3 Days Ago

Local Inn

"We'll be traveling a lot next so you better prepare yourself Ashleen. Are you any familiar with traditional ways of traveling by any chance?"

"Not really, didn't they just used to walk in ancient times, and yes the carriage stuff."

"You know Ox cart?"

"We'll be traveling by ox cart? You can't be kidding..."

"You are right, you were not expecting a bullet train in this area, were you?"

"So that's what my guts were trying to warn me about... Anyways alright. I am done eating anyways so I'll go get my stuff packed then. Thanks for the warning I'll pack my stuff carefully now."

"Be a bit quick, we are waiting since morning for you."

"Sorry bro I'll be done soon."

Ashleen ran upstairs and quickly tried to get her stuff to fit in the bag.

I think this is a special bag. Abra ca dabra everything in bag vanish!

And it did vanish. Playfully Ashleen stuffed all her clothes etc in the bag, closed the zip, and opened it again, as expected, the things in the compartment were not the ones she stuffed. There was some cash, water bottles, napkins, masks, lotions, canned fruits, a murder mystery novel, and a few long scarves. All set, she left her room, before closing the door she looked around one last time to make sure nothing was left behind. She hopped out of the room and went downstairs.

"I am ready guys! Oh by the way, I don't know how Chinese money works, like how much for what thing so, Mr. Wu, here's my part of money, I'll need you to help me with payments."

"I thought you didn't have any money"

Neither did I "..."

"Okay, let's get moving then."

I have been feeling weird since morning. I slept in for too long. Usually, I'd take it as a sign that I am relaxed but that can't possibly be the case here. Just what is wrong? Is something not okay with the normal world for me? I used to sleep when there was a problem. That might be right... Oh man, I forgot something.

Anik, maybe there's a problem with him? But I got no way to contact him, it's not like we have mobiles here, I don't know why but somehow that sounds pretty fortunate. Finally no phones, I mean I have one now but I don't want to use it... Ashleen! where are you going? What was your topic of thinking Idiot?

Way to contact him..., there is one but I am not sure whether it'll work...the Mayday trust.

...

Half a day later.

It isn't working... but more importantly, how am I going to survive this?? My back hurts, I wanna sleep.

Ox cart, walking, weird bikes, again ox cart, and now this tin box-like bus. It's hard, very hard. I am using my third person's perspective well, can I use it where I am not present? Like I am not 4 feet higher like my skill shows, but at least I am on the bus. Let's find that out and for that Miss Ashleen, Concentrate!

Close your eyes, because this pair of eyes is kind of like a distraction. Now focus, on the world he is in, I am familiar with that. And another thing I'll focus on is Anik.

Now that's a victory. After seeing this in movies all the time I wonder if the artist saw this too. Traveling spaces at such a high speed, without a physical body. But it exactly is like that, like a whirlpool of purple color. I feel nice thinking about how I did it but this is draining.

There we are, I am sure I am in the right place. Clear air, ancient type buildings, and historical Chinese clothing. Now for where Anik should be. I don't think I want to use this travel and search thing again, I can already feel my ears buzzing in that bus. Let's use our brain then, Anik's location should be either the 48 strongholds or the villain's place. Or maybe any local inn at all. If this is one of the places I thought about it's alright but if it is a local inn...This is hard! Miss fast travel, I'll need you again.

Oh My this was fast, and here I am. How could I forget this cool cave? Xie Yun's teacher he was if I remember correctly though I am unable to recall anything at all.

Let's go in! Where should he be? The first thing I saw was Xie Yun and he looked so good. Sitting in the entrance, looking at the clear sky; what is he thinking about? He was described as a very good-looking person with a carefree aura in the book and luckily the actor who played him was my favorite Chinese actor. I don't know how to feel about seeing him in real life. Clang* A small arrow-like thing flew across my supposed eyes and hit the iron pillar about 20 meters behind me. Did he notice my presence? ... I don't think he can hurt me... can he? After throwing the arrow he looked in my direction and stared for a while. Every second I felt my heartbeat increasing. That was intense. Then he sighed and looked away again.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

I don't know what he is thinking but I'll just sneak in.

Entering the cave I saw Miss Fei and the teacher entering a room, the teacher stopped, looked in my direction, and kept moving. I too did the same. I kept moving and I finally saw the room where Anik was. I entered the room and I saw him lying in the bed very uncomfortably. His breathing was not normal, leave alone normal it didn't even feel like breathing. Just what did he do to get into this situation?

A small room with a single bed, a side table, a few chairs in the corner, and a pot of water beside the bed. That was all in the room. Someone entered the room, it was Gayatri. She didn't look at me or I can say she didn't notice me, but would that mean she is the Master Of Void is not even as strong as Xie Yun?

She moved towards Anik, smiled a bit and her smile turned to a giggle. "One out," she said and moved out of the room. One out... what is she trying to do? Was this all a trap or something? Is she planning to try to capture Mr Demon? But she knows she can't. At most, she can get me. And Mr. Demon can just choose another body. She needs to upgrade her game plan a lot.

In The Bus

"Bro she ain't waking up..."

"Carry," Bro said and moved out of the bus. He stood at the door and looked back again. There was a frown on his head but he quickly moved removing this frown away.

In The Cave

Sniffle* Tear came rolling down Anik's left eye. Just what is going on? A bad dream? How bad can a dream possibly be to make someone uncomfortable to this extent? And this guy is not just someone. From the way behaves and takes on stuff, he's too calm to be shaken by a common nightmare. Is it sleep paralysis?

"Master what's wrong with him?" It was Miss Fei walking into the room with the teacher. "Is this sleep paralysis?"

"Sleep paralysis can't be this long."

"Nightmare?"

"Only he can tell when he wakes up..."

"Can't we help? Any treatment?"

"I'll try, you check on Xie Yun. He seems down."

"That's because this doc is still unconscious..."

"That's why go be with him."

"Yes, teacher."

I don't know how long I've been here but given the fact I am not feeling bumps anymore means the bus might have stopped a while ago. But I am not feeling anything at all. Thinking about it there is no noise either...

...

"Fatty put her down."

"Huh? Bro? We are in the middle of nowhere. Where am I supposed to put her down? This forest is full of tiny insects and other creatures. Should I put her down?" Said fatty while putting her down while Wu placed a bag under the head.

"Is she breathing?" Asked bro looking at Wu. He bent down and with a horrified look on his face he replied, "No"

"There's no pulse either" added Fatty.

...

ouch, what's wrong? I felt a strong burning feeling on my cheek. I tried to ignore it but there it was again.

Oh wait no, how long have I been here? I haven't sensed something from my body either. Wait... I am unable to use my senses overall. I wanted to rush back but how the hell was I supposed to leave Anik like that??

"He isn't dying but you might." said the teacher as he looked in my direction. I knew he noticed me but how does he know I am here for Anik?

"You should go now." He said again with a sense of urgency.

I looked at Anik and closed my 3rd person perspective.

"Bro... How did she even die?"

"She ain't dead."

"Eh?"

"Holy- Man what happened! My body is stiff all over..." I woke up in the middle of a forest completely different place from what I expected.

"You are alive?" said Wu.

"Huh?"

"But you just died..."

"Huh!?"

"Nothing let's get moving now." Said bro before giving a glance. Wind master said I might die. There should be a time limit to how long I can stay out of my body.

"...Okay."

With no idea what happened and where we were, I followed them silently. It was late in the evening and after a day of all this traveling and experimenting with the skills, I needed to sleep. I was having a hard time adjusting back to my body, everything felt unknown and foreign. It was familiar but didn't feel mine. It kept on going for about an hour when Bro finally stopped.

"We'll set our camp here tonight." He said and moved ahead with unpacking his sleeping bag while Fatty got his stuff ready to make some campfire. I opened my bag and without any surprise, the things in my bag were different now. What I originally thought was a tent was a portable sleeping bag. There were a few cans of food and bottles of water along with a dagger. Since we were in a forest I need to be careful so I took the dagger out of the bag and adjusted it in my waist belt.

It was almost night at this moment. All three of them were sitting next to the fire waiting for their fresh meat to be cooked and I sat on a rock near them with my fruit cans. I have never been a fan of fancy eating so this didn't get to me. But the closeness these three had was real. Imagining this group without even a single of them just feels horrible deep down.

These guys seem to know very well about each other while talking they knew what to say and what not to. Knowing each other's weaknesses and protecting that part of them. Protecting them from harm without asking for something in return... This can only happen when it's something written by a person outside this world. The real world doesn't work like that. You always need to hide yourself deep down so no one ever finds you. You are the one who protects yourself, no one else will do that.

There was no more discussion, at least I didn't ask much. I wanted to ask about quite a lot but I had no energy for that. After half an hour or so everyone was done eating and moved to their respective sleeping bags. This is my time trying this. It feels pretty comfortable though. Closed bag, and feels nice.

I slept as soon as I closed my eyes, before completely dozing off I was still hearing Fatty rambling about something and Wu getting him shut up in a very 'Mr. Wu' way.

I don't know how long I slept but I was woken up by a strange feeling, as if someone was sitting right behind me. I felt pretty scared at this point that I wanted to quickly get out of this bag or at least make some sound. But this could be a wild animal, if it were a wild animal it wasn't that bad but if it were some other human... My hands are in the bag, if I made any noticeable moment, it might not end well.

Smack!... Thud.

I finally opened my eyes to look behind. It was bro without a doubt who knocked it out. But what is it? What did he knock out? There was a silhouette lying beside me but it was too dark to see clearly and this thing didn't look humane.

"Run!" Said Bro as he kicked behind him and it landed on something as well. What was it? I didn't even notice the presence of a second one.

"Fatty? Wu?"

"They are already running," he said while I got up to get to move quickly.

My third person's perspective, as expected can see in the dark.