His labored breath was the only thing he could hear. Following the muffled screams of the young woman he witnessed get kidnapped off the street, he could only think about how foolish his choice was. He wasn't a hero, he wasn't anything, his confidence came only from his pure delusion after reading to many fighting and fantasy novels and comics.
"H-how can thi-s guy run s-so fast while car-ry-ing a person."
For no reason he spoke aloud, his lungs becoming increasingly tired because of it.
Finally the kidnapper turned down an alleyway that Jack knew was a dead end. As he approached he couldn't help but notice a bright light shining out from the the alleyway. He turned to face the kidnapper, but instead found a white portal. It's color was so pure that someone anyone that worshipped a religion would prostrate in front of it, mistaking it for their god having descended to earth.
In front of the portal was the man and woman. Jack closed the distance slowly as to not alert the man and hid behind a large dumpster.
"You know that this is your destiny as the daughter of the Reiner family. I hope you can meet your father in hell."
The smirk on the man's face was indescribably wicked. All of Jack's hairs stood up as he watched the man bring the woman closer to the portal. At this point Jack started to crouch walk up to the man.
"Any last words?"
Pulling off the black sack he had placed over her head revealing her face. Jack was flabbergasted at her beauty. He had no clue that the woman he was trying to save was like a modern day Joan of Arc.
The woman spit on the man's face which prompted him to retaliate with a fist to the stomach, then he threw her into the portal. Jack, with no regard for his life, dived into the portal right after her; with it closing behind him.
"Did another person just jump into the portal?"
The man was stunned in place, unable to process what had just happened.
***
The sun was bright when Jack opened his eyes. Rays sporadically weaved through the foliage of the trees above him. In front of him was the edge of a cliff and beyond that was sprawling forests, but there was something else that was just on the horizon; a large tower like building. It had a traditional Asian style and its red roof tiles clearly split the building into different floors.
'Where am-'
His train of thought was cut off by noise of a branch cracking. Turning around he realized he was cornered near the edge of the cliff.
The woman he had followed appeared out of a thicket and both relieved and worried Jack.
"Who are you?"
Before responding he studied her; dagger in the right hand, left hand open to grabbing.
"I am Jack. I followed you through the portal after seeing you get kidnapped."
He understood how stupid it sounded, but he had to hope he trusted him.
"What planet am you from."
Jack felt confused at a simple question that didn't have any meaning to him.
"Earth."
Her raised hands fell slightly and her stance became relaxed.
"I hope your bravery can continue past jumping through a portal because at any moment you can die. The portal you jumped through just so happened to be to the world of the 'Martial Academy', it is a place that trains young adults to fight the interdimensional creatures that are invading their world."
Jack laughed at her, thinking she was just joking, but her face clearly told him that she had not lied.
"Who are you then?"
"I am the daughter of the strongest martial artist of Earth, Roy Reiner. My name is Emma Reiner."
She spoke with a tone that telegraphed her birth into nobility. It felt as if the entire forest moved with her words, her golden hair whipped in the wind and her blue eyes shined with a deep blue that Jack felt could swallow him.
Her friendly enough introduction didn't last long as she turned around and faced the forest; appearing from within was a group of boys the same age as Jack and Emma.
"I heard some noise but I wasn't expecting to find a beauty and her simp."
The boy licked his lips creepily and two others from his group stepped forward, their bodies were fat and their height added even more weight to their frames.
"Bring the lady to me and just kill the other one."
Emma readied her dagger and intercepted the first fist from the fat duo, but their speed was anything but normal for their builds and the other one swatted away the dagger from her hand.
Jack charged in to help but was met halfway by the 4th boy from the group. He was small but that didn't matter when he was wielding a sword. Jack had no way to attack him without his limbs getting chopped off so he had to improvise.
Picking a rock off the ground he launched it towards the sword wielding lackey, but it was sliced clean in two. Even though he should have been able to keep distance the lackey almost instantly appeared in front of Jack and kicked him in the gut.
The pain shot to his head and he collapsed while the sword remained stationary above his neck.
Looking to his right the dagger that Emma had previously been wielding was right beside him.
Grabbing it, he flung it straight into the eye of the sword wielder which caused him to stab towards Jack; only missing by a hair.
Using this opportunity Jack pushed the boy over and stood over before stomping the dagger deeper into the boy's brain, killing him instantly.
He picked up the sword that had lost its owner and charged towards the back of one of the fat boy's, slicing his head off cleanly and dropping Emma.
They ran away from the remaining two of the group but the leader caught up in a split second and knocked Emma towards the edge of the cliff. Jack followed suit and lost grip of the sword in the process.
Emma had been knocked out and Jack had no energy to fight back against two opponents with power that far exceeded his. He decided to carry out his final plan, grabbing Emma he rolled off the side of the cliff; watching as the leader stared down at him, Jack couldn't resist sticking his tongue out at him.
Below them was a small pool of water the formed at the bottom of a waterfall. Jack knew it was their only way to escape death, but they were to far away to land in it. There was only one choice, he had to throw her into the water, but it would cost him his life.
Knowing that he would at least spend his last moments helping someone he at least felt at peace with his death.
If only he hadn't jumped into that damned portal.