~ Growing Alliance ~
Roven was tossed to the marble floor, catching himself in the face with those enigmatical brokers dressed in black vintage suits. Their bowler hats concealed their facade, the stylized blue glasses with hidden expressions blinded by the scorching rays. Neylan helped him get up with her frightened arms. Their eyes peered at those wrinkled skin clad in the fine essence of the southern region, a stark contrast to the northern counterpart.
He got to his feet and shouted at them, his voice pleading, “They’re still here! My daughter is with them! Talk with those men because we can still save them!”
“We kindly ask you and your partner to depart,” one said, their voice indistinguishable between a man and a woman. The brokers formed a line, restricting the path beyond their guard, on the floor bearing pure white marbles stretching to the far horizon. Roven witnessed the hazy hue of towers stretching higher than any tree or hill, conquering an altitude taller than any Domain he knew. He wanted to go there. The place of hope. To the Consortium.
However, for the second time, all he received was a straight rejection. Roven inquired for help yesterday, the day the attack transpired. Wardens pushed him away, speaking similarly to these brokers. Now, they responded with a fiercer rejection. They spoke in a monotonous tone. Unable to read their minds, his fists tightened. He said, conceding but begrudgingly, “Fine! Have it your way. The Consortium barely does anything anyway.”
Roven had never crossed to the southern region. The technology and the flourishing land of Mannea were almost formidable. Even those working under the Arbiters warded off anything they found worthless. Their ways sickened him. Spitting on the floor, this ground he stood on would be the first and last time he’d set foot.
The following days, two days after departing from the southern region, a silent crowd of rebels emerged.
Roven and Neylan entered the abused land of Awt. The initial day post-incident was filled with mourning and tears. The clouds heard their moans, covering the daylight with a silver tint that enveloped the streets. People returned with flowers and papers. Families sketched Systems belonging to their lost ones to the explosion, folding the drawings and planting them on the dirt where their Domains ceased to exist. They buried corpses throughout the city, in the soil where souls built their houses, now gone.
Neighboring ones hung out of the windows of their Domains. In their arms were baskets holding black-torn papers. They grabbed a handful and cast them, sending the black snow through the quiet land with the help of the sorrowful wind.
Roven caught one of the black strips, clenching it in his hand as his eyes swiped the field. Men and women worked to clean the city. The users, the ones whose Domains have been damaged by the explosion, have recalled debris and glass fragments. Others patched the crater, repairing the wound little by little. This day would become the longest day for these Lei dwellers.
However, on the second day following the incident, the future was rapidly approaching.
It was the next morning. Roven and Neylan left their Domain and wandered through the street. They carried the burden of their empty arms bare of the daughter they once could hug. But within them, they continued searching, finding a solution to bring her back.
While walking down the silent road, Roven spotted a gathering of people near the center. Unlike other faces expressing condolence or grief, this group conveyed a sense of wrath. A face of retribution.
“Are you feeling alright?” Roven and Neylan walked up to a man. Their posture and faces looked nothing like the captors. They appeared more… human.
The man turned with furrowed brows and said, “What do you think? I hope you know what you’re saying, sir.”
Roven lowered his head at a slight angle, keeping the words drifting in his head. He said with a nod, “Our child has also been taken away. I want to see her again.”
He paused, prompting Roven to look back up, observing a softened glance. “We’re the same. All of us here,” the man said as he eyed all the people looking back with mixed faces, “we’ve lost our dear ones the same. We can’t do anything about it… It’s unforgivable.”
Roven studied the ones clustered together, each stricken expression holding the memories all shared. His grieving stare and Neylan’s added to the whole. But beneath his emotions, his heart pushed him to speak of what hope lingered. “We can do something.”
Everyone looked at him. They stared like Roven was crazy; however, none tried rebuking or pushing him away. The man he spoke with asked, wide-eyed, “How? We don’t know where they went. We all evacuated north after the explosion, after our children had been kidnapped.”
“I was here. And I know it’s not too late if we act fast enough,” Roven said, watching their eyes brighten. “I know where they may be at.”
The operation to Big Day began—2 days after the Awt tragedy, 23 days before confronting Moko, and 25 days before the Big Day.
Hours of proceeding have been nothing but Roven planning and planning. For days to come, he’d set everything needed, even the times used for emergencies.
Evening approached as the people of lost children gathered their bearings from the morning rise to the afternoon high. Roven took the stance of the leader to operate the flock of common grounds.
He started the search.
Four parents—a blend of two families—took the role of scouters and traversed south to the Manaic Mountains. As the descending sun hid behind the desert peaks, shadows seeped from the summits and cast an immense blanket of darkness. The mounting face concealed the tiny figures looming within its vast silhouette. Warm colors of the evening dominated the horizon as far as they could see. Joining the scouting parents was the tortuous rush of sand stinging their skin.
The higher they ascended the mountains, the fiercer the sand blew. Their feet slowed with arms reaching to cover their face with a thin cloth. Unable to bear the burn, they descended until the winding sands lessened. Inclined surfaces kept them at full alert, seeing that any slip would send them down at an indefinite level.
After an hour, they discovered their aim.
As they reported, a small compound of poorly made Domains lived a few miles northeast of the mountains. Their words highlighted the odd desolation of these buildings. No known persons lived close to the mountains without being near a large body of water. The unbearable winds and the dry grounds deterred any life from coming close.
It was an unwise decision for a person to ground their Domain near the Manaic Mountains. Or, as Roven stated: “A valid ground for enemies to abide in temporarily.”
The operation continued the next morning. Sending the same scouts to bring any news of children or familiar captors, the patience of them slowly waned. Roven and others waited for their return with growing concern.
Minutes passed. The sun reached its peak as the people of Awt rebuilt their society. Hours passed. The day fell and dropped behind mountains, the place the scouts should be returning from. People finished with their daily prayers of good health and entered their Domains. But so far… none of their scouters returned.
Something was wrong.
“We need to move,” Roven said, his voice wavering.
“What?” The people faced him with uncertain states. Their faces rejected this instruction, but they quickly yielded. They knew just as much as Roven.
Neylan, standing beside him, asked concerningly, “Do you think they’re up to us?”
“I hope not,” Roven said, “and if so, then... We might face difficulties. If we can’t find where our children are being kept, then any egregious attack would be meaningless.”
A man asked, “What if that compound is their hideout? Can’t we just barge into all the buildings?”
Roven had two decisions that would weigh on his entire operation. Attack now or withdraw to a safer region for a constructive strategy? That compound might be a fake lure, as far as he knew. With all the troubles he faced, there was something that he couldn’t compromise.
His plan was to find the children and release them directly, passing over the obvious enemies in hopes they would free the captives before all get seized. Inciting violence was not an option concerning the laws. Unlike the General, none of them could withstand the retribution. While bearing scorching agony from the laws, the captors could wound them up, and the operation would fail.
He needed something, someone, to fight on their behalf. He needed Systemless people.
Roven replied, “If our friends got caught by them, the captors will most likely be prepared for a similar situation that’ll come. Besides, I have a plan. We may need to search a little…
“Let’s back away for now.”
The following days became nothing but the quest to find non-users who would unite their means with Roven and others. But the difficulty of finding even a single person was striking. As a couple of days passed, he realized the fault of requesting such a dubious task.
Everyone feared confronting dangerous men without protection from the laws. And even if they found Systemless dwellers, which were a mere couple who’d recently lost their Systems by rash decisions, this wasn’t their problem to begin with. So far, all of them rejected Roven. A few days skid past with little results. The region of Skail was barren of help, and so was Norr.
The next plan aimed to search the outer lands of Mannea, making each second count. No ports or prominent life dwelled on the islands, concluding that non-users wouldn’t be present there either. Thus, they must search on the mainlands.
Going to Roil was time-consuming, and most people there were from the Fross Realm. The western lands were ideal for utilizing resources and time efficiently. Kartha was the closest to the Horro Port. They would use this short distance to commence their Big Day, minimizing travel and maintaining the desire to save. If Kartha was the last spot and also their resting area, that meant one thing:
To Bamma, they went.
The next morning—16 days after the Awt tragedy, 9 days before confronting Moko, and 11 days before the Big Day.
They scouted Norr and Skail for a while, settling on five days to search and sail between lands. That meant there was one full day to re-run the plan constructed by Roven, for they would attack the day before the children’s departure.
But just an hour after setting foot on the Ban Port and traveling to Ban, Roven encountered an unpredictable surprise he’d never thought of hearing. It bewildered him that such a message came from a youthful teen, a boy who had a mouthful of food that quickly gave an undesirable impression; however, he couldn’t ignore this one.
“What did you just say?” Roven asked, his back straight and head leaned uncomfortably forward.
The teenage boy retreated a step. Swallowing his food, he said calmly, “A group of children passed here. They refused help when we asked.”
Neylan gasped, clutching Roven’s sleeve and staring at him.
The boy spoke the words so affirmingly that some men from afar heard and left.
Roven thought less of any outside reaction. The news before him was enough to captivate his full attention.
“Tell me what they look like. Also, how many are there?” Roven asked. His voice heightened with desperation. “D–Did you see a little girl with brown hair and yellow eyes? And was she a–”
One of his members stepped in to stop Roven from pushing the boy into a corner with questions. The man had a look of intensity, envisioning the dream of his child among the escapers. But tolerating such fantasy, he pressed on Roven’s shoulders, bringing him down from his rampant speaking and averting many concerned eyes.
After collecting himself, he said, “I apologize. Could you tell me where they went and when?”
The boy cleared his throat and kept a larger distance between him and Roven, which he thought was understandable. He replied, “So… They came here two days ago and went north after getting food from others. I have no idea where they went. Someone might know, but they might be hiding it.”
“Why is that?”
“I just have a feeling, you know? It looks like they’re running away. But, hm… If someone runs away from something and asks a person for help, the person usually makes their interaction a secret, right? That’s what I think.”
He had a point, and Roven quickly bought into it. As reasonable as it was, he couldn’t believe that children were actually running loose. There was no mention of an adult accompanying them.
“How many were there?”
“Nine, but one of them looked sick,” he replied.
It was a large number, considering it was a bunch of kids. Children of any age shouldn’t lead a group, let alone for survival. It was impossible. He concluded that someone among them must know how to survive.
Roven shook his head, refocused on the task. Although the news of children running shook him and others, he knew the key problem was the captors, the compound that resided south of Scholomark. He nodded at his members, giving them the sign to travel around the land to find any Systemless person in hopes they could bring them in. For every user they talked to, it was important to inform them to avoid Mannea. However, he couldn’t disregard those children, even with the objective there.
He faced the boy and said, “If you happen to spot the children again, do inform me or my wife. I’ll ask others in Ban for the same help. Since we’re here, mind if I ask what your name is?”
Giving a paused look for a second, he nodded and said, “It’s Lorace.”
They moved their feet faster than ever, reaching a speed they thought people in their mid-30s couldn’t achieve. Roven pushed through his quickening breath. More sounds of huffs and puffs resonated behind him, the holler of his members steering north from Utar. Some lagged behind at a slower pace, pleading with the rest to disregard them and abandon them. The news was just too significant.
The river of Ban trended in their direction. Its rapid current splashed and glided with fleeting desperation, catching the speed of the runners as it met the sea. Up they went with it, pursuing the news they received just minutes ago from Lorace.
Four days after settling in Ban Port, on the afternoon day—20 days after the Awt tragedy, one runaway boy was found walking in Ban.
Roven ordered anyone to catch them, whether they liked it or not. Announced days prior, there were no desired results, as the children haven’t shown themselves since. Everything changed today. But worse, no one had caught the boy.
He asked Lorace as the team went north. His annoyance at seeing the youthful freedom to run while speaking effortlessly grabbed a part of his aging jealousy. Lorace barely broke a sweat. In his state, he informed the response of the people when encountering the children. As he stated: “They were told not to catch him.”
The winds blowing against him could not seize his hearing. The rushing stream heightened. Roven heard him very well. Before a part of his group traversed south, he was sure that he instructed the people of Ban differently. But days later, it seemed like a change had been made to the words. His fellow members were unlikely to be the suspect.
But certainly, there was someone twisting his words.
The ships detached themselves, unwinding the ropes from the bollards. The anchoring cleats freed them as Roven wound his group together, settled on these departing vessels, and treaded north to Kartha. Eyes peered into the distance, remembering the salty air the sea carried. Winds never relented, pushing the large bodies through the waters. He studied the empty quarterdeck, finding no man steering this ship. Three sailed together with dozens of men and women on their crafts.
He wished there was a way to shorten the travel time. Neylan gave him an assured look and said, “I hope what they said is correct, dear. If the boy traveled to Kartha, he might be returning to his group. We could find them there.”
“We were only informed of their course, but not where. They seemed to have gotten boats from some person,” Roven said. “We’re going to the last land a day early, but that’s fine. Nothing was productive in Bamma anyway. Yeah…”
With the Big Day coming closer, the race to find help was becoming narrower. He couldn’t tell if it was the rocking of the ship or the trembling marrow of his bones, but he couldn’t stand still. He held onto the railing to keep him afoot. In his piercing gaze, he contemplated the possibilities of failing.
The plans he made were all for this moment. However, the Big Day risked ruin without finding the last puzzle piece. Nerves kicked in, pinning him down as words refused to come out.
A hand rested on top of his. Neylan said calmly, “Everything will be okay. Trust in yourself. When you trust in yourself, others can also do the same. If you don’t, how can we rely on you?”
Roven lifted his head, feeling the warm fingers embracing his cold skin. The captured children, the seized scouts, the search for non-users, the news of runaway children, and the Big Day. Everything weighed on his mind beyond what he wanted. Yet in this minute, he felt the nerves lighten.
“Finish what you started,” she said. “Fighting ensures we don’t go down without accomplishing something. Besides, you’ve done more than any of us would do combined. I’m proud of you, honey.”
She planted a soft kiss on his shoulder. Her hand caressed the region tenderly. Roven felt the warmth invade him as her gaze met his. After expressing gratitude and love, she mingled with and comforted others in similar emotional turmoil. Just like him, everyone feared the Big Day.
With it approaching ever so slightly, day by day, the pressure of danger and fear rose higher and higher. Neylan and a couple assisted in comfort, knowing their lives wouldn’t mean much without the life they made.
Her words lingered in his mind. Roven felt the wind brushing against his frigid face more clearly. The blue depths of the sea shined as the currents carried the vessels to the north. They passed between the islands bordering the far horizon in blue silhouettes. Sailing to a third body of land stretching farther than the two islands of the west, Roven decided.
Although hoping to see her daughter among those supposed runaway children, the most logical assumption was that she wasn’t. Children’s safety was crucial, but the issue lay with the captors. If they were vanquished, begone from this realm, then the children could live safely. Thus, Roven thought less about the children and more about the problem at hand.
He will see this through, to finish what he started.
On the same day, he settled the last piece of land and proceeded with the plan. It was 20 days after the Awt tragedy. A handful of his team remained on the port while others scouted the land in search of any non-users.
Roven and Neylan traveled west and south to Krall. He encountered a boy named Polla. When he asked if he had encountered any children passing by, he received the usual answer that brought him nowhere. He left with a note of warning to keep anyone from entering Mannea.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Through the green abundance, through the rivers of Krall, he circled the land that bore nothing but empty news of children that might’ve passed by… until there was one particular grandma and man he came across.
“Ted?” Roven repeated what the elderly lady had mentioned. He glanced at Neylan, and she gave a shaking head. It seems that name was never on their team’s list of children. He replied, “Never heard of that child. Where did he go?”
The grandma sighed and pondered deeply. “Oh dear… when was that? Was it today? I think it was. I told him he could stay, but he said he was looking around. Maybe he was lost? I hope he’s okay… Children these days; they’re always so fast on their feet.”
It was unfortunate he got a different answer, though it was somewhat useful. He could hardly blame the lady. Back to the question, he asked with a different approach, “Did he go somewhere?”
“Oh yes, he did,” she responded and then pointed south with her wrinkly arm. “He went there into the woods. I wished him a happy life. He had a sad look, but I can only do so much with this old body. And my stubborn son is never polite.”
Based on the arm’s trajectory, it was the place he and Neylan had recently left. He said to the grandma before parting away from her and the man’s Domain, “Thank you. Have a great day.”
“Bye, handsome and beautiful,” she replied to Roven and Neylan respectively in her warm smile.
Roven traversed north, making Neylan puzzled. With enough distance so the persistent look of the grandma’s gaze disappeared behind trees, she asked, “Are we not going to find the children?”
He shook his head. “We’re not wasting any more time. Finding non-users is our primary goal. We can’t make a solution without solving the problem first, and our problem is with those captors.”
“Then are we officially stopping the search for the children?”
“I’ve said this on the ship, but yes. I personally asked the people in Krall where the children were since it’s the hypothetical location if they traveled north. And since this Ted person sailed back south, it’s most likely that they’re not in Kartha. That’s why from here on, I’ll just focus on searching for any Systemless persons.”
But just an hour later, when they navigated north through Karan, they encountered an odd pair. A boy and a girl. One was older, the other younger. Their path crossed, a good time to warn them.
“Hey there,” Roven said with Neylan beside him. They occupied the road, making the two stop in their tracks. He glanced at the little girl hiding behind the boy’s back. He suspected that this was possibly one of the runaway children. But based on the clean dress she wore and the overall mood she carried, it was unlikely she was. Her timidness was only out of shyness, a different reaction from what a fearful child would portray.
“Hey,” the boy said, grinning. “Is there something wrong?”
Roven inquired whether they were non-users, but found out the two possessed Systems—another encounter of disappointment. But unlike others, it surprised both him and Neylan that the girl also had one. The suggestion was that she came from a different realm, as no child in these lands could acquire a System.
After they spoke some words and parted ways, they returned to Karan Port for rest as the evening dusk arrived.
The next time Roven had to come to Karan Port in the evening was when he encountered the boy’s parents two days later.
His team covered the region of Hark and some parts of Karan. Again, no non-users have been spotted. Based on the searches, Kartha was a less populated land compared to Bamma. He tasked himself and Neylan to search for the last part of Kartha: Malla.
While searching for no sign of what was needed, he stumbled upon the parents of the boy named Moko. Warning them to keep their distance from Mannea, their voices grew worried. Roven wanted to withdraw from the unnecessary talk as the Big Day was slowly coming around. However, the longer the mother and father discussed Moko, the more the topic of his Cookie System was brought up. They slid in some unusual information about the nature of the System. The longer they continued, the bigger he got invested in their conversation.
A System without any core elements of a System?
The question rang as he and Neylan returned to the port. To find Moko out of stress, the parents came along. The statement particularly struck him because not only did they claim it was barely considered a System, but the behavior of the gifted Asset differed greatly from what they expected. Believed to only click a certain target, Moko’s System defied that rule and manipulated the Asset to exert physical damage too.
“Does this mean…?”
The sun swiftly disappeared, leaving them with a lingering orange dusk. But within that frame, Roven and his group gathered in the port and discussed this odd matter. When all hopes seemed lost, when the last resort was to charge toward danger with blind eyes, when the last option was to face the men and the laws, one certain light flickered. It was this notion of a Systemless System.
Men and women surrounded Roven. Neylan remained beside him as always. Lorace leaned close and heard his friend being talked about as if he were a main character. Moko’s parents waited for Roven’s reply, the question that would dictate what would happen in the last days before the Big Day.
“We can’t know for sure yet,” Roven replied. “We don’t know what he does. Yes, he has an absurd Asset that could tear down trees with no pre-operated instructions. Yes, he has no elements to his System. But that doesn’t mean he’s an exception to the laws. We have to make sure he’s our desired person.”
One woman in the group asked, “Then what do we do?”
“Get adequate rest. We mustn’t get exhausted before the Big Day. The next morning, go and search for Moko. He ventured south based on our encounter.”
So they did.
As the next day swiftly passed with nerves among all, a pair came running to speak the news they’d witnessed.
The two men ran without air in their lungs. Their feet ran and ran, mindlessly bumping into a random pedestrian with crab legs stuffed in his mouth. Lorace. Screaming out for Roven, they pulled everyone’s attention. A portion of their group was away in search of Moko, but those who stayed in the port assembled.
They sprinted down with sweat dampening their uniforms. Their eyes spoke volumes of shock as if a sparking revelation shook their entire being. When crossing with Roven, they spoke their words. In an instant, everyone gasped with brightened eyes. The parents stammered back. Baffled, Lorace held the back of his head. Neylan gripped Roven’s sleeve. And Roven froze, completely frozen.
“He did what?”
They shouted, sounding more desperate, “He killed a captor! Are you getting this?”
“A captor? With his System?”
They nodded.
“But what about–”
“No law intervention! He still has his System!”
Roven also got desperate. He asked, “Then where is he? Why isn’t he with you?!”
In trembling voices, they said, “B–because it was the spur of the moment. We feared what he might do. He… killed a person, after all.”
He held back in his saying, as he could only make a fist to release his frustration. Their action had a reason. If what they said was true, he got blood on his hands. Even if his parents and Lorace tried convincing Roven he was not that sort of person, he was still a killer. If an unconventional System like his was able to overcome the laws, then as much as he was in danger, he was also dangerous.
Roven couldn’t risk anything at this point in the operation. Facing Moko directly was not an option.
With a loud voice for everyone to hear, he shouted, “Order everyone to stay in the Karan Port!”
The mother asked, worried, “We’re not going to find my son? He must be hurt!”
“Um,” the pair who ran to give the news said with mild guilt, “Yeah, he was injured.”
He shook his head. “We can’t risk our safety around his System. We need to approach this differently.”
“What are we going to do?” everyone asked.
“Here’s what we’ll do…”
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~ Moko’s Pledge ~
Tonight—25 days after the Awt tragedy, and 2 days before the Big Day.
“So that’s why you guys trapped me,” Moko said.
“We meant nothing bad,” Roven assured, taking a sip of water to quench his throat. “We needed to be careful with who we’re trying to deal with; I hope you understand now.”
“No, yeah, I understand,” he replied. He sat throughout the entire story of their voyage, his hands clutching his knees. Many things have been answered. As the man quieted in retrospect, the suspense rose as Moko waited at the edge of his seat.
“Long journey,” Roven said, rising from the booth. “We’ve come this far. All of us have. We found those closely connected to you. We found those that were recent such as Impy. And last, we found you and Terayla. The Lei Realm looks big, but ever since traveling like a wanderer, it is quite a small bubble. I enjoyed the thrill, but that is not the issue at hand.
With a slight gesture toward Neylan, she gave Roven his Mug back.
Pinching his System, he extracted a mug and hauled it behind him. He then threw the ceramic object into the air, sending it with a force that brought it higher and higher. It spun as it passed the lamp pole, catching its gleaming essence in the warm light.
The parents and Lorace sat watching as the mug glided in the air. Moko wondered what Roven would do with that flying cup.
He then extracted another mug. Using the second one, he shot it at the first mug with an even greater might. It blasted far out to its target. When the two mugs collided, a loud clash expanded throughout the vicinity. The ceramic pieces shattered and rained with chimes. Moko flinched at the eruptive sound of the impact, and so did everyone else.
Terayla, Impy, and the rest of the occupied people seized their thrilling games and looked up. The shards fell upon them. But with swiftness, Roven commanded with a firm voice: “Return.”
The shards got concealed in a blanket of white light, revealing themselves in glistening, magical snowflakes. Their descent slowed until they merely hovered in the cool air of the night. And a moment later, the fragments changed course. Their glistening presence thrust upward with their trajectories aimed at one spot, and they sailed with immediate heed. The shape of each shattered piece shrunk into individual orbs. Looking up, it seemed as if the stars were moving in front of them.
As the orbs landed on his palm one after the other, he closed his hand shut and lowered his arm, never bothering to check if the spectacles were gone. Now that he got everyone’s attention from that little show, he faced Moko.
“Can you follow me?” Roven asked.
When Moko got to his feet, he saw Lorace, Neylan, and his parents already leaving their seats. The man behind the counter who offered crab dinner noticed his chairs emptying one by one. Roven’s team gathered close. Impy and Terayla, curious about the sudden migration, walked together and stood with the rest.
As his closest peers walked away, passing over Roven and joining the two kids in the front, Moko faced him, his face written with nerves.
Moko lagged. His heart pounded as nearly dozens of people watched. Roven met the boy’s pace as he said, “I’m sure you understand the real dangers of being a Systemless user. You’ve encountered a captor yourself.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Moko said, agreeing to the man’s statement. His voice was more tense than before, feeling like he was speaking more formally.
He continued, his voice serious and retrospective. “It’s been 26 days since the attack on Dalaa’s city, the same day of graduation. Lei’s people aren’t foolish enough to stay silent after that incident. No one. All the ones you see with us are parents of their children who were taken.
“Those captors have abilities to fly in the air, leaving behind a black trail as they course to their destination. They have a drawback on that power, however. They have the inability to move in any complex direction except a linear path. Thus, to our convenience, I have spotted the location of their hideout.
“That is why, before they can send our kids away for good, we need your help.”
Moko stiffened as he stopped walking, but so did Roven. Joining with the rest of the crowd, he gazed at the boy with sincerity. All of them did. He studied their eyes, sweeping the field with his heart pounding. He anticipated it, but not the public spectacle. “My help…?”
Roven said in a softer tone, “Our plan is… prototypical. But after hearing news about you, we are certain that we can make this work.” He extended his left hand toward Moko, being considerate of his wounded right hand, and said, “Please, help us. Pledge your allegiance. With you and your… Cookie System, we can save children. With your unyielding System, we can do this.
“But do you see my hand and body?” Moko asked, observing his frame and indicating the evident aftermath horrors. “How am I supposed to help if I’m like this? I’m no match against those people. Even one of them was enough to bring me into this state.”
“Your left hand still works. And we’re not asking you to fight them. We want you to protect us. Our sole goal is to release the children and escape. In return, we will protect you. Our bodies will be your shield, and you will be our sword.”
Moko gazed at the hand before him. The people waited, Roven waited, Neylan waited, his parents waited, Impy waited, and Terayla waited. There were no signs of fear or tremors among the adults. They shouted unspoken determination within those eyes, showing no horror at placing their lives on the line. It felt like nothing would penetrate their resolve to save the kids. No one was backing down. Days up to this minute, it was the final pledge—Moko’s pledge.
At that moment, he felt his throat tighten and dry up. He had no urge to observe the silent stares again. His legs could tumble from a slight nudge. He never expected this buildup.
He opened his mouth, and with nerves strangling his voice, he spoke:
“I don’t know… I have to think about it.”
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The lamp posts remained lit, shining the port and shimmering the dark waters. Ships swayed back and forth, docked in wharves extending far into the abyss. A handful of people stood on the moored vessels, their bodies leaning against the railings, exchanging words in a casual demeanor. Others joined on the shore, some quiet and introspective.
Moko sat alone on a bench in the street. The light pole radiated behind him, casting a shadow on his face. His posture loosened. He relaxed on the seat. The people talking from afar. Hands crossed and in silence, he watched.
Impy sat on a box as tall as him. Roven spoke to the boy in soft gestures as they traded words. Their faces seemed serious, appearing to discuss something that might be significant later on.
The mother squatted and held Terayla’s hands. She did most of the talking, and occasionally, she poked the girl in joking remarks to lift the mood. Cats surrounded the two, their heads brushing against the woman.
Neylan talked with the other members, particularly Lorace. He seemed oddly invested in the conversation.
Last, there was the father. He walked in his direction. Catching his sight, Moko watched him slowly approach.
The father closed the gap and gestured toward the open spot on the bench. Moko nodded in response, sliding to the side to give more access. The man sat heavily, hand planted on the backrest, eyes fixed on the noisy shore. Amidst the quiet atmosphere hovering around Moko, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
He didn’t respond. He kept his posture sludgy, his legs bobbing.
Continuing with a bright smile on his face, “Hey, don’t you think Impy and Roven could be good buddies? Driven by the same people who took away their close ones. The only thing different is their age.”
Moko didn’t respond to that either. The father let out a gentle sigh and closed his mouth. The bubble of silence returned, consuming the two while the murmuring words came from their foresight. Alone, they watched.
“Dad,” Moko finally said, “what would they do if I refused?”
The father hummed and stroked his beard. “They’d just leave you. No hard feelings.”
“Yeah, but…” Moko shook his head and looked down. With his throat becoming shaky, he said, “Why do I have to do this? I just wanted an Envelope. I wanted to live with you and Mom. None of this was my intention. I don’t know if I could use one of my hands anymore unless magic is done. And… to be honest, I’m scared. What happens if I get killed? I almost died before. And… I could die the next time I see those men wielding daggers.”
He chuckled. “It’s normal to feel that way. The safety of Scholomark keeps danger away from kids, as long as they attend that place. It looks like your situation hasn’t changed even when you turned 18. The only thing is that you’re outside Scholomark, and danger is all around. Your mother and I can’t do anything to stop that.”
“But at least I can be safe in your Domain.”
“And what good will that do to you?” he asked. “You’ve felt it yourself. Life has no purpose when you’re cooped up. Boredom can feel soft at first, but it can start hurting you before you realize it.”
Moko looked up at him and asked, “Are you saying I have to leave and walk like a target for everyone? It’s not just those men, but it’s you, friends, and strangers. Anyone could do something to me.”
“And you could do the same to them. What’s the issue?”
His tone got sharper. “That’s not my point! I never knew I had this… this unyielding-useless-looking System. You didn’t either. Now that I can get hurt, is there any place safe for me in this World?” He clenched his hands hard, feeling the fingers strangle each other. “Why can’t I just live happily with my family?”
The father glanced at Moko. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the sky, pondering on the stars above. “Go ask the High Realms yourself if they’re still watching us. That’s a question I can’t answer for you. Isn’t that an even stronger reason for you to travel? Imagine the endless discoveries and joys awaiting you. The Lei Realm is the smallest realm among the seven. Just think about the possibilities, all the things that you could do. You could be the first person to cross all the seven realms without divine repercussions. You’re not entirely hopeless. Maybe this is a gift.”
Moko mumbled inaudible words and looked away. His back slouched down. His arms rested on his knees with hands draping.
The father inched closer and wrapped his arm around Moko’s shoulder. With a warm grin, he pushed the boy around, massaging the arm. “You’ve grown tough. Just look at you. A broken hand is not the end of the world.”
He pulled out his Envelope from the inner pocket of his coat and placed it on Moko’s knee. Pinning his finger on the paper, he spoke:
“Moko, do you really want to live with me and your mother for the rest of your life? What meaning does life have if you choose to live with us? Where is your happiness? Is it by isolating yourself in your room, growing a practically useless System, or…”
He reached inside Moko’s pocket and took out his Cookie. He rested it on his other knee. And then he spoke:
“Or is it by traveling with your little partner, Terayla, and making fun memories with each other? Live in a world where every moment counts? Even in high stakes, you fought for something worthwhile.”
After speaking those words, the father unwrapped his arm and stood up. He cleared his throat and said his last words, “Your mother and I are glad to take you in. But this choice is on your own. This is our love for you. Do what you want, because you’re not a child anymore.”
He left to join with others near the shore. Sitting there, Moko was left with two Systems on his knees: an Envelope and a Cookie.
The scent of papers receded when his presence faded. The rush of sea salt hit Moko’s face as he sat straight up. He pressed his lips together. His mind fell into deep thoughts.
–Where’s my happiness? Isn’t it with you and Mom? I may not know everything, but I believe I could find happiness living my life with you two. We could laugh at the dining table, but rather than talking about Systems, we could talk about our lives, our interests, our personal experiences with Scholomark, and everything else. We could do so much. We could smile, knowing the next day I could see the same face that I grew up with. I could help around the Domain, using my strength. But since you and Mom have Systems, it may be impractical. Though impractical or not, I can still find joy… But is this what I want?
–I found Terayla during the period of boredom. Actually, Terayla found me first and brought me to her. Ever since our journey together, it’s been a challenge. There were moments when I wanted to turn back and live with you. But there were times I found her presence… enjoying. She loved eating cookies. I could dare myself and say that she was straight-up addicted to them. After a couple of days of traveling together, she began trusting me. She always hid behind me whenever someone was near. But…
Moko lowered his head. He ignored his Cookie and studied the Envelope. The tingling needles pushed his limits, keeping him from making a clear decision. However, survival overpowered the urge to persevere. He pulled his arm closer to the Envelope, wanting to decide here and now.
When he tried to grab it, the Envelope disappeared.
Moko flinched at the instant fade. But just before he could process it, he heard laughter bursting from ahead. He lifted his head, and he saw his father giggling with his shoulders shaking. A considerable distance was between him and Moko, and on the father’s hand, the Envelope.
Whether the father knew it’d teleport at that exact moment, it was enough for Moko to decide. As his parent laughed, he couldn’t help but do the same. When he glanced down at his Cookie, a surge of thoughts coursed through his mind.
–And if I hadn’t left your Domain, I wouldn’t have saved Impy. He could’ve died from blood loss. And I shouldn’t have been hurt this badly. Though… I’d say it is an experience I won’t forget. Impy can be a handful. He might’ve pulled some of my hair out. He didn’t want to admit his weaknesses. And he’s strong. He and Terayla are a bunch of kids. I can’t help but want to stick together. When I see it this way… life is fun. Hardships suck, but I learn something in the end. If I hadn’t started my journey, I wouldn’t be seeing all of you coming together like this. It really is a gift.
Moko grabbed his Cookie. As the screen popped up, he looked at the numbers growing.
90,764 Cookies
92 CpS
Owned: Buy: Upgrade: Cursor – 92
Tier I Cursor – 642,876 Cookies ??? – 200 Cursors
–If there is a deeper meaning behind these numbers, then my purpose is to find it.
He got up from the bench. Lifting his head with light shining down on his face, he stepped onward and out from the post. Each step brought an eye to him. Gazes shifted and heads turned, turning to the figure approaching them. Moko walked to another light pole and then to the next. His feet clattered against the brick floor, pulling the conversing atmosphere to a steady halt.
Impy and Roven, Neylan and Lorace, the mother and Terayla, and the father and the rest stopped and turned for the coming boy.
Moko walked to Roven as the calmness accompanied him. Initially, his face wavered as he stared, then he averted his gaze with pursed lips. But after taking a deep breath, he returned his resolute glare. He lifted his hand. In his grasp was his Cookie. Presenting the sugary surface at Roven, he said with a deep voice, “I’m in. Let’s do this.”