105 CHAPTER 104 INSIDE NEBULA

"You will have to take off your shirt," Fabian said.

For some reason, Matt could not explain. He found himself doubting if this was actually the right call. Chris had told him how Fabian had sold all the property of the Roland and had squandered them on riotous living. It was part of the reason why Chris's father hated Fabian. The other part was that the man had refused to go to school, basing his fact that schools were for the jobless and for the weakest group in the society. He had been notorious in his ways, taunting the fame and success of his other brothers. In other not to bring shame on the name of the family, Chris's father had advised Fabian to join the Glut-Hunter. And that was how he became the overall general of the notorious group.

Matt bit his lips as he undid the buttons of his shirt. Fabian had found a google which he wore over those bright coppery eyes of his. He was standing beside Nebula now muttering to the notepad he held. With the white lab coat hanging loosely on his shoulders, he looked like some kind of astronaut. Matt did not know if he should trust him. It would be difficult to trust a man with such a reputation, but what other choice does he have?

"You will need to relax," Fabian advised and picked up some syringe, tapping the edge to remove the air bubble.

"Will that be necessary?" Matt asked, catching sight of the needle for the first time. He couldn't remember the last time he had a needle going through his skin. Thinking about it now sent a cold chill covering his skin. He was not a friend with the needles and never will be.

"Just something to boost your relaxing process," Fabian said and smiled weakly behind the resilient mask.

Matt laid down rather reluctantly on the chair bed. Fabian placed a helmet on his head and held his hands and feet to Nebula, using some leather belt. It was difficult for him to move his head now. The pattern of the ceiling and the white bulb was the only thing his eyes could see at the moment. They were almost identical to the other rooms but less stylish and more detailed to let the vent take away the medical stench from the room.

"See you soon buddy," Chris smiled as he looked down on Matt. 

"Take care of Pinna," Matt grinned. Chris's smile widened and said something, but Matt did not hear. It must have been the syringe or something because he felt a pinging sensation at the back of his neck. The humming of Nebula had increased and before Matt could register his environment, a white light, brighter than the sun, overshadowed him.

Nothing stood as far as he could see. Darkness was the only cloth that held him. It was alluring and welcoming, and the grace in them made him want to rest in their abode. Peace? Yes, that's the word, peace. There was nothing on earth that could compete with the peace that surrounded him. It was hard to keep track of time, but he could sense that every hour seemed like a minute and every minute seemed like a second. His body wanted the darkness, his bones were clamoring to suck all of its grace until they were satisfied. But what was this place?

Matt opened his eyes but regretted it as the horror of his current situation hit him. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly had sands in his eyes. They pricked every cell and nerve in his body, bringing tears that were unable to wash away the dust from his eyes. He grunted and tried to close his eyes, but couldn't as the sensation seemed to worsen when he blinks or tried to close his eyes. He rubbed the eyes, but that only added more salts to the injury. His body was yelling at him to get the dust away, to get away every single grain of sand, but the mare fact of helplessness made his current situation worse. 

Something flashed on his face and he half opened his eyes, just in time to see a bowl, sitting across from where he lay, with water reflecting the lights of the scorching sun.

Without giving thought a chance to settle in his head, he hurried to the bowl and washed his face, splashing the liquid on his eyes until he was sure that every grain of sand was out of his eyes. Breathing with relief and sniffing the phlegm that covered his nostril, he placed the bowl back on the stone and observed his environment.

He was in a desert. The sun was at the center of his head and sands stretched out through the horizon until they were touching the blue sky. He remembered what had happened. He remembered that he was in Nebula and this might be the world in the other frequency where Ham had been lost.

"Ham," He called. 

The wind stirred, carrying his voice towards the distant canvas of sand and nothing until they had been lost or faded away. There was no trace of Ham or anything that showed that he had ever been there. Just the dust, the heat, the sand, and the bright light of the sun.

Something moved behind him. A roar sounded at first until he turned behind to place a name on the source of the noise. He gasped at the pain and held his stomach. Slowly he looked down and was surprised when he saw a black spear piercing his stomach until they had come out from the other end.

He held to spear, surprised by the horror as his blood came pouring down like some overflowing river. Lifting his head from the wound, he searched the distant as to find the owner of the spear, but the land was bare of any life, aside from the life he had. A life that is being claimed by the beauty of serenity. Slowly it engulfed him, taking him into their abode, into that peace that cannot be put in words.

The peace was great. So vast was their goodness that he decides to remain there and not leave. Darkness also stretched as far as his eyes could see. How much darkness can a man live on? If all darkness was this good and enticing, perhaps he would forsake the light and dwell in this…

Matt opened his eyes, but he cursed when the pain from the grain of sands in his eyes flushed into his body. At that moment, he found himself hating sands with passion. For reason he can't explain, something told him, that the situation was familiar. To prove the fact, he half-opened his eyes and was glad when he saw a bowl of water, sitting on the stone, some paces away from him.

His feet carried his body hurriedly to the bowl even before he could think. Picking up the bowl, he started washing his face with the cold water. Just a matter of seconds and he was done washing all the grain of sands from his eyes. He stared into the horizon, noting the place where the brown vast body touched the blue soft body.

Something stirred behind him and as he turned his attention to the noise behind, he was shocked to the bone when arrows from different directions, suddenly pierced his chest. It was three arrows, and the shooter was nowhere in sight.

What is happening? His feet gave way as he went on his knees, feeling the pain that was driving the life out of her body. Darkness was inevitable. But not unpleasant. Darkness was welcoming, and he was sure that he could rest in their abode as long as he likes…but no…

Matt was conscious again. He could feel the environment behind him. He could feel darkness enveloping him. It would have been great if he opened his eyes, but a voice at the back of his head told him not to. So instead of opening his eyes, he tried to stand up. The first two trials were a failure, but he succeeded at the third, standing on the hot canvas of sands and heat.

Something flashed on his face, and at that moment, he decided to open his eyes. He had braced himself for agony should the grain of sand cover his eyes again. But this time, he was met with another source of pain.

The white light. Damn. They were too bright. Matt shielded his face from the light and tried to keep his face from the direction. But that in itself was not enough to keep away the terror of his current situation. It was as if the light was all over him, piercing his skin and forcing him to open his eyes.

Matt gnashed his teeth, holding down the agony and the bile that was stirring up to his throat. It lasted for hours, and when he thought that the light would consume him, they suddenly disappeared.