Emanuel D. Angelov
"All Losses in this world are due to a lack of ability"

As a child, I loved playing games just like any other child would. They enraptured my heart and imagination before later coming back to reap me. Whether it was short, harmless excursions or drawn-out power games with the ones at the very tippy top. People loved to play games too and I could never refuse. I played with those I knew and those I didn't know. I diced with policemen and I rolled with beggers. I out-sinned against the sinners and I fleeced the virtuous. I outfoxed both the lame and old the same way I robbed the blind and arrogant. I played well too against the moon and the sun, though both always had full hands I could never touch, pick, nor pocket. I tricked the good and pilfered the bad. Time can pass and things change and things stayed the same, but please do make no mistake: I might be the Joker in your hand or I can easily be your Ace of Spades.

10 Years Ago

The 16-year-old Emanuel strode casually along the streets of Sabaody towards the docks where he had set up shop. Recently, a small portly merchant had been looking to hire him as an assistant navigator to help escort his merchandise to the next island. It was second-hand work again, no different than his last run where he was always running as the assistant or cabin boy at the very worst. Like always, it was touch-and-go. Get the job done with the least amount of suspicion and damage.

Since losing his mother and having his run with the thieves cut short, it was what he had mostly done to get by. Merchant ships were plentiful and usually paid enough for him to live on, so long as he took precautions and put enough safeguards in place to protect himself. A not-so-easy thing to do when you're a homeless wanderer thinking only of your next meal.

On his back, he was wearing just a simple shirt and tie he had bought for cheap from his last island. It was his only spare uniform; all of his other clothes smelled terrible without having washed them for weeks. As he continued to walk, Emanuel began to just simply daydream, walking along the cobblestone road without blinkering a thought.

The portion up ahead was blanketed with overhead trees, though Emanuel just kept going, treating it like a nice little nature walk. Sabaody was a nice looking island. It had a warm, homely feeling with rays of sunshine bursting through the silky leaves and places that appeared well-kept. Though this part was more jungle, it felt natural with an abundance of flora while the other half was  greenery architecture. There were long vines that drooped down so low he thought about climbing one all the way up to the very tippy top. The very road he strode upon was built underneath large roots that made amazing overhead archways.

Departure wasn't for a few hours; he had some time to spare. It was such a perfect day that he just strode along the winding road on a brisk nature walk. He tried to name and remember landmarks, though eventually gave up since this place made it easier for him to lose his sense of direction. He gasped and poked when one of the bubbles floating overhead came down and he was able to stick his arm clean through it and then let loose a child-like chuckle.

After around 30 minutes, he opened up his pocket watch to check the time. He still had plenty of time to kill before the merchant said he needed to be at the pier. Racking his brain, he reckoned he hadn't eaten well for the past few days. As he stared at the minute-hand, he suddenly had a bizarre creeping feeling in the back of his mind. Something didn't feel right, as if the soiled ground underneath him could be overturned any moment now. And when he furrowed his eyebrows and looked closer, for a second, he connected imaginary dots and he thought he could actually see something. Something, peering straight back at him.

His eyes began to open wide, but then the feeling passed and Emanuel shook his head. Nothing was there. Nothing. With a quick 'snap' he closed the watch and looked up at his surroundings. He was on an indistinct winding road surrounded by open space, vines, flora, and trees. He looked up and sighed. There was no visible sun through the trees so no way to manually check what direction he was facing. Without a headway, he just kept on walking and walking. Certainly if he kept following the road, he'd eventually find something.

Soon, he suddenly started to hear loud voices. "I guess I am a cook, I do like food""This is quite tasty, you're skills are quite refined." ”This is some good chicken, Gideon.” He looked about before catching sight of the full roundtable sitting by a mangrove tree with a large feast laid out before them. He could smell the basted herbs and the odor of fried chicken skin that had caramelized and well-seasoned.

It made his stomach grumble and his mouth was watering. He stared for a while from afar. It looked like a rather quaint bunch; a giant, two boys who looked human, a winged girl, and a young child. Their voices carried over and echoed his way, letting him hear their praise from enjoying their meal. Friends perhaps? He didn't know, but they did seem to him that they were just unrelated acquaintances out for a picnic.

Emanuel smiled warmly, hoping they were having a good time before setting off down the road on his nature walk. He wasn't intent on disturbing them, seeing as he needed to find food for himself and not rudely interrupt others during their meal. Glancing at the pocket watch again, he decided he had just enough time now to start heading back to grab something for his lunch.