"Leader, I'll check up on the suspicious individual." Said the same stern voice.
As the stern voice got closer, Theo realized something. He didn't have his dagger on him.
What if he has evil intentions? As Theo thought of that, he glanced at the bandage wrapped around his arm and the herbal smell hit his nostrils.
Why would they heal me just to hurt me? And if they wanted me to become a slave or something they would have tied me to some chain or rope, That's why I think I'm not a captive. As Theo's thoughts cleared up, he thought of the best course of action.
Act unconscious. Observe. Theo thought, The steps got closer and,
Creek
The door creaked open, Theo was acting; His eyes closed and he did not move.
The figure's shadow loomed over Theo.
What is he doing? Theo had this thought, he laid still, heart pounding, feigning unconsciousness.
"What are you doing?" The stern voice of the figure sounded.
Is he talking to me? Thought Theo.
"Why are you acting like you're still unconscious?" As the voice sounded this out, Theo slowly opened his eyes and he slowly sat up and leaned against the wall, He didn't make any sudden movements.
How did he find out, he thought to himself
As Theo's eyes got accustomed to the light from the fires behind the figure, he could slowly make out the figure of the man.
The man had lean, muscular build, sharp features, and piercing eyes that scrutinized Theo with distrust in his eyes. His dark hair was kept short in a buzz, and he had a few scars from battles. He wore tough, patched armor and carried himself with a guarded stance. His right arm was on the hilt of the sword in his light brown leather scabbard. "How did you know?" Theo asked the man with a slight red tint of embarrassment on his face and a bitter smile on his face.
"Your breathing was irregular. You were either controlling it or dying." The man said impassively.
"Ah….." shit. I didn't think he would notice, I, myself, did not notice.
"Who are you?" The man enquired, his eyes squinted and as sharp as daggers. It didn't sound like a question asked from curiosity. It was like an interrogation.
"Who am I? If anything, don't you think that you should Introduce yourselves? I was the one who was unconscious and got up in your cart."
"I know, but we did you a favor and saved you. You already know you wouldn't have survived if we didn't help you. We found you at the riverbank in Dustbriar Forest—bleeding out and sick. If we left you alone, you'd have been beast food by now. You're a suspicious individual from the Forest, If anything you could also be a mimic." The stern voice of the man stated.
The man wasn't in a battle stance, but his right hand rested on the sword's hilt, ready to draw it in an instant if things went south.
Dustbriar forest? Mimic? I've never heard of any of these things. The new information made his situation feel even stranger.
He's right. They did save me.
Theo raised his hands in surrender, forcing a slight bitter smile. "I'm Theo." he said, his voice steady, though his mind raced.
"Where are you from? What faction? And More importantly, why were you in that god-damned forest?"
Theo's thoughts ran fast, Where was I from? He had a bitter smile on his face.
Clearly, a place far away from here. He thought. He had already come to the conclusion; This was either not earth or somewhere deep and mysterious on earth, he had never seen such creatures, such unexplainable phenomenon.
People haven't used carts like these in ages—they're slow, outdated, and It's Inefficient. The armor these people wore, the swords and bows were useless against a barrage of bullets.
"Why are you replying so slowly? Don't do anything stupid. I'm rank 3 and I have many other companions with me." The man's distrustful voice and narrowed eyes interrupted Theo's thoughts.
He forced a more natural-looking smile.
"Somewhere far away. An isolated place you wouldn't have heard of." He paused, glancing at the man's weapon before adding, "It's called the United Earth Federation." And as for your last question… I don't know. I was kidnapped and left there to rot. I barely made it out alive." Theo stated, It wasn't true but the man wouldn't know.
"Federation? Something like the CommonWealth of Loviael or The United People of Bova?" The man asked, rubbing his chin as if trying to piece together Theo's odd origins.
"Uh..I don't know those places."
"What? There's no one in the wasteland who hasn't heard of them." The man stated, his suspicious sharpening.
"The more I talk to you, the more suspicious you seem. If you're not a mimic, then how have you never heard of them?" He leaned in slightly, eyes narrowing.
"I told you—it's isolated."
"Ok." The man dryly affirmed but he still looked sharply at Theo. It didn't seem like he bought it.
Theo sighed and asked the man, "Now that I've answered all of your questions, can you answer a few of mine?"
"It depends." the man said plainly.
"What's your name?" Theo said while stretching his hand out slowly, as if inviting the man for a hand shake.
The man's grip on his sword tightened.
"What is that?" He asked,
"A handshake….?"
"Why are you doing that?"
"Oh. It's a greeting in the place I hail from."
"You might not know because you're from a far away place or are a mimic but no one does that, what if someone holds the hand and uses Thunder magic."
Thunder magic? Theo subtly noticed.
Silence.
Theo stood there, feeling the weight of the crushing silence between them. Then-
Thump
The soft thump of footsteps broke the tension, and Theo's eyes darted to the shadows between the trees.
He saw a tall, gray-haired man in his late 30s with a rugged, weathered face. He had silver-streaked hair and a few scars from his past. His deep-set eyes had a warm look, and he wore practical clothing that seemed easy to move in.
A simple shirt and cloak around it; and the same trousers as most of the people Theo saw before.
He had a small smile, and he intruded in the conversation between the two.
"Oh c'mon, Cyrus. The kid looks half-dead and scared out of his mind. Cut him some slack, will ya?" The same gruff voice from before sounded out, It was this man. His voice held an unfamiliar sense of warmth.
He's the leader. Theo thought to himself,
"Leader! We need to make sure he's not a mimic." The man called Cyrus, said with a stern tone that felt like it was not up for debate.
Why is he acting like he's the one in charge? Theo thought, irritated, as he watched Cyrus's every move—his sharp, suspicious gaze, his rude tone.
"Sigh, alright Cyrus, What were ya guys talkin' about?" The leader asked,
He looks kind, I hope he is as he looks. Theo thought to himself before speaking out, "I was just asking him a few questions about who he was and who you guys are."
"Ohh, I see, Where are my manners; I am Felix, The leader of this convoy and the leader of the WilderHaven settlement. He's Cyrus, He's only like this when the other person is a stranger. Don't take his rudeness to heart." The leader, Felix, stated this with a slight bow but this time he said all of this without his usual odd accent and in a very formal manner.
'What's with his fake accent?' Theo pondered,
"Leader, this is not rudeness, It's a fundamental thing to ask such questions. It's better than letting a mimic, intruder or a raider in." Cyrus stated.
"Yuh, Yuh, alrigh', alrigh', Did ya have any other question?" Felix asked with his weird accent creeping back in.
"Um.. Yes. I have many questions" In-fact there were a lot of questions but one was bugging him the most.
Theo's mind reeled. Settlement… Commonwealth… wasteland… It was unsettlingly close to something he'd seen before. It would be a lie to say Theo was not a gamer. He had played his fair share of games and spent countless hours in them. This situation best fits one of the games from his old world.
If I'm in another world, I hope I'm in a world I'm at least a little familiar with.
This world… it feels like something out of Fallout… but real. Real enough to kill me haha…
"If ya' have a lot of questions then let's sit somewhere else and talk peacefully, It's startin' to get chilly out here." Felix said while motioning Theo to get down from the cart and follow him.
Cyrus and Felix moved back,
Theo slowly got down from the cart.
Woosh
A cool breeze swept past him, The same muddy smell, The freshness in the air, the cold air.
His eyes swept around and saw many small campfires built by caravan members. They were in a forest but judging by Cyrus' words, They weren't in the same forest and were somewhere else. The caravan members were currently building tents with practiced ease.
Felix walked ahead and went towards a big bonfire.
Theo followed Felix and walked behind him and Cyrus walked close to Theo and was obviously monitoring him for any suspicious activities or movements.
Theo followed Felix's slow pace, Theo could hear chatter in the background, the sound of trees being chopped, the crackling of the fires.
Each time Felix passed a tent or a person, There would be an immediate polite greeting.
"Felix! Come back and tell me stories of your travels when you have time"
"Hey, Felix. How's it going?"
"Hey Felix! I made a milk pie, try it during lunch. I'll give it to you for dessert." a middle aged-woman with graying hair and an apron asked Felix,
"Felix, How are ya? Ye' had a good day today?" A young man joked, mimicking Felixs' accent.
"Felix!..."
"Hey, Felix."
To Theo, An introvert, this would be nothing less than a torture room.
'It makes sense though, Felix seems very kind.'
"He's popular, isn't he?" Theo said with a slight awkward smile.
Cyrus nodded seriously, "that's true. He is, it's because most of these people are indebted to him in one way or another."
They walked for a bit and reached the bonfire.
Wooden logs were laid around the campfire as seats.
As they reached the bonfire, Theo felt the warmth of the flames pressing against the cool night air.
Felix went to a lady with an apron who had skewers in her hand and whispered something in her ears before sitting and patting on the log, gesturing for Theo to come sit with him.
Cyrus moved to the other side, his watchful eyes still on Theo.
"Let's chat." Felix said with a light smile.