Ayo awakened, bleary-eyed to the sound of rustling leaves and the smell of roasted meat. She sat up, stifling a yawn and took in their surroundings. The campfire had died down to glowing embers, but Wole and Mairo were already up and about, preparing breakfast. No matter what the latter had said yesterday about the state of their friendship, watching them now and taking in their easy camaraderie, the way they moved around each other, it was quite clear they knew each other in ways an outsider never would. It was, to Ayo’s BL-trained eyes, an obvious bromance and despite not having known them long, she found the sight oddly comforting.
"Good morning," she said, poking her head out of her tent.
"Morning, sleepyhead," Wole replied, tossing her a piece of roasted meat. "We saved you some breakfast."
"Thanks," Ayo replied, catching the meat and biting into it. It was still warm and juicy, and the gamey flavour exploded in her mouth, her essence levels rising with every chew.
For a while they ate in comfortable silence, the crunching of bones and the occasional sizzle from the dying embers the only things piercing the early morning stillness. Then, in the distance, she heard a flock of birds greeting the morning, their voices raised in sweet song. Ayo felt a sense of contentment settle over her, like she was exactly where she needed to be, but she couldn’t allow it to lull her to a false sense of complacency.
"So, what's the plan for today?" she asked, wiping her hands on a nearby leaf.
“We are going home,” replied Mairo. “Our mission is done. We came to investigate the essence spike of two months ago and now that we’ve found the explanation, there’s nothing keeping us here.”
Ayo nodded. “I see. And where is home exactly?”
Wole's grin was mysterious. "You'll see."
Ayo's curiosity was piqued, but she decided not to push the matter. Instead, she finished her breakfast and helped pack up the campsite. Then, with a little help from Lunar Threads, she descended with the others and they were on their way. As they travelled, Ayo noticed that the forest around them grew denser, the trees taller and more imposing. The leaves blocked out most of the sunlight, casting strange shadows on the ground. It was eerie, but also thrilling in a way.
Also exciting was Mairo and Wole's attention, particularly on the subject of her art set.
"Basic but not entirely unexpected for someone who's just arrived," mused Mairo. "It's not bad Ayo. Your Lunar Threads sounds really versatile. But you'll also be needing to gain Identify as soon as possible."
"Identify?"
"It's an art that lets you analyse the essence of other beings and objects, figuring out what are and what they can do."
So, basically, the same thing the art did in all of isekai.
"How do I get it?"
Upon which Ayo was informed of the three main ways to gain new arts. "The first way is to create the art yourself. When you cultivate your soulspace, you hold the idea of the art in mind and create a construct that is a model of what it’ll do. Do it well, let it match what your Title and/or affinity can reasonably achieve and the System will acknowledge it and add the art to your roster.” Mairo explained. “That is also how you can upgrade an art by the way. The second way is for the System itself to grant you an art. But this almost never happens. Other than the Starter Art one gains with a Title, new ones are only awarded when you perform an action that affects the world in some way. Like unlocking a secret quest or becoming the owner of a shop for example.”
Ayo nodded again. “Sounds hard.”
“It is, which is why most people favour a third option. Being taught the art by someone who already knows it. Now not all arts can be taught. Some depend on the Title and/or rank of the user. For example, you can’t expect a Labourer to learn a Doctor’s Healing Pulse. Some arts are even classed as Unique, of which only the person who has it can ever use it. Luckily for us, the System has been around for thousands of years and people have had a lot of time to get creative so now there are a lot of General classed arts that anybody can learn, regardless of Title and rank.”
“One of them being Identify.”
“Correct!” interjected Wole.
“So. How do I start?”
“Pick an object. Any object and focus on it. Imagine it dissolving back into the threads and motes of information that makes it up, that makes up all things and let it flow into your mind.”
Ayo obeyed, letting Mairo’s calm and soft voice lull her into an almost sleep-like state. She chose one of the trees around and just let her gaze unfocus a little. It was almost like the meditative trance she entered when she was spinning a particular pattern into a weave. Just letting the spindle go back and forth, back and forth as her hands directed its place in her work. Ayo held this sensation for five minutes, then sighed and returned to herself.
She was rewarded with a melodic chime and a pop-up.
[ALERT! Art Acquisition process successful! User has gained the art: Identify!]
[Implementing…]
[Young iron tree: An iron tree less than a century old. Its rainbow-coloured leaves are somewhat pretty.]
Ayo cheered, pleased with herself and accepted Wole’s praises with a grin as she checked out her new art.
[Art: Identify [Essence Cost: None [Class: Active
[Description: A general art. It allows the user to gain some basic information about a person or object. May not work under certain conditions.]
Feeling proud of herself, Ayo decided to give her new art a test run. She looked around her and spotted a nearby boulder. Focusing her mind, she imagined the boulder dissolving into its component parts and flowing into her mind. The sensation was similar to before, but this time she felt something else as well - a sudden rush of information that felt like a tsunami of knowledge flooding her senses.
The pop-up appeared again, and she quickly read it.
[Big Boulder: A large boulder made of earth. It's been here for centuries and has been worn smooth by the elements.]
Ayo was amazed at the amount of information she just received. It was as if she had just downloaded a database into her brain. She looked at Mairo and Wole, feeling grateful for their guidance. They had taken her under their wing and were teaching her things she probably would never have learned on her own.
Then she noticed them trying and failing to hide grins and she scowled.
"Shut up," she told their annoyingly handsome faces.
But Ayo's anger didn't last very long. As they continued on their journey, the forest grew even denser, the trees towering over them as they made their way deeper into the unknown. Giant mushrooms and bizarre-looking plants glittered enticingly in the dark and as the boys saw those and their pace increased, she sensed that they were getting closer to their destination.
Finally, they emerged from the forest onto a wide expanse of grassland, stretching out as far as the eye could see. Spindly acacia trees took up prime spots on the plains and in the distance, more of the limestone mountains lurked, at once close and far away.
But then she saw it and all else ceased to matter.
"There it is," said Wole, his voice filled with pride. "The City of the Lost. An Solidan."
Ayo gazed up at the sprawling metropolis, her heart racing at the magnificence before her and felt all words desert her.
It was a tree. A massive, massive tree. Its trunk was so vast Ayo was certain it would take her at least an hour to circle it completely if she ran, and its great branches spread out in a canopy across the sky, a shield defying the heavens. Giant roots poked out from the ground like sleeping sentinels and as they began to descend the slope towards the city, she spotted buildings and homes of all shapes and sizes nestled among the leaves, connected by walkways and balconies and staircases that wound their way up and down the branches. The leaves themselves were a riot of colours, ranging from deep greens to vibrant yellows and oranges and rustled in the wind, producing a soothing melody that Ayo found incredibly calming.
"I thought you said it was a village!" she accused, watching the city on the tree with wide eyes.
Wole laughed, then raised a placating hand when she turned to him. "It is! Sort of. The city is much bigger than you can see from here and... well, there aren't many of us living there."
Ayo frowned at him for a moment then turned back to the incredible sight.
"It's beautiful," she whispered and Mairo and Wole exchanged a smile.
"Glad you like it," said Mairo. "It's home."
Ayo was still in awe as they made their way to the tree city. The closer they got, the more she noticed the intricate details of the structures about her. The buildings were constructed of the same pale stone as the Tower and reached up towards the sky, their spires piercing the clouds. Even the leaves of the tree were like little homes themselves, each with its own unique shape and colour.
The way up turned out to be an elaborate, grand staircase of some sort, that upon closer inspection, showed rolling hinges that indicated it to be retractable. The twin guards manning the doors frowned heavily at her appearance but brightened when they saw Mairo and Wole behind her.
"Welcome back, sirs," one of the guards said, his voice laced with respect. “It is a relief to see your safe return." He peered at Ayo curiously. "Who's your friend?"
"Sorry man, can't say a word. Elder business, you know how it is," Wole replied with a wink. An arm snaked across Ayo's shoulders and before she knew it she and Mairo were being hustled up the grand staircase.
"Incorrigible gossips, those two," Wole said to Ayo's bewildered expression. "I'm sure the entire village will know we've returned by the time we make it to the city proper."
But Ayo cared little for that. Her mind had snagged on an important detail in the short conversation.
"Sirs? Are you two important or something?"
"Eh. Kind of. Not really." Wole seemed to consider the matter for a few seconds, then waved it away with a sweep of the arm. "Maybe, I think."
Which answered nothing so she turned to Mairo, but he too proved reticent.
"It's not important," he said gruffly. "Come, I want to show the sights."
Ayo's frown grew some more—what was going on here—but then the elevator doors opened with a huff and Ayo was hit by a wave of activity and noise. People were bustling about, going about their daily business, and the air was filled with the scents of cooking and flowers.
But she did immediately understand why Wole and Mairo had insisted on calling it a village. Even from here, it was clear a lot of the houses were unoccupied. Sure, there were plenty of people going about their day and the buildings themselves were unblemished, pristine even, but the city seemed diminished. Small. As though it had lost something that once made it great.
"Something happened here, didn't it?" Ayo asked quietly. "Something bad."
The two came to a halt, not moving for a beat, then sighed and looked at one other.
"I told you she was a clever one," Wole said, then looked at her. His smile was gone, all levity drained from him and in that moment he seemed so much older, his eyes dark with the memories of something painful. "Yes, you're right. Something did happen. Not here but... elsewhere. Even now remembering is..." He trailed off, then shrugged. "We'll tell you okay? In time. It's just… we don't really know you and it's a very personal matter."
Ayo stalled, watching them watch her and felt old alarm bells ringing in her head, prophesying danger and the need for immediate escape. But the tug was still there, still lingering and with a silent breath she took one more chance and nodded. Once.
And that seemed to be enough. The two turned back around and the walk continued.
"So," she began slowly after a minute. "What now?"
"Now, you meet the Elders," answered Mairo. "We haven't had any visitors in any while but it's still protocol."
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"And besides that," chimed in Wole. "I'd love to see the looks on their faces when we introduce you."
***
As it turned out, the meeting place for the Elders was not some grand, elaborate hall brimming with ancient wisdom. It was instead The Mousetrap Stop, a cosy little inn nestled in the crook of one of the tree's immense branches. Ayo turned back to the boys, convinced she was being pranked but Wole just laughed and ushered her inside with a flourish.
Once inside, Ayo was struck by the warmth of the inn. The smell of freshly baked bread mingled with the scent of some kind of drink—was that spiced wine—and she felt her stomach grumble in response, reminding her she had eaten nothing but poorly roasted pork since her arrival. The inn was bustling with activity, with patrons clustered around tables, drinking and chatting while discreetly eyeing the new arrivals with interest. Wole, paying the gossips little mind, led them at once to a table in the corner, where three figures sat waiting.
They were, as Ayo had expected of Elders, rather… well, elderly and consisted of two men with kind faces, one of whom possessed a long white beard. The third was a woman, who while just as old, bore an expression of resigned distaste, as though she had just spotted something she knew she wouldn't like. The trio watched them approach in silence, the man on the right chewing what Ayo thought were tobacco leaves in contemplation.
"Good afternoon, Elders," Mairo said with a respectful bow. "We have returned, as promised."
"So it would seem," said the man on the right. "Although I must say that I do find it odd you make such a statement, considering the fact that I cannot recall you ever asking or receiving permission to leave."
"Of course, they didn't, but when have they ever cared for the rules?" snapped the woman, distaste finally giving way to anger. "Leaving without so much a note or heads-up... I couldn't believe anybody would be so foolish. What if they had been attacked by a soul beast or waylaid by an Aberration?"
"Well you aren't wrong about the beast part but we did defend ourselves well," Wole chimed in but the woman ploughed on, undeterred.
"What if a Redwood scout spotted you and followed you back here? You could have doomed us all!" she screeched, then settled down with a soft, drawn-out sigh. "You could have died."
Mairo frowned and folded his arms across his chest, but when he spoke his voice was gentle. "But we didn't, did we? Elder Oneshi, we survived. I know it was dangerous but we had to find the source of the essence surge of two months ago." He turned to Ayo. "And we did."
As the Elders' gazes landed on her like a hammer, Ayo gulped and stepped forward. "Hello," she said, hating how much her voice shook. "My name is Funmilayo Egbuche. But everyone just calls me Ayo."
"So... you brought us a stranger," began the woman, utterly unimpressed. "And possibly jeopardized us. How could she possibly be the cause of the surge?"
"It's simple," replied Mairo calmly. "She is Starborn."
A sudden silence swept through the inn indicating that the patrons had been eavesdropping, rather shamelessly at that and the tobacco-chewing man finally leaned forward, his expression one of interest. Up close it was obvious he was the youngest of three, resembling someone in his late 40’s or 50’s, and Ayo found herself intrigued by his odd, rainbow-coloured eyes. “Well, well, well, isn’t this an interesting development?"
Ayo shifted uncomfortably as the man's rainbow eyes seemed to bore into her, as though he could see straight through her soul while the woman looked at her with a newfound intensity, as though she had suddenly grown a pair of horns. Ayo couldn't help but feel nervous under their collective scrutiny.
The woman slowly leaned back, her face expressionless as she inclined her head. “So, it has happened,” she murmured quietly, and the trio fell silent as their eyes met in a moment of shared understanding.
“Elder Kola, Elder Nuru, Elder Yasmin,” Wole began after a beat of silence, looking at each one. “You know why we can’t just abandon her. She’s only been here for two days. If we force her to leave, she’ll die.”
A tiny groove formed over Ayo’s brows at that proclamation. Surely, she wasn’t that pathetic right? Thankfully, silent watchfulness had always been one of her better traits and it came in handy now.
“Yes, yes, settle down. We’re not about to throw the girl out of the city for just existing,” said the woman, Elder Yasmin irritably. She eyed Ayo critically for a moment longer, then let out an odd mixture of a groan and sigh. “Fine, she can stay. And you two will take charge of her,” she added, pointing an accusing finger at the now smiling duo. “I will not have her wandering around the city bothering people! And by the old gods don’t let her go past the inner gate!”
“I know,” said Wole.
“We’ll be watchful,” said Mairo, snaking an arm across Ayo’s shoulders. Conversation and laughter returned to the inn as soon as the Elders turned away, losing interest, but even as they left Ayo could feel the rainbow-eyed man’s gaze lingering on her back.
“Well, that went as well as could be expected,” said Wole the moment they were back in the sun.
“Really?” Ayo asked dubiously. The entire inn’s reaction to her Starborn status still freaked her out a little bit.
“Of course. Elder Yasmin didn’t even yell at us as much as I expected and you get to stay. Not that I doubted for a second.”
Ayo hummed noncommittally, briefly debating whether or not to say anything, then decided to continue what she’d been doing since she met these two and dive headfirst into uncharted waters.
“But there was that switch up. The way Elder Yasmin, heck all the Elders went from being suspicious to, I don’t know, Awe? It didn’t feel right.”
“You’re Starborn Ayo. You’d better get used to it. Each and every time one of you has come along, things in this world change. The current house system was started by a Starborn. The first person to achieve the rank of Legend? Starborn. The first successful clearing of Tower? Also led by a Starborn. It’s like reality bends to make sure great things happen around you, whether good or bad,” Wole said. Ayo thought about it for a moment before turning to him with an expression of shock on her face.
“Wait, what? Are you saying that I have the potential to do something like that too? To change the entire world and create a new system or something?" She asked incredulously.
Wole just smiled and nodded knowingly, “It’s very possible. Which is why the Elders would have had to be complete morons to send you away. Plus, I wasn’t wrong about the danger. You’re not ready to survive out there on your own.” Then he clapped his hands once. “But enough serious talk. There’s still a vacant house next to ours and we’ll want to get you settled in before nightfall.”
Ayo merely nodded and followed the boys numbly, her mind still racing. Not even a week had passed and she was already being informed of her great destiny and whatnot. Wasn’t it too early? And how could such a thing happen to her of all people? She was pretty sure that by all possible margins, she did not qualify as hero material. But then again, she had immediately stumbled onto Wole and Mairo, who if what they were saying was to be trusted, had been the perfect people to save her from dying of ignorance. If reality bent around Starborn like that then, maybe it really was possible. As the sun began to cross the midway point, Ayo felt an unfamiliar spark of purpose in her chest. It was rather nice.
However, she wasn’t allowed to dwell on her thoughts for long. The walk to their destination only took five minutes and in no time at all she was being hustled into the cottage-sized building carved from the same white stone.
The boys, or rather Wole alone, chattered ceaselessly as they wandered around the abandoned house, rummaging around its interior and producing several surprisingly intact items. There was a table and some chairs in the main room, empty but still sturdy shelves and cupboards and a kitchenette containing a dead, ancient-looking contraption that Mairo assured her was once a magical fireplace they could coax back to life with some essence infusion.
A cursory look upstairs revealed a smaller room with a tiny window, a bed, a reading desk by it and another cupboard containing clothes that were just about her size.
“Jackpot! Wasn’t expecting those but we’ll take them,” Wole said cheerfully. “You’ll be wanting fresh clothes later on of course and more furniture but I think for now, these will suffice.”
Ayo replied with something idly, her attention fixed on scanning her surroundings. Was this going to be her life now? A constant series of bewildering circumstances? Because how did a clearly abandoned city remain so untouched by time? Those clothes should have been dust by now. Just to make sure, she asked the boys.
“Oh yeah, you’re right, this place is ancient,” Wole agreed. “Before our house moved in no one had actually lived here for, I don’t know, a couple of thousand years or so? Anyways all I know for sure is that it was the only unoccupied Core City for a very long time.”
“What’s a Core City?”
“It is, in its simplest form, any location that is home to a Great House,” Mairo replied, leading them out of the house. “You said you did some research on our world before you were taken right?”
Ayo nodded, happy to be back on familiar ground. The houses were basically like the mafia families from back home or sects from Xianxia novels; a group of cultivators linked by blood or oaths who ruled over an even bigger group of non-cultivating mortals. She had learned that there were five major ones and guessed that these Core Cities were their homes.
“That’s right. Sure there are tons of smaller villages and towns, even a few cities, ruled by smaller Houses, but the Core Cities are where most people live. They, like the Towers, were all built during the Dawn Age so they almost never age and have inbuilt structures and defences which makes the House’s job of protecting the city much easier. Like ours, which was built off the ground and on an iron tree to boot.”
Ayo nodded again, absorbing the knowledge like a sponge. “So, Core Cities are usually heavily populated.”
“Yup.”
“So why is this place so deserted then? There can’t be more than a thousand people here in total. If it has something to do with that personal thing you mentioned then I’m sorry I brought it up. I’m just… curious,” she finished lamely.
The boys stopped, eyeing her for a moment in consideration but before one of them could answer or deflect, a shrieking, purple mass hurled itself from one of the houses and launched itself into Wole’s startled arms.
“You’re back Uncle Wole, you’re back!” she yelled, then let out a peal of laughter when he tossed her into the air and caught her again.
“How’s my little Theti?” Wole asked after a few more tosses. “Have you been good?”
“The bestest ever!” came the enthusiastic promise, forcing a smile from Ayo. The girl couldn’t have more than eight. Mairo let out a grunt and at once, rabid excitement fell to shyness.
“Good afternoon Uncle Mairo. It’s good to see you’ve returned safely,” Theti said with all the solemnity of a priest at mass.
“I see your manners have improved. Excellent work,” Mairo replied gruffly, but Ayo could see he was hiding a smile. “How’s your brother?”
The report was swift to arrive. “Sleeping or crying like always! Why doesn’t he do anything else?”
“Because he’s just a baby and doesn’t know any better,” replied a voice and they all turned to see what had to be Theti’s parents emerging from the same home. The man was shorter than the woman, with a head so closely cropped he looked almost bald. His white eyes blinked at them from behind huge, rimmed glasses and his thin, spider-like hands worried at the carved toy between them. His wife was a little plumper, with the type of figure Ayo imagined a gymnast would have and purple hair only a shade paler than her daughter. A baby was indeed sleeping soundly in the crook of one arm and the other went into the akimbo position on her hip.
“Theti. Have you been bothering our neighbours again?”
“Nooooo,” she sulked, hiding behind Mairo. “They’ve just been gone for weeks and I missed them okay.” She pointed at Ayo. “And look mummy, they brought a girl home.”
“Theti, don’t be rude,” replied the father, but his bespectacled gaze was on Ayo now. “You are welcome, dear. But who are you? Forgive my questioning but we so rarely get visitors you see.”
“So I’ve been told,” Ayo muttered but with some help from Wole, explained the entire situation. They listened intently, humming and nodding in all the right places and once she was done, Theti’s mother promptly ushered them inside.
“Sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure,” she said, one hand dragging along her giggling daughter. “You must be exhausted, old ones know I would be in your place. I’m Amha, by the way, and this is my husband, Ade. It really is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” came the reply as Ayo looked around the home. It was lightly decorated, much like every other building in this strange city, but there was a warmth here that, like its owners, told her she was protected and could relax. Amha headed at once to the kitchen, bustling about with the force of a hurricane and in ten minutes three plates of something absolutely delicious were deposited in front of them.
“Eat up darlings, food is served,” she declared, dismissing their weak protests with a casual sniff. “Improperly roasted soul beast is not food!” she added, shooting an accusing look at the boys. “It’s exceptionally lucky you brought her to me straight away. Poor thing would have starved if left alone with you two.”
“We were helping her move in!”
“Oh? And what do you know of such things? Two months after and your houses are still only better than a pig sty!”
“There hasn’t been any time for decorating Mrs Amhanosi.”
“Silence! And what have I told you about calling me that?” she grumbled irritably. But there was a definite fondness to her words and two more helpings found their way onto their plates a few moments later.
Ayo couldn't help but smile when her gaze travelled across the scene before her. She found herself looking between the happily bickering trio, the platters of food spread out on the table, and Mr Ade as he slowly carved a small wooden monkey for his elated daughter. Seeing them together was enough to make Ayo's heart swell with joy and longing. How long had she wished desperately to be included in moments like this? But with a father whose main goal had been snatching the position of Librarian Supreme and a mother who just didn’t care, it had always seemed an impossible dream. So, Ayo sat there, laughing at the embarrassing stories Amha told of a loudly protesting Wole and allowed herself to fully relax for the first time since she came to Vestige.
***
Night came quickly and it found Ayo resting in her bed, her house looking quite a bit better after Amha’s careful ministrations. The boys had disappeared off to somewhere, mentioning something about the inn and a competition and she had been subsequently left alone to get some rest. Sleep, however, refused to come. Her mind kept going over random things and after tossing and turning restlessly for a while, Ayo escaped outside for a bit of fresh air.
The sky above, what little could be seen from behind the tree’s giant branches and leaves at least, was a kaleidoscope of brightly twinkling stars. Twin moons peeked at her from behind a cover of wispy clouds as she moved away from the cluster of homes and Ayo sighed as their light bathed her in a silvery glow. An instinct told her she would find cultivation a lot easier right now and she hurried forward to where a lone branch had been turned into a balcony of sorts. The canopy of leaves was a lot less encompassing here and she was just settling into a meditative posture when something rustled below and a figure skulked into view.
Ayo felt a chill run down her spine as she caught sight of the creature. Similar to an old man, it had a twisted, gnarled frame and moved in a crouch on its wide spider-like hands. As it stepped closer, its faceless head tipped to one side, revealing a toothy grotesque mouth. Two eyes opened up on the soles of the legs that pointed skywards and Ayo repressed a shudder when the terrible things locked onto her position.
"It's an Aigamuxa," said a voice and Ayo almost screamed as she spun around suddenly. The voice turned out to be Elder Nuru, who held up his hand in contrition.
"My apologies for startling you," he said with a small bow. "I didn't notice your mind was elsewhere."
"It's fine," replied Ayo, after she'd successfully prevented her heart from flying out of her chest. "I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings."
Elder Nuru inclined his head, conceding the point and stepped forward to join on the balcony.
"Interesting creature, isn't it?" he said, gesturing to the Aigamuxa and Ayo frowned and replied after a moment.
"I suppose so. Though they wouldn't be the first soul beast I'd pick for study. They are dangerous, at least in my world. They have a taste for human flesh and are usually found in deserts."
"There's not much difference here which makes me wonder how this one found its way here." The Elder leaned forward curiously and the Aigamuxa stilled then fled, the hands moving it surprisingly fast.
Ayo watched it disappear into the darkness before turning to Elder Nuru, who seemed deep in thought.
"What do you make of that?" she asked him.
"I'm not quite sure," he replied slowly, still staring out into the night. "But that, as I'm sure you've been told, is why we stay above ground at night if we can at all help it. The most dangerous of soul beasts are nocturnal and there are things worse than them that love to hunt under the cover of night."
"Aberration," she whispered and the elder nodded grimly. Ayo had many things she hated about Earth; its violence, its pollution, its chaos. But at least, she had never had to worry about Aberrations; foul, ravenous things with a malevolent hate of all that lived. It was an ongoing mystery why Earth, unlike other planets in the Apotheon, did not have any of the rifts that were the source of their creation.
"On that note, I feel that I must once again reiterate our earlier warnings never to cross the inner gate. The city beyond it is infested with monsters much stronger than we are," added Elder Nuru, his voice low and serious. "It is our duty to keep our people safe and we cannot do that if someone decides to be reckless and venture beyond the safety of our walls."
Ayo shivered despite the warmth of the night and nodded her agreement. She had already seen enough strange and dangerous things since her arrival in Vestige and had no desire to come face to face with something even worse.
"I understand," she said, turning to head back inside. "I won't take any unnecessary risks."
"See that you do. And rest well, Ayo," said Elder Nuru, his voice following her as she moved away. "Tomorrow will be a long day. I have a feeling you're going to be a great asset to our community and I'm not just saying that because you are Starborn. You have a sharp mind. I can see why Mairo and Wole have taken a liking to you."
Ayo nodded and made her way back to her room, her thoughts swirling with the many mysteries of this strange world. As she closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle over her. She knew there was more going on in this city than anyone was letting on, and the Elder's warning only served to confirm her suspicions. But for now, she needed to rest. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, her mind still racing with thoughts and questions.
What exactly was going on in the city of An Solidan?