"Who are you?" Barda managed to ask after he overcame the shock. He had to admit, he had been rather rattled when this man spoke of all his secrets.
However, after much thought, Barda realized that this must also be in his head. These are the kind of things that only he would do know, so this must be in some way happening in his head.
"That's where you wrong buddy," The man startled Barda, "You see all this, it's all real! Even the soccer game. And before you ask, yes, I can read your mind."
[No mental intrusion detected.]
"That's right, AI, you can't even sense me when I'm probing your brain. Close your mouth dear, a fly might get in." By now, Barda's eyes were wide open and he had forgotten to close his mouth. He quickly recovered his composure.
"Alright, you know who I am, tell me who you are," Barda decided to try a different tactic.
"Relax kid, that's what I'm here for. Think of me as some sort of guide. Come on, let's take a walk, this match is a bore. Hey, if you stick around for the finals, you'll be in for a treat, although I doubt you'll get to stay that long," the man said standing up.
The man had short hair and a heavyset beard. He had one of those faces that were so striking because of how manly he was. Similarly, so was his voice and his mannerisms. He was both overbearing and welcoming at the same time.
Other than the face, he stood at the same height and build as Barda, almost identical. His body was also a work of arm, but he was dressed in some t-shirt and pajamas. To make matters worse, he was wearing crocs for shoes.
"Does my appearance bother you, I can change it up if you like," as the man spoke, his clothing transformed from the whacky pajamas to an excellent finger-tailored tuxedo. "Naah, I'll just stick with the old one," he said as he transformed back to the college-dropout-living-with-parents getup.
"I don't care what you look like, all I want is answers. Stop messing around."
"Alright, dude, hold your horses, no need to get all amped up. I have to admit, this is a very emotional time for me. You are going to be my first first!"
"Your what?"
"My first first, as in, the first person I get to guide for the first time. You are like my first virgin, all the others I have guided had already been initiated,"
"So there have been others."
"Yes of course. Plenty, 2,342 to be exact and out of all those, only 17 were like us."
"Us?"
"I get ahead of myself. Come come, let me show you a dragon's essence," The man said as he ran off into a different direction. Exasperated, Barda ran off after him. For some reason, he felt this man held the key to him knowing what was happening.
Soon after, they entered a room tiled with beautiful alabaster and marble ornaments all over. There was a table in the middle, and on it was a huge orb the size of a wrecking ball. However, this one seemed to be made completely out of ice.
"She was a magnificent beast when I used to ride her. After she died, she left me her essence to bring me even more power, but by then, I had already lost," A look of sadness flashed on his face as he caressed the orb.
"Lost?" Barda couldn't help but ask.
"To become a guide, one must have lost the war. They are placed to guide others that come after, in a bid to increase their chances of survival and winning the war."
"So you're here to help me win the war?" Barda asked.
The man gave him a look one would give a child who was trying to be too smart before saying, "yes, but not the war you're thinking of."
"What do I call you then?"
"Name, yes. I wonder which one to use, I have so many. Call me Rowan, that's what many people do around here," The man said with a mischievous smile. "What about you, which do I use, Barda, Lincoln, or that other one?"
"I am Barda!"
"Typical! It's like looking in the mirror. Embrace this new life man, but as you do, you need to forget everything you think you know. What I am about to tell you will completely blow your mind, but you need to stick with me because it is important you get it all."
"Alright Rowan, I am listening," Barda answered.
Amazingly, Rowan seemed to stutter, lost for words. "This is neither the time nor the place for that. I brought you here to show you this, the essence of Angelica, my late dragon."
"Hold on, you named your dragon Angelica?"
"Give me a break, I was a kid and I had a crush on some girl. I blame it on my sub-conscious," This man was surprisingly hyperverbal yet spoke a lot of nonsense. Barda felt he had to keep navigating through loads of conversation to get anything from him.
"I want to gift you this essence, with one condition: That you will absorb it fully before we meet again," The man said.
"NO, you don't get to do that. Say what you have to say now!"
"Listen, blockhead. What I am going to hit you with is heavy, I mean seriously heavy. It is the kind of thing that will make you question everything you think you know to this moment. To do that, I need to prove my credentials, that I am who I say I am," Rowan answered.
"Okay, what do you want of me?" asked Barda.
"Take a pilgrimage in the isle of Incatasi. You should know, it may be an island, but the entire place is a library. It holds the largest collection of magical books and scrolls.
People are not allowed to touch the books as they are considered holy. That had never stopped you has it? Anyway, holy librarians are allowed to copy the content and transfer to more accessible locations, but the originals remain."
"Sounds like a fascinating place," Although he was being sarcastic, he had to admit, he was intrigued.
"Look, kid, you need to absorb this essence and the others you have stored, I took the liberty of bringing them here so you can get it done. Also, find other ways of boosting up your inner mana. Right now you are so transparent I can read every thought in your brain."
"I don't need to remind you that you disrupted a lot of my plans by messing with Lord Hadrian. However, since he is just part of the games I play to keep myself busy, I shall not overtly curt but it is a loss you should pay."
Barda was shocked, this was seriously holding a grudge over that? Didn't Lord Hadrian challenge him personally? Besides, he still hadn't found a safe way to absorb the essence.
The last time he had nearly been extinguished, and Barda had to admit, he was pretty spooked. Barda was no coward but there was no good reason to take needless risks.
"About that, I can help, although you might not like it," Rowan answered.
"Get out of my brain!"
"Learn to keep your thoughts private by getting stronger! I have to struggle not to hear your thoughts."
In one fell swoop, the 2 transformed into streaks of light. When they emerged, Barda found himself in a weird shape. His neck was long, very long, but not straight, curved. His face felt elongated and his body was heavy as if a heavy load was on it.
"Don't worry, I have modified your back so that you can carry the essences with you. In this shape, you easily blend in without standing out. We will walk with this group,"
Snort, followed by a grunt.
Barda tried to speak, but all he could do was produce sounds. He turned around to inspect himself, surprise surprise, he was a camel.
The pilgrims all had camels that carried their luggage and they sometimes rode on. There were 22 men and 16 women. Some were together in groups while others were isolated. Each had a camel or camels.
Rowan was holding his leash. Barda couldn't speak, but inwards he was ripping him a new one. Rowan could only chuckle, whispering, "We could have come as friends, but I can risk you leaking anything."
Following that, he nonchalantly looked around beroe adding:
"Let's go."