAW IT! YOU WERE THERE!!!" Apple's voice broke as Prince smirked at her misery. "I'm sorry friend, but he promised me our friends back if I did this." April spoke with a tint of regret in her voice. "Do it...." Prince commanded as April squeezed the trigger. Apple let out a loud "NO!" while throwing herself in front of Rand taking the poorly aimed arrow in her hip.

April and even Rand himself were both stunned by this move, especially Rand.  Apple bandaging him up back in the tunnels was one thing, but nobody had ever done something quite like this for Rand before. Even his buddies on Fire would have never of sacrificed themselves to save his life. Apple staggered but Rand caught her and helped her stay on her feet. Prince at this point was not amused.

"I won't punish you if you kill her Rand, Well maybe not as bad." Prince giggled knowing that Rand feared him like the rest of his underlings. Rand drew one of Apple's daggers in what could be assumed by Prince as a move to kill Apple, but instead Rand thew her into the carriage of the balloon and used the blade to cut the rope causing it to ascend into the sky. Prince's cheerful face quickly turned into a torqued one.

"Sorry, I believe in her now." Rand tossed aside his dagger while giving Prince a smug smile, placing his arms out accepting his fate and laughing as Prince's hood popped up. "YOU WILL SUFFER!" Prince exhumed. "Do you're worst you son of a bitch! It was worth it!" Rand cracked up laughing at Prince knowing he had just made a total fool of him. Enraged at this, Prince gestured his hand causing his men to open fire on Rand. Arrows rained down upon Rand from the rampart above killing him almost instantaneously, As Rand drew one final breath, he fell backwards off of the ledge of the city and into the desert far below. Prince looked up to see Apple's gondola gaining altitude towards Water. Prince motioned for his men to fire upon the balloon. Prince's goons lit their arrows ablaze and fired a volley upwards towards the balloon.

The Arrows barely dented the underside of the steel carriage but one lucky shot managed to hit one of the rope cables connecting the balloon towards the carriage setting it on fire like a fuse. The fire quickly spread upwards where it began to burn into the dense leather balloon bag. The fiery balloon lit the sky above like a bright star as Prince continued to hold April almost romantically.

"So our deal..." April sensually whispered with a gleeful smile on her face. Prince turned to her with with all of his charm before quickly snapping her neck and killing her. "As I promised, you will have your friends back, but it will be in you're next life. Don't worry, I have special plans for you." Prince gloated as he kissed her one last time and then disrespectfully shoving her body aside as he continued to gaze upwards towards the burning balloon which was now reaching center orbit.

The balloon was now in the windy whirlpool between the two planets. Apple was still on the floor of the carriage. Injured from the arrow but yet holding on to a steel handle for dear life as the flaming balloon rocked back and forth, and up and down as it entered the gravity of Water. Finally, the fire had managed to burn through the balloon bag immediately causing a massive explosion. This huge fireball could be seen from the surfaces of both Fire and Water. Apple charred with third degree burns, but alive continued to hold on as the blazing remains of the gondola began to fall towards Water. The inhabitants of a nearby city on looked up into the night sky of Water to behold a blazing comet streaking through the sky. Like a fiery phoenix dive bombing towards the horizon.

Apple contemplated her last thoughts as time seemed to slow down for her as the gondola plummeted at break neck speeds. The flames above her danced around in slow motion. The carriage then slammed into the water instantly killing Apple. The charred metal gondola submerges taking Apple's body down with it. A few pieces of burning rubble floated on the dark waves lit only by reflected sunlight bouncing off of planet Fire above.

Apple's body managed to eventually separate from the gondola while sinking into this deep dark ocean. However, there was a small sliver of light coming from the deep bottom of the ocean, It was very far away but only grew brighter and brighter as she sank. Her lifeless body began to descend through what looked like a universe of stars, but these were no stars.  Upon closer examination of these humanoid shapes, they were the souls of the deceased who glowed like bio luminescence. She passed thousands upon millions of souls on her voyage to the planet's glowing white core which appeared to be the very bottom. The core pulsated, flickering its light around the ocean depths. As it was getting ready to seemingly accept her. Something dislodged from her cold dead hand. It was none other than the book that she had retrieved earlier from Hogtown. It proceeded to fall first into the core where it magically dematerialized like a stream of spagettified matter would fall into a black hole. Moments later Apple's corpse followed being gracefully disintegrated as it passed into the immense light.

We go black to the sound of the ocean waves crashing into the shore yet again. Apple opens her eyes to awake on 'The beach' yet again. But this time it's different, it appears to be night except there are no stars in the sky, just a pitch black void hanging above. And this time she is different. A flood of memories crash onto her like a waterfall. She isn't just Apple. She has lived multiple lives on Water countless times, as June, as October, and so on and so forth. Hundreds of names from hundreds of beautiful but yet meaningless lives on Water. But one name stands out to her the most. Lilly Starstrider of B6F. "I remember..... I know who I am!" She said out loud as the revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. As she pulls herself up she then remembers being on this beach a long time ago, eons ago where she was first greeted by Prince.

Oh Prince, that being had tormented her for almost four thousand years usually killing her through his various raids on Water. but this most recent encounter with him as Apple was the most note worthy. Luckily Prince was nowhere to be found this time. Lilly peaked down to notice she was wearing a white dress. The same one her doppleganger wore when she first arrived after her death on the Cluster. Lilly came to the realization that there never was a doppleganger, it was her all along still judging herself for the guilt of watching her brother die and killing to survive. The doppleganger was just a manifestation of herself unable to forgive herself.

 She saw a small light appear on the horizon. This light dimmed in an out leaving only a small person like figure who was now approaching her. She began walking towards it out of curious, It was too small in height to be Prince, no it was someone else entirely. As she drew closer she recognized this figure. It was none other than her brother! Dylan! An overjoyus smile lit up Lilly's face as the two began running towards one another to embrace.

"My baby brother! At long last!" Tears rained down Lilly's face as she tightly hugged Dylan. Finally they were being reunited after what felt like an eternity after first being separated from each other on the Cluster. "I love you so much.... It has been so long" Dylan spoke as he warmly accepted her in his arms. Lilly however became a bit skeptical. "How is this possible, How are we here together and not on Fire and Water?" Dylan repeated a phrase that sounded all too familiar to her. "You, made it possible..."

Lilly stood back a bit as this version of Dylan seemed a bit too mystical. His eyes glowed like there was an entire universe within them. "Wait.... How do I know you're not Prince in disguise?" Lilly asked having been terrorized by Prince for so long. "Search your heart Lilly." Lilly paused to think for a moment shortly before Dylan spoke again. "Prince can't hurt us here, we are outside of the cycles of time." It was indeed Dylan but not quite the Dylan she remembered. He felt cosmic in nature, like a force more powerful than Prince.

"What happened to you?" Lilly asked. "You noticed, Three thousand years ago on Water I passed the test so to speak. and now you have too." Lilly stood there confused. Dylan continued. "The original purpose of Fire and Water was for people to learn how to work together and learn to love each other. A test which both worlds have failed on a daily basis. It was never intended to be a heaven or hell" Lilly pondered this. "But don't the good go to Water and the bad go to Fire?" she asked.

"Yes, people who make bad choices end up on Fire and usually people who make good choices go to Water, but what is to stop someone from Water making a horrible choice. Case in point Stellios or as you knew her in this recent life, April, or December for that matter." Dylan continued on. "Morality is not a black and white affair, through you're actions you helped redeem Rand, a horribly troubled man with a complicated history. You chose to show him compassion despite your negative emotions and pain and ultimately you sacrificed yourself for him showing love, something he had not felt in a very long time. Ultimately you and him worked together to escape Fire. You passed the test!" Lilly's mind was blown.

Lilly still however questioned herself on whether or not she deserved to be here. Still remembering what Prince said on the beach earlier about her sacrifice on the Cluster being in vain and now realizing that her sacrifice as Apple made little to no difference at all towards actually changing things on Fire and Water. Dylan turned around and looked up into the sky where a giant hologram appeared. Similar to her life review with Prince in her previous visit to the beach. "This happened around thirty years after what went down in history as 'The Great Uprising' and inspired almost eighty worlds to join the reform planets, Yes you were hailed as a hero on those worlds sister." Dylan stated as images popped through the hologram.

We see a familiar man, most notably the assassin in black who had killed her on the Cluster using the very same brace weapon he had used on her to kill the Divine Shadow in an unknown room with human brains being kept in pods. Behind the assassin was a brave and beautiful white haired woman who reminded Lilly alot of Sippos and next to her a middle aged, low ranking cluster security guard donned in red. "Yes, the amino acid codes were lost which eventually lead to the construction of the great comet as the people on Fire and Water called it but it ultimately fulfilled a long time prophecy in the defeat of the Divine Order." Dylan noted.

"But what if things could have been different. We could have lived happily together on B6F, what if I had successfully defended you against those clerics?" Lilly question still having some regret over her life.

"Happily ever after until this happened?" More images popped in showing the 'great cleansing' taking place on the sunny and tropical B6F. Sentry robot painted in a rainbow color to appear less intimidating than the ones encountered on the Cluster were gunning people down in the streets with non lethal versions of Black Packs which would simply put their victim into a coma. As people laid in there unconscious and helpless on the ground, large clown looking vacuum cleaners complete with painted eyes and a large noses hovered taking in victims in large openings for their mouths. Inside of these demented looking vacuum cleaners the victims were stripped of their flesh and organs leaving only their bones to be literally regurgitated out of the other end of them.

"And even if we survived that, we would have never of survived this sister." The Images changed to another planet entirely, a technologically advanced city planet far out of the reaches of the Divine Order. It was night time as this city was under siege by at first looked like endless swarms of large grey insects. The swarms pulverized through the skyscrapers causing them to topple over. A mother protectively held her baby in her arms as one of the swarms drew closer towards her. As the swarm devoured her and her child we see that these were not insects at all. They were instead flying mechanical robot arms. The these gaping hands consumed everything in sight converting all matter into more flying drone arms. Eventually we a fiery visual of them digging through this planet's mantle and down to it's molten iron core. We see a visual of all of the starlight in a beautiful blue and purple spiral galaxy dimming out as if the lights were being slowly turned off out eventually causing the whole galaxy to go black. We zoom out to see entire clusters of galaxies slowly vanishing into the night.

"Nothing you did would have made a difference, we would have either died at the hand's of the Divine Order, or alongside the rest of the Light Universe." Dylan affirmed while Lilly stood there horrified at the amount of death and destruction that followed. "But for our brief moment in time, you were a hero Lilly, and I could not be more proud of my big sister!" A single tear of joy emerged from his eyes, the water droplet looked like it contained it's own cosmos with thousands of stars shining bright inside of it. "Don't worry, the light universe will begin again in the next cycle of time." Dylan reassured her.

"Humans are a flawed species, but consider the two universes and the cycles of time as a remedial test bed for us. Fire and Water is just a holding tank until the next cycle begins again." Dylan paused and continued "You passed the test, as I did over three thousand years ago." At this point, millions upon trillions of galaxies appeared in the sky which represented the universe in which Fire and Water resided in helping Lilly cast aside her fears.

"So what happens now?" Lilly asked feeling at peace with herself finally. "Now you make a choice, you're more than welcome to live with me and the others outside of the cycles of time, I will warn you however you can never return to the physical plain once you have crossed over." Dylan paused but resumed "Or, you can remain here but with a few perks, You will however forget this moment, but you will never forget who you are ever again." Lilly smiled and responded after a few seconds later "Tough decision, let me think about it." Dylan winked and said "Take your time sis, you have plenty."

50 Years Later

We are now back on Fire in some dark and unknown place built out of all metal, December is alive again but not well. He is sweating up a storm as his head is in a guillotine like device which will behead him if he stops peddling on a exercise like cycling machine. Around him are other people in more devices frantically pumping as a blade looms above their heads as nightmarish and deformed looking wardens keep a watchful eye on this prison.

We cut to a lavish room on Water, very similar to the one Apple woke up in, except this time we see a more youthful and less gruff version of Rand open his eyes for the first time since his death. He wakes up in a comfortable bed confused with no memory of who he is or where he is. Rand hears a elegant harp playing in the next room complimenting the sound of the ocean. As he is greeted by a gentle breeze coming through the window a heavily tattoo'ed but soft hand offers him a lift out of bed.

Rand places his large masculine hand in the soft embrace of this woman's hand. He notes her tattoos all resemble flames including the one on her hand. He peers upwards to notice that she is dressed in all cyan blue and is adorning a smiling with her gorgeous hazel eyes greeting his. Her beautiful blonde hair wrapped up in a wild bun with braids. She seems familiar to him because this is none other than April's latest incarnation. "Hi I'm May, who are you?" She introduces herself. "I... I really don't know...." Rand responds confused but happily comfortable. May begins to give a newborn Rand a tour of this city, presumably Musictown and they both pass a book inconspicuously sitting on an ornate end table by the bed. The book is very familiar looking as it is indeed the book that Apple recovered from Hogtown but Rand and May are oblivious to it's existence as it sits there collecting dust.

Earth 1999

We see a brand new world. One incredibly similar to B6F. Clouds orange, pink, and red as a beautiful sunset shines its dying light upon a series of coastal cliffs illuminated in gold. Two cars speed down a road which is carved into the side of these cliffs passed a sign reading 'Welcome to the Pacific Palisades.' A boxy looking 90's era car exchanges gunshots with a pursuing police vehicle with it's sirens blaring. "You'll never catch me!!!" is briefly heard as this moment of paradise was unceremoniously interrupted by this random chaos. On the beach below the cliffs we find a woman in a red bikini relaxing on a blanket staring out into the sunset with a boombox radio sitting next to her as well as a red convertible parked behind her.

The radio was softly playing 'Steal My Sunshine' to Lilly who was the woman lounging by the beach and taking in what was left of the setting southern California sun. As the song ended Lilly turned the dial to change the station, voices of static political pundits came in discussing the recent landslide victory of presidential elect, Reginald J Priest. "I don't care if he supposedly spent 30 years in the jungles of Vietnam! The idiot can't even spell! I already miss President Davidson and he was a moron too!" A fuming radio host shouted in a heated debate with a guest.

As Lilly proceeded to turn the dial to find another radio station a carrot with long mechanical legs protruding out of it is beginning to creep up on Lilly. Like a predator stalking its helpless prey, the carrot let out a victory chirp sounding similar to a bird. A loud screeching "Reeeeeeeeeeh!!!!" before pouncing on Lilly. As the bad carrot leaped towards her Lilly caught it mid air with her left hand. The carrot struggled to escape, squirming around in the clutch of Lilly's hand. Lilly proceeded to snap it like a twig killing it as the carrot lost power and died. Lilly nonchalantly tossed it aside and continued to toy with her radio finally landing on a station which was playing 'True Faith.' Lilly then kicked back and resumed her relaxation as if she was just taking a long vacation.

The End.

The Adventure continues on Earth.. Click here for Part IV!