CH6

“Are you sure you’re ready to leave?” Lehie asked for the seventh time, worry etched into her face. “The world isn’t the safest you know, there’s danger around every corner, it wouldn’t hurt to stay a little longer.”

“If I stay any longer I may never leave.” He said, giving her a smile. “I will always be grateful for everything you’ve both done for me.”

“Just remember you can come back any time Ben, you’re always welcome here. Now before you head off give me your card.” Father Yan told him, taking it and tapping his own against it. “There we go, as promised the money you were offered. I spoke to the other churches and they agreed you should be allowed a bit extra given your circumstances, so as long as you’re careful with it you should be able to survive on that alone for at least six months.”

Ben didn’t know what to say, they had done so much for him already, as long as he could find work he would have no problems surviving in the world thanks to all the help he had received. As he was struggling to find the words Lehie pulled him into a hug and Yan gave him a powerful handshake.

“Best of luck to you Ben, may our paths cross again.”

“Make sure you write to us every now and then so we know how you’re doing, and make sure to stay safe. It would be a waste for you to die after all the time I spent on teaching you.”

“Will do, thanks for everything.”

With goodbyes said and done it was finally time to depart. The sun was setting and the nearest town was about a week’s walk away, but Yan had been kind enough to arrange a ride for him with one of the merchants that would come up to deliver supplies every couple weeks. No matter how comfortable he had gotten in the last few months he still hadn’t left the church, and there were plenty of dangerous beasts that could be found in the wood between it and the city, walking by himself was out of the question.

He spent some time talking to the merchant, some sort of bird person by the name of Ty, who was happy to talk at length about his passion for the footwear the various races of the world would use, before he decided to curl up in the back and get some sleep.

“Ben, Beennn…”

He thought he heard someone calling out to him, but he did his best to ignore it, he was too comfortable to want to open his eyes.

“Wake uuuupp…” It continued on in a sing song-voice, trying to get his attention still. This carried on for some long agonising minutes while he was just trying to rest, and it started to take on a more desperate sounding edge, before stopping all together.

Finally. He thought to himself, drifting back deeper into sleep.

“WAKE UP KID!” Came a scream from beside his ear.

“GAH WHAT?” He yelled back bolting upright, only to find he had no idea where he was. Last he remembered he had been sleeping in a carriage, waiting to get to the town but now he was in an endless greyish blue void. He was standing on something, but there was no visible ground beneath him, no distinct boundary on the horizon to separate earth and sky.

Not seeing anyone he turned around, trying to find the voice that was calling out to him, only to be caught completely off guard by finding a silver cube, maybe the size of a car, floating ominously above him.

“Well that’s not concerning at all.” he muttered to himself, before calling out. “Hello! Is there anyone out here?”

“Ah Ben, finally awake are you? I have to say it’s pretty surprising to see someone so determined to stay asleep inside of their own dream.” The voice called out to him.

He looked around but still didn’t see anyone. “Hey do you think you could show yourself, then we can talk?”

“Of course, I’m right here above you.”

“You’re in the cube?” He asked, looking back up at it.

“I am the cube.”

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“Of fucking course you are.” He muttered under his breath, still not used to the bizarreness of this world. “In that case who are you? And where am I?”