TRIGGER WARNING:

Might mention about suicide. Please talk to someone if you've been troubled by these thoughts, or better yet consult a medical professional.

Arc I:

The Sojourner From Another World and the Glorious Land of Heroes

EPISODE 1:

An Abrupt End, and an Unforeseen Beginning

For years, Liu had wanted to die.

He was just tired of everything. Maybe even bored. Although he never tried to commit suicide, he admitted that it might be better for him to just never wake up and die. If Death came to him, knocking on his door, he thought he would just welcome it with open arms.

And Death really did came for him. In the most unexpected way possible.

That time, though, Liu realized he wasn't ready to die yet.

One night, Liu walked to a convenience store. He went to buy some snacks to eat from midnight to the break of dawn. He knew, like every other night before, he couldn't sleep again because of the terrible insomnia he had been having.

So, he walked to the store like a zombie. Although he was always exhausted, he was already used to doing everything auto-pilot mode. This means, he could do any simple tasks without too much thinking, like household chores, crossing the street, or even giving small talk to people.

But then, perhaps his exhaustion and self-neglect finally caught up to him. Because when he went out to the street that night, he encountered a grisly accident.

It happened all so sudden. The flash of light. The honking of cars. The horrified screams of the people around him.

It was so fast that he never even knew what hit him. Was it a car? A motorcycle? A giant ass helicopter? He had no idea.

It was only that time, too, that he realized, he's like everyone else: afraid of death. He never even have done the things he wanted to do. All his talks of not caring about dying, was just a lie. Every shattered memory, regret, and vision ran through his mind like a fast-forwarded reel.

Funny, he realized. He actually wanted to live.

But then, a searing pain tore through his entire body. It was followed by a deafening ringing in his ears, and then he became numb. Choking on his own blood, he gasped for one final breath. And after that, just darkness.

For what it seemed like eternity, Liu felt like he was in a sea of ether. And then, he woke up in an unfamiliar beach, dazed and bewildered.

"Where... Am I?"

He stuttered and looked around taking in the surroundings. He slowly stood up, his head still spinning a bit. He looked at the sea in front of him. The calm waves smashed the sand beneath him, soaking his bare feet.

This is utterly impossible. Since he was sure, that he died. Didn't he?

But without any warning, he's in a totally different place. And except for a little nausea, he didn't feel the pain he did a while ago.

What in the world just happened?

Is this just a dream? Or... Is this the afterlife? Liu asked himself, but then when he looked down, he saw what it seemed to be an adolescent's body in a strange clothing. He touched his hands, his body, and then his face. It all felt too real. He slapped himself a bit. And it hurt! But why am I...? Maybe, I'm not dead? If that's the case, then...

"Hey! You're finally awake."

Liu turned around and saw a little girl with an absurdly long hair. She was wearing tattered clothes that almost looked like a hospital gown. The kid was beaming at him.

"'Finally'? Do I know you?" Liu asked.

The kid just shook her head and smiled.

"No. Aleph found you lying on the beach weeks ago, and since then, Aleph has taken care of you!"

Liu's brow furrowed. "Aleph? Who's Aleph?"

The kid pointed to herself. "That's Aleph's name. And Aleph is glad to finally talk to you!"

***

"Oh, so you aren't from around here?" Aleph said.

They were now sitting on the beach, a few good meters away from the sea. He was looking at the horizon, guessing it may have been early morning based on the sun's position and the warmth of the sunlight. The kid has brought a few nuts and fruits she probably picked somewhere else. Then, she started to eat, and offered him some peanuts.

"Thank you," he said. "And, yes--apparently, I-I'm not from this place."

"Oh. Aleph guessed as much, but Aleph's wondering where you came from?"

"I'm not sure," he said, slowly. "What's this place, anyway?"

Aleph's nose wrinkled. "Hey! Aleph's the one asking you a question. But, aw, nevermind. This is the continent of Meddega. So Aleph also guess you're from another continent?"

Meddega? he said to himself. He neved heard that kind of place before, much less it being the name of a continent.

So it must be really true then? Liu said to himself, looking at his own unfamiliar hands. I'm...in another life?

"Hey! Is your head still spinning? You've been quiet for a very long time," Aleph remarked. "Aleph can try to find herbs in the forest for you, but Aleph's not very good with it, so--"

"No need. I'm alright. Its just, I still can't believe it," he said. Before Aleph could ask a question, he turned to her to answer the question earlier. "I guess you could say that. Or maybe you could even say that I'm from another world."

Aleph's eyes widened. "You came from another world? Even though Aleph has heard about people coming from other worlds, but Aleph's never seen one!" The kid got closer to him, as if inspecting his features. "So, how did you get here?"

Liu explained everything that happened before that, while Aleph listened with all attention.

"So you're saying that you died, and next thing you know, you wake up in this beach?" the kid said. "Wow. Aleph's never been this amazed! When Aleph saw you lying on the beach weeks ago, Aleph thinks you may have just come from Terra Obscura, so Aleph's really afraid of you!"

Liu's brows knitted. "Why would you be afraid of me? And what's Terra Obscura?"

"Hmmm, you know, the place beyond the continent of Meddega. Aleph's never been there, but people said it's a dark and mysterious place. And then, this sea is like the edge of Meddega. Beyond the ocean is already Terra Obscura, and nobody knows what's there."

The kid pointed to the horizon, and Liu followed its hand.

"So, you see, when Aleph first saw you, Aleph was afraid that you are not a human. But Aleph may be mistaken--hey, you're not a demon, are you?"

"No."

The kid crossed its arms. "Although Aleph doesn't fully believe you, you seem to be a good person, so okay, Aleph will trust you this time."

Liu scoffed and chuckled. "Why, that's a very weird thing to say. If you're afraid of me, then why did you take care of me while I was unconscious all these weeks?"

Looking away, the kid said: "Uh, well. Aleph had no choice but to hang out around here because Aleph can't get into towns. So, Aleph thinks that if you think that Aleph's good, then you'll be nice and won't eat Aleph."

He nodded. "Well, fair enough. What about you? Do you live around here?"

The girl shook her head. "No. Aleph's wandering for the longest time, and just stayed here because it is the safest."

"The safest? Where's you're family? Are you an orphan?"

"Hmmm." The kid put one small hand below her chin. "You could say that, because Aleph has been alone now for the longest time. Aleph just camps outside, and then goes from place to place, until Aleph found this beach, and found you."

"Why couldn't you come into towns? Isn't camping in the wilderness too dangerous for a kid?"

"Hmph," Aleph said crossing her arms. "Says some weirdo who slept in the beach for weeks! This place is full of monsters, too, you know! And more importantly, Aleph's not a kid!"

"So, what are you? Just--a short person?"

"Hey! That's rude! And for your information, Aleph's neither a kid or a tiny person. Aleph, is a homunculus!"

***

Liu didn't immediately process what Aleph said. Homunculus? He heard about homunculi before. Homunculi are tiny creatures created by alchemists to resemble the form of humans. But he only heard about them from books and video games back when he was alive. They were creatures from fiction. From fantasy. Surely, this kid was just joking?

Aleph took a step back, with furrowed brows. Liu could sense that somehow she looked afraid.

"What's that look for? Are you thinking of selling off Aleph, because Aleph doesn't have any ability that will make you a profit!"

"That's not it!" Liu said. "Homunculus? Are you for real? Or maybe you're just starving because you've stayed in the wilderness for so long?"

"Aleph's telling the truth!" Aleph shouted, stomping her feet. Then, she crossed her arms again, pouting.

Liu thought about it for a while, and then nodded. Well, if something as unbelievable as being reincarnated into a new world is possible, then the existence homunculus must also be real. In this world, anyway.

"Okay, if you say so. I believe you," Liu just said, and then stood up. Aleph looked at him. "So where are you going now? Are you going to stay here?"

Aleph looked around. "Why, where are you going?"

"Am I not the one who asked that question first?" Liu said, with a bit of a smile on his face. "Well, there's no use of staying here. I should better head off... Somewhere."

He looked at the horizon again. It seemed to him that just a few moments ago, he was just a normal salary man, exhausted from his job. And then suddenly, a rampaging vehicle or whatever hit him while he was on the pedestrian's side of the road.

Then he died. The next thing he knew, he was at an unfamiliar shore, talking to a child claiming to be a homunculus and who was saying that he had been there for weeks.

It was all surreal and it left him with many unanswered questions.

"Well, I can't stay here anymore, can I? There's no food or shelter around here. And honestly, I'm not used to camping outside. So, I will probably head off to a town or a city," he said, shrugging. When he turned to the homunculus, Aleph, her face looked so downtrodden. Liu smiled. "But if you want, you can come with me. Since I've also been alone for the longest time, now."

Aleph's face brightened up, and the homunculus beamed at him. "Are you for real?"

"Of course!" he said, nodding at Aleph. The homunculus stood up. "Let's go, then."

As Liu walked towards in land, Aleph ran alongside him.