The Beginning

I was finally able to enter Epsilon.

The only way to describe it was as bizarre. I woke up in the middle of the forest, completely alone. The vegetation near me was strange. The floor was yellow, the sky a bright purple, and exotic plants I had never seen before surrounded me.

A species that seemed to be thriving was rather odd. It seemed like a palm tree, but much shorter, and instead of plants at the top of the tree, it had a glob of water with beautiful swimming creatures that Ana had called fish.

Everything was full of color and light. The place had no sun, but it had a giant phoenix flying in the air, giving sunlight and energy to those that needed it. I wondered if at night it was another mythical bird, but I only had to wait and see.

I started to get up and saw in the distance a small light-red animal which I presumed was a dog. It wagged its tail looking at me, and then decided to run. I got up to chase it, only to discover that it was guiding me towards a lake with a small child trying to get what seemed to be water.

Apparently it was a lake, but the water was completely black, which made a terrifying counter to the extremely colorful paradise that I had found myself in.

I started moving closer to the child. Apparently, it was a very cute little girl around the age of six. She had slightly blue hair, chestnut-colored eyes, and the most beautiful complexion I had ever seen.

She had very little freckles on her face, and while she was picking up water near the shore with a bucket, she was smiling and very silently humming to herself. Her chubby cheeks made her mild manner extremely adorable, and for some reason, I felt a gigantic need to be protecting her.

I started trying to approach her, and she noticed me. She became extremely scared, and started walking backward in fear, and ended up stumbling on a branch. As I was approaching her, I kept telling her that I wasn't going to hurt her, but she still seemed terrified.

She tried getting up again but to no avail. She had hurt her ankle and was unable to get up. She was too scared to even cry out. Tears started to leave her face as I finally got close.

I told her that everything was going to be all right, touched her ankle, and started using the new healing ability I had stolen. After she was healed, she calmed down and looked at me wearily.

I wiped the tears from her face, got up, picked up her bucket that she was using to get her water, and gave it back to her.

I asked her what she was doing here, but she still didn't say anything. She finally smiled at me after I had given her the bucket, and as I tried to leave, she became attached.

I tried to get rid of her multiple times.

She didn't want to leave my side. I had to find Marcus, or at least someone in the group to see what had happened to them. Ana had started talking about the area., but she suddenly got cut in the middle of the conversation and disappeared.

The little girl was sweet enough not to be a bother. She helped me pick the right food at least. This place was filled with something that seemed to be plastic but apparently it could be consumed.

I knew it after the girl, and a random teleporting squirrel, eat the plastic. The water was the only thing that didn't change, if you do not count the fact that it was midnight black.

She kept guiding me towards somewhere. Maybe her house, or her friends. I still wasn't sure of where we were actually heading towards, but at least we were moving.

After a while, we finally found what she was actually looking for. We heard noises nearby, and the little kid rushed forward. We saw a clearing in the forest, and I saw a man kill one of the biggest beasts in the world.

The man was extremely muscular, and he was fairly handsome, with a rough face and slightly blue hair. Judging by both of their appearances, they must have been brothers, but its as if one of them took all the good looks in the family.

He was standing on top of what seemed to be a whale, which later was explained to be a cosmic whale. The magnificent beast seemed larger than life, and this man had taken it down. He looked as if he was born to conquer. I could tell that he was obviously a natural-born Hunter.

The little girl finally talked to him, and he finally noticed me.

"Are you a Hunter?" He asked.

"I rather think I am, yes," I said.

He rather suddenly proceeded to punch me in the face.

I dodged out of habit and went to strike him down. He did not dodge, he had no interest in dodging. He had always faced any issue straight on. He never lied, never looked the other way, never stopped believing in himself, and had no need to stop for anyone that got in the way of his path.

He knew that wasn't a natural-born Hunter. He, later on, claimed that a Hunter faces any singular issue straight on. No need for dirty plans, elaborate strategies, or anything. I was perplexed yet became entranced with his ideals.

Death, the loss of his home, his mother, his father, or any tragedy that befell him. Never backing down no matter the issue. Even if he could see where I would punch, or where I would try and kick, he stood his ground and then took me down.

He believed that those thoughts of fear of being hurt were shackles to the mind and spirit of a warrior.

I tested it many times, but he never budged. I even once made a knife from the plastic, yet he did not change, even after he started to bleed profoundly, he still was not afraid. I told him that he had to be careful, that if he kept this up he could die.

"I will not run from violence, because I know it will follow me. How many times has he cowered in fear of an oppressive force? How many times must we hide from issues that tire us or frighten us? I used to always run away. I refuse to now, and I will not run away from anything, no matter what the danger is, no matter how stupid it might seem to fight, I will never run away" He told me.

We became more and more acquainted. He told me that he was going at the moment by the name of Alexander. I preferred not to pry into his personal matters, so I didn't ask why he changed his name and proceeded to call him Alexander.

The little girl later gained confidence in herself and was finally able to talk to me. She asked me questions about Ana, who still refused to appear and to tell me that her brother was the coolest man in existence. I found her to be right. Alexander faced any issue with such confidence it inspired me.

I told him that I had to find my group of people, and he told me that we could go together. They were nomads, since they had been born in Epsilon, and could never find any permanent shelter. He said that it was also better to stick together, not because he needed my strength, but because that way her little sister wouldn't get lonely.

And so, Alexander and I started our travels on this strange land most called Epsilon.