The Shadow Realm

Chapter Two - Eleanor

I landed in the water. I wasn't in the crystal clear waters of Lockwood Hills. I wasn't in the salty, yet slightly sweet waters of the beach. I was in dark, murky water. The impact knocked the breath out of me, and I struggled. I forbade myself to breathe, but my lungs rebelled. I shakily inhaled the water, choking and the next second, my head broke the surface. The wet mass in my arms no longer moved. "Lyric ?"

No pulse, no breathing, no sign of life. "No! No-"

My body broke down in sobs as I drifted in the middle of a lake. I was alone. Alone in the world that consumed and killed my family right before my eyes. I wanted to scream; to howl. I wanted to kill everyone who was at fault. I knew it was pointless, but the longer I waited, the more I fed the scream inside.

I paddled as fast as I could towards the shore, the fields of angry, withered grass. I lay the ginger body of my best friend onto the dry grass. I shivered as tears streamed down my cheeks and my heart hoped for any sign of life. "Lyric ?"

The more I sat there, staring at the limp body of Lyric , the more I hated the Shadow Realm. Why? Why did they have to take my best friend away forever? Why couldn't they take me? Why do I have to be so alone in this cruel, evil land?

I didn't move for what felt like days. I was just there, in the middle of nowhere, alone. I decided that whether or not I was going to keep venturing, I couldn't leave Lyric there. No way.

I gently wriggled my arms under her, lifting her up and bringing her close to my chest. At least her spirit could live in peace, far away from this mess. I turned away from the lake and what I saw startled me more than anything ever could. It was a girl. A girl around my age. My first thought was to run. I wanted to run, run far away from everyone. I wanted to close everyone off. I wanted to fade.

Maybe it was an unconscious instinct, that I began walking towards the girl, calling for help. At first, she didn't react, and just as I was about to turn around, she called out. "Wait!"

She began to approach me. I was still shaking, and my heart was fighting with my rib cage. As she came closer, I would see her clearer. She had midnight-black hair and raven-hued eyes. Enemy. The enemy is approaching. The enemy. Enemy. An enemy. She's here.

My eyes darted around, trying to look for a way out of this mess. I could feel my heart pounding as this girl from the foreign land drew nearer and nearer.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you, person from the Light Realm." Her voice was soothing, quiet, and reminded me of my mother. That was what attracted me to her. Her raven-black eyes looked from my shivering arms to the limp body of my cat. "What happened?"

I didn't want to answer. I really didn't. Talking to a stranger was bad enough, but talking to someone from the Shadow Realm was worse. Still, I spoke. "W-water - dr-drow-drowned - he-help - m-me..."

"How about we go back to my house? It's alright, I'm not dangerous... at least, not to people who don't provoke me. I'm Esmeray, by the way. What's your name?" She held out a hand and I took it.

"E-Eleanor."

"Come on, let's go." She turned around and led me to a small hut. She had an aura of ferocity around her, but she seemed nice enough.

That is, until he came.