Just when I thought life could be getting back to normal, I woke up in the middle of the night to find writhing tentacles bursting from my chest. My shirt was about to be ripped, so I hastily peeled it off and shivered in the cold winter night. It was already early December, and almost three entire months since I’d embarked on that odd adventure. Heading over to the mirror, I confirmed that the octopus-like tentacles were indeed attached to my chest muscles and internal organs. They flexed and writhed with a slimy, purplish hue, almost as if signaling their hunger to peel open a fresh crab or clam.

“What is it, anyways?” I muttered softly. My parents and brother were still sleeping, and I doubted this phenomenon was something a hospital could fix. Last time I’d burst out, this ignoble aberration had been in my battle against Simon Williams, who’d wanted to end my hero’s quest and take it over for himself. And by the end of that story, I probably didn’t even look cool compared to many fantasy or science fiction heroes. It was my ally, Diana, who’d fired the final shot to help seal the God of Fire, and I learned soon after that it was an improper seal, as well. But that pink-haired Witch, Dorothy, wasn’t too displeased about it. I sighed and scratched my head as the appendages on my chest continued to writhe.

“Dorothy, are you there? You’re the only one I know who can really deal with these tentacles.” No response. I checked my smartphone, which read that it was around 4:30 AM, and today was a Thursday. That meant I had to fix this in a few hours before going to school. That’s right. I was still an eighth grader who’d been inexplicably chosen to fulfill this odd role of hero. This was probably the stuff of most middle school kids’ dreams, and it was, at first.

But several things had gone wrong from the get-go last August. Even if I wasn’t stuck in some B-rated horror movie with an absurd effects budget, my power usually came with these odd problems, and the allies I’d been dealt hadn’t been too helpful either. In addition, ever since I’d returned to school, my grades had dropped, partially as a result of having to keep myself in good physical shape, as well. My parents would definitely be disappointed in me compared to my brother, who’d made a fine transition to high school already.

Just as I was letting my frustration fester, the writhing tentacles once again began to sprout a mind of their own. They wanted water, and not just tap water—they were taking me hostage and leading me to somewhere nearby. I really wasn’t in the mood to fight more monsters, especially because I had a history exam today. I honestly hadn’t crammed too much the night before due to my daily training regimen, and I’d wanted to get at least an hour of studying done in the morning. I pulled a thick jacket over my chest and hid the writhing appendages as best as I could as I tip-toed out the front door and headed in the direction the tentacles were guiding me.

“Sorry to bother you again…” I muttered to myself as I pulled out my smartphone and texted my only available ally.

Tentacles coming out of chest. Won’t go back in. Maybe find Dorothy for me?

I texted as I jogged toward the tentacles’ signal. Diana had done a series of neck implants on me almost daily in order to keep my powers under control, and apparently, tentacles had still decided to sprout out of me just in time for me to fail my history exam. She’d probably seen weirder things in her long, four-thousand-year life, but at the same time, she was still annoyed at me in particular and the world in general. Most of the time, she only had to stick around and assist new heroes for a few weeks, but she’d cast an odd spell on me when we were in the dungeon together so we could survive. In games and movies, I’d never shied away from having a little spice when it came to love interests, but I honestly felt like I’d hardly made any progress throughout the last three months. I sighed and wondered if I could see Inder again, who more closely resembled a typical princess.

Where are you now? Diana texted back. That’s why you need to work out properly, Abyss. Hearing that name reminded me of how stupid this was yet again. I’d forgotten my real name, so the name Abyss just stuck with my allies and enemies, and apparently, everyone in the mortal world was calling me that, as well.

I think the tentacles are leading me toward the East Creek, I texted.

As I continued jogging, I recalled the series of events that had occurred last August. Part of me wanted to dismiss it as an odd dream, while another part of me wanted to say that it was a mere prelude to something better.

I’d tried to save a girl from becoming truck road-kill, and as I took the blow in her place and spiraled into my near-death experience, a mysterious legendary Witch contracted with me. I’d thought it was finally time for me to embark on the epic adventure I’d always dreamed of, but I wasn’t given a single hint, much less a manual for my powers and abilities.

In an attempt to defend the Western Sanctuary when it was stormed by those weird golden clerics, I’d pulled out a diamond blade and broken the seal of the God of Fire, who’d gone by the name of Krakazrlr when I fought him. By the end of it all, I’d only seen my patron Witch within a small dream-sequence, and I thought I was considered lucky that I would be given at least a few weeks of rest.