The Tales Of The Troublesome Three

Matthew the Priest

The party roamed the plane of existence until they found a large site. In that site there is hundreds and hundreds of pods, seamingly to contain a person and a small bed.

"I guess this is it." Alaya says. She scans over the scroll and tilts her head. "Where's the contract?" Just as she says that the scroll changes writing and turns to a contract with seven spaces on the bottom on where the names and signatures should be filled.

"That was.." Alaya tilted her head in surprise. "Conveient."

They knocked on the closest pod door there was.

Knock knock knock

The door opens to a man in his 40's smiling like a psycopath and twitching his eyes like a madman. "Umm.. hello sir," Alaya began. "We were wondering if you'd like to sign a cotract to leave this place?"

"What's the catch?" The man said, still smiling and twitching. His voice was raspy and his breath reeked of alcohol. "Umm.." Alaya panicked. "A new body but no chance of freedom." Hugo says, yanking the contract away from a very nervous Alaya.

"I got this." Hugo mouthed to Alaya. She nods in response and backed away. The man twitches intensifies and smile widens. "There's always a catch, aint it." The man mumbled, keeping his smile.

"So," Hugo tries to continue. The man slammed the pod door shut. Hugo went back to the party angry and tired. "It's alright, we can try again next time." Alaya tries to calm Hugo down. "Next pod it is." Tom says, walking to the next pod.

Tom extends his hands to knock on the pod door but to only be stopped by a tall man in a suit. "Hey there fellas! The name's Todd. Nice to meet you." The man says in a cheery tone. He was tall, maybe about 6'7, in his late 30's. He had short, spiky orange hair and a peach fuzz. He wore a black an white top hat that was slightly floating above his head. "Welcome to the land of the forgotten! how 'bout a quick tour?"

"Actually, we're sort of in a rush a-" Todd cut Alaya off. "No such thing!"

Todd snapped his finger and they all disappear from sight. they all reappear on top of a pod and realised that they were at the highest located pod above the ground. Todd and Alaya standing on the pod while Hugo and Tom hanging off the side of the pod for dear life.

Alaya and Todd talked while Hugo and Tom dangle over the side of the pod. "A little help would be nice!" Hugo shouts at Alaya but the two were too engrossed at their conversation that they didn't notice Hugo. "HELP!" Tom cries out starting to slip. "Crap." Hugo says, his hand also starting to get slippery.

All of a sudden, right before the two were about to fall into their demise, the pod door opens and a pair of hands yanked them into the pod. "Oh thank god." Tom says in relief. He looked over to the person who saved them both and saw a man wearing a clergy robe. The man was about 20 to 30 years old, cleanly shaved and very much normal, considering what they have seen inhabiting this region. Though he was smiling, his puffy red eyes says that he has not been very happy these past few days.

"Hello." The man began. "My name is Matthew." The man says in a soft and charming voice. "Mind if I ask what you're doing hanging of my pod?" Matthew says calmly. Not a tint of anger in his voice. "Some Todd guy teleported us here." Hugo says. "By the way, thank you for saving us. We would've died if it not were for you." Tom says growing a custom to Matthew's calming demeanor.

Matthew chuckled. "It's no problem. I needed a bit of company anyway." Matthew says looking downward. "Sooo.." Tom started. "Matthew, Matt, Mattie, Mattress, how'd you end up in this hell hole?" Matthew looked up at Tom. "Well, when I was alive, I was a successful priest. I had a wife and 2 kids. My life was great. One day, on my way to the church, a drunk driver hit my car and threw my car in the river. I eventually died of suffocation. I was fine living in heaven for a few months but then the longing for my family was too much. They sent me here after having to put up with my whining." Matthew said with a sad smile. "I would give anything to just see my wife and sons once more." He says, tears streaming down his face. Tom and Hugo felt very sorry for Matthew. "I'm very sorry to hear that." Tom says. "If you really want to see your wife and children again," Hugo says. "We j-" Hugo was cut off by the sounds of screaming from the outside.

Behind him, the silhouette of Todd falling off the pod was clear as day. "B*TCH!" They hear Alaya's voice from the top of the pod. "Tom, Hugo did you see that?!" Alaya screams. "Tom? Hugo?" Alaya says, confused.

"We're in the pod, you dumbass!" Hugo yells out. Alaya swings the door open and jumps in with everyone else. "what'd I miss?" Alaya asks. "Al, you aight?" Tom says a bit concerned

"I'm fine." Alaya says, her voice a little slurred. "The hell happened up there?" Hugo asks. "That bastard gave me some alcohol and told me to drink it. I got a little tipsy and he tried to kiss me. So I shoved him off the pod." Tom grabbed her bag full of potions and pulled out a yellow coloured liquid in a small vile. "You idiot ace." Tom reached out his hand that holds the potion to Alaya. "Drink."

"Okay." Alaya says, chugging the potion. "Oh god," Alaya says, snapping back to her original self. She lock eyes with Matthew. "Umm.. Hello." She waves at him. Matthew extends his arm. "My name is Matthew. Matthew Euford." (Shameless plug;)) Alaya shook his hand. "I'm Alaya Clementine. Nice to meet you."

"By the way," Alaya starts. "What happened when i was gone and drunk?" Alaya asked the three. "Well, when we teleported, Todd teleported us to the side of the pod, making us dangle over. Then Mattie over here saved our goddamn life." Tom says. "Unlike someone i know." Hugo mumbled. Matthew chuckled.

"We chat a bit, Matthew told us about his death. About how he misses his wife and 2 children. Then y-" Tom continues to only be cut off by Alaya. "If you really wanna see your wife a-"

"We'll get there when we get there! Shut up and listen for a moment, you twat!" Hugo barks. Alaya pouts and allows Tom to continue.

"Then, you pushed our ticket to the way back down into his demise." Tom gave Alaya a glare. "What? He was already dead!" Tom pouts. "Touché."

"Anyway," Hugo starts. "Matt, what would you do to see your wife again?" Matthew shifted in his seat. "Well, anything. I'm willing to sacrifise what little things i have just to see my family once more."

Matthew's answer led everyone to be silent. They all sat in silence, staring donwards, never up. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

"Matthew, if that's the case, we might just be able to help you." Alaya says hopefully. "Really?" Matthew's eyes glimmer. "Yes, but you have to understand, there are many things you will need to sacrifice. You wont have your same mortal body, and no chance of freedom."

Tears were rolling down Matthew's eyes. "At this point, i'd do anything."

Tom searched through his bag of holding and pulled out a peice of parchment and a quill pen. "Matthew, write your wife and children's adress here. We'll send it to them once we get back. We'll make sure you get to see them."

Matthew smiled wide. "Thank you." He whispers, barely audible. 

Matthew took the parchment and pen and started scribbling on the parchment. His handwriting was messy but not like a child's handwriting.

'Village of the forgotten
St. Cantell, block number 29.

My dearest Sarah,
It is me. Matthew. I know that i'm very well dead and we haven't talked since but i wanted to tell you that i love you. If you were wondering how i could be able to write to you, a group of nice strangers gave me an offer to live once more. I wont look like the Matthew you knew and i wont be free, but, i will live and see you again. And just that thought would be enough. Follow wherever this stranger leads you. They will lead you to me. Tell Chris and Sam i love them.

                                                  Yours truly,
                                                     Matthew.'

He slid the parchment back to Tom. Alaya pulled out the contract and told him to sign in one part. The lines were colour coded in light blue, navy, purple, black, gold and pink. Matthew signed on the light blue line.

"Right. Matt, there is six things you can choose to represent. You have darkness, light, anxiety, creativity, morale, and logic. What do you choose?" Alaya remembers. "Morale."

All of a sudden, Matthew glows a light blue hue. Alaya smiles. "Nice choice."