Snippet #2717769

What.

What?

"WHAT!?" If that girl from the tree honestly expected Angela to behead that monstrosity, let alone get anywhere near it, then she was insane. It was taking all of Angela's will just to keep the sword in her hands. Even if she was brave (or stupid) enough to try for the finishing blow it wasn't as if she could actually do it. Her arm muscles were trained for stunting, not fighting. Maybe she could throw a punch a little better than most, but she certainly couldn't swing about a heavy sword.

Thank god she didn't have to. The cosplayer seemed to know what he was doing. He seemed fearless as he swung at the monster. Daring, cool, inspiring. The head of the beast fell to the ground.

"Woah! Way to go, soldier boy!" Angela hollered and cheered at the victory. She almost had a moment of relief.

Then, she stood silent. The falling shards of onyx resembled a dream she never had. The glow of the sunset and the glistening shimmering black rain. The trembling earth and shivering trees. It all evoked a feeling of foggy and distant emotion. Something that couldn't quite be described. When it was like that, didn't it have to be a dream? She wondered why she hadn't explored that possibility before. It was the only explanation she could think of for the strange events.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket again. No, this was real. This was magic. Many might have thought that magic and reality couldn't exist simultaneously, but Angela was never one of them. Rather, she was of the kind waiting for proof of their coexistence. Now, here it was, growing in front of her.

So what now? Angela shielded her eyes from the approaching dome and stepped back. If she ran far enough would she escape it?

Did she even want to escape?

If this truly was what she had sought all these years, then why was she turning away? The bright future she had imagined but never fully formed or tried to begin, was it staring at her now? Angela closed her eyes. It was brighter than she had ever hoped. Searing, almost.

The winds buffeted Angela and the earth continued to shake with such ferocity that it was a miracle she didn't lose her footing. She tried to yell, to do something, but her voice failed her. There was nothing to say.

She had always hoped to discover magic. That it would come in the form of secret societies or prophetic visions. In the moment she had to think about it, Angela realized those were rather childish ideals. There was always the possibility of something darker happening. With such limitless possibilities, how could there not be?

Her heart beat faster as she raised her arms in defense against whatever this new threat was. Was this a punishment or something? What had she done? What were her sins? Tears, blackened by her mascara, rolled down her cheeks. Then, she existed.

She simply existed.

She was nothing. She was everything. She was alive and unafraid but not living. Not really living. There was no other way for her to describe what was occurring.

Angela opened her eyes. There was no reason not to. Everything had melted. Dripped down like candle wax. Emotions, thoughts, pain.

Where had she gone?

Oh, there she was. She was right there.

So were others. People together on the path of starlight. She could stand.

Angela faced the beacon. The future? Magic? Behind her was something else. The past, maybe? Limitations?

When the girl from the tree spoke, her voice resonating, Angela nodded and wiped the tears off her cheeks. It was as if there was some sort of pressure. Something in the air forcing her onwards.

"Yeah... Yeah, that seems like the way to go." She said with a dazed voice. Already, she wanted to follow the girl. Anything that ensured she wouldn't be alone.