Dreamscape – The Farm World
It was quiet in a moment of great euphoria; the tracks stayed still as the dreamworld itself felt almost pleasant, with lands that extended further beyond the stable, light green grass that brushed like waves beneath one's feet. For Huntsman, the dream felt like heaven. He always imagines himself as a farmer owning pastures that will grant him fortune unlike any other.
"Moooo," The cows lowed softly, their voices rolling across the pasture as they wandered through the tall grass. Dew clung to the emerald blades, brushing against their legs as they grazed unhurriedly. In this moment, Huntsman can only watch with a smile crossing his face; he looks towards the sun in the sky, wishing for the days to remain like this forever. Yet something is off, a sudden feeling of dread filled the air as the vivid signs of life began to almost fade as if this truly was nothing more than a dream. As the luscious lands became empty, nothing was left except Huntsman, and what's that, a figure in black tarted clothing that flowed through the winds like fluid liquid, a middle-aged man with a full-grown, groomed beard, wearing a pair of shades that stand out from the overall aesthetic, the man looked drained of life with dark gray filled bags underneath his eyes with a sharp look almost ascetic like a well discipline man untroubled by the weight of the world. Eventually, that sudden silence turns swiftly into a discussion.
"Sitting in the night where the wolf bares its teeth, you will find refuge in the place known as Yarminganda (the plain of endless dreams), only then will fates that are set in stone change," murmured the mysterious figure, oneiric in nature, his voice resonant within the ears as he slowly reached forward with a grace, making a invoker's hand gesture.
Huntsman questions the figure before him in great confusion, "Yarminganda!?, firstly, who are you, and why are you in my dream?"
"Who? Only time will tell, lifetimes are infinite in dimensional plains that exist beyond the borders of each universe," said the mysterious figure, still retaining that oneiric voice echoing through the vast space within the dreamscape. "Look up."
Huntsman's head instinctively turns around as his head propels upward; the winds intensify enough that the trees on the land begin to unroot. The atmosphere became dark as thunder and lightning filled the area like a cyclone. Before him appeared an eldritch being. The eldritch monster has 12 arms extending from the body, each holding a quill. The being is blinded from sight, deafened by the true usurper, deprived of the ability to taste and swallow its prey, and unable to smell. The being inside the mouth of the eldritch being is the one who knows all and sees all. In contrast to this monster, his sense is well intact, and his mind can reason beyond the fabric of time. All Huntsman can do is watch on in disbelief, questioning his existence itself, as his mind becomes numb, scared beyond repair. He closed his eyes instinctively, but as soon as he opened them, the farm world, blessed by the dreamscape, turned into an endless wasteland.
Mooo!
Tilting his body slightly, he directed his attention to the cow standing there, looking straight at him for a moment. He felt great euphoria as everything became unsteady. Suddenly, the cow twisted beyond recognition, moving frantically towards him, uttering these uncalming words.
"WAKE UP,"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"AHHAHAH," Huntsman jumped up from the bed in a cold sweat, reaching towards his chest as his heartbeat moved rapidly like uneven drums.
"WHAT'S THAT! Are you ok? Huntsman, did someone invade the van?" said Xu in a great panic, holding a comically looking bat in her hand.
"NO! NO! Don't worry, it was just a nightmare. No one other than us is in the van," said Abadel as sweat drops down from his face, which didn't really help the situation.
Xu looked towards Huntsman with a sign of relief that he was ok, the tension between her and the bat loosened, and she just threw it back up in front after a while. She remarked, "Are you hungry? Talk to Bob, he will cook you something up."
"Huh? Bob?" said Huntsman as his attention was directed to a small box. The size is fit for a Cook Bot, usually used in a café. He remembered seeing them before on busy days in the cafeteria in prison, working the stove to provide well-nutrient meals.
Something emerged—a small robot with an adorable, goofy pixelated face displayed on its screen. Its hands are tucked inside small, closed holes on each side of the robot for optimal multitasking. The bot hovers toward Huntsman, wearing a smile that could melt anyone's heart.
"Hello, I am your trusted robot companion, BOB! I am here to serve you meals that will fill your belly. WHAT DO YOU WANT! An omelet! Baked chicken! Salad! Bread and sausage! BANANA BREAD@$@!!#@," said Bob in a static of emotions, full of energy like none other.
Huntsman is in shock with the bot's enthusiastic behavior that he has never seen before within a micro-programmed computerized machine, said in a fun tone. "Hreha! Is this bot broken? Why is he acting like this? I never seen something so energetic!" he asked Xu with further curiosity on the inner workings of this bot. Maybe it's a new model.
"That's just Bob for you; he's more programmed and well taken care of compared to other cookbots you have witnessed during your lifetime. He is like my child, and I take care of him as the chunky little fella he is... Yes, you are!" said Xu in a spoiled tone as she grabbed the bot and rubbed him against her face, making a cute smile, making a face with her eyes closed, set on just loving her little robot.
Huntsman looked at Xu with a funny look and a slight smirk on his face, as Xu just noticed how she was acting, and slowly his gesture changed, letting go of the robot in shame. She just looked forward to the road ahead, not saying anything after making three side glances at Huntsman, hoping he would let it go and just have breakfast. The view shifted towards Xu's face as she shrugged her shoulders, sighing.
HMMAHAHA! TWEAK!
-___-
"Please don't pay attention to me and continue to order your meal from Bob," said Xu with a smug look on her face as she took back control of the stirring wheel, taking the van off autopilot.
"Alright, Captain! 0_0 – No need to tell me twice," said Huntsman, saluting Xu in a funny stance, striking a gesture that commanded attention. " Ok, so I will have the bread and Sausage with Baked Chicken on the side, with a small salad to add to the meal, and a drink!"
"-_____-, you can grab a drink from the fridge," said Bob with a playful smile on his face.
Huntsman asked, "What happened to all that excitement? It's as if it simply vanished."
After some time, Huntsman finished his meal and ate a well-balanced breakfast, clearing the dish of every food. As he gazed outside the window, he picked up his drink and started to carefully sip it. Fante, the city of wealth and treasures, appeared to be the capital of Seranork. Along the shore, Fante rises like a gem, its skyline a mesh of glowing spires and silver towers, each adorned with shimmering banners that ripple with the Union insignia and floating transport pads. The subtle, rhythmic light of brain conduits connecting residents to the galactic Union network and the pulse of grav-trains streaking over skyways both contribute to the city's humming vibrancy.
The Grand Market of Fante, a vast area where history meets the future, is at is center. Beside sleek, computerized kiosks, stalls hang in midair, offering anything from unusual goods from far-off star systems to rare and Seranorkian delicacies. The mirrored surfaces of trades' hover-crates are reflected by neon lettering that dances across the glass canopies of the market. The mild ozone of anti-grab engines combines with the perfume of roasted synth-fruits to create a rich, exotic scent that is exclusive to Fante.
The diversity of Fante's population is equal to that of the galaxy. With their data scrolls clutched tightly, aristocratic scribes in flowing robes of shifting fabric glide past the merchants, documenting the trade, politics, and covert agreements that form the core of the Union.
"Surprised, aren't you? This is Fante, the city of riches and mystery. Here is where you will be staying now until further notice," said Xu Everlast. "Straight up ahead in the towers above is my house, it's two stories with a café downstairs."
"So this place, I heard many stories from the Seronorkians in prison dreaming of the day they can visit Fante again, it's vibrant with a lot of markets at the lower part of the city," said Huntsman in awe as he looked onward at the city's greatness.
"Yes, the layout of the city is simple at the lower end, near the coastline, which is reserved for the market area where trade, exchanges, and items are bought. It's closer to the coastline because boats, merchant boats, and other fancy boats can dock their ships, making the transfer of items or material goods easier. Our city is famous for selling Skyria special ore known as Aeromite, which is famous amongst people who train in melee or tank classes. Aeromite can also be used for inventions, making it a great resource with multiple benefits. Lastly, the main city area is in the upper part of the city, above the train lines, where the apartments, businesses, mansions, and other stuff exist, including the rich parts of the city, which are even higher up," said Xu, happy to explain the inner workings of the city to a friend.
"You will love it here. There are many things for you to explore, like many seasonal events. Right now, we are in the fall. Currently, this is the month of the Great Merchant Hunt, where prices skyrocket because of foreign buyers coming to the lands from other worlds outside Seronork itself," said Xu Everlast, "On the contrary, if you didn't know, there are 7 known worlds in this entire universe, Seronork being the main world that people come to, Tartarus where me and you are from, Aragoria the world of the Aragorians, Skyria the planet next door to Seronork that I was talking about early, Nagoria the planet of labyrinths and treasures, Noros the planet that is mostly corrupted by the antiverse and lastly the shadow realm," said Xu in further detail.
" We arrived," said Xu everlast in excitement as the scene transitioned into the café house garage.
A house, medium in size, shaped in a square modern house shape, the front features a sign saying Morina Café, grabbing the attention of many as they go in and out of the café after an honest day of work. The roomy feeling the café gives off is cozy and natural. Inside, the interior is made of well-polished wood cut from the morning grove wood, gathered from the forest west of the city. It looks well-handcrafted with personality behind it. As you enter, you're greeted with the main bar, where a tall maiden in a black sweatshirt stands with puffy curly orange short hair, large, demanding attention; her thick orange eyebrows lie perfectly on her face, she has sharp teeth like a shark, and a smile that is haunting. Her presence alone is a bottle of wonder and mystery for Huntsman. This figure standing here will be a stepping stone to all his answers.
"Xu, I see you made it back in One Piece, HRHRHRHRA! You brought the kid I wanted you to bail, what's up, Huntsman, you haven't changed a bit since the day we met in prison," said Morina in a harsh tone of a raspy voice that shouts for attention.
"I can't believe it, out of all the people. JACKASS! You're really something, I thought you were bluffing when you said you would bail me out of prison a year ago," said Huntsman, happy to see a familiar face appeared Infront of him. Previously, he wondered who would bail, but of course its someone he knew.
Flashback – One Year ago
"Kid, I will be leaving here today. I serve the one-year sentence I got for tax fraud," said Morina Everlast in that harsh voice from before, "Why the long face? If I pull the right strings, you will be out of here in no time."
"You really will do that for me, of all people," said Huntsman in a shocked tone.
"It wouldn't be any problem at all for me to bail someone out of here; something tells me that the crime you committed wasn't done by you," said Morina Everlast.
"......….," in dead silence, all Huntsman could think about was how much he appreciates the gesture; all he could say in advance, if one day it does happen, is, "Thank you, until then JACKASS!"
Xu Everlast responded swiftly with a bottle of joy and excitement, as the mission is complete, meaning she no longer needs to keep the secret any longer, " Thank god any longer and I will have shouted out the surprised, I am not good at keeping secrets – Heck, I even hide my last name, hoping he doesn't find out, I am glad you guys can finally meet again and continue from where you left off."
"Indeed, this is a blessing that even I can't put into words, but thank you for everything, Morina Everlast. Your heart is as priceless as ever," said Huntsman Abadel.
"Shucks! You're making me blush in glee, want to have a drink. I know you're still 15 years old and not of drinking age, so here is a Coca-Cola, Kiddo," said Morina with a smile on her face. "Everyone drinks today is on me, drink to your heart's content, for this is a celebration, worthy of everyone's approval."
The evening begins to fade as the sun drops beneath the horizon, A well honest day spent with much laughter and glee felt in the café. Everyone treasures the night as a day worth remembering with drinks shared and songs sung. Everything was perfect… almost too perfect. The night became silent as everyone headed home: Morina, Xu, and Huntsman all went to rest for tomorrow, the start of something grand for our protagonist. The start of training
Next Day - In the Morning at the training gym uptown
"As Xu said, you will be going under some intense training, so today we begin with basic gestures and movements to tap into your hidden abilities more." Morina leans forward, clenching her fists in her other hand as she exclaims.
"It's time to learn more about Surge…"