Chapter 1
“The portal”
Arrows zipped past in all directions; the unfamiliar whoosh of the projectiles piercing the air by her head sent shivers down the woman’s spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Diving behind an abandoned 4x4 pickup, her slender hands came up to squeeze against her ears as a million different thoughts past through her mind. What was going on? What was with these things and shooting arrows? Weren’t they in the 21st century and not the 19th? She couldn’t comprehend anything except for the fact that they were shooting at her and that she didn’t want to die.
This woman had always been different than normal people, the one thing that stood out were her penetrating crimson colored eyes. School was always a hassle, other kids making fun of her and saying that she was a freak, that she didn’t belong and that she should simply go away. She had always thought that she didn’t belong, but because of her eyes she could never go anywhere and fit it, at least she had never thought she could find a place that would. These beasts shooting at her wouldn’t be trying to kill her because of her eyes, would they? She shook off the thought and searched around for something she might be able to use to defend herself, but she was no expert in using weapons, or hurting people for that matter. She was always so gentle and nice, but that never had gotten her anywhere, and she could see why now. She let out a terrified scream; the footsteps of the beasts were getting louder in her ears, almost overpowering the beat of her heart that seemed to be in her throat now.
There was nobody around; everybody had fled when the beasts had appeared darting out of this portal that had opened up in the park where she had been residing at the time. It was a strange moment, a loud thump and reverberated through the earth, almost like lightning had struck the earth and had sent a shockwave in all directions, then an almost pitch black rip had appeared in the air which the beasts had came through. The woman had jumped to her feet, startled and in shock. Nothing had happened like this, nothing so odd and terrifying had struck the city, until today.
Scrambling to her feet, she started to run again, her knees were weak and she stumbled but managed to stay running, running for her life. A shriek came from behind; the beasts that were following her had gotten much closer because of her dive behind the pickup. They caught site of her and raised a cry of battle, a cry that almost stopped the woman in her tracks but fear alone kept her feet moving. Her arms pumped perilously, sweat dotted her brow as she looked for a place to hide, somewhere where she would be safe but that thought faded quickly as she was running blindly through the city. Tears streaked her pale cheeks and she sobbed, they stung her eyes and it was getting harder to see where she was going. Another arrow zipped by her head, signaling that they were getting annoyed with this game of cat and mouse and wanted to end it. More arrows flew by, sticking into the ground, some skirting off the pavement. A flash of pain sprouted from her shoulder as an arrow grazed her skin, a startled cry escaped her lips and a sprout of adrenaline rushed through her veins. That was the only thing that kept her moving, kept her on her feet to try to get away from her attackers. Warm blood stained her sleeve and caused it to stick to the wound, running down her arm in a stream. Her breath came in ragged wheezes, trying to choke back the crying but failing at the attempt.
The mall came into sight, it didn’t seem boarded up and she knew it well so it would be easier for her to lose them in familiar ground. She also knew that there was an old weapons shop inside, she could get a gun or knife or something so she could fight back. With the adrenaline running through her veins the task shouldn’t be that difficult, one of the monsters had already managed to hurt her. Bursting through the front doors of the mall she staggered a moment, trying to get her bearings. The mall was a desolate as the roads, only a few people here and there were running about. The footfalls of the horde behind her were getting louder, and she didn’t have time to stand and look around. Running once more, she rounded a few corners and when she knew they weren’t in sight she darted into clothing store, crouching low behind the numerous racks to keep hidden. Peeking her head up behind a jean rack, she saw her pursuers run past in a screaming fit, their evil eyes searching for her but past right by where she was hiding. They kept on their path, heading past the little store. When she couldn’t hear them anymore, the woman headed to the back of the store, but only managed to get to the desk where the cash register was placed when a terrified woman jumped out from behind it holding a golf club in her hands.
“Get away! Get away from me this instant!” Her voice trembled and her eyes were full of panic, her breath came in ragged gasps as she swung madly towards the woman.
She threw her hands up showing that she wasn’t there to hurt the girl behind the counter, taking a step back out of range of the iron weapon, she steadied her breathing so she could try to calm this woman down as well as herself.
“Easy now, I’m not here to hurt you, I am simply looking for a less discreet way through the mall to a store where I can get a weapon.” She told her calmly.
“I don’t care! Get out of here! I don’t want the likes of you around, it will only draw attention!” The club carrying woman screeched.
Taking another step back in defeat, she turned away, not interested with arguing with the terror struck woman. People in a panic often struck out in fear, much like a cornered animal of pray being cornered by a predator. Right now she didn’t need a blow in the head; she needed something to keep her safe, at least safer. Walking back through the store to the entrance, she stopped in her tracks as a beast appeared in the window. She quickly crouched behind a rack and put her back against it, her breathing once again turning rough. A stray strand of blond hair rested against her cheek, having come loose from the pony tail she had threw it up in earlier in the day to keep in out of her face. It tickled her flesh on her cheek like a fly buzzing around your head, no matter how many times you swat at the pest it never seemed to go away. Every time she would brush it back it would simply fall back into place to be even more of an annoyance. Moving lower to the ground, she gazed out from the bottom of the rack, stifling back a cry by clamping a hand over her mouth, she froze. The beast was in the store, on the opposite side of the rack of tank tops. Its foul smell stung her nostrils and made her eyes water, but she managed to keep quiet and not move.
The girl behind the counter cried out at seeing the monster, its seven foot tall figure was cloaked in a scale type of armor, skin black and charcoal looking, and its eyes as black as the portal it had emerged from. The boots of the beast echoed through the empty store as it turned its dark eyes on the poor girl, a wicked yellow toothed grin appeared on its haggard looking face. She watched its footsteps head towards the front counter, the scraping of a blade sounded like nails on a chalkboard as it was drug against the tile on the floor. She trembled lightly as the woman let out another shriek, but this one was different, this one was full of pain and was cut short, to be followed by a gurgling sound that she knew was her life being cut short. Before she could hear anymore, the woman burst from cover behind the rack and sprinted out of the store, not bothering to look back to see if she had been noticed. Her mind reeled in every which direction, that woman had been murdered and that was likely her fate if she stuck around. From behind she heard another shout; the shout came from the humanoid beast from the store.
“Get back here you little menace!” Its gruesome voice echoed through the mall.
She didn’t stop, didn’t turn, and didn’t acknowledge its voice. If she did what it said she would be dead or worse since she didn’t know its intensions. The weapon store was in sight, but her heart sank as she saw that the security gate was covering the entrance. Running up to it, she grabbed into the flimsy gate and shook it violently, screaming out in anger that she couldn’t get inside.
“No, no this can’t be happening!” She told herself in frustration.
Before she had time to turn around to see where her attacker was, the blade came down on the gate mere inches from her hand, slicing it open as if it was butter. That wasn’t possible! There was no way that a sword could cut through a security gate like that, unless there was something else powering it as well, but she didn’t have a clue what. An idea popped into her mind, and when the beast picked the blade back up and was swinging it back down at her, she spun away to the side that he had already sliced. Another opening appeared as he cut through another section of the gate. It was almost open! He took a different approach and swung the blade horizontally to lob off her head, but she let her knees give out because of the weak feeling in them and fell to the ground at his feet. The gate fell open in the section that he had so stupidly cut open for her, and when the gap was open she scrambled through, having been big enough for her slender figure to fit sideways. A horrifying scowl escaped from the monsters throat as he tried to get through the hole, but his bulky armor only managed to get himself stuck.
She smiled in triumph, but knew it would last long as he was struggling and gaining partial headway through the gap. Jumping to her still shaking legs, she headed for the counter, where she knew there were numerous weapons hidden from site. She stole a glance back, the beast was almost through, and she didn’t have much time. Scrambling over the counter top, she sank down into a crouch and was fumbling through the knives that were in the display case, trying to find a latch that opened up to a few guns that were hidden below. She used to work in the food court not far, and knew many secrets that some of the stores held, and right now this was the most important secret she had ever learned.
With a triumphant howl, the beast charged through the store, knocking over shelves of knick-knacks and sending them flying across the room. She panicked, trying to find the secret latch. He was getting closer, and was raising the blade high in the air, his heavy footsteps reminded her of a Clydesdale, one of the huge work horses that stood a good two feet taller than her. His size was comparable to a horse of that size, that much was certain. Her hand found the latch, and she ripped it open and grabbed a small pistol from inside. It was loaded! She took in a deep breath and stood, the beast was a few feet away and was in the process of swinging the blade downwards at her skull. She grasped the gun in both hands, aimed, and closed her eyes as the blade came down upon her.
Red Yusuke pulled the trigger.
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Red the Ambivalent
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