"Where am I? Everything is so dark. What happened to the portal? Have I died after all? No, I can't die yet, I must survive. I must avenge them, I must take revenge on this cruel world."
"That doesn't sound so bad but how are you going to do that in your condition?"
Out of the darkness he heard a voice, sounding like a man's.
"Who are you? Do you know where I am here? Say something, I have to go back."
"Who I am is of no importance yet. All I am telling you is that death is about to catch up with you. It's time that you start running, do your best hahaha."
The darkness transformed into a deep red. Leo felt his body, the pain and agony that accompanied him. Looking around he found himself in a world completely unknown to him. This world looked like the hell described in books. The sky looked completely red, there were no clouds and no time of day. Light from the sky shone like a floodlight on the ground and dyed it blood red. All of a sudden there was thunder and it began to rain. Suddenly Leo felt an inner calm, he wasn't sure if it was comforting or if he was about to fall asleep forever. His body forced him to close his eyes and so the rain pelted down directly on him. With every drop he noticed that the pain became less. He took a deep breath and tried to collect his memories. However, they already caught up with him just like a nightmare.
"No, they are really dead, oh no. What did we do to deserve this, we did everything that was asked of us...and yet I forced my doom on them."
Leo still had his eyes closed though, tears streaming down his cheeks with every thought.
"I promised them...I failed. They died because of me, only because they followed me. It's my fault. Why did they deserve this? How did I deserve this?"
"Stop wallowing in self-pity, your mind is only made of illusions. There' s not necessarily a reason for every occurrence or for every destiny. Bad luck and good fortune still play a part even if this doesn't apply to you. You deserve this, you deserve this because you had faith in humans. Even now it is inconceivable to me how humans are carrying naivete and ignorance with them. You really thought you had a chance? That you will ever be released from the burdens placed upon you? To think that you would ever be truly free?"
"What was I supposed to do! I have no power, I don't have the abilities of others, I never belonged anywhere. It was all forced on me, I tried to make the best of it. Gave everything, sacrificed myself, accepted the responsibilities."
"All just meaningless words to defend one's doings. You have to understand that it was not despair that ruined you, but the hope that you were holding on to. Hope and miracles are nothing but an illusion, created from falsehood. Things are always the same with you: Only in the face of tragedy and death are you suddenly aware of the truth that no one wants to accept. You lost the moment you adapted to this world. So why did you choose the foolishest path when you had the choice. So many chances you missed to escape your fate and still you continued to march towards your downfall. Sadly, I can't blame you, as your entire nature aspires to this life."
Leo heard enough of his condescending words, opened his eyes and tried to walk on. When he saw was happened with the rain he got scared. Blood was all over his body, the drops splattering his skin. He looked like a victim of a horror movie, completely covered in gore along with a destroyed body. Terrified and panicked, he screamed out and tried to wipe off the blood. However, it lodged itself in his skin. Regardless of how quickly he rubbed it, the blood fused with his body. The loud scream he uttered sounded like an echo. There was complete darkness behind him and a narrow path in front of him that he could walk. Eventually, when the echo disappeared, he heard a loud shrill roar. Leo immediately knew what was waiting in the distance, it was the same mutant monster he last fought. The stomping came closer and closer as Leo's despair grew. The monster was waiting in front, so he hurried behind him into the darkness. No matter how far he ran, the path behind him illuminated. When he looked around he saw the creature chasing him. His pains returned and his strength left him. He sank to the ground about to pass out. The noises were getting closer and closer until the monster stood in front of him. Hearing the growl, he watched it open its jaws. Shutting his eyes, he waited for his death. From the side he heard a sudden hissing sound. Leo opened his eyes again and saw that the monster was backing away. It looked as if it was afraid of the sound from the darkness. Even before it could roar back, a gigantic black snake appeared and swallowed the mutant in one blow. The speed of the beast sent Leo whirling backwards. As it appeared out of the darkness so quickly it was gone again. The boy couldn't believe his eyes. Did a snake as huge as a skyscraper really just swallow the monster so easily?
"W-what the hell was that? Where did I end up here?"
"I really don't know either even though I've been here for half an eternity. The things you just saw are not even a fraction of this realm. Since your curiosity is so great I will show you everything, don't regret your decision."
Within seconds the darkness disappeared as though it consisted of smoke. What was revealed to Leo made him collapse backwards. He was shaking all over, he felt a cold shiver down his spine and was barely able to speak. Here he was in the territory of the creatures he had spent years fighting. Growing up, he had read books about dinosaurs and mythologies. Today he saw this mixture with his own eyes. The wasteland became a world filled of these mutants. His eyes widened as he saw them. A lot of the creatures he had never seen before. Better for him since they were far bigger and more menacing than the ones he had fought.
"W-what is all this? H-how can they be so huge? W-what have we been fighting all this time?"
"Against the tiniest of these guys. I really didn't think they would give you guys such a hard time."
Leo could hardly believe those words what the voice was saying.
"Are you responsible for these critters?"
"Ha, that would be too amusing. I have to disappoint you, I'm not the one responsible for them. I merely observed them providing me with entertainment."
" You couldn't stop them? I mean, if you knew they were coming here, couldn't you have found a way to fight them before they found their way into our world?"
"Why should I stop them, they made sure I can stand it here. It's very intriguing to see the beings from your world desperately trying to fight against them. At last there is variety in this wasteland."
"Just because you wanted to be entertained you allowed them to go? Have you gone completely insane, do you know what you've done to us, what you've done to me?"
" Hey, you did it to yourselves, due to your incompetence and disagreements you have failed. Many times I have wished to be responsible for this, but I am not. In fact, it can't be me."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
" Unfortunately, I am not able to create such creatures let alone control them. In the beginning they even got on my nerves quite a bit, it took me a while to regain a part of myself."
Leo couldn't figure out the voice. It spoke in riddles but the boy felt its owner was far more powerful than a human.
"And is that part of you that giant snake that saved me?"
"Oh, it is only a small portion, a servant of mine. You see, it wasn't me who saved you. Although I intended to keep you alive, she acted on its own without my order. You have caught its interest just like mine. For you see, in all eternity, no portal has ever appeared from which a human has entered this dimension. I was so bored but your arrival satiated that boredom somewhat. Hmm, you can't last much longer in your condition, I can't just lose my entertainment like that."
All of a sudden a loud hiss rang out again but this time behind him. Leo felt something bite down on his armor. As quick as a flash, he was pulled backwards into the darkness. Leo heard the huge snake crawling across the ground. He quickly tried to separate himself from it, shaking back and forth.
"If I was you, I'd leave it alone. She is still comfortable but if you continue to struggle I can't guarantee your safety."
Realizing he had no strength left, the boy had no choice but to let himself be pulled away. The air was rushing around him and he could hardly keep his eyes open at this speed. The snake suddenly stopped abruptly and threw Leo forward onto the ground. He crashed down hard directly on the wound of the severed arm. Filled with agony, he cried out and rolled on the ground.
"Oh man, you're squishier than I thought you'd be. Stop whining already and get a grip. Geez, you humans never change. That's why I can't bear you."
The darkness disappeared again and a temple stretched out in front of him. Beyond the temple there was complete darkness again, but within it Leo was able to view everything. Throughout the place were inscriptions written and the pillars were already beginning to break. The pain disappeared so he could take a breath.
" Enough looking around? It's time for you to see all of it."
Leo forgot for a moment that the monstrous snake was still behind him. When he looked it straight in the eye, he couldn't turn away. The serpent also remained rigid and after a few seconds came closer and closer to him. With each meter, Leo's eyes turned yellow like the creature's. He was trapped in a hypnotic state and remained frozen. The creature opened its mouth and was about to swallow him.
" That is unexpected."
When the creature heard the voice, it turned away and disappeared into the darkness.
"Something really is different about you. Time to figure out what."
A beam of shadow came rushing at him out of nowhere and drilled right through his body. His breath stopped and Leo spat blood on the ground. Taking a closer look, he saw that it was not red but black.
"Indeed, there is something wrong with you. Remarkable."
Another round of beams suddenly shot at him like bullets and pierced his whole body, usually the target would have been dead long ago, however Leo managed to stay conscious and survive.
"Truly fascinating."
The strands that formed into spikes extracted themselves from his body and Leo fell to the ground. He was on the brink of death, unable to draw breath. For him, it felt like he was trying to take a breath underwater. The harder he tried the worse it got.
"That's sufficient for now."
All of a sudden, Leo could breathe again. He checked his body but there was no trace of the wounds and holes.
"Turn around and head down the path. Keep walking until you see a big gate and open it, I'll be waiting for your arrival."
The voice noticed how Leo was very hesitant and refused to obey his words.
"That was not a request, that was an order. As of now, I am responsible for your life. Get going now."
The boy was aware that he could not resist him, thus he listened to the voice. Past the temple, a path opened up that led to a large entrance gate. Left and right there were walls on which very large letters were written. Reluctantly, he opened the gate and went inside. Now Leo found himself in a large hall, it was completely empty except for an altar at the other end of the room.
"Go on now. Patience has never been my strong suit."
On top of the altar was a Krystal, it was smaller with inscriptions all over it. Getting even close to it gave him an extreme headache.
"Hmm, maybe you're not that different after all. I guess my strength hasn't diminished in all this time. At this moment, it's more of a curse than a relief. From what I can read in your eyes, you've seen something like this before. Most interesting."
"What exactly are you? Who exactly are you?"
"I already told you: neither of those matters right now. All you need to know is that you have to touch the Krystal somehow."
"No way, I can't even get close. Who knows what will happen to me then?"
"I can tell you what will happen to you if you don't try."
The voice took on a threatening almost angry tone.
"Don't you realize your situation: you are trapped here just like me, no one can help you but me. So if you want to go back to your old world, we'll have to work together. Moreover, I can save you from your world, so that you can live as you want. To take your revenge, to retaliate and to fulfill your desires."
"This all sounds way too good. How do I know if it's all true?"
"Find out or die a miserable death here. There is nobody to save you but me."
"Apparently, no one can help you either but me."
"Hoho, brave words from such a mere being."
Suddenly Leo felt cruel pain as if the holes through the strands had returned.
"I thought you were smarter than others. Generally I like such attitudes however here I don't feel after such words. I guess I'll have to stay here a while longer. Too bad for you."
"Argh, stop it. Fine, I'll do what you say."
"There you go. Well, I see you're not ready for the ritual yet. Then we'll start from the beginning. You are someone else from now on...Leo."
"How do you know my name argh-
Black magic hissed from the Krystal directly into his body. Once again he felt hellish agonies, this time they passed after a short time. Before long, the only thing he noticed was a burning sensation on his shoulder. The black magic leaked out of his body and connected with his shoulder. It slowly shaped an arm to close the wound. The smoke suddenly turned into solid mass. Leo found it hard to believe what was happening. Within a few seconds he was able to move this new arm without any problems. The black color disappeared giving him the same appearance as his other arm, except for a small mark on the upper palm of his hand. Leo felt better than ever, his body was light and all the aches and pains were gone.
"Did I underestimate the humans?... This should be enough for now, I don't want you to break."
Leo was something extraordinary to the voice. He was not a human as it remembered them nor did he have the aura of one.
"This was just the beginning, there' s still a lot to come. Starting now you will be joining me, very soon you are going to become the gravest danger the world has seen in centuries."