Chapter 4

Ziv walk north towards the center of Suul. It was far away and he wasn't all that used to walking far distances either. Now that he thought about it, when he was with Kear, he didn't get exhausted easily. Another thing he has to be careful…

Since he had left early, it was night time by the time he got to the city center. A full day of walking and resting along the way. No food or water, he was feeling the effects quickly. He wasn't sure where to go or stay at all.

I didn't take long to realize he dug his own hole. He still had already given back the key to his room, so he had no where to go back to and the distance was too great. He cussed a few times under his breath.

'Do I really have no choice, but to rely on magic?'

He looked down at his hands. His legs were tired and his lips were starting to dry up. He wouldn't last if he did nothing. So he found a little alley and lied his pack on the ground and slid down the wall. It was relaxing to be off his feet again. It was about ten in the evening. So far the time had been similar to his previous world. It was one small thing he could fall back on.

He was behind a trash can of sorts and he was nodding off to sleep. Leaning against the wall he thought about his parents as darkness took over and the warm night lulled him to sleep.

---

He was shaken and in his half dazed state he thought it was his father waking him up.

"Dad? What time is it?"

"Kid what are you doing out here?"

He looked up to see a man gently on his shoulder. His beard could be seen growing back, just enough to cover his skin underneath. Like the beard, the his hair was a bright brown as his eyes. His clothing was clean and there was a small sword at his side. At the sight of the sword, a shot of adrenalin woke him up. He moved deeper in the corner out so it would be harder for the stranger to get him, but there was no where for him to go.

"Are you ok?"

At that, he noticed that his clothing wore the same symbol as the guards that walked down the streets. A small patch on the center of his chest.

"Are you a guard?"

"I am. Name is Heruff? What about you?"

"…Ziv… Is there something wrong?"

Of course finding someone in an alley isn't the best and neither is a child. Though he assumed that no one would care as he was out of sight.

"Well you're in an alley…"

"Is that a problem?"

Being woken up did nothing for Ziv's mood and already wasn't in the best of moods. As his father would say, an unsavory attitude. Seeing the man shake his head that it wasn't a problem, just solidified his feelings and kept projecting them towards Heruff.

"If it isn't a problem, then I would like to go back to sleep."

---

After a few moments, Heruff backed out of the alley. It was his job to check around the southern part of the city this night and he already hated that. Now finding a kid alone in the and leaving him there left a bad taste in his mouth.

He hated the night shift. From the crazy individuals or outright strange events, this one was just another case of a kid on the streets. But he couldn't do anything for the kid. With the festival coming up, this situation was bound to get worse. Because of the festival he had to be out here tonight. Getting an administrator job might not be so bad. Stable working conditions, but paperwork. Night shift was worse…

'Day shift here I come!'

---

A tingle on Ziv's arm woke him up from his tech pad. Setting an alarm was a great idea. Tired, hungry and thirsty. He still wanted to avoid using magic at all costs, so he would have to push through it until he could find something.

So he made his way to the eastern part of the city. He dodged the busy crowd as best as he could. He was cold, but thankful that Kear had given the clothing she had bought for him before leaving. It helped him from freezing to death.

There was a stand selling food, but he passed it. It hurt his stomach, but he just coming up on the library. As Paroppe had said, it was a tall spire tower rising up from the center of the building. White stone with gold inlays. Like the other buildings in the center of the city, it was a match. Other than the spire.

Now looking up to the sky, Ziv noticed the dark clouds rolling in. It was a good idea that he left yesterday. So he moved towards the steps on the library and went inside. It was dark near the entrance, but further in the lights were bright. Almost like the artificial sunlight created to help their plants grow at home.

He pushed past the small groups of people and started his search. He needed to find out about the monsters and gods. He listened to many people and so far that had given him enough to go on.

The book search wasn't going good. He asked several people where to find books like that, but everything turned out to be dead ends.

He tried looking up creatures that could show him illusions and shapeshift. He started doubting that Kear was human based on the fact that she had interacted with his tech pad. It wasn't conclusive yet, but he needed to find out. Also he couldn't be too sure he could trust his eyes and therefore his tech pad. It was tough to tell what was real, but he had nothing to help him if none of this was real. So he continued his search.

His body groaned for attention, but he gave none. He was being pushed into a corner and the food might not be real or doing more damage than it was worth.

It was late and he heard that everyone was being told to leave the library for the night. Ziv couldn't stop, he was running out of time. He knew thirst would get him if he stopped. So he hid from the guards and library employees. Thankfully they didn't do a good job so he was able to evade their sight.

Over the night he pushed through and started looking through the books on the gods. If this world was truly real and based on the talk about gods he heard, it was something he needed to investigate.

As he grabbed the next book, he ruffling. Like clothing and metal, somewhere in the distance. The place was big and so there was an echo, so it could have been anything. But it sounded close.

Looking through the books on gods he learned there are eight gods and they created the world. The way most people understand and interact with the gods are blessings or curses. Of course he looked into the curses.

He found a part about Guhnden. He was a dark god of sort. About four hundred years he had taken over the mind of a…

'… female dog-kin with a streak of purple hair. Then he had changed the body to a male dog-kin to avoid suspicion as he gained power and eventually destroyed Suul.'

It went on to explain that the four heroes: Pax, Kaalm, Rin and Zinleth. They saved the city and rebuilt it. Ziv couldn't care about the rest other than the purple streak of hair. He also read that Guhnden could invade the minds of people. That was how he was able to be on the 'mortal plane'. Well at least project his 'divine' body on the world.

Either way, now Ziv had an idea of who Kear was. So how Guhnden probably used Ziv's mind, had him create the text file on his own tech pad and made it seem like it was some powerful being. Obviously how could Guhnden know what a tech pad was.

Ziv slumped down on the floor in exhaustion. He had his answer and if the world was real, then he could alert the guards to the danger Guhnden is. He closed his eyes for a moment.

---

When he opened his eyes again, it got darker. It was nearing morning when he was awake and now it was much darker. He could hear rain drops through the walls. The clouds must be covering all the light.

'No that isn't right. The lights should be…'

But there was no light. Nothing to look at. He tried to stand up, only to find his arms tied behind his back. He shook his body to find his legs tied to a chair and the chair didn't move. It was wooden, but not even a squeak came from it.

"It seems you are awake."

Ziv tried to turn around, but there was no light. Only to realize he was blind folded as well.

"What do you want from me?"

"I just want to know how you got that thing on your wrist."

He recognized the voice as Ayanni. It made sense, but… Ziv was wrong. Not only to assume the people of this world had never seen a tech pad or Guhnden in particular, but if he assumed that Ayanni's previous statement about his tech pad, then it was recognition of the device. Now he was being held against his will, tied to a chair, and… It seems they fed him and gave him water as he could feel his lips weren't as dry.

"It's mine and it came from my home."

"Where is your 'home'?"

"Far from here."

"Don't even try Ziv. You might look like kid, but no normal kid would have that. Plus being able to enchant it so we cannot remove it, a nice touch."

"Look like? I'm ten years old."

"Sure… Let me tell you a couple facts. My mother is a part of The Counsel. As someone who was elected, the get a tech pad. A device that only the empire has. Now a kid that appears out of nowhere has one?" Ziv could sense the smirk on Ayanni. "Yes, I asked about you. I also know there was a woman with you. Tell me about her."

That was a command and Ziv didn't care anymore. Ayanni's tone of voice was an ultimatum. Do what I tell you an you won't get hurt. Torture and while people believed in the stories that it wouldn't work, it might work on Ziv. He didn't want to get hurt, but it was hard to care anymore about his own life.

"She said her name was Kear. I only have a guess what she really is."

"Go on."

"Ever heard of Guhnden?" Ziv could hear a sharp intake through Ayanni's nostrils. "Based on what I read at the library. At least that is what I believe."

Ayanni pulled off the blind fold.

"Don't try to lie to me!"

'Ok this guy has a problem.'

Suddenly the door bursts open.

"What are you doing Ayanni?"

Paroppe questions him as she scans the room and sees Ziv in the chair. Jev rushes past her and tackles Ayanni to the ground.

"Stop! I told you he has to be an enemy. There was no way he could have a tech pad otherwise!"

"Settle down man!"

Jev wraps Ayanni's arms around his back and holds them there on the ground. Paroppe is untying the bindings around Ziv. As she does she asks if Ziv is alright.

"You ok?"

"…Fine…"

Ziv hated this world, this life. Everything was wrong.

"I'm good."

Ayanni's voice broke through the silence as he relaxed.

"What were you thinking?"

Jev asked as he released Ayanni from his grasp. Before he answers he gets to his feet and rushes at Ziv and Paroppe. Before Paroppe or Ayanni could act, they froze. Jev and Ayanni were mid step and Paroppe was just attempting to move Ziv behind her.

"Ziv! Are you ok?"

He watched as Guhnden walked towards him. Slowly as if not to scare him. If the people around him weren't moving and he could, then this was probably all in his mind. At this point Ziv didn't care if this world was real or not. He didn't have his parents and nothing made sense.

Sure the idea and execution of magic is amazing, but that was it. The food tasted great, but without his family, it meant and tasted like nothing. There wasn't anything left for him and if Guhnden had control over his mind… He didn't want that.

"Stay away!"

He yelled that hoping that it would stop Guhnden for a moment. He remember a dagger that Paroppe had on her thigh so he quickly grabbed it and… He froze. Out of fear. He didn't really have it in him to take the next step. His next started dripping blood, but he never moved.

"Please don't do that. I'm sorry if I hurt you, just don't hurt your self."

He could see that fake worry like those other fake emotions that were shown on that face before. Ziv was shaken and unsure.

"W-what do you want from me?"

"I… I wanted to be your friend."

"Why are you lying? I already know who you are."

"What do you mean?"

The concern looked all to real, but Ziv didn't care. It was a lie. What he saw was a lie. The world was a lie.

"I'm done. I want to go to home. To my mom and dad. Live there forever without any of this. This isn't real!"

He stared down and sneered his thoughts at Guhnden in defiance and vulnerability. He couldn't take it as he stood his ground cursing the world around him.

"You want to go back home to your parents?"

"Of course. If they didn't die I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have left my home to die. I don't care about anything other than them!"

"I understand. Ziv if that is what you want I will send you back home. All the terrible events happened and they won't happen. I will guarantee that for you."

"…Really?" Ziv shook his head for a moment confused, but if it will happen, real or not, he will take it. "Then take your stupid magic with you too. I don't care for it."

He watched as Guhnden stared at the ground. He noticed tears falling on the ground from its face. Another trick.

"Ziv, I'm sure you'll be happy there. Goodbye."

---

The next moment he opened his eyes he felt the cool air against his cheeks. A familiar fabric could be felt surrounding him. Looking up, it was his ceiling, his room. He looked down at his hands to see they were smaller, but not too much. He looked at his tech pad. The button and the text file were still there, but the time and date were different. It was morning and it was three years in the past.

He rolled off his bed, with a loud thump on the floor. His side was in pain, but it didn't matter. He opened the door. Two people were in the kitchen. His father's face was buried in his mother's neck. Giggles and whispers could be heard by Ziv. He rushed over to them and gave them a big hug.

"I love you both!"