Dai

Birth

Enveloped by disbelief, fueled by horror, i forgot how long i've been running. I no longer felt connected to what surrounds me, nor did i believe in my own sanity. Pictures rushed through my head, guts scattered all over the ground, the darkness of my room only lit by screens, the sight of the man who devoured another man. Where am i...? What am i doing...?

What am i...?

"Araaaaaa! Saar Saa!" i neglected the screams, i neglected my own mind's twisted joyride through a land of faithlessness and disbelief. The colors were rushing around me, my eyes blurred them all. The figures all blended into one torn man i left behind. There's no body to look for, his flesh is gone, it's eaten...

I felt the cold unforgiving metal crush my nose and knock me back against the stone floor. Stone floor? Voices calling for me? For a second i thought i saw the squeaky chair in the dark room, i reached out to reach it with my shaking hand. It wasn't there anymore.
"Ara! Saar Saa!" the figure above me kept repeating the same words i couldn't understand. "Kill me already... I give up" my weak voice managed to render my tired desires. Suddenly there was silence all around me, even the figure stopped talking. Footsteps were coming closer and closer. Perhaps this is my salvation, the one to destroy my insane life at last.

"Kill...? Right after being born?" someone asked. I felt my heart beating once again, only to be torn to pieces by the memories of my last encounter with the speaker of my own language.
"Welcome my lord" The voice was happy "Please, forgive our rudeness and don't destroy us..." it suddenly dropped down to humble fear. I tried to stand up, supporting my weight against the dry stone floor before looking around me. It was the place where i was running, i never realized my arrival to a populated area. In the middle of a crowded street where everyone knelt before me like the man did before, my eyes were restless. Wooden houses built on the sides, stone tiles on the floor underneath and at a distance i could see this place's gate where i must have rushed through. Some people knelt with a hammer by their side, this is what hit me moments ago. Surprisingly, i felt no pain, my nose was as good as new.

My eyes sought the one who talked to me in my own language before. "W..where am i?" i asked, the answer came quick. A woman quickly rose and faced me with humble eyes and voice. "Stopp Town my lord" she answered, her hands were covered with the long sleeves of her white coat stitched with golden flowers. She was really beautiful, her pure white face and gentle eyes avoiding me.
"You can speak my language! Please tell me, where am i? What is this place?" I rushed towards her, holding her hands as everyone lowered their heads even more. She was embarrassed and struggled with her words "M..My..My lord, i will answer all your questions. B..But please, let us do this elsewhere. Our temple is nearby, i'll be honored to escort you there"  Her politeness and shyness were apparent. I tried to smile but of course failed "Sure.. If i'm getting answers after all" she nodded and quickly ordered everyone to clear the path before us in their language. "This way my lord" she almost whispered and lead the way before me down the street.

We soon arrived at one of the largest buildings that stood big and tall with its white marble like pillars and walls. It gave out a strange aura of familiarity and hospitality. It had no markings or writings, it was already too unique to miss. The windows were painted with figures and shapes that told tales and stories. Entering this grand building was grand by itself, both sides of the entrance hallway had people who instantaneously dropped to their knees once they felt my presence or caught a glimpse of me. "Tell them to stop that, they don't have to kneel before me... I'm nobody" she heard me but stayed silent. "I... haven't caught your name" she stayed silent, leading the way towards what seemed to be the main hall. The doors to the hall were very old and rusty, the chains covering them told of too much time that has passed. However, inside the hall was a piece of heaven. Melodies were playing and echoing as if the walls hid an orchestra, refreshing scents of joy filled my lungs and i felt comfort that soothes the soul overflowing into me.

She finally stopped by a lone chair positioned in the middle of the hall. I felt the inviting of millions of souls asking me to take my throne, to rest here, and i did. As soon as i sat down, she rushed to kneel before me. Her voice was now singing sweetly, pouring revelations of the world into my heart and soul.

"Lord from a world far far away~

Piercing this land like a light shaping the day~

Our souls are your property to take away~

Our bodies are the force for the commands you say~"

The song felt like something she's practiced for days over and over again. She slowly looked up towards me, but never met my questioning eyes. I had to ask her now "What's your name?" she lowered her head shyly "Hama, my lord".
"Hama, tell me... Where am i? What is this world? How did i end up here?" I felt reassured that she had all the answers, that she will give me peace. She took a brief breath before answering with her head down "My lord, you are a new born god of this world. Your presence is a blessing to our land, a loss to your previous world. All lords call their world earth, that's where you come from my lord. This world you arrived to and blessed is Dai. My lord, we humbly ask you to answer our prayers and give us the grace of your name"

Digesting all she's dropped on me was only possible due to having parts of me refusing to believe anything, refusing to comprehend or process any of this. She's referring to me as a god, there are others from what i understand too. She knows about earth, establishing that i'm indeed at another world...
A simple question such as a name shouldn't be that hard, however, i felt ice swallowing my spine. The confusion must have taken over my entire body as i shifted in the chair a few times. What's my name...? It's like catching water barehanded, i can't remember. The horrifying question rushed into my mind, it never knew where it originated from...

Do i even have a name?

Pictures began to invade my mind again and again, i couldn't focus on any of them. Through their blur, i only felt one thing: Loneliness.

How sad, unable to remember my own name, feeling pitiful.

"Lords never remember their name my lord, they always choose one themselves. You are born with this choice, it is yours alone" Hama spoke, a life line that i needed badly. This was normal, i can't remember my name. I thought i'd feel relief, but i felt a single tear drop down my tired soul. I wonder if i had a soul, or if it could even cry. Why am i sad? Do i miss earth? Does it miss me? Am i really here? Am i really born? Is this real?

Am i... real?

"Soul..." i answered, feeling the agonizing satisfaction of two contradicting forces inside of me. A part that acts as if it knew about this place and finally found it, and a part that misses its home after getting stranded in this surreal world.

"Lord Soul, bless of Dai!" she loudly honored the name, everyone else outside the hall followed.

"Lord Soul, bless of Dai!"