Chapter 1
“Hey, Mom! I’m headed out, Professor Gunther said he wanted to see me,” I called back through the door. I didn’t get an answer - not uncommon - and continued out onto the sidewalk. I looked up at the sun for a moment, then fixed my backpack strap. I fished my phone out of my pocket, and hit the home button to find a black, unchanging screen.
“Are you kidding me? Frozen again? Man, this has happened three times this past week,” I scowled at the little Apple product, and pushed it back into my pocket. I walked down through the trail of my garden of a front yard. One of the red carnations my mother planted to line the stones had fallen, and lay wilting on the rock. I stepped across its bud, and continued through the gates.
I looked both ways down the road and made my way across, checking my phone one more time. Finding it was still frozen, I just slid it into my pocket and ignored it. Instead, I flipped my backpack onto my chest and pulled a Physics book from the mouth. I opened it to the assigned pages, and began to read. The school was about twenty blocks from home, and I never minded walking that distance. Not that my mom would’ve taken me.
I passed the tenth block, and heard what sounded like a tree branch crashing to the ground. I stopped, and looked around, my brow furrowed; I noticed nothing new about my surroundings, and a silence filled the air once again. This was the first time I found that strange. I packed my book up, and kept my eyes forward. Wild boars or mountain lions roaming into town were not that uncommon in Alpine, and I’d heard that there were a few of each in town as of late.
I walked five blocks, and relaxed. The school was in view, and so I figured I could make it before anything caught up to me. I began a little jog, wanting to make sure that nothing was behind me.
I finally came up to the lawn of the school, and stopped to catch my breath. I looked up into the second floor window that was my professor’s room. I could see Professor Gunther looking down at me, and I waved to him, slightly embarrassed that he’d seen me running. When he didn’t wave back, I began to look a little closer.
He wasn’t moving. His coffee cup was on his way to his mouth, but he moved it no further. It was unlike Professor Gunther - he had ADHD, and even on his pills, he would move around constantly, possibly due to his coffee consumption. I started jogging again, worried about my professor, but I was stopped, in the most abrupt way - a blunt object slamming into my side.
And I didn’t just fall.
I flew.
I could feel the ground flying under me. I looked to the left to see what I would hit if I didn’t touch the ground, and my the left side of my body slammed into the car blocking my path. I let out a gasp of pain, knowing that my arm was broken. Despite this, I wasted no time in getting the strap of my backpack off my arms. I turned and looked to see if the boar was larger than I anticipated. But, I didn’t look at a boar. The animal - creature - whatever I was looking at, was something otherworldly. It was huge, black, almost like a shadow, with a yellow, glowing tattoo literally writhing on his left arm, in the shape of a hyacinth.
I stood and sprinted around the car, watching as the huge ape-like creature began to sprint toward me. I had only taken five steps before the crash of metal filled the air - the impact of the shadow-thing slamming into the car. I turned back to look, continuing to run, and I felt my heart leap into my throat; the creature had bent the car in half, the front folding over onto the back.
If I had been there, it would’ve killed me in seconds, I thought before suddenly realizing the shadow had disappeared. I sped up, running as fast as I could, turning my head in different directions, looking everywhere I could. Finally, I spotted it: it was on the ground, literally trailing me as if it were my own shadow. Its arm materialized and swung at me, and I dropped to my stomach, wincing in pain as I used my arms to break the fall. In the few seconds it took for the creature to fully materialize, I jumped up and put as much distance as I could from it.
I turned a corner, feeling the wind distorted by the shadow gliding just behind me. I was cutting it too close. Luck was never in the best quantity for me, and I knew it was only a matter of time before it ran out. I turned another corner, and froze. I didn’t expect it to be so soon - I stared into the face of a wall. A dead end.
I knew I couldn’t turn back. The creature would meet me before I could find a new direction. I’d be torn to shreds. But, there was no way to go forward, unless adrenaline would allow me to punch through the wall. I ran toward it, and just put my back to it, giving myself as much time as I had left.
I could hear the creature slowly making its way to me. It knew it had trapped me. I continued to search for a way out, my stomach dropping just a little further into my feet as I constantly came up empty. Finally, the face of the shadow appeared around the corner. This is it, I thought, There’s really nothing left for me to do. I’m done, right here.
Its entire body fit into the little alley way, with just enough space to swing its arm back. It reached its limited height, and swung his hand down. I didn’t look away. I watched it come down, and watched as a glowing white sword pierced the creatures chest, causing the shadows that were his body to become shreds - his arm included, just before it hit me. The sword, after clearing its path, had pierced what I assumed was the heart of the creature - droplets of a dark green swirling around each other, looking like living worms. They slowly withered, disappearing into dust at the touch of the sword.
I fell to the ground, staring at the green dust, left in the wake of the shadow creature. I played through the event in my mind, then looked at the sword as it came back into mind. It was no longer glowing, but just lay on the ground. I stood, rather weak and shakily, and walked over to it. It seemed like a regular claymore - no engravings or personalizations added to it. However, it was, by no means, a normal sight. I bent down to lift it, and someone’s foot was planted firmly on my lower back, sending me sprawling to the ground, over the sword.
“What’s the big idea, trying to touch my sword? You should know that you’re not allowed to touch another Warriors’ weapon! Are you a dolt?” A high voice, unexpected for the wielder of a sword like the one I was sent sprawling over, echoed off the walls around me. I heard the sound of the metal sliding against the concrete as she picked it up, and turned to get a look at the woman. To my shock, she looked to be about my age, with glistening blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a small beauty mark just below and to the left of her lip. Her ocean-eyes fell onto my arm, and she frown. “Oh wow, your arm looks bad. Are you okay?”
At the mention of my arm, I grabbed it, gasping at the sharp pain. I turned to look at her, tears in my eyes. Her eyes shined with a strange worry, and she knelt down, her hand glowing with the same blue hue as her eyes. The aura reached from her hand and touched my arm, and I watched as the skin molded back to normal and the bone clicked back into place.
The aura receded and I moved my arm, in awe of what she just did. I looked up at her, many questions already on my tongue, but she held up a finger, silencing me before I even spoke. She stood, turned, and waved a hand high above the green dust. It came back to life, and floated into her hand. She turned toward the alley’s exit and threw the orb like a baseball. I watched it until it turned the corner, then looked back at her.
She was looking at me as well. She smiled a tender smile, and beckoned, “You may speak now.” I quickly stood and dusted myself off.
“Okay, I’m not sure where to begin...Who are you? Where did you come from? What is that sword? What was that creature? Why is Professor Gunther-”
“Woah! Slow down, tiger! One at a time. You’ll get all your answers. Okay, so, first question...irrelevant. Second...irrelevant, third, irrelevant. And that creature is what we call an...wait, don’t you already know this?” She laid her arms gently over her chest, her head tilting ever so gently to the left.
“Clearly not! How am I supposed to know? More importantly, how do you know?” She waved my question away with her hand, sliding her sword into its hilt.
“Irrelevant. You answer my questions first. How do you not know this? Aren’t you a Warrior?”
“A Warrior? What is that?” I watched as she started walking back to the street, then began to follow her. “Hey! Answer my questions!”
She continued to walk, ignoring me and turning the corner. I crossed my arms, looking down at where the lump made from my bone was before. It had healed the skin completely, and I could tell the bone wasn’t broken either. I was in awe again, but was interrupted by my strange saviour.
“Where’s your weapon? Why didn’t you fight back? That thing almost killed you! You’re lucky I got her in time, or you would’ve been dinner,” she tapped her foot, facing me with her arms crossed once again.
“Look, I already told you, I have no idea about any of this-”
“What’d you hit your head on? That car? Do you need me to heal your skull, as well?” She moved toward me, the blue aura surrounding her arm again.
“No! I’m fine now, honestly! I just wish you would answer my questions! Why are you avoiding them? Do you not have an answer?” I hold my hands up and back up, just waiting for her reply.
She stopped, and crossed her arms, scoffing at me, “Yes, I have the answer. Do you doubt my intelligence? I’ll have you know, I spend many of my free hours studying.”
“Yeah, that’s all fine and dandy, but that’s not getting any of my questions answered. And I have quite a lot! I need to know!” I started to walk again, as she was turning away from me now. “Just answer me!”
“You’ll get your questions answered, kid. Just not from me. Have some patience. We’re off to my boss’s city base. Can you wait until then?” She walked passed my backpack, and I realized that the car I slammed into was back into shape, windows back, and right back in the place it was parked before. I picked up my backpack from the sidewalk and silently followed behind my saviour. We walked about ten blocks in silence, then she finally spoke to me.
“I’m starting to believe that you’re not a Warrior. You’re acting way too oblivious. But how’s it possible that you’re still moving? You should be frozen. Not to mention dead. The Anima that was hunting you should’ve made you dinner, but you escaped it. I’m baffled,” she shook her head, turning left into an alley way.
“I’m just about as confused as you are. I can’t answer any of your questions. Maybe your boss can,” I shoved my hands into my pockets, my hand brushing my phone. I fished it out, checked to see if I had service, and bit my lip as I found it was still frozen. I put it back into my pocket, looked up, and nearly ran into a woman who was standing in front of me.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, ma’am! I wasn’t - wait...ma’am?” I touched her arm, and she felt cold. Frozen. She was staring straight at me, but there was no life in her eyes. I stepped back, startled by this, and looked around for my saviour, who sat on the steps near a doorway.
“Do you get it now? You’re supposed to be frozen like them. Yet, you’re not. How is that possible?” She crossed her legs and propped her elbow on her knee, resting her head in her palms.
“How is any of this possible? That creature, this woman, you, your sword. None of this adds up to anything plausible,” I sat down on the ground, staring at a pebble that my eyes found. I heard her knock on something, then silence, before she finally spoke again.
“I’m sorry. It will be understandable once my boss explains to you. I wish I could tell you, but it isn’t my place,” there was sincerity in her voice, and when I looked up, it touched her eyes as well. I pursed my lips and held her gaze, then sighed and stood up.
“I’m Thomas. Thomas Flowers. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I held my hand out to her, smiling for the first time since we met. She smiled, as well, and took my hand, gripping firmer than expected. But I squeezed back as she replied.
“Mary. Mary Edwards. The pleasure’s all mine,” there was a light blush on her cheeks. She released my hand, and the door behind her spoke.
“What say you?” the door said. She stood and faced the door, opened her arms like she was displaying herself, and set them back to her side. There was a click, and the door opened. There was a long, dark hallway, and I could see only one light through the darkness. She turned to me, smiled, and started forward. I followed her, a little reluctantly.
The door slammed behind me, and I found myself walking faster, to keep little distance between Mary and me. I sighed a little in exasperation and put my hand to the wall, following it down as the light grew closer. Finally, I was able to tell the light was coming through the windowpane of a door. Mary’s shoes clicked on the concrete of the ground, and I used it as some consolation that I wasn’t alone.
We reached the door, and Mary knocked once again. The knock was code, I could tell. She knocked once, waited a second, then knocked three times, waited, and five more times. She turned to me and grinned. I turned to look down the hall, avoiding her eyes.
The door opened without a word this time, and we walked through. It looked as though I had stepped into a military base that had been recently abandon. It was in good shape, but it was empty. I stopped to look around at all the computers and lockers in the far distance. I was confused, but I ignored my questions and caught up to Mary.
She wove through the maze of desks easily, and we reached a door on the opposite end of the computer room. A label on the side of the door spelled out ‘Captain Gabriel Thompson, Head Warrior’. It was all still confusing to me, but I knew I was about to get my answers.
Mary knocked on the door, and I heard a gruff voice come from behind the door, “Yeah, c’mon in.”
Mary turned to me and whispered, “Don’t be disrespectful. He’ll beat you down.” I nodded a simple reply and she beckoned me to follow her. I did so, and we stepped into a room, which resembled the captain’s quarters in a military barrack. Behind the desk, sat a man who sat tall in his chair, his hair a wisdom white, and his face clean of everything but a large scar from his forehead, sealing his left eye closed, and continued down until it was covered by his shirt. He smiled as he saw Mary, and it didn’t fade when he looked at me.
“Mary! And guest,” he laughed, leaning now on the desk, his tall figure bending over it. “I certainly don’t recognize you. What brings you here? What Militia are you from?”
I rubbed the back of my head, knowing it would be rude to not reply. I was about to speak, but then Mary took the incentive for me, “Actually, sir, we’re not sure where he’s from. He says he isn’t a Warrior.”
The captain’s eyebrows rose, and he rubbed his chin, “And you believed him?” He scrutinized me, his eyes looking me up and down.
“I...um, yes sir, I do. He definitely seems to be oblivious to the world of the Nether.”
He looked to her, watching her as she looked down out of some kind of embarrassment, and then turned back to me. He continued his scrutinizing and finally spoke, “What’s your name, son?”
“I...Thomas Flowers, sir,” I stood as attentive as I could manage without it looking intentional, and held my hands behind my back.
“Yes, it’s just as I thought,” he shook his head, looking down at the papers on his desk.
Mary looked up and leaned forward, “What is it, sir?”
He stood up tall, towering far above Mary and I, and bellowed out, “I’ve never heard of him!”
I stared blankly at him, Mary’s face matching my own. He laughed, as if he cracked the funniest joke, and sat back down. I finally spoke up on my own, a little annoyed now, “Excuse me, I didn’t find that too funny. Can you answer a few questions of mine?”
I saw Mary’s head snap in my direction, and the captain’s laugh came to an abrupt stop. He looked up at me, his lips in a firm line. I shrunk back, but he just continued to look at me, his eyes set. I began to apologize, but he spoke.
“What are your questions? One at a time,” he leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together on his lap. “And make it snappy. I don’t have all day.”
I swallowed hard, and nodded, “Um...well, what’s going on, exactly?”
He sat forward and leaned on his desk, his stare still very strong on me, “You’ll have to be more specific, son.”
“He...means, what are the creatures that just tried to kill him, sir,” Mary spoke up in a hushed tone, her hands behind her back as she nervously chewed on her lip. That finally broke the spell, and Gabriel looked away from me, and fixed his gaze - though it was a little softer - on Mary.
“You say he was attacked? Yet he’s moving through the Time Freeze. Mary, none of this makes sense.”
“I know, sir, but there’s got to be an explanation behind it. I think he was hit on the head, but he won’t let me check,” she turned to me, and I kept my mouth shut, feeling no need to reply. She turned back to Gabriel and continued to speak.
“I believe him, though. I think, though it may not be plausible, that there is an explanation as to why he’s moving now.”
None of this is plausible, Mary, I thought to myself, holding out on saying this out loud.
Gabriel nodded, turning to reach under his desk. I could hear the click of a button, and a voice came from an overhead speaker, “Yes, Captain?”
“Elli, I need you to do a search on the name ‘Thomas Flowers’. Look it up in every department of every Militia, and ask the Militia Captains, and tell me what you find.”
“Sir,” the line went quiet, and he turned back to us, his hands clasped back on his lap. He looked at me for a moment longer, then spoke to Mary.
“I suppose the only thing we can do at the time is to train him. If he’s moving in this time, he’ll need to fend for himself. Mary, I’m appointing you his teacher. Thomas, you will be her apprentice. Treat her with more respect than you showed me today. Got it?”
“I...sir,” I nodded and looked to the side out of embarrassment. “Sorry, sir.”
“All’s well. Mary, I’m sure it’s been neglected long enough. Take him to the armory, and you have my permission to fill him in on the way there.”
Mary nodded, saluted Gabriel, which I quickly and sloppily followed. He saluted back, gave me a slightly reassuring smile, and I turned to follow Mary out of the door. When the door closed behind us, she punched me in the arm.
“Thomas, I told you not to disrespect him! He’s a man who built his fame on the simple characteristic of respect, and you should treat him accordingly!” She scoffed at me, her eyes boring into the side of my face. I rolled my eyes and turned to her.
“He’s a respectable guy, I can tell, but I’m a little confused now, so I think I deserve a little bit of seriousness. If disrespecting him turns him serious, then so be it. Now, will you please answer my questions? I’m getting a little frustrated.”
She sighed and nodded, placing her hand on a scanner. With a beep, the door the scanner locked clicked and open up. She turned to look at me, then waved me forward, “Okay. Start your questions.”
“I think maybe, I should ask who you are. You said you and Gabriel are Warriors? Who’s that?” I followed behind her, watching the door slide close, turning back the moment she began to speak.
“Warriors are humans who are selected to protect specific humans from unfair emotions.”
“The Nether world is an alternate dimension of ours. It’s said to be a world with no light. The creature that you saw was an inhabitant of that world, called an Anima. Now, normally, they wouldn’t be allowed in this world, but when time freezes, and everyone grows still, that’s the time that they come through.”
“If they can’t come through normally, what gives them special permission during this time? And isn’t time still frozen?” I looked into a room that we passed by, staring at a drop of water, frozen mid fall from the faucet.
She nodded, her hand glowing blue. Mary waved her hand in a circle, clockwise, and the sound of faint machinery filled the hallway, “Thank you for reminding me. Now, to answer your question, the reason Anima are allowed into this world during the Time Freezes are because of the portal that a human summons. The result of a summoning ritual for the Nether: time freezes, and the Anima has free reign. But they’re single-minded. So, they can only comprehend one mission at a time.
“A human will summon them, for whatever terrible reason that human has cooked up. Hatred, jealousy, anger, sadness, whatever emotion triggers the urge to summon. All they have to say is: I wish they were dead. Time freezes, an Anima fit for the job appears, and hunts down its prey. If it succeeds, it comes back, and kills the summoner. Then, it recedes into the Nether, waiting for another job.”
I stopped, looking at the ground, my thoughts swimming in my head like a school of fish. Someone wanted to kill me? But who? What had I ever done to anyone? I was a straight-A student - not without hard work - I was star quarterback for the varsity football team, and I even dated a real nerd. I was friends with nearly every girl and guy in the school. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d made fun of someone. But who’d want me dead?
My train of thought was derailed by Mary’s next words.
“But, if it doesn’t succeed, then a stronger Anima will take it’s place, until one of them finally kills the human that was targeted.”
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