Reverse Chronicles

Cave of Reversals

     Inside the dark tunnel, I wandered around hoping that I would not bump into anything. I could no longer bear the freezing temperatures outside. The night made it even colder so I had to seek refuge inside this tunnel. It was dark, but it was not as cold as outside. The air inside the tunnel was surprisingly warm like it was magically isolated from outside’s chill. Instead of wandering aimlessly, I stuck to the walls of the tunnel using them as guide to continue on my way. The cave was dead silent. My footsteps and my breathing were the only sounds I could hear. I walked silently as I could and limited my breathing.

     There seemed to be no monster inside the tunnel. I do not hear anything strange, not a single howl, not a sound, not a cry. It seems that I am the only living soul here. Suddenly, the wall that I was sticking close to mysteriously disappeared. I reached out my hand and tried to find it but it was no longer there. “Oh, no!” I kept shouting inside my head. Butterflies swarmed inside my stomach, as I started to panic. Fear filled my head as I started to breathe heavily. Bad thoughts started to fill my head, “What if I don’t get out of here? What will happen to me?”

     As I was panicking, I suddenly heard Marcus’s voice calling out, “Calm down, think, don’t give up.” That’s right, after I came all this way, there was no turning back. This way is the only way I could think of to look for a way back to my world. Instead of wandering around, I sat down where I was. It was already evening so I felt a little hungry. Using my sense of touch, I grabbed food from my receptacle and sat down brainstorming as I helped myself. After the meal, I suddenly felt intensely drowsy. I could not fight the sensation as my eyelids involuntary closed. I lay down and surrendered to slumber.

     Suddenly, I hear bells chiming. The sound of birds filled the atmosphere. I opened my eyes and the most shocking thing just happened. I am in bed inside a classically decorated room. Books and swords leaned against the bedside table left to me. I could not believe my eyes. “Is this a dream?” I pinched myself to find out, but I did not revert back. I looked at my hands and counted them and I knew that it wasn’t really a dream.

     I took a glimpse from the window. I seem to be in a bustling city. The building where I am staying felt like a school. There are buildings that had gothic architecture and people walked around with the same uniform. I looked at the closet and I seem to have a different uniform, but I also had the pin that the others wore.

     Suddenly, someone was knocking at my door. I ignored it at first but the knocking turned into slamming. I went in front of the door. I unlocked it and slowly opened it. I looked at the opening to see a girl. “Master Alyssa, good morning,” the girl bowed and smiled passionately at me. “Wait, Alyssa?” I got so shocked at what the girl called me. I slammed the door shut and ran to the mirror. What I saw truly surprised me. I was back in my body. I was out of Alyssa’s body. Everything was how I remembered it except for the fact that I gained muscles. Wow, I’m ripped. What does Alyssa do here anyway?

     As I was about to start celebrating, I suddenly felt heavy. My knees got weak and I lay on the floor. I could not stop my eyes from closing. Into darkness, my consciousness entered slumber.

     “Hey, Miss. Are you alright?” I hear somebody call me. “Miss, wake up.”

     “What!?” I grabbed my short sword and pointed it at the mysterious shadow in front of me. “Who are you? What are you trying to do?” It was a boy. He wore a hood and carried a bow.

     “I wasn’t trying to do anything,” the boy dropped his bow and raised his hands. “I just found you lying here in the Cave of Reversals.”

     “Cave of what?” I looked around and found myself in a completely different place. I was no longer in a tunnel, but I am inside of a crystal-illuminated cave. “Where is this cave? Where I am?”

     “This is the Cave of Reversal, at the foot of Mt. Aurebus and at the edge of Araplene forest,” the boy told me as I grabbed my map and tried to locate the forest that he talked about.

     “I can’t believe it,” I shouted as I looked at the map. Araplene is the forest is the forest west of Jyria and east of Aurebus. And it seems I am in the Cave of Reversals. But how did I get from the tunnel to down here?

     “Who are you? Did you move me from the tunnel atop the mountain?” I stood up and pointed Whisperer at him.

     “I did not do anything, I swear. I just found you lying here as I was exploring the cave. You looked like you needed help so I rushed to your aid as soon as saw you.” His eyes were focused on mine not diverting his vision as he answered. He had blue eyes clear like water. His voice was deep but subtle calming like a waterfall. I instantly knew that he was telling the truth. I sheathed Whisperer and apologized to him.

     “My name is Josh,” I told him as I reached out my hand for a handshake.

     “Josh? Well that’s a strange name for a girl,” he laughed.

     “I’m really not a girl,” I protested. “I’m a boy inside of a girl’s body.”

     “Oh, really,” he laughed. “Well, Josh, my name is Daniel, nice to meet you.” He reached out and we shook hands.

     I went outside the cave. It was morning. The sun was already high up. There are a lot of questions that fills my head right now. What did my dream meant? Is Alyssa somewhere in this world with my body? How did I teleport from the summit to hear? And who is this mysterious boy who seems to be so interested in helping me?