Bridge to Terabithia is an amazing story, and it had an excellent movie as well.

One of growing up, of coming of age, of letting your imagination grow, of friendship and love.

This is an AU version, of my own original story but leaning heavily on elements on BtT.

Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bridge to Terabithia or any associated works.

Prince Jesse Aarons watched as the wave of arrows sailed overhead, slamming into the shambling ranks of the Dark Master's corrupted soldiers. The sound of arrows striking rotten flesh made Jesse cheer somewhat in his heart. Every less warrior the Dark Master had would be another Teranian soldier that would potentially be saved, one that may escape unharmed. He barely even noticed himself scream "Fire at will." The Teranian archers firing waves after waves at the approaching hordes. The ground soon began to litter with dead or injured corpses, and black blood gushing from the soldiers of the Dark Master where arrows had pieced armour, striking flesh.

He stared from his position at the front of the troops. He was a leader of example, not one to shy away. He could already see the writhing bodies of darkness, humans corrupted from power and evil, some were prisoners of the Dark Master, trapped too long in his dungeons, twisted and corrupted into foul creatures that were the source of bad dreams of children. Servants of the Dark Master, dark psychotic monsters that feared nothing and relentless in their pursuit.

The fiends were adorned with old rusted armour, and their evil aura permeated the air. Rusty blades and weapons wielded in eager stone cold hands, gripped in almost talon like claws. Even now, Jesse could smell the stench of the fiends as they rushed towards them. The tinkling of broken chains, the promise of fresh meat and blood to the prisoners. Eager to kill and feast. And worst of all, Jesse smelt the fear of his men. It would be up to him to rally the troops to face the foul horde.

"SHIELD WALL" shouted Jesse, raising his shield upwards.

The elite troops that made up the first three rows standing with him were clad in white steel, legendary among the armour smiths for their malleable quality and strength but heavily in demand. Helmeted war masks covered their faces, with round eye holes cut open for the ability to see. The red capes fluttered behind them, insignias of a sword vertically placed on a shield on the capes. They were the Crusaders, the elite fighting force of Tera. Behind them were ranks of the normal soldiers, clad in chainmail with red mantles, the insignia of Tera displayed proudly on their breast, but the same war masks as well. Red and white were the colours of Tera, and Jesse was adorned in the same white steel as the Crusaders, but with a white cape, the red insignias of Tera adorned on his back.

"SPEARS!"

His own spear lowered with the rest of the Crusaders in almost poetic synchronisation. The array of spears, sharpened and deadly faced the fiends, with the second rank lowering their spears as well, aimed slightly lower. The third rank stood ready with their spears, held vertically placed on the ground.

And then, silence, as the world changed to slow motion. The blades of the rusted swords raised by the foul creatures of the abyss, their gaping maws open in wordless screams. Jesse felt himself bend his knees in preparation to meet the impact, lowering his centre of gravity while raising his shield. The men around him did the same, preparing to meet the full brunt of the attack.

"FOR TERA" came the war cry from Jesse's lips.

"FOR TERA" his men took up the cry, full of confidence.

A flight of arrows erupted overhead, barely missing Jesse's head but he didn't blink. The arrows slammed into the front ranks of the foul beasts once again, many tumbling down to the ground, but the ranks behind them howled in anger and were upon them.

The world shook in Jesse's helmet as his spear impaled one of the creatures, jarring his right arm and almost tearing it from his grip. His spear heavy, a second creature pushed past its dead comrade, only to find another spear in its belly from the second rank spears, whose spear had impaled it in the chest, piercing the dark coloured armour it wore.

The third monster slipped past the spears and slammed into Jesse's shield, sending him stumbling backwards into Crusader behind him due to the force. Jesse discarded the spear, it was of no use with the dead corpse on it, and drew his sword. He raised his shield high, as the blade of the creature flashed in the sunlight, hitting harmlessly into his shield, Jesse feeling the vibrations all the way up his left arm to his shoulder. With a grunt, Jesse slammed the shield into the creature, sending it stumbling back a pace or two before his right arm came out, slashing the creature from shoulder to hip. Black blood spurted out as Jesse raised his shield again, ready to face the next creature. Jesse took the opportunity to take a quick glance either side of him and breathed a tiny sigh of relief. The line had held. His attention came quickly back to the creature in front of him as it came quickly, howling its mournful song as it raised its blade, ready to decapitate Jesse.

And at that moment, he wondered how it had come to this...

And he thought of Leslie...

The land of Tera was beautiful, rolling valleys and hills, mountains on the Western side that reached towards the heavens capped with snow, and large grassy plains that seemed like the sea. Farms were spread throughout the land in many villages. They were the centre of learning, science and art with huge schools and universities, while they also held the legendary Crusaders, the elite soldiers who were personally in charge of the safety of the Royal family, and always on the front lines of any war that threatened Tera, with a long and decorated history.

Prince Jesse had the weight of an entire kingdom on him, born into the royal family of the Aarons, who had ruled Tera for five hundred years. Jesse was born into a family who thus far had only produced females. His father Jack and mother Mary had 2 children before Jesse, Ellody and Brendwyn. Needless to say, his father was relieved to finally have a son, but he pushed Jesse no father should ever push a child. Hardest on Jesse, and softest on Jesse's sisters, especially the youngest two in Maybelle and JoyceAnne, Jesse struggled to live up to his father's impossible expectations. To be the strongest, fittest, most intelligent as he was the Prince of Tera, one of the royal family and the only Prince in the Aarons family. Every day Jesse strived to be better, faster, stronger than all of these other boys, and could barely stand the pressure of everyday life. From dawn to dusk he practiced, studied, and trained his heart out, in hopes of seeing that hint of pride in his father's eyes. To no avail. His sisters Ellody and Brenwyn were older, and already had suitors and thus rarely spent time, if any with him. Only Maybelle, old enough to begin to understand the world and was the one who helped Jesse, and they were extremely close. But Jesse's hardworking ways drew jealousy from the other boys and he had no friends among them. However, it was one day when he was 12, he finally broke. His fighting spirit was gone when he had come second in a tournament, losing to Lord Hoager's son Scott, and the abuse the boys gave him for losing yet another tournament. Tears in his eyes and getting on his horse, he rode away, heading north. For he could not stand the look of disappointment in his father's eyes. And early the next morning, he rode away, to escape from it all. A wave of tears followed his path north.

On the northern side of Tera, was the Kingdom of Bithia. Whereas Tera was mostly grassy land, with grassy plains and rolling valleys and hills, a large majority of Bithia was heavily forested. This was due to their alliance with the Tree Trolls, ancient and powerful in their bearing, led by the Queen Troll Janice. Although unable to speak the common tongue, Janice in her wise and regal bearing was a formidable ally, and borders had been marked off of a huge forested area where the humans would not touch the forest. In return, the Trolls would help in time of need, providing food in times of famine or even themselves in times of war. Whereas Tera was the centre of learning and science, Bithia was the land of magic, written work and music, where many creatures of the forest dwelt in harmony, segregated from the humans but yet neither out of contact nor out of reach. Bithia also held the magical healing monks, women and men led by either an abbot or an abbess who served the people, healing the sick and nursing the wounded.

Princess Leslie was born into the kingdom of Bithia with great rejoicing and cheer. The much loved couple of King William and Queen Judith, it was a well known plight that they had struggled to conceive a child for many years, and when Leslie was born the whole kingdom rejoiced. She was their little princess, and was doted upon when young. But later as she grew, she saw far more books, tutors and instructors than her actual parents as they were busy running the kingdom, she felt neglected. With no friends at all because she was a princess and all the other noble children were stuck up snobs who were jealous of Leslie's shining blonde hair, strange colourful dress sense and tomboyishness, she was a lonely soul, even though her parents loved her greatly and didn't know what they could do to help their could they afford the time to spend much with their daughter, due to their heavy workloads after leading the people through a famine and as such the affairs of the realm came first. The loneliness became too much as it spread through her heart, and so Leslie, aged 11 fled from Bithia, heading south on a white horse, full of loneliness and wanting to end her life. She did not know what she was looking for, but hoped that death would give her peace, and stop the gnaw of loneliness within her heart that was unbearable to her. And maybe, maybe in death, she would be able to smile genuinely again.

And it was this one day, in a quiet spring day, that these two would meet...on a bridge. A bridge that linked the kingdoms of Tera and Bithia...

A bridge to Terabithia.

I hope you guys enjoyed the exciting start, thought I would start off with a bang.