Chapter 2

Alex looked down at the hole in his chest. "Damn, you got me again." The hole suddenly closed up, and the swords vanished from both their hands. The background behind them slowly started to dissolve, revealing a room full of arcade games. Alex and Adam stepped down from the podiums that they stood on. Two more kids quickly took their places on top of it. Alex sighed. "Why is it that I can never beat you on the Virtual?" Alex said, scratching his head. Adam laughed and shrugged. "What can I say? I am the best. Undefeated." Alex pouted. "Oh yeah, well you watch, I'll beat you one day."

Adam put his arm around Alex's shoulder. "Keep dreaming, buddy." Alex pushed Adam off and crossed his arms. "You'll see." Adam laughed and looked around. "Now what do you want to do?" Alex looked up. They had left the arcade and were now walking around the campus of Leinard College. "I don't know. What else is there to do?" Alex looked at his watch. "It's only 8 p.m. There should be something we could do. Geez, this college blows"

"It's too far to walk back to the arcade. And there really is nothing else I feel like doing. I think I'm just going to head off to bed." Said Adam. Alex turned to him. "What!! It's so early!!" Adam laughed. "You got anything better to do?" Alex sighed and waved Adam off. "Whatever. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Adam nodded and walked off. Alex turned and walked in the direction of his dorm room. Adam was right, there was nothing else to do. Alex had been told that college life would be fun, and that once you turn 18, nothing can hold you back. But that all came and hit him flat in the face. He was so free that he really found nothing to do.

Alex had just recently turned 18. He had spiky blond hair that was dyed black in some places, and his emerald green eyes could bore into a person's skull. Adam had been 18 for a while, and was soon to become 19. He had jet black hair that fell down over his face, nearly covering his eyes. His dark brown eyes topped off his dark complexion. When Alex reached his dorm room, he unlocked the door. When he opened it, he saw his roommate, Leon, playing videogames. "Eh, Leon? Don't you ever leave the house?" But Leon couldn't hear him. He had his earphones on, blasting his rock music.

Alex walked up to him and pulled one ear off. "I'M HERE!!" he yelled into Leon's ear. "Woah, what the…" Leon fell out of his chair, causing his character to die. "Dude, what's wrong with you!!?!" Alex fell over, laughing his head off. "That's not cool man." Leon reached for the controller, hitting the pause button. "Do you do anything other than play games all day?" Alex asked. Leon shrugged and sat back down in his chair. Alex laughed. "Your hopeless."

Alex jumped into his bed. He put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. He thought about how he and Adam had become friends. Adam didn't live in Bastion his whole life. He had only moved here about three years ago, back when they were juniors in high school. Alex had been walking home from school, when he was surrounded by a group of boys. The boys were led by Aaron. Alex had dated Aaron's sister. He found that she had been cheating on him, so he broke the relationship. Furious, she went and told everyone that he had been cheating on her. So, now Aaron wanted revenge. Besides Aaron's posse, a big group of kids circled around, wanting to see a fight.

"Looky, looky. If it isn't the little weasel." Aaron chuckled. Alex sighed. "For the last time. Your sister is a liar. She was the one who cheated, not me." Aaron looked around. "You believe him guys? Well, I don't. Do you really think that I would believe a little greaseball like you over my own sister." Alex shook his head. "I really don't care if you believe me or not, but it's the truth." Alex turned and started walking away. Aaron stepped forward. "Don't you turn your back on me!! I'm not done talking to you!." Alex kept walking and looked over his shoulder. "Well I'm done talking to you."

Aaron quickly stepped up, preparing to hit Alex in the back of the head. Suddenly, he felt a strong blow to his face, knocking him to the ground. Adam stood over him, knuckles red. "You coward. Trying to hit a person when their back is turned" Alex turned and saw the scene. Aaron eyed the two of them. He put his hand to his face and rubbed his jaw, which had nearly been broken. He stood up slowly, never taking his eyes off of the both of them. Then he turned and pushed his way through the crowd, his little posse following close behind.

After that, throughout the last two years of high school and the week that they had been in college so far, Alex and Adam had become close friends. Alex laughed to himself as he recalled the event. He soon stopped laughing as he thought about how boring the next few years were going to be. I need an adventure…

Suddenly, Adam rushed into the room. "Alex! Come quick!" In the background, Leon fell out of his chair, surprised by Adam's sudden entrance. He threw the controller at the ground and ripped off the headphones. "Dammit!" he yelled. Alex ignored him and focused on the scared look in Adam's face. "What is it?" he asked. Adam looked behind him, then back at Alex. "You two should come see for yourselves."

The three of them walked out of the dorm room. "What the hell…" Alex muttered. The sky was turning black and lightning crackled in the sky. The clouds were all swirling into one big circle. Scream rang out in the distance. Alex ran over to the balcony and looked over. Big black creatures were chasing the citizens of Bastion. Alex watched in horror as a man was caught in one of the beast's clutches. The beast dug its claws into the man's stomach.

Alex backed away from the balcony. "What the hell is going on!? This can't be happening." A growl sounded from behind them, and they turned to see one of the monsters. Its mouth was open, and a red circle was forming in it. Suddenly, the red fireball was fired straight at Alex. "Watch out!" yelled Leon. He pushed Alex out of the way, the fireball hitting him in the chest. With a loud scream, Leon's body disintegrated in the air. "Leon!!" Alex cried.

The monster started to form another fireball.

"Go!" Adam yelled, pushing Alex forward. The fireball hit the wall behind them, sending bricks flying everywhere. "Adam, what the hell is happening!?" Adam shook his head. "I don't know, and I don't plan to find out. Keep running." Alex did keep running, but he couldn't keep his eyes off of the massacre that unfolded in the distance. Buildings were on fire, and screams came from all directions.

Another scream came from behind him. A monster had Adam pinned to the ground. "Adam! Oh no you don't…" Alex picked up a brick that had come off of the wall next to him. He ran at the monster, aiming the brick for its head. The monster looked up at the last moment. The brick broke on its head, sending it flying off of Adam. He helped Adam up.

Adam looked at the monster's limp body. "I think you killed it." Adam brushed himself off. Over his shoulder, Alex saw the monster get back up. It opened its mouth, forming one of those fireballs. "Watch it!" Alex pushed Adam out of the way, but he could not dodge it in time. The fireball hit him square in the chest. Alex screamed as pain flooded his body. He saw everything around him go white, before it all went black as he passed out from the pain.

What happened? Am I dead? I must be in heaven. Alex opened his eyes. A deer stood over him. A deer? There's deers in heaven? The deer ran away as Alex turned his head. I'm not dead, but where am I? Alex groaned in pain as he tried to sit up. His body ached all over. He finally managed to sit up. He looked all around him. He was sitting in a forest. Where am I? Alex pulled off his shirt and looked at his body. He had no marks. That fireball hit me directly, why am I not dead? Where did those monsters ceom from? Why did they attack Bastion? Alex's mind flooded with question

He stood to his feet and walked deeper into the forest. He finally reached a clearing and gasped. He was standing on the edge of a cliff. In the distance he saw a little village. Past the village, a giant castle towered over everything around it. Alex shook his head and rubbed his eyes. What he was seeing was true.

Where the hell am I…? No….. When am I?