The sun rose the next morning, but the shadow of the strange being hadn't left the travellers' minds. Its horrible, grotesque form.
Suri walked ahead, Othello behind her, as they argued about every little thing. Nuia clung to Lioraen, and he did nothing to shake her off. She had shown how persistent she could be.
He, Lioraen, on the other side, was way lost in thought. Suri had explained a day before that Ousrue was a domain being in the western country. The country was named "Ousrue" after the being itself. A country rivalling Nhyferi, their own country.
*Why are they going as far as sending beasts all the way into this country? And it got to Solar, which is at the middle. Does that mean that the whole country is invaded?*
He glanced at Nuia, who had her eyes fixed on him for a while now.
"How did you say you got here?"
She pouted her lip and then looked away.
"I attended a family meeting in the Valereth's mountain." She tightened her hand around his.
*That's why it sounded familiar. The mountain was famous for being off-limits. It was named after their family. As expected of the high family.*
"And when we were returning, the evacuation was issued..."
"We?" He glanced around to ensure their safety.
"Me, my younger cousin, and my guards," she replied, clenching her fist. "I had lost them all before I woke up. The vehicle had run into an isolated alley, so that's why I was safe, or perhaps my guard had driven it into the..."
He stopped completely and turned to her.
"Woke up?"
"I..." She withdrew her hand. "I fell asleep on the way. By the time I woke up, it was already a week by."
"How can you be asleep for a week, you damn brat?" Suri commented.
"It wasn't my fault," Nuia gasped. "I... I had never slept like that..."
*She fell asleep?* Lioraen pondered. *I also fell asleep in school that day and didn't wake up to the alarm, even if I was a light sleeper.*
He took a few steps forward.
*I woke up in a few hours, though.*
**That's because you both have different levels of consciousness.**
Lioraen flinched.
*Wanderer?*
**Yep. Me.**
He glanced around. The domain beings were engrossed in verbally torturing Nuia.
"How did you know that they are dead?!" That was Othello.
"I walked out and saw their bodies..." That was Nuia.
"How are we sure you didn't kill them yourself?" That was Suri.
Mute. Mute. Mute.
He stepped away.
"I called you all night, last night."
**I heard.**
"And you didn't reply?"
**I'm not entitled to.** The wanderer grinned.
*Crazy bastard.* He sighed.
"What do you mean by level of consciousness?"
**You grew up in a shrine.**
"So?"
The wanderer sighed dramatically.
**You're basically in tune with the spiritual since day one of your life. While your subconscious can force your body awake, hers can't.**
"Aah." Lioraen stopped. "Why fall asleep at all?"
**That probably has something to do with the energy these beasts are emitting. It strains the mortal body.**
"Aah..." He glanced back at the trio running to catch up with him.
"Lio! Why did you leave us behind?!" Othello yelled, panting from the short run.
"You won't be tired if you haven't assumed a child's form." Suri snorted.
"Say what? You overgrown hag!" Othello shot.
"Who are you calling hag, you shrimp..."
Mute. Mute. Mute.
Lioraen just stared at them.
**Now that I look at it, those two were split off themselves.** The wanderer spoke.
Lioraen's eye widened.
"What?"
**To assume a mortal form or live in realms, you split yourself. Those two are the same being.**
Lioraen stared at them in amusement.
"Now that's just hilarious."
He turned around and continued walking, ignoring Nuia, who once again clung to him.
*Why split yourself, though? Can't you enter a realm like that?*
**The balance would be broken. Realms are fragile for strong lights. Splitting breaks it.**
Lioraen froze, suddenly aware of something. Nuia almost tripped over her skirt.
*You can read my thoughts?*
**Yep.** The wanderer grinned.
*So... when I called you a walking time bomb...*
**Yep.**
*Crazy bastard?*
**Totally.**
He chuckled nervously and continued to walk.
**How did I hear your recites on the first day?** the wanderer reminded him.
*That's true. I did not say it out.*
"Ummm," Suri interrupted his thoughts. She walked to him, taking cautious steps. "Are you talking to... that thing?"
**Oh? She's observant.**
"That thing?" Lioraen stopped.
"What thing?" Nuia peeped.
"Never mind..." Suri looked away.
*She's still scared of the wanderer. I'm honestly not even surprised. It's scary.*
**I'm still here.**
He flinched.
"Where are we going?" Othello stepped closer.
"For now, we'll find a camp," Lioraen announced.
*I need somewhere to dump this lady.* He glanced at Nuia.
She smiled at him.
"I know where a camp is."
"Where?"
She pointed her hand to the left side of the street.
"A little further and cutting into that road. The way down, a right turn, another right turn... maybe left this time... I'm sure it's right... is the camp!"
They gazed at her, dumbfounded.
"Hey," Othello frowned. "Did you even go to school?!"
"Why is this puny child talking?! I'm from the high family!" She burst into yelling. Suri began laughing.
"Puny child!..."
Mute. Mute. Mute.
*Wanderer? Is she correct?*
**Do I look like a scout?** It huffed.
*I don't know what you look like anyway.* Lioraen shrugged.
**Trust me. You can't stand the sight.**
"Cut it out!" Lioraen snapped at them. It went silent immediately.
"Let's go."
He continued moving.
*Tell me about the time you entered a realm. You wrote about it.*
**That time, huh...** The wanderer trailed off. **Ask anything you're curious about.**
*First, why did you enter a realm?*
**I was bored,** the wanderer bluntly replied.
Lioraen face-palmed himself.
*You're hopeless.*
**Haha.**
*How does it feel to split yourself?*
**Longing.**
The wanderer went mute for a while, so that Lioraen thought it might be gone.
**You long for your other half all the time. For me, I got mine back quite easily. It's not the same for most mortals. They get so detached that meeting your other half becomes a one-in-a-billion chance.**
"Aah..." Lioraen sighed. He glanced around, ensuring that everyone was keeping up.
*So? How was the experience? Enjoyed it?*
**Oh! Yeah!** The wanderer was suddenly excited. **With the Buckwill brat and all.**
*Buckwill?*
**In 34126, middle realm. The scenery was different. He was a big-brained brat who reality was a bit unfair to. He was my friend.**
*I see. He died?*
**I don't remember.** The wanderer chuckled softly. **I don't remember our end. All four of us. It was a long time ago. I just know that I'll pay for that experience again.**
*Must have been a unique experience.*
**Don't worry, kid. Yours is also interesting.** The wanderer teased.
*Is this a show to you?!*
It chuckled again.
**And so is Luya's story.**
*Another story is another realm?*
**Another story in this realm.** The wanderer corrected.
*Someone fighting the monsters?*
**Quite a different genre.**
Lioraen halted.
"Everyone. Go on ahead."
"What?!" The trio gasped.
"Where are you going?" Othello added.
"I'll catch up." Lioraen turned around and jogged a different path.
They stared at him in shock as he disappeared behind the buildings.
**Are you abandoning your allies?** The wanderer grinned.
"Tell me about the person you're watching."
**Luya? What—are you jealous?**
"I need to know my friends and foes," Lioraen seriously said.
The wanderer went mute for a while and then burst into crazy laughter. Lioraen got so pissed off that he stopped.
"What's so funny?!"
**So serious.** The wanderer sighed. **Luya isn't your enemy.**
"So she's my ally?"
"Probably... To be precise," the wanderer said, "Luya is your first descendant."
TBC...