Prologue

2008-10-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

          The trees of the forest are just a blur, and my breathing is getting heavier. Running as fast as I can, I'm tiring out, and I've still got far to go.
<Kalon, where are you?! We need you NOW!> bursts into my head.
<I'm almost there, just hold on a little longer!> I shout out in my thoughts.
<It's Kalon! He's getting closer!> sounds a second voice.
<It's about-OOPH!>
<Focus on the fight!> If I don't get there soon, it will be too late!
<Just hold on!> I shout back.
          I run forever, it seems, but I know I'm getting closer. The blur of trees ends, and I burst out into a clearing of scorched ground. Searing red light wells up from my skin, warning of danger, but the clearing is empty…

          Then my vision is interrupted by a burst of static, and suddenly there they are. Ominous orchestra music is playing in the background, behind the sounds of battle. Then I see it. The gigantic creature in the middle of the clearing is blacker than black, the flesh gleaming a sickening oily hue. Fangs and ripping teeth emerge from a snarling mouth. Razor sharp claws rake out from gigantic hands. Tyrannosaur feet tear up the ground beneath it from it's reverse-jointed legs. Muscles ripple when the arms and legs move, larger than buildings. The eyes are even blacker than the skin, as though absorbing all the light around them, like small black holes. And through it all, pure terror permeates the air, flowing out from the evil creature. I can feel the burning ice of fear grip my gut; it's trying to weaken me. I push the fear aside, slough off my emotions, as I must.
          My attention is grabbed by a flicker of movement near the monster, and I can hear the sound of a blade biting into flesh. I can barely make out the fighter down by the monster's leg, her blades whirling at amazing speeds. Unfortunately, it doesn't think the show too amazing. The dark monster roars out, but more in anger than in pain. I see the monster direct its' gaze to where the sword-wielder stands…

          "No!" I hear myself shouting, and raise my red-glowing hand up in the air to cast the spell that jumps to my mind, but it is too late. The black beast lashes out with one arm, the limb stretching unnaturally, lancing into the ground where the fighter stood. The black skin gleams sickeningly as it pulls it's arm back to the proper length. There is no trace of the fighter. "Kitana!" Time seems to stop as the pain sinks in, lowering my hand in defeat, spell not cast. She's gone, just like that. She didn't stand a chance. Grief clings to me…
          And the orchestra music fades away into a death metal piece, slowly getting louder, bringing up feelings of aggression. I can feel the burning anger within me, unchecked and uncontrolled. I focus on the anger and hatred, clenching my fists with rekindled purpose, knuckles whitening. My power seems puny and weak compared to this creature, but fight I must.

          I run across the field, magical power glowing up from my skin in fury. In the corner of my eye, I catch another flicker of movement. The death metal music reaches it's loudest, nearly loud enough to drown out the sound of battle…but not quite. Someone is racing towards where she had been standing, robed all in white. He is moving too fast to make out much else. "Wait!" I shout, but again it is too late. The beast's arm lashes out at the attacker, but he dodges to the side just in time. Angry to have the attack foiled so easily, it lashes out with the other arm, both arms stretching out sickeningly across the battlefield. The monster cannot hit such a fast target, and huge chunks of earth explode into the air behind the white-robed figure.

          He has a chance. Perhaps this beast is not what it seems. I slow to a stop and uclench my fists, the tendrils of power receding back into my consciousness. The white-robed one reaches Kitana, lying still on the ground, and raises his hand, the palm glowing. A hot bright light bursts from his palm, knocking into the monster. The dark one reels backward, arms snapping back to normal proportions. It stumbles backwards and crashes onto the ground, dust rising up around it. Yes, he did it! It seems impossible, taking it down so simply, but it worked. The death metal music fades into silence.

          The white-robed one turns around and looks down at something. Kitana is laying on the ground, barely alive. The tight-fitting orange scale armor fitted over her chest is rising and falling slightly. He raises his palm towards her, and the same hot bright light bursts out, filling her with life. Her eyes flicker open. Kitana pushes herself up with a sword. She looks battered, but will make it. I begin to walk toward them. They fought well, and had not even needed my aid. To think I was so afraid! The battle is over, and we've won. I allow a grin to spread across my face as I step closer. I open my mouth to shout some words of praise, but I suddenly stop, my instincts crying out.

          Something doesn't feel right…it's too quiet. Glancing down at my hands, the magic runes tattooed on the white flesh still glow a searing red. The ominous orchestra music begins to play again instead of a victory fanfare. "No…" a barely audible whisper. The dark monster rears up behind them suddenly, towering over them. "Zack look out!" I shout. Roaring in rage at the temerity of attacking it, the oily black arms erupt into a dozen sharp spears, which stretch and curve out seeking to impale my companions.

          Kitana and Zack jump out of the way just barely at the sound of my warning, the ground being torn up in their wake as the spear-like fingers stab into the ground. Zack whips around, shifting into his usual open-palm fighting stance. Kitana lifts up both her blades, her spirit still strong though her body is battered. I reach again for the power inside me, the magic welling up from the runes on my hands and arms. The monster can be beaten! The gut-clenching fear is gone now, dispelled by our camraderie.

          Before any of us can make a move, the spear-like claws snap back to normal proportions, held in front of the beast. A bubble of pure darkness forms between the two clawed hands in the blink of an eye. I raise up both my hands, about to cast a spell to counter this new ability.
          I begin tracing a sigil in the air, but the bubble of darkness blasts out at us, enveloping my companions within it. The attack blasts me backwards, sliding across the ground a few feet. The bubble collapses on itself, my friend's vanishing with it.

          Horrified, I stare up at the beast. I try to reach for my power, but I cannot. Fear is creeping through my arms and legs again, preventing all motion, wiping magic runes from my mind like an eraser on a chalkboard. What is this thing? The monster towers above me, it's light-absorbing eyes gloating over me in victory. And the darkness consumes me.

          Cutting through the darkness, I can hear a voice whispering in prophetic tones:
                    Travellers from another world, falling through death's gate;
                    Time passes by, fleeting, leaving us naught but a fantasy.
                    Covered in runes, one discovers truth, our horrible fate.
                    Seals weaken; forces move; shadows break free.
                    Despair befalls the runed one, lost far from home,
                    But to freedom he fights, as fortold from the tome.
                    The halves become whole, joined together once more.
                    Ancient brothers set free, victims of a forgotton war.
                    The Wave must be balanced, the world again restored.
                    It is up to the runed one to save us from the horde!

~~~

Tom shoots up into a sitting position in bed, slightly tangled in the thin sheets. Silence. Except for his heavy breathing. The young man's skin shimmers with sweat in the dim green light of a digital clock, blinking 2:00AM. He looks around the room as if expecting the beast to jump out at any moment, calming his body and slowing his breath. He glances down suddenly at his hands, the smooth flesh unbroken by tattoos. "Oh…just a dream," he mutters under his breath. The after-effects of the nightmare fading, he glances at the clock with a grimace. "Ugh...I need to stop playing Destiny Whisper so much. These dreams are gonna be the death of me." He wipes the sweat from his brow and shakes his head in annoyance. Tossing the sheets off him, Tom lurches out of the bed groggily, deciding to get a glass of water before heading back to bed.

Redo!

2008-10-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't really been doing anything with this story of mine. I do want to try and finish it, so that I can at least say I did that much with my writing, even if I just keep it to myself and share it among a few friends.

I started the idea back when I was still in high school. It was really a very basic idea, I wanted to do something involving some big mystery inside a video game, the way .hack// did, but I wanted to take a different approach. I won't explain what exactly the plot will be, of course, you'll have to wait until I manage to push myself to write it, so you can read it. Though I guess you prefer it that way.
Whoever you happen to be...do people read anything I write?

Anyways, it seems I managed to get myself to do something with my writing. I've been meaning to rewrite what I've got here, but I've been putting it off, partially because I'm aware of two things. First, with what I have already, I have reached a bit of a writer's block. This is partially due to the second thing. Second, I feel kinda like I carried some ideas in the story too far, and it's hard to just remove those pieces of the story.

I won't bother with the details, it's just things about the story that didn't turn out the way I wanted. And, well, while I'm at it I may as well change up some things with ideas I've had since I originally started writing this.

I probably won't even keep them as high school students. It feels kinda silly to write about characters in high school, when here I'm nearly 22. So I figure I'll place them as young adults in college. Not only does that give me (and the characters) more freedom in what the characters can do and when, but it will be easier for me to write about characters experiencing college life.

Enough with my babbling, since nobody reads this...I'm mostly sure of that. I'm going to at least try to start up a bit of writing. I'm not gonna make any promises as to how much I'll update...but I'll make an effort. I'm actually planning to rename it, as ENDO Saga just doesn't sound right to me anymore. I came up with it rather randomly, and doesn't have all that much meaning.
I actually don't know what I'll rename it, but I'll figure it out at some point. I've been getting some ideas, I've just got to find the right one.

Peace out.