What do you say as you watch your friend get sucked into a hole in the sky?
Nothing, apparently. I didn't even have time to think. My stomach dropped, my feet left the ground, and then I was gone too.
Blue. That was the first thing. Blue everywhere. The sky looked like it had cracked open and I was sliding through what looked like broken glass that had previously been clouds. For half a second it was almost peaceful... then the screaming started. My friend's screaming. Which meant the good news was we were all in the hole together. The bad news? We were in a hole, flying at insane speed, surrounded by pieces of the world: earth, uprooted trees, a car flipping end-over-end, an entire corner of someone's house. I tried to twist away from a spinning trash bin, but a thick tree branch clipped my ribs and knocked me off balance. I spun, helpless, into the stream of debris. My friends were flung in different directions. Colors exploded around us, flashing neon, pulsing like lightning, but I didn't get to admire any of it. Everything went black.
Pitch black.
When I woke up, I was moving. No, someone was moving, and I was tossed over their shoulder, bouncing with each step. Something jabbed me in the stomach rhythmically. A shoulder.
The fresh air hit me first. Crisp, clean, earthy. My eyes cracked open and saw green. Real, vibrant green, tall trees, thick grass, a forest untouched by anything I recognized.
Then pain. A sharp, splitting pierce through my skull. I clutched my head and groaned.
The person carrying me reacted immediately. "That's going to be there for a while, Killian. Looks like something nasty hit you."
The voice. Deep. Steady. Familiar.
Deandre.
Where are we? What happened?
"Weird thing is, I don't know," he said. "All I remember is waking up in this forest with you lying right next to me."
Where's Silas?
"Somewhere near. He had to have landed close, just like us. I'm looking for him now."
So we walked. And walked.
Rain started to fall, light at first, then heavy. Once we got past the fear of yelling in a strange forest, we started calling his name.
Then, faintly, somebody yelled back.
Silas.
It wasn't a normal cry. It was a help me right now scream.
We ran.
We reached a ledge and froze. Silas was below us, back to a rock, swinging desperately at what looked like skeletons.
"Are those... skeletons?" I whispered.
But they weren't fragile Halloween props. Some had rusted armor. Some moved disturbingly fast. And all of them wanted Silas dead. His black and white hair was soaked with rain, hanging across his terrified eyes as he screamed up at us for help. We didn't hesitate, my friend's life was on the line, how could I. With no other choice we jumped down onto two skeletons that stood underneath us, they shattered under our impact, bones snapping apart like brittle sticks.
"This whole situation is insane," Dre muttered.
No arguments from me.
Dre tore through them like a bulldozer while Silas and I worked together, knocking armored ones off balance, shattering skulls with rocks or anything we could grab. But more came, so many more, and the rain made everything heavy, slow, exhausting.
They forced us back to the cliff wall. Then something even worse happened. They crawled over each other. Bones disassembling, reattaching, locking together until a massive skeletal giant stood over us, its ribcage a cage of jagged white, its eyes empty, its fists huge enough to crush all three of us at once.
"We're so fucked!" Dre shouted.
Even Silas looked pale.
I stared up its hollow eyes, thinking of home. My brother. My mom. That I'd never see them again. Tears blurred my vision as that enormous fist came crashing down.
I held up my arms and screamed
BOOM.
Light. Heat. A crack of thunder exploded out from me. The giant's fist disintegrated into shards of bone. Sparks danced in the rain. Dre and Silas didn't say anything at first. They just stared at my hands.
They were glowing blue.
Electricity arced between my fingers. I panicked, shaking my hands, trying to stop it but the lightning clung to me, alive. Run! I yelled. Go!
They sprinted.
I turned and ran too, and suddenly I wasn't beside them. I wasn't behind them.
I was on the other side of the forest.
"How the hell did you.....?" Silas shouted from far behind.
I had no answer. Skeletons reassembled behind them. More emerged between the trees. We were becoming surrounded, I wanted to tell my friends to run, but where to? Dre grabbed my shoulder, "we're just going to have to fight them Killian." We got into a formation, our backs against each other. We readied, trying to shake away the fear, that's when we heard noises coming from further into the forest where the skeletons seemed to come from. They sounded like swords clashing with the bone. A group of men emerged from the trees, dressed like ninjas.
More jumped down from the ledge where we came from, taking down the rest of the skeletons with ease. They turned to us, weapons drawn, slowly walking towards us.
Suddenly something fell from the trees, landing in the middle between us and the rest of the ninjas. When the dust cleared it looked like another ninja, but right away we could tell this one was different. He had a mask, he was taller, and we could tell he was muscular underneath his clothing. He had no weapon, which made me assume he was so strong he didn't need one.
He walked toward us, raised his hands signaling for the rest of the ninjas to lower their weapons. He was bald, with three burned dots on his scalp and a chiseled face carved with discipline. His deep brown eyes didn't blink once as he studied them.
When he spoke, his voice was strong and intimidating.
"What business do you have in this forest?"
The trio nearly sagged with relief when they heard English.
"We're... not from here," Killian said carefully. "Can you tell us where we are? And who you are?"
The man held up his arms in a proud showing. "We are the Warrior Monks of Ishu Chu," he said. "And you stand within Ishu Nenchu Forest. Your garments make it clear you are not of this region. Perhaps you hail from Elyndra?"
They only stared, confused.
"I see," the man muttered. "Then tell me... do you even know what continent you are on?"
"North America?" Silas answered weakly.
The monks exchanged puzzled glances.
"We know no 'North America.' You stand on the continent of Dunterra, in its forest region." The man gestured. "Come. We will show you."
Two monks lifted Silas and Deandre. Killian protested.
"I'm fine. I can climb by myself."
With a flash of blue electricity, he scaled the nearby trees like it was nothing. The monks watched with interest but said nothing.
They climbed higher and higher until they reached the top of a towering platform, overlooking the endless forest. The view stole their breath. Miles of treetops swayed under the moonlight. Strange birds flew in flocks across the silver sky. The air smelled impossibly fresh.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" the monk said quietly. "I come here often to look upon Nenchu Forest."
He pointed toward a cluster of faint lights in the distance.
"There lies our village. They will welcome you."
Then he pointed in the opposite direction, toward a massive bridge barely visible in the night.
"And there," he said, voice hardening, "is the bridge to the opposite forest. Across the great river lies another village. Our enemy."
Killian's stomach tightened.
The monks led them down into the village. The entrance was massive, guarded by soldiers with spears. As soon as they saw the outsiders, the guards raised their weapons.
"Identify yourselves!" one shouted.
The monk quickly stepped forward, explained everything, and escorted them to an inn near a grand building.
"We will take you to the Abbot," he said. "He will judge your fate. Forgive the hostility. They do not yet understand your situation."
Killian nodded.
They ascended another long flight of stairs to a magnificent blue building with golden pillars shaped like dragons' tails. Giant dragon statues guarded the doors. The guards inside opened heavy doors leading to a long hall lined with weapons, ancient relics, murals of great battles, and gorgeous tapestries.
Silas's eyes glimmered with wonder.
They approached the throne and were ordered to kneel. The Abbot sat upon it, an old man with long white hair tied in a bun, a flowing robe hiding his build, and deep scars across his eyelids.
He was blind, yet Killian felt his gaze like a spotlight.
"You may stand," the Abbot said at last. "Now speak. What brings you here?"
Killian stepped forward. "I don't know how we got here. We woke up in your forest and were attacked by skeletons. We almost died... but then I suddenly gained some kind of powers."
He held out his hands. Blue electricity crackled up his arms, brighter than before. The Abbot leaned forward, stunned.
"Which god has blessed you?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Killian replied.
The Abbot frowned. "And your friends? Have they manifested anything?"
"No," Silas answered.
The Abbot sighed.
"Then allow me to explain. Your abilities are uncommon, but not unheard of. In this world there is something called Ether, that is in our bodies. It allows us to use what we call blessings, or magic to put it bluntly. You must have a natural affinity for electricity to be able to use electricity magic without any sort of training. Unless you're a potential vessel."
"I," the Abbot continued, "am the Vessel of the God of Wind."
The Abbot displayed his power as a sharp gust of wind hit the group. The revelation stunned the trio.
"It could be that a god has chosen you as its vessel, and if that is the case, you must undergo a trial to keep these newly manifested abilities," the Abbot continued. "Most if not all trials are combat related, as all gods look for strong vessels to use their power. You, young one... lightning, speed, combat. Your trial will test strength, and speed."
Killian felt cold seep into his bones.
"And if I fail?" he asked quietly.
The Abbot closed his eyes, softly, sadly.
"You will die."
Silas exploded. "No way! Why does he have to go through a test he never asked for?!"
"This is bullshit!" Deandre shouted.
The Abbot's voice thundered:
"ENOUGH. You have a week. All potential vessels are given a week to prepare how they see fit. If you want to live, train. If not, I won't care at all if you die. Unfortunately that is how this world works, and you seem to have gotten that short end of the stick. But please, think not of what was, but what will be."
The hall fell silent.
Killian thought of his family. If he could just stay alive, maybe he'd be able to find his brother. He clenched his fists.
"I don't know what's going on," he said, "but we have to get stronger if we want to survive. Complaining won't help. If I get through this trial... then we can focus on what's really happening."
Silas and Deandre finally calmed down.
Liwei, the bald monk with the three burned dots, stepped forward.
"I will help arrange lodging for the night," he said. "Tomorrow, should you decide to, your training will begin. All of you."
They followed him to a small building, where three simple beds awaited. Exhaustion hit them all at once. There was no talking, no arguing, just heavy breathing and tired bodies sinking into thin mattresses.