“James, what are you doing today?” Luke asked a much shorter person, he had a pale shade of mint for hair and his eyes were a smoldering orange. Luke was much taller but definitely not as intimidating, Luke never really liked fights but James did. James would get into fights for no reason but to test himself, yet he never got into fights with Luke or his brother Henry. 

“No, I’m free today. Why?”his voice was crisp and smooth as he continued to read the book in hand 

“I was just curious, you and Henry never go anywhere.” he teased as he read the title of the book the shorter person was reading; Lost Hope it was his favorite book. 

“You should go out tonight!” Luke tried to suggest but James didn’t even look up from the book he was reading 

“You don’t have to try and get me to go out every  single night” James spoke with an annoyed laugh. 

“Oh come on you never even leave the house!” Luke barked back as he kneeled down next to James to get on his eye level.

“Just one time?” Luke pleaded as he lowered the book James was reading, Jmaes looked at Luke, his gaze felt like hot metal, a stark contrast to his own icy blue stare.

“Fine, one time” James growled in defeat. 

“Great! I’ll see you at my house at 5:00 sharp. Don’t be late!” Luke jumped up triumphantly, as James went back to reading his book. James was Luke's best friend and one of his only friends, Henry was also a good friend but he was really shy. Luke started his way back home with a successful plan laid out, him, Henry and James would go to  the  local japanese restaurant; The Jade Place then they would order the food and while they wait James can finally relax. James has been working for three days straight on some game he made. James called it; Project Atheina the greek goddess of wisdom. 

Luke opened the door to his apartment and looked around the empty house, he had just moved in so he had no furniture other than a bed. Henry and James have never seen the inside of his house and he was glad they hadn't. They were both very wealthy and James could barely afford the house he was in. Henry was the leader in one of the most technologically advanced gaming companies and James designed games for that company. Luke was just a pet store owner, he loved his job but he could barely afford rent let alone food...food!...′How am I going to pay for Henry and James's food!‵ Luke thought as he searched his pockets until finding his wallet. 68.50..that might be enough for two people. ′I suppose I won’t eat..‵ he thought as he heard his stomach growl. 

“Well if I’m not going to eat there might as well get something here”he thought aloud searching through the cupboards. Hours have passed since he found some bread and jelly. Luke was just waiting at this point, yet no one was there, it was already 5:00 but he would wait 45 more minutes. Time went on and it was already  6:59, had James forgotten? He would ask tomorrow in class but right now he just wanted to relax. Morning came and Luke was ready to confront James as he got ready for work, James walked to the pet store humming as he went he tripped on the sidewalk into the road. Luke closed his eyes tight as headlights blinded his vision but he didn't feel any pain other than from where he fell, he slowly opened his eyes to see James with him on the street. Did  James just save him? How, when did he get there and how did he get me in time. The thoughts flooded Lukes mind as he looked up at the smaller person, 

“You were late.” He finally spoke bitterly remembering being left alone last night 

“Are we really going to do this in the middle of the street” James said as his eyes darted from person to person watching them 

“Yes! I deserve an explanation” Luke demanded getting up out of James’s grasp 

“Fine fine but don’t yell” James spoke with a gentleness, “first we should get out of here.” 

“Alright let’s go to the pet store we can talk while I work” Luke suggested as he stared on his way, James followed closely behind

“Hey Luke” James pestered as they continued on the path,“How well do you know mythology ” the question seemed so random  

“Not a lot, why” James watched Luke closely and was just about to speak when they reached the pet store 

“So this is where you work?” James asked looking around the shop and at all the animals 

“Yeah, it’s a really fun job but not alot of people come around anymore” Luke replied flipping the sign to open, “now how did you get me out of the road so fast?” Luke questioned in a much more serious tone, the room went silent as James thought of a way to explain what had happened

“Luke, some things are better left unexplained.” He finally spoke only half joking 

“Well you owe me an explanation!” Luke barcked back 

“You wouldn't understand.” James spoke sharply with a glare 

“Oh come on! I am not as ignorant as you think!” Luke snapped as while grabbing a broom

“Besides, what is the worst you could tell me?” He continued  

“Luke you are not ready to learn” James warned as Luke started to clean 

“Fine then, I’ll ask Henry” Luke spoke smugly but, as soon as Henry’s name left Luke's lips he was pinned up against the wall of the store with lightning fast movement 

“Don’t you even think about bringing Henry into this” he growled and then let him go 

“What the hell!” Luke jumped as he watched the smaller yet much stronger James glare at him, he was acting very different then normal, he was acting much more animalistic and almost primal, 

“James, what has gotten into you?” Luke demanded an answer but was met with silence. 

“Fine..don’t answer” He spat back as he started to clean again. 

“Luke, wait” James hissed as he grabbed Luke’s wrist tightly, “I’ll tell you but not now..not here” Luke was acting very different from his normal calm and cool demenore, he was acting much more concealed and worried. 

“Okay. Now please let go of my hand” Luke continued as James released him, this was the only time James had ever touched him, something must be wrong but what could it be? Perhaps it had something to do with his speed or strength. Luke continued to question James and his worries, yet nothing made any sense. Then Luke remembered how he was blown off  by James just last night, he had not yet got his explanation so he walked up to him and spoke 

“Why didn’t you show up for dinner last night?” His voice was sharp and metallic. But his postier was playful.

“You're really hung up about that now aren't you?” James teased as he was playing with the dogs 

“Well you have been avoiding the question all day!” Luke retorted as he sat down with James

“If you must know, I got caught up in work.” Luke's eyes were  hazy as he looked around the store, he looked everywhere except at James, until James stood up and began to leave Luke caught a glimpse of his eyes, were they always so bright? He thought as he got up as well and went behind the shop counter waiting for the customers. After work he pondered on what James was doing, and how James knew where he was this morning, he didn’t text or say anything, and it was not a coincidence that he just appeared. He went on about all the weird things revolving around James while walking down the street, not paying any mind to them, but as he was muttering to himself he bumped into someone, a much taller hooded figure, he got a small glips under the hood and what he saw horrified him, a man with horns and bright red eyes, he looked like a demon! Luke stumbled back as the man began to run across the street with almost inhuman speeds. James was in utter disbelief, what the hell was that! Was it real? No, that was just a custom, he told himself, he knew that demons were not real, so what was he worrying about. Luke kept walking to his apartment careful of anything that seemed out of place, but the more he looked for odd things the less he saw. Luke finally after what seemed like hours made it back to his house, yet something was off. A light shined just below the door, 

“What the-” Luke muttered under his breath as his hand reached for the door knob almost as if he didn’t have a choice he opened the door and a bright blue and yellow light consumed his vision and he fell unconscious. Days passed while he was unconscious but he finally awoke, when he woke up he was in a very traditional japanese hut, the walls were made from bamboo as the floor was a lavesh red silk. Luke was then startled as he saw two people behind a curtain to what seemed to be a courtyard , their faces obscured, yet the outline was odd. It had seemed as if they weren’t entirely human. Then the figures went inside and were in utter disbelief that Luke was awake! Luke’s visen was still blurry but he got a glimpse of the two beings, yet he refused to believe what he saw. The being was tall and had eyes that looked just like jade, his skin was pale, almost as if he had never been outside, and his ears were pointed, with hair that was as wite as fresh snow. 

“W-who are you!?” Luke stumbled back tripping over a small table behind him, the second being ran out before Luke got a good idea of what she looked like. 

“I am Yu and I mean no harm I swear” Yu spoke softly, his eyes were kind and his smile was inviting but Luke felt cold in his presence. Almost like a winter evening just after a blizzard.  Luke studied the being now that his sight has returned, he wore a wite and light blue kimono  with snowflakes embroidered onto the bottom left of the outfit. Luke had never seen anything like this before it was 

“You are Luke, correct?”The man then looked over to the table that Luke was up against, he walked over and flipped the table back over, as he passed by Luke, he felt the cold grow almost like he was touching ice. 

“What are you!?” Luke asked as he backed away even more

“Well I am a spirit” He said gleefully with a smile, Luke’s eyes were fixated on the spirit, he felt almost mesmerized, even just standing there Yu was elegant and graceful, his eyes kind and his smile warm.

“H-how do you know my name?” Luke struggled to speak as he too stood up but before the spirit could speak another being run through the doors and stopped in front of Luke and Yu, he had a pale shade of mint for hair and smoldering orange eyes, just like James but he had scales that were a deep crimson, he wore a bright red knee length shirt with gold threading on the bottom, with gilded cuffs along with a scepter he held tightly, it was solid gold and had the image of scarbs engraved on the handel. He ran up to Luke with insane speeds and studied him for a while before speaking

“Are you injured!?” He demanded as his eyes darted around the room and falling upon Yu.

“He is fine James, yet I would be careful not to startle him” Yu spoke with a careful yet stern voice, his face was still soft and inviting which only confused Luke even more. 

“What is going on, is this some kind of joke!?”Luke blurted out without thinking, yet he continued to rant “Where am I!?” he demanded as he shot up, Luke knew this had to be a joke there are no such things as spirits, or ghosts, or demons! Luke looked over at Yu then back at James. “Where is the exit!” Luke demand, having enough of this little game. 

“That would be useful now would it not..” James spoke solemnly as he looked back at Luke

“What does that mean!?” Luke was now worried and felt a twinge of doubt from his earlier accusation.

“There is no exit from the spirit world Luke..” Luke then stumbled back until he hit the back of the wall.

“A-am I dead!” Luke finally spat out with a quivering voice and shaky hands. 

“No no, well kinda” Luke said in a joking manner, trying to downplay the severity of the situation “You are in the spirit world yet you have not died, I don’t know how but I shall find out” Yu spoke up in a much more serious voice his eyes were narrow and his muscles tensed, “I must say this is the first time this has ever happened but I will get you back to the mortal plane” he looked so different now, his voice his poster and his tone all changed in an instant. Luke felt intimidated by this unexpected shift in aura, like he had just met three different people all at once. Luke then looked around the room, everything was written in symbols that he couldn't read. They looked so neat and detailed, so hypnotic..Luke could hear Yu and James talking but he paid them no mind and studied the symbols, until a loud bang!  Echoed throughout the room. It sounded like someone or something  fell. The two others stopped talking as well and tension spread through the air like a sickness.

Luke jumped up and scanned the room, still a bit shaken up by all that had happened. James and Yu stood at attention trying together what the sound was and whether it was dangerous until finally the door began to slowly creek open as a tall young man with a hood on carefully walked in a bit shyly.

“I came for the mortal..” He managed to squeak out before removing his hood. 

He had pale skin and dark eyes with silver hair and a white and gold laced rob with a hood that hung down so elegantly that it was almost fluid.

“Who are you!?” Luke spat out in confusion as if he had already met so many people why would he need to know another!

“Oh well my name is Marith, and I am here to remove you until you can return back to the mortal world.” his voice was enchanting with every word drawing Luke in yet the other two seemed to back away from Marith as though he had caught the plague Luke was already so close to Marith that he noticed that his eyes were a glowing a neon blue now almost as if he were intentionally drawing luke in then seconds later everything went black all he could hear were muffled flaps of feathery wings fluttering in the sky yet he couldn't see a thing until a loud clang signaled that they were on the ground and he was picked up and carried off of some kind of flying contraption.

“Where!? Where am I!?” Luke demanded but was met with only silence so he began to try and free himself to no avail. 

“Put me down!” Luke spat as he struggled under the grip of the bonds. Luke struggled more and more until he was thrown to the ground with a loud thud, he was able to stand up but didn’t try to in fear of falling over again 

“Luke Coris River rise up and speak” a loud powerful voice bombed throught the room he was now in and two gards lifted him up and removed his blindfold as he saw an army of soilders all in shiny blue plate armor and welding a sword with a small hook in the base of the handel.

“Where am I!? What's going on!?” Luke yelled out as his voice began to quiver and strength began to fade

“You are in the spiritverse a world where what you call magic and fiction exist peacefully or in war.” a woman in gilded armor spoke out, she sat on a chair made of golden swords and weapons and grasped a spear with a tip as big as Luke’s head. 

“W-why am I here!? How do I go back!? Can I even go back!?” The woman didn’t answer the rest of the questions although her silence was enough to tell him the most important detail, there was no going back. Luke was stuck in this afterlife he didn’t even belong in yet had no way out from.

“Luke River because of your arrival there has been…a lot of controversy. And has the empress of the after death your fate lies to me. So I wish to ask, what shall I do with the mortal in the afterlife?” Her poster was very intimidating, opposed to James and Yu,  yet she was sharp and fierce, her emerald eyes smoldered with the heat of  James and  had the same careful movements of Yu.

“S-seened me back to Yu and Marith! T-they promised to help me escape!” Luke shot out and almost as if he were a child again tears began to well up in his eyes as he stumbled to the ground, all of his strength left his body at once. 

“Help you escape the afterlife? That is quite perposteris.” she spoke with a small laugh of disbelief and a small hint of amusement 

“Marith? He died twelve years ago.” she spoke again with a less imposing expresion and more relaxed muscles

“But the person who brought me here..he called himself Marith, and aren't we in the afterlife.”  

“Death is an odd thing that we shall not talk of here.”

“What!? Why!?”

“Because of all the ears, the wind has ears of its own and there are things that no one, not even myself should know…”

Luke pondered that statement and wondered if it were even a metaphor or truth. With all the oddities here it was getting harder to tell.

“I-I think I u-understand” Luke muttered out in compliance. 

“Your wish shall be granted and you shall be sent back to Yu yet you must understand that there is no escaping this life anymore.” she spoke with a solemn tone and a broken voice which startled the young human. 

“Thank you!” Luke jumped up and looked to the women seated upon a throne of blades. Luke then wondered how he would escape this hell of a place, yet he could find that out later. 

“I will have a guard and wyvern take you back to the priest Yu, yet might I warn that he can have a temper.” she replied silver tongued her emerald eyes were colder than a blizzard. 

“I do want something else before I go back to Yu.” Luke asked as he looked around at the army of warriors all in lines. 

“And what might that be?” the empires questioned as she held the spear off the ground just enough to notice. 

“Some way to protect myself! I am in a foren dimension!” Luke yelped out, a bit of annoyance in his voice. The empiris said nothing but threw him a small tome, on the book there were three locks and scribed across the top were the words yet written in the odd symbols 

Luke didn’t have the keys or any way to open the book but he was slightly glad for he didn’t know or even want to know what was hidden in those old pages in the book. 

“The keys for the book are at the temple of cyrus, I can not go there so you will have to obtain them yourself.” She finally spoke and with that two guards grabbed him by the arm and took him to the staybulls their grip seemed to be inhuman as no matter how hard he tried to free himself nothing came of it.  

“So where are we going?” Luke attempted to make small talk to no avail, so he continued to walk with the two guards accompanying him in silence until a loud explosion behind them made them all whip around in shock, confusion and fear. 

“Get the human out of here!” a much older guard spat as he ran into the exploding cordor his armor was rusted and old but he seemed to have golden intention. Without saying a word the two guards sprinted for the wyverns practically dragging Luke along as the fire fight behind them ensued. The wyvern's had multiple compartments that the guards were searching  until one came across a scroll and read the incantation.

“Gamaca Layoso; Fin Revisa” his voice seemed to echo a divine power as the corridor connecting the staybulls to the rest of the palace collapsed. 

“Get on the wyvern! I’ll make sure no one follows and when the place is clear I’ll send a griffin” The eldest guard demanded and with no time to react the blue headed guard was shoved onto the wyvern with Luke and as soon as they were on the wyvern it flew off with immense speed.

“We have to help them!” Luke blurted out in desperation and fear

“And do what! You can’t fight or use magic! No, I'm not risking it!” he replied with a venom in his voice more toxic than cyanide. Then a silence fell over the two of them before the blue headed guard spoke up again 

“I’m sorry for shouting. My name is Kuramitas…you may call me Kura” Kura spoke with a much kinder voice and softer tone.

“..no your right, I would have just got in the way..but thank you Kura” Luke sounded broken yet he understood that he would not have helped much.

“So what is your name?”

“Luke Coris River” 

Kura smiled a bit before looking across the ocean of grass and trees below them

“Where are we going?” luke qized as his muscles relaxed every so slightly 

“I..don’t know..the castle has never been attacked” he spoke more but Luke stopped listening after a bit. He was too enchanted by the beauty of the sky and the bright colors of the sun setting along the coast of crystal blue water, the haze of orange that followed the pink light of the clouds and the picturesque landscape. It was perfect, Luke felt like he could have stared into that sight for the rest of his life. 

“Luke? You still all  there?” The newly named Kura asked with concern jolting Luke back to reality.

“Oh?.. yeah I’m fine!” He responded with a faint and forced smile.

“You sure are handling this well, first you're dragged to an unknown world, then are abducted and finally you are forced to escape with one of your captors!” 

“Thanks for the reminder…”

Luke knew that Kura was right but he was just so blunt about it that it was somewhat startling. Hours passed as they rode on the wyvern with somber conversations speaking every now and again until they had finally landed. Luke looked around a bit cautiously but the place they landed at didn’t seem too bad. It was a  quaint little farming village with no more then two actual buildings, yet the rest were huts without walls and small campfires littered the edges of the town

“Well this place seems nice” Luke finally spoke with a joyous smile and began to walk through the small little town.

“It’s so quaint and peaceful” Luke continued as he looked around the fields of wheat, He then tilted his head to see where Kura was but he couldn't see him

“Kura?” Luke beckoned but no one answered.

“Kura!” Luke began to worry as his eyes began to flash a pale shade of purple. Luke didn’t notice, he was too distracted by his worry

“Great now I am lost in this literal underworld!” Luke growled as he sat on a log waiting for just about anything to happen. Hours passed and nothing happened, yet as soon as the sun began to set the ground began to shake and dust flew up from the ground a few feet away from where Luke had sat. Luke watched the dust storm with worry and concern. 

“Luke!?” A powerful voice boomed through the clouds of dust as the dark silhouette of an armored figure approached Luke, he was somewhat short and had sharp and pointed hair that covered his left eye. Looking closer Luke could see the color of the hair, a bright and vibrant blue more enchanting than the depths of the sea. It was Kura but why was he only coming back now!? What was he doing before!? Why did he leave in the first place!! Questions rang through Lukes head like church bells on a Sunday afternoon. 

“What do you want?” Luke spat with annoyance for the powerful guard

“Oh..my apologies Luke” Kura replied as calm as ever, yet that only aggravated Luke more. 

“You left me in the middle of no where! And I’m not even from this dimension!!” Luke continued with aggravation seeping through his voice

“Well you seem fine to me so no need to complain” Kura laughed as he walked over to Luke examining him for wounds or injuries 

“That’s not the point you airhead!” Luke yelped out 

But before the conversation could continue further an echoing BANG! Rang through the treeline as three hooded figures emerged from the depths of the forest 

“Keep a look at the Shadow Peak mountain..if we lose that then the war is worth as much as sand” A gruff and metallic voice bellowed as his eyes served the town and finally landed on Luke as he began to snarl

“Hold that order..” The man smiled as the two other warriors began to look at him in confusion.

Kura stepped in front of Luke as his eyes began to light up as a powerful aura cloaked Kura in a somewhat transparent armor

“You aren't really going to fight all three of them are you!?” Luke questioned as he grabbed Kura’s wrist, but as soon as he touched the armor his hand began to turn pale and he felt a cold so powerful that he fell to the ground.

“No, I plan to send them back to the forest..” He smiled as he darted past the first warrior and struck the two behind him with one quick movement causing the first warrior to smile with excitement as his hands creeped in front of him gripping a hand dagger.