The Conciege
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August Intruder- Chapter 192- Lockwood Brothers
🕑 Added 2026-01-11 23:58:37 +0000 UTC“Shit,” Melmarc muttered under his breath.
Whatever teleportation had happened had deposited him right in the middle of what he was beginning to think of as a portal and the world where the portal led to. He was surrounded by clouds of deep blue, intermingling with black. From the edge of his vision he could sense things in the cloud. Hands reached up from beneath him only to disappear once they came in contact with him.
Melmarc took in a deep, calming breath. There was a question left in his head. If he was no longer on earth, what was happening there?
You have to worry about yourself first, he thought, even though his mind wondered more about how Ark would help when Pelumi found him.
<<August Lockwood,>> a voice said with a touch of deference.
Melmarc turned at the sound of the voice. He certainly had not been expecting a touch of deference. Then again, he had no idea what he was expecting. Veebee had been more along the lines of friendly instead of deferent.
He pointed at himself as he turned. “Me?”
The words were barely out of his mouth when he froze at the sight he was met with. Just like Veebee, the creature was chibi-like, small and portable, no taller than his arm. It was short and stubby, however, unlike Veebee, it had actual fingers and a thumb, five on each hand. The most interesting part about the creature, however, was that it was square.
<<Apologies, August Lockwood, for the discomfort,>> the creature said. Its voice sounded like someone smoking a pipe. Melmarc could not understand how.
“It’s Melmarc.” It was all Melmarc could bring himself to say even though he knew very much why he was being called August Lockwood.
<<My apologies, August Lockwood,>> the creature said with an odd bow, floating in mid air. <<Is the title not to your liking?>>
Melmarc shook his head. “I prefer a simple title.” He looked around once more. “If you don’t mind, why am I here?”
The creature lowered itself until it was at face level with Melmarc.
<<My name is Telpod 666.>>
[Telpod], Melmarc thought. The name sounded very familiar, like something he had heard before. Uncle Dorthna?
He shook his head, doubting it. Telpod 666 looked more than happy to wait for him to finish thinking.
Somehow he doubted he’d gotten the information from Uncle Dorthna. If not uncle Dorthna, then there was only one other person.
“Veebee.”
Telpod 666 shook its head. <<I do not know a Veebee. I am not Veebee. I am Telpod 666.”
Melmarc looked at it. Was it the [Telpod]s that Veebee said people loved or was it the [Nenit]s? It didn’t matter.
“So why am I here?” he asked, repeating the question.
<<You are here because your help is needed in ensuring the continued existence of growth of sentient beings within the refuge of Existence,>> it answered easily. <<Existence has scoured the world and has decided that you are most fitting to help in this endeavor.>>
Melmarc knew about the concept of Existence, but he couldn’t remember Uncle Dorthna saying that it had a will. In fact, he could remember Uncle Dorthna talking about how itt had as much will of its own as nature did.
“And Existence chose me?”
Telpod 666 folded its arms across its square chest, affecting an official stance. <<In a manner of speaking.>>
“And what does that do to my world?”
<<Telpod 666 has no idea.>>
Melmarc looked back as if he had actually stepped through a portal. Unsurprisingly, he found nothing there.
“So you don’t even know if my world is safe?”
Telpod 666 gave him a confused look, as if it was a stupid question. <<Your world is not safe. It has never been safe.>> It paused, seemed to study his expression. <<Have I offended August Lockwood.>>
Melmarc shook his head. There was no point in being angry or confused. If there was anything Veebee had taught him, it was that it would take a while for these creatures to understttand human concepts.
“So what am I supposed to do?” he asked, hoping that it would be something that he could get done quickly, though he doubted it deeply.
<<You are supposed to…>> Telpod 666 developed an expression immediately. It frowned, looking around. <<Impossible.>>
Melmarc had no idea of what was supposed to be impossible so he joined it in looking around.
There, he noted, only a step behind Telpod 666. A stump reached out from nothingness and slammed into Telpod 666’s neck, seemingly pinning it in place.
Telpod 666 struggled, hands grabbing at the thing, fingers scratching and fighting.
How? Melmarc thought, staring at the creature. How is a stump holding its neck?
It made zero sense.
<<Veebee,>> a familiar voice echoed out of nowhere, <<hungry.>>
…
Hunger. It was all Veebee knew. A primal desire that existential beings did not have. And yet, it fed it, led it, guided it. Hunger pulled Veebee, and Veebee listened, crawling and grasping through the void, existing where it should not exist.
It needed to eat, to satiate its hunger. It needed food, even if it would not bring him sustenance. There were no known things that fed an existential being, they were simply not made that way. And yet, he knew that he needed to eat.
So feed it did, crawling its way out of nowhere until it found something somewhere. Veebee felt it before he even smelled it. Its hand reached forward, cutting through reality. When it made impact, Veebee knew what it had to do.
<<Veebee,” it said, using a voice unused for eons to speak. <<Hungry.>>
<<No,>> a voice fought back. It was defiant. <<Abomination.>>
Veebee could not bring itself to care. It did not matter to Veebee. Veebee was hungry, and Veebee would feed.
Fingers grabbed at it, digging into its arm. Veebee ignored it, keeping its hold on its food firm. Then it pulled, dragging itself out of the void.
<<Impossible.>>
It was incredulous to think that its food had the audacity to be defiant. Memories came to Veebee, memories that did not belong to it. Veebee had traveled with a boy to a world where people ate meals that neither talked back nor fought back.
<<Food,>> it said, feeling a new emotion, <should not talk back.>>
Fueled by hunger and anger, Veebee pulled itself out of the void into a place that was familiar to it.
<<No!>> the food screamed in horror and defiance. <<You cannot—>>
Veebee opened its mouth and bit into it. Something warm splashed out of it, staining Veebee. It had no idea what it was and couldn’t bring itself to care. It bit down again, cold liquid splashing all over it.
It felt alive. Veebee felt life.
It continued to feed, to satisfy itself in the cold liquid that fueled it even as it stained it. It was at it for what seemed like forever before another voice stopped it.
“That’s enough, Vee,” it said.
Veebee paused, knowing the voice, recognizing it as if it was its own. It stopped, looked up from what it was doing—actually looked up. Only then did it realize that it had not been seeing for a while now.
It paused, looked at the owner of the voice.
Melmarc gestured at it in what looked like resignation. “He’s kind of… gone,” he said. “I mean, I don’t think there’s any life left in it.”
Veebee looked away from Melmarc to what it had been eating. What was left of its meal was a mess of gore and smoke. It recognized the smell of it.
<<Telpod,>> it muttered.
Melmarc nodded. “Yep. I think it said it was called Telpod 666.”
<<Telpod 666.>> Veebee paused. <<Weak Telpod. Unimportant Telpod.>>
It pulled itself up, ignoring the floating corpse of a Telpod and turned to Melmarc. It did its best impression of a smile.
Melmarc chuckled slightly, shaking his head. “You look like something straight from a horror movie.”
<<Melmarc not angry with Veebee?>> Veebee asked.
Melmarc blinked. “You’re keeping the voice?”
<<Melmarc like the voice,>> Veebee explained. <<Or Melmarc not like anymore?>>
“The voice is okay. Melmarc likes the voice.”
Veebee sighed in what it realized was relief. Now that it had some modicum of existing will, it took a look around. This place was different. It didn’t recognize it.
Its smile left its face, and it cleaned its face, getting rid of whatever liquid was left on it. Now it sensed the discomfort in the failures trapped in the path between worlds. Veebee silenced them with a simple gesture, a wave of its hand.
“So,” Melmarc said.
Veebee gave him its undivided attention. <<Why Melmarc here?>>
“You tell me,” he answered with a shrug.
<<Melmarc not know?>>
“Yep. Melmarc not know.”
That was odd. Veebee scratched its head, fully aware of how human-like the action was. <<How did Melmarc come?>>
“I was doing my own thing,” Melmarc answered. “Then I was suddenly dragged here, forcefully teleported. The Telpod said something about Existence needing to fix a problem and deciding that I was the right person to fix it.”
Veebee had no idea what that was about. Unfortunately, with the Telpod no longer functioning, there was no way that it could help. It would only be a matter of time before other existential beings find out what happened here, though. Then again, it wasn’t as if there was any rule against existential beings feeding on each other.
<<Veebee send Melmarc on,>> it said in the end. <<Interface deal with the rest.>>
Melmarc cocked a brow at it. “Really?”
Veebee nodded innocently.
“So, you have no idea why I’m here.”
Veebee shook its head innocently.
It made Melmarc sigh. After a moment of silence he shrugged. “Might as well get this done with and return home.”
Veebee’s eyes narrowed on Melmarc before it could stop them. Something was different about the boy. The Melmarc it remembered would’ve been more worried, more concerned. He would’ve had more questions.
<<Melmarc too calm,>> it said, pointing it out.
“Because Melmarc tired,” Melmarc answered. “I’m just thinking about my world right now. I have no idea what is happening there, and this hasn’t happened to me or anyone I’ve ever heard of before. Portals don’t just appear and drag you off.”
<<Your world not safe,>> it told him. <<If [August Intruder] not in their world, their world in big trouble.>>
Melmarc paused, scratching his head. He looked like he wasn’t sure what to make of this specific piece of information.
“Does it go back to normal when I go back?”
<<Veebee not know… Sorry.>>
Melmarc’s lips pressed into a thin line that was not quite a sign of displeasure. Veebee waited, knowing that he was making considerations, thinking, planning. If Melmarc chose to punish it, then it would take its punishment.
That was the least it could do.
After a moment of silence that seemed to stretch on for too long, Melmarc finally refocused his attention on Veebee.
“Veebee.” Melmarc gave it a warm smile. “It’s good to see you again.”
Veebee’s hand went to its heart. Something stirred there at the sight of Melmarc’s smile. It was gentle, warm. Melmarc looked at his hands before Veebee could say anything in response. His hands were slowly fading away, turning into white smoke.
Veebee knew what was happening now.
<<Protect them,>> it said in a normal voice. <<Whatever you are supposed to do, protect them.>>
Melmarc nodded. “I think I can try my hand at that.” Then he tilted his head at Veebee. “What’s wrong with your chest?”
Only his head was left now. The rest of him had blown away in white smoke.
Veebee looked down at its chest, felt the warmth.
It gave Melmarc an answer just before Melmarc was completely transported away.
<<Veebee hungry.>>
Then Melmarc was gone, leaving Veebee to worry about something else. It looked to the cloud around it, to the path between worlds, asking the question that was now in his head.
<<Why is Veebee hungry for Telpod?>>
…
Left?
Pelumi paused, running down the hallway. She was panicking, her heart beating hard in her chest. Melmarc had just been sucked into a portal which had then gone the extra mile of disappearing. Both cases had never been heard of before, so she didn’t even know what to think.
What was more confusing was Melmarc’s reaction to it, shocked as he was, he didn’t seem terrified. It was almost as if it was just a normal strange phenomenon in his life. He had been more interested in her finding Ark, which meant that Ark had to know something.
What is with the Lockwood brothers? She thought as she ran up the flight of stairs. If she remembered correctly, Ark had said something about having his second lecture in the biology class for the second years. She really hoped that she hadn’t gotten the information mixed up.
As for how she was outside her class, running around without a problem, that part was easy. First, Melmarc’s disappearance had thrown the class into chaos. Second, and more importantly, there was currently an active portal in their class.
Yes, Pelumi celebrated as she got to the second floor only to find Ark sprinting down the hallway after Spitfire. She still had no idea what specific type of salamander Spitfire was supposed to be, but that wasn’t important.
Without delay, she sprinted down the empty hallway, following after Ark. The first thing she noticed was that for the hallway to be so empty, the chaos in their class had not yet gotten to the other classes. But there would be time for that.
The second thing she noticed was that Ark was very fast. Ark took a sharp turn, cutting straight into the male bathroom. Pelumi hesitated for only a moment before entering. Melmarc’s safety seemed to quite easily trump the etiquette that insisted each gender not enter the washroom of the other gender.
Pushing the door, she stumbled into the washroom.
“Ark, you’ve got to…” the words died on her lips as Ark stared at her.
He stood shell shocked, in front of a portal. But this one was odd. It blazed with a burning heat, as if it was the entrance to an active volcano.
Ark hesitated, looking from her to the portal then back. Spitfire gave her only a brief look before leaping straight into the portal.
There was a moment of contemplation before Ark scratched his head in resignation, making a mess of his hair.
“Fuck,” he muttered before jumping head first into the portal.
Pelumi took a single step towards the portal only for it to close immediately like a tear in the wall that simply healed itself.
Her jaw dropped.
What the actual fuck?
…
“Are you sure about this?”
“We don’t have a choice.”
“Three tries Flekni. Three. It has never done this before.”
“Try again. She probably doesn’t have enough mana. I’ll try it myself if I have to.”
“You can’t. You know the rules, not just anyone gets to activate it.”
“SHE’S TRIED THREE TIMES!”
“And she will try again!”
Melmarc listened to the voices even as the world remained dark to him. He had no idea where he was or where he was going to, but he kept Veebee’s words firmly in his mind. Wherever he popped up, he had to protect them. Even if it didn’t know much of what was going on, Veebee had been certain of that very thing.
There was also the part where Veebee looked like it was sick. There was also the part where he had watched it eat the Telpod alive without breaking a sweat. That was probably more important than the fact that it looked sick… right?
Everything remained dark, Melmarc only hearing the voices around him.
They were still arguing. He heard four distinct voices now. Two of them were male, but by the life of him they didn’t sound male. They sounded… chirpy. As if they weren’t even speaking proper English.
What is going on?
“Something’s happening,” a voice said, this one sounded feminine, in the way a chirpy voice would sound feminine.
In Melmarc’s ears it was like listening to birds try to speak English. It was disconcerting to deal with when he could not see.
“Is it always this white?” a voice asked.
Another replied immediately. “I’ve only seen three before, they are mostly blue not white.”
Blue not white. Only three. Unsurprisingly, Melmarc had no idea what they were talking about.
Still, he would have to protect them. He just hoped that they would not turn out to be assholes. He was not going to be a fan of protecting assholes.
Melmarc gasped as a flash of light finally touched his eyes. His sight returning, he was graced to the sight of fresh leaves and the smell of grass and dirt.
A forest, he noted, looking around.
There were trees as far as the eyes could see. Tall and domineering some of them were as wide as houses. The forest was clearly very old and some of the trees had leaves as large as a full grown adult.
“Do they talk?” a voice asked.
“No,” another answered.
Only now did Melmarc turn his attention on the owners of the voice. He paused, blinking in complete shock.
That’s impossible.
Standing in front of him were five creatures. They each had two legs a torso and two hands, but things were significantly different from humans. Melmarc stood there watching five humanoid bird creatures stare at him as if he was the one that was odd.
“No wings and no feathers,” the largest of the birds with a curved beak like a hawk’s muttered. “But they have been known to be different.”
He was covered in grey feathers from head to toe, and his beak had a silver shine to it. He bore injuries that were still slightly fresh against his chest. Bird legs stretched long like human legs, with feet firm against the ground. The man had a chest like a barrel and his arms looked like retracted wings.
The others were the same, bearing different sizes and colors from blue to pink. One was nothing but a myriad of colors and carried a staff in one hand.
“I don’t like this,” a grey one said. “A new team member will mess everything up.”
“The summoning was there,” the multicolored one said. “You know the rules, you know the teachings. When an Unkati is present you accept their assistance or die. I for one have no intentions of dying.”
“And if they are here, then it means that whatever’s in there can most likely kill us without breaking a sweat,” the largest birdman said, gesturing ahead of them.
Before them was a massive cave, situated in a forest. Its entrance was covered in mist that easily rose as high as ten feet.
Melmarc would’ve been enamored by it if there wasn’t a more pressing matter on his mind. Beyond the bird people and the interface hovering in front of him, there one truth that kept on banging inside his mind.
He knew why he was here—what he was meant to do. Still, it left him baffled.
I’m a Designated Portal Helper?
Comments
Mr. Iron
First: VeeBee! Second: lol, Marc is there to even the odds.
John Doe
VEEBEEEEEEE
SwEmSquadW
Tyftc
