Getting terrified by a child wasn't exactly on my agenda today. Hi, I'm Hudson Mitchell. Most people would probably describe me as "troubled." Growing up, I always knew I was different from other kids; I never seemed to fit in. I felt like an outsider looking in. The reason was unbeknownst to me. Needless to say, this made life complicated.
Early on I was labelled as "different". What nobody tells you is that people don't like "different." Adults pretend to be polite, masking their discomfort behind a facade. But children? They don't even have the ability to hide it. They haven't learned social norms yet; they speak their minds, without empathy, without fear of consequences. There wasn't a day I didn't return to my place of rest as the target of some new prank. And when I returned to what was supposed to be "home," my foster parents would scold me for the mess I'd made, as if enduring the abuse was my fault.
But I survived. I worked hard, determined to get the grades needed for university. And here I was studying history, the one subject that actually interested me. However, I didn't know what to expect; I had never known the meaning of freedom. Some of you reading this might understand how I felt. I wasn't excited, nor was I expecting any sort of catharsis. Truth be told, I was anxious. And the last thing I expected at university was what I ended up with: boredom.
To play devil's advocate, I never really socialised. What was the point? Why share my story? Nothing ever changes, people don't change. It felt as if my presence alone was enough to irritate others. I could see how people reacted to me before I even had a chance to speak.
Life was monotonous. The lectures came and went, assignments piled up, but I could never shake the feeling that I didn't belong here. While others joined societies, made friends, and partied the nights away, I retreated further into my shell. I had survived years of foster care, bullying, and a society that didn't want me. University was just another battleground, and I was a soldier who had seen too many fights to care about winning this one.
Then came the day everything changed.
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May the Ancient Deities of all Realms Guide You.
Two distinct voices suddenly invaded my mind, one monotonous and almost mechanical, the other more human, yet oddly irritating despite its well-meaning tone. Before I could even process what they were saying, exhaustion hit me like a freight train. My body felt heavy, and with the unnatural weight on my eyelids, it was only a matter of time before I collapsed.
When I woke up, I found myself in an unnaturally bright, white room. It took me a few seconds to gather my bearings, but when I did, I realised I wasn't alone. There were four others besides me. A slightly overweight man was frantically demanding answers from no one in particular. Two women, identical in appearance but starkly different in demeanour, one with a hawk-like gaze that hinted at hostility, the other clinging to her twin's shoulder, head buried. And then there was a child, no older than twelve. She didn't seem out of place because of her age, but rather due to the look in her eyes. A look I recognized all too well. The look of superiority.
"Congratulations, mortals," she spoke with a detached air, her voice uncannily similar to the one I had heard earlier. "You've all been granted the honour of entering the endless realms."
I had more questions than answers, and I wasn't alone. "What the hell do you mean, 'mortals'? Who are you, why did you bring us here?" The man wasn't a complete fool; despite his outburst, he asked the right questions,just at the wrong time.
"Shawn Alexander Adams… Do not interrupt me" the oracle stated, venom dripping from her voice. Her eyes momentarily reflect the power of the sun.
That shut Shawn up, and terrified the rest of us, because at that moment, we all realised the true power hidden behind the shell of this innocent-looking child.
"Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was about to explain why you're here and introduce myself. Rejoice, this is your opportunity to exceed your potential and become more than your mortal seal. The council of gods seek power and bestow on you the privilege of gaining their blessings. As for who I am, I have been known as both Pytho and Pythia, but you shall address me with respect. You'll come to know me best as the Oracle of Delphi."
As she stood there, a malevolent grin stretching across her face, I couldn't help but recall the words I'd heard before being brought here: May the ancient deities of all realms guide you.
The air in the room thickened as the weight of her words settled in. The child, or rather, the Oracle, was not some fantasy or hallucination. We had been transported, whether physically or mentally, into a space that defied all logic I had ever known.
Shawn remained quiet now, his earlier bravado replaced with uncertainty. The twins, too, seemed rattled, though the more dominant of the two was doing her best to mask it. And the Oracle? She looked like she was enjoying our confusion.
"You four have been chosen to represent humanity in the trials of the Endless Realms. Succeed, and you will achieve dreams beyond your greatest desires. Fail..., let's just say that failing isn't an option."
My heart pounded in my chest. This was some kind of sick joke, right? Trials? Endless Realms? It sounded like something straight out of a dystopian novel. Yet, the gravity in the Oracle's voice left little room for doubt. Whatever was happening, it was very real. Yet the fear that I expected myself to find was nowhere to be seen, instead excitement took its place.