[Earlier]
Moko and the children had their last meal with Polla. A display of tender meat and vegetables on polished ceramic plates laid the table in a shiny delight. Terayla assisted with gathering the food and placing it on his plate. Moko felt ashamed for letting her be the one supporting him, glaring at Polla with narrow eyes. He didn’t seem to notice the hint, however. To reward her for being kind, Moko gave her five cookies at the end of the meal.
The blue cat continued lapping its head on his wrapped hand, slumbering with soft purrs. In his unusual convenience, the numbness coated the wound. The creature was surely to blame, he thought. Although a ceded comfort embraced him, it hindered his ability to move his limb. He wanted to move around, at the very least.
Whenever attempting to nudge the animal away, Terayla always scolded him, pleading him not to ‘disturb’ it. She refused to elaborate and continued whining. Moko didn’t want to upset her, especially when Impy and Polla were present. He gave in and let the fluff ball snooze on his palm. Using his non-dominant hand, he ate.
As the four quietly ate, Moko reached over to grab his Cookie. He touched the doughy surface. The brown screen popped before him, replacing the sight of Polla with numbers.
188,102 Cookies
90 CpS
Owned: Buy: Upgrade: Cursor – 90
Tier I Cursor – 531,303 Cookies ??? – 200 Cursors
Moko bit his lip and fiddled with the Cookie. –The time to buy the next cursor is increasing exponentially. It’ll take me years to get the next Upgrade. This isn’t like the previous Upgrade. This will take much longer. Unless I get another Asset to help me, I’ll be stuck here for a long time. Should I ask Polla?
“Hey, Polla, may I ask–”
“Moko,” Polla said, speaking at the same time. Moko paused and released his grip on his System. When the screen faded, he saw Polla gazing at him with a straight look. “There’s something you should know.”
It was an abrupt tone change. Moko thought it was serious. He resumed eating as his ears were open to Polla. He may ask about getting an Asset later. For now, he wanted to listen to Polla. But he would’ve never guessed what was coming.
Polla had uncovered startling news. Moko heard the words coming out of his mouth, making him hitch his throat and nearly shoot out a piece of meat he was munching on. Impy jumped away from him, frightened by his reaction. Terayla had the same reaction as Moko, gawking at Polla with wide eyes. Moko put his fork down. He leaned forward, his torso pressing against the table.
“My parents visited your Domain?” Moko asked sharply.
Polla released his spoon and scratched his head. He said, troubled, “I wanted to say this from the beginning, from when you and the girl appeared by my door.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He looked at him as if he was crazy. “You think I wanted to say that while you three were on the verge of dying? So—you knock on the door with a cold face and a bleeding body, and I say: oh, by the way, your parents came to my Domain. They’re gone now, so that sucks.”
He stammered. “W–Well, I guess that would be strange. But we're passed that now, so tell me more.”
After sighing, he continued. “They were quick. They knocked on my door and asked me if I’d seen a boy my age and a little girl with red eyes. When I told them I’d never seen you, they rushed off. They said they’re returning to Karan Port.”
Moko was shocked, somehow piecing together Polla’s odd behavior from the start. –Is that why he was glancing between me and Terayla the minute he saw us?
He had to ensure that it was them. “Did one have construction wear and the other an office uniform?”
“Yeah,” Impy said, knowing the intentions of that question. He chuckled and said, “So it is your parents. I had my doubts and thought they were some weirdos.”
The news quickly pulled Moko in, knowing it was his parents when Polla affirmed their appearance. “When was this?”
“Three days ago.”
“Oh…” Moko paused his eating and rubbed his chin. –That was some time. But why three days?
“It was strange. When I met them, they had this worried look.”
Moko tilted his head to the side. “Worried? What do you mean? Did they think I was going to die?”
“I mean, look at you right now.” Polla shook his head, observing the state Moko was in. “When you explained everything, you mentioned you came across a man with daggers. That’s why you’re hurt.”
He nodded. “Yeah. What about it?”
Moko noticed a concerned expression on him. While fiddling with his System screen, he said, “The day prior, before your parents came, wanderers came to my door. They asked me if I had come across any children or persons. They looked very desperate, especially that man. When I told them I saw no one, they said their last words ‘Don’t cross over to Mannea,’ and left.”
His mind sparked, and he went silent, recalling when he also encountered them. And to his knowledge, it was four days ago—the same time as when Polla had seen them. It was a man and a woman. After some retrospect, he said, “I’ve met them too. They told us to stay away from Mannea. That’s why we’re going to Bamma instead.” –Strange. They didn’t tell me if I came across children. They only warned me. But for Polla’s situation, was the man talking about Impy and his friends by any chance?
“Makes sense,” Polla said, nodding. He still had that worried look. Biting his lip and grunting, he spoke. “Hey, do your injuries have anything to do with why the wanderers are keeping us away from Mannea?”
He kept his mouth shut. Impy, sitting beside Terayla, stiffened and widened his eyes. The two boys looked down, shadows hovering above them. The question rang in their heads. Moko knew the answer, but he repressed the desire to speak. In his best effort, he dodged the truth and said, “No. It’s something else.”
Polla was silent for a bit. Moko glanced up and watched him stare back. He spoke no words until a little chuckle escaped him, almost forcefully. “I see. Yeah… That’s fine then. Your parents might have heard the same thing from those wanderers. And in worry, they’re searching for you.”
Moko reflected on the meaning behind those words. Considering this occurred three days ago, he wasn’t sure where they were currently. Finishing his food and wiping his mouth, he pressed his palm against his cheek and thought. –They went to Karan Port to find me three days ago. The kidnapping man appeared yesterday. Are my parents still in the harbor? I know they don’t just give up and go back home. They must be still looking for me. We should get going.
----------------------------------------
In Karan Port, which bays the harbor of Kartha in the southern part of Karan, West of Mannea—the motherland of the Lei Realm.
A familiar scent of crabs and other critters of the sea manifested. Domains built with sticks and stone covered the region. The inclining hill towards the resting sea was busy with people searching their way through the harbor. Feet clattered on the ground adorned by bricks.
Accompanying the salty land was the trailing smoke of seasoned crabs and meat stocked on shelves. Anyone could grab and go as they pleased. The System would return the cold food, and every few minutes, it would replace them with a fresh batch.
Ships of various sizes docked in the harbor. Smaller bodies like boats moored on decks with ropes binding them on cleats for anchorage. Larger bodies docked on bollards with colossal ropes tied around them, a much larger size that carried enormous tension against the binds. Some settled, some harbored. People left, and new people arrived.
The afternoon will soon end with evening coming around the corner. People headed to different Domains to enjoy seafood before nightfall. Amidst the marching feet, Moko, Impy, and Terayla stood gazing at the serene bay. The endless fragrance of spice rushed to them, and the smell of salt and fish rushed to their noses.
“I’m hungry,” Terayla said.
“We ate not too long ago,” Moko said with his mouth drooling.
“The temptation,” Impy said, still on Moko’s shoulder. He slurped, and a few drops fell on Moko’s head.
“We almost ate the same things as we traveled. I’m looking for something new. A seasoned crab does sound nice.”
“I like it with butter, too.”
They thought of dinner, hot and ready, from a Domain. The best part about individual Systems is that if developed enough, Entities from unique Systems could be used for dining. For those with Crab and other fishing-related Systems, their Entities were precisely used to feed rather than for self-gain; it is the pleasures of the Lei Realm.
Many food Domains, especially in the harbor, have set booths for people to sit. They catered to temporary guests who came to Kartha, or wanderers. It also helped with the aesthetics of the Domain, appearing more of a restaurant than a typical building.
“Well, let’s get going then. We should find a spot in one of the Domains so the people can give us food,” Moko initially said with enthusiasm.
While walking to the main square, he caught a couple of gazes. It wasn’t just Moko, but it was all three. Stillness accompanied the stares in silence. Long, dragging seconds cast a hidden spotlight above them. The attention disturbed Moko and Terayla, who quickly picked up the unusual glances. Then after some time, the looks averted. They descended to a Domain for feasting. A few others strolled off as if brushing away their reasons for staring, catching up with their peers, and patting on their backs with fists.
Moko had his concerns, but he thought it was a coincidence. –That was weird. It shouldn’t be too bad. I mean, I’m with two kids, and one of them is on my shoulders. I’m also a little beaten up, so maybe a quick look would make sense. He calmed himself with a deep breath. –Maybe I’m getting too paranoid… I should be safe. Don’t worry. Act calm. Let’s try to talk about something.
“B–By the way,” Moko asked Impy, looking up, “it sounds like you know this place well. Have you eaten crabs here?”
“No, I didn’t,” Impy said, shaking his head.
“Then how do you know that crab with butter is good?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Sailin Port also has them.”
“Sailin Port? Is that in Mannea?”
He nodded. “It’s in Skail which is North of Dalaa. They have similar Systems, but they specialize more in oysters, clams, and scallops.”
As they spoke, their feet were on the walk. With no longer than a minute passing, they found a Domain that served crabs. The shelves displayed the orange shells, steamed and seasoned, paired with a tiny bowl of melted butter on the side. Next to the assortment was a counter holding straw-woven plates and metal tools to crack the shell open.
There was a booth beside the station where chairs and an elevated table awaited. A couple sat, holding their cracker tools and piecing out the crab leg by leg. Moko harked the popping and grinding as they extracted the meat before his eyes. And when seeing three available spots, this was their calling.
“Hello,” Moko said, waving at the working man behind the counter. Terayla walked beside him, and Impy sat on his shoulders, frowning with a flustered face.
“Howdy,” the man said as the three situated themselves. Wiping his cleaver, he peered at a corner and fiddled his hand in the invisible air. His tone was chalky but light, grown in his years but still having the energy to welcome anyone to sit at his Domain. “Now, let’s see what guests I have this evening–”
As he turned to see them, his words got cut off, and he froze. His fingers stopped fidgeting and inspected all of them. Moko noticed the sudden change and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Ah–” the man cleared his throat and reverted to his energetic state. “I’m mildly surprised, that's all. You’ve got some things to say about those wounds! Your wife must be on the edge. Is she taking y'all's home for the night? Well, like any good husband and father, you still need to keep your children healthy and hardy!”
Moko chuckled at his joking remarks and heartedly said, “These two aren’t my kids, but they sure do make me feel like I have problems. And sorry, no wife.” –He must think I got these injuries from a fight with my non-existent wife.
“Oh, bummer! And you look quite fine. It’s a waste of youth,” he said. Afterward, he glanced specifically at Moko and Terayla before going back to interacting with his System.
Moko let Impy down from him. He hopped on a stool and took his seat. When he turned to Terayla, he noticed her shaking and hesitating to lay a finger on the stool. Before he could ask what was wrong, he quickly understood why she didn’t want to touch anything associated with another’s Domain. When their eyes met, Terayla looked up at him and raised her arms.
“Upsy,” Terayla said, clamping and opening her hands.
He had a bothered expression, the words from the man slowly sinking in. –Am I actually their parent…?
Moko held her wrist and pulled her up. She climbed up with the help and sat on his lap. The cats circled around them, looking out at the passing civilians. Terayla put much effort into keeping her hands from touching any surface. People sat, heads turned, and peers conversed. Sounds filled the booth, a mixture of all sounds, from grilling resonating deeper in the Domain and words exchanged between customers.
The man chuckled and said, “Well, well, lucky for you three, I have three last chili dishes at the haul. Mind you?”
“That’ll be great,” Moko said.
As the man nodded and turned to grab the dishes from wherever it was, Moko waited patiently alongside Impy. Terayla, however, never sat still. Her legs swayed up and down, sometimes hitting Moko’s heel. He looked down at her. “Terayla, could you sit still? I know you’re excited, but my body is still hurting from what happened earlier.”
But she whined softly, looking up at him with unease. “I’m not excited.”
Moko was puzzled by her strange reaction. “Why not?”
“Something feels off.”
The lively atmosphere of the nearby customers got quieter. Moko never enjoyed hearing those words or anything close to that matter. He quickly scanned the surrounding individuals, studying those nearby and even those behind. He looked out to the horizon, watching people go by. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But the sudden quietness tingled him. –The paranoia is still getting to me. That fight did something to me… Terayla warned us before, and she was right. Something feels wrong.
“What feels off?” He asked, keeping his head up, keen on his surroundings as he attempted to find clarification of her words.
“Everything,” Terayla said. Her voice got more tense. Cats stood, staring into the darkness peeking around the corner of Domain. “This whole place is weird.”
Impy listened to her words, and his hungry mind ceased and grew alert. He instinctively scanned his surroundings. The voice grew quieter. Moko began realizing the sudden change in the atmosphere. He looked at the men and women beside them. They averted their faces. It disturbed him, shaking his heart and begging his legs to walk away from the booth.
“Sorry for the wait,” the man said. Three orange orbs were stuck at the tip of his fingers. He smeared them across the wooden surface and painted the field in a line. The glowing light expanded and formed into three individual bowls of food. The surface dimmed as food appeared from the bright concealment. Each held a simmering orange chili soup with two steamed crabs seasoned on the tender meat. “Dig in!”
Moko felt tempted to eat the food. It rumbled his stomach and nearly cramped his sides. He wondered what it’d taste like, the rich flavors of the bay and harbor. But sitting with him was Impy, who could barely make eye contact with the food. And there was Terayla, who refused to eat it. Even the people next to them paused their feasting.
“Actually, I think we’re okay,” Moko said, placing Terayla down on the floor. Impy also got out of the stool to walk away. “Maybe next time.”
The man’s voice changed, his cheerful attitude turning into a solemn one. “I wanted to feed your mouths… at least.”
He banged the wall twice.
His fist slammed against it with strength, causing Moko and the two to become startled. The strangers got out of their seats. They departed with swiftness. The moment the man hit the wall, it was nothing but an instantaneous reaction. They rushed aside, leaving the children alone as if in the spotlight.
Three were stared at by the gaping crevice on the sides of the Domain. Footsteps grew louder. People emerged from the darkness. They ran promptly, trying to encircle Moko, cornering him with no place to escape. His eyes shifted, narrowing as he grabbed his Cookie. “Impy, Terayla! Get away from–!”
Before Moko could grab his Cookie from his pocket, the mysterious people pulled out gleaming white orbs from their pockets. Some were strands and others were flat, plain like disks. They tossed them to each other—one end of the strands grappled by another person.
Two people in the circle whipped their ropes at the children, catching their wrists and pulling them away from Moko. They screamed, their bodies gliding in the air. Impy landed on a man’s arms. Terayla landed in a woman’s embrace. Impy fought back, punching him with anger and vigor. Terayla screamed, tears welling up as she called out for Moko.
The cats hissed and charged, claws jutting out and ready to strike. The people yelped as the animals lunged their paws on their skin. Defending themselves with their foot stuck out, a few men went around and snatched the cats by their nape. Their bodies quickly eased and ceased their attacks.
Consequently, Terayla’s voice softened into whimpers. Her legs gave out, and the woman lightly placed her on the floor.
The rest focused on Moko, their arms descending to the floor as the orbs shined brighter and brighter.
Orbs, disks, and strands were planted deep into the ground as their figures enlarged. They heightened from the floor, towering over everyone’s heads, over Impy’s head, over Terayla’s head, over Moko’s head. He couldn’t pull out a cursor in time. The light dimmed and the brick walls enclosed him in a small Domain.
The small orbs lengthened and transfigured into torches. A loud spark boomed as the tip of the sticks burned with a scorching flame. They cast light on the interior; a dozen torches circled around Moko, him in the center of everything. He was trapped.
His body pumped adrenaline all over his body. He bit on his Cookie hard, seething through his grinding teeth. The memories of the fight resurfaced, causing his head to lose focus. His fingers rattled, and all he desired was to get out of this dome.
He reached to grab cursors from his System. Just as he was about to grab them, a voice called from outside. A low voice, similar to that of a man. He said, “Don’t do anything and remain still, Moko Lor! We mean no harm!”
That was his full name. Moko hadn’t heard his name pronounced like that in a while. He was beyond startled. His mind was a mess, trying to find a time when he shared his identity with anyone. Besides his family, friends, and some acquaintances he forgot in Scholomark, he’d told no one else his full name. The sudden call made his shaking hand halt. He kept it still. He was unsure if he wanted to fight back, not when they spoke his name with such confidence.
Moko heard Impy’s voice settle as if calming down. Distant conversations lingered, reaching over the brick wall and to his ears. He looked around, but all he could see were flaming torches and brick walls enclosing him. He couldn’t see anyone. Relying on the sound alone, he tried remembering where the man’s voice came from. He shouted, “Who are you? How do you know me?”
“I’ll answer that and many other questions as long as you don’t hurt me or anyone,” he said in a loud voice. “We caged you in case you meant any harm. The children are safe, so don’t worry. Will you promise us you will refrain from using your cursors?”
Silence filled the air as all eyes focused on the dome he occupied. Though unable to see them, the stares pinned him, waiting for his response.
“We’re okay, Moko,” Impy shouted from behind the wall.
The buildup was quick, and Moko had no chance to process anything. However, he didn’t sense any ongoing animosity between them. Trapping him in a Domain scared him enough. But there was a reason for them caging him. The man’s words left him feeling perplexed. –How does this guy know I have cursors? What’s going on?
Moko calmed himself down and put his Cookie back in his pocket. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, “I won’t cause harm! Please let me out.”
After his words reached their ears, he heard people sigh and begin conversing. It felt like the tight suspense was quickly uplifted, leaving only the ones who built the small Domain to tear it back down. As Moko waited, he heard a voice coming from outside the cage.
“Hey…!” The man who offered crab food shouted. His voice echoed from his restaurant. The brick wall deafened his voice, but it was loud enough for him to hear. “Don’t you feel bad, sir? We could’ve done this without scaring them. Bring him out and let the three feast!”
The previous man addressing Moko said, his voice more relaxed, “I promise I wasn’t trying to do anything bad. You really don’t know what someone could do with an unyielding System, and I was only doing it for safety.”
Another voice erupted, a very familiar tone for Moko. It was so familiar that it made his body stiffen. “I could’ve done something, dude. That’s my friend inside there.”
And then another voice sounded, a motherly pitch that felt his heart shake and soften. “Hurry and take it down! I want to see him!”
“Relax, everyone! Can’t you see we’re all working with our Systems?”
The brick walls crumbled. Dust and dirt crumbs snowed. In a simultaneous reaction, the contour of the Domain brightened and emerged in a white light. The invading shine extinguished the flaming torches. Even the falling debris glistened in a gleaming flare. He shielded his eyes from the brightness.
The dome curved outward. Moko could see the night sky gazing from above. The light morphed and shrunk, dismantling itself in split directions, dividing and coursing away to a dozen figures circling Moko. Captors lifted the compact strands, once brick walls and torches, into the air. Striking their palms, the light dissipated beneath their skin. Everything returned to normal, and Moko was finally unbound. Unbound, he now saw the people surrounding him.
“What’s up, Moko,” a voice said coming from behind.
When Moko faced the boy waving at him, his eyes gaped wide, almost gasping. They traded stares. Moko was silent, unable to form a sentence. In complete loss and confusion, he said, “Lorace?”
“That’s me,” he said, extending his fist at him. “Dang, you’re looking out of shape. You got to tell me what you went–”
A woman pushed Lorace away and ran toward Moko. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. Moko awkwardly placed his hands in the air, lost in how to react. The smell of paper and wood filled his nostrils. The uniform she wore was familiar to him, knowing he’d seen this wear before. He watched the tender feeling of the fingers caressing his head, hearing the tearing sobs coming from her mouth.
“Oh, honey,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re safe. I wish I could’ve helped you. Please, forgive me and your dad.”
“Yeah, we should’ve been more cautious. We never knew this could happen,” a man said beside her. A large and calloused hand reached and patted Moko’s head. When shifting focus, he saw his father grinning with a somber heart. There was much weight in his words, the sound of someone repressing guilt and regret.
“Dad,” Moko said, feeling his chest ache at the sight of their parents—after so long, after everything that had happened. He wanted to cry. His tears wanted to seep out of his eyes and run down his face. They were within his arm’s reach. “Why are you and Mom here?”
“We heard dangers around the realm recently. I wanted to make sure our boy was safe.”
“So, you guys were searching for me?”
She said, “Of course. It’s thanks to these people.”
When the mother pulled away, Moko looked at her, a single tear sliding down her cheeks. It was his mother, the intimate smile he so remembered. Standing behind was Lorace, rubbing his shoulder as he reoriented himself.
He turned and saw the others staring back, the ones who effortlessly trapped him. They returned smiles, giving casual looks for greetings. There were ten of them in their circle.
Moko was familiar with the two wanderers who stood in front of them. They were the same people who warned him about crossing to Mannea. It had been four days since he saw them, but their appearance was still recognizable. There was a calm and solemn woman. And there was the bearded man, the one who had just called him from the dome.
From afar, people gazed at the scenery taking place. They watched Moko, their feet frozen on the ground and chest pointing in his direction. About a couple more people grouped together, their eyes on him with earnest looks.
Lamp posts cast light on their distinguished faces, the expressions of resolution and—deep down—anger. A woman knelt with Terayla, keeping her steady as she also looked at him. Impy nudged his captor away, freeing himself and staring at Moko, making sure he was okay.
The mother, the father, Impy, Terayla, Lorace, the two wanderers, and a handful of people in the Karan Port eyed him. It was a big gathering of both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Their looks expressed determination and resolve, the eyes of tenacity and persistence. He was the center of attention.
At that moment, Moko had a premonition. Something big was going to happen.