We venture into the forest to where it seems it been hours; we are passing by falling leaves, crossing over arching branches and vines; noticing some insects coming by and small mammals like frogs hopping away. I wonder where we are really going. If we travel another two hours going seemingly nowhere, I’m going to explode.

As Desmond leads the way, I’m right after him just a few yards away observing the scenery, but have this nagging question rambling inside the back of mind; wondering where this is location Desmond said Oxley ventured. Feeling a bit exhausted because of the tiresome walk, I tap his back just to know I’m still here, but need to know some info about this place we are going.

“So are we there yet?” I ask.

“Not quite, mate.” He replies.

“Well, what is this place by the way?” I question the unknown location.

“This place is a dimension I told you about.” He continues, “It’s known as the Trine dimension.”

“Weird name? Something Oxley came up with?!” I ponder.

“Maybe, in fact, he never really explained the reasoning of that name just that it was the only dimension he researched that is probably where the Vessel of Nexum should be.” He responds.

“And you told me Oxley gave up because power would be too great.” I ponder once again.

“All I know is that Oxley didn’t want to become the all, great powerful wizard.” He says.

“So why would he go after the vessel in the first place?” I ask.

Demsond still walking stops abruptly; turns around to see me and continue talking about the dimension, the vessel, and Oxley. “Originally he thought as a young middle aged wizard, he could be surpassing other wizards and magical beings alike and become powerful.” Desmond continues, “However, when he realized later that the mists of Avalon were not as what he expected; he knew he had to stop.”

“And Oxley just simply gave you all of this information today or yesterday.” I state.

“He told over the time he been teaching me his craft and til this day.” He responds.

“I believe you; I just don’t know what to expect.” I say.

“We’re almost there, just a few more miles.” He says.

After the brief stop, we continue onward with the trek to the destination spot. About three and half miles later to the southeast part of the forest, we finally reach to an area where I can see a river nearby us probably what look like the East Vermillion River. I can smell the water roaring near my right. I look back to Desmond wondering if we made it or not.

“Are we here?” I ask.

“Not yet, but we are extremely close.” He says as he brings out his black book from his pocket and starts flipping pages trying to find something.

I’m standing here looking at the river; viewing the currents going to the east—the main reason the river is name East Vermillion River is due to its current’s direction. I check back to see Desmond finally found the page he is looking for.

“Got it at last!” He yells. “I thought I almost forgot putting it in.”

“Is that a spell you’re looking for?”

“No!” He closes his book and this time puts inside his jacket pocket; he continues, “What I’m looking at is actually if where we are is perfect enough.”

Getting confused, “enough for what?” I walk closer a bit to see if he has anything he is about to reveal.

“If you trust me Caden, we have to do this together in sync.” He continues, “We only have one shot at this.”

“One shot at what?”

Desmond soon reaches near the cliff edge; his boots touching the thin edge where just feet below the river is. Then I get this feeling the only way we reach this Trine dimension is by what jumping off the short cliff and into the river. Oh boy!

“Do you trust me?” Desmond asks.

I’m looking at the river and cannot believe jumping into a river that is either cold or warm is the way to get into the dimension. However, if by getting this vessel means stopping Asmodeus and ending this nightmare. So be it. I walk forward near the edge of the short cliff. Glancing down a bit to observe the sea green color water flowing to that eastern track; I then look back up to see Demsond. When he told me if I trust him in doing this, I nod my head up and down fast to give him that agreement notion.

“Okay, the key here is to at the sun’s reflection.” He says.

I follow his advice and I look down to see the sun’s reflection piercing the crest of the river. Looking up to actually seeing the sun there above in the sky, I then overhear Desmond’s voice as I’m looking over the sun.

“When we jump in and then jump out, the sun’s reflection from seeing one will be two. If there are two, then we know we made it successfully in the other side. Or I should say the dimension.” He says.

“Once we get in, are there anything in the water that might cause alarm?” I ponder.

“No. I may not be an experience wizard, but I have some bag of charms to keep us protected.” He answers.

“But what if that is not enough?” I ask again.

“Well, you are a demon.” He replies sarcastically, I think.

“Half-demon.” I sort of reinforce the idea that I’m this Devos.

“You’re right.” He states.

Demsond soon looks up to see the sun and realize we have to make into that dimension not only safe, but in time. “Let’s go before this sun goes down.”          

“Alright.” I say.

As I wait the moment for us to jump into the river, I notice Demsond mumbling a few words. I did not get enough coherence, but as he gets a bit louder I can finally hear Demsond is enchanting: “Trinedo Sol Exto.” After saying that a couple of times, Desmond then look at me, “Now!” he yells out. Getting the message, we soon both jump into the river.

We make a huge splash as we go into the river. Feeling like I’m swimming, we have to hold our breath a bit as I puff up my cheeks. Seeing Desmond doing the same thing, I then notice up top near the crest layer, a green, whitish-like light flashes like a camera.

I squeeze my eyelids almost being close after looking at that light and then I see Desmond as he saw what I saw; he then looks back at me shaping his right hand in an ok posture and then shifts it where he points up. Taking that as a message to go up, I agree definitely as we both swim up to the surface.

Less than a few seconds and it seems the whole experience was like a minute at best; I pop my head out of the water and then swim to the land surface. As I get out of the river and then land in sitting position down to the dirty ground; I then see Desmond coming out as well. The one indicator that proves we made it is the sun’s reflection. I look back at the river’s surface and to my complete amazement; I look to see not one sun, but two. I look up in the air to see the two suns.

“We made it!” I state.

“Great, we made it to the dimension, now it’s just finding the vessel.” He says.

I observe the environment around us and it seems it looks like the same forest-like area we just came from. I see Desmond trying to understand the difference other than the two suns shining brightly in the sky.

“So this dimension looks like the forest outside Oakston.”

That’s the thing, many dimensions hold many environments. One dimension Oxley told me about had a complete snowstorm and then there is another that is like Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia.”

“It what mimics the landscapes in the real world?”

“Yeah, Oxley also told me that staying here in these dimensions will play with a mind. And if we don’t know what is real and what part of the dimension is, it could be a long stay.”

“Well I guess we have to find that vessel before I start to believe this is the real world.”

Demsond shakes his head and then tries to reach his black book inside his jacket. However, there is a slight problem. He cannot find it in his pocket.

“Where’s my book?” He says confused even as I look at his face I see him baffled and angry at the same time. I even try to peak to see if his black book is anywhere near him, but as he searches checking his pants pockets and then rechecking his jacket’s pockets. The book is not there. It starts to remind me of my dad’s missing journal. I do not want to even talk about it now, but I’m going to find that journal. I have not given up search for it. However, attention is to Desmond’s black book. I turn to him to see if the book is in the river.

“Hey you check in the river?” I ask.

“It can’t be there.” He responds. However, he turns to the riverside to see if a book object is floating and as we survey the long sinuous river; we do not see nothing floating. Strange. Then as I straighten my stance after bending slightly to view the river; I suddenly notice as small figure running between the tall trees.

“Hey!” I shout out trying to get whatever it is attention. Not willingly to let it go, I chase after it as I bypass Desmond who sees me running. I can hear him, “Where you’re going?” He questions. I respond back, “I think I may know where your book is.” I then continue my chase after that small, swarthy thing that is still running in the woods.

For over a minute, I chase the thing across an acre of tall trees and faltering branches. Running across the murky ground, I realize this dimension is a poor imitation of a real forest, but it seems by seeing that thing I chasing after, is that we are not alone in this semi-world.

As I look upon the two suns up in the crimson-like sky, I di not realize a loose stumping branch in front of me. I made a mistake and ram into it. The force knocks me over the branch, but as I flip over I cannot regain my balance because of the steep hill downside. Rolling down the murky ground and grass, I finally roll to the bottom of the hill.

As I try to regain my balance, I survey around the forest-like dimension, and then I notice the same thing I was chasing after. The thing seems to be hanging around on top of a branch on a tree. I walk closer to the tree to take a closer look. It is some sort of miniature creature half the size of a lawn gnome. It has beady yellowish eyes with a beige tint. Its ears are long, slender; its skin is very dark sea green color. Its mouth has no lips, but as it smiles creepily I can look to see its teeth are dull. It has no hair, but is wearing what looks like an old, rusty sack bag cloth.

The creature then jump from one branch to another in a matter of a second. I wave my hand up in air to get its attention. “Hey!” I yell, but the thing keeps jumping around branch after branch. It reminds me of that possum I tried to catch when I was eight. However, unlike that time, I’m fully aware of my fiery abilities. Trying to get my best shot, I raise my right arm near my chest and then remembering what was my focus. I see black vine-like lines coming across my arm then as I can feel the fire; the bluish black flames appear in my palm. I glance up to the creature about to jump to another branch; and before it even has a chance to settle, I throw my fireball right at it.

The fireball zooms straight towards the branch near the middle tree right beside me as the creature gets towards it. The fireball takes dead aim at the branch; the fireball explodes causing the tree branch to detach itself from the trunk. The creature unable to regain its balance to escape falls to the ground to what looks like eight feet. The creature tries to get up, but I quickly run towards it and try to stop it from escaping.

“Stop!” I yell.

The creature looks back at me staring at me with those beady, ghostly yellow eyes. Then the creature just laughs sinister like. It sounds like a hyena, but much heavier.

“Why are you laughing?” I ask.

Not hearing anything, the creature continues to laugh hysterically. Then I bring out my right hand forward and summon up a fireball. The creature stops the cackling as it notices the blue flames resting in my hand. It gives off a startle look and slowly gets up to see what that is in my hand. I did not hear any English, strange noises wrangling in its mouth. I have no idea what it is talking about, but as I can hear it louder, I can hear…maaga whoua zeg or something like that.

It closes its right hand except its right finger; the E.T. like finger reaches over to my right hand holding onto the fireball. It seems it wants to touch it. Wondering if it likes flames, I bring over the fireball towards it so it can touch it. However, as it touches the fireball, the creature suddenly burns its finger. It then screams wacky noises; I put my left hand over my left ear, but wanting to get rid of the fireball, I throw it away. The fireball hits a trunk of a tree in front of me.

I turn to see the creature backing up inside an open tree trunk seemingly afraid of what I did to it. I bend down to my knees and try to calm it down. However, I do not know if it is going to attack me if I get too close. I do not know if it wants to get revenge because of its finger being seared. I glance at the creature where it just gives me a snickering growl and stares at me like it is going to strike. I immediately put up my defense waiting for its next move. Then I can hear my name from the background.

“Caden!”

I turn around to see Desmond running towards me, as he continues saying my name. “Caden, stop!” He screams as he finally comes towards me.

“What is it?” I respond back.

“What are you doing?” He asks.

“I was after that creature hiding over there.” I point to where that creature is covering up. Desmond sees what I’m talking about and he realizes something as if he knows what that creature is.

“You know it.” I ponder.

“Yeah, it’s a gremlin.” Desmond says.

“I thought gremlins usually hijack aircrafts or that’s what I know them to do.” I say.

“Yeah they do, but there are gremlins particularly that one over there that lives in forest surroundings and likes to play deadly tricks.” He explains.

I turn back around to see the gremlin coming out of the trunk to survey Desmond because it never seen him before. Desmond does the same and ponders about something. I do not know what he is thinking, but I ponder myself that this cannot be good. I reach over my hand to his shoulder; I tap his shoulder to figure out what is going on.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Forest gremlins usually come in packs like a pack of wolves.” He replies.

“And this one seems to be away from its group.” I say.

Then the gremlin starts yelling confusedly in a strange babble. I cover my ears with my ears as I look back to Desmond to see that he is doing the same thing. The noises are just crazy loud. I want to shut it up, but before we can do anything, other gremlins—with similar appearances like this gremlin—are coming to us and stand right by the gremlin’s side. The noises soon stop. I put my hands down as Desmond does the same, and we look to see more gremlins like about nine more is up above the trees and some to the ground.

“This is not good.” I state.

And then Desmond looks up to the middle tree in front of us and spots one gremlin with his black book. “There it is.” He says as he looks right at the gremlin holding on to it. “Give that back!”

I glance up seeing the same thing; wondering if throwing a fireball could work. Already I know a gremlin can be burned by it, so I reach my hand out and feeling that surge I summon up a fireball. I look to Desmond and try to reason with him that I know a way to get his book back.

“Listen Des, I’m going throw this fireball at that gremlin.”

“You’re nuts. I don’t think the others will be happy.”

“Well, I throw, you get the book back, I distract, and then we run.”

He hesitates a little until he agrees by shaking his head. I guess by doing that, it is a go. So getting ready, I prep up the fireball as I can see some gremlins are getting cautious. Seeing I have no choice, I look back at Desmond, and he nods quickly. Seeing that it is a go, I glimpse up at the middle tree at the gremlin with Desmond’s book, and without hesitation I throw the fireball.

The blue flamed ball of fire zooms right at the gremlins atop the tree; the fireball hits the area exploding many branches surrounding it. The gremlins up in the middle tree escape the blast, but the one with the possession of the black bounded book loses as the book falls to the ground. Desmond swiftly runs toward it and grabs hold of it.

Some of the gremlins that were on the ground still were reacting to the explosion, until one notices Desmond getting hold of the book. That gremlin screams something crazy and points at Demsond. I notice what they are doing and I try to hurry up Desmond.

“We need to go now!”

Demsond hearing me holds on to the book and runs towards me. But as those gremlins are quickly coming after us, Demsond grabs hold of a dark sleek oak stick out of his back pocket and suddenly points at the swarming gremlins.

“Caligo!” He yells out. And then out of the blue, an instant fog appears. The hazy, smoky scene suddenly engulfs the gremlins leaving us the best opportunity to get a fast head start. We run speedily away from those mischievous creatures. Not wanting to imagine what they were willingly to do to us, we continue to run across the forest keeping in mind that this is a dimension. However, the main reason we are here is because of that vessel.

As we continue running passing tree after tree not wanting to think about those gremlins coming after us, I take a look to Desmond. I wonder if he is thinking how those gremlins got hold of his book. I want to see if he knows the destination to the vessel.

 “Well sorry about the run in with those gremlins.” He says.

“That’s okay.” I respond.

“It just t sometimes mythical creatures like those gremlins always roam around in mystical dimensions like this one.” He states.

“What other creatures roam here?” I question.

“I don’t know, but many dimensions like this one you always expect the unexpected.” He replies.

“I just want to expect to find that vessel.” I continue. “Do you know where to go?”

Desmond suddenly stops running; I stop as well as he looks on to his reclaimed black book. He flips a page, and as he does so, I could still see he continues to hold on to that oak stick in his hands.

“Is that your wand?”

Desmond pause from looking in his books as he glances to that stick in his hand; “Yeah, that’s my wand.” He replies. “Oxley made this for me.”

“He’s sort of a father to you huh?!”

“I never knew my father.”

When he said that, it struck a nerve in me. I start to think about Dantailon. The demon who spawned me; all I can know about him is stories Mal recalled and what my mom is doing for Dantailon; and especially the journal. Without all of that, Dantailon means nothing to me.

“I never knew my father as well.” I respond.

“Guess we both have daddy issues.” He says.

“Have you seen yours?” I ask.

“When I was young, my dad knew Oxley. He was an apprentice, but when my father died, the apprenticeship was passed on to me.” Desmond replies.

“I never knew it was because of your father.” I say.

“Yeah, I wanted to keep a secret, but seeing I didn't have a chance to get to know my dad, Oxley became my ‘father’.” He says.

Now hoping we bypass the father conversation, I think about the Vessel again.

“You found that location we need to go.”

Remembering he has his book open, Desmond looks down to see what he needs to find. “Got it!”

“Okay, where to?”

“We pass over the shadow cliff and there lurk inside is the hole in the world.”

“The what?”

“The hole in the world.”

Very fremdly, I do not know where this hole in the world is. After the encounter with feisty gremlins, I do not think they were not the only obstacle we had to face. However, in the attempt to defeat Asmodeus, we have to move forward. Pass over the cliff and find this hole. And we could be one step closer in finding this Vessel.