Spoiler :

Heya! BBeLiN here. It has been a while since I posted one of my works... It's because I'm having a hard time writing consistently nowadays. That's also the reason why my previous works are mainly oneshots(no time constraints, unlike a series). So, I thought... If I would continue in this manner, why not make a collection of oneshots? I might connect the stories together, and some characters might even reappear. Well, I also decided to include you readers in the story. Figure out the mysteries surrounding these narratives.

Since this is a oneshot collection, the genres varies. That's why, on each story I would put up a note giving you a background about the story and the genres included.

And so, without further ado, I welcome you to my tale... our legend.

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Darkness...

The deep darkness have completely enveloped your body, purloining you of your sight and somehow dulling your senses. Having no idea where you are, fear and panic slowly encroached your heart. Your pulse rises with each passing moment, the thought of the tangible darkness that encompasses your body devouring your existence and drowning you into the depths, gives you a nauseating sensation.

A powerful urge to scream filled your thoughts, as if your instincts are telling you about the possible dangers of the current situation. Waking up in an unknown location with your senses taken away is, after all, a terrifying experience.

You gulped audibly to swallow down the gut-wrenching feeling of terror deep in your throat. You attempted to calm your nerves by objectively analyzing the occurrence. You looked through your memories to recall the events that transpired beforehand, which may lead to the current circumstances.

In the next instant, you remembered how you were resting in a comfortable position as you browsed the internet using your electronic device. As an avid reader of online novels, a story entitled, "Pigments of Hue" had piqued your interest. Deciding to give it a try, you clicked a link which led you to an empty page. A second afterwards, you heard a shrill crackling noise which gave you a painful headache, before your consciousness faded into black.

*FLASH*

"---!!!"

You released a soundless shriek in surprise after a bright light subdued the darkness. Your eyes, which was adapting to the darkness, was suddenly blinded by the unanticipated illumination. 

As your eyes got used to the luminescence, you surveyed your surroundings to find out that you're currently in a room with walls dyed in red. You continued looking around and saw that the foregoing bright radiance came from a single lightbulb fixed right above your head.

"Haaa..."

You've unknowingly let out a relieved sigh after getting released from the suffocating darkness, though you still don't know your exact location, you still felt that you had a load off your mind.

*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*

Just as your anxiousness was diminishing, you heard heavy footfalls getting close to you from behind with a leisurely pace. You hastily turned around in panic.

*Gasp*

You took a sharp intake of breath in astonishment. What you saw approaching you was a bipedal creature. Towering slightly below six feet tall, wearing a brown tuxedo, a monocle and a top hat. This creature appears to be human, if not for his distinct feature... the head of a fish.

You panicked at the unearthly sight before you. You looked at the creature blankly as you were filled with disbelief. A dream, perhaps, this is the only logical explanation you could reach, about this enigmatic experience.

As if noticing your inner turmoil, the fish-headed humanoid looked at you gently with what seems to be a smile. His prismatic irises observed you from head to toe, and when they met your own eyes, you felt as if you were getting sucked in by its mysterious glow.

"Greetings, visitor..."

His sudden words snapped you out of your trance. Embarrassed, you averted your gaze in a jiffy. You snuck another glance at his golden-orange visage with eyes filled with curiosity, in which he gave another soft smile.

"I welcome you, dear visitor." He paused for a moment, before continuing on, "I know that you have numerous questions. I'll try to answer however much as I could later on, regardless, for now, let us introduce ourselves."

You were astounded for a moment when he suddenly spoke up. After a few seconds, analyzing his words, you quizzically looked back at him and softly muttered your name in a stutter.

"Ah, I see. What an interesting appellation. Unlike my own, mundane alias..." He had shown a wistful countenance before reverting back into his smiling face. "Well then, I am a man of many designations, but right now, I go by the name 'Bob Belins', the Wanderer. In any case, you may call me whatever you deem fitting."

His eyes which changes its colors, had once again laid upon you. Somehow, you felt that his gaze was soothing and familiar, no matter how strange the current situation was.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Then... Wanderer..." You muttered, thankfully, you prevented yourself from blurting out 'Fish-head'. You didn't want to sour your conversation with such a thoughtless insult. "Do you know where I currently am? Or at least... Why I am here." You asked nervously.

"Of course, of course." He, Bob Belins, nodded gently in a jovial mood. "Rift. That's what this place is called. It is the place that links your world to different parallel multiverses. And me... I am the watcher of this place. I manage this area to help the poor souls that were accidentally separated from their own realm, those of which you people call 'spirited away'. Like you."

"W-what?!"

You exclaimed loudly in your puzzlement. 'What does he mean by 'separated from their own realm?'' 'What would happen now, if I am one of such beings?' Various questions popped up in your mind and was left unanswered.

"Don't worry. I'll help you return to your normal life..." He had once again broke you out of your stupor. After his words sunk in, you finally found a shred of hope within the deep darkness of the unknown.

"But..." Bob let out a sigh. Out of the blue, his countenance turned grim. You felt a sense of foreboding about his impending words. "The cause for your case of getting spirited away is quite troubling... A man in your previous realm attempted to forcefully enter the rift using a machine, however... The coordinates he used missed by a large margin, and unfortunately, what the machine detected, was you."

He gazed at you with pity. You cursed your fate at how amongst the billions of people, it just had to be you that gets transported. You wanted to shout profanities, but contained yourself as you felt Bob was about to say something.

"Anyways..." He wiped the gloomy expression on his face and smiled once again. "I'm trying to send you back, but fixing the connection that was forcefully wrenched open would take some time... So, you have to wait here in that duration. Don't worry, I'll keep you company throughout your stay here." He finished his words with a soft chortling. 'He must have lived a boring and lonely life here', you thought to yourself.

"I understand... But, exactly how long would it take?" You asked the strange, fish-headed guy the question that was bothering you since earlier.

"Uhmm..." He paused, "I think it would take a hundred years or so? Well, that darned machine really wrecked the link so--"

"A HUNDRED YEARS?! Wouldn't I be dead by then?!" You inadvertently cut off his words in your horror. A hundred years, adding your current age... That's way more than a human's lifespan.

"D-Don't worry, you wouldn't age here... Also, when you return, as long as it works perfectly, you'll be back at the exact same time you were gone. You wouldn't even feel that you've disappeared, as I would have to wipe your memories of this place by then." Bob answered sheepishly as he fixed his monocle. He was visibly rattled by your sudden outburst.

"Haaa..." You sighed and held your forehead to clear out your building up stress. This situation is truly more than what you could decipher at once. To take your mind off of the mentally straining thoughts, you looked around the red room.

After your eyes roamed around a bit, they became fixated at a familiar object. A computer. Looking at it from different angles, you confirmed your conjecture. It IS a computer. Thinking that you could once again read stories online, you looked back at Bob excitedly.

"T-This is..." You muttered softly with uncontrollable excitement.

"Oh!" Seeing the direction of your gaze earlier, he noticed how you've taken an interest on the machine installed near the wall. His eyes glistened slightly in amusement. "That is my most valuable possession. It's my only solace in this dark and lonesome place." He meaningfully looked far away with a solemn expression. He returned his gaze back at you, before continuing.

"It's a machine that shows different creatures, from different realms. Their lives, their existence, their interaction. With that machine, I can watch over different worlds, different places, at the same time." He alternated his gaze between you and the machine with a gentle look.

You looked back at the machine as you thought deeply. Although it wasn't what you thought it to be, it was still a machine of an interesting capability.

"Ah, I know!" He exclaimed loudly. "How about you sit down for a moment, and let me tell you about the different lives, different worlds that I have observed." He said in an excited tone. With a wave of his arms, two chairs appeared out of thin air, one of which he sat upon. Understanding his gesture, You took up the other chair and sat down. You looked into his eyes, in which he nodded slightly.

"In a certain place, at a certain time..." A deep voice echoed in the red room. As if an illusion, the red world was suddenly filled with burst colors, before fading back into crimson.

And here marks our beginning, our story... The story of various tales.