A Homecoming Surprise

The majority of the world was calm; playful, whispering breezes, twittering birds, and grumbling little beasties lurking through the bushes and undergrowth in search of food and the like. The sun was low over the horizon, casting a wondrous variety of orange, red, and pink hues across the Valley. Everything was bathed in a mystical glow of serenity, and rising above it all was Picco Del Drago, staking claim to all that lay beneath the maw of untouched mystery. Mist had long since ceased to roll from its mouth, as even the ighty mountain seemed ready to succumb to the beauty and placidity of the sunset even while the world below sank into shadow. All was right with the world at that moment, in that instant in time, when even the most ferocious of beasts took the time to ease themselves into a temporary state of rest.

As with all things so perfect, so majestic, this scene of tranquility could not last. Soon there was to be a disturbance in the air around the base of the overwatching mountain. It started off small; just a feeling in the air that would make one's hair stand on end--a sort of static electricity that rippled throuh the waves of atmosphere to tease at the skin. Within a few seconds, this curious little feeling would soon begin to compress inward upon itself, layering over and under its own tendrils of invisible energy as it became more and more potent. By this time, those able to perceive such anomalies would notice a subtle rippling in the air, as if gaseous water--or perhaps more resemblant to waves of heat rising from stone after baking in the sun on a brutally hot day.

Within around three or four minutes, the little patch of rippling air began to get more and more potent as various energies were pulled into the voidal cyclone created by this nifty little anomaly. Once the energy levels peaked, the shimmer quivered, and like shattering glass the air inside this ripple seemed to crack and shatter. Small pieces and sections began to fall away, revealing glimpses of what looked to be another world on the other side of this manifestation of power: buildings, roads, hovering cars and things unheard of by this world seemed to be moving around on the other side. They only remained in view for a few moments, until they were obscured by the figure of a man.

This man stood just under six feet wit jet black hair and eyes of deep green, with flecks of shimmering gold speckled through the. He wore a casual sleeveless tunic of matte black and matching trousers. The muscles on his bare arms rippled and flexed like bands of wrought iron, and on the upper bicep of his right arm a large tattoo of a heart with a dagger through it was visible, extending under the fabric of his clothing to continue onto his chest and shoulder blade. He stepped slowly through the portal, from the cold and unyeilding asphalt in one world to the soft, wonderfully feeling dirt and grass of Aenied. He breathed a sigh of relief, a warm smile graced his lips, and he spread his arms wide as the air reconstructed itself behind him and once again seperated the worlds. "Ahhh, feels good to be home again." But something felt wrong. Or maybe just different.

His eyes cuiously scanned the area around him, searching for anything out of the ordinary...then he saw it, there, off in the distance adjacent to the peak that loomed overhead. A house made of marble and the sillouettes of various amenities caught his eye. Someone had come into his new home, his sanctuary, and...defiled it. A flicker of anger rushed through him and he quelled it in an instant; better to examine and study this new appearance than to assume it a bad thing and rush in without any knowledge whatsoever. He eased closer o the structure, eyes searching for any evidence of movement.