CH 1

[I Will Never Come Back]

I posted a short comment, but who says a frog isn’t killed by a stone thrown in jest? Apparently, my comment wasn’t perceived as a joke. The day after that, I found myself sitting at a hero’s desk, banging my head against it.

“Where did it all go wrong?”

I muttered, and the big guy in the corner sighed. It was a sigh that made me look pathetic to anyone who heard it.

Georg’s bitter voice reached my ears. I leaned back in my chair and cracked my neck. ‘Close your eyes, open them, and I’m back home. Close your eyes, open them, and I’m back home.’ I closed my eyes and tried self-hypnosis.

“It’s going to be tough. Remember, you got fortunate when you defeated the ‘Third Disaster.'”

Damn. This isn’t home. Georg turned his eyes towards me. I look to the other side, trying to avoid his prying gaze. Georg stared at me for a moment, then shook his head. Please don’t do that. I actually might cry.

With those words in his cavernous voice, Georg strode out of the room, his footsteps disappearing with a thud, unlike Iris’ shuffling footsteps. The entire building seemed to tremble. I stared at the door, dumbfounded, long after Georg had left. My thoughts settled like tea leaves that have sunk to the bottom of a cup. It felt like a storm had swept me away.

Elroy.

It was only at Georg’s last words that I remembered the name of this body. Yes, Elroy. He was always called Hero, so only a few readers recognized him. Even I, an avid reader, could not recall it off the top of my head, much less the casual fan.

“Is this the name of a Hero?”

‘Isn’t this name… underwhelming for a hero?’  Thinking about this ridiculous notion, my teeth clenched, and I pounded my fist on the desk.

“Damn it, almighty author,” I said, “Why didn’t you let me possess him three days ago?”