The journey was mostly uneventful, which fit their needs. The last thing they needed were raiders ambushing them or some other unpleasantries they would normally find in the Desert Wasteland. For once, Narati was grateful that the road was peaceful, and the people were friendly.

But deep down, once he became aware of what he could potentially become, he was scared. Scared that his kind was truly responsible for the state of the present world. Scared that when everyone knew about it, he would lose everything again.

Yet the thing that scared him the most was the thought of him succumbing to darkness and turning against his friends. They were the first people, aside from his parents, to show him genuine kindness and care. Why must things go against the Fa’ars even after he attempted his best?

He tried to show a happy face, reluctantly lying to Raine that he was eager to see what Cavilen’s look like. Raine, being perceptive as ever, saw through his insincere response, but thankfully, he thought of Narati’s distress differently.

“Kid, relax,” said Raine, patting Narati’s shoulder. “I told you before already. We’re safe in the Valley. The Knights do not discriminate against Fa’ars if something did happen, and I can throw in some words for them.”

“Y-yeah,” said Narati with a gulp. “I suppose so….”

Kaz looked at Hima, silently signaling her to help ease the attention on Narati. She nodded.

Walking towards Raine, she said, “And since we’re not in danger, we might want to talk about when you decide to meet with father.”

This immediately caught Raine’s attention. This time, it was he who looked rather worried.

“Can’t it wait?”

“Oh, no. We both have a lot of things to say about your decision. Consider this….”

The two continued talking while Kaz silently and subtly increased the distance between them, while guiding Narati away from Raine’s earshot. Once he was sure that they were far enough away from the cat-eared human, Kaz cracked a smile on his vulpine face.

“Leave the exes to sort their things out,” said Kaz. “I’m sure they have a lot of things to talk about.”

Narati stayed silent, prompting Kaz to sigh and said, “Thinking about it won’t change anything, Narati-kun. You’re empowered by Aether, so what? That does not immediately turn your moral compass to the opposite side.”

“You don’t know me,” said Narati, with his raspy voice.

“You’re dealing with post-traumatic stress, and to do that, you showed a violent side no one would expect from a Fa’ar, just to show that you are still in control of your destiny. Yes, I heard a lot of things about you from your closest friends, especially the neko over there.”

“Neko?”

“Cat.”

“Oh, because of the ears and the tail, isn’t it?”

“Something like that. Anyway, Narati-kun, I can’t pretend I know anything about you, but I know one thing. You are taking this too seriously. Try and relax.”

“How can I? I acted tough in front of the queen, but in truth, I want to know about it myself. Sure, I could say that it doesn’t matter to me, but…it’s just a lie. I do want to know, especially after Asran. Especially after…after Karkas.”

Kaz did not know who Karkas was as no one told him yet, but he did not bother asking. Whatever happened to him must be bad enough for Narati to doubt himself.

“Still, you are not guilty of anything,” said Kaz, rubbing the back of his head. “No one’s going to accuse you of being the harbinger of doom. Just…try and act cute.”

“Cute how?” Narati drew an imaginary circle around his face. “This face?”

“It’s a relative thing, being cute.” Kaz then cracked another smile before becoming a toothy grin. “Can’t beat a fox in cuteness, though.”

“Okay, now you’re bragging.”

“Why not? A little bit goes a long way, as people say.” Kaz sighed. “Then again, ironically, that’s how my homeland’s called the Scorched Lands.”

Narati did not need to know more about the implications of why Kaz’s homeland was called the Scorched Lands. He could easily imagine why.

“So, try to not to think about it and enjoy the kindness your friends gave you,” said Kaz, again with a warm smile that’s more of a grin. “And find something to dream of. That way, you won’t be burdened with your past. Don’t you ever think that letting that past go is going to do any disservice to it.”

“It’s not a past I want to remember,” said Narati. “So, thanks.”

“No need. I bet your friends have already said it before. I’m sure it sounds annoying at this point. I’m hardly the first to have met you.”

“But at least it gave me something to think about. Maybe this way, I would not hurt Karkas’s feelings. I bet he’d be so mad when he realized that I have the chance of being a monster like Asran did. And honestly…I prefer not to break his heart. Getting his kill stolen from him and to live on with the fact that he turned feral…I can only imagine.”

Kaz, impressed with the Fa’ar’s selflessness, said, “You better start worrying about yourself first, Narati-kun.”

The Fa’ar simply nodded in response as they continued their journey to Cavilen.

To their relief, there was nothing to be worried about between Dragon’s Rest and Cavilen, except for some children who noticed that the ‘Vulpins’ in the group had more than one tail. They were also curious about Narati, the only Fa’ar who had graced the land for a while. The young Fa’ar simply smiled, trying to let them know that he was not a threat. This happened halfway through their journey, when they decided to take a short rest before they continued.

Cavilen itself, as Raine later explained, was both the name of the kingdom and the capital city. Unlike the neighboring kingdoms who continued to expand their territories, Cavilen enjoyed a peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, though this stability was not without a good reason.

As they crossed the border into the kingdom proper, Narati could tell that the Knights, much like Raine, did not look very formidable at first glance. They were very friendly and rather welcoming, a far cry to the haven guards that looked at Narati suspiciously, or anyone for that matter. The Knights knew Hima personally, bowing to her in respect. They were apparently aware that Hima could appear as a fox-eared human or a Vulpin like she currently was.

The border itself was not far from the seat of the kingdom, which was visible from where they were. There was a separate structure situated on a hill outside the city, which was situated beside a freshwater lake. The fact that there was a big body of water and a port, two things that Narati were unfamiliar with, made him gasp in awe. Stepping into Cavilen felt like stepping into a new world, separate from the grasslands and the forest Narati used to at this point, and certainly far, far better than the Desert Wasteland. The big lake, especially, took him by surprise.

Narati being awestruck by anything did not surprise Raine. The man simply patted the Fa’ar’s shoulder and said, “I’ll take you on a boat ride, kid. If you want to, of course.”

“We can wait until you sort things out with father,” insisted Hima.

Raine was going to protest, but Hima’s sharp glare stopped him. With a dejected tone, he said, “Alright, we’ll finish that first. Man, just when things begin to be exciting again….”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Prioritizing the meeting, they instead went someplace else instead of towards the city, though still nearby. They soon found themselves in a quaint little village. The village was similar to the hamlets dotting the Emerald Valley, especially with its pastoral lifestyle and friendly people of all kinds (unfortunately, Narati was still the only Fa’ar in the village). Some of the villagers were Raine’s old friends; the moment they saw the cat-eared man, they immediately dropped whatever they were doing and greeted him. Raine suddenly missed them already and became taken by happiness of being reunited with his friends again.

“So, this is Raine’s village,” said Narati. “It’s…peaceful.”

“It is,” said Hima. “And unlike the city, it’s a good place to stay away from all the problems plaguing the world.”

“No wonder your ex found it rather dull,” said Kaz. “At least for him. It doesn’t look like his friends shared his adventurous enthusiasm.”

“Yes. That’s part of why I was drawn to him. I never thought he was adventurous enough to just leave without saying goodbye.”

Hima’s sad vulpine expression immediately turned serious when she said, “Now that Raine’s preoccupied, let’s go see father.”

“But I thought you want to take him to see your father,” said Narati.

“Do you think he’s the kind of person who would put that as his priority?” said Hima. “Just look at him. The moment he saw his friends, he forgot about what I insisted upon. Well, it’s not like he’s in trouble or anything. You, on the other hand, are.”

Narati was immediately reminded of why he was there to begin with. It wasn’t just a simple vacation, after all. The Fa’ar silently nodded as they walked out of the village and towards a lone tree outside the village, with a peculiar-looking red arch right in front of it. Narati immediately noticed that the lone tree looked different from the rest of the evergreen trees in the village. It was still blooming despite it being close to fall. It bloomed pink flowers that were clearly not a native of the Emerald Valley. What the Fa’ar also noticed was a thick rope wrapped around the tree trunk. It was as thick as an arm’s length, starting from the shoulder, specifically a human’s arm.

“Impossible,” said Kaz in disbelief. “But…how?”

Hima cracked a smile. “Father had his ways.”

Narati was confused by Kaz’s reaction. To him, aside from the different-looking tree and the unusual decoration, there was nothing special about the tree. While Kaz looked around in awe as they went through the arch, Narati tried to act like it was fascinating, but again, he couldn’t find anything unusual aside from the tree.

Sensing Narati’s confusion, Hima said, “Oh, I forgot about you, Narati. Sorry. Let me fix that.”

Hima put her hand on Narati’s shoulder. He felt warmth coursing through his body. A comfortable, inviting warmth. All the sudden, the ratfolk’s vision started to change, and he gasped in surprise.

In the blink of an eye, the normal-looking tree turned into a different environment. The wasted space around it was immediately filled with a pond full of colorful fish of red, orange, black, and white or silver color, with a bridge crossing over it. Just across the pond was the tree, but sitting underneath the tree was a building made of the same wood as the red arch, painted in similar colors. There were paper lanterns, something unusual for Narati, along with stone lanterns near the pond. Since it was still in the middle of the day, none of them were illuminated. Narati also noticed a sandlot with patterns on top of it. He wasn’t sure what it represented, but he had a feeling that someone would be angry if he disturbed the pattern. They were far too intricate to be simple patterns.

He immediately sensed a presence, though it was not a threatening presence. Rather, it was…tranquil. His survival instincts did not flare up like when he was in danger. This presence calmed him. He turned towards the presence, intending to find out who would have such peacefulness.

Then Narati saw something confusing, which startled him. The environment turned dark for a moment before a white wolf appeared, staring at him with its unusual blue eyes. Yet, like before, once he blinked, the vision abruptly vanished. All he saw was the wooden building and the presence.

He was a kitsune, like Hima and Kaz, with orange fur, wearing clothes that looked rather comfortable. He sat with his legs crossed, his hands cupped and rested on his lap as if he was holding a cup of tea. His eyes were closed. His motionlessness suggested that he was asleep, though he wouldn’t be asleep with all nine of his tails raised in a pattern resembling a leaf, or perhaps a fire due to his fur color.

That notion was immediately proven when his head tilted, and a snoring was heard. He was certainly asleep, though in a rather unusual position.

Hima simply cleared her throat, which awoke the kitsune. He snorted, shook his head, then opened his eyes, revealed a pair of red, vulpine eyes with black sclera.

“Ah, sorry,” said the kitsune. His voice was ragged and old, along with a fox-like chuckle. “I fell asleep while meditating. Eh, can’t help it. Age’s catching up on me. I mean, there isn’t a lot of things to do until harvest time, so…. Ah, Hima! You’ve returned.”

“Indeed, father,” said Hima with a smile. “So, this is Kazenami, and this is Narati Vasra, the ones I talked about in the letter?”

“Ah, yes, yes, indeed! Welcome, you two. Go on, make yourselves comfortable.”

The old kitsune sounded so cheery and welcoming, much like what one would expect of a peaceful elder. Narati sheepishly sat on the cushion provided by Hima while Kaz sat beside them. The old kitsune turned to face them while Hima went into the kitchen to make some tea.

“We haven’t had visitors from the homeland in ages,” started the kitsune. “In fact, I never heard anyone would consider coming here. How do you like the Valley, hmm?”

“Honestly…I had a bad first impression,” said Kaz. “Not to mention almost having corrupted by a being beyond my wildest imagination.”

“I see, I see. Hima was not exaggerating, then.”

“I’m…surprised, really. This place…it reminded me of the past. I can’t believe you managed to save a Spirit Tree. And it’s centuries old! Have you been here since after the War?”

“I was but a child when the War was over,” said the old kitsune. “Long before I managed to enlighten myself and gained the rest of my tails. It was…a terrible time. Terrible.”

“Ah…I sympathize.”

“Oh, don’t be so formal, Kazenami-kun. This is hardly the age of warriors. Then again, I appreciate it. Now, I am willing to talk about the homeland and its recent development, but I’m afraid I have a more pressing issue.”

Without missing a beat, Hima’s father turned his head towards Narati. His red eyes were menacing, especially with the black sclera. It looked demonic, even. Narati gulped, intimidated by the old man’s stare.

“Narati Vasra,” started the kitsune. “I see my daughter is not exaggerating about you. You do harbor a great darkness within you.”

“How can you tell?” asked Kaz.

“Once you have meditated enough, you will find a new perspective,” said the kitsune with a chuckle. “You have a long way ahead of you, young Kazenami, but it is a start.”

“S-so…,” said Narati, returning the kitsune’s attention to him. “What are you going to do? Am I a lost cause?”

“Oh, dear me, no! While it is true that I harbor great resentment towards the Nuremnian Empire, I would never project my anger to the Empire’s tools. Yes, you may have blood on your hands, but who am I to judge? You do what you must do to survive. And your voice…I can tell how you have suffered.”

Narati did not immediately reply.

“And I understand if you don’t want to talk about it. But that darkness, oh…that is concerning. Let me be frank with you, young one. You are possessed.”

There was an awkward silence where everyone there looked at the old kitsune in confusion. Just then, Hima returned to the porch with a pot of tea, some teacups, along with snacks. She immediately realized that she walked into an awkward conversation.

“Uh…is something wrong?” she asked, breaking the silence.

“Huh?!” exclaimed Kaz. “B-but that’s not—”

“Possible? Or perhaps you never realized it? I thought that’s the darkness you are talking about?”

“Of course not! He’s clearly not possessed!”

“Possessed?” asked Hima. “Father, the darkness I meant is not an evil spirit. It’s—”

“The potential of young Narati to become a monster. Yes, yes, I know that’s also concerning. Our homeland was ravaged by them a long time ago. But look at him. Does he have horns on his head? Are his eyes green? Or rather, are we currently being poisoned by Aether? Yes, we should be cautious, but we have a more pressing issue.”

“But we never sense any evil spirit! We would know!” reasoned Kaz.

“You wouldn’t know because it’s smart. So, then, Narati-kun. Be honest with me. Who or what did you saw in your dreams?”

Narati was still confused with the development, but immediately returned to the situation at hand. Now that the old kitsune knew something about his dream, Narati sighed and said, “I saw a white gerisla. A white wolf with blue eyes.”

“And when did you became aware of this white wolf?”

“When I was almost killed by Aether poisoning, after I fought Asran.”

“Asran?”

“The true Fa’ar that was supposed to be our main concern,” said Hima.

“Ah. Well, continue, then, Narati-kun.”

“It…encouraged me not to give in. Not to die so easily. It said I still have a story to tell. It only appeared sporadically since then, always in my dreams. But then recently, I saw it walking nearby when I went through the arch. It’s only a blink of an eye.”

“Would you want to talk to it?” asked the old kitsune.

“Now?”

“No, not now! Goodness gracious, young ones are so impatient,” said the kitsune with a huff. “It is a great darkness, but it is not a malicious darkness, at least for now. And besides, you may want to thank the white wolf when you meet it in your dreams.”

“Why?”

“Why, indeed?” said the old kitsune with a chuckle. “Perhaps it has something to do with your current predicament?”

Narati wasn’t sure he got it, but the old kitsune was right. Even when he looked like a sage, he still acted like a happy, but wise, old man with so many stories to tell. Maybe he was right. Rushing through things without knowing where to go would only lead to unexpected disasters, at least that’s what Narati could take from their conversation.

And so, while keeping his situation in mind, Narati enjoyed the snack and tea alongside Hima and Kaz. He wondered where Raine was, but his friend could’ve been enjoying his return in his own ways. Five years was a long time to be away from his home.

Knowing this fact made Narati envy the man. He had a home, a family waiting for him, friends to talk with, and a city he knew like the back of his hand. It could explain his kindness and sympathy, since Narati had none of those.

Maybe he should take Raine on his offer instead of worrying about himself.