Deep within the rugged peaks of Kohee Mountain, a tumbledown shack clung to the rocky slope, home to twin teenage brothers Ash and Axel Grazer. Abandoned as infants by parents who feared their piercing red eyes, the twins had grown up in isolation, shunned by the superstitious villagers who saw their fiery gaze as a harbinger of doom.
The two brothers stood back-to-back, their bond unbreakable, forged in the fire of adversity. With no one else to turn to, they relied solely on each other, their determination fueled by a singular focus: survival. United in their desperation, they pushed forward, their brotherly love and loyalty igniting a fierce resolve to overcome the impossible, to stay alive, no matter what.
"Axel, I'm hungry; we need to get something to eat. Oh, I know. Let's go catch some fish in the stream nearby; it's practically overflowing with them."
"Yeaahh, that sounds good. I am getting kind of hungry, and going down to the village and asking those shitty villagers for food is basically suicide.Let's go sharpen some sticks and get something to eat."
The boys quickly left their home, sharpened some sticks they broke off of trees, and hurriedly headed to the stream.
"Throw it now, Axel! "Ah, you missed. At this rate we're better off trying to catch bugs."
"Ash, if you lend a hand, we could snag twice the amount of fish in half the time! Instead, you're over there playing with your thumbs. Wait, where'd all the fish go? This stream usually has loads, of course they disappear when we want them. Hey! You didn't see them swim off upstream or anything, did you?"
"Yeah, I think I saw a few of them going upstream. Do you think we should go after them?"
"If you really don't want to eat bugs for breakfast, we definitely should, and help me this time!"
The two boys ascended up the mountain following the stream in search of more fish until they arrived at a pond. The pond was filled with fish; the boys caught one after the other until all the fish started Behaving aabnormally, circling them boys. A blue light from the center of the circle from where the boys were emerged, shining brighter and brighter. The light became blinding as the fish swam faster and faster, then suddenly the light and fish vanished as if they were never there.
Axel looked around the pond, not surewhat had happened.
"What was that bright light all about, and the fish are all gone again!?"
Ash rubbed his eyes, finally recovering from the blinding light.
"What the hell was that, and where did all the fish go.... Hmmm, at least we still have the few that we caught earlier. Let's head back home, Axel; I'm ready to eat."
"Alright, let's head back."
As the boys made their way back down the stream, the familiar landscape seemed unrecognizable. The trees, once familiar, now appeared larger and unfamiliar. The boys exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that something was off, as if they had set foot in new territory, one that was similar yet disturbingly different from their own. The stream, once a gentle companion, now seemed to flow with an otherworldly energy.
"Wh-Where is our home? It's supposed to be right here, isn't it?, right?,brother?"
"Y- yeah, it's supposed to be right here. Something funny is going on here. Can't you feel it too Ash? It feels like my body is surging with energy; I don't even feel that hungry anymore."
"Now that you mention it Axel, I don't feel that hungry either. I don't think we're in the mountains anymore; the terrain is too flat and forested. Where are we?"
Axel looked around the area where their home used to be, that's now empty land surrounded by trees.
"Yeah I don't think we're in the mountains anymore either; not only is the house gone, but this area looks nothing like the rocky landscape we're used to. Our bodies feel different as well, but we could figure out the reasons for that later; right now we have to focus on starting a shelter and getting a fire going so we can eat.
"You build the shelter Ash; I'll go get the firewood and get a better look at our surroundings."
"You're going to leave me here by myself?"
"It'll be fine. I'm not going to go too far away, plus here looks... relatively safe...I'll be right back; just start making the shelter."
"Fine."
Ash nodded reluctantly
Axel then set off to gather firewood. As he walked, his head swiveled left and right, taking in the landscape. Everything was unfamiliar – the trees, the rocks, the creatures even the air seemed unfamiliar. As he wandered through the forest, Axel's footsteps quiet on the forest floor, he stumbled upon a clearing that brought him to an abrupt halt. Before him, a group of deer grazed peacefully, their bodies adorned with majestic wings sprouting from their heads instead of antlers. The wings, delicate and feathery, rustled softly in the breeze, while the deer's tails were plumed with vibrant feathers, shimmering in the fading light. Axel's eyes widened in wonder, frozen on the surreal scene unfolding before him.It was at the moment he confirmed that he was no longer home
"Where the fuck am I"
A sudden, distressed yell pierced the air, and Axel's heart skipped a beat as he recognized his brother's voice. "Ash!" he exclaimed, his concern spiking. Without hesitation, Axel sprinted towards the sound, his feet pounding the earth as he rushed to his brother's side. "Ash, what's wrong?" he called out, his voice laced with worry, as he burst through the underbrush, to see his brother cowering under a tree pointing towards something.
Axel hesitantly walked towards the spot his brother was pointing at, to his surprise he saw a snake stuck under a rock. The snake's body glistened like polished onyx, its scales absorbing the light around it, giving it an almost eerie appearance. Its deep black color seemed to have a life of its own, shifting subtly as it moved, like the darkest shadows on a moonless night. It had eye's which burned with an intense, fiery red, like hot coals glowing in the dark.
"Woah this snake looks kinda cool,but it looks like it's trapped under the rock so whats Ash so worked up about. Ash whats wrong did it bite you?"
"No," he whispered, the word barely audible, his voice trembling with dread.
"T-talking it's talking to me"
"Wait, what? The snake's talking to you?" Axel's voice was laced with confusion and concern. "What do you mean? I don't hear anything." He glanced around, as if expecting some hidden voice to pipe up, but the only sounds were the snake's soft, rasping scales and Ash's ragged breathing. "Ash, what's going on? What is it saying?"