Lost in Shadows

Episode 1:

Steven:
There's no one to blame but myself. Revenge is never a way to go by, and as I stare into the shadows, into oblivion, I realize that there is no reason for me to even be living. I have so many regrets, so many sorrows. I realized that your life can change in an instant, and there is nothing you can do about it!
Here, let me start from the beginning, my name is Steven. I was young and foolish, an idiot truly. It was another day, another day living my awful life. Always known as the "nerd" or "weakling." Never having any friends and always getting bullied, I was tired of it. Real tired of that crap.
"Hey there punk." The bullies always ambushed me when I was walking home from school, every single day I try to redirect my route of going home but they always find me! Always! Like they're tracking me or something. I saw them sprinting toward me at the corner of my eye and I sprinted as fast as I could, trying to outrun them, but I knew that wasn't possible. My scrawny legs are no match for theirs. They caught up to me and grabbed my arm and yanked me to ground. My bookbag slammed into the grass, getting covered with mud.
"Where do you think you're going, huh?" The middle one said, kind of the leader of bullies. His name is Brick, probably because his brain is the equivalent to one.
"Please I don't want any-".
"-Shut up you retard!" Brick screamed interrupting me.
"Don't you guys have anything better to do than following me from school every single day? I know that the only reason you pick on me is to bring enjoyment to yourselves, and guess what, I've had enough! Enjoy this you sack of bricks!" I spit in his face then kicked him right in the crotch. I don't know what was up with me that day. I must have been feeling extra spicy.
"You get back here!" Brick managed to mutter out. I grabbed my bookbag and ran toward my house at full speed. I didn't want to look back because I knew that they were right behind me. I then tripped and the bullies caught up with me, and everything went black as I caught a glimpse of a fist flying toward my face.
I woke up feeling all kinds of sore and managed to hobble my way back to my house. My legs sore, and I felt blood and other things trickle down my face. I tried to sneak in the back door to try and make it to a bathroom without my parents seeing. Though of course I was found.
"Steven! What happened to you!" My mom shouted.
"Nothing, it's nothing can you just leave me alone!"
"I'm calling that school and getting those bullies dealt with do you understand!" She then sprinted up the stairs. I then saw Riley, my sister, running toward me with her comforting eyes. I didn't want to have to deal with her sympathy so I just sprinted down the first door I could find, which was the basement door, and locked it behind me. I then sat and cried on the staircase steps, while Riley was saying calmly
"open up Steven, come on I just want to help. Please." I eventually got up from the staircase and walked into the basement. Hoping that all my problems would just vanish. The boards beneath me creaked, and of course to my luck one broke underneath me and my foot fell through. Dust emerged from the hole and I immediately yanked my foot up from the hole in the floor.
However, I saw some type of light emerging from the darkness beneath the floorboards. Curiosity burning inside me, I reached my hand down and pulled out a box with a mahogany wood that glittered in the light. There was a strange pattern of some sort of skull on the front.
I opened the box and immediately felt blinded as a rush of light overwhelmed me. I looked down into the box and saw a book, it looked like it had been torn old, dust covered it. I blew the dust and saw that in a faint print on the cover it said "dark magic spell book, use with caution." My eyebrows shot up. I opened the withered pages and saw spells all in red font.
Each spell had a title, saying what the spell did. There was kill everyone in a five mile radius, mind control, become powerful, and one that really caught my eye, make all your problems disappear.That's exactly what I needed! I also need to become powerful so I can teach those bullies a lesson. Then again, I doubted this book even worked and that it was some sort of pathetic prank.
However, being overpowered with greed, I read the book anyway. I didn't know if I was only able to get one spell so I read both of become powerful and make your problems disappear. Switched from one line to another in this weird text.
"Oka di acino vaaw mois np aquas xawil casak quoscheik". As I read the words the whole house began to shake. Paintings on the walls began to fall down. "It's working!" The book began to glow a dark purple color that reflected and smeared with the light.
"Steven! What's going on down there! I'm about to break this door down!" Riley screamed. "Listen mom and dad just left to go to your school to talk to the principal! What are you doing!"
"Oh juba yakva ê hoka yul fa sha vi co gloas ėoakva". Riley slammed into the door and it went bursting open.
"Steven! Stop!" Lights began to flicker and it felt like the house was about to collapse. I kept reading, succumbed with revenge. Overwhelmed by it. Objects began to float, Riley even struggled to get down the stairs. "Oh god Steven! What are you doing!" I was on the last line on both of the poems.
"Hja nurami Sheikatsu Sheikatsu Sheikatsu bosdvals micA kpaquecaku duraclaka flak acuiova kora, kora kora!" The last word I ever will say on this earth, was kora, Japanese for evil. The book slammed to the ground and spirals of darkness formed around it. Riley grabbed my hand and Yanked me to the stairway.
"Come on we have to get out of here!" She shouted in panic. Though hands, hands came out of the book, Hands that were like shadows, but evil enough to be compared to the devil. They grabbed Riley's leg and yanked her toward the book that was now flipping pages rapidly and causing everything to spin and a tornado of darkness to form. I grabbed onto Riley's hand.
"Steven! Whatever happens I want you to know I love you!" Then my hands slipped from hers and she went flying back into the book. I wanted to scream for help but no words could come out. I sprinted up the stairs of the basement, but the shadow hands grabbed me before I could reach the top, and they yanked me back down the staircase and into the book, and everything went black.
Alec:
30 years later
Moving was not something I had planned. Especially into a house where two children went missing, that's where my dream house is. Ugh! I hate my parents. They will snatch at any deal that's cheap, even if it means moving into a house that CHILDREN WENT MISSING IN 30 years ago. We got it for 1/3rd of the price, and now here I am.
Moving halfway across the country just because of my dad's job. Leaving everything behind and moving into a ghost house probably possessed by demons just because it's close to my dad's work and was the only house available in the area. Wonder why? Sometimes I'm such a smart Alec, oh wait? Ya my name is Alec, and I'm staring at a house that I'm actually going to have to inhabit.
Might as well fill out my will now. Last words: I told you so Dad I hate you all. Cause of death: Demon attack. There we go done and done.
"Alec are you coming?" My sister, Skyler says. She's actually excited to move, well good for her. "It's gonna be a new start Alec! You should enjoy it!" Ya I'm sure you can tell she wasn't the most popular in school. I dragged my feet down the pathway and tried to not lose my sanity completely. God! What did I do this deserve this! All my friends were back in California! I don't want to move to ugly Illinois! This is like death to my soul. I walked into the house and saw Mom already running around cleaning and spraying Lysol, what a germaphobe.
"Come on smile Alec, this house is twice as big as our last one! It's a fresh new start! You're the only person who isn't happy about this." My dad said pushing past me with a handful of boxes.
"Am I the only person who knows that two kids, a girl and a boy, the same age as Skyler and I, went missing in this house! Never to be seen again! Sorry if I'm not thrilled to be walking into this." I said as sarcastic as I could manage.
"Come on Alec, you don't actually believe in those silly rumors?" Mom said filling the place with Lysol that it created a cloud that hovered through the air. I almost choked.
"Anyway they say that they vanished in the basement, but there isn't even a basement in this house." Skyler said with attitude as she carried in more of her boxes, probably all filled with her dolls. She's such a child.
"Because they sealed it off in 2001."
"Ugh just get over that rumor Alec! Now dad and I have to go and get everything checked out with the movers, can you try and not cause too much trouble?" Mom said as she grabbed her diamond purse(fake diamond obviously) and stumbled out the door in her heels with Dad right behind. Mom tries way too hard to look beautiful, purchasing all these fancy items trying to stay "hip." She's so pathetic. I know she got breast implants to and it's so obvious, I wouldn't be surprised If her face was changed too, she's like one giant Barbie doll.
"Alec, seriously stop making everyone scared with your ghost stories and just unpack already. Mom and dad will be proud if they come back and everything is done. I call picking out the room!" Skyler said as she sprinted up the stairs.
I dropped my boxes on the ground and began exploring. Looking to see if there's any signs left of this basement. I put my ear up against all of the walls trying to find any places that sounded hollow. Finally I found this one place, right next to the living room. The paint even smelled fresh too. All I want to do is just prove to everyone that the rumors are true and find their dead bodies down in the basement or something so I can finally leave this ugly state and go back to California with all of my friends.
I took one step and the floor underneath me collapsed and I fell down into darkness. Dust filled my lungs and I trie to stand as my legs felt sore.
"Yes! Now let's just find their dead bodies or something so I can get this done with." I turned on the flashlight in my phone and looked around the basement covered with cobwebs and dust.
"What was that? Oh my gosh Alec are you okay!" Skyler said as she sprinted and saw that I fell.
"I'm fine, and I will be even more once I figure out what happened to those kids."
"Alec it's dangerous down there! Get back up here before you get hurt!" Skyler demanded in a sassy and bossy tone.
"I'd rather get killed by a demon than live one more day in this crappy state." Little did I know I was going to eat those words. I found a book underneath some of the rubble. It was like it was drawing me toward it. I looked at the book and it said "dark magic spell book, use with caution." Is this what made the kids disappear?
"Alec seriously get back up here I'm not joking!" Skyler screamed. I blew the dust off the book and it turned its pages automatically to a page that said make all your problems disappear. Well I do have a lot of problems. Wait. No! This must be exactly what the kids used. I stepped back but it was like the book was forcing me to stay here.
"Alec!" Skyler screamed but more floorboards broke away and Skyler fell down into the basement with me. No wonder we got this for 1/3rd of a price the wood and everything is still probably 30 years old or even more.
"Skyler are you okay?" I said running over to her, though once I reached her the book was still right behind me and right next to me, still on that page. "Come on, we have to get out of here!" I grabbed Skyler's hand and tried to find a way out. Then I heard a faint voice gasp
"Read it! It's me the boy who disappeared, it will save me! It's me, Steven!" I turned around and looked at the book, my heart almost racing. There's no way.
"Please!" I heard it gasp. Has the boy been trapped in this book all this time? What about the girl?
"Alec, who is that? We need to leave!" Skyler shrieked out in fear. I walked over to the book. "What are you doing?!?! That book is obviously trying to trick you!" Skyler screamed.
"No, I have a feeling that it is the boy." I picked up the book. And it's like the words just poured out of my mouth, unstoppable. "Oka di acino vaaw mois np aquas xawil casak quoscheik."
"Alec! Stop!" The basement began to shake. I couldn't stop myself. "Oh juba yakva ê hoka yul fa sha vi co gloas ėoakva." A spiral of darkness began to swirl around the book.
"Alec!" Skyler's voice sounded faint, like she was shouting at me from a mile away. The lights began to flicker. I saw Skyler sprinting away, trying to escape, though everything was sealed off. She tried to move something to try and get back up the hole, it was like she was moving in slow motion. The book was controlling me. The last few lines. "Hja nurami Sheikatsu Sheikatsu Sheikatsu bosdvals micA kpaquecaku duraclaka flak acuiova kora, kora kora!"
Everything began to float. The book zapped my fingers and fell to the ground, engulfing it in darkness. I saw dad and mom appear through the hole, reaching their hands through. I saw Skyler screaming, though everything was silent. I saw everything begin to collapse, though it felt like the earth was standing still. Skyler grabbed on to mom and dads hand's but before they could pull her up, shadow hands shot out of the book and grabbed Skyler and yanked her into the book.
I felt tears come down my cheeks. This was all my fault. Then the shadow hands grabbed me, and pulled me into the book, my moms face filled with sorrow, my dad trying to squeeze down the hole into the basement, mom always said he needed to lose some weight. Though everything went black, I was tricked, fooled. Everything changed that day. Everything...
Steven:
The music played in the background, the same song that has been playing for the past 30 years. Every time I look around this room I feel like my head is about to explode and my eye's water.
The throne room, where whoever is trapped sits there for eternity to control the shadows in this dark and mysterious realm, until one person comes to replace them. Though I don't want anyone else to suffer what I have suffered.
Then I looked up at the light and heard a voice. The voice of a boy, oh no, it can't be happening again. They're going to take him and bring him into this mess of a world. This dark and desolate world.
Wait... Then again, this might be exactly what I need. Since there is no one needed to tend to the throne, the boy might be able to help me. Help me escape.
"Read it! It's me the boy who disappeared, it will save me! It's me, Steven!" I recited, hoping and praying that he would read the spell.
"NO! HE'S NOT READING IT. My one and only chance at escape. Looks like I must use some other measures, mind control." Just a twitch of my fingers and the twist of my thumb, I cast shadows down on the boy forcing him to read the spell, he will get trapped in here with me but It will help us escape, help me escape. Mother did always call me selfish after all.
I then forced the shadows out into the world, grabbing the boy and whoever else I could find, the more people the better. I used to think that I had the ability to control the shadows, as I can make them do as I please and send them out into the world inside the book. Though as the years went on I soon realized that. .. That the shadows control me.
"The plan went successful everyone! The boy and girl have been thrown into the world with us! Excellent, everything is going according to plan. NOW CAN SOMEONE TURN THAT MUSIC OFF!" Do do da di dah do do do dah do dah di di dah do do do do di di di dah dah dah dahhhhh.
"It's making me go a little crazy!" The shadows just laughed, they always laugh. They'll be laughing when I escape this wretched place and they'll be stuck here to die, without a host!
Alec:
I woke up to the sound of birds chirping off in the distance. I quickly shot up and looked around wherever I was, praying and hoping that the book and everything was just a dream, more like a nightmare. Though as soon as I opened my eyes I knew it wasn't.
Someone was standing in front of me. They looked about 40-45 years old, he was sitting on some sort of throne, that wrapped around his wrists. A throne made out of shadows.
"Who are you and where am I?" I said as I pulled my body off the ground. It looked like I was just in a forest, nothing real special.
"Welcome to this desolate world I like to call hell, but it's much more than that. It's a world filled with shadows and other creatures, it's a world that lives inside that book you read, the book of darkness. Now I would hurry and make a fire before she comes out, she always likes to come out at night." The person said, shadows circling around him.
I looked around to see if I could find Skyler, she was nowhere to be found. "Who is she?" I managed to gulp out.
"My sister, Riley... It's a true shame what the shadows did to her. Turned her into some sort of monster, a creature that lives within darkness, and it's all my fault." The person said with a sob.
"So you must be... Steven?" I said. The person smiled, Steven smiled. "What did you do with my sister! You monster! You tricked me into getting stuck in here with you!" I screamed with rage and sprinted toward Steven, but his shadows just flicked me back and I slammed into a tree.
"Don't ask me, ask the shadows, they rule this world, not me. Now, chop chop. You better start a fire before night, you don't want to end up like me, do you?" Steven chuckled, his head was bald, though he was wearing a tuxedo that was neatly pressed. And a red tie. Then Steven's voice got all low.
"Listen child, I want us both to escape, find Gracie, she'll help you. And don't let them get to you, don't let this world beat you or hurt you. Because you are stronger, the shadows prey off of weakness. And most importantly-".
The shadows grabbed Steven and pulled him into the ground before he could finish. Find Gracie? I looked around at the forest, the trees that stuck high into the air.
The silence, I don't remember a time where I have ever felt the alone, this abandoned. Now it's just me and this world, and I can assure you I am getting out of here.
I took that crappy state of Illinois for granted, because I know that state is better than this desolate wasteland. I held back tears, I need to listen to this Steven guy, he's an awful human being for getting me stuck in here with him, but I can tell he desires to escape as well, so that's one thing we have in common.
I looked around for firewood, and thankfully I found some, but the sun was setting off in the horizon. Light was slowly vanishing. I don't know how to make a fire! Don't you need like flint or that stuff?!? Sweat poured down by face, though became invisible in the growing darkness that spiraled around me. What if I can't make a fire?
"Anyone! Skyler! Help me!" I thought of Skyler and whether or not she was surviving. Oh god, I really hope the night don't last as long in this world. And what did Steven mention, something about Riley? And how she turned into a monster?
The sun set, and immediately I head crunches of leaves. I looked all around me. The darkness was thick, I was barely able to see my hands. It was like staring into oblivion. Then my heart dropped to my stomach once I saw red eyes in the darkness. They glowed and looked furious.
This must be Riley. The red eyes grew closer and immediately I sprinted in the opposite direction. I then slammed head first into a tree trunk. Pain attacked my body and everything felt dizzy. The crunches of leaves however, grew louder. I quickly glimpsed back and saw that the red eyes were now charging at me full speed. I couldn't panic, I'm not going to die here, I can't.
I reached up on the tree and found a branch that I quickly pulled myself up on. Then I fluttered my hands in the darkness and reached for another branch. I kept doing this and traveled farther and farther up the tree, hoping to escape the dreaded monster.
However, I reached for a branch and it snapped and my body slammed into another branch a few yards down. I looked back to see Riley's eyes growing, she was climbing the tree. I heard her growl and she lunged upward, munching on one of the branches and ripping it from beneath my feet. Thankfully I grabbed onto another branch just in time.
My feet dangled and Riley snatched at the opportunity and attacked my feet. A surge of pain hit me though I kicked the monster down the tree with my other foot, and it went tumbling down. I then quickly climbed up until I reached the top of the tree.
Looking down I saw that Riley was still pursuing me, growling. I grabbed twigs from the branches rubbed them together. I see this all the time in cartoons so it better work now! My childhood better not have been a lie. I rubbed the sticks together, and prayed simultaneously. Riley's eyes grew closer and closer, she climbed farther and farther up the tree. I saw a few Sparks and then the two sticks engulfed in flames, I quickly threw them down and the flame spread, catching some branches on fire. I saw that Riley had fled, thank god, and so I began to make my way down the tree while the top of it burst into flames.
I heard a huge snap and I realized that the tree was going to collapse. Before I could even register the sound, the tree collapsed and took me down with it, creating a huge thud that shook the earth. I then slammed into the ground and I felt my vision go fuzzy around the edges, and then nothing was visible.
Skyler:
I woke up confused and dazed, almost like I was in a trance. Though my heart immediately skipped a beat when I saw someone staring straight at me with big eyes filled with creepiness.
"Ah!" I shrieked as I fell back.
"Hello sweetie, my names Gracie, hahahhaa!" She chuckled, I could tell she was crazy. "It's not often I get company in this place." Gracie said. I looked around for a weapon or something, just in case this Gracie was as dark as this place, or if she was one of those monsters that grabbed me and pulled me in here. I looked around and saw nothing, just plains.
"Where am I?" I said, my voice cracking as I said the words.
"Silly, you know exactly where you are, inside the book that I created, inside the shadow realm. A place where darkness lurks around every corner, and where all of the shadows of the people who die gather." Gracie said with a smile, she seemed too cheery for this place, I automatically hated her. Then it hit me.
"You created the book! Why!" I screamed and then pulled myself up from the ground.
"Oh darling you'll never understand how awful it was for us 40 years ago."
"Us?" I asked in curiosity.
"How awful it was to be a witch in the 1960s, everyone in the world wanted to kill you, because they thought we were a "menace" to society. So I wanted to find a place where witches could take refuge, where we would be safe, sadly I found much more..." Gracie muttered out.
"It was a cool winter night, snow falling slightly from the clouds, I was just a young girl."
Gracie:
40 years earlier
We lived in a mansion, our family was very wealthy. We did a good job at hiding, but I was sick of hiding, sick of it! I wanted to find a place where I could express who I actually am and not have to worry about people killing me. So I went to work. I may have been young, but mother always stated how powerful my dark magic was. Ever since I was young she said she knew how special I was.
"Gracie be a dear and grab that rag for me." Mom said as she pointed to a towel on the counter.
"Just levitate it over to you, it's dark no one will see." I replied. Mom's face quickly grew red like a tomato.
"Gracie! What did I say about hiding our powers, don't think we are ever safe in this world to use our powers because we aren't!" Mom yelled as she furiously marched over to the rag.
"I know and I'm tired of it!" I screamed as I stormed up to my bedroom. I had to do something, no one should have to live their life in fear.
So I created a few spells, each that I could use against the dreaded humans. Kill everything in a five mile radius, that could be used to wipe out lots of those dreaded humans. Mind control, fool everyone into thinking we are normal. Become powerful, to destroy and make the wretched humans bow before us witches. And make all your problems disappear, and many more. I put all the spells into a book, excited of what I had accomplished.
I got out of hand sadly, succumbed to the idea of being able to live in peace, I created monsters. Shadow monsters.
"What are you doing?" Ross, my brother, said as he walked in on me sealing the book with shadows.
"Gracie!" Ross screamed as he lunged toward me trying to grab the book.
"No! Ross! I'm trying to create a world where we can be safe, where we can be free!" I shouted. My shout was drowned out by the sound of mother giving out an ear jerking scream.
"Stay here!" I told Ross as I went to investigate. I peered down the staircase, and what I saw horrified me.
"Help me! Someone!" Mother screamed as she was being burnt alive. I quickly gasped and the witch hunters that were burning mother heard me.
"There must be more! Keep wary!" One of them grumbled out with a husky voice. They all had torches with rifles. Oh god. I quickly sprinted back up the staircase and back to my room where Ross was.
"Do these spells actually work?" Ross said. "Come on we have to make our problems disappear so we can get out of here!" Ross screamed. That spell is a gateway to the shadow realm, as it is used to make my problems disappear, not just anyone's.
"Do the spell!" Ross shouted.
"I hear them!" A witch hunter said from outside of the door. Was I ready to leave this world? Was I ready to say goodbye? I don't even know what this new world will be like.
"No! Come on grab the book and escape through the window." I instructed as I yanked open the window.
"Open up you damn witches!" I heard a witch hunter shout as they banged on the bedroom door.
"Fine! Then I'll say it!" Ross recited the spell. Maybe this was what I needed, we will be safe, we might finally be happy. As Ross went on everything began to float and a spiral of darkness formed.
"They're casting some spell, be weary of their demon like abilities!" A witch hunter screamed. I ran over to Ross and yanked him from the book, but he had already recited the last phrase. I know for a fact now that I'm not ready to leave this world.
I grabbed Ross and threw us both outside the window, just as shadow hands reached up from the book, trying to take us to their realm.
"Jump down now!" I pushed Ross down the roof and he fell down and hit the ground hard. I used my magic and floated down.
"Why are we running!" Ross moaned out in pain.
"I didn't realize how dangerous those shadows are, overpowered by determination for a better life I didn't realize what I was doing. Shadows are dangerous, always a reflection of something, they are never their own person, just a copy, a dark copy. It was the only realm I could find and I just.." I felt tears come on strong.
"No more talking, they're coming!" Ross screamed in peril as he pointed as the shadow hands shooting out of the window.
"Into the forest, fly Ross fly!" I cast a simple flying spell and started soaring through the forest, Ross right behind me. I dodged left and right from the trees, the shadow hands were right behind us. Gaining fast. Ross followed me as I turned left and right, maneuvering through the icy forest. Sadly with dark magic, once you cast a spell it's irreversible.
There's no hope. Just then a shadow hand grabbed onto my leg and threw me to the ground. I saw that Ross has also been captured and the shadows pulled us all the way back to the book in almost in instant. Which caused me to get serious whiplash so I could barely see what was happening.
I saw that the dark spiral had grown, and it I was but a feet away from the book. Ross was just across from me, crying.
"We are going to break this door down you demons!" The witch hunters screamed.
"Gracie!" Ross whimpered out, he knew just as well as me that this wasn't good. Then I was yanked into the book, the very one that I created. And here I am.
"Oh my gosh, that sounds awful." Skyler said.
"Little did I know how evil shadows truly are."
Alec:
My whole body felt sore as I managed to pull myself up from the ground. The sun shined down bright, bright enough to force me to cover my eyes. The fallen tree lay next to me, and
I pushed past the branches that were on top of me and poked my head out. The forest seemed almost peaceful, the way the sun reflected off the leaves. Though I wasn't fooled, this was an awful place. So, I need to find this Gracie. My clothes were covered in dirt stains, I looked like a homeless person. Whatever, I'm going go escape, I know it. I walked through the forest. Always looking behind me with every step. Every little branch snap or the sound of leaves crunching gave me a mini heart attack as I threw my head around to inspect the area. Saying that Riley scarred me would be and understatement.
I finally made it out of the forest to this canyon like area. Trees growing from the rocks and hanging off the edges. Waterfalls poured down the canyons and into a lake at the bottom of the canyon. It actually looked pretty. I then heard a snap of tree branches and turned around to see this creature sprinting toward me. A shadow creature.
It looked like a human wearing a black morph suit, though with claws the size of pencils and eyes almost as evil as Riley's. It tackled me and we both went sliding down the canyon.
Though my body slammed into a cliff and the creature landed right next to me. I reached for a rock and slammed it into the shadow creatures head, and it disappeared. I looked up to see more of the creatures sliding down the cliff, trying to kill me.
I then saw the lake beneath me. It wasn't that far down... Right? Before the shadow creatures reached me I jumped off the cliff and slammed into the lake below. It felt refreshing and I could feel all the dirt rubbing off. It felt like a shower, and even better when I rose up from the lake the shadow creatures had vanished, strange. I guess they just don't like water.
I swam to a the coast, the first land that I could find and waited there, and I saw berries on a bush that I went to go pick, but there was something behind the bush, a staircase that led down into the earth.
Steven:
"Yes he's going to find him!" I said with excitement as I stared into my omniscient ball that allows me to see everyone and everything in this shadow realm. He's going to find him!
Alec:
I walked down the cement staircase, bugs and worms infested the dirt ceiling above me as I made my way down the staircase. I might be able to hide in here from that monster Riley.
Steven:
"Please.." I muttered. The shadows threw me against a wall in the throne room. I yelped out in pain.
"What are you doing!" I shouted at the shadows that surrounded me, always watching me, I was foolish to think that I would have been able to pull something without them knowing. I know exactly what they're doing, punishing me.
The shadows began to take shape, into, The Shadow King, the person who really controls the shadows. I'm just there to keep him alive, the pathetic host.
Alec:
I came to the bottom of the staircase after what felt like forever, and a wooden door lay at the bottom, with a rusted lock on it that I slammed with a rock. Before I was struggling to get through the tiny hole and I had to bend down as I traversed down the staircase.
After I stepped through that wooden door, the ceiling was about 30 feet high, and I felt like an ant standing within in. Columns of shiny marble filled the room as they were all in symmetrical order. All leading to another door about 20 feet high, made of steel.
Steven:
"You're being a very bad host, Steven." The shadow king said with a smirk. I cringed, this is the monster behind everything, the leader of the shadows.
"Shadows, hurry now and find the boy! Make sure he does not open that tomb! And bring him back to me. We have a bad host here that might need to be.... replaced."
The last word sent chills down my spine. "Such a shame as well, I had such good hopes for you Steven, I really believed in you to be the first host in history to now BETRAY US!" The shadow king said as he walked around the throne room.
"Well, you thought wrong. You are a monster, and every single host thus far has realized it." I spat at the shadow king, just as he smirked and looked down at me. That's all he ever does, is look down on people.
"You trap us in here just so that a copy, a replica like you can survive! Since you're not whole yourself, you need a human to sustain you. You need a human for you to be a shadow of!"
The shadow king lunged at me and grabbed my neck and threw me into the air. I was gasping for breath.
"I'm not the person who chose this life! You did by casting the spell! All monsters are human!" The shadow king screamed at me. Then threw me back to the ground. I sucked in as much air as I could, finally able to breath again.
"You think I asked for this! To be a replica my whole life, a copy, never my own person! Always needing someone else to keep me alive!"
"You don't deserve to be alive, shadows should never exist, they're worthless, they can't contribute anything to the world!" I screamed interrupting him.
"Though I can contribute something to my world, by killing you and getting a new host who can actually do something right, looks like your plan of escaping turned out to be worthless." The shadow King said as he disappeared.
I stood up and sat back in the throne, tears flowing down my cheeks. Maybe I deserve to die, I did cast the spell, I deserve this fate. I cried constantly as the music played, the same music that has been playing for 30 years. 30 years too long. Do do da di dah do do do dah do dah di di dah do do do do di di di dah dah dah dahhhhh.
Gracie:
"So, whatever happened to your brother, Ross?" Skyler asked as we walked through the plains, heading to my shelter before nightfall.
"Well." I felt a lump in my throat as the thought cams to my mind. "You see, shadows need a host to survive, because they're just reflections of something more. So without a host they would not be able to sustain life.
So when we were teleported into this shadow realm, Ross met the profile for a host and therefore he was pulled away from me. However, there's a new host, Steven is his name."
"Where is Ross now?" Skyler asked with sympathy. She almost seemed cautious, like saying the wrong words would just set me into tears, which was probably true.
"Probably dead... Once a host is replaced they have no need for the old one anymore. And it's all my fault, literally everyone who is here is my damn fault for creating that book and creating a gateway to this realm!" I almost burst into tears. I felt my throat constrict as I was holding back sobs.
"Do you think, my brother will be the new host, what even does a host do?" Skyler asked as she knelt beside my collapsed body, holding my fist that were smashed into the grass. She was a sweet girl, I could tell she didn't deserve to be here, and her life is probably ruined because of me.
"A host like I said sustains the shadows, so he or she has the ability to control them, and force the shadows to do whatever. But I have an assumption that there is more to that, that the host is just a tool and controls a small part of the shadows just to keep them alive, while there is some other mastermind that forces the host into doing whatever he or she needs. Wait! Did you say your brother went in here as well as?! We have to go now!" I said as I grabbed Skyler's hand and pulled us into an all out sprint.
"This way!" I pulled her down a hill and into a hut that I have made over the so many years.
"Wait why are we going in here if we need to find my brother?" Skyler asked in confusion. Oh, she'll find out.
"Just trust me, okay?" Skyler nodded and went into the shack. Such a strange girl, we just met and she already trust me like a sister, it's a shame because I'm about to betray that trust. I found a rock outside in the grass and then walked into the shack, Skyler screamed once she saw it but it was already too late, I slammed the rock into her face and she went falling back, unconscious.
"I'm so sorry sweetie, all will be explained in due time, I swear."
Alec:
I walked down the brick pathway, columns on either side of me. I finally reached the heavy steel door, only to look back and see a huge army of shadow creatures sprint through the wooden door several feet back in this gigantic room.
They were all sprinting as fast as they could, looking ferocious and deadly. There was like one hundred of them all charging toward me. Panic began to rush through my veins as I reached for the door and tried to pull it open.
I always knew I was weak, but now is the time to kick it in gear and open this damn door! I finally managed to pull it open and a huge creaking sound echoed throughout the plain walled room. It could barely be heard over the sound of the shadow creatures growls, which were getting way too close for comfort. I slivered through the crack and then tried to pull the door back, but a bunch of their hands squeezed through the crack between the doorway, all trying to grab me.
I fell back but I quickly scurried back up and slammed my back into the door, hoping to shut this door once and for all without those creatures getting in. I managed to shut the door and the sound once again echoed through the room.
I could still hear those creatures banging on the other side of the door, and with each thump I felt my heart race faster and faster. After recovering from that heart attack I decided to inspect the room that I was in. It looked like I was in some kind of morgue, the lights were dim, and what I saw baffled me. There was a sign hanging from the ceiling that said "Past Hosts." One of my eyebrows perked up once I saw several glass tubes along each of the walls.
I took a step and the sound of my footsteps bounced off the walls. This room would have been dead silent of those shadow creatures weren't banging on the door. The glass tubes cast a eery glow on the room and a blue light shined through them.
However, I hadn't realized, people were in the glass tubes. I almost screamed once I saw a person, just in the glass tube, lifeless. Past hosts? I had no clue what this even meant, and are these people still alive? I kept walking down the room, having these eyes stare at me. Yes the people in the glass tubes, their eyes were open and it creeped the heck out of me.
After a long walk of what I thought was a never ending hallway, I finally made it to the end of all the people, while the hallway kept stretching onward into darkness. I just realized that at the bottom of each tube there was a name cemented into a sign.
The most recent host's name that was in the tubes name was Ross. I wondered if these people were still alive, well I guess there's only one way to find out. Before I was about to break Ross' test tube, I looked at the glass tube right next to it, which was empty, but it had a name at the bottom. Steven. So, all these people must be people like Steven?
I slammed my elbow into Ross's glass tube and a few cracks emerged. I kept hitting the glass until the tube completely shattered and Ross went falling out. I caught him before he hit the ground, and glass shards went scattering everywhere.
I then set Ross on the ground. He didn't seem to be alive. Well I need answers and help on getting out of here, and maybe one of these people know where Gracie. I walked over to one next to Ross, a girl lay within in. "Simran" was etched at the bottom of the tube.
I did the same as I did for Ross and kept hitting the glass with my elbow until the tube shattered. Simran then fell from the tube and I caught her as well. I held my breath away, hoping she was alive.
Then again, they all might be dead and this is probably where the shadows keep their bodies. Just as that thought popped into my head Ross jerked upward, gasping for air.
"Uh, where am I?" He managed to say after gathering his bearings. "Wait! Did I escape, please tell me are you from the real world?!?" Ross said excitedly as he jumped up and grabbed my hands. A little creepy when a 40 or 50 years old lunges at a boy as fast as he did, so I flinched a little. Though I finally said
"no, you're still here." Ross's smile immediately wiped off his face, and he looked behind me to see Simran laying on the ground, then he looked at the glass tubes.
"This must be where they keep the hosts" he managed to say. "Listen, I have to find my sister, Gracie, and tell her I'm okay." Ross said.
"Oh! I need to find her as well! Can we find her together?" Ross nodded, though just then Simran sprang up and looked around.
"What-" her question was interrupted with the sound of a door slamming open. The shadow creatures have managed to break through.
"What was that?" Ross asked as he walked over to where the sound came from.
"Come on there these shadow creatures we have to leave!" I screamed at them and grabbed both of their hands and sprinted farther down into the darkness of the room, the opposite direction of where the shadow creature's growls were coming from.
"You mean Kages" Ross said as we sprinted down the corridor, glass tubes still on either side of us.
"I guess if that's what they're called." I replied, though I'm not the best runner so it was hard to even speak over me gasping for air. Then I heard a huge roar that echoed through the corridor. It sounded just like a.. Dragon.
We finally entered the end of the corridor and went into another room, that looked exactly like the other one I was in before, with the marble columns and brick flooring. Then I got it, everything in this room is symmetrical, meaning each side is the same.
And to test that theory I glanced down at the end of the huge room, and yes! A wooden door where we could escape from.
"Come on! That door is the exit!" I screamed as I pointed to the door. Simran and Ross both nodded. I could tell they were both confused and didn't know what was going on, but they just went with it. Though the huge steel door detached and went flying overhead. It then slammed down and slid against the floor until it hit a wall, breaking a few columns before reaching it.
I immediately turned back to see what had thrown the door, almost scared wondering what I might find. And scared is right because what I found was not pleasant. A dragon, made out of shadows, the same size as the huge heavy steel doors, stood in the doorway.
Skyler:
I woke up, ropes tied around my body. I immediately began to struggle and try and break free from the ropes that held me down and kept me from escaping. The last thing I remember was, Gracie slamming me with a rock.
I looked around at my surroundings. Wherever I was it was very dark, candles created a dim light that revealed a red circle that surrounded me. It looked like... blood.
"Someone! Help me!" Maybe if I could reach the candles I could burn the rope off, though that seemed a little dangerous. It was my only option, sadly. I wiggled and squirmed my way over to the candle, one of the many that formed a star pattern. With the red circle in the middle.
Before I was able to burn the rope off someone's boot stepped right in front of me. I looked up and saw Gracie. Wearing some type of bird mask, with a dress made out of feathers.
"Gracie! Why are you doing this?" I asked in confusion, my voice shaky, afraid of what she was going to do. I was foolish for trusting someone in this world. Ugh!
"Sweetheart, I'm going to do what I came in this world to do, be myself, and most importantly. Express my witch powers!" Gracie screamed as she rolled me back into the middle of the circle. I tried to bite her hand but she moved it away before I got the chance.
"I'm trying to save you! And everyone else in this wretched world! By trying to defeat the shadows!" Gracie said, her dress of feathers glimmering against the faint light of the candles.
"And how does that involve me getting tied up!" I screamed.
"You see darling, if we want to defeat the shadows, we have to strike them when they're weak, which is at night. Shadows can't form without the sun, just like in our world. Which is exactly why they created a monster to come out at night and kill anyone and everything it sees. To make us weak at night as well, as we cower in fear. That's exactly what they want Ya see!" Gracie giggled out as she twirled around the candles, almost dancing. She was truly crazy.
"What if I can kill Riley! The creature, then we can get the upper hand! We can finally strike the shadows at night, and kill them all!" Gracie said, still acting like a mad man.
"And, where do I come in?" I was almost afraid to ask.
"By a human sacrifice! The creature will be destroyed!" Gracie said with a cackle. Oh god, human sacrifice!
"It's almost night, I must commend the spell." Gracie then sprinted over to a table and grabbed a book. "40 years in this demon hope I was able to create lots of dark spells! Including, one that can summon the monster, Riley. And then with the sacrifice of the human blood I can vanquish the beast!" Gracie said as she turned the pages.
"You're mad! You can't do this!" I screamed as I was trying to break free.
"Mad or determined, one of the two. Hahahahahahaha!" I frowned. I was not going to let this witch kill me. Gracie then began to say the spell.
"Co mahhh vi saka mecoooo sephi do slay, vi daaa, deshlra dephi sa mi paquickaza." Gracie recited. The candles then began to float in the air, and the next thing I knew, I was floating in the air.
"Someone! Please!" The candles then began to move around me as they floated in the air.
"Da va, do mi quisha ahh vi ah yaa o ci, kaquivak!" All the flames on the candles went out, just as the sun set outside. Then I heard a growl come from outside of the shack. Oh god, whatever this creature or Riley was, it did not sound pleasant.
"Please, you don't have to do this!" I whimpered out, begging for mercy. I wasn't ready to die, not like this. Not by a sacrifice! Gracie then grabbed a handful of this red powder and threw it into the air, and all of the little particles began to spread out.
I heard the ground shake outside as the monster's footsteps got closer. The red particles flew into the candles and caused them to burn a black light. Then all of a sudden, the candles all came really close to my body, still circling around.
"Vaka, si, dafla, tomo, cawudoflai. Sacrifice!" The next thing I knew I slammed to the ground, right in the center of the blood circle, and all the candles merged together to form one giant black light, that came closer and closer to me as it slowly fell down.
Just then I noticed that the roof of the shack came flying off. Then I saw red eyes peer in through the darkness. Claws gripped against the sides, and I heard wood shatter.
"Yes! She's here!" I heard Gracie scream. The black flame was now just an inch away from me. But it started to burn the rope and I could feel then loosening. I might be able to break free just at the right time just as the ropes are about to snap. The creature, or Riley, or whatever jumped down next to me. I could feel my heart rate skyrocket, sweat trickling down my face. The creature sniffed me, but just then I heard the rope snap and I pushed myself through and rolled to the side. Just then the black flame slammed into the ground, causing the shack to burst into flames, but it didn't emit light because it was a black flame. I had to get out of here.
"No! Skyler get back here!" Gracie screamed, but I ignored her as I sprinted out of the shack and into the darkness. I then saw woods that I might be able to lose Riley in. I heard the creature roar and I looked back and saw the red eyes jump out of the shack,
I jumped behind a tree, hoping that Riley wouldn't find me. I poked my head out from the tree trunk and saw that the red eyes had vanished. Thank goodness, I must have lost it. However, when I went back behind the tree trunk, I saw the red eyes staring straight at me. I saw the creature smile, revealing sharp teeth like knives.
It then lunged at me.
Alec:
The dragon roared with ferocity, wings and body as black as the night sky. It was after me for some reason, the way it's eyes locked on to me.
"Head to the wooden door." I shouted. If we could just make it there, the dragon couldn't follow us because the door is way too small. We all started sprinting, trying to get to the door. I glanced back and saw that the dragon's chest was red, and was about to breathe fire.
"Take cover!" I shouted once more as I sprinted behind one of the columns. Just then fire from the shadow dragon filled the room, but thankfully the column blocked me from the searing flame. The dragon then started charging around the room. Knocking over columns one by one.
Then it reached my column and I held my breath as its serpent like head slivered around the floor of the room.
"I smell you boy, my target." The dragon slivered out, with a low and frightening voice that gave me goosebumps. I really hoped that I wasn't his so called target, and then I realized that the only other two people in the room with me was a fifty year old man and a women. And I doubt that anyone would call Ross a "boy."
Dang it. It was after me! Just then the dragon hit the column that I was hiding behind and it collapsed. I quickly sprinted to a pile of debris, there was so much rubble that I might just be able to sneak my way out. Then I looked up and saw that the roof was shaking.
Obviously, the columns support the roof! If I can just get him to knock down more columns the roof might collapse on the shadow dragon.
"I can take you to the shadow King the easy way or the hard way, your choice." The dragon said as he sniffed around the room trying to find me.
"I choose, the hard way!" I screamed as I came out from my hiding spot behind the debris.
"Your mistake." The shadow dragon said with a laugh. Then he lunged toward me with his teeth but I quickly rolled on the ground and dodged. I then sprinted over to another one of the columns. The dragon the burst out more flames that filled the room. I got behind a column once more, though the shadow dragon quickly slammed it down, just as planned.
"You can't run from a shadow, child. They are always watching, haunting you." The dragon whispered with his chilling voice, making all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I looked over and saw that Ross and Simran made it to the door, and I motioned for them to head up. Ross nodded and they both disappeared up the staircase. There were just three columns left.
"Come get me you slowpoke!" I screamed as I sprinted towards another column. I looked up and saw that the roof had cracks littered all throughout it, it was unstable. The dragon smiled and then sprinted over toward me. Smashing one of the three columns with his tail.
I don't know why, but it felt like a sense of courage empowered me, or maybe my fear was just drowned out my the adrenaline that pumped through my veins. Ya, that's probably it.
I reached another column that I hid behind as the dragon lunged and attacked it. It slammed toward the ground and burst into several pieces, one of which slammed onto my leg and forced me to the ground. I struggled to break free but the marble was too heavy, pinning me and preventing me from moving.
"Child, silly to think you can escape me." The dragon said as he grabbed me and lifted me off the ground. I looked over at the one column remaining, right next to the wooden door.
"You're coming with me." The dragon said with a bit of accomplishment.
"I knew that I wasn't able to escape from you, so I decided to outsmart you." I said, trying to break free from the shadow dragons clutches.
"By doing what?" The shadow dragon asked, talking to me like I was some kind of five year old, viewing me as an ant, posing no threat to him at all. How we was so wrong. I looked back and saw Ross with debris trying to break down the last column. And right when he hit it with the last blow that the column needed, I screamed
"this!" The last column collapsed and the roof collapsed on top of the dragon. It filled him with shock which caused him to let go. I slammed to the ground but quickly got up and sprinted at full speed to the wooden door, with Ross waiting there beside me. The whole room was collapsing behind me, it was like an avalanche of debris that was all sliding toward me, trying to crush me.
I wasn't going to make it, there was no way. I picked up the pace, though I could hear the avalanche getting closer and closer, and the wooden door still seemed so far away. There was nothing I could do. It finally happened, the ceiling finally fell down on me, and I could tell, this was the end.
Skyler:
I screamed in terror as I rolled over to the side, dodging the beast as it slammed into the tree which I was hiding behind. Riley quickly jerked her head out of the trunk and pieces of bark wen flying everywhere and disappeared in the darkness.
However, I saw one large piece of bark that was sharp as well, maybe large enough to kill a beast.
Sharp enough to kill Riley. I sprinted over to the sharp wooden bark piece but Riley cut me off, growling and snarling, showing off her monstrous self. I ducked as Riley lunged at me, but I ducked before the creatures teeth could make contact with my face. Though its hind legs slammed into my head and I went slammed right into my face, causing me to fall back and roll down a hill that I didn't even know existed. Once I finished falling and managed to stop myself, I hastily tried to gather my bearings as I looked around in the darkness. I then met eye contact with Riley, standing at the top of the hill. I looked back and saw that I was pinned, with nowhere to go. The canyon stood behind me, and the darkness clouded my vision, causing me not to see the bottom. Riley slowly walked down the hill, ready to go in for the kill, kill its prey.
"Stay back!" I screamed, I knew that the creature wouldn't listen, so why would I even bother. Riley was create into a monster to kill anyone that she sees during the night, and now she is about to achieve that purpose. I kept scooting back, inch by inch, until I saw that there was no ground left to scoot back on.
My feet were at the very edge of the canyon, as far as they could go. Riley lunged toward me, but was stopped in midair, as if a remote pressed the pause button on her. I looked around and saw Gracie, with a staff shooting out a thin light beam that I realized circled around the beast. It was one of her spells that saved me. Though Riley disappeared into shadows, just as the sun was rising.
"You saved my life." I stated. Gracie had on a witch hat, and a black cloth that blended in with the dark surroundings.
"Well, I tried to end your life as well so I guess we are even now." Gracie said as she walked over to ms, but I stiffened. And braced for anything, as she had completely lost my trust.
"Do you think this makes up for what you did to me!" I screamed at her, almost wanting to push her off the cliff and have her plummet to her death. "No you're right, what I did was wrong, and I'd be surprised if you can ever forgive me, but I think I know one way of helping you forgive me."
"How!" I asked.
"Let's just say, I might know a way out of here, what would you say then. Would you forgive me if I helped you escaped this realm and back into your world?" Gracie said.
The answer was obvious.
"Of course!" I said with delight, if I can escape this wretched place, then I can finally go back to my somewhat normal life and reunite with my family.
"Great! Let's get started." Gracie said as she handed me her witch staff carved out of wood. "By killing Riley." Gracie said as the sun rose, shining down on the staff.
Alec:
I actually opened my eyes! I actually survived! I looked around and saw this person wearing a black hood and cloak, look down at me as this person was using some kind of magic to form a forcefield that shielded us from the rubble. This person came out of nowhere and saved my life.
"Do not tell anyone you saw me, understood?" The person asked as they made the forcefield vanish and caused the fallen debris to be pushed away just by a flick of a finger.
"Who are you? Friend or foe?" I asked the mysterious figure.
"I'm someone that wants to escape here, just like you. Whether I turn friend or foe doing it is determined by the circumstances." The cloaked figure stated.
"Why did you save me?" I asked, I needed to know who this person is, and what their motive for saving me was. Figure out if I can trust them, or count on them in times of need.
"You have so much to learn about this place boy, but I believe that you are the key to escaping this hell, this dungeon of despair." The cloaked persons cape blew in the draft that was coming from the destroyed ceiling.
"Alec! Are you alive!" I heard ross say as he shoved past debris.
"I must leave." The hooded person said as they started to walk away.
"Wait! Can I at least get a band?" I asked.
"Peri." The hooded figure said, then disappeared into nothing. A girl?
"Alec! You're alive! Thank god!" Ross said as he reached me after making a pathway through the rubble.
"Are you okay? Come on let's get out of here!" Ross stated as he grabbed my hand and pulled me through the rubble until we reached the wooden door. Which we climbed up and finally reached the surface, just as the sun was beginning to rise. The sun felt marvelous against my skin, I've never felt so thankful for the sun.
We reunited with Simran at the top of the underground staircase, and I realized that we came out on the other side of the lake. Which means that the room with all the hosts was led underneath the lake.
"Come on, let's find shelter." Ross said as he started walking, but then stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up and saw that an army of Kages were surrounding the canyon, all looking down on us, thirsting for blood and violence. There looked like thousands, as they were all on the upper part of the canyon staring down, ready to strike. "Alec, be ready. The shadow King really wants you badly." Ross stated as he stepped back carefully, as if the wrong footstep could send all the Kages down after us. There was no way that we were going to escape this alive, not without a fight.
Skyler:
Just as Gracie was handing me the staff, several shadow creatures appeared out of nowhere and Gracie screamed
"Kages" just as they attacked us, and sent me sprawling off the cliff, where Gracie plummeted farther down the canyon and landed in a lake. However, I realized that the staff was next to me on the cliff.
I looked around and saw that Kages were everywhere, surrounding the entire canyon. I looked down to see people standing at the bottom of the canyon, three, I couldn't make out there faces however. They were too far away to make out the details.
Alec:
I looked up to see Steven hovering down from the Kage army down to the bottom of the canyon where we were, on his shadow throne.
"You? What do you want! I thought you were going to help me?" I asked in surprise and shock.
"Well, plans change." Steven stated with a grin, one so mischievous it was as if that single grin drained out all of my trust in him. That he would actually help me, I was a fool in thinking so. He was monster that got me trapped in here on the first place!
"What do you want from me!" I screamed.
"Well, it all started like this." Steven said confidentially, as he sat in his hovering throne, getting comfortable and lounging, as if this was some get together.
Steven:
"Steven, I don't want to kill you, truly. So what if you prove to me that you are actually worthy of living, that you don't deserve to die. I can maybe forget your little mishaps if you retrieve Alec for me, alive obviously-"
"-Just so I can be replaced and save you the dirty work!" I screamed, interrupting him.
"Yes, you are obviously being replaced. However, you get decide if you want to go into that glass tube with the other hosts dead or alive. Steven, I know how much you don't want to live the rest of your life in this realm, but do you really want to die in here! Never able to see the real world, what it has become, ever again!" The shadow King said as he walked around me. His shadow armor menacing like, his tattered cape as black as shadows themselves. "So, what will it be?" The shadow King said as he knelt beside me.
Alec:
"I'm sure you can guess what I picked." Steven said with a grin, the shadows circling around him, as if they were bonded to him.
"So Alec, you can come with me peacefully. Or I can make you suffer before dragging you off!" Steven screamed, slamming his fist on the arm rests of the throne.
"What do you choose! Peace, or war?" I looked up at the thousand of Kages, then at Ross and Simran's faces, overwhelmed with fear and worry.
"I choose.....WAR!"
End of episode 1