Camiare: An Isekai

Chapter 26: Facing the Truth

Stumbling to my feet, I faced the figure approaching me.

"Who are you!"

Time seemed to slow as white light bent around the figure obscuring it from my sight. Water droplets I had just kicked up glistened, slowly falling to the ground.

In an instant, the being was upon me. Lifting me up by my shirt, the being made no moves to attack me, as it seemingly froze.

Dropping me to the wet ground, the figure crouched down and addressed me.

"Who am I?"

It laughed as if someone had said a funny joke.

"The real question is, who are you?"

I stumbled to my feet, dripping wet.

“Look, I don’t know what's going on here, or if I offended you in some way, but can you please kindly explain to me where I am?”

The being shook its head as it crossed its arms.
“Do you really have no idea what is going on here? Surely you must have a least a theory. I’ll give you a hint, this isn’t heaven.”

“So hell?”

The being scratched its head.
“Look, Dominic . . . no, I will call you Nathaniel. How can I say this nicely?”

It looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening.
“Your not funny. I get that it is a coping mechanism that keeps you from completely freaking out right now, but, please, just stop. No one else enjoys it. Maybe once in a blue moon. Maybe. Not really.”

I shuffled around awkwardly.

“My bad, it is a bad habit of mine. I will try and rein it in.”

“That’s better. Now Nathaniel, take a seat. It is time we have a long, healthy talk. ”

I looked around me for somewhere to sit. Nothing had changed, so not only were there no chairs, I was still standing in a never ending pool of water.

“So want me to just-”
“STOP! What did we just go over? Look, sorry for kicking you earlier. Actually, I take that back. You one-hundred percent deserved that earlier, but we will get to that in a bit.”

The being waved its hand, and some of the water to the right of me began to ripple, and then bubble. The water rose softly till it fell back to the ground, leaving in its place two white chairs.

“Now, please, take a seat Nathaniel. It is about time we had a long talk.”

Walking over slowly, I took a seat in one of the chairs, which remained steady as I applied my weight to it. I still don’t know if I can trust this being.

Taking the other chair, the white being crossed its legs as it stared at me. It didn’t have pupils, but just more accented white lines that served as a substitute.

“Now, Nathaniel, I know that you are confused as to what is going on. Ask me any two questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability.”

“Where are we?”

“Good question, Nathaniel. We are currently in your xetral core, which is located right below your belly button.”

“Wait . . . what? How is that possible?”

“. . . . . . Look, forget the two questions. I wanted this to not be a one sided conversation, but whatever. I might as well just tell you about the mess you brought upon yourself”

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“So your saying I am in a coma because I reached Tier 4!?!”