The shadows whirled around, swirling
in great invisible pools. Nothing seemed to move, but if you watched
long enough, you could see the shadows twist. You could see how they
seemed to open into a million other possibilities. They weren't so
much shadows as... Openings. Or, at least shadows of something
else, and not that tree, or bush.
A single point of light flashed, blood red light spilled into the shadows for one second. It faded slowly, seeping into the shadows. Within the shadows there were now two beings. They stood out against the shadow, a stark contrast. Bright polished armor, a slight halo of light. They floated for what seemed like an eternity, motionless. At last, one moved, raising its arm.
His arm moved slowly, as if he was trying to pull it through molasses. His breath fogged the visor of his helmet. All he could see was shadows, except for his companion. If he hadn't been wearing his armor he would have run his fingers through his hair. Where were they? Nothing made sense, His mind was as foggy as his visor. What had happened to him, to his friends?
He was brought out of his reverie by a sudden rumbling through the entirety of his being. The 'world' shook, and he knew, even if he couldn't see, that it shook. Screams erupted around him, ripping through his mind, tearing at his armor. Everything shattered like a mirror, raining shards of shadow onto the ground. He fell to the ground in a jumbled heap, his armor whining in protest. His friend also fell to the ground, the shock seemed to wake him up.
Neither spoke for a time, taking in their new surroundings. A dark forest rose around them, with forest noises just beginning to return after their disturbance. The trees seemed to loom over them, frowning at their intrusion.
"This isn't right." said the first. "We weren't in a forest. We were in Tir Station weren't we?" He pressed a button on his armors neck, and the helmet seemed to fold into the rest of the suit. It revealed the head of a young man, with deep gold hair tied in a long ponytail, blue-green eyes, a straight sharp nose, and lips that were slightly too thin. He looked at his friend and stood up, looking around with worry in his eyes.
The other stood as well, removing his helmet in a similar fashion to the first. He had curly hair that has cut to within a half-inch of his scalp, blue eyes, a smallish nose and a grim expression. He seemed a few years younger than the first boy "We were. What should we do Evison?" He glanced at the boy named Evison.
"We find out where we are, why we're here, and how we get home. Willy, This worries me, those machines weren't meant to do that. What happened to the others." Evison looked around again, taking in his surroundings. "Well, let's start with finding a way out of this forest." Without another word, or a backward glance to see if Willy was following him, he set off trying to find a way out of the forest.
It took them several hours to find their way out of the dark forest, and when they did, it wasn't much better. They were standing on a cliff, overlooking another stretch of forest, beyond which they could see a large castle, and a stadium with strange poles with hoops attached to them. Just visible at the edge of the forest was a small hut, smoke wafted lazily into the air from the single chimney.
Both boys stared in awe at the view before them. The grounds were beautiful beyond imagination. Evison looked at Willy, who looked back. Willy shrugged, and they leapt from the cliff towards the forest below.
Evison grinned as his Helmet snapped back into place, the wind rushing by as he fell. Pinpricks of light flashed on his armor, mirrored by Willy's armor, and thrusters snapped into position on his back. Willy pulled ahead as his thrusters flared to life, followed closely by Evison. The ground was approaching very quickly now, and at the last second Evison flipped in midair, tucked his legs up and reversed his thrust. He landed gracefully, Willy followed suit a second later. As one, they turned to the forest, and began walking in the direction of the castle.
Beneath their feet the shadows shifted and swirled.
A single point of light flashed, blood red light spilled into the shadows for one second. It faded slowly, seeping into the shadows. Within the shadows there were now two beings. They stood out against the shadow, a stark contrast. Bright polished armor, a slight halo of light. They floated for what seemed like an eternity, motionless. At last, one moved, raising its arm.
His arm moved slowly, as if he was trying to pull it through molasses. His breath fogged the visor of his helmet. All he could see was shadows, except for his companion. If he hadn't been wearing his armor he would have run his fingers through his hair. Where were they? Nothing made sense, His mind was as foggy as his visor. What had happened to him, to his friends?
He was brought out of his reverie by a sudden rumbling through the entirety of his being. The 'world' shook, and he knew, even if he couldn't see, that it shook. Screams erupted around him, ripping through his mind, tearing at his armor. Everything shattered like a mirror, raining shards of shadow onto the ground. He fell to the ground in a jumbled heap, his armor whining in protest. His friend also fell to the ground, the shock seemed to wake him up.
Neither spoke for a time, taking in their new surroundings. A dark forest rose around them, with forest noises just beginning to return after their disturbance. The trees seemed to loom over them, frowning at their intrusion.
"This isn't right." said the first. "We weren't in a forest. We were in Tir Station weren't we?" He pressed a button on his armors neck, and the helmet seemed to fold into the rest of the suit. It revealed the head of a young man, with deep gold hair tied in a long ponytail, blue-green eyes, a straight sharp nose, and lips that were slightly too thin. He looked at his friend and stood up, looking around with worry in his eyes.
The other stood as well, removing his helmet in a similar fashion to the first. He had curly hair that has cut to within a half-inch of his scalp, blue eyes, a smallish nose and a grim expression. He seemed a few years younger than the first boy "We were. What should we do Evison?" He glanced at the boy named Evison.
"We find out where we are, why we're here, and how we get home. Willy, This worries me, those machines weren't meant to do that. What happened to the others." Evison looked around again, taking in his surroundings. "Well, let's start with finding a way out of this forest." Without another word, or a backward glance to see if Willy was following him, he set off trying to find a way out of the forest.
It took them several hours to find their way out of the dark forest, and when they did, it wasn't much better. They were standing on a cliff, overlooking another stretch of forest, beyond which they could see a large castle, and a stadium with strange poles with hoops attached to them. Just visible at the edge of the forest was a small hut, smoke wafted lazily into the air from the single chimney.
Both boys stared in awe at the view before them. The grounds were beautiful beyond imagination. Evison looked at Willy, who looked back. Willy shrugged, and they leapt from the cliff towards the forest below.
Evison grinned as his Helmet snapped back into place, the wind rushing by as he fell. Pinpricks of light flashed on his armor, mirrored by Willy's armor, and thrusters snapped into position on his back. Willy pulled ahead as his thrusters flared to life, followed closely by Evison. The ground was approaching very quickly now, and at the last second Evison flipped in midair, tucked his legs up and reversed his thrust. He landed gracefully, Willy followed suit a second later. As one, they turned to the forest, and began walking in the direction of the castle.
Beneath their feet the shadows shifted and swirled.