Author's Note:

Hi everyone! Here's another new chapter for you all to read. I really had fun making this one. So I hope you will too. With that, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 13: My Slight Recovery

Xander's Perspective:

After the battle, I was very much aware that I had fainted. Why wouldn't I? The moment I woke up, I immediately felt a surge of pain coursing through me. And it wasn't due to the damage I've sustained earlier in battle, not that I've suffered much since I was knocked out. The pain I felt after waking up was unbearable! It felt like my limbs we're being torn apart slowly.

Other than the intense body pain I felt, it didn't compare to splitting headache I had as well. It felt so bad, so bad! That made me want to smash my head into a wall to get rid of it. Sadly, that would only make matters worse for me. And to top things off, I felt like I was burning. It seems that my body temperature had risen to certain degree as well.

Looking at it now, it felt like the symptoms of a regular flu, yet it wasn't. Why? It's due to the fact that despite the pain my body was going through, it felt better to move around. Normally, symptoms like this would prevent you from moving but mine didn't. The more I moved around the less pain my body felt.

Needless to say, I had to move around, it was like this pain I was feeling was telling me to get going. And at that time, the best way for me to move around was to fight the witch that got me good. So I already knew what I had to do. Fight the witch, beat her, and feel better. Basically, it was hitting two birds with one stone.

Now then, when I saw Baba Naga had pinned down my companions and was ready to shred them to pieces, at the right moment I cast my usual defensive spell, "Guardian's Bubble" over them. That moment, I felt my head lighten and the fever went down, it seems that casting spells might help me out as well.

With the way things are, it was like this pain was telling to fight instead of just moving around. I wasn't sure with what I was thinking, but I felt it was the supposed thing to do. So after the attacks was complete, my bubble erupted as always after it has been struck, but to my surprise, instead of water shards it turned into spears. "Did its recoil effect get enhanced?!" I thought.

Then an idea crossed my mind, "Maybe I should try it out? It did feel like my spell got stronger, and right now, after seeing that, I can feel a surge of power." I thought. That's what led me to use one of the forms of my "Rapidflow and Slash" technique. I was previously trying to improve it but just couldn't do so, I didn't have enough strength back then, but now it felt...different.

And so, when I fought Baba Naga, I was able to apply its first form: Stream. It worked wonderfully and I was able to beat her and win. Sadly, she was able to escape. And when everything was over, I fainted from exhaustion. The pain had left me that time, it seems my body was struggling to keep up and when it was able to relax, it collapsed.

As of now, I have regained consciousness inside of the carriage. The light of the moon entered through the window and illuminated what was inside, it seems it was night already. I looked around and saw no one near me, well, that is if you didn't consider Zoey sleeping on top of you, in her tiny form as someone. I wondered, "Where are those two?" as I looked out the window to see only a campfire.

I took off the blanket that was covering me, this woke up the sleeping dog as she looked at me with still sleepy eyes. "Sorry for waking you up, Zoey." I apologized. The tiny canine yawned at my general direction, hopped of me, and slept on the other side of carriage bed. My next course of action was to head out, it felt a bit cramped inside the carriage, honestly speaking.

So without a second to spare, I exited the carriage and sat by the tree next to the campfire. It was a quiet night, the sky was clear and the moon glimmered beautifully in the night sky, all I could hear was the gentle crackling of the camfire and the pleasant breeze that brushed through the tree leaves. The environment made me recall what had happened when I was knocked out by Baba Naga's spell.

Honestly speaking, I wasn't sure what had occurred in that dream...or should I say nightmare? You see, after I was put to sleep, I immediately woke up in some other place, a forest in fact, and I thought that I was just transported somewhere. The place was dark and creepy, it wasn't like a swamp though, more like it resembled a dark oak forest at night, nevertheless, it was dark.

Although, it wasn't pitch black, little lights fluttered around the area which slightly illuminated the place. I could see a bit thanks to those lights so I decided to make my way through the forest. Everywhere I went, the little lights were present, it was like they were guiding me through the forest. I kept walking for a while, but it honestly felt like I have been doing for several hours already. It felt like I was lost, very lost.

My legs numbed, so I decided to take a break and sat down by a tree. I slowly caught my breath and regained some strength back. "A little more rest wouldn't hurt, right?" I wondered as I looked up. The sky was also dark, no a single star was visible, no moon either. "Weird." is what I thought. "Why aren't there any celestial bodies?" I wondered. "How will I get out of here?" I thought as well.

Just then, a little light hovered above me, I was about to look away since it's light hurt my eyes, but then a voice whispered to me, "Xander..." it said. I looked around and saw no one in sight, I began to wonder if I was imagining things or that I was going insane, the latter being an exaggeration. I think.

When I closed my eyes to think things through, I heard it again, "This way..." it whispered to me. My eyes opened immediately and in front of me, everything looked different. How? Well, let's just say at first the tiny lights were scattered around aimlessly. But now, they were aligned properly, as if acting like a guide. The accumulation of those little lights formed a path in the dark forest I was lost in.

I stood up and decided to follow the path laid in front of me. Now as I passed through the well-lit path, for some reason, I began remembering recent events. It was an...rather odd, "Why would I be remembering this now of all times?" I wondered. As I continued walking down the path, the memories I began recalling were bringing me back to my days as a child.

Those memories kept flowing into my head for while, but it soon stopped. The influx ended when along the path, a huge gate emerged at it's end. I was at a dead-end, I tried my best to push it open, but alas, it didn't budge a bit. I stepped back a little to get a better view of the gate, it was definitely huge, lightly decorated with golden embroidery.

"What is this gate doing here?" I muttered. Then out of nowhere, the same voice I've been hearing answered my question, "It serves as a mental barrier..." it said. "A mental barrier? What does that mean?" I asked. "It means that your mind has chosen to detach this memory from you." the voice explained. "Memory? Wait, where am I anyway?" I turned to ask the voice.

To my surprise, there was an adult woman standing before me. She looked she was around her late 40's, she had blonde hair, fair skin, and she wore a simple green shirt and brown pants that were paired with leather boots. "W-who are you?" I asked. The woman just smiled at me before walking towards the gate, completely ignoring my question. She placed her hand on it, "This are your lost memories. They lie beyond this gate." she said.

"Lost memories? Hold on! Where are we anyway?" I asked. "This...is your Dreamscape World." she replied. "Dreamscape World? What is that?" I asked, looking even more confused. "This world only exists in ones' mind. You could say it's a physical manifestation of your subconscious and conscious thoughts as well your memories." she explained.

Managing to grasp a little of the information she told me, I tried putting the pieces together. "In other words, I am inside my own head, conscious and aware of what's going on. Unlike that of a dream..." I said. The woman clapped, "As expected of you, you're quick to pick up." she said.

"Just barely though. So what's this lost memory you're talking about?" I asked. "I'm sure you're aware that you had amnesia, right?" she asked. I nodded, "Of course! Uncle Alazar explained it to me when I was young." I replied. "Good. You see, the memories which you've had before having amnesia is behind that gate. It's the mental barrier your subconscious mind has put up for you." she explained.

"If what you're saying is true, then why would my brain do that?" I asked. "It's probably to prevent you from remembering a strenuous and unforgiving event that had occurred to you." she explained. "I see..." is all I could say. "This brings us to the main event. If I may ask, would you like your memories back?" she asked.

Her words piqued my curiosity, "Is that even possible?" I asked. The woman smile warmly at me, "Only if you desire to, but don't worry I won't force you. It is your own memories at stake." she said. "Give me a while to think this through." I told her. She nodded, "Go ahead. However, I must warn you. This might be your only chance to regain ALL your memories back." she said.

Hearing this, put even more pressure on my decision. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted my old memories back, plus I haven't entirely trusted her yet. But this past few days, I have been dreaming of places, people, and events that I haven't seen before. Those dreams felt so distant, and yet it felt warm. "Could those dreams be linked to my previous memories?" I thought.

I was indeed curious about my past before meeting everyone at Wellspring Town. In the end, I decided to retrieve my old memories back. "Lady! I have decided to regain my previous memories." I told her. Her faced looked like it brightened up, yet all she did was smile, "I see. Then, close your eyes and hold out your hand." she said.

I did as I was told, so when I held out my hands, I felt something warm as placed on it. The warm sensation I felt on my hands made me open my eyes. In my hands was like the previous lights I've seen before I arrived here but this one was bigger than those lights, it was the size of a coconut, and it probably isn't a shining coconut as well.

However, when I looked up, the woman was gone. "Heed my warning, if this process isn't completed or is disrupted, you will be only able to recall the memories you have successfully gathered. Obtaining the other pieces will prove difficult the next time you try." her voice echoed before it vanishes into the darkness.

"So I only got one chance to smoothly regain all my thoughts? Sounds cliche, actually. No matter, it's not like something bad will occur to me." I muttered as I walked closer to the gate. Now when I turned to face the gate, the light grew brighter and suddenly it floated upwards. It then stopped in front of a small gap within the gate and embedded itself into it.

The light began to shine stronger, it's glow then radiated into the surrounding metal designs that were all over the gate. The light continued to spread all throughout the gate until the entire things was glowing brightly. Then I reached out and touch the gate, it clicked and slowly it opened up. As it did, one by one, my memories I had no recollection of came flooding in.

It seems like as the gate opened up, more memories came rushing inside my head. I slowly began to remember who I actually was, my mothers' face, my hometown, what kind of person I was back then, you know the necessary details first. As the pieces of my past slowly came together, finally, I felt something was being completed in me. I was almost whole once more, the emptiness behind my warm demeanor was filling up.

Everything was looking brighter for me until...it kicked in. What I meant by that was the spell Baba Naga used on me. Suddenly, I felt a surge of negativity welling up inside of me, then I realized that the gate was losing its glow and was slowly closing again. As the gate closed, I felt a sudden need to keep it open.

"Not like this! Not like this!" I cried out, desperately trying to prevent the gate from closing. I kept yelling, "NO!NO!NO!" over and over again. Using all the force I had, I kept pushing the gate back open, doing my best to keep it open, preventing it from closing, why as I now clinging ever so tightly to the memories I never once knew I had.

The process was not yet complete, I only managed to salvage a few pieces of the past. If I fail to keep this going, the remainder of what was left might no longer be salvaged. Then...the gate closed, its light faded first before it vanished entirely. Just when I finally felt warm, felt happy, and felt whole was when things had to end up this way. "Why did things had to end up this way!" I wailed, furiously. "Just how unfortunate can one person be?!" I shouted.

I dropped to my knees, "This is so unfair..." I sobbed quietly. "Just a little bit and I could have been whole again...just a little more..." I muttered sadly. Before I realized it, the bright lights around me vanished, as well as the forest. It was like telling me that everything around me, including myself will soon vanish. Disappear into the abyss of nothingness, as a cold, hard, husk of what I once was.

"Yes...give in...Disappointment! Failure! Weak! You belong...nowhere..." a combination of voices whispered to me. "You have nothing...there is no one left...they are dead...All your fault...no strength at all...pathetic!" they continued to say. I covered my ears, doing my best not to listen to the voices. "Give up! Give in! Lose hope! Despair! Weaken!" they shouted loudly.

The voices kept growing stronger by the second. It was unbearable to listen to, my head pounded with each word they say, my chest feels heavier with each whisper I hear, and my body weakens from each insult they say. All of those put together made curl into a ball out of desperation. "Futile! Weak! Pathetic! Miserable! Depressing! Coward!" the voices kept saying.

The barrage of negativity was overwhelming me but the second, I didn't want to give up, I didn't want to give in, but I had no strength left to fight. When you are given the chance at hope, then someone takes that chance away from you, one can't help feel the weight of despair looming over their shoulders. That is what I felt at that time, it didn't take long before my body gave out.

When it did and I could not move no longer, the voices stopped, they stopped and yet I had no strength enough for me to get up. So I had no choice but to remain motionless and weak. For a few second, nothing happened, everything was quiet. But after that, I felt the ground shake, then another, and another, the ground kept shaking. "An earthquake? No, it can't be?" I thought. Soon enough, I denied the thought that it was an earthquake.

To me, it felt like they were footsteps of something big and heavy. Just as I thought of it, I felt the ground shake, once after another. No doubt about it, they were footsteps. And with each step, I could feel a strong presence coming from behind me, it was getting closer. I was scared, why wouldn't I be? I couldn't move a muscle when something terrifying is approaching me.

It didn't take long for the tremors to stop since the presence was clearly standing behind me. I couldn't see it, but I could feel that it was there. Then, what felt like a huge hand picked my entire body up. A cold sweat dripped down as I felt the creatures breath. As if to brighten up the place, columns of blue flare appeared and formed a circle.

As it illuminated the surrounding area, the light gave me a good glimpse of the creature holding me tight. And let me tell you something, it's looks made me scream at the top of my lungs. Before me was an octupus-headed creature, that had the body of an alligator, scales and all, its arms were that of a gorilla with the claws of lion, on its back were bat wings that were proportionate to its size, its octopus head had eyes like a spider and long tusk like an elephant, lastly, it was bipedal and as huge as a wyvern. To sum it all up, the thing was an abomination of a creature, it was UGLY.

Anyway, the thing held me tightly with its left hand as it positioned me in front of it's face, enough for me to smell its breath directly. Not the greatest thing, let me tell you. It looked at me for a while before opening its enormous multi-toothed mouth. The sight of it terrified me, yet I didn't move or struggle to break free. Why? Well, it's because those voices still had an effect on me.

Then, the creature slowly moved its hand into its mouth so it could swallow me whole. I sighed deeply, "Was this is it? Is this the end for me?" I thought. Honestly, I didn't want to die like this. It's just that I couldn't even move a single muscle, my body was completely paralized. This was it.

Or so I thought. Just before the creature tossed me into its mouth, I heard the same voice from before, her voice echoed in my head. "Misfortune hasn't befallen you. In fact, one would that you are indeed lucky." she said. Those words had triggered a memory, it was one with my mother. She was lecturing me in it, "You may think you are unfortunate but in reality you are a lucky boy. Very lucky!" she said, smiling warmly at me.

All of a sudden, I felt a surge of power out of nowhere, it was like those lines had triggered something in me. Just as I felt power surge in me, the creature had tossed me into its mouth. Now with this new found strength surging through me, I was not going to allows this beast to swallow me. Not now, not ever.

So I grabbed my sword and sliced a whole through its neck, enough for me to fit through. I landed behind the creature, naturally, and assumed my stance. The beast screamed in pain from its throat being slit open. It turned around and glared at me once again, rage seething through its spider eyes. With a second to spare, it lunged at me and attempted to crush me with its body.

I jumped into the air before it landed on the ground and took a deep breath, "Rapidflow and Slash, Form 2: Waterfall!" I announced, lifting my sword above my head. The force of gravity made me come crashing down, water formed around my blade as it delivered a heavy overhead slash to my enemy. The beast wailed in pain as its entire body began to crumble. As the creatures body, began to crumble into nothing, so did everything around me. Afterwards, I had woken up from my slumber. You know the rest that happened after I woke up.

Remembering all that had occurred to me in the past hours just made me sigh with relief, "I'm glad the fight is over but..." I trailed off. "But what do I do now I know most of my childhood?" I muttered, looking at the sky once more. Everything was so peaceful, it was making me fell drowsy. Soon enough, my eyes felt heavy and I began yawning. "I'll think about it tomorrow..." I muttered. And without realizing it, I had fallen asleep.

The next thing I knew was morning had come. The early morning breeze felt refreshing, especially when paired with the harmonous chirping of birds, the warm rays of sunlight, and the soft blanket covering me up. "Wait. A soft blanket?" I thought. That's when I realized that there was some weight pressed up against my left side. A weight that was quite soft and warm.

I turned to face my left side and saw what or who that weight belonged to. And when I saw who was pressing up against me, I sighed. "It's just Cupa." I muttered calmly. For some reason, I didn't panic at all. In fact, it felt nice that I was being leaned upon, it makes me feel...reliable, in a way. Nevertheless, in the back of my mind I had to move away, such behavior shouldn't be done with a princess.

So with those thoughts in mind, I scooted away from her, slowly and carefully so I don't wake her up. Thankfully, I managed to move away without disturbing her and am finally able to stretch. And so I went on with my daily routine of stretches to get my blood flowing and my body going.

By the time I had finish stretching, I looked back at Cupa and saw that she was slowly waking up. So I decided to sit on one of the tree stumps by the campfire while I wait for her to properly wake up. The drowsy princess looked to her right side then turned away before scratching her eyes, as if to clear what ever is blurring her vision. Then she looked that way again before her eyes widened.

"Huh?!" Cupa exclaimed worriedly as she jumped straight up. "Where'd he go?! Xander was just right here last night!" she exclaimed while looking around. Then when she looked behind her, she saw me calmly watching her. I chuckled, "You seem to be quite energetic this morning, Cupa." I told her. Her cheeks then puffed out, "Why didn't you say anything?! I was worried, you know!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry about that. I just didn't want to disturb your beauty sleep." I said. "It would have been a shame to wake you up. You looked so relaxed when you're sleeping." I added. Suddenly, she came close and hugged me. This course of action surprised me, "Umm... What's this about?" I asked. "I thought we lost you there..." she said while hugging me tightly.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She let go of the hug, "After you fainted in battle, you were burning hot, don't you know?" she told me. "Your skin looked really pale, your body was burning up, and your breathing was weak. It was like you were dying..." she added. Hearing those words, what had happened to me after the battle, it surprised me. "Was it that serious?" I asked.

Cupa nodded, "It was. We didn't know what was going on with you. Even if we were to take you to the village, we weren't sure if you'd make it." she said. "I didn't think that I was in some dire situation." I said. "You were. Luckily, one of the guards had picked a recovery potion near Baba Naga's hut and brought it to you. If it weren't for that potion, you might have..." she trailed off.

The look on Cupa's face clearly said she was worried, well, who wouldn't be? In that situation where it looked like I was about die, anyone would have been worried. I guess I can't blame her. Perhaps, she did that so she could keep a close eye on me. Well, I guess I need to thank her for this. Also, just how many times have I already been knocking on death's door since I left...

"Well, sorry about worrying you. I didn't mean to cause trouble for everyone. But things still turned out alright, so it should be fine." I told her. She still didn't look convinced that everything is alright. I sighed and this time I was the one that hugged her, "Look, I'm sorry for worrying you but I'm fine now. There's nothing to worry about anymore." I said.

"I thought I was going to lose a friend. The thought of it...scared me." she muttered. Hearing this, I pulled away from her. "That's nice of you, Cupa. However, I suggest you don't remain to attached to me. I am but just a simple towns guard escorting you home. And when you're back, we might not be able to see each other again." I told her.

She clenched her fist, "Even so! Even if you're a simple towns guard! I was worried, okay?!" she exclaimed, tears starting well up. She was about to cry and that's the last thing I want to see a girl do in front of me. "Okay, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. It's fine if you're worried about me." I told her. "If it makes you feel better, how about I make a promise to you?" I asked.

"A promise? What kind?" Cupa asked as she wiped off her tears. "A promise that I won't worry you again? How about it?" I suggested. Her face brightened up a bit and she nodded, "Okay then. Promise that." she said. "Then as for your part, promise me you won't be rash and worry me as well." I said. She paused to think for a while before extending out he pinky finger, "Okay. Let's pinky promise for it." she said.

I made awkward smile, "Sure thing..." I said. "A pinky promise? Is she a 10 or something?" I wondered. The thought of it made me chuckle, "What's so funny?" Cupa asked. I shook my head, "Nothing. It's just that I intend to accomplish my task to the bitter end. Therefore, dying is not an option." I said. "Anyway, promise me that you won't worry me, okay?" she said. "I will. So do your part as well." I told her. She nodded, "With that, the promise is complete. No breaking it, okay?" she told me. "Sure thing." I replied.

And so, a minimal crisis has been averted and now I can do my morning business. I told her that I had to go and she nodded, "Be back soon!" Cupa said. "I will. Also I need to find Chrome." I told her before entering the forest. When I was finally out of sight, I hid behind a tree and let loose. "Ahh~ That feels great..." I muttered.

And after that, I decided to go looking for Chrome which wasn't much of a task. "You finish?" he asked from out of nowhere. He then came out from behind nearby tree. I squinted my eyes just to be sure it was him, and it was. But for no reason at all, I jumped back in shock and fell on my butt.

This reaction made Chrome laugh, "What was that just now? What kind of reaction was that?!" he exclaimed while laughing. I stood up and dusted myself, "I have no idea why that scared me. For crying out loud! I knew it was you." I replied. This made him laugh even more, "Are you paranoid or something?!" he asked. "Dunno. I have no clue actually." I confessed.

Soon enough, he stopped laughing and walked up to me before patting me on the back. "So, you feeling better now? You're condition yesterday was pretty bad, you know." Chrome told me. "I'm aware of that. Cupa did explain it to me." I said. "What about the guards and Commander Reynold?" I asked. "They were fine. After you were treated and stabilized, they gathered all the evidence they could grab and left for town." Chrome explained.

I sighed, "Thank goodness they're fine." I said. "Yeah, they were. In fact, there condition was way better than yours. Seriously, what happened to you?" my companion asked. I then remembered what had occurred in the Dreamscape World, my memories, the monster, and my origin. I shook my head, "I'm not sure. Probably, it was the side effect of Baba Naga's spell." I told him.

(People of the Land: Commander Reynold Sherfield is the leader of the Rapid Assault Team. A task force that focuses mainly on subjugating criminals and slaying mobs. The commander used to be an adventurer but was recruited one day by Chief Weldin. He was known to be a fierce fist fighter that no one wanted to mess with. He is a calm and jolly guy that everyone loves being around with, he loves to spice things up and have fun. However, when it comes to his job, he takes it seriously despite how he acts. If things get to tough, he'll let his troops escape first before him so that they have better chance of survival. This are one of the many things why people like him so much. Commander Reynold is a dark skinned individual, his hair is color black and lightly shaved, he has no facial hair, and is ripped from head to toe. He typically wears white tank top paired with pants/shorts of his choice, he doesn't wear socks and prefers sandals over boots and shoes. However, during work he does wear his complete uniform, armor and all. His weapon of are couple of brass knuckles.)

I wasn't sure if telling him what had occurred to me would he helpful. It might just confuse him. So for now, I have decided to keep it to myself until I fully understand what is going on. Chrome stared at me for a while, as if he was studying me, "What about that fancy new move you displayed? Was that I side effect as well?" he asked. I shook my head again, "It was more like a combat spell that I've been previously working on. I was having difficulty using it before but for some reason during that battle, I was able to use it." I replied.

"How come though?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "Maybe it was the adrenaline rush?" I suggested. He stared at me one more time, "Perhaps it was." he said. Silence followed after, both of us just stared at each other for a while. "Anyway! I'm glad that you're okay." he said out of nowhere which slightly startled me.

"Y-yeah, me too. It's good that I recovered, I still have a task to accomplish." I said. Chrome chuckled, "That or you really wanted to spend more time with the princess." he said. "Not really." I told him. A cheeky smirk then appeared on his face, "Oh? Even after having an intimate moment together and making a pinky promise to each other? Poor Cupa, being falsely led around by such a heartbreaker." he said.

My sweat dropped, "You saw that?" I asked. He patted me on the back, "My friend, I know all and see all. Such juicy events like that cannot hide from me." he explained. I sighed, my cheeks being a bit flushed, "Then why didn't you reveal yourself. I would have not gone searching for you if you'd show yourself." I told him. "If I did, then I wouldn't have gotten that priceless reaction from you earlier." he said. "I guess you have a point..." I agreed.

"I also didn't want to bother you and your alone time with Cupa. I'm not one to interrupt rudely." Chrome added. "Look, it's not like that, okay? There's is no intimate relationship between us. I'm just treating her kindly and being protective of her. It is my job after all." I explained.

Chrome smiled and walked back towards the carriage, "That's what you say but I bet your heart is saying something else. Quit being a Tsundere, I already know of one, don't be the next." he announced. "I'm not a Tsundere! And my heart isn't saying anything." I said as I walked after him. "Oh! So your an Edgelord now?" he asked. I sighed, "Will you shut up?" I asked. "Never!" he announced.

And so I chased after him back to the carriage where Cupa was waiting for us both. She sat by a newly lit campfire with some fish being grilled already. "Where have you been you two? The fish is about to be burnt already. Hurry up!" she called out to us. Then the scent of cooked salmon filled my nostrils, it made my stomach rumble loudly, enough for the two to hear.

"What was that?! A monster?" Chrome joked as he frantically looked around. "Looks like you're really hungry. Take a seat already, will ya?" Cupa told me as she patted the seat next to her. "Do I really have to?" I asked her. She then looked at me with puppy dog eyes, "Do you not want to?" she asked.

Chrome chuckled and sat across the campfire and took his piece of the fire, "Good luck with that, Xander." he said before taking a bite of the fish. I looked at Cupa who was still looking at me with expectation. I gave in, "Okay fine. You win." I conceded and sat next to her. "Here you go!" she happily said as she handed me a grilled salmon on a stick.

I gladly accepted the fish and took a good whiff of it before eating. We sat and ate for a few minutes before departing. Our next destination was the northern town of Tilden, a land of vast, flat, and fertile soil. It is known to be Akricul's biggest producer and exporter of crops. Our trip had started around 8:00 am after we ate and judging by the distance. We'd arrive there after 5-6 1/2 days, almost a week you'd say. And so, our trip once again began.

Xander's Travel Journal:

Entry #2

Where do I begin? There was so much that had occurred in one day that I have no idea where to start. But I guess I should start from the beginning to make this journal clear as day. Although, if I were to explain everything it might fill out a lot of pages so I'll just write down the important ones. Okay then, here we go.

So, to start things off, we had a witch encounter. One event led to another and we ended up fighting the magical old lady alongside Commander Reynold Sherfield of the Rapid Assault Team. However, the witch known as Baba Naga was no ordinary foe, she is known to be Herobrine's associate. One of the leaders who govern the Hellbent Society, an organization that worships and follows Herobrine's wishes.

At first, it looked like we were winning. However, she managed to pull a fast one and had me incapacitated for a while. And during my absence, it made things a bit more difficult for both Chrome and Reynold. I was told that somewhere during the battle, Cupa had entered the fray and fought alongside them as well. This boosted their chance of defeating her.

Now during all this mayhem, I was still trapped in the Dreamscape World. I wasn't entirely sure what was happening but this where I got some of my memories back, fought a nightmare beast, and awoken with a strange amount of power. So by the time I awoke, the enemy had my companions pinned down and so I took the initiative and pulled a fast on her instead.

The results were somehow good, the crew was saved, the witch had her arm cut, and everyone was alive. Although, the bad news was that Baba Naga had escaped and I faint afterward. No the best results but it's better than nothing actually. So to sum things up, we vanquished the enemy and I gained pieces of my past. Now I have something to do during long trips, try and remember every little bit of memory I had.

Entry #3

Okay, okay, okay... I really don't know if I should right this down but I think I should. It was something interesting that had happened the other night so I guess I should. Well, it's not like someone's going to end up reading this. It'll be fine, right? I think. I hope. Things should be okay.

So I guess I'll begin this story a day after the witch incident. You see, I woke up in the middle of the night and got out of my sleeping bag. Chrome and I have decided to sleep outside the carriage and not inside. Why? Well, its because Cupa sleep inside. Accompanying a princess is one thing but sleeping with one is an entirely different story.

The blanket incident isn't considered so I'm fine. Anyway, I woke up with the feeling that my bladder might explode anytime. So without a moments notice, I ran into the nearby forest and relieved myself behind some trees. Now this where it happened, I was about to make my way back to camp when I heard some rustling in the distance.

It was then followed by a loud splash that didn't sound to far off. It could be some mobs lurking around the area, I guess one of them fell into the water. Luckily, I had brought my sword with me in case things like this happen. I have learned from my past mistakes. Anyhow, I decided to go investigate what could have made that splash. I wasn't entirely sure what it was.

So I approached the source of the sound as stealthily as possible. Soon enough, I came across a small lake. I thought, "Could this be where the sound came from?" and peered from the side of a nearby tree, I couldn't see a thing. The clouds had just covered the moon that moment so it was pretty dark. All I could make out was a silhouette of something moving in the water.

I continued to quietly observe the figure as it swam slowly across the water. Then the moon came out of the clouds, illuminating the water beneath it and revealing the culprit behind the sound. Upon seeing what the silhouette was, I sighed and sheathed my sword. "It was just a turtle... I was worried over nothing." I said, gazing at the illuminated lake.

"At least I was able to see something worth remembering..." I muttered. Just then, I saw a disturbance in the water just a few feet away from me. I quickly unsheathed my weapon and pointed at the bubbling water. "I guess there was really something here." I , the water erupted as a human-like figure emerged from it.

My eyes widened so much from what I saw that an owl would be ashamed. Wondering what I saw? You probably now already. Yup, it was Cupa. For crying out loud what was she doing there?! "That felt great! Who knew that a midnight dip would be so refreshing?" she happily exclaimed. Luckily, her back was facing me so I had time to hide behind the brush near me. Sadly, I made a lot of noise.

She then turned around, "Is someone there?" she asked. I remained quiet and held my breath for a while. What I was doing felt like I was peeping. Which for your information, I was not doing! I just happened to catch a glimpse of her smooth-looking back, that's all. It was just the back so all is good...right?

A-anyway, it seems she didn't notice me at all. "Must've been my imagination. I guess better get going now. If Xander finds out about this, I think he might be mad." Cupa said. Then from what I heard, it seems she was getting out of the water already. Soon I heard the resulting of clothes, so I assumed she was getting dressed. Finally!

"Then again, he might actually be delighted that I told him I was bathing." Cupa said. She chuckled, "I wonder how his reaction would be..." she said before walking away. When the coast was clear, I quickly left the area and heard straight to camp.

It didn't take long for me to get back. So I checked up on Cupa and saw that she was already sleeping. I sighed afterwards and went back to sleep. The idea was easier said than done. I can't help but feel guilty, honestly.

Author's Note:

Thank you once again everyone for reading this chapter! Please continue to support the story. And don't forget to leave a review if you liked the story since those are what really get me going. It can be anything from jokes, opinions, suggestions, or straight up criticism. With that said, I hope you have a wonderful day/night! Thank you as always! Take care and God bless! :)