5 The First World

"Dad." The boy whispered to his father.

"Son. I just want you to know that, you're the best thing that ever happened to me." The father replied, clinging to his son. The scene itself would have been truly a dramatic one if it weren't for two factors.

One is that, the father actually views the new set of underwear his wife bought as the "best thing that ever happened" to him. But he can't tell that to his son. If he is really going to die and, by some miracle, his son survives, he wants to be remembered as the brave father who risked his life saving his son. Not as, the pervert father who thought of his wife's underwear as he vanished from existence.

The second point is that, they aren't going to die. The light they saw came from Zeke being flung down from the realm of the gods. As for the light, it came from the orb Sinclair shot at him as he jumped out of her realm.

"You can let go now; the light is gone." The child told his father.

���Huh?" The father looked around, holding his son's body and holding his own. He looked outside and it is now back to a normal dark night.

"Thank goodness!" He exclaimed; reminding himself to convert to the goddess of darkness once they returned home.

"Stay here son." He said as he went out of the carriage. The man looked around, measuring the possible distance of that light's fall. But before all that, they went to see who, or what it is that the light had brought.

…

"That probably would've been really dangerous." Zeke said, staring at the sky and thinking how he literally fell from heaven. He looked around himself trying to figure out where he is. There's nothing but darkness meaning, it's already night.

"Mister are you okay?" Zeke looked at the direction from where the voice came and saw a man holding a lamp.

"Great, just what I needed. A medieval setting." He told himself, knowing that a lamp would never be used in an era where there are flashlights and mobile phones.

"Yes, thank you." He replied; going through his body again and making sure that everything is still in their proper place.

"That was dangerous, were you hit by that light?" The man said, close enough for Zeke to make out his features clearly.

The man has dark hair, and brown skin. His eyes look like a bright red when close to the lamp although, it may turn into a different color when morning comes. He is a broad – shouldered man with toned muscles, meaning he is probably involved in work that requires a lot of physical strength.

"I think you are more dangerous." Zeke told himself, being wary of a possible assault.

"Dad what did you find?" Another voice came further back.

Now Zeke took a closer look at the surroundings, he noticed that there is a carriage wagon in the distance.

"That's probably owned by this man." Zeke thought while also thinking that, having someone shout "Dad" makes this beefed up man in front of him probably safe.

"Stay there son." The man replied to the boy who just spoke.

"It's dangerous to travel alone at night, do you have company?" He continued.

"I actually came from another continent. I got robbed by thieves as soon as I arrived here by ship. Now I'm completely broke and homeless." Was Zeke's reply. None of this is true of course, he just applied a bit of knowledge he acquired through playing games which are set on older times.

"You poor thing. Those are probably the Viper Bandits who did that to you." The man replied making Zeke think how it's a good thing that a commoner found him.

"If these were aristocrats or soldiers, I'd probably get locked up in jail." He thought to himself again.

"If you want., I can give you a lift until we reach town. I'll ask my wife if we can let you stay the night, but if she doesn't approve, I'll recommend you to a friend of mine. He can give you a huge discount." The man said with a wide smile on his face.

"Really sir?!" Zeke clasped his hands on the other person and made his voice sound very hopeful. If anything, he needs to show this man that he is really looking for help.

"Of course! Anything for a person in need!" The man said, strengthening his grip on Zeke's hands.

"Gee. Thanks. I'd really appreciate it if you don't break all the bones in my hands." Zeke told himself, feeling the agonizing pain but keeping a smile on his face.

"Can you walk?" The man said, thinking of carrying Zeke if he can't move on his own.

"I think so. Yeah." Zeke answered as he stretched his legs so the person he is talking to would believe him.

"Good!" The man replied, maintaining his brimming energy.

"My carriage is just a few steps away. there's enough room at the back to fit you. Though I gotta warn you, my son might irritate you a little. Hahaha." He continued, walking towards the carriage.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He said, turning to Zeke again.

"I'm Hark, my boy at the back is Keith." He extended his hand to Zeke as they shook hands. The form of greeting in this world is just like how it is on earth.

"I'm Zeke. Thanks for having me." Zeke responded and, with that, they went on their way.

…

"So where did you come from?" Keith asked, snugging himself next to Zeke.

"Keith, don't bother the poor man. Let him rest." Hark said, holding the reigns on the horses as we continued moving.

"It's fine sir, the kid just wants to know more." Zeke responded, with a smile on his face.

"Of course, it isn't actually fine. I'd place this boy under a steam roller in a heartbeat but, doing so is not part of my goal right now." Were the thoughts running through Zeke's head.

He isn't fond of physical contact after all, and this intensified even more when he started locking himself up on his room and playing games all day.

"You asked where I came from. Do you know of the other continents outside your own?" This is a trick question. Zeke is making Keith give him information about the world he got sent to.

"Well, mum and dad have told me about the continents ruled by the Beastmen, those that are ruled by the Elves, the Dwarves, and lastly…the ones ruled by the Demons."

"What about the ones ruled by human beings?" Zeke asked again, finding it strange that Keith did not mention any continent where humans rule.

"I told you he's tired Keith." Hark intervened.

"But dad. I want to know more." Keith said.

Zeke was still puzzled about the role of humankind on this world. But, for the moment he cannot ask any more and he cannot give any answers related to the continents as he still has pieces of information missing.

"I'll just describe my life before does that sound fair?" Zeke answered.

"Yes! Okay mister tell me!" Keith said, grabbing on to Zeke's arm.

"Seriously kid, have you ever heard of personal space?" Zeke thought to himself, holding back his face from making a disgusted look.

"Right." Zeke replied, grabbing the boy and making him sit at the other corner facing him.

"I'm sorry kid, I have little tolerance with your age group." He thought again.

"From where I came, I'm a very famous…uhm…coach! Yes, that's it. I teach people various things that they need in war and combat." It's not a complete lie. After all, most of the online games involve fighting and competition.

"Ohhh so can you help my dad and his group?" The boy replied.

"Keith!" Hark growled. This startled not only the boy but Zeke included. Hark's calm and collected stature crumbled a little bit from that shout, making Zeke think that there is probably something which Hark is hiding from him.

"Okay dad." The boy said, leaving their journey in a state of weird silence.

"Wait here." Zeke told Keith as he went to the side of his father.

"You surprised me back there." He told Hark in a light-hearted tone.

"I just don't like my son, picking on other people's business like that. If he continues growing like that, he'll just find himself in more difficult situations." Hark said, still with a stern look on his face.

"Well, he's your son, I can't tell you how to raise him." Zeke answered, making Hark look to his direction with a bit of surprise.

"Thank you." Hark said, giving Zeke an ominous feeling that, wherever he is right now, it sure as hell won't be wonderland.

"We're almost there, you should go to the back and get some shut eye." He told Zeke, now back to his usual upbeat voice.

"You're the boss." Zeke replied, stepping back inside the carriage and sitting next to Keith.

"You might fall off if you sleep like that." Zeke told Keith, seeing how the boy tries to sleep in a sitting position.

"Here, you can lean on me." He continued, pointing at his shoulder. Keith followed the suggestion willingly and scooched back next to Zeke.

"Is it really bad?" He mumbled to Zeke, probably so that his father wouldn't hear. Zeke knows what the boy is referring to, it's about asking questions. With this, Zeke gave him an honest reply.

"If you want to survive, don't ask too much." He remarked, making Keith's face turn all gloomy.

"But…" He continued, patting the top of the boy's head. "…if you want to be human, never stop asking."

"Thanks mister." The boy said, falling into sleep reassured.

Zeke quickly followed this lead, and allowed his body to shut down for now. While this happened, the Gamer's System activated inside Zeke's head.

[Optimizing the Gamer's System]