Wake Up And Run

The First Encounter Part 4B

Chapter 28

The First Encounter

Part 4B

I used to wake up jumping, but that was a long time ago when I was not aware of what was happening to me. But now I am aware that I am having a nightmare, so there is no reason for me to yell, jump, or act anyway, different than what I usually do with or without a nightmare. Apparently, I was taking a nap or actually passed out inside a tent, and someone was cooking some food because of the smell that drifted to my nose. That reminded me that the last thing I ate something was yesterday afternoon, I guess, really this trip, although it was so short and not that long, just hours or half a day. I think maximum; I couldn't even tell if that was yesterday or a few days ago; the time and what happened were so much for me to comprehend accurately at the moment. The smell of the food made me put aside the ominous feeling that I had. I didn't forget it, but I shelved it somewhere, not that far. Why would I think of something that I couldn't do anything about? It would be better to stand up and see if at least I could get a bite of the good-smelling food. I never in my life had any food other than what my mother brought from work or what she prepared at home. I never had a free meal from anyone, so I wonder if I will be given something to eat or if I need to buy it. I have never been in such a situation, so I didn't know what to expect.

I heard a voice over my head. I didn't even notice that there was someone beside me in the tent. Although I didn’t look back for some reason, I didn’t sense the other person's presence at all. “So you are finally awake?" It was a female voice. I sat down immediately and looked back. When I saw the woman who spoke to me, which was the emperor's wife, I guess the correct term to address her was the empress. Whatever was going on in my head, I didn’t say anything; I just nodded, not knowing what to call or how to address her at all, so I preferred to keep quiet and say nothing. “Do you feel any pain or hurt anywhere?” That was the second question she asked.

I shook my head in a negative motion. I was expecting the questions to end there, but I guess I was wrong, and I also noticed now that the two children were also in the room with us, and all three were looking at me. “The other young girl who fainted before you, she is still unconscious, and we are wondering if both of you are sick with something." I remember the girl who also fell unconscious before me, but how would I know if she was sick or something? I can't even talk for myself, let alone someone else. I have never been questioned before, so there were no prepared answers for me to give. In my town, everybody knew about my condition, so nobody ever asked or even bothered to ask about me. The most that anybody ever did for me was that if I passed out in the middle of the road, they would move me somewhere else nearby, and that was it, and nobody ever asked me if I was doing fine after a wake-up, and I don’t linger in the location myself; I go about what I was doing like nothing happened.

But there was nothing I could add to what the empress said. I don’t know the girl, and I don’t have any idea of what happened or caused her condition. I doubt that she is like me, and I don’t believe that what is happening to me is a common thing that could be found everywhere. If it were, I could have found out about it a long time ago in the GDB, which is the Global Data Base Network, where you can find any type of information that you may seek, among many other functions. So I just kept quiet and went back, looking at the door of the tent, trying at least to satisfy my sense of smell with the smell of the food, that food that I don’t have any idea if I am going to eat or not.

Being hungry and the smell of the food actually distracted me from the nightmare that I had a minute ago, but I guess that was only a wish for me. “Were you having a bad dream while you were passed out?” The empress question brought me back to my reality. I looked at her absent-mindedness and nodded without giving any more answers, telling myself, “I don’t even know how to talk with normal people; would you please leave me alone?" I don’t know if something appeared on my face, like annoyance or something, although I am sure that usually my face doesn’t give any expressions at all. At least that was what my mother used to tell me, but I saw the empress’s face change and a different expression showing on her. I couldn’t understand what the meaning of that face or look was; it was not something I had seen before, but I hope that I was not the cause of it. Still with that expression plastered on her face, she asked me, “Do you often have bad dreams?" I guess now I could tell the meaning of the expression might be concern! I am not even sure if the concern looks like this; as I said, I never saw that before. The only comparison I could use was my mother, but I don’t remember seeing that on her face before, but I could tell now that she was not harboring any bad feelings towards me.

Once more, I nodded with my head. Since I was truly scared of talking to her, I really wanted to run away for this questioning, but nowhere for me to go. Luckily, I guess she noticed that most of my attention was at the door, and the food was being cooked outside. She stood up with a smile on her face and said, “I will go and see if the food is ready” and went out of the tent. I felt relaxed for a second when the screen came up in front of me once more and now with much more details.

Name: Julian

Age: 14

Race: Human

Rank: apprentice

Status: healthy

Grade: 1

Phase: 1

Points: 1

Skills: 1- Detection Unlocked

Skill level: 1

Skill Description:

This skill serves as an early warning that enables you to detect the outcome of any action that you or anyone else. that you are using the skill on. This skill is not prediction; you can only detect and get the outcome of a certain action, and that has to be happening at that moment.

This is a unique skill that could evolve into a better and amazing one when leveled up.

Foresight Unlocked

Skill level: 1

Skill Type: Passive

Skill Description:

Usually, foresight is the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future, but can you see the future? Or can anyone, in that matter? This skill will help you predict certain events that may or may not happen, depending on your use of it.

This is not insight. It's another unique skill that could be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you see it.

Gifts:

Congratulations! You are lucky that one of the gifted skills is being evolved and unlocked.

Sight (unlocked and evolved into perception)

Skill level: 2

Skill Type: Passive

Skill Description:

Your perception has evolved to defy common sense; you are able to perceive your surroundings, what is coming to and happening, or even sometimes what is going to happen, your enemies, or even your allies movements and actions, even before they do anything.

Every action has a reaction and also a consensus; the skill will show you, but what to make of it is up to you.

2-Night Visions (Locked)

Inventory: (four items)

Remarks: Temp

Mission: Survive

Duration: 18 hours and 10 minutes.

Reward: 200 credits.

My memory is not that good, but I think something is missing. The first time I saw this list, although it was shorter, the content was different, and I am sure there is something missing, but what it is, I don’t know. I simply couldn’t renumber, but I know something is different than before. And aren't the two skills similar but different at the same time? And what about the comments at the end? Are they trying to tell me something, but not directly? At least that is what I felt, but I can't prove it. I don’t even know what those skills are for or even how I can use them, so why bother with something that I even can't use? I need someone to help me explain these things. Then came to mind the boy Aden and how he appeared out of nowhere. He will be the one who knows what's going on, for sure. Maybe he is the one behind this; if not, at least he is working for them.

So shall I go now or wait for the food first? I didn't get any more time to laminate on what to do for long because suddenly the sky became darker and at once, like something covered the sun all of it immediately. It was mid-afternoon and it was a long time to go for the sunset, but suddenly it became dark like mid-night. The source of light we had was the fire for cooking the food. This sudden change made the two children behind me scared for sure because they came closer to me and clung to me, like I would be able to help them; at least they didn’t cry. That was what I was thinking when we heard this huge sound like an explosion, and they stared, crying.