Chapter 1 : Asking why doesn't always bring answers...

January, 9:15 p.m. in the Fontainebleau area. A beautiful family house.

After settling in the room of his cousin, Nero opened his computer in the meantime. He was a young mix-blood  of 1m80, thin but athletic, result of him playing basketball and tennis. Dark eyes that he sometimes hide behind glasses, fine features, soft hair always a little messy, he was the perfect image of young model and athletic student. He had success with the fairer sex but weren't boasting about it or didn't abuse of that.

His cousin, three years his senior, was smaller, 1m70 with the silhouette of a boxer betraying its past of young hope in french boxing and adept of many martial arts. His skin was very white compared to his cousin who inherited his color from his mother who came from mauritius island, and what's more, Sig was "keeping" his whiteness by spending most of his time playing video games since his retirement from competition .

Sig was, as usual,  finishing dinner with his family.

After 15min he joined his cousin:

"- So, are you doing anything ? he said, entering the room.

- I was waiting for you ... Would you, please, eat early anyway ?

- Yeah yeah I know ... what do you want to do ?

- dunno, whatever you want. "

He looked at him silently and then they start laughing :

"- Always the same debate huh ? said Sig

- Obviously ! It's not like we had thousands of choices here, replied Nero

They ended up watching a few episodes of the series The Big Bang Theory.

As the episode ended and Sig was going to load another, the mestizo rubbed his eyes while staggering:

"- I feel strangely tired right now ... I have a black veil before the eyes ..."

The young man looked at him and fell in turn wanting to prevent the fall of his cousin ...

"- ake ... up ... wa ...ke up ... Wake up ! "

Sig suddenly opened his eyes, his heart pounding. Everything was white around him. After regaining his breath, he felt like he was floating; he was in full extra-corporal experience but did not know why. He had suddenly an impulse and he shouted the first thing that came to his mind:

"- Nero !

- What ? Why bellowed like that ? I was spleeping well ...

- Dude ?

- Well yes, who else ... Why the hell is it all white here ? Why do I have the impression of floating like that?

- Good questions, that's exactly what I was thinking but I have another question...

- Really ?

- Yes : why are we naked ?

- Huh ? Oh shit !

- I can answer to your questions "

A voice seemed to be ringing in their ears. She was sweet and warm, despite its strange melodious accents.

The two young men were from the Internet generation "dafuq? " was the only thing they found to say.

"- Before asking : no, this is not a dream, said the voice, you are in what we called an "Entremonde ". I preferred to bring you here before your trip starts. "

Sig opened his mouth but quickly shut it, as his brain was trying to gather the little thoughts that he currently had.

"- To answer your two questions : the Entremonde is an area to which access is reserved to the Essence as opposed to the Matter, explaining your floating sensation and the fact that you are ..." naked "as you say. You're currently an astral projection, a spiritual fragment if you want..."

The two cousins remained frozen like two dead fish, stunned by what they had heard. They, who were a fan of Japanese culture and gaming, they, who had had been bath in heroic fantasy since childhood, were thrown straight into a science fiction scenario!

The mysterious voice brought them out of their torpor:

"- Again, you are not dreaming.

- Yes but we're assimilating ! In addition we don't know either who you are or why we are there, or the what and the how ! Threw an annoyed Sig, whose brain had finished to freeze.

- Wait wait, don't get upset, said his cousin who was more calm. Miss, resume from the beginning ... Well, I guess you're a lady, judging by the voice we hear.

- Your guess is good. You will both be sent to another world and I want to explain some things before.

- Wait wait wait, slowly ! Interrupted Sig. What is your name ?

- Oh no ... We do not have time to talk about this, you must regain your body. Be aware that you have a purpose in this new world. "

The two young men found themselves gradually disappear.

"- Fuck but it does not care about us here! And the explanations then?

- Sig listen to her !

- Pay attention to your choices, do not get eaten by your shadow ... "

They lost concious again.

"... Hey ... ... Awake ... Come on ! ... Get up! "

Nero finally opened his eyes.

"- It's good, you're back among the living bro ? asked Sig helping his cousin to recover.

- Uh yeah I think, thank you ... I had a weird dream ...

- You remember too ... but it was not clearly not a dream ..."  said Sig, looking around him.

They were no longer in his room, but in a large temple in ruins,  overgrown by vegetation. One could almost not distinguished anymore the massive white stone as moss and plants covered the walls. The ground, formerly covered with a beautiful mosaic was cracked and wild roots and herbs sprang from everywhere. The cousins marveled at the majesty of the temple, and a good five minutes passed before returning to their minds. Sig dust himslef and had a forced laugh :

"- At least we have some clothes now ! Said the young man  ... You feel good ?

- Yeah, do not worry, I don't know what is happening but physically no problem ! Said Nero before adding with a thoughtful look :

- A little too well for that matter, I feel different ...

- Yes, I also have this feeling, I feel ... yeah ... I'd say powerful. Like when I climbed into the ring ..." replied his cousin, while getting up.

He did some stretching to stretch their limbs and hopped a little, he saw no problem. So he decided to jump as high as possible. He knelt down a bit then propulsed himeslf. Powerfully.

"- Oh shit ! " He shouted suddenly.

He suddenly rose to nearly three meters high. He fell directly on his feet but lost his balance and fall on his knee, eyes wide the physical prowess he had done.

"- Nice pal ! But your landing is poor, I'd give you a five out of ten ! Nero scoffed, rising in turn.

- But seriously, what happened ?

- How should I know? I just jumped with some strength and hop I flew! Try, let me laugh too! Sig chuckled as he stood up again.

- Ok you'll see how a real basketball player do ! "

The mestizo bent his legs and jump : just like his cousin he defied gravity, his jump was more majestic and led much higher. But once the fall begun, he also stared to flap his arms trying to catch his balance as he did not expect to go so high.

"- Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

- Careful of the landing ! Sig laughed, seeing his cousin crash the floor.

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- Better start a little practice... do you think the gravity is different here ?

- At the risk of repeating myself : How should I know? I got here along with you. For me our evening is like that : TV series, fainting, wakes up naked with a strange voice speaking to us in the head, again fainting and waking up in a ruined temple with the ability to jump so high that the discipline of high jump is done without pole for us ! But you're right it is better to exercise a bit !"

Thus they began a few exercices and soon realized that it was their physical strength that had increased ...

After a few minutes, Sig sat down breathless:

"- We are not dreaming right ... we really ... were transported elsewhere ? We really has more strength than before ?"

He swung his head back and suddenly saw a massive stone door. He swore it w as not there before ... He decided to test his strength by attempting to open i t: he placed his hands on the door and began to push. The door slowly began to open ...

"- Nero ! Come here, I found something, while we're here at least we should explore everything. "

Nero, who had his back turn to him to indulge in his own experiences, arrived in seconds thanks to its new physical abilities. They entered the room just opened.

They were facing a huge room in which sat an imposing statue of what appeared to be a deity reaching for them. Her features were erased but it did not decrease the charm exuding from the statue ... they had never been sensitive to art, but seeing this sculpture they regretted not being able to see the time of its splendor ... in her hands were located two spheres, one shone a dark and mysterious glow while the other shone a red light who look like a devouring blaze.

They approached slowly but steadily, as irresistibly drawn to the glow emitted by these strange spheres of light. They caught one each : brilliant for the Sig solid and dark for agile Nero ...

When their hands came into contact with them, it swelled to wrap in their light. They then felt a new energy awaken in them, they saw images crossed their minds, battles, flames, darkness, death everywhere ... they did not distinguished clearly everything, only an outline, but the spheres communicating about their things, a story, knowledge ... Finally it disappeared, making them reappear again and leaving woozy.

When they opened their eyes, they looked at each other: their clothes had changed, a black tunic with night - blue lines highlighting the thin lines of Nero, long, thin boots to his feet with a straight and supple pants that stick close close to the body. A fine dark cape around the shoulders completed the whole set. Sig was in a white top, sleeveless and tight, with a wide pants to give him complete freedom of movement, held down by a pair of heavy black boots.

Their bodies had also changed. The slender body of Nero seemed to have gained muscles and flexibility as after years of training in martial art, while Sig grew up:  to the physics of  a stocky English boxer, he was now more of a military trainer! Their appearance seemed to have adapted to their new capacity ...

"- Wow ... this is awesome ! You look like a freaking fighter Sig, like one of these champions who fight in cage there ! You're clearly something amazing there !

- What about you ! Your clothes and your body gives you the look of the main character of manga ! It is like all of the scenarios of my games and favorite stories! "

It was then that their wrists began to shine. The sphere they had chosen were encrusted themselves in their respective holding : in Nero's leather gloves, and in large wrist guards for Sig.

"- What do you say we test all this ? Sig asked with a smirk.

- fuck yeah ! " Exclaimed Nero merrily.

Then followed a workout for the companions to compare their new skills. They resumed their jumps exercises until they perfectly manage to jump and receive, chaining flips and acrobatics. After a while of intense activity, they collapsed to the ground, laughing:

" - Oh damn ! It's too good, how many times I dreamed of that ! Sig said with a beatific smile.

- So do I ! Answered Nero all happy.

- Besides, I wonder what we would be in combat with these abilities, it must be really great ... "

They looked at each otherwith a smile before getting into position.

" Ready ? initiate Sig.

- Come on, like when we were kids ! " Said his cousin eyes shining with desire to battle.

The two idiots rushed, Sig cocked his fist and knocked it right into the face of his opponent but what the fighter had in brute force, his cousin had it agility and speed: Nero dodged the blow by plunging toward the ground then shoot up his foot to the defenseless chest of Sig. He managed to reduce the power of the impact by jumping back. It took delivery without difficulty but Nero had already caught up and swung his fist in turn ... Without success, because his opponent blocked the shot. Taking advantage of the gap in the defense of his cousin, Sig punched down with all his strenght to the head of his opponent. Then a metallic sound echoed through the temple.

"- What ... from where did you took out this sword?

- A sword ... But... huh ?! "

Before the face of Nero, in which should have crashed Sig's fist, stood a blade that seemed to get out straight of the palm of his hand. The luminous spheres begun to reveal the extent of their powers!

"- Came from our bracelets, blew Sig, bewildered. Try to get it out completely. "

Nero then focused on the image of the sword, and when he opened his eyes, the beautiful blade was entirely in his hands. Right and bright, the weapon was truly sublime.

"- well that somethin' ! It it well complete the outfit but still ... isn't it one from Fire Emblem?

- Yes ! This is Chrom's falchion. Try also, you never know.

- How did you did it ?

- I'm not sure ... Actually it came almost alone, I just focused on the image of the weapon and then... there.

- Yeah ... Well, will try then. "

Sig closed his eyes and concentrated on his two bracelets, imagining two tonfas, army knives and finally a katana.

"- Damn you make appear full of different weapons! Cried his cousin, surprised.

- Really ?

- Yeah how you doing that ?

- Well I just imagined various weapons ...

- Arf ...

- Well, let summarizes : monstrous strength ?

Nero caught a big rectangular stone and placed it on two smaller, and then he struck so hard that it exploded.

- Check! But it hurts anyway ...

- Idiot. Speed?

Nero collected a piece of the stone and threw it across the room, catching it before it reaches the ground.

- Check!

- Agility ?

Sig then threw him other pieces of rock that Nero dodged easily.

- Check!

- Ok, now the ability to materialize by the spheres on our arms ... did it have a limit ?" And they began to imagine any two all weapons they knew.

- Good. firearms is a no. Just blades and blunt weapon. So, we can create up to four throwing weapons like knives, otherwise two onehand weapons like machetes, tonfas and other short blades or a weapon of large sword or halberd kind.

- All of that look perfect to me right ? By the way, I am hungry, don't you?

- Yes, a little, we leave the temple ? There's a new door that just appeared ...

- OK ! "

And together they pushed the door ...