Hot…hot…hot…hot…

The heat coursed its way through his body, sending him a slight chill down his spine due to the rapid change in temperature. The minute amount of oils that coated the outermost layer of his flesh cooked his exposed skin. The sunlight assailed his eyes, and saline liquid poured out beneath his black shirt—The worst color to wear when it came to the scorching heat. A sticky and unsanitary sensation happened to be all it took for him to chew his lips as he stared forward.

He hung his tracksuit on his slouched shoulders. Readjusting his footing on the unsteady, grainy ground, he walked forward grudgingly, disregarding the sand accumulating inside his shoes. He rejected everything he saw with all his heart. He hated every second he spent. He couldn't accept the 'reality' imposed onto him. It was unfair. Unfair in every sense of the word. His soul cried out, and responding to that cry, he slammed his face with his free hand and dug his nails deep into his cheeks.

A stinging sensation overbearing. It wasn't a dream. Still he couldn't accept such a frivolous reality. He scratched his cheeks with a clawing motion until a viscous substance wrapped around his supple fingers. Stretching that same hand forward, all that he could perceive is that he hadn't woken up yet. Even as the viscous liquid poured down to his chin, he remained unconvinced that this is not a dream.

There was nothing ahead but sand. Not a single life crawled the earth surrounding him. Hills, hillocks and a limited variety of rock structures appeared from time to time. Boulders and several rock shapes slightly helped change the scenery. However, what bothered him the most was the horizon that expanded further as he paced. It stretched endlessly, not wanting to be near him. He couldn't find solace in the clear skies as it filled him with an incomprehensible sense of fear.

"...This isn't a dream, is it?"

His voice trembled as the wound he afflicted upon himself started to become inflamed, burning as bombardments of sunrays worsened his condition. It had a chance of being infected, but what did it matter? There was an essential question at hand: How could it not be a dream even though it defied reality? What allowed it to happen so simply? Even though he was about to turn the doorknob?

"…"

It won't make any more sense even if questioned and properly rationalized a hundred times. What befell him stepped outside the boundaries of rationality and stepped into the realm of fantasy. There were no other possibilities. He had already exhausted them.

"It's not a dream. It's not a dream. It really is not a dream."

It is not a dream, he repeated in the dark corners of his mind. The barren landscape did not deceive his eyes and its cornea, undoubtedly, basked in harmful rays that made his lids close on reflex. The horizons seemed to close in on him rather than expand away from him. His feet eventually stopped moving as the world enclosed around him. Was there even a purpose to continue moving?

"Why?" He asked a simple question. "Why here of all places?"

A simple question that doesn't have a simple answer or an answer at all. No one accompanied him to help at least hypothesize what it could be. No one was by his side to emotionally support him either. The sunshine seemed bleak, and the blue sky that should have a positive feel to it provoked a certain, oppressed, emotion to brim up. His throat constricted as a burning sensation brutalized his chest. A realization. Yes, it was at this moment that a realization came to mind. It had no sound or reason. It had no laws of nature binding it. It couldn't be put under a microscope and be observed. It is a force of nature from a different part of the universe, he surmised. Or is it like what his fantasy novels prescribed? The idea broadened. It continued to amalgamate into something more defiling—something that caused his heart's beating rhythm to cease in the instant he reached that juncture—and more unforgiving than he could imagine. He reached his final conclusion, and left himself with two choices unintentionally: To persevere in his trials or to deny himself the right to live sanely.

And so he had to accept it wholeheartedly without indecision: "I've been summoned to another world. In a wasteland by my lonesome. That is all there is to be woven in this tale. Why, how, where, and what are all questions that rightly deserve to be asked, aren't they? Then, you suppress me from asking such and such."

Why; why was he here? Why a secluded part of the world?

How; how was he summoned to this wasteland?

Where; where was he on the map?

What; what was the purpose of summoning him here—Basic questions were not to be asked as it should have been due to the absence of an essential person.

"The one who summoned me is supposed to meet me at least. Why are they absent when I need them most!?" He roared with all his soul put into it. His facial features contorted and twisted, the whites of his eyes getting more pronounced as he menacingly stared at the grainy soil beneath his feet. His lips crumpled apart displaying his teeth, joined together, moving back and forth with a coarse noise.

It gave rise to a suffocating sensation brimming his chest. He stomped on the sand over and over. Sand infiltrated the inside of his shoes and his soles began to numb, but the gratifying feeling that arose from such an aggressive action made it worthwhile. It was no different from a workout.

After a good minute, it occurred to him for the first time since he took a step in this wasteland that his hand held a weight—A brand-store plastic bag which contained junk food that he bought on impulse earlier without good reason. None of which would aid him if he were to go thirsty and he had no way of eating a particular item, instant ramen, without water. The inconvenience had him bending his hips, almost losing his balance.

"If I knew something like this would happen, I would've just bought a bottle of mineral water instead…!"

His voice leaking a sense of dismay, he continued to walk ahead without knowing where he was heading. It was pitiful to admit, but he was sustainable to death at any moment.

He tried to get a read on the wind, however the wind didn't seem to be moving in any direction even as it blew past him merrily. It stood still, and mocked his futile attempt.

The only reason he kept traversing the wasteland was because of one simple goal now that he acclimated to his predicament: Shelter for the time being. Finding a water source was the highest priority, but if he could not rest, he would simply die of exhaustion before hunger. He did buy junk food for his insatiable indulgence, however he had to preserve them for the coming times of hardship.

Despite his harrowing situation, he held prospects of getting rescued by some wandering merchants or even bandits. To get rescued by either two, he needed to stay put in one place and wait for a cargo ship to pass by.

"…Haaaaw…"

When he attempted to suppress a yawn, it forced its way out of his mouth. He hadn't slept properly. It wouldn't be surprising if he already passed his bedtime. Eleven o'clock? Half past twelve? One o'clock in the morning? A sense of withdrawal sullied his visage.

From what he counted, approximately an hour had passed.

"But a guess is just relative… When did it all begin?"

Before he found himself wandering this wasteland, he remembered that he went to the convenience store and bought you-know-what. The dark bags under his eyes weighed his lids down as he left briefly, lethargic due to the amount of hours he spent sitting idly in his room, playing whatever was popular and trendy. When he returned to the front porch of his home, he suddenly…

"I had a really bad headache. As far as this goes, I am a goner."

A strong headache overtook his forehead when he found himself here. It subsided eventually once the sunlight, burning his skin, overwhelmed him. As for why, the reason is a mystery.

"To solve a mystery, you need clues. There is nothing of the sort here. If this was a novel, you would ha—"

Out of the corners of his eyes, he perceived several rocks. Before he could move out of the way, he tumbled over them. His knees caught the sand, shielded by cottony elastic fabric, and so did his hands, touching the sand directly. It burned like it was being cooked slowly in oil.

"Ouch! It's almost like I am unwittingly trying the clumsy girl appeal…"

He withdrew his hands on reflex, and stood clasping them together. If he were to yell out 'Such misfortune!' misfortune might actually fall upon him twice as worse. Perhaps he angered some pseudo-deity and this was his retribution?

"Ahh, ahh. Is there really nothing left to do but walk?."

He proceeded to walk.

What he would gain by continuing his dead-end journey is unknown. There has to be something. There has to be a meaning behind this. Otherwise, wouldn't he just be left to die alone?

As he clenched his teeth, memories of his dull, lifeless days flashed at the back of his head.

He wanted to go back home. He wanted to escape reality by playing mindless games, watching mindless TV shows, doing nothing remarkable and forgetting all his troubles. Just like yesterday and now, all he has to do is let all his troubles be sealed in a box he didn't want to get near. An unopened jar with soot and dirt inside would better be left stagnating and cultivating bacteria in the dark.

"What should I…do? Mo…m? Da…d?"

Once the faces of the two closest people to him flashed through his mind, a tight, burning sensation whirled within his chest anew. His heart cried out for the people dear to him, and his throat constricted as though a fine rope wrapped around his neck.

He couldn't get homesick now. Not now. Suppressing his tears, he endured the overwhelming magnitude of his heartache. The journey he will take from now on is a one-way road. There is no turning back, and being slothful would guarantee his death. If he couldn't continue, then death was all too certain.

No matter how much he grows tired, he will persevere.

Persevere, for his sake.

Persevere, for the sake of those in turmoil over him. Those who stood by him even when he disappointed them.

Persevere, for the little bit of dignity he had left.

And persevere, so that he might be saved—Either by miracle or chance.

Natsuki Subaru was a young man at the age of seventeen living in a small town in Tokyo. Having short black hair resembling his father's, black eyes with small irises that made the whites of his eyes stand out—A feature culminating from his father's black irises and his mother's sharp glare. The most noteworthy feature anyone would point out was undoubtedly his sharp eyes; it was like a delinquent's according to most people he met. He had an above-average physique as a result of his daily workout routine. The orange-black tracksuit he wore accentuated his build, and gave off the air of an athlete running his third marathon this week. In spite of his impressive capabilities, he wished to be in seclusion away from those who judge him, scrutinize him, expect from him. He wished to be forgotten. He wished to be washed away from everyone's memories and start anew.

Being a third year high school student with a tendency to not attend class, the many potentials of his budding future remained multiple. Eventually that would naturally decrease in number as he usually would take a day off. Later becoming a week off. Then later it became a whole month off, and so on. His classmates would sometimes visit him with piles of homework to work on, their faces often expressing pity or a sense of resignation or even kindness at times.

Yet, Subaru, despite his negligence of his duty as a student, still stood at the end of the plank with two choices: Going to college and continuing his education or serving in the military. At such a critical moment of his life, instead of choosing either, he stayed home like a hermit and indulged in video games, light novels and the like. He pursued affection on-line where no one knew he was Natsuki Subaru to compensate for his social shortcomings. He was a nobody just like any other in the digital world.

Not ready for either of those life-changing choices, he sought an escape. He was far too inadequate for anything. Too incompetent and self-serving to reach a full mark. He couldn't live up to the standards and expectations set on him.

And so he let himself fall off from grace and locked himself into his own shell. His thoughts would become bolder each day. Festering with poison latched onto it.

I am such a disappointment.

Throw me out. Give me up. Hate me already.

If I were my parents, I would've already abandoned me.

Just abandon me. I am already such a worthless son to you, anyways.

The more affection and support his parents showered him, the more those thoughts festered in his mind. Each thought laced with more venom than before. Even as he tried to improve himself, he only dug the path to his demise—He gave up. Both as a member of society, and the only son of Natsuki Kenichi.

Even now, this behavior persists.

"Impatient, aren't you?"

In the dark room where he sat, curtains closed, with the only source of light being the computer in front of him, sheets of paper lay scattered adjacent to his elbows. His fingers reflexively moved to respond to a message sent to him. As he indulged in a silly exchange, he glanced over to the pen resting on top of the paperwork he had accumulated. He could finish everything in an hour if he wanted to, yet the negating thoughts he had—It's meaningless anyway. I won't return it. I won't go to school tomorrow either. Just wasted effort—continued to set him back.

Subaru stood from his seat. His backside was sore from sitting for more than a healthy amount of time. A sense of worthlessness washed over him as he stretched his back. He grabbed his wallet, leaving the room promptly.

He wasn't sure why he left. An online friend had badgered him to play a certain game, and it was in the midst of its installation. Subaru figured he would play it with him but, somehow, the desire to do so had vanished, given his nagging. Perhaps he needed a change of air?

"I'll just check it out later."

With a mumble accompanying his sigh, he zoomed to the entrance door, avoiding his parents as much as possible, silencing his footsteps. Once he changed his indoor shoes to his outdoor ones, he heard a troubled voice from the kitchen. That voice belonged to…

"What a disaster this is… We have run out of mayo—Ah. Where are you going at this time, Subaru?"

"…"

His mother, with a troubled expression over her face, had sensed him even as she busied herself in the kitchen. Despite the fact that she was fabled for her airheadedness in the family, there was no doubt that her motherly intuition struck gold. For some reason, being found out didn't bother him as much.

Not turning back to face her, Subaru remained silent. He could predict the words she was about to say. That is why he couldn't face her.

"Come to think of it… That reminds me. Why haven't you washed the mug I told you about?"

"I… I'm heading out for a bit."

Without any further delay, he said those constrained words and went for the door. Each step he took, the weight of his foot colliding with the ground sent ripples of guilt crashing at his heart. Clenching his teeth, he closed off his heart. Why was it difficult to leave already?

What stopped him from turning the knob at this moment—

"Take care."

"..."

With his facial muscles tensing, his cheeks hardening, the back of his neck's hair bristling, he turned the knob and left without a word. The words his mother uttered shattered his tough act. The audacity of not responding back weighed him down, both mentally and physically.

How much longer will this game of hide and seek continue?

Swallowing hard, he made it to the sidewalk leading to the nearest convenience store. Subaru passed by residential houses, those of his neighbors that would occasionally visit and give them boxes of sweets or a bottle of milk, and similarly his parents would give them something in return. The trees rustling under the moonlight gave him peace. A mesmerizing sound. Far purer than anything music could produce.

The town had a tight-knit community, leaving no one alone until they bothered them. Even him who tended to ignore them whenever he caught a glimpse of them in hopes they would not see him pass by, oftentimes failing to do so. He neither deserved their attention nor did they see him for him. His emotions were entangled in a twine that was difficult to untangle when it came to whether they did or not.

"Here I am."

He made it to the main streets. Several cars zoomed by as he walked light, unsure steps forward. A number of people passed by him, though he didn't pay attention to them.

His mind blanked out. The sights before him blurred, and only the floor on which his feet walked could be seen. Memories of past and present flashed through his mind. His childhood, and the mischief he caused back then. The friends he garnered, and lost along the way. The world shaming him for not living up to his name. And the regrets he still holds to this day—All of it, he tried to escape from. The games he played, the friends he made online, the pointless figurines and posters he bought, the power fantasy novels he read, were all a means to reach an end that probably never existed.

A hopeless means to reach an end, only to see that the bridge between him and the end had burned to a crisp from the moment he began. Never had he thought of building it on his own. And he would never be able to with his current tangled twine of a mindset he has. All is within arm's reach, yet the arm he had has been dislocated indefinitely to prevent him from reaching out.

Natsuki Subaru was, by the definition, an incorrigible person. A flawed, nasty parasite clinging to its hosts. Unbelievably ugly abomination, he was. Anyone would squish it under their foot without a second thought. Yet the hosts kept the nasty parasite clinging onto them for support, sucking their life force and energy in the meantime.

The guilt ruptured him. Yet, he couldn't act upon that guilt. He let it fester needlessly. Thus, the need to act upon it vanished without a trace.

"...Oh, here it is."

With a listless voice, he sighted the convenience store. He entered it, bought whatever came to mind, and left. Inside the bag he held, there was a single cup of noodles and a bag of potato chips. They were only snack items, holding no nutritional value, only useful for the taste and its convenience and nothing more. NEETs from all over the country take joy in it, he thought.

The money he bought these snacks with happened to be an allowance from his parents. Once he remembered that, the analogy of the parasite and the hosts came to mind again.

How shameful was he going to be?

"I…"

How long must he bring down his parents like this? Will he ever get to improve, accomplish anything in his life the way he is? Will he never, ever, improve himself for the sake of his parents?

These questions eventually turned into negative ones. Self-deprecating. Soul-rending. Dignity-defiling questions.

When will he be thrown to the side? When will he be abandoned? When is he going to walk the streets, abandoned, lonely, like the way he wanted? And so on. Everyone of these questions, without his knowledge, desired to fracture his parents' dignity and parental duties apart.

Subaru bit his lip—biting down the frustrations and resentment that accumulated the entire walk home. The pain never felt this refreshing. Sharp, stinging, pain that sought to drain all what bothered him away.

And there it was, his house came into view. The front porch was lit with a dim, orange light from above. Once he made his way to the door and wrapped the doorknob around with his fingers, a bright light blinded him.

"Gah?!"

Shielding his eyes, he lost his balance and fell to his butt. The surface he landed gradually began to heat up. In an attempt to stand, his hands were drawn to the ground as a sensation akin to showering one's arm in ample rice arose. His pupils couldn't adjust to the sheer brightness that basked his skin. The scent of dust and sand infiltrated his nostrils, causing him to sneeze as his head seemed to lose half its weight, propelling toward his torso.

Subaru looked at his surroundings, not believing what had happened. The landscape consisted of far away hills, slopes, even farther away mountains, boulders and how it is as silent as a graveyard indicating that this, in fact, is a wasteland. It took only a minute upon reaching that conclusion to register the high temperature overbearing him.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Wh….at?"

Subaru closed his eyes for a moment, and pinched his arms as hard as he could. It didn't change the reality of the situation.

"What is this… What is with this set-up? Is this some kind of joke?!"

Nothing he said, yelled, shouted, reached out to anyone. The words that came out of his mouth were consumed by the landscape around him. He became almost convinced that he was somehow hallucinating, the means unknown. Was it drugs? Was it a hallucinogenic someone slipped into his drink that one time he went out? Anything became plausible as exaggerated as it may have been. He didn't feel any sort of unnatural altercations between the world around him and his five senses. There was nothing wrong with him.

Was he still dreaming? It would all make sense if that was the case…

"Then, wouldn't I wake up in the midst of this nightmare?! Aaah! I really have found myself stranded in a wasteland!"

With all of his thoughts ravaging the last threads of sanity in his mind, he walked. Walked, walked, forward without a destination in sight.

Subaru didn't know how long he had walked.

"Persevere."

Persevere. Persevere. Persevere.

Forbidding the world from enveloping its grime around him, he persevered. For his chance at a new life, he persevered. Forgetting the pain and replacing it with confirmation, he persevered. A foreboding whispered and ridiculed his struggle, he persevered. Foraging the soil, stomping on the grains of rocks beneath, he persevered. His appendages swelled, joints and ligaments tearing with each strain, he persevered. Copious sweat soaked his undergarments, making it harder to walk, he persevered. His eyelids continuously drooped, his heart exhausting his chest as it beat, he persevered.

Persevere. Persevere. Persevere.

"Persevere. Persevere. Persevere."

Seconds, minutes, hours; they weren't equal in magnitude, yet one second would pass as if it was a minute. A minute would pass as if it was an hour and so forth. Exaggerated it may have been, but time flowed quite differently here from his observations. Although he couldn't deduce what it was that differentiated this world from his.

"I wish winter descends upon me."

The heat ate away at his remaining energy as the bags under his eyes deepened in color. Accompanied with the crevices over his forehead and his natural nasty glare, he seemed like an unreasonably sheltered man in the midst of death. The type to instill fear into children, and the type to be the subject of a horror story.

His each movement grew more listless as minutes passed. The pressure his right ankle absorbed as he sank his feet into the soil burdened his leg immensely. His complexion worsened, becoming paler by the minute. The sunrays threatened to scald his nape and ashen his unkempt hair.

"Persevere…"

Time passed. More time passed and the sun wouldn't relent its wrath. There were no clouds and no shade. Even as he peered into the distance, nothing appeared to be suitable as shelter from the sun. Not even a large boulder could be enough to shield him from the sun's condescending glare.

The sun towered over all, dowsing its vicious light onto everything that came into contact with it.

"Tiresome… I've got my shaky sleeping schedule to blame for that." Subaru chewed his cheek, letting the pain stimulate him enough so that he wouldn't collapse. His chest churned, and the words he wanted to utter came about with the roll of a livid tongue and a vicious, loud voice: "Persevere, son of Natsuki Kenichi…! This is…the least you can do!"

Roughly half an hour passed—Subaru halted, his eyes half closed. When his eyelids were about to collapse, he would force his eyes open with his fingertips. He couldn't find the power to close them on his own. He let go of his bag, and sat with his legs crossed on the sand. It burned, however he tolerated it. Somehow, the heat tides provided him with comfort. The warm wind brushed against his face, and soon enough, he was accustomed to the heat beneath him. He took off his shoes and held them upside down as sand poured out. As the finishing touch, he removed the sand off his socks and repositioned his tracksuit from falling.

Once he wore his shoes back on, with a downcast look on his face, he exhaled heavily.

"Is there really no way out of this?''

Subaru glared at the sky. Despite knowing what to do, the roads his goal led to were so few, it left him with little chances of surviving. It wasn't as though he was indecisive about choosing either one, but the fact that these roads may lead to a bad end made him shudder once he considered his predicament in earnest. Perhaps sitting here and waiting until vultures peck his eyes out and eat them was a road he can take even if it means neglecting the responsibility of choosing a road befitting him.

Even if he managed to find shelter, what good would that do? If he ate all his snacks, then what would he do the day after? He would die of thirst if he couldn't find a water source. Death stood at every path he thought of. If these possibilities were not actualized, the world would conjure different other possibilities to have him dead. Trials will befall him no matter what he did, no matter whether he was innocent or criminal.

His heart sank at the mention of death. The word itself, in this situation, filled him with an unexplainable sense of despair. The back of his neck bristled harshly as he swallowed his phlegm. Thoughts of dying alone haunted his poor mind.

He will die. Die alone. Parched and useless. Soaked in bodily fluids. Will decompose as vultures eat his body. Only his bones will remain for others to discover; the only remains gnawed on by hyenas and wolves alike.

"Death…death…"

Subaru shook his head vigorously, clearing his mind and obscuring the thought of death. He needed to stay optimistic.

"I…want to live."

For what excuse he had to make a belittling judgment such as that? Death and life were two sides of the same coin. He didn't get to decide what kills him today and tomorrow.

What if there was a village nearby? Or a travelling group passing by? Would he abandon his hope for something as trivial as death? Subaru scrutinized his surroundings and himself to reach an objective perspective; his fear of death propelled him forward, motivating him to rise to his feet and trod along—The scenery around him began to expand at some point. Rocky structures, dead trees and high ground emerged from the horizons. Obscure cracks and crevices on the sand surface led him to the possibility that life previously existed including the dead trees. He perceived a sizable depression where sand gathered to brim as a sizzling noise and vapor arose from within to taint the atmosphere. Once he receded a safe distance away, slopes and misshapen rocks threatened to tumble him over. The wasteland was not nearly as bleak as he had initially thought. It shone bright. It allowed him to look at what he was. It scolded him. There was nothing for him to get immersed into. It didn't allow him to retreat back into his shell.

Slowly, his muscles relaxed.

"I was a terrible son, wasn't I?" Subaru said, acknowledging this inevitable reality. "Even now, I am still causing trouble for you. I was never good enough to be your son. I was never good enough to be born. Expectations on top of expectations…what else would I do except to try and fulfill them all? I wanted to be as cool as you are, dad. I still do. I want to make everyone laugh like you do. I want to gather a crowd of people around me as we casually exchange lighthearded words. But I couldn't accomplish something as simple as that!" He grasped the collar of his shirt and let his emotions consume him. "I wanted to be a part of something… I wanted to be praised for me! They would only refer to me as 'his son'! I had to live up to it! Even though I tried my best, I only repelled people away from me. It was only natural! I offered nothing. And I was offered nothing in return. How could you put up with me for so many years?! You should've just abandoned me and left me to my devices. No matter what I did to make you hate me, you two never gave up. You still greeted me when I woke up with a smile. You never stopped telling me to go to school and do my homework. You two did so much for my sake—I hated it."

His parents helped him with all they could muster. They lent a hand but he rejected it. Regardless, they still held out their hands to him; reassuring him that he can rely on them anytime—However, their warm hands vanished like the wind. He can never grasp them again.

"I'm so sorry for everything…! I should've taken your hand when I had the chance. That way you can at least know that I am alright even when I'm in another world…"

He would never see them again. The warmth that he took for granted, he would never feel again. It was uncertain whether he could return back to his world or not. The possibility of him returning remained null no matter what he thought up.

It was set in stone from the beginning.

Droplet after droplet trailed down to his cheeks till a cascade rushed. Little by little, his heart opened its locks. Each tear that collapsed fine-tuned his paradigm. He would be his own self—Natsuki Subaru. He will discover Natsuki Subaru anew; from his tastes to his reactions to his mannerisms to his beliefs and conviction. All will come about naturally as time flows. If the time for his death came, he would either embrace it or cling on to life. However, he wanted to cling on to life even now. There are matters he wanted to tackle. Simple matters and simple necessities. To stand up with pride—Yes, he wanted to be proud of what he could accomplish as Natsuki Subaru.

He rose high with blazing resolve as the warm wind breezed past.

He decided to head one direction of his choosing.

Subaru peered slightly below the position of the sun. It was still rising in the sky, leaning a little to the left. From his observations, he figured out the two basic directions.

"East or west…"

The hair on his arms bristled once he thought of heading east; a premonition that exceeded his sixth senses. He decided to trust his gut instinct and head west. The decision was fast, but he wouldn't mull over it further. Time is ticking.

Subaru trodden on the grainy surface with lethargic steps. The high temperature played a factor in this. Although he had passed his bedtime since the third hour, he estimated, he was summoned here. Subaru was used to overexerting his body to the max in the morning, so he endured it and put strength in his steps piecemeal.

Time passed and he stopped counting at fifty minutes; a certain structure stood out from the distance. It was an arch similar to a semicircle, though the sides were jagged and deformed. When he got close enough to see it a mere distance away, he perceived its circumference to be quite spacious. The shade it provided was wide enough to cover him without fail.

When it seemed like it towered over him, shielding him from the sun, his back inclined slightly. His complexion slackened, and his body almost collapsed.

"Not now… I am not going to drop my guard like this."

As he held himself together, Subaru's eyes drooped heavily while he tried to fight against it. His feet scuffed along with the sand, making an unpleasant noise.

His legs gave out, collapsing on his back with his legs sprawled out. Leaving the plastic bag to his side, Subaru took in a long breath. His heart beat once and promptly, getting excited, started to batter against his chest. Inhaling and exhaling, he let sweat come about and soak his body once more. It agonized him, but the cool wind helped make the process tolerable.

"They say 'Great efforts are rewarded', but what kind of reward is given? Satisfaction or a place of shade?"

Subaru lay on the sand with a hint of contentness brimming. He neither needed to venture out nor forage the landscape. The ground sank beneath him, taking him in. Comforting him. Relieving him from the searing heat. He allowed himself a moment of rest till the sun began to set. He stood, not bothering to dust off his clothes. After taking care of his congested bladder and trying his best at cleaning his impure hand with grains of sand, he circled around the arch on a whim.

Subaru could feel the wind blow past him with more vigor than before.

"For such hot temperatures, the wind sure is lively.

Deserts at night get unbelievably cold in comparison to any inhabited city in the harsh winter. There are no buildings to impede the cold from spreading out evenly as it doesn't focus on any pieces of architecture like skyscrapers and the like. Not all deserts have the same climate, but they all share commonalities. Uninhabitable and too unbearable for living beings, with the exception of little, similar to white deserts. During the day he spent, the sun scorched everything and overwhelmed him. Using that example as a preamble, what would he do during the night?

And a new obstacle emerged. As a response to his new predicament, rather reluctantly, Subaru wore his tracksuit in case of the cold temperature looming over as the sun merged with the earth.

He leaned against a rough wall and watched the sky turn a bluish-purple. Stars materialized, looking directly at him, next to the moon. A mystifying sight and a welcome one in the same breath. Immersing himself in the stars as he studied their formations and positions above, his stomach began to rumble and his throat was parched. Enchanted by the space that accompanied the little dots of yellow and the bright satellite, Subaru endured his weakening state.

Six stars formed a shape reminiscent of a ram's horn. Twelve stars were positioned in a weird pattern that he couldn't describe or put into words. Eight stars formed a circle around one brighter star than the rest—A constellation that solely caught his attention the moment he laid his eyes on it. He acknowledged that he was ignorant of what those constellations may indicate, since he was in a different world, however he couldn't help himself.

"I'll call that one Orion's Corner of Death."

Betraying a smile on his lips, Subaru continued to observe the stars. The multicolored sky surprised him at every turn and every corner. Constellation he'd never seen before appeared from every angle he discovered. Then, his eyes settled upon the moon. It shone a humble light his way. Entranced by it, he sensed a pressure holding him down.

"Right. What kind of world did I want?"

The world he desired from the moment he came to the conclusion he was summoned. Was it supposed to be a fantasy kingdom with magic users and some deeprooted racism toward a specific group of people and shady politics? And in that fantasy, he would be a hero the likes of which no one has ever seen? Non-player characters would applaud for him, swoon over him, and kiss his feet if he asked. Is that really the world he envisioned? Or is it simply a product of excess daydreaming sessions over at his hometown?

He found that fantasy nothing more than a disgusting, overglamourized dream. It sickened him. Why would he want to be served on a silver platter again? He tasted the fruits of labor for the first time. Relapsing back into how he was back then didn't seem an impossibility, however—He despised the thought.

"Even after I vowed to discover Natsuki Subaru, I still came up with that trash? I want to be more than that. I want to have a higher position than that! I want to be the me that I have neglected for so long!"

Natsuki Subaru possessed a quality he had long since set to the side. It is confidence. He couldn't grasp it. No matter what he did. Even now, as he strove to discover what made him Subaru to begin with.

"I gave up on so many things! I want to pick up the remnants of what I gave up!"

He gave up his conviction. He gave up his studies and duty. He gave up his identity. He gave up the proud son of Kenichi. What else would he give up?

"I will not falter again. I will not fall back into my shell again! Death will not deter me from my path, you hear meeee!?"

The internal clash for a great change has begun.

"Whoever summoned me here, don't take me for granted. I will continue to persevere through the pain and agony. Even if despair overtakes me."

Through perseverance can one only learn.

He knew this from the beginning: Surely with hardship comes ease. He never learned the beauty of such an expression until now. There will be a time of hardship for him. And a time of ease for him, like now.

Mixed emotions swirled, catering towards happiness and rage.

"This barren land is uninhabitable. Yet it carries a warmth that sticks with you. It is the catalyst for my paradigm shift."

As a chuckle leaked out of his mouth, Subaru allowed his legs to fold, his back descending the wall. Getting in a comfortable position, he gazed at the stars once more. He let the darkness wrap around his body as though it served as a blanket.

He closed his eyes and basked in the cool wind.

"Satella, thank you for everything."

He didn't know who he was thanking. He knew he had an obligation to do so. And so the memory of that comment disappeared as his conscious sank deep into the dark recesses of his mind.

The sun rose from the horizon. The cool wind brushed against his face, waking him up promply. In spite of the blissful weather, he didn't feel like getting up. His bad habits from before he was summoned were resurfacing.

He was sitting against the rock arch. The sensation that seemed like his back was being stung by needles encouraged him to rise high. His back stretched easily; his legs extended without any numbness from before; his arms moved as if it was oiled prior. In good condition, he certainly was.

"Those habits need to be exterminated by the time I move. Hear that, body?"

It wasn't common for him to wake up in the morning willingly. He was the type of person that wasted their energy by sleeping until the late afternoon. That ends today, however.

People naturally longed for their homes and their families when separated for a long time. He wasn't an exception. But he couldn't rely on his parents yet with him still in that pathetic state.

First, he needed to look at his repertoire of priorities.

"I know what to do already. Water, water, water, water, water and water is the gist of it."

Water was critical for survival; it is the factor that decides whether he lives or not. If Subaru didn't manage to find an oasis or even a pond of water, his last days would dwindle significantly. If he were to move, he needed to do it with caution so as to not exert unnecessary effort. He couldn't risk dehydration even though his clock was ticking. With that, he concluded it would be best if he moved an hour before sunset.

"And where am I supposed to go exactly, Mister?"

Looking at the landscape, there was nothing but hills and boulders in the distance. As a last resort, he might head up a mountain or hill to find water if he needed to. It would mean abandoning his shelter, but he was determined to take risks.

"I don't think I'll find anything of use, but I'll give it an effort. And see the fruits of my labor."

The sun settled high, painting the sky a light blue. For the time being, he decided to search around for supplies near the arch. Not getting too far out of reach.

After a while, he hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. There were still nothing but dull rock structures unsurprisingly littered about. He continued his venture until Subaru noticed a deformed hill in the far distance. He couldn't gauge how high it was from here, but it was higher than the usual hills he'd seen. If there happens to be a source of water up top, then the risk of dehydration is no more a problem.

Searching high ground is only a last resort reserved for those desperate enough. The possibility of rain pouring down is low, but again, the possibility is not zero. However, those possibilities filled his heart with unease.

"That possibility is fifty-fifty. A cat box waiting to be unraveled."

Is the cat inside the box dead or alive? The only way one could confirm that is to open the box. The deformed hill might be his detriment. But there is nothing else he could do to ensure his survival unless he did that as a last resort. And he was left with nothing but that last resort.

"Now that I have my destination in check, I might as well prepare. Even if there is nothing, I still have to move regardless."

Subaru rolled his eyes as he walked his way under the shade.

He seated himself on the sand and snatched the flacid bag, picking out a light snack for his breakfast. Hunger became unbearable at some point, but he couldn't treat these snacks as just "snacks" one gets to indulge in. He had to use them in a way that could last for at least three days or less. The instant noodles he bought needed water to be eaten properly though that didn't necessarily mean that it would stop him from crushing it into powder and consuming it in an unconventional fashion.

He opened the bag of chips and let the smell of corn pottage invade his nostrils. Salivating at the mouth, he began eating with unsightly mannerisms. It didn't take him until a good third of the bag was gone to realize what he had done.

"Didn't I plan to save this up for three days…? I am doomed!" Putting a hand to his forehead, Subaru let out a sigh of resignation. "What was I expecting out of some meager snacks anyway?"

He wrapped the package around with the little contents of food that it had and put it back in the bag.

Subaru let his back fall against the sand.

"There really isn't anything for me to do, huh?"

Subaru had to survive to fulfill his wishes. He aspired to learn about the world and experience life anew. This intermission might be a waste of the time he could use to discover something great. Time is fleeting; his death is nearing. Before that, he desired for Natsuki Subaru to emerge from the darkness.

"I'll have to go out earlier than I expected. Time is ticking. Ticking. Ticking. Ticking. Relentlessly ticking."

He wanted to meet the people inhabiting the wasteland.

"I can imagine this to be like some sort of wasteland fantasy world or something. Like a giant sandworm might as well burst out from the ground and swallow me whole."

A grimace made its way on Subaru's lips as his imaginary twine began entangling itself. The thought he entertained might be a possibility on top of the other ones.

"To be honest, I don't really care what type of fantasy it is." Closing his eyes, Subaru spoke with an indifferent tone. "A fantasy with magic. A fantasy with swords. A fantasy with monsters. A fantasy with beautiful girls. They are all appealing, but they don't serve a purpose to me at all—Hmm? What is…"

Once he sat up, a blackish purple light, resembling a firefly, floated in front of him. The light flickered curiously, revealing its minute core midair.

"Huh…? What did I just stumble across?"

He rubbed his eyes quite roughly and squinted till his vision became clearer. Regardless of his efforts, the black sphere of light remained still, hovering before him.

Subaru held out his hand, and the black light circled around it. "It moves.." He moved his hands away slightly, and it flocked to it the next moment. "It's attached to me too—Haa…"

His breath caught as a terrific pressure overwhelmed him. His eyes shot wide as his back collided against the ground. He couldn't breathe in its presence. It didn't allow him to. The black light approached his field of vision as a bright light emanated, blinding him—A warmth caressed his soul and sought to become one with it. Yet it couldn't achieve that, Subaru reasoned. A voice called out to him, pleading with him for his companionship. The voice carried a hint of sorrow; that alone was enough for him to take action. An outstretched palm materialized in the puffs of his imagination and he took it without indecision. A melody played, mesmerizing his ears, as its frequency changed to intelligible words spoken by a beautiful, serene voice: "A contract between you and me has been fulfilled…"

As his sight returned to him, he witnessed the black light hovered near his right hand. Whatever happened moments ago passed like a second. He couldn't process it thoroughly. Sitting up, he clutched the temples of his forehead as two keywords popped up.

"A contract… Companionship…?"

He held out his other hand, and tried to trap the black light, but it emerged right before he could enclose it..

"Wait… Stop revolving around me!"

The black light flew towards his neck and danced around him, as though it was in retaliation for what he did. Subaru tried to get it off him. But to no avail, he couldn't shake it off.

"Fine. I give up, whatever you are."

Subaru raised his hands in surrender. The black light only swirled about happily, phasing in and out of his hands. Mystified by it, Subaru closely observed it.

"Just what are you? I don't want to imagine that you're some sort of a hostile entity…"

Whatever the black light was, it definitely was outside the tight, materialistic grasp of science. It was a supernatural entity.

"Something that roams the earth, but doesn't have a physical body… That's it, you're definitely a spirit."

The presence of spirits in this world meant that it must be a common occurrence. Or they could be a bad omen. However, he deflected his mind from that line of thought once the spirit started revolving above him. He wasn't sure if it was of contempt or happiness, but the action dropped his jaw regardless.

"I hate how I am used to this already…" With a sigh of resignation, he inclined his head upwards. "I apologise, okay? I was just curiou—.."

Suddenly, the spirit was now in front of his eyes. His breath stopped due to the suddenness of its appearance. An awkward smile paved its way through his lips.

"You can stop that, uhhh… Do you have a name?"

The spirit backed away, and moved left and right as if to say 'no'. With his hand over his chin, Subaru snapped his fingers.

"Then, I will call you by the name…" Subaru's smile deepened as he continued. "...Eua. That's your name from now on."

The spirit seemed to be pleased with it, hopping up and down in the air. A simple expression of happiness warmed his heart surprisingly so.

"Accompany me, will you? You don't seem like you have anything to do."

With a presumption made, Subaru took his bag and left the arch with a tenacious resolve to traverse any distance. The spirit followed after him promptly, confirming his words. The first interaction he had in this world wasn't with a human, but a supernatural entity. He was content for now.

He will continue to persevere until the world denies his will.

"Puck… Still not awake. It shouldn't really bother me…."

Emilia stretched, brushing sand off her clothes, as she watched the sunrise. A cool breeze, carrying sand, caressed her form. Placing a hand on the crystal hanging on her chest, she glared at the horizon. She had to keep going. To return back to the kingdom, resume the royal selection with all five candidates including her, and bid for the throne with all she could muster.

And the ground rumbled just as she was about to move, a crushing gust of sand blinded her, the tiny grains striking against her body like pellets as it cleared—Five giant sandworms had already emerged from the sand, looming over her. Their mouths dripped steaming mucus, melting the sand around her rapidly into a crimson glow. The ground beneath her sank as the invertebrates honed in on her at once, losing her footing for a moment.

This hadn't been the first time she had been attacked. Over and over, giant ants, worms and even vultures had attacked her relentlessly from the moment she was transported here.

"You really are persistent monsters! Hyaaaaaaaaaa!"

Shouting at the top of her lungs, Emilia pummeled her soles on a nearby boulder, splitting it in half as she lunged forth to take down her foes, conjuring a barrage of ice stakes overhead—