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For a long time after the defeat at the hands of the Monster, A.J. did nothing but despair as he contemplated a life of boredom in Conformity.
One day, almost a year later, A.J. was in the town library looking for some frivolous reading material that would give him just enough excitement to get through another week. He didn't hold out much hope, as he had read almost everything that showed up as even a blip on his interest scale.
Mindlessly venturing further into the back corner of the library, he looked up and found himself standing before a door.
The sign said “ARCHIVES”.
He was sure that he had never seen this door before, yet something about it was familiar.
“Where have I heard about this before?”, he asked himself.
Slowly, the memory came back. He thought back to the curious encounter with a man on the road back to Conformity after that devastating defeat.
“This is what that man I met was talking about after the Monster defeated me that last time,” he thought to himself.
Noble
The man had said his name was Noble. Before that, he said his name was R.J., which was short for Regular Jones . . .
He told A.J. that the Gracious King granted him that name for overcoming the monster and reaching The City of Grace, the capital of Transformatia.
Flashback
Noble was sitting against the trunk of a large shade tree skipping rocks into the nearby stream, seemingly without a care in the world.
A.J. was immediately aware of the peaceful nature of the man and the slight twinkle in his eyes as he looked up and spoke.
“Hey there, young man. Boy, you look like death warmed over!”
Noble looked A.J. up and down with a little wry grin, shook his head, and let out a slow whistle.
“Don't tell me”, he said, “you decided to go all out one last time and blow right by the monster.
“So you gathered up all your courage, put on your best armor, and gallantly marched up the road until the shining City of Grace was visible in the distance.
“As you were about to cross that last bridge into Transformatia, from out of nowhere, the Monster enveloped you in his powerful grip and flung you around like a rag doll.
“You were so enamored with the view of the city that you never even saw him coming. Basically, he beat you to a pulp. Does that about sum it up?”
Dejected, beaten, and utterly defeated, all A.J. could do was hang his head in shame.
The man looked quite fit and confident. A.J. guessed he was at least in his early thirties.
Who was this guy? Funny, he didn't see him on his way to Transformatia. Maybe he likes to hang out here and taunt those who have lost battles with the Monster.
“How do you know all this?”, he asked.
“Because it happened to me. I've been in that exact position.”
“What?” A.J. wasn't sure he heard right. “The same thing?” he asked. “How long ago was that?”
It must have been some time ago, as this man clearly did not look like he had had any recent encounter with the Monster.
“A while”, said the man, “but one never forgets.”
“How was that possible?” A.J. thought to himself.
The way he felt right now, he never wanted to venture past the comfort of his village of Status-quo again.
And yet, here was this man sitting calmly and looking quite peaceful saying he had been through the same thing.
“Are you going to give up?”, the man asked.
“Was this man blind?”, A.J. thought. “Can he not see that I'm half dead?”
The sarcasm spat out of his mouth as he retorted, “Well, what would you do?”
The Challenge
The man didn't seem phased at all by A.J.'s attitude.
“This isn't about me. I'm asking you. What are you going to do? Are you going to give up or try again?”
A.J.'s anger and frustration boiled over.
“Look at me.”, he yelled. “Do I look like I'm going to try again? Why would you ask such a stupid question?”
“Because not too long ago, I had to make a similar decision, and I can't help you if I don't know what your intention is.”
“Help me? Well, I don’t want your help. My intention, if it was any of your business, is to never go back there. I'm tired of defeat and disappointment.
“Nobody ever understood my dreams and desires anyway. So why not just settle down into a safe life in Conformity and do what everyone else has done forever?”
“Because you can't” was the simple reply.
A.J. was incredulous. “What do you mean, I can’t?”
“Just that”, Noble calmly replied. “You can't not go back. You can’t settle down to a boring, obscure life in Conformity now.”
“You have seen the City of Grace in the distance. You know it is real. Your little town of status-quo will never satisfy you. There’s only one way for you to go.”
“What part of NOT did you NOT understand?”, screamed A.J. in rage. “What do you know? I don't even believe you have ever been there. You don't look like you've even seen the Monster, let alone fought him.”
With that, he turned toward Conformity and refused to look back.
“Nevertheless, you will return, when you are ready,” Noble replied calmly to A.J.'s retreating form.
“In the meantime, when you have healed somewhat, there is a door leading to a room in the back of the library in Status-quo labeled ARCHIVES.
“All you will need to know will be in that room. The door is kept locked, so go to the reference desk and ask for the key. The lady there will try to talk you out of it, but be persistent, and she will eventually give it to you.
“And one more thing – If you need me, I will be near.”
AJ stopped and stared at him for a moment, shaking his head. “You never give up, do you?”
“Nope”, was all the reply he got.
With that, Noble turned and walked along the stream back toward Transformatia, whistling an unfamiliar tune.
Will A.J. have a change of heart? Will he give in to Noble’s challenge and go to the Archive?
Right now, I'm all battered and bruised in trying to write my Memoir. In this story, it feels like you're speaking my truth!