1 Prologue

That day started out like any other really.

It was the last day of school before summer break, and, with my friends, I found myself sitting in detention.

How did it come to this? Well, I got up like usual. Got ready like usual. Took the train like usual. Walked from the station like usual. Went to the shop like...you get the picture. The day started out as mundane as it possibly could. It was always the same routine every day. Nothing ever changed.

But there I was, with my hands holding up my head as I leaned, bored, on my desk.

No thanks to the idiot sat in the direction of my right diagonally. Arlo. To keep things short -I hated him, he hated me- a classic feud between classmates. We always fought and had done on several occasions before this. This time, however, our fight was different.

Y'see, when we fought before, it was because he made fun of me. I was an orphan, so, as bad as it sounds, I was free bait for a person like him. He was a bully who always liked to torment me whenever he got the chance. If you were a spectator to one of our infamous fights, you'd probably think you were watching a slapstick comedy. And he always won. He had an unfair advantage against me and that was both his height, reach, and his overall strength.

The fight that happened though, the one that caused this detention had, started with my friends instead of me this time round.

A couple of minutes before I got into school, or more specifically, the school corridors, Eudon, my friend, had intervened an argument between Juliet and Arlo.

Juliet was a long-time friend of Eudon that I hung out with, maybe a few times?

This intervention pissed off Arlo and he began tearing down at Eudon relentlessly. I hadn't entered the building until I witnessed Arlo smacking Juliet to the ground as she tried to get Arlo off of Eudon.

Eudon was completely defenceless. But that was how Arlo played. He had no rules. It was either go all out or lose, and I think you could guess which option he'd go for.

As soon as Arlo had pushed Juliet firmly to the ground, he went straight back to throwing his clenched fists back at my friend. The sight angered me. It hadn't have been another second before I found myself on top of Arlo, giving him a taste of his own medicine for once. And at first, he cowered like a little defenceless animal. But then we locked eyes as I swung.

In that moment, I saw his expression change. He went from oblivious to a hard, visible grin.

He kicked my stomach with full force and I fell on to my back, letting out a scream of agony. I tried to hug my stomach as my legs kicked out as a reaction to the immense pain I was experiencing. I should've been used to an attack like this, I should've maybe had more durability since I was so adjusted to his strength. That was not the case. I was now the small animal that I saw in Arlo beforehand.

Arlo stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with a big smile. I gritted my teeth trying to endure the pain. Make it go away somehow. If it went away, maybe I stood a fighting chance. That was just hopeful thinking. I knew how it was going to turn out regardless. I never won. And that was the sad truth for me.

The beast met my eyes as he crouched to examine me in my state of hurt. He then spat on me. A direct hit on my face. God, I felt so worthless. I could never win. Never.

Arlo stood back up, and it looked as if he was about to kick my stomach – not just once. The look in his eyes. He looked down upon me. I could guarantee all he saw in me was trash.

By a strike of fate I was saved by a voice of authority-

-"Stop!"

Arlo looked to his right, I looked up too.

It was Ms. Dulce, the music teacher. A teacher known for being an authority-type. We were all given detention, which was mostly understandable I guess...maybe more so for me. Eudon barely did anything – not to take anything away from him though. Ms. Dulce allowed us to go and see the school nurse first.

Arlo had a bruise on the right side of his face, Eudon needed some stitching, Juliet got a sprain from falling on her hands backwards and, me...all I needed was an ice pack for my stomach. You'd think a fight would call for a more serious punishment, but that wasn't the case at all.

There I sat in class, waiting for both hands of the clock to strike four. As soon as it did, we were done. We could go home. Summer would officially begin. Despite for me, I didn't have much to look forward to, but Eudon did say he'd hang out with me a few times before he went abroad with his family. He offered a spot on the trip, but I declined. It wouldn't be right. Going with someone else's family. I would've been like an intruder. I was thankful though. Eudon was a good friend.

Ms. Dulce sat at her desk with her glasses on thumbing through a pile of paperwork. She looked tired. Honestly, she even looked depressed. I felt bad for her. She wasn't one of the main teachers that taught me, but I had heard and seen students always take her for a joke. It was probably why she always seemed on-edge and had that temper of hers.

Eudon and Juliet sat next to each other, conversing about what they were going to do during summer break to pass the time.

And then there was Suman Anderson. I don't know what he was in for. He lounged over his desk, fast asleep with earphones in blasting heavy metal. I knew that since the volume of said music was so loud, you could make out what was being said. It was a loud, manly, scream that spoke about death and loneliness. About being unnoticed.

I guess I could relate partially, but I won't go into detail...I'm not fond of sob stories.

Suddenly, Juliet silently crouched to the desk next to me. Ms. Dulce was too invested in her own task, that she hadn't realised. Juliet wore a big smile as we met eyes.

I didn't really know her that well. Like I said, she was a long-time friend of Eudon and we were just mutuals thanks to Eudon. We only ever hung out if Eudon was there. Eudon was my only friend, compared to Juliet who was...socially-apt. She was a little shorter than me and had long, brown hair kind of like I did. Mine was much shorter in comparison though.

When our eyes met, I noticed hers were like mine too. They were blue. I never really noticed before when we hung out it seems. That was probably because I had my head to the ground the entire time.

I wasn't really good with meeting new people.

But I think me and Juliet had gotten to the point that we could maybe consider each other friends, even if that was just a little.

"So, what're you doing for summer Aiken?" she asked, with the most politeness I had ever received up to that point in my entire life. No lie.

I was stuck. Would I lie, and say I had lots planned? Or just be honest?

Maybe I was a bit too drastic in saying I was at the point of friendship with her. How could I call someone a friend when I struggled to even speak to them?

She seemed to have picked up on my struggle. Probably from the ragged expressions I was pulling.

"Sorry if I was a bit upfront..." she apologised, with a light smile.

'Wow...she considered my feelings'. First time for everything, I guess.

"Uh...n-no you weren't. I'm just not that socially confident..." 'Talk about oversharing, idiot.'

I rubbed the back of my neck out of pure uneasiness. 'C'mon get it together. You've spoken to her before...even if it was only a few words.'

I finally managed to find the words and spoke, "Nothing."

'Idiot! Idiot!'

"Sounds like fun!" she said. Juliet was clearly trying to play along. "Looks like we're both in the same situation."

She was either still trying to play along or being serious. I couldn't figure her out.

"Why are you glaring like that?" she wondered. 'Damn idiot! Put it together! It's not that complicated. You're overthinking it!'

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..."

"You really are odd, you know that?" she said, in a joking manner. But I took it to heart.

'She thinks I am a complete weirdo. She's never gonna wanna talk to me again...'

"So, you wanna hang out during summer?" she asked.

'Huh?'

"Hang...out?" I asked, confused.

"Y'know...when people, like the two of us, hang out. Do stuff together?" she said, almost seductively.

I felt my face warm up immediately, which was most likely an indicator that my face was visibly red. She then laughed, covering her mouth as she did. "I'm joking. As friends of course!"

From behind her, I caught eye on Eudon looking a little. He seemed to be eavesdropping. His face spoke louder than words...

"Hey why don't we ask Eudon to come along?" I suggested, before gulping hard.

Juliet turned her head back to Eudon who jumped a little on hearing his name. "What...?"

"You. Wanna hang out with me and Aik during the summer break?"

"Hang out?" he began before addressing me, "thought you were busy..." he was referring to my excuse about why I couldn't go abroad with him and his family. He didn't know it was an excuse of course, but something told me he was catching on.

"Yeah, about that...when I said 'busy' I was just...uhm, lying?" I said openly.

"Why?" he was stern. You'd think he would've had a more emotional reaction to this. But, knowing my circumstances, I guess he looked more into that. He understood my situation, even though he couldn't possibly relate, he tried his best to make me feel normal.

"I just...i felt like I would've been a burden y'know? And plus, it's your family. Not mine."

"Bullshit!" he seemed a little angered. "I see you as a brother. I can't say that for any other friend I've ever had" he argued.

I was speechless.

"Th-t-thanks".

Then an awkward silence grew between us. I couldn't react at all. That was a lot. I didn't realise he felt that way. Maybe I was too hard on myself.

"Hey, get that outta your head. Once detention is done and over with, come to my house and we'll arrange everything with my parents!" he beamed.

"Are you sure they'd be okay with that?" I asked.

"Of course, idiot!"

I really didn't deserve such kind words.

But the moment was soon ruined by a familiar voice, one that I knew too well, that had to just butt in. "Aw, when are you getting married? Send me an invitation."

It was Arlo, to no surprise. He looked over at us with a smile on his face.

"Shut your mouth, idiot..." Eudon growled with his teeth gritted.

Arlo wore an even bigger smile. Like he was surprised but excited simultaneously. "That's a lot coming from someone who went down so easily...kinda like your husband over here" he was taunting us, "you two are a perfect match if you ask me."

Eudon stood, his chair flying backwards and hitting the desk behind him with force.

Ms. Dulce's struck up immediately.

"Sit back down, Eudon!" she shouted from behind a wall of paperwork.

Eudon wasn't listening, neither was Arlo, who, was now stood up. The two walked slowly over to each other. It was intense. Like that scene from that Hollywood movie with the three cowboys. The heads made contact and they began pushing against each other.

"Go on, do something!" Arlo egged on Eudon.

Eudon's hands turned into fists. He was getting angrier by the second.

Juliet was now stood up too, trying to pull Eudon away.

"Eudon, stop it! That's what he wants. Just leave him alone!" she pleaded with him.

"Cut it out!" Ms. Dulce said. She had gotten up from her desk and was now nearing the boys. In comparison to them, she was smaller. Her words weren't achieving anything. They were about to fight.

Eudon went to swing. With full force.

--My head began to hurt. Sharp pains. I cried out in pain and everyone, even Suman, looked my way.

I gripped strands of my hair and pulled, wanting the pain to stop. 'What is this?'

My body grew weak against the pain and I collapsed on to my hands and knees. I began to hyperventilate drastically. If I am to be honest, I was scared.

Was this a stroke? Was I about to die?

Eudon and Juliet ran down to my side in a panic.

"What's wrong Aiken?!" Eudon called out to me, his words were becoming inaudible and slurred. 'Am I dying? No...I can't die. Not yet...I haven't even found my—'

Ms. Dulce touched my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

"Aiken. Can you hear me... Someone get the school nurse...Quick..." her words were becoming fainter as the seconds passed.

"His nose..." Juliet said, her eyes wide.

I rubbed my nose and blood stained my hand. Was this really it? Was I going to die, a failure? A weak nobody... That was it?

'Damn, and I didn't even get to lose my virginity'. An odd thing to think right before your about to die, I know. But my mind was all over the place, I simply thought of whatever was in my head.

I placed the stained hand on to the ground as I began to drift...

With the amount of vision I had left, I could make out Arlo getting ready to leave. He seemed scared almost. True fear. And then, suddenly, everyone else began to share that same fear on their face.

'What's happening?'

A blue aura struck my body, and everyone stared in confusion. I looked down and some sort of light-blue circle that rotate in place underneath my body. It had strange writings on it.

Juliet stepped forward on to the weird circle, and, it expanded to her, Ms. Dulce, Eudon, and Suman.

Suman was taken aback.

The circle then ran after Arlo who was just about to make it outside, until a girl walked in. It was Evelin Miray, a fourth year. About a year younger than myself.

"Hey Ms. Dulce, I've got that essay you wan..." Evelin joyfully said, without realising what was going on.

The circle caught both Arlo and Evelin.

"What the hell?! I can't move" Arlo screamed out.

"Huh...wh-what's going on?" Evelin's voice broke. Her heart was in her throat.

"Everyone stay calm!" Ms. Dulce commanded, but no one was listening. Everyone went into panic, apart from me, who was immobilised entirely at that moment.

"What is this?!" Eudon growled.

Suman finally spoke, "This...this can't be happening. It was all a dream. A dream!"

His reaction was odd. It seemed like he saw this thing before. Like he had already experience this situation. He clapped his palms against his head in worry. "No!"

As everyone's panic grew, so did the aura of the circle.

It got bright, brighter, and brighter until...

Darkness.

***

This was an odd sensation. It felt like I was in a swimming pool almost and was trying to stay afloat by vigorously moving my arms and legs. I was freefalling. I opened my eyes and saw a sight so indescribable.

It was nothing and everything at the same time.

Around me was strips of light, cracks in the darkness that grew over everywhere like vines growing on to a tree. However the darkness prevailed over the light.

And then, screams.

I looked around me to find my peers and teacher falling with me too. We were all on a set destination into one of the vines of light. I was still too dreary from what else had just happened to react to this other situation. All I could do in that moment, was observe.

Then, suddenly, like a belt of asteroids, we found ourselves traversing through a large field of maybe...debris? Bits of rubble. Different materials.

Maybe space? No, it couldn't possibly be. If it was, we would've been dead by now. Our lungs would've ruptured long ago thanks to the vacuum of space and, lack of oxygen. We'd also be burning alive if that was the case.

But no, I could breathe just fine. And the others seemed to be just fine breathing too...

I was hit by various amounts of debris and couldn't shield myself since I was still too immobile to move. All I could do, was look.

The debris left me with a few cuts on my face, but nothing too serious. And then, the commotion stopped. I was still falling, all of us were. But the belt of debris had come and went. There was a brief moment of peace. I looked around myself, everyone was still flapping their arms and legs around like a bird trying to fly for the first time.

In the corner of my eye, something caught my attention.

What looked like the centre, of the space we were falling through, there was a large piece of road. Like from the city, that was being held up by nothing. How odd. And also, if I'm not wrong – I swear I could make out someone on that piece of road.

They were a cloaked figure that sat down on a throne of debris, that, was also being held up by nothing too.

The figure stood; his brow darkened by his hood.

They held up their arm slowly, all I could do was observe. Parts of debris from around the road island began heading toward us. Worry plagued my mind. I needed to move. Or at least speak, to warn everyone.

"..."

All I could muster up were a few weak groans.

The flying debris formed a wall in front of the vine of light we were headed to. The others soon reacted. It looked as if this was actually it. We were falling fast, and, if we were going to hit that wall of debris at such high speeds – we were dead for sure.

Everyone screamed.

And then – something else...

The wall of debris collapsed as we were just about to hit it. A shadowy figure zoomed passed us at quick speed. Whoever it was, was so fast, they were visible as only a blur of movement.

That blur was headed to the hooded figure. And, as we were entering the vine of light...I saw them touch fists, provoking a large, sonic boom of energy.

And that was it.

I woke up...dazed.

I was surrounded by my friends who were knelt by both my sides, smiling.

"You're finally up..." Eudon said, with a smile, his arms crossed.

I leaned up and looked around.

Suman and Arlo were hacking away at the top of some stairs at a...door? Made of stone?

Evelin sat in a corner nearby hyperventilating, Ms. Dulce rubbed her back frantically, trying to calm her down. Juliet was sat close to me tucking in on herself.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Eudon moved his gaze around the room, "no idea..."

I soon followed his gaze. We were in some type of runes it seemed. It was old-looking. I managed to stand, a little tipsy but Juliet rushed to my side and offered me support with her shoulder.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome" she replied.

I glanced around the room to get a better look. Fire torches were hung on the walls, lit brightly. Eudon took one and began investigating marks, they all seemed primordial. I had never seen anything like it. It wasn't like hieroglyphs, or either any sort of language I had seen before.

Vines ate up the stone walls. It had been a long time since anyone had been inside here, clearly.

"This place is like some sort of old ruins...maybe this is the resting place of some historical figure..." Eudon said, he sounded like a child that was in complete awe.

"Like whom?" Juliet asked.

"I don't know..." he said. "Or maybe, this is it...the city of gold – El Dorado!" he jumped. He really was like a child.

"Hey!" Arlo called up from the top of the stairs with a stern tone in his voice. He was sweating profusely and had dirt on his face. "Instead of prancing about like a child, you come and help us open this door..." He glanced at me, "you too, Sigmund..."

"Hey Aiken, is..." Juliet began.

I soon cut her off though, "it's fine. I'm feeling better now."

"You're clearly not. You can barely stand!" she argued.

"She's right. Just rest, you don't have to do anything..." Eudon added on. With that said, Eudon made his way up the narrow stairs, joining both Arlo and Suman in trying to open the door.

I sighed. Outnumbered. If I was honest with myself, I was struggling to stay standing.

Ms. Dulce looked over and saw me awake. She reassured Evelin, who was in extreme distress, before walking over to me and Juliet.

"How are you feeling Aiken?" she asked. Her voice, no, her whole demeanour, was completely different. She felt soft, and approachable.

"I could be better" barely managing to speak.

"Are you sure?" she pressed on lightly. She seemed concerned and saw right through me.

I was still too weak, my legs felt like jelly and my head was still hurting – not as much as before, however. Thankfully. Juliet had side-eyed me when answering Ms. Dulce. She could probably tell I was lying from all the weight I was exhausting on to her.

"Ms. Dulce, I don't want to sound rude...but I think you should focus more on what else happened rather than me..." I suggested, trying to sound as nice as possible.

She nodded, "Right."

"What did happen?" Juliet asked.

Ms. Dulce pinched her chin and looked around, "I'm not too sure...none of us are...but, whatever did happen, was something far beyond our knowledge."

"What about the two people? The one on the throne...and the one that saved us?" I asked. My mind was full of questions unanswered.

Ms. Dulce looked at me confused, like she had no idea what I was talking about. "People?-"

However, as she asked, there were calls from the top of the stairs. "Hey, it opened!" Eudon called down.

The door had opened by itself and a crack of bright light shined through it. The rest of us joined the others at the top of the stairs, finding it best to leave together. We were completely clueless.

Arlo pushed the door open more and we were greeted by an even bigger mass of light that forced everyone to shield behind their arms. Not me, I was still too weak. But thanks to Juliet, she had managed to cover both my eyes and hers from the light.

The light calmed down after a few moments.

My eyes were met with a beautiful sight. A vast land of greenery and sun that stretched out, past the vanishing point. I was both confused but yet, amazed at the same time. I had never seen something so beautiful in my entire life. But that was probably because I grew up in an orphanage in the centre of a large, urban city.

There were meadows expanding to great lengths, a vast agricultural of picturesque scenery. Like myself, everyone displayed a look of awe. Even Arlo.

"W-w-where are we?" Suman said, trying to fathom what he was seeing.

I looked around and saw we were inside a sort of stone temple. Old and decaying. On top of it was a statue of a man, with long hair and weird, pointy ears. He held a book tucked into his sleeve with his right hand. He seemed to smile graciously. His other arm seemed to be still in the motion of waving. The others were too far gone to acknowledge the statue.

As I looked at the statue, my stomach grew light and began to twist and churn. I pinched my stomach hoping for it to go away. But I could feel it getting worse and worser.

"-Hey look. Someone's coming over here..." Eudon said, and as he did all of us ducked down behind a small wall of stone. The place was so old and broken down. There were bits left of old infrastructure with its counterparts gone.

"W-w-what do we do?" Evelin cried.

Arlo peeked his head out. He then rested against the wall again, taking cover.

"..."

He was completely silent. His eyes wide. Like he had just seen something he wish he hadn't. Fear imprinted itself on to his face.

"What did you see...?" Eudon asked, desperately trying to get something out of him.

Arlo's arms were drooped down beside him. Limp.

"Arlo, get it togeth-xx!

'Huh?'

It was happening again. The strength I had somewhat regained, had left me within in seconds. I felt myself losing conscious. Being unable to fully understand what everyone was saying.

I felt myself land on Juliet's lap as I slowly drifted away. Or at least, I hope it was hers. It'd be more awkward if it were Ms. Dulce's for example.

"Aik-xx? Xxxxx xxxxx?" I think that was Juliet's voice, I wasn't sure. She seemed worried though. Her tone had completely dropped once again.

After a while, I heard screams and shouting. Some sort of argument?

I blacked out.

Woke up slightly. 'Am I in a vehicle?' My body rocked lightly from side to side. Like jelly on a plate. Again, I felt a cushiony sensation under my resting head.

And then, I blacked out again.

I woke up a little once more. 'Am I on a stretcher?' I looked up to a ceiling, watching it change as I was being moved slowly somewhere...

And then, black.