"Victor?!" I exclaimed. Looking around the death filled street. "You did this?!"
"Of course!" he smiled. "While you and your merry group were off defending different universes, I was biding my time, gaining strength. And now you and your petty organization are both going to fall…"
"We'll see about that!" I exclaimed. But suddenly the ground around us started to rumble. "What are you doing, Victor!?"
"Nothing!" he exclaimed angrily. "But...it can't be…"
As my vision engulfed into darkness, I started to scream, it wasn't Victor doing this...it was-
"Him!" I shouted as I shot into a sitting position.
"Woah!" someone exclaimed, and I heard toppling as I looked around rapidly, I was drenched in sweat.
"Calm down, man!" someone to my right said. "You were just dreaming!"
As I looked at the speaker, I noticed it was the man from before, Bill. Everything came back to me. Except my previous memories of course, those were still a mystery. It took a second, but I did calm down. I looked around the room, we were in Bill's house again, and I had my pants back on. The same room as before.
"Where's all the other people?" I asked.
"I assumed you wouldn't want a crowd as soon as you woke up," he said handing me a cup of water and picking up a chair that had fallen over. "They're all outside waiting for you."
"Me?" I asked dumbfounded. "Why am I so important?"
"Well for one," Bill started. "Though I hadn't realized it at the time, apparently someone saw something falling from the sky. Right where I found you. So putting two and two together, we're thinking you're what fell out of the sky. Especially since nothing else was found."
"But," I said. "Wouldn't I have died from a fall like that?"
"Stranger things have happened," he grunted.
"I'll take your word for it," I said.
"But that's not all," he spoke up again. "After you saved the boy, which was stupid yet brave at the same time, that gas came out and started talking, directly to you."
That shook me a little bit. "I thought that was just in my head."
"Nope," he said. "Everyone heard it. The gas called you Ken, so I'm guessing that's your name."
"I guess so," I said. "Still can't remember anything."
As I frowned, Bill gave a soft smile. "We can still hope."
We sat there for a second, until I spoke again. "How's the kid doing anyways."
"Shaken up, but he'll be alright," Bill said. "Anyways, you should probably start explaining your situation to Alma Elma."
"Who?" I asked, confused at the odd name, though I guess I can't really judge since I have nothing to base the oddity of it off. "I thought I was going to see the Queen."
"That was before Alma Elma showed up," he said. "She talks to the Monster Lord directly, if anyone might know what's going on, it's them."
"Alright," I said standing up.
"By the way," Bill said. "You said something when you awoke from your dream."
"I did?" I asked. Honestly I had completely forgotten that I had a dream. And yet, I could still remember it clear as day. Could that dream be-
"Yeah," Bill interrupted my thoughts. "You shouted 'him'. Do you remember anything from your dream?"
I thought about my dream for a second. Who was Victor? Why were we fighting, maybe because of the death filled street? Then there was the shaking...and I remembered something else. Victor mentioned something about universes, as in plural. Are there other universes? If so, could it be possible...that I'm from a different universe? The thought scares me, what if I can't go back? But it might make sense, I didn't know what a monster is, yet it's common knowledge here. I know common things, but not that. Plus, everything feels so medieval. And I know what that is too.
"Do you?" Bill asked, interrupting my thoughts again.
"M...maybe," I stuttered. Would they believe me about the whole Multiverse thing? Maybe Alma Elma or the Monster Lord, whoever that was, would know. "Let's go see Alma Elma first."
"Sure," Bill said, eyeing me. "She's right outside."
And with that, he opened the door, to reveal the bright light of the outside world. Everything seemed to be back to normal, or what I guess normal was here. Children were playing. People were walking down the streets. And then there were the monsters. I still couldn't believe it whenever I saw a monster. There was a half woman half spider selling clothes at a nearby stand. Huh, guess monsters have to make a living too.
"How you feeling Ken-boy?" I jumped at the sound of a familiar voice to my right. The woman with a tail and horns was smiling at me, leaning against a wall casually, she must be Alma Elma.
"Ken-boy?" I asked as she walked over to me.
"What?" she said. "Don't like the name?"
"Well," I scratched my head. "It's a little embarrassing."
She giggled at that, I didn't really find it funny but I just decided to roll with it. Something tells me I didn't want to get on her bad side. I just coughed nervously. "So, Bill says you might be able to help me out with my predicament?"
"Ah yes," she said. "Your memory problem. But before we get to that, I'd like to ask you some questions."
"I don't think I'd be able to answer any without my memory," I said. "But sure."
"So you don't know anything about the gas, or what it did to the lamia?" she asked.
"Sorry, no." I said sadly. "I only remember common things."
"Then how come you don't remember monsters?" she asked.
"I have a theory, it's a stretch but possible," I said. "I had a dream…"
"Go on," Alma Elma said after I paused.
"Someone in my dream, mentioned that I've been to different universes, as in plural," I said. She looked at me as if to say continue. "I...think I might be from an alternate universe."
"That...seems unlikely," she said. My shoulders sagged, she's probably right. "But, some of our scientists have been looking at technology left behind by Promestein and them. There seems to be documents, though few, detailing an alternate universe theory. But most of it states that it's seemingly impossible to cross to alternate universes. I don't know too much else about it, I'm not too into that science stuff."
"But it's still possible?" I said.
"I can't say for sure myself," she said. "It'd probably be best to ask the Monster Lord."
"Alright," I said.
"Well, let's not waste any more time Ken-boy~" she said in a way that I didn't feel comfortable with. She beckoned me to come over. When she saw my confused face she added, "I can teleport us there."
"O...okay," I stuttered. But before I walked over to her, I looked at Bill. "Thanks for getting me back on my feet. I won't forget it."
"No problem Ken," he smiled. "I hope everything works out for you in the end."
I gave a small smile, I hoped so too. And when I walked over to Alma Elma, she started talking again. "By the way, Ken-boy, what kind of woman do you like?"
I was taken aback, "What kind of question i-"
Before I could finish she grabbed me and pulled me against her, my face stuffed into her cleavage.
"Hold on Ken-boy!" with that we teleported away, not giving me any time to register what the hell happened.
As I watched them disappear in a flash, I sighed. I was actually kinda bummed out. It was nice having someone else to talk to, even if it was only for a bit. My wife died a year ago, in Ilias' invasion. I never felt like I could have another wife after that. Sulking, I went back into my house. As I closed the front door, I heard a tumble from the guest bedroom.
"Hello?" I called, slightly nervous. Could it be another rogue monster? As I walked towards the guest room, I stopped in my tracks, as a sharp pain went through my back. I fell backwards, and as I hit the ground hard, I saw a man standing above me. Holding a bloody knife...my blood. He looked deranged, but then I heard him speak, as he looked around.
"Who...who am I?" he said. He didn't seem to be talking to me. Suddenly, a robotic voice came out of his pocket as my vision faded.
"Your name is Victor, sir," it said.
It was as if everything came rushing back to him, and the last words I heard him speak as my life faded away were: "Yes, I am Victor, and my time has come…"
