"I think it's time to wake up," the stranger's voice said.

Adam slowly opened his eyes, he didn't know where he was but the bed he was in was warm soft, and furry he wanted to stay in that bed forever if he could. He moved the furry blanket in the bedsides and sit on the bed he was still sleepy in his head and didn't seem concerned about he might be in danger in fact he felt a bit at home.

"tea is ready I'll pour you a cup, it will help you recover better, young man," the stranger's said calmly he sounded like an old man in his dying age.

Adam rubbed his eyes gently and started looking around, the house was small but cozy. It was brightened by the slow-burning flames of tall candles near the bed and the hearth that the stranger had put a tea kettle in its fire, the wooden walls made of logs helped to keep the warmth of the house inside and the sound of the woods cracking in the hearth gave Adam a certain feeling of calmness, he was so drawn by the design of the old house that he forgot he was in a stranger's house.

The stranger got close to Adam and offered him the cup of tea, he accepted and started sipping it slowly to see if it's not too hot. The stranger was tall thin with wide shoulders and hunched back he sounded kind in a way and had a weird golden mask full of crack marks covered his face it had no eyes sockets to let him see or holes on the nose or mouth to breathe.

"my name is E'thus" he waited for Adam to introduce himself but Adam was staring at his cup of tea watching his own small reflection on its clear brown surface he probably didn't note the existence of E'thus yet even though he looked at him when he accepted the teacup.

"oh dear, what happened to you in that swamps" E'thus said with pity.

As he turned back to check the tea kettle to see if it had enough water in it.

He responded "I killed a monster who wanted to kill me for no reason and I killed it in the worst way possible but here I am, saved again by a stranger who probably will die because of my actions. It's like I'm stuck in a loop. The people in it change in different places but it's like a loop" Adam smiled still staring at the steaming teacup as if he found it funny "either that or this world finally made me mad" he resumed.

Before E'thus can respond Adam said "will you please do me a favor and hand me that sword over there" Adam pointed at his sword laid on the wall near the entrance "don't worry I won't defend myself if you wanted to kill me if I'm not already I just feel good when it's near me" he was traumatized E'thus thought as he reached for the sword to take it to Adam.

"my father forged it for me, it reminds me of home" Adam said as he grabbed the sword and kept it close like a little baby keeping his favorite toy in his hands.

"you mentioned a monster, you faced it in those swamps right?" E'thus asked seriously as he dragged his wooden chair near the bed and sat on it.

"Yeah, big guy huge horns but don't worry he won't be back, not the way I killed him" Adam laughed as if that fight was but a funny joke to him.

"you should've been there to understand what I'm saying but to keep it simple, just know the guy has no more skull left" Adam giggled again and took another sip from his cup of tea.

"your primal rage helped you defeat it but it left you in a deep shock" E'thus whispered Adam didn't even hear what was he whispering to himself nor did he care.

"Tell me, where do you think you are now?" he asked Adam with curiosity.

"probably in another dream of course or simulation who knows" Adam he had this smile coming from confusion and stress he couldn't handle it anymore.

"After that lightning hit me I can't believe anything, to be honest, once I woke up in a beautiful forest next a monster was killing me then in a damn cold swamp and now I'm here and who knows about the next time I close my eyes to rest again but don't worry I'm about to get the hang of it" Adam thought he was still in a weird dream stuck in it or at least it was one of his thousands of theories for his crazy situation.

"can I have another cup of tea; I must say, it does hit the spot," he said staring at the furry blanket handing Ethus the emptied white ceramic cup of tea to E'thus.

E'thus got up to refill Adam's cup he sighed deeply which echoed in his mask he understood how Adam must have been through and he was waiting for his arrival for years but he didn't expect Adam would be in such a deep mess. E'thus had to teach him a lot but first, he had to heal him, in mind and in the body which could take a while but at least they had time.

"look who or whatever you are it was nice meeting you plus you make some great teas but I'm just feeling tired of don't know why so I'm just going to slee…" Adam yawned deeply as if he had no sleep for a while "…p again ok" he said and laid his head on the soft pillow and slept in seconds.

E'thus looked at him as if he could see him clearly with the fresh cup of tea that he just poured for him in his hand wondering; if he, a god, could fix this man to reach his destination.   

                                                                                                                              _  _  _

E'thus was waiting for Adam to wake up. He prepared some light soup for Adam and some more tea and got out of his house. Even with a hunched back he always had to bend his head and shoulders a bit whenever he wanted to get out of that door because of his height. His clothing was like of poorest of beggars his leggings were made out of old ragged black ropes wrapped around his waist to his ankles covering every part perfectly then he wore this old worn-out grayish short cape which hid his extremely hunched back very well. Everything on him looked like coming from thousand years ago making him look like a slovenly old man everything except for his golden mask that hides every inch of his face. It was golden shiny and masterly crafted but was full of cracks as if it was once broken like glass and were fixed again but even with those crack marks it still looked like a fine piece of art. E'thus gazed at the stars in the dark clear sky and sighed deeply as if he missed something or someone.

The fogs were like a permanent guest of this land and seemed like they never leave these swamps just the way E'thus liked it, after all, he was the one who cast them for those curious souls who wanted to enter his swamps, and besides there were some small mud volcanos which made some terrible scary sounds time to time which would finish the job so no one would dare to get even near where he lived.

He moved across the house to the back to check on his tea garden, these teas were his favorite, not many knew about them and these wet muddy swamps were the perfect soil for their growth. Everything looked fine, he heard voices coming out of his house, Adam probably woken up.

He got in the house found Adam all freaked up and scared and pointing his sword at him as soon as he got back in.

"you're not real. you shouldn't be, you were in my dream" Adam said scared to death.

"last time you were a lot nicer to me. Where is that charming person that I met last night" E'thus said easily.

"shut up and tell me who you are" Adam said the sword was shaking in his hands and looked angry.

"I told you already my name is E'thus. What is yours, young man" he said calmly

"take off your mask I want to make sure I'm not talking to a monster sorry but I saw a lot of weird thing in the last few days" Adam said  

"No can do son beside a monster would leave you to die so I assure you I'm anything but a one" E'thus said and with easy steps got near the heath to pour Adam some tea.

"oh, sssorry I…I" Adam's attitude changed in a sudden and looked less worried but more puzzled, he put down his sword and sat on the bed and lost in his thoughts, forgot what he was saying.

"you need to drink this tea and have some more rest, you've been through a lot. trust me I know" E'thus voice echoed in his mask as always but his calm voice helped Adam to take it easy and relax. E'thus handed him a cup of hot tea and got back near the fire to check on the soup.

"it's almost prepared; the soup I mean," he said as he moved the charcoals and burning logs inside the hearth with a fire pit to keep the soup pot at the right temperature.

"I'm Adam," Adam said as if he just remembered that E'thus asked him.

"well; it's nice to meet you Adam and I must say now I know why he chose you for this job" E'thus said

"chose me? who? for what?" Adam got even more confused

"god of course, who else? you are a real tough one. I mean sure you nearly died but nearly is far from the dead" E'thus said as if Adam knew what was he talking about.

Adam looked at E'thus with worried eyes, wasn't sure if he was gone completely mad or he was stuck with one in a small old house in the middle of nowhere.