Hell's Gate

Chapter 1: Encounter

I ran up the cliff so fast that my pink jacket was nearly blown away. 'If I hurry I can make it in time...'

When I finally reached the top, without hesitation I jumped off.

As I was falling, an ice-type dragon swooped below me. I landed on it gracefully, getting a good grip on its horns. "Good boy!" I praised.

As we flew across the sky, I noticed that shades of crimson red and magenta covered the yellow-orange sun.

I always flew in the sky at this time to see the setting sun. It was a sight I liked to view from high above.

But now the sky started to turn into a shade of purple. "Ah, it's time now."

The dragon dropped me off by the library where I petted it before I took off.

In the library I passed by the maid Ino-chan. She waved hello and smiled politely. "Leaving already?" She asked. "Yup!" I replied. "Gotta go eat lunch and then do some research." (Time goes slower in the human world. In the Fairy Realm there are only 14 hours in a day.)

Just outside the library, there was a beautiful garden where I tend to go to see which new flowers were blossoming. But right now, I was really hungry, so I decided to leave the library and go into the glade.

Tall trees surrounded the glade in all directions. I continued forward, where there was a shimmering lake. I ran alongside the bank until I finally reached a small green pasture.

In front of it was what I was looking for. What the other humans call a "Hell's Gate". There's many of them, and I already learned the routes to all of the ones nearby, but this was the quickest one to the log cabin where I lived in.

I ran straight into it and reached an area in the middle of time and space. Above me was a huge lock that had multiple heavy chains hooked on it and sustaining it. I never understood why every portal led me here or what the lock was for, but today I happened to pay no attention to it as raced toward the purple swirling portal.

I found myself outside in the middle of the familiar forest. But something was different.

I had landed outside with a gun pointed to my head.

"Oi who and what are you?" There was a boy who looked in his 20's with short jet black hair that contrasted well with my short white hair. He was wearing a black jacket and a navy blue shirt and pants.

"I asked you a question, I expect you to answer before I beat the crap out of you!"

I sighed. "You honestly don't know the first thing about first impressions do you? You're really rude from what I see so far. 'My name's Hinako. Pleasure to meet ya.' Is what I would I would say. And for your second question you must be an idiot to not know that I'm a human just like you."

The man paused for a second looking slightly surprised at my reaction. Then he grinned. "You know, if most kids had a gun pointed at them, they wouldn't be making casual comments and insulting their superiors.

"Well, I'm not a freaking kid." I retorted, twirling a strand of my hair.

"Now that you've had your turn to talk, how 'bout I ask you a couple questions." I pointed a finger straight at him. "First, how did you find me?"

"I was following you." He said simply.

"Are you some stalker or something?" I said, disgusted.

"You can go through Hell's Gates."

I suddenly flashed a look of shock at the boy. "How do you know that?"

"Everyday you go in and out. I noticed a girl wandering in the woods, and saw you vanishing and appearing out of nowhere. So I followed you so I can take you with me."