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Chapter 1: The Beginning

Finley's Point of View

This is utterly peculiar. 'Where am I?' I thought to myself as I unravel my eyes towards the light that pierced through my shut eyes. I can't even feel my feet on the ground. Well, that's because I am floating, and as anyone else would, I felt outright confused. I am floating in empty space like some kind of naive and clueless spaceman who obliviously just decided to leave his rocket without any suit and oxygen that would keep him alive.

As I find myself floating into the dark matter, the flash of light that came out of nowhere which dazzled me to open my eyes felt like it was strangely meant to appear for me. I then naturally and thoroughly gazed at it even though it was very blinding and witnessed a very outlandish apparition of myself getting fiercely stabbed in my heart. As I watch it, I can feel a slightly sharp pain in my chest like I am faintly feeling the stab myself.

This is awfully daunting to have seen my very self, dying in front of me. It felt like an odd sense of déjà vu. It seems life-like like I have seen a fragment of my memory and trust me; I am a very forgetful person. This made me think if I might be dead and this is the afterlife because I can't remember something like that happening. Wouldn't that make sense? No living soul would have to know what the spirit world really looks like, and this might be it; me floating around in some type of a dark matter witnessing how I died on earth. I might see God any moment now if this was heaven and I have a long list of questions I'd like to ask him; I mean who wouldn't have questions, right?

Setting aside that thought, I still can't get over what I saw. I mean that was me for crying out loud! I didn't even know who stabbed me and why he or she could have done that! Split seconds later, I am starting to feel the sharp pain more intensely and I am perturbed with whatever is happening to me right now. I started to scream. I bawled my lungs out, but I couldn't even hear my own voice! My eyes closed moments later and I fell unconscious.

"Mr. Davis!!" I suddenly heard a voice called. As I returned back to my consciousness, I saw who it was. It was my cranky biology teacher, and she was shouting very loudly at me. I look around and I am actually inside our classroom. I guess it was just a very weird dream; a very lifelike dream.

"Why are you sleeping in my class?! You know that that is strictly against my rules! You are in big trouble, mister; Get Out!" grouchy, old Ms. Sanchez hollered at me with her brows meeting very closely in the middle of her forehead like Oscar the grouch from the Sesame Street. She does look like him through and I am not kidding; plus, they both constantly shout and argue with people every moment they get. For all I know, Miss Sanchez might be the inspiration for the green, furry monster.

I quickly picked up my bag and walked out of the classroom. I can't help but noticed my classmates staring at me as if I did a very terrible thing in there and like I'm some type of alien or something. Because of that, it feels like I have awoken into a whole new reality. I mean, my dream felt very real that it felt like it was the real world where I was originally in. Yup, it's literally that uncanny. It still confuses the bejeezus out of me!

I stood in the hallway to wait for the bell to ring as the lunch break sits twenty-five minutes away. Two minutes into standing out there felt like two hours and I cannot go on any longer. So, I started walking and saw the library at the end of the hallway. For me, reading is one of the perfect ways to pass time and I could use it for now. I love reading but am only engrossed with the fictional ones as it takes me to places out of my reach. Anything besides fiction will make my head hurt. Although, the obligation of studying made me appreciate some non-fictional books that actually helped me gain more knowledge that I could really use in real life.

I entered the library and there was no one in sight but the geeky librarian who's fast asleep on his desk. His snore echoes in the room and I can't help but chuckle lightly to myself. I shut the door behind me so I could use the private space I will be having all to myself before the bell rings.

"Romance, Nah, Science books, too geeky, Math, definitely not, my head has already gone through enough headache today. Where is the Fiction section??" I muttered to myself as I choose from the tons of books organized on the shelves.

Nothing caught my interest until I found a strange book with mysterious ciphers engraved on the side of the book. As I pulled it out, it was covered in dust. I opened it up and found nothing written on the pages. As I scan thoroughly for the pages, I found a distinct page that is nothing like the other blank ones. It was a black-colored page with different sets of symbols which is kinda weirding me out. I touched the page with the tip of my finger; I feel like I am being drawn to it in some way and suddenly, a cloud of gas appeared out of nowhere, making me feel drowsy. Everything around me felt like they were turning as I stand still, and everything is blurring out. The room was getting gloomier, and my eyes slowly shut closed.

As I gain back my consciousness, I found myself back into the dark matter I was floating into earlier in my dream; although the light is nowhere to be seen this time.

Am I dreaming again? Did I fell asleep in the library?

I was thinking to myself as I stare cluelessly into the dim space. Then, I started hearing these vague sounds that are getting louder and louder by the minute. It is repeating something over and over again. I felt like I was losing my mind that I covered both of my ears and closed my eyes until it'll go away.

Until "Sire! Sire!" a man spoke; it suddenly turned into a clearer manly voice. As I hear the sounds much clearer, I felt a man taking a grip hold of my arms while he's shaking my body.

"Sire! Sire! Wake up!" I finally opened my eyes and saw that the husky voice was from a man, but my vision was still a bit blurry.

"You've been sleeping there on the sidewalk for hours now, so I decided to approach you. I've been here quite a while trying to wake you up, sire." My vision started to clear out and as I stare at the man's face, I was petrified! The sight of him made me jump from where I was found lying.

Is he even a human? He looks like a crocodile! He has this sharp-looking eyes like that of a reptile, he has pointy teeth exactly like that of a crocodile and he even has scaly, greenish skin. As soon as I saw how bizarre he looked, I backed off few meters away from him.

As I observe where I was, it seems to me like I was in some type of Gothic setting from the past except there are human-like creatures that have physical features found in different animals. They are like mutants of some sort which made my confusion with everything more intense.

I remember my strange dream and perhaps I am still dreaming. I then decided to pinch myself really hard to maybe prove that I was in fact in a dream. I yelped in pain as I did that, and my arm only turned red.

'Maybe this is real? Or maybe it's just as realistic as the dream I had beforehand, and this might even be the continuation of it.' I thought to myself as I try to convince myself that this was not real at all.

My mind was clouded with these thoughts until the man who woke me up called out to me.

"Sire! Can you hear me? I've been talking to you, and it seems like you're lost into space."

"Uhm, what?" I said to him with a confused expression painted all over my face.

"I said, are you lost, sire? I can tell that you are not from around here and maybe you got lost or something." the man asked again as he pointed at my clothes. I was still in my uniform, and I have my bag with me.

"I honestly don't know. I don't know what's going on. And what even are you? Where am I?"

"Well, that is rude of you to ask what in the world I am, but I'll let that pass because you seem to be very lost and oblivious of everything around you." the man said in a very serious tone and look on his face. He's a bit pissed with my question. But I really and honestly don't know what he is!

"You are in Tynewt, the land of the demi-humans" the man continued.

"Oh, I am sorry to have appeared to be disrespectful, but I don't really know what's going on. So, you're a demi-human??" I replied to him.

"Yes, I am. That's why I look very different compared to you." the man clarified.

"Are there any humans like me around here?" I asked curiously.

"Oh yeah of course, but you are in a land specifically for demi-humans. So, there are fewer of you out here. Though, if you explore the different lands and areas around here, you'll meet your fellow humans someplace out there." He explained.

"Oh alright; but what is your name, sir?" I asked him as soon as I realized that I haven't gotten his name.

"I'm Varan, a weapon store owner here in Tynewt." He then asked me the same question.

"I'm Finley Scott Davis, a student at a university in Canada."

He looked at me with a confused look on his face.

"Canada?? That is a very odd name. I have never heard of such a place. Where is that supposed to be?"

"It's a country," I said as if stating the obvious.

"Hmm.." Varan whispered with a confused look on his face while he's shaking his head no.

"...in North America?" I asked, hoping that he'd at least be familiar with America.

"I am so sorry sire but it doesn't really ring any bell. I haven't heard of America either."

"What?? Then where the heck am I?? How am I supposed to go back home??" I said anxiously with my hands over my head. I started to close my eyes pacing back and forth whispering to myself that this was just all a dream, a very weird dream.

"Calm down for a moment will you, I will try to help you since you seem like a nice human. Come and follow me if you like." Varan suggested.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it and I really am sorry for being rude to you earlier. I am just befuddled ever since this morning." I told him as he walks ahead of me.

"This morning, oh yeah, this morning I went to school and the last thing I remember is being in the library before I woke up into this place," I murmured quietly to myself.

My thoughts were interrupted as soon as we entered a small premise across the sidewalk. As he opened the door, I was blinded by the flash of light reflected from the well-refined gears and skillfully crafted weapons everywhere. I am assuming that this is his weapon store and it looked kinda cool and neat. My eyes wandered around as Varan went to a small counter at the center of the room. He started to look for something and finally, he took out a scroll of paper from under the counter.

"Alright, here we are." He said while he laid the paper flat on the counter. "This is the map of Tynewt and we are right...here."

"I am sorry sir, but I honestly cannot understand everything that is written on it." I politely said as I saw the symbols that I am very unfamiliar with. I haven't seen anything like it before. I assume that this might be their own set of alphabets.

"Oh of course but let me show you the different villages and places around here. You'll easily remember them through the shapes of each place showed on here." Varan said as he tried his best to remind me of each place.

"Now, does anything sounds or looks familiar at all?" he asked.

"Not really, everything is foreign to me. It doesn't look anything like the maps that I have seen before." I said worriedly.

"How am I supposed to go home, Varan?? I don't really know what to do."

"I honestly don't know either, sire." Varan replied with dismay.

"Thank you for your help anyway, I really appreciate it. I'll just try and find my way home." I said as I went outside of his store.

Not knowing what to do, I decided to sit first on the vacant seat that was in front of Varan's store. I put my hands over my head with my elbows on my knees as if I have lost everything.

I took a glance towards the busy streets and there were a lot of other demi-humans passing by. Some of them were making fun of me and some were glaring at me like I'm some kind of alien or something. I guess it was because of what I am wearing and the fact that I look like I came out of another bizarre world, you know, like literally an alien.

Varan was watching from inside his store and sympathized with me.

"Have you eaten?" Varan suddenly appeared on the doorstep. He lets me inside his store once more and gave me some food. It looked weird but it oddly tasted good. After eating, I took out some money so I can at least repay Varan's kindness to me.

"Uhm, what is that?" Varan uttered in confusion.

"I would like to repay everything that you have done from here on out. Please take this, it's the least that I can do." I sincerely told him.

"Oh, there is no need for that really, but what is that?"

"It's my money. This is what's left on my pocket."

"Oh dear, I am sorry, but we have a different currency here. We could convert it to our money here, but no one would know where that or even you came from so there's really no use. But I do appreciate your deed; I guess it'd be best if you would keep that for yourself. You don't really have to pay me back." Varan explained to me.

"Is that so? Then, I guess I will be homeless and broke for quite a while." I said in disappointment.

Varan felt bad and suddenly offered me a deal. He said that he could teach me how to read and write their language because he said that I would really need that; he also offered to lend me some of his weapons and gears to protect myself from danger. He would also lend me a little money so I can find food and a temporary shelter while I find my way home. All this, in exchange for working for him for a month or so. I weighed everything and finally agreed to it. Not knowing anything here would mean that it might really take me a month or more to find my way back and so his offer was already a great and generous deal. I guess this is really happening. This might actually be real after all and not some kind of a weird dream.

~ To be Continued ~

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