To Rhial

21

Adam

I woke up under an umbrella of silver and green shimmering leaves. A little creature the size of my thumbnail was prodding at my chest with fuzzy little light blue and lavender furred arms that extended from its chubby little body. It only had two limbs and two wings, which buzzed softly, almost silently, as it tried landing on parts of my chest hair. Its features looked more like a mammal's than an insect's, but it reminded me a lot of a clumsy bumblebee the way it bumped around my chest hairs. Its tiny spherical head had two big beady eyes and no ears, but a tongue that protruded like a long trumpet horn. I felt little tickles on my chest where it seemed like it was licking at the sweat. As I moved my head, its stringy tail twirled and it turned to meet my eyes. It didn't dart or anything, so I raised my hand toward it and brushed it away. It hummed off and disappeared into a larger group of them fluttering around the tree.

I looked around, realizing I was inside the temple in the village, next to Brenden. My body was yet again stiff and aching miserably, but from what? How did I...? I wracked my brain, recalling the wagon ride, journeying into the forest, and then feeling a prick in my back that knocked me down.

Brenden's voice startled me. "There you are. You feel as stiff and sore as me? Like every muscle in your body cramped up just a minute ago?"

"What the hell happened to us?"

"The fireblood had some sort of poison. It paralyzed you instantly, then it got me."

"I'm assuming Tells and Desmond beat it, considering we're still alive."

"One would think that, but where the fuck are they?"

I stood up and stretched the pain out. Every one of my joints popped and cracked like I'd been hibernating for a whole season and my groans definitely sold it because Brenden stood up and did the exact same thing.

"Holy shit," Brenden gasped, "my back hasn't cracked that good in ages. I'd ask you to walk on it, but you'd probably just crush me."

We both stood there for a minute catching our breath and stretching out until Brenden sighed, staring at his hands. "I don't know about you, but I'm already itching to get home. I know neither of us had particularly good lives, but would you take it over getting beat up and being miserable here all the time?"

I paused and looked down at his torn expression, which mirrored my own feelings. "I can't speak for you or anyone else, but I'm gonna be honest, man, I don't miss it. Even with how suckish it is now, it's better than working myself to death. It's a big adjustment, but I'm starting to get a feel for it." I couldn't help letting out a chuckle. "This is everything I ever could have wanted, man. Being an overpowered dude in a land of magic and fantasy. It's the games, the shows, the books I loved. It's all... here. But..."

I trailed off, not sure of what I wanted to say.

"It's not all it's chalked up to be?" Brenden half smiled and chuckled to himself.

I nodded silently, a little reluctant to admit that I wasn't enjoying all of this like I wanted to. "It's just not... I thought it'd be easier."

"I think I would have preferred something more like Star Wars or Star Trek. Fantasy was never really my thing."

"Both of those series have fantasy elements though."

"Thank you Adam. I never noticed." He sighed. "All this... old timey... medieval... shit, is just... shit. It sucks. And... instead, I keep finding myself in my own head. I hate it."

"I know what you mean. I've thought a lot more than I ever expected, and, after that fireblood... I don't know. I might have the body of a beefed up orc, but I don't think I'm made to be a fighter, a warrior, or a hero."