Rift Runners

New friends?

Rowan shook his head shifting the headband making sure the tips of his ears were covered. Gi'ral had warned them before they left that there were worlds out there that did not treat visitors kindly. He shook his head and sighed, it bothered him to see how this world treated its people. He looked up at the cold steel dome that blocked out the sun, not knowing its true reason for being there he didn't like it. He missed the sun and the grass, everything here was gray and felt dead. His clothing blended in much more with the way people dressed here then Rosalina's so they had decided it was better for him to go out to find her a change of clothing while she waited near where the rift had set them.

He paused in his walking something felt strange, of course this whole world felt odd to him but this was something different. Someone was watching him, he had yet to use any of his talents on this world or to even try but he still knew the feeling of being watched. He turned slowly, fingers flexing as he tried to feel the earth around him as he had been taught to do when hunting or tracking. He felt nothing. Shaking his head he tried again, and again felt nothing. Bending as though to adjust his shoes he brushed his fingertips along the ground blinking as he saw what he first mistook for dirt was really just a thin layer of dust covering the same gray steel that seemed to be everywhere. He sighed and whispered to himself standing back up. "Is everything here so dead?"

He ran a hand through his hair, the headband shifting just for a second the tip of one of his ears showing briefly. That solved it for her. She had been watching him for a short while something inside her telling her that he was different from everyone else here. She smiled softly as he spoke to himself, shifting the one remaining bag onto her back she walked up behind him. "Not everything. If you think about it, it is really more broken spirited here then dead. I suppose war will do that to you." She nodded slightly to him in greeting. "I'm Zandra."

He turned his hand going to his dagger; he didn't like that she had gotten so close without him noticing. What happened next happened so fast there was hardly time to take it all in. His hand wrapped around the handle of his dagger pulling it free, she shifted her feet the bag slipping off her back to land on the ground with a thump. He glanced at the bag looking back at her just in time to see her reach out towards him as he started to lift the dagger to point at her, her fingers wrapping around his wrist. A smile crossed her face as he grabbed onto her wrist with his free hand, her feet shifted again one moving back as the other moved forward to hook around one of his. Leaning forward her eyes locked onto his as she pressed her weight into his her free hand moving to change the way the dagger was pointing as the both fell to the ground her on top of him the dagger and both their hands pinned between them.

For a few seconds she didn't move, her eyes locking onto his she shook her head. "Don't. You aren't from here. I am, if you want trouble by all means keep this up. I am trying to help you elf boy." The last two words a soft whisper as she moved to stand up she shifted her hands pushing the dagger back towards his side where he had kept it hidden. She nodded as he slipped it back into its hiding spot. "Good. It isn't really safe to talk out here, come on I'll explain how things work once we get out of the open." She bent picking up her bag and looking at him as she started to walk.

He shook his head as she began to walk. "I am not here alone. If you are going to explain things we should return to Rosalina first. She's waiting for me back by where the rift let us in." He paused as she turned to look at him her eyes going wide. "What? Is something wrong?"

"You left her by the rift, how stupid can you be?" She ran her hands through her hair and Rowan shook his head taking in several things about her all at once. First her ears, slightly pointed like his own a clear sign of elvin blood, then her eyes a deep purple that seemed to be darkening. Last of all the tattoo on the underside of her wrist though he didn't get a good look at it. She looked at him and shifted the bag. "Well don't just stand there we have to get to your friend and get away from that rift as soon as we can. Move it."

Rosalina sighed leaning back against the building her cloak pulled tightly around her helping her blend into the shadows. Rowan had yet to return and she was starting to worry. She had seen no elves on this world yet nor any of the other types of creatures she had come to see on her travels through the rifts, it bothered her. To tell the truth a lot about this world bothered her from the moment the rift had dumped them on this world she had felt odd almost as though something were missing. Looking up she blinked and shook her head. There was no sky to this place; it was almost like she was standing inside though she knew she was outside the building. She flattened herself to the wall hear footsteps coming closer, it sounded like they were running. Her hand shifted towards her sword Rowans bow and quiver resting against her side.

Rowan turned the corner and stopped dead as Rosalina pointed her sword at him, his hands going up quickly. "Easy, it's just me. Well me and Zandra." He nodded his head towards the girl as she moved to join him. Rosalina let her eyes glide over the girl shaking her head she opened her mouth to say something only to be interrupted by Rowan. "We can't stay here to talk. Zandra says it isn't safe, she said she would explain more when we got somewhere safer."

Rosalina sighed and nodded handing Rowan back his bow and quiver. "Alright, it isn't like we have much say in the matter." She chuckled as the girl looked her over quickly before turning and walking off. There was something about the girl that seemed somehow familiar though she would have to wait to figure out just what that was.

Zandra led them away from where the rift had dropped them and down a few side paths. Glancing back once or twice at the pair following her she sighed it wasn't smart to be doing this but then again she didn't always go with what was smart. She was careful to stick to the less used paths; they weren't really side streets but close enough. She paused slightly at a somewhat rundown looking building and sighed pushing aside an old board slipping inside and moving to the side waiting for Rosalina and Rowan to follow.

Rosalina paused, her hand resting on Rowan's shoulder stopping him from following Zandra into the building. "Rowan we don't really know if we can trust this girl, but we have no other choice so be careful and keep your dagger close at hand." She sighed as Rowan rolled his eyes. The boy was sometimes a handful but she knew she could trust him and on a world where they knew no one that was a good thing.

Rowan smiled slightly at Rosalina shaking his head. "She is a fighter, or at least has had some training. She..." He paused whatever he was going to say cut off by a bone chilling scream from inside the building. He cringed as silence fell over them for a few moments before another scream broke free. Pulling his dagger free he looked at Rosalina half smiling as she went inside the building her sword out at her side.

Rosalina pushed the board aside with one hand entering the building her sword at the ready. She may not know or really like the girl but from the sound of the scream she was in pain and seeing as she was the only one on this world who had reached out to them she had no choice but to try and help, if she could. Rowan entered right behind her the pair pausing and looking around the dimly lit room. It was empty, except for Zandra.

Zandra lay on the floor curled into a ball. Her legs were pulled up tightly to her chest arms wrapped around her head as though to shield herself from some unknown attacker. She screamed again the pain ripping through her body; she stiffened her eyes going wide. It felt as though each bone in her body were breaking, something inside her was changing and it hurt. She turned her head to the side her eyes falling on Rowan her lips moving in a wordless plea for help. Pain coursed through her again her body arching up from the floor in a spasm. "Zuka!" Then all was dark as unconsciousness overtook her, a fine white mist creeping in at the edge of her vision.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

as promised a new part for you to enjoy. I am currently working on the next upload and hope to get it up soon. Please feel free to comment and vote. I love hearing feedback. Let me know what you think, what you think might happen and what you think of the people you have met so far. remember nothing is beyond imagination.