If you are lost in your way deep in an awesome story

Don't be in doubt and stray, cling to your lonesome folly.

What had that meant? he wondered to himself, staring at the print out of the strange e-mail he had received the previous day.

y0u Hue 3eeN (0mE, (0Me +0 $h1N1ng g01Den De$er+

ur!

He had decoded it as far as he could during math class. 'You have been come…come to Shining Golden Desert.' It didn't make any sense, but it was the last word that puzzled him more than anything. 'Aura'. Surely after yesterdays incident he would have believed, at least, so he thought. But he was a naturally skeptical person. He even wondered whether it was just a dream, some strange nightmare caused by too many hours in front of the computer. But one glance at the empty seat next to him told him that it really had happened.

Sayo hadn't returned any of his numerous messages and wasn't at school. Even when he called her house phone her mother had simply stated that she had locked herself in her room again with the blasting music. Not unusual. He sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair. This message was giving him a headache and he was far to preoccupied to concentrate on the lesson. Picking up his pencil, he began to sketch a small picture of his character on the bottom of his homework assignment; a tall young-looking boy with electric blue hair that was cropped short and startling red eyes. A thick black scarf covered his mouth and flew out behind him. Black straps crisscrossed over his chest

Out of nowhere the last bell of the day rang, giving him a start. As the other students filed from the classroom, he began stuffing his books into his small backpack with some difficulty.

As he left the school, he had asked the teacher if there was any work that Sayo missed that he might be able to drop off to her. After all, her house was on his way home from school. That, and it was an excuse to see her.

Now you're too close to the pain, let all the rain go further.

Come back and kiss me again, bother or do not bother.

When he rang the doorbell an elderly man, slouched over from the burden of time answered and quickly motioned for him to come in.

"Sayo is up in her room." he said. With a quick nod, Seiji calmly made his way up the steps to the second story of her house. Her door was the first on the left at the end of a long hallway. He knocked once. Twice. There was no answer from inside.

"Sayo, you in there?" he called. "I have some stuff from school for you." He waited a few moments before knocking again. "Hey, Sayo?"

"She's not here right now." came a female voice from behind him. He spun around to face her mother. She was smiling politely, but it wasn't hard to see the sadness in it.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I was told she was in her room."

"It's no problem at all." she insisted. "You have some work for her? I'll take that for her. Thank you." The Her expression never wavered. Making his way back down the steps to the front door he paused for a moment, then turned back around.

"Um…Is Sayo…okay? She hasn't returned the messages I left for-" He was cut short at the sight of the woman leaning weakly against one wall to support herself. Her youthful face seemed to have aged before his very eyes. He rushed back up the stairs to help her but was politely waved away.

"Please….do you promise to keep this to yourself?" she asked, desperation in her voice.

What is this? What's happened?

"Last night…I found Sayo in her room. She was passed out in front of the computer. When I went to move her to her bed I realized her breathing was shallow. She was so cold…" she said in a harsh whisper.

Heed the chorus of pain taking you back to proper ways.

It's so easy to find if you could remind me.

"Is she alright? Where is she?" Seiji asked, trying his best to shield the panic in his voice. But the woman suddenly burst out in tears, covering her face with her hands.

"It was only a small argument! I didn't mean to upset her so badly, I was just trying to be a parent, a good parent!" she cried. He gave her a moment to collect herself before she continued. "I'm sorry about that. But…I trust you should know the truth." She took a rattling sigh. "She tried to kill me. Right now she is at a…a special hospital."

You mean a crazy house he thought to himself. He had heard about one near the city. The one that friend of hers was taken to.

When he finally reached his house again, he immediately retreated into his dark room and threw his backpack on his bed. Homework could wait. He needed to find out what was going on in The World. Logging onto the game, he couldn't keep down the lump that had formed in his throat.

As soon as the city of Mac Anu appeared before him, he immediately switched to the server of Dun Lorieg. After all, it was the only server he could reach that specific area through. It reminded him of an island floating adrift on the clouds below. The activity here was slightly increased from Mac Anu due to the fact that this was a higher level server. Then he froze.

"Forgot to consider that…" He really hadn't considered what level this area was. On top of that he hadn't even received information on where to meet! "Just wonderful…"

With a sigh, he ran off to the nearest item store.

After spending the last of his earnings on all the potions he could carry, he was making his way back to the chaos gate when a small, shy-looking girl approached him carrying a staff with a large moon at the top.

"Uh…um…excuse me…" she stuttered.

"Yeah?" he asked unsurely.

"Oh, u-uh…um…well…" There was a long pause. "Nevermind!" she stated quickly and dashed past him. He sighed, grabbing the hood of her outfit before she could escape him. He knew a newbie when he saw one, and knew that his appearance alone was rather intimidating. But truthfully he couldn't let them go so uneducated.

"Hold up there. What was it?" he asked turning to face her. He smiled instinctively, although he knew she couldn't see it behind the black scarf he wore. "No need to be embarrassed."

"W-well it was just…could you please help me level up?"

"Uh…sure!" he responded without really thinking it through. After all, the e-mail didn't say to come alone, did it? "What level are you at now?"

"Only level 12. My friend who was helping me just logged off."

Well, that's four levels higher than I am he thought, a bit ashamed of himself. Of course, she would probably still need his help, since wave masters weren't as strong in attacks as other warrior classes. That, and with her spells she could help him, too.

"I have a certain area in mind. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all!" she responded, her confidence seeming to have suddenly risen a bit. "My name is Kerri."

"I'm Seiji." he replied. As much as it bothered some people to share their names online, he wasn't one to worry about it. "So, ready to go?" With a vigorous nod and broad grin they headed off towards the chaos gate.

Now you are lost in your way deep in an awesome story.

So I will find you again, kiss you for lonesome folly.

>>> to be continued...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Lyrics: A Stray Child (.hack/SIGN)