The Sleep World

8: Pink Spring Town [17th March, 2013]

G looks at the empty Save-potion in his hand, “Let’s leave and evacuate the place. Senator, open up a wormhole now…”

“Y-yeah,” Richard keeps looking at G who’s got a faint red glow in his eyes. He then uses his space magic to get them out of there. “Let’s hurry…”

…

…

[Dream Entrance]

Rubbing her forehead at the loss of some of their guild members, Orchid sits on her chair in front of the guild hall and in their chairs are all of the guild members who were able to return. G is leaning on a pillar at the back while listening to the names of the fallen.

“We lost a few good members to our guild,” Orchid feels woeful of the events that occurred a while ago. “We all know that this would end up happening…but as your guild master… and at the same time, your goddess, I feel very responsible for not being there with you during the liberation…”

It is in the laws of the Sleep Gods to directly involve themselves with the problems faced by the mortal races. The reason for this was because in the ancient past, some gods went rogue and directly caused a lot of death and damages to the people of Sleep World. Those gods are currently sealed away…

“We may have failed the liberation of the capital, Blinx Terminal, but we were able to rescue Senator Richard Rubbers and freed all of the innocent civilians imprisoned by their tyrannical rule. As of this moment, I started using my powers to magically protect the cities and towns that we were able to liberate. It will of course cause me fatigue, so get stronger and be better than before. Avoid death as much as possible, and remember to value life above all else. For the rest of you who survived and won their own battles, keep living and keep believing. When the time comes for us to make next attack, we’ll definitely win.” Orchid raises her glass of wine.

The rest of the guild members also raised their own drinks as sign of respect to their fallen comrades.

As for G, he heads back to the elevator down to Orchid’s chamber and wait for her to get his next mission.

“Valiant effort, G,” Index commends him for what he did to Tremor a while back. It seems like Index can somehow remember everything even after the reset, “your blind dive wasn’t just for show, but still he was too much for you.”

“For now, he is. So you do remember everything, huh…”

“Yes, that is why you need to train harder.”

“I know that I am fast already, but he us faster. Agility is the key and I need to train my speed more.”

“Lad, the one he hit you with is a skill.”

“Then I’ll train myself to be faster than the skill,” G reminds Index of what happened earlier in the fight. “You remember, I grazed him twice and then he backed off and suddenly disappeared right? It’s obvious that he’ll hit me from behind and so I immediately summoned the Isolator so that it would block my back, but the skill was faster.”

“Oh yeah,” Index reviewed his memory of the event. “You did summon the Isolator…”

“Hey,” Orchid finally arrives. “What did I miss?”

“So… this happened…”

A few minutes later… …

…

…

“At least you learned your lesson right?” Orchid pats him in the head. “So, do you need anything else?”

“I was hoping if I could have my next quest…”

“Uh… sure,” she goes through her stuff and hands him his next work. “So, you must remember to check Index’s map because you’ll need it to complete the map of your Alphabeta.”

“My… Alphabeta?” G suddenly becomes curious as he takes the quest from her.

“Why don’t you check the map right now and see for yourself,” Orchid grins.

Opening the golden map, G realizes something odd. All of the places he’s been had been filled with detailed information about the area. Although the one thing that strikes him is his supposed next destination… as seen by a blinking red dot…

“Index, were you listening a while back, when my brother and I were talking?”

“No, of course not,” Index responds, “Did you forget that you have to say my name first so that we could speak? I can only hear you after you invoke my name…”

“I’m not convinced…”

Orchid tries to convince him, “You haven’t read your next quest, right? When you’re done with what you need to do at Pink Spring, check the map… then check your next quest. It can predict your next destination because you’ll end up going there anyway.”

“Okay, I believe you,” G scratches his head, “I’m gonna need my next three quests… because I might be getting a little busy.”

“Just message me with that flip-phone of yours,” Orchid takes his phone from him and inputs her number. “I’m also going to stay rested so that I can continue using my protective field from our enemies.”

“So how does that work anyway?”

“This is one of my unique powers as a goddess. I have the power to create absolute rules that are logical and moral to the standards of the society. If I make a law that is illogical and immoral to the society’s standards, it would greatly damage me and it will take no effect.”

“So the rule…”

“The rule that I made is directed towards the main government and all its loyal officials and those working directly under them outside the barrier, unless they were forced to work out of fear then I can allow them to stay. It repels them from all of the towns and cities that we have liberated. It is the same as the barrier that placed here in Destiny Island.”

“What happens if there are enemies inside the barrier?”

“I already told the guild about it, since you left immediately…” Orchid pouts her lips, pretending to somber.

“Hey, I’m sorry…” G just goes with the flow and then he continues. “When you told the guild members about this, does it mean that spies within the barrier must be kicked out so that the rule would take its effect?”

“Bingo!” Orchid gives him a big smile with the teeth and all. “Now, I guess it’s time for you to leave…”

G pats his own cheeks, “Oh yeah, I should go home… I’ll be leaving then…”

“G, one last thing… Get stronger and train harder, okay? Using too much of my powers covering almost half of the region, it takes a toll on my body… just saying…”

“Don’t worry,” G gets serious, “I intend to do that. So… see you much-much later…”

Upon returning to Ngar Village via way-gate, G notices a lot of people still awake and busy. It’s because of the liberation that happened from earlier. Some of them are repairing damages, while some of them are partying. R is also helping the people in the repairs. With everybody busy and wide awake as midnight approaches, G decides to go along and help.

Going home after that…

“So in a stroke of luck, nobody died huh,” G sighs in relief. “What about the house?”

“It’s well protected of course,” R raises his chin. “By the way, this house is too big and wide. For you to live alone I suggest that you hire a maid, a guard or a caretaker.”

“I’ll do that when I get richer… for now, let’s take a rest.” G yawns, “This is the key to the room in the middle. You’ll be sleeping there tonight. Sorry, I forgot to give it to you…”

“Nah tis fine, I was outside helping remember?”

“Alright then, good night…”

Indeed, it was a long day for G. He immediately falls asleep in his bed after taking a warm shower. He needs to rest… rest from everything, from when he was depressed, when he met the goddess, when he met his parents’ killers, when he realized he wasn’t that strong yet.

Awake yet still asleep, he is in that state. Living in this Sleep World yet still dreaming when falling asleep, there is a lot to discover and a lot of secrets to uncover. G has only scratched the surface of what’s to come…

[17th March, 2013] [Sunday] [8:00 a.m.] [Pink Spring Town] [In the lawyer’s office]

“Now, let us proceed with the legal proceedings,” lawyer reads aloud the last will and testament of G and R’s parents. “Signed, sealed, published, and declared by Mr. and Mrs. Fallasleep, the testators, as their last will and testament in the presence of us, who at their request…”

First, their second family house in Mumbaki Town, will be given to R, but will be placed in the care of G until the former reaches the age of twenty. This was the place where their parents were murder. The house meant for R will be placed in the care of G until the former reaches the age of twenty as well. Their original family house back in the country where their family originated from, Memoria, Gocembo, will be given to G. 50% of the money from the joint bank account of their parents will be given to charity, 25% will be given to G, and the remaining 25% will be given to R. The two cars they owned will be inherited by both siblings.

“Finally, Mr. Gabriel Fallasleep…” the lawyer stands up and heads to the door behind his office. “I want you to enter to the vault, here is the key. Don’t worry, you will not get lost, there are signs everywhere. You have a package that was left for you from your parents…”

“I see,” Curious of what’s inside, G looks at his brother. “Are you coming with me?”

The lawyer shakes his head, “Apparently, he can’t follow you. I’m not also allowed to see what it is.”

“So the thing that you are to take is exclusively just for you…” R rubs his chin. “Alright, I’ll wait here…”

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” G enters the vault.

Before the door to the vault closes, he overhears the lawyer speaking with his brother… “Your parents also left you with this necklace, Mr. Raphaello Fallasleep…” and then the door finally closes.

“Key #171… this magical vault is awesome…”

Walking alone in the hallways and passing through the corridors in a dimly lit room with the light only glowing brighter when he passes by until he reaches corridor #17. At the first raw, he finds a vault marked with #171 which corresponds to the key he has.

“This must be it, huh… I wonder what’s inside…”

As he unlocks the vault and opens it, he sees a letter and a long badly wrapped box. Taking the letter and opening it, G reads the message… it’s a message from his mother.

Dear Gabriel,

My beloved child, your father and I are really sorry for leaving you behind. It pains me as your mother to also write this letter knowing that I might end up getting killed because of our work as researchers…

G clenches his left fist hard as he read the letter until the end…

Finally, we leave you this sword. This is the Holy Blade and this is one of the many artifacts that we needed to safeguard in order to save your life. I wish to tell you everything, son, but a certain friend told me not to… she even went far using her powers in order to seal our lips shut. Son, we love you so much that we are willing to give up our lives just for you.

Yours Truly…

He closes his eyes. There are a lot of feelings trying to burst out from him…

He folds the letter back and puts it inside his magical storage…

Looking down at the box, eyes filled with tears, he kneels down and unwraps it open…

“Index,” G invokes the god’s name as he examines the wooden blade. “Take a look at this… it is called the Holy Blade… does it ring any bell?”

“You are asking me, of all people?”

“Yeah, so I’m starting to get irritated here…” G grips the map in his hands, “Am I adopted or anything?”

“Why are you asking me anyway?” the map struggles from his grip, “You’re going to destroy our only line of communication!”

“Why am I asking you?!” G tosses the map against the wall, “You are the god of knowledge and bullshit!”

“Hey, I don’t blame you but you gotta put your act back together…”

“How can I put my act together ha?! Every time I ask you or that b***h guild master about my identity, YOU GO FIND IT FOR YOURSELF LIKE THIS AND LIKE THAT! THIS IS NOT FUN AND GAMES ANYMORE!”

G lashes out at Index. He can’t contain his emotions anymore. To him it feels like his destiny has been derailed… by some playful gods…

“You are not adopted.”

“THEN WHAT?!”

“SHUT IT!” Index uses his power on him to shut his mouth and immobilize him. “Goodness, you are starting to become rather irritating. Look here kid, we are not playing games with you and it’s not our nature to be as playful as you. Don’t deny it!”

G shakes his head.

“I said don’t deny it!” Index sighs, “You are messed up in all places. You must know what to prioritize first. Let me guide you. The secret of your identity is for you to discover, no spoilers! Remember what Orchid told you? That your parents’ death wasn’t destined to happen? I too was shocked that your parents have been murdered. Okay, so you want a clue right?”

G’s eyes widened as he nods strongly like his head is about to get dislocated.

“You are Orchid’s champion, G. That is why she went as far as train you to death. The other goddesses have their own champions as well!” Index then releases G from his binding. “Are you okay now?”

“I think we might’ve spent more time,” G finally gets his composure back. “Let me collect everything and then leave.”

“Yeah, sorry for doing that,” the map apologetically floats back to his hand.

“I deserved that…”

…

…

…

“Oh goodness,” the lawyer sighs in relief. “And we both thought that you got lost.”

“So what’s inside Big G?” R asks him, “Did you put it inside with your storage magic?”

“Yup… and I won’t tell you because it is complicated.” G then turns to the lawyer. “Attorney, here is you key. I’ve emptied the vault.”

“Oh yes, about that,” takes the key from him, “will you still be requiring the use of the vault or would you like to have it cancelled?”

“I’ll have it cancelled, thank you.” G smiles gently at him. “Am I going to pay something?”

“Well the payment for this month is overdue,” the lawyer looks at G’s teary eyes, “but… … uh let me make an exemption since your parents, may their souls rest in peace, always paid earlier.”

“That would be very helpful, attorney, thank you very much.” G shakes hands with him. “So… I guess… it is time for me to leave…”

…

A few minutes later…

“So I realize that we’re being followed, Big G…”

“Yeah?” G, who is lost in thought suddenly, realizes the gravity of what his brother told him. “s**t… since when? I was totally fixated on something…”

“My guess is… the entire time.”

“How many?”

“Just one…”

“I see… let’s take it slow…” G continues walking normally, “don’t let him find out that he we realized it already.”

“That’s what I’m doing, Big G,” R whines, “I’m going to be an Alpha Agent the same as you so I’ve studied these things~”

“Yeah sure whatever~” G tries hard to whistle, but ends up failing… “Anyway, don’t you have classes tomorrow?”

“Uh yeah… what about you and your case?”

“I’ll take care of it~” G grins, “Just trust your Big G, and… …” he suddenly shifts tone from warm to cold, “he’ll make sure to complete his quest… no matter how difficult they are.” He then shifts back to his usual self, “So how about it?”

“You do sound convincing enough…” R sighs. “So… see you next time? Make sure there’s next time!”

“Yes, there will be more next times,” G pats his brother in the head. “You should also make sure on your part as well.”

“Yeah, I always do that,” R flashes his School ID at the way-gate. “Good luck.”

As soon as he enters the way-gate, G flashes his Guild ID and then heads to a random different place. He knows that the stalker, his brother was talking about, will follow… but this time G makes sure to find out who the stalker is.

“Oh s**t, I almost forgot to check the map…”

G rubs his forehead and takes a look at his quest.

“Shuttle City… great… this thing knows more about my life than I do. Well at least I was able to get away from that stalker…”

G wanders around the most futuristic city in Sleep World, Shuttle City.