"And this is how the noma plant survives in the desert, if we suck out all the moisture from the plant we can extract the crystals that allow it to stay cool." Actla takes a cup of water then lets a drop of the sludgy viscous crystal fall into the water. Instantly, I felt the room dip slightly in temperature.

"The air around it cools. This way people can stop heatstroke, or they can just feel comfortable when traveling through the sun."

"How does this happen?" I asked curious, as I watched as the water slowly turned solid, however it wasn't turning into ice, it was turning into some sort of rock material.

"You already know that heat is energy, and as you can tell, the water isn't turning into ice right now. It's turning into what we like to call pythem. When we combined the crystal with water, the water's panta can interact with the syrup's panta to create pythem, but pythem requires energy to form, so it'll suck in the energy from the air, basically sucking the heat out of the air."

I listened to his explanations and examples engrossed. As a result I knew much more about the sciences and the world in general than a lot kids my age, even most adults at this point.

"You'd be a good Agate. You know, you used to have trouble picking up concepts, but you've been learning these things even faster than me recently." Actla said.

"It's only because you're such a good teacher."

"I think you need to start giving yourself more credit. We're coming to the limit of how much I know, soon you'll have to learn from someone more knowledgeable than me."

"Once I reach that point, I'll be happy staying at that point."

"Ah is that so..." Actla looks at me with a mixed expression on his face. I instantly look down and avoid his eyes.

"You're really smart though, there's no doubt that you'll be able to keep learning and teaching me new things." I said somewhat desperately.

"Hey Polly." My heart dropped at his sudden change in tone. Nothing ever good happened when he had that serious tone with me.

"I've been thinking about traveling outside of Shesu."

I felt my skin turn cold as numbness spreads through my hands. "But, that means."

"Yes, I won't be able to visit for at least 3-4 years."

"B-but why? I thought Agates lived for spreading prosperity to the people of Shesu, why are you traveling outside?”

"You're wrong about that. We live for the people. It doesn't matter what country they come from. I am not the property of Shesu, and I think I can do a lot of good for a lot of people when they're suffering under war."

"Wha- What about me!" I shouted, after a moment of silence I felt the guilt settling in. I was dragging my brother down and we both knew it.

"I'll be there for you in spiri- Never mind, you aren't that young anymore; you're going to be alone for a while, and when I come back to visit again, it's going to be brief, just like this time."

"You're cruel." I whimpered although I knew that I was being the cruel one here.

I saw conflicted emotions run across my brother's face for a second.

Then a sharp sting whipped across my face. I couldn't even react, I stared in shock as I saw my brother with his arm extended out after slapping me. I stare deeply into his eyes unsure on what just happened. His lips began trembling, his eyebrows began falling, as he begins clenching his teeth.

“Why… why do you depend on me so much! Polly, I don’t want to say this, but your expectations are crushing me!” He immediately gets emotional.

“I- I j-just.” This was the first time I’ve seen this side of brother, I grew scared.

“You are incredibly talented! Even more so than I am, what are you scared of!?! Why do you need me so much?!”

“That’s not true! I can’t do anything without-“

“Polly you are lying to me. I’ve known forever that you’ve never needed my help even once. You purposefully limit yourself!”

“Urrr, Arghhh.” I began to tear up, acting in a way very unlike my age.

He hesitates, looking conflicted for a moment, but soon comes in and hugs me. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He incoherently mumbled to himself.

"It's okay, it didn't hurt that much." I said, trying to comfort him. However, what I didn't realize in that moment was that the slap wasn't what my brother was apologizing for. He was apologizing for coming forward and hugging me.

"Your brother is a little shaken up for some reason is he okay?" Dundee asks me as I practiced some motions, I was holding two lightweight metal bars that imitated the feeling of wielding a Sek. After brother had to go to run some errands, I set off alone and found a tree where I could exercise. Unfortunately I did not see the man that was sleeping on top hidden by a copious amount of leaves.

"Why do you keep popping up everywhere?" I said with an annoyed tone. And why am I so okay with talking to him?

"Why do you always happen to be where I'm wandering?" He shot back.

"I'm always trying my best to avoid you, there's no way that this is any of my fault."

"Oh? You're avoiding me? But I'm the only other person you're comfortable with talking to alone. Don't you want to know stories about my adventures and my perspective on life? There may not be another person you can talk too so easily ever again you know?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and then continued practicing. During the months my brother was gone this was the only thing that was keeping me sane.

"Your stance isn't spread wide enough, and your wrist is very rigid when you're swinging." Dundee suddenly swung down from the tree hanging by his knee and pointed to my problem areas.

"Ah." I took a look at myself and realized that he was right. Although the last thing I wanted was to follow his instructions.

"What do you know about fighting with these? The wrists need to be rigid or else I don't have as much control over the swing." Of course this was a lie, but from the looks of his skin color he didn't seem to be from Shesu.

"Oh really? That's not what your brother was doing when he was actually fighting." He said.

"oh..." I said sheepishly then started loosening my wrists.

Dundee watched me for a while longer silently. The eyes behind his mask glued to my figure.

"Enjoying the view?" I said after a while.

"I thought you were supposed to be bad at this."

"Well, I never really took it seriously until Actla left." It was true, I had always wanted Actla to dote on me, so I would try to purposefully fail in a lot of what I did. That way I could spend more time with him."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"And you've made this much progress in such a short amount of time?"

"What? Are you jealous?" I said in a smug tone.

"I'm just quite amazed by you two... and a little glad."

"Glad?" I asked.

"Yea. I finally found something interesting here." Dundee reached for his mask and took it off, exposing a young, handsome-looking face.

Huh, he looks nothing like Actla after all.

"I thought you said you didn't want other people seeing your face, and where’s the scar?" I said, confused by his actions.

"Ah did I say that? Sorry that was a lie." He said with a smile before jumping down from the tree.

"Well, I'm off, a lot of fun things are about to happen, and I hope you don't miss it."

"What?" I frown as Dundee holds his hand up and waves goodbye as he leaves.

Soon I stood alone, a horrible feeling festering in the back of my mind.

I sat at the rooftop of my home, the same place where I we reunited, waving Actla goodbye as he sets off on his journey once again. I calmly watch as he disappears into the horizon and then jump back into my bedroom.

I hear my parents walk away from the front entrance, shutting the door behind them. Their footsteps emanated through the house wood, as they walk upstairs straight for my room.

"Polly? Are you feeling alright?" Mother knocked at my door.

"Not really. But, you know... What can I do? It's just something I have to accept."

"Do you want to talk?"

"Sorry. I don't think I have it in me right now. I promise that I'll get over it eventually though."

"Alright, just let one of us know whenever you're feeling up alright again."

I don't respond and wait until I hear footsteps leaving the door. Then I close my eyes and take a deep breath, I squat down and reach for panel of wood on the floor, sliding it easily away, revealing a secret compartment. I grab the bag filled with necessities, hidden away, my nerves on edge. As per tradition, it was strictly prohibited that an Agate would travel with anyone he had any familiarity with at all. After all, he was leaving his home, but if he could take a piece of home with him it couldn't really be considered letting go like that.

I catapulted myself through the window, soaring through the air like a falcon. After landing on soft, noiseless sand, I take a quick glance behind me and then run as fast as I could, kicking sand up into the air.

I quietly made my way out of the town and onto the open desert. Keeping my head down the entire time, preventing any recognition.

Finally, I was alone in the open desert. With nothing except for a pair of rapidly fading footprints to follow.

I look down at the ground then click my tongue. There is absolutely no turning back anymore.

Sweat started to crust on my forehead. The unbearable heat beat down from the skies, drying out and rapidly burning the life from the world.

I opened my bag and licked down a couple drops of a flask full of uncomfortably hot water. Mid-day passed, I continued trudging along the open desert, as the sun began setting. The temperature was rapidly lowering, until it went from unbearably hot, to freezing cold. I pay no mind however, as I continue walking in the dark. My body stamina had long since drained, forcing me to dig into my reserves of anku to continue moving, but I have to do this. Or else I'll never be able to catch up with him. Actla was an Agate, meaning he had to specially train his body to move across the desert environment as fast as possible. Compared to me, who had been a mostly sheltered stay indoors girl my entire life. I have to push my body past its limits.

My hair a mess, mentally, physically, energetically drained. I hovered in this state for two total days, not sure if I was even following the correct path, what if Actla decides to drastically changes directions and the desert wind blows away his footsteps? Hundreds of doubts plagued my mind as I traversed the desert, but all of them washed away once I saw a town in the horizon.

That's it! He must have had stopped at this town! I picked up the pace and hobbled into the town. I had grossly underestimated the toll the desert trip would take on my body, and packed much less water and food than I should have. My lips were cracking, my skin irritated and caked in sand, sweat no longer came from my skin to cool me down, as my body could no longer afford to excrete any more water.

However as I took my first step into the town, all my aspirations and hopes shattered into nothingness.

The sounds of children running around screaming and laughing joyfully wasn't there, the idle conversation as people worked in the fields, the sound of running water, the smell of fresh food wafting through the air. This place was completely deserted.

I wandered into an abandoned house then plugged my nose from the disgusting smell coming from inside. There was food stored, however it seemed like flies had already made it their dinner, for it it was completely rotten and inedible.

Wait... do I have to go back? I'm sure I can find some drinkable water around here, but if I can't get any food... Who knows how long it'll be until I find the next town, much less be the town where Actla is staying. I wandered back outside at a lost for what to do.

However, I then noticed some footsteps, very fresh, clearly recently made, on the ground. A surge of hope reappeared in my mind as I started following as if I was in a trance.

But, soon I found another set of feet join the first pair. A second person? Maybe Actla came across this deserted town and found someone else living here.

I follow the tracks in the sand, until I reached the entrance of a small house. I cup my ears, trying to hear any talking, footsteps, any noise coming from within the house, but I couldn't hear anything. It was dead quiet.

"Hello? I tried shouting out, maybe they were asleep. It'd be natural to be tired after a long journey, but I got no response. I then carefully wiggled the door handle, the door was open. I cautiously open the door and step into the house.

"Ah, didn't notice you there." A gaunt skeleton of a man smiled weakly at me. His hair was thin, and it covered the floor around him as it fell out in droves. Sitting next to him was a man sitting on a chair, his head dangling limply off the edge of the chair facing towards the ceiling, wearing a pure white and featureless mask.

"Who are you!?" I jumped back in surprise.

"Oi, oi, you don't recognize me?" The skeleton of a person reached and grabbed something from behind his chair, then he held it to his face.

My breath caught in my throat. "D-Dundee? What's going on here?" I turn my head towards the other person. My eyes widen in surprise as I recognize the hair and shape of his body.

"Actla!" I run forward and hug him.

However, the second my hand makes contact with his hand, I instantly realize that something was very wrong. His hand... it was cold. I frantically ran my hand on his chest, threw the mask off his face and held my palm to his forehead. All of it. Cold.

I back away scared. Am I dreaming right now?

"Unfortunately this is not a dream." Dundee said in direct response to my thoughts.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!" I screamed at him with a mix of desperation and anger.

"I made a successor." He said.

I threw my body at him and grabbed his throat in rage, squeezing with as much power as I could, in response to my futile attempts Dundee laughs.

"My body has already died, you are doing nothing but trying to choke out a bag of meat." I back away as I realized that he was right. He was also cold, and when I squeezed his neck I couldn't feel any blood pumping through his body.

"Then how are you talk-"

"Fortunately, my soul is still connected to this mask so I can control the corpse from here. Did you know, that the longer a drifter keeps their mask on, the worse the price their body is going to pay when they take it off? The body and the mask gradually fuses together into one over time, and ripping the two apart creates consequences for both the mask and body."

"Wha- I don't understand what you're saying." I shake my head and fall to the ground, about to black out from the stress.

"And I had it on for... maybe 300 years? Hard to tell anymore. But you wouldn't understand anything I'm saying huh?" The body stands up holding the demon mask, before taking the pure white mask off Actla's face.

"Well, I still got a solid week left to sightsee here before I have to leave. I would usually say 'don't forgive me' for doing something so horrible. But... If you don't let go of the grudge, then I'm afraid that getting revenge on someone like me would be a pretty impossible task."

Dundee then disappears out of thin air, leaving the corpse of my brother and I all alone. I slowly turn my head, the realization after the initial shock gradually setting in. A ringing sensation in my ear began overpowering every feeling, every smell, my sight, I couldn't feel anything nor see anything. Numbness spread through every corner of my body. Was I screaming? I didn't know, if I was I couldn't hear it. I bit into my arm as hard as I could, leaving dabs of blood on my teeth, as if maybe, just maybe I would wake up and find out that this had all been a dream.

One day later, my brother and I were found in a catatonic shock by a party of four, sent by my parents to bring me back to the town. I'm not sure exactly what happened over the next month. It was like I was in a coma, even though I could hear and feel everything in the world around me, I just couldn't process it. The next thing I knew when I broke out of that state the funeral for my brother's passing had already happened, and I missed it.

"Okay, this is all interesting, but I still don’t know where I come into the story? How do you know about me?” I say to Polly.

"Be patient, the story isn't finished yet. The next part is when you'll learn everything you want to know, at least, everything I can tell you." Polly says.