* * *


    Upon opening his eyes, El found himself gazing at a wooden ceiling that seemed to greet him in return. As his sight gradually returned, the image resembled a canvas delicately brushed by a skilled painter''s hand. It took a moment for his brain to process this realization, but eventually, he understood that he was alive and well, despite having been taken by those mysterious people.


    "Uh… uh…"


    At first, he struggled to move his mouth and tongue – until words finally took shape. "W-where, am I?" he muttered to himself. He is certain it is not the library in the village, as he vividly recalls the moment when the wooden ceiling nearly collapsed on him.


    Propping himself up to slowly sit on the bed, El realized something was underneath him. He looked down. ''Huh… Bed? Is this, really a bed???''


    He touched it, punched it, pushed it, and kneaded it – he explored it in every way he could. His eyes flickered with curiosity and awe. Apart from the occasional experiences that came to him through his fragmented dreams, he had never truly understood what a bed was in real life. It felt fluffy, comfy, and soft.


    ''I must be missing this for years.''


    There was another thing he took notice of. And that was, his arms were bigger, longer, and not as thin, dry, and tanned as he remembered. Suddenly, pieces of memories came forcefully to the inside of his head, accompanied by the assault of stabbing pain that throbbed continually. It was painful. He clutches his head tightly that was wrapped in a bandage.


    Not so great for a start of the day, ay.


    After a minute passed, there was nothing. He didn''t even manage to comprehend what the memories were. Well, at this point, he was already getting used to that. At times, he knew what the memories were, but often couldn''t even make sense of what it was. And another time, just like what he used to ponder, ''it''s gone by the wind, I guess,'' – the recollection rapidly leaves his side with no hints of trace left behind.


    ''I lost my memories again. This time, it seems to be way longer than before. Maybe years… uh, how do I even be here?'' shaking his head in exasperation, he realized this was the first time his memories had such long gaps between what he recalled. His small, thin arm and malnourished self were nowhere to be found anymore. It felt as though, he was healthier this time around, and obviously, older.


    Clenching his fingers tightly, he discovered an unfamiliar strength within his band of muscles.


    "What a great day. The only thing I lack right now is… a delicious meal," he said to himself.


    *Clack*


    Unexpectedly, the sound of the door unlocked from the outside echoed in the room, causing El''s body to quickly tense up. He pushed the white and soft blanket aside, jumped up, and attempted to stand on the floor. However, he would soon realize that it was a terrible mistake.


    *Thud*


    His lower half was still stiff and numb, causing his feet to inevitably skid on the floor. He slipped and fell to the ground, almost face–planting. Luckily, his palm and forearm managed to catch himself just in time.


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    "So, you''re awake?"


    El''s head turned toward the source of that deep, gruff voice. He found out it was a middle-aged man wearing black clothes all over his body, with stocky, well-defined muscles showing from beneath the tight long-sleeved shirt. And he was exceptionally tall and large too, with his body filling the doorway and nearly reaching the ceiling. He needs to bow down just to come inside.


    "Ummmm, who are you???" El asked him.


    "It seems, you lost your memories again…" he replied. He had a thin beard on his face, giving him a rather stern appearance.


    *Cklek*


    After closing the door behind him, he casually walked inside – slowly approaching a wooden bookshelf, a study table, and a chair located on the side of the room. His fingers brushed gently against the books. His eyes seemed to be drawn to something.


    To somewhere.


    Finally regaining some sense and strength in his legs, El draws away from that man – with one knee bending to the ground and arms ready to retaliate.


    The man could feel El''s gaze on him. It was cautious.


    Turning his vision away from the books to El, the man then walked to the chair, while lifting his eyebrows, and tilted his head once to the side. He said, "Being wary of strangers. Nice of you not losing that edge yet," he sat down abruptly on the chair.


    Heaving a sigh, the man looked into El’s eyes. "Remember this. Your name is Gabriel. But you must not use it in any circumstances. Understood!??"


    "… why not? Besides, who are you anyway?" El replied while displaying an expression of confusion and displeasure. ''The heck, who are you naming me like a kitten?!!''


    "I am… … you don''t need to know that. You just need to trust me. If I tell you to go south. You go south. If I tell you to go north. You go north. If I tell you don''t go west or east, then don''t go. Do not ever go!!! From now on, your name is El. Only El. Etched it on your head, understand?"


    "Wow, are you seriously telling me to do what you want when this is the first time we met? Should I say yes if you tell me to be sold to the house of slavery then?" in one breath, El asked in bafflement.


    "I won''t do that. Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you," he leaned forward, then put his elbows on his knees. Eyes solemnly looking at El, still sitting with his oversized body on that poor, normal-sized chair.


    "How am I supposed to trust what you said? You are not very bright, aren''t you sir?"


    Upon hearing that, the man''s eyes could be seen twitching.


    "Anyway, you need to trust me if you don''t want to die. That''s all there is to it. And…"


    "And???"


    "Foods on me," he smirked after making that statement.


    Meanwhile, El opened his eyes wide and then raised a question to clarify whether he had some problem with his ear.


    "You mean… gulp. Foods on you, it was like what people said – free right?" El was interested. So interested, particularly in that ''food'' part. It felt like his brain had just gone straight to the factory to be reprocessed – as his prudence went straight out of the window, and his wit was pushed to the side of the road. ''What the… what day was today? It must have been a new year, wasn''t it?'' El thought, laughing to himself.


    "Yes, hahaha… Yes, kid. It was free," the man appears amused by El''s antics.


    "For me??? Free?"


    "Yes. It is."


    "Alright, I am at your beck and call, sir," El''s gleefully replied with a big smile hanging on his face. Still genuflecting, he placed his palm on his chest, above his heart, in a manner reminiscent of the knights in his many dreams.


    "Good, let''s go then. We get some food on the street," the man said as he stood up.


    "Sir, if I may ask, you know me, aren''t you? For how long? You even know about my memories. What... what happened after I was taken from the village?" El also stood up, facing the man.


    “… this isn’t the first time we''ve met. We''ve spent time together for quite a while now. If this is all about your memory loss, I’m sorry, but for many reasons, I can’t say more right now...”


    "... ok then. How about this? Why should I only use El if I have a name, sir? Gabriel, huh? Where does the name even come from?" El asked with glimmers of curiosity in his eyes. ''Gabriel, not bad for a name. But feels a bit girlish though...''


    "Hmmmm… I tell you later. Come now, I''m hungry too..."


    * * *