Chapter 2. Enter the In Between

I felt like I was falling. Well, more like falling and drifting at the same time. Floating I think is the right word. The fall wasn't hard. I didn't wind up flat on my face like I'd expected to. When at last I found solid ground, I opened my eyes.

I was in some kind of old stone structure. Vegetation grew through the many cracks in the walls, covering most of them with green. There were remains of a red velvet carpet at my feet, which were still bare. In certain places, I found multiple pieces of colored glass. Upon further inspection, I also discovered old burnt ebony window panes, huge ones. The glass was from the windows. What had happened here? When I saw this place in my dreams, it was usually beautiful. But now everything just looked…destroyed.

I walked along the hallway alone, at times peeking into the rooms which felt so familiar. One of these was a music room where I remembered the shadow watched pleased as I played some small pieces with various instrument. I remembered a touch, a warm smile, and the soft voice in that room, the shadow's voice. I continued on my excursion, finding many other rooms, and memories from dreams with them.

Then came the hall with the familiar mirror. As I looked at it, I expected a different reflection. But sadly, I was still bald, nearly bone thin, with dark areas around my sunken in eyes. I just stared at the reflection waiting for a change that would never come. But I still dared to hope.

"Sonja…" the voice echoed through the hall.
"I'm here. Where are you?" I asked.

No reply this time and I made my way back down the hall. I found myself going down the remains of a crumbled staircase, which brought me to the grand entrance of the castle, where the king received his guests or fended his home and people from enemies. I remembered a grand battle where he rescued a noble's baby and fought off multiple enemies with his magic and the steel of his sword. A name, or at least what I thought was a name, came back to me.

"Tats…" I thought, "King Tats…he lived here!".

But he wasn't here now. Something terrible must've happened since the last time I was here, if I was ever actually here to begin with. What was this place I wondered, and how did I know it?

I made my way out through what was left of the double doors and found myself surrounded by woods. I used to know this place. There was a path somewhere around here, but I couldn't remember where.

"God Tats…why'd you have to bring me back now?" I thought rolling my eyes agitatedly.

Looking around, I let my eyes adjust to the sunlight. I couldn't remember the last time I saw the sun for real and it made my eyes sting. I was so used to the artificial lights at the hospital that I'd almost forgotten what it was like to see the sun and feel its warmth. I welcomed the change no matter how painfully blinding it was.

This place was once beautiful. It was a bustling city, a kingdom and now it was in ruins. Someone, or something, had destroyed the place I considered my sanctum. Needless to say I wasn't at all happy.

Where was everyone? Better yet, WHO was everyone?! Tats was the only one who stood out in my mind, but there were others I knew. Who were they and where were they hiding? I made my way across the wild courtyard still pondering what could've possibly happened. Who could do this? Tats was the most powerful magic user here, so who in this world could surpass him?

A flash of black caught my attention, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned toward the direction I saw the fast moving shadow, which was followed by the sound of crumpled leaves.

"Tats?" I asked and slowly walked that way, cautious now.

I heard leaves rustle and crunch under light footsteps as I followed the small path I found into the woods. I was nervous, but I had a feeling that whatever this was, it'd lead me to Tats. I stopped as the path divided into two.

"Damn it…which is the right one?" I thought aloud.

I listened but the forest was quiet. Too quiet for my liking. No birds, no signs of life except for trees. It was just dead silence.

"Tats…" I whispered his name.

As I said it, a whizzing sound pierced the air and I ran to the right, falling to the ground in the process. Looking up, an ebony arrow was pierced into the tree that divided my path. On the end there were signature black and white feathers of a bird I may have known the name of once, but couldn't recall. I looked around but saw no one and heard nothing. Slow and cautious, I got to my feet and with a little effort, pulled the arrow out. It was a little heavy, with what appeared to be some kind of tooth at the end.

It dawned on me that I knew this arrow. It was familiar but the memory of it was fuzzy. As I looked it over, another name came back to mind.

"Kenshin" I looked around, "Kenshin?!"

I didn't know who he was, just his name. I looked around, searching for a figure or a face as my knuckles turned white gripping the thick arrow. Finally, I heard something odd, something squishing yet solid. I turned and out of the tree emerged a black figure. He wore some kind of black assassin's robe with a hood so I couldn't see his face. One of his hands held a bow and on his back was strung a quiver of arrows. His movements were fluid, and it was just like everything about him flowed together. He merged with nature. However fluid, he was also cautious and slow, subtle for lack of a better word. It told me that he wasn't going to hurt me.

"Kenshin?" I asked, trying to look as docile as I felt.
"Sonja?" he inquired back to me, "Is that you?"
"My name's Sonja Travis. Have we met? I can't remember".