“Are you awake? I can’t sleep either.”

Zachary took a seat next to his animal companion, the mysterious turtle that couldn’t resist Sugo’s seaweed. Three weeks had passed since they first met. The turtle stayed on the island all this time, showing no sign of wanting to leave. After so long, Zachary felt that it was the right moment for a heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul talk. He hoped that it would be able to understand his feelings.

He laid down on the stone slab and looked up at the warm night sky. It was covered in stars so numerous that they formed rivers and streams. Every once in a while, a star would fall down and disappear in a flash of light.

“How long have you wandered these underground ruins? Do you want to go outside? I can take you.”

The turtle looked up as well. The myriad stars were reflected in its wide dark orbs, shining with unhidden yearning.

“Have you thought about what’s outside? We are like two frogs in a well, our current existence is here and nothing more. But out there is a vast world filled with endless mysteries, sights and experiences that border on fantasy…”

Zachary trailed off, trying to find the right words. He wasn’t an eloquent storyteller. But he liked to think that he was a straightforward person with earnest intentions. He wasn’t trying to swindle the turtle. He meant everything he said.

“I’m not an expert by any means. I am only an adept rank summoner. But I like to read and I have read a fair amount. Famous human explorers and powerful summoners have left behind diaries and records of their travels and discoveries.”

“Did you know that there is an ocean in the south so vast that its area exceeds the entirety of the Old World, where there isn’t a single island or even a coral reef? They say that if you get lost there, you’ll never be able to get out and no one will ever find you…”

“Many people have attested to huge storms that can sweep over the land and the sea, ones that persist for centuries, perhaps even a whole millennium. The winds are so strong that they can tear apart mountains. Even noble and royal rank summoners can lose their lives if they get caught…”

“Others have found rivers of clouds in the sky that flow like water, colorful deserts where each grain of sand is an anima crystal, and caves so deep and vast that they have formed an entire underworld. There are living forests that migrate across vast continents, consuming everything in its path. There are mountains where fire falls from the sky to form ghosts and strange beings. There are regions of endless ice and snow that give birth to demons and other terrifying creatures…”

“Are you interested? Are you excited?”

At his question, the turtle opened its mouth in surprise. Although no sound came out, its soul aura surged to showcase its emotions. It was enchanted by his words. It wanted to go outside. It had been trapped here for what seemed like an eternity. It already knew of every rock, every plant, and every beast in this place. It wanted to leave this prison and live a life full of excitement and adventure.

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Zachary smiled and patted its mossy shell. It flinched slightly before bobbing its head up and down, its sign of approval.

“Wan. Wan.”

Its barks were asking for more stories so he obliged. He recounted the children’s tales that he could remember. There was Duke Wu of the Western Sea who established the first human kingdom and gave birth to the current Summoner Era. There was Barbosa the Black who was the first one to sail around all three continents and map the entirety of the Old World. There was Saint Agnes, the first human to reach the saint rank, who singlehandedly conquered an entire continent. There were many other stories, ones he had forgotten about or he had fallen asleep as his mother was telling them. Even though the Old World, with its three continents and five seas, took up a small portion of the entire world, there were already so many stories. Compared to the New World, it was also a place of many wonders.

Zachary trailed off. His throat was a little dry from talking so much. His companion was wild Ensouled so it was like he was talking to a rock. However, he felt that his efforts hadn’t been entirely wasted.

He signed and looked up. A fog was setting in and the stars were getting dim. The beast beside him did so as well. Two souls who used to be strangers, the distance between them was far shorter than before.

After a long time, Zachary spoke again, “Have you always been by yourself? It must have been lonely, all this time… You know, I can be your friend. Together, we can escape from this hellhole.”

The turtle let out a snort and snapped its beak, annoyed at his words.

“Sorry, sorry. That was too presumptive of me. How can we be friends if you don’t know anything about me? Let’s start from the beginning. My name is Zachary Zhang. Some people call me Zach, you can too. What’s your name?”

“Wan!”

“Hmm, how about I give you a name? What about Wander? Together, we can wander the world and visit the places told in stories. Nothing can take away our freedom.”

“Wan! Wan!” The turtle called out, bobbing its head.

“Well, Wander, this place is your home. You grew up here and all you know is here. As for me, I came from the Old World, a land of humans and summoners. I was born in the Republic of Adorin which is located on a large island off the coast of the Hanu Continent, the northmost of the three continents. I grew up in the seaside town of Warton, in a small family. There was only my mother and father. I was the only child and I had no other relatives.”

“Father was easygoing. He was often not around due to work. My mother was always around though. She was the kindest and the smartest person I have ever known. She managed a small bookstore that specialized in books about Ensouled. But there were a few books about history and the New World too.”

“I read a lot. Those history books were pretty boring and I couldn’t get past the first few pages. Others, like ones about wild Ensouled, I could read through the whole thing in one sitting and would often reread them when I had nothing else to do. If you asked me, what my goals in life are, what my purpose as a summoner is. I would think back to those days and what I felt reading those books.”

“Wander, I think we’re quite alike. I want to see the world. I want to meet all kinds of Ensouled. I may have an unremarkable background. I may have a wounded soul. I may be a dead person in other people’s eyes…”

His heart quivered and he couldn’t help but think of Yaoyao, Minah, and those painful memories. His eyes became misty and he rubbed his face.

“To tell you the truth, I want to live on. I don’t want to die here. I have so many things I want to do. I can’t forget what happened and I can’t forgive her. I have to find Yaoyao, no matter what. Yeah…”

He laughed in self-mockery, “That’s all. I can’t think of anything else to say. Thanks for listening to my ramblings, the ramblings of a cripple lost in the jungles of the New World. So, Wander, do you want to be my friend?”