Phoenix Grey [Grey - Magic School

The Realm Between

Book 4: Magic School

PHOENIX GREY

Text copyright 2019 by Phoenix Grey

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Contents

CHAPTER ONE

THE REALM Day 72

Lets start over. Hi. Im Janine from accounting. The dwarven woman held out her hand.

Im Azure, he hesitated before giving it a firm shake. No, that wasnt right. Azure was what they called him here. Another name existed for him on Earth. No. My name isnt Azure, its Will. Will Galvan, software testing engineer. Wow. Saying it out loud felt odd.

Software testing engineer, Janine parroted, her features lifting as she nodded. Impressive.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. Its not really. Just a name we were given to make us sound more important than we actually are. Im a beta tester for a company called Radical Interactive. At least, I was, his voice trailed off. That was a lifetime ago, it seemed. Almost a distant memory.

Janines mouth fell agape for a moment. Did you say Radical Interactive?

I did. Have you heard of it? Azure perked back up.

Her hand went to her chest. I work there, too. Then her eyes fell away from him. That's an odd coincidence.

It is, he agreed, wondering how the only person he had run into from his world also worked for Radical Interactive.

Janine grabbed his arm and lowered her voice. Lets sit and talk.

Azure was undoubtedly game. In the few short minutes they had spoken, his world had been completely turned upside down. Everything that Azure thought he had come to accept, he was beginning to question all over again.

There was a new, almost scary, intensity to Janine as they took a seat on a bench away from the rest of the tavern patrons. She reached out for his hand as if they were old friends, leaning in. The closeness made Azure uncomfortable, but he wasnt about to do anything that might offend or scare her away.

How did you come to be here? Janine asked.

I just woke up here...in a barn. Azure pulled from his memory. No. Thats not quite right either. He shook his head. Apparently, I was found passed out in a forest. My friends and their father brought me to their farm. But the part where I woke up in a barn is true. What about you?

She stared out into space as if she had already lost interest in his story. I washed up on the beach here in Squalls End.

Did someone find you? He leaned to the side to try to grab more of her attention.

It worked. No. I woke up naked and alone. There was a firmness to her tone that spoke volumes about how much that had bothered her.

That sounds rough. Waking up in a strange place, not knowing where you are or having any guidance. He rubbed the top of her hand a few times.

It was horrible, she recalled. But wonderful at the same time. Janines voice brightened a bit. Not to be somewhere unknown, of course...but to just still be alive.

To be honest, I thought I had washed ashore on a different continent. Maybe England, though that seemed highly unlikely. I mean, the United States is so far away, and I was too far inland to reach the sea, she rambled.

The first thing Azure thought was that England is not a continent. The second thing he thought was that Janine had just 100% verified that she was from his world. Neither Europe nor the United States existed anywhere within The Realm. She was just like himhad been transported here by some means.

I just hope, Janines voice cracked, and she pulled her hands away from him abruptly. I just hope that I was able to save my son. A tear cascaded down her cheek, and she quickly brushed it away.

Your son? Azure furrowed his brow, not following.

Yes. We were on a family vacation camped near the Colorado River. It had recently flooded, so the river was rushing. I had just turned my back for a moment... More tears fell as she struggled to continue. He fell in, her voice broke. The water was moving so fast. I only caught a glimpse of him before he went under. I did the only thing a good mother would think of doing. I jumped in after him.

Azures heart clenched from the sadness and desperation flowing from this brave woman. He hoped beyond hope that the story had a happy ending. What happened then? Were you able to get to him?

Janine wiped more tears away, but she nodded, a forced smile reaching her lips as bitter laughter followed. I reached him. I remember wrapping him in my arms. But the water was moving so quickly. He was coughing and clinging to me. Ive admittedly never been the best swimmer. But I tried. I tried to reach the riverbank. But the water was just moving so fast, and we kept going under. Unable to control her grief any longer, Janine hid her face in her hands.

Azure wanted to comfort her, but he wasnt sure how. Hed always been useless in situations like this.

How old is your son? he asked, making sure to use the tense that would suggest the kid had made it.

Nine. Joshua is nine. Janine sniffled, lifting her head and exhaling a long breath to steady herself again. He wasnt with me when I woke up. I dont know what happened to him.

Youll find him again someday, Azure told her with a smile, unsure if it was a lie. Whatever the case, it sounded good.

The hope drained from Janines eyes as she shook her head. Im not so sure. First, I have to figure out how to get back. Her gaze danced around the room as if tiredly looking for an exit.

Where do you think we are? It was the question that had been tugging at Azure ever since hed discovered that Janine was from his world.

She refocused her attention on him. To answer that, I need to know how you got here.

Azure sunk, his eyes shifting as he tried to remember. I dont know.

You dont remember your life before? Janine gave him a quizzical look.

I do. He remembered Sheila and his job at Radical Interactive. He remembered being dumped and having a generally shitty day. But that was the last thing he remembered. Normally, if hed had a bad day, hed plug into Masterwind to become someone else for a while. Now he was someone else. But this wasnt like any video game he had ever played before.

Did something happen to you right before you came here? She stared at him intensely.

Azure thought harder, but nothing came to him. I think I might have started playing my favorite video game.

Janine sighed. Then, Im not sure. At first, I had thought that maybe I had died. But this isnt what I was told heaven would be like. Its not hell either. Maybe limbo...

He didnt remember dying, but Azure wasnt going to rule out the possibility. People died randomly all the time. Though highly unlikely, he may have had a brain aneurism while playing Masterwind. If that were the case, then it wouldnt be impossible to consider he might be stuck in limbo.

While Azure had never murdered anyone, he certainly hadnt been a saint. As a teenager, he had stolen medication from his grandmother to get high. Hed also shoplifted a few times. That was breaking at least one of the ten commandments. But shouldnt there be some rule that the sins you committed as a kid were absolved as an adult? In the human world, your criminal record was wiped clean when you became an adult as long as your infractions were minor. Why wouldnt god be so forgiving? Didnt he know that kids were dumb and experimental by nature? It just didnt seem fair that shit from 10+ years ago should be held against him now. While he wasnt religious by any means, Azure liked to have thought that once he had turned into an adult, he had mostly straightened out and lived an honest life. He stopped stealing and engaging in the asshatery of youth. Never had he cheated on a girlfriend or dishonored his parents. Though he did take the Lords name in vain quite often.