The blonde opened her eyes slowly, her body feeling heavy and her mind sluggish. She was on the floor, on her side, staring off into the abyss. The only light that was there seemed to be above her, but there was no direct source, and the light was from an ashy sky. There seemed to be no walls, no doors....just empty space. It was as if she could go in one direction forever and never run into anything different, no dips in the pure black and seemingly marble like floor.

Hail got to her hands and knees, then sitting on her legs, taking in her seeming empty surroundings. The air was dry, and there seemed to be wind coming from her left. She stood, suddenly realizing she wasn't in her spandex attire, but in comfortable casual clothing. She wore a large soft sweater, what felt like a tshirt underneath, with blue shorts that were a bit baggy but Hail didn't mind it. The only thing she did mind was that she was barefoot. The cold ground made her feet colder than she liked.

Hail tugged at her sleeves nervously, looking around. What is this place? Hail never encountered someplace like this before, and on such a large scale this place it should be hard to miss.

Hail started to walk, not really knowing if the direction was a good one, but not caring. She followed the wind, to the source. She walked in an unsteady gait, knowing something was wrong, something was missing...something she couldn't place. Hail stopped for a second, seeing forms coming into her vision range. Her heart lept. There were other people!

Hail ran towards them in a happy spur of energy. They also seem to run toward her.

As the persons appearance came into a more clear view, Hail realized it was Free, one of her coworkers. He was the one that Hail spent the most time with on missions. Seeing his bright brown eyes and his charming smile made Hail's chest ache in relief. The next person that came into view was Remmur, another coworker that was like family. Her dirty blonde hair bouncing in a messy braid and her piercing green eyes in a bright welcoming smile. Both people didn't fit the place they were in, but Hail didn't focus on that. Her closest friends were alive. Alive and well.

"Free! Remmur! Jesus, your okay!" Hail gasped, crashing into him, fiercely wrapping her arms around the man, Free gladly returning the hug in the same manner. Remmur joined in on the group hug.

"Hail....Oh my god," Free whispered in tense relief, "when they announced your death I...I didn't...."

"No no no I'm fine see? It was all a trick on us. They were trying to get rid of us."

"What trick, Hail? Who's getting rid of---what?" Remmur sniffled, pulling away from the hug and rubbing her eyes free of tears. Free let Hail go as well, concern painting his face.

Hail fumbled with words, trying to spill what she had learned, but couldn't form coherent sentences. Then, she lost her voice all together, coughing roughly.

"Hail?!" Her friends called in unison, going to her sides and kneeling with her.

"What's wrong? Are you choking?"

Hail couldn't respond, she coughed so harshly she could barley hold herself up. It was horrible, painful, and just plain terrible. Hail's body racked with every hack she mustered, not catching enough breath between them. Hail looked up to Free, only to reel back in complete terror.

Free's once handsome face turned into what looked like a mix between an alien and a snake monster with a large mouth occupying half of its face with rows and rows of shark like teeth. His sparkling green eyes turned into vicious deep black with no irises. His skin was not human, a grey with bumps and discoloration scattering across his wicked facial structure. And when Hail turned to look at what was once Free, he screeched so loud and high it could of shattered glass.

Hail, wide eyed, turned to Remmur, only to see that she had succumbed to that state Free is in; a grey, horrible state. Nothing compared to the boulder of fear that sat uncomfortably on her chest, and the cold sweat that slicked her forehead and palms. She scrambled back as her two friends stood up from their crouched positions, staring without blinking directly at Hail.

Hail shot up from her spot, and promptly turned and ran from them. She turned to look back to see that her friends slowly turning into ashes and blowing away with the wind, following Hail's path. The wind grew stronger, so strong that Hail lost her footing and was shot up into the sky by an unknown force. Hail flipped in the air, screaming. She was forced to the ground with a loud crunch. Hail gasped for the air that was stolen from her, but she didn't get the chance. She was flung from the ground sideways, sending the blonde flying for a good 20 meters then tumbling another 12 meters.

It was when she slipped off the edge of the world, and into the abyss below did Hail scream.