Note: Prologue 2 Part 3 and 4 have also been updated.
http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=31792
Part 1
I once read that everyone have something unique which differentiate them from other people.
Yet here I am, can't memorize fast enough , sucks at drawing , got bored at programming.
The only thing I'm good at is mashing my F5 button on internet board forum.
My diploma was left to rot inside my drawer, together with CV I kept for the last 5 years.
I wonder where did I go wrong? , it felt like my past 29 years is nothing but air.
Everyday I wish this is but a dream, that my future self is not like this, scraping life from one part-time job to the other, passing each day only to sleep at night.
Sadly, even my dream deny me from comfort.
My dream is always the same, a girl standing in front of a gate, asking me to follow her.
Nevertheless of my choice, I always wake up before answering her, but today I notice something different.
While I still can't recognize her silhouette , somehow the background is clearer this time, I can read the word on the gate
"Trikora..."
She turn her head to the gate and then back to me.
"You can read it now ?."
As soon as she finished her words, heavy headache hit my head, the world spinning around me, I almost yell out scream of pain before noticing that I've returned to my bedroom.
What a crazy dream, certainly not something I need before going to my university reunion.
Normally I wont care about event like this, but it's hard to refuse invitation from your only friend in university.
My phone is flashing, it seems he really want to make sure I will come to the reunion, I refuse the call and message him instead.
[Just woke up, dont worry I'll come.]
Since I was invited I should make best use of it, at the very worst I can trade a few hour of embarrassment for dinner, not that I'm that desperate for dinner though.
I'm searching for a clean cloth in my cabinet, at least something that didnt make me look more like a bum than I already am.
I already choose my best 3 out of all garbage in the cabinet when I notice snow falling outside my window, better grab a jacket while at it.
Heading out from my apartment, I walk a few meters east heading to my commute. Route 14 bus stop, one of few bus stop that still works late night, it seems there's a few minute until next bus arrival.
I took out my cigarette to smoke my cold away. Snow fall heavily today, wonder if there will be a storm...
I've only managed to take a few breath when the buss front light flash at me after passing intersection.
"Oh well, better early than late."
............
It seems there's no one else on the bus, not that anyone ever took my usual place on the very back seat.
City lights seems very beautiful tonight, attracting people like sugar to ant. Too bad I'm one of those nestless ants, there's nowhere to take the sugar back.
The bus pass through several of my former workplace. Convenience store, Fast food station , Local park I'm hired during autumn to sweep all fallen leaves.
Certainly not a worthy occupation history to write on your CV.
Somehow I always bored at my workplace after a few weeks. My job tend to be sloppy after 2nd month , and at 3rd month I barely come to work anymore.
Another reason not to write my previous work while job hunting , I don't have happy ending with them.
My mind return to previous dream.
Trikora, what kind of place is that?, there's no relevant data on google about that place, at least now I know my dream is not a result of my voyage into internet deepest rift.
Now that I think about it, I only slept for a hour back then, no wonder my eyes still trying to drag me back to that realm.
Perhaps I can sneak a few minutes sleep, my destination is still quite far away, I may find new clues about the dream as well.
The bus pass through a tunnel, now it's dark enough for me to sleep, I took this as approval from God to let me sleep, I hope I can wake up before the bus stop.
Part 2
The dream was strangely a deep long one, I only notice I've fallen asleep when my eyes almost blinded by light.
"Which part of city is this bright at night?"
Then I notice there's heat as well, just how long I've fell asleep?.
I open my eyes to welcome the most drastic changes in my life, it was already noon, and there's no snow in sight, in fact it's hot as hell.
It seems I'm currently at the middle of a meadow without any building in horizon.
"Summer?, did someone drop nuclear bomb while I'm asleep?"
I don't know if radiation could alter your senses, but I'm feeling really good right now.
The air is clear and taste like mint, I haven't experience this since leaving my hometown 7 years ago.
But I doubt even my hometown still have this aura by now. Anyway, where is this place?.
"Welcome back!"
"Whoa!!."
Suddenly I notice a girl standing infront of me. Weird, I'm certain I didn't see her while looking around before.
Now that I look at her closely, she almost like your typical high-schooler apart from her hairstyle with 4 different colored tails.
What, did they really drop nuclear bomb here?, how could it be she already mutated?.
"You know, I was really worried when you say goodbye earlier. I thought you will leave me again, it's good that you are well."
"Earlier?, wait a second, do you perhaps mistaken me for someone else?"
"What are you talking about? ,could it be they've done something bad to you?. I already told you to be careful. Well, since you're able to come back here I guess there's nothing to worry about."
This girl must be crazy , it seems radiation affect her brain as well.
What does she mean I come back to this place?, I'm sure no one can get forget waking up in place as strange as this.
Then again, what's this place?. The horizon are surrounded by hills, it's as if I'm currently inside a bowl.
Just when I'm going to open my mouth to ask her another question , which is stupid since she hasn't answer my previous question yet.
She rise up and point her index finger on me.
"Anyway, we got a new neighbor now. Go and say your welcome to her!."
Right after she finish her sentence , I felt the world around me become much colder. As if the world have changed itself for something.
In a split second the grass where I sit spin around for a second before twisting right back.
The earth was forced open by the grass.
Now there's a gaping hole where I sit a second before, naturally I fall towards it while barely hearing that strange girl yelling something
"Good luck!."
...........
...................
.............................
I don't know how long I've been free-falling , not that I have anything to mark the time anyway.
The hole above me have been closed right after that strange girl finish yelling , leaving a single illuminate source on my fall trajectory.
"Damn , earth core already?. It seems the nuclear blast also lower the elevation."
While I wash my anxiousness with another nuclear joke, I make a note to myself, don't speak while free-falling.
Almost choke myself due to sudden air pressure from opening my mouth facing down.
At least now I have time to think about all this shit that's been going on.
I know for sure this is not bus final stop.
There's no way the driver dump me here after returning the bus to its garage, I doubt bus driver nowadays is in possession of mini black hole used to dump sleepover passenger to this place.
This is also too fluid to be a dream, so I can officially scratch controlling this place with my imagination.
The problem now is to figured out where the hell this place is , and how to reach the ground without breaking every bone in my body.
Not that I don't want to think about that strange girl earlier , but it felt like I will be hearing police sirens if I start to imagine her.
The way she command grass to open the ground, ..is it magic?.
She's certainly not normal.
Not that freefalling to the center of earth like this could be considered normal either.
.........
There's more light in the hole now , it seems I'm getting closer to its end.
I start to chant all religious prayer my mom teach me before the inevitable *SPLAT!* to the ground.
Several flashbacks start to play inside my mind, of course it's mainly about my PC and its content.
........................................................................*POOF!* ... ....... .................. .
.....What?.
I'm certain my body already hit the floor right now.
Why is it I didn't feel any pain?.
Actually I did feel pain, but it's as light as mosquito bite and only last for a split second.
Then I felt the answer in my hand, the ground might be shaped like stone, but it's as soft as sponge.
"What kind of stone is this? , could it be a stage prop? , am I being tricked right now?"
"!!??"
Out of nowhere there's a respond from across the cave.
I had to pinch my eye hard to see tall slender woman beside a forge staring at me.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
For a moment I want to get closer to see her clearly. But soon after I know that's a big mistake.
She's naked as newborn, showing everything for my eye to feast.
Long gold hair to waist , breast size of almost D cup. Totally my image of ideal woman apart from two things.
Her beast-like eyes and forge hammer in her right hand, correction, she already swap the hammer with the sword she currently forging.
Another correction, make that three things, I don't like woman pointing sharp weapon at me
"Wh..Who are you!?, How you get in here!?"
"Hold on! , it's not what you think!. I can't swear that I didn't see anything, but I really didn't mean it!."
"Intruder!!."
This mark the second time someone tried to kill me , If you also count that girl throwing my down here.
But it seems this one is deadlier, in a split second I blinked somehow she already equipped full body armor and charged towards me with amazing speed.
There's nothing I can do but stare at the first claymore I ever saw in real life, which could also be my last.
There's flash of light from the claymore as she swing it to me. and then there's nothing.
Part 3
I really miss my room. First it was that strange girl throwing me down the hole, then that crazy naked blacksmith/swords-woman murder attempt.
When will someone shows up and say that this is the worst surprise party ever?.
Thankfully somehow my head is still at its place, I didn't feel any other injury either.
I say feel because for some reason I get heavy headache every time I try to open my eyes.
Because of that I don't know where I am right now.
I can feel soft fabric beneath me, but it doesn't end at my arm reach, perhaps I can reach the end if I move my body a little bit.
But I think it's not a good idea to move recklessly right now, what if there's hot lava around me?, robbed from vision can do wonders for your imagination.
I lift my hand towards empty space above me, fingers all wet from wiping cold sweat off my forehead.
I felt nothing, there's no wind in here.
"TOT!"
Lack of wind means I'm currently inside an enclosed room, so I test the room size using my voice.
Based on previous scanning attempt I can conclude that this room is larger than my old room, which is 7x5 meter size.
Hell, it must be way larger, just where could I possibly be?.
"TOOOT!!!
"...Uhm, excuse me?."
Eh?, there's someone else in here?. There's no way I can evade this as sleep talking!.
"....."
"Are you okay?, the guard notifies me of strange sound inside the room, is there something wrong?.
What I'm supposed to do?, Should I reply?. It seems the cat is out of the bag already.
"...I..I'm sorry, it's nothing to worry about."
"That so?, please let me know if there's anything wrong. It is my responsibilities after all.
"Ng?, What do you mean by..."
Urgh, I was trying to open my eyes a little bit to see my conversation partner.
Yet just as before, my eyes were soon to be blinded by ray of light, it leaves a bright blight even after I close my eyes.
Combine that with heavy headache which last for a few minutes and you get yourselves an embarrassment in front of someone you just told not to worry about.
"Are you really okay?, Is it your eyes?"
"..Sorry for hiding it, for some reason my eyes seem to be sensitive to light at the moment."
"That so?, but you are fine earlier when I check your left eye.., now that I think about it I didn't get to examine your right eye."
"My left eye..?"
I tried to only open my left eye, surprisingly there's no blinding light this time, although my head is still hurt a little bit.
But what is more surprising is that there's someone face right in front of me, I do want to see her face, but not this close.
"Uhm.., what are you doing?."
"Ng?, waiting for you to open your right eye?, I believe I already told you I want to examine it."
"..I'm fine now, please don't worry about it"
"That so?, well if the person himself saying he's alright then I guess there's really nothing to worry about."
She took her face away from me and head towards the room light source, it is some form of crystal within layered glass box.
She's pulling the glass separating the layer within the glass box, causing the crystal to fall into the lower layer full with bluish water, the part of crystal in touch with the water immediately stop radiating light, as if extinguished fire.
The room become significantly darker now, it seems she's also unsatisfied with it and decide to open the window curtain.
Ray of light once again radiating the room, yet just as the light from the crystal, this one has no warmth unlike the sun.
My view is still a bit distorted after all the light show, but even so I can see her beauty quite clearly.
Her fair skin looks as if it could melt when touched, although for some reason her eyes is totally jet black, it is unusual for normal human to have eyes as black as that, even my eyes is only black brownish.
"There's suitable apparel inside the wardrobe for your meeting, I'm sure you will find something to your liking."
"What?, oh, yeah, clothes.."
Damn, I think she caught me glaring at her.
But is it just me or she look sad?, is there something I done wrong?, apart from the glaring of course.
"I will station a maid outside your room, you can call her if you need anything else."
"Ah, about that meeting, who am I supposed to meet actually?."
As soon as I finished talking, her face expression become even sadder than before, it's as if she just lost something forever.
"..Why, the King of course."
Part 4
The crystal is really interesting.
I tinker with the glass box a little bit and put it out, despite radiating light it have almost no warmth.
The bluish water is somewhat lackluster though, it felt a bit cold when touched but there's nothing else, of course I didn't dare to try drinking it.
My movement is still a bit sluggish, only using one eye didn't help either.
Could it be I was hungry?, the maid stationed outside brought some refreshments for me a while ago.
I was still in daze after that woman told me to meet the king, and was unable to ask her name before she leave.
The maid also hurriedly went outside after placing the food plate on nearby table, not giving me any chance to ask her who is the one visiting me earlier.
The refreshment is composed by several cookies and piping hot tea, perfect for dipping it in.
Although I wish there's also some water to clean my palate afterwards.
After enjoying several cookies softened by the hot tea, I put the crystal back into its box and walk towards the wardrobe.
For some reason my current clothing is nothing but a robe, which provide no protection against chilling wind coming from the window.
...And then it hit me, there's an unknown silhouette in the mirror beside the wardrobe.
Black hair with strips of white, with cookie in his mouth, stopped in its tracks due to something otherworldly.
"..The fuck?"
The last cookie I was enjoying slowly fall from my mouth. I walk towards the mirror against the silhouette confused face.
"What.., how could this be!?."
Face that's not mine, a body younger than I was used to. My left eye twitched in unbelief, just what's going on?.
A dream it could be, but it simply too real to be called such. Just after I found some peace from all those confusing events, I was hit with another one out of nowhere. Whose body am I currently in?.
After dismissing the maid who come rushing to my aid, I try to collect myself and think logically.
Once again I face the mirror to examine the body, just as what you would expect from a body of high-schooler, there's a feeling of vigor underneath it, although lacking the necessary muscle.
"This body.., I say it's about 16 year old?. There's lack of early mustache and beard."
I don't remember how my body used to be at 16 year old, but I'm certain this is not it.
This world isn't mine, this body isn't mine.
Have I being transferred to another world?, at least there's no pop-up windows in front of my face.
Then I start to examine my body, my old face could be considered mediocre compared to my friends. But this one is certainly nowhere close to mediocre, it looks like a child actor or something.
The height, about 175cm I think?. There's nothing nearby to compared it so I just make a wild guess.
The hair is a little bit fluffy and hard to change the style.
Certainly not a bad body to live in, although it will took quite some time to get used to.
Of course I was shocked with this new body, but after everything that happen recently somehow this doesn't feel that impressive anymore.
Right now I'm just waiting for a doctor to proclaim me as mentally unstable.
After accepting what's done is done, once again I walk to the wardrobe, resisting temptation to look inside my pants.