The Journey
At 4:00 in the earliest morning hours, I woke up to the constant banging on my door. The transition from dream to reality made me realize that everything from before was just a figment of my imagination. I touched my forehead where the man in the dream had touched, saying "someday." It felt cold. I looked around my bed for any sign of water, perhaps a glass or at least a drop that might have accidentally spilled. But surprisingly, except for the bottle on the teapoy in the corner, I couldn't find any. So why was my forehead cold and wet? The first thought that struck my mind was... Am I being haunted? Is this what they call spirit haunting dreams?
Thinking about the man from my dream, I remembered his hands were wet. I couldn't recall much about him, but his voice saying "someday" and his blue orbs weren't easy to forget. Amidst the banging on the door, I heard another voice. My brother shouted, "Hey pig, wake up! We're getting late."
"This sheep," I mumbled, cursing as I got off my bed. I opened the door abruptly, screaming back, "Stop shouting with that sheepish voice of yours! It's annoying."
Karun rankled, "Huh? Who's the sheep? Aren't you the lazy pig ?" But his scolding didn't reach my ears. The man's voice from the dream, saying "someday," kept ringing in my ears. Remembering the dream was horrifying—the storm, the thunders, everything was scary.
The old butler who had accompanied my brother to wake me up asked, "Bad dream?" I looked at him with astonishment. How did he know? Was he a mind reader? Narayana explained, "The young master said he had a bad dream before going to the expedition too."
"You mean the chairman's second son ?" I asked.
"yes" Narayana replied.
"What dream?" Karun, who didn't understand anything, asked, his brows diving into a state of confusion. The butler spoke, "The young master said he saw a storm and things being sucked into the sky."
Wait! Isn't that my dream? But just the sky and the storm? "What about the man?" I asked him. The old butler looked at me confusingly, "What man? The master didn't mention any man."
I was at a loss for words. Just what was happening to us? To me?
Something felt definitely off. I brushed it off as just a bad dream because I didn't want to worry Karun, who was already paying too much attention.
So, I grabbed my backpack right away to move out. We didn't waste much time as I had nothing to change into—I had already put on my travel clothes before sleeping because I knew waking up this early was tiring enough, but getting changed again was something I didn't want to do. My hair was messy, but I quickly tied it up into a bun while talking to them, and everything was ready.
After bidding farewell to the old butler, who repeatedly wished us luck, he handed me a lucky charm after the bad dream talk. He said the lucky charm had been kept by his daughter whenever she had nightmares before she got married. The old butler, who had understood I was a foodie, had also packed my backpack with snacks and drinks.
After bidding farewell to the old butler, Narayana, who repeatedly wished us luck, he handed me a lucky charm after the bad dream talk. He said the lucky charm had been kept by his daughter whenever she had nightmares before she got married.
Narayana's eyes held a hint of concern as he spoke, "Miss Kathy, it's quite strange that you had a dream so similar to the young master's. It's almost as if..." His voice trailed off, but his worried expression said it all. He suspected something ominous was at play.
His tone softened as he continued, "This charm belonged to my daughter. She used to have nightmares too, and this always brought her comfort. Keep it close to you." There was a deep, fatherly care in his words, and I could see he was genuinely worried for me, looking at me almost as if I were his own daughter.
The old butler, who had understood I was a foodie, had also packed my backpack with snacks and drinks. "I've included some of your favorite snacks," he said with a gentle smile, patting my shoulder. "Take care of yourself out there, and remember, this charm is meant to protect you. Stay safe."
His gesture provided a small but significant comfort amidst the unsettling events, and I felt a bit more prepared to face whatever lay ahead.
Once we got into the black SUV that had been waiting for us the whole time, we set off. As we moved away, the huge mansion started to look smaller and smaller. The wheels rattled, and as I looked back at the old butler, Narayana, who waved us goodbye, I felt a little discomfort and sleepiness wash over me. Karun noticed me dozing and swaying my head from short naps and asked, "So, what dream… what man?"
Not intending to hide anything but also not wanting to worry him, I added extra effects to my story, saying that the man in my dream knelt before me, asking me to marry him.
Completing my so-called made-up dream, I looked at Karun, who was showing an absolute look of disgust. "He must be blind," he scowled.
I put on airs. "No man can resist my pretty charm, even in a dream," I teased.
It took us 20 minutes to reach the plane. I didn't know when I fell asleep, but I woke up feeling heavy from my nap as Karun woke me up. We got on the plane, which was all set to take off. Unlike the first plane we took from our homeland to Velandria, this was a private chartered jet with only four seats. It was incredibly luxurious, with plush leather seats that reclined fully and a spacious interior designed for comfort.
The surroundings were dark, as the sun hadn't risen yet. Boarding the plane before sunrise was part of the chairman's plan to conduct most of the journey at night, avoiding suspicion. The cabin was dimly lit with soft, ambient lighting. The rich, mahogany paneling and gold accents gave the interior a regal feel. Each seat had its own entertainment system, and there were warm blankets and fluffy pillows provided.
After boarding the plane, I tucked myself deep under the warm blankets, hoping for another nap since it was just 5 AM and still an hour before sunrise. The quiet hum of the plane's engines and the gentle rocking as we took off soon lulled me back to sleep, wrapped in the warmth and comfort.
As the rising sun's rays fell through the plane window, I woke up and looked at my watch, which showed 6:02 AM—right on time, as always. I had this habit of waking up early at 6 since childhood, initially to keep up with my studies alongside my brother, and it had since become a routine.
The pretty attendant, noticing I was awake, approached me with a delicious-smelling breakfast. I politely declined, still feeling a bit air sick. Instead, I turned my attention to the details of the expedition that the chairman had handed us over the day before.
Scanning my face biometric, the iPad unlocked. After a brief browsing through the document section, the details of our mission flashed on the screen. As I looked down through the plane window, the sea water below sparkled clean and clear under the early morning sun, creating a serene and beautiful view.
The summary of the expedition read as follows:
Objective: The primary goal is to find the cheat code of the ancient 3d Virtual game hidden within the Avikaranya Forest.
Disguise: We are to pose as tourists visiting Avikaranya Forest to avoid suspicion. All necessary documentation and backstory have been prepared.
Contacts: Local contacts have been arranged to assist us, including a guild familiar with the Avikaranya Forest and a safe house in case of emergencies.
Equipment: All necessary gear for survival has been prearranged and will be provided upon our arrival.
Communication: We will have encrypted communication devices to maintain contact with headquarters and each other.
Secrecy: Absolute secrecy is required. Any breach of our cover could jeopardize the entire mission.
Survival Guild: A team of survival experts would accompany us through the entire expedition.
Research Team: The research team would guide us through the first level, explaining the intricacies of the resurrected structure and cheat code.
Training Period: We are expected to cooperate fully during the training period to ensure mission success.
Contract Binding: We are bound by a strict contract, with breaches dealt with severely.
Second Level Access: Only expeditioners are permitted to enter the second level of the mission.
The detailed itinerary and maps of the forest were included in the document.
Reading through these instructions gave me a headache. What was the old man thinking? How could we, just normal team leaders, crack the cheat code of the second level?
Now that we were out of our homeland, thousands of miles away, I regretted accepting this for the first time. I had a feeling that, while we were at this, I would regret many more times. However, despite these regrets, a part of me that loved adventure was filled with anticipation.
The plane continued its journey, and as we neared our destination, the realization of the magnitude of our task started to settle in. I glanced at Karun, who was still immersed in the mission details on his tablet. His calm and focused demeanor was reassuring. We were in this together, and no matter the challenges ahead, we would face them side by side.
As the plane began its descent towards Nir-Dweep Island, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden hue over the vast expanse of the Avikaranya Forest below.
The pretty attendant approached me again, her voice tinged with concern. "We're almost there, but the landing might be a bit rough. Better buckle up tight," she advised.
I nodded, securing my seatbelt, and couldn't help but glance at my brother beside me. He was out cold, snoring softly. I chuckled to myself, thinking he looked more like a lazy dog than a human being. Despite all his worries and anxieties before the flight, here he was, sleeping like a log.
As the plane descended, it felt like a roller coaster ride gone wrong. Karun, still in dreamland, almost slid out of his seat with each jolt. For a split second, I entertained the idea of letting him tumble to the floor, but his quick reflexes saved him. With a sigh of relief, I realized we had landed safely.
"Well, that was an adventure in itself," I remarked to Karun, who was now rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Next time, try not to drool so much in your dreams" for which i earned a glare.
As we gathered our belongings and prepared to disembark, I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of my brother's near mishap. Despite the bumpy landing, we were finally here, ready to embark on our mysterious expedition. Who knew what awaited us in the Avikaranya forest?
With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, we stepped off the plane and onto the solid ground of Nir-Dweep island. The journey was just beginning, and I couldn't wait to see what lay ahead.