Chapter 4: The Silhouette

A dark shadow drifted down the deserted street breaking the stillness of the cold night. Three streets away, two figures appeared and moved towards a house. One of them constantly volleyed questions which the other was reluctant to answer.

‘I’m not letting you go in there unless you answer my questions. Get that straight’, said the nen with an athletic built looking into the pair of brown, almond-shaped eyes. ‘Theo, I’ll tell you everything. I’ve got to end one part of the story’, replied the tall, thin figure, shifting his gaze to the door in front of him labeled “437-A: Nola Hudgens”.

‘ “Vincent, come when I call you.” What’d you mean, eh? He’s Leon Vander. He made me suffer… made you suffer… and still…’, Theo went on with his queries while the other one knocked on the door. In a few seconds, Mrs. Hudgens answered to the knocks. ‘Warren… you’re home! Theo.’

Theo smiled and said out of courtesy, ‘Mrs. Hudgens, how have you been?’ ‘Just about fine,’ she shrugged, ‘Come on in, both of you.’

Theo seated himself comfortably on the couch. Warren made his mother acquainted with all that had come to pass at the Vander’s residence supplying her with every detail. A grim look took over Mrs. Hudgens’ face. She managed to give a faint smile and say, ‘It’s time.’ Warren replied with a straight face, ‘So it seems’. He hugged her and she vanished away leaving a grey smoke behind which spread across the room and a horror-struck Theo jumped up.
Warren was in the same position for a few seconds and as he took to normal, a thin film spread across his eyes. Retaining the tears, he gestured towards Theo to sit and did the same.

For a few minutes Warren fixed his gaze upon the clock… as if he wished hard he could break the time continuum. He broke the silence with a weird question he meant for Theo to answer, ‘Who are you?’
Dazed, Theo blurted out, ‘What?’

With his eyes still on the clock, he repeated his question, ‘Who are you?’ Theo retorted, ‘Yeah, right! Dude, I know who I am. The question is who’re you? You’re not Warren.’

Warren smiled at Theo and said, ‘Right there! I’m not Warren. He wasn’t Leon Vander. She wasn’t Nola Hudgens. You’re not Theo.’
‘A’ight, break it down, brother. I’m all ears’, said Theo.

Warren heaved a breath and went on to say, ‘Your answers, Theo. Leon Vander is Vincent Orphan. Vincent is Nastus’ loyal servant. Nola Hudgens is Alphya Hantagen… Nastus’ mother. So, I am...’ ‘Nastus Hantagen,’ completed Theo with a gasp, ‘Of course! Vincent called you master. That explains. Whatever happened at his place…?’

Warren continued, ‘I was transforming into Nastus, rather transforming back. The pain that seized me… it was all a part of the transformation. The visionary sequences made me reflect into my previous life. They were clues. Vincent didn’t make me suffer. He didn’t do anything. Things happened of their own accord. Vincent and my mother have set off to terminate a … something about which I’ll tell you later.’

Theo interrupted, ‘Hold it… you said I’m not Theo.’ Warren nodded, ‘Correct. You’re Diego.’

‘And Diego is?’

‘My brother.’

Flabbergasted, Theo inquired, ‘Diego… your brother? Whoa… why don’t I remember anything …about my previous life? And how does this re-birth theory work? Your brother…’

‘Just a matter of chance you don’t remember anything,’ shrugged Warren, ‘As for now, we need to pack our bags. The questionnaire can wait.’

‘Pack our bags?’

‘Yep. We’re set to work. We need to carry out the plans carefully. Don’t forget it’s Hurricane we’re dealing with. So we’ve to pack our bags and go tomorrow.’

‘Where to?’

‘The Couweyan University. We go there as students. Its suspected to be on Hurricane’s target list… Vincent tells me.’

‘When’d he tell you this?’

‘Brain communication.’

‘Doesn’t the network ever get jammed? Hey don’t mind me… but I’ll not call ya Nastus… and you don’ call me Diego… I’ll feel awkward.’

‘Not many of them use this network… Diego’, said Warren pulling Theo’s leg.

‘Cut it out… dude. So there are others who use it?’ asked Theo raising his eyebrows.

Warren went to the front window. His pupils dilated to get accustomed to the darkness outside. He presumed he saw a shadow moving. ‘I suspect,’ replying to Theo he pulled the curtains.


*

Three beautiful four-storey structures erected above the earth with a magnificent landscape as the backdrop was the Couweyan University. Theo gaped at the structures with lips half-parted and remarked, ‘Grand!’ He and Warren walked to the main entrance and climbed up the stairs. The corridor in front that connected the three buildings was jam-packed with young nens who were in a hurry and with those who were pacing slowly in groups and others who were discussing subjects.

Warren was startled to notice a silhouette dart past him. A sweet voice called from behind, ‘Tu est Warren, correct?’

Warren and Theo turned to the voice. A young girl in black Tee and cream-coloured skirt approached the duo gracefully. She wore black, serene eyes, had wavy, dark hair and a beautiful personality. Warren nodded.

She beamed and turned to Theo saying, ‘Et tu est Theodore.’ Theo grinned. ‘Viens! Comment allez vous?’ she asked both of them. Warren replied, ‘Tres bien merci. Comment tu t’appelles?’

‘Je m’appelle Casie Arnold.’

‘Do you speak English?’ Theo grimaced. Casie replied, ‘Oh yes, I do. Everybody does, of course! I learn other languages as well. There are so many ancient ones. French fascinates me, particularly. I just wonder about the time when all the languages apart from English were all eminent. How do you speak French, Warren?’
Warren shrugged, ‘Fascinates me the same.’ ‘Perfeit!’ exclaimed Casie, ‘Anyway, Mr. Frederick, the senior professor of the University, sent me for you. You registered a while ago, right?’
Warren’s eyes traversed the University and its students, without showing much concern, as he said, ‘Yes. We don’t want you to miss your classes for us. We’ll manage. So, suit yourself.’ Theo added, ‘Yeah, Casie. You don’t need to bother.’

Casie shrugged, ‘Oh its cool with me. I don’t bunk my classes. So don’t you worry… I’m just company.’ ‘You comin’ Case?’ a guy shouted from a few yards away. Casie shouted back, ‘One mo’ Drake.’ She handed over a booklet to Theo saying, ‘Contains necessary information about your classes… professors... mesdames.’ She winked. ‘I gotta go. Au revoir.’ She strode off waving towards Drake. ‘Aao… rewaar…’ said Theo in a low voice trying hard to speak the words in a proper French accent. Warren smirked, ‘Drop it, D…’ Theo scowled with a oh-do-not-come-with-that-again look.

Warren’s eyes were still scanning through the innocence of the Couweyan, as if trying to find loop-holes.

*

Tremut Street, World 4:

‘Nastus Hantagen?’ asked a hooded figure in a cool and composed voice.

‘Yes,’ replied a silhouette assuredly.

The moonlight that fell upon the face of the hooded figure, revealed a satisfied smile. The figure walked down the street and the dark shadow drifted beside it.

‘Bring me more news,’ the cool voice demanded.

The enigmatic, dark shadow rose and disappeared inside the bulb of a lamp-post.

*

Tremut Street, World 1:

‘Who lives here?’ asked Theo, as he and Warren approached a desolate mansion. Warren gestured Theo to keep quiet as he once again felt a silhouette whiz past him. A few seconds later, he broke the calm of the night, ‘A’ight, no one lives here. This is the place where we lived before these worlds came into existence.

Theo’s eyes twinkled as he gazed at the massive manor.

Warren tried to concentrate as he closed his eyes and raised his hands. A blue light materialized from his palms and he let loose his powers. The gigantic door opened up. Inside the Hantagen manor, it was brightly lit up as if someone had lavishly thrown a party.

‘So there’s a party? Whoosh…! After all those stupid hour long classes I had to attend at the Couweyan, I do deserve a party!’ said Theo throwing a grim look at Warren.

Warren chortled, ‘It’s usually lit up this way, D. You don’t remember anything. The Hantagen Manor is always lit up. That’s the hallmark of our place.’

‘Yeah, whatev’. The re-birth theory. You breakin’ it down for me, eh?’ demanded Theo. ‘Later, D,’ Warren declined to answer. ‘There are other imperative stuff we need to converse about. ‘Ok… I’m excusing you. But just this once,’ said Theo expressing his gloom.

‘Right. Crimus Hantagen was our father, remember?’
Theo looked at Warren with a puckered brow saying, ‘Crimus… Crimus,’ and then exploded, ‘Darn! Evil chap, right!’ Warren nodded, ‘Yeah. He was given to evil forces. Hurricane’s like his spot on successor as far as their intentions are concerned. He had an end-of-the-world theory and mother and Vincent have gone to terminate the place over which the theory has been inscribed so as to check Hurricane from getting hold of it. The thing is the… …the place is cursed.’

Theo’s eyes reflected apprehension listening to Warren’s words. He asked, ‘What are we here for?’ ‘To retrieve a few things I owned.’ Saying this he moved to the second door on the left.

*

Tremus Street, World 4:

The silhouette appeared from the lamp-post, drifted and landed beside the hooded figure.

‘What more?’ demanded the cool, husky voice.

‘The Hantagen Manor,’ replied the dark shadow.

‘Dungeon needs to visit his school friend, Warren Hudgens and establish a good relation with him,’ stated the cool voice.

The silhouette set off with the command from its master, from the same path it followed- the lamp-post.