Chapter 3: A New World
Weyn blinked his eyes rapidly as he tried to clear the lights that were flashing through his vision with little success. His ears were ringing and his head felt like it was being crushed. Eventually, Weyn managed to get himself off the ground. All of the buildings had been demolished to rubble. He checked himself for injuries and only found a couple minor scrape wounds.
“Huh, I really got lucky this time”, Weyn murmured to himself as he looked down at the hand of a corpse buried by the rubble. A look of worry appeared on Weyn’s face as he realized that Professor may not have been so lucky as to escape with just a few scrapes.
Weyn started running towards where Icharius’ office used to be. “Professor Icharius!”, Weyn shouted, “Where are y-.” That’s when he saw him. The professor, his stomach impaled by a piece of sharp debris in a dried puddle of blood. “Nonono…”, Weyn said he rushed towards the body. He checked for a pulse in the vain hope that he might still be alive. Nothing. Weyn dropped to his knees. What is this?, Weyn thought. His chest felt tight. It hurt. He wanted to scream. And for the first time since he could remember, tears began rolling down his face. Memories flashed through his mind. The warm smile the Professor gave him when they first met after combat training many years ago. The first time the Professor took him into his office and told him a story. The time the Professor gave him a name. The strict reading and writing lessons that he taught. The comforting embrace Weyn could always turn to when the black-robed men did their painful experiments on him. But as the tears continued to streak down his face, Weyn noticed a piece of blood-stained parchment and a quill lying in the Professor’s hands. He picked up the piece of parchment and began to read it.
Dear Weyn,
If you are reading this that means you have survived the blast, thank the gods. I know that I am dying right now. I know that when you read this, you may be hurting from my death. You may cry now. But then please, for me and for you, dry your tears. After all, you have a whole world filled with endless possibilities to explore. When you're ready, go through the east tunnel. Pull the lantern closest to the exit. You’ll find a longbow, arrows, a bag of coins, and some supplies. After you obtain the rucksack, you should start going south. You’ll find a road within a couple miles journey. Follow the road down in the southmost direction and you will find the city of Chrona within a few days. But remember these three things above all else. One, never manifest your essence unless absolutely necessary. Two, be careful of who you trust. Three...
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
The writing ended with an illegible scribble. You were always looking out for me, Weyn thought sadly. “Thank you”, Weyn said quietly as he closed the professor’s lifeless eyes. Weyn dried a final tear and got to his feet again. He took the piece of parchment and carefully folded it into his pocket. He began walking towards the east tunnel entrance. But what am I supposed to do after I get to Chrona?, Weyn asked himself. I won’t have anybody to look out for me. No one to guide me.
Weyn continued worriedly thinking about what he was going to do until he reached the tunnel. Weyn stopped right before the entrance. He had seen the tunnel on multiple occasions, but he was never allowed to enter it. It was a small rectangular tunnel that could only comfortably accommodate one person at a time. It was lined with softly glowing lanterns on both sides. Weyn entered the tunnel feeling uncomfortable at first from how narrow the tunnel was, but he quickly got used to it and arrived at the end of the tunnel in good time. There was a circular door made of strong oakwood. A single lantern glowed right beside the door. That must be it, Weyn thought. He reached for the lantern and pulled it firmly.
*Click*
A stone panel fell out of the wall right under the lantern to reveal a hidden compartment containing a leather rucksack. Weyn checked the contents of the bag. A wooden longbow, a quiver full of arrows, an extra set of clothes, a map, and a sheathed dagger. After checking the rucksack, Weyn opened the door and was nearly blown back by a strong gust of wind. After he recovered, Weyn found a scene completely foreign to him. He saw a rocky, unpaved trail that led down the mountain and into a giant coniferous forest that seemed to go on forever. The cold of the mountain air bit into his skin causing him to shiver and the wind roared in his ears. So, this is the outside, Weyn thought. A whirlwind of emotions welled up within him. Awe for the majestic scene before him. Fear that he may not be prepared to face this world. Excitement and curiosity to finally see the world that he has only heard about in stories. A sorrowful loneliness that the Professor wouldn’t be by his side to explore this new world. Weyn took a deep breath and took his first step into the outside world.
-----------------------------------------------------
A man who looked to be in his thirties stood among the remains of the facility. He had dark brown skin, long white hair tied in a ponytail, and a gnarly scar running across his left eye. He stood there, looking down at the body of Professor Icharius. A single tear dropped from an amber eye. How many more people will be taken from me before this is over?, the man asked. “Find out how they did this”, the man said through clenched teeth. "Already on it", replied a disembodied voice that seemed to echo off non-existent walls. The man crouched down before the Professor. “I know you don’t want me to do this father, but I’m the only one who can. I’ll make sure that you and the others have not died in vain. I’ll win this war and fulfill her wish”, the man said quietly.
The man stood up and with a snap of his finger, set the Professor’s body ablaze. No matter the cost, the man thought as watched the smoke rise up into the night sky.