The Scar

A Bull

I couldn't feel my mask on my face. I hadn't gotten used to breathing without my mask, as I always had it on to cover my scar. My scar started throbbing and I had to use my hands to calm it down.

I scanned the area I landed in. The place was flooded with laurel trees just like the ones I drew, but in front of them seemed to be an audience circling an arena. I realized that I was standing in the arena, with my hand stretched out beside me and unable to move, the mask dangling from it like dripping paint. They were staring at me, cheering as loud as they could with excitement and thrill painted on their faces. In front of me was a large gate, large enough for a bull to come out. I stared at my hand that contained my red mask, then at the huge gate questionably. Was I a matador? Am I gonna fight a bull? Oh no. I am gonna die, aren't I? I turned towards the gate with a hopeless expression, just when the big, brown bull came out of the gate, looking ferocious and bloodthirsty. A shining, silver sword appeared in my hand out of nowhere. The bull licked its lips as if ready to eat, and charged towards my mask. I dodged the raging bull as swiftly as I could. I wasn't sure what to do as the matador of this arena, but I remembered reading somewhere that matadors are supposed to puncture the heart of the bull to kill it. But how? I didn't want to kill the bull, so I decided to try and befriend the bull. Easy. Actually, not as easy as I thought. I hid my mask behind me and slowly started to back away from the bull. The bull raged towards, just as I revealed my mask. I threw my sword away from the arena. I threw my mask on the ground beside me before jumping on the nearby railing and hopping on the back of the bull. I glanced at its badge before hopping on it. Its name was D-A- and I couldn't finish reading the rest. The bull growled with anger as the audience boo-ed. It growled while trying to shake me off before the audience disappeared into silver dust, forming the letters '1 MISSION COMPLETED. 4 MORE MISSIONS LEFT TO RETRIEVE THE MAP FOR GOLD GOBLET OF GLIMMER.' on the ground while whispering it. It shimmered away as the bull finally managed to make me fall. My scar throbbed painfully now, I couldn't bear it. Just as I fell, the bull started licking me with affection, helping me with the pain, while I started laughing as it tickled me. I noticed that the badge which contained its name was missing. I noticed a man appearing from the trees, his messy brown hair waving with him every step, walking towards me and the bull, giggling at its behavior. He carefully calmed the bull down and took him to a nearby pen.

"You did great down there. That was smart! I couldn't have thought of that." he smiled at me. "What's your name?"

I thought about it. I couldn't recall my name.

"I-I don't remember," I replied with a wheeze. I realized how tired I was, and sat on a nearby bench, him sitting next to me.

"You know? You could be the chosen one. I saw the silver dust form on the ground."

"What do you mean 'chosen one'?" I gave him a quizzical look.

"The Gold Goblet of Glimmer? You could be the chosen one to retrieve it. Besides, you don't remember your name. That's a sign." He answered me kindly.

"I don't even know how I'm here. I just wanna go back home."

"You seem different. Not from a yellow house. They're more bitter and demanding. Yet people from different houses cannot be here." This time, his green eyes showed me a quizzical look.

"I'm from a red house. I was sent to a yellow one to investigate and ended up here by accident. Ugh, I shouldn't have come here! Do you have any idea how I can get back?" I said, on the verge of tears.

"The Gold Goblet of Glimmer. The legend says that it was stolen by an ancient dragon and it is guarded by golden gates. It was said that if you consume the glimmer inside, you will be either chosen to die or to go back home. "The chosen one is the one person it decides to revive. No one is from here, if they seem unreal, then they're just silver dust. I myself am from a yellow house. Never found my way out." He looked at the ground, frowning.

"Oh...I wish I could help you, but I'm clueless myself," I answered.

"Don't worry, I've gotten used to it. You should probably continue. Take my advice and go that way, continuing your mission for the goblet." he advised, pointing behind me.

"Thanks. You're really nice, would you like to come with me?"

"I'm sorry, I can't. I have to clean this place every three hours. It's my job." he answered with an honest smile on his face.

"That's fine," I said, returning the smile and waving bye walking away from him.

"Bye! By the way, my name is Lucas!" he shouted excitedly.

"Nice to meet ya, Lucas!" I shouted back.