A man stands before a bridge. One shrouded in mist and tales. Vigore has traveled for so long searching for this place. So many had called him mad. Chasing a fairytale. He took his first step onto the bridge.

“I wouldn’t cross that bridge if I were you.”

Vigore froze turning to see a strange man sitting on the bridge, an odd door sitting next to him. He knew he wasn’t there before. This only strengthened his belief this was the place he was looking for.

“And why would I not?”

“It is not necessarily a good thing on the other side.” The man answered simply.

“And what manner of being are you to know the future?”

“I don't really know. Still figuring that out.” The man looked out into the mists like he wasn’t really looking there but somewhere far off. “But I've recently needed to get out of the office and I seem to be able to do this now.”

“What talking to strangers on a bridge.” This was not what Vigore was expecting.

“Kinda.” He chuckled, “I just needed to get out you know. Try to clear my head. Not that it’s really working. Honestly, I’m even more confused. Life is strange isn’t it”

Vigore remembered how strange his entire journey had been. Going from one city to another. Chasing rumors and children’s stories. “Yeah.” He took another step.

“Right now you are at a crossroads.”

Vigore stopped again, looking out over the misty bridge. Though he couldn’t see the other side, it was just a bridge. A myth one that was supposed to change the crosser's destiny. The one he had been looking for. “It's a bridge.”

The man rolled his eyes. “Metaphorically. If you cross that bridge. There is no going back.”

Vigore looking seriously out into the mist replied, “That's the point.”

“Oh.” The man looked genuinely taken aback. “Well then don't let me stop you.”

“Then I'll be going.” He took another step.

“Mind if I join you?”

At that, Vigore stopped again. “But weren't you warning me not to cross?”

He shrugged. “More of giving you information. But do you mind?"

“Why?”

“Sometimes it's nice to have a companion on a journey.” He answered with a smile.

“Journey? The fog might be thick but I'm at the end not the beginning.” And all he had to do was cross to the other side. He was so close.

“Sometimes it's both.” The man laughed short and loud. “Ha! That was cheesy.” He looked at Vigore, his eyes pleading. “But do you mind if I finish? This journey with you?”

He had been traveling and searching for this place for so long. There was no reason not to let him, but Vigore had been alone for so long. Many thought he was crazy, or cursed. Sometimes even he wasn’t sure. But when he started making discovery after discovery thats when they started to take him seriously. Treasure hunters constantly follow his trail. He didn't know what to make of this man. But he needed to finish this. Alone.

“Sorry but Im going it alone.” He turned to take the next step.

“Ah.” The man’s face fell. “Then I wish you well, and boon companions as you begin your adventure.”

“But...” He turned back finding the man and the door gone. Did I pass the test?

Vigore took another step, this time no one stopped him. Then another. Until he made his way deep into the mists never even noticing when he crossed worlds.

#

On a bridge, a man watches a man cross worlds, off to his own adventure. He hoped he liked the new world he sent him to. Though he really wished he let him walk with him more. Might have been nice.

Nicki had needed to go somewhere. He wanted to try to change something and give the Heroes a choice. Maybe not become one. Let them live their lives, or help them or something. Before he knew it he felt a pull different from the rest. One where he could see strings connecting fate on the tapestries of worlds. He could feel the potential Heroes as the power built up around them.

Ring.

Nicki pulls out his phone, seeing it’s his Mom. He had synced his time with his world. No more time loss for him. Not for this at least.

“Hey, mom.”

“Good, you answered this time. Everything ok? You sound a bit down.”

I said two words. “Yeah, I'm ok.”

“Just wanted to let you know. Your father and I will be out tonight. So your on your own for dinner.”

“Didn't I tell you? They got me traveling for work again.”

“Nicholas Ike Knight. Again! You should really give us a heads-up. You just got back from their last work trip.”

Nicki felt bad about not telling them. But it was a new ability and he wasn’t sure when he’d be back. “Yeah. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. It was kind of a last-minute thing.”

“Nick I don’t know if I like that place. You work all hours. Don’t get days off.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“But I’m helping people. It's a good job.” Please just drop it.

The line was silent for a long time before I heard her sigh. “Where are you anyway?”

Nicki looked out seeing the mountains all around “Canada. This place is really interesting there are mountains on top of mountains. I think it’s the rocky.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

Looking back out he saw mountain after mountain. “I'm not exaggerating.”

“They even have trees so big I think people are living in them.”

“Are you by Washington? I hear they have redwoods that big. But people don’t live in them.”

Nicki looked back and distinctly saw people moving between giant trees, even lounging around a door. “Yeah. That would be pretty cool though.” I wonder if they sway a lot.

“How long is the trip?”

“I’m” What could I say? “not sure when I'll be back.”

“Nick you need to set some boundaries with that place.” She sounded serious, and normally it would be great advice.

“Take care of yourself.”

“I was supposed to say that.” She said childishly.

“Ha, I said it first.”

“Yeah yeah. Be safe. Love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

#

A girl and a sword stand at the open door of an office. Following the sounds of honking. “Is that a goose?” Illia asked staring at the large brown waterfowl sitting on a chair. This place was already strange. Even she never expected a goose. “Yes, it is.”

She felt a question from the sword next to her. “I don't know why it's there.”

The sword floated in a spinning motion.

“No. You can't cut it.”

The sword tipped over sulking before floating in front of her spinning.

“Why would it wear a hat?”

The sword flew in front of Illia, looking confused. It was the one thing she picked up. Figuring out its emotions, was actually rather easy, as the sword was very expressive for an object.

“Look I don't know what your saying.” She shook her head annoyed. “I'm making shit up.” The sword floated back in shock. “And it appears I'm right half the time.”

How can a sword look disbelieving? It was the oddest thing to be able to interpret it so easily.

The sword twisted and point towards the girl, which she thought she understood the question. “I don't know how you'll talk without lungs.”

The sword began to sulk. “Look your the magic sword, I'm just a Djinn.” She pointed toward the bird sitting in the room. “Maybe it's a magic goose.”

Illia walked up the water fowl hoping she wasn’t about to make a fool of herself. “Hello, Mr goose.”

The bird's head seemed to narrow as she approached. It stared quietly watching.

“Do you know what this place is?”

The goose ignored her as it stayed perched on the seat.

That was a waste of time. “Well, I don't think it's magic. Hey, sword do you know what this place is?”

The sword began to vibrate as it generated a ping sound.

“Well that wasn't words but it's something.”

“Ping ping.” It said excitedly. Illia was starting to worry. She didn’t like this office. It was where she appeared, and the one place she knew that man would come. “Ok, I think we should leave before whatever that guy is, comes back.”

“Ping.”

#

In a place on a moon, where time is distorted. Where a little girl who was too young to be on her own, is training for her first-ever adventure. For the past two weeks she and her first boon companion, a little wisp she named Silas, have been learning everything they could about their new life ahead of them. Then Silas would become her spiritual companion, and they would be together forever, or until Silas got a body. Then they can do whatever Silas wants. She wanted him to be happy too.

Vanessa learned so much about magic and even something called cultivation. Using energy from the world or heavens to make her strong. If she had had that in her previous life she could have willed her sickness away and her body would have been so strong. She could have pushed her own wheelchair.

Right now she was feeling nervous. She was quickly coming up to the end of her tutorial and Vanessa was scared. The nice man had told her everything that would happen. Even getting a childhood where she could play with other kids. She would have to wait a few years to be big enough to explore.

“I don’t want to wait. I want to explore to run and poke a dragon.”

“The information indicates their scales are soft like leather.” The wisp bobbed excitedly. “But first we’ll need to be at the nascent soul. That is the weakest of their kind. Also, they don’t like to be poked?” The wisp looked affronted. “That's strange why wouldn’t it be like that. I have come to love a good poke and pet. Maybe a pet instead?”

Venessa thought about it she agreed she wouldn’t want to be poked. “Yes, let's pet a dragon.” With that incredibly important decision made. She suddenly remembered her time was short. Which then leads her back to thinking about her parents. “Would they have a new girl too?” They deserved a girl who wasn’t broken. They had done so much for her, and even now she just wanted them to be able to be happy and smile for real. Like the days she was feeling better.

In her next life, she would be strong, and take care of her new mommy and daddy. And all the little people. Vanessa was determined and excited. Why then was she crying?

Silas bobbed up to her and gently rolled across her shoulders.

“I'm scared Silas.”

“Scared? Yes...I do believe I am as well. It is such an...odd feeling. Why do I feel this?” Silas had gained plenty of information from the book in the tutorial but Venessa had been teaching it what little she knew about being. Though she was only six.

“The unknown is scary.” She had been told that many times, on her bad days.

“But I have scanned all pertinent information in the provided library. And once we reach the new world I will devise a perfect magic and cultivation method for your body. I have all the information on all the continents, locations of resources, lifesaving treasures, grimoires, and even places of retreat. By all accounts, I know everything about the world. This fear is irrational.”

She didn’t say anything, just sat there with Silas.

“Strange...”

She then noticed a little flower off to the side.“I will pick you flowers when we get there, and make the best flower crown. I always wanted one. They were just so pretty, and I couldn’t touch them.”

“I would like that.”

#

A woman and a sword stand in front of a window. A place where a man left a child. The two look through expecting to see fire or bright lights. Only to see the girl. There she was. The little girl was safe, if a little dirty. She tried her hand at the door only to find it still locked.

At least she looks fine. She looked closer noticing her clothes were scorched, worn, and dirty. Mostly. Then she noticed the floating ball of white fire. What is that?

It didn’t give Illia a bad feeling, and the girl looked at it smiling. Can’t be that bad. Seeing the girl in one piece smiling, Maybe he wasn’t a monster.

The girl turned locking eyes with Illia, and waved excitedly. She can see me?

Not sure what else to do Illia waved back.

The little girl giggled and said something but no sound made it through the glass.

Illia pointed to her ears and shook her head.

The girl looked confused before she understood and shrugged before walking towards the door.

As she got closer she suddenly noticed her skin was very pale light pink, her eyes had whites in them instead of blue. Was she another of the creatures? Was this it’s daughter?

She felt foolish for fearing the small child, no matter how strange they looked. Maybe she can answer some questions about this place.

The girl seemed to pause once she reached the door on her side. Looking slightly afraid. Maybe she’s afraid of me? That had never occurred to her. She was just a child and she was a grown adult. She watched as the girl took a deep breath steadying herself. Illia thought it was quite cute. Then she flung the door wide open.

She watched the door open and waited for the girl, only for no one to pass through. In fact, when she looked through the door she noticed the room was empty and gray. There was nothing inside. None of the stuff she had seen in there with the girl.

“Where did she go?” She was trying to make sense of it all. “Was this some kind of final trick of the creatures? Give her hope she would be free then at the last second take it away?”

“Ping” The sword responded.

Illia felt afraid. “What do I do?”