As Al gave no answer even after an entire minute passed, the man finally asked, "Hey? Is there something you didn't understand? Lemme know, and I'll explain!"
The question didn't even register in Al's mind, which had gone into panic mode right after what the man had said started to echo in his ears.
'Live…'
'Thousands of viewers…'
'On TV!'
He had never been very shy, even as a kid… but this was a whole different ballgame.
Streaks of panic kept shooting in his mind, like errant lightning bolts in an empty sky.
'What if I mess up and end up being the laughing stock of the world?'
'What if I disappoint my uncle, and even the Princess who placed her trust on me?'
'What if everyone sees that I'm just a weak teenager blundering through odysseys, just trying to use plans to cover up his inexperience?'
All sorts of questions came out of nowhere, making him feel small, and afraid.
Slowly, he felt himself backing away into a shell that was deep, deep in his mind. It was always where he went when the world became too much to handle, and if he finished the journey, he would turn into an unresponsive mess who would definitely botch everything.
He tried to stop himself, but it was hard. He searched about for something, anything he could use to stop his downward spiral… and finally, he latched onto a certain memory that surfaced at just the right time.
It was from long ago, and even though a few details are hazy, it stood out to him quite clearly as it was one he had depended on before, too, to find the determination to fight against the world.
He was just a seven-year-old kid, sitting on his mother's lap as both of them watched TV. He remembered constantly asking for kisses, while she laughed and flicked through the channels.
She finally stopped on a channel showing a movie about a dashing hero fighting the villain with the world at stake, and both of them had watched, engrossed, while Al felt safe and as happy as ever.
When it ended, he remembered asking a question that had made her chuckle.
"Mom… that was so cool! One day, I'll fight for the world, too! I'll save everyone!"
She kissed him on his forehead, and hugged him as he grinned.
"Yes, you definitely will, my little superhero! I'll sit here and watch you on TV, then, too!"
"What? No way! You have to be there, cheering me on!"
Her reply had only made him break out laughing, then, but now, it made him draw a deep breath and stand-up.
"Alright, alright… I'll always be with you, my little champ. And if the villain gives you any trouble… I'll come tickle him like this! Tickle tickle tickle!"
The executive looked at him expectantly, a trace of worry showing in his eyes.
It disappeared instantly when Al spoke in a confident tone.
"Of course. Let's go."
"Great! Right this way!"
As he was led from room to room, Al replayed that memory over and over again.
'I can't believe that I almost made them think it was all mistake. Weren't my dreams always so lofty? How disgraceful that I almost stepped back after being given a chance to fulfill them all! Thanks, mom, for helping me out… and I swear, I'll make this count!'
They soon arrived in a small room with a familiar device.
A blue orb, exactly like the one that heroes and villains stepped into in the odyssey station to begin odysseys was rotating in the room. It was much smaller than that one, of course, but in all other aspects, it was the same.
"Good luck. We'll be watching. You have one day to adjust; the broadcast will begin after that. Farewell!"
With a wave of his hand, the executive left out of the door they had come in through. Al paused and took in a few deep breaths, and after that, he stepped forward into the orb, letting the ribbons of mist swirling around it embrace him as he gave himself up to it.
A second later, he emerged in a brightly lit room. Blinded, he shielded his eyes and waited for them to adjust, and after a few moments, he blinked and saw that he seemed to be in a dressing room, of sorts.
He then frowned and swatted his head, cursing the bravado that had made him forget that he had come out of his house with none of the gear that he had used so far in his odysseys.
His voice modulator was the most important thing, and after checking the pockets of the faded jeans he was wearing, he found the phone that was always given at the start and wondered whether he should call someone and ask them to have it sent over.
It made him feel embarrassed. It would make him look like a little child whining because he forgot his favorite toy, so he stopped the thought and made himself calm down, deciding to take the measure of the room before he made any hasty decisions.
There were three cupboards on three walls in front of him. A door was on the last one, and all in all, it was pretty small, with barely enough space to fit twp other people besides him.
There was a large mirror on one of the cupboards, which was the largest among the three. Walking to it, he opened the doors… and found an assortment of clothes that made him raise his eyebrows and widen his eyes with surprise.
There were cloaks, shirts, and pants, all in neat sets with matching colors. Remembering what had happened just before, he quickly took out a maroon cloak with slashes of black satin on its back, and grinned when it fit him perfectly.
'All of them are my size! Damn, this is pretty extravagant!'
Excited, he went to the cupboard to the right and opened it to find a bunch of gadgets.
And of course… there was a voice modulator, too, which he took into his hands and heaved a sigh of relief, glad that he hadn't taken any impulsive decisions.
'They're pretty common tools that are used in every odyssey, but still, I should really thank these guys for thinking of everything!'
He went to the last cupboard and opened it to find a suitcase much like the one the executive had brought before, with a note on top of it that said, 'Do not open until you receive a message that gives you instructions! Carry the suitcase with you until then!'
It was odd, but he just shrugged and put it on the floor. A few minutes later, he was at the door, wearing that same cloak and a mask that he had outfitted with the voice modulator.
The mask was a simple, black one that covered his face, and he had chosen it as the rest were all too ostentatious. There had been masks with horns, masks of cruel faces with teeth dripping blood, and all sorts of fear-inducing false faces that were just too dramatic.
As he put his hand on the doorknob, a voice appeared in the room, and as Al froze and heard what it said, his eyes blazed with excitement.
"The televised odyssey will begin exactly twenty-four hours after you step out of the door. All relevant information can be found outside, but the setting of the odyssey will be announced now, so that any changes in apparel can be made if needed.
Odyssey is set in the modern-day, in the time period just before the descent of the Gods. All relevant weapons, electronics, etc that were present then will be available. Good luck."