Inside the Shadow

Chapter Nineteen: Killer Aquatic Behavior Pov- Mairi

      "How are you handling all of this?" Spoke Lial, the young man whom I had gotten a glimpse of through a portal only days before. He had been the one whom the elders described how his soul had become intertwined with my own. He, therefore, had been tasked with being mine and Erin's guide as we were getting settled with the idea of now existing in an unknown world, specifically being in a place called Ember Hallow. Erin and I had entered through the rift, worried Key would be right behind us, but Erin's father consoled us, explaining that the portal transportation system was programmed to control who was coming in and sort them. Instead of Key being there with us, he had been transferred to a lower level where most who had no one in the other realm waiting for them through a request would be sent. There, we were given a basic wardrobe that they offered to newcomers after we were thoroughly cleansed to prevent any foreign pathogens from coming through that might be considered as biological warfare. Seeing as we had gone through the portal right before lunch, and by the time we got settled, it was dinner time, so we were fed. The meat was a bit different from any I've ever had. When cutting into it, it sort of oozed a smoky aura, almost as if a bit of the former being's soul was visible and flowed throughout the animal's flesh well after death. The plants of this land had been shown once to me through the rift when being introduced to Lial, well, with him unknowing of our meeting. They were not too different from ours, but the vibrancy and flavor were exquisite. Everything that was served was either raised or grown locally in their specific district, and all the preserves within their realm. I also was given a dessert that reminded me of a mix between gelatin and pudding-like texture with a flavor I could say was like caramel and peanut butter, but something else new I couldn't think of lying under the surface. 

      Now this morning, after we awoke in our temporary cubicle rooms, we ate a delicious breakfast before we all sat in a common living area preparing for what was to come next. "Min," Erin gripped my hand, worried a bit, seeing as I sat there blank-faced and not responding to Lial. "Sorry, I was just thinking, I'm fine. This new world will just take some time to explore. Even with all that I fear, I am equally thrilled to see what it has to offer." Lial smiled warmly as he was pleased that I was so willing as if I truly would have had a choice anyhow. "Fantastic, we have many activities that can allow you both to get a more intense exploration of what our land has to offer. Please keep in mind that our world is in a sort of disarray, that being part of the reason you two are here, so not all we see will be in its best condition." Lial stated with a slight hesitation towards the end as if he wanted to be discreet when speaking of whatever was troubling their realm. "Well, let's get the show on the road!" I spoke eagerly as I wanted to get something going, hoping to take my thoughts off leaving my parents behind in the back of my mind. I gazed over at Lial, who had a slightly confused expression, making me realize he had probably never heard that phrase before. "She meant, let's go ahead and start the day. We will follow you, just lead the way, Lial." Erin must have also noticed Lial's reaction and corrected the situation so we could easily progress onward. After Lial understood, he proceeded to lead us toward the exit of the community housing for high-end newcomers. Since Erin's father was deemed high-end, so were we. I rolled my chair along, Erin behind me on a sort of scooter they had given him so he could rest his hurt leg on it while using the other one to get around.   

      Both of us were led to a vehicle that appeared so foreign in many ways. The body of it gave off the impression it was crafted with recycled materials, and the front end of the bumper held a strange opening. "What kind of car is that?" Erin stammered, as we were both just as curious as one another. "It uses a wind turbine system to convert air into energy that powers the battery; It can be quite efficient for moderate travel." Lial's response almost felt rehearsed, as if he had been given a script for any questions we could possibly have had. The vehicle was so long that the side door was wide enough that I could roll in. The door, with all of us waiting before it, opened like a gullwing, straight up, and a ramp extended so I could easily wheel into where a gap was waiting for me to be strapped in by my chair. I was completely secure as Erin took his seat next to me, and Lial next to him as we were all being chauffeured. The back seats were facing sideways to where our backs were against the right side of the interior, while we were looking directly through the wide side door window, giving us a full view of our surroundings. As the car proceeded down the road, leading away from the newcomer community housing, we passed by civilians, both a mix of earthly folk and those who were born in this realm, or at least descendants from here. This realm, while quite different than Earth, still had a few similarities, including animals, tame and wild, feline and canine-type beings seen roaming around freely in their community, but these animals were different from what we had seen on Earth. Living beings from their world seemed to ooze dark auras and held ink-like features but I had only been introduced to so much. Passing vehicles just like the one we sat in made me jump at first until one was going slow enough, and then we were face-to-face with the passengers in the car across the way. An eager little shadowish girl with flowy black pigtails bouncing as she did out of excitement waved, and I waved back. Giggling at the brief exchange, I gazed at Erin, who had already been staring at me.