I’ve been picking at the lock, slowly getting it open the lock has rusted and stiff. Finally, get the lock set and am able to turn seeing the door pop open.

I push open the door and see tons of cobwebs around the door frame and threw out the infirmary seeing a few bed frames with no mattresses on them.

“There must be something?” I said thinking out loud entering, hitting the light switch seeing nothing happen to leave the room in the dark.

“Fuse must be busted or tripped.” Duke said out loud walking in as he walked into a cobweb, using his hand to knock it off. While grabbing my zippo lighter from my pocket lighting giving us a little light.

“The breaker box must be somewhere.” Danny said out loud coming into the room. “With the size of this place, it could be anywhere.” I said out loud feeling something bite me making me slap the back of my neck.

“Pesky spiders.” I thought to myself trying to see what just bite me, but with the lighting in here, it’s impossible to see.

I move my lighter closer to my hand seeing that it was a black spider, I wipe my hand on my jeans before trying to look at the current box.

“Here’s one.” Danny said out loud trying to move a heavy table. Duke quickly to the other end helping his brother.

Once it’s out of the way seeing the current box is covered with cobwebs, I move closer wiping them away before opening it. Seeing all the breakers have been turned off, I flip on all the breakers seeing the lights coming back turn on, and threw out the factory that had been connected to it.

I close my zippo and put it back in my pocket. I take a deep breath before searching for medicine and badges.

I when over towards one of the cabinets seeing every little in there. Seeing only had a few glass bottles with different names on them, one being painkillers. Grabbing the bottle checking to see if it’s still in date. But from being a glass bottle and the color of it and the label faded making it very hard to read.

Seeing the pain killer bottle has been sitting there checking for a date seeing that it when out in 1927 using an earth date. I open the cap to get a better look at the capsules.

Two capsules came out landing on my hand seeing looking like pills are like those of today. I thought it over before putting the pills back in the bottle and putting them back in the cabinet.

I start to feel a little off, feeling the storm coming this way.

Duke notices it stands next to me. “You’re alright?” He asks me. “I’m alright, just a little tired that's all.” I answer him opening one of the swards seeing bandages. I grab one of them and some rubbing alcohol in a small bottle.

I have the things to patch up right now moving over to the desk and beginning to work patching myself up.

I saw a mirror checking on the bite. Seeing it starting to turn red I use some alcohol to clean it making it burn a little.

Once everything is done with my head patched up and the bite cleaned up the best I can.

Putting everything back and meeting up with both Danny and Duke. “Ready.” Danny asks me. “Yes.” I answer him still feeling off.

“Best to meet up with the others.” I tell them leaving with both following, turning off the light on the way out.

Back in the office.

Twilight and Chris talking while Pinky is feeling off from being pregnant and haven’t eaten anything all day from coming here.

“I’m starting to get hungry.” Rainbow said out loud. “I think we all are getting hungry.” Applejack said out loud.

“Before I bring you here, I was getting dinner ready.” Chris said out loud. “Where?” Spike asks him. “Back in the penthouse above the factory.” He answers him grabbing the lockbox before heading.

Once everyone is out, James, Danny, and Duke make their way toward where we are. “How are you feeling James?” Pinky asks me to see still carrying both my hat and Rarity’s scarf on my side. “I’m alright just a little tired and won’t be wearing my hat for some time.” I answer her question cheering her up a little bit.

I grabbed the element from my pocket seeing that it was still glowing just not as bright as before. Not only that, I can feel the storm getting closer.

Chris locks his office and leads us towards the penthouse, leading us to an elevator. “A service elevator.” I said out loud seeing the space inside big enough for like 10 to 15 people with room for cargo.

Chris grabs a set of keys from his pocket and put one of them in a lock at the top, turning it and making the elevator start to move. “How far do we have to go?” Danny asks Chris. “Only have to go 15 floors.” He said out loud answering his question.

Seeing the light slowly goes from the ground floor. Once it gets to the penthouse level and the door opens, showing how big it is with the penthouse making up 3 floors looking more like a mansion than anything else.

“Wow.” Rainbow said out loud making it echo.

The main hall is the biggest room from what we could see the center of the room has an 8ft pine tree that’s been decorated with ornaments from around the world. Seeing crystals on the tree reflecting light off the chandeliers above them.

The décor feels warm and alive from the rest of the factory, more so the town outside. Darken stained wood that gives off a shine towards it. I when over towards one of the stair rails removing my gloves to side by side on it before giving it a sniff.

“Hard oak.” I said out loud making everyone else wonder what going threw my mind as I put my glove back on.

While I was sniffing the oak Chris when to the kitchen. Seeing that the goose that’s been roasting for only God knows how many hours now sends the smell throughout the penthouse.

Spike started to smell it making his stomach starts to growl with hunger. “You smell that?” He said out loud starts making his way toward the kitchen letting his nose lead the way.

Has for me I was more tired than hungry and make my way upstairs, Pinky notices this and stops me only a few steps in. “James?” She calls out to me grabbing my right arm. “I just need to get some rest.” I answer her making to let go so I find a guest room or something.

Back in the kitchen

Chris uses melted butter to finish dressing the still-roasting goose when Spike walks in to see the kitchen.

The size and layout of the kitchen is that of a cross bends of different eras from the late 19th century to the mid-20^th century. The fireplace with the goose roasts over it in the room with Chris dressing it while it slowly spins on a spit hanging off it.

The left side of the room has countertops and cabinets with can goods on the countertops bags of flour and sugar opened and a large mixing bowl with the unused ingredients waiting to mix up.

On the right side of the room has a large gas power industrial oven and a walk-in refrigerator/ freezer. The oven is on and active showing the flames coming from the small windows with the temperature slowly going up passing 150^oF.

“Another hour or so and it would be ready.” He said out loud not knowing that Spike standing in the doorway.

“I hope so too.” Spike answer in response making Chris turn around seeing him smiling.

Chris gets up getting himself steady on his feet with the nearly empty blow of melted butter. “Where are the others?” Chris asks him putting it on the nearby table.

“James has gone to get some rest and the others must be at the elevator where I left them.” Spike answers his question grabbing a finished biscuit that is still warm after coming from the oven.

Spike takes a bite from it feeling the heat of the still-warm biscuit. After clewing and slowing it taking a breath before talking to Chris. “That’s good, very good.” He said out loud.

“Thanks, my wife made them all the time and it toke a few times to make them right.” Chris said to the compliment.

“Then what’s in the oven then?” He asks him before taking another bite. “It’s another batch.” He answers his question wiping his hands, beating the last of the flower dust off them.

“SPIKE!” Twilight calls out his name. “I’m in the kitchen with Chris!” He calls out in response.

“OOOEEE! Something smells good.” AJ said out loud smelling the goose cooking and the next batch of biscuits coming along.

Twilight, AJ, and Rarity walk into the kitchen seeing the goose over the flames, leaving them in shock for a moment.

“Well, that's interesting.” Twilight said out loud after collecting herself before finishing off her train of thought. “We've only been here for a few days, and we don’t eat meat, but that smell is making me hungry for it.”

“I’m guessing you folks don’t eat meat?” Chris asks them hearing what Twilight just said, before hearing the rest cutting her off in the progress. “That’s right.” Applejack answers in response.

“That's alright because the people who use to work for me didn’t eat meat either. Because it's tuff finding meat that wouldn’t kill you in the progress.” Chris tells them.

Twilight's curiosity peaks now hearing that. “How did you get around that?” Twilight asks him as he walks over towards the oven and opens the door seeing the flames coming out the doorway with the heat as well.

The temperature dropping like a stone, he grabbed a metal tray to get something out of the oven. The smell of the fresh bash of biscuits coming out of the oven and putting them on the nearby countertop. Grabbing something else from the still open oven what looks like a loaf of freshly baked bread. But the smell is more like a baked potato than anything else.

“What’s that smell?” Rainbow and the two brothers finally making their way to the kitchen.

“It smells like bake potatoes.” Danny said smelling it.

Chris places the first loaf on the counter and when to grab another one. Once he put both on the counter. Grabbing one of the loaves and cutting it into pieces showing that stuff with potatoes with bits of vegetables.

“Does it have a name?” Twilight asks him, as keeps cutting into the loaf. “ Knish. Is what it is called.” Chris answers her question.

Chris starts telling them a story.

“I was in New York during on one of my vacations back on Earth. It was spring 2004, at least from what I can remember. I walk by a shop that sells them from the first time saw them thinking the same thing potatoes stuffed inside a loaf of bread and saw how many versions there are. I bought one and gave it a try and fell in love after the first bite. I asked the owner how they are made and he told me. Once I got back and tried to make some.”

“How did it go?” Twilight asks him

Chris continues.

“Not good, it toke some time and a lot of trial and error to make it right.”

He tells them as he finished cutting up the first loaf. Before moving on to the next one.

“Do you use whole or instead?” Duke asks him. “whole, I use instead if I have to.” Chris answers his question still cutting up the loaf.

“Wait a minute.” AJ said out loud realizing something. “You mention New York, have you been to New York on the City world?” She asks Chris. “Yes, I’ve been there. But it's completely different from the real city.” He quickly answers her without missing a step.

Twilight hears this questioning what she just heard before speaking up about it. “We know that me and my friends have never been to New York you’re talking about. But we have been to the one in this world.” She tells him.

Just then hearing a crack of thunder then threw the building, shocking everyone.

“Must be that storm.” AJ said out loud, Pinky comes running towards the kitchen after feeling the strike of the thunder.

She trying to catch her breath well trying to talk at the same time. “I when to check up on James because I was worried about him.” She stopped coughing trying to do both at the same time.

Twilight walks over trying to calm her down. “Calm down Pinky.” She tells her friend finally able to catch her breath.

“Like I said, I when to check up on James and he’s not doing too good, he is shaking really bad.” She said out loud, making Pinky, Twilight, and Chris to go where he is located at.

Elsewhere

I was lying down on the couch in one of the bedrooms, beginning to feel cold with the fire going into the fireplace.

The rods in my back aching up sending cold shivers up my back. I get up reaching into my coat trying to find the serum that has been in there for a few days now. Finding both the serum and the cigar. Seeing that the serum is still frozen dropping the needle seeing rolling towards the fire.

My right arm starts to go numb still feeling the cold creeping up my arm making it difficult to move. The only thing going threw my mind is to light the cigar. Reaching for my lighter with the arm that hasn’t gone numb feeling that it’s in the other pocket.

I had no choice but to use my right arm to get the lighter, and with a great deal of pain, I reach for it. Pulling the lighter out of my pocket and put it on my left side while I put the cigar to my mouth. Grabbing the lighter with my left hand and light the cigar.

Taking a long drag of it before lying back down. Still feeling the effects of letting the vaper smoke out, I close my eyes feeling the thunder in the distance.

I wake up not in the desert, but in the middle of a snow-clover forest. “This is new.” I said out loud still feeling the effects of the cold air around me both in the real world and the dream world.

I try to move my right arm feeling like pins and needles going through my arm like being stabbed a million times.

“I will be best not to move it unless I have to.” I said out loud getting up from the snow-clover ground.

I look around trying to get my bearings seeing nothing but trees around me, with the sun high in the sky.

I take a deep breath before thinking out loud. “There is no telling where to go without getting lost in the progress.”

Before seeing something in the trees, then come flying toward me. A white eagle with blue eyes landing next to me, then hearing a wolf howe behind me making me turn around seeing a white wolf with blue eyes slowly walking towards me.

The hawk was on my left while the wolf when to my right. I hear a voice in the distance. “James.” It calls out to me.

I see the loose snow starting to fly around me making a small silicone starting to form, within seconds the snow started to form a figure of that a old wizard. “Nice to finally meet you James.” He tells me.

“Who are you?” I ask him making him quickly answer my question. “I’m the previous Guardian of the Ice Element. Before Chris took over for me.” He tells me. “Why am I here?” I ask him another question in a state of confusion.

“To deliver a message for Chris, yourself, and the other Guardians that have been prophesize to end the war with the Army of Darkness. They are building their forces again; all they need is a leader and that leader will be reborn from fire and darkness.” He tells me.

“You mean my creation that turns against me and my allies?” I ask him. “Maybe, I’m not the one who wrote it.” He answers my question.

“Then who did?” I ask him. “The first Guardian who carried the 10^th element a long time ago.” He tells me.

Storm clouds begin to form above us, sending sticks of purple lighting in the woods around us sparking flames.

Moments later the forest turns into a flaming inferno sending smoke into the sky above us. The wizard looks around seeing the flames around. “Time is running short for us, and I wish I could tell you more.” He tells me.

“How do I get out of here?” I ask him only pointing in the direction behind me where the break in the flames.

“If we meet again, let's just hope it is in better conditions.” He tells me before turning back into loose snow. The wolf becomes bigger, big enough to carry me on his back.

The hawk takes to the air while I get on the wolf's back. As for the break in the flames, it quickly closes and reopens very few seconds. I tell the wolf one thing. “We only have one shot.”

He takes off towards the break going as fast as he can. The break gets closer and closer until the brakes close before running towards it and in a brief second, it opens letting us pass by.

All around us nothing but flames trees even the ground floor has been set ablaze. I look and see nothing but smoke above nearly blacking out the ski before seeing the hawk guiding us out of this inferno.

Back in the real world.

Chris opens the door to one of the bedrooms where I’m lying down on the couch. “He’s in here.” He calls out to the others coming to where we’re at.

Twilight and Pinky running where I’m at, seeing Chris standing next to the still lite fire cracking from the heat coming off the wood.

As for me lying on the couch out cold. “What happened?” Pinky asks out loud seeing me out cold, while Twilight sees James's push-button needle filled with still frozen serum laying next to the fireplace.

“It must be the rods again.” Twilight said out loud picking it up from the ground and feeling another rumble of thunder louder this time only no more than 500 yards off. Then a purple flash came across the window.

Chris walks to the window and opens it seeing storm the been following them has finally over them with purple lighting off in the sky above them.

“It is best to stand back, you two.” He tells them stepping aside and seeing a bolt of purple lighting come through the open window shocking both Twilight and Pinky to finally stand back from James, as the blot hits me on my forehead.

Twilight is shocked at what she sees the bolt of lightning is connected to my head sending pluses to my head. “What is happening?” She asks him. “It looks like, the element is trying to save the Guardian.” He answers her question from what can see going on right in front of him.

“Why is that?” Twilight asks him while Pinky leading over to tries to touch the pulsating bolt, but it wouldn’t let her. “It must be the bond between the element and the Guardian.” He answers her question walking around the still-connected lightning bolt.

“The bond?” Pinky asks out loud getting up. “Yes, the bond between the element and its Guardian.” Chris tells them to answer her question in the progress.

“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this until now.” Twilight said out loud making Pinky to rub the side of her neck where her mark is located, feeling the bond between her element letting go of a few tears feeling them going down the sides of her face heading towards the floor; but they don’t hit the floor beginning to float few inches of the hardwood floor.

Without thinking she grabs the lightning bolt making Chris and Twilight jolt back from a shock wave sending both of them back hitting the nearby wall.

Twilight recovers first seeing standing there with her eyes wild open with the same bolt of lightning now connected to her as.

Chris came a second seeing the same thing seeing that her mark lightning up as well her eyes. “Twilight, it best not to touch her.” He tells her.

Back in the dreamscape.

Pinky smells smoke and quickly wakes up seeing the forest around her on fire quickly gets up and starts to cough from the smoke. Melting the snow around her feeling something inside her starting to come alive.

The mark on the side of her neck started to light up feeling the melted snow now turn to water coming towards her. Small at first seeing the water starting to form on her hands slowly getting bigger trying to cover her mouth before trying to call out someone's name.

“JAMES!” As loud she could before a flame hit her left leg catching her pants on fire using her hands to put out the flame.

Elsewhere

The wolf stopped hearing my name being called out, before hearing something else.

“AAAAAHHHHHHH!” Someone screams out in pain, before running towards the scream.

Back in the blaze.

Pinky falls over in pain having tripped over a branch of wood that is still on fire sending flame toward her right arm as she tries to get back up, having a hard enough time fire around her on her own. She hears something coming towards her she tries to use her powers to get back up but can’t from the pain.

She screams out in pain that when out for miles, before hearing something coming towards her jumping threw the flames landing near her seeing James left hand to reach out towards her.

Use her left hand to grab him, using both of their strength to get her behind him on the of the wolf.

The wolf jumped threw a break in the flames to the direction that would lead them out of there.

“What are you doing here Pinky?” I ask her. “I don’t know, the last thing I remember what grabbing that bolt of lightning that attach to your head and then waking up here nearly baked awake.” She answers my question trying to hang on for dear life.

I look up seeing the hawk guiding us threw this mess that this storm has made.

I begin to fill the pain going up my arm towards my back making it pop in a few places making a few cracks of the thunder around us.

Then a few drops of rain hitting the flames below turning them into steam on contact.

The few drops turns into a downpour slowly killing the flames around us.

“James, what’s going on?” Pinky asks me seeing what going on turning into a heavy downpour.

The pain in my back started to become intense hitting one of the screws making it feel like being stabbed in the back with a 6 ft. spear.

I begin to breath heavy because of the pain making the storm above us release a few strikes of lightning across the now darken ski before hitting one of the trees in front of us making it fall to the ground, without even slowing down we jump over it seeing the remains starting to catch alight from spark still going threw the remains of the tree.

Pinky sees that her hands are still cover in blobs of water beginning to glow white she touches my back seeing the water going in threw the clothes reach his back starting to release the pain that I’m feeling.

I begin to feel release from the pain getting the feeling back in my right arm once again. I reach out to her to tell her one thing.

“Thank you Pinky, thank you.”

“You're welcome James." She responded to that by reaching for burned part of her leg.

“AAAAHHHH!” she screams out in pain putting water on the burn marks.

The rain still coming down hard after the last of the flames has been extinguished creating a fog of steam with the remains of the smock above us making it hard to see what is in front of us.

The steam-up fog is so thick that it’s making it impossible to see no more than a few feet in front of us.

I can hear the lightning above us the heat from the flames as well the heavy around us.

With the feeling in my arm fully restore just the feeling of pins and needles still going threw.

The wolf begins to slow down to a stop before looking around seeing nothing but fog and some burnup trees that are nearby.

He begins to growl at whatever is out there. Both of us look to see who or what he is growling at.

A figure walks out of the fog an older man dressed in a white suit more cream-looking than white. In contrast from his skin color looks like it hasn’t ever seen the sun. His face has a short white beard and white slick back hair, wearing white frame sunglasses.

“Who are you?” I ask him has the wolf still growling at him. Not answering he takes off his sunglasses and put them inside his suit jacket letting us see his eyes they have a sliver color.

“It’s best not to know my name, for now; James.” He finally answers me shocking not just me but Pinky as well.

“WHAT!” Pinky said out loud from that statement and still tried to heal the burn marks on her leg.

The gloves the old man were black leather gloves taking them off seeing that his hands starting to glow making a few balls of white light before blowing towards us.

The small balls of light heading towards going around me heading towards Pinky’s burned-up leg.

They enter the wound making the burns marks with her water starting to heal the wound. Minutes later the wound has been fully healed making her jump off putting pressure on her leg feeling like new, moving her attention towards the Old Man.

“Thank you.” She tells him making to put on his gloves and glasses before turning towards me.

“If we meet again, it wants to be the last.” He tells me before walking into the fog, disappearing in the progress.

“How did he know your name?” Pinky asks me before climbing back on. “I don’t know, but it feels like I should.” I answer the question baffled by what just happened to see the hawk circling around us calling out to us.

The smoke above us begins to clear as well the steam-up fog. Off in the distance on top of a snowy mountain reflecting something back towards us.

“That must be where we’re going.” I said out loud seeing whatever on reflecting back at us every few seconds.

We take towards it as fast as the wolf can go.

Here is the 55^th chapter in the story so far. This one took longer than some of the earlier Chapters. Because I was hitting a wall with this chapter, I mentioned this in an earlier blog post on this site.

First off the Omega9 storyline roadmap is mapped out in my mind. One of many problems of working on the project is time and trying to keep it straight without repeating or contracting myself.

I may have done that a few times in earlier chapters and the editing progress doesn't help when the software is making those contractions, which takes a little longer and I try to catch myself during the writing progress.

That is all for now.
This James Cribb
Signing Out.