Our Link

Jonathan: "Hey."

Me: "... Hey."

Jonathan heartily greeted me when I somehow, somewhat stumbled inside of his house and he seemed to be pleased with my presence.

Me: "So...?"

Jonathan: "Hush. Have a drink first."

He offered me a small cup of warm tea which suddenly out of nowhere appeared in his hand, gently handing them to me.

The cup was not there before but it just....there.

I politely take his offer as I grab the teacup gently from his hand and watch the reflection of my face as it reflected idly on the warm surface of golden water of sweetness and comfort.

I take a sit on the woven chair that I think that made out of rattan considering by the smell of its fibre.

A chair?

Wait... I'm... We're both sitting outside of Jonathan's veranda.

Jonathan: "Please, drink. Before it gets cold. No one loves a frigid tea now, do we?"

Me: "Yeah. Thanks for the tea."

I put my lips on the edge of the cup and took a small sip of the sweet tea blend as it slides down through my throat, quenching the thirst that I'd barely noticed myself.

The heat that's flushing inside my body from the tea was a very pleasant feeling for my soul as my mind began to feel lighter as I finish drinking my tea to its very last drop. Despite the heat comes from the tea, it was oddly receptive for the moment.

Our environment is also very welcoming as the breeze was as well blowing softly along the golden, dusty, sand road that's stretching in front of us, swaying the small weeds on the side of the road casually.

The reasonable warmth that's beaming from the sun is also occasionally acceptable as Jonathan and I are both relaxing under the roof of his veranda.

Everything here is just...

Perfect.

Me: "Haa~ That was good tea. How did you make it?"

I lazily stare at the empty cup that's kept in my hand, waiting for Jonathan to reply to my question.

Jonathan: "....."

Me: "Jonathan....where is Noah?"

I asked randomly at Jonathan who's also sitting silently on another woven chair next to me.

A cold sensation then abruptly crawls itself down to my spine as Jonathan eerily turns his head to look at me.

Our surroundings surprisingly turn dark as everything disperses itself into nothing from the chair, teacup, veranda, floor, everything...wisps itself from existence.

It was like I was falling into a deep, dark labyrinth but at the same felt like I was suffocating, drifting into the deepest ocean.

Everything is falling apart, leaving me and Jonathan alone in a cold void.

Jonathan: "Don't you remember?"

Me: "What?"

Jonathan: "You killed both of us."

Me: "Huh!? W-what are you talking about!?"

Jonathan: "You... Killed me. You... Killed Noah. You... Killed everyone... That's standing around you. You are cursed.... To lose.... Everything you love."

Me: "N-no! How could you say that! I would never do that to you! To Noah!"

Jonathan(?): "Y-you a-are curs-sed..."

Jonathan's voice started to become distorted, deeper, echoed along with the empty void, word after another.

Is it really Jonathan that I'm talking to right now?

Me: "Jonathan?.... No..... Who... Are you?"

????: "HAHAHAHA!"

Jonathan suddenly let out a deep, horrifying laugh. Horrid enough that makes the fur behind of my neck bristles in fear as it responding to his laugh.

Cold sweats begin to flood itself down from my paws and forehead, dripping beads from the tips of my fur.

This can't be real!

It can't be!

What did he mean about me being cursed!?

A huge shadow then emerges itself menacingly from behind of Jonathan's back.

Those huge red eyes which are staring at me like it was looking straight into my soul, lingering within the blazing shadow begins to rise itself from Jonathan upwards and is getting bigger and bigger and then....

...It disappears.

The shadow creature went into a cloud of smoke just like that without a trace.

...including Jonathan.

Now I'm all alone, in this endless space of emptiness.

But not for long.

A familiar phenomenon of me being transferred to somewhere else as my body paralleled itself somewhere deep in a forest.

The Nutur Forest.

My body quickly receives the cold sensation of the night of the forest as I hover my eyes to my surroundings to verify my whereabouts.

But I failed to recognize the place on where I'm standing.

But the scent...

Something smells familiar.

It's....

Noah!

????: "AAAAHHHH!!!"

Out of the blue, I heard a high pitch scream that was likely came from a boy nearby.

That sounds like Noah!

I hastily run myself towards the dreadful screaming that I confidently suspected it to be Noah's.

Oh gods, please! Please do not let anything bad happens to him! I beg you!

I push myself against the bushes of the forest, scraping myself here and there as a result of running carelessly into the dense, dark forest but...

... But I don't care what's happening to me! All I care right now is about Noah's safety!

Please, I hope that I get myself to Noah just in time!

-Later-

Finally, about a minute later, the short trip of running inside of a dark forest comes to its end as I find myself out of the forest when the bright soft moonlight embraces itself onto the land I'm standing.

That's when I saw Noah.....

....have already got eaten by a Develling.

The child's blood splattered everywhere on the ground, painting the ground with its crimson liquid glistened by the innocent moonlight.

Loud crunching bones could be heard from the monster in every chew it makes on Noah's body which half of his small body could be seen hanging in its jaws lifelessly.

I kneel myself on the ground as the pain wavers itself as my knees hit the ground hard with a thud, devastated by the certain scene I'm witnessing in front of me.

....I was too late.

Me: "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

I screamed... I screamed with all my heart as my mind blinded with nothing but only despair, agony, sadness, anger, rage and wrath.

I quickly summon my ninjato sword and ragingly dash myself towards the wretched monster that's currently indulging every drop of blood coming out from Noah's body.

Me: "YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!!"

I exclaimed myself at the monster while running myself towards it without any hesitation.

...

.... No.

.... This can't be.

I slow down my pace as I get myself a clearer picture of what's truly happening here.

I drop my sword thus making a metallic clanking sound as the blade falls itself onto the ground, shattered as my heart crushed by the truth of the dreadful event.

The monster that's devouring Noah mercilessly...

....

....is me.

....

....

Me: "Aaaaaahhhh!"

I woke myself up from a terrible nightmare as I yelled in horror from my sleep.

Me: "Holy shit! The hell was that!?"

I exclaimed to myself at the back of my mind.

Ouh, thank goodness it was just a dream.

What a horrible nightmare to have and that's the first time that I had one in a long seven years of my life.

But....what did I just dream about just now?

...

Meh, that's not important.

The important thing that needs to think about right now is...

WHY THE FUCK AM I HANGING UPSIDE DOWN ON A FUCKING TREE BRANCH!!??

I'm currently hanging on a tree branch with both of my legs hooked on it like a giant bat.

How the hell did I get up here!?

Confusion aside, I need to get myself in a proper position other than being upside down before everything I've consumed before finds it way out from my body itself.

Using my calculations, I attempt to bend my torso upwards and stretch one of my arms to grab on the branch whilst swinging my body carefully not to fall.

From my perspective, the height between me and the ground is just a good amount of height for me to break my neck so I need to be very careful to not let anything bad happen to me.

I continue myself by swinging my torso steadily upwards, straight for the branch, reaching my hand towards it while both of my legs still hangs on the branch and....

I did it!

I grab my hand on the branch with a strong grip simultaneously let go of my legs from the branch as I immediately grasp my other hand on it.

As I'm not in an upside down position anymore, I swiftly swing my body on the branch like I used to do on the monkey bar at the park when I was a pup and bring myself up and sit on the branch as it makes a soft, creaking sound, bouncing a bit from the motion I made.

I look down in awe at the ground below me as I assumed it to be about five metres high of me from the ground.

Me: "Well, that was not so bad. Now I need to find out on how did I get here. Ugh, my head is a bit fuzzy right now."

I crossed my legs as I was trying to balance myself on the branch, trying not to make any much of movements as I took a deep breath and let out a long exhale and repeat the breathing exercise.

A good, relaxing meditation is all it needs to remember what happened to my current situation.

(3 Hours ago)

(In the cave)

Noah: "But... I don't know how to use a phone."

Me: "Don't worry. It's easy."

I took out my phone and showed him how to turn on the phone by pushing the power button.

His phone screen soon began to illuminate, showing his home screen in a default wallpaper display.

Noah: "This is so weird."

Me: "You'll be fine. It's just a small piece of technology."

After that, I told him to open the 'Contact' app by tapping his finger at the phone shaped icon.

The screen then smoothly changed itself and shows a whole list of phone contacts I'd added ages ago.

Me: "Do you see the numbers that were written here?"

Noah: "Yeah?"

Me: "I need you to press it."

At the moment when he tapped the numbers on the name selection row, my phone ringtone rang out a loud melodic tone in my hand as it resonances along the cave.

Noah: "W-w-what's happening with your thing!?"

I accidentally laughed at him.

Probably a bit louder than I'd expected.

Me: "Jeez. Calm down a little. It's just a ringtone."

Noah frowned his eyebrows, tilting his head as his face can still be seen filled only with complication.

I brought myself up from the ground and walked away further from Noah, deeper into the cave.

Noah: "W-where are you going!?"

Ignoring his question, I proceeded to walk deeper and halted my pace on a certain distant, metres away from Noah.

I looked at my phone which was still ringing rhythmically in my hand and silenced it as I answered the call after I swiped the answer button upwards on the screen of my phone with my finger.

Me: "Hello?"

Noah's phone(Me): "Hello?"

Noah flinched in shock by my voice that came out suddenly through from his phone and almost slipped it from his grasp but he instantly caught it back into his hands and instinctively put the phone near his ear.

Noah: "Hey! I can hear you! Well....kinda."

Noah covered his other side of his ear to keep the noises out because of the rain that kept drizzled continuously from time to time.

Noah's phone(Me): "Amazing, isn't it? This way we can talk with each other whenever or wherever we want to. So if we ever got separated we could always reach out to each other no matter how far we are."

Noah: "That's... That's so cool! But are you sure you want to give this magic item to me just like that?"

Noah's phone(Me): "First, it's not a magic item. It's a 'phone'. Get it right. Second, who said that I'm going to give it to you for free?"

Noah: "I knew it. But I don't have any money... Well, I do have a bit with me but it was given by my father for us to spend on the trip."

Noah's phone(Me): "Idiot. I don't want your money either."

Noah: "Then?"

Noah's phone(Me): "In order for you to keep the phone, I have one specific order for you."

Noah: "Which is?"

Noah's phone(Me): "Which is that you have to keep it close to yourself and never lose it to someone else's hands. Or I'll take it away from you and will never give it back to you ever again. Understood?"

Noah: "Y-yes, sir!"

I ended the call as a soft click sound clicked at the end of Noah's phone.

Noah: "H-hello? Bal?"

I walked back straight to our campsite nonchalantly and sat on my original sitting place.

Noah: "Oh, you're back."

Me: "Yo. So, as we've discussed the condition of keeping the phone, please do take care of it."

Noah: "I will."

I nod silently in approval.

After then, I taught him some other useful features and capabilities of the phone such as flashlights, taking photos, video recording, music gallery, etc.

I also had explained to him about how the phone call worked in this world without needing any help from a satellite.

Well, the resolution of this problem was quite simple as it solely connected within my power/magic.

As I've mentioned before, my magic is called Techno Magic and with the privilege of being the wielder of magic that could control any network system with ease, instead, I created a new one for myself.

It's called 'Magic Network'.

Back in Agrian, I've invented a microchip that had been infused with Magic Network using my magic aura and programmed it to connect to any devices that had a similar link to the microchip.

Let's take an example of my phone and Noah's.

Both of my phone and his have the same microchips engraved inside of its system. Therefore, we could contact each other by using Magic Network as both of our phones have the same microchips linked together.

The best part of this invention is that it has an unlimited range of device's link as we can contact each other no matter how far we're apart.

Furthermore, this Magic Network microchip could similarly act as a ghost chip as other personnel than myself couldn't track my devices or any devices that were linked to the microchips.

In another word, only I have the access to control and monitor the real-time activity of my Magic Network system.

This Magic Network was an early project of mine as it was not known to the public.... Yet.

That's because I need to consider more about the project's safety as it also could be dangerous if it gets to the wrong hand.

-A few minutes later-

Me: "It's late now. We need to get some sleep. We have to wake up early for tomorrow, aren't we?"

Noah: "Yeah. Then, who'll going to take the first night watch?"

Me: "Eh? Do we really have to?"

Noah sighed.

Noah: "Of course we have to. We're literally sleeping in the middle out of nowhere and you expect us to sleep safe and sound in a freaking cave deep inside of a forest!?"

Me: "That's a good point."

Noah: "Of course it is!"

Me: "Aight, I'll take the first shift then."

Noah: "Are you sure?"

Me: "Yeah, you're just a kid. Need to save that energy of yours for tomorrow's journey."

Noah: "I'M NOT A KID!"

Me: "Shhhhh. Just go to sleep."

Noah scoffed sarcastically at me just like Jonathan did once at me before as he wrapped himself inside of a sleeping bag of the sort.

Me: "Hey, no goodnight wish for me?"

Noah: "Goodnight!"

He wished at me begrudgingly from inside of his little cocoon.

How adorable.

I took out a sleeping bag from my inventory and laid it next to the fireplace, not too near though as I'm not trying to burn my bed and sat on it while doing my job securing the place for the night.

Wait, he doesn't tell me on how long should I stay awake.

....shit.

-An hour and a half later-

The rain has been pouring for hours now since the first time we got here in this cave.

The sound of fire, popping and crackling in its fireplace as it scorches those tiny twigs and leaves into ash and cinder was kinda relaxing to begin with.

My eyes were also getting heavier as I was listening to the soothing, rhythmical raining sound from outside and not to mention about the cold that's kept urging me to fall into my slumber.

I yawned tiredly as I attempted to keep my eyes open for more couple minutes but it was futile regardless of me trying to keep myself awake.

As I was about to shut my eyes close, I felt the floor inside of the cave slowly to shake by itself.

Me: "Hm? Huh? What?"

I was taken back by the unexpected phenomenon that occurred by the moment and my eyes were wide open as the floor keeps to increase the power of its grumbling for seconds.

...And it quickly stopped by itself.

As my gut told me to wake Noah up which I did, he was utterly confused as he was still in a half asleep condition after I woke him up.

Me: "Hey, Noah. Wake up!"

Noah: "Uhh...father.....just....just let me sleep for another one minute. I'll be up for....for training later....zzzzz....."

....this kid...is acting just exactly like me when I got forced to wake up in my room to finish my paperwork!

...

Hold on....it's not the time for validation.

Me: "NOAH! WAKE UP!"

I shouted at him exhaustedly but loud enough to wake him up from his sleep.

Noah: "Waaahhh!"

Noah then loudly screamed at whatever he screams at with all his might as he jumped out from his fur covered sleeping bag.

Noah: "Oh, it's just you. What is it? Is it my turn for the night watch?"

Me: "Wha- No! There's no time for that! Didn't you feel the ground shaking earlier?"

Noah: "Ermm? What is shaking again?"

Me: "The ground!"

Noah: "What? You're just being delusional. I guess you should take a break and get yourself some sleep. Let me handle the night watch."

Me: "Noah, I'm serious!"

Noah: "Uhuh, and the stars start to fall down from the sky too. Just go to sleep, Bal."

Grrrr.

I sighed defeatedly.

Me: "I...I guess you're right. I think I need to clear my mind for a moment."

As I was about to tuck myself into my sleeping bag, a strong wind current then extensively blew out from the inner part of the cave.

Noah: "The hell?"

Me: "Umm, Noah?"

The cave floor began to shake again but with the power that I've never felt before.

Noah: "Yeah?"

We're both stared at the dark hallway of the cave which leads to the inner part intently.

Me: "I guess we're in trouble."

Soon, a massive turbulence of flash flood surfs itself down from the inner part of the cave, rushing through its course straight towards us at a horrifying speed.

Noah: "You think!?"

Me: "I've told you that there's something weird is happening!"

I hurriedly got myself out from the sleeping bag which I chose to leave it behind thus grabbed Noah by his waist and carried him on my right shoulder, sprinting myself to the fullest to get ourselves away from the flood that's rushing out from the cave desperately for our lives.

Noah: "Dammit! Not this again!"

Me: "Shut up! I'm trying to save your life, dumbass!"

There! The exit! I saw it! We're close!

Me: "We're almost there! Hang on tight, kid!"

Noah: "Wait! My backpack! I need my backpack!"

Me: "Your life is more important! And I've told you to let me store it in my inventory! Now stop your whining!"

As I barely reached myself for the exit, the flood was more faster than I'd expected as it caught up with my speed as I've miscalculated our escape plan horribly.

Noah: "Bal! It's getting closer! Hurry up!"

Me: "You're not the one who's carrying a person!"

Noah: "Bal!-"

A strong force then harshly pushed me away forward as the flood had already drowned me in freezing, dark water thus making me to accidentally to let got of Noah from my grasp.

Me: "Blupblupblupblupblupblup! Bl-Noaahhhh!- blupblupblup!"

The flood had drifted us away far out from the cave.

The storm that's still happening right at the scene with thunders and lightning, booming and flashing continuously from the dark sky which unified exclusively for this dark moment.

I swam myself up to the surface, gasping greedily for air as I shouted myself for Noah.

Me: "Noah!"

Noah: "Bal! Help me!"

A quick response can be heard from afar but as disastrous as it is, I saw nothing but darkness developing my vision as I got drifted away by the strong current further from Noah.

Me: "Noah! I'll come for you! Just survive!"

I'm not giving up yet! It's my priority to save Noah's life! I can't give up now! Not now! Not ever!

Despite the darkness plus the blurry sight caused by the splashing rain dropped on the surface of the water, I determined myself to swim across the flood to find Noah even though I know it was useless but it was at least the thing I can do for the time.

I swam and I swam.

My arms and legs were getting cramped because of the overworking muscle, fighting against the current as I've committed myself to find Noah, using my burning will as my only fuel to regain my strength in saving him.

I....can't give up!

Without warning, a large tree trunk drifted itself towards me simultaneously hit me right on the head.

(The present)

Then, a crude realisation finally hits me right in my fucking brain.

Me: "Fuck, I lost Noah!...*crack!*"

By a mistake of losing my body balance which constantly creates an imbalance of weight the tree branch then cracked accidentally into two and causes me to fall off from the tree.

Me: "Son of a- Aaaaahhhh!"

Pressing myself to regain my composure, my brain then automatically calculates the speed and the velocity of me falling down from the tree to the ground below as my muscles are spontaneously moved by itself as I land myself onto the ground skillfully unharmed.

Me: "Uuh. Okay?"

I dusted my jacket idly as I look at my surroundings.

It's still dark out here but at least the rain has stopped pouring.

Me: "Achoo!"

I sneezed.

Me: "Oh no. It is really not a good time to catch a cold right now. I need to change my clothes before the cold finally gets me."

I pressed the button on my gauntlet to open the inventory thus grabbing out a clean towel and some spare clothes of a long coat and jeans.

Me: "This could do for now."

-Moments later-

Me: "Now this is better."

After done drying myself using a towel and changing myself while endure the suffering to change out in the open in the dark forest, I took the semi-wet jacket and jeans that I wore earlier and tossed them into my gauntlet straight into the inventory as it already organized themselves into the laundry slot.

Me: "Now it's time to find Noah. I hope that he's safe which I know he is because he's not that frail. But where could I find him? His scent has probably been washed away by the rain."

Out of nowhere, my phone in my pocket then suddenly rings by itself, cramming the silent of the forest with its loud ringtone.

Of course! The phone! How could I've forgotten about the phone!?

Luckily, both of our phones are waterproof so it's not that surprising that our phone is still able to operate naturally despite being soaking wet because of the flood.

I rummage my hand into my pocket to grab out my phone and swipe the answering call button upwards on the screen and put the phone deliberately on my right ear.

My phone(Noah): "H-hello? Bal!? Can you hear me!? Gods, I truly hope this works."

Me: "Noah! You son of a gun! I knew that you could make it!"

My phone(Noah): "Bal! Oh my god! I thought that I wouldn't able to reach you! I've called you for hours now but you never answer my calls so I got very worried about you!"

Me: "What!?"

I pulled my phone away from my ear and look at the glowing screen just to see a row of bunches of miscall notifications displayed evidently at the lock screen.

Over twenty miscalls!? How long did I blackout!?

I turn my gaze to look at the time at the top left corner of the screen.

2.53 a.m.

....Over an hour!?

I put my phone at the side of my ear again and speaks.

Me: "Oof! Sorry about that kid. I kinda passed out earlier."

I dismissively rub my head on the spot where I got hit by the tree trunks with my other hand and winces at the pain that's swelling on my head.

Me: "Urk!"

My phone(Noah): "Bal, are you injured!? Are you all right!?"

Me: "Yeah yeah. Just got stranded, hanging on a tree branch earlier but other than that I'm fine and I think I could manage myself. But right now, your safety is the most important thing that I need to infer. Where are you right now? Are you hurt?"

My phone(Noah): "No, I'm good. Just a little scratch here and there but other than that nothing too serious. As for the location, I couldn't tell you for sure as I don't even know myself where I am right now."

Me: "Um, can you specify the place you are currently settling in for me? "

Noah: "Uuhh, it's....dark...Oh! And there are lots of trees and bushes around here."

Me: ". . . . . . ."

My phone(Noah): "Hello?"

Me: "Nevermind. I'll put down the phone for now."

My phone(Noah): "Wait! I've already told you that I don't know! Everything seems the same to me!"

Me: "What you said just now were literally defining the meaning of a forest! Come on! Tell me if there's anything that stands out! Anything unnatural or strange! It could be anything! I need a lead!"

Noah approaches himself to silence, thinking about any idea or hints to give me of his whereabouts.... Hopefully.

Seconds later, he speaks.

My phone(Noah): "....except there's one thing."