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Star Reach
4: The Gift

4: The Gift

… Did I just witness?

Purple and orange sunlight filtered through the treetops, signaling evening’s prime and the coming of night. Tomb found that people usually considered night as the time when activity ceased, and life slept. But the world never truly went to sleep. Tomb knew that night was just another face the world wore. Darkness was just as lively as the daylight, maybe even more so.

The beaten path continued onward, becoming more defined as one walked. Ahead, on either side two massive trunks marked the boundary between the forest and a clearing. Deep, archaic glyphs carved spidery patterns into their amethyst bark. Tomb traced the careful gouges with his eyes. A uniform growth of mosses was intentionally stuffed into the crevices. But it never seemed to outgrow them. Ward sigils, probably absorbing ambient mana and acting as nodes to a protective barrier.

Resourceful. That the villagers already used native ingredients in their rituals.

Tomb suspected there would be a number of trees similarly marked nearby, completing a closed boundary around the area containing the village. I’m close. He leisurely passed the two trees. The world slightly warped for a moment, and then he was through. Ahead, the path led down into an open valley.

Sweeping planes of turquoise wild grass gave way to terraced farmland. Tomb walked between well-kept, simple polygons. Complex patterns of fractal, branching shapes spiraled out from the center of each terrace. Their ends met the edges of other configurations, newly formed patterns weaving together into a cohesive, mesmerizing labyrinth.

Along these lines sprouted a variety of plants. Dark blue glowing fruits, hanging from small trees. Colorful berries and pocketed sparse shrubs. Even roots, tubers, and general ruffage grew in groups.

Small stones with glowing markings could be found near the base of most plants. Tomb listened to the hypnotic buzz of wings nearby. Biological drone-like insects hovered from fruit to flower, checking and maintaining each carefully.

He reached out as one flew by. It softly landed on his outstretched hand. He could sense peace emanating from the animal. What would it be like, to see through their eyes? To live as a creature, created and cultivated to maintain these gardens?

A large irrigation trough separated the terraces from the village proper. The two were connected by a growth of native wood, which seemed to be intentionally cultivated in the shape of a bridge. Down below the wood children cried joyously. A small group chased each other in some game near the low water level. One child, slightly older than the rest, watched Tomb warily.

On the other side of the bridge stood the village proper. Mounds just large enough to stand under rose from the valley floor. Invasive wild grass grew over the roofs and covered all but their open doorways. From within Tomb could see the light of many luminescent mosses.

Every doorway was unique, some grown from wood, others constructed from plastic or ceramic parts. Mechanical contraptions poked out here and there; pipes, chimneys, storage crates.

In the center of the village stood a massive, square stone several persons high. Archaic carvings similar to the ones on the wards traveled its surface. Borderline heretic, setting up a sacred stone here. But not enough to warrant inquisitorial intervention. At least not this far from the central region.

Colorful streamers ran from the top of the stone down to open tents crowding the village center. Lively shopkeepers called out to browsing off-worlders. The scents of fresh produce, and the laughter of shrewd salesmen, were all permeated by the tasteful light of a variety of fungi. Overlooking the tents was a large dome. Its frame was constructed from metal fingers connected by tarp-like webbing. Tomb could make out foreign plants growing in organized vats where the entrance flaps allowed sight.

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He started browsing the market. A few other travelers from the seriphite were here as well, taking their time haggling with the tent salespeople. He stopped at one stall that sold odd trinkets, often incorporating some form of the ever-present fungi. Oddly, pieces from deconstructed weapons were mixed in with the jewelry. Tomb thought back to when his hand was on his focus, posed to strike at Ky. He left the guildhall after the “tour” under the guise of seeing the rest of Rotworld’s only settlement, dubbed, “the village”. But he couldn’t get past the thoughts she brought up.

What the hell was an Awewitch doing on Rotworld?

It wasn’t so far-fetched that one would be here, this close to Wild Space. Tomb left the trinket stall and continued on.

But the fact that everyone was alright with her was odd. Greg seems apprehensive, but not enough to leave or maintain a defense poster. And not to mention Yuri!

Market sellers laughed and called to each other.

What is she like that others don’t see her as a threat?

Tomb gazed up at the sacred stone. Its form eclipsed the low sun, bathing the area in an orange aura.

What is she like that she’s become integrated with these people? What are Awewitches like, face to face and apart from the stories?

“Hey, You! Star Hopper!”

I mean, an actual Awelitch? It was like watching a child. Or, no. She didn’t sound like a child. Hell, half of the time I thought I was hearing some Tech monk, with all their schooling and weird obsessions.

“Hey, you! With the funny eyes!”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she was born on this side of… wait.

Tomb turned toward the sound of a voice on his left side. There, a little girl sat on the ground of a crowded tent. She was surrounded by… scrap? An odd assortment of metal objects. Tomb gestured to himself, seeing as she was making eye contact.

“Yeah, you! Need anything cleaned?”

Tomb reevaluated the pile. Old metal pieces, some still with dirt and grime. That was cute. Not that she would receive much business. Tomb subtly glanced around to find one of the nearby shopkeepers lazily watching her from the side, a smile on their face.

“...Perhaps. What do you mean by Star Hopper?”

“Yeah, one who travels worlds, no?”

How would she? Ah. Tomb looked down at his clothing and that of the seriphite crew walking around. Newer attire, similar to the refugees, if not still shabby. Tomb glanced at the dulled colors of a large diamond shawl she wore over a simple knee-length dress. He did not yet look the part of a villager.

“Yeah! You need something cleaned? Things get dirty. Your trip was long yeah? I clean good.”

Tomb scrutingly looked down at the assortment of metals. Some areas were spotless, others half-finished or forgotten, all on the same piece. The girl was so bubbly and excited. Her voice carried far and was accompanied by an increasing cadence. She had an odd accent, as if something was impeding her speech. The girl wasn’t Antier. She had dark navy skin with green eyes. Sandy brown hair, waist length was braided behind her head.

“Trips long, you have things you don’t need, yeah? I take them off you, no longer want 'em, yeah?”

She gestured to a smaller pile slightly separated from the rest. There several miscellaneous objects were organized according to some unknown system. The girl grabbed one of the trinkets.

“I got this one last year! Its from An... An… Antica, yeah!”

The girl proudly held up a bronze alcohol flask, probably given by an amused smuggler. Looking at her collection of miscellaneous metals, Tomb remembered the “jewelry” shop from earlier, an idea forming in his head.

He kneaded down, becoming eye level with the girl.

“Actually, as of today I’m a permanent resident here. I’m no longer a star traveler.”

The girl gave Tomb a look of equal parts confusion and disappointment.

“But, I do have something that is old and could use extra care.”

Tomb reached into one of his lower pockets. He pulled out an intricate golden coin attached to a thin necklace of the same color. Sharp, regal patterns depicted the crest of the sacred army.

“This has seen better days and needs a good shine. Say, if you clean it well enough, I'll let you keep it. How does that sound?”

The girl's eyes lit up as she grasped the coin in her hands. Pulling it to her chest she looked back at Tomb.

“Yeah, really?! It sound good. I finish it good!”

Tomb chucked to himself as he stood and walked away from the stall. The girl was too focused on the metal in her hands to notice him. He had mentally discarded that emblem a long time ago. Now that he was on the other side of nowhere, it felt fitting to physically part with it. Without realizing it, Tomb had already made the decision to try working with Ky. After all, he was already past the point of no return. What will going a little further change?

Besides, he wanted nothing more than to stay far away from that side of the church and anything connected to them.