Chapter 1

It has been about a month since Ziv stepped through the portal. His world has changed, more than he could ever have predicted. Even as he walked to his home, a small building attached to an abandoned building near the city.

There were some snacks, cans, water bottles and other amenities for taking care of himself. This place was dark, broken and beat up, but Ziv fixed it up enough to a point where it has become his new home.

He laid down on his mattress that he had scavenged. With his tech pad he marked off 'D7' as 'Medieval City (Avoid)'.

"I can't stand that place."

He was exhausted, so he turned off the screen on his tech pad and fell asleep.

---

This morning he realized that he had run out of toothpaste, so he had to go to the store. It was at the edge, so he couldn't move past that otherwise he would be in space. As he walked towards the gas station, he looked at the lighting up the sky with an amazing color. He even passed his un-gloved hand through some flowers along the sidewalk.

The city where he was at was mostly abandoned. He learned from the few people that he saw, that most individuals were old, runaways, or some criminals. Even if the sheriff of this town was a good man, Ziv tried to avoid Grem as much as he could.

The walk only took five minutes. The gas station was the only place in this town that didn't look old. It was new and functional. It was closer to a town hall as most people hung around it. Ziv even passed by a couple leaning on each other, still asleep, with a half drunk bottle of beer in their hands.

*Ding*

Ziv heard the chime in the store.

"Good morning Ziv! Enjoying the scenery?"

"It's a nice morning out there Waraak."

"Good to hear."

Waraak was the owner of this wonderful place. Not until he found D6, this place was where he started out after the portal. Waraak also helped him understand this new place and helped him out. Of course the old man thought he was some runaway kid, but that didn't diminish what he did for Ziv.

"You getting that new shipment today?"

"Yes, your favorites will be arriving later today."

Ziv didn't have the physical money that most people here used, but he did have his tech pad. Due to how new this store is, they take digital money. So he hacked a few things, made some money, and now had a good supply to buy whatever he needed in this place.

He brushed his hand against the clothing that Waraak had given him. They were his grandson's. Since he was back with his parents, the extra clothing for him stored at Waraak's was going unused. Thanks to him, Ziv was able to wear 'normal' looking clothing over his hazmat suit. He did have to make adjustments, but it was fine.

"Do you have time?"

"Around noon. By the way, Grem is looking for you."

"Me? What does he want?"

Grem wasn't bad at all, but he did have the most questions for Ziv.

"You will have to ask him. He said he would be here early and asked me to keep you here."

"I guess… I'll just take a walk after I brush my teeth then. Let him know I'll be out back."

"You sure do enjoy flowers…"

---

"Looking at those weeds again?"

"Flowers, but yes I am."

"Want to go for a walk?"

"We're gonna have to go the other way, you know?"

"I know, but… Is there really nothing out there?"

"It is a vacuum. I don't plan on dying." Ziv took a moment before turning towards him and following him. "What do you want to talk about?"

"It has only been a month since we met. I was wondering if you found anything cool?"

"I'm fine with sharing my stories, but can you at least let me finish this time before you ask any questions?"

"Yea… sorry about that. This place is just so boring. I need an outlet."

"And that outlet is me?"

"You are just the convenient choice."

Ziv sighed, but in the end it was fine. So he began to tell the story.

"I went south of D6 and ended up in D7. It was a town like this, but much more primitive. The people there were covered in dirt, chickens flying everywhere, and I was almost killed because of my clothing."

Before he could go further, Grem interrupted.

"Chickens?"

"Not 'are you okay' or 'you're not hurt are you'?"

"You're clearly doing better than last time."

"I guess. The chickens were… I told you to wait before asking questions."

"Fine."

"Well I only gave you the overview. So after passing through the barrier, I was just outside the wooden wall. I walked around it and spotted an entrance. There were two guards there. I snuck past them with a few other people that were entering the city. Actually 'city' might be too big of a word, village would fit better, but like a big village. So I'm walking around after entering, trying to see if there is anything worth it."

"What about…"

"What did I say? You owe me a bag of chips if you want me to answer you."

"I can't afford to spend my money willy-nilly."

"Then just listen, please?"

"Sorry."

Grem was the other person here that knew the truth about Ziv. He is a good man and cop. At first, trust was hard to come by, but he made it easy. Even though the age gap between them was over twenty years, he became like a good friend, while Waraak was more of a mentor to Ziv.

The way Ziv interacted and talked with the two of them was influenced by them both. Even if he noticed this change, he didn't care all too much. Anyway, since Grem was a cop, he didn't always live in this town. He was an inquisitive person and asked the wrong questions to the wrong person, so he was thrown in this town as punishment. Protecting it and it's laws is something he is good at, but shutting his mouth wasn't one of them.

With a sigh, Ziv started again. In all honesty thought, Ziv has never sighed so much since going through that portal.

"Then some kid spotted me…"

"You are a kid yourself you know."

"Really? I know that. He was just younger. Whatever. So he started asking me questions and then to play with him, but I turned him down. The kid ran away and I kept my search going. I did much better to stay out of sight and eventually saw a large building up ahead, but I was running out of room. I had no plans of investigating another square, so I made my way around, but that kid and his friends found me."

"Did you guys play anything?"

"I couldn't play anything with them because I was being called a demon by them because of this." Ziv gestured to his clothing and then his tech pad. "It didn't take long after that more people became aware of us and myself. So I ran away. I eventually came across a tavern of some kind, lots of people, but they had the cages of chickens that I ran into. The chickens spilled out, giving me a distraction, but I still have some scratches on my legs from them. I slipped past the guards and eventually made it back to D6."

"D6 was the meadow right?"

"Yea just right over there." Ziv pointed east.

"They called you a demon right away?"

"No, we started talking. They made fun of the kid and me. Things happened and then I became a demon."

"What 'things'?" Grem indicated 'things' with his fingers to emphasize that word.

"They… made fun of my parents." Ziv stopped their walk and looked away. He still felt horrible about what happened with them now that he had come here. In a way, he felt guilty for leaving them behind. If he could have gone back in time, before they died, brought them to the portal and ended here… he would have been happier.

"Sorry to hear that Ziv."

"Well, we got violent and… I made use of my knowledge of the human body and well… yea."

"You're not going back there then?"

Ziv faced him with a face that made that question obvious.

---

Ever since he went through the portal, Ziv ended up here. In this city and world. A square kilometer of land. Passed these invisible lines that neither Ziv or anyone else can see are different worlds or places. His home he designated as C6. D6 was a clear meadow of land. B6 just happened to be space. Thankfully he was able to get back into his home world, what C6 is to him.

When he first met Grem and Waraak, Ziv was injured. They found him and wanted to bring him to the town doctor, but Ziv ended up in an ocean instead of being in Grem's truck. The ocean was C5 to the north. He swam out of there and when the other two found him… Things didn't go so well.

Back at the gas station, Ziv told them about his passing and was able to provide evidence of the truth to Grem. His hazmat suit and tech pad did wonders to help them believe him. Also the fact that when they went back to the edge of C5 a few days later after Ziv had healed up, they saw him disappear one second and then a few moments later plop on the ground covered in water.

Since then he has been sharing his travels with them and helping out where he can. They had found a nice little shack, as they called it, for Ziv to live in. From there on he has been traveling, while taking safety precautions, one being his hazmat suit. He puts his arm through the invisible barrier of these worlds, checking if it is safe. If it is, he takes a quick check through it with his face and if he can check it out.

Waraak described his actions to an explorer and Grem as a salvager. He did come back with some plants that he was able to check that were safe and shared it with them that he found in D6.

The grid-like system to describe his location and surroundings was just something from his favorite game from back home. Chess grid helped him make sense of it and that helped him move around. So in the middle of the grid was where he placed his home in his head and what he has mapped out since then.

At this time it was eating those spicy-cheesy chips in the meadow while laying on the ground. It was five in the afternoon in his home world, but it had to be passed midnight here in D6. The biggest reason, two, that he knew that these places were not a single planet was the fact that a vacuum of space in B6 and he was currently staring at a moon with a moon orbiting it. Two moons bright and in the sky hanging over him.

*Crunch*

That wasn't him. He had been eating chips, but his thoughts were taking priority, so he had stopped. Now he was afraid. Something not too far away made a noise and he was in the middle of the clearing, in the middle of D6. He would have to run half a kilometer to get away. That wasn't going to happen, so he pulled out the revolver that Grem had given him to defend himself.

Just in case, whatever was out there he made slow moments. So if he needed he could get the drop on whatever was heading his way. It sounded like more than one thing based on the movement he was hearing.

He jumped up and faced whatever was heading his way. Scaring them and himself, he held his gun at them.

Two teenagers, taller than him, wearing armor and with swords in their hands. The place was bright due to the moons so he could clearly see them as much as they could see him. He shot his gun in the air. The recoil knocked him on the ground, but he kept the gun in his hands and aimed it at the two men.

"Stay where you are or I will shoot you."

"Whoa kid, relax. We don't mean you any harm."

They seemed to relax a little bit after Ziv talked. Obviously they didn't know what a gun was. Perhaps they only thought it was just a tool that made a loud noise. They did jump at that, but they were looking at him like a kid. He was, but…

"Then stay back."

"Alright…" The one on the left was the one talking to Ziv at the moment. The one on the right, relaxed as his friend was, just kept looking over and around their group. "Are you a noble refugee?"

When they asked that, Ziv's face must have told them the answer or they didn't expect him to answer them in a way that could be taken as aggressive. He still took the time to answer them and was slowly backing away from them towards his home.

"No."

"Hey kid, I'm Varu and this is my brother Merriet. What is your name?"

"Why do you want to know my name?"

"Because this place is dangerous at night and we could work together to make camp until morning. If we are together, knowing your name would help." He turned towards his brother before giving a faint smile and then turned back towards Ziv. "And you look lost."

*Crunch*

Neither the two new people or Ziv made that noise. They turned around towards the way they came from and faced that noise. He noticed a scar on Merriet's neck. That was possibly why he wasn't speaking.

The meadow was mostly open and clear, but it was more of a clearing in a forest. Though since Ziv couldn't reach the forest without ending up in some other place, the clearing was all that he cared about. Now there were a few trees along the way where branches could be stepped on and there was only a single tree in the direction of the snapped twig noise. Now take in the great amount of light in this clearing and the fact Ziv couldn't see anything, but the snapped twig and the fact that the other two were on full alert, he was scared. He was terrified that there was something invisible and he had no idea. It could have been watching him this entire time without him knowing.

"I know." Varu spoke as Merriet poked his side. "Kid stay behind us and when I tell you to make that noise again, do it."

Ziv nodded, because he was too scared to speak or even move. Even though Varu couldn't see him as he was turned the other way, he looked towards his brother and they nodded towards each other before rushing the creature. One he still couldn't see.

Then spots of light appeared out of the brother's hands. The spots looked like triangles as they were affected by gravity and fell towards the ground. Though about halfway they disappeared. The color of the light and those particles were different between the two. Varu's was bright orange, while Merriet's was shone a deep purple.

Merriet aimed his hand towards the tree and those purple particles lit up the area covering trees, plants and… and…

"What is that thing?"

The 'thing' was still invisible, but the outline was… The outside of the creature looked thick with skin or a shell. It seemed skin like considering the creases around where muscles would be on a human. It was a humanoid, two hands and feet, but the hands had three talon-like fingers each and the feet were fatter, but still similar. Then its head stuck out forward, like a chicken extending its head. Where the neck was, it was more a mouth with teeth and the face was just a single eye that blinked a few times as Varu threw a fireball at it.

As the flash of light settled out from the fire, Ziv noticed a beam of light coming from the eye towards him. He jumped to the side and fell to the ground, but he twisted his right foot getting out of the way. The brothers engaged in melee combat with the creature. It seemed like their hits weren't making a dent, until blue glowing blood started shining over the purple particles. The creature would swing it's arms, trying to claw at the brothers, but they would duck or dodge out of the way.

Varu got knocked down as the creature slammed its fists on the ground creating a powerful shock wave. It even knocked Ziv further away as he tumbled. Once he got his bearings, he saw Merriet jump back into the fight unharmed. Varu was just standing up.

"Kid do it now!" Varu screamed.

Ziv pulled the trigger, but the gun must have fallen out of his hands. The moons in the sky helped shine a light on the revolver. Ziv grabbed the gun and shot up into the air. Even if he wanted to shoot the creature, he still couldn't hit things far away. Because he was weakened from earlier, the recoil this time knocked the gun out of his hand and him onto the ground. His arms shook in pain and eventually he heard the screams of that creature.

---

"You alright kid?"

"Ziv, my name is Ziv and thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Merriet had bandaged Varu's chest and Ziv's ankle. Ziv had helped apply the medicinal cream on the bandages to help out. He could crawl, but he couldn't walk. Because of what happened he wanted to leave, but he couldn't. To pay them back for helping him, he decided to stay and help them out make a camp.

"What are you doing?" Varu asked Ziv.

Merriet was getting some sticks from the tree that was destroyed in that fight to build a fire. The area was open, so Varu was making some kind of trap around them to alert and trip anything that comes their way. Although Ziv didn't know if it would work on anything due to the abundance of light those moons were giving out.

"I only brought these two bags to eat before going to bed. Since I am already at the other one, I am crushing these to go with that meat you are planning on cooking up."

"Well can you cut it out? We don't want to alert the entire forest that we are here."

"Sorry about that."

Ziv felt embarrassed for making a mistake that could endanger them more than he already has.

"It's fine as long as we keep quiet from here on out. That loud noise from that 'gun' as you call it and those creatures will keep most things away from here."

"You don't know what they are?"

Varu gave Ziv a searching look.

"You don't know?" Ziv shook his head. "They showed up all over a few months ago around the noble purge. Different cities and villages have been destroyed. Those creatures don't care about anything and just destroy what is in their path. If something is standing, then those people are strong enough and people have been flocking over there."

Merriet came back and was starting the fire and Varu was preparing the food. Ziv saved a few chips to share and the others he crushed to put on the food as a spice.

"After leaving Baruukata, we were sent as a scout team towards the elves. They have a city here in this forest further in the east."

"Elves?" Ziv mumbled to himself, but it seemed that Varu heard him.

"You're not from around here. We can clearly see by your lack of supplies and information… It's like you have been living under a rock this entire time. Which considering what is going on in the world today is impossible. I won't question you on your origins, clothing or whatever you might be. You helped us and that earns you a certain level of trust. So after this, we will part ways. So let me offer some advice for you now. Leave this forest, it is not a safe place for you."

What Varu told him sounded like he was being asked to leave their camp, but Ziv understood what he meant. Honestly it made sense and from here on out, this place was just scary, so he wouldn't be coming here to relax anymore.

---

"Those 'chips' were amazing. I liked your idea of crushing them up too."

Ziv gave a quick smile towards Varu as they were on watch. Their trust in Ziv didn't go much further to let him stay on watch alone. He was fine with that. He wasn't too tired just yet, so that was fine.

"Varu, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"You can do magic, can you teach me?"

"That rock, where you are from should have told you that you are born with certain magical affinities and you can use that stuff. I don't know what you have, but it would take time to learn. We're going to be splitting up after this."

Ziv was trapped within this little square, so he couldn't follow them. Actually that was fine too. He saw that Varu was staring at him and then he must have noticed as well and turned away and stood up and walked around their little camp.

Later Merriet swapped with Varu and Ziv. He found a nice little spot and lied down and slept.

---

"Wake up Ziv."

Varu was shaking him awake. He must have been drooling, so he wiped his mouth. He looked at the brothers who were both smiling.

"Good morning."

They had some jerky for breakfast, mostly in silence, before they packed up.

"We talked and if you want you can come with us. After all, this place is dangerous. What do you say?"

Whatever made Varu change his mind, wouldn't change the fact that Ziv was unable to go with them.

"I can't go with you guys."

Both of their faces changed. Probably not expecting him to not go with them. He understood. If he was normal he would go with them.

"Why not?"

"Because I escaped my rock and had my world change. Even if I wanted to go with you, this clearing is the furthest I can go. I have to stay here."

"This place is dangerous."

"My home isn't far away. I can be safe there. Thank you both for helping me out and I'm happy we got to meet."

---

Ziv waved goodbye to them as he hobbled west towards his home. Once in C6, he hobbled towards the gas station. It was still early, but by the time he was there Waraak would open up the shop.

He passed by those yellow flowers growing out of the cracks in the sidewalk and ran his hand over them and then turned towards the orange sky as the sun was peeking over. A star far away from this planet, shining and warming it up for every living being here.

Once there he waited until Waraak showed up and let him in.

"Want me to ask?"

"D6 is dangerous."

"You said it was a relaxing place? What happened there?"

"A monster showed up. Two people showed up and killed it with swords and magic."

Waraak stopped in place and turned around towards Ziv.

"Are you kidding?"

"Not even close."

Ziv hobbled over to the chair behind the counter and sat down.

"Let me take a look at your foot."