The In Between

Aaron leaned back on the couch, trying to make everything make sense.

There really were superpowers in the world and he just got his hand on one. He looked down at the card in his hand and as he wondered where he'd keep it, it dissolved and returned to his soul space.

He glanced at the wooden box the deck had come in. His mother's name stared back at him, reminding him that this wasn't random.

She had sent this to him. She had known this would happen. But why?

"Fragments? Challenges? Outcasts?" He muttered.

It sounded ridiculous. Like something out of one of those over-the-top online games his classmates wouldn't shut up about. But the cards floating in his soul space said otherwise.

This was very, very real.

His eyes went back to the floating screen. Find a Card Fragment? Where would he do that? He wouldn't have been asked if it couldn't be done.

Besides, the reward was a new card, which meant a new power.

He glanced at the clock. It wasn't too late. The streets would still be a bit empty, the perfect time to figure out whatever this madness was without drawing too much attention to himself.

"Might as well." He mumbled as he stood, grabbing his jacket.

He stepped outside to the brisk air and began his wanderings. If something happened? Good. If it didn't? Also good.

It wasn't like there was a time limit or punishment to the challenge. He could finish it whenever he likes.

As he walked, everything seemed normal at first. The faint buzzing as he passed under the streetlights, the occasional rustle of leaves as the gentle breeze blew.

Yet as he walked, the quiet began to gnaw at him. No distant cars, no barking dogs, not even the chirp of crickets. It was unsettling.

Aaron shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing around instinctively.

He told himself it was nerves, his imagination running wild after everything that had just happened. But the further he walked, the stranger it got.

The road stretched ahead in a straight line, unnervingly so.

He passed familiar landmarks, a grocery store, the old gas station, but they felt... off. Twisted. Like they were reflections in a funhouse mirror. And no matter how long he walked, the scenery barely changed.

"What the hell is going on?" He muttered, coming to a stop. He turned, expecting to see the street he'd walked down, but it was gone.

Behind him was only more road, stretching endlessly into darkness.

His heart raced, pumping him full of adrenaline as panic bubbled in his chest. He resumed walking as fast as he could, and just when he was about to burst into a run, the road abruptly ended.

Aaron skidded to a halt, staring at what was in front of him.

A single building stood at the end of the road, its walls crumbling and covered in vines. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years, yet it radiated a strange energy that pulled him closer.

"This... feels wrong." He whispered, taking a hesitant step forward.

The air around the building was heavy, as if it were alive, watching him. Before he could process it, movement in the shadows caught his eye.

A blur of silver and black shot toward him.

Aaron barely had time to react before the figure lunged, a sword spearing towards him.

His body moved on instinct, jerking back just as the blade sliced through the air where he'd stood moments before.

"What the?!" He shouted, stumbling backward. His foot caught on something, and he braced for a fall, but his feet stuck to the ground.

The sensation was sudden and foreign, like stepping into quicksand, but it kept him upright.

It took a second for the realization to hit. Sticky Fingers. The card had activated on its own.

The figure, now fully visible in the darkness of the night, was covered in dark leather armor.

Their face was hidden behind a helmet, only glowing blue eyes visible through the visor. They moved with the surety of constant practice, their sword slicing through the air as they advanced again.

"Wait! I'm unarmed!" Aaron shouted, his hands raised defensively. "I don't even know what's going on!"

The figure ignored him, striking at him.

Aaron ducked and sidestepped, his heart pounding in his chest. Sticky Fingers activated again, his feet locking him to the ground long enough to dodge another swing.

"Stop!" He yelled again. This was a person just like him. "I'm not your enemy!"

For a moment, the attacks stopped. The figure stepped back, tilting their head slightly. Their voice, cold and hard, echoed through the visor. "If you're not a Joker, then what are you?"

Whoever the figure was, they were female. And now that things were calmer, it was obvious with all the curves in the armor.

"A what?" Aaron panted, his hands still raised. "Look, I don't even know what a Joker is! I just-" He hesitated, debating whether to reveal the truth to the stranger.

After a moment, he decided to. After all, normal people don't just attack anybody they see on the street with a freaking sword.

"I just awakened! The cards, the challenge, it all started tonight!"

The armored woman paused, their grip on the sword loosening slightly. "You awakened tonight?" She repeated in suspicion.

"Yes! I have no idea what's going on, okay?" Aaron said, taking a cautious step back. "I just wanted to figure this out. Then you came swinging!"

She sighed, lowering their sword. "You should have said that sooner."

Aaron stared at her, incredulous. "You didn't exactly give me time to explain!"

She shrugged, the motion oddly casual for someone who'd just tried to kill him. "You're lucky. If you were a Joker, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Aaron hesitated, eyeing the sword still in their grip. "And who are you, exactly?"

There was a pause, and Aaron wondered if she would even answer.

Finally, she reached up, removing their helmet. Beneath it was the face of a young woman that Aaron was sure was his age.

Her eyes, which were previously glowing blue, faded to a natural amber. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and no matter how crazy she seemed, Aaron had to admit that she was beautiful.

She stared at him, a hint of unease in her gaze.

"My name isn't important." She said. "But I'm not your enemy."

"Sure doesn't feel like it." Aaron muttered. "You nearly took my head off."

She frowned. "You're new. You don't understand how dangerous this place is. The In Between is no playground."

"The what now?" Aaron asked, frowning in confusion. What was she talking about? But before she could respond, the air around them shifted.

It started as a faint crackling sound, like glass under pressure.

The world around them darkened, the edges of buildings and roads flickering like a glitching screen. Aaron turned, his stomach dropping as he saw a fracture appear in the air itself.

"Damn it!" The girl cursed, her sword snapping back up. "An Outcast. It's breaking through."

"A what?" Aaron asked, his voice rising.

The fracture grew, spreading across the air in front of them until it shattered completely.

From the rift emerged something that defied explanation. It was enormous, its form constantly shifting, a mass of limbs, eyes, and jagged teeth.

The air grew cold, the creature's presence suffocating.

"That," the girl said grimly, "is an Outcast. And if you want to survive, you'd better start fighting."