The long walk back to his base was punctuated by the rhythmic tremors in the earth, no doubt courtesy of the colossal Goliath somewhere in the distance but had already begun to fade as he reached further out. Beyond those quakes and a brief, tense encounter with another desperate group of scavengers attempting a robbery, something he managed to swiftly deter easier than the previous one this time there seemed to be no further incidents. It seemed the presence of the Goliath, be it intentional or not was keeping away all other creatures well keeping most other creatures who didn't flee at bay, their predatory instincts momentarily overridden by a primal fear of the bigger threat.
Reaching the familiar, rough patch marking the entrance to his base, John was surprised to find Elena waiting for him. Her brow was furrowed with concern, a silent question forming on her lips as she noted he returned alone with a thick, air of depression clinging to him. Before she could ask anything, he cut her off, his voice strained and raw. "Please, don't ask. I'll explain everything to everyone in the morning. For now, I just need, I need some rest. It's been... a long and truly horrible day." The last words broke slightly, causing Elena to frown with unspoken sympathy and worry. She simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment of his pain and his need for some time to himself before retreating quietly towards her greenhouse, leaving him to the hushed silence of the night.
No one else was present along the way to his office room, something he felt was a small mercy. As he made his way there a profound exhaustion settled over him, tempting him to sleep through the use of the potent flower brew. He soon found himself craving after settling into the chair in his office, hoping for a single night of dreamless sleep, to have a temporary escape from the day's horrors, to escape from everything that had happened. But he still hesitated right before he took it, worried about how vulnerable it left him. Alice wasn't around to watch over him and in this unforgiving world anymore, being completely unconscious was a luxury he couldn't afford even if it was in his private space that few knew off. No, he decided, putting the brew away, he needed to be able to wake to any sound, any disturbance rather than risk being lost to a deep, unshakeable slumber that it could cause, opting instead for the tenuous embrace of natural sleep, closing his already heavy eyes, consciously attempting to untense every muscle well trying and failing to force his mind to quiet. After a few agonizing moments where Alice's face both madness filled and that horrid still, overly wide smiled face side by side before sleep, dark and heavy finally claimed him, pulling him into blissful unconsciousness.
Opening his eyes what greeted him was a smooth, unnervingly white ceiling and the sensation of a hard, unyielding surface beneath him rather than the darkness of a dreamless sleep or waking up feeling slightly rested. John's heart lurched. He had fallen asleep like he wanted, but instead of the mundane dreams he hoped for, he was now somewhere new again. A cold dread snaked its way down his spine as memories of his encounter with the Keeper flooded his mind due to the familiarity of the situation. He instinctively rubbed his dead arm, a ghost of an ache flaring more emotional than physical. It was an experience he never wanted to repeat again without preparations.
He pushed himself up before dusting off his clothes, his senses on high alert as he scanned his surroundings, wariness giving way to confusion at the outlandish sight before him as a faint pain began to form right behind his eyes. The air hummed with a cacophony of voices and movement. People of every conceivable description where walking around alongside an astonishing array of humanlike creatures, from towering figures with scales, lithe elves with elongated ears to beings that resembled dragon newts and gnomes bustled past him. A few spared him a glance, their expressions ranging from annoyed and amused to overtly pitying before continuing on their way.
After getting up he noticed the floor was a pattern of black and white tiles that stretched into the distance around him. On either side stretched an endless array of shops, their storefronts vying for attention. The entire place bore an eerie resemblance to a colossal indoor mall complex from his past life, a concept so anachronistic and out of place in his current reality it only served to heighten his disorientation.
"Where the hell am I now?" he muttered to himself, the words barely audible. "It feels familiar, but that's probably just due to nostalgia from before the changes, a trick of the mind." With a deep breath, he walked forward, his mind racing but grateful for being a distraction from the waking world, wondering if this was truly just a lucid dream this time, a benign escape, or another treacherous descent into another unknown realm that would carry over.
As he ventured further down the wide hall, he passed a bewildering variety of establishments. Grand, sparkling storefronts stood alongside humble stalls consisting of little more than a table or mats on the ground, each displaying an impossible array of neatly laid out wares. Curiosity warred with the primal urge to understand where he was, compelling him to explore further, using it as both a means to find answers and as an escape. With each step, the disconcerting familiarity of the place grew, as if a forgotten blueprint long forgotten began to unroll within his mind, the faint pain becoming slightly more stabbing as it moved towards his temples.
To his right, seemingly out of place amidst the bustling commercialism, he noticed a darker path. Faint blue burning torches cast long shadows, faintly illuminating it. Watching he saw a few beings walk down this particular route but a strange, undeniable pull drew him towards it. He followed the black path, noting there wasn't any stalls or shops like the path he had just walked down. As he walked, a slowly growing light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Before he reached it though the path opened into a larger area, the light opposite it, the area's only light being a range of bright, blue glowing torches. Here he noticed many people stood silently, seemingly captivated by two figures seated opposite each other. Their forms were shadowed and blurred, yet they were unmistakably engaged in a card game, a game that struck John with an intense, unshakeable sense of familiarity.
Suddenly, a massive, rocky-looking orc figure, clearly lacking in patience or manners, attempted to stride directly over the playing field, seemingly uncaring about the atmosphere or the events happening around him. A ripple of excitement, almost to the point of bloodlust quickly spread through some of the onlookers causing him to feel confused about it for only a moment. Then, as if on cue much to some of the onlooker's excitement and joy, the orc began to scream and shriek in agony. To John's horror, its massive form slowly dissolved into particles of light that began to drift eerily into the now open and outstretched hands of the blurred figures. Without a word, they calmly collected their cards and begun their match anew, as if the orc's disintegration was a minor inconvenience and reason to start over, or possibly an excuse to create a warning for others against disturbing their game.
John slowly slipped away, making his way cautiously around the mesmerized crowd well taking extra care not to interrupt or disturb the mysterious players. He passed through the glowing light, emerging into an even larger, more expansive area. This section formed a vast, circular ring clearly lit by light coming through a large glass ceiling, bustling with even more stores and numerous tables where people enjoyed meals from visible restaurants. In the very center, drawing his attention with an almost magnetic force sat a dark, abyssal pit. A Strange mix of roars and whispers seemed to carry up from its depths, pulling at his curiosity. As he moved cautiously towards it at first but then a commotion to his side diverted his attention.
A colossal troll-like figure stood there, its fatty form jiggling with every movement. Adorned with an extravagant display of wealth, gold rings and jewel-encrusted chains and necklaces hung from every available surface. Even the sparse hair on its head was braided with gems and gold beads, its visibly layered outfit shimmered with countless precious stones as if woven with pure gold thread. This flamboyant creature, a small ornate tag with the name 'Oleg' was seemingly trying, with an almost desperate enthusiasm to convince an extremely small, fairy-like girl with vibrant green hair and a delicate flower as a dress to check out the store in front of them.
Now rather curious himself about what could grab someone like that's attention, John slowly made his way closer. Both the troll and the fairy seemed to sense his approach, stopping their conversation and turning their focus away from the small stall to him.
"Little human friend! Come over, come over!" Oleg boomed, his voice surprisingly jovial. "Perhaps you can help me convince Sweet Bell here to come view this store with me! She's often a sucker for your kind! But this shop my friend! It only showed up two years ago so its goods are a break away from the norm and even their way of selling things is truly unique! When they don't have enough stock, they turn to trading items in their store for two or more items they desire to replenish their merchandise and when they have enough stocked again, it goes back to regular trading and selling! I heard some of the bigger stores wanted to push them out, but ended up compromising! It's unheard of and it seems it's even managed to have some big figures trade items here, exchanging valuable goods for other items that were traded and not in normal circulation! If you agree to come with I'm sure Sweet Bell will agree to letting me check in on them, so tell me little human friend, would you please come check with us? A larger group together may even help her feel a bit safer entering an unknown store, last time the shopkeeper wasn't the most pleasant and tried to capture her when I wasn't looking." Oleg finished, rubbing his head in mild embarrassment which caused his entire form to jiggle like a massive, bejeweled jelly. Sweet Bell, the tiny fairy, let out an exasperated huff, grumbling slightly before rounding on him once more.
"Really, Oleg?" Sweet Bell's voice, though small, carried a surprising sharpness. "You're now resorting to getting random people involved now? Is there no limit to your shamelessness! And you probably expect him to come with us for free, to trust two complete strangers! Do you have any idea how suspicious that has no doubt made him about us? Listen human," she turned to John, her expression a mix of apology and annoyance, "I'm so sorry about this big lug. His hearts in the right place most of the time but he doesn't always think things through, or even think at all most of the time, especially when he gets excited."
"I was going to pay him though!" Oleg protested with a pout, looking genuinely hurt. "I would gladly buy him something or even give him some money after we were in the store! I would figure something out once we reached that point!" His earnestness and odd pout drew a small chuckle from John, but the sound was quickly stifled as a sharp wince that crossed his face making him rub his temples, the familiar stabbing pain intensifying once more for a brief moment, seemingly out of nowhere as he gave Sweet Bell uneasy, sideways glances.
"It's fine, really," John managed, trying to push through the rising discomfort. "I was curious about this place though. Not just this shop but well this whole area and realm place, I feel I should know it, yet each time I try to recall the reason why this familiar feeling comes up and then my head starts to ache and this weird pain keeps building in my temple. I don't mind going with you guys to check that shop if you could fill me in on this place in exchange? Not just the shop but everything." He offered, his gaze still holding a hint of suspicion towards the fairy. Oleg's face instantly lit up with an excited grin.
"No no! That is far too little of a cost my little friend!" Oleg declared, waving a massive, bejeweled hand dismissively. "You seem like a good person, little human, so big brother Oleg will treat you right for treating him right! This place all around us is just called The Mall. It drifts in a void outside space, time and dimensions, it keeps a level of connection to many, many different realities that none have managed to figure out to this day. Getting here is a matter of pure luck if you don't have a pass." He explained, pulling out a small platinum looking plate. "This is my pass and there are different tiers denoting how often one can come here and there status." He said happily before tucking it away and pointing around him. "The stores here sell anything you can imagine, from items, people, food, animals and even planets or entire realities can be bought or sold if you find the right store! Well the right store along with having enough currency for it or goods to trade of course." He explained with unbridled glee, though a slight flush crept onto his cheeks as he glanced at John, clearly realizing he had likely just revealed John's probable poverty.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that human? Do you have that thing people call love at first sight at seeing me or something?" Sweet Bell chirped playfully, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well, I am flattered, but you aren't my type, sorry. It's not you; it's just the species difference and this lug has all but ruined what I could find attractive, not that you aren't it's just this ass and his friends completely skewered my tastes in men and there physics." John shook his head, a small, embarrassed smile playing on his lips at realizing the miss understanding his staring seemed to cause as the trio now walk into the unique shop. Inside, it was far larger than its exterior suggested, resembling a meticulously organized warehouse filled with countless items. A deep red oak desk with a till stood near the door, a solitary anchor of normalcy in the fantastical chaos.
"It's not that," John clarified, feeling a blush creep up his own neck. "My past experience with a fairy in my own reality didn't go well. She proved to be rather rude, mean and even swore she'd get back at me after me and…" He paused, a flash of pain crossing his eyes. "And a friend of mine kept her restrained when she made her feelings about humans clear, how humans are meant to be at her feet and so on. She even claimed to be the last free one of her kind or something like that. Honestly, it feels like ages back when I encountered her when it wasn't really that long ago." John explained as a vague memory of 'Greeny' surfaced. Sweet Bell let out a small, tinkling laugh.
"No worries then," she said, her voice dripping with an unsettling sweetness. "She probably just meant she was the last in your own reality or something. If she tries something again and you end up killing her then so be it, there are plenty more realities with other fae in them so if you kill her then so be it, there's plenty more around than just her and one less sure as heck won't make a difference!" Her words were delivered with the sweetest of smiles, utterly contradicted their chilling implications and disregard for her own race. John merely nodded slowly, a small, wry smile on his face as he realized the small fairy may be a real monster before he began to look around the vast interior as a means of distraction from what had just been discussed, Sweet Bell, with a flick of her wings took a spot on his shoulder, already beginning to direct him through the labyrinthine aisles well pointing out various items that might interest him along with speaking low on how she wanted to make Oleg pay or at least sweat by getting him various items that would both benefit him and hit Oleg financially.