Everything went dark before the rifle bang was heard. For a moment, Nelson realized that he was still conscious but was unable to hear a single thing. A vast and empty space drowned him, where light and sound were absent. Then, before he knew it, fresh air started to fill his lungs. It felt too clean that it started choking him. The burning sensation caused him to cough hard, desperately to breathe. His hands flew up in panic as he clawed at the blindfold and ripped it in the process.
The ray of light punched through the blindfold opening, revealing a different sight from what he was expecting. Instead of harsh pendafluor light or the reddish orange glow of burning cities and artillery fires, it was the warm sunlight filtered through mosaic tall windows that you could only see in a cathedral.
He stood up in shock and almost staggered backward as his knees weakened by the sight in front of him, almost losing his footing. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, still feeling the sting of burning sand from Desolate Hill earlier. As he rubbed himself of the sticking sand from Desolate Hill, he started to hear murmurs in front of him as he slowly regained his hearing.
His eyes widened as he looked at his surroundings, "What the hell? Where am I?"
The floor beneath him was stone instead of a broken-down logistical road. It was smooth, polished and even veined with gold and pale marble. His office shoe echoed loudly as he moved, and then it vanished as if it was swallowed by the vast open space where he stood.
Rows of huge marble columns stood tall around him, all carved with unfamiliar symbols depicting epic battles and military insignias, with banners of various colours hung from the walls.
Then, he realized that he was not alone. Hundreds of people were standing in front of him, staring at him with awe. Some wore embroidered robes, armoured men gripping spears, and old men appearing to be priests, clutching thick books and staff.
"Who… are you guys?" he whispered, but his voice echoed throughout the hall. When the men heard his voice, they murmured and started to argue among each other in a foreign language.
Unfazed by the commotion of these foreign people in front of him, Nelson looked at himself. expecting to see blood soaking from his clothes, he touched the back of his head. No hole or any sign of entry. His hands trembled as he flexed them, feeling his skin and bone still moving. He was alive! He turned his gaze towards the heavens. His lips filled with gratitude, "Thank you for giving me another chance to live!" he smiled widely, not realizing that he was in the presence of a king.
Behind him, raised upon a wooden platform, sat a middle-aged man on a throne. The throne was made of gold and seemed a little too large for him. On his head was a golden crown, filled with jewels. He wore a thick red robe that made his shoulders hunched and smaller than he really was. Even with his tired eyes, he studied Nelson sharply. He grinned as he called upon an attendant to the throne and whispered something in his ear.
The attendant was surprised but nodded anyway. Then, he walked towards a lectern in the far-right corner of the dais and cleared his throat.
"Listen to the words of our king. The People of The Kingdom of Thessalonis, I, the Sovereign King Douglas the Third of The Kingdom of Thessalonis, hereby abdicate my throne to the young and greatest hero who will save this kingdom. May the kingdom stand for another thousand years under his grand, majestic rule!"
The king's proclamation hit the room like a sledgehammer. The people were shocked and started to argue again. this time, fist pumping and threatening each other. Nelson slowly understood the situation, despite the awkward consonants and tonal language spoken by the people in the room. Surprisingly, he came to recognize the alien language and believed he could speak the same language as them. He knelt with his head looking towards the ground, "Your Highness, I am nothing but a stranger to this great kingdom. Please reconsider your decision. I believe you have summoned me, but I am not a king. I am an unworthy vessel, saved by Your Highness from a certain death." Said Nelson.
The men in embroidered robes knelt and said in unison, "Our king, we believe in your judgment and will support your decision." Nelson noticed some of them were grinning despite the humble façade.
When the king rose from his throne, everyone in the room knelt and bowed their heads. "I will not entertain any argument on my decision. It is a decree that everyone in this kingdom shall abide." Then, he turned his gaze towards Nelson. "You must be shocked by what happened. My trusted council, Grand Old Alfred, shall brief you on all the things you should know about this kingdom. Once you are ready, come to my chamber, and we shall discuss the date of your ascension to the Tiger Throne."
The king walked out from his throne, followed by several attendants and armed soldiers from the hall. Once he disappeared from their view. The hall erupted in another heated argument.
"This stranger is not worthy of becoming a king." Said a man in embroidered robes.
"He has been chosen as our new ruler!" said another one, arguing against the man.
"Ruler? Our king? Look at his simple clothes. Surely, he has the intellect and character of a stupid commoner from the slum of ashes!"
As the argument went on, Nelson was still kneeling. Shocked by the king's proclamation, Nelson's sight blurred, and his mind went blank. I don't get it. I know I have been summoned magically by whatever gods or wizards there are, but why summon me to be a king? This must be the same as when I was in Elgin, people gave me coveted positions when things went wrong. For me to fix it, and then they would claim the credits. If I fail, they will cut my throat for my failures. This is a trap. How on earth can I run away from this? I think I'm doomed from the start. Curse my star, curse my luck!
"Ehem…" A cold hand touched his shoulder softly. An old man with white robes was standing beside him, smiling. "I am Grand Old Alfred, at your service, Sir."
Nelson looked at him with teary eyes, "Why am I summoned to be a king, Alfred? I need an explanation."
"Follow me, Sir, I will explain to you in detail in your private chamber."
The hall went silent as Nelson and Alfred walked across the hall into his private chamber. Their eyes looked sharply, some grinning while others stared disapprovingly towards Nelson. When they finally left the hall, Nelson could hear the noises of raised voices from within the hall.