Chapter 1
Rowen kicked a pinecone across the familiar trail behind his house. He knew this path by heart, the crooked oak tree, where to avoid the poison ivy, the distant hum of the highway. Rowen checked his watch and sighed. He started walking a bit faster, his sneakers crunching loudly against the dry, autumn leaves. In what seemed like a second, a silence fell across the trails. The sound of the highway stopped first, followed by the birds. A weird smell filled the area, the smell of smoke. A grey wisp curled around his ankle, and within seconds, the world went white. The shadows seemed to stretch, reaching for Rowen's shoes.
He pulled his jacket tighter, shivering despite the warm afternoon sun. He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks. A wall of fog was rolling towards him, unnaturally fast. It didn't drift. It poured as thick and heavy as water. Rowen turned to run, but the grey tide seemed to swallow him whole, choking the scream in his throat. One minute, the forest was green and gold, and the next, the world had been erased. Rowen coughed.
"Hello?" He called out, his voice muffled by the dense, white cloud surrounding him.
He spun in a circle, losing his sense of direction instantly. The ground beneath his feet shifted. No longer dirt, but something hard and cold, like polished stone. "Is anyone there?" The smoke didn't just clear. It shattered, dropping away instantly. Rowen found himself in a massive, circular room with a polished stone floor. There seemed to be no noise except for the fast, thumping sound of Rowen's heart. The air was still and cold. Rowen looked around the room with endless curiosity. the walls went up so far some might think they went forever, with windows so high only eagles could see through, there was also a large door. Rowen investigated the room, hoping to find an exit. But something seemed off.... The walls were made of dark oak wood, and one of the planks seemed discolored. Rowen pushed on the plank. It felt as if it hadn't been moved in years. behind the plank was a small space, Inside was what looked like an old cylinder with writing carved in it.
"What in the world ..." Rowen whispered to himself.
He adjusted his glasses and started reading,
'The clock runs fast, the shadows grow long, you stand in a place where you don't belong. The tunnels down deep in the soil hold that which ends your earthly toil. Find where the great stone faces meet, and offer the key, a tribute so sweet. The passage is the goal, but to win your way, you must risk your soul'
Before Rowen could process what he read, he heard what sounded like shouting from outside. Rowen opened the door and gasped loudly... the sky was bright purple, but it was still midday. It looked as if he was in the middle of a large city on top of a hill. At the base of the hill was what looked like a field that went on for at least 15 miles. Rowen walked slowly out of the building. It appeared to be a large tower. Rowen looked up at the sky again, trying to think of a logical explanation. Suddenly, Rowen heard the sound of a twig breaking, followed by quiet whispers, Rowen spun around quickly, but there was no one there. Rowen looked around for a second. At the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a black shadow running through the nearby tree. While he was distracted, an arrow flew from behind a building, it almost hit Rowen.
A warning
Whoever shot that arrow could definitely hit him if they really tried. Rowen looked at the building with confusion. A shadowy figure was hiding behind it. Rowen turned and looked around the other side of the building. There was a young teen aged boy standing there with his back towards Rowen. Rowen gently touched the boy's shoulder. He spun around quickly. He wore blue jeans covered in dust and a thick black sweater that looked as if it was two sizes too big with a quiver of arrows around his waist. His hair and eyes were both brown and a scar on the side of his head. Waisting no time, the boy quickly pinned Rowen against the building. Shocked, instinct took over. Rowen brought his elbow back hard into the boy's ribs, enough to stun but not injure. The boy grunted, Rowen shoves him hard, the boy stumbled backward, falling to the ground. The moment he hit the ground, Rowen noticed what looked like an injury on the boy's leg, It wasn't just a clumsy fall that brought him down. Laced around his right ankle was a crude wooden splint. Below it was what looked like a wound that was still healing. The boy didn't stay down. he scrambled up instantly, favoring the injured leg. His focus shifted from fury to absolute fear.
