Beyond a door, in a place both familiar and alien. A place, so similar yet different. Halls appeared almost endless, yet entirely too short. Rooms were scattered all around, with empty desks and strange walls like cloth. Illa ran using her magic to get as far away as she could. The entire place reminded her of her Magic Academy days. The halls always seemed to go on forever and would shift or change when one looked away.
Strangely the familiar, and unfamiliar, brought a strange sort of comfort. At least until her mind caught up to what brought her there.
What kind of creature did the Viscount contract with? It wasn’t unheard of for people to make deals with other entities but she had never heard of one like him. He was like a Djinn if everything was stripped away. Was I Supposed to be a sacrifice?
She was still bruised and a bit beaten from her run through the woods, and tumble up the stairs. Illia was beyond exhausted, and her magic was nearly gone. She needed to hide, and rest. Maybe then she could finally figure out what was going on. It wasn’t long before she found what she hoped was a ventilation grate, just large enough for her to climb inside. It was pretty secure in the wall but she quickly found the release and climbed deep inside. She crawled deep into the shaft before the day finally caught up to her and she passed out.
#
Beep. Beep. Beep.
All around Vanessa Greigh were the sounds of machines. At this point, they were almost comforting to her. She had had one around her for as long as she could remember. She didn't know what they did, just that they kept her alive, and possibly sunshine. She wasn’t able to get a straight answer from the doctors on that.
The door to her room opened. She waited holding back a giggle then jumped out. “Boo!”
“Ahhh.” Nurse Adams leaned back dramatically. “You scared me.”
“I'm a monster, rawr.”
Nurse Adams Laughed. She had always been nice to Vanessa even giving her a nickname. Vanny the explorer. Vanny for short. “No your a little girl. One who should be in bed.”
“No, I'm a monster. I have tentacles and everything!” She said proudly holding up her IVs.
Vanessa completely missed the sad realization crossing the nurse's face. She just giggled at her successful prank and went back to her bed.
“That's a good girl.” Nurse Adams said pulling up a small cart and a clipboard. “Now. I just need to”
“Do a few tests.” Vanessa finished.
“Yes, that's right.”
“What are they looking for now?” She asked curious. Wondering if they would find something else inside her.
The nurse paused, “They are just making sure you're ok.”
“But I'm not. I'm dying right?” She said in a very matter-of-fact way. Shocking the nurse.
“What?”
“You all talk and all I can really do is listen.”
“I...” Nurse Adams was floundering.
“You don’t have to confirm. I...” She felt warmth in her eyes. “I...know I'm going away. Then I'll get to go off on an adventure. Isn't that right?” She said giving the biggest smile she could. The one she always gave her parents.
“That's exactly right.” She said holding up her clipboard like a shield. “An adventure where there are knights and dragons.”
“Maybe a giant eldritch monster.” Vanessa nearly squealed
“How do you even know about those?”
“The internet.”
That was Vanessa’s fondest memory from the last week. Nurse Adams was always really nice. Now the month before, she had gotten to go to an amusement park for the first time. It was amazing. She had a giant pretzel and got a new stuffed friend as big as her.
Right now her mind wandered to that, as her eyelids felt so heavy, and her chest was getting harder to lift. She smiled, she could feel herself leaving, as her parents held her hand holding back tears as best they could.
“Don't worry she wisped out. I'm just going on an adventure.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
That was the last thing she remembered before the blackness took her.
#
In a place of beginnings, endings, and strange rules. A man in a hoodie is down on one knee in front of a little girl. Looking at the man’s eye level. Just behind the desk was an open file.
The man spoke softly, “Hello little one.”
The man’s voice brought Vanessa out of her strange fog as she looks towards the voice confused. Her first thought, Why is it so quiet, and what happened to my tentacles? Looking down she was still in her hospital gown, and she quickly found the soft chair underneath her could spin. “Weeee!” She always wanted to do that, but the doctors wouldn’t let her. She let out a giggle, as she spun and spun till she felt dizzy.
“That was fun.”
“Was it?” The man said now leaning against the desk, out of foot swinging range. She thought he had a kind smile. “You looked to be enjoying yourself quite a bit.”
Now she started to understand. “Are you god?”
“No.” He laughed. “At least I don't think I'm one. Still figuring that out.”
“Then is this heaven I was told is probably come here, and meet some people I've never met.” She asked. Unsure how she felt meeting family that she never knew.
“No.” The man shook his head. “It's not that either.”
Vanessa’s eyes began to widen and tear up. “Then is this the other place? I swear I was a good girl.”
“No. This is...” The man quickly scrambled to reassure her. “like a way-point, a crossroads.”
She tilted her head trying to understand. “Oh!” She sat straight excited. “Like in the stories.”
“Do you like stories?”
“Yes! I do. I love them.” She gasped in the air nearly jumping out of the seat. “Wait! Am I in a story? Will I get to go on an adventure?”
The man blinked, “Yes. I'm the one to send you there?”
“Wooowwww.” She said drawing out the word.
The man leaned down to her eye-level. “What kind of adventure do you want?”
“I want, to be a princess, with magic, and a demon hunter. Explore the unexplorable. Gaze into the abyss and make it blink. No matter how many tentacles it has.”
The man stared before letting out a big laugh. “That's a big order for such a little girl.”
She stared hard at the man, “And it won't be big enough for me.”
“Well, let's get you on your way but first.” The man looked off into the distance, before smiling. “I think I have a friend for you.”
“A friend?” She let out a high-pitched squeal. “My first companion as an adventurer.”
The man held out a hand waiting for Vanessa to take it. She smiled as the two walked out of the office.
#
Deep in a field of floating stars, two people stand on a walkway, a man and a little girl, surrounded by nothing but souls drifting through the room. Venessa reaches out as a little white light floats up to her and moves across her hand, tickling. “That tickles and is kind of warm.”
The man smiles and gestures to the lights, “Yes and one of them is going to be your first companion.”
“Really?” Vanessa’s eyes grew wide. Now seeing the lights as future friends.
“Yup Yup.” The man grabbed her hand and raised it. “Now hold out your hand and ask one of them to come with you.”
The man let go as her voice shook, “Ok.” She took a deep breath, “Will one of you be my friend.” All at once the stars stilled, as one by one they drifted away, creating a void between them and the two people. Except for one, floating just beyond the girl's reach. It sat there considering, as the girl squirmed afraid it might run away.
Slowly it floated down into her hand, “Will you be my friend?”
The little wisp didn't answer instead it floated around her nuzzling into her cheek. It let out a small chime. That the man seemed to understand.
“Are you sure you want that form?” He asked.
It let out another musical chime, and he nodded before addressing Vanessa. “Now remember he is very young and learning just like you. So you two will grow together and go on so many adventures.” The man paused as he looked at the wisp. “Now he doesn’t have a name yet, why don’t you give him one.”
Vanessa stared down at her first companion and smiled, “Your name is Silas.” The wisp bounced up and down in her hand.
“I'm glad you found your first friend. Now are you ready for your adventure?”
#
Not far off a woman watches the man-creature bring a very odd young child. One who could not possibly have her horns yet, walking hand in hand through the building.
She had followed them trying to think of a way to save the girl from the creature's grasp when he brought her and a little glowing light to a silver door labeled Tutorial.
What is he going to do here?
“Ok.” The man kneeled down to the girl. With a serious face he spoke to the child but she was just out of range to hear. All Illia knew was the girl looked scared. Was it from the creature or was there something about the room? Did he have papers on her as well?
Then he opened the door. From there she could see racks of weapons, strange arcane symbols, racks of books, and training dummies. She almost didn’t notice when the girl walked inside. The door shut, and the man’s expression shifted to anger as he stomped away.
I need to get to her now.
As soon the man left she ran to the door trying to open it. But she couldn't it was locked and the door wasn't budging. She looked through the little window expecting to see a girl in the corner crying or something horrible only to see a blur running around the room, flashes of fire, light, and lightning. What is going on?
What did he do to her? She said horrified. Wondering if he had taken the girl in some kind of horrible deal for power.
#
Nicki sits in his office with his head in his hands for what felt like the thousandth time since he started this job.
“Why!?” He shouted at nothing, slamming his hands on a manila folder. “Why!?”
Did I do any good? She was so young. How could she show up here? Did I do the right thing? She had been through so much already, and she would go through so much more.
“At least she’ll be able to live.”
The words felt hollow even as he said them. He wished he could prevent this from happening. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do more. With every Hero, he could feel himself changing, and he didn’t know where it would end.
Today he hated this job. He wished he never knew anything about the girl. Never saw her face, read her story, or held her hand. Today he wished he could have just sent her off, seen her as a name on a page. But Nicki could never do that even if he could. So today he was left with tears, terrible knowledge, and hope for a little girl’s new life.