About a week had passed since Viriya came to the library for the first time. It was a total of 21 days, or it was 9 days if counting in normal tens. The day was the 57th day of the month La Shrit of year 3727.
Viriya thought that 3727 was about two thousand years in the future from Viriya-Anish's own time. Maam Khanti did tell him-her that it was far in the future, but he didn't have any actual idea about that. After reading about the history a bit, she got to know that 3727 starts quite a while after the Disaster Maam Khanti talked about. She couldn't find much information about the Disaster, but it was destructive enough that a huge landmass split apart.
And 3727 wasn't three thousand years long if counted in tens. After calculating, Viriya came to the conclusion that, if counted in tens, 3727 actually falls around the fourteen hundreds.
Viriya came to the same library once more. She had read some more books about trees. She didn't find the Imaginary Tree anywhere. But she wrote a letter about the Imaginary Tree for Maam Khanti through Makriva. Sending through him wasn't really a problem, which she thought would be one. She just gave the letter to Makriva and asked if he could send it to Maam Khanti, and Makriva agreed.
No reply had arrived yet, maybe because she addressed Kavith and the Shouting Man along with Maam Khanti. Most likely it would be a normal delivery, not a fast transfer.
The awkwardness between Makriva and Viriya wasn't there much anymore. They started talking normally. Makriva initiated conversation many, many times, but not as much as during the travel, of course. At those points, Viriya didn't need Makriva's continued attention.
At the university, Viriya asked about the flower, Palm of Her, every day. The door guards were maybe getting annoyed by her, but Viriya didn't care enough for that.
She was mainly coming to the university for the library. Viriya glossed over many books about many things — the geography of the place, a little bit of history, the economy, general jobs of that time, among other things.
There she found the answer to the cycle Nrit mentioned. The power, or the electricity source, is connected to that as well. At the split between two lands, a fast water current runs from one direction to another in a cycle. During the change of the current's direction, the water between them stayed calm, and travel happened using water vehicles.
Viriya wondered why no bridge was there. She dismissed the thought, thinking maybe the lands were too far apart or impractical for some other reason.
In those currents, water wheels, which were essentially water turbines, were used for electricity generation. That electricity was transferred around the world using Krera. Viriya understood it as a battery, but Krera sounded better. Even in her mind, she started to use that word.
Viriya was reading about the weather so she could know what to expect. She didn't know how much had changed in the future. After reading through quite a bit, she was a bit surprised. The weather was quite the same as before — Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. But all of those were split into eight total parts, as those extensions shouldn't exist, but someone had forcefully divided them to match up with eight months.
The month La Shrit's season was early monsoon. Viriya did notice some rain, which would increase in the later month, La Shrat, which would be monsoon.
She also noticed something a little bizarre. An unset number of random days in a year passed by faster or slower with unexpected weather changes. It was unexpected for Viriya, but she wasn't surprised by it, in that crazy world.
After reading the book, she went to the front desk to return it to Shereka. Shereka did mention some other things about the gathering, but not how Viriya could attend. Like the place of the gathering, named Tralin. Also, apparently the gathering would be happening in three days, and Viriya didn't know how she could join it.
If she didn't join the gathering, she wouldn't have to meet with a psychiatrist, which would be a good thing for her. And if she did join, she might have more information about other things, which would also be a good thing for her.
But she still didn't know how she could join it, and couldn't ask Shereka without being suspicious.
Shereka had walked with Viriya home for a few days. Viriya decided she would ask Shereka to go along with her. She could somehow ask then, if the opportunity arrived at any point.
At the desk, while returning the book, Viriya mentioned, "Drop me off today?"
Looking at Viriya for a moment, Shereka replied, "Sure. I will be late, though."
"Yes, that works", saying Viriya went out of the library.
Coming out of the library, Viriya went straight towards the door of The Nurturing Veins. Ardn, a different doorman, was guarding the door then, whom Viriya had met a few times that week. He had silver-coloured armour on, which had a black border around it. He looked to be in his late twenties, if counting in tens. His eyes had a yellowish-brown tint, and his hair was short and scrambled. He always stood at the door, unlike Yelar, who always sat there while guarding.
Viriya somewhat yelled towards him, "Any update on the palm?"
With the same seriousness on his face, he just shook his head without saying a word.
She later went to the second floor, passing by the office of Sir Weaver, to meet with Nrit. She tended to meet with Nrit some days of the week if she had free time. She never noticed the person who had a hood-like cloth. Upon asking Nrit about the person, he informed her that the person was Bhovira, from the southern continent like Nrit.
On the second floor, she knocked on Nrit's room where he was living for a few days until the next calm cycle.
Most of the time they didn't talk, just good company for each other. She didn't have much to do that day either, so she decided to hang out with Nrit, who mostly stayed alone there.
After entering the room, Viriya sat at the side of the bed. The room was pretty small, just a bed and a few daily-use things, like a little stand to keep clothes.
Nrit sat beside her and asked, "Done reading today?"
"Ehh, yes. Wasn't feeling like reading." Viriya replied without much thinking. "What about you? How was the day?"
"Well, just sitting and moving around," Nrit replied with a subtle pause. He asked, "I meant to ask before, do you know Bhovira?"
Viriya was a little taken aback. She replied, "No? Why?"
"You two just look similar," Nrit replied, looking at Viriya.
"Ahh, not sure. Maybe just similar structure...?" Viriya was intrigued, but she just answered with what seemed most logical to her.
Nrit didn't reply. It seemed like he accepted that answer. They passed their time in that room, sometimes outside, until it was close to evening.
They were again in the same room, sitting in silence. Some footsteps could be heard from the outside hallway, which usually passed by the room.
One of the footsteps stopped near the door. Then a knocking sound came.
Nrit went and opened the door. A female voice said, "Next week will have a calm cycle. I am leaving then. If you want to join, you can."
"Yes, I will. And don't stand at the door, come inside." Saying that, he moved away from the door to make space for the lady in the doorway.
When he moved away, Viriya saw the lady standing there. It was the same lady who had a dark cloth wrapped around her like a hood.
The wrapped cloth wasn't really black; it had a blue tint to it. And yes, the lady looked a lot like Viriya. But more rigid. More precisely, she looked a lot like Viriya's mother, Bhavakari.
Before Viriya could make any connection, the lady called out, "Viriya? You were the girl of the incident?" but it wasn't—"
It was clear that original Viriya and the lady both knew each other. And from the facial structure and the name similarity between the lady and Viriya's mother, it was quite clear that she was related to Viriya. Most likely she was an aunt of Viriya.
Viriya replied, "Oh, Aunt, I didn't realize it was you. Why didn't you visit?" It felt like a safe enough start to the conversation.
"I went there, but you were the? What happened then?" Aunt replied with a concerned expression.
___
It was quite dark outside. Viriya talked as little as she could, but she explained what happened during the day. With each detail, Aunt grew more concerned over time, especially during the scene when she explained about the chest cave-in. It didn't feel like Aunt was much worried about the chest cave-in itself, but more so about the details during that.
Nrit mostly stayed calm during that. Sometimes he chipped in.
When the conversation was done, Aunt offered to drop Viriya off. Viriya rejected it, mentioning Shereka. They would go together.
Aunt seemed to accept that. While coming out of the room, Viriya heard Aunt saying to Nrit, "I can accompany you till the current. But I'll be staying here."
Nrit replied something as well, but Viriya was far ahead. She didn't hear anything.
———
Viriya and Shereka both left the university together. They walked through a quite populated spot until it was a bit less populated.
Viriya finally said, "I don't know how to say it, but I really can't remember how to join the gathering. Please remind me?"
"You definitely need to meet with Ruoark. It will be near the evening, so stay alone then. At the time of the Gathering, you will just be able to join it. Don't worry," after saying that, Shereka stayed mostly silent.
After walking a little more, Viriya asked to lighten the situation a bit, "What was the covered book you were reading?"
Hearing that, Shereka snapped her head towards Viriya. It felt like contemplation of whether she should say anything or not. Shereka revealed that she was reading a book series called "Yours, Reluctantly." She felt embarrassed to tell Viriya.
Viriya didn't know what Shereka was reading before and wished she could forget the plot of the book. It was about a landlord and none other than a librarian tenant falling for each other after the librarian's painful heartbreak.
After saying all that, Shereka was finally talking normally. They reached an almost empty road. They were talking about the environment, the weather, and some other books.
Just empty fields on both sides of the road. It was calm; the wind was blowing from their right side. Viriya had started walking to the university and back home after the first day; it felt better in that environment. Great environment, great weather — with the dark and crimson moon in the sky, it was even more beautiful. Shereka had a spherical lamp on her, which was lighting the road.
Shereka was walking slightly behind Viriya. From nowhere, Viriya felt a strong push at her back, with a shouth from Shereka,"Watch out." Frim the push she fell forward onto her face. When she fell, her left elbow hit the ground first; she couldn't understand what just happened. Where the elbow fell accidentally cracked the path, and she just tried to brace herself with her bent hand. Some of those cracked bits scraped her hands. Maybe they were bleeding as well, but in that moment, she didn't notice that.
Near her, the lamp had fallen and went dark instantly. While she was falling down, she tried to understand what just happened. She felt Shereka move and looked quickly behind. She also felt a figure near the empty field. She didn't see or hear them. It was like she could sense where they were standing or what they were doing, but it wasn't clear.
It was Shereka who had pushed her. Slowly trying to get up, she looked behind. Viriya saw Shereka pointing her palm towards the empty road. Her hand was covered with liquid-like metal. She was shouting something incomprehensible.
She was still looking at Shereka, about to ask, "What happened?" Before she could ask or understand anything or get any answer, she heard a loud "Thump," and everything went black.