Still Alive

Donovan Hart

As I was embraced by darkness, the cold feeling started to fade when I suddenly felt a warm and tight embrace. 'Wait what?' I said talking inside my mind. Is this the feeling of death? Why can I still feel that I'm alive?

"Let's head to the nearest exit point! Immediately!" The man shouted making me open my eyes.

What in the actual world is happening? I'm still alive? Who is this guy? Why is this man carrying me?

With many questions flooding inside my head, I raised my hand to hold his face when I suddenly noticed my small, baby hands. What the heck is happening!? I asked inside my head as I clenched my hands.

"Where did you get that baby?" His companion asked, looking at us with a trace of confusion.

"Just saw him crying back there, whoever his parents are, I'm going to punch them hard." The man said while tightly gripping me in his arms.

"Where the hell did those monsters come from? I know that the mid-level is tough but is it supposed to have so many monsters?" The man asked looking at the other that seems to be their leader.

"I don't know either, for now, let's retreat and head back to the Adventurer Hall. We might find some answers. We lost half of our comrades and it's difficult to fight with a baby in your arms." The leader said while grinning at him, then, quickly looked at me.

The terrain was slippery and the road is uneven making them run uncomfortably. They ran for about 15 minutes escaping the ugly monsters that chased us to death.

As they walked through the exit point that looks like a portal, a bright green light shined upon us then seconds later, we were transported to a town where many adventurers stopped and looked at us, then they proceeded in doing their own thing again.

It seems that being an adventurer is common in this world. Now, how should I return back to my own world? In this body, I can't do anything. The first thing for me is to have a home to go but my body is so weak that raising these small hands is the only possible thing for me to do.

"Caedric, let's head to the Hall. We can tell them the situation of the mid-level and the owner of the baby as well." The leader called the man that carries me.

"Let's go."

*****

After reaching the door of the Hall that they're mentioning, I can hear the insides where I assumed many adventurers were hanging out as well. Caedric opened the door and what surprised me is that there are so many other beings that coexist with humans. There are elves and werewolves or some kind of human-wolf that's in this world. I was not surprised since I saw monsters back in the dungeon so I expected that humans were not the only living creatures in this world. They looked at us and greeted the group that I'm with which my group responds as well in the same manner.

Caedric walks fast to the counter where a lady is looking straight back at him. He explained the situation at the mid-level and turned the topic back at me. "Jella, I found a baby in the dungeon what should I do?" asked Caedric.

"Hmmm." Jella wondered as she puts her hand at her chin while examining me. She took me out of Caedric's arms and continued to examine my naked body.

I closed my eyes as I was embarrassed in front of the people around me.

"He does not look like a monster. You can take him home." She said as she hands me back at Caedric.

"What!? Are you not helping me find his parents? Look I have a child to be born as well and I can't waste my time looking for this child's parents."

I can feel him agitated at my presence but it made me question myself. 'If I'm born in this world then the question is, where are my real parents?'

"I understand you Caedric but the Hall is closing and we can't take the baby. If you want, you can come here tomorrow and we can reserve a spot for you to stay while waiting for his parents, of course with the baby." She grinned at Caedric clearly teasing him.

Caedric sighed and looked at me, I smiled back at him but it seems that he's suppressing himself to play my soft and chubby cheeks.

"Look who's here! A low-class person and adventurer holding the child he kidnapped." Said the cheeky teenager as he walks inside with his party and royal guards. By looking at his equipment and speaking manners, I could sense that this is a spoiled uneducated royal brat.

"Tsk!" Caedric clicked his tongue as he walks over to his party.

The teenager brat was upset because he didn't manage to scratch Caedric's patience. As a result of his anger, he went over and tripped Caedric which made him lose balance and fall. Luckily, he managed to protect me in his arms.

Caedric's leader, Ikea, hurriedly took me from Caedric's arms as he stands up silently. The teen's party laughs at him while he remained quiet, and pissed off. "Dem Quintan, the son of the King, I respected you a lot but if something happened over the baby, you would regret being born." He said as he released a large amount of killing intent while glaring at the teen.

The people in the Hall looked at Caedric's menacing act and they remained silent. Dem, on the other hand, froze and was brought down to his weakened knees. Because of the pressure of his intent, my body felt dizzy that I automatically cried myself out.

Ikea, realizing that the royal guards might take action, walked over to Caedric and taps his shoulder to warn him. Caedric knew it himself as he calms down and took me in Ikea's arms.

"Sorry 'bout that boy." He said as he calms me down.

Phew. Good thing that Ikea act immediately, I still don't want to be killed again.

The Hall started to go back to its usual atmosphere while Dem stands up silently, his face reddens as he gestured his team to come with him to the reception. He took a menacing glance at me and Caedric and clicked his tongue before following his team.

"We're about to head out, I can't join our party tomorrow because I'm finding this child's parents." said Caedric.

"No problem, maybe I'll see you tomorrow in this Hall babysitting that kid." said Ikea as he burst into laughter followed by his other team member.

He walks outside and meets a man that has a horse with a carrier in its back. They seemed to have a connection since the transporter opened the carrier's door welcoming our presence.

"The last time I saw you is when you carried some unconscious woman that's your wife right now." said the transporter as he combs his mustache with his fingers.

"Shut your mouth old man. I found this kid and I'll just take him home for a while." Caedric replied with an agitated voice.

We ride the carrier and the transporter motioned his horse to start walking.

While traveling, I gathered every information that I got since the first time that I came to this world.

First, it is common in this world to have adventurers, they have a party they created to go explore the dungeon. Just like the scene earlier, Ikea mentioned the thing about the exit point which means that there's also an entry point which indicates that the so-called dungeons are not from this world.

Second, humans, elves, and werewolves coexist which means that the monsters inside the dungeon are different from these common races.

Third, this world is still not advanced when it comes to technology so I can assume that there are no guns here. If there's not, how can they fight the monsters in the Dungeon? Well, I've still got more time to seek answers.

Lastly, your social class defines your place in this world, given that Dem mentions Caedric as a person from the lower class of the society. I can assume that Dem belongs to an aristocratic family since he has his royal guards beside him.

With this very small information, my head is craving for more information about this world.

"Are you tired? Sorry about making you cry earlier." Caedric apologized as he uses a single finger to poke my little nose.

"Where did you get that child?" asked the transporter, still focused on the road.

"I found him in the dungeon, he's crying so hard and alone, to begin with." replied Caedric in a sad tone.

"Oh, so you're going to take him as your son?"

"No I don't, even though I'm interested in him, I can't just take him." replied Caedric.

"I guess you're right in that conclusion. What are you gonna do to him then?" asked the transporter when he finally looked at us with a curious face.

"Well, since the sun's going out, I'm going to take him home first and feed him. By tomorrow morning, the Hall will give me a spot to wait with him for his parents." replied Caedric as he leaned the back of his head and closed his eyes.

The transporter noticed his tired state so he didn't pry anymore and continued our travel for an hour. I felt sleepy and closed my eyes as well.

It's been a while where I felt so comfortable sleeping, I guess I should lower my guard just for now and enjoy this dream. If I will not wake up again, then, I can conclude that I'm dead and this is just a dream.

***

"Such a cute baby!"

My sleeping mind was brought back to reality when the noisy woman wakes me. From the looks of it, she looks like the wife of Caedric as the transporter said.

So this world is real. Without having the time to think, I can sense the excitement of the pregnant lady beaming in her face. I thought she'll be upset about me coming with Caedric but I guess I was wrong. She took me in Caedric's arms as she motioned him to take a bath.

The woman, on the other hand, cleaned my body and dressed me up with a baby's male clothing. "Good thing I prepared two clothes." She said.

I guess you'll really prepare two sets of clothes for two genders because you can never know the gender of your child because of the lack of technology.

After Caedric took his bath, the woman called him to sit down and take his dinner. While they're having dinner, Caedric explained everything from the dungeon where he took me up to the situation in the hall about Dem.

During their conversation, I suddenly realized that I can understand their language. I started to wonder if I came back to the past but if I came to the past, then, the future should have a dungeon as well. With this knowledge, I'm now sure that I'm no longer living in my world.

'Hmmm... do they have idols here?' I muttered as I fantasized over it.

My daydreaming is interrupted as I remembered the scene when I died. I'm upset about the fact that my parents didn't even tell me the truth. If they did, I should be able to keep myself from dying over my most trusted person, Cleave.

"Oh, the little prince is hungry. I can see your face turning red, aren't you going to cry?" said the lady as she teased me.

"Clara, please stop making the baby cry. If he's from the royal family we'll be doomed as hell." said Caedric as he grabbed me from my small bed and feed me with his free hand.

After they're done eating, they feed me, cleaned the kitchen and heads to the room with me.

They put me in a small bed that was supposed to be for their future baby. They blew the fire over the lamp and darkness overcame the room. Even though in the darkness, I can still hear them talking in a soft voice to avoid interrupting my sleep. Sometimes, I can hear them control their laughter to avoid waking me up. It's fun living a normal life just like them.

I wonder who's my parents. I hope they're not the same as my former parents - the arrogant and selfish ones. If I could choose my home then I would love to stay at this place.

After thinking for a while, I felt drowsy and closed my eyes to sleep.