Anxiety. It's like excitement, but negative. It's not a fun feeling. That being said, there's few greater motivators than the fear of failure. Or, in some cases, the fear of death.  

I've been up for a few... Hours, I think. When I woke up, it was dark. I was unable to fall back asleep, and I saw the sun rise on a new day. The day I was warned about. Well, 'warned' might be a strong term. All I know is that today is supposed to be 'big'. Anything beyond that is a mystery. 

A few hours ago, I decided that I've agonized about this enough. I didn't notice anything in the mirror, and still haven't yet, at least. I don't know if that's comforting or worrying, to be frank. I guess it's a bit of both. Well, in this case, it's rational to worry. Wise, even. But empty worrying, agonizing without action or serious thought, that's not something I'll allow. For the past few hours, I've been thinking. 

Each and every situation I've thought of, I've thoroughly devised a way out. Admittedly, it didn't take a genius to figure much out, as most solutions were trivial, simply warp S and I to safety, and we're good. Some situations aren't so easy, however. For example: The possibility that the entire town is obliterated by some all powerful, unstoppable force. (I'm aware this is a bit extreme, but I had a lot of time to think, alright?) Obviously, in the event that I last long enough to do so, I warp S and I to safety, but then what? What if it's ready to give chase? Do we keep running forever? I mean, no matter how fast it goes, I'm sure we can outrun it as long as we can move, but then what? What's left? Running until I die of starvation, dehydration, or exhaustion? How do you escape something that can't be stopped? Something that wont stop? How do you stop an unstoppable force? What-

"Easy there, pal." I hear a familiar voice from the mirror. It's DYN2, looking a little concerned. This time, he's wearing a night shirt and pants. Did he come in pajamas? "You're thinking yourself into a corner. The puzzle you've created cannot and will not exist. Relax." 

I'm surprised to find that my body is hot, that I'm sweating and short of breath. 

DYN2 continues. "Take a deep breath, pal. Focus, come back to reality." 

"A-alright" I say, taking a deep breath, and getting my thoughts in order. 

Now that I'm thinking about it, yeah, that was more than a little irrational. Absurd, even. 

"Good?" DYN2 asks.

"Yeah." I respond.

"Alrighty." In a flash of smoke, they return to their Hawaiian shirt getup that I've grown used to. "Aaaaaanyways! Gooooooood morning, sleepyhead!"

"Y-yeah, you too." I respond, barely surviving the whiplash that sudden change gave me. 

"It seems you've gotten a lot stronger since last we met, huh? Man, it's been a while hasn't it, a whole 24 hours!" they crack a cheeky grin as they say this. "those new toys of yours look plenty mean, boy! I look forward to see how you play!" 

"I'd rather not have to 'play' at all, honestly..." 

"I'm sure that'd be fun, too! That being said," They paused. Their head looked down and their eyes looked up at me, as their grin widened. "You're just as eager to show and tell as I am, aren't you Beyes?" 

That look, and those words sent a chill down my spine. I think that's the first time they've addressed me by name. 

I swallowed a bit of nothing, in an attempt to regain composure. "And if you're right?" 

They simply chuckled, and disappeared in a flash of smoke. 

What's their deal? Why did they come here? First, they show up out of nowhere and frees me from my mental prison, only to immediately lock me up into another one. I really can't tell what their game is. Are they trying to help me? Are they trying guide me? Harm me? No matter what I think, there's always something contradicting any stance.

I wonder if they were right. I guess, no matter how you look at it, they are. I wouldn't carry these if I didn't intend to use them. Deep, deep inside me, there's probably a part of me that's just aching for an excuse to see what I'm capable of now. I pull one of my sickles from a hole. I look it over. Every angle, every inch of the blade. I ponder what I really want to do, and what I'm willing to do. Answers elude me. I guess I'll learn eventually.

*Knock Knock Knock*

After some time, I hear a knock upon my door. 5 bucks says it's S. I put my sickle away (again, through the holes) before answering.

"Yo, 'morning." S says. Nice. 

"'Morning." I respond.

"Whelp, let's eat good before we head out." 

"For sure."

We head downstairs. We notice that the innkeeper lady is talking to a pair of guards. Oh, hey, it's the guy I met at the desk at the guardhouse yesterday. He has the same attire as the rest of the guard, but he's completely bald and wears glasses, and looks angry all the time. Also, he carries a spear instead of a sword or mace. Neat. As we come down the stairs, the innkeeper lady turns to us and says "Oh, speak of the devil." 

Fuhuhu... an average fool would be surprised by this. Not me, though, I've walked through this scenario thousands of times in my head. This much is cake!

The guard I recognize turns to S and I. "Boy in the, uh, spacious pants! By order of the duke, you are to come with us!"

"So, what brings you here today, officer?" I ask.

An awkward pause fills the room. "The duke, I just told you."

Crap! He wasn't supposed to go first! This isn't what I planned at all! Also, why does the duke want me!? What did I do!? Did they find out about my dark magic!? Crap!

"Oh, uh, right, uh-" I work my brain into overdrive trying to think of something to say.

S speaks up before I am able to do that. "Yo, armor boy, what's the duke want with this guy?" He said, stepping forward and pointing his thumb back at me.

"The duke has ordered that I bring this boy to his manor. He wants a word with him personally." The guard says, head pointed up and eyes pointed down at S. 

"Oh yeah? Well tell the duke that he can shove his words up his fat, rich a-" 

"It's fine. I'll go." I shout, cutting S off before he says something he'll regret. "B-but, uh, could we, y'know, have breakfast first?" I ask. 

An anxious pause fills the room. Then, the desk guy speaks up. "That is fine."

Awkwardly, the four of us sat down at a table together. S and I sat at the ends, the guard I didn't recognize sat next to me, and desk guy sat next to S. Wait, why are we all at the same table?! The others look a little awkward and confused about this arrangement as well, but nobody speaks up. 

The innkeeper lady broke the silence. "I'll take your orders." She said. We quickly gave our orders in as few words as possible, and she simply wrote them all down and left. 

The tension in this room is so thick, if you tried to cut it with a knife you'd break the knife. And your wrist.

The four of us ate together in silence.

The two guards had some sort of large fish, and S had some kind of chicken-y meat, I think. I had some sort of waffle-like dish, the same I'd ordered yesterday. I needed something sweet after this little ordeal. The only words that were spoken other than orders was the desk guy offering/demanding that he'd foot the bill. I thought that was nice of him. The other guard guy didn't do much of anything, other than eat. Wonder what his deal is? 

After we finished eating and left the inn, the desk guy began barking orders again. "Alright. Pants, with me." He said, beginning to walk away.

Wait, he noticed my pants before my eyes? What? Wait, not important.

"Where ever you're taking him, I'm coming with, got it?" S said indignantly. 

"Y-yeah." I add. 

Desk guy thinks about this for a moment. He seems to be having a rough time deciding. Eventually, however, he does come to a conclusion. "That is fine. But no games, boy." he says, reluctantly. It's clear he's apprehensive about this. Yet, despite that, he allowed it. Why? This situation is becoming confusing, fast. "You two, with me. You shall be escorted to the dukes manor by carriage. Now, let's move." He said, walking towards the town gate. 

I gulp. Alright, well, whatever's happening, nobody seems hostile yet, so we're off to a good start.

But this day is far from over.