The barking of a dog broke the still silence and roused Lillian from her light sleep. On still nights like this she was often restless and got near to no sleep. It always felt like something would jump out from the dark shadows and attack her even though the small town of Emmett was a relatively peaceful one.
The dog's barking grew more insistent and she got up with a sigh before making her way across the cold wooden floor to her window. She wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight, that much was for sure.
Her light grey eyes stared back at her in the reflection, as well as her auburn colored mess of boyishly styled hair that stood out against her pale skin. Lillian figured she probably took after her father in everything but her hair. He left at a young age, young enough that she could barely remember anything about him. Since then her mother had raised Lillian as best she could, but Lillian could never help thinking about what life would be like if her father hadn't abandoned them. She's suddenly torn from her thoughts when she spots a large dog like figure darting across the street towards the neighbors house, and shortly after the barking stops and the world goes silent once more.
Strange. They didn't have a dog, and the people in this neighborhood who did always kept their dogs locked up at night. Maybe it was just a stray though.
The occasional creak of the floor boards sounded deafening as Lillian made her way to the living room with her phone, hoping to pass the time with some games.
A quick glance at the clock on the wall in the hallway revealed it was nearly three in the morning and Lillian inwardly grumbled. She didn't like being up this late, it always made for an irritatingly exhausting day.
With a soft sight Lillian plops down onto the couch and starts tapping away on the screen, quickly getting sucked into the game. A few hours pass by uneventfully before her stomach starts growling and refuses to stop until she reluctantly pulls herself from her phone to head to the kitchen for something to eat, shivering slightly as the cool air goes straight through her thin night clothes.
After pulling a small bag of chips from the cupboard she starts to head back to the living room, but a flickering light from outside catches her attention and confusion etched itself across her features. Lamp lights don't flicker like that... Her bare feet pad lightly across the time floor as she quickly goes to the window and draws back the curtains only to gasp in shock and fear. The sound of the bag is drowned out by her thoughts as she watches the house across the street be enveloped in flames. That fire was huge-- what if the family was still inside? An ambulance wouldn't be likely to make it in time of there were people inside. Their wasn't a car in the driveway, but that didn't mean nobody was home. "Mom! Wake up and call the cops, there's a fire!" Lillian shouts at the top of her lungs as she flings the door open and darts across the street, ignoring the chilly air and painful gravel against her feet as she runs. Luckily the front door was clear of flames still, so she sprinted to it and banged on it a few times before trying the handle.
With a click the door swung open and Lillian called out, "Hello! Is anyone home? Your house is on fire!"
She was met with total silence except for the crackling of the flames that crawled their war further up the house and her mother's shouting from across the street. Even though no one responded there was still a chance someone was inside. The fire seemed to be coming from the outer right side of the house, but the smoke had already made it hard to see very far into the building. Without really thinking Lillian put the sleeve of her night shirt over her mouth and nose and ran inside to check for anyone. Probably not the smartest idea, but the thought of not doing anything and later realizing someone died spurred her to make the rash decision.
The smoke stings her eyes and as she makes her way towards the dining room she hears the slam of the door behind her and she quickly turns to see the closed door and hear a faint click. "What the fuck?" She blinks a couple times to clear the tears pricking at her eyes to make sure the smoke isn't masking her see things.
Nope. The door is now shut. And locked by the looks of it. Her stomach drops and panic starts to set in with the confusion.
Why the fuck was the door closed now? And how? She starts towards the door and reaches for the handle when three lines of agony streak down her back, causing her to cry out and stumble forward and into the door. All thoughts of rescuing her neighbors fly out the window when she glances back to see a very large gangly creature eyeing her from a few feet away. The smoke scratches at her throat despite her best attempts to filter it out through her sleeve as she takes in the terrifying and shocking appearance of the bizarre thing standing before her.
It was almost dog like, if you didn't count that it stood at about her height at a little over 5 feet tall and was pale and hairless with some almost humanoid features, almost like a really messed up looking hairless werewolf. It's beedy red eyes were locked on her and the fear that ran through her made it so she could almost forget the intense pain and feeling of liquid running down her back. Or maybe it was just the adrenaline.
The moment it moves to take a step forward the moment is broken and her watery eyes dart around for an exit. This had to be a dream. There was no way something like this could possibly exist. But it felt too real for her to take a chance, so she quickly darted towards the nearest windowin favor of trying to take the time to unlock the door. A good choice too, judging by the crash that sounded behind her of a body slamming into the door and then the following scrabbling of sharp claws across the floor.
The window she was aiming for was open just enough for her to fit through, and with a few long strides she reached it. Unfortunately for her though, the thing from nightmares was faster and just as a breeze of cool, clean air brushed across her cheek she felt the weight on her back and was plummeting to the floor. A painful crack sounds as her head hits the window sill on her way down and the feeling of razor sharp claws sinking into her shoulders and legs rips a scream from her throat.
Was this it? Was this how it was all going to end? Just as she started to inhale after her scream she started coughing and her world started spinning. Can't breath... The smoke fills her lungs and she feels one of the clawed hands detach from her shoulder only to slowly creep up to her neck while warm blood pours from her wound. No... This can't be it. There's still highschool to graduate and a life to be lived... It can't end like this! She mentally screams at herself to get up, to escape. But it's no use as she feels the claws graze her pale throat.
But before Lillian could even compete her next thought a new feeling began to fill her core. A strange buzzing sensation that filled her and expanded outward and suddenly there wasn't any weight on her. Suddenly she was falling into a strange darkness.
Everything was pitch black and exhaustion nearly took her a couple of times, but she desperately clung to it like it was the only thing keeping her alive.
After what felt like days another hole appeared before her, this time into a sunlit patch of grass that looked oh so pleasant to sleep on. Her vision blurred as she distantly felt herself hit the ground. Everything felt so strangely detached now, like that of a dream. There was a voice nearby, it sounded deep and nice, but she couldn't make it the words as a shadow fell over her, blotting out the sun and suddenly making her realize just how cold and weary she was. Maybe a little nap would be ok, she thought as her eyes slowly closed despite the agony in her body and burning in her chest and lungs.
A throbbing feeling throughout Lillian's body was the first thing she noticed, the second being the incredible soreness in her throat.
It was shortly after that that she began to regain a sense of awareness of her surroundings. A nice cool breeze was flowing passed, rustling leaves from somewhere above her. Underneath her she could feel something soft and warm, like a fur blanket of some kind.
Upon trying to crack her eyelids open she immediately winces and groans softly from the bright light and the pain that lances through her at the movement.
The shuffling of someone can be heard nearby and she feels a cool hand lightly touch her forehead as a deep and heavily accented voice reaches her ears. "Be still. Your injuries have yet to heal."
His accent sounded kind of Russian, but she couldn't be sure. "Wh....ere.... Am....I?" She raps out quietly, surprised at how badly the smoke hurt her throat and how thirsty she suddenly was as she tries to swallow. "You are safe in the western forests of Ashketar. Here, drink." Something cold presses against her lips and she cautiously opens her mouth before feeling the cold water hit her tongue. If heaven had a taste, this would be it. She gulped down what he gave her as quickly as he allowed before relaxing back again and slowly trying again to open her eyes.
This time the sun didn't hurt quite as much as she slowly takes in her surroundings.
Nothing looked familiar. Instead of houses she was laying in a small clearing surrounded by trees and without a soul in sight save for the man kneeling over her. His black hair seemed to fit the mysterious feeling he gave of as his bright emerald colored eyes bore into her. Even stranger was the pair and black and dark red wings just visible over his shoulder. "Am...*cough*....am I dreaming?" Confusion is clearly written in her features as she eyes his large wings over his shoulder, feeling pretty sure she saw them twitch a couple times. "I would think not. You fell through a portal and landed near me while I passing by on my way to Hains keep."
She holds her hand up weakly and he falls silent. "Portals? Ashketar? Hains keep? What are you talking about? Last I knew I was in Emmett, Idaho trying to help my neighbors because their house was on fire when this... Thing attacked me." She glances down at herself for the first time since waking up and frowns at the shredded state of her blood stained clothes. Then she notices the bandages around her legs and upper body, it only takesa second for her to realise this stranger is probably the one who bandaged her, but in the process he probably saw everything. Warmth creeps into her cheeks and she glances over at him again as he speaks, noticing the weirdly Mideval looking clothing he had on. "I am also confused. There are no Däemons left alive, Jakob Snowreign was the last. So how you fell through a newly opened portal is beyond me. But you are no longer in your home realm, to say the least. You are in Fraesia now. The realm of magic."
Her eyes go wide and she misses everything he said passed her fathers name. "You knew my dad? How? Who are you? Is this some kind of elaborate prank?" This time it was the strangers turn to look surprised. "Jakob was your father? That's impossible. After sustaining mortal would he fled to... To the mortal realm." Realization seems to dawn on him and he sits down beside the makeshift bed. "If that is true then this is world changing news. My name is Ronin. I am... Well... A fallen. I'm sure this is all very confusing for you, so just relax and I'll explain what I can." Lillian somewhat reluctantly nods and states at him expectantly.
"Like I mentioned before, this is the realm of magic. There is a secondary realm, the mortal realm, which is parallel to this one. Everyone here knows of the mortal realm, but none can go there and survive in that harsh realm save for Däemons and a couple other races like Nightwalkers and Fleshlings due to the complete lack of magic. Däemons are the primary exception because there existence is fueled by energy, not magic. They are also the only know race to be able to create tears in the fabric between realms to allow for travel between the two realms. As such the counsel decided to create an order of knights known as the Solaar knights. Only a Däemon could be a Solaar knight. This position allowed the Däemons to protect both realms from each other while under the protection of the council. Unfortunately this didn't work out as well as planned and they were all wiped out, save for Jakob, the last and most powerful knight. During the battle for Kingstone bridge he was mortally injured and only barely escaped to the mortal realm. From then on it was assumed the Däemons had all been killed, but if you're truly his daughter... Well, let's just say you're lucky I'm the one who found you."
The more Lillian listened the more confused she became. How the hell could this be real? Was she in a coma or something? This just all seemed so far fetched. On top of that, this winged stranger was claiming her father was one of these... Däemon things.
She shakes her head slightly in disbelief, trying to wrap her mind around everything that was going. "Ok... What I really want to know is how to get home."
His silence goes on for what feels like forever before he looks back up at with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but I don't know. Perhaps someone in the council will be able to teach you how to control your powers, but the last Däemon who was not properly trained like you destroyed an entire city while trying to open a hole between our realms. It killed her in the process." Lillian's face paled as realization dawned on her. Getting home, at least currently, wasn't even a possibility.