Writer's Note (WN): I don't know if it is proper to start this story right now or not. Maybe it will remain incomplete for eternity, but still… I'll start anyway.
I suddenly felt a huge surge of pain, like all my body was drenched in blood. Thoughts started jumbling inside my head, trying to organize themselves. I started hearing terrifying voices calling out for help, but I couldn't even move.
'Move, my body, move!!'
It was as if I were petrified under thousands of layers of stone. I felt heaviness inside me. All my struggles were in vain.
Once again, I felt a lot of pain in my right arm. And now it felt somewhat easier to move. With a lot of effort, I raised my head.
When I opened my eyes, I was sitting on a barren land, with far stretches of sand and gravel spreading out until the horizon. My back was supported by a huge brown rock, which was at least double of my height. The sky was brown and clear, with a couple of grey clouds hanging over.
I didn't know anything about my existence. 'Who am I?', 'What's my name?' Like things were going on in my mind.
Suddenly, an image clashed against all my shuffling memories. In front of my eyes, I saw the same barren land, filled with blood, graves, and corpses all over. Horizon full of fire and its flakes flying high up in the space. The atmosphere was full of black clouds, raining arrows of darkness.
The image lasted for just a split of second, but it was enough to terrify me down to my spine. My heartbeat speeded up with loudness so much I could feel its vibrations all over my body.
One last wave of loud voices took over my mind.
I held my ears tightly, trying to block the sound, and let out a loud scream.
'What–was that–just now… that image…that image…what was it! These voices...get out of my mind! Get out… I SAID GET OUTT!!' fear engulfed me with sweat. My head felt like it would explode any minute.
The next moment, everything went silent. No more voices, no more creepy images. But my heart didn't stop. Somehow, I calmed myself down.
I stood up on my bare feet and felt an acute pain as my foot stepped on a sharp rock. I reflexively took my leg aside. That movement told me the extent to which I was terrified. Then I stared at my right palm for a few seconds.
'What's it called again…oh ya, a hand!'
But it was later that I discovered that I was completely naked. There was no one around, so that's no big deal.
Leaving behind all the creepy stuffs that happened just now I decided to focus on the present.
I thought for some time while taking a look at the surroundings, trying to formulate how I ended up in such a situation.
'There is nothing here. Not a single living being. So I'm all alone and with no clothes. Is this a desert or something? Then again, why would I be in a desert? What was I doing here? Wait...what the actual–'
"Hey, kid!" came a voice from my back, interrupting my thoughts.
I stood silent as I noticed that I was now in a place with complete darkness. But still, I could see myself, my hands and feet. Rest, I couldn't see a thing. I did not dare to turn back to where the voice came from first. I got on my guard.
'Where was I?'
"Don't worry. This is just your half-consciousness state, let's call it the HC state. Here, you can do anything without affecting real life. In short, you can live in both worlds together," he said.
'Is that person reading my mind or something?' I thought suspiciously, ' wait, he's right. I can still interact with my surroundings.' I raised my hand in the real world. I was living in the dark world and the desert at the same time. I could make different movements in both places simultaneously.
I healed myself from so many new and confusing things that were happening and finally turned around.
He wasn't that scary, you know. He was standing at a distance of at least twice the height of the rock back then. He had a bright yellow staff with a silver orb on its top, held by a firm support where something was carved, words maybe. The other end was shaped as a spiky curve. I tried interpreting his looks.
'His face is covered with a black haze, looks like a teen. Damn, I can't see properly, but I see his glowing white cape. And it's got some glowing golden embroidery, like the ones that wizards wear. Hey...what's a wizard again?...OH! That reminds-'
"Are you the one who took my memories??" I finally spoke to him, angrily.
" Hey chill. we just met, let's have a better talk!" He looked quite calm and sort of a truly extrovert person.
"Answer my question first."
" So, you wanna come directly to the point I see. Well ya, I've taken them. But don't worry, I'll give them back if you do what I say.''
The missing fragments of my brain made me have a great headache all along, but it intensified now. I didn't think and went ahead to punch that guy's face. But what now? My hand slipped into the guy and across, like he was a ghost or something.
" Sorry to say, I'm the one stronger here." He said, laughing at me, " A mere ten-year-old kid cannot do any harm to a greater being like me." He raised his hand, which was hidden inside his long sleeve, and suddenly my body started reacting to his gestures as I flew above, just according to the order of his hands. He banged me on the ground again.
I fell on my face, anger surging inside me. The pain weakened me; I couldn't move an inch.
"Ten years old? What do you mean by that? Though I lost my memories, I can clearly feel that I lived longer!" I exclaimed. I felt more mature. And the emptiness inside me felt quite longer than just 10-year-old memories. I was missing something really important.
That's when I saw the ground, it was clear like glass. I could see my own reflection, even in the dark environment.
I pondered on it. That face was not at all familiar to me. I had dark brown eyes and a decent haircut, except for some of my hair that covered my left forehead but left the right one clear. How could I even forget my own face!
My head gave me a huge strike of pain again as I tried to recall it.
He started again, " You've got no other choice but to follow me and my instructions." He came near and bent his knees to talk to me in my face, "I will lead you to the path of perfection. Do as I say."
I ate away my anger. 'It isn't that bad. Once I find my memories, I will take my revenge on this guy for humiliating me.' I thought, 'But I don't believe this guy will keep his promise. My guts are telling me not to trust a single word he is saying. But also, there is nothing I can do in this situation. So let's just wait to see how things unfold.'
I looked him in the eyes, though I couldn't see his eyes. My silence told of my unwilling acceptance.
"Looks like now you are willing to cooperate."
Now I had completely calmed down. He let my body loose again. I sat there with my knees folded.
"At least tell me what my name is. You didn't leave any important memories of mine. And also, you haven't told me who you are, and why are you telling all this to me and not anyone else? What's your motive?'
"Calm down, calm down…You really don't have manners while asking questions."
"All thanks to you," I said nonchalantly. My mind started feeling like I had become a bit high on drinks. Maybe because I fell on my face freshly.
"Names don't matter in life," he answered, "Keep any name for yourself as you like. As for me, I'll tell you everything about me when the time comes. And about me choosing you…"
"I made a random lucky draw, and your name came! No special reason. Anything else? You won't find many opportunities to talk to me, so ask right now."
I thought for a minute and finally said,
"Rabble-rouser."
"Pardon?"
"That's what I will call you," I said.
"That's all? You don't want to ask anything?"
I gave a faint smile, "Nah. Something tells me I am going to have a lot of fun."
He laughed aloud. "I'll be sure to give you tons of fun! So for now, look behind."
"What do you mean? Oh, you mean…"
I looked behind in real life. There was a space in the air that was torn apart. Like someone cut a tin can with a knife. The edges glowed in a yellow light.
"There it is. Your treasure box of fun. Now take my leave. We'll meet someday later." he said as the dark world blurred for me. "All the best" was what I heard from him in a low whisper with a little laugh at last. And then, I lost the connection with that world.
"Shouldn't you rather say, 'Now I will take your leave?'" I said, though I had no idea if he heard me or not.
My mind returned back to a hundred percent activeness.
I went to that torn place. I had no idea what it was. I removed it slowly like a lid on a can.
'Is it a portal-like thing?'
I looked inside. It was really a portal. And inside I saw a miraculous sight. The scene was of a cliff, and far beyond the cliff, on a tall mountain, was a gigantic kingdom, stretching from the base of the mountain to a great castle on its peak. The yellow light of the portal started to get dimmer. So I entered it as soon as I could. As I entered, I felt a little current. When I looked behind, the portal was gone.
'One time use only?'