Asher stood frozen, his mind racing to make sense of the surreal scene before him. The portal had closed behind the two girls, leaving them standing in his bedroom as if they belonged there. The room seemed to pulse with an eerie energy, the kind that made every shadow feel like it was hiding something.
The taller girl, with her piercing eyes and stern expression, stepped forward. Her presence was commanding, every inch of her radiating confidence and authority. She had long, black hair that flowed like liquid silk down her back, and her attire was a strange mix of ancient armor and modern fashion—metallic chestplate over a sleek, fitted dress that looked both practical and decorative. Her expression was intense, her eyes dark and unwavering. There was no softness in her demeanor, only a sharp edge that made Asher feel like he was staring at a warrior straight out of a legend.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Asher managed to croak out, trying to sound more composed than he felt.
The other girl, shorter and significantly more cheerful, peered at him with wide, curious eyes. Her outfit was a stark contrast to her companion's—light and flowing, almost ethereal. Her hair was a cascade of bright blonde curls, framing a face that was all bright smiles and innocent charm. She wore a frock that seemed to shimmer with its own light, making her look like a character from a fairy tale.
"We're not here to hurt you," the taller girl said, her voice clipped and serious. "We need you to come with us. Now."
"Yeah, come with us," the blonde girl chimed in, her voice bright and melodic. "We don't have much time."
Asher took a step back, his gaze flitting between the two of them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a second. You're saying you're from another world or something and you just—what?—walk through a portal in my room?"
The blonde girl tilted her head, looking genuinely curious. "Portal? Yes, that's what it was."
"And you expect me to just follow you?" Asher's voice carried a note of incredulity. "You both just pop out of nowhere, dressed like—well, like something out of a really weird medieval movie—and now you want me to go with you?"
The taller girl, who seemed entirely unphased by his skepticism, crossed her arms. "Yes, that's exactly what we want. We don't have time for explanations. You need to come with us."
Asher blinked at her. "Right. Sure. Because that's a totally normal thing to ask someone. I mean, you're both… really pretty. Not that I'm saying that's weird, just that it's not every day two stunningly attractive girls show up in your bedroom out of a portal and ask you to go with them."
The blonde girl's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You think we're pretty?"
"Well, yeah," Asher said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, you are. But it's kind of a big deal when a portal opens up in your room and then you've got someone in full warrior gear asking you to come along."
The taller girl's expression softened slightly, though she remained firm. "This is not a social call. We have urgent matters to attend to, and your presence is required."
Asher tried to steady his nerves, taking a deep breath. "Look, I get it. You're not from around here. You've got this whole warrior thing going on. But I'm not just going to up and leave my house. What's the deal? Why me? Why now?"
The blonde girl stepped closer, her gaze filled with a strange mix of sympathy and impatience. "We can't explain everything right now. We need to move."
"Yeah," the taller girl added, crossing her arms. "We don't have time for a lengthy Q&A session."
Before Asher could respond, the room was filled with a sudden rush of air. An arrow, sleek and silver, shot through his window with a sharp whoosh, aiming directly at him. Asher's heart skipped a beat as he ducked, instinctively reaching for the sword on his bedside table.
The taller girl's reflexes were immediate. With a flick of her wrist, she caught the arrow mid-flight, her movements so swift they were almost a blur. Without a moment's hesitation, she grasped the arrow with one hand and broke it cleanly in half with a single, effortless motion.
Asher gaped, his mouth hanging open. "Uh, okay. That's impressive."
The girl's gaze was unwavering, though her grip on the broken arrow was unyielding. "We're under attack. Now are you coming with us or not?"
Asher swallowed hard, his mind racing. He had been trying to stay cool, but the sight of the arrow—and the ease with which this girl had shattered it—made him realize how far out of his depth he was. He took another look at them—one was a fierce warrior, the other a bubbly, almost magical presence—and decided that arguing further might not be the best option.
"Alright, alright," Asher said, throwing his hands up in surrender. "I'll go. Just—could you maybe explain what's going on as we go? Preferably before more arrows come flying through my windows?"
The taller girl nodded curtly, clearly satisfied with his response. "Good. Let's move."
Asher glanced around his room one last time, grabbing a jacket and stuffing the sword into its sheath. He cast a wary look at the broken window and the shattered pieces of the arrow lying on the floor.
The blonde girl smiled at him, her cheerfulness a stark contrast to the tension in the room. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with us. We just need to get out of here before things get worse."
With that, they stepped back through the portal, leaving the familiar confines of Asher's bedroom behind. The room felt colder and emptier as the portal closed, leaving only a lingering sense of unease.
Asher took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever lay ahead. He had no idea what kind of adventure awaited him, but one thing was clear: his life had just taken a turn into the extraordinary, and there was no turning back now.
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