The next morning, Bart woke up with a groan. His body ached from sleeping on the hard cellar floor. He blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light filtering through the cracks in the cellar doors.

"Lian?" he called out softly. "You there?"

The translucent form of the young boy materialized beside him. "I'm here, Bart. Did you sleep okay?"

Bart sat up, rubbing his eyes. "As well as I could, I guess. We should probably get moving soon."

He stood up, stretching his sore muscles. The events of yesterday came rushing back - the strange new world, the beast attack, his newfound abilities. It all felt like a weird dream, but the aches in his body and the ghostly presence of Lian reminded him it was all too real.

"Right," Bart said, taking a deep breath. "Time to see what's out there. But first, let's use that Debug Reality thing to make sure it's safe."

Focusing his thoughts, Bart activated the skill.

Debug Reality!

Instantly, his perception shifted. The world around him became overlaid with lines of code, defining every object and creature in his vicinity. He scanned the area outside the cellar, looking for any signs of danger.

"I don't see any hostile entities nearby," Bart reported to Lian. "Just a lot of... environmental objects, I guess? Trees, rocks, that kind of thing."

Lian nodded. "That's good. But be careful - there might be threats that aren't immediately visible."

Bart agreed and slowly pushed open the cellar doors. Sunlight streamed in, making him squint. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the scene before him.

The village lay in ruins. Burnt-out buildings stood like skeletons against the morning sky. Debris littered the streets. The air still carried the faint smell of smoke and something worse - decay.

Bart climbed out of the cellar, his heart heavy. He'd seen the destruction yesterday, but in the light of day, it seemed even more devastating.

Lian materialized beside him, his translucent form shimmering in the sunlight. The boy's eyes widened as he took in the scene.

"Oh no," Lian whispered, his voice breaking. "It's all gone. Everything's gone."

Bart wanted to comfort the boy, but he didn't know how. What could he say? This was Lian's home, and it had been completely destroyed.

They started walking through the village, Lian floating beside Bart. As they passed by ruined buildings and scorched fields, Lian began to speak, his voice thick with emotion.

"That was Old Man Chen's house," he said, pointing to a collapsed structure. "He used to give us candy when we helped him in his garden."

Bart listened silently as Lian continued.

"And over there, that was the school. Ms. Li taught us all how to read and write. Back then I never enjoyed the lessons, all I wanted to do was hang around with my friends. She…she was strict, but kind."

As they walked, Lian's words became more choked with sobs. "That's where my best friend Mei lived. Growing up we used to play hide and seek in her family's orchard."

Bart felt a lump forming in his throat. He may not have known these people, but hearing Lian talk about them made the tragedy feel more real, more personal.

"I'm sorry, Lian," Bart said softly. "This must be incredibly hard for you."

Lian nodded, wiping at his eyes even though no real tears fell from his ghostly form. "It is. But... I'm glad I can at least remember them. Tell you about them. It makes it feel like... like they're not completely gone, you know?"

Bart nodded, understanding. He thought of his own son, Tommy, back in his world. The thought of never seeing him again made his chest tighten.

As they walked, Bart noticed Lian becoming more agitated. The boy's translucent form flickered more frequently, and his eyes darted around nervously.

"Lian? What's wrong?" Bart asked.

Lian hesitated, then spoke in a small voice. "We're... we're getting close to my house. Where my parents..."

Bart's heart sank. He hadn't wanted to take Lian there, to see the bodies of his parents again. But he realized the boy deserved a chance to say goodbye.

"Are you sure you want to go there?" Bart asked gently.

Lian nodded, his face set in determination despite the fear in his eyes. "I have to. Please, Bart. I need to see them one last time."

Bart couldn't refuse. He nodded and let Lian guide him towards the boy's former home.

As they approached, Lian suddenly darted forward, his ghostly form rushing towards the ruined building. But as he got about five meters away from Bart, something strange happened.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Lian's form suddenly dissipated, like mist in the wind. A moment later, he reappeared next to Bart, looking confused and frustrated.

"What... what just happened?" Lian asked, his voice shaking.

Bart frowned, thinking. "It looks like you can't go more than about five meters away from me. Maybe it's part of... whatever this is that connects us."

Lian's face fell. "So, I can't even... I can't even go to them on my own?"

Bart felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, lad. We'll go together, okay?"

They walked the rest of the way to Lian's house. As they approached, Bart saw two shapes on the ground - the charred bodies of Lian's parents.

Lian let out a heart-wrenching cry and fell to his knees. Even though he was just a spectral form, the pain in his voice was all too real.

"Mom! Dad!" Lian sobbed, reaching out towards the bodies even though he couldn't touch them.

Bart stood back, giving Lian some space to grieve. He felt like an intruder in this moment of intense personal sorrow.

As he watched Lian cry over his parents, Bart's mind drifted to his own past. He remembered the day he lost his parents in a car crash. He'd been young, not much older than Lian appeared to be. The pain, the confusion, the feeling of utter loss - it all came rushing back.

Bart blinked back tears of his own. He wanted to comfort Lian, but he didn't know how. What could he possibly say to ease this kind of pain?

After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, Lian looked up at Bart. His ghostly face was etched with sorrow.

"We need to bury them," Lian said, his voice hoarse from crying. "So they can be reborn."

Bart nodded, even though he didn't understand the beliefs behind Lian's words. It didn't matter. What mattered was giving Lian, and his parents, some peace.

"Okay," Bart said. "I'll do it. Where should we bury them?"

Lian pointed to a small garden behind the ruined house. "There. They always loved that garden."

Bart looked around and spotted a shovel leaning against a nearby wall. He grabbed it and walked to the spot Lian had indicated.

As Bart began to dig, Lian hovered nearby, watching silently. The work was hard, especially for Bart's young body. He wasn't used to this kind of physical labor. But he pushed through the fatigue, driven by a sense of duty to Lian and his parents.

The sun climbed higher in the sky as Bart dug. Sweat poured down his face, and his muscles screamed in protest. But finally, after what felt like hours, he had dug a deep enough grave.

Bart paused, leaning on the shovel and catching his breath. He looked at Lian, who nodded solemnly.

"It's time," Lian said softly.

With as much care and respect as he could muster, Bart carried the bodies of Lian's parents to the grave. He laid them side by side, then began the somber task of covering them with earth.

As he worked, Lian spoke in a quiet voice, reciting what sounded like a prayer or ritual words.

"Saeloris kav nominar, Esthera lum vaespirak. Krevos nae luminar, Renascir vos kor sae. Pax eternum, amor infinitum."

Bart didn't understand the language, but he could feel the emotion behind it.

Finally, the grave was filled. Bart patted down the earth and stood back, exhausted and covered in dirt and sweat.

Lian floated next to the grave, his spectral hand reaching out as if to touch the mound of earth. "Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye, Dad," he whispered. "I hope... I hope you find peace in the next life."

Bart felt drained, both physically and emotionally. He looked up at the sky, noticing how much time had passed. The sun was already past its zenith.

"Lian," he said gently, "we can't stay here much longer. Those creatures might come back when it gets dark. We need to leave soon."

Lian turned to him, his face a mix of sadness and understanding. "I know. But what about the others? Shouldn't we bury them too?"

Bart's heart sank. He looked around at the village, at the other bodies still lying where they fell. "I'm sorry, Lian. There's not enough time. We'd be here for days, and it's not safe."

Lian's face fell, but he nodded. "I understand. It's just... it feels wrong to leave them like this."

"I know," Bart said. "But we have to think about survival now. Your parents would want you - us - to be safe."

Lian was quiet for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. "You're right. We should go. But first, you need to eat something. You haven't had anything since you got here."

Bart suddenly realized how hungry he was. His stomach growled loudly, as if on cue. "Good point. Is there any food left in the village?"

Lian nodded. "There should be. Follow me."

The ghostly boy led Bart to what looked like it had once been a storehouse. Parts of the roof had caved in, but some areas were still intact.

"There might be some dried food in here," Lian said. "It should still be good."

Bart carefully entered the building, mindful of the unstable structure. He found some sacks of rice, dried meat, and what looked like some kind of fruit leather.

"This'll do," Bart said, gathering as much as he could carry. He also found a sturdy bag to put it all in.

As he was about to leave, something caught his eye. In a corner, partially hidden by fallen debris, was a small wooden box. Curious, Bart pulled it out.

"What's that?" Lian asked, peering at the box.

Bart opened it carefully. Inside was a collection of small, glowing crystals. They pulsed with a soft blue light, reminding Bart of the Code Essence he'd been learning to manipulate.

"Lian," Bart said, excitement creeping into his voice, "what are these?"

Lian's eyes widened. "Those are Spirit Crystals! They're super rare. I don’t know what they’re doing here. Cultivators use them to boost their power."

Bart grinned. This could be incredibly useful. He carefully packed the crystals into his bag along with the food.

With their supplies gathered, Bart and Lian stepped back outside. The sun was getting lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the ruined village.

Bart looked up, calculating. "We only have a few hours before it gets dark. I don't think we should risk traveling at night, not when we don't know what's out there."

Lian nodded in agreement. "You're right. It would be safer to spend one more night in the cellar and leave early in the morning."

Bart hefted the bag of supplies onto his shoulder. "Alright, let's head back then. We'll rest up and be ready to leave at first light."

As they walked back towards the cellar, Lian spoke up. "Bart? Thank you. For... for everything. For burying my parents, for listening to me talk about the village. I know this isn't your world, but... I'm glad you're here."

Bart felt a lump in his throat. "Thanks, Lian. I'm... I'm sorry for everything you've lost. I promise I'll do my best to keep us safe and figure out what's going on here."

They reached the cellar just as the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. Bart climbed down, bringing their supplies with him.

Once inside, Bart used his new environmental manipulation skill to warm up the space a bit and create some soft light. It wasn't much, but it made the cellar feel a bit less dreary.

As Bart settled in for the night, munching on some of the dried meat and fruit, he couldn't help but think about the journey ahead. He had no idea where they were going or what they might face. But he knew one thing for sure - he had to get stronger. For his own survival, for Lian, and for any hope of getting back to his son.

"Hey Lian," Bart said, "while we're resting, do you think you could tell me more about cultivation and this world? The more I know, the better prepared we'll be."

Lian's ghostly form brightened a bit. "Sure. What do you want to know?"