Rex

"Aaaaahhhhhh!"

Breathing heavily, and in confusion Arthur starts rambling. "Huh? What's happening? Didn't I just, die? And what was Romanov talking about? He passed all his power to me? Man this is so complicated. Pull yourself together Arthur, you're just overthinking it."

Arthur wakes up confused and distorted. He has experienced something no human could comprehend.

"Ok-ok, let's figure out what's going on first"

He checks the calendar and realizes that he is back to the morning before everything happened.

"If I'm right, James should call right about…now," He says, looking at his phone in anticipation.

And as he predicted, he receives a call from James.

"Alright, it seems I remember everything correctly. Now all I need to do is get mom before It's too late," He says, swiftly getting off bed and putting on clothes, before rushing out.

Arthur runs out of the house and heads straight for his mom's workplace.

"Man, maybe I should've exercised more like James suggested. I'm so tired, but I can't stop, mom's life is in danger and I'm the only one who can save her," He says, his hands on his knees as he gasps for air.

He continues running and finally arrives at the office. He rushes into the office, pushing through several doors and looking for his mom.

"Where is she? Mom!" He yells, checking door after door.

"Arthur what's wrong? Why're you here?" A soft concerned voice asks from behind him, followed by a hand touching his shoulder. "Did something happen? You know I'm busy."

He swiftly turns, relieved to have finally found her, before speaking. "Mom we have to go now."

"I'm not done yet, tell me what's wrong," She asks, putting on a worried expression on her face.

"I don't have time to explain, just please trust me, I promise to tell you on the way," He says, holding her hand and rushing towards the door.

"Alright Arthur, let's g-"

She gets cut off as the ground begins to shake, chandeliers shaking and lights flickering.

"What was that?" Jane asks, looking up at the ceiling that looks like it'll collapse any moment.

"Oh no, it's already begun. We have to go, now!" He yells, dragging her and pushing through doors.

Arthur holds onto his mom's hand as they head towards the exit. By the time they get outside, it is already chaos. Monsters chasing people and dead bodies everywhere.

"What's on earth is happening?" She asks, her voice trembling as she places her hand over her mouth.

"…"

He doesn't answer as he is too focus on escaping their current predicament. He just quietly continued dragging her along as he avoids rubble and falling debris. After running for ten minutes straight, he finally finds a place to hide, under an already collapsed building.

"You know what's going on, don't you?" She asks, looking him straight in the eyes.

He nods as he tells her everything, about his dream, the revelation given to him by Romanov, even his regression. Jane couldn't believe what she was hearing and just stared at him as we went on.

"Sigh, this is all so hard to take in," She says, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I know mom, but right now it's better if we find a better place to hide. The longer we stay the more dangerous it'll get," He says, peeking through the cracks at the roaming monsters.

"But where will we go?"

"The forest isn't that far away, we'll be able to make it there in 30 minutes if we move now. There should be less monsters around."

"How do you know that?" She asks, tilting her head as she looks at him.

"I can't explain it. Please just trust me on this."

"Alright, let's go."

•••

"Okay mom this should be far enough," He says, looking around.

"You were right, there aren't any monsters around here. What're we gonna do now?" She asks.

"Umm look for somewhere we can stay for the mean time. Oh, look over there it's a cave and it's also close to the river so we'll have some water to drink," He says, walking towards the cave.

"But what if there's something inside the cave?"

"I'll go and check it out, you wait here."

"Alright. Please be careful."

He gently walks towards the cave. When he reaches the entrance to the cave he pauses and turns on his phone's flash light, slowly shining it around the cave before speaking. "It seems to be clear. Mom, it's all clear, we can stay here."

"That's good to hear."

They enter the cave and before the knew it night fell. Exhausted from all they've been through, they immediately fall asleep.

[…]

"Ugh," Arthur groans, his eyelids flickering as he tries to open them.

[…thur.]

"Huh? Where…"

[Arthur!]

"This familiar feeling, this dark space, Romanov?" He asks, expecting to her the same familiar voice.

[No.]

"Who are you? And where am I right now?"

[One question at a time.]

"…."

[Okay I am that mark on your hand, and this is your consciousness Arthur.]

"My consciousness?"

[Yes, and this is where you will train to unseal all the power within you.]

"Who are you?"

[Gosh, I just told you that.]

"I mean…don't you have a name?"

[Well I don't have one yet. You'll have to give me a name.]

"Hmm," He says, placing his hand on his chin as he thinks.

[You seem to be confused. Okay I'll introduce myself again. I am that mark on your hand, Lord Romanov created me so that I can help you with anything you need. I'm what you humans refer to as a guide and I'll tell you everything you need to know. Do you understand?]

"I think I get it now. Wait, the feeling I got back then, was that you? Were you the one who led me here?"

[Yes, that was me.]

"I don't even know where to start from," He claims.

[Let's start by giving me a name.]

"A name huh? How about Rex?"

[Rex…I love it!]

"I have a question."

[Ask away!]

"It feels like I've been here for hours. Why is that?" He asks, scratching his head in confusion.

[Oh I forgot to mention this but the time here moves differently from the outside world.]

"How different exactly?"

[You could take it as though time stops outside when you're in here,but not completely , so don't have to worry about anything outside.]

"Okay I understand. But will this place always be this dark?"

[Not at all, that can be changed. Now close your eyes, concentrate and picture what you want this place to look like.]

"Concentrate, huh? Alright I'll give it a try."

Arthur inhales and exhales gently, picturing the apartment he used to live in.

[Now open your eyes.]

"Woah, it looks just like our house."

[Cool right? You can do anything you want in this space.]

"Hey Rex. Why did Romanov choose me out of all the people in the world."

[The lord chose you because he saw hope in you.]

"I don't understand."

[Starting now, I'll tell you everything Arthur.]

[END]

To be continued…