Prologue.
"Aaah" my loud panicked scream filled the sky as i plummeted, the ground staggeringly fast approaching me and my beautiful face, of course my face was going to be the first to hit the ground. My mind was still trying to comprehend the insanity of the situation. Why was the ground rushing towards me as i plummeted from great heights you ask? Well color me stupid but i had no idea what the hell had happened but let me tell you.
I'm a regular guy, a normal guy with a job, paying bills, living in a crappy old apartment, wasting time by playing games in general i just laze my life away. So one day i returning from work, it was a sunday so obviously there weren't many people around and that was just how i liked it.
I was just walking peacefully my face stuck to the smartphone screen, checking up on messages, spreading stupidity all over the internet and then i looked up and oh how i wish i hadn't, at least that way it would all have just seemed like a dream.
There in the middle of the sidewalk was something weird, a black round thing about the size of a human, it was all swirly and twirly. It looked somewhat like a big mirror only it was all black and weird. I stopped in my tracks, obviously that wasn't something that should be there, actually, i was wondering how exactly did it float? I rubbed my eyes a few times, checked for injuries thinking that maybe a power pole met with my face and i started hallucinating, but no, it was still there. Disbelief filled me as i was thinking no freaking way. Obviously as a person that didn't believe in god or miracles or magic what was before me simply turned my world upside down. The black mass twirled, seemingly beckoning me to get closer, but i knew what that was, no way i was going to do that, after playing so many video games i wasn't going to casually approach a portal and let it ruin my perfect lazy life. So the other side of the road seemed to be the safe way to take, this way i avoided that black portal completely and moved on.
For one thing, what i saw was definitely amazing and as curious as i was, thoughts of it occupied my mind all evening and also gave me a reason to drink. Maybe if i wasn't returning from work and was actually going to work i would have approached that thing differently hoping it would provide me the chance to escape the hell that was my job.
The next day, another bright, sunny morning and me walking groggily towards work after another day spent drinking my life away, i wasn't exactly attentive of my surrounding, being actually more worried that the ground was still somewhat shaky after 8 hours of sleep even while walking slowly. Then my feet stopped, for a second, my hand instinctively went to my mouth trying to keep my dinner, still undigested, from making a breakthrough from my stomach. And as i lifted my face, i saw it, there again, in the middle of the sidewalk, that black twirling, swirling mass of darkness just a few centimeters off the ground, it shaked and twirled and beckoned me to approach it. I must admit curiosity overwhelmed me, it definitely looked way more interesting than what was waiting for me if i proceeded on my normal routine. I still felt reluctant, the sense of danger and the distinct feeling i like to call "you're fucked" simply kept me way away from it or so does the moth try to keep away from the flame. Groggy as i was, instead of moving to the other side of the road, to the other sidewalk this time i simply tried to walk around it. That was a big mistake, just as my body moved around an past it a sudden powerful, commanding and somewhat dark voice changed my whole future:
"Get over here you spineless human" the voice raged, a pale white hand grabbed me by the back of my neck extending from that black round darkness and before i could react pulled me in.
My sight turned black but only for a second, what i saw after was simply amazing, so many colors merging together forming beautiful patterns, rainbows over rainbows. It lasted for a short period and as i was dragged through that beautiful scenery and at the end of my short flight i was flung to the ground, my kidnapper remaining still as i rolled on something that seemed hard as ground yet it was somewhat fluffy and white, just like a cloud. I was stepping on clouds... except not in the fun way. Feeling a bit queasy after going through that an being thrown around i looked up, shaking my head to get rid of the dizziness. Before me there was a pale white bony man, his face screamed tiredness, he was dressed in a white robe in his hand a pencil or something that looked like a pencil, next to him was a fatter man, sporting a really big beard, he was seated on a big chair, making it normal for him to look down on all that were before him. After giving me a few seconds to compose myself, the pale bony man spoke:
"You certainly made this a bit more difficult than it should have been, you played a lot of video-games don't you know that you're supposed to go through the dark portal when it appears" he frowned slightly and looked annoyed.
"I played enough video-games" i answered "to know that black portals don't lead to anything good. Why did you drag me in here, couldn't you have just let somebody that was interested in all this trouble just get in it" i spoke slightly annoyed while brushing the dust of my clothes. As black as my jacket was, with a small dragon emblazoning on the upper chest part, the dust still made it look dirty and my pants as well also black, sleek and elegant they were almost grey because of the dust, and then my mind asked... why was there dust when i was on clouds? Was this cloud dust? Was that even a thing? That explained why it was so white.
"Watch your attitude boy you stand before", "Santa" i shouted, the bony man's face flinched and i could see his anger rising, the pencil-like thing in his hand snapped in two.
"Ho ho ho ho, its okay" the bearded man intervened "very well you can call me Santa, i am giving you a present after all" he gently patted his great white bear, it almost looked like it was emiting emitting light. His vision narrowed on me and i felt a chill run down my spine, truly like a father looking at his mischievous son with both kindness and severity.
"Master Elyon will this be okay, this child seems reluctant, if he can't commit to the task this might turn out disastrous" the bony man turned his back to me, speaking harsh words.
"Wait, disastrous? I don't like the sound of that" raising my hands to my chest i started slowly backing away, this all smelled of danger and responsibility. "Can i take a rain check on this, i'll show myself out if you just point the direction."
They both turned to face me, visibly disappointed by how i was acting, well excuse me, this was turning into some sort of save the world scenario and i really couldn't handle that kind of responsibility.
"It will be fine Pahale, i have already seen it" the bearded man rose from his chair slowly looking in my direction, i felt oppression. "Child, you are needed in time you will understand why it had to be you, right now it is not something you need to worry about" he smiled gently. "The worlds i have made, the lives i have created stand on the brink of either destruction, corruption or salvation and already a number of them have been lost. The invasion must be stopped but i, myself, cannot stop it."
My skin shivered and crawled, my mind thinking no, no, no, no, stop putting pressure on me, just find somebody better. His words resounded through my entire being, i could not deny, or refuse.
"Well do not worry, i will give you a present that will light the road you must follow and i will open the gate to what you truly are." Elyon's gaze slowly turned soft, he looked at me as a father looks at his son while sending him of his first chore. "Ao show yourself, i know youre probaby hiding and listening from somewhere" as he said that a small creature appeared in front of Elyon, floating about a meter up from the cloud like ground. It looked somewhat like a cat but with beautiful blue colored fur that reminded me of the clear blue skies of summer days, only the tip of its tail and its paws were colored white.
"Fine" she stretched out the word in exasperation, "i'm here old man, what do you need?" The cat like creature's voice reeked of arrogance but i felt familiarity between them though Pahale was boiling with anger, not only was i disrespectful but now this creature as well.
"Ao, i want you to guide him on his quest, help him achieve his potential and stop the corruption." Ao sighted as she heard this. Elyon continued "i know what you're thinking but the situation is dire and you are the best possible choice for this."
"Another baby-sitting job old man. I'm supposed to be leading your armies into battle" she turned, her emerald colored eyes studying me, then pointing in my direction with her paw and with a voice filled with disappointment she said "not guide some scrawny looking, feeble human, i mean he doesn't look like he'd be able to battle a corrupt rat not to mention find a way to stop the corruption. And i sense almost no magic in him, he probably can't even throw a proper fireball. What exactly did you see in him?"
Well, that was a lot more insulting than i expected, i thought to myself.
"Leaving aside the fact that she's insulting the guy that's being asked to help, the furball is quite right" i said making sure to spout at least one insult at that creature. "So why don't you just pick somebody else or just send this talking rat chaser alone, i'm pretty sure it could stop this corruption thing with it's attitude alone." Hey, i wasn't about to let myself get insulted without hitting back, was i.
The creature seemed amused at my attempts to insult her, a smirk appearing on her face but just as she was getting ready to throw another barrage of insults Elyon intervened.
"It must be him there is no other choice, you know there is always a reason. Now stop fussing and get to it. He will grow." Elyon turned and sat back down on his chair.
"Alright, alright old man, i'm expecting a pay raise for this" said Ao then she flew to me and sat herself on my head.
"Hey get off me and just so all of you know i'm not doing this and you can't force me" i raised my voice in anger. Ao smirked and with a look of utter amusement said.
"Oh i can actually" before she finished saying that another of those black portals appeared right under my feet.
"This isn't fair, i have rights" i screamed overcome by the absurdity of the situation as i fell through that thing.
And now we're back to me screaming for dear life, the stupid cat like creature still on my head laughing almost as hard as i was screaming.
Chapter 1.
I kept screaming while falling to my death and just before i reached the ground thinking to myself "what a short life" i stopped levitating just a bit above the ground. The cat jumped off my head still laughing herself to tears.
"Oh you should have seen your face, i haven't laughed this much in a while" she wiped her eyes with her tail. She had laughed herself to tears.
"Can you just put me down? Gently because i know how this goes, you're going to drop me suddenly." I read too many stories to not know this type of comedic situation, i thought to myself.
"Yes, yes fine" she waved her paw at me and i fell face first, "it's still funny" she said while smiling. I wasn't upset though and for a minute i stayed there hugging the ground. It's good to be on solid ground.
"Get up already, there are things i have to teach you" she said her cute face forming a frown "or do you want to end up some monsters lunch?"
"Monster?" I lifted my face looking spooked "there are monsters here? I can't deal with that. We need to find a safe place, i don't have the necessary combat experience to deal with monsters. Seriously couldn't you people have picked a soldier or a hero or somebody else instead?" I complained as i lifted myself, brushing my clothes of dust, yet again. I surveilled my surroundings with a worried look on my face.
"The old man said you're it so you're it. I'm sure we'll find out the reason sooner or later" a smile came back to her face, "unless you die then that will mean he was wrong and i can rub it in his face."
I cringed, this thing wanted me dead or wouldn't mind me dying, i can't trust it. Looking around a bit it finally dawned on me that i wasn't anywhere near home anymore, i pinched my cheeks thinking that maybe it was all just a dream. The cat saw me and joined in pinching my other cheek.
"Let go you stupid cat" i shook her off.
"It looked like fun" she giggled, "it's not a dream so the faster you just get accustomed to it, the less the chance for you to die in a hilarious manner lowers."
Rubbing my now red swollen cheeks i surveyed the surrounding again. Looking at the ground, it was a a slightly reddish color, a few plants scattered here and there, some looked like small bushes, others we're like small flowers with petals colored like the ground, probably some sort of camouflage, i thought to myself. In the distance i could see huge mountains on my right side, they looked barren like there was no vegetation on them, or perhaps it was camouflaged like the flower here and on my left side something that seemed to look like a forest, except the trees weren't any shade of green but gray. Why was it gray, i wondered. Looking up at the sky, it was a sunny summer blue with no clouds in sight. Closing my eyes i thought Definitely not anywhere near home anymore.
"Hey wake up" Ao spinned around hitting me with her tail, her fluffy tail strangely hurt almost the same as being hit with a palm. "It doesn't seem like i have time to train you with any type of weapon" she expressed, "so i am going to share with you some of my magical power until we figure out what you can actually do" she paused for a second and continued while laughing "other than look stupid."
"Can you not insult me every few seconds?" I frowned, letting out a displeased sigh "and what do you mean share your magical power?" My face lit up, "does that mean i'll be able to use magic?" I almost asked if i could also open one of those black portals and go home, but i stopped myself, she is very intent on not letting me go home and asking might make her think twice about sharing that magical power.
"No you won't be able to open black gates, that's what they are called by the way" she said with a devilish smile on her face. "All you will be able to do is conjure offensive and defensive magic."
"Stop reading my mind you flying fur ball" i took a shoe off and threw it in her direction, i kinda hoped it would hit her straight on the face instead it burned before even reaching her face, it caught a blue flame and burned to cinders. "My shoe" i said in a low tearful voice.
"That's a flame shield, it protects you from physical and magical attacks" she said proudly.
"I still needed that, couldn't you have just dodged it?" This time i picked up a nearby rock and threw it at her, thinking you should just thrown a rock the first time stupid. This time a ball of blue fire appeared at the tip of her tail and she hurled it at the rock melting it completely then it passed right next to my face and i felt an enormous burning heat from it.
"And that's a fireball. Pretty neat, right?" She puffed up her small cat chest.
"You could have burned my face off you looney rat chaser" i shouted.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't be throwing stuff at me then?" She flew right up in my face and i reeled back, this cat is dangerous. "Stretch out your hand" she said looking me in the eyes smiling.
"What are you going to do now" i gulped stretching out my hand "bite me?"
"Exactly" she backed up and planted her teeth in my wrist.
Suddenly i felt paralyzed and i fell to my knees. Let go, i tried to voice, but no words came out. I felt like something was entering my body from where she bit, an intense heat traveling through my arm, to my chest and i groaned feeling like i was being burned from the inside, the pain was so intense i nearly blacked out and when it reached my heart, the pain was disappeared replaced by a feeling of pleasure, like the quenching of a thirst long forgotten, my mind went blank and feeling like i was draining something. Like a water faucet left open the magic kept being drained and a powerful urge overcame me to drain it dry. I heard a voice, like a distant whisper, telling me to stop, but my mind was filled with this incredible thirst and i paid it no heed and then i felt something hit my face, cold, hard and very painful and i blacked out. That must have been a rock.
In a nearby village, a young woman struggles to care for her ailing mother. Despised by her fellow villagers for the way she looks, considered to be something impure, something unholy. She and the only person that cared for her live exiled at the edge of the village. A beautiful young woman with slightly brown skin, her eyes dyed in an amber like color, her hair colored red like a burning flame with parts of it having a silver color. The color of her hair and eyes are what got her ostracized by the other villagers. Today again she prepares to make another trip to the village doing chores for small amounts of food.
"Mother" she speaks entering the room her mother was resting in "i'm going now, are you going to be alright alone?" Her face betrays a worried look, leaving her ailing bother alone was not exactly safe.
"I will be alright Diana, i'm sorry" she gestures her to come closer.
"It's alright mother" she sits beside her mother's bed, taking her hand and kissing it.
"I'm sorry my dear, sweet daughter, i wish you wouldn't have to go through this, if only i would die, you would be free" a tear fell down her cheeks.
"Never say that mother" her face grew sad "never say that, you're my only family, keep fighting for me."
"You're such a good daughter" her mother closed her eyes "i will sleep now."
"Yes mother, i'm leaving" Diana got up and left looking back one last time. She hated going to the village but what she hated even more was that she had to leave her mother alone.
Diana's visit to the village usually meant doing chores for scraps of food while being ridiculed, she hated being born like that and to this day her mother never told her who her father was or why she had those features, only being told that everything had a reason. After her visits there she would care for her mother, prepare meals for both of them always setting aside more for her ailing mother, doing chores and at night she would read by the candle light the only book she ever had. A curious collection of pages obviously magical in nature, left to her by her father, that almost seemed alive, it's pages changing from time to time. With it she learned to read and write, learned the history of the world, the geography and many other things, even magical spells. Unfortunatly even though she knew the words to conjure spells she had never actually succeeded mostly because her magical power seemed to be even lower than that of an average human. She lamented her fate, being called a witch when she couldn't even perform one simple spell to light up a fire.
As Diana left, her mother clutched a small pendant that was adorning her neck, the only jewelry she had, the only memento left by her daughter's father. Before disappearing he had given her that pendant, instructing her to pass it to their daughter only when it was time. She was confused and asked how will she know when it's time, the only answer she got was a smile as the man vanished into the night. The pendant itself was a beautiful piece of jewelry, in the shape of a tear, always warm to the touch and it almost looked like a fire was burning inside it with slivers of silvery flakes dancing around the flame.
"My love, i don't have much time left perhaps it's time to pass on the pendant. Maybe this is why you didn't tell me when i should give it to her. She has grown into a beautiful and kind young lady and she doesn't deserve this life of suffering." The woman closed her eyes another tear drop streaming down her cheek.
In another part of this world, the kingdom of Auria, one of the three largest kingdoms ruling this world is threatened by a misterious force that's acting through monsters, they have become more agressive, even to the point of banding together and attacking travelers, merchants even villages. The king has called a meeting to discuss this problem. In the throne room, he discusses with five of his advisors, two of positions taken by his sons. The other three being the minister of commerce countess Riela a fiery woman with a knack for trading, the minister of defense grand knight Bogan, a bulky man considered the best fighter in the kingdom and the minister of magic archmage Alensius, he was, well, not exactly right in the head. By recklesly tampering with magical forces he had sufferd several accidents that left him both with great power and slightly insane. The positions of leader of the royal knights was taken by the king's eldest son Rujak, he himself a great wielder of the blade and also a good commander and the position of chief strategist and counselor to the king prince Valis.
"Your highness" Valis speaks up while browsing a number of manuscripts, "another village has fallen to monster attack, a large pack of creatures descended on Mierus village, they slaughtered everything in their path" he hands a manuscript to the king.
"This makes it the third village to fall" Rujak grips his sword in anger. "We must do something."
"Not only villages" Riela speaks taking a step forward, "several trading convoys have also fallen to monsters" her face takes a hardened look, "heavily defended convoys."
"Slaughtering unarmed villagers is one thing but actually defeating armed mercenaries takes more than just mindlessly attacking" Bogan spoke his face showing worry.
"Witnesses report that its not just one type of monsters" said Valis "it's not just raks or burjahs. It's never been heard of before but different species of monsters are working together."
"They are coordinated" Alensius muttered while stroking his beard, "by something magical, something leads them, drives them, they follow orders, dark whispers."
"That's not possible" Rujak said his voice stern " different species of monsters working together? following orders?"
"Fact is heavily armed convoys have fallen" Riela speaks looking at Rujak then at the king, "your highness however they did it is not as important as finding a way of stopping this."
"Darkness, something deep, corrupt" Alensius speaks again his eyes losing focus.
"Not another one of his rambling sessions" Bogan scofs.
"Something is coming, it started small, one rak, whispers from another world, darkness reaching out to it" Alensius rambles, his eyes unfocused, his body radiating a small magical aura. "It's coming, it will envelop the world, devour it" he falls to his knees and goes silent.
"That does not sound good" Valis speaks with worry in his voice.
"It's just another one of his madness filled ramblings" Bogan scofs again "we should focus on the real problem."
"Indeed" Valis responds "this mess is costing our kingdom too much. If we do not do something, traders will start avoiding our kingdom, which means a shortage of many necesities."
"Already," Riela speaks with a frown on her face "a number of merchants have expressed worry and also announced that prices will rise considerably if something's not done about this."
"Merchants and their greed" Bogan scofs yet again "What's more important are all the lives at stake."
"Your highness" Rujak looks at the king with worry in his face, "you haven't said anything at all. What should we do?"
"Bogan" the king speaks, his voice resounding in the throne room. "I want you to recall two batalions from the border patrol. Their orders are to scour the lands and search for these creatures and eradicate them. Valis" the king turns to him.
"Yes your highness."
"See if these attacks have any patterns and try to find out where they may attack next" the king turns to Riela. "All the traders that are still willing to travel the land will have their taxes cut in half for a year. It's better to lose some of the coin that comes in the treasury than lose all trade and that should also compensate for the risks they are taking"
"Understood your highness" Riela speaks with a smile "i'm sure every trader will be overjoyed to hear that."
"Alensius" the arch-mage gets back on his feet as the king speaks to him with a stern voice, "i want you to investigate this darkness, perhaps your visions may offer more information about what exactly is happening but make it a bit more coherent next time."
"Hahaha, of course, of course, i shall try" a smile appears oh his face, he knew that was not possible.
"And Rujak there is a separate matter i wish to discuss with you" the king sat up from his throne, "come to my room, the rest of you may leave."
"At once your highness" Rujak followed the king as the rest of the people went on about their business.
Chapter 2
I dreamt of something sinister, dark, it kept calling my name urging me to approach it, to let it in, to let go. I dreamt i was running from it, a dark shadow slithering on the land like a mass of snakes, devouring anything it comes in touch with. I kept running as it devoured villages, cities, humans and animals always right behind me creeping ever closer and then when i could run no more i turned around and it touched me, entering my body, corrupting me from the inside. I felt my skin tear, my inside burn like molten lava was poured through my mouth, i felt my bones creak like the pressure of a building was crushing them, my flesh felt like electricity was surging through it and yet through all that pain i felt an indescribable pleasure, like every pleasure center in my body had been simultaneously activated, i felt like i was drinking the elixir of gods and i saw myself, i was devouring the darkness, the corruption. I felt terrified as i peered at my ecstatic face. What had i become, what was i, was that really me, i screamed. I woke up screaming at the top of my lungs, disoriented and afraid and then i felt that familiar slap.
"Is screaming all you can do you useless featherless chicken" Ao slapped me again "calm down it was just a dream."
"What? Where am i? What happened?" I was completely disoriented by everything.
"Same place" she said, "i had to knock you out to stop you from..." she stopped mid-sentence, "nevermind that, do you remember anything?"
"I remember you biting me, aah, you bit me you flying rat chaser" i said getting up on my feet. "What was that, i felt like my insides were burning, are you poisonous? You're poisonous, i knew it, it's not just your tongue that's poisonous, you poisoned laced bag of fleas" before i could finish she slapped me again with her tail, why was that tail so hard.
"If the old man wasn't so taken with you i would have burned you to cinders for those words by now and i'm not poisonous idiot" she looked at me with a look of disgust, "i transferred some of my magical power, your body wasn't accustomed to that hence the pain."
"Do you have any, any idea how painful that was" my tone was heavy. "Can't you people and rat chaser understand i'm not the one you need, Jesus!" i threw my hands up in the air.
"Here we go again" Ao sighted shaking her head, "just resign yourself already, the faster you finish what you're supposed to do the faster you can go home."
"How am i supposed to do that?" I ask with exasperation, "didn't you see i fainted from just receiving a bit of magical power?"
"A bit indeed" she says sarcastically, "you didn't faint because of that."
"What do you mean?"
"Nevermind" she shakes her head, "let's see if you can throw some fireballs now."
"I don't think i can do that, i fainted remember?" i said putting accent on the word remember.
"Trust me, you'll do fine" Ao approached me, "come on."
"Fine" i resigned myself. "What am i supposed to do?"
"Ok, first let's see if you can shoot a fireball. Imagine a ball in your hand, imagine the mana flowing out of your hands into a ball, imagine it being made of fire. Imagine it burning hotter than any fire but not burning you, that's the mistake most beginners make" she smiles perhaps remembering something.
"Let's see" i said with worry in my voice, "imagine a ball in my hand" i closed my eyes and followed her instructions, at first nothing happened, then as i opened my eyes i saw the magic slowly happening. Energy felt like it was slowly draining from me, perhaps the magic power and flowing out through my hand shaping itself into a ball, slowly, slowly taking a red fire like color then a glass like outer shell formed around the magical ball, i wasn't sure what was happening, it wasn't supposed to be like that. After the glass like outer shell formed the flame inside began twisting and dancing turning black in some places. It was beautiful to look at but that was no fireball.
"That's not right" Ao said with a look of surprise on her face.
"What is this?" I asked looking at her, "it doesn't look like what you did." A glass like ballwas floating in my palm, the inside looked like it was filled with red and black flames, twisting and shifting, i touched it with my finger and that sent ripples inside destabilizing the balance formed there a little. I looked at Ao and saw her hair standing straight, her mouth wide open.
"Quick, throw it as far as you can, quick" she was screamed in panic.
"Huh!? Why are you in such a panic" i asked tilting my head.
"Throw it away, now, fast" as she panicked i looked at the ball and saw the flames dancing more, swirling around each other and suddenly all my senses screamed danger, danger. Not knowing which way to throw it, i just threw it in the direction of that weird looking mountain i saw before, the ball shot out of my palm with incredible speed, so much that it almost looked like a beam, it hit the mountain, which honestly i never expected to happen and exploded with such intensity that it left a huge crater in the mountain and the shockwave knocked me on my butt. That mountain must have been twenty kilometers away. I looked at Ao in disbelief.
"What the hell was that?" I screamed histericaly thowing my hands in the air, "there's a fucking crater in the fucking mountain, if that thing exploded here we'd be dead."
"How the hell would i know" Ao screamed as well, "what did you do, that's not how it was supposed to be."
"Oh my god, what if there was anybody near that place?" I asked with a panicked voice.
"I don't think so, at most there were just some lizards or some other disgusting creatures" she replied looking at the crater. "But still, what was that. It was like the magical power was amplified immensely."
"Oh my god, oh my god" i kept repeating in panic holding my head.
"Get a hold of yourself" Ao slapped me again with her tail, "that's bound to attract attention, we better leave this place. No more magic for now" i nodded, "let's find a place to settle for the day." After taking a bit to regain my composure slightly i got back on my feet.
"Well obviously we can't go in that direction" i pointed at the mountain, "i guess we're going to have to go through that forest" Ao nodded, still shaken i started walking in the direction of that gray colored forest, dusting myself as well and Ao placed herself on my head again.
"Get off cat" i shook my head trying to get her off.
"Pipe down slave, i'm tired and it's your fault so you're going to carry me."
"What do you mean it's my fault, get off my head" i emphasized each word.
"No way" she did as well. "Also you might get burned if you try to force me off" i could swear she was smiling.
I stopped walking and raised my hands trying to brush her off only to be met by searing heat and i quickly retreated my hand.
"Ouch, what the hell, you burned me" i screamed blowing wind on my fingers.
"Told you" she laughed, "now move along before somebody finds us."
"Fine" i said in a loud angry tone then proceeded to grumble, "you lazy floating sack of fleas."
"What did you say?" She asked, i could feel the top of my head growing warmer.
"Nothing, nothing" i responded before getting my hair burned off.
"Good boy, now start walking again" she patted the back of my head with her paw. What am i, a horse? I sighted and started walking.
From a distance the place we were heading to looked as if it was a forest, packed with objects that seemed to look like trees, except it's color perplexed me. It looked like a mass of something gray, i wondered if everything was made of stone of something. I thought perhaps Ao might know something seeing as she's the one that picked this place as an exit for her portal.
"What is that place? Why is the forest all gray?" I asked. "It is a forest, isn't it? Those things look like they are shaped like trees."
"How would i know" Ao yawned.
"Wait, aren't you supposed to have information about this world?" I asked with a baffled tone.
"Not really, it's my first time in this world as well."
"This is unbelievable" i raised my hands in desperation, "you're useless."
"I'm not the old man, i'm not omniscient, i can't know every little thing about all the worlds out there" she rubbed her eyes with her paw.
I sighted, i guess i'm just going to find out when we get there. We proceded to head there in silence, along the way i noticed that she had fallen asleep maybe she was indeed really tired. She was probably guarding me as well when i was unconcious even though she gave me some of her magical power. I guess i'll let her sleep until we get there, but man that place is way further than it looked like. I walked for what seemed a eternity to the one place that attracted my attention and as i got closer i noticed it seemed to look like an entrance.
I didn't wear a hand watch so i didn't know exactly for how long i've been walking but yes it seemed like an eternity. I really wish they would have at least let me get some things first before throwing me in this world. The only things i did have with me were my wallet that was near empty, my really bad chinese knockout smartphone, which of course had it's screen cracked, these things broke faster than a matchstick and my two packs of instant coffee. Fat load of good all these items would do me in this world. Finally i was getting closer to that gray forest, it definitely looked as if the trees were made of stone and the forest was so dense it was probably pitch black inside it. Well now i really wasn't looking forward to going through it. When i reached the entrance i noticed a wooden sign was placed on the side, the sign simply read to Piatr village. Well that's a weird name i thought to myself. Even weirder was the fact that i could read that, i wondered if it was because i absorbed the cat's magic. Sitting down besides the sign i nudged Ao to wake her up. Yawning and rubbing her face on her paw Ao woke up.
"What?" she said "Are we there yet?"
"Come on wake up" i said turning to lean on the wooden sign. "Seems there's a village beyond this forest. Also why can i read that sign"
Still rubbing her face Ao started floating from my head and looked at the sign. "Piatr Village, that's a weird name", then she looked at the entrance "Oh boy that's one creepy looking forest. I guess the tree are made of stone."
"No kidding." i said stretching my legs "I really don't want to go in there but i don't want to go back either."
"Well if anything happens i'll bury you at least." She said and started laughing.
"You're such a ..." my words trailed off as i sighted. I got up on my feet and started studying the trees and the entrance. Further in i could only see darkness, that was going to be a problem. I got closer to one of the trees, this was really interesting, they were made entirely of stone, even the leaves, i stretched my hand and pulled on one of the leaves, it didn't break, i tried pulling harder with all my strenght and with a cracking sound the leaf broke and i almost fell on my butt, again. Looking at it, you could see it wasn't carved, was the whole forest petrified, i wondered or were they growing like this. Being a really curious person this really got me pondering. Stretching my hand i touched one of the trees, it was rough and jagged to the touch like tree bark only, you know, made of stone.
"Such weird trees" i said "I wonder if they were petrified or if this is how they grow"
"Who cares" Ao said "Let's just go to this village"
"Aren't you curious?" I asked "These trees are amazing"
"If i stopped to question every thing i saw while visiting so many worlds." she started saying
"You'd know something about this" i intervened "instead of being clueless?"
"No you brat, i would be dead" her tone was upset.