Premier Reality: Prologue

Premier Reality

Prologue

by Darryll B. Carter

Centre

The sky was cold and desolate, like a winter rain over a plain. A bus rode through the sorrowful weather and came to an abrupt stop. A young man equipped with armor of a civilized sport and stained by the sky's tears, stepped off the bus.

“Darc, why are you doing this? You don't even like football.” He thought to himself.

The vehicle pulled off into the fog as Darc walked on into the crowd of homes. He walked the gray paved path beside the joined homes.

“I'm only doing this because I wanted to impress Jayda. Join the team, win the girl I thought.” He dejected.
“Eighteen years of trying to get the girl, straight out the womb…”

Darc walked up a flight of stairs to a blue coated house. He dropped his luggage to the carpet and scaled the stairs to his sanctuary.

  “I'm so tired. I swear life is heavy. Always so much to do, school work, house work, work work, practice...Too much to do...”

The teenager flopped on to his bed where his skin blended with the brown sheets. His eyes slowly closed as did his mind. He slowly drifted into a dream state, or so it seemed. He dropped down like a feather through the air. He landed in a bed of emerald roses surrounded by walls and pillars of jaded leaves. Behind him, encased in diamond was a massive sword. Darc opened his eyes and stared at the ominous star vacant sky. He rose to his feet and witnessed a brown haired woman dressed in robes of ebony. Darc gazed in confusion.

“Who are…“Darc lost his words as the robed woman hugged him as if he was long lost and now found.
“Oh cousin... How I have dreamt of this day for years.”

“Cousin? Who are you?” Darc was lost.

Streams poured from her eyes as she looked up at the black haired teenager.

“I am your cousin, Ingrid.” She said with delight.

Darc backed away and rose above her to his feet. He looked at Ingrid with mixed feelings; confusion and intrigue.

“Where am I? How did I get here?” He looked around the area. It was dark and hollow. As his feet wandered he looked down and saw earth beneath him. He knelt down and pressed his hand against the transparent film that served as the ground he walked on. He could feel it ripple as he removed his hand and continued to gaze down at his mother.

“Am I in space? No, there’s gravity and I’m breathing. I’m dead…” Darc examined his hands.

Ingrid wiped the tears from her peach skin as she guided her cousin’s gaze to a point above. “You are between realms. The space between Earth, and a parallel world, Tellus. Bless the goddess for letting the soul of your grandfather bring you here.”

“Parallel world?! Yea… That’s definitely not the moon.” Darc backed away even more. “How do you know my grandfather?”

“Your grandfather Advent was from my world. He was to serve as the Paladin of our nation.”

Darc continued to retreat until he stumbled on to a silver glazed bench. The beautiful Ingrid approached and planted her bottom next to his. Darc shook his head in disbelief.

“He was banished by his brother, Malaise, to your world. Malaise was the very devil. He rivaled the god of hell himself. He ruled with blood instead of honor. Thousands were slain by his hand and word. Innocent men, women and children killed simply because they did not fit into his desires. Malice, his grandson, is in power. He was once thought to be the one to restore order to our land, but… Though not as violent, he has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather.” Ingrid began to shed a tear.

“What does this have to do with me?” Darc looked down.

“You are a Centre. It has everything to do with you. You are our only hope left. You have to restore the balance that Malaise and Malice have disrupted.

“Balance? What balance?”

“There is a delicate balance of energies that must stay constant or the world will slowly spiral toward its doom. They are the divine energies of the four gods. The deeds of the past three generations of the Centre family have tipped this balance in favor of the world eater, the fourth god, Asatan.You are the only one who can save us from doom… It’s your duty…”

“How am I going to do this alone…?”

“You will not my cousin. The Century shall be beside you, at your hip.

She pointed behind him at the diamond caged sword. Darc turned his body and observed the weapon.
“ . . .” Darc stood with his mouth wide open. “That is one badass sword…”

“This is your birthright The Century. It is a sword that can only be wielded by a Centre.”

“Wait. So I have to do this with just this sword?” He said looking for assurance.

“The Century is not just a sword.” She declared. “It is the sword.”

Darc nodded to her.

“There are those you know that will have to assist you. Their souls are compatible with the task that be falls you.”

“Who?”

“I do not know them by name. You will see when you awake.” Ingrid said with a smile as she began to fade away.

“Wait, Ingrid.” Darc spoke.

“Yes?”

“If the Century can be used by a Centre. Why didn’t you take it to restore the balance?” Darc asked peering into her eyes.

“I was not worthy…” She said with tint of disipointment. As soon as her sorrow came it was replaced with solace. “It told me to find you.”

 Storm, Sopel and Bourne

“I know Kate.” He says pushing someone away at his side. “But I’m at home right now.”

“Don’t forget like last time Jace.” She demanded. Kate’s light brown hair fell from her head and pass her shoulders. She had a timid face created from years of optimism and a stable life. She was as plain as vanilla but just as rich when you got a taste of what she was made of. “I’m tired of you missing it.”

Kate was speaking to him from her decorated room. She was lying on her bed holding a bible in her hand.
“We’ll just have to catch you up now.” She opened the black covered book and began to read.

“I’m kinda busy.”

“You know I love you right?” She said smiling over the phone.

“Yeah.” His feeling was somewhat dry.

“So say it.” Kate cuddled up on her bed.

“Umm.” Jace began to flag something away.

Kate looked off to the side then vanished like light into the depths of space. Her phone plummeted to the floor, creating a sound that irritated Jace’s ear. He leaned away from the phone in reflex.

“Kate?” He said rubbing his ear. “Kate?”

Jace hanged up the phone and received a soft rub to his chest. A female beside him leaned closer brushing her auburn hair away and putting her hand on his Latin skin. She was attractive to say the least but, her features were round and soft in contrast to Kate, whose chin was much more pointed and face narrow. She was of mixed descent, a cross of Earth’s many races.

“When are you going to tell her? Didn’t Dar…“ She was cut off.

“I don’t know!” His hand slammed on the coffee table.

She stared at him unwavered .

Jace got up and walked toward the kitchen. In his course he stopped and picked up a picture. Within the golden hue frame was a picture of himself and Darc. They were both clad in football gear and large smiles. Darc and Jace were strong you could see it in their faces. Though Darc’s muscles weren’t visually prominent you got their impression from his hulking size. Jace stood at Darc’s shoulder, more muscular with a smile that could lure any woman.

“Cindaly is right. Darc tried to warn me…”

Jace vanished and the picture crashed to the floor and its glass shattered. Cindaly walked in to see what happened. She bent over to pick up the frame and vanished, leaving nothing but the frame’s destruction behind.

Benton and Azure

In the city’s vibrant moonlight a pale sedan cuts through the rain. The driver and passenger ride observing their surroundings. The driver was a striking young man with tan skin. His forearm clenched the steering wheel exercising the muscles in his arm. The city lights sparkled through the car’s sun roof onto is low cut hair. The passenger next to him seemed to be a carbon copy of smaller size. Though when you looked hard you could see their were slight differences mostly due to younger age.

“You got on your seatbelt Cam?” The driver said as they stopped at a light. “Mom told me to make sure you put it on.”

“Yeah. I know.”

The crimson glow turns to jade and the car pulls off as if on cue. It glides across the asphalt like a duck on water. A ring begins to sound from the driver’s pocket. He tugs and jerks to pull his cell phone from his jeans. The passenger pulls it out.

“Thanks.”

“It’s Darc.” He hands the phone over after answering it. “Mom said I could go with you over his house tomorrow right?”

“Yeah.” He holds the phone up to his ear. “Wasup DC.”

“Hey Chris.”

In another area of the city a girl is sitting on a bench, shivering from the rain. Her deep blue hair blended in with the city’s neon light background. She speaks into a sleek cobalt cell phone with joy in her voice.

“Jayda? How did you get…?” Chris digressed. “Why did Darc’s number come up?”

“I took his phone since he wouldn’t give me your number .” She sighed at her messy blue hair.

“You would think that would tell a person something.” His sarcasm stressed.

“Yea that he’s an ass!!!”

Her yell sailed through the phone like a strong wind. The screech rattled Chris’ brain as he dropped the phone. It fell down between his legs and slid under the break.

“Chris, look out!” Cam slammed against the door as he pointed to an oncoming truck.

“The breaks are gone!” Chris yelled as he vanished.

The signal on Jayda’s phone went dead. She tapped it on the bench a couple times.
“Hello?” She yelled. “He hung up on me.”
A car rushed by and sent water splashing her way. She cringed in defense and vanished with the wind.

Belmonte

A tall and toned Latin girl with long ponytail danced across the court with grace. Her skill was rivaled only by her beauty. She spun and twirled like a ribbon in the raining air as her feet left the ground for a lay up. As she returned to the ground the ball rolled around the rim of the basket and dropped through the net. She landed and turned around with a large smile on her face and her hand out to the group of men in front of her.

“That’s 3 games straight guys.” She said as her smile turned to a grin.

“Can’t believe we got beat by a girl.” A guy said walking off the court to his bag.

“Shit, she whopped our asses 3 times.” Another said as he pulled some cash from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here, it’s nice and sweaty for you.”

“Damn it’s like that though?” She asked.

“Yeah it’s like that.” He said walking away.

She took the sweaty money and put it in her pocket. Her phone rang as she walked over to a bench off court.

“Hello?” She said answering the phone.

“Athena? It’s Jessenia.”

“Oh hey! We still on for tomorrow?” She sat down and let her hair out its tail.

“That’s what I wanted to talk about?”

“Come on Jess.” Athena said dejectedly.

“I’ll ask Jace to take you. Although I think he’s doing something with Darc?”

“Who’s Darc?” Athena’s eyebrow rose.

“Hey don’t forget double or nothing tomorrow Athena.” A man said as he handed Athena some money and left with a wave.

“You got it Elonzo.” Athena yelled as he left the light of the court for the darkness of the city streets.

“You still hustling guys for their money?” Jessenia asked.

“Well, you know guys.” Athena smiled counting her money. “The think they’re the best at everything. Damnit, one of those bendejo’s shorted me.”

Athena vanished and the cell phone dropped to the concrete shattering the back casing and expelling the battery into a nearby puddle of water.

“They shorted you? Athena?”  Jess saw asked. “Athena? Are you there? Must’ve died.”

Zane

A young man the shade of ground coffee paraded across a dojo floor in an all black dogi. Sweat dripped down his bald head to his red sparring gauntlets as he threw punch after punch and kick after kick. The force from his strikes sent ripples through the all black dogi that covered him. A young man of similar age walked up scratching his hair.

“I locked everything up Cain. Just make sure you shut the door when you leave.” the young man said.

“Yeah, yeah.” Cain continued his practice. “Is it true, Darc’s starting again tomorrow?”

“Yes it is,” the young man laughed. “The Knight returns.”

“Yeah, it will be good to have a real challenge here again. I was getting tired of beating you and your katana down everyday. He probably still thinks he can beat me.” Cain laughed.

“Darc is an out of the box thinker. Your ego will be your downfall Cain.” The young man began to exit.

“Strength and arrogance aren’t everything.”

“No.” Cain flew one final punch. “But they are powerful.”

Sweat flew from Cain’s final punch as his gauntlets dropped to the floor and he vanished.