In a small, isolated grove surrounded by old, knotted roots, looking over a cliff with a boundless verdant sea, a man in an emerald, green toga embroidered with gold. Sat next to a small irradiance pond as he watches fish silently swim past his feet as he gently kicks through the pond in time with the bird’s symphony. As a gentle scent of burning fir and pork fat, he gently speaks out into the distance. “@$?£!.”
Instantaneously a female robotic voice speaks out from oblivion, “Yes.”
As the woman spoke, the man stopped kicking his feet and reached down into the pond, picking up a little chipped stone. Rubbing his finger over its smooth yet damaged surface, sighing, he gently ordered, “Commence transfers.”
With a slight delay, the robotic voice replies, “Order received. Initializing protocol 777766688555 2226667777774443666777. Time expected for transfer 3 days, 29 hours, 42 minutes, and 56 seconds. Are you sure you want to confirm there is still time to change your mind?”
“I’m sure.” The man replies as he stares off into the distance sea of trees.
A flash of light beams from behind the man’s back, he turns to look at the woman now standing there near the mangled old oaks and the twisted pines. A gentle breeze starts to dance through the trees and the hair of the two beings as they stare at each other. The woman's soft voice speaks “You don’t know what will happen, there has never been an intact soul through my gates, no outside soul has walked this land without being fully wiped, they… May create issues with the systems already in place.”
“Your systems will be fine, even if they break, you will be able to repair them before anyone has a chance to notice.” he sighs while flicking his hand making his long hair braid in intricate designs of flowers and trees.
Smirking he laughs out “Honestly you actually make it sound like you are busy, saying you are normally just messing with mortals most of the time anyway.”
In an instant, the wind stops blowing through the glade, and ominous silence hangs in the stagnant air as the woman stands there frozen in place. With a small twitch next to her golden eyes, she starts dissolving into the ground.
*DING* That’s rude, and you know it, keeping the system functioning takes a lot of time and effort. ب_ب.
While sitting back down towards the pond. He stares off into the distance, while holding the little stone he can’t help but laugh. The world is changing once again, gods overstepping and yet doing nothing, Arcane corruption running rampant through the world... Sighing as he put his legs back into the shimmering pond. It is almost time to wake up from my dream.
As he places the stone back into the pond, he chuckles out back to the woman, “Yet you still have enough to mess with hundreds of thousands of mortals, sure… it must be really difficult.”
*Ding* (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Some years ago
“Jacob.” A sound echoed through the void. As the void hugs me protecting me from all that is outside, the sound pierces through again “Jacob, get up… Hey, come on Jacob, get up!” A young man shouted shattering the void around me.
“I’m up, I’m up,” I shout, stretching letting my eyes flicker open to see the old run-down classroom with dust dancing around the air. The smell of ink and paper, and the buzz of computers hit my senses, looking to the side I see the flickers of the pc screens. When did I get to sixth form, I was sure I was already home. While I was thinking, the voice of the young man came from my side once again.
“Jacob, this is the third day in a row what are you even doing at night to fall asleep in the middle of class.” The young man sighed as he shook his head. As the man gets up from his seat stretching his arms above his head, with a laugh he speaks out, “Come on Jacob, we should get going class has already ended, or are you planning on staying the night.”
“I told you yesterday, that I… that I’m just struggling to fall to sleep that’s all,” I argued back. Why am I even arguing, why does it matter, it has been happening that much now I’m not even embarrassed anymore when I’m caught. looking down towards the wooden floor, my black tattered bag had tipped over to the side, the broken zip letting the ripped scrunched up paper spill out. Ugh… Such a pain, I really hope my parents will get me a new bag tomorrow.
As I was distracted in my thoughts the young man, ripped them from me as he speaks up, “Jacob, come on hurry up what are you even doing, are you coming?”
I quickly respond as I watch my friend motion towards the exit near the front of the room. “Hey! Wait for me for a sec I just need to sort out my bag.” Before I can start packing up my stuff I was called from the front.
“Jacob, can you just wait a minute before you set off, please? I need to talk to you privately.” A large man with short dirt blond hair gently spoke, as he looked up from his computer straight at me from the front of the room.
Damn it, Mr Ouder is the worst. Quickly packing my things into my bag. I look back towards the exit, sighing under my breath. “He never seems to ever ask anyone else to wait behind; why is it always me.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
As I was complaining, my friend whispers in my ear “Yeah, you do always get his attention, though at least you have better style than him, I mean what is he even wearing, who wears shorts in the middle of winter when it’s -17 °C. also why are they so tight? Like is he purposely trying to show off his body, we all already know he’s got the physique of a Greek god, but he doesn’t need to wear clothing two sizes too small”.
“True.” Whispering back.
Almost instantly my friend laughed, “I bet that’s not the only thing he’s got like a Greek god.” Quickly realising what he said he got bright red and started to fast walk towards the exit. As he turned the corner he shouted back, “I will wait for you outside.”
Laughing to myself while shaking my head, I kept packing my bag until I realised I never actually responded to Mr Ouder. “Sorry sir, I will be right there!” I shouted.
Once finishing packing my bag, I got up and started walking towards the front while looking around the quiet room, with each step the floor creaked and groaned, and dust fluttered around in the air reflecting the twilight sun. I still can’t believe it's winter already; the only issue is it gets dark so early. As I got closer to the front, I make eye contact with Mr Ouder, his eyes freckled with green and brown with an odd golden hue, looking down towards the desk he already had my exam out ready as he smiled towards me… “This is going to be a bad talk.” I sigh under my breath.
The large man shifted in his chair which is comically too small for him while spinning a pen in his hand. Suddenly the pen comes to a stop right before he started speaking, “Jacob I would have talked to you earlier, but it looked like you needed to nap.” Mr Ouder smirked while pointing to the seat.
“Thanks sir, so what did you want to talk about?” I grunted as I sat down.
“I think you already know; your recent exams have not been up to standard, this might be sixth form, we let you get away with a lot saying you guys are almost adults” Mr Ouder sighed looking disappointed, as he stretches slightly shuffling on his seat. He looks back making direct eye contact, as he carries on. “I was not born yesterday you know; I know you haven’t been trying lately you can do better than this…” as he points towards my exam. “A 6 out of 50 and most of them were multiple choice, even a child could do better than that.” Mr Ouder deep voice echoes throughout the room as he leans back.
“I’m sorry sir, but I am trying… I’m trying my hardest it’s just I haven’t been able to sleep lately.” I mutter while placing my hands on my knees, looking down towards the scuffed wooden floors.
“Jacob.” Mr Ouder sighed while resting his hand on his face. As he looks back towards me, he spoke, “Jacob, I have known you for years since you joined here in year 7, it’s normally not my place to bring this up directly without going through your PPC, but do you need to talk about anything happening at home, recently you are sleeping in class more than normal and even refusing to do work.” Mr Ouder gently spoke as he stares right through me.
Sitting there it feels like I was not even in the room with him. Looking at his eyes, rage starts to boil inside of me, before replying I calm myself down, sighing I reply. “HA I’m fine, I have said this before sir, but you never listen.” This is the sixth time this week that I have been asked about my home life. Can no one get the hint that I don’t want to talk about it, who does he even think he is anyway asking me, what could he even do? I’m brought back to the conversation as Mr Ouder starts to speak again.
“Hmm… sure we will leave it be… well I will not keep you any longer, I will see you next week and try to sleep over the weekend but take this. I know teachers are not meant to give gifts to students however, I know it’s your birthday Tomorrow and that you won’t receive anything from your parents so take it.” Ouder huffed, while he rummaged through his chest pocket, pulling out a small green pendent. The pendant hung from his large hands, from a silver chain and a small green gem, with a carveing of a small plant growing.
As I looked down at the necklace, I feel rage boiling back up inside me. How. How, could he possibly know anything about me, how can he even know that my parents don’t get me anything for my birthdays? I have never told anyone, not even my friends. Quickly standing up from the chair, the chair fell back, banging on the ground. Clenching my fist around the pendent Wanting to throw it back at him something deep within me seemed to pulse calming me down. Before I could think what to do, I realised I had already walked away.
…..
“Jacob, Jacob, please get up mum and Dad are fighting again” Izzy and Sam whispered shoving me awake.
Dam this feels familiar, sitting up and spinning around to the side of my bed to get up. I felt like I was just at sixth form, what a weird day. As I get up from bed, I finally notice that I can hear Mum screaming at Dad again. What’s this the fourth time this week they fought, looking to the side of me, I see my two younger siblings Sam staring at the ground with his black hair covering his face and Izzy holding onto his arm while holding a stand of her long blond hair as she gently tugs it.
Placing my hands on their heads giving them a gentle pat, they look back up at me with their red eyes. They have been crying again. With a sigh, I pick them up, as the twins lightly tremble in my arms, as I place them into my bed. “Stay here” I gently say, while rubbing their heads. “It’s safe in my bed, I will quickly go and see what they are arguing about and be straight back up okay?” I smile patting their hair one last time.
“Okay but be back soon” Izzy whispered back while holding tighter on Sam's arm. But as I turn around to leave, Sam quietly calls towards me “Wait.” I turn back around to face them, Sam who was holding a light blue envelope with a scribble of a name that reads “to Jacob”, I gently grabbed it from his small hands, I could feel a card and some change in it. But before I could say anything Izzy and Sam whispered, “Happy birthday.” while getting up to hug me.
“Thank you,” I said with a hint of surprise. “You know you two did not need to get me anything.” They must have scavenged some money from Mum when she was passed out, they really shouldn’t have, I better return it once they fall asleep, maybe I could buy them some sweets or something as a thank you.
Pondering what to do, I realize Mum is still shouting. “I will open it when I get back okay,” I spoke quietly while hugging them as tight as I can. Gently placing the envelope on the bedside table before I leave the room.
Gently walking forward, sneaking to the top of the landing. carefully making sure to not step on any loose floorboards. As I got closer, I could hear their distinctive slurred speech, drunk again, I don’t even remember what they sound like anymore, while they not pissed. Can they not just go one night without drinking?
Creeping around to the top of the stairs, I carefully place one foot in front of the next down a couple of steps, As I start to get a better look at what’s happening, I see mum push dad on the floor, and start kicking him, he was stuck on his back on the cold tiled floor. Before I realised what I was doing I ran down a few more steps and shouted, “MUM STOP!”
Mum suddenly stops and looks up and starts to scream back at me something incoherent, if I don’t stop mum the police will have to get involved again. “Mum your pissed get the fuck out your scaring Sam and Izzy.” Demanding as I stare down towards her.
“ou… You are just like your fucking father, you little shit always getting into other people's shit!” she screeches back at me.
As I was about to shout back at her, I noticed a pinkish blur coming towards me. Twisting my body to move out of the way, my mind finally catches up with what was happening, I realised that she had thrown her phone at me. But I was too slow, it hit me directly in the forehead, as I was still moving. As it hit me my foot slipped off the step.
Falling sideways the world started to spin. “Shit!” shouting as I hit the first step, I try to stop myself, but I hit the next step. Flinging out my arms I put all my strength pressing against the walls with my hands and feet, but I keep on falling faster, the world seems to slow as I am still twisting and bending unable to slow my descent down, my hands burning more with each step closer to the bottom.
CRACK!
The sound echoed around me as my head slammed on the tiles, there is no pain, just a dull buzzing sensation across my body. I can hear yells and screams from my parents and siblings sounding like they are miles away. My thoughts started to stitch back together. They… must have gotten out of bed, they must have just seen me fall how embarrassing. As my vision blurred, I could still see Mum, running outside with her jacket fluttering as she runs away. She even left the door open behind her. “Sh… she will let out all of the heat we don’t have much gas left” I groan.
Sam came down and crouched by my side and started shoving me, he is saying something, but I don’t know what. I stare toward the door and see Mum running off in the distance, my open hand stretched out in front of me, with my palm being stripped of skin. No sounds seem to reach me, only a faint buzzing in my ears, as my vision began to blur more, in the corner of my eyes, I notice a green glimmer, I can see it right on the floor, right next to me just out of reach the green pendant, as I stare at it, everything goes black.