The Old Man

I regain consciousness and jump up, panting heavily. I look down, "A bed?" I ask confused. I start looking around, "Is this... a home?"

What happened? Why did I regain control of my body? What was that voice? Why did Hafiz tell me to leave Grand Order? Too many questions, and too few answers.

The door to this small cottage opens. I jump off the bed and ready a fighting pose. An old man, carrying piles of wood enters and sees me up. He walks past me, as if he is completely ignoring my existence, and feeds the fireplace with the fresh wood. The room fills with a welcoming heat. The old man opens the pot - which was over the fire. A mouthwatering smell fills the air. He grabs a ladle and scoops some of the stew into a handcrafted wooden bowl. He places the bowl down and fills two more bowls. "Are you just going to stand there?" asks the old man.

I sit at the table and start eating. After one bite tears fill my eyes. "What is this?" I ask, chomping down on the chunks of meat and gulpin