2 Testing the Water

The sun rose once more, casting its gentle light upon the world and heralding the arrival of a new day. Rizki's eyes fluttered open as he stirred from his slumber, the weight of his dreams still lingering in his mind. The tranquility of the forest surrounded him, a stark contrast to the chaos he had left behind in his previous life.

As he stretched, a sense of calm settled over him. The smartphone lay beside him, a reminder of the world he now inhabited. But before he could fully embrace the promise of the new day, the tranquility shattered like glass.

A sudden impact against his head sent him reeling with surprise, a mix of confusion and momentary pain. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, instinctively clutching his head where the impact had landed. It took him a moment to regain his composure, his heart racing from the unexpected blow.

He glanced up to see what had struck him, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of a gray-colored bag that now rested on the ground beside him. It had seemingly fallen out of nowhere, landing directly on his head. "Fuck! Nobody wakes up in this way." he muttered to himself, rubbing his head with a bemused expression.

Curiosity piqued, Rizki reached for the bag and unzipped it, his eyes widening as he peered inside. What he found was a collection of items that defied explanation – a sleek smartphone, a gun, and something that tugged at the edges of his memory, a symbol that reminded him of his past.

With a mixture of caution and intrigue, he picked up the smartphone and examined it closely. Its both futuristic and oddly familiar. As he turned it over in his hands, a soft chime indicated an incoming call. Surprised, he accepted the call and held the device to his ear.

"Testing… Testing…" The soothing voice started the conversation through the phone call.

"Wrong number. Thanks," he stated, his voice a blend of slyness and amusement.

A voice on the other end of the line chuckled softly. "Nice try, Rizki, but you're not getting away that easily."

Rizki frowned, the voice sounding strangely familiar. "Yeah yeah, I'm busy now. Bye."

"And don't even think about hanging up. We need to talk," the phone's voice demanded.

Hearing those words, Rizki frowned and replied, "Well, shoot it."

The voice on the other end chuckled again and revealed, "You don't need to apply your world logic in here. Notice that I can call you without having any signal, right?"

Upon that revelation, Rizki took a glance at his phone. At first, he tried to see the signal on the top right of it and found that it didn't have any signal at all.

Mistrusting it, he decided to scroll his phone's screen to another area, opening the internet browser application where it displayed many unknown pieces of information that confused him. He asked, "How come I can browse anything but there is no signal here?"

The phone voice replied promptly, "Gods or Goddess can do anything, you know. So consider this as my ability showcase!"

"Whatever, it sounds suspicious and dumb to me. But as long as you don't ask me to do something weird, then I will be cool about it," Rizki replied. Then she asked, "Now open the map on your phone. Tell me what you see."

Rizki then opened the map on his phone, revealing a huge map inside it. It was a map much bigger than any country he knew in his world, leading Rizki to comment in shock, "That's ten times bigger than one of the biggest countries I know in my world!", he continued to see it in awe, try to estimate it, "Yes no doubt!" He declared, "Its ten times bigger than Australia!"

"Yep, you can say so, Rizki," Faye's voice echoed in that phone. She then added, "That's Acra. The world I will ask you to be a villain in."

Then, a throat-clearing voice was heard on his phone as she added more, "But do note that I won't ask you to commit atrocities such as genocide or rape. That's a huge no for me."

"And I will punch your face if you ask me to do a raping job or such atrocities that involve innocent people!" Rizki declared emphatically, causing Faye to shriek slightly in response, and she replied, "Don't do that!!"

"Then don't ask me to do that." Rizki declared with a sigh. Then, Faye decided to shift the topic back to the present, "Now try to zoom it if you are curious."

Rizki's curiosity deepened as he pointed to his current location while zooming on his phone when Faye mentioned so, he reacted, "Southern Elf Forest? Is that where I am?"

Faye in her realm nodded, replying, "Yes. You are there now. I remember that Elves weren't that friendly with humans unless you do them a huge favor. Try to find it since you need a place to rest."

Then she added, "And do not summon me!"

"Why? I want to do that!" Rizki quipped and questioned her in disappointment. She then said, "Don't lump me with those overrated goddesses in the light novel! I'm not them, and I'm the real deal!"

"Oh, novels? You read those?" Rizki smirked upon hearing that. And she changed the topic by saying, "Anyway, let me tell you something more about it."

"Meh, changing the topic!" Rizki complained, and she continued, "I don't have much leisure time to talk, so hear me now!"

As their conversation continued, Rizki's knowledge of Acra and his place in it deepened. The smartphone in his hand was no longer just a device; it was a bridge that connected him to a realm of magic, challenges, and endless possibilities.

Hours passed as the sun climbed higher in the sky, and the conversation flowed between them like a gentle stream of understanding. And as the day progressed, Rizki felt a growing sense of purpose, a realization that he was no longer a mere bystander in his own story.

As the sun began its descent, Rizki knew that the day was coming to an end. The smartphone, his link to Faye and the world of Acra, felt warm in his hand, a reminder of the connections he was forging and the journey he had embarked upon.

Faye's words being heard on his phone, "It's getting late, Rizki. Rest well. There should be no possible race attack coming. So you should be safe."

"Thank you, and see you never, I guess?" Rizki replied in a cheeky grin,

"Hey!" Faye yelled, continuing, "Don't dump me like that!"

"I'm joking, no need to be that serious, Faye," Rizki grinned happily and closed the conversation after saying so, ending the whole conversation on the phone.

As the conversation concluded, Rizki settled back against the trunk of a tree, his heart full of both uncertainty and determination. The forest around him seemed to sigh in anticipation, as if it, too, recognized the significance of his presence in this magical realm.

And as the night enveloped the world in its embrace, Rizki closed his eyes, the smartphone held close to his chest. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but he was ready to face them head-on, armed with the knowledge and guidance he had gained through his conversations with Faye.

As the stars twinkled overhead and the sounds of the forest whispered their lullaby, Rizki's dreams were a canvas of possibilities, his destiny intertwined with the world of Acra in ways he was only beginning to comprehend. The night was his sanctuary, a space where he could reflect on his journey so far and prepare for the adventures that lay ahead.