Breaking Boundaries

Before I begin this...truly unbelievable tale...I have to tell you this now-talk of fantasy and "other worlds" had always been strictly forbidden in my house. You know, crap like fairytales and princesses, magic, things like that.

This was because my parents are the two craziest Christians that I know, and any talk of something so 'demonic' was not to be had in their house, because it didn't agree with "the Lord."

You can imagine my joy at having been raised in such an...embracing environment.

They go to church every Sunday, dragging me along with them so that the pastor may "bless me". We pray before dinner every night together, and pray before bed.

It's really incessant.

And amusing in the fact that I don't believe a single word of it.

In fact, I consider the Bible nothing more than a story book of misguided conceptions and disgusting lies-it's safe to say that I'm a happy, carefree Atheist.

A secret one, at least. If they knew, they'd send me away to church camp...

Anyway, I digress. We were talking about fantasy, yes?

Right. So you can imagine my shock at what I found 'beyond the wall.'

I mean that in the most literal sense possible, if you're wondering. This 'wall' having been located in my room.

This is going to get both really confusing and strange, but bear with me.

I had a dream one night, and in this dream, a bodiless apparition came to me and said "Look beyond the wall, and you will find a world unlike any other, of beauty and majesty. It needs your help, young knight, for you are the only one who can save it."

At first, I thought the same thing that you're probably thinking right now-WTF. I need to get to sleep earlier.

AT FIRST.

I would have easily been able to dismiss it if it had only happened once, but it didn't.

I had the same dream for a week straight.

Though I was iffy about it, I couldn't deny it any longer-it was some sort of sign, and I had to answer it.

So, taking it in the most literal sense of the word, I looked to my own room first. Behind one of these walls laid a place far behind my wildest imagination-according to said apparition-and I was bound by some stroke of fate to help. Why they couldn't just call on someone a lot bigger or stronger than me is a mystery...

As most people know, there are usually four walls in the average bedroom, my room was no different. Though I now had the problem of how to rip down the wall to reach this 'lost city.' There were no instructions in my dream for how to go about this, so I approached in the only manner I knew how-

Throwing something heavy and solid at one of the walls and hoping for the best.

To my surprise, the object flew through the wall-not getting wedged in it, as it should have done, or falling to the floor.

I had found the wall!

There was no more care in my work as the wall easily peeled away, and I was shown a land of immense beauty.

Imagine the most gorgeous city that you can, and then multiply that by about a million.

The sky was a soft lavender color, the light pink clouds rolling along. Every building structure was different and unique, none an unpleasant sight to the eyes. A dome shaped one caught my eye to the right, solar panels atop it.

Straight ahead, though quite a distance away, was a beautifully ornate palace. I couldn't make out too much of it, because of it's distance, though I could tell it was lovely, like everything else.

I didn't get to see much of the city before I was thrown into jail, however, where I currently sit.

Yeah, we're present time, now, get with it.

"Such a strange person. Look at his clothes! I've never seen anything like them!" One of the guards was staring at me, mostly my clothes.

I suppose I do look out of place, compared to their soft, colorful threads that look richly made, and my ripped jeans and old shirt.

"Alright, move, move! Didn't I say move? I'm bound here by a letter from the king, so you best make yourselves scarce!" A voice rang through the air, pushing through the burly guards to appear before me, looking slightly annoyed.

"I always get sent out on these ridiculous quests...retrieval, oh bother..." He mumbled, also looking at me behind my cell.

For a guy, he's remarkably pretty. Bright blue eyes were what I first noticed, and long, shiny blonde hair, atop which is perched a garland of some sort, and wearing a draping robe. He looked straight out of a Grecian god artwork.

Peeking out from behind him was a smaller blonde, with the same bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Brothers, I assume.

"This is the one you captured today, yes?"

"Yes, Dionysus. We-"

"QUIET! Didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

"But that's your name, s-"

"I DON'T CARE! It's sir to you, vile guard!" He spat, glaring hard at the man.

Any beauty he had kind of fouled with that statement...

"Yes, sir. We'll release him to you now." The guard, with shaking hands, unlocked my cell, bowing his head low.

"Well come on then, stranger. I'm to take you to the palace." The one I now know as Dionysus sighed, sparing me only a glance before he began walking in front of me.

That's when I noticed the pair of white wings folded upon his back, a similar pair upon the smaller blonde's, as well, who was staring avidly at me while trying not to trip.

"Onyx, didn't I tell you it's rude to stare?" Dionysus directed this at 'Onyx', though much softer and more patient than the attitude he'd had with the guards.

"Sorry, brother." He said quietly, facing forward once again.

"Uhm...sorry, but...why was I thrown in jail?"

Dionysus raised an eyebrow, but otherwise sighed, continuing to walk. "The better question would have been why would you not have been thrown in jail. In case you didn't notice, you kind of stick out here like a sore thumb, Blaze."

"...Is it even worth asking you-"

"-how I know your name? Not really, no. Being new here, you may just want to accept a few things without question, abilities beyond the norm being one of them. Well, your idea of norm, anyway." He added as an afterthought, not paying any mind to the looks we were receiving walking down the street.

The walk was slightly lengthy, but I didn't mind getting an opportunity to quietly enjoy the sights. I feared talking to either Dionysus or Onyx, for upsetting one or the other may end up getting me killed by Sir Temper.

"Alright, here we are, The Castle of Epiphatios. I have another...call I must attend to. Onyx, can you handle this by yourself?"

"Yes, brother!" He chirped, looking delighted to have an opportunity to prove himself.

"Okay. He'll be able to deliver you the rest of the way. Fair journey, good knight." He inclined his head, confusing me slightly, as he took off down the cobblestone street.

"This way, Blaze!" Onyx grabbed my hand, pulling me through the tall, light blue gates and through the lush, multi-coloured garden to the castle doors, where stood a doorman, waiting for us.

"Wasn't Dionysus supposed to be here, Onyx?" The doorman questioned, staring at me as though I were some disturbing, unsightly scab.

"Yes, but he's busy! We're here to see the king, remember?" He flashed a pearly white smile as he held up a fine piece of parchment, which the doorman didn't even bother glancing at as he opened he heavy iron doors, Onyx pulling me through these, as well, and down a marble hallway.

Upon the walls were paintings upon paintings-some of them were portraits of what I could only assume had been or currently were royalty, while others depicted what appeared to be fantasy scapes and legends of lore. The small blonde pulling me along paid them no mind, however, ignoring countless doors and hallways in his quest to deliver me to the proper room.

We stopped short in front of another pair of beautiful doors, Onyx relinquishing hold of my hand and stepping back, bowing his head.

"Good luck, knight Blaze!" He giggled, taking off once again, his wings flying out behind him.

I took a deep breath and, though apprehensive, held out a hand to place on the handle, and open the door.

"Ah, finally! The young knight, Blaze, is here to help us."