I felt the cold marble floor on my cheek waking me up in a daze. I surveyed my surroundings to see a large balcony overseeing the bright blue sky with what seems like a jungle covered in shrubbery hiding further details of the place. Next to me, about a couple feet away I see a lone man seated at a small table drinking tea leisurely. Wearing gray worn out victorian-gothic esque attire. The cloak surrounding him was full of tatters and was flowing from the refreshing gusts of wind.
"You shouldn't be here. How exactly did you find yourself in this forsaken place? Another teleportation experiment by the doctrine? *sigh another disposed appendage I suppose?"
He acknowledged my presence by speaking but he did not do so much as to take a glance in my direction
"What are you talking about I...don't understand..?"
With a short pause of the man sipping his tea, he replied.
"Good, it is best that you do not understand what I meant by those words. Getting involved with that cult will only do you harm. Although, I cannot necessarily say this place is any better though. Say, girl where are you from?"
I chose to answer his question with another one.
"This may be odd but... do you know of continents?"
"Don't want to talk about it eh? No matter, I shall entertain your question. Hm yes this place hortus is of such no? Continents though? Are there supposed to be more?"
A gave him a puzzled look and as if realizing something the man's face turned stern, his stare, intense. It was our firsr eye contact and I immediately averted my eyes due to the pressure of his gaze.
"You... you're from the old world arentcha?"
For the first time in the conversation, the man showed a sudden burst of emotion, as if a robot struck by a lightning.
Kehehe kehahaha! He let out an eerie cackle.
"Ahhh forgive me lady, I got a tad bit carried away there. Let me give you a piece of advise."
Leave this place at once.
"Wh-wha-" i scrambled for a reply but the abrupt change in mood made the words stuck in my throat.
"Heh I won't spare you the next time we meet lady, you should also avoid mentioning that topic to other people. Had you encountered the wrong person you'd immediately have ended your journey here. Lucky for you I'm on my break right now."
"W-where do I..."
I could only utter a whispher
"There's an elevator to the right. Leads right out to the slums. I'll give my word to the guards they'll let you pass outta the gate. It's massive you shouldn't miss it."
"T-thanks..."
"Kehehe a little meek for a person with a goal like yours innit? You best steel your resolve if you wanna survive. Alright then see ya."
I quietly shifted onto the steel platform the man was referring to. The bottom glowed a bright blue color and started lifting me up like a usual elevator. Quite intriguing... Anyways after a few seconds of waiting I headed out the door to the place called the "slums"
"Seems that I got caught up in a rather...troublesome part of the world." I let out a deep sigh as I walked towards the large imposing steel door. It had a scratched and worn out crest that seems to be of a table and a golden scale. With a hard push it opened making a screeching metal sound.
After a few paces there I saw it... this was the so called "slums".... it was mesmerizing yet...an eyesore. If I had to make a real life comparison... it would be like a bastardization of the tower of babel. A giant tower built upon stacks and stacks of makeshift houses and rickety roads made of planks and metal plates clumsily placed, together forming a site akin to the tower from the bible. It give me a revolting feeling deep inside. "I need to leave this place at once..."
Looking around, I could see a massive wall that surrounded the slums and there a likewise large entrance hall that led to the outside, shrouded by a powerful sandstorm making you see only brown revolving grains of sand, it was truly that thick. I sighed once more. Can I even leave this place? I asked myself, staring blankly at the otherworldly view before my eyes.
I dragged my feet, heavy as they are towards the gates.