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Chapter 0.B
(Then) Here Without You
Once upon a time there was a little Fox, he was one kit of an earth with three. The Fox was happy, as each day he was blessed with the warmth of the Sun. No matter how much the seasons changed or what monsters lurked in the dark, it provided for and protected him. His world contained within a single den, nested in an evergreen which orbited his very own star.
Until one day, his world felt much colder than before.
Water reached the tip of his snout, tunnels flooded, siblings out of sight.
Run off the cliff, closing his eyes right before a single strain of fur touched the water.
But when he opened his eyes, he awoke not to the sea but rather a place unknown, a landscape of perfect white which sliced itself into boxes. Without a hint of color nor life, the stagnant air made him sick. He closed his eyes once more in hopes it was just a dream—yet, when he awoke again, the world had not changed… save for a Red Door.
Ears angled back and tail curved towards the Red Door, the Fox cautiously approached. Then, with what seemed only to be wind, it opened on its own, the Fox skipping back as pale light flooded out, as if it was roaring without sound. He sniffed the air, tail now between his legs, it smelled familiar.
But within it was nothing of the sort, simply bleak nothingness, a void with scant few stars—none of which were his own.
The sound of cracking stone thundered behind him, his vision swiped away from the Red Door. The white void had been broken and underneath was a deep darkness which leaked out from its wounds, coagulating into a beast of coal with a thousand legs and a million eyes—which all stared down upon him.
The Fox ran but then quickly tumbled, the ringing pain which pulsed from his head to the tip of his tail was unbearable, his eyes forced shut and skull shaking as he impacted the ground.
Rising then collapsing, he struggled to get up, the sound of the beast’s legs skittering across stone getting closer and closer.
But then he felt a faint warmth, his eyes opened, the Red Door was in front of him again. its glow a pale blue-green, still wide open, and still familiarly unfamiliar.
The Fox did not look back as he crawled through the door with what was left of his will, finding himself on the other side, away from the void of white and instead among pillars of ice and snow. From each pillar dark shadows emerged, wielding spears of dead wood.
The Red Door appeared once again, with nothing but instinct in his heart, he leaped through.
Each new world welcomed him with nothing but hisses and thorns, and each time the Red Door would be there welcoming him as well.
A world of Grass and Steel, blades lashed at his fur, through the Red Door.
A world of Shell and Sand, waves sought to drown him, through the Red Door.
A world of Blood and Glass, monsters nipped at his neck, through the Red Door.
A world of Stars and Signs, light almost blinded him, through the Red Door.
A world of Tears and Fire, burdens were placed upon his back, through the Red Door.
A world of Chain and Torchlight, eyes pierced into him, through the Red Door.
The Fox, battered and bruised, collapsed once his tail touched the dry ground. He curled his body into a ball, facing rightwards, he could not run nor crawl anymore, his mind refused. Unlike before, he couldn’t feel the light from the Red Door. All he could hear was wind blowing over dunes and the creaking of long dead trees.
But then, he heard a familiar sound, the slow plucking of strings, but so far far far away.
He opened his eyes to see the sky, it glowed a faint purplish green.
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