OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 234: Wake Up

***

'Who am I?'

Clank!

My body jolted forward, almost causing me to fall.

I balanced myself while holding onto the dark 'walls' for support.

The trembling ceased, and I inhaled heavily.

My upper body expanded slightly.

Then it returned to how it was before.

The process repeated itself.

Huff...

I tried to step forward, but my... 'feet' felt unfamiliar.

Stumbling once more, I found my 'back' against the 'cold' 'material.' Huff... Huff...

My 'breathing' hitched as if I had walked an extremely long... 'hike.'

H-Huff...

Had I forgotten how to 'breathe?'

Huff... Huff... Huff... Huff...

I attempted to calm myself but to no avail.

What was going on?

My 'mind' seemed to wander through itself, searching for something.

'Memories' maybe.

It had found none.

Huff... Huff...

In a fit of rage at my pathetic state, my 'arms' surged and firmly clasped my 'neck.'

I had enough.

If I couldn't breathe, then, oh 'Hell!' I'd rather end the need altogether!

Gasp!

My 'grip' was firm, and soon I grew suffocated.

Yet I didn't feel much different.

My 'head' was dizzy, but that was about it.

I let go.

Gasp...

'Huh...'

That action caused my breathing to stabilize.

'Why?'

I tried to think, and then a few conclusions came to mind.

Was it because my body prioritized learning it? ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Was it due to my body's natural functions?

Or had it simply been a cause of 'time' passing?

I didn't know for sure, but it was likely related to that.

But I thought of it no longer.

I had other things to worry about.

In front of me was a 'rectangle'...

It might be called a 'door.'

I wasn't sure.

Anyways, it was similar to the walls around me, but it had a see-through plane of material. 'What's that?'

I waddled forward and touched it.

Тар. Тар. Тар. Тар.

My fingers repeatedly knocked on it.

I was amused.

The 'sound' it made was entertaining.

'Hehe.'

What was beyond it looked very different from where I currently was.

It was... 'Green.'

My 'home' was 'black.'

'Eh...'

I lost interest after a while, and then I noticed something else.

There was a thing extruding out of the door.

I pressed down on it.

It didn't move.

'Hmm...'

I pressed down even harder.

It didn't budge.

It appeared to be stuck to the door.

"Ah..."

I suddenly remembered... This 'object' was a 'doorknob.'

My 'palm' showed itself, and my fingers wrapped around the object.

It followed my movement.

Click!

The door opened, and then...

It moved by itself.

Where was it going?

I had to follow it!

My 'legs' rushed forward until they stopped near where the door remained.

I reached out and grabbed its side.

Whoosh!

My left hand swung the door the opposite way, returning it to where it came from.

Bang!

I was interested once more.

I opened the door and closed it repeatedly.

Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz

'Hm?'

My enjoyment waned, and I looked up, noticing a 'flying' object.

It moved about in the 'air' as if it was a 'bird.'

'What's that?'

Curious I chased after it.

My movement could only be considered scrambled at first, but with my insistent attempts,

my legs learned.

I now knew how to breathe and walk!

Though... I might've always known how to breathe; it wouldn't make sense otherwise.

How could I have survived without 'oxygen?'

Or was it because I didn't need such a thing?

'Am I special?'

***

Emir walked through the forest, his eyes scanning the world like how a child would.

His expression was that of curiosity and wonder.

His inky eyes and hulking frame didn't allow those watching the pleasure of thinking that,

however.

And the drone he chased was too far to reach; his extended hand never once neared it.

Emir soon lost interest in it and slowed his steps, nearing a hulking tree instead.

It towered over him, reaching the artificial sky.

His feet kicked away at the yellow leaves surrounding it.

Then his attention was pulled towards its bark.

Emir became a tree-hugger.

Smack!

Or not.

A few smacks resounded as his palms repeatedly slapped the wood.

Splinters of wood sputtered out, causing him to follow.

He grabbed them off the fauna-filled ground.

They stung.

His hand twitched, and he threw them away.

Emir's face didn't show pain; a sharp piece of wood could never hurt him.

Instead, it seemed as if the concept of pain was just learned by him.

This cycle of exploration continued as he walked through bushes and vines for many minutes.

Then, half an hour later, as if he was knowledgeable of all that the world had to offer...

Emir smugly sat on the ground.

"Humph..."

A minute passed.

Two more right after.

Then some more.

Emir never moved a single inch.

He was staring high above, through the canopies, his mind clear of everything.

[You're on a mission. Get back your memories, clear this ruin by passing all eight stages, and

kill the Tyrant.]

A sudden text appeared, blocking that view.

"Hoh..."

Emir didn't fully understand those words, yet he could make out the meaning behind them.

But he didn't bother.

Why would this random, flying text command him as such?

He was no slave.

In his subconscious, he had only one goal, and whatever this was didn't align with that goal.

Not only that, but his pride wouldn't allow it.

So again, he didn't bother and remained still.

Emir appeared to be a man who had lost all motivation to do anything.

Like a newborn child staring at a dead holoscreen.

Motivation.

An interesting word.

It was easier to gain it when one was an underdog.

They chased after their 'something' like rabid dogs. Nothing was spared to achieve their ultimate goal.

No expectations burned them, which allowed them to go wild with effort.

Those who opposed them were quite the contrast.

The ones who had always won.

They had no fire in them, or rather, it was incomparable to the starved.

Some would ask, why?

Simply put, it was because there was no one to look at.

There was no goal.

Nothing to chase after.

It had to be created.

They who had reached the top had become lost.

Ones who were blind.

In an unending chase towards a goal that had yet to exist.

They had to evolve.

Become something more.

Reach the pinnacle above the pinnacle.

Emir didn't know either of these things. He was neither an underdog nor an omnipotent genius.

His label was closer to that of an underdog, however...

One still couldn't classify him as such.

Emir was a normal man with 'slight' deranged tendencies.

And yes, he 'was' a normal man.

But he no longer existed as so. Emir had evolved into a new being, similar to those geniuses.

It was all due to the scars that twisted him to the extreme.

No longer a pawn, a weapon of war, a tool, a marionette...

A mortal.

That's right!

He was now a Seraphim and not only that, he was THE prince!

[NOW WAKE UP PRINCE!]