《Sudden Death》


 Chapter 1: Birth

    A ravishing music of growing things existing around me was the only background music I had aside from the chirping birds across the clear lake reflecting the luminous sun. It was an inspiring green field dancing with the wind. Like a zealous flag weaving for a proud motherland.


    My feet continuously ran without any of my authority. I was dashing ecstatically without any aimed destination. Simply because I''m ignorant in a way that I don''t give anything an importance. Like I concluded a mission. A serious one that can make any creature alive after reaching its completion.


    It was fine, not just fine, but better than fine. Until the wind rushed back at my direction and blew harder than ever before. Like something called it back from where it came from. And finally, it made contact with my pale skin. I felt some iniquity and frightening while arduously resisting it. The atmosphere enhanced my fright moment by moment - the blue sky was overpowered by dusk; the dancing field around me suddenly died; the clear lake abruptly became dry and the radiance of the sun vanished as though it never existed.


    "Tik!! Tok!!"


    What''s that?!!!


    I looked over my shoulder.


    It was big. Horrifying. Monstrous alarm clock, but only one thing came to mind. Wait! Is that my alarm clock?!! The clock fueled up the horror when it advanced in front of me. Fright and joy dueled in my thoughts. My clock wouldn''t hurt me.


    My legs, no, my whole body quivered along with the ground. The clock''s enormous feet split opened the earth into numerous rifts, it''s so deep that the glow of the core could barely be seen. And the thing dreaded me the most occurred after the fissures. It started to wiggle its body and released a deafening ring. It pierced my ear and forced me back into the verge of a cliff and I accidentally fell down. My whole body felt the heat of the earth''s active heart.


    I''m ridiculously screaming for assistance right now...


    "$%@$#%@#$!!!!"


    And before it could scorch me to death...


    "Pang!!"


    A frying pan downstairs woke me up. Rapidly catching my breath while beads of tears kept falling down from my almond shaped eyes. Oh, my blue themed room! Oh, my comforter! Oh, my shaking hands! And I unconsciously stared at something: my clock. I quinted with murderous intent.


    Suddenly, footsteps can be heard. It sounded fast but not loud. The door opened and turned out to be a figure of a girl, pale as me. Combing her wet, brown shaded hair. Behind it was an almond shaped eyes with sharp edges, half Japanese I guess. Her pointed nose enhancing her beautiful thin lips. Ahh, it''s my gorgeous sister.


    "Still half-asleep?"


    She stared blankly at me and stopped combing her hair. "Why are you choking your clock?! Oh boy, my brother, choking his clock, plus his ugly face, dreaming about wrestling? I can''t tell." Shaking her head, she let out a sigh and continued to talk.


    "Breakfast is ready, hurry up move a leg! You stubborn young adult!" She slammed the door shut.


    She sounds like mother nowadays, worse than mother. The clock didn''t make me nervous every time it''s arm moved. Eight more minutes and I''ll be late but I''m still here stuck in a daydream. Maybe because I hate school, I hate giving reports, passing exams, everything - but I never said I hate learning. I want to learn, yes. But I don''t want to grind grades.


    I moved my head and stared out across my hazy window. The view outside: It''s the same tall edifice that covers the seacoast, numerous cars moving left to right, birds flying with black feathers and an idiot dancing without his pants screaming "Kaaa kiiii keee". What a shameful act over there.


    A couple more years of boredom, or maybe, days. And I''ll end up like that bonehead. Wiggling his ''thing'' from left to right, nonstop! Moments later, three policemen arrested him. I heard that he gave the geezer a heart attack. Poor lady, she was just watering her sunflowers and in all of a sudden the pervert jumped out in front of her and presented his ''toothpick'' and the result? Grandma is now on her way to promise land.


    A sudden vibration from my workstation caught my attention. It was an outlandish phone call. I thought it was an urgent call from mom. But I was wrong, it''s "John" who''s making the sudden vibrations. A friend of mine. I took the call and an ear-splitting voice of a girl vexed me.


    "At last you answered, don''t you have a clock in your room?! or you''re in laze again?"


    "Jasmine?"


    "Is there any girl aside from me who''ll waste precious time calling a boring guy like you? Hurry, we will wait for you in front of the school gate."


    Toot.


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    Wow. Just wow.


    ...


    "Good morning." A loud and cheerful greeting by me, but there was no response. I took a few steps down and saw a yellow note leaning on a plate with a stack of pancakes, honey on top.


    ''Ezekiel please hurry and finish up your breakfast, I''ll drive Sefia to school or she''ll be late.


    Love - Mom.''


    The note was filled with stars and a little mixture of smileys. Mom''s designs really are fascinating, I''m not being bias, it''s really good. It added music and life while I''m reading it. She changed for the good. Not like before, she doesn''t care about me or Sefia. She won''t make effort to create notes like this. The loss of my father really affected her so much, us. But the contrast is she turned it into her own strength.


    I''m already half-an-hour late and I''m still slacking-off, I need to get going.


    While I was walking my way to school. My spirit was still resisting the heat of the boasting early summer. Perspiration dripped down to my cheeks. This is too much for me. A few steps onwards, a car horned behind me, it was mom when I turned.


    "Hey, Hop in I''ll drive you to school."


    "Thanks! I''m being toasted already."


    I shut the door and turned-on the air-condition. It smells old but still, it''s bearable as it blows freezing cold air. Ahh what a relief. I can see that Mom is nervous. She stared straightly to the road while sprinkles of sweat filled her forehead. Or maybe it''s just heat.


    "So... how''s everything? Are you doing fine?" Mom asked.


    Now this is strange, she doesn''t ask this kind of questions. This is unusual.


    "I think I''m doing fine." I replied while shifting my gaze towards the sky scrapers. I can see her by the side mirror, she''s glaring at me once in a minute.


    "How sure are you?"


    "More than a hundred."


    There was total silence after that. Only the engine of the car can be heard, the shifting of gears, the blow of air. It was a bit awkward, Mom and I don''t go out that much not like Sefia. They go to different cities, visit the oldest churches, crawl on the mythical caves, and stressing-out on a 124 Meters tall waterfalls.


    "Okay, should I pick you up?" Asked mom.


    "I''m okay."


    I opened my way out of the car and waved a goodbye as she drove wildly out of the campus sight. She really rocks sometimes. I''m on my way entering the gate right before I was stopped by a deafening yell of a girl. I turned around and saw a beautiful girl: straight beautiful brown hair, thin pinkish lips, sharp nose, brown almond shaped eyes, and seemed angry.


    Holy, I forgot about Jasmine.


    "You!!!"


    Pak!


    A strong punch landed on my head. She can grow your head a bump anytime I can tell, that forceful fist of her nothing is impossible.


    "Sorry I walked my way herewith." I replied. Caressing my head with my own hands. Eyes shifting from left to right.


    I was startled when she formed her fist in front of my face. "Next time you lie be sure that I wasn''t looking, let''s go dummy summer class will start already."


    "Ezekiel please."


    "Whatever."


    As we entered the campus every single boy I see, from freshmen to seniors, Jasmine''s beauty didn''t leave any exception. She was a total head turner. I even heard some whispers of juniors as we walked through them. The topic was us. "What a lucky brat." "A beautiful girl with a goblin like sophomore? Are you serious?" A goblin like?! That excruciated me. Nah, they''re just over acting.


    Maybe you''re wondering why I got stuck with her. Well, Jasmine''s family was close to mine, it was like we''re relatives but we''re not. Since they moved here in Sumlong, John and I were her only companions, or to be real, dummy. She treats us like morons but she respects us more than anything. She''s a real friend to sum it up all.


    "Where''s John?" I asked.


    "He grabbed himself a drink in the canteen. I wonder where he is." She replied.


    "And where''s Crystal?"


    She stopped in front of me without turning and replied. "Why would you ask?"


    "Nothing."


    She continued to walk straight to our room. A-512, Armen room 512. The room was already half full when we entered. Jasmine walked and sat straight to the front row. And automatically, boys sitting at the back started to rampant their way behind Jasmine.


    "Sit beside me..... What? Crystal is not around that''s why you''re the one sitting beside me day dreamer."


    "Oh, right."


    Few moments passed and our professor already entered the room, his hair was wet and filled with glitters. The class broke into laughter and the professor turned down the enjoyment of the students. The moment we saw John''s ID on professor Benjamin, Jasmine and I stared at each other unconsciously. Only one question conversed in our eyes. ''What did he do again.''


    "Do any of you know Mr. John Keeper? As you can see, he played a not so big prank on me to impress some sophomore girls in the canteen."


    The students muttered about John, all of them denied.


    "Okay then, you''re all dismissed. I can''t teach with my head shining."


    The students made a sound of moving chairs simultaneously as they began packing things up. We also packed up and started to search for John. We searched everywhere: into the canteen, the principal''s office, the empty corridors. There was no trace of John, we tried to dial his number but then we realized that Jasmine had his phone. Until girls simultaneously screamed in joy. There we found John, flirting with a junior girl. Jasmine broke out the cheer of the crowd around John when she entered the scene. All I can hear was ''It''s Jasmine, she''s really beautiful''.


    Imagine a super famous guy ''John'' and a super hot chick ''Jasmine'' combined together, the result? Of course a pandemonium. I walked my way out because of jealousy towards their influence. I''m invisible when they''re around me. It''s okay, I''ll just give them space. Jasmine''s fist will solve the problem later on. She can be a tier 1 boxer for sure.


    ...


    It was already getting dark when I woke up on a pile of books in a library. The books were all about adventure, a sci-fi about VRMMO. It was a fun read.


    The sunlight from the sky continued to fade once in a while and went dark. The town is livelier when it goes night. It''s not that I don''t know about this stuff. It''s just I don''t usually go out places to places, especially by night. I''m not nocturnal like these people who place stalls at night.


    It was all perfect: The breeze of the air, the luring moon, and of-course the lights of surrounding sky scrapers. Until a sudden light captured my attention. I turned over my shoulder.


    "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaang........!"


    It was a sudden darkness, sudden silence, sudden lone, like a sudden death.

 Chapter 2: Parallel Sumlong

    It was windy when I found myself lying on something itchy. Sudden aches were felt starting from my neck down to my hips as I raised myself up. It was then that I found out that I was again on the grassy field of my dream.


    Am I dreaming again? I asked myself a couple of times.


    At that point, I started to wake myself up. I tried everything from plan A down to Z. But there wasn''t much hope left to strengthen me. Everything around was so real, the texture of the grass, the smell of the place, the vibe it gives. My heart nervously pounded when I ascertained that it wasn''t a dream. It echoed all over the place. Any living could hear a single beat of it.


    My body trembled, I can''t even feel my legs anymore. All of it became numb. It was a bit absurd to wonder that I was summoned here by something omnipotent. It''s not impossible to happen anymore, knowing when I''m already at a place I''ve never been before.


    "What''s your name?"


    It was a voice of a young lady that came behind me. British in cadence. I was startled and stunned when my eyes laid on her.


    Who the hell is this girl?


    I scrutinized her. Like a lunatic seeing a girl meter away for the first time in his history. She was wearing a navy blue vest with golden stripes and a navy blue formal skirt. And of-course to complete the outfit, she wore a black hat with a golden feather. While carrying a leather cased file on her left and a ballpen on her right. More like a crew ship captain''s secretary. The girl looked sideways and cleared her throat as her eyebrows gave me the signal.


    "Ahh yes, you can call me Ezeki..." I replied.


    "Eze would do." She broke in my mid sentence. As she writes down my name on a file. Dust from above my head fell like snow. And there I saw my name floating on my hair. "EZE"


    "Follow me please or be lost here forever." She walked twelve meters away and stopped to turn around: "Your call."


    What''s this nonsense? No. It all has sense.


    Suddenly a resplendent light fell down on where she stands. Some of it downpours, covering a limited area on the field. It projects mixed emotions; bliss, anguish, hatred, zeal, lust, enmity, love, etc. Tantalizing every edge of my skin as it glows. It calls.


    I rushed through it and stood up beside her. The light hurt my eyes and forced itself to hide behind my palm. It still pierced through my hands, but this time, it''s not painful anymore. Well, I''ll praise her fragrance, it really made her smell so good. The light fainted really quick and pulled both of us onto something me myself can barely explain. All I know is we were both traveling with a speed of light. And in a quick second, it threw me down on a tranquil town.


    My face collided with the ground and a foot away from a luxurious shoe. Dirt dust was pushed by my exhale.


    "This is Eze captain, a new warrior given to us, I found him wandering around the field of dreams." Said by the woman.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.I stood up quickly as I heard. "What warrior, I ain''t a warrior. Em, just a normal high schooler. Take me back to Sumlong you abductor!"


    "Kid, this is Sumlong."The captain replied with a smirk. He was tall and dark. Hair was gray as ash. He wears a business suit with the same color of apparel like the girl.


    Weirdos kept popping like mushrooms on nightfall. That''s very convenient. I took a 360 degrees view: "This isn''t Sumlong, or maybe it is an another Sumlong. You know Sumlong with the big skyscrapers?" Waiting for a reply "Ahh forget it, this is a different place from my hometown."


    The captain gestured his disappointments. After letting out a sigh the captain talked: "Follow me. I''ll show you something, Ezekiel."


    "We''re on the first name basis now, wow." I rolled my eyes with my hands up.


    "Escalating real quick, right?" Said by the girl.


    As we walked a roadway isle into the town. It was designed with large-flat-white marble stones. This flooring design has a weak point on rainy seasons. Well, who knows? I don''t have that much knowledge about floors. I''m just saying.


    Thousands of ideas all about fleeing came to mind. But most, no, all of them are impractical. Who knows what these two are up to. I can''t even understand myself, I wasn''t compelled to abide but here I am with them draining a bogus smile.


    This won''t make any of my friends proud, if I had some, at least. I''m talking about real friends here. Those who find me, Ezekiel, special. Not like those who treatme like their slave. Funny though, I would love to have Jasmine and John beside me rather than this two creeps. They''re reliable.


    Back to reality. While we''re on our pace. By just staring at the way people do their everyday living; Pulling carts filled with barrels and vegetables, selling on a wooden stall, etc. It''s a strong proof to anyone that technology isn''t yet present at their time.


    But that is not the only thing I noticed. Observing something matchless about these two. It''s the way they dress. All of the civilian around us wore those traditional clothes with a worth less than a dollar if it would be their currency. These two are incomparable, they aren''t commoners. What supremacy do they have? So much unanswered questions played around my mind. No, I couldn''t help this.


    "Bang!!!"


    I kicked an empty stack of barrels near an alcoholic beverage shop before we could turn right. It''s foolish but at last, I found the right courage needed for my plan. The captain and the girl stopped shocked after seeing a smart kid rushing away from them.


    "Quick Flora, before anyone could see him!" Said by the captain in concern. She dashed rapidly, as in rapidly twice, no, thrice faster than me.


    My eyes enlarged in dread: "What kind of beast are you?!" I asked the girl.


    Fortunately, she crashed on a horseman nearby and made a scene. Which caused a block by worried commoners. A relief, for me really. For her? I''m not sure. I stopped on a tempting narrow isle. The place was a bit creepy; water was all around, pieces of broken glass can be found on the floor. Leaning my back on a concrete for a whole minute while waiting for signs of Flora. I got away from her.


    Finally, after chasing my breath. At first, I thought to stay at a corner like this was an alleviation, but it wasn''t. Right after I stood straight to continue my plan. I saw a tall man in a black torn cloth. It was a risky business. He kept calling my name. It echoed in my mind like shouting in a cave without parting his lips. Wait, I looked closer, does he have one?


    What is happening?


    "Eze, stand back!!" A girl yelled behind me but I was still stunned.


    "So this one is under your protection eh? radiance general. Flora!"


    After that. I can''t feel myself for a second, it was all static I can hear. I was numb for the whole time. Flora embraced me, she let out words I couldn''t hear. I can tell because her face was six inches away from mine. Her lips parted but no sound came out. Her scent though relaxed me, it''s really good.


    My sight became blurry as well, I held myself as hard as I could just to stay conscious. And then everything became black and I then passed out.


    All I remember was Flora. That wonderful girl. She pulled in the air, and a sword - blue silver in color, a sapphire embed on its handle - came out from it. It touched her fingers and then Flora rushed towards the tall guy. They were so fast that my eyes couldn''t follow. The tall man, however, kept up with Flora. It was unbelievable because he wasn''t using any weapon that time. Only his sharp claws. Until they reached a point to halt.


    They both jumped backward. Flora was catching her breath while the tall guy lectured something about life and death. The sorrow of the wind blows didn''t bother the two from a fracas while they''re calm.


    "Let''s end this." Flora said with murderous intent.


    The tall man uproars and summoned a scythe. Foreign words were engraved on edges of its blade. Its handle was like a spine of a human. The difference is, it''s black, not white. The two jumped preparing their attacks.


    The tall guy tried his luck first when he made the move first. He swayed his scythe with evil laughter. Auspiciously, Flora dodged the attack by moving left without slowing down. And when she reached her distance. She gave him a quick swing and light showered upon her. Foreign words were formed above her head along with a light.


    The tall guy turned into a dark vapor and flew upwards with a sound of agony. Am I really under her protection? She walked and stopped in front of me. And she stared at me with murderous intent, and her eyes were glowing in red.


    ...

 Chapter 3: Carnage and the Divine Gem

    Chapter 003: Carnage and the Divine Gem


    My head ached and was almost-immediately tamed by a humming tune coming from a girl. It continuously breezed into my ears few blocks away from me. I had the slightest clue because of being half-awake. Anyone could immediately remember for it was so familiar. It''s a song played every Christmas.


    But why is she humming that piece? It''s currently the middle of July. Maybe because this dimension had their own seasons. Or is it a memory she''s playing on her mind? I couldn''t tell. I''ve never been this observant even while my eyes were still at rest. This world terrified me, yet, amazed me at the same time.


    I opened my almond shaped eyes and saw a girl wiping a shiny katana while humming with a smile. And the way she dressed, it looked like she''s one of Flora''s companions. The human embodiment of beauty raised the katana above matching the level of her nose. Examined if there''s some stain of blood left. In the middle of her work, she noticed that I regained my consciousness. Staring at me blankly as I hid on a pillow.


    ¡°What will you do?!" My voice trembled with fear. Who knows what she''s up to.


    "Too much horror movies huh? I dozed you off with a spell that could make you rest for the whole week. It''s been three days, I''m impressed you''re already awake."


    This wasn''t the perfect response that my troubled mind expected. Next thing happened was her hands touching my neck.


    "You''re body temperature decreased without delay. You can still take a rest in here or maybe hang out with the dudes inside the lobby. But just be careful, you aren''t yet fully recovered." She resembled happiness at any way she moved. My short existence never saw something mirthful.


    I nodded my gratitude politely as my feet barely making their way through the lobby. This wooden place was constructed very well. A guess that says this residence had passed hundreds of years already, judging the way it smells. So how many storms have this place experienced? The bond of the people who lived and stayed in it made it stronger. It''s a safe spot.


    "Ohh you''re up already. Come." The captain approached elegantly. Or maybe it''s not safe here at all.


    The captain took me on a stroll with his left hand locking against his belt. Showing a bit of arrogance or it may be some of his habits. Body language tells me that this man is full of courage.


    ...


    Suddenly the captain halted: "Here we are. Six floors under the ground."


    We paused in front of a suspicious wooden door. The brave man entered. It was dark if you''ll look outside but when my right foot stepped in, light showered the room. A word "Radiance" was engraved on the giant roots settling in. At the center wall was a painting of an emblem golden in color, bright as light.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I was still amazed while the captain was busy with something standing in the middle of the room. But it wasn''t my problem anymore. He let out a sigh when additional lights sparkled out. Guess it was already fixed. It''s a mystical bowl resting on a white pillar. Showing different scenes and faces.


    When the captain let out a word, the bowl showed an image of war between two unknown creatures. They both have wings and armored in different colors: "It''s the bowl of truth. The sum of its water was tears of angels who fought for the lives of weak humans. So afraid to death they cannot defend themselves. Dive into it, and you''ll find answers." The captain said while staring at it.


    The captain vanished the shock inside me with a knock on my head. His tough hands seized my hair and gently soaked my head on the embracing cold water of the bowl. I wanted to lose myself in it, but unfortunately unprepared for what happened, my breath couldn''t.


    "Ask the water for answers and it will show you everything you''ll need to know." The captain said while holding my head tight.


    I resisted in fear of death, not because it showed thousands of innocent lives dying because of someone''s greed. But because I saw myself drowning. My chest projected that I''m deeply catching oxygen when my head felt the softness of air again.


    "Ohh yeah right, you need to breathe first, I forgot." The captain mumbled his excuses apologetically. I was right, they''re really brutal. The water was calling for me. What''s this feeling overflowing in me? Is it my curiosity? Or far more than that.


    I inhaled heavily just enough to make me last for a couple of minutes underwater. And without hesitation, I soaked my head in and opened my eyes, too weird it didn''t hurt and it wasn''t blurry. The proper cold of matter made my gray hair to lurch gradually. I didn''t want to waste any of my limited time under these tears. So I asked in, what is this world?


    Then a voice of a powerful being echoed under the water, no, at this time I wasn''t under water anymore. I found myself floating on the air with human like girl covered by white silk hiding her flawless skin. She was so beautiful like a Goddess.


    "This world is the parallel of the earth where you live. A dwelling place for humans that died without sin or living souls that still fighting for their lives on earth."


    After the scene massively changed into some heart breaking accident. My eyes enlarged when I saw myself lying on the streets of Sumlong. There were beeping lights of red and blue. A crowd formed a circle in the scene. Few cars were crushed by a bus. It became clear, it was so clear that I''m now possessing my astral form.


    I floated near my crippled body. My sluggish blood continued to wet the road. If I was malevolent, I would say it was wonderful, but I''m not. For real I was worried for no one around the accident but just for myself. It''s the right time to be selfish. Gladly, my handsome face wasn''t ruined. Though it was already ruined before the accident happened. But if someone responsible for this accident scratched it unintentionally. The hell I would still kill him without hesitation.


    "Haha, you''re too worried about yourself. And you don''t look ugly, don''t let yourself down." The woman said. Like yeah, I wouldn''t believe you, you''re a kind person, everything will look nice to you even if they''re not.


    The scene again changed for we came back to the parallel world this woman was referring. But not like the present Sumlong; a war was taking place on some of its lands. She raised her hands and pointed out a glorious male successfully swaying his sword, cutting the throat of an opponent. "You know who he is? He led this formidable army you''re fascinated with. He''s the infamous arch angel, Zuriel is the name. He fought and stayed for both deceased and the living. Right after the war, he disappeared and for where he is, now remains a mystery."


    My heart pounded with proud over the general. The woman showed me countless of scenes portraying the war but, some of my questions aren''t yet answered. So I asked more: "How could I leave this place, I want to go back to earth. To where I really belong."


    And again, the scene changed. The water showed me a trivial gemstone resting on a purple-glamorous pillow. It was blue in color and was so tempting. Thinking about black markets, this rock could make a fortune. It''s rumored to grant a wish of who ever lay a skin on it. But only the good will shall be granted. It was the "Divine Gem".


    The luxury was possessed by a demon named Carnage - one of the mighty general of his kingdom. With the power of the gem, he didn''t grew stronger, yet didn''t became weaker as well. As if nothing changed, for the stone to activate needed good will. Carnage''s heart was pouring destruction all over his veins. He was well known for his talent in killing.


    I didn''t ask for more but the scene again changed. The surroundings became red like scarlet and we were alone together, not with the woman, but a man standing in front me playing his sword instead. He was so close to me. He stared at me like he can really see me. Touching his hair with an intimidating smirk. It was no other than Carnage that I saw, but why?


    "Because you''re the key!!!!!" He responded. He charged in and his eyes glowed, portraying devastation. Before his sword could land a perfect hit on my left shoulder. The captain pulled me up, he too sensed the danger of what I saw.