As a nice surprise, I have decided to post the first two chapters to the story that I've been working on for a while now. This story is an original, so please don't post the content anywhere else. This will not be posted permanently. I plan on taking it down when I can get to more chapters of my other stories. Please let me know if you have any ideas or thoughts, this story is mostly written already but I always appreciate feedback. I will return to these stories sooner than later! But for now, enjoy something new.

Chapter 1

Most constellations have different versions of the same mythological story. Anyone who knows anything about star constellations will tell you that. There are famous myths: Cassiopeia, Gemini, Leo, Orion. Orion is the favored myth in Purgatory, as it is the one that is most relatable. If Purgatory had stars, these would shine the brightest.

Orion can be seen from anywhere on earth, with his belt shining out like a call to heaven. The myth claims him to be a hunter and a son of the famous Greek God, Poseidon. Being the gifted hunter he was, he often hunted with Artemis, another goddess of the hunt. They say that it was her bow that killed him. The point being that he was eventually betrayed by the one person he swore to ride along side.

"It was my mom's favorite story to tell," Katherine told her best friend. Cassandra lays next to her in the grass, with her long brown hair fanning around her. They were supposed to be training. After the last two hours, they decided it would be okay if they took a break. Cassandra was always fascinated by the "stories of the stars" as she liked to call them. Katherine would recite to her the stories her mother used to tell her and laugh when she found them incredible.

"It sounds like your mom was trying to tell you something," she said keeping her focus on the sky. Katherine let out a laugh and tilted her head back to look up. There was nothing special to the sky in Purgatory. There are no clouds, no stars, nothing that would light up the night sky with colors or life. Lifeless is the perfect way to describe Purgatory.

It wasn't created to sustain life; it was created to punish. They say that being pure in your human life will grant you access into heaven. While those who do great evils get you a free pass to the downstairs version of hell. Purgatory is not here nor there, separate from human life and any afterlife that comes next. It acts as a kind of neighbor to those on Earth – parallel but not equal, not accessible from either side. Unlike heaven or hell, time moves forward here, although no one can confirm that time moves at a comparable pace to that of Earth. The working theory is that those who don't belong to heaven or hell, end up here, in this wasted space of thrown away souls.

"My mother would tell us a lot of things," Katherine said back with a frown. Unlike the rest of the patrons in Purgatory, her parents ended up here by accident. They grew up fighting the good fight in the human world. Their story starts with a massive breach in the doorway between Earth and Purgatory. They were doing routine patrols when a dozen Purgatins came through at once. Those who belong to Purgatory can't stay in the human world for long. When they attacked, her parents knew they wouldn't be able to wait them out. In an effort to save what was left of their lives, the Purgatins retreated back through the door. They thought they were bringing her parents back as prisoners, to punish them for fighting against them. They didn't realize the mistake they were making.

Unfortunately for everyone, the door between the worlds was never found again. The door was a myth, no one had ever seen or known anything about a way to travel between the worlds. After a decade long search, they settled down in an abandoned cabin that was built into a hill. They became known as the ones who didn't belong, but were stuck, nonetheless.

Being the warriors they were, they became a sort of royalty among the growing population. If there was a fight to be settled, land to be claimed, or an injustice to be served; it was handed down by them. They were natural leaders.

The castle wasn't built until almost a decade later. At least, that's what everyone says. When the queen was pregnant with her first child, they built her a castle. The first natural birth Purgatory had ever seen. It was a massive deal – those loyal in purgatory feared that some would wish to harm the child. The castle was fortified, and by the best trained soldiers that purgatory had to offer.

In return, the queen and her most trusted elders started a school of a sorts. They opened the castle doors to everyone who needed help. Of course, this meant classes like "Fighting 101", "Basic survival skills", and "what to do if you ever get kidnapped". After all, Purgatory wasn't necessarily a safe place back then.

As expected, word travelled fast about the first natural born heir to Purgatory – even better because the baby was a boy. He was just a child, but he was faster, smarter, stronger, and more charming than those even three times his age. They used his fame and talent to hide a secret – known only to select individuals in Purgatory, so coveted, it was never spoken about. It was so protected; it was not even taught in their own history classes.

A year later, they bore a second child, and she was Purgatory's Princess.

"Again," Aaron said helping his sister up off of the floor. She brushed her hair off of her face and wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. Standing up straight, she took her stance. "You will be the best because you have to be, Katherine," he tells her. She tilted her chin up and waited for his move. His shoulder tenses before he swings.

"Don't show emotions," she repeated his normal routine. She saw the twitch in his right shoulder. In the next moment, she adjusted her weight to block his swing. "Don't let them get to you," she said deflecting his fist. She spun herself around, a move she's practiced a thousand times, preparing to strike near his face. "Be prepared," she repeated. She felt his block before she connected. "Be smart." She ducked as he kicked towards her chest. Rolling to the side, she kicked out in a scissor motion that knocked him off balance. She watched as he fell backwards, pushing off the ground so he rolled over instead of connecting with the ground.

She saw the proud look he gave her as he stood back up. She didn't catch him off guard very often. He was the best. Because we had to be.

"Whatever it takes," he said with a smile. "Whatever it takes, you come home. You use your training, you stay alive, and there's nothing we can't do together."

Why is it always so cold in here? Katherine asked herself for the third time today.

"They should find a classroom with a window, or, you know, maybe some sunlight," Cassandra said from beside her. Sunlight in purgatory was like an inside joke. It might have been a ball of fire, but it radiated no heat, and barely enough light to consider it daylight. Its like a flashlight with a blanket over the light and calling it daylight.

In the front of the room, one of Purgatory's most famous elders was giving a lecture about how life was in the 'real world' as he claims. Today's lesson was about how different food was prepared. He was trying to draw pictures on the wall up front, trying to explain in detail how a chicken became something that looked like a bone sticking out of a human leg.

A series of gagging around the room echoed when he explained how they drink the stuff that comes out of a cow.

"I don't care what it's called, that's disgusting," Katherine said back to her best friend who looked more green than pale.

The only reason they attended these teachings is because Aaron insisted that they do.

"It could save your life one day," he says over and over. "You have to be ready for anything."

No one ever needs to be prepared to eat fried chicken, Katherine thought. Wincing to herself, she forced herself to pay attention.

Cassandra sat next to Katherine in the training room. The training room was located on one of the highest floors in the West Tower. There was a massive window that looks over Purgatory for miles. There's not much to look at but she loved the view no less.

She glanced at Katherine, her long blond hair brushed and hanging down to the bottom of her rib cage. Her blue eyes were fixed on her brother as he was going into detail on what to do if we get separated.

Aaron didn't talk to her much, he was always with an elder getting advice. He was always getting advice lately, with the resistance getting stronger in Purgatory's further regions. He spent almost all of last month traveling with a huge mass of soldier's loyal to his family. He didn't specifically tell them where he was going or what he was doing, just that he was 'handling the situation' before it got worse.

She knew it worried Katherine. No one wants to see their big brother go off to war and never come back. The truth being, when Aaron was gone, they looked to her for guidance. She was a secret of course, most of purgatory thought that the princess was a myth. But those that lived with them in the castle, and those closest to their family, they knew better. She might not make the official decisions, but they respected her position and her decision making.

"Cass?" Aaron said turning to her. He knew she was in her own head by the way she was staring at the wall. Her eyes snapped up to him and an unsure smile played at her lips. "You two need to know this stuff." He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms.

The word beautiful crossed her mind. She shook it away for a later time, maybe a different life. It's not that they didn't spend a lot of time together either. Aaron, with his yellow-blonde hair that matched Katherine's, bright blue eyes, pale skin, and muscles that wrapped around every part of him.

"Maybe we should take a break today," Katherine said stretching her arms up and out. Only then, did Cassandra notice that the sky was already getting dark, and her muscles were stiff from sitting for so long.

Aaron took a seat in the chair opposite us. His eyes were unsure, which was worrisome in itself. He was always confident – nothing was ever a coincidence.

Katherine must have caught on too. She stood up and gave her brother a look. "Unless we should be worried?" Her voice was steady, but Cassandra knew her tells. There's no way to be best friends for as long as they have been, and not notice when the muscle in her jaw tightens when she's afraid.

"It's a violent world," he answers cryptically. "You two need to be ready for it."

"We're not allowed off of the castle's grounds," Cassandra said with a look of her own. Her brows rose and her arms crossed.

"It's the resistance," Katherine answered instead. "Isn't it? They're coming here."

Aaron looked at Katherine like saying the words hurt something in his soul. This place was his entire life, and his sister was all he's ever had since their parents died. They died protecting the peace that the resistance was trying to ruin, of course he was taking it hard.

"The truth please," Katherine argued with him. He rolled his eyes and pushed his hand through his hair. His knuckles were bruised, scratches all over his wrists and arms. His tee shirt was clean, but the bruising didn't stop at his knuckles.

"We got word today," he said slowly, like he didn't believe the words he was saying. "That the resistance is being helped by a group of humans on earth." His eyes were looking at the ground but the circles around his eyes shown bright. He was exhausted…

"It's impossible-," Cassandra started in. "There's no known way to travel between the worlds. Even if there was, would someone from the outside really help them? For what?"

That's when he went white. The words felt dumb to her now. Of course, she knew what they wanted. He closed his eyes while he answered her.

"Control."

It was only one word, but it was all they needed. The resistance was coming for them, and they wanted the palace. They wanted Purgatory and all the 'glory' that came with it.

Chapter 2

"Let them come," Katherine argued. It's been hours and they're getting no where. She was frustrated to say the least.

"They are not coming here," Aaron barked back. "You're leaving," he said with finality. "And you're taking Cass with you."

"We can fight! You trained us, and now you don't trust us-," she was ranting, and she knew it. This was her home, the only one she's ever had.

"Stop," he said sitting back down at the table. "It's done, Katherine."

"Just because you decided, does not mean we are done!" She snapped back. He was tired, she could see it in the slump of his shoulders and in the exhaustion in his eyes. "We are fighting for our home-."

"Tell me, exactly, how you think you are going to be helpful to me when this battle comes knocking on my doors," he bit the words out quickly. They were harsh and he knew it. "No one knows who you are, or who Cassie is. They don't know you're my sister. If we're lucky, they'll never know. They CANNOT find out about you two, you're my only weakness."

He was furious but she knew the argument was over. It was true. She would be a distraction, a liability.

"You are the last thing between the worlds that has the power to unite Purgatory, next to me. You don't think they won't kill you the first chance they get? What about Cass? You think they'll spare her when they find out how important she is to m- us?"

"We can't leave you," she shook her head and wiped her face.

"I've spent years teaching you both how to survive this moment," he said worrying at his knuckles. "Cass will understand, she'll do this for me." He said the words, but it was like a knife carving out a pumpkin – scratchy and painful.

Katherine was quiet then. She knew he'd always had a soft spot for her best friend. Cassandra might have thought that she was hiding it, but Katherine saw it. They way they looked at each other, it was the stuff movies were made for, the lesson behind every story worth telling. It was finality and knowing when the rest of your life was standing in front of you. Honestly, it made her nauseas sometimes, watching them and knowing they'll never do anything about it. In another world, she'd be jumping at the idea of the two most important people in her life loving each other. In this life, it was another weakness, another way that someone could kill you, it was impossible.

There was a knock on the door behind her. Pushing herself through the moment, she swung it open. "Miss Challace," he said inclining his head to her. She hated it when people bowed to her.

"Not in the open, Andrew," Aaron said shaking his hand.

"We're ready for you," was what Andrew said back to him. His eyes looked distant, but he nodded.

"We have secured supplies for the three of you," he continued. "A rut sack with the essentials, and some human money."

"That's-," Katherine started. She was going to say impossible, but she knew better. Finding human money wasn't impossible, just extremely rare. Not a lot of people went to Purgatory with cash in their pockets.

"Everything we had in the vaults, but I am told it's still not much," he said to her this time. His dark hair was cut short, just like every other soldier she's ever seen.

"And the doorway?" Aaron asked.

Just last month, they found the location of the doorway between the worlds. It's confidential information, of course, but an extremely valuable breakthrough to the war council. We found that it was impossible to find because it was only open once a month. When the human world's moon passed in front of its sun, our moon was invisible for the event. It was during that time, when the human world was darkened by such event, that an entrance appeared in between two trees in the forest. Its location was kept secret, but Aaron said it wasn't too far away from the castle.

"It will be open in a few hours when our moon disappears. It will only be open for a few minutes exactly last time we timed it," Andrew continued. "We have a group ready to go with you when you're ready, Sir."

"Thanks, Andrew." He tipped his head in return.

"This one is for you," Aaron said passing Cassandra a small sack. She slid it onto her shoulders with a quiet thank you. Katherine didn't miss the way his eyes stayed on her too long. He shook his head, his fist tight by his side, and looked at his sister.

"Your name is Luce," he told her. She nodded her head. "Our last name isn't safe, so don't use one, or use Cass's." She kept nodding. This was it; this was everything she's ever trained for, their worst-case scenario.

He turned to Cassandra, her cheeks flaming an interesting shade of pink. "Cass should be alright, when I make it to the other side, I'll call you by these names to keep you safe."

"I thought we knew where the doorway was taking us?" Katherine said with her eyes wide.

"Our intel is old, we haven't had anyone come through the doorway in decades," Aaron said with mild annoyance. "We know that the doorway will take you to the city, but we have no idea what's on the other side. Well, we know the resistance isn't on the other side. We know that those who die and are sent here can go through the portal, but they die within a few minutes. Their bodies can't survive on the other side. So really, we don't know much at all."

"Helpful," Cassandra said with her palms to her face. Aaron pulled her hands down and gave her an uneasy smile. Her eyes lit up at him, like they always have.

"I'll come for you when it's safe again," he told her. Katherine knew he meant the both of them, but she gave them this moment. She turned her attention back to securing her royal cloak to her mother's clip, so it stayed in place for the journey. It didn't feel right leaving it behind. She tightened her sack around her shoulders as she thought of all the things that could go wrong. Fixing her hair into a braid by her shoulder, she snuck a peak behind her. She knew Cass would be a mess, but she didn't expect to see Aaron look so unsteady as he let go of her.

You will be the best because you have to be. Don't show emotions. Don't let them get to you. Be prepared. Be smart. Whatever it takes.

"We will keep you surrounded," Aaron told them as they left the castle. The soldiers fell in line around them, each with their own weapons secured to their armor. Katherine's head was pounding. Looking back just once at the only home she's ever known, she held herself high and started walking.

Katherine had a long metal bar, her weapon of choice. Cassandra had her short sword, even though she was not nearly as skilled with it as she would have liked. She could fight, she just hated it. She fell in love with Purgatory's version of medicine, and often volunteered in the castle's infirmary. It made her a handy doctor, not so much a fighter.

To her surprise, they were led to an area of trees that they've trained in a hundred times. A few minutes after passing their favorite spot, she noticed a shimmer between the trees ahead. There were soldier's already there, forming a perimeter around the doorway.

Aaron skipped ahead, the soldiers bowing as they let them through the protected circle. "We only have a couple of minutes," a man by Andrew said to them. He gave her and Cassie a look, and then schooled his expression. "Miss Challace," he said tilting his head down to me.

"None of that here," Aaron said with a bite.

"I just never believed-," the man started again. "You look just like your mother."

"And if we're lucky, she won't die," Aaron stepped up to him. "Which starts with keeping your mouth shut."

The man backed up with a look of wonder in his eyes. He stayed just a few strides away, still close enough to protect his post.

"Katherine," Aaron said. She snapped her attention to him. "You've got this."

They were standing just a step away from the doorway now. Cass was struggling to get her emotions in check, but Katherine knew better.

The man was saying something to Aaron, which must have made him angry because he grabbed for his sword.

"I guess we'll find out," he said back to the man. He was waving for us to move now, we had to go. "My entire world is stepping through that door." The soldiers around them were panicking now, moving around like flies to circle around Aaron like a giant shield.

Katherine took her best friend's hand, and they leaped into the shimmer.

Chapter 3

An overwhelming sense of nausea rolled through Katherine. Closing her eyes, she focused on Cass's hand in hers. She gripped harder, determined not to let go even though her body was screaming at her. In the next moment, she was dropping to her knees on a solid surface. Katherine hated being on her knees, but her stomach rolled again.

Forcing her eyes open, she saw Cass throwing up the light breakfast they had earlier that day. She gripped her bar and used it to stand herself up. She pulled her shoulders up and took her stance in front of her friend. Her eyes were shaking with adjusting in this world, not unlike the rest of her body. Everything inside her was telling her that she didn't belong here. They can't see you weak. Shove it down, she told herself.

There was a massive alleyway in front of them with a narrow entrance behind a wave of people. She narrowed her vision to focus. Twisting her bar slightly, it split into two halves. It was easier to fight multiple enemies with multiple weapons.

Cass righted herself enough to stand on her own, but she didn't look like she would make it far.

"We can't run," she whispered to Katherine. "There's too many."

The entire room was looking at them. Most of them were covered in blood.

"I can do this," Katherine whispered behind her, taking her stance. She could take a bunch of humans; she was trained by Aaron Challace after all. Even thinking his name hurt right now and she needed to focus.

Their reaction was delayed with surprise. They obviously didn't expect anyone coming through a brick wall in the middle of their death match.

Katherine kicked out when the first one rushed at her. He was tall, but skinny. She used her weight and connected with his knee. A loud popping sound echoed as he hit the floor in front of her. When he still tried to stand, she swung her left hand hard, her metal bar connecting with his face.

After that, all hell broke loose. Cass held her short sword, taking her place at her side. Katherine knew she would fight with her, even if she didn't think they would win.

Katherine was able to keep most of the humans from Cass. Another one fell with every swing of her bar. They obviously weren't very skilled because she had no problem ducking around a few badly placed punches that came at her. She almost wanted to laugh at the thought of how easy it was.

Katherine righted herself again, making sure Cass was still on her feet next to her.

"They didn't attack," she whispered to her. Katherine looked towards the light and noticed a group of humans standing together, muttering to themselves.

"Who are you," one of them stepped up. Katherine didn't see him until he came closer. Her vision was still blurry around the edges and the light didn't help. She wasn't used to so much light. When she did see him, she was speechless.

She'd always wondered what the word beautiful meant. Whatever she'd ever thought, she was wrong. He stood tall, maybe even taller than Aaron, and his muscle mass looked lethal. There's no way she could walk away from an attack from him unscathed. She didn't answer him, but her body stiffened at the danger. She felt Cass take a step back.

He took out a silver looking sword and held it in front of him, as if he needed it to look intimidating.

Taking a breath, she willed her brain to work. Guns can't kill Purgatins because they don't bleed, they're not technically alive anymore. A silver blade is the only thing that does real damage. If he's carrying silver, then he knows about Purgatory and how to harm her people. She also noticed that he didn't ask where they had come from. Meaning that they probably already knew they came from Purgatory.

"Why aren't you dead yet?" He asked taking another step forward.

"Aaron said that the rebels were getting help from a group of humans," Cass whispered to her. Katherine shook her head slightly. Something just felt off about this and she didn't have time to think about it. Not if he was going to rush them.

Katherine stepped away from Cass with a look that told her to stay. She widened her stance and kept her mouth shut. She saw his arms tense and the set look in eyes first. Her eyes burned with the light streaming directly on her now. Her bars shimmered under the unknown light.

"STOP!" Was screamed from behind him. It was a shrill voice that pierced her ears without warning. The boy's eyes went wide with surprise as an older woman came running up next to him. She looked out of her mind, looking at Katherine with a sort of frenzy. She opened her mouth a couple of times, only to shut it with a gulp of shock. The woman stepped up this time, in a black tee shirt and torn up jeans. Her hair was long enough to reach her shoulders and reflected a light brown.

The boy was frozen, his eyes fixed on the older woman. "Ari-," he started but she cut him off with a harsh shush.

She gave Katherine another long look, a look of recognition, before shaking her head. "Not here," she said to the boy. "They're coming with us."

She could feel Cass behind her.

"Not happening," Katherine said out loud for the first time. She nudged Cass to take a step back. She would fight all of them if she had too. She snapped her bar back together and held it across her body.

The woman held her hands up, stepping back in front of the boy. "No one's going to hurt you," she said this time. "We will give you aid, but it is not safe here. We need to go, now." Katherine didn't budge. The woman rolled her eyes.

"Or you could just let us go," Cass said this time.

"You're not going to be in this world unsupervised," the woman said sternly. "I'm not stupid." She paused to cross her arms against her chest. "You can come with us or wait for more of those guys to show up. It's up to you."

Feeling defeated and drained, Katherine put her weapon down to her side. They didn't know where they were. They didn't know what to do in this world. They didn't even know who their enemies were. They weren't going to make it here on their own.