[Explanation]
---
Ari Rayne stood above the crumpled figure, dagger in hand, red eyes glowing softly beneath the shade of the canopy. The blade was already raised, angled perfectly toward the jugular.
Another target.
Another easy kill.
But then the boy below—young, maybe mid-twenties, lean but untrained—blinked up at him and smiled.
"Oh—uh, sorry, miss. Are you from around here?" he asked, voice friendly, completely unfazed by the blade near his throat. "You smell really nice."
He sniffed the air lightly, then his own sweater, which he'd somehow ended up clutching. "Wow. It's like... sugar cookies and pine. Is that a local flower or something?"
Ari didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Miss?
Most would've apologized. Fumbled, backpedaled, begged. But the stranger just blinked up with wide eyes, curious like a tourist asking for directions.
"You're strange," Ari murmured finally, voice low and even. "You're not scared of me?"
The man tilted his head. "Should I be? You're short. Cute. Got a blade, sure—but everyone's carrying something around here, huh?"
Ari narrowed his eyes. "You mistake me for a girl. You smell me. You talk like we're in a grocery store aisle." He paused. "Are you broken?"
The stranger scratched his head. "No, I'm just lost. Look, I was in Toronto, right? In Canada. Just finished buying a bag of rice and then—boom, a giant flaming red bird swoops down, talks about 'worthy hearts' or something, then—poof! Now I'm here."
Ari blinked. "Toronto?"
"Yeah, on Earth. You know, hockey, syrup, cold winters...?" He gave a thumbs-up with a tired smile. "Name's Zack."
A beat passed.
Earth.
The outsider realm.
The myth of the other world, where some were chosen by higher entities—transported across dimensions.
Just like the King. Just like Reid.
And now… one stood in front of him.
Ari lowered the blade slightly. The killing edge softened into thought.
"You're an outsider," he said aloud, as if testing the words on his tongue. "I've never met one before."
Zack chuckled, looking around at the bizarre trees and glowing vines. "Well, now you have. And I've definitely never met someone who smells like a dessert and threatens to kill me in the same breath, so I guess we're both having a first."
Ari stared at him—trying to piece together why this man didn't run, didn't tremble, didn't beg.
Why he felt... different.
"I was supposed to kill you," Ari said softly.
Zack shrugged. "Yeah, well... maybe don't?"
Ari tilted his head, then suddenly gave a very slight smile—brief, amused, strange.
"Fine. But you owe me directions," Ari said, turning away and sheathing his dagger. "And tea. You Earthlings drink tea, right?"
Zack blinked. "...You're serious?"
Ari paused. "Yes. I want to know what kind of idiot walks into a death zone and starts sniffing sweaters."
---
Note: This Canadian Guy isn't 'Zack Erebus'
from The Archiverse world series, this is simply just Zack.....
Zack Erebus is a cold and cynical person with the nonexistent threads abilities and the cool white headband...Zack Erebus is from the northern western region.