Savo braced his arms and legs for an impact. The mass of the fallen boar slid over the blood-slick mud, unearthing stones and clumps of dirt. Savo thought at that moment that he had closed his eyes and that perhaps, he had died at the moment of the impact, for his body now felt nothing, purely. However, it was familiar, space he seemed to have been to before. In the instant, he envisioned himself out of the world of Mythron and back in his homeland. It was unmistakably a ridiculous thought, for he knew himself to be truly misplaced in this alternate world, yet for just a moment, Savo imagined himself again atop the spires of concrete and glass.

Is this really how I'm gonna go out? Damn. Unlucky me.

Then, Savo blinked.

A second passed. Savo opened his eyes. Around him, the geckos circled, looking around; some chased after the corpse of the boar, which seemed to have fallen stationary behind him. He slowly regained his senses beyond his vision. Then, the earth laid flat beneath him again, and his feet met its surface. The eyes which seemed to stare past him had suddenly fixed themselves all onto him.

“There he ish!” One of the geckos exclaimed.

I’m… not dead? Or am I? Savo reached out as if to grab ahold of something, but his palms clasped only empty air. Then, as if he had just awoken from slumber, Savo was there, standing before the geckos which began to encircle him. He was evidently confused, wearing a facade of open uneasiness as to what had just occurred. The geckos seemed to hesitate as they approached him, but eventually, the gecko wearing the red-feathered headdress presented himself in front of Savo.

“Are you hurt?” The captain asked, taking off his headdress. The feathers bounced as it was removed and held at the gecko’s side.

“Umm… I think… I’m…” Savo stumbled slightly but was fairly coherent. “I’m fine.”

The captain scanned Savo’s body, seemingly looking for injuries, then nodded. “Very well. Let ush shpeak for a moment.” He turned to another gecko and spoke in a commanding voice. “Lasho! Go eshcort the villagersh back here!”

Savo took the moment to move his limbs and body, stretching slightly. The atmosphere of the night went from chaotic to a sudden calm, wrung in with the dust of rubble and scattered wheat. As a large portion of the militia left for the mountain slopes, Savo and the captain took the unearthed road back to the barracks. At that time, Savo felt the pinch at his waist, where his handgun was holstered. His satchel swung lightly at his side. He was, beyond all else, out-of-place in appearance, and though the geckos ignored it, now these qualities became ever more apparent. What the captain wanted to discuss, Savo had no idea, but he felt welcomed to the village. More importantly, he had just saved them as well. They sat at a small, round table, where two mugs and two bowls were brought, containing water and rice for Savo.

“Sho, I trusht my eyesh that I shaw you dishapear jusht a few momentsh ago.” The captain began, plucking several worms from his bowl and dropping them into his mouth.

“Frankly, I have no clue what I did, it just seemed like I was in a dream for one moment, and the next I was back.” Savo looked down, managing to pick up a few pinches of rice and swallow them nearly without chewing. He suddenly felt ill.

“Hmm… Perhapsh you remember what you shaw? In your mind, that ish.” the captain spoke in a nearly intellectual tone.

Savo paused for a moment, having trouble recollecting his thoughts. What did I think of exactly? I think I was in space maybe, or perhaps… He started to become frustrated, going into silence in an attempt to recall. It was… It… was home… Savo began envisioning the same bygone memory which had intruded his mind as the boar tumbled towards him. Yes. Home. His empire: his city of concrete spires. Savo had gone into a sort of reverie as the captain watched.

And then, there was nothing.

The captain, in shock, reached his hand out to the empty space where Savo had sat. Nothing. Plainly air. He retracted, unable to speak or move any further.

I want to go home… how? West… I have to travel westward.

Savo opened his eyes, and before him, the captain had risen from his chair, only he seemed to distance himself from Savo.

“Wh… what? Are you alright?” Savo questioned, picking up more rice to put in his mouth.

“You… you jusht dishapeared!” the captain seemed to wail in disbelief.

“What?!” Savo let the rice fall from his fingertips. “What do you mean? I was just…” Suddenly, a belch shot from Savo’s gut through his throat. He ran outdoors and let out a quick stream of vomit. The captain had followed him outside.

“You… sheemed to have jusht vanished, jusht a few shecondsh ago.” The captain watched as Savo stretched his neck.

“I think I thought of my home, it was almost like I was there.” Savo had pushed back the nausea and retained his enunciation.

“Thish ish very very intereshting…” The captain folded his arms and waited for Savo to speak or move. The latter leaned on the barracks wall with all his weight.

“Do you have an idea as to what I did?” Savo questioned the puzzled gecko.

“Hmm…” The captain looked around, then eventually fixed his gaze onto Savo. Nearly uncomfortably, Savo stood straight again and awaited a response.

“Magic.” The captain said, sternly.

Haha... Just one thing after the other.