Waking Up

Chapter 2

"Take this, it will heal your wounds and ease your pain," Martin said, offering me the unknown pill once again.

Hesitantly, I opened my mouth just enough for the pill and gulped it down with a little bit of water.

Recollecting what Martin had told me so far, I was more scared than being surprised. I couldn’t draw any logical conclusion on how Martin knew all of these. Maybe my unstable mind was preventing me from thinking clearly. But really…

‘It was unbelievable.’

As I continued listening to Martin and as he even talked about the incidents that led me here, I was stunned.

‘How did he know so much about me?’

Then he uttered a single word that made my heart beat rapidly.

“Sarah Claude”

“…?”

‘How did he know her name?’

I was taken aback. How did he know her name? Sweat began to form on my forehead as I anxiously waited for an explanation.

"Don't worry, please listen to what I say carefully," Martin reassured me with a gentle expression.

“Sarah is alive and well but she is not here right now.”

Relief washed over me knowing Sarah was in good health, but I couldn't help but worry about her whereabouts.

“What do you mean… she is not here?”

At that moment, two more people entered the room. A man and a woman with pointy ears, similar to Mr. Martin, joined us. They were also dressed in strange attire like Martin, possibly a tribal outfit common to this village. They stood beside me and began untying all the bandages.

‘What?’

“It has already been 10 minutes since you took the pill, the affects will be visible anytime now.”

After looking at peculiar device around his wrist, he stated 10 minutes of time had passed. It was completely different from the clock watches which I’m familiar with.

As soon as he said.

A green light similar to one glowing from pill started emanating from my whole body. I was taken aback by the phenomenon unfolding within me

All the pain and wounds in my body started vanishing as if by magic. It was an indescribably bizarre experience.

‘How can there be a medicine like this? How can it have such a healing affect?’

Somehow, along with my wounds, my mind felt more at ease and I was able to think more radically now.

Even in my country, which boasted advanced medical care, I’ve never seen nor heard of such an advanced treatment. It was the late 90s and I don’t think even the French or Spanish were capable of such a feat.

As I was lost in thought thinking about the pill, “See it for yourself.” he said, leading me towards the entrance.

It was a weird feeling being able to walk when I had so many injuries just until a while ago.

As we reached the entrance, I was astonished beyond my imagination.

"What is this?" I wondered aloud.

I stood in the middle of a dense forest, but what caught my attention was a massive structure that surpassed anything I had ever seen before. Mount Blanc would seem like a pebble in comparison. Though the structure was at a considerable distance, it extended far into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. Goosebumps covered my body, overwhelmed by the sight before me.

Seeing me stupefied, Martin spoke.

“It's the World Tree”

“It is the root of all our origins”

‘What… is that a tree and what does it have anything to do with Sarah?’

Observing my bewilderment, Martin continued, “Sarah came here 5 years ago in a state similar to you.”

“After recovering from her wounds, she searched for you everywhere tirelessly. It may look like a forest on land, but our village stands on one of the tiny branches of the ‘World Tree’. Since you were nowhere to be found, she decided to climb up the further to visit other villages and cities residing on the ‘World Tree’. I can’t go into details but I can assure you that no one resides in any of the branches down below us.”

Numerous unanswered questions flooded my mind.

‘5 years ago, how it that possible?’

‘How could such an enormous tree exist?’

‘How are there villages or cities on a tree branch?’

Despite the incredulity of it all, the evidence before my eyes was undeniable—a colossal tree that defied all conventions, harboring an expansive forest and a village within one of its branches.

"Sarah might still be searching for me as she climbs up," I pondered.

"But five years... it must have been agonizing for her, not knowing where I was."

The time difference was something that I couldn’t confirm at the moment but that doesn’t mean I completely disbelieved it.

‘Either Martin was lying or something so incomprehensible had actually happened.’

Lost in thought, my attention was drawn to the surroundings. We stood at the entrance of a small hut, surrounded by peach-shaped huts amidst the forest. I don’t know if it’s the size or the shape but those huts definitely felt weird. It looked like they followed a peculiar tradition to build their huts this way.

Suddenly Martin spoke breaking the silence.

“Couple of centuries ago, we were a proud race which lived in harmony with the nature outside the ‘World Tree’. Humans called us ‘Elves’. But everything changed after the war…”

Martin had a grave expression. His voice was filled with contempt as he talked about his groups’ origins. He talked as if he actually underwent the whole ordeal.

“Devoid of any dreams for the future of our clan, at this point we are just fulfilling the role what ‘World Tree’ has assigned us…”

Martin didn’t continue any further and improved the complexion of his face as if to talk about the further plans.

“You can choose how you want to proceed…”

“I will climb up.”

I spoke without any hesitation.

He smiled avidly.

Perhaps he saw a similar determination or resolve in my eyes to that of Sarah. Even with adequate preparation, trying to climb such a massive tree was akin to suicide.

As we conversed, two elves exited the hut.

“Thank you.”

I thanked the two elves with sincerity as they probably took care of all my initial treatment. They simply nodded at my remark with a kind expression and walked away.

As I gazed towards where the elves had vanished into the forest, I saw two children trying to hide behind a tree, they were trying to steal a peak at me as if I’m some bizarre creature. When Martin noticed, he gestured them to come closer.

Two children, walked towards us hesitantly.

“Kelvin and Tristin”

While pointing at them one by one, Martin introduced them to me on their behalf. Out of the children, Kelvin had a very curious expression while Tristin just stared at me blankly.

“Hello… children”

I greeted them wholeheartedly.

At my greeting, they exchanged glances and then looked at me with confusion, after which Kelvin spoke up.

“You don’t look much older than us, so why are you treating us like children?”

‘What…? What are these kids saying?’

Seeing me confused, Martin glanced at Kelvin for a second. As if something triggered, he rushed into one of the nearby huts.

‘What...? Why did he just run away?’

I was still very confused at which Martin responded in an apologetic tone.

“Oh, it was rather rude of us. We don't usually communicate verbally. Conversing through our minds is more convenient.”

‘For real?’

Genuinely shocked, I was momentarily speechless.

‘Are they mocking me for not adhering to their proper customs?’

But their genuine expressions almost convinced me otherwise.

All of these uncanny coincidences and strange happenings pointed at just one thing.

‘This is definitely not Earth and I’m part of some fantasy’

‘This is just the beginning and probably there are far more things which are hard to believe even for someone like me who had roamed around most of Earth.’

‘I need to prepare my mind for all of these mysterious phenomena’, I resolved.

Just then, Kelvin approached with a small mirror. It seemed rarely used, if at all. Then he pointed it towards me.

Even though I had prepared myself, I was shocked again this time.

After getting up from bed, my body felt rather light and it was definitely easy to move around. I thought it was because of the insane medicine but I was wrong.

It felt like looking at my past self.

‘Ten years… fifteen years? I definitely looked 15 years younger.’

I was 35 years old originally but the figure in the mirror was definitely in the 20s.

‘A different world… and a younger version of myself?’

Now I was starting to think that I might have entirely lost my old self.

‘I most likely died in the accident. But doesn’t that mean I wouldn’t be able to see my family any longer?’

It became agonizing as soon the idea struck my mind.

Seeing me in agony, Martin tried to console me by gently patting on my shoulder.

‘But how does he understand me so much even when I haven’t uttered a single word. Don’t tell me…?’

When I looked at Martin, he smiled and spoke.

“Yes, I can hear your thoughts loud and clear”

And then, when I glanced at the children, they nodded almost instantly with a worried expression.

‘What….?’