Down the rabbit hole...

It felt like a thousand years. Agony. A pain beyond words that brings madness. And yet when he almost lost consciousness, light shone upon him. A beautiful light like he never saw before, or maybe that was because it changed from the usual stillness of this "world" he was thrown into.

It brought a change in him, he fought his way towards it. Was it a good idea though ? He didn't care. There were only that or the void. He advanced through water and blood and his sensations came back. He fought harder while his body ached all over. And then it came. Here he was, finally free, taking a deep breath and shouting from the bottom of his lungs. He screamed, expressing his feelings, anger, sadness, incomprehension. Why and how did it come to this ?

Suddenly he remembered his flying companion, a silver dragon with golden eyes, breathing his last roar. The gurgling sound of blood streaming down its neck. He wept for him. He recalled the time he held the egg and it broke letting the small creature take its first step. The youth and young reptile playing together in the garden. Through blood and mud in different battlefields, they were always together. More than a beast, more than a friend, a brother.

The sound of clashing swords and arrows cutting through the air. The battle that brought his end in the mountains. Banners with a strange yet seemingly familiar symbol flying high. Dark sky, dark clouds. As more memories came, less things made senses, like at the end of a dream, full of confusion.

But the time of reminiscence was over. Someone shook him a bit. Even though he tried to calm himself down, he couldn't, his heart was still beating fast and he cried once again. The fear that took him during his descent appeared once again as giant hands drew near him, touched, handled him. He ultimately realised the strangeness of his predicament so he stabilised his breathing and opened his eyes wide. His frantic thoughts slowed down. He remembered who he was and what he was doing. But then, what is going on ? Where was he ?

He moved around as much as he could for his body didn't allow him much movements, neither did the position he was in indulged him with much freedom. However, he regretted immediately. The giant hands were followed by giants people. The room he was in was mainly white with green. An old man looked at him with a strange mask on his face. Strange words were coming out from his mouth. Was it a language ? But what sort of language was it ? Wait. Something is wrong. Very very wrong...

Unfamiliar objects of metal worthy of a torture room filled his sight. Then he was pushed into the arms of a woman. He struggled a bit but it finally dawned on him that he was a newborn by seeing his own hand. He looked up to his mother in his bewilderment. But he saw no long, wavy and auburn hair, no gentle yet laughing pair of sea green eyes. He was met with an unfamiliar woman. She seemed haggard and pale. Her hair of a dirty black color reaching her shoulders was dishevelled. The bags under her eyes made them hollows. He observed her silently, shocked to his core. Then her piercing eyes looked at him.

No feeling of home could be found, the homely atmosphere and warmth of a loved one was long gone. The only thing left in that gaze was the disheartening and empty feeling of disinterest. Her cloud grey eyes were as cold and cruel as the edge of a blade. And so he felt dread. The reality of his situation, like a gigantic wave, came crashing down on him. He once died and was revived into a new existence that was his yet not. The child began to cry loudly once again. He cried to his heart content, he had lost everything, his home, his world, his everything. He was only a stranger in a strange land. A man came and took him away but he did not care, lost in his thoughts and memories of a past life while a new one was awaiting him.

Three years passed by. He lived up to this day but in his case, it was quite the miracle.

A friday late at night, a little guy barely three but one could think he was two, walked on his own skinny legs to his neighbor. He knocked on the door frantically and waited nervously.

An old man in his sixties opened it and looked surprised to see him. The little boy breathed in deeply, which made him look awfully serious which was quite an amusing sight if you didn't think about his situation. He then held his little fist up and opened it to show two dollars in it. And said in his most serious tone as if he was a little grown up :

" I'm hungry. Can you feed me old man ? ... please ?"

The old man in question found it unbelievable. Then anger soared in his heart. He looked at the almost broken down house across the street in disdain, took the boy by his hand, not caring one bit for the dollars and brought him inside. In his anger, he slammed the door behind them and forcefully pulled him into his kitchen. He realised his mistake and looked at the child and let go of his hand. He seemed startled at first but nothing else. His eyes showed that this situation didn't really bother him. It broke the man's heart. Observing him more carefully, the boy who should chubby cheeks at his age was too thin and tiny, even small trace of bruises and cut could be seen on his hands and arms. Maybe elsewhere too. The man frowned then smiled sadly as he crouched down before him.

"I'm sorry kid, I was a bit rough but yes you can eat here. As much as you want ! It'll be okay. But first let me find you something. Wait at the table okay ? Don't go wandering about, alright ? "

He shuffled the quite long and dark black hair of the child. Taking him in his arms, he went to the kitchen, installed him in a chair thoughtfully, telling not to move. He then searched his fridge for food a young kid could eat. There wasn't much besides a few bottles of beer. He recently moved to this neighborhood and did not have time to undo all the cardboard boxes neither did he go shopping. Luckily enough there was still peas, a bit of ham from two days before and a yogurt.

' It should be enough for now. '

After he prepared the little meal, he brought them to the table. Two dark blue eyes followed him mindfully. He had observed the room all around him. It was bizarre if nothing else. But he got kind of used to this metallic world. He had no idea what was used to do what yet, but he'll get into this in the future. Now wasn't the time for he couldn't take care of himself. He had scrutinized the man across the street the past few days from the window of his room before escaping his "home" while the woman was out, in a very deep sleep. He then looked down on the plate presented before him while the old man sat down on a chair in front of him. He salivated. He was so hungry.

Crossing his arms, he stared worringly at the boy who wolfed down the food.

" So kid, what's your name ? I'm kinda new to this part of town."

' My name ? Bah ! it's the well-known Argus Helear De Val the seventh, but alas ! It isn't my name in this place. '

"... Charles Dulac. You, you are old man." He said while pointing his finger towards his interlocutor.

The "old man" bursted out laughing. "I may be old brat but my name is Hugo Meyer. Nice to meet ya !"

The brat in question found it confusing. The adults around him all used those words to call him. Indeed, he had yet to understand fully this language. So he tilted his head and looked at this Hugo Meyer who smiled back at him, told him to stay still a bit while he was going to call a friend.

Hugo got up and walked away but not too far. Next to a window, he narrowed his eyes, watching down across the street. He took his phone from his jeans pocket. Leaning against the wall, he started calling the police. From time to time, he would look over Charles while explaining the situation in a whisper.

Charles ate everything and left nothing, everything was clean. He then reasserted his situation and turned his gaze around, searching for Hugo. When he found him, he smiled widely. He recognized the small and rectangular magic tool that summons things and people ! He was excited. He wondered what he was summoning.

' There is really magic in this world ! ahah ! I may yet return ! '

There was many communication devices back in his original world. But it was mainly letter and azure crystals. However, they were just records of past events by the time they reached the target. The crystals were only good at storing sounds and visuals scenes. It could then be reactivated at a later date. This was completely from the different metal boxes of this world for they could communicate at the same time even though they were at different location. No need to send the message for it would take weeks instead of mere seconds ! The mages of the royal court were working on such a breakthrough yet failed in the end. It would have changed the flows of so many wars and especially his own end if he had that !

That thought made him turn gloomy before recalling the magic tool. He turned around eagerly. He stared impatiently at Hugo.

' What will he summon this time ? If it suceeds, I might have found a way to return or at the very least to inform them of my situation, maybe ? '

He then looked at his hands and himself. He furrowed his brows.

'... That may however be problematic.'

Hugo finished his call then looked inside different boxes, grumbling incomprehensible words. He exclaimed happily after finding what he was searching for. A book. He sat next to Charles and opened the book. At first, the child stared at him strangely, as if he was an idiot to be precise, but luckily for Hugo, he didn't quite catch on the meaningful gaze. However, Charles got quite interested in the story read out loud and explained by the man. That was "Alice in Wonderland". The story goes like that : a girl lose her way by following a white rabbit and fell into a strange world where she gets to meet strange characters and live even more bizarre adventures. But at the end of it, she wakes up and it ends up being a dream.

" Oh ! I'm Alice then ! "

" So I will be the white rabbit to help you find your way ? "

He chuckled watching this small kid getting excited.

And then the wails and screeching sounds of a police siren could be heard in the distance. The boy was surprised by the sound and got up suddenly, went down the chair and walked as fast as he could towards the window.

Charles looked over with wishful eyes. And he finally saw a strange black and white carriage made of metal and glass. And lights danced upon it. In the dark of the night with few lamppost working, you could only see the red and blue valsing to the rhythm of the siren. It was mesmerizing. The amazed boy thought :

' I wonder what changes that mysterious carriage will bring to my life ? '

But one man watched over the happy child with melancholy, wondering what he should or could do for him.