MyStory Book 1: A Cursed Destiny

Chapter 4: The NetWork and the Lost Galaxy

When I came to, I was lying on the ground with beautiful, spherical black towers rising over my head. As I sat up and looked around, my fingers unconsciously fingered and played with the luscious pitch black, mystic purple, and blood red flowers, with emerald green stems and leaves, just like my eyes. Tall, black, ethereal creatures with hypnotic purple eyes glanced curiously in my direction as they strode by. My 10-year-old mind felt like it was about to burst as I took in the entirety of my surroundings.
"Hey." One of them said, walking up to me. This one was different than the others. It had horns for one, a green jewel embedded into its forehead, and a purple and green cape for two and three.
"I'm Rrenka Klu, but when you translate that into English, it turns out to be Shadoe Horn." He said, holding out his hand to me. I accepted his kind gesture, and stood up. We walked across the flowery landscape together, and I took note of the stars as we walked.
"So many stars..." I accidentally thought aloud. Now that I had gotten over my initial shock, my inner self was singing with delight.
"Yeah. We'd normally be in a galaxy, but since that's lost, we don't know how to get there."
Shadoe Horn stopped and looked at me with a sad gaze.
"This planet's dying too. It's even worse now that Hatsnii's trying to take over the End, as we call it. I actually noticed that this planet's looked a little bit better ever since you came here. Our main name is Net, by the way."
I switched the topic, trying to avoid an awkward conversation.
"So... what's with your cape, jewel, and horns? Were you like, infected or something?"
"What? Ohhh, those. Ender's actually put me in charge of the planet, which is a huge sweat, but he says that it's better than him tromping around, ruining the flowers and other things. Anyway, we better get going. We don't want to keep GieuAkkii waiting."
"Guy-what?"
Shadoe Horn hesitated before replying. "You... can just call her AndSight."
His reply shocked me, and I stood alone, staring off into the distance. AndSight? Like... the Dark Spirit AndSight Askatchi? The one that fell in love, had a kid, and died from radioactive gases? I had no time to answer these, as Shadoe Horn had set off again at a running pace, and I had to sprint to keep up. When we stopped, I realized through my panting that we were at one of the towers next to what seemed like an enormous obsidian cage resting on the barren landscape.
"We're here." Shadoe Horn announced.
"Are you sure this is the right place? It looks a bit... bare."
Shadoe Horn explained, "This is the home of Ender. He doesn't like to trample what he thinks to be the beautiful landscape of the other places. He's really nice."
"That would make sense." I answered thoughtfully.
As I spoke that last sentence, I felt a rumbling beneath my feet, and all my senses were on red alert. A giant foot came out from the cage-like object, then another, then before I knew it, I was staring at a Net-like giant taller than the stories ever said, with horns that could run through a giant zombie and still have 50 yards of horn left, and eyes that matched Hatsnii's dead son. White like snow. Shadoe Horn ran right up to the giant, who smiled and squatted down to bring Shadoe Horn bigger in his vision.
"Hey Ender!" Shadoe Horn shouted, and I felt my senses relax. Ender, the mighty but kind and wise Net Colossus of the NetWork. The only Colossus. This was a true fairy tale among us all, though some thought of him as a nightmare.
"Shadoe Horn, It's been awhile. How are you and the planets?" Ender inquired in such a deep and strong voice that it could make demons tremble right down to their thoughts, not yet knowing the truth.
Shadoe Horn hung his head. "Not good. They're still dying, no matter how hard I try."
Ender nodded in understanding, his smile fading. They talked for about five minutes, until I got impatient.
"I hope you guys know that there is still a third person here?" I accidentally snapped at both of them, then shut my mouth so fast it might as well been closed the entire time.
Both of them looked at me, and Ender blinked. Just before I started trembling, Ender cut in the awkward silence, saying,
"Ah. You're the student GieuAkkii was talking about, right?"
"Y-Yeah." I said, slightly trembling.
"I see." Ender said thoughtfully. "GieuAkkii wanted me to give you a practice test, almost. You know what I'm talking about, Shadoe Horn? Hm. Nosy as ever, but it'll still make things easier."
Shadoe Horn protested lightly and glared at Ender, who chuckled, before leading me towards a different place, explaining that music helps revive the soul and health of a place as well as the inhabitants, and that the Dragon of the Net's planet is sickest, and that's where the practice test will start.
When we got there, it was clear to see why the planet was sickest. The towers were dusty, the flames weak, and the Net Dragon was curled up on the ground, its wings too heavy and injured to flap. Next to the Dragon were a couple of instruments. I made a beeline for the black and purple piano as Shadoe Horn explained who I was to the Net Dragon.
"Whenever you're ready. The healing song of the place is about freedom." Shadoe Horn said. I took a deep breath and started playing the purple obsidian keys. Immediately I felt connected with the place, and it whispered to me. You heard me right. It whispered that I had a gift and that the song was the best healing song. I kept playing and put more emotion into it. As I closed my eyes I felt the sadness lifting off and vanishing forever.
When I finished the incredibly long song, I felt more connected to the NetWork then I felt before. I opened my eyes and saw Shadoe Horn staring at me in awe and the Net Dragon sitting up straight, his wings looking good as new. The Planet of the Dragon looked good as new, with plants poking out of the sponge-like ground. After a long silence, Shadoe Horn stammered,
"Th-That was ...AMAZING!"
"Purely spectacular." A voice that could only be Ender's spoke quietly from behind me. I turned around and saw the great giant there, sitting on the path, his white eyes watching me in wonder.
'So THAT'S why the paths are so wide,' I thought. A voice so quiet it was almost silent cut across my thoughts, but everyone heard it.
"So spectacular, in fact, that it only could have been done by the Dark Spirit themselves." The voice whispered. I turned around and saw AndSight smiling at me with a smile a mother saves for their kid when she's proud.
Shadoe Horn's eyes grew even wider, if that was possible.
"Y-You don't mean-"
"That's exactly what I mean." AndSight replied softly, then said to me:
"Welcome home, FlySight Askatchi, my dearest daughter."