HoraceLand: Saviors of the Multiverse Preview

  “Horace Horsecollar...” A voice called out in an ominous tone.

 Tutor grew uneasy as he felt his stomach churn and his face grow pale, he was too scared to even answer the call.

 The voice spoke again. “Greetings, Horsecollar.”

 “Who's there? Who are you!?” Tutor called out finally.

 “Look up.” The voice replied.

 Tutor looked up and saw a shadow hovering over him and backed off scared, the shadow leaped down and revealed himself to Tutor. He looked like him only his hair was a little longer and he was dressed all in coal and black with a white cape draped around him, his hands were claw like and the eyes which stood out the most were a nightmarish violet.

 “You don't even remember me do you?” He asked.

 Tutor responded confused. “How do you know who I am?”

 The look-alike chuckled. “Oh I know a lot about you.”

 It finally dawned on him it was the same figure that once attacked him in his “dream”, Tutor backed away in fear hoping he would run and wake the Sorcerer.

 “You know you're a little rude, I haven't introduced myself!”

 Tutor yelled in response. “Okay! Who are you!?

 “My name,” He took a few steps close. “is Reocha.”

 Tutor swallowed hard and asked. “What do you want from me?”

 Reocha took a step closer. “You have something that I'm looking for.”

 Tutor reached into his pocket feeling the stone.

 “So you do have it?” Reocha's grin widened.

 Tutor pulled the stone out and allowed it to be seen, Reocha eyes widen seeing it.

 “What do you want this?” Tutor was curious.

 Reocha started walking closer to him. “It's nothing important to you, just hand it over to me and you can go home to your silver spoon.”

 Tutor backed away and started to run back hoping to find and wake Sorcerer finding the way he came was blocked off by a wall that was never there before making him scared and confused. Reocha finally made his way to Tutor and touched the stone to take it from him. But to Tutor's surprise it burned Reocha's hand.

 “I may look like you,” Reocha snapped. “But I'm not you, so I can't touch the stupid thing!”

 Tutor yelled out. “What is the deal with the stone and what does it have to do with me!?”

 “For a professor you really have no idea what you're wielding don't you?”

 Tutor swallowed hard knowing that was true but he felt he needed to protect the stone, he suddenly shoved Reocha and ran. Too bad for Tutor as he tripped over a wilted but hard as stone vine with the stone falling from his hands and finally breaking in two. Reocha hear the stone break and caught up in a heartbeat. Tutor quickly snatched up one of the pieces hiding it in his robe; Reocha finally got him and grasped his neck tightly looking in his eyes with seer terror, Tutor stared back as the eyes pinned on him harder.

 “The stone is broken in half meaning its spell meant to keep other hands off it is gone. Such a pity,” Reocha picked up the other half with ease. “Not a problem I only needed half of it anyway.”

 Tutor gasped and strained to breathe, he could feel the fingers tighten

 “Relax,” He squeezed tighter and chuckled. “It's all a been bad dream...”

 Tutor was struggling to breathe as the grip got harder and harder each second he moved, but soon he succumbed and fainted from his ordeal hearing laughs echo through the darkness. The next sunrise Tutor awoke to see Sorcerer pouring some kind of medicine into his mouth,  the liquid was a faded lavender and the taste was almost exotic as if the freshest berries of the deepest jungle were mixed into a heavenly cream of the icy mountains. The taste however caused Tutor's senses to shake and zone out for mere seconds causing him to gasp loudly.

 The Sorcerer smiled. “Oh thank the moon you're all right.”

 Tutor frantically grabbed The Sorcerer by the collar on his robe. “Did you see him?”

 “See what?” The Sorcerer was lost.

 “This guy his name was umm...Reocha? Did you see him!?”

 Tutor spent the morning explaining the occurrences from last night as Sorcerer listened on like a child listening to someone reading book.

 “It might be a sign.” The Sorcerer said as he drank his tea.

 “A sign of what!?” Tutor asked frantically.

 Sorcerer stuffed a sweet bread in Tutor's mouth. “You worry too much like an overbearing mother.”

 Tutor chewed and swallowed the sweet bread trying not to choke as Sorcerer chuckled.
“Relax Professor all things will be clear soon,” He ate a sweet bread. “Not right now but eventually it will all make sense to us.”

 After sometime presumably around the early afternoon Sorcerer lead Tutor to a small room locking the door behind him.

 “Um Sorcerer,” Tutor became nervous. “Why di-”

 “In good time.” He replied calmly.

 The room was dark and smelled like after rain, a set torches lit the room revealing a large table with only six chairs.

 “Not to fear,” Sorcerer pulled a scroll from his robe pocket. “I'm expecting company.”

 Tutor was confused until he heard Sorcerer chanting a spell in a different ancient language. Sounds of bells and broken glass filled the room as the torches were blown out from a gust of wind that circled the room. Clouds of emerald began to form and crackle sparks of light shot in all corners of the room. Tutor kept trying to dodge them, Sorcerer however stood still chanting as if nothing was happening. The little storm continued for another twenty minutes.

 Tutor  knelt down and curled up into a ball trying to brave it out but in time the small storm had cleared out.

 Sorcerer tapped his shoulder. “It's all clear.”

 Tutor looked up and there before them was a third, he was a bit taller than the others his appearance seemed a bit puzzling to Sorcerer and Tutor. His arms and legs were thin but in a way rubbery, the ears were rounded at the point, and his eyes were a silky ebony.

 Tutor looked over at him puzzled about the plow collar around his neck, he walked over to him ready to touch it until he felt a tight grip on his wrist.

 “Leave it alone, mushroom boy.” he said sternly.

 Tutor responded irritated. “It's not a mushroom, it's a hat!”

 “Right and I suppose you're wearing a dress and long hair over there is wearing a bath robe.”

 Sorcerer scoffed lightly offended. “My good sir it's called a yukata and he's wearing a robe as well.”

  Tutor asked. “My we ask what your occupation is in your world?”

 “My world?” The third Horace scratched his head and cleared his throat. “I'm, I'm a private detective.”

 “A detective?” Tutor was puzzled.

 “Yeah you know, they solve crimes and find the real culprit behind the crime and bring em' to justice.”

 Sorcerer smiled. “Interesting, Detective.”

 Detective scratched his head again. “Where am I anyway?”

 “We'll explain when the other ones arrive.” Tutor responded.

 “Other ones?” Detective was lost for words.

 But before Sorcerer could tell their new friend what Tutor meant by what he said they lights went dim with a stroke of air. All three huddled up scared, looking around to see what was there.

 Within seconds Tutor was pinned to the wall feeling a blade pointing to his neck, a dagger to be precise. Tutor gasped in fear afraid to make one move, he suddenly felt the warm breath down his neck fearing the worst until he heard a gentle voice.

 “You're height is six feet one inches, weight is one hundred seventy pounds a bit underweight for your height, your robe is made of silk from China and mink fur from England, you're wearing a truss made of cotton which both are in need of a good washing judging by the scent of sweat and spoiled sweet bread...”

 All three men were stunned.

 He continued. “...You are a Professor of English royalty and have only been working for the King of England for a mere year. Is all that correct?”

 Tutor nodded his head in shocked. “Your guessing is correct.”

 The lights lit back up thanks to Sorcerer and the gentle voice was revealed to be a fourth like them dressed in dark coal colored clothes with a cape and hood that was perfect for hiding in the shadows.

 Detective snorted before proceeding to laugh. “You think for one second he's some kind of fortune teller.”

 “I'm actually a professional assassin.” Assassin lifted his hood revealing his long hair frame and his cloudy blue eyes.

 Sorcerer noticed something odd about the cloudy eyes. “Excuse me Assassin, but are you-”

 “Blind yes,” Assassin spoke softly. “My father taught me how to use my other senses as a way to see and fight.”

 Detective wanted to see if he was telling the truth and sneaked up behind him, but just before Detective could punch him Assassin grabbed him by  his wrist and flipped him over on to the table. Detective slammed hard breaking a few dishes.

“Nice try Detective.” Assassin smirked.

 Detective slowly got up looking over. “Okay who was your father, cause he raised one heck of strong kid.”