A voice speaks to me from the depths of my conscious, not mine but another. A masculine voice, deep in tone, a bit robotic in nature. This was someone else speaking.
"Are you ready to begin this eternal adventure?" The man said.
I couldn't respond. Despite that fact, there was this feeling of resonance. It was as though, it were like this man knew exactly what I was feeling—without even thinking either.
I had no idea what he meant by 'eternal adventure', where I was, or even how I got here; it may possibly be a dream.
I began to hear faint sounds of words… Not clear enough to make out anything but to tell they were there. I was floating in the vast directionless, surface-less void. I could hear thoughts racing in my mind, but strangely enough it were not as if they were going somewhere but rather it was vast and countless. I began to see images, events, or perhaps memories. All of it at rapid speeds, spanning across my vision. I could feel they were memories because they felt familiar yet unclear as they were blurry all the same.
I was unmoving. Is this what it feels to know everything and not be able to do anything at the same time? I couldn't know.
In fact, I have no idea what this all was… So many feelings at once.
The voice of the man came back to me saving me from near insanity.
He spoke with confidence. "'Didn't think you'd survive the fall, did you?" He said, rhetorically.
I had no Idea what he was talking about. What fall? Did I fall? Why? Where am I?
He spoke a second later, "No? Yeah, well… We'd ought to be careful next time, huh" He said.
I couldn't understand what he was saying, but I couldn't say anything back. So, I kind of felt frustrated a little.
"Let's cut straight to the point." He said.
And then the next moment, all of the memories, and blurry thoughts stopped. It was replaced with a singular image.
This was an image of a boy with dark blue hair. It was a full head of hair but still short in length and a bit unkempt. He wore a dark colored raincoat, long pants, and seeming to be crying with his face covered with his sleeves. He his setting was through an alley-way.
The man explained, "What a sad little boy." he said, with a hint of mock to his voice, I think.
I didn't know what it meant or even who that boy was.
The image faded out to black and was shortly replaced with the boy standing before a cave entrance somewhere. It had a huge, round hole with jagged edges. You couldn't mistake it. It perhaps might've been in a forest, as there were a bit of various plants and greenery to seen around it. I still couldn't see the boy's face, I could only see his back side. which the raincoat now clearly seems to have had a bit of a tear on it's edges. like claw marks. I could only assume something dangerous must've occurred. Strangely enough, I didn't feel too worried about it though. His hands was balled up into a fist, his knuckles pale. He must've been frustrated.
"A sad little boy, wondering off to places forbidden, wasn't his first time. but took a step too far into it's trap." The man narrated.
The next image was shown. Now, it was the boy in the midst of falling. I still couldn't make out his face. His raincoat's hood covering it. However, his arms reach out as if to seek help, with his legs flailing in the same desperation. Another image beside it showed his perspective looking up.
It was a singular silhouette of someone standing from above. With rain and lightning in the background. The silhouette seemed to have their hand outstretched. Their eyes looked down at falling boy with… contempt?
I believe that this person wasn't there as a witness but rather the culprit of these horrible events. They didn't have their hand out to reach—no… This was the post—animation of someone who likely pushed the boy, causing him to fall.
This wasn't an attempt of suicide. Instead, I witness murder.
But from whom did this? And why did I see this? Was it because this is… Me?
The images faded to black, never returning again.
The man spoke again. "To get to the point: You are this boy. While wandering off to a place forbidden deep in the mountains… You were ambushed by someone. Pushed into the hole. The result? Death." He said.
For a moment, my heart jumped at this reveal. like still water finally being disrupted.
"I understand that this frightens you. This news would frighten anyone. However, I am here to give you another chance." He said, I could hear a slight hum, hinting that maybe he was amused in a way.
For some reason, I began feel that his vibe felt somewhat familiar. The news of being dead and my identity was all too jarring but his tone cut through that for me coming off as a bit exploitive. If I could clench my fist, I would.
"Would you like that?" He asked.
In the next second, Two options appeared in front of me. one colored in green, "Yes." The other was in red, "No." They appeared before me, digitalized.
"You don't have to say anything or reach out. Just choose with your heart." He said, with an unusual amount of comfort in his tone.
I have no reason to say no although my curiosity did peak at the possibility.
but regardless, I decided "yes."
The option I picked soon glowed yellow with a small red icon representing a heart next to it.
Which felt oddly video game-adjecent, in my opinion.
"Great!" he said, his voice now lighter. "Now, that you've agreed. Let me tell you that although I will being reviving you, I'll have you know that you'll have to go on a bit of an adventure. Because my power only extends to this place not beyond it, unfortunately. So, if you want to escape this place underground, you'll have go through various locations, monsters, magic, and systems you may be familiar with. Perhaps like video games?" he added.
I blinked at this for a moment. Monsters?! Magic?! Video games?! Don't tell me I've got to go through all of that just to leave this place!?
For a moment I was shocked, the next I was excited. The idea of this for some reason doesn't sound all too bad. If anything, my first thought after hearing video games was immediately straight to "RPG."
"Bring it on." I thought.
"Judging from your reaction, you don't seem to be afraid. I'm impressed." He said. "You may address me as Zell. And I will take watch over your journey throughout the underground." he added.
After he said that, a second later I began to hear noise in the far background. It was like a conversation between people but if it was behind a microphone. So the noise was a bit static.
listening in on it I could hear one person say, "I can't wait!" which sounded like a girl, maybe young. And then the rest disappears. Another said, "This… Fail… others… Despicable…" It sounded like a boy. The sounds shortly cut-out, perhaps from being too far.
Next, I heard shuffling,and then a click.
"By the way, what will be your name?" Zell asked.
A line with 'Your name is' beside it was presented to me.
Seeing this made the part of my mind ripple like water. I don't think I remember my name. Or no… That's not it. I'm not even sure it's correct. As soon as the word 'name' appeared, I kept hearing multiple sounds. but the most audible and clearest part of those sounds were… "Polly."
Subconsciously, the word typed itself onto the entry bar. Seeing it made me feel more solid. Does Polly even make sense as a name for a boy? It's weird, I think. But if anything, it felt familiar.
I think maybe if I would've listened to those other sounds more… It might've been different. That I don't know why.
I could hear a gasp in the far distance of the void as Zell spoke again. "Oh… I see… Right, it would be 'Polly', wouldn't it? Well then… Polly, it is." He said.
What a reaction… Is the name 'Polly' for a boy strange or something?
"Since you're being revived, keep in mind some things will be different, you're body will be able to perform things no other can. Try to do your best to be calm, yes?" He added.
Just like that, I light began to seep through this void like a raging water current crashing through the glass of black and into me. I began to feel things. My heart beating fast, my breath even faster, I felt cold and hot at the same time. I was essentially feeling everything, all at once.
It's overwhelming. I just want it to end. To stop…
From a distance, I heard a girl's voice. "We need you to wake up!"
Suddenly, my eyes flashed open as I screamed to stop.
and all I was met with was my new real surroundings. Chest heaving fast.
The life I might've had in the past was just an introduction to what was really in store for me. An introduction to an adventure that would last for what would be an eternity.