With my face and clothes drenched in thick black blood, I lifted my empty gaze to the equally empty sky.
After a few seconds, I sighed.
"I should head back."
My eyes shifted to the border a few feet away.
Crossing it casually would bring immense pain, and I wasn't interested in experiencing that.
So I took several steps back, creating enough distance to build momentum.
Then I shot forward.
I crossed the border in an instant.
But I didn't stop.
I kept running until I reached the cliff, then immediately began climbing.
A few minutes later, I pulled myself over the edge and slowly made my way toward the house.
The moment I entered, I headed straight for my room and collapsed onto the bed.
~~
~~
When I finally opened my eyes, darkness greeted me.
For a moment, I just stared blankly.
"Why is it so dark in here?"
I muttered, rubbing my groggy eyes.
Night had fallen, and the pale crescent moon outside wasn't enough to illuminate the room.
Then a memory surfaced.
"...Ah."
I rose from the bed and walked over to my desk.
Picking up a medium-sized cube, I brought it close to my lips.
"Daflä."
A blue flame instantly flickered to life within the cube, casting a soft glow across the room.
"Interesting."
This was a product of sorcery.
A trait so rare and powerful that sorcerers were practically worshipped.
The cube itself came from the House of Heka, the only sorcerous household in the entire empire.
Thinking of them, I left my room and began moving through the house, activating the remaining cubes one by one.
Each room contained two of them, more than enough to drive away the darkness.
Soon, the entire house was illuminated.
I returned to my room and opened the window.
The sight below made me pause.
"Beautiful."
The word escaped me before I could stop it.
The town below was littered with blue dots, giving the place a beautiful night view.
Still staring at the town, I couldn't help but think about having a bottle of alcohol.
"It's at times like this having a bottle, wouldn't hurt"
I paused, then continued.
"But for now I can only wish..."
A thought interrupted me.
No a memory was a more fitting term.
There was alcohol in one of the shelves in the kitchen.
Recalling this I hastily walked to the kitchen, and went straight for the shelf I remembered.
Opening it, I saw a large bottle of alcohol, I took it out with a small smile, and looked for a cup.
Holding a large wooden mug, I filled it to the brim, brought the drink close to my nose and sniffed it.
"Hmm, has a malty scent to it, definitely not a modern beer"
After sniffing the alcohol out of reflex, I took a big gulp.
Feeling the taste in my mouth, I was left speechless.
"For something medieval it tastes surprisingly good"
Without wasting time I took another cup, then another, and another, with each cup I took I slowly got intoxicated.
After several drinks i went back to the window.
Drinking and staring at the view below slowly made me feel bitter.
"My life sucks"
*Gulp*
"I've always been unlucky, but yet I had always held strong and succeeded in the end that was on till recently of course"
"It just had to be me, whose girlfriend caught the general's eye, after all there were several rich girls in service, both seniors and juniors"
*Gulp*
~~
I just stood there in silence and drank my alcohol till it finished and went to bed, "hopefully i will feel better in the morning" I muttered to myself in a gloomy tone.
~~
~~
Next bright
I woke up early as usual but this time I had to go around the house offing the lights I turned on last night. "Flä" I yelled in each room to turn off the lights. When I was done I went exercising as it now felt like a norm. It helps me get ready for the day.
After my exercise I went to take a bath, "one drum of water left " I said barely above a whisper, "thankfully I don't have to buy more cause am leaving for the Explorers guild today " I said as I poured some water on myself before soaking in the wooden bathtub, "could use some soap right now" I said not satisfied with my bath, "I don't feel really clean at all" I added and continued,"but what can I do it's not like I can just invent soap here nor can I go back to earth just for some soap".
After my bath, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and after a few try and errors I made something.
Now in the bedroom preparing for my journey, I picked something less modern to wear today. My closet is filled with a lot of modern clothes, fantasy clothes, English 90's clothes, and even some murim outfits.
"Who knows how long I will be in the abyss zones, I should pack enough clothes to last for like three months" I said like I was about going on a vacation, "it's going to be cold in the abyss zones, I should carry some coats" I advised myself.
Fully packed with food for my journey to the guild, my dagger, clothes, some books, and some equipments and of course a road map, I stood outside my house staring at it knowing it might be the last time I might be here.
I boarded my carriage and began my two day journey to D'arcy also known as the Explorers town.
Leaving book town was kind of painful but was inevitable even though part of me as been here for many years now. " I should have said goodbye" a thought came to me, "too late now, already gone to far to turn back" I said in an unbothered tone.
~~
~~
My journey to D'arcy was interesting, There were several towns before D'arcy but not all seemed as developed and brimming with life as book town, some even seemed very lifeless and some were completely destroyed. There was even a mist storm on the way, very unnatural if you ask me.
Anyways I got to D'arcy a bit late so I booked an Inn for the night, which was hard to get with the amount of visitors here by the way, this place is busting with people.
"Night life here looks really great" I said looking out the window....."well I better get to bed got a big day tomorrow" I added as i closed the window and went to bed.