A field of colorful roses was where I stood.

The winds blowing around in the air, were carrying the roses’ petals, the smell as well was being carried away as it tingled my nose towards the direction it came from. Like how a beautiful lady seduced a young man, grabbing his attention and eyes.

Yep... it’s roses alright I know that rosy fragrance smell and... a hint of violet I believe was mixed in there too. Did a white rose petal pass through me? Well, nonetheless it is soothing.

I then saw two women in this sea of colorful roses, they were quite far away to look slightly fuzzy in the eyes, but close enough to hint the pleasant body language they emit to one another, the laugh as well really solidified their cordial interaction with one another. I didn’t care nor think much about them, due to this breeze.... this smell… God, I’ve been longing to have, to feel! This euphoric state.

I turned away from them, continuing to mellow with this already intoxicated mind by walking gleefully in this field. As I was walking, skipping, hopping even once in a while like bunny, I spotted an object of interest, a willow tree. The tree was slightly off, the gushing wind around the field has been carrying the roses’ petals around, but the willow’s leaves haven’t even moved an inch, as if it was stuck in time.

Curious, I approach the tree and in the middle of the walk, I spotted another interesting thing from that willow tree, a sword. The sword was impaling the tree and from the looks of it, it could be a long sword, no… maybe even a bastard sword. The unusual handle’s length gave it away that this might not be a standard long sword, but nonetheless, I need to get near it to confirm my guess.

But things suddenly took a weird turn near the willow treet. The nice and soothing air that was flowing through the field began to feel weird, somehow became more violent, even cold as it wrinkled up my skin, the sky as well followed suit with this sudden change.

With the darkness coming... crawling slowly with each step I made to the willow tree, limping its way to the sun, and then... the sun went out...

Darkness engulfed this rose garden realm... I can't see anything, I can't even feel the wild wind or anything! It was like I was put in a state of nothingness, in a state of... non-existence... but...

ZAP!!!

A bolt of lightning! out of nowhere, swoops down to the willow tree and struck it. The leaves that clashed with the lightning began to luminesce the surrounding area and not too long, all of the willow’s leaves began to be engulfed in flames, giving more light to luminesce the area near the willow tree.

The wild wind came back also, even more ferocious, more abrasive, more violent...

I stopped. At that point, I can see the red flags waving in front of my eyes, but... Hahaha... that's not going to stop me! the only way to stop this curious boy is to give it what it wants!

Finally, I was right there, in front of the willow tree and in front of the bastard sword that I correctly guessed. When observing the sword, its design specifically, I realized how beautiful it was, the pommel and the guard have a traditional Nordic motif to them, it was... exquisite.

But its beauty can't be fully appreciated as it was fully covered in rust. It also falls flat when seeing the part that what makes it a sword, shameful even, If I might add.

I then touched the pommel trying to determine if it was beyond help or not. But suddenly the air calmed down to the point where there was no air to be felt around my skin, the dark clouds dispersed themselves, as if God is descending and wanted a clear view on his landing, and the flames that engulfed the willow tree was gone too in an instant.

I then pulled the sword where afterward I was greeted with a hot bright, blazing fire that encircled me and the willow tree and the willow’s leaves too was set a blazed again somehow.

Then I saw the ground, the rainbow-like colors of the various roses here became pitch black. The bastard sword as well, from the rusted steel to the pommel, gradually blackened to the point it looked like it was like staring at a black hole.

In a panic I looked all around me, wondering how to get out of this mess, and then it came to me. It walked from the fires that trapped me and stands menacingly in front of me, the aura it emits was suffocating and it feels like I was standing toe to toe with death itself. But even though he looked like the grim reaper, there were no skeletons to be spotted and the reek of death under its hood, only darkness I could feel lays there.

He then pulled a giant sword from his back and swung it towards me. I reflectively blocked it with the bastard sword in my hand where suddenly, his giant sword, to my surprise, bounced back towards him after colliding with the bastard sword in my hand.

"Damn…." I looked at the bastard sword in relief and amazement at what this puppy had just done.

After being awed for a moment, I realized an opening and focused on the enemy as I dashed towards him, swinging the bastard sword against his lower half but... he dodges it by vanishing to thin air. I don’t know where he had gone but I can still feel him near me, watching me like a predator, waiting for the right time to sense the prey's wrong moves, and I was right.

He, the darkness, from behind, thrust his giant sword towards my back, lifting me high.

I felt that hard cold steel inside my stomach, it already felt like a bitch inside and when he pulled that giant sword out, the pain only grew more and more. I couldn't stand anymore and as my blood was gushing out from my stomach, recoloring the black roses under me to crimson red, I fell hard to the ground. I could only lay there, dying in pain, and reflecting upon my hubris.

He then went to me and stared at my eyes, standing and staring menacingly as if he was about to gloat. Is this the end? Is this how I end? A sword from the back?

Suddenly I heard a faint voice, "Martyn...." the sound belongs to a female voice, quite familiar in fact, “Martyn...!” It then slowly began to be louder, “Martyn!!!” it then became louder, “MARTYN!!!!!” And it became so clear and loud that I knew who owned that voice.

I woke up realizing it was a dream, but… I'll be damn that was one surreal dream. As my mind rushed back to reality, I realized that I was laying underneath the willow tree in my school’s park, surprisingly when I remembered it a bit, the willow tree from my dream looked awfully similar to my school’s willow tree.

“Martyn wake up damn it!!! Arthur already set up our lunch!” the familiar young girl's voice continued her nag.

“Ahh… sorry, sorry, I think I fell asleep while reading this,” I said while pointing at my two books laying on the grass.

“Jeez…. Next time Arthur and I aren’t going to wait for you!” She continues to berate me.

“You know you don’t have to be that petty right Eleanna?” Arthur chimed in.

“Yeah, I was just sleeping for about what? 4 minutes at best.” I defended myself.

This petty friend of mine is Eleanna Florens, when looking at face value, she looks like any ordinary open person. But don’t be fooled by her radiant blonde long hair, pretty face, brown eyes, and petite stature.

She is actually a cold, indifferent, and might even be a callous 18-year-old. Her face actually gave it off! though while it is pretty per se, her pretty face is more akin to what you would call a doll-like face.

But that’s just the outer layer, in reality, she is just your ordinary, cute, a tad bit sharp, and might even be an awkward young girl. Well that ‘real’ persona is only available to people like me, Arthur, Jane, Anne, and miss Marie.

“Guys! Come one I’ve already set up this somewhat lovely picnic banquet here, let’s eat for crying out loud!” Arthur said.

And this athletic and slightly muscular 18-year-old fellow is my best friend, Arthur Svard. Between the three of us, he is the tallest and the most fittest among us, with his brown hair, blue eyes, and an undercut hairstyle, he fits the bill to be a stereotypical jock.

But thank god he’s not only brawns alone he is kind of a nerd too, well... mostly and only in military and law stuff, but at least there are some things that we’re connected with. Though if I have to be honest here, I think his charismatic personality alone is a driving factor to our relationship.

“Aight, thank you for the meal,” I said gracefully while taking a bite from one of the foods Arthur set up.

And lastly, there is me, your average 18-year-old joe with nothing of value or lack in the physical department that is, the only thing that stands out is probably my violet eyes and white hair.

Hold the horses for a minute and let me clarify that I don’t have albinism, my hair is white for other reasons... and a dye does have a part in it. The only genetic mutation is my violet eyes, aside from that the other thing that sticks out from me is my knowledge on stuff like history, politics, and other social and philosophical stuff I took pride and solace in.

People of course see me as that nerd who reads Machiavelli and they’re not wrong really, I am that nerd who likes to read books and learn about social and philosophical stuff, but I am still your average joe too! With the average stuff that people around my age likes.

I too pride myself as an open and socially interactive person like any other, but I bet it would be a shocker for some people. Granted, from face value I looked like a nerd who has his own world.

“By the way, Arthur, did you bring the comic that I lend?” I asked while stuffing my mouth with one of the food that Eleanna brought to this mini picnic.

“Ohh… the comic about a guy getting transported to another world? Yeah, I brought it, it’s on my desk.”

“Huh… I thought you lost it, well good job,” I said sarcastically.

“You still bringing that up, arghh… I am sorry I lost the first volume.” Arthur said it half-heartedly.

“What do you mean bringing that up? I just thought you lost it again, the apology is nice though”

“Hmm… so you’re going to forgive me about that?” Arthur said curiously.

“Well, I can forgive you about that.” Arthur’s face began to form a smile. “If you found out what happened to it!” Arthur’s face went flabbergasted when he heard that from me.

“Arghh… so you’re still hung up about it!!” Arthur said annoyingly.

“Well yeah, that’s the first volume, it has sentimental meaning to me damn it, and I am not going to just forgive someone who lost it, granted, a nice job that you brought the second volume in one piece, I hope, but that doesn’t erase your sin,” I said that while feeling my vein is about to pop out.

“Jesus Christ, get over it, Martyn! It’s just a comic book you can buy it for what? 5 bucks!?”

“Just buy it? Didn’t you hear what I said, senti, fuckin, mental, values!!”

“Ohh… would you guys be fuckin quiet, or so god helps me I will,” Eleanna said annoyingly.

““Or what?!?!”” me and Arthur said simultaneously.

Eleanna looked at both of us and made a scary smile directed at us, she then said.

“You know what I will do!” she said calmly with a sprinkle of menacing aura.

““Yes ma’am….”” Me and Arthur said with our tails tucked in.

“Ahh... jeez… can’t you just forgive and forget Martyn we know the sentimental value, but it’s just a comic book and it’s not really a good reason to get hung up about it, and Arthur don’t act like everything can be replaced so easily what if you broke someone’s heirloom one day, you think you can just get away with it just by ‘you can just replace it’” Eleanna said with a tender and concern face.

““Yes ma’am….”” me and Arthur said it while feeling regretful.

Well… Eleanna does have a point, but damn it I still can’t shake this feeling, maybe I can just forget it but forgiving would be a herculean task for me.

So…. After making an ass of ourselves, me and Arthur continued eating our food, we changed the topic and talked about something more tamed, well in this case it was about social studies after our break.

After finishing our food we tidy up the place, putting the food containers back in our lunch bags and folding up Arthur’s picnic blanket. With all of that finish, I looked at my wristwatch and saw that there were about 20 more minutes before going back to class, so… with time to kill I pulled out my hip flask from my right pocket pants.

“Ehh… dude we know that we got some time to kill, but you’re seriously going to drink?” Arthur said concernedly.

“Bahh…. It’s fine, we still have 20 more minutes to kill and I am thirsty!” I replied without a flake of remorse. “And it’s not like she’s going to pop up out of nowhere.”

“Speaking of the devil.” Arthur gleefully said.

Arghhh... shit, out of all time to kill, she appears now!?!?.

“My, my, mister Wulf. What do we have here? Drinking on school grounds, are we?” a tall woman said while standing menacingly behind me.

“Ehehehe…..” I chuckled with an anguished tone.

“You know we can’t tolerate this kind of behavior right mister Wulf!”

“Ehehehe….” I continued chuckling in anguish.

“Mind giving me that hip flask mister Wulf?!” She said sternly to me.

I gave her the hip flask while shaking a little bit. She took it from my hand and inspect it, I don’t really know why she is inspecting it, but that leather-covered hip flask has nothing of value really to be inspected, well the leather is actually of value but there is nothing else. The next thing she inspected was the innards of the hip flask itself, as she opened the sealer and smelled it.

“Wine? I thought it was going to be more stronger.” She mumbled. “ehemm... well aside from that, come meet me again in my office mister Wulf, we have a lot to talk about…” she said.

“Do I have to miss Marie?” I asked.

“Well yes, of course, you got some explaining to do here mister Wulf.” She doubled down her order.

This person who just took my hip flask is none other than my homeroom teacher, miss Marie Maynard, she is in her late 20s but somehow her body is still stuck in her early 20s. Physically she is the type most men would want, big boobs, slender body, a nice ass, fair white skin, and a good-looking face from its button nose, medium-thick lips, slightly big eyes with a pretty green jewel color.

Her hair gave another plus with that long maroon red hair and complimented with a bunhead style, all of the other men would instantaneously fall for her and the women…. Well…. I just hope that the cops aren’t going to be involved.

And shit…. Even her personality gave her more points, having a classy and a little bit discipline woman would be a turn-on for some guys but… there where it all falls short and actually is a lie.

Her real personality is actually just that of a lazy and easily offended woman, I mean, Jesus… I remembered when I said, ‘for a 28-year-old you’re quite late in the marriage game, heck I even saw one of your friends that you mention already had a baby.’

And boy…. it was rough, it was probably fair for her to berate me if she was just an average woman but considering her physically it was a big stretch. But lesson learned for every time I talk to her and maybe other girls that is similar to her attitude.

“Huh…. why do you always do this Martyn? It’s like you hav-” Miss Marie suddenly stopped because she disappeared.

What the fuck!?!?!?

Three of us went silent, trying to process what just happened because our teacher suddenly vanished in the air.

“Ehh… what the fuck happen gu-” Arthur suddenly stopped talking too because he suffered the same fate as miss Marie.

“ARTHUR!!!” Eleanna screamed.

After Arthur too vanished into thin air I reflexively hugged Eleanna, trying to calm her down.

“It’s okay El! don’t cry,” I said calmingly to her.

“b-b-but they fuckin vanished Mar-” Eleanna too stopped talking because she vanished.

“No… no, no, no, NO, GOD FUCKIN DAMN I-” and I too stopped talking because I vanished.

* * *

It was dark, I don’t know where I am, but this time I was not laying in a field of roses, it was a solid hard concrete floor.

I felt scared, hopeless, and concerned about what will happen to me, my friends, and my teacher but then a bright light appeared in front of me, I can’t see it properly but there was a shadow… no, shadows!

I don’t know who they are, but I am prepared for what comes next.

“Welcome heroes, welcome to Lumenter!” a rejoice full woman’s voice said.