Alice showed me different ways to gather energy, she even told me, that if you fight enough, or have more experience in an element, you could summon an elemental blade. But, it starts with the ability to infuse your weapon, it all depends on the element you wield.

Abby stretched her hand, nothing happened, after a few attempts, she managed to make a very tiny silver orb.

Alice smiled, “Good. Now, pick up a weapon, perhaps some armor, and we will be leaving soon.” She looked at me, I put my hands next to my left side and used my two hands to create a butterfly between them.

Alice chuckled, “Anime style!”

I tried to gather energy, but it felt as if something was blocking me, my nose started to bleed.

Alice stopped me, “You are forcing too much, if you need to force something, then it is crap.”

Abby laughed while she picked up a bow, I sighed and spoke up, “I don’t think, it is going to work.”

Alice smiled, “No worries at all, some people can easily get the hang of it, and others need to train for years.”

The whole house started to shake, but we all knew who was doing that, the shadow man. I looked at Abby, instead of fear, I saw glee and joy, excitement for an adventure. Alice, on the other hand, acted as if that was business as usually. I, on the other hand, listened to the drive force that I feel in my head.

Alice looked at Abby, she had equipped some leather armor, Alice walked over to her, “Here, let me help, your pants are all wrong, did you ever try to equip armor before?”

She looked at Alice, “What do you think?”

Alice chuckled and helped Abby, as I looked at Abby, I thought of a perfect way to describe her armor. This set of armor has a squared helm with a face guard with two oval holes leaving the eyes minimally exposed. Attached to the forehead area are two outward curving, wing-like ornament pieces. The shoulders are oval, narrow, and enormous. They’re decorated with a row of colored feathers, all pointing upwards. The row reaches from side to side. The upper arms are protected by pointed, layered metal rerebraces which sit well under the shoulder plates.

The lower arms are covered by vambraces which have a masterfully crafted leather snake curling around them. The breastplate is made from several pieces which are layered on top of each other. It covers everything from the neck down and ending at the groin, but the shoulder area is fairly exposed to allow for more movement space. The upper legs are covered by a skirt of vertical layers of leather and fur reaching below the groin. The lower legs are protected by leather boots which have a row of hook-like barbs attached to each outer side. Thick leather pants are worn beneath this all.

I sighed, “It looks pretty spectacular, what are you wearing Alice, just, your scrubs?”

She shrugged, “I've had worse, maybe just a dress.”

Alice walked over to a short sword, she looked at me, “It is dangerous to go alone, take this.” She threw it towards me and I fumbled the catch.

Alice sighed, I looked at her, sighing, and spoke up, “How is this my fault? Excuse me, princess, but your throw was off,” I picked up the sword.

Alice took a deep breath, “You just suck,” The house shook again.

Alice looked at me, “Our time is up. Let’s go.”

She walked over to the hatch while grabbing a giant sword, She jumped out of the hatch with ease, Abby looked at me, “I think, we just got enlisted to start an epic quest.”

I smiled, “If we live long enough to reach that portal, and this is not a prank.”

Abby looked at her leg, “If someone hurts me like this for a prank, I am murdering everyone.”

I shrugged, “Sounds good, maybe, we should, I don’t, follow her?” Abby nodded and climbed out of the basement, then I followed her.

Alice looked at us, “You guys look like you are going to die within five seconds when we go through that portal.” We both gave her a thumbs up. Alice shook her head, “let’s go to the ambulance.”

The garage door got slammed by something, and it bulged, after another hit, we looked at a shadow beast, It looked like some kind of hound from hell. Alice ran towards it and swung her giant blade down, the hound blocked her attack.

I looked at Abby, “Shoot it with an arrow.”

Abby looked back at me, “You can go help her, you have a sword.”

I looked at my sword, “But, you can do it from far away, I would rather not get mauled.”

Abby sighed, “Fine,” she grabbed an arrow out of her quiver, I knew she had taken a lot of archery classes in the past. She readied her arrow and aimed, when Alice got launched against the wall, Abby fired her arrow, It flew true as it hit the shadow hound in its chest.

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However, it did not kill the shadow hound, It leaped towards Abby, she raised her arms to block the incoming attack from the shadow hound, something in me, told me to stay away. I ignored it and rammed the shadow hound out of the air, and we rolled away against the wall. I raised my short sword and stabbed it, my rage started to lead me, I kept stabbing as more shadows flew everywhere. “Die motherfucker!” I just kept stabbing.

I felt two hands on my shoulder, Alice spoke up, “You did it, Steve, it is dead.”

I looked at Abby, “Yes, it is, Sorry, I let myself go there for a moment.”

With a concerned look on her face, Alice looked at Abby, “I know what he meant with his rage now, and, I can say it happens to me too, not this bad though.”

Alice helped me up, I had some burn wounds from the shadows but nothing major, Abby started running for the ambulance, Alice followed her and I just walked over to them. Alice got in the back of the ambulance, Abby took the wheel.

I sat next to Abby, she looked back at Alice, “Where to?”

“Steve’s old home.”

I exclaimed, “Seriously?”

Alice nodded, “Yes, near the spring, in the cave. At least, that is what the woman told me.”

Abby shrugged, “Steve told me where he lived as a kid.”

Alice looked at Abby, “I never asked, how do you know Steve?”

Abby blushed, “Well.”

Alice spoke up before she could answer, “Are you his girlfriend?”

My cheeks turned red, “How do I say this?”

Abby sighed, “Just, throw it out there Steve, like you always do, your stupid man brain is never, how do I say this? Tactful.”

I shrugged, “Fine, she is a prostitute, I guess?”

Alice sighed, “You pay her for sex?”

Abby nodded, “And a lot of money too, both, by the way.”

I scratched my head, “Does this make me look bad?”

Alice nodded, “Yes it does.”

“What do you think about him, Abby?”

Abby smiled, “He is a good man under the self loathing crap, he has been through a lot. I do care about him a lot, if he stopped paying me, I won’t mind or something, but he is rich enough.”

I let out a big smile, “Thanks, Abby.”

Alice looked at me, “You suck, how did you even hire her?”

Abby chuckled. “We met in the supermarket, he came over to me, hey hot thing, I am horny, and I have money, and I needed money.”

Alice laughed, “For real?”

I raised my hands, “Not my finest moment, alright?”

We drove to my old home, my foster father used to live there, but he doesn’t anymore, I know why, but I won’t admit to myself, why that is. When we arrived, I saw an old man standing there, some kind of aura was radiating around him.

Alice looked at me, “I am going to check what is going on, don’t leave the ambulance, unless absolutely necessary.”

Alice got out and walked over to the old man, Abby looked at me, “There is a small waterfall, is the cave behind that?”

I chuckled, “There is always a cave behind a waterfall,” We looked at Alice conversing with the old man, “Who do you think he is?”

Abby shrugged, “Maybe her mentor, someone, had to teach her these things.” We just waited for a bit, the house looked abandoned, Abby poked me to get my attention, “is your father not at home?”

“Huh?”

She pointed at the house, “Your dad?”

“Oh, I guess not.”

Alice walked over and opened the door, “Don’t, leave the ambulance, he said his name is Nicholas, he is keeping the portal open for now.” He is going to help us, she made some energy appear in her hand and started writing, she let me read it, it said, he is trying to murder us. Something about saving us pain and making him stronger.

I nodded, “I understand, what are you going to do, Alice?”

“You will see, now, when I give the signal, drive this thing into the portal.”

I chuckled, “Is that even possible?”

Alice shrugged, “There is only one way to find out.”

She closed the door and walked over to Nicholas, Alice tried to attack him, but she got launched into the cave, presumably through the portal.

Abby grunted, “We are so fucked, aren’t we?” The shadow man appeared.

“No, now we are fucked.” The shadow man attacked Nicholas, they started shooting energy beams at each other, “Abby?”

“Yes?”

“This might be the perfect time to, I don’t know, fucking drive this thing!”

“Jeez, you don’t need to shout at me, Steve.”

She started to drive, Nicholas looked at us, and he tried to run towards us, Abby swerved aside, and I saw how the shadow man pulled Nicholas back, he had let his guard down to try to stop us. The shadow man put both of his hands on Nicholas’s head and it exploded.

I screamed in panic, “Drive, Abby, fucking drive!”

She put the ambulance on full throttle and drove through the waterfall, we saw a weird portal, Abby did not stop, she looked at me for a moment, then we went through the portal, where we would hopefully find Alice.