Beyond Far Away

Ah, Damn it all...

- Chapter four –

"We must act out passion before we can feel it." (Jean-Paul Sartre )

Earth

The cloudy sky rumbled in annoyance as Adriana walked towards the swings. Today was one of those melancholy soaked Thursdays, when she felt like visiting the park and enjoying the solitude. Perhaps it was because Adriana had been having dreams of life so much more entertaining and genuine than her own, or maybe it was the feeling of exclusion. Nevertheless, as the world became even darker and more sinister, the girl dropped her backpack beside a tree and started swaying in the wind, reaching higher and higher. Wind picked up and started pulling red locks out of a loose braid as Adriana closed her eyes. Her mind was wandering, tripping over inexplicable dreams and feelings.

She felt so empty, so lonely. Adriana had always been this weird child, not exactly a recluse or outcast, but someone who just couldn't fully fit in. There were people the girl would go to the movies, laugh and chat with, but all the time it felt like an act. Deep within there was a feeling of not serving her purpose, of not belonging. The young woman was incomparable to colourful and ambitious humans. Now that she thought about it, Adriana wouldn't have been too shocked to find out she was some sort of creature, known to mankind as a mythical being. Something like the race of Fae she represented in her dreams. Ah, the nightly adventures she had been having for so long already. They were her only support in the dull life of the student. There was one thing strange, though. Adriana was well aware that dreams should be random, intricate and rarely remembered. Hers, however, were vivid, systematic and burned into the mind. The girl was going through episodes of another woman's life, as though recollecting those events. What she did not dream of somehow manifested as memories to fill the gaps. All in all, it was exhilarating, incredible and strange.

Speaking of strange, Adriana was still very confused by the dream she had more than a month ago. Usually the girl knew what was happening, but thought and acted as Adriana Vervloet - the confident, mysterious huntress. More than a month ago, she was suddenly pulled out of her fight with the selkie and into the world, where the sunset enflamed the atmosphere and blue apples hung among shimmering leaves. The incomprehensible thing, however, was the fact that even as Michael approached her, Adriana was herself. Adriana Ellison stared mesmerized and confused at the young man. The slightly shy and sarcastic student was the one that shivered as light violet eyes pinned her to the spot and pale fingers grasped her face. She was the one that nearly reached for the apples or the handsome stranger. Not that he stayed a stranger for much longer.

Dreams returned to being the usual memory like experiences, where they at first fought with each other, then finally together. To situations such as dragging the beaten boy home, searching for rogue lycanthropes, grasping Michael's inhumanly strong hand to not fall into an abyss or murmuring thank you after escaping from a rabid unicorn. Oh how much Adriana would give to actually be the monster fighting hero of a strange world with two suns!

The sky hadn't cleared yet, but it was no longer going to rain, so the red-head saw no need to go home yet. It was still early and only an elderly couple had disturbed the peace. She took out a sketch-book and a pencil, tranquillity inspiring her. Little did she know that there was someone else just a few meters away besides the elders. Someone, who was pretty much freaking out.

"What the hell is going on?!" Michael paced, his hands in pockets, under the cloak.

The boy had gone to take a nap and, of course, was dreaming. They were tracking a male chimera, named Lucas. He had burned the hunters' residence down and was on the run. As they discovered his location, Adriana suggested speaking first and stabbing later (which was quite unusual), so they went into a bar. The last thing Michael could recall was placing a hand on the girl's waist to say something, but distractedly taking in her aroma. Out of the blue, he was standing in a creepy park. It was very cold and only one sun was hidden behind the grey blankets. The boy was surprised to see bare trees, but even more astonished when his eyes landed on the red-head, slightly swaying on a decaying swing.

"Adriana?" Michael tried asking, but either the girl ignored him, or simply couldn't hear through the music she was listening to. "Hey, woman. Where are we?"

He stepped closer and glanced at the paper in her hands. It was a rough sketch of a man, who was definitely Michael himself. Not really sure how to gain the girl's attention, he reached for the notebook. Adriana paid no notice to the hand that went right through the paper and continued to work on the eyes that had a permanent look of mischief. Michael tried touching the artist next, only to achieve the same result. Muttering about this making no sense he leaned against one of the trees (which also made no sense) and started watching Adriana, enjoying the opportunity to pretty much 'check her out'.

"She's different..." He mused after a while.

While the young man couldn't deny that it was her, this Adriana looked much more vulnerable and troubled. They way she softly smiled and mouthed the words to some song, the unusual gentleness in her eyes were something the huntress would never allow to surface. Michael concluded that somehow the red-head was more like a damsel than a knight. She was just Adriana and no longer Miss Vervloet.

"I guess that's it," The girl murmured as she scanned the drawing of a teasing young man. To her surprise it looked very realistic.

Adriana collected her things and started walking home. Today she didn't have her car, but had no intentions of taking a bus either. As a result, the girl slightly swayed to the music still blasting through her earphones and strode forward.

"I feel like a stalker! How come I could see the girl, yet she can't see me?" Michael whined behind her, finding nothing better to do than wander after the woman.

Soon they entered a less secluded part of town and the young man couldn't stop admiring the simplicity of this world, the washed out colours. Among them, however, the only vibrant and normal thing was the girl. To him it looked like his eyes were focused only on the messy red hair, because nothing else was worth his attention. So he followed Adriana like a handsome guardian angel.

The woman was enjoying the song so much that she only briefly glanced at the street and missed the roar of an engine, the sign that a car was coming closer. She stepped on the asphalt just as a car emerged from the darkness. Three drunk individuals were inside the metal beast, laughing and singing along to one of the popular songs. They paid no attention to the blue eyed female, still in the middle of the road. The next thing Adriana knew, she was yanked to the other side of the street. The girl staggered and nearly planted that confused face of hers on the side-walk. The car rushed by, teenagers focused on howling.

"What the hell were you thinking, woman? Spacing out like that is freaking dangerous." Michael scolded the girl as he let go of her hand and steadied her by grasping her waist.

Adriana lifted her head and stared at him, mouth slightly open.

"Oh, now you notice me. " He grumbled as his violet eyes locked onto the pale face.

"How can you be real?" Adriana whimpered and stepped back.

'I'm crazy. Dear lord, help me! I have completely lost my mind if I can see this man.' Her eyes were wide.

"I'm quite real, love; you're the one that's simply a figment of my imagination." Michael glanced around to see a couple of kids giving him strange looks. Yeah, the children couldn't handle how awesome he looked in a cloak.

"But... But you're nothing but a character in my dreams." Her mind had completely shut off. Unconsciously her hand reached forward, just like Michael had done in her dream, and grasped the thick material of his ensemble.

"You know what, we could spend all nigh—day- something wondering which one of us is real and it wouldn't matter. Let's get you home safely and maybe I'll return to slaying dragons or whatever."

Adriana looked away from his clothes, her curious gaze distracting the man. She barely nodded, before turning around and continuing her journey. This was very, very weird.

"Okay, I'll just take this thing off. People are giving me strange looks." Michael complained and shrugged off his cloak.

People still stared. He wore a dark blue stand-up collar shirt with golden buttons, embroidery, black loose pants and boots. Even without the dark and scary cape he looked like someone on their way to a costume party. It was a harsh contrast to the grey skinny jeans, simple sneakers and a brown jacket Adriana had on. Luckily, there were things more important than looks.

"So you are Adriana Vervloet... What is this place?" Michael initiated the conversation, startling the girl.

"My name is actually Adriana Ellison. I'm Miss Vervloet only in the dreams. And this is... Earth. Planet Earth." The girl let out a shaky laugh. She was telling him not the city, but the planet.

"A different planet? No wonder everything is so strange."

"How come?"

"Well, I guess it is around December, but there are no Dormifructus trees blooming around here."

Somewhere in her mind Adriana had stored the strange name of the plant. It was the beautiful tree with white leaves and green flowers that bore fruit just before New Year. As it bloomed, the pollen caused severe drowsiness. Why she knew that, the red-head couldn't tell even if her life depended on it.

Adriana shivered as a gust of wind flew past them and sighed. She should have brought her scarf.

"What about you, Michael, where do you come from?" The girl knew the answer, but needed the confirmation.

"The planet named Asheron. And I'm rather sure it is your home planet, too." The young man glanced at the slightly hunched figure a few feet to his right. "How did you end in this place is beyond me." He added and, like the gentleman that his grandmother believed him to be, covered the woman with the cloak.

She looked a bit startled, but smiled.

"Thanks. I might be crazy, but at least I'm no longer cold."

Michael returned the smile.

"May I ask you for a favour?" He carefully watched the blue orbs brighten with curiosity. "May I see the drawing?"

Adriana blushed, feeling as though he figured out her obsession, but complied. She fished around her bag a bit and handed the boy her work. It was one if her best drawings. Although, it may have been because the young man was a handsome fellow. Just as the paper touched Michael's fingers he grinned and disappeared. Just like that. The wind scattered his image, along with the warmth, the sketchbook and the cape, leaving the young woman confused and uncomfortable. How do you interact with hallucinations, anyway? Was she supposed to wait for him to return or just go home and forget all about it?

"No way am I lingering for another episode of insanity." She finally decided and spun around.

****

Michael emptied another glass of amber liquid, feeling too drunk to walk, but not drunk enough to ignore Adriana and Lucas. Apparently, the peaceful offer to chat surfaced because those two had had a history. And yes, from the way the chimera skimmed his nose along the huntress' neck, it was obvious the history included more than a few mission together. Annoyed with how mesmerizing the girl looked in her raspberry coloured dress and irritated by the inexplicable need to decapitate the flirty man, Mr Devin drowned his liver in alcohol.

"You know, you could just smack her against the wall and kiss the girl till she fainted." The barmaid suggested subtly as she noticed the green monster gnawing at the hunter.

"Why the fuck would I do that?" Michael growled, the idea making him tremble in anticipation. "You elves have it easy, Eve. You just go through the ritual and find yourselves a spouse."

"Hey!" The brown-haired, athletic female protested. "It is not that easy." She reached around his shoulders to refill the glass, but decided against it. "Go home. Drinking never solves problems."

"Neither does not drinking." The young man noted as he stood up, swaying.

With one last glance at the laughing huntress he staggered out of the bar, forgetting all about the cape that hung by the exit. It wasn't that late, but the sky was not illuminated neither by the suns, nor by the moon. The hunter walked back to their new residence, enjoying the sobering cold. It wasn't that far away, but an intoxicated and jealous man just couldn't have a break.
No longer than ten minutes after stepping out of the bar, tiny creatures surrounded Michael.

"You've got to be kidding me..." He moaned, realizing that those green, agile monsters weren't the usual ogres. "A pack of enucleating ogres... great."

They emerged from the shadows, cautious but no less excited to stumble upon a victim. The ambush was also a rather big blow to Michael's ego, since the black coal like eyes must have thought of him as a helpless prey. These beings were known for feeding on the weak and sickly. The ogres were correct, nonetheless. To say that he was in no condition to fight would have been an understatement. The hunter's sight was hazy and both of his feet shook. All he could do was prepare to have his eyes clawed out and chewed on like candy.

The creatures shuffled around, their attack being because of starvation that had driven them out of the sewers and into the streets. The soft click-clack of tiny grey feet felt far away to the inebriated man.

"How come you went hunting without telling me?" Adriana complained as her flexible body suddenly materialized a few feet away from him.

Michael could feel his droopy eyes closing as a smile twitched the corners of his lips upwards.

The knee-length dress swayed slightly as Adriana took her hunting knife that was strapped around her thigh. Here eyes were trained on the small creatures with long faces and uneven long claws. It was a sight to sore eyes the way she then lunged towards the ogres, both graceful and deadly. In a drunken haze Michael leaned against a wall and watched the woman dance with the blade among fifteen emerald creatures. Finally, Adriana huffed, annoyed.

"This is going to take all night." Her eyes flashed with dangerous playfulness and she cast a spell.

A gentle blast of energy ripped the air. The ogres fell to the ground, roaring and screeching in horror as their internal organs liquefied and leaked through their noses and mouths. Adriana watched them until the night was silent once more and then turned to her partner, with nothing more than a small speck of blood under the black laces of her dress. God only knew how the man could notice such a detail, but not the approaching pack.

"We've been together for two centuries and you don't trust me to take your drunken ass home?" The huntress accused.

Her voice, the fire in those fierce blue eyes, blood-red lips were breath-taking. So what could the poor intoxicated Michael do?

"Ah, damn it all."

Michael grabbed Adriana's hand, pulling her towards him, away from the corpses. In a flash the huntress found herself against the wall, the young man's fingers in her hair. At first, yearning in those violet eyes baffled her, yet it became explicable once Michael softly kissed the girl. His grip was strong, making Adriana question his inability to fight the ogres.

"Michael, you're drunk-"

This seemed to anger the man and he pressed himself closer, passionately locking his lips with Adriana's. Giving into the lust, the sophisticated introvert grabbed his shirt and returned the kiss with even more power, fuelling the fervour. Michael nearly went insane, not realizing that this moment, caused by alcohol and lack of self-control, would drown into the night. A simple, yet intricate and precious kiss underneath the new moon would be forgotten for years. Nevertheless, the same disremembered kiss was going to have an impact on many decisions in the future.

And yet, neither even considered that.