Jaden felt himself slowly coming to consciousness, every inch of his body feeling heavy and drained of energy. He could barely move a muscle, as if his body had been pushed to its absolute limit. As he tried to move his limbs, a cold chill ran down his spine, sending shivers through his entire body. He struggled to open his eyes, his vision hazy and unclear.
When his eyes finally opened, he found himself staring up at the night sky. The stars shone brightly above him, casting a dim light across his surroundings. The cool breeze continued to brush across his skin, sending goosebumps all over his body.
Jaden tried to lift himself up, but found his body unresponsive. He could feel the weight of his exhaustion bearing down on him, making it difficult to do anything. He closed his eyes, trying to get his bearings and focus his mind.
As he lay there, he couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. It felt like he was caught between two worlds, suspended in a space where time and reality had lost all meaning. He felt a sense of disorientation and confusion, unable to make sense of his surroundings.
With every passing second, his eyelids grew heavy once again. He could feel himself slipping back into the abyss of unconsciousness, unable to fight it any longer. Jaden closed his eyes, the darkness enveloping him once again.
___
Jaden's eyes slowly opened once again, his vision blurred by the bright sun rays piercing through his eyelids. As he squinted, he felt the warmth of the sun embracing his skin. Confused and disoriented, he tried to sit up, but his body felt heavy and weak.
Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. Turning his head, he saw a little girl staring down at him with curious and innocent eyes. Her vibrant brown eyes contrasted with her dark skin, and a smile adorned her face. Jaden couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and safety from her presence.
Taking in his surroundings, Jaden realized he was in the middle of a vast field, surrounded by tall acacia trees that swayed with the wind. The grass beneath him danced along with the breeze, and the clear blue sky stretched out as far as his eyes could see.
Still struggling to understand where he was, Jaden turned to the little girl beside him, "Excuse me, do you know where we are?"
But the girl just stared at him with a soft smile, not saying a word. Jaden sighed, feeling frustrated by the lack of answers.
Before he could ask again, the little girl grabbed onto his hands and pulled him up, giggling with excitement. Without a word, she started running, tugging Jaden along with her.
Confused and unsure, Jaden called out to her, "Hey, where are you taking me? Wait up!"
As he chased after the girl, Jaden couldn't shake off the feeling of unease and uncertainty. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered to himself, hoping for some kind of explanation.
Jaden's heart was racing as he chased after the little girl, his lungs gasping for air with every breath. The girl was swift on her feet, her giggles filling the air as she looked back at him, urging him to keep up. Jaden's legs burned with exhaustion as he swerved through the trees, trying to avoid colliding with them. But the little girl seemed to navigate the woods with ease, running as if she knew every inch of it.
Finally, they emerged from the woods, and Jaden stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening at the sight before him. In the distance was a small village, bustling with people and activity. Jaden couldn't shake off the feeling that he had been there before, even though he was sure he had never seen it in his life.
The little girl tugged at his arm, pulling him along as she darted through the village. Jaden tried to take in every detail of his surroundings, his mind racing with confusion. Was this real? Or was it all a dream?
As he looked around, Jaden noticed that the people in the village were dressed in bright-colored attires, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. He tried to remember how he got there, but his memories were hazy and jumbled, making it difficult to piece everything together.
Suddenly, Jaden's thoughts were interrupted as he realized he had lost sight of the little girl. Panic set in as he frantically looked around, trying to find her. He wandered through the village, feeling lost and alone, until he felt a small hand tug at his arm once more.
Looking down, he saw the little girl smiling up at him, her eyes filled with innocence and wonder. Jaden couldn't resist the urge to ask her name, hoping to glean some information from her.
"What's your name?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.
The little girl merely hopped on her feet, her silence frustrating Jaden. But as she pulled him along, her hand clasped tightly in his, he couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and familiarity, as if he was meant to be there with her, in this mysterious village.
The little girl's small hand clutched tightly onto Jaden's, leading him through the winding paths of the village. Her innocent smile and playful hopping filled him with a warmth he had never experienced before. As an only child, he had never had the opportunity to interact with younger ones, but something about her made him feel a deep connection.
Jaden was lost in thought until he felt a gentle tug on his arm, drawing him back to reality. Ahead of them stood a building, emitting a faint heat that he could feel even from a distance, and a distant clanking sound. As they approached it, Jaden looked down at the little girl, trying to understand why she had brought him here. He understood she obviously lived in this village and wondered what was going on inside this building.
'Is this where she lives?' Jaden thought.
"Is this where you live?" Jaden asked, his brow furrowing in curiosity.
Without answering, the girl walked towards the entrance, beckoning him to follow. As Jaden stepped inside, the intense heat hit him like a wave, causing Jaden to break out into an immediate sweat. The strange musty smell intensified as they made their way further in. It was then that they caught sight of a blacksmith, working at his forge.
He was a towering figure, with a buff build that made Jaden feel almost inadequate in comparison. The blacksmith had no shirt on, and the dim light reflected off his glistening body, making him seem almost otherworldly. Jaden could see the sweat dripping down his arms as he worked the hammer, the clanging sound of metal on metal filling the air.
Jaden wiped the sweat from his forehead as he observed the blacksmith's movements. The rhythmic clang of the hammer against the metal filled the room, echoing off the walls. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the man's skill and strength.
As he watched, the blacksmith plunged the metal back into the furnace, and the already intense heat seemed to double. Jaden could feel the sweat dripping down his back as he took a step back, trying to escape the heat.
Weapons of all kinds hung from racks, while unfinished armor pieces lay strewn about on tables,
with the ground black with coal and metal pieces.
The blacksmith worked with incredible speed, hammering the hot metal on his anvil with precise strikes. As he did, sparks flew off the metal and his eyes seemed to pulsate with a bright yellow at every strike he made. Jaden could feel the heat emanating from the metal and the flames dancing around it, controlled by the blacksmith's deft movements.
The blacksmith himself was hard at work, sweat glistening on his muscular frame as he swung the heavy hammer down onto the red-hot metal with expert precision. Jaden could feel the heat emanating from the furnace, and knew that the temperature near the blacksmith must be nearly unbearable. But the man didn't seem to be affected, his focus solely on shaping the metal into its desired form.
With a deft hand, the blacksmith plunged the glowing metal into a vat of water, causing a cloud of steam to billow up and fill the air. As the metal sizzled and cooled, the man lifted it out and began to work it once again, his movements smooth and practiced.
The little girl sat perched on a stool near the blacksmith's workbench, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched him in awe. Despite his apparent lack of attention towards her, Jaden could sense that the blacksmith was well aware of her presence, and perhaps even took some measure of pride in the young girl's admiration.
Staring at the man intently, Jaden was mesmerized by the way he handled the hammer. With each strike, the blacksmith seemed to be in a trance, moving with a fluidity that Jaden had never seen before. It was as if he was one with the metal, and the metal was responding to his every command.
Jaden could feel a sense of awe and admiration building inside him as he watched the blacksmith work. He noticed how he held the hammer, how he positioned his body, how he adjusted his grip, and how he calculated each strike. It was clear that he was not just hitting the metal randomly, but he was carefully shaping it with each blow.
As the blacksmith finally stopped and let out a sigh, Jaden could see a complex mix of emotions on his face. He looked at the metal on the bench, and Jaden followed his gaze. It was an axe head, and it was giving off a faint ethereal glow at the edges. Jaden couldn't help but gasp at its beauty.
But to his surprise, the blacksmith picked it up and dumped it in a corner with other scrap metals. Jaden could sense his disappointment, and he wondered what could be wrong. He looked at the pile of metals and realized that they were all the same equipment. 'I see, he has been working on this… but what exactly does he want?' Jaden thought, furrowing his brows.
The little girl jumped down from her stool and walked towards the blacksmith. She looked up at him with those vibrant innocent eyes and wrapped her arms around his leg, her head barely touching his waist. The blacksmith looked down at her and placed his hand on her hair as he ruffled it a bit before proceeding to lift her off the ground with his strong arms. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, smoothening her back gently with his hand.
Standing there, Jaden could feel a mix of emotions welling up inside him as he watched the blacksmith and the little girl. He could feel a sharp pang in his chest as he held on to it. Memories flooded his brain, and he got lost at the moment. Tears started to form in his eyes as he tried to fight them back.
"Are you okay, child?" Jaden suddenly heard the blacksmith's gentle but deep voice, snapping him back to reality. He looked up at the man, who had a look of concern etched on his face, and the little girl had her head relaxed on his shoulder as the man held her firmly.
"What?" Jaden responded with furrowed brows because, for some reason, the man spoke a different language, but the weird part of it was the fact that he could understand him just well.
"Yea… Yeah, I'm fine" Jaden responded as he rubbed the tears off his eyes.
The man walked towards him with gentle steps, and a smile on his face.
"Hmm, what did Pati find this time?" The blacksmith said, tilting his head to the side as if he was trying to get a better look at Jaden. Jaden felt a bit strange that the blacksmith referred to him like he was a piece of equipment.
"Come," the blacksmith suddenly said before turning around to walk away. Jaden hesitated for a moment, but the blacksmith looked back and motioned for him to follow. As Jaden walked behind the blacksmith, he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity building inside him.
***