THE SHADOWVERSE

Enter Shadowverse

A few hours later, Sonovan was meditating in his bedroom. Legs crossed and eyes shut, his mind drained itself of thoughts, which was considerably tougher since the bedroom had no beautiful view, calming breeze, and the like. Nevertheless, he began to slip into the mode, his thoughts extending to infinity. Almost in a meditative state, Sonovan jumped as the group walked in.

"Oh, sorry!" Sam exclaimed, arms up in defense.

"Didn't know you were in your trance. We'll be right out," Rose added.

"No, my friends, it is quite all right. Please, join me."

They sat next to him, forming a horizontal line across the dorm. Sonovan was in the middle, with Johnny to his right and Ryan to his left. Next to Ryan were Rose and Dustin, while next to Johnny were Sam and Jane, respectively.

"Wow, this is literally nothing like Herook," Ryan mumbled, desperately striving to get in the mood without the majesty of nature as a backdrop. "I miss that place."

Sonovan smiled. "Yes, quite a place indeed. But, for now, this will have to suffice. Jane, will you turn off the lights?"

With the snap of her fingers, the switch turned off, and darkness reigned.

"Do any of you want to venture from this place?" asked Sonovan. "To somewhere far behind this physical realm? To a world of darkness, excitement, and energy? A Shadowverse?"

"Uh, yeah! What the hell do you think we'd say?!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Then close your eyes," Sonovan directed. "Stand and place your hands on my head. Your bodies will connect with mine, and we shall depart into the Shadowverse itself—it is time you discovered your true home. Rose, you can join us. Your time with Titan has enabled you to absorb some amount of Ooris."

In the darkened room, they all stood and placed a hand onto Sonovan's head, like some occult ritual. A deeper blackness descended upon them—a darkness they could feel.

"It's tingly," Sam flinched.

"Ooris is with us now. Close your eyes and focus."

Seconds later, Ooris absorbed them and they vanished.

Johnny opened his eyes, and his surroundings were no longer the dull walls of the bunker. His face was pressed to the ground, except ground it was not, but a soft surface—considerably denser than a waterbed but nowhere near as dense as typical soil. Colors of all kinds streamed through the firmament above them, resembling auroras.

"Wow," Johnny awed. Even the very ether gave the impression of a dreamlike setting, though this was farther from their imaginations than east is from west.

"This is spectacular," Ryan said. "And I thought Herook was awesome."

The view left the fledgling Shadowforce thunderstruck, yet Sonovan stood calmly while a black mist continually rose from the ground beneath them.

"My friends, this is the Shadowverse," Sonovan stated. "The source of all our powers. Impressive, is it not?"

"Understatement of the century," Johnny replied. "Definitely understatement of the century," he repeated, gasping.

"Why have you brought us here?" Jane asked Sonovan, who was now wreathed in darkness.

"To teach you. To teach you the ways of The Shadows. To teach you that which you can see is not everything that exists. You are now where few men have gone before—in the beyond."

The auroras lowered in the sky, as if alive. "The lights are coming awfully close," Sam remarked, backing up slightly.

"Do not fret," replied Sonovan, his eyes locked onto the aurora. "Oora will envelop you in its embrace."