He wrote the runes, he outlined them in his own blood... He spoke their names and gave them power... The wheel glowed and spun...it whirred like a Fourth of July firework. Finally it slowed and came to a stop... He opened the door once more, and he could see the strange colors and landscape of the world that was once his home. His heart filled with trepidation as he looked through that open portal. Was it going to be safe for him to cross this threshold? Would he be able to walk in the shadow world once more and get to his angel? Or would this spell more disaster for them? He couldn't doubt himself now, he had to do this or risk disappointing his angel.
He steeled himself and took that first step. As he did so, heart heavy, he had to wonder if this is what all of the people the shadow men had ever played with when they were about to cross into the realm of their tormentors. He shook the question from his mind and continued to walk on, step by step. It was strange being back... It was strange to walk where he had often walked before. It no longer felt like home. It felt dangerous; it felt like the place was alive with thousands of eyes all trained on him. He could feel that the other shadow men already knew that he was there. He only hoped that they didn't come to attack him.
As he walked, he waited with bated breath hoping, praying that he would get through this. He could feel himself drawing nearer and nearer to the old half way place, the More Games store as he walked. But it was still a long ways away and anything could happen between where he was and where he wanted to be. He constantly looked around himself, trying to be as alert and aware of his surroundings as possible... He was tense; he was on edge, every nerve ending felt as though it were on fire. He couldn't stand it. It wasn't like them to not make a move... Not make a threat, not say something, not taunt him in anyway, and it was starting to get to him. That had to be it; they weren't doing anything because that's what he was expecting.
Somewhere in the distance, somewhere out of sight, out of sense, the elders were watching...
" So he has been carved back in." One hissed.
"Will he return to us? Or will he go back to that toy that got away, that stole our fun?" Another said, it's voice like grating sandpaper.
"You know where his loyalties lie. He chose her. He took her place. We have no claim on either of them now." The hissing one said.
"But we can get them back. We will get them back. There are ways. Let them have their fun for now. It will not last. They will pay... They will pay." The sandpaper one laughed evilly. The hissing one joined in on the laughter... Which somehow made its way to the ears of the one walking.
"What are you up to ancient evil? What are you plotting?" He said as he listened to the wicked laughter. He steeled himself and continued to walk.
In the real world, time was passing quickly... The day was slipping away and his angel was growing more and more worried as each minute ticked by, as each hour passed and was lost. Where was he? Where could he be? He wouldn't lie to her, would he? He was on his way, right? He would be here before the day was gone... he had to be, he just had to be. He would never break a promise to her, would he? She was getting more and more tense, more and more nervous the more time that passed. The sun was starting to sink in the sky and there was still no sign of her immortal beloved. WHERE WAS HE???!!! " JULIAN WHERE ARE YOU?" she cried.
Julian felt the hours ticking by. He also heard Jenny's desperate plea. He broke out into an all out run. He had to get to the halfway place. He had to get to his angel. He couldn't let her down, not now. He needed to see her again. He wanted to be there for her. "I'm coming Jenny." He called out into the air. He had to hurry; he knew that the hour was growing late. He could feel Jenny's growing unrest, her growing despair and desperation. It pained him greatly to sense her distress. He ran as fast as he could toward his destination.
"Their distress is quite delectable. Such strong emotions that we can feel them here. They will make very nice toys indeed." The hissing one chuckled.
"Their pain and suffering will be quite the addition to our collection. How will we keep it so potent?" The sandpapery voiced one inquired.
"We will think of a way... We have time yet to plot their demise. They will pay for their betrayals. They will suffer the consequences. We will take an eternity to enjoy them."
"Yes, an eternity to taste them, to take them, to torture them." The sandpapery voiced one laughed maniacally.
Finally, his halfway place was in sight. How late was it now in his angel's world? He feared that he might be too late. He feared that his time had escaped him. Even shadow stepping was taking a lot longer than he had intended. He had to make it he just had to. He ran as fast as he could, pushing even his own limits. He neared the More Games store, though it seemed to take him forever to do so. It felt like an eternity had been passing by him as he traveled the jagged landscape of his one time home.
Finally he made it to the door. It was locked by a spell he had placed on it long ago to keep his ancestors from using his halfway place. Let them find their own way into the human world. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob, trying desperately to open it. His mind was on one thing and one thing only - getting to his Jenny, his angel and getting there before midnight. He cursed as the doorknob refused to turn, refused to budge. Why couldn't he get in? What was wrong? As his mind raced it suddenly hit him, the damned spell. He traced a few runes in the air and the door opened. He bolted in and raced to the other door, the door that would lead him to Jenny.
He raced down the streets. It was black as pitch, the streets dimly lit by the street lamps. Around one corner, down another street, turn left, go for a few blocks, turn right, two more turns and he'd be there. What time was it? Was he too late? He couldn't be too late, he mustn't be too late, he just had to make it to her. He would make it... he just had to. There! There was her house. There was one light shining. She was still awake, that had to be a good sign, right? He didn't slow down until he was racing up to her door, which he nearly ran into. He knocked frantically, wishing that he had a watch with him. Had he made it? Was he on time? Or had he somehow managed to let his angel down?
He steeled himself and took that first step. As he did so, heart heavy, he had to wonder if this is what all of the people the shadow men had ever played with when they were about to cross into the realm of their tormentors. He shook the question from his mind and continued to walk on, step by step. It was strange being back... It was strange to walk where he had often walked before. It no longer felt like home. It felt dangerous; it felt like the place was alive with thousands of eyes all trained on him. He could feel that the other shadow men already knew that he was there. He only hoped that they didn't come to attack him.
As he walked, he waited with bated breath hoping, praying that he would get through this. He could feel himself drawing nearer and nearer to the old half way place, the More Games store as he walked. But it was still a long ways away and anything could happen between where he was and where he wanted to be. He constantly looked around himself, trying to be as alert and aware of his surroundings as possible... He was tense; he was on edge, every nerve ending felt as though it were on fire. He couldn't stand it. It wasn't like them to not make a move... Not make a threat, not say something, not taunt him in anyway, and it was starting to get to him. That had to be it; they weren't doing anything because that's what he was expecting.
Somewhere in the distance, somewhere out of sight, out of sense, the elders were watching...
" So he has been carved back in." One hissed.
"Will he return to us? Or will he go back to that toy that got away, that stole our fun?" Another said, it's voice like grating sandpaper.
"You know where his loyalties lie. He chose her. He took her place. We have no claim on either of them now." The hissing one said.
"But we can get them back. We will get them back. There are ways. Let them have their fun for now. It will not last. They will pay... They will pay." The sandpaper one laughed evilly. The hissing one joined in on the laughter... Which somehow made its way to the ears of the one walking.
"What are you up to ancient evil? What are you plotting?" He said as he listened to the wicked laughter. He steeled himself and continued to walk.
In the real world, time was passing quickly... The day was slipping away and his angel was growing more and more worried as each minute ticked by, as each hour passed and was lost. Where was he? Where could he be? He wouldn't lie to her, would he? He was on his way, right? He would be here before the day was gone... he had to be, he just had to be. He would never break a promise to her, would he? She was getting more and more tense, more and more nervous the more time that passed. The sun was starting to sink in the sky and there was still no sign of her immortal beloved. WHERE WAS HE???!!! " JULIAN WHERE ARE YOU?" she cried.
Julian felt the hours ticking by. He also heard Jenny's desperate plea. He broke out into an all out run. He had to get to the halfway place. He had to get to his angel. He couldn't let her down, not now. He needed to see her again. He wanted to be there for her. "I'm coming Jenny." He called out into the air. He had to hurry; he knew that the hour was growing late. He could feel Jenny's growing unrest, her growing despair and desperation. It pained him greatly to sense her distress. He ran as fast as he could toward his destination.
"Their distress is quite delectable. Such strong emotions that we can feel them here. They will make very nice toys indeed." The hissing one chuckled.
"Their pain and suffering will be quite the addition to our collection. How will we keep it so potent?" The sandpapery voiced one inquired.
"We will think of a way... We have time yet to plot their demise. They will pay for their betrayals. They will suffer the consequences. We will take an eternity to enjoy them."
"Yes, an eternity to taste them, to take them, to torture them." The sandpapery voiced one laughed maniacally.
Finally, his halfway place was in sight. How late was it now in his angel's world? He feared that he might be too late. He feared that his time had escaped him. Even shadow stepping was taking a lot longer than he had intended. He had to make it he just had to. He ran as fast as he could, pushing even his own limits. He neared the More Games store, though it seemed to take him forever to do so. It felt like an eternity had been passing by him as he traveled the jagged landscape of his one time home.
Finally he made it to the door. It was locked by a spell he had placed on it long ago to keep his ancestors from using his halfway place. Let them find their own way into the human world. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob, trying desperately to open it. His mind was on one thing and one thing only - getting to his Jenny, his angel and getting there before midnight. He cursed as the doorknob refused to turn, refused to budge. Why couldn't he get in? What was wrong? As his mind raced it suddenly hit him, the damned spell. He traced a few runes in the air and the door opened. He bolted in and raced to the other door, the door that would lead him to Jenny.
He raced down the streets. It was black as pitch, the streets dimly lit by the street lamps. Around one corner, down another street, turn left, go for a few blocks, turn right, two more turns and he'd be there. What time was it? Was he too late? He couldn't be too late, he mustn't be too late, he just had to make it to her. He would make it... he just had to. There! There was her house. There was one light shining. She was still awake, that had to be a good sign, right? He didn't slow down until he was racing up to her door, which he nearly ran into. He knocked frantically, wishing that he had a watch with him. Had he made it? Was he on time? Or had he somehow managed to let his angel down?
