Chapter 3

I felt walls close in around me. I was suffocating. I'm alone. I'm scared. Where is everyone? I'm trapped aren't I? I don't want to be alone. Don't leave me alone. Please. I can't bear to be alone again.

I don't know what happened next, although I am somewhat positive I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, if you could call it that, I noticed that I was in a place I vaguely recognised, although I couldn't place where I'd seen it before.

I sat up, and immediately regretted that action. It felt like someone had shoved a knife or two through my skull.

"I'd imagine it'd hurt sitting up that fast," said a soft voice. "That fall almost fatally wounded you." I felt a cold cloth press to the back of my neck. A soft hand guided mine to keep the cloth in place, and a girl kneeled in front of me.

Her eyes were a beautiful golden brown, and light ebony hair fell past her shoulders and framed her deathly pale face. She wore a white button-down under a pink vest, followed by a pink skirt that flowed to her knees. White socks were stretched above her ankles, and dark brown loafers adorned her feet. A red ribbon was tied into a bow under the collar of her shirt.

It took me five seconds to register this girl.

"Misao," I breathed. She smiled. "B-but you—you're—!" I stuttered. She put a finger to my lips.

"Shh," she murmured. Her hand went to pet my hair. "I'm here to help you."

"H-help me?" I questioned.

She nodded, and her face turned somber. "There are some bad people in the world, Ben. Terrible, awful people thought only to be fiction. Recently, they've been given human forms, and are rampaging through worlds, destroying the order and leaving chaos and confusion in their wakes. We've chosen you to help us, Ben, and in return, we will help you return home." She cast her gaze down. "The reason why your world has turned dark is because of them," she hissed. "The darkness is only the beginning stage. If they are not stopped soon, your world will never be restored." She paused. "And, I'm sorry, but everyone will die."

My mind flashed to images of Ami. The future we'd planned together, our marriage…

All of that would be gone.

"So…" I started. "I-if they aren't stopped, I could…I-I'd never see them again…?"

Misao nodded slowly. "I know how you feel about them. I know you love them, and it hurts to think of them hurt. But they're here too. We just have to find them."

"Wait," I looked up. "T-they're here too?! Let's get them!" I jumped up. My head throbbed violently, causing me to fall to my knees. "Ow…"

"You shouldn't rush yourself," Misao said, pressing the cloth to my neck. "Aya!" she called. "Bring some medical supplies!"

"'Kay!" a more feminine voice called.

Aya… I thought. Aya…Drevis?

Moments later, a girl smaller than Misao walked into the room. She had waist length black hair, partially tied back with a red bow. Her face was that of a doll, big blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. She wore a knee length, blue dress with a high white collar around her neck and wrists, puffed shoulders, and a golden pendant adorning around her neck. A bloody, white apron was tied around her neck and waist. Black stockings covered her slim legs, and her feet were cozy in scuffed, red Mary Janes.

"A-Aya," I murmured. My vision went black at that moment.

I awoke to a brightly lit room, causing me to flinch and instinctively throw my arm over my eyes.

"Will he be okay?" a quiet voice asked.

"He should be," replied the voice from earlier. "Father may be awful, but he has taught me how to treat patients."

"We are grateful for your medical skills, Aya," Misao praised. "Now, about her."

"You can't keep me locked up like this!" I heard a voice screech. It was like nails clawing a chalkboard. It made me wince and roll over to cover my ears. "You forget what I can do!"

"That's why we have you locked in there," the quiet voice said, trying to sound brave. "You-you can't use your powers in there…!"

"Foolish Ib!" the screeching continued.

Ib, I thought.

"Hush, Ellen," Misao ordered. "You're frightening Ib and causing more pain to Ben than he needs."

I slowly sat up to look at my surroundings. Looking to my right, I saw Misao, the doll-like girl, whom I assumed to be Aya, and a smaller girl huddling to Misao's side.

This girl looked no older than eight or nine, with waist length brownie coloured hair, and a healthy pale, round face adorned with dull red eyes. She wore a collared, white button down flaring out slightly at her hips and a red cravat to challenge her eyes. A dark red skirt fell to her knees, and tall black socks were pulled to meet the skirt. Her feet were safely tucked into red loafers matching Misao's. I knew this to be Ib.

Looking behind, I noticed an eleven year old looking girl, confined in what looked to be a translucent yellow chamber. Golden braids fell over her shoulders, and hideous blue eyes bore into me. Her face was red from the screaming, but she was almost as pale as Misao, if not paler. She wore a long blue dress with a thick black collar and short sleeves. The top of her dress was white, which led to an apron tied around her waist. A thin red stripe bordered the hem of the dress, leading down to short, brown boots.

I scowled. Ellen had taken Viola's body and trapped the poor girl's soul in her decrepit, weakened body.

"She did nothing to you," I muttered. I slid off the hard table I had been laying on, and stalked closer to where Viola's body was being caged. "She did absolutely nothing to deserve what you did, and you just let her die!" I nearly screamed. "What did she ever do?! She never gave you permission to take her body in her place for yours! What kind of sick world do you live in where that's okay?!" I felt hot tears streak down my face.

Misao led me back to the table, sitting me down. "I know you're upset," she said. "But that's what we're here to do. Help. Help you and Viola."

"But…" I started. "I don't know how to help you." Suddenly, I had a wild idea. "Tenka!" I cried.

Ib looked up at me, her ruby eyes shining with curiosity and hope. "You know Tenka?"

I beamed at her. "Of course! She's been a close friend since the sixth grade! She can help us!"

Ib smiled. It was an awkward, shy smile, but a smile nonetheless. "That's great…!"

Misao nodded. "It is! It's wonderful! Ben, you're wonderful!" She threw her arms around my neck.

Ellen scoffed. "Pathetic mortals. Tenka is long gone. Stop wasting your breath."

Aya smiled knowingly. "Tenka's gone from these worlds. Who's to say she wasn't in Ben's world? That's where we found her."

The witch went silent.

"Ben, lay back down. You're not fully recovered," Aya said, moving toward me. "Just try to rest, we'll try to locate Tenka and Ami."

I nodded and let Misao lead me back to the bed. I repeated my breathing exercises from earlier as my vision went black.