The air was still and unchanging. Dead and frozen in time. Those thoughts echoed through my head as I gazed across the misty depths of the Nextworld. It was beautiful, but there was something about it that made me withdraw. It had some kind of dread to it, like a young child dreaming about death. The birthplace of nightmares. I sighed. I needed to leave. That was the only way to break my curse, allow me to appreciate what I had. I had one hope, my twin brother. He continued to grow while I stood there, forever a child. He was my lifeline, the only reason I was not dead. If I found him I would be able to live again. I clenched my fist to my heart, swearing to find him, even if it meant dying for good. I heared pawsteps barely touching the soft, dry grass pad up behind me. It was Kenta, the hellhound. Like me, he is a hell-guard, a guardian of the dead. In all my life of sorrow, hatred, and curses, Kenta was the only one I ever truly loved. The only person I trusted to the ends of the earth and infinately. His blazing red eyes glowed at me with a kind softness that made me feel like I was a child, not an adult masquerading as one.

"I have a message for you Aila, from the Leader," he growled.

"What?" I asked, emotionless.

"Your job is done, you are now allowed to come and go as you please."

"That is convenient," I said. On the inside I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. Leaving meant I could start looking for my brother!

"I am pleased to see you're happy. As long as you come back during the full moon. We don't want you to cause too much chaos."

"I will return before the moon shows its entirety," I repeated, to get the words into my mind.

"Now, good luck on your quest, Aila. Be careful, though. You may be dead, but you can be destroyed."

"Don't worry. I'll be careful," I nodded. Suddenly, a small dot appeared on the horizon. It grew larger until it was a swirling mass of darkness, just big enough for me to step through.

"Go now Aila, before the Leader changes his mind!"

I took one last look at my friend, the tall, muscular, black-furred Kenta. I turned, took a deep breath, and stepped through the portal. I turned my head to see my home swirl out of sight. I was standing upright, moving fast across a plain between this world and the next, life and death. Suddenly the spinning stopped, and I was plunged into darkness.