Back to the Unknown Land

"Where am I?"

Opening Mike's eyes a different place is in front of him.

It's the cave where he was in from the last time.

The cave was covered in the dim light coming from the hole of the ceiling.

Not feeling any more pain or exhaustion as he feels light carrying his whole body.

Checking every part of his body especially his right foot and his right shoulder.

The wounds are still there but the pain is gone only having a feeling of numbness through his wounds.

Thanking this mystery world for not having to deal with the pain he looks at his surrounding.

The place is indeed like the last time but some stuff change.

The garbage that formed the whole cave is now a little clean compared the last time.

A cave grew a little wide and the chest at the middle is now less disgusting.

As usual, he can't smell anything from here or even hear anything from afar.

It's been just twelve days since he was here but he already feels nostalgia like this is what he's yearning for.

After checking his surrounding he sits lying his back at the wall of the cave.

He didn't plan to make a move immediately-- At least he must take much rest for his sake.

He didn't feel physically exhausted when he is in this place but he just cannot ignore the mental exhaustion of his brain.

On those twelve consecutive days of struggle and hardship that a normal human can't handle, he wishes again for him to be at the surface not in this deep dangerous water that when he lose focus it will lead to death.

(Back then, If this tentacle wasn't here I could try finding a gap between the bubbles at the surface to escape instead of me sinking deeper to the ocean. Now that I think of it, what's with the deal of this tentacle anyway? From time to time I tried removing it but it didn't budge and also... just how long is this tentacle!? I haven't seen the other end of the tentacle that is making me think that my chance of survival is getting lower and lower.)

"*Sigh*"

He rests for an hour as he clears his thoughts.

Standing up he feels the weight from his mind was lifted.

"Hehe, No matter what you are, rest is always the best answer. Alright! Come at me, world! I'm not that easy to die with these puny tricks of yours!"

Shouting his declaration as he stands up, the world he's standing started to shake.

"AHH!! Sorry!" In the sudden move of this worl, he thought that the world's might will come after he raises his flag as he ducks covering his head expecting something worse.

But nothing happened and after short moment the earthquake stops.

Peeking at his surrounding he notices the chest opens itself.

The earthquake might be the cause of the chest to be open.

The head pop-out and floats above the chest.

Mike didn't know pretty much what's going on but he's already prepared for worse after staying here for the past days.

He stares at the head with curiosity and because of him accepting the bizarreness of this world in he doesn't have the usual fear towards the head anymore instead he looks at him with determination to know what is the head.

Since he pretty much knows that this isn't afterworld nor in the real world he would just focus himself on what is in front of him right now.

The head after checking the whole surrounding he found the young man, Mike, and stares at it with deep interest.

The two stare at each other as Mike slightly avert his eyes not because he's terrified but he feels somewhat awkward since this is his first time someone staring had staring contest at him with this long.

As the muggots crawling at the head as some part of its rotten flesh fall Mike only feels awkward instead of fear nor disgust. Well, he's little terrified but the awkwardness and curiosity overwhelm his fear.

The head notices his feeling of awkwardness towards him and scream for no reason as the cave vibrates because of the scream.

Mike is perplexed as he is fallen to his butt but he still not dare to fully avert his eyes away from the head.

As the head stops its loud scream it laughs... for the first time it finally showed emotion.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA" Still even his laugh is still loud that the vibration hasn't stopped.

After a minute or so the head stops laughing and looks at the young man in an amusing manner.

"You change so much in just a few days, aren't you? Looks like you're still alive."

"Huh?"

That when Mike totally blows his head off for not having a single clue on what he is saying.

He's angry to himself to only know a little on what is really happening.

"Well, you are not to blame for not knowing anything. But even without prior knowledge, you are now qualified to access me in your will."

"Access you? Wait, wait, I didn't catch some of your words, no I DIDN'T CATCH ALL OF YOUR WORDS!"

"Hahahaha! You're truly a mad lad. To be able to quickly adapt yourself talking to me."

Mike still hasn't got anything on what he is saying so he just stays quiet instead of shouting non-sense.

"Alright, since you already know my name let me introduce myself. I am Imuthis your made out character. Oh, how rude of me, of course, you didn't know any of it so I will explain it to you.

I am Imuthis yet I am not, I am you yet I am not, I am real yet I am not, I am this world yet I am not.

I'm created by your imagination with your knowledge it becomes mine and my knowledge becomes yours.

You're desire to stirr your brain into madness is reason why I am created."

"Huh???" Ignoring Mike's confusion Imuthis continued.

"I've already existed in your mind but entrapped inside this chest. Sometimes when you are in danger as you always jumble your thoughts I guide you with my voice... Yes, I'm the one who was talking to you when you are in pinch."

"So you are some kind of Ku**ma!?"

"Don't lump me in some anime characters!" And with that, the head quickly loses his cool. Looks like his attitude is the same as the creator.

Mike put his hand to his chin as he thinks; (Maybe he is like an Ai like J**vis or great S**e?)

"As I said, you idiot creator! Your knowledge becomes mine as my knowledge becomes yours! You're memories also shared with me! I'm not some kind of high intelligence robot!"

(W-what!? He read my thoughts...Oh wait so we are somewhat connected or something?)

"Well, you called it like that."

(So I don't need to talk to you but instead, you'll just read my mind to have a conversation.)

With a great idea to not tire his jaw even tho he can't be tired in this world, he decided to use his mind to have a conversation with the head.

The head sighs in annoyance that this creator of him is somewhat lazy at some point.

(So, back to the topic. If you said that we share the same memories why I didn't know any of these things that you said to me?)

"I was entrapped inside the chest so my memories can't transfer to you back then. I could only talk to you from time to time but it requires an amount of mental power that's why I could only talk to you when you are in serious trouble."

Imuthis briefly stop and continued; "When you first came here, you stubbornly climb the mountain like an idiot even tho I was trying to drag you here in the cave."

(Uh-huh... so the chest at the top is something is also created by me?)

"*Sigh* Oh boy, this will be a long talk. Oh well... At least I'm finally free." Imuthis whispered.

(What did you say?)

"Nothing. This will be a long story so make yourself comfortable for you to listen carefully."

And so Imuthis started explaining all of it to Mike.

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