Jir

"Their cities was surprisingly diverse, people of all color lived with no issue. I tried asking the Locals about this and they gave me a strange look. This is the first land I had visited with such culture."
From the journal of Zol'sma, Chapter 1 page 1

I endlessly drifted, with no destination in place. My mind’s defenses were being tested, but the attacks were getting stronger. I was slowly losing my sanity. I tried screaming but I had no voice. All I heard were my thoughts. I closed my eyes and imagined I was somewhere peaceful, our MMA gym.

That continued for hours, and I slowly began to lose my cool. I’d always considered myself calm, given that I’d subscribed into a stoic mindset, yet this took a toll on me. I tried taking breaths but even that felt weird. I was having no issues breathing, despite the fact I was floating in a vacuum. I was forced into panic mode, this wide space somehow felt claustrophobic.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember God, repeating quiet prayers to myself. I kept at it for what seemed like forever and that helped calm me down a little. I tried sleeping but ultimately that was a failure; I needed something to lay on. Is this how I am going to spend the rest of eternity? Because if that was the answer, then this was the worst form of torture.

Thankfully however, I saw something flash in the distance. My eyes automatically focused. I turned his head around and the thing was in his blind spot. That confirmed that I was at least not stuck in an infinite void of space. Distance, although weird, was something I could use to judge how far this thing was away from me. And, it was not that far. The light was slowly closing in on me and as it got closer, I was able to see a humanoid form.

It slowly approached until it was able to make out features of a tall man with his hair combed back. His angular face bore a calm and quiet expression. I was usually the tallest one in every setting I was in but this man, he looked down me.

He grabbed his head in a tired manner almost covering an eye. “The second time in the last five years, hopefully Naffar doesn’t waste you.” His voice shook every bone in my body, though it wasn’t loud. It was clear and somehow matched his calm demeanor. Strange. The strange man waved his hand, and I was pushed back. The distance between us grew so fast that he disappeared within a second. I was back drifting in empty space but this time it was different. I could feel the momentum increasing, my body still reacting from the push.

Slowly the darkness itself began tearing away and I could hear the cracks of the sky around me. It was as if the black mass I was in was being torn, slowly my vision was blinded, as if I’d been struck with a flashbang.

****

I opened my eyes, and I could feel air brushing against my skin. Was I falling? Bang, I struck the floor, my head ringing from the impact. It was as if a balloon was forced to let all its air out, my chest wheezing from the fall. I slowly regained my footing, and a male figure helped me stand.

He was dressed in what appeared to be military clothing? A long black coat that stretched all the way to his feet. What was someone like him doing here? Where the hell am I? “I know things are weird, don’t worry. It’ll all make sense in due time. Come, follow me.” And with that he expected me to follow him? He continued walking without looking back.

I followed him, exiting the circular rock formation we were in. I saw beautiful fields of grass that stretched as far as my eye can see. The weather was a bit off, but it didn’t take anything away from the gorgeous scenery. We were climbing down a hill and for some reason I lost a bit of the worry I had, strange what a soothing effect nature has on us. I could see train tracks in the distance, and they appeared to be of the old classic kind.

Were we somewhere in Europe? The man spoke with a refined tone that only classic English men used, though he was young. Probably not five years older than I. His coat appeared to be handmade. It’s like I am in a classic British movie from the 70s, I smirked to myself. We continued walking for about 10 minutes before reaching a group of people that laid on the ground chatting. Whilst some…. Is that fire moving in the air? I stopped walking and stared at the woman who looked to be the one controlling it. Are those cards? I thought to myself, noting the things that floated in front of her.

The man looked back and called. “Stop staring and follow, everything will make sense. I promise.”

I continued starting for a few more seconds before joining him. He shook his head and looked at the people sitting down. I hadn’t realized they were staring at me, eyes wide open. They were…. shook? The man had a stupid smirk on his face; he was enjoying their expressions.

“Next time, think twice before doubting me,” He announced to them before walking and gesturing for me to follow. The stares continued until we reached an isolated entrance. It was more like a blanket hung between two trees to indicate a room rather than a private hut. I walked in and the place looked to be like a temporary office. There were no tables, there were a bunch of bags with glass tubes that had what appeared to be yellow liquid. This whole experience was weird for me. I just tried to take in things as best as I could.

“Beth?!” The man shouted.

“Yes, General Chris?” replied a woman from under a blanket. Sleeping in a place like this?

“Never doubt me,” he said as she got up from under the blankets. This Beth had a slender figure and a beautiful face, yet she was bald. She wore baggy pants that reached over her waist and a white shirt to cover her upper body. She looked at me and after a moment, she realized her eyes went wide open. She turned from me to General Chris, and he nodded.

“Get dressed, we're taking the next train to Idrisa.”