Chapter 0- Prelude: Journey.

*Alarm clock sounds*

“Urgh…”

Flailing blindly, I try to put an end to the hellish noise that's interrupting my blissful sleep.

Finally after 4 unsuccessful failing attempts, I manage to quell the evil noise and burry my head in the soft, fluffy and wonderful pillow.

‘If only I could stay in bed forever…‘

Sadly, life is a harsh mistress.

“Ray! Get up already!”

My over enthusiastic and, frankly, pushy childhood friend, yells from the front door of my small 2 room apartment.

“If you're not here in 3, I'll start reciting your poems from middle school!”

‘Shit, really? Like it's not awkward enough as it is with the neighbours.’

“I'm up Nana! I'm up ok?!” I yell as a reply while I put on a pair of pant and a t-shirt and drag myself towards the door all the while grumbling beneath my breath;

“Why doesn't she ever leave me alone…”

Opening the door I pause for a moment, doing a quick sweep over her. ‘Her clothes... Something's off.’

Wearing a plain white dress, beige sneakers and black stylish sunglasses, she looks nothing like the business woman-look she always wears to work; and it makes me question if it even is the same person.

Trailing my eyes back up to meet hers I say: “Sorry, my bad, I thought you were someone else.”

Halfway through closing the door a hand shoots out and stops me.

“Very funny, Ray, very funny.” Nana says, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sighing, I turn back towards her.

“Ok, what's up Nana? We don't have work today, so I have no idea why you're here. And what's with the dress?” Taking another look, I admire how good she actually looks in it.

Not that I'd ever admit to thinking it.

Nana just smirks at me. “Like what you see?” She asks me coyly.

“Oh yeah, really nice seams on that dress. Top notch sewing.” I reply while trying to keep a neutral face. “So, what are you doing here Nana?”

She keeps up her smirk for a moment longer and then smiles slightly. “Do I need a reason to come see you?” - Cold! Why is it suddenly so cold!?

‘Uhh.. I better thread carefully…’

“Well no, of course not.” I say while trying to smile as genuinely as possible but not quite managing to make it fully convincing.

Awkward silence ensued...

Long and awkward story summarised; she had some work piled up and wanted some input from me on what was best to do.

It was all finished in under 30 minutes, and quite frankly I don't think she needed my input at all.

When we were done she stayed for a cup of tea and some biscuits, then she left, saying she had other things to take care of: Whatever that means.

After saying goodbye, I take a deep breath and walk over to the sofa and fall down on it like a falling tree cut down by a lumberjack.

After a few minutes of pondering the unusual morning, sleepiness starts creeping up on me, and before I know it, I'm out.

-----

Startled awake by a sense of falling, a split second of panic follows and quickly progresses onto wild flailing to try get a hold of something, anything.

But to no avail.

After what feels like an eternity, and yet at the same time could have been an instant; I feel something solid under me.

But no pain. And no “bounce” or splat or… anything.

‘No pain…? Why? did I die…?? Am I paralysed!?!’ My panic runs rampant.

Opening my eyes, I follow my hands and legs with my eyes as I tentatively test for problems with my hands and legs.

‘No problems there… Hmm, so am I dead, or …?’

Slowly turning my head and taking in my surroundings, or rather, lack thereof, I peer out into darkness.

Not ‘pitch black, can't see nothing’ kind of darkness, it's more of a ‘black but somehow able to see something, though, I could be imagining it’ kind of darkness.

Shuffling up into a sitting position and moving onto a crouched position, I'm suddenly blinded by bright flickering lights in all manners of colours imaginable.

Full-blown color scale right in my face.

Shielding my eyes with my hands as best I can I can only wait for the blinding light to either dim or let my eyes adjust as best they can.

Suddenly a voice deep and rumbling like lightning descends “TRESPASSER, PREPARE YOURSELF!”

Startled by the booming voice of unclear origin, I whip my around, eyes darting wildly while seeking the source of the voice.

The space I am in is strange, the floor being what looks like painted glass and no walls or ceiling to speak of, only darkness outside the circular glass floor.

It's like gravity doesn't work here or the glass floor is suspended in mid air by some means.

Looking through a clear section of the glass I can only see more of the strange darkness.

Suddenly a glowing circle appears on the floor a dozen meters away, a moment later a deafening roar follows as a huge two headed dog-like creature appears from within the circle.

Easily 6 meters high and 3 meters wide, I stand frozen in fear before it's otherworldly bulk and stature.

Growling with a deep low rumble that shakes my bones like a superpowered bass box. It narrows its eyes as it focuses on me and snarls, showing its razor sharp teeth.

“Uhh, good doggie..?” Unknowingly I had taken half a step backwards before I even noticed my body moving.

Snarling furiously, a booming voice emerges from the huge dog creature “I AM NO DOG!! I AM THE GATEKEEPER OF WORLDS, CERBERUS!”

Stunned into silence by the strange turn of events, a few moments pass as an awkward silence descends.

A giant talking dog. Not something you met everyday.

At a loss for words, I stare dumbly at the guardian until he speaks again. Thankfully, this time without the boom and thunder. “You are not worthy, return to the world from whence you came.”

Feeling lost in how to reply I decide to go for honesty:

It usually works.

“Uhh, I can't, I don't even know where this is, or how I got here… I was just here when I woke up.” I reply to the giant, talking dog.

“So if you want me to go back to my world, you'll have to help me do it.” I say and look around. “Where are we even?”

Looking somewhat ponderous, if a giant hellhound thing can even manage such a thing; he speaks slowly and carefully.

“We are in the nether, a place binding worlds together.

But rather than that, you say you just woke up here? You didn’t force your way here with magic? Be warned, I will know if you are lying to me.”

Tilting my head at the mention of magic I ask the obvious question: “Magic? Like big fireballs and lightning bolts? Teleport and healing spells?” I ask.

“Yes. That and much, much more.” Cerberus replies.

“Huh… from where I am from, there is no magic; as far as I know.

So no, I did not use magic to come here. Not consciously at the very least.” I reply honestly

Seemingly puzzled by what I said Cerberus tilts his giant head while looking at me. “Hmm… what you say is no lie, yet there shouldn't be any other way to get here. Unless...you were chosen by a god. Are you a chosen one?”

Bewildered by his statement and unsure how to reply I scratch my head awkwardly “Uhh, not that I am aware of? How would I know if I was?”

Looking at me like I am stupid, he just lets out air, in what i assume is a sighs, and shakes his head.

“You don't even know this kind of common knowledge? If you are chosen by a god, you will have the appointers mark on your left palm.”

Turning my left palm upwards, I look down at it. Nothing there, but some sweat in my palm.

“Can't see any mark. So, I guess I'm not chosen?”

“That can't be. There shouldn't be any other way to come here... show me your left palm.” Cerebus says and moves closer to me. When he is about 2 meters away he stops.

‘Damn he's big… and menacing. Those teeth don't look very well adjusted to veggies…’ I muse as I watch him approach me while fighting my instinct to run away while screaming, it might set him off or think I'm playing or something equally bad.

When he stops I lift my left arm up and show him my palm.

He leans in to inspect my palm closely and it takes all my willpower to keep me from running away from the behemoth in front of me.

“There really is no mark there...but, then how did you get here? Hmm…” Lost in thought Cerberus mutters as he stares out into nothingness, literally.

After a few minutes of simply waiting as he mutters to himself, I can't take it anymore.

“So you wanted me to go back, but I don't know how I got here nor how to do magic so, can you help return me to my world?” I ask him bluntly.

“Hmm… It is not my role to send people between worlds, I merely guard the gate. But...” pausing for a moment he then continues slowly, considering his words.

“This… has never happened before. You clearly do not belong here; yet cannot leave by yourself.

At the same time, you did not force your way in here either, so I can't eliminate you, on the grounds of trespassing…“ Trailing off towards the end, he speaks more to himself then to me.

‘Being eliminated doesn't sound very appealing… good thing that's off the table.’

Cerberus suddenly righting himself to tower over me snaps me out of my thinking.

“I have decided. As I have no way of knowing or finding out where you came from, I shall send you to the world called Krei; The gods are in need of assistance there with the fight against the demons that are rising against them.” he says.

A moment of pondering later, he continues: “You may yet find a way back to your home world, it all depends on you.”

Suddenly he lifts his right paw and lightly pokes my chest with his index claw before returning it to the ground, all before I can even react.

A moment later my chest starts burning like hot lava yet at the same time it is ice cold; swelling with… something.

After a few moments, the burning and cold passes and I'm left with a strange… springiness, for lack of better words.

Like I could spontaneously start bouncing.

Cerberus takes a moment longer to consider me, and then looks me in the eye.

“A farewell gift. Krei can be an… unfriendly place.

Good luck.”

“Wai- “ = ----- ------ ----- ÷

End of prelude.