Chapter 5

Tom can't feel his body. Pitch black was all over him. He wasn't sure if it is his sight. It is nothingness. He himself felt he wasn't even there.

"Tom." a voice sounded. It reverberated.

"Tom." another sound spoke. It was blurring, cracking noise.

"Tom!" a loud call waved through his ear. It was a girl's voice.

Tom's eyes blast opened and he made a sudden gasp. He hyperventilated a few moments, breathing air in and out.

Where am I? The question formed in his head. He felt his legs and his arms. He pushed his body up against the floor and took a seat.

He was still breathing hard, when he saw everything around him, violet and black bunch of clouds and smoke. He wasn't sure if those are clouds.

"You are too hard to wake up, dumb ass." a voice from behind him spoke out. She's far from where he is.

Tom turned his head. He saw a girl wearing a black torn hoodie, like a trash bag that covers her entire body. She is almost the same age as him and has pink hair and fair complexion. She was sitting on a flying giant sphere.

"Wait, what? Where am I? Who are you?" Tom pushed himself against the floor with his legs to get away.

The girl flew and slowly landed on her feet right in front of him.

"I am Hera." the girl moved her head right in Tom's nose.

Tom gulped as he met her gaze. She was blank. She moved her head away and stood straight.

"As far as I can remember, you desired something important that you even tried defying reason, young man." the girl crossed her arms and turned her back against him. She continued, "I heard your mind that night about the multiverse. You even felt the world where I got you wasn't even yours am I right?"

Tom got a grip on his hands and stood on his feet. The girl is still at her back on him.

Tom asked, "Am I dead already?"

The girl turned and answered, "Dead? No. Not yet. Because I got you from that world you are in. But I can bring you back and let you die, instead."

"What?" Tom staggered back and flustered.

"Yes. I don't know what will happen to you in any second but still I got you from there." she answered.

"Wait! Am I dreaming right? And maybe I am already in a coma after that fall." Tom said, while stretching his arms on his front. Hhis mouth trembled. His teeth gritted.

"Of course not. The time in the world where you live is currently paused." the girl said.

She flew slowly and sit on her sphere. She put her arm on her chin and looked Tom for few moments. Her face is still blank.

She said, "You are right about what you thought last night, but suicide wasn't the right way to go to this place and to another world. So I pushed you and now, you are here."

"So I was murdered?" Tom replied. His eyes never left her. He still shakes.

"I told you, you weren't dead." the girl said. She continued, "I got you here to have a deal with you. In your world, I am a part of greek mythology, but here I am, in another world, I exist like this, a tangible mythical being and I can grant wishes because I had mythical powers."

Tom startled. He asked, "And that means, the shrines are a gateway to another world?"

"Time lines to be precise. And you are right, those gateways are what I call worm holes. As to how I got you is none of your business." the girl explained.

"What do you want from me in return, if perhaps I agree with your terms?" Tom clasped his hand.

Though still vague, a strange bliss filled his mind. What he thought could be real. His wish has something even greater to offer for him. Could it be? Or he will be in a greater mess? He just doesn't care right now. He wanted to live happily again. He wanted to play volleyball again. He wanted to be the Little Giant again. He wanted to find that bliss of winning again. A thought uttered on his mind, I wanted to go back in time then.

"I can hear your mind, you know." the girl said straight to him. "Let us have a contract, Tom Dylan."

"Okay!" Tom shouted without hesitation.

"Alright." The girl motioned her hand in her front. Tom felt his body was lifting against the floor. He floated right in front of her. She looked at him with a nearly frowning face. She said, "Getting easily waved with your thoughts of desire. Anyway, that's your problem."

"What are you going do to me?" Tom asked. He never lost his eyes on her face. His nervousness faded.

"I will bring you back in that time you play as you but I have conditions." the girl said, while her other hand is on her chin.

"I can't let you forget your memory of you in this present, or simply, that world's probable future." She sighed and stood from the sphere. She continued, "You can't forget what you are right now in order to return to your current time."

Tom flustered. His eyes had gone big and his pupils dilated.

The girl furthered speaking, "This is a game, Tom Dylan. I want you to play the game I played before, but this time, you have to do it in a volleyball way."

"The game you play? I don't know who you are, how would I know?" he burst out.

"Future oracle game. In that game, whoever wins, become the new king or queen of that world. Players are capable of knowing the future of their opponents by means of their future oracle." She answered. She continued, "But in your case, nobody else should win, except you. You have to play all those tournaments all over again. If you win the nationals, then you can return to the original world you are in."

Tom gulped. Goosebumps reverberated through his skin as the chills run up to his back.

"If not, that means you breached this contract and you will be trapped there, until your existence fade and you'll die." She said. She pointed her hand on him. She said, "One more thing, do not act what you are now to that world. Don't act like you already knew what will happen. Don't bring the elements of your present time to the past. I will immediately terminate our deal in case. I am looking at you, remember that."

"Wa-wait, how would I know what I should do?" Tom shivered. He clasped his hands. He asked, "What if I did it accidentally?"

"It is just your apprehensions that will hinder you. Get rid of it immediately and act like normal. You would know if the contract's breached if the pieces of your memory fade and worse, if you never knew it had faded. That world will slowly eat you and you will be trapped." She explained.

Tom's thoughts are scrambling on his head. He didn't know what should do. But he committed already. A lot of possibilities roamed his mind. He can't stop thinking as the mechanics slowly sink on his head.

"You have to win. Remember, it was only you who will play again. They did it in the past. They never knew you are playing with them again. How will affect the future is based on what you did to them." The girl said.

"How could I talk to you when you bring me back?" he asked suddenly.

"Just go back to the shrine. But make sure, nothing will suspect you. Remember, you are playing the future oracle game. Anything you do will account changes in the future." She crossed her arms on her chest. She added, "You could also see me in magazine bookstores and greek museum. I am more known as, Psyche."

Tom looked at her straight on her eyes. He began to fell being ready for anything. Without his own comprehension, he smiled. He immediately felt something, perhaps a terrifying fact was unbeknownst to him about her. But he didn't care. There is something more than this girl wants. He knows a greater price he has to pay.

The entire time was quite unbearable for him.

But in few seconds, everything seemed to go beyond what he expected.

He opened his eyes and the surprised burst his chest pounding.

The Game of the Future Oracle wasn't fun at all. Playing games isn't good most of the time, especially that one. No, it will never be.