"The Only Man Standing"

A dizziness has taken over all senses...as if he had drank his bodyweight in beer...it was almost sickening. Someone,or better said,something began to whisper indistinctly....

Then the voices grew louder,until eventually Grayson gasps awake,looking around to find himself in some kind of cuboid forest...

It was the morning twilight,crickets quietly chirring the last of the night away as the sun rose from below the horizon of oak and birch trees. "Okay...Theory 1...I am dreaming about Minecraft..." Grayson gently mutters as he gets up,brushing off dead grass and leaves that stuck to his slacks and hoodie.

He approaches a tree,gazing at it up and down,before winding back a punch,and throwing it at the large oak,only for the tender crunch of potentially broken fingers to ring out.

"OWWWWW!!!!" Followed,scaring a few birds from their perches. A bush shifts following the distant echo,quickly becoming a girl with fire orange hair,dark amber eyes and pale skin,wearing a green camouflage hoodie themed after the infamous Creeper.

"...That didn't seem like the troubled adventurer I know." She mutters curiously,starting to walk in the direction of the voice that had yelled out in pain.

Once Grayson ensured none of his fingers suffered serious injury,he looks around,trying to see a path.

He couldn't see much from this angle..not this low to the ground,anyway. Grayson picks the best direction he could manage,keeping the Sun to his back.

For a few hours he walked through a mundane forest,thriving with all sorts of life,even wild livestock such as sheep and cows. But not once could he find civilization..

Settling at a very large oak tree,Grayson begins to frisk his pockets. Phone,phone charger,Wallet,and a pocket knife. "When the hell did I store these..?" He quires,turning on his phone,and unlocking it.

The phone seemed perpetually stuck on 99% battery,but it's internet didn't work. Thankfully should he ever find the time to play games,the device was still loaded with all of his favorite games,such as Tomb of the Mask,and Melon Lab.

Settling the phone in a belly pocket on his hoodie,he checks his wallet,to find it has been cleaned of it's contents,all but his ID,and a cashapp card. "Aaand I was probably robbed blind to a degree...great." He mutters.

A branch snaps-

Grayson shoots to his feet,deploying the pocket knife as the girl who heard him stepped into the clearing. "Who-" Grayson began,only for his complexion to turn almost ghost white at the sight of the girl.

"Who....?" The girl guesses.

When she stepped closer,Grayson took a step back...

The feeling of danger was becoming intense,as he could feel a destructive energy emitting from the girl.

The girl starts her approach, faster, causing the survivor to frantically scramble up the tree,and fastening himself to a branch without any intent on moving any time soon.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Grayson demanded from the branch.

"Oh don't worry,I won't hurt you like my cousins would!" The girl said,attempting to draw him out of the tree. The only response was a loose leaf falling to the ground.

'Okay...horrible phrasing.' The girl thought.

She disappears from the clearing,long enough to return with a few apples in hand. "Hey...Its okay. You can trust me..." She insists.

Like an unnerved monkey Grayson hung down slightly,albeit distrustfully,and reaches out for an apple she was offering.

Grayson's belly groans gently at the suggested meal.

As soon as the apple was within reach,it was snagged,and the frightened male retreats back into the tree,taking a bite and settling on the branch in a way so the girl could still see him and talk to him.

"Now...Can you tell me who you are?" The girl asked.

"Can we start with you..?" Grayson asked,after swallowing a mouthful of apple.

After a brief silence she sighs,"My name is Kupa Tee-Entee,literally spelled the way it sounds." She said.

"I'm Grayson E. White...nice to meet you.." Grayson said timidly. "S-sorry about running away n' all..you've got an energy that i am...terrified of. Are you a creeper or something?" He asks

"You wouldn't be the first to have met me like this,but yes,I am half creeper." Kupa said.

"That explains the hair raising feeling...Should I be scared for my life?" Grayson asked.

"With me,well,not really. I can't detonate like most can,and really it's only half creepers with green skin that are mind numbingly aggressive." Kupa explains.

Slowly,the adventurer came down to be on the same level with Kupa. "Last major question...Is there a village nearby..?"

"A few chunks to the south,if I remember correctly. Follow the forest facing the sun until it turns to tundra,and you'll find them in a clearing right after entering the biome." She said.

Grayson nods,taking down the data as it was provided. "Maybe you could help me there for the first time? I'll figure the rest out,i just need someone with a lay of the land."

Kupa hung on an answer,before nodding warmly,"Well,let's get walking! Daylight's a'wastin." She said,leading Grayson along.

As they walked spruce trees slowly began to take over. "So...What interesting history does your world have?" Grayson asked,trying to fill the quiet void between them.

"It's awful dark...and it's a bit of a truth bomb." Kupa began. "Being honest waking up here is already enough of a truth bomb as is,and try me on dark scenarios." Grayson said.

"Well,10 or 20 years back,humanity passed a gender-locking law,that prevents anyone from doing work not related to your assigned gender...Those caught performing a duty unrelated to your gender,well...ill save you some of the details and say that you were turned into a servant. For a while it was genuinely a well developed community,until many of the men and women were segregated into opposite halves of the kingdom,physically. At first,there wasn't much pushback,until the women sided with the Queen in the War of Krubis,and Man began to fade from the face of the earth when that same Queen ordered all men to be captured and killed for treason."

"War of Krubis?" Grayson questions.

"War of the Sexes. Thanks to gender segregation,all men are seen as omens of destruction or were captured as servants. It ended up being a death sentence for men,which forced them to pledge their subservience in other areas of labor upon being overwhelmed by the Queen's armies. If you can figure,it went downhill fast,and men were basically worked to death in every possible way imaginable. From things as light as fanning to heavy,bloody duty such as going to war. Thousands of males died within a year."

"How many years would've passed before men were endangered?" Grayson asked.

"Almost 15 whole years. Up until 5 years ago,men could be found in an eden,unfortunately that was discovered as well,and the remnants of males there were forced to extinction. A horrible monument was build atop the rubble...a permanent blemish of that sexist genocide..."

"Damn...this world doesn't have it easy.." Grayson said.

"To add onto that comment we've got a tyrannical Queen who won't think twice to have you taken. Tread. Carefully." Kupa warns.

"I'll be fiine." Grayson assured,dismissing the conversation as they arrived in the lightly snow kissed village. Kupa didnt follow.

"Hey,You coming,Greenie?" Grayson asked.

"U-Unfortunately...I must leave...I am not welcome here...Just stay safe,okay? People like you will always be in danger unless you pay attention to the body language others have." She advised.

"I will,Kupa. Stay safe." He said as he waved the girl goodbye. Kupa waves back,before hurriedly returning to the forest. A metallic,female hand slams down on his shoulder. "You must be new around here." A cool,smooth voice said.

Grayson turns to a large,metal woman with dark eyes,red irises being the only thing that colored the darker eye sockets. "Yes actually! I just arrived...Was hoping to maybe trade,get a roof over my head.." Grayson said.

"Well you came to the right place! This is Villa-Umbris,one of the better trading towns in the land." The large metal woman said.

"Thank you,kindly miss...Could you point me to the head merchant...? Mayor...? President..? I can't tell what kind of society you guys have."

"This is an Emeraldish Society." She advises.

"You'll want to talk to the Treasurer,she can get you settled and happy. Im also certain she will be thrilled at such a....mythical visitor."

"I'm certain as well. Is that all?" Grayson asked.

"One more question,that girl you were with,do you know her?" The metal woman asked.

"Not offhand...she was just helping." Grayson said.

"Good. I've heard that girl is trouble. Keep your eyes open." The metal woman warns as she dismisses herself.

"Trouble,huh?" He gently mutters as he heads to the village treasury,a tall cobblestone and brick building with high set windows. it resembled a bank,surprisingly.

Upon entry he was beheld a modestly empty room,save for a few villagers minding their business. There was only 1 booth,with a dark interior,and it seemed the villagers were in a queue. Upon spotting the vastly different stranger passing through, some villagers began talking between each other in a hushed voice.

As Grayson approached the counter,he found it's setup simple. Stationary was at the ready,with a bell nearby to call the tenant of the booth.

The hushed chatter picks up excitedly as he reaches for the bell,and all of a sudden it all falls silent when the bell was rung. A female suddenly comes from the darkness,possibly older than everyone here. Her dark green eyes looked the fellow up and down,"How can I help you today?" She asked in a light,professional tone.

"I need some help with a home..I just got here...And don't have much clue as to where I am." Grayson explains.

Her face brightens,"Good! Meet me outside and we'll see about a lovely home in our village for you." She said as she broke the seam of her hand warming to hand him a housing terms paper.

'This feels like a bad idea...' He thought as he picks up the paper.

[VILLAGE UMBRIS TERMS OF STAY]

1.All tenants must retain a curfew of 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

2.All tenants must retain a verified job,to give rent of unspecified requirements.

'Ugh. rent.'

3.While the tenant can add onto and modify a building,it must be recognizable to its original state.

4.Tenant must wear an identifiable uniform to indicate caste in the village. Robes are provided.

×______________

--

"Seems awfully...different." Grayson said as he doubles over the terms.

"Is there something wrong with these terms?" The Treasurer asked.

"Oh not at all,just different." Grayson said as he signs along the line. He hands the paper back to her,"Ive never lived in a place that required a uniform."

"The uniform is for your safety,and so we can attend to you much faster." She said as she pulls a brown robe from under the table.

Grayson accepts it,slipping into the robe to find it a little loose on him. "Is it too loose or..?" The Treasurer asked.

"It's fine for now. Where am I staying?" Grayson asked.

He was led out front by a staff member,and once the Treasurer had joined him,they began browsing homes. As history suggested,every last member of the village was female. And as they strolled through,many of the village's tenants were looking out of windows,doors,or were simply on their way to do something else only to stare gauntly at what could now be assumed a fossil.

"Why is everyone staring at me..?" Grayson asked quietly.

"Well,being honest we've never met someone like you before. What with you having snow white hair and golden eyes,not even Miners look like you."

"I can sympathize." Grayson said with a shrug.

Grayson settles with a modest home near the edge of the village,with a cave nearby. "Ooh,small cave formation too? i might be able to get some use out of that." He gently mused as he looks into the cave.

"So,what do I owe?" Grayson asked.

"Nothing for now. Gotta let you get used to staying here so you don't move away too soon. A way of welcoming you to our lovely community." The Treasurer said.

"What's your name?" Grayson adds.

"Call me Paris."

"Romantic name. I visited Paris once,She was nice." Grayson said.

Pink dusted her face,before she chuckles gently,"Ohh you. Go ahead,make yourself at home. If you need me,you know where to find me."

Paris quickly dismisses herself so Grayson can make himself at home.

It was a small home,with a breakfast nook to the left of the door,and a kitchenette to the right. The breakfast area opened up into a bedroom,which seemed rather cozy. Grayson flops onto the bed with a sigh,popping up briefly coughing loudly as a cloud of dust assaulted his senses.

'This home is old...Like almost 10 years untouched old....And why does it feel so familiar all of a sudden..?' He thought as he fanned the air,making his way to a window to air his home.

As he gets the window open he leans out and sighs...

It was only what could be assumed to be late morning early afternoon.

A bush shifts,and Kupa comes into vision. "Heya Greenie! Everything going well?" He asked as she approached. "Very much so. Seems you've made yourself at home." She said.

"It's old and untouched,but yeah,it's home." Grayson said.

"So what's next on your list?" Kupa asked.

"Maybe do some dusting. This house hasn't been touched in years." Grayson said.

"I see,I'll leave you to it then!" She said as she wades back into the forest,quickly disappearing amongst the greens and browns.