- Completed -
For Mikel Ark, being offered a job by the world's biggest gaming company is a dream come true, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will launch his career as a hotshot programmer.
But what Mikel hasn't been told is that his employer's...
Tyler tried the number again and again, frowning whenever that annoying electronic voice told him, ‘The person you are calling is not answering, please try again later’.
It was so unlike Mikel to not answer him when he called. At first, Tyler could not be bothered to talk to his brother but after Mikel's persistent efforts — often calling him several times a day just so they could chat — he had caved in. They had set up an easy rhythm Tyler found he could insert into his busy life, and now Mikel couldn't answer the phone, it bothered him.
Besides, he had sounded very excited that morning about a job offer he'd received, so maybe he was working?
As the electronic message started again, he cut the voice halfway through its speech and threw his phone to the nearby couch angrily, pressing a hand to his forehead. Mikel was a stickler for his gadgets, why wasn't he answering?
Apart from Mikel and his parents, there were very few people he could stand talking to out of his own will alone, and Mikel was a very good distraction when work was driving him crazy. His brother could light up a room when he put his mind to it. It also helped that Tyler could boast of one friend in the world.
Their parents were out of the question. Many times he suspected he was the favourite child because he was living their dream for them. It hadn't always been like that.
Small talk was not something they did, and neither was taking notice of their children's needs.
It had been three years since he had seen his little brother, maybe he would visit home for a bit. He hadn't had a holiday in forever.
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He was travelling through an endless mass of something thick and cold, Mikel was sure, and it was very uncomfortable. He vaguely remembered closing his eyes in the basement of Nuroh Inc. and then opening them in this place, wherever this was.
There was a tiny opening far away from him where light streamed through, and he was drawing closer to it. He closed his eyes again, deciding to sleep through this.
It seemed he was stuck in the middle of the real world and No Blessed, and from what he had just seen, he still had some time stuck here.
The next time he opened his eyes, he was lying on soft grass that was the colour of cobalt.
That's not right.
He fisted some of the weird coloured weeds and looked at them closely. He lifted his head, taking note of his surroundings. Blue grass covered the ground as far as he could see, and in the distance, stood a large formidable cathedral, the red glare of the sun illuminating the building. Budding bushes were scattered across the plains, doing little to make up for its emptiness.
Standing up, Mikel dusted soil and sand from his body. It was then he noticed he was no longer in just his boxers.
He was dressed in magenta embroidered robes and a sash to make them fit, with elegant patterns in the shape of creatures he couldn't recognize. Lying by his feet, was a small ebony staff with similar patterns as the same ones on his clothes. Well, it wasn't exactly small, its length being equal to his height.
