CHAPTER 3 - A MARK ON THE WORLD – 2

While my Father was correct about the struggling-to-read part, all of these books were in another language. From the age of 2-3 and a half, I spent so much time learning the language of this place.

It's almost a mix of French and Spanish. Regardless having, for the most part, learned this new language after a year-ish of studying and observing how people talk for 3.5 years. Arlo slowly picked up as well and is a genius regarding information retention.

Arlo is a unique case, and I guess so far in this world, my only friend, Not that I'm expecting to have many living around home.

His living across the dirt road from me made us friends from the first moment we began walking and passing toys back and forth. Before too long, we started walking, and Arlo naturally picked up the advanced stuff like myself, such as speech patterns and monitoring those around me.

Arlo is slightly taller than me but a bit on the chubby side; all I ever see him eating are these strawberry Mochi riceballs. (Which, in his defense, are yummy) His hair bleeds dark Green that at night looks black. It's not until daylight that you can see it.

Arlo became atoned to wind magic five months before we turned four, and I shortly after {the hard way, I might add} discovered I had earth magic.

It was a rainy day, and I was chasing Father, trying to get him ready for dinner as Mother instructed. However, while chasing after him and him playing along, the rain muddied the ground, causing my foot to slip, and my instincts kicked in like a flare going off throughout my body.

As I put my hand out in front of him, I felt energy blast out and into the ground, almost as if every fiber in my veins erupted and glowed with life. This aftermath was a giant stone pillar that took the roof off our house. It is now reinforced with steel, as I mentioned earlier.

But that's been my life over the last four years, processing this new world. I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling swearing to make right on this new opportunity.

To protect those I love, I will need to become stronger; otherwise, I will lose everyone I love again. Images of Desmond, Elizabeth, Emma, and Sean flash before my eyes one by one. I shed a few tears, still feeling upset about those days.

I refuse to ever let myself go of these feelings and thoughts. It might hurt, and I might shed tears for them, but they are moments I will cherish and live on with forever. For better or worse, they were my world at the very end, and I will carry them with me in this new world. With all these thoughts flooding my brain, I slowly close my eyes and drift off to sleep as I allow the clouds to take me away into blissful dreams.

Or so I thought? As I gaze up and look around, im surrounded by dark clouds, I go to stand up, but it's as if the pressure is too great, and I can't help but crawl to my knees before buckling back down, my face against the clouds.

I feel disoriented and confused. I see a ghostly figure cloaked in gold. This was the same lady-like voice I had seen before.

"It's good to see you again, Arthur; oh, right, I mean Toki. I hope you've been enjoying your time.

What do you want? Why have you summoned me here again?

"You are mistaken; I have no control when you come here. Just when major events are unfolding, I have the ability to foresee the future what will happen."

I still don't understand what that has to do with me.

"Me neither, my lovely soul; however, my visions do include you. Stay around the Library, and fortune will favor you if you remain bold.

"My skin crawled a bit as her last bit was said in a deafening tone as if it had more than one meaning.

My body slowly starts to sink beneath the clouds, and my visions of this place fade slowly, and before I can blink again, I hear my door slam open and Father screaming BREAKFASSST TOKI!! Hurry before I eat it all up, and you have nothing left! Rushing to get Breakfast with Mother and Father, I see she has cooked her Steak and Potatoes along with a Creamy pasta sauce.

I noticed there are no Cows in this world, so im still curious about where she gets the meat from. The most I've seen are rabid wolfs, giant hawk-like creatures, and small vermin running around.

I tell Father im heading out with Arlo to play and do more research. He chuckles per usual and nods me off. I slam the door open, excited to begin the day; however, I slam into a giant structure that turns out to be a large man, probably 6" 8 or taller in stature. It's hard to gauge height being so short.

He hands me a letter as I rub my head from running into him. Father! You have a letter from { I squint my eyes a bit} Alek-Sand-er. I am having trouble saying the name regardless of my efforts.

He quickly snatches the letter out of excitement and opens it up. Mother ask's Father what it says, and he responds that our old war buddy Alek is requesting my assistance with some smelly pirates. Do you think I should go? It could be a couple of months trip. Oh, and get this. His wife is pregnant again.

Their brat will have someone to play with soon, he chuckles.

Marris responds quickly with "Let's decide over dinner tonight and check to see how the calendar lines up. We need to head off to work, Samoht.