Learning The Truth

Velena looked shocked. He couldn't believe that Corey would portal them out of there without Benjamin.

He immediately scanned around him to find Corey. Corey was standing next to Evan looking distressed by what he had just witnessed.

Velena walked up to him and punched his chest. "Why did you do that," he yelled at Corey.

"They were going to kill us if we didn't leave," Corey retorted. As they continued their shouting match Evan suddenly yelled, "Xavier's here!"

They ceased their argument and ran over. Xavier was laying on the ground, covered in cuts and bruises. "Wait if Xavier's here then where's Miles?" Jackie asked, horrified.

Sitting on a rock next to Xavier was Charles. "Charles, what the heck are you doing here?!?" Evan yelled.

Charles looked at Evan with an annoyed look on his face. Evan was dumbfounded.

Charles sat casually as if the events that had transpired back had never happened.

"Well I was enjoying some peace and quiet before you ruined it," he said.

Evan drew his sword and pointed it at Charles. "You've been here, while we were fighting for our lives back home. What kind of pathetic excuse of a person are you?!?".

"One that doesn't want to deal with your whining," Charles replied. Charles casually brushed Evan's sword from in front of his face and stood up.

In his anger, Evan shoved Charles backward. Corey immediately put his hand on Evan's chest to prevent him from assaulting Charles any further.

Charles ignored Evan's attempt at fighting him and started talking. "I climbed through the rift the second it appeared," he explained.

"I got this distinct feeling that the people who had come through the rit would not be something that we would be able to handle.

And from the looks of it, I was right." Charles finished his sentence and looked around at everyone. "Where's Benjamin anyways?" Charles asked, noticing that he wasn't there.

"There was a fight," Evan explained, looking away. "Benjamin got captured," Isaiah finished bluntly. Charles raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Benjamin got captured?" Charles asked in disbelief.

"If that happened, then what chance do any of you have of rescuing him?" Velena stepped forward.

"We may not have that good of a chance but we can't just sit here and do nothing," he said, looking around at everyone else. "We've got to worry about the other guys before we can focus on Beelzebub and Benjamin," Corey interjected.

"would you look at that Corey finally gained some brain cells," Charles said. "We need to focus on the people protecting Beelzebub before we can rescue Benjamin."

"So how do we do that?" Evan asked. "I have observed that the powers of his protectors are somewhat similar to ours" replied Isaiah.

"It would be in our best interest to take on the person whose moveset most matches ours". Charles meanwhile, can scout out Beelzebubs ship or help one of us if needed," Isaiah pointed out.

"Hold up who ever said I would help you" Charles asked.

"Did you seriously asked that question a from you abounded us and hid like a coward" Evan said angrily.

"Fair point" Charles responded.

"Evan would take on the one named Alpheaus and I believe Corey should take on the one named Azriel," he continued.

"First, however, we need to isolate them from each other. A team fight would be disastrous for us right now." Isaiah stopped to think about what to say next. "We need to figure out how to isolate them," he said.

"Let me help you with that," Charles said. He pulled out an orb that glowed a bright blue color. "Hey," Isaiah yelled snatching it out of Charles's hands.

"This is the invention that got stolen from my lab," Isaiah yelled, inspecting the device. "Then I assume you know what it does," Charles said smirking.

"Of course I do and I know exactly where you're going with this," Isaiah replied. Isaiah turned to face everyone else.

"This is a device that can teleport multiple people to the same or separate locations," Isaiah explained.

"We can use this to teleport everyone with their doppelganger of sorts," Isaiah continued. "Just know that once we do this, you're on your own," he warned.

Velena looked at Isaiah, a steely look of resolve in his eyes. "Do it," he said. "Wait, how do we know who we'll be fighting?" Jackie asked.

"That's up to you to find out," Isaiah replied solemnly. Isaiah twisted the orb so that several runic symbols appeared along the center.

"Ready?" Isaiah asks. Despite the fact that everyone there was scared and anxious, they all nodded.

Isaiah twisted the orb again and a bright flash of light teleported them all to the fight of their lives.

    Benjamin woke up with a start. He was sitting in an armchair in front of a roaring fire.

The entirety of the room apart from the fireplace and door was covered in bookshelves lined with books.

Across from him was another armchair, an exact replica of his. Benjamin was still sluggish from just waking up.

Benjamin heard the door behind him open. A man walked in front of him and sat down. He sat back in his seat so that the fire obscured his face.

Benjamin was confused until he heard the man's voice. Beelzebub spoke to him in a calm, collected manner. "Hello Benjamin," he said.

Benjamin didn't respond. Beelzebub sighed. "You've been healed of all your injuries," he said, gesturing at Benjamin's body. "Get to the point, what do you want?" Benjamin asked Beelzebub.

"I've come here to explain to you that fighting me and my disciples is a fruitless exercise," he replied. "You are not powerful enough to defeat us."

"Then why are you trying so hard to stop us?" Benjamin asked. "Because this is a very delicate procedure," Beelzebub replied. "I know that you're fighting to get your world back," Beelzebub continued.

"That is very honorable of you. However, if your world is destroyed inside the crystal on this ship, you'll never be able to get it back."

Beelzebub stood up and his face was revealed in the firelight. He looked down at Benjamin with an apologetic look on his face. "So you'll understand that I can't let you leave," he said.

"Unfortunately your friends will die." The realization of this hit Benjamin like a truck. His friends would most likely be trying to rescue him.

"Why tell me instead of just kill me?" Benjamin asked cautiously. "Because you're very special," Beelzebub replied.

"What do you mean special" Benjamin asked.

"Well..." Beelzebub hesitated.

"you're my long-lost son".

Benjamin looked at him with a shocked look on his face.

Beelzebub continued, "I realized it the second that Adina told me you could manipulate the dead. This was fully confirmed when we fought."

Benjamin shook his head in disbelief. "I have a dad, the one you killed," he said aggressively.

"That is one of my shadows," Beelzebub replied. Benjamin had so many questions.

Despite the fact that this man was the cause of his entire world being destroyed, he wanted to sit down with him and get to the bottom of this.

Beelzebub held up a hand. "Unfortunately, this is where I leave you," he said, turning towards the door. "Under no circumstances should you leave this room," Beelzebub said to Benjamin, opening the door and stepping halfway through it.

"If you need something, call a maid. They'll do anything you ask." Beelzebub stepped through the doorway, shutting the door behind him.

Benjamin was at a complete loss for words. He got up and walked over to the door. Locked, he thought. Benjamin paced around the room and looked at the rows and rows of books lining the shelves.

There was a button next to one of the shelves that he presumed called a maid. Benjamin sat back down in one of the armchairs.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. His mind was trying to process the events that had transpired over two days. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.