Chapter 1: Where Is Here?
A whirring buzz deafens my ears as I gaze in utmost horror as my body - my very fiber and being - slowly dematerializes before my awe-stricken eyes. In moments, I feel a sickening lurch into nothingness, and then - blank. My mind is snuffed out; all my thoughts, my senses - gone. And then, after what felt like only a brief lapse of time, I was standing alone…somewhere. I looked myself over quickly in a panicked state, until I realize that I was entirely there and totally myself. I heave a great sigh of relief. Then, stricken by curiosity, I decide to find out just exactly where here was.
I take a few steps forward, and get a good look-over of my surroundings. I am on a ledge. A rocky ledge, overlooking a vast, wide-open valley - I could discern a hazy, shimmering blue expanse - a sea perhaps? - far on the horizon, and tall, snow-capped mountains fringing the remainder of my sight. A river winds like a slithering, gold serpent across the valley.
Just then, something catches my attention - a strange sort of humming sound - like the one I heard when I touched the glowing panel of that odd book I'd found, just before I 'appeared' here.
I turn just in time to see the air shimmer, and then expand, and then - as if from nowhere - a young woman appears. She looks terrified, her face very pale.
"Hannah? What are you doing here?"
She seems not to have heard me; I ask her again. And again, no response. Finally, she snaps back to reality - with an ear-piercing scream.
"What.. Who? Where am I! How did I get here?". She sees me. "Kaz? How-"
"I don't know. I found this odd book in a pawn shop downtown yesterday, and when I was looking through it I found this page - there was a glowing picture…I touched it just for a second to see what it was, and then - I was here."
She stands beside me now, and embraces me. "I came to see you, and I saw that same book just lying on your study. I was curious, so I…well, you know. And now-"
"We're here."
"But where exactly is here?" That was a very good question - but I didn't have the answer to it. I was just as stumped as she was.
"Haven't a clue. I guess we'll have to find some way to get home - maybe there are some people here that can help."
"Let's hope so."