WtR~ Adventures in Another Realm

Part One: Beginning of Adventure

And finally, the other ninja in our party looked like they were having a great time. Though I could only tell by the fact that they had thrown up their hands in joy, as their white and red Kitsune mask was hiding any facial expressions. The coattails of their dark black and purple hinted ninja suit whipping around behind them.

I wasn't actually all that surprised by any of their reactions, but part of me wondered if they were just acting, as I myself attempted to slip into character.

"Did you guys end up here too?" I cried out over the roaring wind, trying to loosen up a bit without letting go.

Nox replied with a whoop then actual words. "What do you mean by here? You mean, did we get sucked into the game too? I know I did!"

Pan nodded, jaw tight, and I realized he might've been more scared than he looked.

Iris's reply was muffed within the fur of her Gryphon, but it sounded like a yes to me.

"We are coming up on the starting point of your quest, I hope you've come prepared," The Gryphon I was riding on cut in before I could say anything more. "It would be best if you started forming a battle plan now."

I gulped, wishing I was back home, in bed, reading a book. Well, at least I wasn't alone. Misery really does love company, it seemed.

We didn't really come up with a plan. You see, today was the day where we randomly picked a quest to see what we ended up with, just one of the things we did to spice things up a little, so we had no idea what sort of quest we were going on. The best we came up with, was a scouting approach, be cautious and no charging in head on.

As soon as we hopped off the Quest Gryphons, every plan of scouting head went out the window. We were attacked immediately.

Shadow creatures with forms both human-like and animal-like leaked out of every shadow, eyes glowing a malicious purple.

I disappeared with a poof, reappearing on top of a crumbling archway, summoning my silver katana that was engraved with the twisting form of a dragon of knowledge. From there, I took in our situation.

Nox had created multiple clones of themself, and summoned up illusions in order to hide the real versions of Pan and Iris. They had summoned their own curved blades of pure silver that had a complex fantasy name that I couldn't remember and was slicing through the shadows, causing them to dissipate into wisps of smoke.

Pan had summoned up help from the wild, imbuing it into his arrows and hopping from tree to tree as needed, shooting down the ever growing horde of shadows.

Iris was arguably the most effective against the shadow horde, her powers allowing her to create swords of light and impale the shadows in mass.

But the shadows were still coming. Someone had to shut the gate. I poofed over to Iris's side, at least the one I assumed was real, and told her what I'd, well, not really discovered, but you get what I'm saying.

She nodded and broadcasted it to the other two members using telepathy, asking them to give us some cover while we went and shut the Shadoe Gates.

Even with the cover, it was a mad dash over to the first gate. I slashed and ducked as needed to clear a path and stay alive, Iris launched more swords behind and to the side of us, and even then, we just barely made it.

Since it was a gate, that meant more would be coming through and I, being the only one capable of traveling into and out of the shadows, would need to dive in and keep the shadow creatures at bay until Iris closed the gate.

"Be careful." She told me telepathically.

"Don't worry, I will!" Then I slipped in.

It was dark, only the flash of my dancing blade and the countless purple eyes made any light. My heart was pounding, my breath moistening the inside of my mask.

I was thankful for the skills and increased stamina and strength that came along with being my avatar, I would've never lasted this long in real life.

The time it took seemed to be eons, but most certainly was only a minute or two. Three times, a shadow creature nearly escaped out the gate. I would whirl and ungracefully slam my blade into it, nearly dying from the others behind me.

I realized, I'd need to fight like this two more times to shut the gates. Just two. I almost laughed aloud. It couldn't be that bad right? Yeah, that was sarcasm. I was going to die.

Finally, Iris contacted me and told me the gate was closed.

'I could go all day!' I told her when she asked if I was okay. That was my normal avatar response, in truth, I just wanted to flee and collapse in a warm fluffy bed somewhere. But I shoved it down and pressed on.

The second time was only slightly worse than the first, the third. That was where I was sure I was going to die a cruel and painful death.

I was dripping sweat. My mask was like the inside of a sauna. My breath came in labored gasps and my muscles burned.

The shadows could sense my weakness, they were eager. They focused on me, even when I was unable to keep them from passing through, they stayed. I was their prey now.

Only my weak swipes with my katana kept them at bay, I was already bleeding from the wounds gained from fighting. They circled me like a pack of wolves. If they really wanted me dead, they would've killed me by now.

They wanted something else. I was afraid whatever fate awaited me if I stayed for much longer would be worse than death. I hoped with all my heart that Iris would be done soon. Very, very soon.

I got lucky.

Just as the shadow pathway below my feet rumbled, Iris contacted me.

'I'm done now! You can leave! Please be alright!'

'I'm fine!' I replied cheerfully. 'Just bleeding out from a few wounds, but no biggy!'

I was almost ready to scream at myself for acting like it was still a game and I wasn't actually dying!

With a mighty flip, I launched myself over the gathered horde and down the nearest pathway leading back to where my party members were.

The shadow creatures didn't follow, but something else did.

From under the pathways, deep within the abyss of shadows, something stirred. Tendrils of darkness slipped up and over the pathway I was running on. As my legs passed through them, I got chills. She was inviting me down. Down, into her warm embrace. I was almost repulsed by the thought of it, and I didn't know why. Something about her. Something about her...

She seemed to sense my resistance and sent up more of her tendrils, I pressed forward. Knowing I wouldn't be able to resist her if her presence became any stronger. Even I longed for a mother's embrace, especially when I was afraid.

I charged out of the shadows, back into the light, gasping for what little sweet, fresh air I could get through my two masks.

I vaguely heard the gasps of my party members, and was once again wishing I had a mirror. From what I was told later, I had tendrils of purple darkness steaming off me and I already knew I was dripping blood.

When I looked up, through the eye holes in my mask and my hazy vision, I saw that Iris had been tending to Pan and Nox's wounds while they'd been waiting, but she hurried over to me as soon as she got over her shock.

Before I was able to say anything, I passed out.