*~*~*~*~* Beyond The Veil *~*~*~*~*
By: Mage Kitty
O~o~O~o~O Part One: The Realms of the Dead O~o~O~o~O
*~*~*~*~* Chapter One: Cerberus *~*~*~*~*
"Is it dead?"
"No, I think it is alive."
"It is neither. It is near death."
Voices float into my fuzzy mind.
"It moved!"
"It's awakening."
"Where... Where am I?" I ask.
"It speaks!"
"Of course it does, it's a human."
"What are you people talking about?" I ask; my vision is very hazy.
"You people?"
"Are you blind, human?"
"I don't think so." I trail off. Slowly, my sight returns.
"What do you mean you don't think so?"
"I can only sorta see. Wait a minute. Are you a big, three headed talking dog?" I ask, oddly calm.
"Good. You can see. We are called Cerberus," the middle head says.
"Cerberus? You look a lot like Fluffy to me," I say. Cerberus really does look like Fluffy. Minus all that disgusting drool. And add smouldering fur and a flaming tail.
"Fluffy? Who is this 'Fluffy'?" the left head asks.
"A big, three headed dog. He's the pet of one of my friends," I say.
"Ah, so you come from the Magic Realm," the middle head says.
"Oookay. I come from Earth," I say.
"Out of the Four and a Half Realms, two are called Earth. Do you have Magic in your Realm?" the middle head asks.
"Yeah. I'm a wizard," I say slowly.
"Great. So, wizard, did you know that is impolite for you to use our name, but us not know yours?" The middle head says.
"Oh, yeah. My name's Sirius," I say, then add, "Sirius Black." Cerberus, all three of the heads, laughed.
"Well then, Sirius. What should we do with you?" The right head spoke for the first time.
"I say we let him live! He seems nice enough!" The left head says.
"Let... Let me live?" I say, my brain not comprehending, "What do you mean, let me live?"
"Don't you know? We are ordered to kill on the spot," the left head says.
"Then why didn't you kill me?" I ask, curiously calm again.
"We didn't know if you were dead already and when you woke up, we are ordered to answer all of your questions," The middle head said.
"Really? Then... Where am I?" I ask, stalling for time.
"You are at the Gates of the Realms of the Dead," they all intone.
"Creepy. Er." I rake my brain for a question, "Er, who orders you around?"
"Whoever the current Emperor is," the left head says, as if it is common knowledge.
"The Emperor of what?"
"The High Emperor of the Realms of the Dead, of course!" The right head said.
"Er, right. Um. Can I go into the Realms of the Dead?" I ask.
"Yes you may," the middle head says.
"How can I?" I ask.
"Try to open the gate," the middle head says. Warily, I walk past Cerberus and place my hands on the rough iron gates behind him. I pull as hard as I can.
"Tee hee! He can't open it!" the left head giggled.
"I can so!" I say. I push instead of pull. The gate doesn't budge. I try to climb over the gate, but it keeps going on and on and on. There is some sort of spell on it. I try to jump over, but I can't jump high enough.
"Give up yet? We haven't eaten in years," the middle head asks.
"I'm not done yet!" I say, always a sucker for challenges. Being eaten by a talking version of Fluffy isn't high on my 'to do' list, either. I change into a dog and back up a few feet.
"You're an Animagus?" the left head asks.
"Of course he is, stupid. How else could he change into a dog?" the right head says.
"Well I never knew before he changed into a dog," the left head whines.
"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!" the middle head yells. I run forward and jump. I make it over the gate.
"Congratulations!" Cerberus yells. I shift back.
"Thanks!" I begin to turn around.
"Wait!" the middle head calls out, "Stay on the path. Don't leave the path for anything!"
"Why?" I ask.
"We can't tell you," the middle head says.
"Why not? The Emperor." I trail off.
"You're over the gate. We can't answer any of your questions now," Cerberus says.
"Alright," I say.
"Just remember! Never go off the path!" Cerberus calls as I walk off on the path.
"I'll remember! Good bye, Cerberus!" I call back.
"Good bye, Sirius! See you when you die!"
*~*~*~*~*
A/N: The chapter is short, I know, but it is either this or nothing... I got another Beta Reader. I seem to collect them. She Beta'd this chapter. She won't tell me her user-name, so I'll just call her Nae Nae. I have nothing else to say...
Mage Kitty ^^
By: Mage Kitty
O~o~O~o~O Part One: The Realms of the Dead O~o~O~o~O
*~*~*~*~* Chapter One: Cerberus *~*~*~*~*
"Is it dead?"
"No, I think it is alive."
"It is neither. It is near death."
Voices float into my fuzzy mind.
"It moved!"
"It's awakening."
"Where... Where am I?" I ask.
"It speaks!"
"Of course it does, it's a human."
"What are you people talking about?" I ask; my vision is very hazy.
"You people?"
"Are you blind, human?"
"I don't think so." I trail off. Slowly, my sight returns.
"What do you mean you don't think so?"
"I can only sorta see. Wait a minute. Are you a big, three headed talking dog?" I ask, oddly calm.
"Good. You can see. We are called Cerberus," the middle head says.
"Cerberus? You look a lot like Fluffy to me," I say. Cerberus really does look like Fluffy. Minus all that disgusting drool. And add smouldering fur and a flaming tail.
"Fluffy? Who is this 'Fluffy'?" the left head asks.
"A big, three headed dog. He's the pet of one of my friends," I say.
"Ah, so you come from the Magic Realm," the middle head says.
"Oookay. I come from Earth," I say.
"Out of the Four and a Half Realms, two are called Earth. Do you have Magic in your Realm?" the middle head asks.
"Yeah. I'm a wizard," I say slowly.
"Great. So, wizard, did you know that is impolite for you to use our name, but us not know yours?" The middle head says.
"Oh, yeah. My name's Sirius," I say, then add, "Sirius Black." Cerberus, all three of the heads, laughed.
"Well then, Sirius. What should we do with you?" The right head spoke for the first time.
"I say we let him live! He seems nice enough!" The left head says.
"Let... Let me live?" I say, my brain not comprehending, "What do you mean, let me live?"
"Don't you know? We are ordered to kill on the spot," the left head says.
"Then why didn't you kill me?" I ask, curiously calm again.
"We didn't know if you were dead already and when you woke up, we are ordered to answer all of your questions," The middle head said.
"Really? Then... Where am I?" I ask, stalling for time.
"You are at the Gates of the Realms of the Dead," they all intone.
"Creepy. Er." I rake my brain for a question, "Er, who orders you around?"
"Whoever the current Emperor is," the left head says, as if it is common knowledge.
"The Emperor of what?"
"The High Emperor of the Realms of the Dead, of course!" The right head said.
"Er, right. Um. Can I go into the Realms of the Dead?" I ask.
"Yes you may," the middle head says.
"How can I?" I ask.
"Try to open the gate," the middle head says. Warily, I walk past Cerberus and place my hands on the rough iron gates behind him. I pull as hard as I can.
"Tee hee! He can't open it!" the left head giggled.
"I can so!" I say. I push instead of pull. The gate doesn't budge. I try to climb over the gate, but it keeps going on and on and on. There is some sort of spell on it. I try to jump over, but I can't jump high enough.
"Give up yet? We haven't eaten in years," the middle head asks.
"I'm not done yet!" I say, always a sucker for challenges. Being eaten by a talking version of Fluffy isn't high on my 'to do' list, either. I change into a dog and back up a few feet.
"You're an Animagus?" the left head asks.
"Of course he is, stupid. How else could he change into a dog?" the right head says.
"Well I never knew before he changed into a dog," the left head whines.
"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!" the middle head yells. I run forward and jump. I make it over the gate.
"Congratulations!" Cerberus yells. I shift back.
"Thanks!" I begin to turn around.
"Wait!" the middle head calls out, "Stay on the path. Don't leave the path for anything!"
"Why?" I ask.
"We can't tell you," the middle head says.
"Why not? The Emperor." I trail off.
"You're over the gate. We can't answer any of your questions now," Cerberus says.
"Alright," I say.
"Just remember! Never go off the path!" Cerberus calls as I walk off on the path.
"I'll remember! Good bye, Cerberus!" I call back.
"Good bye, Sirius! See you when you die!"
*~*~*~*~*
A/N: The chapter is short, I know, but it is either this or nothing... I got another Beta Reader. I seem to collect them. She Beta'd this chapter. She won't tell me her user-name, so I'll just call her Nae Nae. I have nothing else to say...
Mage Kitty ^^