Back To The Golden Lands: Part 2

Now that the two options are all failures, I still have one final plan. I flipped to the next page of the book. In it was my own modified circle. With my knowledge of the arcane text and the things I learned in Marco's drawing, I manage to replace and add some conditions.

My arcane text translates to "With this _O_ as my bargain I _O_ would like to ask for a temporary Atman. Oh, the concept of souls and consciousness please head my call."

With that, I drew the circle just like what I wrote in my diary. There are still the 2 circles but the arcane text was changed and its condition.

After finishing the details of the circle I placed the 5 live ducks on the smaller circle and me sitting in the center holding the concoction that I bought.

I placed another ether stone on the ground and started reciting the new arcane text as I closed my eyes. A white blinding light hit my eyelids. A soft caress was felt inside my very soul as it slowly grows like fast-growing hair on a bald head.

Perfect! I celebrated in my mind. Without wasting my time, I hurriedly recited the mantra of the Sunflower Breathing technique. The idea? To try and get back that golden land.

I know that that place is something and not just a simple dream. I'm betting everything with this. If I still fail, I'll kill myself before Marco and Sheen return.

My consciousness slowly spiraled, different colors were transitioning from one to another. And with a flash, everything went golden.

.

.

.

I did it! I was able to get back here. It was just like my dreams, the golden lands.

Now that I'm here what do I do? My time here is limited I need to find somebody.

"You looked thinner than usual. What happened?"

It's you! The one who pushed me.

"Yes, it's I."

Where are you?

"I'm here, sitting idly on this rock."

But I can't see anything. There is nothing but this golden rock.

"Yeah? But I'm just nobody. So I'm also nothing."

That. . . . . I don't really understand.

"Don't need to rack your brains. I'm not anyone of importance."

Then can you help me? Do you know anyone that might help me with my problems?

"Let me guess. Your Atman was ripped out of your soul."

Yes and I don't have much time. This is only temporary, any minute then I'll be back to my body.

"Yeah, interesting. You're a mortal without his Atman yet you still able to come here using only five ducks. Impressive!"

How do you know about that?

"It's simple anyone here can do that."

Oh? So do you know anyone? I have this bottle here as my starting offer.

"Hmmm, what is inside that bottle?"

This is the best concoction delicacy in my possession that I can offer right now.

"Can you give it to me? Then I'll help you after."

But, this is the last one that I have here.

"What? Are you gonna give it or not? If not then you're on your own."

Okay fine, fine here. I hope you will not take back your words.

"I'm nobody but I never do things like that. Even I have class."

Why are you like that? *hands over the bottle*

"Oh, this? It's my true body, kinda, for now. You can think of it as a piece of me. I told you I'm nobody that's why my color."

But it's golden here and you're the only one pitched black.

"How many times do I tell you I'm nobody, empty, dark, void. Never mind, let me drink this. *glug glug glug*"

- - - - - - -

"Aaaah, Heavens finally. It tastes a little weird but still better than rat piss."

- - - - - - - - So?

"Let me savor it for a bit."

But I'm starting to fade.

"Geez, *snap* there, there now go away. I haven't had anything like this for so long. Don't disturb me."

What did you do actually? Snap and just like that, Voila?

"I already fixed your lost atman. What do you want? I won't entertain another request."

But . . . . So . . . . That's it?

"Yes! It's not that hard, to be honest."

Aren't you gonna give me a contract or something? Like, make me do things?

"Do things? Woah! I don't step on that kind of boundaries, know your place."

I mean aren't you gonna be my Patron? And I'll be your Avatar?

"You should have completed your sentence to not trigger misunderstandings."

Forgive me but I thought you know this already.

"Heard of it from some people, but haven't tried one yet."

So will you be my Patron?

"I don't know. You see I'm a busy person."

I'll give you some food.

"And I'm tasked with many things like this and that. People expect thi. . . . What did you say?"

I mea. . . . What I mean is I can offer you food if you want.

"Deal!"

Eh?

"What? I said deal."

Then . . . you will be my patron?

"Yes! Quick and easy."

So. . . .What now?

"I don't know tell me."

Aren't you a god? You guys don't know how this works?

"I'm nobody and stuck below this rock. What do you expect? Did I say I am the god of knowledge?"

You didn't. Stuck below this rock? But why are you here standing in front of me?

"Enough with your these and that's. Tell me what do we do?"

Ahm. First, maybe means to communicate with you?

"Okay. Here have this bell. Just ring it and we'll be able to communicate. Just don't ring it regularly. Saturday and Sunday are my rest day so don't disturb me unless you're about to give me sacrifices."

So you gods really do vacations?

"What? We can't rest now?"

Well, I just thought aren't you guys gods?

"Nonsense. We are just like men but with shining flying colors. And do some actual power stuff."

Okay, Okay. Good to know.

"Oh right. Your atman right now is just a regular one and far from your old aptitude."

Why?

"Don't ask why. You gave me something much better than rat piss. So I gave you something much better than rat piss also. I'm a fair man."

Understandable, if I ever gave you something much better than that concoction would you improve my aptitude back to my old one?

"Sadly I can't. If I do it again I'll have to kill you, clean your memory, and return you back to an empty state. Then maybe we can make an even better aptitude than what you have before."

I'll pass that one.

"Okay good. So for now what I wanted is for you to offer any food you have once a day."

I'll write that down. What else?

"That's all. You can go back now."

Okay.

"All right. I'll send you back to your body. *pushes*"

---zip whoosh---

"Finally. I don't need to eat that pus."

.

.

.

Zap

My dreamlike state snapped awakening me from my slumber. It was night now. Time there really is much slower compared to here.

Looking at my hands, there was no more bottle of concoction but only a small bell. The five ducks turned into black ash and the ether stone now melted into nothing.

The bell looked rusted and aged. It has inscriptions that I don't understand which pique my interest.

So I really don't know all letters huh?

Someday I would like to ask him about these inscriptions. Oh, right what was his name again?

He forgot to give me his name then how am I gonna offer him some food?

I looked at the bell, hesitant to use it. But I need his name. He's a good fellow he won't be mad, right?

I picked the bell up and rang it softly.

Clang Clang Clang

A soft vibration flowed out of the bell softly hitting my body. An annoyed voice then resonated inside my head. "What?! I told you don't just ring it regularly."

"Forgive me. But you hadn't given me your name." I replied.

"I forgot. I am nobody and Nullus Deus is my given name. Don't forget tomorrow, I'll be waiting."

"Thank you. I'll remember your esteemed name."

"Drop the formalities. It sounds boring. Okay, don't ring it regularly remember that. Bye! The food too, don't forget." with that, his voice vanished inside my head.

Note: This sign ( _O_ ) is the small circle inside the Magic Circle where Lorenzo placed the ducks, idols/statues, and concoctions.