He was staring blankly while rain poured on top of his head. His figure was hunched, his eyes silver, pale skin, and white hair, and he was carrying mortar and pestle, and in front of him was a wooden box with cabinets. He was tapping the pestle on the mortar, grinding a herb. Behind him was the woods, water drips from the leaves, the ground he sat was a patch of grass, his brown coat was placed on his head.

“Ah,” he said. “What a dream.”

Nolan said. He was daydreaming while stuck in the woods. Heavy rain fell on top of him, the leaves were being poured water. Nolan chewed on a rolled paper with dried herbs and tobacco on it. Around him were tiny lights that looked like bugs, but they were insects that infested this place.

“Light bugs,” he snorted through his nose. “Annoying, hmm, I need to finish this.”

He taps the pestle on the mortar until the herbs in the mortar became sticky and crushed. He took paste, opened his box, and took out three dried herbs stored in leather pouches. He poured the dried herbs on the paste, and he put the paste on his arms. “Leave me alone, bugs.”

The bugs disappeared and flew away, like an incense stick that smelled loathsome for the bugs. Nolan glared at the sky, his half-opened eyes staring. He recalled the dream again. What a dream it was, he thought. No, he needed to stay on the road, he still had villagers to visits, and offer his services.

He stood up and took the box of medicine and wore it on his back. The rain continued pouring, and it seems like he had no choice but to get wet, his long coat wasn’t enough to shield off the rain, it had kept most of his body dry, but his front was wet. Let’s go, he thought. He started walking on the mud that had mixed of leaves and twigs.

He started marching inside woods where the leaves were a lot. The woods had many hedges and bushes that he needed to cross. He didn’t have any tools so he pushed his sole on a tree, and swung on a branch. He landed the flat of his feet on a tree and landed on the floor with a wet thud. The mud sprayed and he had to avoid it from sticking on his pants.

Nolan continued his journey. The landscape was green and wet with all of the trees. This continued until he saw the sprinkle of water from the sky slowly halted. The sun broke through the clouds and the dews that gathered on some of the leaves glittered. The scent of wet leaves and earth wafted in the air. Cold wind pricked him and he involuntarily tugged on his coat.

“I should have found a hollow first.”

He commented while vaulting over a large rock. He walked out of the woods and inspected the edges of the cliff. “More woods,” he said. “Hmm, there’s no protruding rock around.”

An endless sea of trees bathed Nolan’s eye. He couldn’t see the landmark that should lead him to the village where a patient was. He was a bleak walker, so it was his duty to see to those who live their lives.

Some time went by, but the unchanging landscape still made his travels bothersome. There were walls of vines that had thorns. Boulders were blocking his way. Some of the terrains were steep and some were tiresome to clamber with how slippery it was. There were giant roots that blocked his way. Walls of trees didn’t allow him to continue, so he went around them instead.

Time passed, and he huddled inside a cove naturally made by the trees that intertwined together. Their branches naturally formed a roof and the branches formed a wall that shielded him from the rain. Nolan took the wooden box in front of him and started rolling papers with tobacco and herbs. He rolled a brown paper, and he flicks his fingers as if a candle flame would lit up.

“What am I doing?” He asked. “I’ve seen those dreams since forever now. Me? A warrior? There’s just no way that I am. I’ve been here in this world for four years.”

***

Indeed, he was Nolan Salvatore, and that wouldn’t change. It could be said that there were many fragments among them. Many which have been placed into realms that differed. These bubbles had become one, and a plain of endless trees and mountains became a part of this world. It was the result of various planes being transformed into one.

Gods are fickle creatures and they do as they please. So when a human who held no power greater than God gets involved. He would be put among the rest of the toys. That is the fate of the lost named Nolan Salvatore. However, this man who traverses the forest of this world had become complete. The fragments of all that bound him had returned. To him, all of it was just endless dreams when he sleeps.

He wouldn’t know about the woman he fell in love. He wouldn’t know about the suffering that he had gone through for her. He wouldn’t even remember the joy he felt the moment his children were born. Those memories were dreams and a being that resided inside of him, the being that had done it to hide this lone wanderer wanted it to be so.

Without memories, this wanderer moved without the height of what he did. She had made sure that he would be able to live his life without the worry of the Gods or the woman that was like a curse to him. Whether it was malicious or not, it was clear that she had done it out of love and envy.

Tania, the obsidian flower, whose love lasted for twenty-four billion years watched over him. He was unaware of her, and yet this was fine. For the years that Nolan Salvatore spent, it was always the two of them that had been together the most. It was always Nolan and Tania who traveled together the most.