This story was inspired by KH, but is really nothing like it. It's about a boy who travels to different worlds fighting demons. My main inspiration was Dr. Who. CnC would be greatly appreciated. --- Goki: Demon Hunter Prologue There are many stars in our universe. Thousands of them, gently resting upon the black quilt known as space. With stars comes the unknown, and with the unknown comes the planets. Each planet has its own life, its own pulsing soul. It has its own creator, and its own creations. But most importantly, every planet has a story. This is one of those stories. It was complete silence. Not the type of ‘sit down and shut up in school’ type of silence, but complete and utter silence. By chance, a janitor wandered into the stadium with a broom, sweeping up crumbs and bits of paper as he repeatedly circled the stage. Earlier that evening, the silence had been shattered with the roar of hundreds of fans. Electric guitars, synthesizers, drums, bass guitars, and horns; an array of instruments had blasted out the crowd’s favorite songs. The band’s front-man, Nathan Eclipse (he preferred ‘Nate’) had chanted out poems of love, heartache, discovery, joy, and revolution. Aspyr was the most popular band in the world, and Nate enjoyed the front seat every step of the way. Shows sold out within seconds. Girls, both young and old (but not too old) screamed wildly as he walked by. From a distance it would seem as though Nate’s life was perfect. At home, however, everything changed. He enjoyed the company of his girlfriend, Beverly, but she was too needy, trying to grab at chance at his pants whenever she could. Beverly was young, a 17 year old girl who had the personality (and brain) of an 11 year old. She had long blond hair that curled at the end, big blue eyes, and a deceiving smile that would infatuate any boy she laid her eyes upon. Nate, being the ‘star’ he was, granted himself the opportunity to take any girl on his arm that he wanted. Beverly was his choice. As soon as he got to know her, he started to regret it. It was around midnight on a Saturday; Nate had just returned from one of his packed concerts. He opened up the fridge and grabbed the milk carton; rubbing his ears which rang with a high-pitched squeal reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard (the after-concert ringing was common for him, as it was for many people). His kitchen was large with opaque cyanide counters encircling a grill cooked upon by Nate’s hired chef. A glass was already in front of him, and he poured himself a large amount of milk before putting the carton away. “Rather good concert, Master Nathan.†Nate jumped and turned around. He smiled to see his butler (who, unsurprisingly, he called ‘Butler’) and set down his glass. Butler was the only person Nate really cared about; he had taken over the job as both father and mother since his parents had been killed. As the fatherly figure in his life, Nate relied on Butler for advice and support. Due to Butler’s help, Nate had managed to make it through many sticky and unfortunate situations. “It’s Nate,†began Nate, “and thanks. I thought it went over well.†The dark bags under Nate’s eyes lifted a little as he spoke with Butler. Butler continued, “I quite liked the opening song. It is always my favorite.†He was an old man, and his voice had become rough with age. A white moustache sat under his nose and bushy eyebrows seemed to cover his half-closed eyes. His customary white undershirt, black suit, and black pants mixed to form the perfect image of what most people would consider a butler, but Nate believed that his butler was unique. Butler wasn’t just a worker - he was a friend, and a good one at that. “It went well, but-†Nate was cut off in the middle of his sentence by a high pitched scream. “NATE!†Beverly ran up to Nate, grabbing him from behind and wrapping her arms around his neck. “The concert was amazing!†she raved. “I absolutely loved every bit of it! What was your favorite part? What about you, Butler? Did you like it? The crowd went wild! I couldn’t believe…†Beverly’s praise continued for about 10 minutes before she realized that no one was listening. “Well,†she began awkwardly, “I guess no one wants to hear some appreciation.†“Thanks, Bev,†grinned Nate. Beverly, at times, was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. Other times, she managed to prove herself to be one of the dumbest blondes of all time. The balance wasn’t exact; at times he felt as though losing her was gaining something, but when he was alone he constantly dreamt of her company. His feelings for her were a raging battle. After consideration he decided that he needed her, and she really needed him as well. “I’m sure you’re just aching for a bit of fun,†Beverly smiled, batting her perfectly groomed eyelashes. “I’ve been waiting all day.†Nate’s lust kicked into overdrive, but his eyes caught with those of Butler’s and he realized that now wasn’t the time for a “bit of fun.†“Sorry, Beverly, but what I’m really aching for is a bit of sleep.†Beverly shot a sour look at Butler. “Butler, please leave,†she requested. “Bu-†began Butler, but the word never left his mouth before he was interrupted by Beverly. “No buts, old man. Get out of here,†she said in a tone much more stern than the previous. “Alright,†Butler said, grimacing at Beverly’s impatience. Butler left the room in a rather sullen state. Nate turned in his chair to face Beverly. She smiled and bent forward, slowly kissing him. She drew out every second, putting her hands to his cheeks. When she let her hands go, she turned her back to him and said softly, “There’s more where that came from.†By the time her shirt was off and she was facing him again, her finger was twiddling between her lips. Giving him her most deep, seductive smile she knelt down in front of Nate (who at the moment was slumped in his chair looking rather bored). Beverly noticed this, and standing up said, “You don’t look interested, Nate… What’s wrong with me? Is it my body? My face?†“It’s none of those things, Beverly. You’re beautiful. I’m just really tired right now,†Nate replied. “All I want is a bit of rest.†“Well, I know just the remedy!†Beverly exclaimed as she began pressing her bare chest up against Nate’s back. Nate’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as she pressed her chest harder and harder. “I know what,†she said. “You look like you need a back massage!†Nate gave in. Maybe if he could appease her appetite for sex with a small back massage, she’d give up and go to bed. “Go ahead,†he complied. Two gentle hands began to caress his aching shoulders, and a moment of serene quality washed over him. He was living the life; a beautiful girl was giving him a back massage, his new record had just gone platinum, and he was playing sold out shows day-to-day. “Is that good?†she asked, rubbing his shoulders. “Is that the right spot?†Nate smiled and tilted his head up. His eyes closed, the day’s stress wore off as Beverly gracefully moved her hands over his tight shoulders. They loosened up, and with them his demeanor. He let down his guard for a second, and as soon as he did he felt something moving near his crotch area. “Beverly?†Her hand was crawling down his pants, unzipping his fly as it went. “Beverly,†he groaned. “You know you want it,†Beverly smiled. Her eyes had turned misty, and the gloss on her lips seemed to gleam more in the light of the kitchen bulbs. “Beverly, get your hand away from there,†commanded Nate. The hand continued to unzip his pants. “Beverly, please stop.†Something soft and wet started to move down his cheek. Glancing to his left, he saw Beverly’s tongue edging its way down the side of his face. “Stop it right now.†His pants were completely unzipped. “Beverly, enough!†Beverly walked round to his front and shook the hair out of her face. “This one’s for all your hard work,†she said. -0-0-0-0-0- The familiar chirping of birds was heard over the roar of a nearby highway as Nate stood outside his mansion. Mildew covered the fresh grass laid across his massive expanse of a lawn. A slight fog hung in the air. It turned all the bright colors from Nate’s trees and flowers to a dingy gray, the type you’d see in an old black and white film. Butler stepped from the oak doors barricading Nate’s entrance hall and down some marble steps. A limo was waiting there, as well as Nate. He was dressed in tight, black pants and a white undershirt overlaid by a button up black shirt with spiky sleeves; your typical butler’s uniform. “Would you like a snack before we go?†asked Butler, politely. “…†“Yes?†asked Butler, wondering why Nate was silent. “You do realize that we’re about to go out for breakfast?†asked Nate. “Oh, um…†Butler was at a loss for words, so he quickly moved on to the next subject. “Would you rather go to TGI Friday’s or Applebee’s?†“What’s your favorite?†Nate inquired, leaving the decision up to Butler. “Well, I do quite like Applebee’s,†Butler began. “Their chicken is absolutely savory. They coat it with honey-mustard and all sorts of spices. It also comes with a delicious batch of hot fries and ketchup, as well as a small salad if you wish. The chicken is cooked perfectly, with the perfect amount of roasting and grilling. In fact, all their tasty gourmet dishes just shake my taste buds with delight.†Nathan stared at Butler. “Do you think that I honestly care about you and your chicken?†he asked. “Just because you recommended that, we’re going to TGI Friday’s.†“Very well, Master,†Butler sighed. The limo passed a variety of large houses and mansions owned by corporate officials, celebrities, sports stars and the like. Green grass, cobblestone pathways, lush trees and bright flowers; the neighborhood was euphoric. Gardeners that were trained and not actually illegal immigrants cut the grass and trimmed the hedges. As the limousine left the neighborhood, tree-covered plains and placid ponds turned into a metropolis of twisted steel and cement. Cars honked and trucks expelled rapid amounts of smoke into the air. Women and men, cell-phones in hand, swiftly strode down blocks of cracked sidewalk to reach their workplaces. Other limousines crowded the city streets, creating an atmosphere of mystery and uncertainty. A celebrity could walk out of a shop at a moment’s notice. Paparazzi could be found clambering up the sides of buildings. The city feeling was never lost in the vivid imaginations’ of suburbia dwelling children. Those that lived there could beg to differ. Inside the all-black limousine, Butler turned his head to Nathan. “Master, I have a slight request, if you wish,†Butler said meekly. “Go ahead,†Nate answered, looking out the tinted window on his left as he spoke. “Do you think that you and Miss Beverly could, well, tone it down a bit at night?†An awkward silence filled a 45 second gap before Butler muffled, “Um, sorry… Master Nathan…†“What!?†screamed Nate as he said this. “Did you actually just ask me that!?†Butler looked at his hands in his lap. “Well, yes, I mean, the kitchen isn’t the best place… It connects to the whole house so it sort of echoes about, and I was trying to sleep. The chef was up all night listening to the moans. Why do you think we’re going out for breakfast this morning? He couldn’t sleep and he’s too tired to make you breakfast now. I’m just suggesting that maybe you could, um…†“I try to avoid her,†interrupted Nate. “Butler, all she cares about is sex.†The world outside the window had lost his interest. Nate continued, “How do I get rid of her? When I first met her, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. To be honest with you, she still is - but that’s all she is to me, someone beautiful, not someone who I’d actually like to spend time with.†Butler nodded in appreciation at Nate’s words. “Master Nathan,†he began, “let me give you some advice. When I was a boy, there was a beautiful girl in my grade school that I worked up the courage to ask on a date. I did, and she agreed to go on one date with me.†“Let me guess: she didn’t show up for the date and you went home depressed and lonely?†asked Nate. “Actually, no,†Butler smiled. “She showed up and we ate a delicious meal before having sex on a balcony in the middle of Venice. But that’s not what I’m getting it. The thing is, I only did it because I thought she was beautiful. If I’d stayed with a girl like her, who knows where I’d be right now? Not here, which is my main point. Maybe leaving an infatuated girl like Beverly is the best choice.†“That story was an awful example,†Nate said, “but I guess I learned something.†The limousine pulled up into TGI Friday’s parking lot. People whispered and pointed at the car, a customary thing for people to do when they see something such as a limo, a fabulous set of jeans on sale, or an airplane plummeting to the ground. Butler gave Nate his hand as he stepped out to the screaming of girls and waving of hands. Several young girls (they couldn’t have graduated elementary school) ran up to him with napkins and a broken crayon. “Will you sign my napkin?†begged a girl wearing a small yellow top. Nate towered over her like a giant as he reached down to pick up the dirty paper and the chewed-up writing utensil. “What’s your name?†Nate asked. “Fransis!†Dear Frances, Do well in school and always try your best. - Nathan Hall Nate handed the napkin to the girl and walked off. “He spelled my name wrong!†the girl complained before bursting into tears. Inside the restaurant people pointed and waved. A waiter managed to get a semi-secluded table for two near the back of the restaurant. “This is why I hate going out for a meal,†Nate moaned. “It’s your fault that the chef couldn’t cook you something up!†Butler said brightly. Nate gave Butler a nasty snarl before browsing his menu. “I’m not sure what to have,†Nate said. “I know what I’m having; chicken!†“It’s breakfast, Butler,†Nate drawled, rolling his eyes. Butler set down his menu and put his hands on the table. Nate could tell that one of Butler’s “advice†speeches was coming from a mile away. “Are you telling me that you’ve never had a bowl of chicken for breakfast?†Nate glanced at the table awkwardly. “Um… no? Why would I do that?†“Because it’s good,†replied Butler. Nate looked back up at Butler. “Why the bad mood?†he asked Nate. “It’s Beverly. I need to get rid of her.†“Well, why don’t you do it tonight at dinner?†“You’re right, Butler - tonight at dinner. I’m going to say goodbye to her. But where will she go?†“Master Nathan, thoughts like those are things that you must not worry about. Each is a mental wall that’s stopping you from getting rid of Beverly. The more of these you demolish, the easier it will be. Demolish them all at once, and say to her, “it’s over.â€â€ Nate sighed. Everything Butler had told him before had been correct. Why would this time be any different? Thoughts ran rampant throughout his head, but he decided that the time to do something was now. “Now.†“I’m sorry, but we don’t have a drink called ‘now’.†Nate snapped out of his thoughts to see the waiter standing by the table with a pen and small notepad. “Oh, I’ll have a Coke,†Nate said, looking down in embarrassment. A smile formed beneath Butler’s haggard moustache. He seemed to be withered from lack of sleep (‘another reason to get rid of Beverly,’ Nate thought). The meal went by without any disturbances from rabid fans. Relieved, Nate stumbled into the sunshine with a full stomach and a little less pocket change then he went into the restaurant with. He was walking toward the parked limo when a large man seemingly came out of nowhere and bumped into him. The man was monstrous, his fat rolls bloating a sweaty red-striped shirt. Bushy, blonde hair fell to the sides of his acne-covered face in curls. “Hey, you watch it!†he said in anger. “Sorry, lard-o,†Nate frowned, continuing to walk. “Don’t walk away from me!†the man screamed. He grabbed Nate’s arm and spun him around. Nate’s hands flew from their pockets from the force of the man’s grip. “Show some respect for your elders!†Nate put his hands back into his pockets and said, “You don’t look like one of my elders. Keep yourself away from me. I doubt you even know who I am.†“I don’t care who you are!†the man screamed. “You hurt my side!†“Which side, the two rights or the middle?†Several hoodlums smoking near the newspaper rack exclaimed “ooh†and “ahh†at Nate’s retaliation. Realizing the situation was growing dire, Butler stepped in to fix up the problems. “Please don’t make fun of this man’s overweight body,†Butler asked Nate. “What!? Overweight!?†roared the man. “That’s enough!†“Nice one, Gramps,†Nate groaned (he’d occasionally refer to Butler as ‘Gramps’, but rarely in front of Butler himself). The man charged at Nate like a bull. With a quick turn of his hip, he dodged the man and spun behind him. The man barreled past him, and Nate spun to the side. With the man in front of him, he jumped and kicked him in the back. The fat man flew forward and landed on the ground with the force of a falling tree. People screamed as the pavement shook and the restaurant’s windows rattled. “Run!†Nate screamed. He and Butler high-tailed it to the limo, jumping inside and shutting the door. The man heaved himself up, rubbing the grazes on his face. “I’ll get you!†he said in anguish before realizing that there was absolutely no way he could catch the limo. -0-0-0-0-0- Nate threw the tabloid on the table in disgust. ‘Massive Star Beats Massive Man after Breakfast’ filled up the whole front page in large, yellow letters. “I barely touched him!†Nate said incredulously. “You did make fun of his two rights and a middle, though,†Butler said. “They didn’t even talk about that in the article, Butler. Half the stuff in here is made up, too. What a load of crap.†“Rock star Nathan Eclipse found himself struggling to keep his breakfast in as he battled another man for a parking space. Wanting a bit of food, Nathan was attempting to park when another man drove in front of him. Supposedly, Nate drove into the man’s car, sparking an argument which ended up in the man breaking several fingers and a hip. Eyewitnesses say that the man was simply trying to get some food, and Nate angrily stopped him from his morning quest.†The chef entered the room half asleep. “Dinner is served,†he informed the two. Butler gave Nate a pat on the back. “You know what to do,†he said. Nate simply nodded and walked into the dining room. He had been preparing to tell Beverly that it “was over†all day, but he couldn’t find the right words. In the end, he decided that he’d wing it and feed Beverly crap before breaking up with her. He’d try to keep out of the sticky stuff, and aim to tell her the bad news from the beginning. As he entered the room, Beverly was already waiting across the long table, digging into her roast pork. “So good!†she said brightly. Nate smiled and sat down across from her. “Beverly, we need to talk,†he said with his eyes closed. Beverly looked up from her meal. “Beverly, I don’t think we’re working out. I’m not feeling the chemistry. All you want to do is have sex, and I want to have a girl that can stand by my side. She also has to be able to think for herself. And you, well, you just can’t, Beverly. I’m sorry.†Beverly dropped her fork and stared at Nate. “B-B-But you’re my honey bun. And I’m your sugar roll dumpling!†“Did you just relate us to food?†“Maybe.†“See, Beverly, this is why we can’t be together. You aren’t honest with me or yourself, and your brain is the size of, well…†“What?†“That pea on your plate.†Beverly’s face had turned completely red. Her top lip trembled. “But Nathan, I love you.†“Beverly, I write songs about love all the time, and I don’t even know what love truly is. You don’t either. All you want is to be with me, to be in the spotlight, the ‘girlfriend of Nathan Eclipse’.†“How could you say that!? Don’t you know my true feelings for you!? I’m in love with you!†Beverly was standing up now, screaming across the table. “Day and night I wait for you to return home,†she continued, tears rolling down her face, “and now you’ve snatched it all from under my bush!†“What!? You truly are an idiot!†Beverly slammed down her fists, sending liquid and cutlery up into the air. “I’m leaving!†she bellowed. Nate sat there, staring at his meal. ‘She’s gone,’ he thought, ‘I’ll never have to deal with her again.’ As the thought sank in, a smile slowly spread across his face. He pumped his fists into the air and let out a loud “yeah!†Butler walked in, smiling. “That went… well,†he grinned beneath his mammoth moustache. “Well, it depends. If you consider her screaming at you an accomplishment, it went well. If not, it was pretty horrible.†“It was great!†exclaimed Nate, pumping his fists into the air again. It was one of those childish fist pumps, not a manly ‘just won the Masters’ fist pump. Outside, Beverly ran from the neighborhood screaming in fury. Legal garden workers smiled as she ran past, small children knew that they were allowed to sleep safely at night, and all the celebrities hoped that she would be hit by a bus on the way out. Nate, though, was the happiest of them all. He had a huge concert the next day, and was planning on spending most of his free-time catching up with Butler, the chef, and other workers at his mansion. If he got bored, he could do a bit of cleaning or cooking; things normal people would do. He thought all these things over as he pulled on his pajama bottoms later that night. With Beverly gone, he felt like he’d been released from jail. It would be the first night in three months in which he didn’t have sex. Life was perfect. A crash of lightning shattered the calm air, shaking Nate’s windows and terrorizing the wooden floorboards. Rain drops the size of golf balls began slamming against the glass, rattling it into submission. Nate, slightly scared, went to the window and looked outside. There was no clue as to why the weather had changed so suddenly, but puddles had already begun to form from the torrent coming from the sky. The night sky was blackened further by dark clouds. Boom! Lightning flashed across the air, and the sky was quickly illuminated. Nate saw something vague in the sky. It looked like a scythe, but the night went back to its deep black before he could get a close look at anything. ‘It must have been my imagination,’ he thought. Another lightning bolt lit up the sky, and Nate saw two red glowing eyes outside his window. “What-!?†Glass splinters shattered from his window, peppering his face and eyes. His feet were ripped from the ground and he was tossed backwards like a rag doll, slamming into the opposite wall. Rain and wind curled into his room, dampening the floor and turning the air ice cold. Gusts of water spewed across his face as he rubbed the glass from his face. Spots of blood covered his body. He felt himself hovering above the ground, held in place by a mysterious force. A massive shadow drifted through the broken window. It held a scythe in its left hand, and was completely covered by a billowing, dark purple cloak. Two bright, red eyes peered form the inside of a dark hole in the spectral being’s hood. It hovered towards him, gliding slowly as its cloak curled around his bed stand. “I think there’s a piece of glass in my foot,†it complained, shaking the bottom of its cloak. A small shard of glass fell to the floor. “That’s better!†he exclaimed. “Oh, are you the one?†The strange, phantom-like being (who looked considerably like the Grim Reaper with a dark purple cloak) studied Nate, looking up and down his body. Nate stared back, a look of horror splattered across his cheeks. His eyes focused on the ghostly figure in front of him, trying to figure out if it was real or a dream. “You’re the chosen one?†he said in an almost mocking way. Nate couldn’t help but wonder who this man was. It had to be a dream. Things like this never happen. People can’t fly. Your window doesn’t shatter from the force of lightning that’s miles away. You can’t hover above your floor, suspended in air as a large floating cape with a scythe talks to you in joking tones. Despite the anomalies, Nate finally found the nerve to speak up. “What in the world? Am I asleep?†He fell to the floor with a crash, his magical bonds broken. “No, you’re not dreaming,†the seemingly bored phantom said. “Although I can see why you’d think that.†Nate just stood staring at him. “So you’re Nathan Hall, correct?†the creature asked. Nate hesitated, and then answered, “it’s Nate. And yeah, that’s me. Who the hell are you?†“Does it really matter who I am? I think what matters more is who you are.†“All…right?†The bizarre scenario was made worse by the chilly winds and rain that were pouring in through Nate’s window. He couldn’t place his finger on the event that was unfolding in front of him. It had to be a joke or a prank of some sorts. “Good answer!†exclaimed the phantom. “Anyway, I have to let you know that you’re the chosen one. Cool, huh?†“Chosen one?†Nate repeated. “Well, of course!†the ghostly being exclaimed. “The basis of any strong adventure novel is to have a strong leading hero who is at first weak and vulnerable. He’ll face many challenges and hardships along the way that make him become an overall better person. By the end of the story, he saves the world and ultimately becomes a true hero, using all the lessons he’s learned to continue to make the world a better place.†“Makes sense,†agreed Nate. “Before I get to the reason why I’m here, let me just fix that window,†the phantom said. The phantom snapped his invisible (or cloaked) fingers, and the window was instantly fixed. There wasn’t a drop of water or a piece of glass to be seen. “That’s helpful,†Nate mused. “Yeah, it comes in handy when you need the housework done,†the phantom agreed. “Wait, we’re getting off-topic. I need to tell you why I’m here.†“Which is?†“Well, I’m sure you’re aware of this solar system; I believe humans call it the Milky Way.†“Yes, we do. What about it?†It astounded Nate that he was talking to some sort of paranormal creature like it was an everyday task. The phantom took a deep breath, and Nate focused his attention on what he had to say. “This is one of millions of planets, each with its own life force, and each with people just like you who live each day to the fullest. Now, this probably isn’t startling news. Anyone could guess that there were other beings out there. Unlike the human race, there are unfortunately beings that live to hate and kill. They have no name, but are known in the human language as ‘demons’. Demons are destroying the worlds, one by one, Nate, and you’re the chosen one to rise above all others.†“And what does this chosen one have to do?†Nate asked. “You have to save these worlds,†the phantom said. “Me? Save worlds? You have the wrong guy.†Nate turned to leave, but another invisible force stopped him from leaving. “Let me go!†he commanded. “I’m sorry,†the phantom began to explain, “but you have no say in the matter. Your duty to the worlds is to defend them. It’s your job to defeat the demons and save the worlds from ultimate destruction.†Nate was temporarily stunned. It all seemed like a huge practical joke. Everything was flawless, and he couldn’t find a single hole in the plan. Someone must have planned this to mess with his head. “How do I know that you’re not one of my friends?†Nate asked. “You don’t have any friends. Your only friend was that Beverly girl, but you just kicked her out of the house. She had a nice body, too. What a shame, huh? Well, I’m not Butler, either. He’s too old to be hovering around with such a large, heavy scythe. This is for real. This, Nate, is your destiny.†If this was a film, dramatic music would have played following the phantom’s previous line. Unfortunately for those who hate to read, or are rather stupid, this is a book. In a book you read. If you’d like to, you can play some dramatic music on a nearby CD player to tide you over until you get back to your brain-reducing television set. I feel bad for you. No offense. “My… destiny?†inquired Nate. His voice had turned from distaste to interest. He knew that it wasn’t a joke. This, oddly enough, was for real (this had become apparent when the shards of glass had left his arms, yet the pain still remained). “Yes, everyone has a destiny,†the phantom said. “You can’t avoid destiny. No matter how much we stand here talking, eventually you’ll find yourself saving worlds. You can either give in now, or we can waste years trying to get you to help others. I know you, Nate. I’ve been watching you. Today, at the restaurant; you belittled that man and then completely embarrassed him in front of dozens of people that were laughing at him already. Doesn’t this shake you at all?†Nate stared at the ground. “Why would I care? He was looking for trouble. I showed him what he needed to know; that I was the better one and that he should stay away from me.†“I see,†the phantom said sadly. “Why the sad tone?†asked Nate. “You see,†began the phantom. “Nate… that man was already flattened under the pressure of hundreds of eyes staring at him each and every day, laughing at his obesity. All you did was make that worse. This doesn’t stir you at all? Today, you simply caused more pain to enter his life. You didn’t have to trip him up when he bumped into you. It’d been easier to have simply ignored it and carried on to the car. You didn’t choose to do this, and instead brought pain to another.†Nate looked at his feet again, putting one foot on top of another. The phantom, surprisingly, was correct. Inside, Nate believed that it didn’t matter what this guy said to him. He was arrogant at heart, and taking advice from anyone other than Butler was not something he was used to doing. “Nate, are you ready to go?†Nate didn’t even have to think before he said, “No.†“In that case, you leave me no choice,†the phantom said, sounding tired. “Do something about it!†Nate said with flat lips, jumping on the attack. He didn’t want to hear another word from this creature. “A challenge? Where’s the fun in that?†asked the phantom. Nate grabbed an acoustic guitar near his bed and charged the phantom, swinging it wildly. He ran at the creature and lunged with one final, almighty strike. His eyes closed to focus all his energy on the single blow. Time slowed and he felt his arms caress the air as he span at the beast. When he opened his eyes, the phantom was gone. Nate took a deep breath, relieved that the ghost had disappeared. “It must have been a dream,†he gasped to himself. “I’m fine. It’s all fine.†“Wrong,†said a voice from behind him. Something blunt hit the back of his head, and everything went black. -0-0-0-0-0- It was complete silence. Nate opened his eyes, and opened them again, and continued to rapidly open and close them. No matter what he did, his sight was met with an inky black abyss that stretched on forever. “What’s going on!?†he screamed. He tried to move his arms, but they wouldn’t budge. An invisible grip held him to the ground, impeding his movements. Something brushed his right cheek, but he was unable to look at what it was that had touched him. “What do you mean, “what’s going on?â€â€ asked a voice from the darkness. Nate’s heart sank as he recognized the voice of the phantom that had been in his room earlier. It must have been its cloak that had brushed against his cheek. “Where are we? A-And what am I doing here?†stuttered Nate, trying to squirm free from his magical chains. A soft breeze blew over his face and he realized that the phantom was above him. “Right now, I don’t know where we are. If I had the Cucumber, this would be an easy ride. Unfortunately, I don’t, so who knows where we are right now. All I can say for sure is that we’re somewhere in the universe. Compressed into a tiny molecule, we’re flying through space at millions of speeds to reach other planets,†explained the phantom. “And when we get there, I have to save them, right?†Nate asked. “Because I’m this stupid ‘chosen one?’†“The chosen one isn’t stupid!†laughed the phantom. “Unless you’re stupid. You are the chosen one, and it is fate that you shall be so forever. Now that we’re traveling to other planets, you pretty much have no choice but to go along with it. You see, the demons won’t let up on you once they realize that you are the chosen one. As soon as we touch down on our first planet, your destiny is written in stone. They’ll come after you, and if you attempt to go back to Earth then they’ll destroy that as well.†“I must be high,†muttered Nate. “Listening to a floating ghost while flying through space in a black abyss the size of a molecule wasn’t what I expected.†“You’re not high!†screamed the phantom, growing angry. “How many times do I have to tell you to accept who you are? That life on Earth, all the women and sex and drugs and whatnot; that’s gone now, Nate. As soon as I brought you into here, your life back on Earth diminished. Now, maybe l look for you for a year or two, but eventually the Press will forget about the once-star Nathan Hall. In the end, the only one who will still care about you will be Butler. There’s nothing you can do about it. You can save all of existence from the demons and live happily back on Earth when you’re done, or you can turn around now and be devoured in your sleep.†Nate found himself staring into the darkness and thinking. The thought that it might be a joke still lingered in his head. He was going somewhere, no matter where it was. He had to find a way to get out, and back to his life on Earth. Even Beverly would be a better alternative then being wisped off to other worlds to expel the presence of demons. “You’ve got to calm down,†said the phantom. “Once we reach the other planet, we can make our choices from there. And I do mean it by us, Nate. You won’t last a second in the cosmos without me.†The phantom’s voice had grown calm, presumably in sight of Nate’s demeanor. He had changed Nate from a cocky rock star to a quiet, scared boy. It was sickening that he had to do such things to chosen one, and it even made him a bit sad, but it was all part of getting Nate to realize that this was his life. “We’re almost there,†the phantom continued. “The world of Tarnius is approaching us quickly. I just want to let you know that when we get there, things may seem okay. That’s what the demons like to do, Nate. As soon as you think it’s okay, they’ll pounce and begin to destroy the world. Are you ready?†Nate didn’t know if he was ready. He had no clue what the demons were, or what he was up against. Nevertheless, he knew that he was going to end up on Tarnius whether he was ready or not. “I… I guess.†“Good, because we’re here.†The black began to slowly ebb away into a brilliant white light. It crept outwards from the center, and Nate closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to keep them from burning out. There was a soft noise that grew very large, and the white light consumed everything. For a second, the phantom was visible in the light, but he soon vanished as it got so bright that nothing could be seen. “Welcome to Tarnius,†chuckled the phantom.
Confessedly, I can't scrounge up any actual critique regarding the writing. I love how delineative it is in a whole. The overall dialogue is also very natural. At this point I'm somewhat associating the phantom character with Ryuk. Well, for obvious reasons and because he seems to be neither on his side or against him. Blah. Anyway, I'm looking forward to more chapters. This is high quality stuff :3 ~
I have to agree with Alice, here. I can't really find any problems with this story as a whole. Right now all I want to do is read the next chapter. I'm actually excited, as I never read fanfictions that aren't posted in the Story of the Week section.
I see a few minor, and I mean really minor errors in grammar and word use, however I liked the story a lot. I also like the Doctor Who inspiration, that's my favorite show. It's very interesting and it is written well, I hope you continue with this.
