Prologue - Exodos

‘T-This isn’t good. . !’

He could barely stumble out of his depressive stupor as winds buffeted his body with rain and hail. This was the worst possible wake-up greeting for someone who dared fall asleep on a public bench. Just how unlucky a circumstance could one craft? This had been his very first night exposed to the elements, taking refuge in a local park so as to avoid any dangerous altercations with people or animals.

Yet, despite wishing for nothing more than to mind his own business, nature’s whims had decided to make a fool of him.

“. . .Cold. . !”

For some time now, it has been raining. Judging by the body temperature he’d lost, the storm must’ve come in light, with a small drizzle. The only reason he woke up was due to the wind. Now, it’s looking as if it was a full-on thunderstorm.

In front of him lay the only remaining path to safety, a lone trail of pavement that ended right beneath the trunk of a large oak tree. If he could get underneath and use it for cover, he could cover himself with his jacket and wait for the worst of it to pass.

*CRACK*

As if to extinguish the hope that so barely smoldered in his heart, a bright blue flash struck its canopy, shattering it from its roots, and sending wood chips into the barrage of hail and raindrops.

“. . -hk!”

Truly, luck had not favored him tonight.

His only option now was to escape the park on foot. The distance was only a few hundred meters, but it was still much too far. He could only keep his eyes open for a few seconds before needing to stop and block the barrage of wind and water with his arm, and running only made his vision even blurrier.

‘I-I can’t let this be it. . !’

There was no other choice for him. If he was unable to see in front of him, then he would simply have to close his eyes and run. The feeling was uncomfortable, as each step he took he could only imagine himself running face first into a wall or pond. However, he at least knew the general direction. That would be good enough.

“. . .*haah*. . .*haah*. .”

The sound of his heavy breathing was the only thing that breached the wind’s cruel howls and the rumbling thunder in the sky. He pushed himself until he felt his muscles burning, screaming in protest, and then pushed them even harder.

The sound of mud and grass sloshing beneath his feet was almost like he was running on water. Even the boots he wore couldn’t keep out the rain rolling down his leg, as each splash he made catapulted muddy water as high as his waist.

“. . .A-Almost. . !”

Opening his eye for half a second, the distance between him and the next possible source of cover was only a few dozen meters. His desperation was enough to keep him from slowing down, even with his feet sinking into the mud with each step.

‘Ten steps. . .’

Throwing one foot in front of the other, he could feel his backpack swinging from side to side wildly as the straps threatened to unfasten from his shoulders. He couldn’t lose focus even for a second.

‘Nine steps. . .’

Breathing heavier, his hands began to shake as the fatigue from all the physical activity and his lack of food began to accumulate throughout his body.

‘Eight steps. . .’

He jumped over a bush that lined the edge of a trail, unfortunately catching one of his feet on it as he landed. It would normally be a reassuring thing to cross a trail, as he could swap from the mud to gravel, however this trail was perpendicular to his destination. His shortest route was still through the grass.

‘Seven steps. . .’

He yanked his foot out from the bush, pulling some of the thorns from it into his pants. There was still a bit further until he could reach the alcove of the building and catch his breath.

‘Six steps. . .’

The wind felt like it was starting to pick up again, as he once more needed to put up his arm and shield his eyes from the rain. There was no time to stop and think anymore, instinct was beginning to take over.

‘Five steps. . .’

His body felt ragged, a mix of adrenaline and a pounding heartbeat concocted in such a way that it could make him ignore the fatigue, if only for a second more.

‘Four steps. . .’

Continually sprinting, he ran a hand through his hair, forcing the water out of it with a flick, and quickly wiping off his face with his other hand. Every pull of air through his nose burned. The numbing cold air was stinging his lungs.

‘Three steps. . .’

A weak sound perforated his overworked ears, something entirely foreign to what one would expect in this setting. It was a light clicking, something high pitched and unrecognizable to him.

‘Two steps. . .’

As he finally grasped the odd sound he was hearing, the air in front of him began feeling fuzzy on his skin. Describing it as alien wouldn’t be quite right, as it was familiar to him somehow. Right now, he wasn’t in any state to ponder it.

‘One step. . . !’

The relief was finally allowed to return to him, if only a small amount. He was one step away from cover, and an overly lax reaction was not unexpected. That is how most would feel when confronted with safety after such a harrowing experience.

Because of this brief lapse in judgement, he allowed his legs to stall for only the slightest respite. The odd feeling on his arms and head was something he wanted to check with his own eyes.

“. . .Ah.”

The hair on his arms was standing up.

“. . . -ghk!”

There was not even a second between this act and the enumerable consequences that would precede from it.

*BOOM*

A blue flash of light engulfed his entire body in an instant. The sound was so loud, he couldn’t know if his brain was shaking or melting. He was not even afforded the time to scream, as the very concept of controlling his body had been completely deprived of him, along with his faculties.

The only thing he could comprehend was searing, scorching heat.

“. . .-!”

By the very next second, Otis Keizer had completely vanished from this world.