A Surprising Turn of Events

... What the heck? I guess I'm still half-asleep or rather, half-dead because the words I just heard with abnormal clarity are nothing short of nonsense. Naturally, saying that face first would be rather inconsiderate and enough to warrant losing perhaps my final encounter with another human. That would be the last thing I'd want in my current circumstances where I could drop dead at any moment now. Regarding that, it's like I have terminal lucidity or something, except I'm not some old man although being on the brink of death does apply to me.

The lady in front of me seems only a few years younger than me but is more caught up in her delusions than someone with the 8th-grade syndrome. Not that I would know since I've never met someone with it.

I not one to consider others for the most part but it seems that fending for myself has taken a toll on my mental. I'm more worried about appearing rude to some stranger I met not even a minute ago than I would to 'friends' I've had for years at the moment. That doesn't really mean much though when you consider how those 'friends' of mine had treated me when I was at my lowest. Even a pushover like me had my limits then.

With the little time I have left in this god-forsaken place, I'll play along with her for now. Just as how others have done the same to me my whole life.

"The ruling deity of Elara?! Your reverence Phaidra herself is here to answer the woes of this lost lamb. For that, there's nothing in this world I'm more grateful for! Your presence alone is enough to expunge all that has ridden me with worries!"

When I thought about it for a bit longer, amidst the silence that was practically tangible through the air, I see no reason to spend my final moments with some stranger. I'd much rather spend that time looting a humble store or two with the skills I've developed during my time on the streets. My last expenditure had a slight mishap or two but such unfortunate incidences are a chance in a million. My recent odds say otherwise but that alone isn't enough to stop me from getting my hands on a delectable hamburger and some Coke.

"Ha, your reaction is a first, that most I'm sure of. Is it because of the technological and liberal arts advancements in this world? The mortals here are rather open-minded. I should take notes."

I was expecting negative feedback but to think the complete opposite would happen. Even a child passing by could tell that I was being sarcastic or at least indulging in her hobbies. And is she actually taking notes?! A notepad of some sort had appeared out of thin air with some fascinating visual effects to add on, like that of a certain mascot of a video game that comes and goes. It remained suspended in the air before the young lady took hold of it, grabbed the pen attached to it, and took notes with a serious expression, much like that of a studious student prepping for a major test.

Dumbfounded was an understatement of my current feelings. I'm sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me and it was much too abnormal and sudden to call it a magic trick. The antique-styled notepad had quite literally manifested itself out of thin air and stayed there for a good moment or two. There was neither a quick hand movement to indicate some sort of deception nor equipment to help nearby in this desolate area.

To add on as I remained puzzled, the notepad vanished just as suddenly and mysteriously as when it first appeared a few moments later. The clouds of visual effects to go with were much as puzzling as the identity of the young lady before him.

"Cool isn't it? I took a page from the mortals of this world. Calling the products governed by his rule fascinating is a disservice. They've been rather useful in proving my identity without doing anything too extra. I could do more if you still don't believe me. Such as... this!"

In perfect coordination with her words, a certain special combo from my favorite restaurant appeared before my eyes. Full package and all, she even got me the toy I used to like as a kid to go with it! Color me surprised! How considerate!

"I'm not done yet. A change of scenery is due for a special occasion like this. As an apology for getting you involved in my circumstances, I'll give you front-row seats to the beautiful world of Elara!"

With the snap of her finger, my perception distorted as if I was laundry thrown into the washer that was turned on max. Although it seemed like I was in every direction at all times, in the time it took for me to blink, my field of vision returned to normal. That instance which felt like an eternity was but a fleeting moment. Luckily, I had yet to eat for weeks so there was nothing for me to vomit even if I wanted to. Even then, I had only felt slight discomfort despite the seemingly rough venture.

By the time my senses had returned, the snow and sky covered in clouds had disappeared. What was now beheld before my own eyes could be described with one word: beautiful. The myriad of sights that stood out were too many to count, too magical to comprehend, and nothing short of otherworldly. I wanted to think of more befitting words to describe my current feelings but my mind drew a blank. How can one word alone describe the current sights before me? But simplicity is the essence everything and I could not think of no other word but beauty. The congregation of nature before me was the embodiment of that word, beauty at its finest, in all it's glory!

Unknowingly, I had already taken a few bites of my meal and a couple of sips as I remained seated from my position with an astonished expression. What had finally drawn me back to reality was when I thought about how small everything seemed from way up here. That's when I realized that I was up several hundreds of meters, in another world, with a higher being who was now watching some sort of drama while eating tons of snacks, while all at the same time being suspended in mid-air as if there was an invisible platform beneath us.

At this point in time, there isn't much I can say about my current situation. No matter how I twist it, or how hard I try pinching myself, I've somehow gotten involved with some manner of deity from another world. The forests of trees the sizes of skyscrapers in the distance, the dragons, and wyverns flying past us at Mach speed, the mountain ranges behind us with a gigantic hole piercing through several layers of them. All signs point to a reasonable conclusion.

Most notable of all is the majestic castle at the core of a city that stretched as far as the eye could see. Even from this distance, it strikes me as a formidable stronghold despite its residential areas taking up most parts of the city. Back on Earth, I was fortunate enough to visit major sights of the world and what would best compare to this is the European medieval-style fortress and castles situated at crucial points.

Nothing short of astonishing. To think nature could be so sublime.

Despite all the resources that had been available to me and how actively I was participating in all sorts of fields, I actually didn't have many hobbies that felt thrilling to me. Playing instruments, for instance, was something I really enjoyed at first, enough so that I practiced extensively. But, it didn't take long for me to grow weary of it as I forced myself to go through with my practice lessons. Perhaps because I wasn't practicing at my own pace did I feel like music had become forced upon me.

Thinking about it like that, nature has appealed to me on more occasions than I initially thought. It seems that my desire for autonomy and self-determination led to an interest in Mother Nature. All the more so why the view before me feels magnified tenfold.

Taking it all in took a while as I regained my focus after a long period of silence. Phaidra seemed to have just about wrapped up her show as well seeing as though her bursts of laughter and crunching sounds had just about died out.

"All settled?" She had been waiting patiently for me to piece everything together. She has a thorough understanding of my character and can probably read my mind it appears with how promptly she responds on such occasions. It's been tens of minutes now and I had just about finished my meal as well, delightfully so, which I am eternally grateful for, to start off.

"It's nothing. As I said, an apology gift for the sudden introduction. Think of it as your new neighbor moving into your area and arriving with gifts."

Well, that just about confirms my theories as much as any other aspects of our conversations have.

"Haha, is that so? Well, I believe a thank you is still most fitting for such a gift when I ever so desperately needed it. That much, even I can acknowledge. "

Although we haven't said much, she has been rather friendly and understanding of my situation, which I appreciate much more than she may think. It's been rough for me and such a breather was just what helped best.

"Your thoughts speak for themselves but you think rather little of yourself. Usually, I'd be more than willing to lend an ear for a special guest like you but I'm kinda in a hurry here so I do apologize for that."

"No need at all. I appreciate the thought itself, um... your divinity."

Saying that I was nervous is underplaying how I felt. I obviously didn't believe her beforehand and foolishly mocked her. Even though she doesn't appear to have taken it to heart, it doesn't mean what I did or said didn't happen. Luckily, I haven't done much else or things could've turned poorly.

"You can drop the formalities. I've never been a stickler for that kinda stuff, unlike a certain someone I know. Feel free to speak comfortably and be at ease knowing that I don't read others' thoughts regularly. Just Phaidra is okay."

"I see. So, what do you need me to do? I can't say much about my capabilities but I'll do my best in providing whatever help you may need from someone like me."

"...You've got it all figured out. As expected. Well, then there's no longer any need to beat around the bush. To start with, I'll explain your current circumstances and how they tie into mine as detailed as possible since I'm at fault."

"Just an hour ago, at 29 years old, you died of blood loss."