The Life Beyond You

Chapter 1

"Wakey Wakey."

There was a smell of cinnamon and faint cigarette smoke. I rub my eyes and sit up, the girls face inches from mine.

"You were passed out for hours my dude." She stood me up and I looked around. We were in some sort of Japanese building...

"Is this a Dojo?-" I ask, walking around the almost empty room. There was a few paintings and ferns.

"Yep, right by your apartment actually. No one would think a whole clan hides out in here." She lets out a snort and I turn around, Clan?
Before she can react I shove her against one of the sliding doors. My hands shove her shoulders back and all she does is grin.

"Tell me, where the bloody am I and why am I here."

"Well, when a man and a woman love eachother, they get feelings-"

"NOT WHY I'M IN THIS WORLD."

"Oh right, silly me. Let me fill you in before he gets here." She sits me down on the gray carpet, in the center was a Japanese cherry blossom. I study her face, she has olive skin and deep, almost black, eyes. Her long straight hair falls to her waist when she sits. She claps her hands together and the room darkens. Suddenly a candle in the back lights. She mumbles something and her eyes are emerald again, in front of her appeared a small paper map. I can't react, I'm frozen.

"Basically, there are four of us. Four clans I mean. We have Shadowed Moon." She pointed to a moutain far in the corner, I don't recognize this place, or anything on the map. "They control the Shadow Realm. There most powerful night is the full moon. Then you have us, The Forsaken Fall." She points to another far off corner, a large Shrine. "Everyone who was pushed away because of there abilities, come here. Or we find them, like you. Ya with me still Cy?"

I nod, no I'm not with her at all or her glowing eyes but I nod anyway. "Ok good, then we have The Chosen, those bloody snobs." She points to the corner closest to the Shrine. "They think there part god, so everything greek if you can imagine. There leader, Conan, a tool at its finest. Then last but not least, Eternal Wings." She doesn't point to anything. "There a mutual clan, and there also healers. Pretty much like angels flying around and fixing people up. They live above the cloud line."

I rub my head, trying to process this magical kingdom thing I'm looking at. I manage to find my voice and ask, "What does this have to do with me? Is this when you say I'm magical and take me to a far off land."

She gives me a smirk, her face dark. "Bingo. See, I've been..Observing you from afar." She mumbles something again and right infront of me appears pictures. Some of me walking, at home, and one of me on the roof last night..

"So your a stalker, possibly high, talking about clans. We okay here? Do I need to call someone? This Voodoo isn't cutting it for me."

"Wow your just a little ray of sunshine aren't you. I'm being dead serious, but we can wait till your trial is over to talk some more on how high I might possibly be."

"First off, your wearing all black sunshine. Second off, What trial-"

The door in the back slides open, and a tall guy walks through.

"Jesus turn on some lights," he flicked the switch, "She's awakee, good. Knox and Shane are waiting." He said, looking at me. His dark brown skin looked smooth, and had tight curly hair. His eyes though..Were faintly purple. I'm seeing things.

"I'll bring her out then. And Conan, flirt with this one and you loose a kneecap."

"Ooo Esteria, fiesty. Love it." His hand slipped up her back and she grabbed it, bending it behind his back swiftly. He let out a high groan and she let go.

"What a tool." She pushed him out and walked back over to me. I stood up, confused as ever. Atleast I know her name.

"Gotta look best for trial, come put your vest on." She walked to a door and slid it open, revealing a closet full of weaponry. Everything from crossbows to throwing knives. She pulled my shirt up and I slapped her hand.

"Oi-"

"Chill out, I'm putting a vest on you, unless you wanna get stabbed and bleed out. I just cleaned out there too." She wrapped a thick black vest around my waist. I couldn't breath for a moment until she adjusted it. Stabbed-

"Pick something to fight with, anything you prefer."

"Fight-"

"Jesus, YES fight, don't act stupid when your not." She walked to the other door waiting. I looked in the closet quickly, something caught my eye. It was a long black staff with a gold stone at the top. I touched it and the stone started glowing. I pulled my hand back, and Esteria walked behind me. "Pick one dudeee."

I grabbed a long silver sword, not that I knew how to use it. Everything was happening fast. One second it was as normal as it could be, the next I'm being shoved through a door to a world beyond mine.