Chapter Four: Will
Twilight crept into the sky dimly lighting the soccer field where young players practiced. Will wheeled through the players juggling the ball down the field where his father guarded the goal. Will did a quick fake left and kicked the ball right, into the goal. His father smiled at him and tossed the ball back to Will, who caught it on his chest and bounced it onto the grass. Will blinked and everything became dim, he turned, his dad was getting into a car.
"Dad," Will grabbed his fathers arm, "Dad."
His dad smiled and ruffled Will's hair, then he got into the car and was gone. Will looked down at his feet trying not to cry. He heard laughter and looked up; his teammates were standing around him pointing, whispering, and laughing. Suddenly they turned into horrible ghostly shadows that proceeded to chase after him. Will ran, but there was nowhere to go. Then he saw a light that warmed his heart and cleared his mind, the shadows recoiled, he would be o.k.
Will landed softly land on a cobblestone walkway that lead to a large plaza surrounded by trees. Will walked into the plaza and looked around.
"Hello young visitor."
Will fell over, startled by the sudden appearance of an owl in a suit coat.
"This is you're first time here I would assume."
"Where exactly am I?"
"You are in the dream demotion the world you visit when you're asleep."
"So when I'm asleep I actually travel to another world?"
"Yes," The owl said simply, "You can call me Owl."
"I'm Will." Will said.
The soft tone of a flute drifted through the plaza, Will looked up. A young boy-like creature floated slowly though the air gloved hands lifted up as if he was playing a flute.
"Well if it isn't Nights, that high flying, young, rascal."
Nights noticed them and stopped playing then flew down to greet them, as he did a tril of sparkles emanated from his hands and feet.
"Another visitor," Night's voice was childlike and bubbly, "Now this one looks interesting, what's your name young man?"
"My name is Will." Will nodded his head.
"Well then Will would you like to duelize with me and have some fun flying around?"
"Du-Duel-" Will stuttered.
"Du-le-i-ze." Nights emphasized every syllable.
Owl came over to explain, "Duelizing allows you and Nights to assimilate with one another."
Will looked at Owl in confusion.
"Well I guess you would understand it better if you just tried it, come over and touch Nights' hand you'll see what I mean."
Will looked at his hand then looked at Nights'.
"Come on Will, it won't hurt I promise."
Will touched Nights' outstretched hand. He felt light envelop him and he closed his eyes relishing in the happiness that grew inside of him as the light grew. When he opened his eyes he felt a sudden rush of joy course through his entire body.
"This is amazing!" he laughed and looked around he was several feet off the ground, "I'm flying!" Will flew around the plaza savoring every minute of it.
"Thank goodness you didn't freak out." He heard Nights' voice; He stopped flying, and looked around.
"Nights, where are you."
"I'm you silly; didn't Owl make it perfectly clear that I assimilate with visitors?"
"That's cool but kind of weird and creepy." Will shivered feeling a little uneasy about sharing another person's body.
"Now that I think about it, it is pretty creepy." Nights laughed, his laugh was so playful and contagious that Will couldn't help but join in.
"Hey Will," Nights said now totally ecstatic in finding someone that liked his humor, "how about you practice flying through the trees over there."
"O.k." Will said smiling from ear to ear, being with Nights just made him so happy, he had never felt such joy.
Will flew gracefully through the trees swerving around them and spinning around in tight circles. He came out of the forest and looked around under him was a vast ocean that stretched off into the horizon. The water was so dark and so dense that you couldn't even call it black, it was darker.
"How is that even possible?" Will asked himself, but of course Nights heard him.
"What?"
"The water," Will pointed at it, "It's so dark, even darker then black."
Nights shivered.
"What's wrong Nights?"
"Black isn't my favorite color," Nights hugged himself and said, "Make sure you don't go near that ocean, ever.
"Why not?" Will felt Nights' fear and knew what ever this ocean was it was bad.
"It could take away your soul and you may never come back."
"Oh," Will felt himself slowly falling, "uh, Nights, we're falling."
"Whoa." Nights shot up into the air and landed on the cliff over looking the ocean.
"What in the world happened," Will was totally freaking out, "I almost died back there, Nights, why did you do that?"
"I'm sorry," Nights kicked at the ground, "my flight is pretty much controlled by my mood, if I'm not happy I don't fly."
"Oh," Will felt a little sheepish, "sorry I yelled at you."
"You don't have to be sorry," a bubbly tone came back to Nights' voice, "I almost killed you back there you have all the right in the dream world to freak out."
Will laughed.
"Come on," Nights said jumping up in the air, "if we don't get back to the dream gate soon Owl will lose what little feathers he has left."
Will laughed and shot off towards the dream gate.
Will landed softly on the cobblestone floor of the plaza. Light enveloped Will and he closed his eyes, when he opened them again he saw Nights next to him, sitting cross-legged in mid air.
"Oh there you are Will," Nights said teasingly, "I had wondered where you had run off to."
"Hoo," Owl said inquisitively, "the door to Nightopia has appeared."
"Didn't see that coming." Nights said dully.
"Hoo, look at that light could it be, a red ideya, that must have called forth the do-"
Owl was cut off by Nights, who pushed him out of the way so he could talk to Will.
"That's amazing Will, lets go see what your dreams are, I'll meet you on the other side of the door." Nights lifted his hand to the sky; he disappeared with a pulse of air and a sound like he was ripping a hole into oblivion.
Will looked at the door to Nightopia and smiled, he loved adventure.
