Whatever air was in my lungs leapt out of its clutches, escaping into the wider world outside. A vast meadow stood between me and the horizon, the sun beaming at me from directly above; lush green filled the land, as a gentle breeze washed over me like a sea’s tide, drifting ever calmly in the serenity of the land.

Not a single car horn blared, nor were there any concrete structures to speak of. Had I not seen Renna, then I would’ve thought I was kidnapped into the countryside. Hell, I could probably tell from the air alone, cleaner than anything I could breathe in the city.

A smile tugged at my cheeks, as I simply stared, basking in the serene atmosphere. For but a moment, I looked back at my situation. Maybe, just maybe, things weren’t so bad, all things considered anyway.

Taking in a deep breath, the world began to twist and distort around me, slowly converting as if all had been an illusion- before long, a melodic voice snapped me out of it. “Beautiful, isn’t it? I was quite lucky to have bought this land for cheap. Some years back, around a decade or so, all of this used to be an empty field, nothing but dirt in sight. However, after I worked my magic, and with the guild finding a deposit of minerals nearby, it swiftly grew into something much more delightful. It’s only in moments like these where you can truly appreciate the outside, with someone who’s just as starry eyed as you are.”

Despite having known her for a little less than an hour, the gap that always distanced me from others seemed to of have become an illusion, a sense of familiarity budding inside of me as she continued to speak- of the clouds and earth beneath, with the faint musical melody of instruments playing in the background.

“I wouldn’t mind waking up early every day just to watch the sun rise with a view like this. I would even bet there were people willing to pay money to see it.” My comment, if a bit random, rang true with my thoughts, the wind gently caressing my cheek.

Her slender hand waved, brushing off the compliment with a small smile, “You flatter me, Walter. But, I rarely get the opportunity. Work always takes up so much of my time that it's easy to lose track of it.” She mused, stifling an awkward yawn from in between her lips. “However, that isn’t the reason why I brought you here, far from it.”

“Guessed as much.” I shrugged, dragging my fingers across the grass before standing up. “The change in scenery is very much so appreciated. Still, you’ve gone quite some time without having explained what I was supposed to do. So spill it, I’m dying of anticipation.”

A hand offered itself, unfurling from her chest as her other limbs shifted to adjust for the space. “If you are so impatient, then you were meant to assist me in alchemy.” Renna curtly answered, her glamorous blue dress flowing in the wind as she sat on the ground, the movement coming to a stop. “An apprentice of sorts. Compounded by the fact your special ability would lend itself quite well to this line of work, I wouldn’t mind you joining me in my endeavors. Interviewing you was more of a formality than anything.”

My brow rose in attention, ideas passing through my head, crossing, clashing, forming anew with one another, yet only a few seconds passed. Intrigue brewed like a witch’s pot, bubbling to the surface, an inquire rearing its head. “Special ability…huh…” A novel feeling was surging through my veins, filling to the brim with a sort of energy. “Powers… I have powers?” Trailing along my lips, I sought approval from the older woman, the nod I received in turn sparking the gas alight, a flame blazing.

“Everyone is naturally given one at birth, no exceptions. Though, its strength is usually dictated by who your parents were and how dedicated they would be to training it. While yours isn’t particularly strong, I see potential in it. Only a fool wouldn’t find it magnificent, a fool whose only equivalent is a circus.”

“I don’t mind the compliments, miss Renna, truly, I don’t. But, for whatever reason, I just can’t see it. If it isn’t that strong, then why would you take interest in me when compared to everyone else you could have picked from.” I reasoned, my eye twitching ever so slightly. “Are you sure this is really the right choice? Not saying you made the wrong decision, however, I just don’t know if I have it in me, you know? This kind of burden is just….”

“Too much?” Her head tilted to the right, glancing at me as a blue glow encompassed her figure. “You see, Walt, it isn’t very often that I make the wrong choice, especially when I have done this for so long. Still, if you doubt your ability to perform, then allow me to explain what you can do first, alright?”

I nodded, a cold chill running down my spine as a white scalpel suddenly spun betwixt the doll-like woman’s fingertips, twirling with great speed. “Poisonous blood. While not powerful by any means, its use in making potions is very versatile. Without a shadow of a doubt, it would see more use here than anything you could get from the kingdom’s army.” Bringing the sharp instrument closer to my arm, the blade’s cold edge grazed against my forearm, my teeth gritting against one another at the sensation.

“Naturally, it comes with another benefit: enhanced regeneration. Or so my record says.” Her words did very little to calm me down, my nerves sputtering as if the knife broke through skin, piercing into the delicate flesh below, enough to draw a helix of blood along my arm. A wince burst up onto the surface as though it were a lava bubble. As a giggle wormed its way out of my throat, swiftly evolving into maniacal laughter, tears streaming down my eyes. Pain ran without contest, crimson trickling down my nails.

“An earlier warning would have helped, no?” I grunted through clenched teeth, the cycles of my breath uneven, rapid. “I should be given at least that much before you start cutting into me. What kind of medical practitioner are you anyway?” A response came quick as lightning, but one that I didn’t expect.

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“Only an expert in human anatomy. Beyond that, I have only been given titles from those people I helped along the way. Besides, this won’t be the last time I cut into you.” Alarms ran in my head immediately, a gulp forcing whatever I was going to say down my esophagus. “Naturally, there will be less painful methods of extraction, but as you can see, I don’t have the machinery here. Worry not, it will feel like nothing more than a prick.”

Second thought, perhaps I made a mistake. “I need an adult.” A pressure built in my chest, growing with each passing second as the passage to my lungs shut. “This… this whole thing’s messed up…. What did I get myself into…” A disconnect in reality, a false sense of being. What was fantasy, was all of this a dream? Rational and irrational melded together like a Cronenbergian beast, distorting far more than what I thought was possible.

This was supposed to be a fun adventure, right? What else could it have been? “Nothing illegal, at least, I hope not. Then again, the kingdom would have shut down my operations long ago if that were the case.” She muttered, just loud enough for me to hear. “As I have already stated, your job is to act as my assistant. An errant boy, if you would. Someone who would help me with tasks, big or small. Along with your services, I also request the use of your innate ability for the explicit purpose of attaining toxins at a cheaper price.”

My mind snapped itself out, her words pulling me from my feverish stupor, blankly following her with half a brain. Shortly after, running out of the front door, a brown piece of paper flew, gliding across the air like a plane, hovering in front of me. “The details of which are laid out in this parchment. Should there be more inquiries, I would be more than happy to oblige. Otherwise, you have the choice to either tear or sign the contract.”

Irked, perplexed? The specificity of her words confused me. An agreement? One that sounded fair? One I could back out of? Nervously pulling back my arm from her grasp, a hand moved to cover the wound, tainting my fingers in blood as they tapped at the bleeding hole. I winced, more than a few times, eyes shuddering whilst my heart eased into a consistent rhythm, allowing me a breath of air.

Tension in my veins eased, my actions becoming less jittery. Soon, I collapsed onto the soft grass bed below, my mind still reeling at what exactly happened in the last minute. “It’s hard to believe any of this is real, you know? Sometimes it's hard to tell whether or not this is simply a fever dream brought about by boredom, or maybe something more complex.” Empty laughter bellowed from my chest as I clutched at the sky, the sun wrapped tightly in the palm of my hand. “So please, before I commit to this decision, I just want you to answer this one thing for me, alright?”

“Yes?”

“Is this real life? Or is this just fantasy? Caught in the tide of some feud between those with a hand. Left with no other choice but to stand?” A gentle breeze brushed past, drying the tears that had been left earlier. “I just want…” Am I weak for asking? “…to go home.”

“So it's safe to assume you feel like this because you come from another world? If so, then you can be rest assured that this can only be as real as you make it.” Glass shattered, the veil that had propped itself up cracking. “Have fun, make your own adventure. I gave you that choice, didn’t I? Walter,” She knew? All this time? “Become the hero of your story, there’s nothing out there that can stop you. And if it is your wish to return back to your mundane home, then there is nothing I can do to hinder your progress towards it.”

“The future is yours to work towards. And whether or not you stay here in this quaint little home in the country is none of my business.” Renna shook her head, a pair of arms pressing against her forehead. “The others… they said something similar. I-, Apologies if I got the details wrong, I’m not very familiar with them, you see. However, the point still stands. With an ability like yours, Walt, it wouldn’t take that much effort to go far as an adventurer. But my offer still stands, and I will accept you with open arms, a helping hand is always welcome.”

I sat there. For what felt like an eternity, sitting lifelessly on the dirt. She knew about where I came from? Were my efforts in hiding for naught? The other cases… were they of my classmates? Or perhaps a different case? Toiling in the depths of my mind, ideas brewed, steam pouring out from my head.

Every thought made it ache, pulsating pain like a million needles stabbing all at once. It didn’t- no, I wouldn’t stop. There was no pleading, just suffering, at the hands of my own brain. Or perhaps it was my inability to accept my circumstance? My incompetence, laziness, the laxness of my nature coming to bite me in the ass. Silly, that was too silly.

Shakily, I sighed, the pressure unwinding as I returned my gaze to the piece of paper in my hands, staring at it for some time. Pondering on a decision I was nowhere near ready to answer, I took my time, no doubt wasting the doll-like woman’s as well. Minutes, maybe hours, slipped from my fingertips, the sun’s position slowly drifting with each moment spent. Sweat beaded from my brow, pooling on my back as a croak bellowed from my throat, an eye opening to awakeness.

“Come to a conclusion? Or perhaps you could use some more time?” Shaking my head, I sat up, an arm hanging on my knee as I held the contract in my hand, the straight piece of paper shimmering blue.

“Yes, I’ve gone on clowning for long enough, and I’ve decided to just end all of it and commit to a single goal rather than meander around aimlessly.” Dumping it all out, I kept my head high despite the nagging feeling to continue laying down, to push through the slothfulness and finish what I set out to accomplish. “I want to improve myself to the best of my ability. Be the best me that I can in this novel world, that’s the most I can do for myself, right? What use would returning be when I would live the same damn life I’ve always had, stagnantly wasting away years repeatedly doing the same thing, over and over again.”

Silence filled the air, deafening in its locust-like noise, buzzing as though it were the base of a speaker. Only for it to be drown out by the sound of clapping. Gradually, it whished across the wind, reaching my ears like a wonderful melody, with each one coming together with the harmony of an orchestra. My eyes shut, as the world littered with cheers, an elegant theater taking the space where the field once laid.

“Such a quest is admirable, truly. However, you have yet to divulge on how you plan to achieve this?” She inquired, appearing on a stand in front of me, manifesting as a judge of sorts.

For some reason, a crooked smile tugged on my cheeks, softly staring at the woman, inexplicable to even me. Only when I answered did I understand why though, the reason revealing itself as clear as day. “I would like to join you, help in your endeavors in alchemy.”

“Instead of joining most of your peers, filling out the guild’s catalogue of outstanding heroes and heroines? You wish to throw the opportunity away to help an old hag in her research?” A click echoed from my mouth, a hand waving at the notion.

“Of course not. But when an opportunity places itself right in front of you, wouldn’t it be rude to deny the chance to be something greater? Even if it may cause me great harm and pain, it wouldn’t matter if I get to improve by leaps and bounds with each day, doesn’t it not?”

“I supposed it would be.”