One-shot of an Astra-Traveler

Arianna walked through the dark, her hood obscuring her dark eyes and round face while she wandered through the smoke. It was only a matter of time she knew, before she would surface and come through the Veil. Now though, this was her purgatory. Her surroundings were an obsidian darkness tapered with swirling white smoke and fog perfuming her face with a scent of nothingness. Her silent footsteps ached to echo but were denied that ability. It was a purgatory all astral-travelers faced she knew, and so she felt no fear. Those who walked through the soul as she did could have no lack of courage, or they may never surface with their own beings intact.

A bright voice broke the darkness, “Arianna, it’s so wonderful to see you!”

Arianna’s eyes instantly narrowed, recognizing the voice as she turned to meet the one standing behind her. Her lips formed a very thin line as she beheld the one in front of her. A slim girl of 16, but wearing the blue dress and apron of a child, the child the poor woman still tried to exude, while failing miserably. Once her hair had been honey-blonde but now it was a sickly corn-silk color, and her face was awash with a pale hue. The other wanderer smiled in a falsely innocent manner while she put a hand to her cheek.

“Alice, leave me, you know I have business in the Layers below.” Arianna growled, inwardly shivering at the fate of those who tried to wander in the Veil longer than they should.

“You could take me with you.” Alice cooed sweetly. Arianna shook her head, while her dark eyes flashed with a warning. When Alice took a step closer, she quickly drew the blade of blue shimmering metal from her boot. For a moment Alice’s face morphed into a glittering mask of furious hatred before being replaced with the same fake grin that had been there before.

“Well, you don’t have to be so mean about it! I wouldn’t be that much of a bother!” The young woman sighed as she vanished within the dark again, fading just as she had appeared.

 Taking a privately shaky breath, Arianna sheathed her blade, and continued walking through the dark.

She felt the tightness of her stress leave her skull when the warm light fell on her face. Arianna had done this many times before but that did nothing to lessen the relief she always felt upon surfacing inside or outside the veil. It was always the traversing that was the most terrifying part, but now that she was within the soul she sought, at least the dangers of the Veil were past.

Gabriel, her best friend, was waiting for her as she walked towards him through the sunny meadow. He flashed her a bright grin that could reassure even the grimmest of individuals and she felt more relief than before. He was all right. For now, they were both safe, until it was time to traverse back. Now it was time for their mission.