Ken felt like drowning in a hole. Here was a girl, who had no idea of the Planet Earth and she was questioning his sanity. Trying to stay calm, Ken shook his head.

"TerraInculta?" he said. "I must be dreaming. Okay, I don't want to dream anymore. Take me back to Earth."

"This isn't a dream. Watch." She said as she went over and pinched him on the arm hard. "If it hurts, you aren't dreaming."

Ken flinched. It hurt. This Ari girl was obviously stronger than his frail Arisabella was.

"Okay," he said. "So I'm not dreaming. Tell me why I'm here then, because I was so sure that I fell asleep on Earth." Ken emphasized the last two words, especially the Earth part.

"I don't know... Hmm. Can you fight?" She asked, an idea coming to mind. It would involve making a trip to a remote village.

"Fight?" he asked, bewildered. "I'm athletic, yes. I did track and field and swimming in school, but if you're talking about swords and spears, not really." Ken eyes the huge blade near the girl's side. It was scary.

"Then you'll have to learn... This world is kill or be killed. With the Terrid prowling about these lands, and the monsters, one needs to know how to defend themselves." She said with a nod.

Ken stared at the girl disbelievingly. Learn to kill or be killed was a bit extreme.

"Are you sure I can't get back to my planet? Back to Earth?" he asked again, even though he already knew the answer in his heart.

"I don't think so... But I know of someone who may be able to give the answers you seek. It's quite a journey though, so you need to know how to fight." Ari said.

Upon hearing that there was hope, Ken lightened up immediately.

"Okay, then," he said. "If you know someone who could help me, lead me to him. I'll learn how to fight or kill or whatever it is you guys do to live."

"No... First I need to get you a weapon, and train you some. I can't let you go wet behind the ears and face the terrids or the monsters out there. I'm not about to have another's blood on my concious." She said.

If Ken hadn't been so paralyzed by the world he is now inhabiting, he would have laughed. "Don't worry about me," he answered softly. "But if you insist, I'll be willing to train. However, don't take too long alright? A couple of swings and let's go meet this guy you're talking about."

She sighed. "Don't be unrealistic. We won't leave for at least a week. You can't learn without the struggle... This won't be some picnic you can breeze through."

But Ken was confident in his abilities.

"We'll see about that," he smirked as he got up. "So let's go get a weapon shall we?"

He walked to the door, fumbled with the exit for a while, and walked out, only to find an arrow whizz right past him and missing his left ear my centimeters.

"Damn... An attack. Stay in here." She said as she took up her blade. "I'll get you a weapon after this." She said as she stepped out of the house.

Without losing a minute, Ken scurried back in the house and looked for a window, a hole, anything he could watch the battle from. He finally found a small hole on the ground, and watched the battle safely from there.

"Terrids..." She seethed as she took up her blade. There were three of them. "Leave now, scum!" She declared.

One of the terrids, a male with brilliant blue eyes and long silver hair, smirked. "Fiesty... Shame I've been ordered to take you out."

Ari growled. "Drop dead!" She said as she charged him with her blade at the ready. She lashed at him, and missed, but then flipped her blade behind her and ran another of the terrids through. He had been trying to ambush her.

The seeming leader of the group, the one with blue eyes, let out a throaty snarl as he made an attack at her, using a fire spell. She glanced it off of her blade, aiming it at the last terrid. The last terrid took it full on. Not a pretty sight.

Ari glared at him. "Now we're on even grounds!" She declared as she charged him once more.

The Terrid leader pulled a leg sweep to knock her of balance. She jumped over. He used the oppurtunity and drove his elbow upwards, delivering a tremendous blow what cracked two ribs.

Ari flipped and landed on her feet. The pain was there but she was ignoring it. She drove in at him again, acting as though she were going to punch him, but then swung her blade out and drove it thew his shoulder, pinning him to a tree.

The Terrid just chuckled and snapped his fingers. The next thing Ari felt was a stabbing pain in her back between her 3 and 4 ribs on the left side. An arrow. He had an archer in hiding.

"A shame... Beauty but no brains... I'll deport for now." The terrid said as he grasped the blade and pulled it from his shoulder. With another snap, he had teleported away.

"Damn..." She whimpered as she went down to her knees.

Ken watched the whole scene with horror. The unfair matching to the hidden archer to Ari crumpling down in pain. After waiting a while longer to make sure that no more of these monsters were there, he bolted out.

"Ari," he shouted. "Ari!!"

Ken kneeled down besides the wounded girl. She was hurt badly. Her ribs were obviously broken, and blood was trickling down everywhere, her mouth, her arms, her knees.

"Ari," he whispered urgently, his heart pounding faster with every second. "What am I to do?"

She grimmaced and pulled herself up to standing. The people of TerraInculta were just a bit more resiliant than the ones where Ken had come from. "I need you... To help me get... To the nearest village..." She said as she leaned against the tree. "It's only... 2 hours by foot..." She said with a wince. "I'll live..."

Ken was impressed that she was still able to get up, but could see that even her resilience was going to fail her if she kept it up. Crouching down, he motioned for her to get on his back, so that he could carry her on his back to the village.

"Come on now," he said. "Get on my back. I'll get you to the nearest village I can."

Ari slowly lowered herself onto Ken, and when she was comfortable, Ken jumped back up and started walking in the direction she was pointing.

"There's a... Blue building... With a white cross... Just go in... And tell them... 'On order of the Resistance.'. They'll know what you..." Before she could finish her sentence, she lost her fight to stay awake. She was drained and needed to rest.

Ari fainted, limp on his back. Ken quickened his pace. He knew that Ari had only fainted, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Like Ari said, he soon arrived at a blue building with a white cross. Ken hurried up to the door and knocked. A stern face appeared not long after.

"What do you want?"
"My friend, she's injured."
"So?"
"So? So you've got to help her."
"Not obligated."
"But - oh wait, I forgot. She told me to tell you 'on order of the resistance.'"

The stranger's face changed into one of discontempt into one of concern.

"Well hurry up and bring her in. Great heavens, is that Ari?"

Ken loosened his burden, and Ari was brought into a separate room, where she was apparently treated. Having nothing to do, Ken stayed outside, and, finding a chair to rest in, waited.

Some three hours later, she was pronounced as concious. It was obvious from the loud crashes. That and Ari hollering, "NO NEEDLES DAMNIT! PUT IT AWAY OR I'LL STUFF IT SOMEWHERE UNPLEASANT!!!"

Ken winced. It was a sudden unexpected noise, but it was a welcomed noise. He got up and made his way to the room, opening it to find Ari pushing a guy against the wall, threatening him with her fist.

"It sounds like you're all better," Ken smirked. "Now can we get a move on?"

"Yeah..." She said, letting up. About as soon as she turned around, the guy got her with the needle. It was just a sedative to ease the pain. "Why I oughta...!" She started, but then the sedative kicked in. She giggled. "Hey... No more ouch." She chuckled lightly.

Ken chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Great, now that you're done fooling around, can we get back to business?" he asked, already starting to make his way out the door.