The Beginning

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth; man and creature lived together. Due to man’s barbaric instincts, they began to hunt down the creatures, killing them off. This was the start of a fatal hundred year war between man and creature. Every day there would be a bloodbath, leaving casualties on both sides. Women and children of all species went into hiding.

One day, a human king by the name of Ernest Taylor decided that if someone didn’t stop this war soon, everyone on the face of the Earth would be dead within the next year. Ernest devised a plan with a witch who went by the name of Kora. It was said that she knew the key to ending the war. Ernest went on a journey with 10 of his men, but all except Ernest died along the way. Upon reaching Kora’s cave deep in a forest overrun by supernatural creatures, she greeted him warmly and treated him to a meal.

During the meal, Kora said, “Congratulations on surviving the journey here. It’s quite the dangerous one with the war going on and all.”

“I traveled with 10 other men, but I am the only one left to tell the tale.” King Ernest replied.

“I see that,” Kora said before pausing to think for a moment. “I take it you’ve come seeking the key to the end of the war.”

“Indubitably. I cannot let my people, or any other man or creature, suffer any longer.”

“I see.”

“I’ll do anything, Kora. Please just tell me how to end this war.” Ernest begged.

“It seems that you’ve proven yourself worthy.”

“What is it then? How do I stop this war?”

“You’ll see.” Kora smirked. Suddenly, Ernest dropped the spoon he had been eating soup with and reached for his throat. He could feel the breath leaving his lungs as his throat began to close. Then, in the blink of an eye, his head dropped onto the table and the light left his eyes.

When he awoke, he asked Kora what she had done to him. She replied,

“I gave you the key to stopping this war.”

“And what would that be?”

“The key to winning this war is having someone on both sides of the conflict, someone that can keep the peace between man and creature.”

“But I’m only a man.”

“Not anymore.”

“W-w-what do you mean?” Ernest asked looking down at his hands to see that they were no longer covered in flesh; they were purely bone. He screamed at the sight of himself. “Am I dead?”

“Not exactly,” Kora said with a smirk. “You’re a Lich. You’re undead. I made you both man and creature.”

“What does this mean for me?”

“It means that you can be the savior of this war.”

So, King Ernest left Kora’s cave and went on a journey to save everyone, man and creature, from this war. As he was walking through the woods surrounding Kora’s cave, he noticed something… a light. He walked towards the light, and it grew bigger with every step closer towards it. Soon, the light was so big and so bright that it felt like it was surrounding him, swallowing him.

He opened his eyes to see a whole new world before him. This world was filled with plants… so many plants. Not just any plants though. It was full of exotic plants unlike anything he’d ever seen before. As he was wondering around, he heard someone say,

“Who are you?”

When he turned to answer, he didn’t see anyone there.

“I’m down here.” The voice said.

Ernest looked down to see a beautiful flower; the pink and yellow swirled perfectly together; it had 4 petals lining the 4 stamens protruding from the center.

“Hello? Is someone hiding over here? You don’t have to be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

“No. That voice is coming from me, the flower.” The beautiful flower hissed.

“Oh dear!” Ernest shouted in shock. “How are you doing that? How are you talking?”

“I don’t know! I was just born this way.”

“Are you the only one? The only talking plant?”

“Of course not! Don’t be ridiculous! All plants talk. Okay well, the grass doesn’t talk, but that’s beside the point.”

King Ernest began talking to the flower about the new world he found himself trapped in. He explained how he stumbled upon a growth of light in some woods, and they led him here. The plant told him about how this world is overrun by plant life. The plants prey on unsuspecting animals for food, but they don’t have any humans here. He decided that he didn’t find this wondrous place by pure accident; he found it because it was his destiny. This is how he was going to end the war.

Once again, Ernest found the light that had brought him here and walked through it. He opened his eyes to see the dark woods and Kora’s cave once again. He ran into the cave to ask Kora what he had seen, but she was not there. Nothing was there. Had he gone to the wrong cave? Or was she gone forever?

Ernest began to think of ways to convince people to follow him to the New World. How would he do it? Who would he take? Due to his newly grotesque appearance, he feared his subjects would no longer submit to his rule. The humans would surely try to kill him, so he decided to take the creatures with him. He would save them from the persecution of the human race. He ran to the nearest territory inhabited by creatures. They had never seen a creature like him before, so they were simultaneously scared and amazed. Ernest began to preach to them about their liberation, and the creatures began to worship him.

“We’ll follow you anywhere!”

“To Ernest, our savior!”

Ernest appointed a council of creatures to aid him on his mission. There were 12 creatures in this council. He called them The Biodoctrine. The Biodoctrine went to every village of creatures and rounded up everyone who wanted to join them in the New World. They told everyone about the creature that was liberating them from the purgatory that is everyday life. Many creatures were born into the war and didn’t know anything different from blood and hatred. The majority of creatures were quick to follow Ernest and The Biodoctrine. However, there were some that didn’t agree with Ernest. He wanted peace among every nation, meanwhile, they wanted to kill all of mankind to prove their own superiority. The skeptics formed a group, calling themselves The Growlers.

Ernest and The Biodoctrine began taking creatures into the New World. As they did, the plants resisted. Some creatures were killed by the plants. The creatures began to refer to the plants as savages.

“Why are you doing this?” Ernest asked the leader of the plants.

“You say you want peace, but you’re invading our home. We are simply defending our home.”

That’s when Ernest knew he had to do something or else he would simply be leading his people away from one war to fight in another. That’s when he got the idea of killing the plants. He began searching for old books to find out the most effective ways to kill plants. That’s when he got an idea. He would create a massive bomb full of salt, vinegar, and pesticide. It wouldn’t be harmful to any of his people, but it would destroy the plants overrunning this world… His world. This was his world. He discovered it, so he was going to do whatever it takes to keep it… even if it meant killing the native savages.

Ernest built the bomb, then used it to kill all of the plant life. Whatever wasn’t killed in the bomb was killed by The Biodoctrine using swords coated in salt, vinegar, and pesticide. He called this lethal mixture Skoorge.

After moving all of the creatures, including The Growlers, into the New World, Ernest and The Biodoctrine created a set of rules to help govern their new society. From then on, The Biodoctrine was the central government head. Ernest went missing not too long after and became known in history as The Founder. No one has seen him for hundreds of years. However, many believe that he’s still out there somewhere, watching over his kingdom from the shadows.

Now that brings us to modern day. Geographically, the New World resembles Pangea. It is also widely known now that this isn’t an alternate world, but actually an alternate dimension. All of the creatures, now referred to as supernatural creatures, still live on Earth; they’re just living in their own dimension separate from the humans. There is a “wall” between the dimensions that keeps each dimension from seeing the other. Occasionally, someone will stumble upon an interdimensional portal, just as The Founder did, and breach the wall. Sometimes it’s a human, but most of the time it’s a supernatural creature trying to terrorize the human race. When someone breaches the wall, each dimension can see each other for a few moments. That’s why there tend to be so many unexplained sightings in the human dimension. It’s the reason that humans continue to see bigfoot but never find him. It’s the reason that humans claim to see werewolves, but never have any solid evidence. It’s the reason that humans see ghosts; they see a human looking creature and automatically assume it’s a dead person; plus, sometimes the demons and shapeshifters like to pull a few tricks by disguising themselves as the dead loved one of a human.

Humans are always so afraid of the supernatural because they’re uneducated about them. After The Founder took away all of the supernatural creatures, the humans decided to forget about them. They turned true stories into legends and myths. They told their children scary stories about them to scare them into obeying them. They pretended like they never existed. Then one day, anyone who knew the truth about the supernatural was dead. Nowadays, there are many conspiracy theorists who are so close to figuring out the truth about the supernatural, but they can never quite get it right.

Ruby Blaque is a young girl who lives in the supernatural dimension. She lives in a part of the dimension called The Forbidden Wood. The Forbidden Wood isn’t forbidden because they’re not allowed to be there. It’s forbidden because it’s uninhabitable. Many years ago, The Growlers decided to release a toxic gas into the forest. This toxic gas is called Skoorge; it was based on The Founder’s Skoorge used to kill plant life; The Growlers created a version to destroy any humans that cross over through the portals. (Not all portals are located in the Forbidden Wood, but some are. Any human that crosses into the Supernatural realm is automatically banished to the Forbidden Wood to die.) They combined all of Earth’s deadliest poisons: Ricin, a glycoprotein that interferes with protein synthesis in the cell and causes cell death; VX, a synthetic compound that kills by interfering with the transmission of nerve messages between cells; Batrachotoxin, a venom found in tiny frogs that kills by jamming sodium ion channels in the cells of muscles and nerves so that they do not close; Maitotoxin, a potent marine toxin that causes heart failure by increasing the flow of calcium ions through the cardiac muscle membrane; and Botulinum toxin, the most toxic substance known that’s created by anaerobic bacteria and all it takes is 1 kilogram to kill a human.

Once Skoorge has been inhaled, a person only suffers for a few seconds before dying. Every cell in their body dies instantaneously, their lungs shrivel into dust, their muscles freeze, and their blood turns into a thick black ooze. The victim falls into shock upon contact with the gas, so they lose recognition of what’s happening to them. In the end, the real victims are the poor unfortunate souls forced to watch the suffering.

Ruby’s parents are purebloods— Giovanni Blaque being a vampire and Selene Balli being a siren. Their love is discriminated against by many. In their dimension, it is believed that creatures should not interbreed with each other; they must keep a pure bloodline. Those who aren’t purebloods, or those whose children are not purebloods, are forced to live inside the Forbidden Wood.

Ruby’s family was adopted into a pack of Werebears and now live with them in a grove on the outskirts of a Werewolf village. Werebears are exactly what you’d imagine them to be. They’re Werewolves, except bears. The pureblood Werebears maintain their Werebear appearance constantly, but the hybrids only change on full moons or when threatened. All Werebear packs are forced to live inside the Forbidden Wood because they’re believed to scum, accidents of creation, and a disease to the gene pool. If they live in the Forbidden Wood, how do they survive among the toxic gas?

The Werebears were outcasted there so long ago that they have adapted to the toxic air and are now immune to its effects. On the other hand, Ruby is safe because she’s a hybrid. All hybrids are protected from its effects due to the amount of black magic in their blood. Ruby’s parents, however, are, as I’ve said, purebloods; all purebloods can be killed by the toxic atmosphere of the Forbidden Wood. There is an immunization offered at every black magic shop you can find. It is an injection of Werebear blood. Their blood protects you from the harm of Skoorge. It could also be used as a cure, but the repercussions of the poison are too fast.

After Ruby was conceived, Giovanni and Selene paid the Witch to give them the immunization. All parents of hybrid children do this because as soon as the baby is conceived, they are banished to the Forbidden Wood.

Today is Ruby’s 15th birthday. She’s ecstatic because it means she gets to spend the day with her best friend, Duncan, and her boyfriend, Luke. Duncan is a pureblooded Werebear with charcoal grey fur. On the outside, he looks like a ferocious monster, but on the inside, he’s a sweet and sensitive boy. He’s the kindest Werebear to ever exist. Luke is quite the opposite. He was a living voodoo doll handcrafted by his master for one reason: to kill, steal, and destroy. He ran away from his destiny and decided to hide out in The Forbidden Wood. Duncan has never trusted the guy; he’s always thought that there was something off about him.

Ruby woke up happier than ever because Luke told her that he had a huge surprise for her today. She skipped into the kitchen to see her parents making “forbidden fruit” pancakes. They call them that because it’s infused with unknown berries found in The Forbidden Wood. They’re toxic to Selene and Giovanni, but Ruby is immune to the berry’s toxins. She’s eaten them her whole life.

“Oooh. My favorite!” Ruby yelled excitedly running over to a huge plate of pancakes.

“It is your special day afterall.” Giovanni said with a small smile. Selene kept a fake smile plastered across her face signaling to Ruby that something was wrong.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Ruby asked.

Selene let out a sigh. “Giovanni, we should tell her.”

Giovanni sighed. The two of them walked over to the table, taking a seat. Ruby joined them.

“Do you know how hybrids are created?”Giovanni asked.

“Yeah. You told me that they’re created through magic,” She replied.

“Yes, but not just any magic. It’s black magic.”

“Okay…”

“All black magic comes at a price. There are consequences.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The consequence for having a child through black magic is severe. It cost us our lives,” Selene said.

“You’re gonna die?!” Ruby began to panic.

“Of course not, sweetie,” She said.

“Then, what do you mean?”

“We’re going to be turned human,” Giovanni replied. “The deal was that once our child turned 15, we would be turned human.”

“But that means you’ll be forced to go live in the human dimension.”

“We know,” Selene said quietly.

“You can’t leave me. I don’t want you guys to go.” Ruby pouted.

“It’s the way that it has to be, Sweetie. Don’t worry. Duncan promised us that he would take care of you.”

“Duncan knew about this?!” Ruby stood up, fuming.

“We talked to him about it because we needed to make sure that you’d be cared for,” Giovani said.

“I don’t need Duncan! I have Luke! Actually, never mind. I know why you talked to Duncan instead of Luke. It’s because you two have never liked Luke… I’m leaving!” Ruby stormed out of the small cottage to go find the only person she could trust, Luke.

“Ruby, wait!" Selene begged desperately, but she knew they’d already lost their daughter.

Ruby ran. She didn’t know where she was going to go, but she just kept running. Then she remembered something that Luke said: “If you ever need to find me, run. Run deep into the Forbidden Wood. Climb the tallest tree you can find. Once you’re safe in its branches, stay there. Think of me and I’ll be there.”

Ruby did exactly as Luke instructed. She ran until she found the tallest tree in the Forbidden Wood. She climbed for what seemed like hours until she finally reached the top of the tree. Due to extreme exhaustion, Ruby closed her eyes, drifted off to sleep, and dreamed of her knight in shining armor coming to her rescue.

****

“Wake up, my love.” I opened my eyes to see Luke’s sky blue eyes staring back at me. When I looked into his eyes, I felt safe.

“You came.” I smiled.

“Of course I did, my sweet.” He smiled and planted a kiss on my forehead.

When he pulled away from my forehead, I realized that I wasn’t in the tree. I was laying in Luke’s arms. He was walking towards my village.

“Luke…” I mumbled.

“It’s okay, my love. Don’t speak.”

“No… what are you doing? They’ll surely kill you if they see you in this village.”

“No one can stop me from loving you, Ruby. Not even death himself.”

Luke continued to carry me through my village. Werebears were beginning to notice and watched him sternly. He carried me all the way to my cottage. He took me inside and laid me down gently on the floor.

“Stay here, my sweet, and I’ll make everything okay.”

“What do you mean?”

“Shhh. Just trust me.”

Luke walked away from me towards the back of the cottage. I heard my mother greet him. Seconds later, I could hear my mother screaming. I’m now in my parents’ bedroom watching as Luke ties my mother to the bed. My father was nowhere to be seen. There’s a knife in Luke’s hands.

“Luke, what are you doing?!” I panicked.

“I’m saving you, Ruby.” He smirked and raised the knife towards my mother’s throat. Before I could do anything, he slashed and-

****

Ruby awoke with a scream. When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was still sitting high in the tree. It was all just a dream. She looked around and realized that there was also no sign of Luke. She sighed.

“Where could he be?” She thought. “Luke, please hurry. I need you.”

The horror of her dream made her wonder if there was something true about it. Was the universe warning her of some perverse darkness inside her boyfriend? True, it was what he was created for. However, Ruby knew without a doubt that he wasn’t anything like what he was created to be. He was sweet… kind… gentle… loving… passionate…

****

Luke let out an unearthly scream; it filled the cave he was lying in.

“I know what I must do,” He thought, “But I don’t want to do it because I love her… Maybe I don’t have to do it. If I don’t, Kora will surely kill me. If I do, I’ll lose Ruby forever. I love her with all of my heart. She’s the only thing I’ve ever loved. I was created to be incapable of emotion, but when I met Ruby, my emotions floated to the surface. She made me want to be kind. She made love seems so easy. She was so pure and untainted by the atrocity of this world that it was just so easy to fall for her. I wanted to protect her childlike innocence, but look where that’s gotten me… It got me stuck between a rock and a hard place. Maybe I should just let Kora kill me. No… that would tear Ruby up forever. It would also tear her up if I do what Kora wants me to. The question now is… which will tear her up less? Me dying or me breaking her heart? I know what I must do… ”

****

“Ruby,” Luke whispered.

“Luke, is that you?” She asked because she couldn’t see him.

“Yes, it’s me. Stay right there. I’m coming up.”

Ruby did as Luke said and waited as he climbed up the tall tree. Once he reached the top, he joined her on the branch she was perched upon. Ruby smiled happily and collapsed into Luke’s arms. He hugged her back gently, but kept the hug short for he knew what was to come. He forced a smile and picked a few leaves out of Ruby’s hair.

“What’s wrong, my love?” Luke asked like he didn’t already know.

“My parents… they told me that since it’s my 15th birthday today, they’re going to be turned human… That means they’ll be sent away,” Tears formed in Ruby’s eyes as she spoke, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do without them. We’ve been so close my entire life. Luke, what am I going to do?” Ruby sobbed into Luke’s arms. He didn’t know how it was going to be possible for him to break her heart.

“Ruby…” Luke whispered, “There’s something I need to tell you…”

She sniffled, “What is it?” Ruby looked into his big blue eyes with her tear-filled purple ones.

“I… uh…” Luke choked back his own tears, “We can’t be with each other.” More tears flowed from Ruby’s eyes. “You and I aren’t meant for one another. You’re so beautiful and so kind, but I’m a monster.”

“No, you’re not. You’re not a monster. You don’t have to be the way you were made.”

“No, you don’t get it. I have these urges… urges to kill things. I can’t control it anymore. The urges are too strong, Ruby. The monster I’ve always been has been caged up deep inside me, but now it’s loose, and there is nothing we can do about it.”

“We can work through this. It’ll all be okay… I- I- I love you…”

Luke swallowed the lump in his throat right as the words escaped his lips, “I don’t love you.”

Those were the words that sent Ruby over the edge. Tears flooded her eyes. Luke couldn’t stand the sight anymore. He did what he had to do, so he jumped down from the tree.

“Luke!” Ruby cried. No response. She sobbed harder than she had ever sobbed before. Hours seemed to pass, yet Ruby continued to cry, her tears watering the forest. Finally, she heard a familiar voice yell,

“Ruby! Ruby, where are you?!”

Her ears perked up. She yelled back with a crack in her voice, “Duncan?!”

“Ruby! You’re alive! Everyone was so worried about you! Where are you?”

“I’m in the tree. Hold on. I’ll come down.” Ruby climbed down the tree as quickly as possible before running into the warm embrace of her best friend, Duncan.

“I’m so glad you’re okay…” He whispered.

“Why was everyone worried? I haven’t been gone that long. The sun hasn’t even set.”

Duncan’s face changed from jovial to melancholy. He said, “Ruby, your parents… Your mom isn’t doing too well.”

“Duncan, what happened to her?!”

“She’s dying. Luke came to the village and turned her human. He killed several Werebears in the process. Your mom hasn’t fully transformed into a human yet, but the more she turns, the more the air in the Forbidden Wood is affecting her. My mom thinks she’s going to die. We don’t have any medicine in the grove to save her.”

“Have you tried Werebear blood?”

“Yes, but it won’t work. Your mom doesn’t have much time left. That’s why I came to look for you. They said you ran away when they told you the news. I didn’t want you to hate yourself if your mom died while you were mad at her.”

“Wait… Duncan, what about my dad?”

Duncan sighed. “Your dad isn’t anywhere to be seen. When Luke came, the grove guard spotted him running away.”

“Was he coming to look for me?”

“Umm… How do I put this?... He was running towards the mainlands… outside of the Forbidden Wood.”

“No… He wouldn’t do that. Don’t lie to me, Duncan!” Ruby snapped in denial.

“Ruby, I swear to you that I’m not lying. Your dad left your mom to die. He left you to be an orphan,” Duncan replied honestly.

Ruby screamed in agony as the tears poured out of her eyes again. She mumbled, “He abandoned us…”

“Come on, sweetness,” Duncan said as he scooped Ruby up into his arms. He carried her all the way back to the grove, so she could spend some time with her mother before her untimely demise.

Once they arrived at Ruby’s cottage, Selene Balli smiled weakly at the sight of her daughter. She was just happy to see that Ruby was safe and unharmed by Luke. Everyone was beginning to think he finally snapped and killed her.

“Hey, mommy…” Ruby murmured through her tears.

“Hey, baby…” Selene smiled.

“I love you, mommy… Please don’t leave me.”

“I love you too, baby, but I’m afraid mommy doesn’t have a choice in the matter.”

“There’s gotta be some way…”

“Duncan’s mom has done everything she can. She says that there isn’t any medicine here in the grove or Forbidden Wood to save me.”

“I can’t lose you…” Ruby began sobbing on her mother’s frail arm.

“I’ll always be with you in your heart, baby.”

“I’m not ready for you to go…”

“Shh… Duncan will take care of you…”

“But I want you and Daddy. I want our family back…” Ruby cried and then turned towards Duncan’s mom. “Please, there’s gotta be something that can save her.”

She sighed and replied, “There’s nothing in the gro-”

“I know!” Ruby snapped. “Is there anything outside of the Forbidden Wood?”

“Ruby, no,” Selene objected.

“Please… I’m begging you…”

“There are some herbs that the Elves have. They could save your mother, but they’re all the way in the magical forest. You’d never make it there and back in time.”

“I know a fast route.” Ruby wiped the tears from her cheeks, kissed her mother on the cheek, and said, “I’m gonna save you. That’s my promise to you.”

“I’m coming with you.” Duncan proclaimed.

“Duncan, it’s really not necessary.”

“I swore to your parents that I’d protect you no matter what, so that’s what I’m going to do whether you like it or not.”

“Fine,” Ruby conceded.

****

“Ruby, where are we?” Duncan asked looking around the dark woods they found themselves in.

“We’re in the woods. If you’re scared, go home. I can do this myself.”

“I-I’m not s-scared.”

“If you say so…” She rolled her eyes.

Ruby approached a dark cave surrounded by warning signs. To much protest from Duncan, she forged on into the cave. Inside awaited the nasty witch commonly referred to as Kora.

“It took you long enough to show up,” Kora smirked.

“You’re the reason my mother is dying,” Ruby said assertively.

“Hmm… I’m not the one who released Skoorge into the Forbidden Wood.”

“You might as well have been the one to do it.”

“What do you want from me, kid?”

“Ruby, why are you talking to this witch?” Asked Duncan, confused.

“Duncan, just keep your mouth shut,” Ruby sighed. “I need a portal from the Forbidden Wood to the Magical Forest, and I need it now.”

“Hmm… Let me think about that… No,” She cackled maniacally.

“It wasn’t a question,” Ruby asserted.

“Fine. I admire your spunk. I’ll give it to you, but you owe me.”

“Deal.”

Kora performed a quick spell and a portal formed. “You have 30 minutes, then I’m closing the portal. Got it?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it.”

Ruby and Duncan stepped through the portal to find themselves surrounded by beautiful greenery, bright flowers, and creatures of all kinds. It was unlike anything they’d ever seen because neither of them had ever left the grove. However, they didn’t exactly have time to stop and admire the scenery. The elves live in a village built atop the roof of the forest. It’s incredibly elegant and incredibly beautiful.

“The elves are very prestigious. They don’t like Werebears, so if we’re going to get what we want, then you can’t come with me. Stay on the ground and hide. Don’t let anyone see you.”

Duncan pouted, “Ugh… fine.”

****

“I just need some herbs to heal my dying mother. She was turned human by an evil man and now the Skoorge in the air is killing her. Please… she’s all I have…” Ruby pleaded her case to the Elven council.

“It’s against the rules to allow humans to live in our dimension. You know this, child. I should be turning you in, but I pity you. I too have lost loved ones to evil people. I can’t give you something that will magically heal your mother forever, but I can give you a year supply of herbs. They will keep the Skorge from harming her as long as she takes them daily. After a year, I can’t help you any longer. She’ll either be cured or begin to deteriorate again. That’s all I can do. I’m sorry…”

“I’ll take it. Thank you so much.” Ruby took the herbs and sprinted out of the village. She climbed down the tree as fast as possible and ran to find Duncan. He was awaiting her return at the base of the tree she climbed up. “Duncan, I have the herbs. Let’s go save my mom!”

****