Hero

To Be A Hero

    "This really isn't what I envisioned when you said your 'office.' What the heck is this place?" I coughed a few times, fanning my hand in front of my face. Cain had directed me to a half-demolished complex in the worst part of Lifeshire. Just getting inside required zigzagging through a couple barricades and hopping over what was left of a crumbling wall. "If this is what early retirement looks like, I still don't think I want to replace you." Cain didn't hesitate to let out a loud Hah as he led me through to the upper level and into a quaint little room that was surprisingly only lacking a replacement window. Inside there was a dusty folding table and a stool that seemed more appropriate for a small child.

    "You go ahead and sit down, kid." I nodded half heartedly, shifting into the awkwardly short seat. I was quickly reminded of my earlier years and being reprimanded by school teachers. Cain unfolded a couple of wrinkled papers from his jean pocket and mumbled to himself as he skimmed through it, nodding slightly here and there. After about a minute, he tossed the papers onto the folding table and scratched the back of his head.

    "So? What's all this hero business you were talking about? Is that a line you use to entice people to follow you here?" I subconsciously positioned myself closer to the doorway. Cain tapped his cane a couple of times against the floor, drawing my attention to him.

    "I'm going to give you the meat of it, because the papers are too narrative and I'm not much for storytelling." He lowered himself to sit on the floor, leaning against one of the walls and let his cane rest at his side. "You no longer exist outside of this room."

    "What exactly do you mean by that?" Was this it? Was he planning to kill me? I scoffed, "of course I exist past this room." Cain shook his head in disagreement and I tensed.

    "You've been removed from your own life." He brought up a hand to stop me from interrupting. "You are now erased from the memory of every person you've come into contact with til now. One day, down the road when you get to my point, you'll be returned to your normal routine like all of this was just," Cain hesitated, likely thinking his words over before adding, "a bad dream." I stood up without realizing it and hurried out of the room, back into the decaying hallway. None of this is true, it couldn't be. I'd obviously been led astray by some insane guy who is on something. I needed to get out before he could catch me and do whatever the heck he did before. I ran around to the stairwell and paused. It was covered in wisteria.

    "This wasn't here when we came up," I said to myself, "I can't stop now. I need to get to Winrey." I continued down the broken stairs only to be stopped at the lower level doorway. The same vines covered the entire opening, not a single gap to break through. I shoved into it, shoulder first, again and again. Nothing was making it budge. The impact was soft but I may as well have been hitting the sturdiest wall in the whole building. I stopped to catch my breath and think of another way out. I could find a window, and hope for the best in landing. I'd have to go back upstairs, but if I was quick enough..

    "Are you done running around?" A woman's voice chimed in from the top of the stairwell. I ran up to meet her, hoping she was someone who could help. She stared at me, eyes a glowing violet. She seemed misplaced here; leaves stuck out from her hair like she'd fallen from a tree.

    "I'm looking for a way out," I risked, "there's a man who had me follow him and I'm pretty sure he is out of his mind. Do you know of any other exits?"

    "Oh, there is only one way out of here." She dusted off her dark green dress that looked like it was made of giant leaves. "Did you not sign the contract?" Her eyes met mine again, likely waiting to see if I would run off. Instead I placed both of my palms to my face, rubbing my eyes in defeat.

    "This isn't fake, is it," I sighed, already knowing the answer. I felt something soft nuzzle against the back of my hands, and opened my eyes to see wisteria right in my face, drooping down from the cracked ceiling.

    "There there. It's Pan, right? My name's Sariel. I'm one of the other heroes. I've known Cain for about, oh two lifetimes I'd say. He really isn't all that bad. You'll succeed under his guidance." Sariel came up close, brushing aside the wisteria between us to share a smile with me. "Just don't take too long to get your training over with. The longer it takes for you to—"

    "Sariel." Cain's rough voice struck me like lightning and I took a few steps backwards. Sariel rolled her eyes away from me and looked over at Cain, still smiling.
    "Yes, yes. I know. Your student, not mine," Sariel sighed. Her hands landed softly on her hips. "How'd you let him slip by you before signing the contract?" Her question was gentle and playful at the same time.
    "I knew he would get held up by you before he got too far. I could smell the flowers a mile away." Cain's comment made me realize I was barely able to smell the wisteria's scent, even with it in my face. "Hey, kid," Cain called out quickly, "relax!!!" His voice was a bit panicked and I couldn't figure out why. Sariel turned to look at me as well and I saw her eyes widen.
    "Oh, we have a Ghost type!" She exclaimed. A ghost what? I looked around me and saw nothing ghostly, just vines and vines of wisteria in my face. I raised my hands to brush them aside when I realized that my hands were slipping right through them.
    "Am I a ghost!?" My voice was a whisper, no matter how loudly I was yelling. I felt myself panicking now, finding it harder and harder to breathe at all as my hands vanished before my eyes. Cain came up to me quickly, the taps of his cane startling me even more. He looked at me, though he wasn't looking me in the eyes. The rest of me was beginning to vanish too.
    "Kid, listen up! I'm gonna help you get back to normal, just pay attention to what I say." Cain glanced back at Sariel who nodded understandingly. "Alright what I need you to do first is breathe." I noticed his eyes beginning to change into that white-hot glow; it was subtle enough to not blind me.
    "I'm already breathing," I whispered. Then I realized I wasn't breathing at all, which sent me into another panic. "I'm dead!?" Again my voice was but a faint whisper. Cain listened carefully, finally finding my eyes in the nothingness I was.
    "You've clearly got what we call Ghost-type abilities, which means in your ghost-form you don't need to breathe at all. It's a defense mechanism. In order to return to normal, you've gotta start breathing again. Slowly though, deep breaths first." I did as he said, never knowing it was this hard to remember how to breathe during a panic attack. I felt nothingness, then a tightness in my chest, and slowly that tightness relaxed as my breathing normalized. My hands came back first, then my arms, and the rest like I was removing a blanket I'd hidden myself under. I fell forward but Cain braced me, his cane clanking to the floor. Sariel came around from the other side and patted my back softly.
    "Ya did good, Pan," she said lowly. "It's alright now." I straightened myself after picking up the cane, returning it to him.
    "We gotta get that contract signed now, kid. Any longer of a wait and," he paused, clearing his throat, "let me help you through this." His eyes had changed back quickly.
    "I'll help as well," Sariel added. I looked at them both, my body feeling heavier than before I vanished. I swallowed hard, taking in a sharp breath.
    "Okay. I'll do it."