'Pathetic'
'Weak'
'You'll die before the day ends'
All these voices... no, just one voice. My voice. More cynical. Colder. Full of spite.
"Ouras?" I called out into the darkness and even with no walls or any form of obstacles my voice echoed in this empty space.
No answer. Just moments of silence as I tried to make out anything of this void. Then I heard a laugh, sounded like it came from every direction. It got louder and louder and louder till my ears were just about ready to give up on me and I had to block it out with my hands. What followed was a sharp pain, making my head feel like it just got struck by a bunch of rocks. Funny, I could've sworn that already happened.
However my current situation was still dire. The pain only grew worse till I could bare it no longer. Then the yellow streaks suddenly appeared and that intense unbearable pain was back. I couldn't help but scream joining the laughing voice in making an abominable symphony and when I thought I couldn't handle it anymore it finally happened...
I woke up. You heard me right. I opened my eyes as my lurched into an upright position. I was all sweaty, like seriously sweaty yet my throat was perched and my lips dry. I turned my head to the right and was struck by sunlight right in my eyes which temporarily blinded me. When I finally could see properly I looked again carefully making sure not to directly stare at the sun. What was before me was a window, through it a gentle breeze flowed. Outside was a wide field of what looked like wheat, waving in the wind and even further out I could see a few houses, a few people milling about, carts being drawn by horses. Felt like I'd just woken up in the countryside.
Once I was done taking in the sights I finally noticed I was sat on a bed. I ran my hands through the soft wet sheets thanks to my sweat and wondered how I'd ended up in this situations. However, I wouldn't let that thought bother me after all not one second I've been in this world has anything gone the way I want it. I would have just thrown myself back onto the bed and gone back to sleep but it was all icky from the sweat so I got up out of bed, painfully so but not as bad. Whoever picked me up did a good job of patching me up as well.
There was no more bleeding and all the cuts and wounds had already closed up. I propped myself over and sat on the window ledge. The room I was in currently was on the second floor of a two story building so I was a bit high up, my legs dangling in the air. The breeze was enjoyable even with the un high up in the sky. For once I could relax and revel in some much needed peace and quiet, no wild animals, no cultists, Yorktonians...yorktonites? whatever they called themselves and no angry Gardofs.
I sat there for hours only ever slightly shifting when I got uncomfortable from sitting in a certain position too long. Even as the sun started to get low, I was still there, enjoying every single breath I took.
Eventually I was tired and decided to hop back in to the room.
"GAH!!!" I almost jumped back out the window when I turned back around and saw a lone figure standing the door. He took me by surprise, certainly wasn't expecting a 6'4" feet tall fellow there.
He had a large build about him, thick muscular arms underneath his long sleeved cotton shirt and tree trunks for thighs which were so obvious even covered up with thick black pants. His face however had the grace of an aged fellow, light wrinkles lining up at the corners of his eyes and forehead, also recently shaven except for his moustache. His hair was short, a mix of grey and black showing his age but the most important thing I took note of was that he didn't look like he wanted to murder me.
It was honestly a refreshing feeling making me drop my guard. "Sorry to startle you. Just came in to check up on you but looks like you're feeling much better," He broke into a smile as he entered the room.
"Heh," I nervously scratched the back of my head, "I'm good and proper now all thanks to you...I think...it was you right?"
"That's right. I picked you up south of the woods. All battered and bruised, sorry state you were in," he came up to me and gave me a good look over, probably checking on injuries.
"Looks like you're all good, unnaturally so," all of a sudden he was running his hands were all over me. He took me by surprise I almost jumped back like a little girl but soon he had me sat down on the bed and removing all the wraps and cloths from the cuts and slashes. They were all closed up, just scarring left.
"It's not even been a full day since I brought you here. You were in real bad shape like you'd just come from a war but now you're almost as good as new," he was soft spoken as he turned to look me straight in the eyes, "Do you perhaps possess healing magic?"
Magic huh, I guess from he's standpoint the only thing that could give me such an unnatural recovery would be something beyond natural. But do I possess magic? Is what I was doing the previous night magic? Could it be the reason for how quick I'd bounced back? I was confused. After all I had never encountered magic before being brought into a new world. Anime? Movies? Comics? They were decent for entertainment but ultimately it was our own perception of what magic was supposed to be. Even in my limited time here my only encounter with what I could assume was magic was that Adalla chick.
I'm overthinking this aren't I? Well whatever the case I'll just tell the old dude what I knew since he's been patiently waiting for an answer during my whole internal monologue .
"I don't know." And that was the honest truth, I just don't know.
"It's alright. As long as you're still alive, the best gift a man can have," though I could still see traces of uncertainty on his face he let it go altogether.
"You must be hungry," Looks like he read me mind with that statement. Last time I ate must have been two days ago.
"How about I fix you up something to eat," he didn't wait for a reply just started moving towards the door. "Follow me, though you'll have to wait a while"
Just like that we were downstairs, me seated in the living space on a soft cushioned chair and the big lad over in the kitchen making a ruckus with all the utensils.
"I'm Roz by the way," he yelled over from the kitchen, "I wouldn't mind learning your name as well."
"Arden," I answered, my eyes examining the entire room. It was actually pretty nice. With the sun finally going down the room was lit up by the same type of crystal looking object I saw over in jail, still can't believe I went to jail. However this one was more of like a pyramid in shape with the tip facing towards the floor.
It was bright, that's for sure. The house itself was made of wood but the interior was well done. Polished floors, wooden paneled walls with a nice tan brown coating of paint over it.
Another surprise were the pictures hung all around. Looks like there was some form of photography over here. Most of the pictures had Roz in it and a girl, I would guess to be his daughter. The house was furnished with a well done smooth coffee table, if they have coffee that is, three cushioned chairs and... well generally speaking it is the kind of set up you'd find in the average modern 21st century home back on Earth.
Seems this world isn't as medieval as I had originally thought. They had their own form of technology they had developed. While I was sat there engulfed in my thoughts I heard Roz call out to me from the kitchen. I must have really been out of it because as soon as I heard him my nose instantly picked up on the scent of meat that had ben wafting through the room. The downside was that I could instantly feel how empty my stomach was, like a void, a black hole trying to devour itself.
Without delaying I was up out of my seat and in the kitchen startling Roz so much he almost dropped the bowl he was holding.
"Gave me quite a scare there," he chuckled as he readjusted not to drop the contents of the dish he was carrying all over the floor. "You must be quite hungry. Lucky for you I had some meat stew leftover, well more than leftover," he tilted his head toward the pot still atop what I figured was this world's equivalent of a cooker. Slightly raised from the ground and pinned to the wall it stood tall to my waist level with three holes at its top that were meshed from which the one which had the pot atop had a gentle flame steadily streaming from it.
"I made quite a lot yesterday night," he said as he handed me the bowl of meat, and the moment my eyes landed on it the water works in my mouth started. I could barely hold the drool back and Roz noticed my silent struggle.
"Come on lad you can head on and start, I'll bring the bread in a few," and with that I grabbed the wooden spoon he handed me and found myself a comfy seat, made a silent prayer of gratitude and took the first bite. Needless to say I was in bliss, all the flavor from the seasoning exploded right on my taste buds. Might have been the hunger but I could say this bowl of stew was right up the top three meat dishes I've ever had and so I let loose and devoured the meal. By the time Roz showed up with a bunch of bread rolls in a basket I was done and eagerly awaiting more.
He didn't even speak, just placed the basket on the table, took my empty bowl and went into the kitchen and came back with two bowls. He handed me mine as he sat down and began taking his. We ate in silence, only the sounds of spoon clashing against bowl, crunching of bread and chewing, which was mainly made by yours truly could be heard.
Once I was done and could fairly said I was satisfied I reclined back on the seat, looked up and closed my eyes. For I few minutes I stayed that way, not thinking about anything, just relaxing. By the time I opened my eyes Roz had cleared the dishes and was now sat on his chair, going through a bunch of papers until he finally looked at me, cleared his throat and leaned back.
"So, what's your story..."