World of Dreams: Continued

CONTINUE.

As far as he could tell, this 'Floor 1' was a workers' area, he barely saw people who were just sitting normally, everyone had a job to do.

People looked over at Hoshi, whispers began spreading among the people.

???: "Is that him?" 

Another woman whispered back.

???: "Yeah, what's he doing with Barek?" 

Hoshi tried to ignore the gossip, he assumed these people knew him from what Barek said earlier about finding him laid out in the middle of town.

Even in this place… 

Hoshi shook his head, trying to not recall his school days where people did the same thing to him over and over again—gossip.

 Eventually, Hoshi and Barek made their way into a blacksmith's forge. Hoshi was immediately met with an unexpected site, a blacksmith's hand burst into flames. His hand pressed against the cold steel and the metal instantly heated with a seething glow.

Hoshi bit his lip, maybe in fear or shock, It was a habit he picked up whenever he needed to think.

Barek notices Hoshi's reaction and gives him a confused expression.

"Kid, you ever seen magic before?"

Errr..

Hoshi: "Yeah, sorry, zoned out for a second."

That fire–this really was some other world with magic, people who have the ability to summon fire with a thought.

"So is this where you work?" He continued, attempting to get his mind off the various thoughts he was having.

Barek: "Right on, kid." 

Barek grinned, giving Hoshi a firm pat on the back. 

Barek: "This shop is my pride and joy."

Hoshi: "Pride and joy…" 

Hoshi looked around the place.

The shop was decently sized, about 20 workers coming in and out of certain rooms. Anvils were lined up in columns where blacksmiths worked.

 Hoshi couldn't help but be a bit impressed.

Barek: "Anyhow, come on kid, doctor's this way—

" Barek turned around and began walking through town.

Why was this guy taking me to the doctor?

Ohh, right. He thinks I'm an amnesiac or something.

Hoshi quickly followed back outside, the watchtower's light flickering on and off. He couldn't help but feel that something was wrong, why was there no sky?

Hoshi: "Hey Barek, would you mind if I ask a question?"

Barek: "Not at all kid, what is it?" 

Barek seemed to enjoy the conversation, his eyes lighting up at the fact that someone was asking him for info—probably not a common occurrence.

Hoshi: "These watchtowers—what're they here for?"

Barek cleared his throat, his eyes narrowed once he thought about the watchtowers. A symbol of Floor 1's subjugation.

Barek: "The council placed them here for light, and they're used for announcements."

Announcements…this place feels more like a prison than a town.

The pair were silent until they reached a door. Barek forcefully knocks on a door.

The sounds of tools dropping and someone skittishly walking to the door were heard.

The door opens quickly, a woman with a long coat, and makeshift glasses. 

???: "Barek–I said not to bang on the door when you need me."

She spoke in a forceful tone, her eyes locked with Barek's almost immediately.

"Sorry ma'am." 

Barek spoke back sarcastically, the two clearly had some past history to be able to talk to each other like this.

Barek: "I need help with this one." 

Barek lands his hand on Hoshi's head forcefully, ruffling his hair a bit. 

Barek: "He don't remember squat and I have to get to work."

The woman looks over at Hoshi, her blank expression worrying him a bit as she squints her eyes.

Doctor: "Ah–it's you." 

The woman didn't look amused whatsoever, in fact, she looked unhappy with Hoshi being brought here.

Barek: "Eh, you know 'em?"

Doctor: "The whole town knows him." 

He spoke in between a sigh and continued. Doctor: "Come on in." 

She opens the door and leads the pair into her office.

Great, I'm already known as a weirdo who came from nowhere.

The office was very much the same as any other building in this town–worn down and composed of old materials.

 A few tools were laid out on a table, this world clearly didn't have the same medical knowledge as his.

Hoshi peered over at the doctor, she was chewing something and hadn't smiled once since Hoshi laid eyes on her.

Doctor: "Sit here." 

She waves him to a seat, sitting down in her own chair.

Hoshi takes a seat and the doctor immediately begins talking. 

Doctor: "So, you don't remember where you're from? Where you live?" 

Straight to business, I see.

Hoshi: "Not a clue, I just remember waking up in Barek's house." 

Hoshi spoke, trying to sound as truthful as possible

Doctor: "Right, right—--" She didn't sound convinced, she shifted in her seat and raised her arm.

Doctor: "I'm conducting a test so hold still."

The doctor reaches over and touches Hoshi's chest.

A crest appears where her hand was placed, Hoshi looks down and sees various incantations on it. The doctor closes her eyes and visibly concentrates, the crest shifting and widening.

Doctor: "Well, I used a utility spell. I can see he has mana and an unawakened Embrasia."

Hoshi: "Embrasia—?" 

Hoshi's voice slipped out, he didn't mean to speak up but his curiosity peaked. 

The doctor raised her eyebrow. "Yes, Embrasia–it's a power given to all by Th̷̢̦̙̻̞͆e̷̤̖̭͈͙̝̙̖̦̼̚ ̸̯͍͔̤͎͗̀̿̄̕Ẃ̷̢̢̝̰̏̚͘͠ó̵̦̍r̴̰̪̤̩̣̞̘͔̅̊͗͑͒̇̓̈͝͝ͅl̷̩̳̠̞͕̔̐d̴̢̨̧̛̬̲̞̘̬̝̂̊͑̃̋͐̍͘."

Barek: "That's right, everyone gets one at birth and it's tailored to each person, though most never awaken theirs." 

He spoke with disparity, perhaps a little jealously. Those in Floor 1 were bound there due to lower power naturally and weak Embrasia.

Hoshi: "Did you awaken—"

Barek: "No, but even if I did they'd still see me as trash…!"

Doctor: 'Barek."

 The doctor spoke, her voice cutting through Barek's easily.

Crap, why did I speak?

Hoshi: "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to say anything offensive." 

Hoshi lowered his head, his fingers intertwining with each other as he sensed Barek's frustration.

Barek: "It's fine Hoshi, but here in Floor 1, Embrasia are rare, but even if one of us awakens it–the power is almost always weak. That's why we're seen as scum by The Council."

The Council…they treat the people in Floor 1 like they carry the plague or something. And what's with this place anyway? Watchtowers for light and a ceiling?

The doctor spoke, interrupting Hoshi's thoughts.

Doctor: "I am concerned about the test results.."

Barek: "What about them? The kid really have amnesia?" 

Doctor: "No, Barek—he has a relatively high pool of mana and his Embrasia is clearly of upper floor origin. Not to mention, there's no record of a 'Hoshi' existing in Floor 1, so how did he get here?"

Barek: "…"

The doctor snapped her fingers, multiple threads of mana materialized a report of Hoshi's info.

Doctor: "This is going to the council, they need to know."

Batek: "Hey now—let the kid breathe a little, summoning The Council on his head isn't gonna help matters."

Doctor: "They'll find out either way Barek, and you know what happens if the council finds out we kept him a secret."

Barek was silent, recalling past times to when anyone in Floor 1 kept an important secret without telling the higher ups.

The doctor faintly whistled, a flying object resembling a bird whizzed past Hoshi's ears and snatched the report up. The animal slapped its wings and flew out the slight opening in the window and passed through the ceiling in the sky effortlessly, as if it didn't exist.

The office was silent. 

What're they gonna do with me? How the hell did I even end up in this place? Maybe I should tell them…

As Hoshi opened his mouth to speak, to tell them where he was really from— 

THUMP.

The same sensation. The feeling he was being torn apart, the feeling of when that woman in his dream touched his cheek.

I…can't–tell them?

It was as if thoughts were being injected into Hoshi's brain.Th̷̢̦̙̻̞͆e̷̤̖̭͈͙̝̙̖̦̼̚ ̸̯͍͔̤͎͗̀̿̄̕Ẃ̷̢̢̝̰̏̚͘͠ó̵̦̍r̴̰̪̤̩̣̞̘͔̅̊͗͑͒̇̓̈͝͝ͅl̷̩̳̠̞͕̔̐d̴̢̨̧̛̬̲̞̘̬̝̂̊͑̃̋͐̍͘ rejected his words.

Suddenly, a loud alarm pierced through the windows of the office. Barek's eyes widened while the doctor stayed.

Hoshi glanced at the window, the previous warm light of the watchtower had been completely changed to a deep red.

Watchtower: "ATTENTION ALL FLOOR 1 DWELLERS, PREPARE FOR THE COUNCIL'S ARRIVAL…"