7 ~6~

When Benjamin opened the front door blue light flooded in from outside, and a boy was standing on the small cement walkway.

"Finally. Honestly, you two are the slowest humans I've ever had the displeasure of meeting...Well no, that's far from the truth. There is Karen down the road. And then that one scrawny lad; what's his name...?" He had a lovely English accent.

"Who are you?" Benjamin said wedging himself between Prim and the boy.

"The name's Dolion. I am your guide. Without me you'll never make it out of this alive I promise you that"

"Your here to help us..." Prim said peaking around Benjamin.

The boy smiled a devilish smile. "Precisely. Now, If you don't mind. We should really be on our way"

"Where are we going?" Prim asked.

"We need to get somewhere safe before nightfall. Unless you'd like to meet monsters far worse then myself"

"What kind of monsters?"

"Let's just say that you were right to fear the things under your bed. But even those savages can't compete against whats about to come when the sun begins to fade"

"Fine, we'll go with you" Benjamin sighed in defeat. "But the girl had told us nothing about a partner"

Dolion laughed. "I am not your partner" He said, a bit of disgust in his tone. "I couldn't care less whether or not you two fail or succeed. But I have no choice but to help you"

"What do you mean?"

"Doesn't matter"

The boy reached into his jacket and pulled out a small black drawstring bag.

"What's that?" Benjamin asked.

Dolion didn't answer. He then sprinkled silver dust in a circle on the ground in front of him.

"So" He smiled. "Who's first...No one?" He shrugged then stepped into the circle. Prim gasped as she watched him fall through the earth.

"Prim"

When Prim looked up at Benjamin she could see he was worried about her.

"I'm fine. Lets just..." She glanced back down at the circle.

Benjamin slid his hand into her's and pulled her along. But the whole time she never took her eyes off of the circle.

"Ready?" He said once they were standing at the edge.

She knew words would never come so she nodded instead.

"On three" He said. "1...2..."

Then they jumped.

They fell and they fell and they fell. It seemed like it would never end.

Prim clung to Benjamin for dear life. She could feel tears filling in her eyes and she was grateful they could not fall.

"I think we're almost there" Benjamin whispered to her as they continued to descend faster and faster.

"We're gonna die" Prim's voice cracked.

And Benjamin didn't say anything. He couldn't. Because deep down he believed she was right. Maybe not now, maybe not even in a year for now. But who knows how long they would be searching for Mazereth. And what would happen when they found him? Yes, deep down he believed she was right. They were going to die.

"Brace yourself" Benjamin said as the earth beneath them began to creep to close for comfort.

Suddenly Prim hit the ground so hard all the air fled from her lungs. She laid there silently gasping until her body finally allowed her to breath.

"bit high" Dolion said looking down at her. "But the adrenaline rush am i right!" He laughed.

"You ok?" Benjamin asked pushing Dolion out of the way and helping Prim to her feet. Prim saw they landed at the bottom of a hill half the size of a mountain.

"Yeah" She said in a weak voice. "Where are we?" She asked looking around.

"This my dear...Is the Astral Plane" Said Dolion.

It was the most beautiful place Prim had ever seen. The sky was a deep blue, but still kind of grey. There were wild flowers of every kind.

"It's wonderful"

"wait until you see the birds" Dolion chuckled as he started up the hill.

Prim smiled. This place was a dream come true.

"You taking us down another rabbit whole?" Benjamin said following behind Dolion.

"There's an Inn just beyond this hill. Unless you'd rather sleep outside" Dolion shrugged.

"Do you live here?" Prim asked as she struggled to keep up with the two of them.

"No, people like me live in another realm called Tenebris"

"What do you mean people like you?"

"Monsters. Monsters live in Tenebris"

"Why? Why would you call yourself a-"

"Because I am a monster. I've done horrible things to innocent people and now I am paying for it"

"It's a prison world" Benjamin quickly caught on.

Dolion nodded. "But they promised me that if I help you two defeat the darkness then my freedom will be restored"

The three of them where silent for a moment. "Dose that answer your question?" Dolion asked braking the silence.

Prim nodded. "Yes"