Across Time and Worlds

Chapter Two

I cursed again as I tripped over another root. This forest was stupid. Who let it become like this? An unwalkable area filled with a bunch of fresh air and wild berries that may or may not kill you. Lovely.

I rubbed my arms. All right, Chosen, I can do this. I can find that brat Dark and get him out of this world. What was he doing here anyway? This place was real. Not some computer anything. And Dark is in love with technology. So why would this place appeal to him? Nothing here is 2D! The trees were circular instead of flat and you had to walk around everything.

Well, whatever was here, it had to be something huge. Otherwise he would not be here and I would not waste my breath. But I better figure out where he went, and soon. Something bad might happen here and I would be the only one able to stop it.

Sighing, I rubbed my arms. Why did I have to be the auto-correct button in every world? So far, no thanks to Dark, I have been to five different worlds already. And each time, Dark had found another clone of himself that had been a crazy villain and I had been the one to stop him.

Bile rose as I thought about the Six Different. I earnestly hoped this would not change the sixth to a seventh war. I didn't want to go through another battle. So I had to find him fast before he found the other Dark.

"What?"

I froze. Who was speaking? It sounded faint and I slowly crept forward.

"He's already dead? Man, that's a bummer. I really was hoping to gang up with him. That would have been fun. Well, if I . . ."

My heartbeat sped up. Dark! I would know that voice anywhere. I continued to walk forward.

"Wait, this Dark was a good guy? And Chosen was his brother?" Dark snorted and I looked past a tree. There Dark was, standing in front of something. "If only Chosen was my brother. Is anyone here bad? Maybe I should check the others out. I heard this world has a king."

My eyes narrowed. What did he mean?

"Dark!" I called out, stepping from behind the tree. I made my right hand into a claw and fire flamed up, warming my hand.

"Chosen!" he said, delighted. "You found me! What a surprise!"

I advanced on him. "Whatever it is that you are planning, forget it. You are coming with me."

His red eyes glistened. "Oh, but why? This world is interesting. I want to check it out."

"Bad idea," I shot. "I am not about to have another war going on."

He cackled. "Too late." His eyes got even brighter.

-----

I stood in front of the forest again. Had Red been in it? Or had it been somebody else? I didn't know of any other red stick figure, although I have heard stories of a guy named The Dark Lord. He was red. And also pretty evil. I didn't think it was him who I saw, but it was obviously not the Red that I knew. 

Or maybe my dreams were becoming too real for me and I was believing nonsense.

I slipped inside.

And felt like I walked into an ice cube. My breath escaped me and I stood there frozen for a second.

"Oh my gosh!" I shouted, shivering. "This is cold!" Rubbing my arms to get some friction and heat going, I stomped through the forest. I kept snagging my feet on the hidden roots lurking underneath the bushes, and seeing my breath every time I exhaled. It looked lonely and desolate, but nothing instantly said forbidden about it.

I hiked through, fingering the elytra. Should I use it? I looked up, but the vines looked unforgiving.

"Oh, but why? This world is interesting. I want to check it out."