STEPPING ONTO A NARROW PATH BESIDE THE RIVER, BASTIAN TOOK A DEEP BREATH. "THE PORTAL OF ECHOES AWAITS," HE REMINDED HIMSELF.
AS HE JOURNEYED ONWARD, THE LANDSCAPE BEGAN TO SHIFT. THE SURROUNDINGS BLURRED, AND TIME SEEMED TO DISTORT. YET, FUELED BY NEWFOUND HOPE, HE PRESSED ON, DETERMINED TO FIND HIS WAY BACK HOME.
"BARTENDER?" BASTIAN BLURTED OUT, HIS VOICE TINGED WITH SURPRISE AND A HINT OF RELIEF. ONLY NOW DID HE REALIZE THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE IN THE TAVERN BESIDES THE BOASTFUL WARRIOR.
OR RATHER, SOMETHING ELSE.
HE TURNED TOWARD THE BAR AND IMMEDIATELY FELT HIS BREATH HITCH. STANDING BEHIND THE COUNTER WAS AN INDESCRIBABLE FIGURE, A BEING THAT DEFIED ALL UNDERSTANDING. BASTIAN INSTINCTIVELY TOOK TWO STEPS BACK, HIS HEART POUNDING IN HIS CHEST.
THE ENTITY HAD NO DISCERNIBLE FACE. OR PERHAPS IT WAS THAT BASTIAN COULDN'T COMPREHEND IT. AS HE GAZED AT WHERE A FACE SHOULD BE, COUNTLESS FAMILIAR VISAGES FLICKERED AND MORPHED. HE SAW UNCLE CHARLES'S WARM SMILE, AUNT MARSHA'S GENTLE EYES, THE STERN VISAGE OF THE OLD SHAMAN, AND EVEN HIS OWN REFLECTION STARING BACK AT HIM.
BENEATH THE SHIFTING FACES, ALL HE COULD MAKE OUT WAS A BLACK HOOD CLOAKING AN INFINITE ABYSS, A DARKNESS THAT SEEMED TO SWALLOW THE VERY LIGHT AROUND IT.
"HE IS DEFINITELY NOT OF ANY KNOWN SPECIES," BASTIAN THOUGHT, A CHILL RUNNING DOWN HIS SPINE.
AS THIS UNSETTLING REALIZATION CROSSED HIS MIND, THE ENIGMATIC FIGURE, LIKE A LIVING BLACK HOLE, SEEMED TO GLANCE IN HIS DIRECTION. WITH JUST THAT ONE GAZE, BASTIAN FELT AN OVERWHELMING SENSATION OF NONEXISTENCE.
IT WASN'T AN ILLUSION. HIS SPIRIT FORM BEGAN TO DISSIPATE; HE WATCHED IN HORROR AS HALF OF HIS ARM FADED INTO NOTHINGNESS. THIS WASN'T AN ATTACK, IT WAS THE SHEER PRESSURE OF BEING OBSERVED BY AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE ENTITY.
"HAVE A DRINK," THE FIGURE SAID, ITS VOICE ECHOING AS IF FROM THE DEPTHS OF A CAVERN.
BEFORE BASTIAN COULD PROCESS WHAT WAS HAPPENING, HE FOUND HIMSELF SEATED AT THE BAR NEXT TO THE WARRIOR. A GLASS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE IN THE WARRIOR'S HAND APPEARED BEFORE HIM, FILLED WITH A RICH, RED WINE THAT SHIMMERED ODDLY.
"UM..." BASTIAN HESITATED, HIS EYES FIXATED ON THE ALLURING LIQUID. JUST ONE LOOK STIRRED AN IRRESISTIBLE LONGING WITHIN HIS SOUL, A TEMPTATION HE COULDN'T REFUSE.
HE LIFTED THE GLASS AND TOOK A TENTATIVE SIP. AS THE WINE FLOWED DOWN HIS THROAT, A SOOTHING WARMTH SPREAD THROUGH HIS BEING. THE BOILING TURMOIL INSIDE HIM COOLED, AND HIS ALMOST FROZEN SPIRIT REGAINED ITS VITALITY.
FEELING MORE COMPOSED, BASTIAN GLANCED AT THE MIDDLE-AGED WARRIOR BESIDE HIM. THE MAN CONTINUED TO IGNORE HIM, LOST IN HIS OWN WORLD.
CURIOUS, BASTIAN REACHED OUT AND ATTEMPTED TO TOUCH THE WARRIOR'S SHOULDER. HIS HAND PASSED STRAIGHT THROUGH, AS IF THE WARRIOR WERE MADE OF MIST. YET THIS TIME, THE WARRIOR DIDN'T VANISH.
"IT SEEMS WE'RE ON PARALLEL LINES THAT CAN'T INTERSECT," BASTIAN MUSED. "BUT AT LEAST HE DIDN'T DISAPPEAR."
HE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WARRIOR WASN'T THE KEY HERE; THE REAL MYSTERY WAS THE BARTENDER BEHIND THE COUNTER.
AFTER FINISHING THE ENIGMATIC WINE, BASTIAN'S EMOTIONS INEXPLICABLY CALMED. AN INTUITION TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE WARRIOR FINISHED HIS TALE BEFORE IT WOULD BE HIS TURN.
SO, HE SETTLED IN AND LISTENED PATIENTLY TO THE WARRIOR'S GRANDIOSE STORIES. THE MAN BOASTED OF SLAYING DRAGONS, TOPPLING KINGDOMS, AND BATTLING DEMON LORDS WITH NAMES BASTIAN HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE. PLACES AND MONSTERS BEYOND HIS COMPREHENSION FILLED THE WARRIOR'S TALES.
"YOU'RE JUST A MORTAL WARRIOR CLAIMING TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE IMPOSSIBLE," BASTIAN THOUGHT, HALF-AMUSED. "IS ANY OF THIS EVEN REAL?"
FINALLY, AFTER WHAT FELT LIKE AN ETERNITY, THE MIDDLE-AGED WARRIOR THUMPED HIS CHEST IN SATISFACTION. "AND THAT'S HOW I BECAME THE LEGEND I AM TODAY!" HE DECLARED BEFORE SWAGGERING OUT OF THE TAVERN, HIS FIGURE FADING INTO THE MIST BEYOND THE DOORWAY.
AN EERIE SILENCE ENVELOPED THE ROOM. THE ENIGMATIC FIGURE BEHIND THE BAR TURNED ITS GAZE TOWARD BASTIAN.
"YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ME?" THE BEING ASKED, ITS VOICE RESONATING IN A WAY THAT MADE THE VERY AIR QUIVER.
A SENSE OF UNEASE WASHED OVER BASTIAN. HIS MOUTH WENT DRY, AND HE STRUGGLED TO FIND HIS WORDS. "I... YES," HE MANAGED TO STAMMER. "I NEED HELP. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM OR HOW TO GET BACK."
THE BEING OFFERED A FAINT, INSCRUTABLE SMILE. WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD, IT BEGAN TO COLLECT THE EMPTY GLASSES, WIPING THEM DOWN WITH A CLOTH THAT SEEMED TO ABSORB LIGHT. IT WAS AS IF THE BARTENDER HAD LOST INTEREST IN THE CONVERSATION OR PERHAPS IT HAD NEVER INTENDED TO ENGAGE FURTHER.
"WAIT, PLEASE!" BASTIAN IMPLORED, DESPERATION CREEPING INTO HIS VOICE. "I NEED ANSWERS!"
THE BARTENDER CONTINUED ITS SILENT TASK, THE CLINKING OF GLASS THE ONLY RESPONSE.
"I, " BASTIAN STARTED, BUT A SOFT VOICE INTERRUPTED HIM.
"I'M LOOKING FOR YOU," THE VOICE SAID GENTLY.
HE TURNED ABRUPTLY TO SEE A PECULIAR OWL PERCHED DIRECTLY ON THE BAR BESIDE HIM. ITS FEATHERS WERE A MESMERIZING BLEND OF IRIDESCENT BLUES AND SILVERS, AND ITS EYES GLOWED WITH AN INNER LIGHT THAT SEEMED ANCIENT YET VIBRANT.
"YOU... YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ME?" BASTIAN ASKED, ASTONISHMENT AND HOPE MINGLING IN HIS TONE.
THE OWL NODDED SLOWLY. "INDEED. I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR YOU ACROSS REALMS, BASTIAN."
"WHO ARE YOU?" HE QUESTIONED, BOTH WARY AND INTRIGUED. "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?"
"I AM A GUIDE OF SORTS," THE OWL REPLIED CRYPTICALLY. "THERE ISN'T MUCH TIME. IF YOU WISH TO RETURN, WE MUST LEAVE NOW."
BASTIAN GLANCED BACK AT THE INSCRUTABLE BARTENDER, WHO WAS METICULOUSLY ARRANGING GLASSES AS IF NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS HAPPENING. THE WEIGHT OF INDECISION PRESSED UPON HIM.
"CAN YOU TRULY HELP ME GET BACK HOME?" HE ASKED, TURNING HIS GAZE BACK TO THE OWL.
"YES," THE OWL AFFIRMED. "BUT WE MUST HURRY. THIS PLACE IS NOT MEANT FOR SOULS LIKE YOURS."
TAKING A DEEP BREATH, BASTIAN NODDED. "ALRIGHT. LEAD THE WAY."
THE OWL SPREAD ITS ETHEREAL WINGS AND TOOK FLIGHT, GLIDING EFFORTLESSLY TOWARD THE TAVERN'S ENTRANCE. BASTIAN HURRIED AFTER IT, HIS SPIRIT RENEWED WITH PURPOSE. AS HE STEPPED OUTSIDE, THE FOG THICKENED, SWIRLING AROUND THEM LIKE A LIVING ENTITY.
"STAY CLOSE," THE OWL CAUTIONED. "THE PATHS HERE ARE TREACHEROUS AND EVER-CHANGING."
THEY MOVED THROUGH THE MIST-SHROUDED STREETS, THE PHANTOM TOWN FADING BEHIND THEM. THE RIVER OF SOULS GLOWED SOFTLY IN THE DISTANCE, ITS CURRENTS WHISPERING SECRETS.
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" BASTIAN ASKED AS THEY NAVIGATED THE LABYRINTHINE PATHWAYS.
"TO THE NEXUS OF THE WORLD," THE OWL ANSWERED. "FROM THERE, YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY BACK TO YOUR OWN WORLD."
"WHY ARE YOU HELPING ME?" HE INQUIRED, GRATITUDE AND SUSPICION BATTLING WITHIN HIM.
THE OWL GLANCED BACK WITH A KNOWING LOOK. "BECAUSE YOUR JOURNEY IS NOT YET OVER, BASTIAN. YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY, A DESTINY TO FULFILL."
THEY REACHED THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND, WHERE THE GROUND SEEMED TO DISSOLVE INTO THE STAR-STUDDED SKY BELOW. A SHIMMERING PORTAL MATERIALIZED, PULSATING WITH ENERGY.
"STEP THROUGH," THE OWL INSTRUCTED. "THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO THE CROSSROADS BETWEEN WORLDS."
BASTIAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, THEN STEELED HIMSELF. "THANK YOU," HE SAID SINCERELY.
THE OWL INCLINED ITS HEAD. "REMEMBER, NOT EVERYTHING IS AS IT SEEMS. TRUST IN YOURSELF."
WITH A FINAL NOD, BASTIAN STEPPED INTO THE PORTAL. A SURGE OF LIGHT ENVELOPED HIM, AND THE WORLD AROUND HIM BLURRED AND SHIFTED.
AS HE VANISHED, THE OWL WATCHED SILENTLY BEFORE SPREADING ITS WINGS AND SOARING INTO THE ENDLESS EXPANSE.
BACK IN THE TAVERN, THE ENIGMATIC BARTENDER PAUSED IN ITS CLEANING. IT LOOKED TOWARD THE NOW-EMPTY DOORWAY, AN UNREADABLE EXPRESSION CROSSING THE SHIFTING FACES BENEATH ITS HOOD.
"UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, BASTIAN," IT MURMURED SOFTLY BEFORE RETURNING TO ITS ETERNAL TASK.