Hello, again guys! I am back from the shadow realm!
A big thank you again for taking your time to read this story. I really appreciate it!
vinicio5 - Thank you for finding my story interesting! I would have like to read your story as well but unfortunately, I can`t read spanish that well.
And again I apologized for any grammatical errors and repeating words you will see as english isn`t my first language.
I Don`t own SVTFOE.
Dimension ? ? ?
Stepping through a portal isn't what she expected it to be. True she has been through two portals excluding this one. With the first time being inside the safe confines of their school bus while the second one she was too busy being in shock of just being randomly pulled in by Hekapoo.
This time, on the other hand, there is no school bus or magical forger to shield her stomach from the weird sensation that it would experience.
As soon they crossed through the other side the nauseous feeling hit her at full force making her bend over and empty out the contents of her stomach.
Marco noticing her state, quickly pulled her hair away from her face while his other hand gently caress her back to soothe her. A few minutes have passed and her nausea quickly dissipates. A grimace and disgust morph on her face as she notices bits of bile landed on her shoes even after she tried avoiding them. "Great. Not only am I covered in dirt but now I managed to blow chunks on my shoes." She grouses before she notices Marco's hand holding a handkerchief at the side of her vision.
She flushed in embarrassment as she realized Marco has seen her blowing her chunks out. None the less she gratefully accepted his offer. "What happened to you? You were fine when Hekapoo pulled you in earlier." Marco asks with concern lacing his voice.
"I…I don't know. Maybe my body was too busy trying to process what was happening earlier that it didn't realize it wasn't accustomed to dimensional travel?" She said unsure with her own statement. "Is this normal when going through those things? She asks.
"I don't think so? When I go dimensional hopping with Star none of us experienced what you did." He answered before assuring her that she wasn't used to it just yet.
Accepting his answer, she weakly nodded before glancing at her hand remembering the piece of cloth offered to her. "Sorry about this Marco." She said sheepishly gesturing at the ruined handkerchief
Marco shook his head in dismissal before saying. "It's ok, it's just a handkerchief. All that matters is that you're alright now."
Discarding the piece of cloth, she look around the place they got themselves into. She let out a whistle in astonishment as she see the vast plain they are on that was dominated by blades of grass that is in a shade of gold, few trees dotting the area providing shade from the two suns overhead. She would have thought that they were in an arid plain dimension if she haven't noticed the mountain ranges in the distance.
She felt a tug from Marco saying that they shouldn't just stand in the open and get under the welcoming shade from a nearby tree away from the harsh glare of the two suns.
Beads of sweat trail down their face as the heat from the air linger even when under the comforting shade. Marco for his part, not wanting to die in heatstroke quickly remove his iconic hoodie and tied it around his waist. Jackie on the other hand just tugs at the collar of her shirt to let out the contained heat held by her shirt.
The two then decided to walk from tree to tree to lessen their time under the two suns whiles looking for food and water. After trekking through the plain, they were spotted a column of dust rising in the distance. Squinting their eyes to get a better look, they saw small figures running through the savannah-like world.
Their eyes widen in alarm as they realize the figures are heading in their direction. The two then frantically start searching for any object they can use for self-defense. Fortunately for them, they were able to find a weapon, and unfortunately for them, it was two sticks, the length of their forearms.
Not confident that they'll win against whatever was heading their way, the two quickly went towards a nearby tree to hide behind it. They could feel the tremor from the approaching dust storm getting stronger and stronger as seconds pass by. Marco clenched his makeshift weapon tightly, so tight nearly threatening to break it. He looks to his side and sees his girlfriend, eyes widening in fear and alarm while clutching her own stick like a lifeline. And seeing their current situation it might as well be.
He could barely hear his heartbeat as the sound of the thundering dust storm quickly drown it out without a care. He has seen many strange things since he became friends with Star but this is the first time he has seen such creatures.
Running past them are quadruped creatures with a frontal body that resembles that of a vulture's upper body that sports golden brown flumes on its head while its hindquarter is that of a horse missing its tail. Expecting hooves for feet he was instead greeted by feet of those of an avian animal that boast sharp talons for each foot.
He felt a tug on his arm before Jackie whisper in his ear. "Have you seen this type of creature before?" He numbly shook his head without glancing at her, as he was entrance at looking at the strange creatures before them. "Hopefully they're not carnivorous," Jackie said as she uses her free hand to block the dust being created by the stampeding creatures.
Soon all the creatures have run past them with trails of dust rising in their wakes. Before they could check if their surrounding area is safe again, multiple spears fly past their hiding spot, quickly rooting the two back at the side of the tree in shock.
A succession of soft thuds reaches their ears before it was replaced by a shrill cry of pain. Looking back at the direction of the sound, they see one of the creatures was squirming on the ground as three of the volleys of spears find their mark and embedded themselves on their target.
It didn't take long before five tall humanoid creatures ran past them and quickly converge on the down beast. They stand at six feet to seven feet tall, colorful scales covering their bodies that range from shades of orange and brown. Sharp rows of teeth can be found in their reptilian faces as converse with one another with series of clicks.
"Three males and two females," Jackie whispered to Marco. Marco looks at her with a raised brow, curious about how she came to that conclusion. "Take a closer look at the shape of their bodies." Following her instruction, he did just that and notice that three of the humanoid have a masculine build while the other two have a feminine build.
The two then watch as the five mysterious figures started kneeling at the now dead beast. Using their sharp claws they made quick work of the fallen creature. A gasp nearly escape the skater girl's lips if it wasn't for the fact that Marco's hand quickly clamped over her mouth.
Not wanting to find out if they are considered a part of their diet, the two quietly went around to the other side of the tree to get some cover. After a while the two watches the figures haul their kill and went back to the direction which they presume is their home or village.
They release a sigh of release once they see that the figures are now far in the distance. "Ok, I think we're in the clear now," Marco says as he looks over the direction the reptilian went to. Not getting any response he looks towards his companion and sees her holding her knees towards her with her weapon discarded at her side, face pale as snow and eyes wide in fear.
He grabbed her by the shoulder making her jump in fear. "Jackie are you alright?" Marco asks in concern. He mentally smack himself as he realized how stupid his question was as he can already clearly see that she wasn't alright. They are stuck on another dimension that they have no clue about and they know that the only way to get through it was to survive and defeat Hekapoo's trial.
Jackie on the other hand now completely realizes the true gravity of their situation. They are stuck in an unknown world that was filled with life forms they know nothing about and now they came across sentient life forms which they have no idea how to communicate with nor do they know if they wouldn't be considered as part of the indigenous population's food menu.
And worse she knows they still have to look for Hekapoo throughout this dimension. She was broken out of her train of thought when she felt Marco grabbed her shoulder. She looks at him and saw in his eyes that he to was as scared as her but decides to try his best to mask it. "Yeah… just catching my breath." She lied and she knows that he also notice the tremor in her voice but didn't say anything about it but instead gently squeeze her shoulder to comfort her.
Grateful for the act of comfort, she nods at him with a small smile. "So… I think I may know where to find some water," Jackie said hesitantly making Marco brighten up a bit at her statement. "That's great! So what's the plan?" Marco ask.
Jackie rubs the back of her neck uncomfortably. She took a deep breath to mentally steel herself as she herself isn't one hundred in on her idea. "Ok so you know I like to read about history right?" She explained with Marco nodding his head, signaling for her to continue.
"So, I think we should follow them." She said pointing in the direction of the five figures went. Marco didn't react for a bit and continue looking at her with a blank look. His brows furrowed before his face morphed in disbelief. Before he could say anything, Jackie cuts him off.
"Look I know it's a crazy ide-" Jackie said before being cut off by Marco. "That's because it is! Have you seen how they tear up that animal?" He said as he points at the carcass of the creature. Jackie scowls at him. Of course, she saw it! She was there with him when it happened. "Like I said it is crazy but we should be able to find a source of water if we follow them." Jackie explained.
Marco shook his head at the notion of following the reptilian hunters. "Why do we have to even follow them? We could just look for it without going near them." Jackie let out a huff in irritation as the damning heat isn't particularly helping her patience. "Marco. Look around you, we are in an unknown land and we don't have any map to point at the direction of the closest source of water."
Marco tried to retort but couldn't as he knows that she makes a valid point. "Look I know you hate this plan and I understand that and so do I." Jackie said.
"Then why suggest it in the first place?" Marco asks still not on board with the idea. "As I said, I like to read history books and one topic I read was about civilizations." Jackie answered before continuing. "And what I learned about it was that early settlements were built on the sides of rivers or source of water."
Still seeing that he was still not convinced, she continue on explaining why she came up with it. "They use spears to hunt, Marco. They could have just used their claws but they took the time to craft hunting tools. And I know you too have realized that they are intelligent as we saw them communicate with one another and even prepped their kill instead of just eating it outright. So that means if they are able to create tools, hunt in a group, and communicate in their own language, what is there to say they wouldn't be able to build a community?" Jackie said.
She watches him contemplate what she just has said for a minute before he gives out a sigh. "Fine. We'll go with your idea but once things go south, we're gone, alright?" Marco said finally accepting her plan.
Jackie gives him a thumbs up with a smile before they quickly went in the direction of the hunting party. The two more or less power walk to catch up to the trails of the hunters. After an hour or more, they couldn't tell buy they were finally able to see the distant figures of the hunters. They give out a sigh of relief after spotting them as they fear that they have lost their trail and would be forced to wander around the area in hope of finding them.
They trailed far behind them to not alert them with their presence but close enough to not lose them. After an hour of trailing them, they could see a trail of black smoke rising in the distance. But unlike the smoke they encounter earlier, this smoke seems to be controlled and made from fire.
They stop behind a boulder that was far enough from the reptilian's settlement. The village itself was small, composed of houses built from what they presume to be from the corpse of animals and faunas native to this world. At the center of the village, there stood the largest building, it was built in a circular manner with a large dome on top. Looking over their cover they could see that Jackie's assumption was right as the village was situated near a flowing river.
Unfortunately, the river that they were looking at wasn't like those on earth as it was a shade of red that resembles water filled with rust and not of the familiar blue. The two other-worlder frown at the sight. They don't have any idea if drinking from that river would be safe for them. Would they get sick after ingestion or would they instantly die from it? "Looks like the water is safe to drink," Jackie noted pointing at a couple of the natives who took a bucket of water from the reddish river and drink from it.
Marco snorted. "Safe for them, they have adopted to drink from that kind of water. That could probably kill us if we ingest it."
Jackie shrugged at his statement before she glance at him and jokingly said "At least the water is in your favorite color."
"I don't see the part where it will help us not die from drinking it?" Marco ask. "It doesn't but it doesn't change the fact that we need to try and drink it unless we want to die from dehydration." Jackie countered.
Marco hummed in agreement before looking at the two suns and see that it was probably an hour away from dark. "Let's go that way." Marco pointed in the direction of the flowing crimson river and away from the village. "We'll look for a good place to settle down for tonight. I don't want to be near the village until we know we're safe from the locals." He continued.
The two then quietly make their way towards a much safer area while using stones and trees for cover as to not get spotted by any of the villagers. Miraculously they were able to get far enough from the village without getting spotted.
The two then settled on a flat area they find close to the riverside. A single tree stood at the area providing a cover over their heads and boulders surrounding the area providing bits of protection and cover. They then dump the dry leaves and wood that they have gathered along the way in the middle of their camp to make a bonfire.
They stared at the pile for a minute before they glance at one another silently asking each other if they know how to make a fire. "You don't happen to know how to make fire do you?" Jackie asks. Marco scratches the back of his head before saying. "I watched a video tutorial about it but I have never tried doing it in real life."
"No better time to try now right?" Jackie said encouragingly. Marco agrees before telling her that they need to find some rocks. Jackie raises a brow before questioning him what he would need the rocks for.
After explaining to her what the rocks are for. Jackie looks for the appropriate rocks within the camp. After gathering the stone, Marco quickly set it up. After multiple failed attempts, he was able to make a fire as soon as the two suns have gone down.
The moment fire lit up in their camp the two share a jovial shout buy none more than Marco who pumps his hands in the air while chanting 'USA! USA!'. And although the two are starving as they haven't eaten anything since breakfast, the two were able to bear with it and decide they'll look for nourishment tomorrow.
Hours have passed through the night the two then decide who will take first watch to look out for any signs of danger. The blonde skater girl now finds herself sitting close to the fire with her back facing the tree they are resting on. She then look at Marco who was sleeping beside her, who was quietly mumbling in his sleep. With a blissful smile, Jackie ran her hand gently through Marco's hair, eliciting a content moan from the sleeping latino boy.
Her brows then furrowed as she quickly notice the color around them slowly turn a reddish color as if the light being shine towards them was mask by a red tint. She looks up and she sees the singular large moon of this world turns crimson. And before she could utter out a cry of shock she was cut off by a voice.
"Strange isn't it? An ethereal voice reaches her ear sending alert signals throughout her body. She quickly reaches for her wooden weapon but found it missing from beside her. Alarmed she quickly look over the place. As she scans her surrounding, her eyes landed on a figure leaning at a boulder in front of them and looking at the celestial body with a scowl with her arms folded on her chest.
From the light provided by the moon and the fire, she could see the figure was a woman with tanned skin, intricate tattoos are written all over her body save her face. She notice the woman was wearing a beautiful blue silk with beautiful golden intricate designs at the trims. Her attire doesn't cover her entire being as it has no sleeves nor collar and completely exposes her midriff and her toned thighs allowing for her greater mobility.
A beautiful necklace made of silver with a crescent moon easily caught the blonde's eyes as a pale ethereal blue light shines in tandem with each breath the stranger made.
She then look at the stranger's face and she could feel her breathe got taken away. Staring at her was the most beautiful face she has ever seen in her life. Wavy hair as black as the darkest night frames her heart shape face, a cute button nose, and beautiful red lips.
But what caught her attention the most was her glowing silver eyes. A long scar could be seen from the figure's left brow running downward and stopping just below the cheekbone. Even though her left eye's glow wasn't as powerful as the right, it still wields otherworldly power.
"I could feel its anger." The mysterious figure said not taking her eyes away from the crimson moon. Jackie swallowed the lump in her throat as she tears her gaze away from the woman and into the moon. "I-I see the moon taking that color from before." Jackie said earning a 'hmm' in acknowledgment from the woman. "From my dream." Jackie continued hesitantly as she see the woman didn't say anything after her acknowledgment.
Finally tearing her eyes from the moon, the woman stares at Jackie with a mischievous grin "And why do you think it happened? Why does a crimson moon appear in your dream, Jackie Lyn Thomas?"
Jackie didn't know how the woman knows her name as she didn't remember introducing herself to the woman but she could feel the power from the woman fluctuate when she heard her name. Not waiting for her to speak, the woman push herself off from the boulder she was leaning on and slowly approach the two teens.
Sensing her fear, a feral grin grows on the woman's face, quickly terrifying the blonde girl even more.
With each graceful step the woman makes, Jackie could feel her heart beating faster and faster and nearly stop when the woman leans towards her, hands on her hips and stare directly into her eyes, the feral grin not leaving the woman's face.
Jackie's eyes then follow the woman's gaze as it shifted away from her before landing towards Marco who remain oblivious to what was happening around him. "A powerful curse has bind itself to him." The woman said before she return her gaze back to Jackie. "Binding him towards a magic-wielding princess." She continues.
Jackie's eye widen when she realized who the woman was referring to. The woman's grin grew even wider after seeing Jackie realize who she was talking about. "Yes." The woman said simply. "A curse that will bind their soul together. Willingly or not."
Jackie on the other hand is still processing the words that the woman was saying. 'Marco and Star are cursed?' Jackie thought numbly. " How? How did they get caught in a curse that binds them together?" She asks finally finding her voice.
The woman straighten herself and the grin quickly vanishing from her face and was then replaced by a scowl. "The blood moon ball. Two souls that dance under the light of my domain will be forever intertwined with one another." The woman said before she started walking away. "In the grand scheme of fate, you are merely an outsider. So if I were you, I would break up with him and let the curse do its work.
Jackie was numbed. She was just a footnote in Marco's life. Merely burrowing his heart for a time before giving it back to its true owner. And if the woman said to her was true, she's just in the way of what is meant to happen.
'Wait… what did the woman say? Willing or Unwillingly… Willingly or Unwillingly!' Jackie thought as the woman's words continue to echoes in her mind. Hope starts to bloom in her heart as she finally comprehends what the woman said. "Wait!" She exclaimed, quickly standing up.
The woman stops but didn't turn around to face her. "Yes, Ms. Thomas? "Jackie heard the woman said. And if she is correct she could hear the woman's voice was laced with a bit of satisfaction?
"You said willingly or unwillingly, right?" Jackie asks. The woman still didn't turn towards her but she could see the woman nodded. "Were they aware of the curse? Were they aware of what it does to their fate?" Jackie ask as the hope in her body rose up even more.
"Your friend, Star has heard of the legend but didn't believe it to be real. Marco on the other got bound by the curse to protect his friend." The woman said still not bothering to look at the blonde teen.
"So they got their souls bound unwillingly?" Jackie slowly asks.
"Yes. And what are you going to do about it, miss Thomas? Challenge fate? Fight for a love that was doomed to fail from the very beginning?" The woman asks.
A heavy silence fall upon the woman waited for Jackie to answer. A deep sigh akin to disappointment escapes the woman's lips but before she can take a step she heard the faint voice of the teen.
"What did you just say?" The woman asks. With a much louder and confident voice, Jackie repeated her answer to the woman. "I said yes! I'll fight for it, even if it was fated to fail. I'll fight for it."
Jackie continue to stare at the back of the woman with a determined look. Her determination nearly falters when she see the shoulder of the woman trembling before hearing a burst of faint laughter from the woman. The laughter then soon becomes louder. The woman then quickly turned around, her hair whipping behind her.
Jackie unconsciously took a step back as she see the woman was quickly approaching her. But she didn't step back in fear as it was more on being surprised. The woman has a big smile on her face that doesn't resemble any malicious intent but it was the smile of someone whose belief got proven right.
"You will suffer greatly if you continued with what you are going to do." The woman said as her smile still not leaving her face.
"I know." Jackie said simply causing the woman to clasps her shoulder. "Good, very good indeed!" The woman exclaimed happily, throwing the skater girl into a loop.
"Tell you what, miss Thomas. How about we make a bet. If you managed to break the curse, I'll give you a reward. But if you lose. You'll suffer the wrath of the curse for trying to break it and quite possibly die in the process." The woman said as she let go of Jackie's shoulder before stepping back and offering a hand.
Jackie looks at the woman's smiling face still put off from the unexpected emotion the woman was showing. Steeling herself, Jackie shook the woman's hand accepting the deal.
A silver light erupts between their joined hands. Jackie quickly shielded her eyes from the offending light. She didn't know exactly what happened next after she saw nothing but white but once she opens her eyes she see that she was sitting beside Marco who was still deeply asleep.
Confused, she looks around her surroundings and sees no trace of the mysterious woman from before. Did she just imagine it all up? Was it all just in her head? She hesitantly looks up at the dark skies above and sees nothing strange about it. Stars dotted the heavens and with a large singular moon which isn't glowing crimson.
She shook her head trying to calm herself down, telling herself that it was just her imagination. But she couldn't stop thinking about why she imagined the moon bleeding crimson for the second time.
She then looks over at Marco's still sleeping form. If the event earlier did happen, Marco would have easily woken up given that she and the woman weren't particularly trying to be discreet in their conversation. "I guess, I dozed off for a second there." She whispers to herself. As if on cue, she then felt a warm glow emanating from the palm of her hand. The hand she use to shake hands with the woman from her dream.
Turning over her hand, what she see instantly drained the colors on her face. On the middle of her right palm was a small tattoo of a full moon partially covered by two blots of ink that represented the images of clouds. She would have disregarded it as a normal tattoo if it wasn't for the fact it was producing a faint blueish glow and with the ink seemingly moving to show a life-like presentation of the heavenly body.
Seconds have passed before she sees the glow from the tattoo slowly fade away, leaving only the strange mark on her palm. She rubs her eyes to see if she was hallucinating but the strange tattoo still keeps moving. "It was all real..." She mutters to herself as fear grows and spread inside her. She then looks back at Marco, tempted to wake him up and tell him about what just happened but stops and decided to just wait for the right time to tell him, as the two of them still have other things to worry about later this morning.
A big thank you again for reading my story!
I am open to criticism, so feel free to leave a review.