2018, thick forest, ???

Randy Miller was one of those guys you would instantly picture when someone mentioned the term "redneck" in your presence. Living on the outskirts of a town called Springfield located somewhere in Texas he owned a ranch filled with a few cows which barely brough in a few coins to live from for him and his deeply religious christian wife and made her nag sometimes without end but he knew it wasn't his fault. In his younger days when his ol' man was still alive he was told and shown supposed evidence that the government was corrupted and controlled from the shadows by a mysterious force and that the coins they couldn't seem to earn no matter how hard they tried were used by said force without their knowledge to foster their own plans and fuel their forces.

Over the years he and his buddies had opened up a club for those that were convinced by the big conspiracy and from then on started to at all times wear at least one weapon on their belts and carry a shitload in the back of their trucks with them. On top of that they started to gather "evidence" that, as they found out in their investigation, the illuminati were the ones behind the scenes, controlled by supposed alien forces that wanted to subdue mankind, and in preparation made the illuminati carry out a masterplan to manipulate the governments all around the world into becoming their puppets until finally the aliens would arrive from the back of the moon and make all people their slaves to do their bidding.

All those thoughts had already made his paranoia grow bigger and planted a seed inside his mind. Madness.

The day the white light arrived he was just banging his wife in their cramped bedroom. As his wife perceived the white light she thought instantly that judgement day had arrived and started praying and chanting the lords name in glory without end. Randy on the other hand looked above all anxious. Anxious that the aliens would finally begin the execution of their master plan and descend to earth.

He jumped up from his wife and rushed down the stairs of course not forgetting his weapon because he knew that he would need it pretty soon. Throwing over his red and white squared shirt he got into his truck and drove in the direction of Springfield which was around 10km away from their ranch.

As he was driving through the darkness of the night which apperently wasn't so dark anymore due to the shining white up above he was planing what he would need to pack together so he wouldn't forget anything in the coming war for independence and freedom. Just as he was about to turn into a different street a huming sound in his mind cought his attention. It grew stronger and stronger with each passing second and Randy thought already that the aliens must have caught a glimbse of the conspiracy they had uncovered which made a drop of sweat flow down his forhead dropping down and falling into his bushy beard.

"You want a fight? Then come on over and I'll kick your asses so hard that you'll fly back to your fuckin' world!" he cursed out loud. Just as he was finished the humming had reached a peak it seemed and in the next second everything grew white except for Randy. He could only see everything becoming black around him as he slipped into unconciousness.

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2018, Inn "the roasted cock", ???

After the duel in the plaza was over and all the witnesses had dispersed Dorian had followed the man he meet in the crowd back to an imposing looking Inn called "the roasted cock" which made Dorian grin in contemplation what the owner may look like. 

As the both of them entered the Inn a young waitress came their way bowing slightly towards them.

"Would you like a table for two dear customers?", she asked with an inquiring look on her face surrounded by long black hair that fell down near her temples like a frame for a cute picture.

"Yes please, and if you have one at a window to the street please.", the man answered which made Dorian wonder why to the street but he guessed the man must have his reasons or some kind of habit so he didn't bother to question him further. 

"This way please." and with that she turned around and headed towards a table on the far left side located at a big window with a good view in the direction of the plaza they just came from. 

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Would you like something to drink or something to eat?"

Dorian looked questioningly at the man since he was the one to invite him to eat.

"Take whatever you would like, money ain't gonna be a problem." the man said, smiling at Dorian in answer.

"I'll take the biggest menu you have on the plan and some water please." Dorian said. 

"And I would like some sake please, the best one you have." 

"Right away." the woman said, turning around leaving a nice view for the both of the men to admire her swinging back and not bothering to look away because, well, why bother about shame right?

"Water huh? Any particular reason for not drinking something stronger?" The man asked.

"Yeee, you know the last night was kinda rough on me so I would prefer something else then alcohol to be honest." Dorian answered him truthfully, while remembering all the bottles he and his friends had emptied which made him a little sick to the stomache when thinking about drinking yet again.

"Hahahaha, must have been one hell of a blast, ai?" the man said laughing with a deep baritone.

"Ye, kinda." Dorian answered shuckling to himself in remembrance.

After their drinks had arrived and the waitress went away again to pick up their food the man said: "By the way my name is Wang Fei. I'm a schoolar researching Aura and the energy it consists of.", he said while taking a sipp of his sake which made him smile in satisfaction.

"Aura? How could you research that and what does that have to do with energy in the first place?" Dorian asked confused.

"The Aura that I'm refereing to has nothing to do with the charisma of a person as you may think. It is the personal manifestation of astral energy or as some may refer to as the universes breath. I want you to imagine a landscape. Envision green hills, trees, plants, animals and even humans. Now imagine that everything in your landscape is imbued by the astral energy, like sunlight or air but on a way more penetrating level. It surrounds everything there is and penetrates it but not on a harmful level, at least not in its natural form. It only becomes dangerous to others once a person manages to perceive, channel and then convert that astral energy. That is what we call Aura. The warriors you have seen on the plaza can only call themselfs warriors because they started to perceive that energy."

"I think I understand what you are saying even though the whole energy thing is a little hard on the mind to imagine. It's feels like I'm inside fucking Star Wars..." Dorian wondered.

"What is Star Wars?"

"Nothing. So, are you able to channel this energy you spoke of?"

"No, since I have decided to live a normal life and not walk the path.", Wang said with a calm smile satisfied with his decision.

"This is now the second time that I hear you talk about this "path". What does that mean and what does it have to do with that energy you mentioned?" Dorians confusion growing.

"I wonder how you it is possible that you don't know about the path...", Wangs face growing a taking a more serious look as he contemplated.

"The path is, how should I put it... you could say it means shedding mortality and transcending to godhood."

Hearing Wangs words Dorian nearly chocked on the food he was about to swallow down.

"D-Did I hear wrongly just now? You said those warriors from earlier try to become some kind of god?!" Dorian asked with wide eyes, not really believing what he had just heard. God? I which century did he end up that people still believed in gods?!

"Yes, godhood. But by the look on your face you seem to doubt my words for some reason. What would be necessary for you to believe my words?", Wang said with a calm smile as if having told a little child not believing that he too was once a boy his height or age.

Dorian mumbled for a few seconds trying to sort out his thoughts. "In my opinion only the gods themselfes, should they really exist could prove their existence so there is no use in you to try and prove it for me but I think it would be a beginning if you could show me this Aura you were talking about. After all you seem to be convinced that that is what opens up the way to godhood."

"You have a point there." Just as he was about to continue his answer a loud noise was coming from outside the restaurant and both of them turned around to watch out of the window.

"It seems to me that a chance to proof the existence of Aura has just delivered itself to our doorstep." Wang said smilingly.