[Three Days Ago]
In Karan, the central region of Kartha, West of Mannea—the motherland of the Lei Realm.
“Hey there,” the man with a clean-cut beard said. Next to him was a youthful lady with sharp eyes, her caramel hair glistening. The two occupied the entire width of the road, making Moko stop in his tracks. Terayla hid behind him as the cats surrounded the two with alertness. They were planning to travel down south to Krall, the last region to visit until they encountered these strangers who greeted them with a light-hearted tone.
“Hey,” Moko said with a welcoming grin. He realized the strangers intended to stop them instead of being a mere greet-and-pass. They paused in their walk and observed the boy with casual glances. Moko had his hand in his pocket, his Cookie on hold, with the screen popped up on his side. “Is there something wrong?”
They noticed the cats and the girl behind him. The man exhaled through his nose and crossed his arms. “A quick message. Do not go to the motherland. Keep away from that place. That’s all we want to say.”
Moko was calm for one second before turning into bewilderment. –In Mannea? “What?”
“You know, motherland—Mannea. Same place. Don’t go there.”
“Yeah, I know what you said, but…” Moko paused. –That was one of the places we intended to go after becoming accustomed to traveling. For a while, we’ve been doing nothing but walking and knocking on doors. How come we can’t go there anymore? “We can’t go to Mannea? Did something bad happen?”
The woman moved forward, her expression solemn. She cleared her throat, catching Moko’s attention. “We’re wanderers, and we travel around to warn others in this regard. To your question, yes, it is very serious. Every region of Mannea shouldn’t be visited. The transporting ships have stopped their course.”
“Oh,” Moko said, feeling tense from her seriousness. He didn’t know what to say. Nonstop information flooded him, even without receiving specific news. It was all sudden. He asked again, though rephrasing it in case it wouldn’t sound negative. “What happened?”
“We can’t tell you much because it might cause trouble. The best explanation is to stay away from Mannea. The truth will be revealed when things are cleared in the future. For now, do as we say and remain far from that place.” The woman then looked at the timid girl hiding behind Moko. The man did the same. Terayla hid the best she could, but her little hands peeped over the sides. Looking back up, she asked, “Wanderers, also?”
Moko shook his head. He took out his Cookie, displaying it before them. “We both have Systems.”
The response caused their heads to draw back, brows perking up in shock. “The girl too? That’s rare,” he said, remarking as he glanced at the cats. “She must’ve come from a different realm.”
“You realized?” Moko hummed, astonished by the inference.
“It’s one of the perks as a wanderer. Anyways, with that clarified, our job will be easier. Make sure you two stay put until a certain consensus is made among the people for traveling.”
Moko studied them. The two wanderers seemed serious despite the initial greetings, genuine without an inch of doubt. But with how suddenly this news was brought to him, he still needed to process it. “So you guys are informing everyone about this?”
They nodded. The man said, “The people in the port know the word at this point. There are wanderers in Bamma too, warning others in this situation as well.” He smiled calmly. “You can’t make a conclusion from one voice. If you decide to buckle west, hear the words of the people and not just a person. We’ll be going now.”
The two walked around Moko. Terayla slid the other way, keeping her hidden from their view—though it wouldn’t do anything. They traveled north on the path toward Malla. Moko watched them in silence. As a rookie wanderer, though not entirely a wanderer, hearing dangers drew his mind back. Leaving with such an abstract note left him wondering. Concerned.
He clenched his fists. Before they were too far, he asked, “Are you sure we’ll be safe here?”
They paused and turned. They exchanged glances before directing their focus toward Moko. The woman said, though her tone wavered a bit, “You… You will be safe. Know that if danger comes, you can either choose to fight at the cost of your System, or flee. This question is always important for the people of the Lei: when the face of danger stares at you, what would you do?”
What would you do?
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The blue cat emerged, stepping into the light. It spotted Moko leaning against a tree. His legs stretched far, a small incision on his calf. His numbing hands rested on his sides. Fatigue invaded his scorching body. Sweat built up around his neck. His pupils shook with a distorted vision. Blood oozed out of the gaping hole in his palm, dampening the banded cloth around his hand. The torn fabric was incapable of suppressing everything. The redness spilled from the wrap, trickled down his fingers, and dripped to the floor. His breathing was erratic, with his lungs collapsing at any moment. Every intake of air suffocated his chest.
The cat walked to Moko and nuzzled its head against his arm, prompting him to look down and watch the cat sit beside him. He lifted his hand to caress the animal. But glancing at his fingers, he saw them quiver and jolt randomly. The rush of blood and adrenaline persisted, but they slowly waned. He focused on his breathing and petted the cat for comfort.
Moko heard sudden crackling sounds coming from afar. There was movement behind the bushes. His eyes jolted up, and when reaching for his Cookie beside him, he groaned in pain. Adrenaline receded, leaving him suspended in all the agony coming from his deep wounds, particularly his hand. Feeling useless and exhausted, he went limp and hoped there was no danger. His glare narrowed, waiting for someone to appear from behind.
Terayla and Impy turned up from the bushes, their eyes quickly spotting Moko on the other end. Two cursors rested on the open grass, the remnants of the enemy’s footprints below. They brushed off leaves and stepped into the light. Two other cats emerged and ran at Moko, Terayla running with them. She ran with abandon. She ran with tears.
Her arms rose as she crashed onto Moko’s chest, clutching him and muffling her cries beneath his clothes. Moko coughed from her landing and watched her in silence. He wrapped his arm around her in return and cradled her head. Her cats sat around them in a circle, looking at Moko with stillness. Their tails swayed back and forth. Their eyes were only on him.
Impy trod forward, his hand pressed on the side bandage. When he stood in front of the cursors, he gazed down and picked one up. He saw the footprint left behind. Analyzing both the cursor and the ground, he faced Moko with a big question written on his face. No words were spoken, but his voice was loud and clear. His eager eyes awaited a response, a conclusion to it all. And all that Moko gave… was a nod.
It was a simple nod, but it was enough for Impy. He tumbled on the floor as if all the weight had lifted from him. He sat with the cursor in hand, clenching it hard. A loud groan escaped him, pouring all his emotions into his pale voice. He whispered names between his pressing jaws. It was the same list of names Moko remembered from before, but it was clearer. He heard all the names. –Elea, Yanna, Sharlene, Witt, Renar, Loyd, and Daphne.
The three remained seated, letting the time pass. Their minds unwinded and their bodies ached—all of them. The fight was over.
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Up north in the Krall region, there was a lone Domain surrounded by blissful nature. The building resembled a massive stump, a remnant of a tree, but without the upper half. It reached meters from one end to the other. If this Domain could become a tree, based on the proper proportions of this girthy trunk, it would reach multiple stories high—probably as tall as the Scholomark towers. However, it only reached two stories, making it barely taller than some trees here. Though the wideness made up for it.
The three walked up to the front door, its hue distinct from the outer barking of this Domain. But with mimicked roots and carved embellishments adorning the entrance, it seemed to blend quite well. Circular windows also peeked in random places—never aligning in a bland formation. Whoever made this Domain was good at design.
Impy knocked on the door. When it opened, a boy about Moko’s age appeared. He saw two other children next to him. They stared back with exhausted faces. Impy and Terayla supported Moko, keeping him up by holding one arm for each of them.
“Hey, guys,” he said, slightly startled at the strangers. “What’s with you all? Do you want to…” When he and Moko shared glances, something clicked between the teens.
“Huh?” Moko questioned when studying his face. His voice went high, almost forgetting why he came here. “Wait a minute…”
“Woah, woah, woah,” the boy said with increasing volume. An epiphany rose within him. “You’re that guy! You’re the one on that ship tossing your Cookie!”
Moko raised his voice, finally catching on. “Oh! Now I see! You’re that dude, the one I asked for… something!”
(Before) When he spotted a lone boy, just like him fidgeting with his System—a tiny Seed—he said to him, “Hey, you there.”
The boy looked up and met his gaze with Moko’s. A couple of the students looked in their direction, assuming he called them, but quickly returned to their mingling. The boy asked, “Are you calling me?”
“Huh! Who knew? I mean, Kartha is kinda small, so it makes sense we’d see each other one day. But this?! Man, you’re looking quite…” The boy thought of something nice to keep this energy going. But studying Moko again, he noticed Terayla on the side. He went back and forth between them. Moko. Terayla. Moko. Terayla. Over and over. Something about them occupied his brain.
He then included Impy in the picture, appearing to move onto a new problem. He noticed the children supporting Moko. There was a slight change in expression in him. A new thought seemed to have emerged in his mind. The longer he studied the three’s state, the more his expressions flipped upside down. He was so concerned that he almost looked disgusted. After a dragging pause, he asked, “What happened?”
“I’ll explain that later. Let us come in, please,” Moko said, getting cold from the amount of blood he lost.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
He nodded and opened the door wider, inviting them inside. “S–Sure… Just make sure to watch yourself. Some of the Assets are Magnified…”
He peeked down at Terayla and turned away. Moko dismissed it in the first instance, but he began suspecting something now. He was skeptical by the boy’s facial expression and voice, including that random jerking of the head to observe the child.
Moko observed him briefly glance at Terayla, then return his gaze to Moko. The boy’s smile waned a little. His muscles relaxed, suspending that grin with nothing in hold as if forgetting that he needed to stop curling his lips. He expressed nothing too serious; though something appeared to bother him. It looked like he wanted to say something.
“Uh, are you okay?” Moko asked.
He blinked a couple of times and turned forward. “I’m fine.”
Moko squinted his eyes, clearly puzzled by the odd behavior. A minor suspicion arose in him following that response. Most of his thoughts believed the guy would do nothing of the sort. The first impressions on that ship left good notes of his character.
But whether he would do something, it didn’t matter at this point. Moko needed immediate help. He deemed the other Domain they visited to assist Impy as a no-go, not after their previous interaction. –I don’t want to talk to that man. He might actually kick us out if we visit him one more time.
The three entered the Domain. Moko was supported by the children as they walked. The daylight ceased, and into the dim interior, they went.
A strong fragrance of plants and roots rushed to their noses, almost punching them with power. The floor comprised wooden tiles—polished and evenly laid out. From afar, Moko observed the first floor of this Domain. The center region of this circular building was an atrium stretching up to the second floor, housing couches, tables, and lamps. The sunray seeped from the ceiling glass and striped the atrium in a warm color. A uniform layout of wooden pillars supported the Domain’s structural integrity.
Hugging the walls were small glass tanks—cages that stored life within. There were about 40 of them circling the edges. Moko was passing one, and he spent a few seconds studying the cage. If he’d stretch his arms out to his sides, the tank would be about half the length. He could lift them if he wanted to with ease.
As he analyzed the same tank, a luminescent light that mimicked the sun beamed into it. Light shined on trays assembled on the ground like a field. And each tray held dozens of tiny compartments compact with soil. And in these compartments, miniature trees grew, and they grew abundantly. They were definitely trees. Moko could see the wrinkling trunk ascending upward and the darkened aged roots that no sprout or saplings would have. He concluded that these were indeed trees. One was no bigger than a finger. Leaves tiny like sand grains.
Moko had an intrusive thought of pecking or fiddling with them. They looked adorable.
On the sides of the cage were open vents, and water vapor whooshed out and moisturized the trees. They sprinkled and dampened the soil, keeping life thriving. Unable to count all the trees, Moko speculated that there could be 600 in the 40 tanks. This only included the first floor.
The boy led them to the couches. With the System in his hand, his gaze veered to the side. He then turned his head forward to continue walking normally. Unexpectedly, he swiftly turned his head back to the side. He then looked ahead. And to the side, he peered again… again… and again. A bemused hum left his mouth. His neck bent forward and he narrowed his eyes at the blank air. He whispered to himself as Moko heard the mute words, “What the… Why isn’t it…?”
Moko grinned, finding it amusing from his perspective. –You know… People looking at their screens can sometimes look ridiculous.
The puzzled expression. The face he knew well since journeying with Terayla.
“Did your production stop?” Moko asked confidently.
He jumped and shot his arm up in defense mode. With a pivot of his feet, he turned his body and gazed at Moko. He was utterly shocked, flabbergasted. His voice gradually intensified with each question. “How did you know? Do you have Analyze? No, that’s–… wait… wait a minute… Is it you? Are you the one stopping it? Are you doing this? Huh?! Hey, what do you think you’re doing?!”
“Okay, let’s not go there,” Moko said, sighing. “I’ll explain everything. Let me just rest and get some aid… Also, trust me when I say this: don’t hit the cats.”
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Moko, Terayla, and Impy rested on the couches. Over the course of their stay, they learned the boy’s name was Polla. Moko remembered that his System was a Seed. The boy spent a fair amount of Entities to purchase kits from Applications. In addition, Moko took out extra wraps in his sack.
Polla washed the wound with water, causing Moko to hiss and clench his knee. Polla covered the spot with a sterile bandage and secured the region. He then wrapped it with tape to further guard the site.
Initially, Moko assumed Polla knew how to treat wounds. But in truth, he had no idea how to stop the bleeding. He didn’t know which items to bring out. Moko had to assist and list out all the things to purchase—to the best of his knowledge.
But he didn’t blame Polla. The grandma they visited knew more about these things. She applied the elastic bandage on Impy. She then informed Moko about this kind of aid for safety measures. The main reason was that Impy needed to reapply the bandage later. Terayla was with him and believed young kids like her would likely get scraped. He practically followed her instructions. Without her, he’d be like Polla.
–Maybe going to the previous Domain would’ve been a better idea. Grandmas or any elderly people usually have more knowledge. It’s rare for ordinary people to know how to do this. After all, at least in the Lei Realm, no one really gets a massive hole in their hand because of some dagger.
After the troublesome process of treating his injuries, including the one on his calf and other regions Moko hadn’t noticed, Polla went to reapply the bandage on Impy.
Terayla was sleeping amidst all of this. When hopping on the soft, foamy couch, she instantly slumbered. With small bags under her eyes, she looked exhausted, perhaps hurt. Moko let her head rest on his lap as a pillow. He recalled the time when one of her cats sacrificed itself to save him from getting stabbed in the head. She wailed and cried the moment it took the blow. Maybe her burnout and sleepiness were connected.
Polla helped Impy apply a new wrap. He gagged and made overdramatic sounds to express his disgust. But he did it anyway. While struggling to bond the bandage from constant palm thrusts by Impy—groaning and hissing, Moko answered many of the questions Polla had. From the injuries to the unexplained behavior of his production, he explained all of it. This included Moko’s peculiar System that does not yield to the laws. When informing him why his System wasn’t producing any Entities currently, Polla frowned for a moment before reverting to his usual demeanor.
“By the way,” Polla said, talking about a different topic. “Have you gone to the port?”
“The Karan Port?” Moko asked, but shook his head. “No.”
“Something about that place is interesting, I tell you. Since I’m close, I normally go there to grub on crab meat. But nowadays, things are changing.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Like how?”
“It’s like people are getting ready for something. I don’t know how you would describe it. You’ll notice it when you go there. But right now, I get that you shouldn’t… Eh… Hopefully, you recover soon,” Polla said. He was more direct and serious in the last part.
“I’ll check that place soon. We were planning to go there, anyway. But yeah, let me just…” Moko groaned when he made the slightest movement in his hand. He had no way to flex his fingers without feeling a burn in his nerves and bones. The dagger had done much more harm than he’d realized. He wouldn’t be using his arm anytime soon. For a wound like this, it was bound to be useless. And he hated to admit it, but maybe it was gone forever. Healing him with magic in the Knoran Realm might help, but he hadn’t considered embarking on that journey yet. He was stuck here with his unusable hand. Additionally, it was his dominant one. –Bummer.
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With the sun setting, the night invaded the skies with sprinkling constellations gazing down. The land of Kartha looked back at the darkness with lit Domains and streetlights. Amidst them, a stump-shaped Domain shined, situating near roads and clearings and fields.
The luminescent light from the tanks dimmed and switched off, and darkness concealed the trees. The Domain’s light vanished for the night, save for one gleam in the atrium’s center. There, Moko and the children rested.
Polla was nice enough to purchase a mattress for Moko. He also bought pillows and blankets for everyone. He placed it on the floor before heading to the second floor, likely where his bedroom was. He left them to do as they pleased, even mentioning a bathroom for washing when taking the staircase. The installed lamp was free to use whenever needed. Moko kept it on and helped Terayla lie on the mattress while he took the couch.
“Is she your sister, Moko?” Impy asked, snuggling on his couch. There was slight discomfort as he moved around. Moko couldn’t decide if the wound bothered him or if he had never rested so comfy before.
“No, she’s someone I found in the forest. It’s like how I found you.”
“Really? Was she hurt too?”
“Not really. Minor scratches, but mostly dirty. Though she was unconscious, like you.”
Impy yawned and asked, “When did you find her?”
“About a few weeks ago,” Moko said, watching her sleep calmly on the bed. Her cats nuzzled near her presence. All but one stared at him. It was the blue cat. It got up on the couch and lapped its head on top of his injured palm. Closing its eyes, it fell asleep. Moko sighed. –I still know nothing about her.
“She must be running from the men too,” Impy said, closing his eyes.
“You think so?” Moko thought for a moment. “But she said nothing to me. She probably didn’t know they existed until today.”
“Probably…” Impy yawned and turned his head away. “Moko, I have something to ask… It’s a last thing.”
He glanced at the child. There was a troubled tone in his words. It felt like the question he wanted to ask was purely for himself. After a pause, Impy asked, “If you had a friend, and that friend betrayed you and others, what would you do if you saw them again?”
Moko was taken aback by the question. It was random and unexpected. But something about his voice brought Moko’s attention to him. He didn’t bother asking why he brought that up. Smiling, he found this calm night relaxing and serene. The talk between him and a boy. Everything felt simple. Simple but wonderful.
“I’d tie them up and shove a handful of cookies down their throat. That’ll teach them.”
The boy chuckled and closed his eyes. “That’s a funny way to punish them… Good night.”
With a wavering tone, Impy spoke his last words before drifting off to sleep. After a few minutes, breathing became steady.
Moko was the last one awake, keeping his head up at the ceiling. Moonlight cascaded onto his face through the atrium. He took a deep breath, still feeling the lingering pain in his body after that battle. He could barely stretch his ribs without feeling soreness.
The cat still slept on top of his hand, making it difficult to move it around—unless he shoved the animal aside. But for some reason, his palm felt warm and numb. There was no stinging sensation, nothing that bothered him. All he felt was the weight of the cat pressing down on his limb. Moko wanted to check but thought he could use this to his advantage. This was his perfect chance to sleep before any pain would return.
He sighed, turning off the lamp and tucking into his blanket. Roaming around to find a soft position, Moko placed his Cookie on the side. When he found a pleasant spot, he closed his eyes and let the night draw him to sleep.
The blanket kept him warm as the night spoke through the walls. Crickets chirped and trees swayed like dry chimes. Winds blew against the Domain with faint whistles seeping through crevices. The rustling branches soothed his ears, calming his heart and easing his mind. They whispered, as if communicating secretly.
But the whispers—they grew quiet.
Quieter and quieter they became until there was nothing but bushes grazing. And the grazing spoke louder. The trees grew still, and the night grew cold. Crickets silenced and the stars hid. The trees ended their chanting. The moon ceased from shining its nightly glory, blocked by the thick clouds. Everything was dead silent.
Moko felt himself grow hotter, getting more uneasy in the position he was in. He could hear his blood running through his ears. Being so quiet, his heart beat faster. It was too silent for his comfort.
But then he felt the ground undulate. In brief intervals, the couch sank and rose. This motion imitated someone walking across the floor. The thuds grew louder. There was no creaking sound. Moko felt something—or someone—walk closer and closer to him. Nothing else made a noise. It was just the footsteps.
Nudging his eyes awake, he looked in the coming direction, gazing through the darkness with no light. He called out in a croaky voice. “Who’s there? Polla, is that…”
Moko froze as a pair of eyes stared back at him in the dark. White sclera beamed, showing the stricken pupils glaring in his direction. Neither the face nor the body were visible. In its stillness, it remained mute. It wasn’t Polla.