{Authors note: If a SINGLE Apostrophe is used, so ' ' or ('text here'), it will usually refer to a character's inner thoughts, whereas dialogue will use a double apostrophe, so " " ("text here"). Thanks, and enjoy }

Snow reposed on the hills, cushioning the ground, like a blanket, warming the cold desert. Frozen flakes of ice fell softly on this blanket, thickening it and composing a beauteous, magnificent view. The snow showed no designation of melting, placidly composing a masterpiece of a painting; the rocky empyrean towered above all, domineering in its stature. - though, this was all a fantasy. In truth, abaft the curtains of the bewitching scene, was an authenticity, a reality - or a truth, of gore, and a land thoroughly engulfed in blood.

Its body dropped to the ground, the essence of its life snatched away by the frosty embrace of death; blood splurged out of its wounds, forming a beautiful fountain - or, at least, in his eyes. The corpse lay still, its repulsive eye finally closed shut. The monster was dead; clearly so. Besides the monster, as far as a human eye could see, corpses stretched to the horizon; the stench of rotten meat and the aura of death riddled the area. If one looked far enough; they would see a tall man, standing proudly on the ground - sword in hand, drenched in dry blood.

His long brown hair swayed in the wind, his lips revealing a vicious smile, defying his handsome face: his teeth could be seen completely, and this smile was not one of happiness, nor relief - it was one of enjoyment, of hunger, it was the smile of a predator. The mans' nose was trickled with the smell of corpses, his eyes carrying a trace of even more hunger - not to eat, but to slaughter. Yet still, he didn't seem to react at all, as though it was a natural occurrence. Certainly, to kill was his happiness and his salvation.

He wanted more, much, much, more. This was not enough. How could it be this easy? How could there be no monsters left? He knew it was the truth, yet rejected the notion, for if this was true, he would die of infinite boredom.

This was no battlefield, it was a massacre, thousands of enormous creatures followed behind the man in an orderly fashion, evidently incongruent with his style of destruction. Upon even taking a glance at the army, every single creature had bowed towards him, heads on the ground; even the 'leader' had done so - a monster who could destroy a normal city with a mere movement of its paw.

This man was Oriel Semenov, a boy who had been enveloped into this strange world. A 'boy', yes: though not a boy entirely - he had lived more than any human on earth had before.

'Ah, how long has it been now... I think I stopped counting a couple of thousand years ago'. Oriel had a look of regret, perhaps rather, it was one of sadness.

'I can't even remember my mother's face anymore.. Shit, when will I be able to escape this hellhole - there's not even anything to do? I've killed basically all the other monsters there are, and the only ones left are my own subordinates... and even they can't match up to me. What a joke.. Thinking about it, didn't I start by joining their pack? '

Oriel laughed at this thought in his head; he didn't laugh often, nor did he think about such worldly things often, but now that there was nothing left, his mind started wandering to peculiar places. 'Laughable.. I used to need their protection, thousands of years ago.. Now here I am, leading that arrogant friends' own descendants.'

'No family, no friends.. Oh yeah, I had a brother didn't I..? What was his name agai-'

Oriel froze. He had no choice but to do so. His thoughts ceased to exist; the only thing on his mind now was shock. A black hole was forming in the distance, growing larger by the second, twisting and turning, as though calling out to him. Naturally, this was a portal... it was the exact same portal that had him stranded in this place.

'Impossible! Hmph, what an idiot I am, to get tricked by a mere illusion from my brain..'

'Obviously, that's not the same one hahaha! Of course not! It's impossible!'

'Huh? Th-is-'

Suddenly, something commenced slithering its' way out of the mans' dull eyes, traveling down his sharp nose and dripping from his lips.

Time felt like it had ceased for Oriel, and he persistently gazed at the teardrop in shock, as it gradually trickled its way through his face.

Like a seed, something started sprouting from within him; it emerged from its' slumber and determinately awoke. He tried to stop it. He didn't know why. But he wanted to stop it. He needed to stop it. This. This 'thing', he couldn't let it awake. He knew this was wrong.

But alas.

From there on out, more started pouring, quicker and quicker, until the grown man found himself weeping for the first time in 5000 years.

Finally, he had broken down. He couldn't keep denying what was obvious, nor was there any point in doing so.

And so, he smiled. With a myriad of tears showered onto his face, his lips commenced revealing a comely arc, complementing his handsome face: his teeth could be seen completely, and this smile was not one of grief, nor pain - it was one of happiness, of mitigation: it was the smile of a little boy, in the mask of a man.

He didn't require to cerebrate any longer, he ran, he ran, and he ran, all the while laughing and crying at once. He ran as fast as he could: defying the laws of physics and surpassing the speed of sound. In a matter of seconds, he had reached the portal.

It was cyclopean, now the size of a mountain. Gradually, Oriel stepped one foot inside, his heart hammering continually, anticipation evident in his face.

Now, he was wholly engulfed within the 'black hole'.

Finally, his prayers had been accepted. Finally, his wishes had been accepted!

Pristine beauty: a bewitching scene had welcomed him. He was on Earth!

His true salvation had finally come!

Except, this couldn't be any further from the truth.

For Oriel was paralyzed, his mind thoroughly, frozen.

For this here, was not Earth.