Chapter 3: Constant Confusion
Finley's Point of View
I gasped for air as I felt my heart start beating once again. As I catch my breath, my eyes begin to grasp everything around me. But one thing is making me lose my mind entirely; there was nothing around but complete darkness. Then there was this very familiar melody that I kept on hearing, a melody that someone created through a whistle, as if it was the very last thing that I heard a while ago except now, it was like a slow reverb version of the melody which is making it seem eerier.
I am once again floating in some type of dark matter, and I can't help but freak out over all these course of events that have no explanations or whatever and it just keeps on happening to me.
Vision of myself covered in blood swiftly flashes in my mind making my head throb a little. I suddenly remembered everything that just happened and now I am more confused and scared. Who was that man behind the mask? Why did he kill me?? Why am I remembering everything like it was just a minute ago??
Then it dawned on me, the melody that kept my head spinning was the whistling sound that the masked man was making while I slowly marched into death.
Everything that just happened is now clear as day in my mind but as blurry as your eyesight for I don't have a single clue why all these things seemed to be happening to me.
Suddenly, I am hearing this familiar voice saying words I can't hear much clearly until I was forced to close my eyes and cover my head as I was drawn into a very blinding light.
It's that voice again and I realized that the voice was exactly like Varan's.
"Sire, Sire, wake up!!" a sense of de javu crawled upon me as the same words from the same voice sang unto my ears. As my eyes slowly opened, there it was, Varan before me, waking me up as if someone pressed the replay button bringing me back to where it all started.
I quickly stood up as I saw Varan and tried to hug him.
He suddenly pushed me back and punched me on the face. "What the heck?? What do you think you're doing??" he suddenly said as he freaked out.
"Firstly, ouch! You could've just back away...but I'm really sorry Varan but you are the only familiar face I have seen in quite a while, and I can't help myself."
"What are you talking about?? And how the hell do you know my name?? Are you some kind of stalker or something??"
"What?? No, no, of course not. I am your old friend. Finley? Finley Scott Davis, don't you remember me at all??"
"Does it seem like I remember you? And I'm sorry for that punch, it was a reflex." Varan uttered.
"I know that I know that you wouldn't hurt anyone unless you needed to, because you're such a kind being, you were so kind enough to help me when I was so lost for a few weeks or I don't know, maybe months ago? You sent me to that quest, the one with those poisonous slimes?" I asked eagerly, desperately wanting him to remember me.
"Look kid, I am sorry to burst your bubble, but I haven't seen you in my life ever until this very moment. I was just trying to wake you up because you've been lying there for quite a while now and I was a bit worried. If you're telling the truth, then I would likely remember every detail. Don't play games on me and just run along, go home now. Just go back to your parents and stop fooling people while you' re in those clothes. Tsk, kids these days have nothing better to do, don't they? Humans and demi-humans alike, very mischievous people." Varan said in a serious tone while he made his way back to his store.
"Varan, wait!" he stops as he hears my desperate call.
"What is it now??" he asked irritatingly.
"I am deadly serious, I swear! Cross my heart and hope to die, I mean, of course I don't want to die again but please just listen, I'll tell you everything if you just give me a chance to explain everything." I said with pleading eyes.
"Die again? What in the world is he talking about?" Varan muttered to himself. He sighs deeply then signals me to follow him towards his store. I wasn't aware how his subtle response left a wide grin on my face.
moments later...
"I can't really recall anything like that happening. But I can give you a few probable scenarios that might have happened to you. First, someone might have erased my memory, retaining yours or you could be involved in some type of a time warp sort of thing, in which I don't really have much knowledge on."
"Is that so? What then should I do? The confusion never ends, and I just constantly find myself lost inside this unknown world that I am in now. I am starting to feel torn again if I am in a dream or this is all real." I stated in frustration.
"Well, I know that I am pretty much real, and I think that you are too. This world is very real to me, but I guess that alone wouldn't really convince and assure you." Varan said while thinking.
He pauses for a minute until, "I'll tell you what..."
"What?" I asked immediately. He slightly snickers at my response and continued, "I'd like to help you again, if you'd be willing to accept it after I made one of your eyes swell."
"Of course, that would be great! But you said you have forgotten about me, why are you suddenly willing to help a stranger like me who just randomly barged into your life?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I'm quite convinced that you are a nice person, and you give off this gentle, friendly aura that makes me want to help you. Then, there's just something about you that feels extraordinary for this world...like you 're meant to do something big..."
"Huh, that's quite an answer Varan but I don't think I will though. I am just an ordinary, incapable, insecure and awkward guy who's not deserving of any affection or whatnot let alone do something big for such an extraordinary world." I gloomily uttered, almost getting lost in the moment until I snapped myself out of it. "Anyway, I would really, really appreciate it if you'd help me. You are such a great being that you are the one who's greatly impacting others' life, I hope you know that."
"That's nice of you to say but it'd be nicer if you can see the goodness in you too. You are as capable as anyone else in the world. You just need a little time to discover that, and you'll see just how great you'll be if you would just believe in yourself."
"Can't believe I'm hearing this from a crocodile man." I whispered to myself.
"What was that?"
"I said I can't believe how kind you are, that's all." I said with a grin on my face.
"First off, why would anyone kill you off just like that?" Varan thought loudly.
"I know! He just killed me right after helping me, such an irony!"
"Have you gained any enemies during your stay here right before that quest??"
"Not really, I know no one liked me the first time I got here, but I think I made quite the impression when I started working for you. No one seems to hate on me that much anymore, well none that I can think of honestly."
"I know they hated on you for your ludicrous fashion sense."
I smirked after letting out a gasp indicating my disbelief at what he just said. I looked at my clothes as I titter then I looked back at him still in disbelief.
"I thought your heart's painted entirely of gold, but I guess someone smudged a black, filthy paint on it." I said while smirking at him. "And this is our school uniform, so I didn't really have much choice do I and it got dirty that's all, you have no idea how fashionable I am." I added, trying to defend myself.
"Yes, yes, whatever, bet you can't pull anything off for that matter anyways." Varan remarked.
"Wow, I can't believe I'm hearing this from someone who looks like an alligator." I uttered. But as I glanced at him, I can't deny how he's pulling off the outfit he's wearing and it's not even something I can see myself wearing.
Days have passed by quickly and I'm actually building a much closer and comfortable relationship with Varan than what we had the first time. It all started when I saw this quirky, different side of his personality. I mean he was still serious most of the time, but I get to show another side of myself to him without the awkwardness growing. And he's still the kindest being I've met in my whole life.
Just like the first time, he lent me the same set of weapons and gears except now, it was for free. He didn't ask me to work for him anymore but still chose to keep his generosity towards me; I can see how much benevolence is in his nature as a being. He's actually more humane than most humans are. Still, I volunteered to help him out because I believe that I am not that shameless, selfish boy who just doesn't care and would just take advantage of good people.
Few weeks have passed, and Varan is sending me on another quest. He said that I should hone myself into the best adventurer that I can be by starting small. So, as a new experience, he will send me on a much different quest from the slime one. I am appointed with a special potion in hand in which I am to deliver at a place called Draco. Draco was a small village known for the sinister, filthy hands of many wily thieves and bandits who could go away mostly with anything on their way. They can be defeated but Varan can guarantee that it would be a very tricky one. "They can rob you off without you knowing, the first time they lay their eyes on you. That's how skilled they can be." Varan warned as he reminds me to train hard for this one.
With all his advice and guidance, I try to motivate myself to train night and day. I am trying my best to dedicate my time into toning my body and preparing it ahead. I don't really work out so it is quite rough, but I guess trying my best is enough. Of course, you can't expect your ideal body to turn around in just a few days or weeks of training but I can feel the helpful effect it's actually doing to my body, considering I am someone who would rather sit all day in front of my computer or books rather than working out, although, I am pretty much of an athletic guy. I am a varsity of basketball and badminton in our school, so that in itself is an irony.
Although, playing sports has always been a chore to me rather than a leisure since my mother has forced me into it. She has constantly pressured me into winning and getting into the best teams and growing up, I never had a say on it, really. Now is the right time to channel that inner athlete in me and maybe get my way out of this fast just like I always do. It's what I've been trying to do with my mom, but she just wanted more to the point that it would just drain me vastly. Anything I did wasn't always enough.
"Where am I this time?" I thought to myself as a light flashed in front of me, unveiling a strange and mysterious place that I have never seen before. It was some sort of dark alley that looked like an ideal place for a hideout. I find myself in front of a lady with long, white hair. Her face seems a bit blurry, but I can tell how beautiful she might be. She suddenly hugged me as she cried for, I don't know what reason. I tried to hug her back but out of a sudden, I felt a sharp object thrust into my neck and I saw a hand holding a broken piece of glass which seems to me like a part of the bottle of potion that was beside me.
My heart beats fast which means I'm still alive, but blood keeps rushing out of my neck and I can feel this excruciating pain that aggravates every second the blood comes out. I feel like I'm on a slow death march. It was so intense that I suddenly woke up out of breath. It was the middle of the night!
I could've sworn that was a dream since I'm awake now; but it felt very real. For this instance, I honestly couldn't determine what is a dream or what is the reality anymore. It's becoming a literal existential crisis for me as of now and I don't want that getting my way with this quest in which I choose to believe is real.
But just to be safe, I should avoid anything that looks like that dark alley. It might actually entail my next death trap.
~ To be Continued ~