Retreat into Darkness

Chapter 9

Dominic Ryker

Where the living fuck am I.

Katlynne, Landon and I all fell in after Allaura did. But nobody was near me. Once we entered that shit of a hole, we went seperate ways.
My ass landed in a lake. I was scared out of my mind, honestly. And i'm pretty sure I passed out because now i'm in a bed. In a house on a bed.
Who's fucking bed is this.
Did I get kidnapped? Shit.
My head jerks up to the sound of a door opening and a girl walks in.
Hot damn.
She has long black hair and her skin looks pale. But not sickly pale. A beautiful moon pale. She slowly gets closer to me with a cup in her hand. Up close her eyes are a dark shade of blue.
Who is this girl?
Wait. Her ears. . .
"What's wrong with your ears?" I blurt out.
Idiot.
Amusement plays in her eyes. She hands me the cup she's holding, "Drink up. It's water."
Don't have to tell me twice.
I chug the water down, easing my aching throat.
"My name is Aeryn. Aeryn Ralhea." She says. Curiosity runs along her features.
"I'm Dominic Ryker."
She nods and pursues her lips.

"How'd you get here?"
I wince at the question. What am I supposed to say?
Oh yeah I fell through this black portal and landed in a lake.
Instead I chuckle and say, "Yeah, I wish I could tell you that. I have absolutely no clue."
Her head turns to the side in confusion.
"I find you washed up at the lake. No big injuries though. Just a small cut on your head. Which I cleaned up. . . and — you are human?"
She finished with more of a question.
Yeah no shit i'm human.
"Of course i'm human."
"And you are a man. . ."
I blink. Once, twice.
"No shit? Need me to take out my dick to prove it to you?"
Her eyes widen at my words and I quickly regret being so rude. I'm such a prick. She helped me and cleaned me up. I should have shown respect while i'm sitting in her home.
"Shit i'm sorry. I just have no clue where I am. One minute I was with my friends and the next I see myself falling in a fucking lake. From the sky." I finish with a shudder.

She stares at me for a few moments before saying, "You are in the lands of Indlyn, right outside of the main land, Norbalian. It's training grounds. I thought you were a trainee but — you have round ears?"
"Yeah. . . I've never in my life heard of the land indlyn. And you have pointed ears. Why?"
"You are human. I am not."
Am I on high drugs right now.
"Then what are you?"
"I am elfin. The lands here are made up of all elfin." She explains.
Elfin? as in — elf?
"I lied."
Her eyes narrow in my direction as I continue, "I was with three friends of mine. We went into the woods in my world and we found a rotting cottage. We went inside and went into the basement and there were marking all along the wall. My friend, Allaura Aislinn. She touched one and it opened some kind of door way — some kind of portal and she got sucked in, so did all the rest of us." I explain.

I play with my fingers waiting for Aeryn to say something. Maybe she knows what the portal — or door was. Maybe she has an explanation.
I didn't notice Aeryn get another cup of water until she hands it to me. I gratefully take it from her fingers. They're pale, beautifully pale.
"Hydrate. Once you are done, you are coming with me to the training grounds. You will meet our guardian there. He will know what to do with you."

I finish the cup of water and stand up to follow her out the door.
I need to find my friends.

-

Wherever I was, Was absolutely gorgeous.
      Aeryn quickly taught me how to ride a horse. It was honestly easy to learn, she taught quick.
   
      We are now riding through a — I guess a forest? It looks magical. The trees look so green and the small flowers along the grass look so colourful.
      Nothing like the woods back home.
      Home.
      I need to find everyone else. They have to be somewhere here.
      I'm worried about Allaura. I know she has her panic attacks. I know how bad they can get, and she's out there all alone.
      Was she even alive?
      I shake off the thought of her being dead. She can't be. I won't allow it.

      We stop at a clearing. And I understand why this is a training ground.
      Archers are shooting arrows. People with swords, small and big, fight against one another. Others are fighting one on one combat.
      Cool.
      Aeryn dismounts her horse swiftly and I follow suit.
      She starts walking off ahead with me aside her.

      There are so many people here. All of them training, aggressively training. But training for what?
      "Don't aggravate our guardian. He is skilled, very skilled. If you talk back or talk smart. He will probably kill you." Aeryn says.
      "Alright noted." I reply as she pushed open a set of doors.
      A man sits at a large desk. He's in a set of royal blue robes. And he smiles at me.
      But why does he look so familiar?
      "Hello Dominic." The guardian says.
      No. . . It can't be. Can it?
      "My name is Aleksandr Maverick."
      My fucking history teacher!?
      "Mr — um aleksandr? what — yeah i'm just a bit confused." I stutter out.
      Aleksandr chuckles at my actions. He stand from his desk. And he now looks so much taller from the human world.
      human world
     
      "You are on the lands of indlyne. The training grounds for Norbalian." — he states as he come closer to me — "You will be training with them. Learn how to fight, how to use a sword and draw a bow." He states. "I know you must be very confused. Elf's are real, Dominic. They exist. We are elfins, elvin. All those stories you read in my history class about another world. The battles, the deaths, the magic. It's all real."

      Magic, elf's, battle? Real?
      "How are you here? We were at a field trip. You hosted it. How are you here?"
      "I saw you guys enter the woods. I noticed to nearing the cottage. Not many people can open a portal like Allaura did. Not many people at all. . ." He quietly says.
      "What was that portal?" I question.
      "It was an opening to our world. How Allaura opened it? I do not know. But you are here now."
      "How do I get back?"
      "You can't."
      Huh?
      If there was a way in there has to be a way out. . . right?
      "No more questions, champion. You must rest now. You train tomorrow, yes?"
      "What happens if I don't want to fucking train." I grit out.
      Aeryn stills from beside me. I disobeyed her orders. But aleksandr does not look fazed. All he says is.
      "Then you die."

                                         -

Short chapter again *sigh* But now we know our baby Dominic is safe :)
aeryn: i-reen
ralhea: ra-lie-a