Story of Shadows

Sinking deep into the bean bag the tan man sighed.

"Damn talk about a difficulty spike" He put down his handheld and looked out a nearby window. his eyes instinctively drawn to a massive pharmaceutical building that towered over the entire area like the hand of god hovering above the mindless peons. for as long as he could remember the hand of god was always suffocating.

"Hey, Alibaba!" called a young voice from downstairs. it was distant and had a distinct echo. Alibaba stood up and felt weak, his knees buckled and wobbled with each step. His walls began to melt and drip with a strange unearthly liquid. His mind raced with a deadly fear.

from the darkness, the liquid marsh of shadows parted like the red sea. a beautiful woman's face appeared from the massive parting. "Hello my dear"

with a jolt Alibaba was awake. Thrown from his dream or nightmare more precisely. His elder brother Noah stood over him, looking him over and examining every Corner of Alibaba's face.

"had the same dream didn't you?"

"Is there a reason you're in my room?" Alibaba asked pushing his brother away.

"Isn't it normal for someone to worry about someone when they scream?" Noah asked with a pressing condonscending tone. He turned his head motioning to Alibaba's doorway. "Breakfast is ready if you want any"

Noah stood up and made for the door. He stopped looked over his shoulder mumbling something under his breath before leaving. Alibaba gazed around his room in a dazed and groggy fashion. there he noticed several peculiar things. An imprint left on the bean bag in the corner of his room. His handheld console left discarded on the floor. an alarming dread swam through Alibaba's mind.

"what the hell is going on?" Alibaba questioned throwing off the covers and running to his bean bag. he scratched his chin and examined it. nothing really seemed off about it, it was just a standard bean bag bought at a cheap furniture store in Akihabira. Alibaba shook his head.

"Its only a dream" He spoke to himself. "it can't hurt me" the nineteen year old took a step back and thoroughly examined his bedroom. There was a small glint of something shiny in his closet. He pried open the door and gazed down at what it could possibly be.

"Oh just that sword I bought a while ago"

"Damn right a while ago" an unknown voice answered in a sarcastic yet angered tone. all the while the voice had an odd thick accent. Alibaba shook his head.

"Must have been Noah" He said placing the sword on the ground and walking downstairs. "Hey Bro!"

"Yeah what's up?" Noah called from the kitchen.

"Oh I was just wondering if you said something" Alibaba stopped looking at his brother who had just sat down to eat. "Oh, if it wasn't you then who was it?"

"As if I would know, jeez man you buy so much weird shit I wouldn't be surprised if one of them came to life"

"haha very funny Noah"

"Ali at least eat before you go recluse yourself in your room"

"No!! I don't want to!" Alibaba stormed off consumed with a rage he had never felt before.

"Ali, I know life's been hard since mom and dad died but at least give me a chance to take care of you"

"No!!! I'm Nineteen"

"I understand, you're still my little brother and I must protect you"

"You always think you can shoulder everything on your own and its sickening"

"It's my cross to bear"

"Allow me to help carry that cross"

"No, you're too young"

"I'm a legal adult--You know what, we're not doing this I'm going out"

"Oh to go waste My money on more pointless dribble"

"No to get away from you" Alibaba stormed up the stairs in a huff. Packing a backpack full of things he'll need to spend a day away from his brother.

"Just in case" he grabbed the sword he had placed on the ground and concealed it under his coat. Racing down the stairs, he shot a glare at his brother and angrily slammed the front door behind himself. Gazing at the blue sky above, a gigantic shadow eclipsed the sky. Soul Meds Inc. a titan of Pharmaceutical technologies, its large headquarters rose towards the heavens in clear defiance to the world's creator. Alibaba stormed down the road still in an angry cloudy mental state. while he stormed down the road a billboard lit up with the face of Japan's god. the most powerful man in the world Amon Shirafude. his glowing smile was like a thousand l.e.d bulbs all glowing at the same time. His untrustworthy heterochromatic eyes gazed down at the metropolis below. His mouth moved from his godly smile and he addressed the public.

"Dear citizens" He opened. He clutched his chest. "it has come to my attention that this country is harboring a whistleblower from my company" he stopped himself and took a sip from his wine. "Unfortunately at this time I do not have info on who this person is but dear citizens when I do, I want them Erased," He said his eyes glowing a sickening yellow color. The transmission ceased after he uttered his last word. Alibaba stood in awe that such a powerful man would stoop to inciting mob violence. Alibaba felt a cold indifferent harsh fear creep down his spine. it gripped his throat. He stood on the street corner feet from his home frozen in fear. while He trembled a calm stillness washed over him.

"Alibaba! wake up" His brother placed a hand on his shoulder.

"N--Noah!" Alibaba still trembled from the overwhelming godly presence of Amon. it coursed through him and resonated in every cell of his body.

"C'mon there's something I want to show you!" Noah dragged Alibaba by the hand and the two walked down the road silently. Noah threw Alibaba into a brick wall off the side of the road, in an out of the way alleyway. When Alibaba's back made contact with the wall he passed through it like it was nothing but water. The liquidy wall slipped around Alibaba's frame, only darkness surrounded Alibaba. he fell for what seemed to be miles. passing through a silent void. after what felt like excruciating hours of falling, he hit the floor of something. He stood up, a surge of adrenaline making his knees shaky and wobbly. He looked around but was met by nothing more than a looming shade. Footsteps echoed from deeper within the hall. Noah stepped out from the shadows dressed in a opulent suit.

"Welcome dear brother to The Ark"