I woke with a startling yelp as ice cold water poured over my brow. My eyes snapped open to see a young boy, about seven years of age, holding a wet rag above my head. I blinked, dumbfounded as  the boy grined sheepishly.

''Sorry 'bout that. You just looked feverish, so I thought I could help cool you down.'' He broke into a huge smile. ''My mom used to do that for me too, she was really cool.''

I stared, not sure what to say as I slowly processed the boy in front of me. He had short dirty blond hair that looked ruffled over to one side, and a good deal of freckles dotting his face, highlighting his warm brown eyes. I frowned. He was also very dirty, his body and clothes covered in clusters of strange dark sand that I could not identify.

Seeing my expression the boy quickly lowered the rag he held, thinking that was causing me to frown. ''Ah! I'm sorry, I probably should've asked, but you've been out of it for three days now, and since it's summer, I figured you wouldn't mind a cool down.'' He looked down in embarrassment as he put the rag back in the bucket beside the bed. ''I wasn't trying to be weird or nothin'. ''

I couldn't help but give a small smile to the strange boy, he was amusing, even to my dazed and confused mind. ''Tis' fine.'' I managed to mutter. My throat stiff from lack of use.

The young boy cracked a huge smile at my appearent amusement. ''Great! I'm Dulgo by the way, but people just call me Dash cause im super fast. Ah! But enough about me, you probably want to see my brother right now huh? He was your knight in shining armour after all!'' The boy all but jumped into the small bed with me in his excitement. ''Oh yeah! And his name is-''

''Dulgo?'' An older boys voice called from somewhere outside. His tone covered in worry.

The younger boy quickly looked to the door.'' Hey thats him! Hold on and i'll go get him for ya!'' Before I could speak he was bounding out the door, a huge grin lighting his face. 

 Sighing I glance to the wall beside my bed in confusion. Where was I anyway? All I remembered was a black rock, a white light, and... and pain.... I grabbed my forhead as a sharp pulsing pain tore through my skull at the memory. It was almost like an echo of the pain still drifted through my being, but that wouldn't make since, not unless.... I paled as the quiet voice from earlier whispered something to me about my soul being torn as I traveled through a tainted void, this worlds tainted void to be exact. No... the voice wasn't a dream...  did that mean none of it was? I hastly sat up as my memories came rushing back and looked out the window beside the bed in growing panic.

A winged creature flew by the window as I stared in shock at what lay beyond. It was beautiful. It was so green. A color I thought i'd never get to see. And there was water, trickling along the ground like its always belonged. It was day, yet it didn't disappear like the water I was used too. I blinked. Where the hell was I? Yanking my head up to see the sky I instantly regretted it. The sun was just right to be wrong, shining directly into my eyes from the window. It hurt. Bad. Wincing I held my hand up to the light and looked around the room in awe. Beautiful sounds chirped and echoed through the tiny bare room as the light played with the dust in the air. But what truly astounded me was the color of the sky. I looked back outside and smiled. It was breath-taking. So deep, so... rich in its essence. It was definitely the most beautiful blue sky i'd ever seen. But it also disturbed me greatly. Everything was so different,  there was no way I was on my world anymore. Which meant I truly did experience all of that, it wasn't just a dream. I actually traveled through the lifestream and to another world. But why? I wanted my world to be filled with life like in my mothers stories, like this worlds. That was my only wish, so why was I here?

A shiver ran down my spine as I now frowned to the strange world outside. I was afraid, but I could not let that show. I was in an unknown land. An entirely different world. The dangers here were unknown and very, very real. My fist clenched the blankets tightly. One thing was for sure. The second I found the person- thing- that brought me here, I was going to tear them a new one. They had no idea of the pain I had felt, but they would. I would make sure of it. Thunder sounded ominously in the distance as I thought this. As if the very heavens wanted to seek vengence for my pains. I smirked a little darkly at this as I raised my hand to my face and pushed my hair back. Oh yes. Revenge was definitely going to be mine.

 ''So are you planning to kill me? Cause that face of yours could freeze death itself.''

Yelping in surprise for the second time that day at the slightly amused voice from the door I threw myself backwards in a panic, slamming my back into the wall behind me in my haste to get away. I sucked in a deep hiss of pain as I noticed it was an older boy standing there, not some creature. I grabbed the back of my head as I looked to the guy warely, watching him as he stood with his slightly muscled arms crossed. Honestly, he looked pretty good. Like an older, more chiseled version of the younger boy.The only difference was the eyes. Where the boys was warm and inviting, his was distant, and the most beautiful honey gold color I'd ever seen. He seemed... on guard somehow. Like he didn't trust me. I scoffed. Well good, I didn't trust him either. But why did I zone like that? I could've been attacked, this wasn't like me at all. And were did all those dark thoughts come from? I've never thought of torturing anything before. In fact, I hated having to kill. Just because i was good at it didn't mean I liked it. Not one bit. So why?

My eyes narrowed as the boy stepped into the room and began crossing over too me. He stopped midway in, a little hesitant of my caged tiger look. We waited in tenseful silience for a few minutes before he finally spoke, shifting to his other foot as he quirked his brow.

'

'So? Are you going to tell me your name now that you're awake, or am I going to have to guess?''

I blinked. Ah... I guess these people exchange names when they first meet others, instead of blows. I frowned. Did they not have to fight over resources? I glance out the window again. Well, given the water and the edible-looking animals everywhere, I highly doubted it. But still, I didn't really feel inclined to talk. Why were they so friendly? Didn't they know I was from another world? I studied the boys calm face. No... They probably didn't... They would be freaking out if they did. But should I tell them? I didn't know much of what was going on either, so it would probably just confuse them as much as it did me if I couldn't even explain my purpose here. I bit my lip in hesitance.

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''I... I don't know...'' I look down as I say this, not wanting him to see my face. For some reason I got the feeling he would be able to tell I was lying if I kept eye contact with him. I don't know why I felt that way, but I've always trusted my instincts, so I wouldn't stop now.  

The boy frowned in worry and immediately crossed the distance between us and leaned across the bed towards me, ignoring my sounds of protests as I tried to back away to no avail. I looked around in panic as he spread his hand across my forhead. Gah! Fuck this stupid wall and my stupid weak arms! where did all my strength go?!

''Really? Hmm... You do seem a little warm...''

Our eyes meet as I looked up to protest, his beautiful gold to my startling green, and I couldn't help but stare. They were even more beautiful up close, the light from the window making them shimmer with an inner light that seemed to dance and pulse from within. I licked my suddenly dry lips, my protests dying as I felt something familiar shifting under those golden orbs. Power. There was power in this boy. The same alien power that coursed through me on my journey through the lifestream. And there was lots of it. I struggled through my fuzzy memory of the time. Was he...? No... He wasn't the one who brought me here. It was... It was a woman... It felt like a woman... so why did he feel the same as Her...? The same as... I frowned. The same as...

''...Riishi?''

 The boy looked startled for a second, then started laughing heartedly. Shocking me for a second time by how much brighter his eyes got when warmth shined through. I liked it my dazed mind thought. I liked it when his eyes looked at me with warmth instead of cold. He removed his hand and placed it on the oppisite side of the bed from his other hand, bracing himself in front of me as he shook his head, a hearty grin still in place.

''Thats nice of you, but im not my Goddess. And I could never hope to be.'' He quirked his brow again, this time with genuine amusement. ''Why did you call me that?''

''Ah! No, I didn't- I was...'' I frowned in confusion. ''It was just a memory... I think...'' I shook my dazed head, hoping to dislodge the weird feeling as my strength began to return. ''No, it's nothing. Um, do you mind getting off the bed before I end up hurting you? I like my personal space, and you're creeping me the hell out.''

He stayed there looking at me in shock for a few seconds before turning his head in an inquiring manner, completely ignoring my warning. ''I do? Why?''

My muscles began twitching in distress, the feeling to lash out becoming more unbearable the more uncomfortable I got. ''Um, well, there's plenty of reasons, but if you don't get the hell away from me in the next five seconds you won't live long enough to find out about any them.''

The boy must've finally noticed my tensed muscles and twitching fingers, because the second the sentence ended he was off the bed and halfway across the room before I could blink. Or he just saw the truth of it in my eyes, either way, I was greatful for some space. I looked the boy up and down as my muscles slowly began to relax, a little curious dispite myself. He was interesting for a normal looking boy, and I had to admit, he sure could move. Maybe that boy Dulgo got his speed from him, they were brothers after all. I rubbed the back of my neck looked away in discomfort.

''So um, I would love to talk, but would you give me some space for a little while? I need some time to think.'' I glance back towards him in desperation. ''Please...? I honestly don't even know what's going on...''

He shifted reluctantly, opening his mouth before closing it again. Finally after a few moments  he nods. ''Alright. I'll be outside, so call if you need anything.'' He points behind him. ''And there's some food in the kitchen, so if you feel up to it then help yourself.''

 I watch him disappear into the room he called the kitchen before I heard the distinct sound of a door opening, then closing once more. I waited a few more moments to see if he was coming back before slowly getting up, careful to not make any noise as I heard muffled voices traveling by the outside wall. Okay, so this was freaking nuts. I was on an alien world because some- thing - calling itself the Life Bringer decided to, supposedly, give me the power to save my world that was appearently cursed to die because of my ancestrial Grandfather deciding to do something stupid.

Yeah. this totally made sense. Oh, and lets not forget said alien boy calling that Riishi creature his Goddess. Great, like it wasn't creepy enough. I really needed answers, and fast. And more importantly, I needed to find my way home. If I actually believed the whole 'You've got the power to save your world' thing that is. That was my wish at least, so I should be able to do it now that that 'O' So Great Goddess' of his gave me the power to do so. I sighed as I stretched, letting the strange cloth that was wrapped around my body fall to the floor before looking around for my clothes. Not seeing them in the room I frowned. I loved the clothes mother made for me, but it seems like I'd have to borrow someone elses until I could find mine.

A little frustrated I walked over to the strange furnature and opened the drawers, finding plenty of the older boys clothes to choose from. Hesitating to make sure their voices were still outside I quickly dressed in some of the older boys clothes. They felt weird, but I could tell the pants I had on were some kind of strange brown leather, while the shirt was an itchy white material that I had to tuck in to minamize the slack since it was big on even my new and improved body. It sucked. This whole situation was crazy, but these clothes were just... Where were their protective clothing? There were no thick layerings, so that would make me an easy target for any kind of weapon or creature out there. Tsk. And I thought this journey was weird in the beginning, now it was just plain fucked up. Nothing made sense too me, and I needed things to make sense. Now more than ever.

_______________

''Hey! Is anybody home?! Earth to big bro, Im trying to talk too ya here!'' The little boy waved his hands in front of my dazed face as I leaned on the shovel and stared into the woods, trying to think about the strange girl I had left to sit in my bed a few minutes earlier and the mysteries surrounding her, but my brother was finally bringing my attention back too the present with his insistent waving.

Frowning I look down to my little brother in confusion. ''What?''

 He stills and stares at me for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. ''Oh geez, this is freakin' unbelievable! My brother is already in love with her! The world is truly and understandably doomed!''

He kneeled over in his laughing fit as I finally remembered he had asked me what I thought of her earlier. Ruffling his hair good heartedly I laughed with him. ''Oh come on, you know that isn't true. Im just trying to figure out where she came from so I can send her home.''

The boy stops laughing and looks towards the house worriedly. ''Yeah, her parents must be worried sick huh?''

I wince a little from the way he casually mentions parents. He was too young to remember ours, but it still hurt to think he never get to know what having parents felt like. ''Surely, but you mustn't approach her carelessly remember? We can't have anyone finding out where the Gate is.'' My hands tighten on the wooden handle. ''Especially with the Taint going around.''

 He looks up to me with a determined look on his face, his voice filled with the tone of someone who was recitng something he was taught since birth.

''I know, we have to protect the Gate from outsiders like our parents did.'' He glances back towards the house, his voice going back to his child-like certainty. ''But she doesn't seem sick like the others. Strange, yes, but not filled with darkness like the others were. Besides, didn't you say you could feel the darkness in people?''

I follow his gaze as I remembered what I had dreamed, and what I had felt, my gaze becoming distant once more.

''I can. And that's what is worrying me.''