Nights past, I was alone.
My thoughts. The only thing that kept me sane in this lonely world.
My thoughts at the start were just random things.
'I wonder if the same brands exist here.'
'I never really check the media. I wonder what it's like with more of a focus on Realms.'
'What's the best flavor of ice cream?'
Time seemed to wait for my thoughts, some days seemed longer and other shorter.
As time pasts my thoughts shifted once again to the nature of this world
'Being in a novel is so surreal, looking around at the people, are they real or fake?'
That was a question that only I had the answer to.
'All these people whose lives are full of tragedy, sorrows, happiness, achievements, everything are just fickle. Their entire lives were just imaginations, playthings of another being.'
I knew the backstory of some of these characters, but what about the stories of everyone else? The extras, the side characters, the ones casts aside by the Author.
'There are billions of humans, dwarves, elves, demons and not even 1% matter. Their entire lives aren't even important in the eyes of their lovely creator.'
The life of an extra truly is cruel. No matter what they do it doesn't matter. It won't have any effect on anything.
Even if it does. They'll be forgotten instantly without even the decency to be given a name.
That lead me to my next topic. The thoughts I should have had at the very start of my journey...
'Why does anything matter? I know the world will end, so what's the point? Why am I trying to change fate? Why did I adapt to this world so quickly? Who am I?'
'Where do I start and where does Alex Wouden end, who am I?'
Who am I? The question was the only thing on my mind. I repeated it like a mantra time and time again.
'Who am I?'
'Who am I?'
'Who am I?'
'Who am I?'
'Who am I?'
'Who am I?'
Time pasts it waits for no one. When you want it to stop for just a moment it rushes ahead.
Tears started cascading down my cheeks as I found the answer to my question. The realization kicking in as I take one more look at the stars.
Ding!
[You have completed the trail!]
[Rank Up! F --> F+]
I try to speak, but to no avail as the tight rope constricted my vocal cords...
'I don't know.'
*********
"Hey, let's go on a date."
The first words I spoke after getting out of that hellhole. The real question is who was it directed to?
Nobody, well practically. An extra, the first person I saw...
That was a woman!
"Uh, sure?"
After moments of silence, she was completely dazed, but she finally responded.
That was my first date ever. I know I'm lonely, shut up.
*********
I carefully lift the small cup up to my mouth slowly sipping on the hot coffee.
'I wonder how long Aria waited before leaving. Wait, it's not good to think about other women on a date.'
"So, tell me about yourself. How is life?"
She still stared at me wide-eyed her responses were slow, but to me it was meaningful.
"It's alright. I mean I'm in the swordsmanship club. It can get a little tough sometimes."
Her voice was soft slowly trailing off at the ends.
"Oh, that seems interesting. Tell me more."
My eyes never left hers while she was looking all over the place, clearly nervous.
"Uh, Uh, I duel with a lot of my clubmates!"
Her soft voice grew a bit louder as she erratically tried to respond to me.
"What was your last duel like? Did you win?"
"I-I lost."
She was clearly dejected as her eyes trailed off, so I continued to strike up conversation.
"That's alright. I don't care about your wins or loses. How about you? Tell me more about your background. How's your family? Where are you from?"
"I lived in a small island off the east coast. Both my parents died from a monster attack. So, I was the one who took care of my brother."
"Oh? Is he doing alright? He's probably sad not having his big sis around."
After a while of talking, she seemed to grow more comfortable, her soft voice resonating throughout the small coffee shop.
"The store's about to close."
"Oh, yeah? Sorry, I lost track of time."
She quickly apologized even though she wasn't even at fault. Afterall I'm the one who wanted this.
"It's alright, but I have one more question if you don't mind."
"What is it?"
The question I saved till the very end. The one I wanted to know since the beginning...
"What's your name?"
"Ah, it's Nia Tajikarao."
She was just a normal girl. The incarnation of a minor god. Ame-no-Tajikarao the god that pulled Amaterasu out of the cave. How fitting.
'This world and these characters are real.'