An Unwelcome Transformation – Chapter 40

A few moments later, I headed down the stairs again, rushed along the corridor, and then walked into the main bathing chamber, which the girls rarely used. Apparently, they only used the hot spring once a week to keep their skin glowing. Of course, I didn’t understand what they meant by that at first, but now it clicked.

The hot spring pool in this realm not only rejuvenated one’s vitality, but also cultivated and purified the qi as well as nourishing the skin, which explained why the girls were so smooth, soft, and glowing with health. I had only started noticing this on myself last night when I had taken my routine bath. It had only been about two weeks, and my skin was already twice as soft, smooth, and glowing with health when compared to when I was on Earth, despite feeling exhausted on the inside. Perhaps I was experiencing a sort of exhaustion after a series of traumatic events. I mean, if being transported between two realms, followed by being chased and then nearly killed in an all-out war rescue mission weren’t traumatic events, then I didn’t know what was.

After stripping myself naked and cleaning myself thoroughly under the shower, a routine not unlike that back home, I eagerly got into the hot pool and sighed in pleasure.

“Ahh…this feels good,” I said softly, closing my eyes. Then I proceeded to relax and just flop myself against a boulder, allowing time for my body to absorb all that wonderful goodness from the hot spring.

Like usual, I shifted my attention to the necklace dangling around my neck. Since the night I had found it in the hot spring pool back on St. James Island, I had never taken it off. It looked antique, and it was probably something very important and valuable to someone. I didn’t want to be careless and lose it. When I managed to return home, I’d be searching for the owner for sure.

I touched the pendant resting against my chest and brought the thing closer to inspect. Once again, I was awed at how beautiful it was. It had a grand design of roses made of gold, along with a large red gemstone, which I assumed was ruby, surrounded by smaller ones.

“Must have cost the earth to get this,” I said, smiling. “Whoever owned it must be wealthy.”

If I were to put a date to this piece of unique jewelry, I would say it was at least two to three hundred years old or more, because the design didn’t look like it was recent. More so, though, I could feel its qi. I mean, I had no idea if objects such as a piece of jewelry should contain qi or not, especially one that originated from Earth, but I was very sure that I could detect some, though very minute and weak, in this one. Or maybe it was just the fact that it had gotten transferred between realms along with me, and during the process, it somehow obtained qi. Then again, I was also from Earth, and the fact I had pure, white qi was something that I hadn’t yet been able to wrap my head around.

I shook my head and decided that I didn’t want to think about that right now. Thus, I rested the pendant back against my chest and proceeded to chillax some more.

It was around twenty minutes later that I raised my head. My body now felt full of life and vitality after a long soak. I was about to go and rinse myself when I remembered something.

I rushed out of the pool and raided my toiletry basket looking for that little bottle Lord Noah had given me. When I found it, I rushed over to the shower and turned it on. Then I undid the lid of the bottle and poured the contents into my palm. I was about to start washing my short hair with it when I frowned.

There wasn’t a lot there at all, and I wasn’t sure it would even be enough to properly wash my hair. Needing more, I squeezed the whole lot out and then started washing my hair. It smelled nice, though I must admit that there wasn’t a lot of foam forming, even though I rubbed the lotion like the normal shampoo back home. But, oh well. Beggars can’t be choosers. I’d just have to use what I was offered.

Once I was done with shampooing, I rinsed my head and body and then turned off the shower.

After drying and dressing myself, I headed out of the bathing chamber, a pile of dirty clothing in my arms.

Back in my bedchamber once again, I dropped my laundry in a basket and then flopped myself on the queen-size bed, facedown. I proceeded to fall asleep, my head spinning with ideas of the types of dishes I should cook for Sunday lunch. I wanted to please the lords, after all.

I didn’t know how long I slept, but the next thing I knew, I heard rapid knocking on my door. My eyes fluttered open, and I looked around in confusion.

“Alfie?” It was Aria’s voice.

I jumped when I realized what was happening. Shoot! I was so tired that I’d forgotten about Aria.

I went over to the door and opened it. I said, rubbing my sleepy eyes, “I’m so sorry, Aria. I fell asleep.”

Aria, still in her elegant gown, said, “It’s fine, Alfie. You looked very tired, after all.”

A few moments later, I found myself lying on my bed again, as instructed by Aria, while Aria herself sat on a chair facing me. Then she started to explain the process of sending a message via dreams to those areas where there was no WIFI connection.

Apparently, it was simple. The sender needed to lie down and go into a sort of alpha state where their inner qi could align and connect with that of the universe, the wavelength that governed communication, connection, and relationship. Currently, this was the exact time when this wavelength of qi was strong and prominent. Next, the one sending the message must be aided by a high-level mage who had a unique blue qi, which had the ability to connect and transfer communication and information, such as Aria. That was why she could raid my mind and go through my memories when I had first arrived here.

Third, the sender must know who the receiver was, especially their qi, for connection. Fourth, the receiver on the other side must be in the alpha stage as well in order to connect and receive any messages.

Of course, I had no idea what type my parents’ qi were, let alone their wavelength or whether they were meditating right now and were in their alpha mode. Regardless of the condition on the other side, I was going to give this a shot and simply hope for the best.

“Now,” Aria said. “Please relax, Alfie, and try and get into the alpha stage.”

“Mm-hmm,” I replied with a nod of my head. Then, as usual when meditating, I started counting from sixty-four down. The lower the number got, the slower my breathing became, as well as my counting and brainwaves. Once I got down to number one, my whole body was in that very relaxed mode, and my mind was completely cleared.

At this stage, I felt Aria lean over me. A moment later, I felt a warmth above me, glowing and caressing my skin.

Slowly, I found myself drifting and floating, as if I were in a dream. Then when next I opened my eyes, I found that I was surrounded by colorful lights, which were swirling in every direction. There were stars, too, up close and in the far distance, so many that they were countless. Colorful clusters of gases and dust drifted here and there as a part of the cosmos.

Suddenly, I felt the call of many qi, touching me and caressing me, luring me to them. I was a little confused at first, wondering what all these callings were. But then one stood out in the form of a violet color and whispered my name invitingly near my ears.

“Alfie-chan…” it called. “Alfie-chan…”

Alfie–chan? Nobody called me like that, with such endearment and in the Japanese style, except for…

I gasped and reached out for the violet string of light, and instantly, it wrapped itself around my hand.

“Alfie-chan…” it called out to me again and then started pulling me. In an instant, I felt like I was flying through space and time, passing millions of stars. And then, just as suddenly, I came toward the blue globe of the Earth, and I was drawn in again toward a series of islands that was the country of Japan in East Asia near the North Pacific Ocean. Then it was all dark. I looked around me, calling out, “Grandfather?”

“Alfie-chan…” The voice echoed all around me, and then there he was, my grandfather Kenjiro, dressed in a dark-gray kimono, his white hair neatly combed back while his angular, wrinkled face smiled delightedly at the sight of me.

Overwhelmed, I rushed over to him and threw myself in his arms. Of course, I had thought that he wouldn’t be able to hold me, being separated between two realms as we were. But then I felt the warmth of his body against me, and I started crying. He felt real against me, and I just couldn’t help myself.

“Grandfather,” I said, my voice quivering with emotions. “I can’t believe it! I can actually touch you.”

Grandfather Kenjiro cupped my face with one wrinkled hand while the other stroked my hair fondly. “Alfie-chan. You’ve finally managed to make contact.”

I nodded my head furiously, tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Tell me where you are, love, and what happened.”

“It’s difficult, Grandfather,” I said. “But I’m okay. I’m well. The people I’ve met are very nice to me.”

“Where are you now, Alfie-chan?” Grandfather asked. “How can we find you?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, Grandfather. I’m in another place,” I said. “I’m in another realm, and I don’t know where it is.”

God, it sounded weird to tell your own grandfather that you were in another realm, didn’t it? Things like this just didn’t normally happen, after all. And, of course, how did I tell him where I was when I had no idea where Aurora Realm itself was located? Was it even in the same universe as Earth? If so, was it located in the same galaxy?

“What is this realm called, Alfie-chan?” Grandfather asked calmly, as if he were asking me the name of my favorite restaurant or something.

“It’s called Aurora,” I said. “Please tell Mom and Dad that I’m fine. When I can, I’ll find a way to get home. Please don’t worry, Grandfather. Please tell Mom and Dad not to worry.” I sounded desperate. “Tell them that I’m fine.”

Grandfather Kenjiro nodded, as calm and wise as always. He said, “I will tell them.” He patted my head and gave me another tight hug. “Stay safe, Alfie-chan. I will do whatever it takes to bring you back to us, little one.”

I was a little confused as to how he’d be able to do that but nodded nonetheless. “Thank you, Grandfather.”

He said, “Be careful with the Beasts of the Realm, love. You must never let any of them claim you.”

I blinked back tears, wondering what he was talking about. I asked, “The Beasts of the Realm?”

“We don’t have much time, Alfie-chan. Remember my words and keep yourself safe. Keep in contact, and I’ll do my best to get you back home.”

He said it again—do his best to bring me back home. How would he be able to do that? It was impossible from that side, wasn’t it?

Suddenly, I felt the pull again, this time to take me back. “Grandfather!” I said in a panic, not wanting the meeting to end so soon.

Grandfather Kenjiro said urgently, “Stay safe, Alfie-chan,” as I was being snatched away from his arms.

And just like that, darkness enveloped me, and then I was back in my body.

Aria must have noticed my return because she terminated the connection.

I fluttered my eyes open, my heart racing as my body trembled. There were even tears flowing down my cheeks. I must have been crying in reality as I met with Grandfather Kenjiro during my dream.

Aria asked, “Did you manage to connect with anyone?”

I nodded my head, wiping tears from my cheeks. “My grandfather,” I said. “I’ve told him that I’m fine.” I turned to smile at Aria then. “Thanks, Aria, for helping me out. This means a lot to me.”

The beautiful cat woman grinned. “No worries, Alfie. Now then, it’s getting late, and you look exhausted.”

I said, “So do you.”

She chuckled. “Doing this sort of thing does use up a lot of qi, after all.”

“I see,” I said. Which meant that I couldn’t be so selfish as to ask Aria to aid me in this dream contact thing again any time soon because I didn’t want to exhaust her.

Once Aria left, I lay there in bed, my mind going through what had just happened with me—or my soul, spirit, or whatever it was—meeting with Grandfather Kenjiro in Japan. It was unbelievable to say the least, and I was still awed at the experience.

He had told me to stay safe, which I intended to do. He had also said that he’d do whatever he could to bring me back home. But how?

I fell asleep that night thinking about my Grandfather and his strange words.

Be careful with the Beasts of the Realm, love. You must never let any of them claim you.

What do you mean, Grandfather? I don’t understand your words.