1 Prelude: Journey. & Chapter 1: Welcome to Krei.
Chapter 0- Prelude: Journey.
*Alarm clock sounds*
"Urgh…"
Flailing blindly, I try to put an end to the hellish noise that's interrupting my blissful sleep.
Finally, after 4 unsuccessful attempts, I manage to quell the evil noise and let my head sink back into my soft, fluffy and wonderful pillow.
'If only I could stay in bed forever…'
Sadly, life is a harsh mistress.
"Ray! Get up already!"
My over enthusiastic and, frankly, pushy childhood friend, yells from the front door of my small 2 room apartment.
"If you're not here in 3, I'll start reciting your poems from middle school!"
'Shit, really? Like it's not awkward enough as it is with the neighbours.'
"I'm up Nana! I'm up ok?!" I yell as a reply while I put on a pair of pant and a t-shirt and drag myself towards the door all the while grumbling beneath my breath;
"Why doesn't she ever leave me alone…"
Opening the door I pause for a moment, doing a quick sweep over her. 'Her clothes... Something's off.'
Wearing a plain white dress, beige sneakers and black stylish sunglasses, she looks nothing like the businesses woman look she wears to work; and it makes me question if it even is the same person.
Trailing my eyes back up to meet hers I say: "Sorry, my bad, I thought you were someone else."
Halfway through closing the door a hand shoots out and stops me.
"Very funny, Ray, very funny." Nana says, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Sighing I turn back towards her.
"Ok, what's up Nana? We don't have work today, so I have no idea why you're here. And what's with the dress?" Taking another look, I admire how good she actually looks in it.
Not that I'd ever admit to thinking it.
Nana just smirks at me and says "Like what you see?"
"Oh yeah, really nice seams on that dress. Top notch sewing." I reply while trying to keep a neutral face. "So, what are you doing here Nana?"
She keeps up her smirk for a moment longer and then smiles slightly. "Do I need a reason to come see you?" - Cold! Why is it suddenly so cold!?
'Uhh.. I better thread carefully…'
"Well no, of course not." I say while trying to smile as genuinely as possible but not quite managing to make it fully convincing.
Awkward silence ensued...
Long and awkward story summarised; she had some work piled up and wanted some input from me on what was best to do.
It was all finished in under 30 minutes, and quite frankly I don't think she needed my input at all.
When we were done she stayed for a cup of tea and some biscuits, then she left saying she had other things to take care of.
Whatever that means.
After saying goodbye, I take a deep breath and walk over to the sofa and fall down on it like a falling tree cut down by a lumberjack.
After a few minutes of pondering the unusual morning, sleepiness starts creeping up on me, and before I know it, I'm out.
----
Startled awake by a sense of falling, a split second of panic follows and quickly progresses onto wild flailing to try get a hold of something, anything.
But to no avail.
After what feels like an eternity, and yet at the same time could have been an instant; I feel something solid under me.
But no pain. And no "bounce" or splat or… anything.
'No pain…? Why? did I die…?? Am I paralysed!?!' My panic runs rampant.
Opening my eyes, I follow my hands and legs with my eyes as I tentatively test for problems with my hands and legs.
'No problems there… Hmm, so am I dead, or …?'
Slowly turning my head and taking in my surroundings, or rather, lack thereof, I peer out into darkness.
Not 'pitch black, can't see nothing' kind of darkness, it's more of a 'black but somehow able to see something, though, I could be imagining it' kind of darkness.
Shuffling up into a sitting position and moving onto a crouched position, I'm suddenly blinded by bright flickering lights in all manners of colours imaginable.
Full-blown color scale right in my face.
Shielding my eyes with my hands as best I can I can only wait for the blinding light to either dim or let my eyes adjust as best they can.
Suddenly a voice deep and rumbling like lightning descends "TRESPASSER, PREPARE YOURSELF!"
Startled by the booming voice of unclear origin, I whip my around, eyes darting wildly while seeking the source of the voice.
The space I am in is strange, the floor being what looks like painted glass and no walls or ceiling to speak of, only darkness outside the circular glass floor.
It's like gravity doesn't work here or the glass floor is suspended in mid air by some means.
Looking through a clear section of the glass I can only see more of the strange darkness.
Suddenly a glowing circle appears on the floor a dozen meters away, a moment later a deafening roar follows as a huge two headed dog-like creature appears from within the circle.
Easily 6 meters high and 3 meters wide, I stand frozen in fear before it's otherworldly bulk and stature. Growling with a deep low rumble that shakes my bones like a superpowered bass box. It narrows its eyes as it focuses on me and snarls, showing its razor sharp teeth.
"Uhh, good doggie..?" Unknowingly I had taken half a step backwards before I even noticed my body moving.
Snarling furiously, a booming voice emerges from the huge dog creature "I AM NO DOG!! I AM THE GATEKEEPER OF WORLDS, CERBERUS!"
Stunned into silence by the strange turn of events, a few moments pass as an awkward silence descends.
A giant talking dog. Not something you met everyday.
At a loss for words, I stare dumbly at the guardian until he speaks again. Thankfully, this time without the boom and thunder. "You are not worthy, return to the world from whence you came."
Feeling lost in how to reply I decide to go for honesty: <I don't know nothing, sorry.>
It usually works.
"Uhh, I can't, I don't even know where this is, or how I got here… I was just here when I woke up." I reply to the giant, talking dog.
"So if you want me to go back to my world, you'll have to help me do it." I say and look around. "Where are we even?"
Looking somewhat ponderous, if a giant hellhound thing can even manage such a thing; he speaks slowly and carefully.
"We are in the nether, a place binding worlds together.
But rather than that, you say you just woke up here? You didn't force your way here with magic? Be warned, I will know if you are lying to me."
Tilting my head at the mention of magic I ask the obvious question: "Magic? Like big fireballs and lightning bolts? Teleport and healing spells?" I ask.
"Yes. That and much, much more." Cerberus replies.
"Huh… from where I am from, there is no magic; as far as I know.
So no, I did not use magic to come here. Not consciously at the very least." I reply honestly
Seemingly puzzled by what I said Cerberus tilts his giant head while looking at me. "Hmm… what you say is no lie, yet there shouldn't be any other way to get here. Unless...you were chosen by a god. Are you a chosen one?"
Bewildered by his statement and unsure how to reply I scratch my head awkwardly "Uhh, not that I am aware of? How would I know if I was?"
Looking at me like I am stupid, he just lets out air, in what i assume is a sighs, and shakes his head. "You don't even know this kind of common knowledge? If you are chosen by a god, you will have the appointers mark on your left palm."
Turning my left palm upwards, I look down at it. Nothing there, but some sweat in my palm.
"Can't see any mark. So, I guess I'm not chosen?"
"That can't be. There shouldn't be any other way to come here... show me your left palm." Cerebus says and moves closer to me. When he is about 2 meters away he stops.
'Damn he's big… and menacing. Those teeth don't look very well adjusted to veggies…' I muse as I watch him approach me while fighting my instinct to run away while screaming, it might set him off or think I'm playing or something equally bad.
When he stops I lift my left arm up and show him my palm.
He leans in to inspect my palm closely and it takes all my willpower to keep me from running away from the behemoth in front of me.
"There really is no mark there...but, then how did you get here? Hmm…" Lost in thought Cerberus mutters as he stares out into nothingness, literally.
After a few minutes of simply waiting as he mutters to himself, I can't take it anymore. "So you wanted me to go back, but I don't know how I got here nor how to do magic so, can you help return me to my world?" I ask him bluntly.
"Hmm… It is not my role to send people between worlds, I merely guard the gate. But..." pausing for a moment he then continues slowly, considering his words. "This… has never happened before. You clearly do not belong here; yet cannot leave by yourself. At the same time, you did not force your way in here either, so I can't eliminate you, on the grounds of trespassing…" Trailing off towards the end, he speaks more to himself then to me.
'Being eliminated doesn't sound very appealing… good thing that's off the table.'
Cerberus suddenly rights himself to tower over me snaps me out of my thinking.
"I have decided; As I have no way of knowing or finding out where you came from, I shall send you to the world called Krei. The gods are also currently in need of assistance there with the fight against the demons that are rising against them, so it's good timing, for them." he says.
A moment of pondering later, he continues: "You may yet find a way back to your home world, it all depends on you."
Suddenly he lifts his right paw and lightly pokes my chest with his index claw before returning it to the ground, all before I can even react.
A moment later my chest starts burning like hot lava yet at the same time it is ice cold; swelling with… something.
After a few moments, the burning and cold passes and I'm left with a strange… springiness, for lack of better words. Like I could spontaneously start bouncing.
Cerberus takes a moment longer to consider me, and then looks me in the eye.
"A farewell gift. Krei can be an…unfriendly, place. Good luck." He says before moments later his eyes start shining brightly.
"Wai- " = ----- ------ ----- ÷
End of prelude.
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Chapter 1: Welcome to Krei.
Day 1, part 1.
÷ ----------- =
"t! …" A grassy landscape with some hills and sparse trees lays before me, and no Cerberus in sight. "Well, shit!"
Looking around to get a bearing on my surroundings; it is about the same as my first impression: grassy plains with some hills and a few trees here and there.
Oh, and a river off in the distance.
It must be a pretty big one too, since I can see it from here.
"Where the hell am I?" I mumble to myself as I survey the immediate area.
It's fairly hot here, not quite tropical but not that far off either. The air is humid and sticky with the occasional cool breezes blowing past me every now and then.
Looking up at the sky I find that this world apparently has an orange sun, and it seems much bigger than the one I'm used to.
'It's not extremely hot though so perhaps it's not burning as intensively as the one back on earth does..? Nono, focus. Get a bearing on the surroundings.' I chide myself.
Continuing my survey of the surroundings, I find I have arrived in a temperate climate zone.
Abundant with greenery, plants, birds and critters swishing to and fro.
Upon closer inspection there are even some kind of grazing wildlife here too. They look like some kind of strange mix between a cow and a bunny. I think I'll call them Cubby's for now.
Following the grazing animals west, while keeping a respectable distance, I notice something far off in the distance.
"Is that stone walls? A city? or perhaps a castle…?" I ponder as I try to make out as much details as I can. "Well, not like I have anything better to do…" I mumble as I start walking towards the stone structure in the distans.
After walking for an hour or so, I spot a dirt road leading to the wall, which I quickly make my way to.
The dirt road is well maintained, even if it's just packed dirt, and helps me speed along quite a lot. Roads ftw!
Walking along the road I let my thoughts drift while taking in the surrounding nature.
'I hope the inhabitants of this world aren't giant spiders. Or giant birds of prey… or giant insects... Actually, I hope they're all normal sized things...'
Shuddering at the thought of giant beasts that want to prey on me, I shake my head to clear away the images that my mind conjured.
After walking along for maybe an hour or two in this fairly warm and humid weather, I'm drenched in sweat; which isn't all that pleasant.
'At least I don't smell… yet.' I remark to myself.
On the positive side, I'm almost at the river now so I could perhaps jump in and wash off a bit.
'Unless there are giant alligators in there…'
Arriving at the river, I kneel on the beach bank and inspect the water.
It's crystal clear and seems fresh. Looking around the immediate area reveals no dead wildlife. After inspecting some shallow parts of the river, I even find some fish swimming around.
The water seems safe enough to drink, so I take a sip and taste the water.
Best tasting water I've had in my life, period.
Noticing something moving out the corner of my eye, I turn my head to look and realize it's my reflection.
Heh, who would've thought, right?
However, it looks… different somehow. Leaner and more boyish than I am used to…
That's it! the reflection looks younger. Strange...
"What's up with this? I look like I did at 15. No beard and baby faced…" I say as i touch my face to check if the reflection is accurate, which it seems it is.
'Did Cerberus do this? … Why though?' I ponder to myself. 'I guess it's a minor problem, in the larger scale of things. What with giant talking dogs and all...' I muse and shrug.
Cupping my hands, I greedily drink my fill of water.
----------×+÷÷
With my thirst sated comes the next problem: hunger.
I can feel it creeping up on me and I have nothing editable on me.
Looking towards the wall I estimate it's still hours away, if I can reach it today at all.
'It would be nice if I'd be able to find something to eat now, rather than when I reach the walls...'
Looking over at the Cubby's, I ponder whether they would taste good or not.
'They look like cows, kind of… but then again, how would I kill and slaughter them? Who knows if they are pack animals that react violently when faced with violence.' I muse as I look at the grazing animals.
'I sure don't want to get killed by a bunch of cow-bunnies. Best to find something I can be reasonably sure can't kill me...' I decide.
Sweeping my gaze around my surroundings; I search for any possible food source.
I already know there are fish in the river, so that's good and all.
What's less good is that I can't reach them, nevermind catch them.
Even if I had a fishing spear, which I don't, I doubt I could reach them.
A fishing rod or a net would've got the job done, but again, I don't have either.
Plus I lack most of the materials needed to be able to make either too. I mean, I don't even have a knife for crying out loud.
Faced with reality, I Sighing loudly.
"…Guess it's off to look for mushrooms, berries or… something." I mutter to myself as I look around for a likely place to find something editable.
About 200 m to the west of the road there is a small collection of bushes and trees.
'As good a place to start looking as any.' I figure and walk away from the road and into the shrubbery.
Only a few meters in, I already regret my choices, as I run into a giant boar-creature with huge tusks.
Easily being 1 and a half meters tall as well as almost a meter wide, it makes for an impressive beast.
Standing a few meters in front of me, it doesn't look happy to see me, if its glaring and snarling at me is anything to go by.
Freezing mid step, I try my best to not to make a sound or aggravate the boar.
As the moment drags on, my foot in the air grows tired and I'm slowly forced to lower it.
As I give in to gravity and lower my foot...
Snap!
A twig snapping was the last straw, and the boar charges at me, with very dangerous looking tusks poised to skewer me.
"Shit!"
Throwing myself out of the way of its charge, I turn my head to the boar only to realize the boar has already turned and is charging at me again, and is almost upon me.
Fear and a hot sinking feeling grows in my stomach at the sight of my impending death by boar.
The hot sinking feeling rapidly grows to feel like a fire pit in my stomach.
Barely half a meter away now, I throw my hands up in front of my face as a last resort defence.
Just as something gives in my stomach and the world goes white.
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'Something smells burnt…?' I note in the passing as the whiteness starts to recede.
After a few seconds of blindness, my vision has mostly returned.
As I tentatively inspect myself, I notice I generally look like a mess.
My clothes are torn here and there plus all the dirt and whatnot I am coated in thanks to rolling around on the ground added on gives me the complete "Disheveled, dirty and probably poor" look. Which I'm totally not going for.
Pinching my cheeks hurts, so I'm sure I'm not dreaming. Or dead.
"Unless you can feel pain while dead…?" I mutter quietly.
Patting myself down, I seem fine except some scratches and bruises from dodging the first charge. Clearly, I am alive. How and why, though? No idea.
Turning my attention outwards, I search for the boar.
Laying around 10 meters in front of me, the boar is smoking slightly, and has obviously been burned… by something.
Looking around reveals no source of fire.
Except some burned ground in front of me and the boar, now lie at the base of a cracked and partially fallen tree, nothing bears any evidence of a fire.
Walking over unsteadily to the still smoking boar remains, I kneel beside it and examine it.
It's been thoroughly burned with some exposed parts being charred.
Holding my hand close to its skin, but my search for remaining heat reveals nothing.
That being the case, I tentatively try touching it with a finger.
It's neither hot nor cold, lukewarm.
"What caused this? Was I saved by a stray lightning bolt? However unlikely that seems..." I ponder aloud.
But then it hits me like a sledgehammer; Cerberus.
That strange burning heat came from when he poked me in the chest.
'So... what? He put fire in me or…?' I ponder as I stare down at my hands.
Trying to remember the feeling I had when I was about to get mushed by the boar, I notice there is a sliver of a flame dancing over my right palm. "Huh… "
Redoubling my efforts I manage to make a small flame dance in my palms.
It's warm to the touch yet not in an unpleasant way, more like a "laying in bed with a warm cover on a cold morning" kind of warmth. Comforting and safe.
After a few minutes of experimenting I suddenly start feeling incredibly weak. And hungry. Really, really hungry.
I lean and slide down to sit leaning against the tree by the, for lack of better words, cooked, boar. Looking at the boar hunger pangs flare up and saliva flood my mouth like a broken dam. "I might as well, right?"
---------÷
Having eaten my fill of the, surprisingly tasty and well grilled, boar; I decide I still need to get somewhere safe, fast.
Therefore I decide to forgo further experimentation for now and instead focus on getting somewhere safe… r. Safer.
That decided, I promptly return back to the road and the river. Once back at the river, I drink my fill of water and look up at the sun and its position.
I reckon I still have 4-5 hours of sun left.
With that confirmed, and with hunger and thirst sated, I stand back up and resume walking along the road towards the brick building in the distance.
----------------
An hour or so later a cart being pulled by two strange lizard creatures comes rolling up from behind me on the dirt road I'm walking on. The creatures look strangely similar to giant salamanders, but that aside, they look friendly enough; from far away anyway.
As I stand there and look at the quickly approaching wagon, I start being able to make out more and more details.
The giant salamanders are differently colored; One of them is green, while the other is red, but otherwise there is not much I can see to tell them apart. There are no obvious color patterns or body parts to differentiate them and now that I can see more details, I still see no giant claws or menacing fangs to be wary of, so I stand still and await the soon arriving wagon.
The driver seems to be a middle aged man, entirely human looking, strangely enough.
He is wearing some kind of work clothes and guessing by its lack of design and dirty spots here and there, I would guess manual labor of some sort.
'A farmer perhaps? Surely even other worlds have farmers, right?' I ponder as the cart slows down as it approaches my vicinity. From first spotting the cart far in the distance, it only takes the cart roughly 10 minutes to arrive before me. It must be going at least 50, maybe even 60 km/h. Crazy, especially considering it's dirt roads like this and not the kind of roads I am used to.
'What kind of crazy suspension does that wagon have, anyway? It was barely shaking even while it was going at max speed.'
As the cart lines up besides me the driver says, in a surprisingly deep voice: "What 'ave we got 'ere? A lil lone boy out in the wilds?" Jumping down from the wagon, he looks me over with a cool demeanor. "Ye dun look like da type ta survive out here in the wilds... Wha' happen'd ta you?" he says as he regards me carefully.
At first, the thick accent doesn't make any sense to my mind, but after a moment something clicks and I can decipher what the man is saying to me.
Thinking on my feet, I make up a vague story.
"I'm from a small village out in the wilds, from over yonder." I say while indicating towards where I came from while looking him in the eye.
"I am trying to make my way to the closest town to find work and shelter." I say and pause a moment before continuing: "I have no place left where I came from anymore..." I finish, gaze dropping towards my feet.
A moment of silence ensues, as the old man is seemingly contemplating something.
'Perhaps mulling over how true my story is?' I muse as I do my best to keep my nervousness from showing.
Seemingly done mulling, the man nods once and looks me in the eye.
"I see. Not enough food to go around huh?" he mutters quietly.
Nodding slowly, I reply with a quiet: "Yeah…" Silence follows for a few moments.
After a few moments he snaps out of his pondering and grins widely. "Ya wont a ride then? I'm going to da city to sell ma wares and I could use da company." Grimaging, he continues: "It get' real dull afta' a few hours' o so' o' riding alone. Tis really too ba' tha' Dera and Sera can't speak." he says as he pats the lizards pulling the cart on their heads. "But wha' they lack in intelligence, they more' than make up fo' with their' great endurance, strength an' speed. If only they could'a talk, then the'd be tha' ultimate beasts o' toil." He says and smiles at the creatures. Snapping out of his monolog, he looks up at me and smiles apologetically. "Sorry, I'ma ramblin' again"
"No, it's fine. I've never seen such a beast before. What is it called?" I ask full of curiosity.
Hmm? Neve' seen a Tarr 'efore? Dera and Sera 'ere are Tarrs. One a tha' few known typ's a' docile monsters tha' can be trained tha do various dutie's."
Nodding, I reply with a simple: "I see." as I look at the creatures.
"So, how about that ride?" He then says suddenly.
Grinning widely at him, I reply with: "I would love a ride, my feet are killing me."
Laughing a bit, he climbs back up on his wagon and waves to his right. "Hop on then." he says and before long the wagon is speeding along again at impressive speeds.
End of chapter 1.
