Prologue: Appearing in Damius
Story by Jake Shadow Wolf on SoFurry
A young man arrives in the world of Damius, a land of demons and monsters. The inhabitants take him in and he enters their most prestigious school where learns to become a hero. Can Jake survive, can he win, can he live, will he make friends, or will he fail? All these questions and more will be answered.
Legalities: All characters, worlds, and plot are copyrighted to yours truly Jake Shadow Wolf, aka Jake Shadow Wings, aka Jake Fedor. This is a work of fiction thereby nothing should be taken into too deep of an account. If you want a character give your bio in pm. That said on to the story
Our story begins years ago. I was twelve, I think, when our story begins. I’d run away from home, and found myself in the Rockies. Don’t ask how I got there, it’s convoluted and involved a lot of lying, stealing, and even hotwiring cars. This story isn’t about that though. No it’s about the world of Damius, or Damus as some called it. If you’re reading this it means my notes got back to earth, but it doesn’t mean I’m coming back. I have no reason to. In Damus I’m a hero, on earth I’m nobody. That said I believe I was telling you about how I appeared in Damus. I was walking along a path in the Rockies trying to enjoy the world before I died. I tripped and slid down the side of the cliff, going faster with each foot I went down. Eventually I fell over the side of a ravine and fell down it.
However the ravine’s lips closed behind me and sealed me in as I fell. That ravine was actually a portal to Damus. I fell for hours, or at least that’s what it felt like. Time’s hard to tell when there’s no light. When I reached the bottom I splashed down into a lake. I coughed and sputtered as I came up to the surface. I spat out water and swam to shore then looked up to see a purple sky. I stared at it and said “What the ever loving Fuck is wrong with the sky?” I heard a laugh from somewhere nearby. I turned toward the voice and saw a girl with silver fox ears, and a silver fox tail. She was about my age, though she was already developing and was watching me with a bright smile on her face. I stared at her and said “Nice cosplay.”
She looked at me quizzically and said “Cosplay, what cosplay?” I pointed at her ears and tail. She giggled and said “Oh you mean my ears, they’re not a cosplay. I’m a kitsune.” I stared at her mouth slightly agape and she giggled again. She said “Want me to prove it?” I nodded and she formed a pair of silver flames over her palms. I blinked and she said “Fox fire can be really dangerous if you don’t control it so I’m only allowed these small flames unless I’m being supervised by the elders. I’m Silver by the way, and you are?”
I swallowed and shook my head then said “Jake, Jake Wolf.” I’d discarded my old name when I ran away and Wolf just fit me better. She smiled and motioned for me to come over. I started to then thought about how kitsune were tricksters and said “You know what I’m fine right here.” She smiled and shrugged as if to say ‘Ok weirdo.’ I stretched and asked “How old are you?”
She smiled and said “Twelve, pretty soon I’ll be able to go to the academy.” I raised an eyebrow wondering what she meant by the academy she explained “The academy is the academy of Damius, the school that hosts the north, south, east and west’s best students. It takes a really hard exam to get in but they teach everything from weapons to magic. It’s really cool. My big sister Kit goes there. My friend’s Kayren, Kayasami, Kaya, Cat, Fox Nova of the east’s nephew Anoaku, and I are all already slotted to have spots. You should try out.” I raised an eyebrow then pointed at the fact I had no demonic features.
She laughed and said “The school accepts all races. Even the few humans in the demon world are allowed to attend if they test well enough. The school runs on Merit not on race.” I thought about it then shrugged. She grinned and said “Great, maybe you can stay with my big Sis since she’s always complaining about not having a roommate. You’ll just be expected to pick up after yourself, Honestly Kit is always looking to meet new people, or you could move in with Kayren and Kayasami.”
I thought about it and said “I think I’ll try living with your sister.” She nodded and motioned for me to follow her. I sighed and did as she asked humming to myself as I took off my shirt and wrung it out. Silver looked at me and blushed then looked away. I chuckled and said “Guessing you never saw anyone as well built as I am at this age?” She nodded without looking at me and I said “Amazing what living on the road will do for you. Silver chuckled and I smiled then we continued until we got to a large apartment building. Silver knocked on one of the doors and we heard someone say to wait from inside.
Silver waited with me standing a little behind her until a tall fox girl with black ears and a black tail answered and said “Silver what the heck are you doing here?” Silver pointed back at me. I waved and she said “Ok you found a human boy, what’s so special about him.”
Silver smiled and said “He fell from the sky.” Her sister bopped her on the head and she shouted “OW!!! KIT I’M NOT LYING1!!!” Kit stared at her and motioned for her to go on looking ready to bop her again. She said “He fell from a rift in the sky into Rialto Lake. He doesn’t look like any humans from the demon world, and he’s really well built, as you can see for yourself.”
Kit studied me and said “Alright you have a point. No humans from the demon world have blonde hair and tan skin like he does, and he is better built than the nobles, but are you sure he’s not just some new breed of human that Lord Nova discovered or his sister found while exploring and just hasn’t documented yet?” Silver nodded and she said “Fine. Why did you bring him to my apartment then?”
Silver said “He’s willing to live with you and help take care of the chores. You’re only fourteen so you could use a helper. He said he’s willing to keep the place clean, and he’s twelve so you don’t have to house train him.” They laughed at that while I growled then Silver said “Also it’s just not cool to leave someone out. I offered to take him to Kayasami’s place, or stay with Kayren but he said he’d rather stay with you.”
Kayren sighed and said “Alright. Come on in human.” I followed the two inside and stretched then pulled on my shirt. Kit studied me and said “You have a name kid?”
I nodded and said “Jake, Jake Wolf.” She nodded and hummed then turned to walk into the attached kitchenette. I watched her then said “So why is a fourteen year old living on her own?” She laughed at that and Silver sighed then tried to bop me on the head but I stood a full head taller than her so she could only reach my cheek. She growled at not being able to bop me and I said “What, it’s not like I’m asking who she lost her virginity to, I just asked why she’s living on her own.”
Kit replied “I’m the oldest of seven kids. The school provides us apartments so my parents asked me to move out since they were still taking care of the other six. Silver and Nyx are twelve, Mira and Oceana are eleven, and Sierra and Nora are ten respectively. In a year silver and Nyx will move out, then the other four will have the choice to live at home with the rents or move out when they turn thirteen. Anyway welcome to Damius High Kid. I’m Kit and I’ll be your roommate until you either get in or get kicked to the curb. Either way the next year is going to be interesting.” I thought about telling her my birthday was only in November but she just smiled and I sighed realizing there was no arguing with the black eared fox girl. After that Silver left and the two of us went to bed because the sun was going down and Kit had to wake up early.