11:35 A.M. February 4, 4086 A.D.

The Black Forest

Alcee Salva

Alcee was alone, standing still as he was surrounded by thick layers of black shield, preventing him from seeing or hearing anything outside. Wondering what skill he had activated from the chip, he listlessly paced on the barren ground. Mom, please be careful! All he could do was wait in agony, fidgeting as he prayed in his mind for his mom’s victory.

Can she win the fight? Can she even fight properly?

Calm down, Al. Calm yourself!

Alcee relaxed his mind as he tried to recall everything that transpired this day, which led to his situation right now. First, I was happily with my friends when I mysteriously appeared inside a black void, next I saw a fu**ing 3D memory, whatever the hell it is, then I eventually emerged at the treehouse. A minute later, mom appeared as if she was desperately looking for me, saying that we should leave immediately. All of a sudden, this fu**ing bastard appeared out of nowhere and asked me if I was Alcee. This led to my mom taking out a whooping hammer, was it a warhammer, hmm not sure, then she gave me a chip. The bastard attacked my mom and before I know it, I am now inside this fu**ing space! Where to next? Where would I appear next?! Think, Alcee. Think what to do!

Instinctively, Alcee started hitting his head with his fist, as if trying to activate a broken machine, until he felt dizzy. No matter how hard he hit his head, he could still not connect the things that happened to him based on the events he could remember. Rather, he could only come up with a conclusion which, for him, was rather unrealistic or impossible.

The bastard said he wants me alive, not caring if my mom’s dead. Who the hell wants my body? Am I that important?

Disgruntled, Alcee sat on the ground in a meditative stance, and silently wait for anything to happen. He knew that banging his head would not solve his predicament, rather it would just make him unstable. All I can do is wait. I’d wait for mom. Who knows, maybe I’d appear next at the orphanage. Yes, let’s be optimistic. Fighting!

Time passed by as Alcee waited for his mom when suddenly, the layers of black shield slowly disintegrated. Sounds of breaking mirror reverberated across the field as the walls disappeared, and the forest once again came into view. As he stood up and looked at the area, he gasped in surprise. What happened to the forest? Illegal logging? Where are the trees? Wait, where’s mom?

Alcee was now surrounded by uprooted trees, and the once lively forest became a barren ground. He was greeted by an eerie silence, not a single chirp of bird could be heard. Afraid of sneak attacks, Alcee scanned the area looking for any trace of his mom and the bastard’s whereabouts without making a noise. After a while, he noticed that at the center of the mess, a female body was sprawled on the ground, squirming, half-dead.

“MOM!”

Alcee ran as fast as he could towards Minerva and checked on her condition. “Mom, are you alright?”

Minerva smiled at him and, with a pained gaze asked, “Do I look alright?”

“Well, no...err mom, where’s the bastard guy who dared attack you like that?”

Without answering him, she lifted her hand and pointed at something behind Alcee. He looked back and what he saw made his body in trepidation. It was a bloody pulp of meat!

“Mom, do..don’t tell me that meat pulp was the bastard?”

“Yes, my dear. Squashed like a bug.”

Squashed like a bug. Minerva’s calm words resonated inside Alcee’s mind as he looked at the mess with a stupefied expression. Unknowingly, he remembered all the time that he made Minerva angry, and shuddered at the possibility of his mom’s wrath. No can do, I should not make her angry in the future. Squashed like a bug, no can do.

Taking a big gulp, Alcee withdraw his gaze and lowered his head as he faced Minerva. “Mom, I’d never make you angry again. Never.”

_________________________________________________________

11:45 A.M. February 4, 4086 A.D.

The Black Forest

Matron Minerva

As Minerva heard Alcee’s sincere words, she couldn’t help but smile. How sweet. My child do love me so much, he must be afraid of losing me. She tried to move her body and stand up, and luckily, she felt that she could endure the pain. “Alcee dear, let’s look for a place so we can hide. Someone might come here. We don’t know if he had companions with him or not.”

“Where should we go?” Alcee asked Minerva as he helped her stand.

“I know of a perfect place to hide.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s a cave.”

“A cave?”

“Yes, it’s a cave. Actually, it’s the Deity Cave.”

“What?! The Deity Cave?!”

“You know of it?”

“No, mom. What’s the Deity Cave?”

“Then why shout like you were surprised?”

“Nothing serious, mom.”

Minerva chuckled at Alcee’s reaction. As she checked on her condition, assessing the full extent of the damage on her body, she was now sure that she still have the energy to walk. Taking an injection and blue vial from her pocket, she administered the medicine on her body and she felt intense pain. She gritted her teeth as she withstood the backlash in taking a strong dosage of medicine. After a few minutes, the pain subsided and, even though she was not yet cured, at least she was confident of not collapsing due to weakness.

“Wow, mom. Good medicine.” Alcee gave a thumb-up sign, grinning as he puffed his chest, as if proud of something. “I didn’t know that I have such a capable mom. Well, considering I’m capable, it’s a no-brainer that I should have one, I guess.”

“ Ha, ha, ha.”

“Mom, should we really go to the Deity cave? Can’t we go at the orphanage?”

“No, we can’t,” Minerva plainly answered. “If my guess is right, we can’t go at the orphanage right now.”

“But why, mom? Is it because of the mysterious person looking for me?” Alcee stared at her with a questioning look. “Don’t tell me, that bastard knew that I was living at the orphanage?”

“Maybe. I just need to rest for half a day so I can recuperate. For now, let’s go to the Deity Cave.”

___________________________________________________________

As they were about to reach the deity cave, there was a dazzling light that appeared near the cave’s entrance. A figure emerged in the air, and it fell down. Noticing that it was not moving, Alcee and Minerva slowly went near the mysterious man, and to their surprise, found out that it was Ken!