1 Waking Up (2/2)

Sleepiness finally caught up to him...

But now that he had finally reached somewhere different he couldn't allow himself to rest, he needed to see down the hill what awaited him next.

So about a dozen steps from the tree there was the highest point of the hill... Getting near it, he was assaulted with fear, a terrifying sense that all his struggle was in vain.

At the very edge of the hill, there a very high cliff. Even away from the edge he was able to see down below in the distance small green dots that went for a good while until the end of the forest...

Happiness filled his body once again seeing the damn forest had an end. A good clearing appeared in all directions after the forest border. His chances of finding a road would improve greatly if he was able to get there. And finding one would be easier to get help, but first he had to get there, and from where he stood... it seemed an impossible feat.

Looking behind, from where he came from, he was unable to tell where the inclination began. How much more he would have to walk to get to a lower passage? he began to ask himself trying to muster the will to keep going.

”this forest should be really high above sea level... but why is it so hot if it is this high? It should be way colder here even in the summer” He tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Looking at that sight, from high above to the far ground below, his eyes got a glimpse of what seemed to be white smoke coming from the ground in a thin shape to the sky, it was far to his left, but definitely a good sign for the tired him.

”People!” he said out loud smiling in surprise

With hope renewed he desperately began to get on his feet again and look for for ways to get down from that cliff, but in all direction he could see, the cliff just kept on going.

It was simple form, throughout all its extension, a massive wall of sheer stones that erupted from the ground out of nowhere.”There is no end to this cliff!!” he realized as all hope began to fade

Wherever he looked, it was certain death... no way to climb down as it was a 90 degree wall. Once again desperation filled him whole, ”No, it can't be... there must be a way down, there has to be” he needed to see better, get near to the edge, desperately trying to find a way out of this situation, his mind was resolute in that regard.

He took another step towards the cliff's edge that was not too far away.

He felt as if stuck in quicksand, the lack of sensation of his feet touching the ground together with the effort made him loose his balance... he went down still near the tree. Not shaken by it while his mind was still focused on his goal, he kept on trying to get forward, crawling.

The weight on its body was getting exponentially heavier with every movement towards the edge of the cliff. It felt as if the weight of the world was on his back, the numbness started to affect his mind as well, unable to think straight, he struggled even to keep his eyes open... almost unable to move and barely conscious without knowing how near the edge he was... a clear sound is heard

”CRACK!”

He the sound of rocks cracking and breaking could be heard below him, he forced himself forward a bit more...

And as if a door was crossed, he felt everything that was holding him down being spread from his body into his surroundings... and as quickly everything was struck by an invisible, insurmountable and unmeasurable force.

With eyes that would not open despite his efforts, he felt himself falling... and soon after his consciousness also failed... and he finally fell into slumber once again.

He heard something... he began to awake from his sleep...

The so long craved sensation of being on a bed reached him as he felt the pillow and the sheets covering him.

”It was all a dream afterall...” he assured himself.

”Kamu... ” - he heard a male voice clearly trying to awaking him. But he wanted to sleep, it was very difficult to wake up

”Kamu... zt..” - he heard again, as if someone was asking him something

”Kamuzyet...” - he heard once more, now feeling like he was waking up

”Kahn-mus?” - he spoke mindlessly trying to make sense of the words that were being said to him while still trying to get his awareness back from the sleepiness. He struggled with the light until finally was able to open his eyes completely.

”Khamus!” - The voice said again, this time he could tell its tone seemed rather surprised.

He forced himself to sit straight.

He saw the bed and sheets above him, he also noticed he was inside of a room in a wood cabin.

Talking to him was a man clad tight in full armor, he had only his helmet of which allowed his face to show. The man had a dark hair and a clean shaved face, which resembled a very austere appearance, one could clearly see he belonged to an army of some sort.

”Armor as in medieval times? And with many symbols on it as well” It was a lion standing up with two purple flags.

”Iz et kornoss lo Khamus?” - the man in the armor said, all he could make of it was the word Khamus again, that was the only thing he picked up from the strange talking, it was clearly a language he never heard before.