Starless Skies: Zodiac Group CYOA (Archived)

Prologue

BOOOOOOM!

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The explosion was audiable for miles around. Jaeth threw up his hands instinctively, but they didn't even get there until wave of debris had already washed over them. For a moment he didn't understand, but then he noticed the shimmery quality of the air in front of him. Dannis had put a shield up, and not a moment too soon. Thank god.

It sounded like rain, bits of rock and wood and metal landing on the invisible barrier, and bouncing off. Jaeth looked up at Dannis. His brow was furrowed with the effort, and beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. I wish there was something I could do, Jaeth thought. But his sword wouldn't really be much use here.

The debris clattered out of the sky and onto the ground, more and more fell, but finally, all the debris landed. Jaeth squinted out. The air was full of dust and haze from the debris. It might take days to settle.

Dannis was still holding the sheild up. "Isn't it safe?" asked Jaeth, and his voice came out hoarse and raw. He felt himself shaking. He hadn't realized quite how afraid he'd been. We almost just died. Two seconds too late, and Dannis and I would both be dead.

Dannis shook his head, and grunted "Too hot." Jaeth nodded, understanding. The shield protected them from more than just the debris. He looked up and Dannis again, holding the sheild, eyes shut. I wish there was something I could do.

But there wasn't, not really. So he just gave Dannis's hand a quick pat of assurance, and waited.

After what seemed like forever, but was probably closer to fifteen minutes, Dannis exhaled, and Jaeth saw the sheild shimmer and drop. Dannis looked like he was about to pass out, so Jaeth stood up quickly and Dannis sank onto his shoulder, coughing.

Jaeth looked around, but didn't see anything except a flattened, apocalyptic landscape. "The circle?"

"You see it anywhere?" coughed Dannis. "Must have been destroyed."

"Maethywil's going to be pissed," said Jaeth.

"Maethywil can go and get the stick removed from her butt," snapped Dannis. "Worked, didn't it? Maybe with a little more excess energy than we planned... heh... but it definately worked."

Jaeth looked around. They'd been in a forest moments ago. Now, he couldn't see any trees at all. "Still," he said.

"Come on, we're getting out of here," said Dannis, pushing himself off Jaeth's shoulder. "Grab your sword."

Jaeth picked it up, but hesitated when Dannis offered out his hand. "You sure you have enough energy?"

"Enough to kick your ass if you don't do as I say," snapped Dannis. "I've held up plenty of sheilds. I'll be fine."

"If you say so," sighed Jaeth. 

 He paused, and took Dannis's hand.  Dannis spoke a word of power, and they vanished into the air.

Miles and miles and ages away, but maybe closer than you'd think, through fire and water and darkness and light, a completely ordinary  and unimportant door began to open...