Chapter Two - Into The Portal

"Wait!" I screamed. Two of my classmates were running towards the portal. Who knows who had been taken from them. A family member? A lover? a friend? The portal churned with energy leaving the crackle of electricity in the air. I could see the resolve in their eyes, and without a moment's hesitation, they stepped in and vanished into the purple vortex.

*Zap!*

How could they trust what they saw and leap into an unknown portal? Were they brave? or just plain power-hungry. Tears began to form in my eyes as the image of my sister chained and in fear flashed through my mind. "Damnit....DAMNIT!" I screamed, dropping to my knees. What was happening? Was I ....scared?

"Leo, get up," Drew exclaimed as he extended his hand towards me. My cheeks were stained, and my eyes blurry from tears. His were cold and strong.

"I don't know what happened to you guys, but we will figure it out together!" smiled Oliver. He moved his hand until it rested on my shoulder, my eyes met him, and he smiled reassuringly.

"Wait," I stammered, "the lightning didn't shock you, Oliver?"

He looked down. In his eyes was a look that I couldn't quite decipher. Was it jealousy? Was he jealous of his ordinary status? Anger flared into my stomach. How could he be jealous! My sister was taken from me! I balled my fists. A crackle of energy flowed into them, something similar to the aura of the gate. Green lighting began to form around my right fist, and something was appearing in my hand, a stick?

"Calm down, Leo" Drew grabbed me, and I lost my focus. Returning to the present, the green lightning dissipated, and whatever was in my hand disappeared. I felt drained like something had sucked the energy out of my soul.

"But my sister! I saw her, Drew!" I stammered, "She was chained in a castle surrounded by purple lightning and monsters. The cloaked figure took her!"

This seemed to snap Claire out of the daze she was in, and she lifted her eyes. She was still holding on to the lifeless body of her best friend.

"June's mom is there too, and flaming spikes were scattered below her. He took one of the people we cherish most! I'll kill him! Ants? I'll show him."

She emitted an aura that washed over us, like an ocean whose waves were slowly growing in strength. Claire closed the eyes of her dead friend and left a kiss imprinted on her forehead.

"I'll save her, June. I promise." she promptly stood up, dusted off her school uniform, and stomped off towards the portal.

*Zap!*

I was in awe. Three of my classmates had now just left everything behind. Even Claire, someone who I had only ever known as a bully and cared only for herself, had gone in.

Why did the being take June's mom?

"I wasn't shown anyone. I don't think they took anyone from me," Oliver said, shifting uncomfortably, obviously trying not to anger me anymore.

"Was someone taken from you too, Drew?" I questioned as my voice quivered.

His soulless brown eyes wouldn't meet mine, "yeah."

"who was.."

He turned to cut off any further questioning. It seemed that only the people who had endured the "awakening" had lost someone.

By now, all the classmates that hadn't received the shock of their life (pun intended) had left screaming or crying out of fear, leaving only the students that had been "awakened" staring at the portal. Longing for the ones that had been taken from them. I couldn't stand the thought of my sister being hurt, she had always taken care of me, but this was something entirely different, wasn't it? No! I had to save her. My muscles relaxed, allowing me to calm down a little more. Drew sensed my change in posture and finally smiled, something that was reserved for only a select few.

"You won't be going in alone, Leo. If we stick together, we can save your sister. I don't know what kind of powers I have or if they will even help, but you are my closest friend, so count me in."

I admired his strength. He was a leader when we needed him to be. Capable of bringing our little group together and instilling us with as much confidence as we could muster.

Hearing that, I let out a breath of relief. If I had him, I could at least have a little bit of comfort. Oliver laughed behind us.

"Hope three isn't a crowd."

"Oliver, you can't! You weren't "awakened" like me and Drew".

"Are you kidding me? You two have one brain between the both of you. You need someone of intelligence on this sort of quest" he smiled.

"You two are also my only friends, and I also want to save your sister Leo."

I swear I saw him blush as he concluded.

Sirens began to sound in the distance. I stepped out into the courtyard, my friends in tow. Cold rain pierced my skin through the holes in my shirt. The wind whistled around us as the crackle of the portal continued to almost eat at the air around it.

"Mr. Unknown, you ready?" smirked Drew while he stretched out his shoulders, obviously trying to improve the crestfallen mood.

"as I will ever be," I quickly said quietly. Each step toward the portal seemed to charge my core with energy. Just what was it? I needed to save my sister and whoever was taken from Drew as well.

Confidence flushed through my body. I could do it. I smiled, "How about you, my ordinary friend?

"Hey!" Oliver yelled, slightly pushing me.

With that, I wrapped my arms around my two friends, and we took our last step in the world we currently knew.

*Zap!*

Electricity tore at my skin. The world went black. It was as if I was being sucked into a black hole. Purple lightning struck the air around us. Oliver let out a screech of fear. I wouldn't doubt him regretting the decision he had made to follow his friends into the void we were now enveloped in. I was glad he came. We had done everything together since we were young, and it felt nice knowing he would risk his life for me. And my sister, I thought angrily. A minute had passed in the swirling void until a whirling vortex came into view, and we were thrown through the eye of the storm.

*Pop!*

My feet landed hard on the grass, and I grunted in pain. Drew landed beside me but was able to hide his pain, or did his body not feel any? My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Oliver's face firmly hitting the ground beside us. He let out muffled sounds of agony as he tried to spit out the dirt that had been forcibly implanted into his mouth.

"Soft landing, eh?" Drew smiled while helping Oliver to his feet. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Blah," Oliver spat out the remaining dirt, "Unfortunately, I am not as agile as you ballerinas."

"What is that sound?" Drew questioned.

All around us were rolling hills with lush tall trees scattered here and there. Amongst the green grass, patches of white flowers accompanied the hills, seemingly soaking in the strong sun. It had been raining in my town for the last two months, so the sun brought back warm memories.

"It's beautiful. I didn't realize how much I missed the sun," I caught myself saying out loud.

"Leo, do you hear that?" Drew firmly said. Hearing this, I snapped out of my daze. Clashes of metal and roars could be heard over the hill nearest to us. Drew dashed off towards the sound, throwing all caution to the wind.

"Drew!"

Oliver and I barreled after him. I gasped, reaching the top of the hill. I couldn't believe what I was looking at.

*Clang!*

At the bottom of the field were maybe twenty people that looked similar to us but a few years older. They were surrounded by green humanoid monsters with scars covering their body. Some of the creatures held a sword and the ones in the back a bow. Obviously, they had some strategic intelligence with the way they were positioned.

*ROAR!*

I felt a string of fear tug at my heart. I had seen something similar to these monsters before in all the video games and light novels I had read! They were orcs! Arrows let out whistles as they flew through the air towards the orcs' enemies. An orc larger than the rest held a longsword that was almost as tall as me.

"He must be the orc leader." I pointed to him.

"Orc!?" Oliver stammered.

"Form ranks! Follow my lead!" yelled who I can only assume as the leader of the human group. He wielded a large rectangular shield and a short sword that gleamed as though it was just made. Sword users ran and formed a line beside and behind him; three people stayed in the back. They didn't seem to have swords.

"May chaos grant me a share of its power, FireBall!" one of the women in the back chanted. She extended her left hand, and I couldn't believe what happened next.

"What the hell is going on!" Oliver said in complete disbelief. A huge fireball shot out of the woman's hand and headed straight towards a pack of orcs, and instantly their numbers had been reduced by ten.

"Such power!" marveled Drew. His eyes gleaming with interest, I began to return my eyes to the battlefield.

*Whistle!*

"Leo, get down!" Oliver tackled me to the ground. I felt the air come off an arrow as it passed just over beside my face, planting itself in the hillside with a thunk behind us.

I stared in disbelief at Oliver, the small kid that had just saved me from a projectile that would have most definitely killed me. He smiled and puffed out his chest.

"I know, I know, I am a hero! Who is ordinary now!" I couldn't help but smile at my friend, who knew he had such quick reflexes!

*Ahhh!*

The man holding the front lines screamed as a sword severed his right arm. I watched in disgust as the front line began to be wiped out. I could feel the bloodlust coming off of the orcs. The large orc picked up his severed hand and stuffed it in his mouth, almost smiling as blood dripped from his lips.

I was:

*Absolutely horrified!*

"Leo, Oliver, we have to go down and help them. They will die. The magic users in the back can't hold off all of them with the front lines being wiped out."

"Do you have a death wish, Drew!?" I yelled.

Too late, Drew barreled off to the battlefield, and I swear I saw a slight glimmer of purple form around his torso. I snickered. Now was my shot at being in the fantasy worlds that I always dreamed about. I wasn't going to waste it cowering. My feet led me after Drew.

I arrived at a bloody scene; soldiers were spitting blood as they attempted to hold off the onslaught of orcs. They wildly swung their swords in hopes of hitting any target.

Drew was busy helping a soldier to his feet that had been knocked down, so he didn't notice a wild orc that had broken through the front lines running towards him.

"Behind you!" I screamed towards my blonde-headed friend.

He whirled around, but it was too late. The orc plunged his sharp misshapen dagger into Drew's stomach. Wait, no, he didn't? The sword crumpled as it attempted to pierce Drew's body.

The orc looked up to the cold stare of Drew's dark eyes. A smile rippled across his face. I even felt scared for the orc. Drew grabbed a sword that had had once belonged to one of the slaughtered soldiers and swung it with amazing raw speed, where once stood a complete orc, now stood a one without ahead. I was amazed at the power my friend had just shown. The entire battlefield stopped for a second to marvel at what had just happened. Just how strong was Drew? How was his body able to crumple a weapon that so easily sliced through soldiers' armor before?

A screen popped up in front of him. I could make out from the backward letters what it said.

*Level up!*

Then fighting was then quickly renewed. Another orc had broken through the front line and was headed towards me. I didn't have time to think. I lunged for a lost weapon rolling as I picked it up. My senses were in overdrive. The orc swung at me, but I was barely out of reach. I felt the blade slice the top layer of my skin, leaving a small cut. Annnnd the hope that I was capable of great durability like Drew was thrown out the window, so I did the only logical thing, of course. Throw my blade in hopes that I didn't need to get any closer to the monster. Luckily the dagger implanted itself firmly into the orc's skull.

* I'm the best!*

A familiar green screen popped up in front of me.

*Level up!*

"Nice throw Leo!" Oliver yelled, pumping his fists up and down as he made his way over to us! His eyes changed from happiness to horror. My brain failed to comprehend his change in mood, so I boasted.

"Drew looks like you aren't the only skilled warrior," I said, winking at him.

"Leo, get down!" Oliver screamed as he ran towards me. Once again, the whistle of an arrow whizzed past my face as he pushed me aside.

I heard the arrow firmly plant with a thud behind me.

"I owe you two times now, Oliver!" I smiled. The adrenaline made me feel more alive than I ever had. I turned towards my savior of a friend.

"Leo..." Oliver started. A tear had formed in his eye.

My heart sank as I saw an arrow firmly planted into the heart of my best friend.