16.08.1642

The Underground City

18:54

It seems as the day we have witnessed the last time hasn't finished yet. On the contrary, it has only started. KYR4 looks to have finally gotten to the group that is walking around and waiting for her arrival. As his usual, LUK3 is the first one to welcome her, but this time, he only comes to block her way instead of jumping on her. He looks strangely exhausted from an energy loss, even walking as if he is limping, with his C colour a bit faded from that black hair of his.

[LUK3]-KYR4! KYR4!! Look what you've missed! MY4 bought me this thingy to wear it on my head!!

[KYR4]-Hm?

[MY4]-*sigh* I told you, it's not for the head. It is suppose to be for your foot.

[LUK3]-No, it's not! Look! Look!!

The "thingy" in cause is actually a small device that can be attached to an injured foot, which is why MY4 said that. It doesn't have a complicated design though, it is simply two parallel "metal" sticks attached to two circles, one at 180° against the ground, a bit above around the level of the ankle, and the other at 90° against the ground, fixed on it, with the one above being able to open and close depending on the foot.

But the way he uses it just seems... unnecessary. To make it "fun", he puts it on his head as if it is a crown, struggling a bit to fix it so it won't fall down. He loses his attention towards the group and focuses on the "thingy" while doing this action. And as he does so, the Officer seems a bit perplexed on what's going on.

[KYR4]-So... What happened exactly?

[RY4N]-Nothing serious, don't worry. He was just... being his usual.

[MY4]-We went to buy a drink or two a few minutes ago, but on our way towards a bar, he saw a few kids playing around with a ball and decided to go on his own and play with them just to have a bit of fun, while RY4N and I remained to buy the drinks from the bar. And, when we got back... we kind of... found him on the ground, crying in agony.

[RY4N]-Oh, boy, you should've seen the kids' faces when they were watching him...

[MY4]-*sigh* Anyway... He simply sprained his ankle and lost his energy for a bit, but it won't be something serious since his immunity wasn't affected at that moment. I just gave him that so it will help him walk until it recovers, but he simply refuses to put it on for some reason.

[KYR4]-Aha... So I didn't miss anything new.

And as they finish talking, LUK3 finally starts paying attention to the conversation again, showing KYR4 how he managed to put the "thingy" to stand on his head.

[LUK3]-Ta-daah! Pretty cool, right?

[KYR4]-It looks as stupid as you are, LUK3.

[LUK3]-Nii...

[MY4]-You better take it off before it falls on the ground and you break it by mistake, LUK3.

[LUK3]-It won't fall, MY4! I am taking good care of it!

[MY4]-Just put it on your foot already.

[LUK3]-Nuh-uh! I'm doing what I want with it!

[RY4N]-Oh, dear Heaven...

He plays a bit with it to impress the group with his achievement, but he gets close to the point of dropping it by mistake, moving quickly when realising it and catching it on time. He then gives a smile of embarrassment to his best friend, only for MY4 to get a bit of a disappointed expression for the first time and giving him a sign to put it on his foot. But with a single look she realises what's the problem in the end, suggesting to take a small pause from walking while she fixes the matter.

And the matter is... that LUK3 is stupid and doesn't know how to put it at all. The two of them went on a bench nearby to sit down, while MY4 takes the device to fix it for him. She manages to put his injured foot into the device, but the problem was the fixing mechanism from the circle of the above which LUK3 was having problems at.

[MY4]-Is it fine now?

[LUK3]-Too wide! I feel it playing around!

Then she tries to fix it a bit more tight this time, which sure annoyed LUK3 now.

[LUK3]-H-Hey, hey, hey hey! Too tight! Too tight, MY4!!

[MY4]-What do you mean "too tight"? I barely changed anything! It has to be a bit tight anyway!

[LUK3]-But it hurts, god dammit!!

[MY4]-Oh, for the love of...

Meanwhile, RY4N and KYR4 remained where they were before, being a bit distanced from both of them and continuing chatting, waiting for them to be done.

[RY4N]-So... how was the whole Central Base visiting?

[KYR4]-Meh, nothing special. I went there just for the work after all.

[RY4N]-Did Mr. EM3RY need anything important to be done?

[KYR4]-I won't say important... He wanted me to see a new weapon his base has worked on and which he believed it will be our solution with the demons. After testing it myself though, most likely it won't be what he described. I gave them a few tips that should make the weapon better and able to achieve this goal, but who knows how long it will take until that day comes...

[RY4N]-He said something about the information being given to the Great Leader from what I recall though. Should I tell CHE5TER about it quickly?

[KYR4]-I mean, you can, if you wish so... But I believe it isn't a serious matter that should now bother the ruler. Maybe only for Him to be aware of it, but more than that, I don't see its point. Did He get any news though?

[RY4N]-Not really... I messaged him a few minutes ago to see how he is doing and it doesn't seem to be anything new regarding the outsider. But he did say that he will try today to find the village somehow. I mean, he remained without things to show the outsider and he hopes that the boy will finally tell him about it.

[KYR4]-So you are fine with Him leaving the cities' gates alone with a stranger?

[RY4N]-*sigh* I won't say "fine", but I am curious about it too. He will have all the equipment with him and all, but it sure bothers me that we won't be able to contact him at all...

[KYR4]-In the end, He is the Great Leader. As long as He is outside during the day, then that shouldn't be a problem, right?

[RY4N]-I guess... But, let me just tell him about this matter with the weapon too and then we can change the subject, alright?

[KYR4]-Go ahead then.

And so, RY4N looks at his left arm where he has his communication device and presses a few icons which seem to be contacts. Some are his colleagues from the base, others are groups like the Council or the base's group. But he wishes to speak to the contact "M. LENKOV" which should be his brother who took the name of their father in order to hide it from the Council.

It is a small chat registered there before he starts another one as well, just as he explained earlier. It isn't important though and we can't see much from it either. He simply asked how's everything going and the ruler replied. But now, he wishes to send another message, detaching the device from his arm and making it appear only the screen which he uses to type the message. It goes like this: "KYR4 told me about EM3RY's prototype for a new weapon that should help us with the demons just now, though it doesn't seem to be as important as it seems this information. Do you wish for me to tell you anyway?"

It takes a few second for a reply though, or even for the message to be seen, but the ruler replies pretty fast after He sees it, going: "Just the details of what happened and what I should exactly know.". Then again, RY4N starts typing. For a few minutes, that's all that is happening, and the conversation seems to look like this:

"-She went to the Central Base a few hours ago regarding some work that Mr. EM3RY wished for her to be present at. She has tested the weapon that I've told you about and she said that it isn't enough for it to be the solution to our problems. She gave a few advices and that's kind of it. But the Leader wished for you to know about this information.

-What did she find wrong at the weapon in cause?

-I've asked her now and said that the shots of the weapon weren't enough to damage nor scare a single demon, but it would've been able to make them more aggressive. She suggested focusing on the bullets instead and make them as small devices which should emit light when activated.

-Alright then. If there are any news on the weapon, please contact me immediately. I will try to be present the next time the subject is brought in the conversation with the Central Base."

That's kind of it. This is the conversation that involves the work that they have to look into, so it is a bit more formal by habit, even if they are siblings. But then, RY4N changes the subject and wishes to talk again.

"-Anything new on the outsider though?

-Didn't you ask me that a few hours ago as well?

-Can't I ask again?

-No, nothing is new at the moment. I'm patrolling around the City of Above with him to see a few areas on my own and then I will try to put my plan in action as I told you before. What about the situation there? Anything new?

-Regarding the work, not really. The weapon was everything we've got. I am outside now with the others. KYR4 is next to me, and LUK3 and MY4 are having a small problem to solve. The rest had other plans today.

-Small problem?

-Not in what you are thinking about. LUK3 is just being himself like always.

-What did he do this time?"

The City of Above

19:17

Yet now, we can see the ruler's point of view as well, with Him standing on the roof of a building in the City of Above, while the boy is looking around the view from that area, maybe taking a small rest from all the wandering. He is messaging His brother in the meantime, but instead of typing or having the device detached from His arm just like RY4N, He is simply looking at it while being on His hand and the messages are simply created out of nowhere, as if the device is also attached to His mind. It would explain why His C colour is also lighting up at the moment.

"-Nothing much. He just sprained his ankle and now he is limping. MY4 is trying to help him out with a small thing she bought for him so that it will help him walk."

Though this message from RY4N sure makes Him laugh for a little silently, even making the outsider a bit curious and starting to get closer, while he simply continues to talk.

"-I mean, next time just let him stay on the ground until he learns his lesson. Helping him all the time won't change anything.

-We will try if that's your command, Mr. Great Leader.

-Alright then. I'm going to leave you guys have your rest. Talk to you a bit later?

-Sure then. Good luck with the child."

[General]-...Why are you laughing there, Seven? Is it funny for you that I'm looking at the view of this city?

The boy sure approached Him when He wasn't expecting, but it didn't scare Him or anything like that. He just didn't know how to reply to this question. His C colour also stops lighting, as He lets go of His arm and looks at the stranger.

[CHE5TER]-...Oh, it's nothing, boy. I was just talking with my Original.

[General]-Oh? What did he say?

[CHE5TER]-It shouldn't bother you though, just our usual conversations.

[General]-*sigh* Alright then... So? Where are we heading next from here?

[CHE5TER]-I think we saw everything we could, General. We've been everywhere in the Underground City and the City of Above. I don't think I have any other things to show you.

[General]-Really? That's it?

[CHE5TER]-It's been over ten days after all. We have reached our limit in these cities, as well as I've reached mine. But I suppose it should be your turn to show me your village, right? We've made a deal after all.

[General]-Right... I mean, I could do that and all, but...

[CHE5TER]-But...?

[General]-I don't... really... know my way back home, Seven... I've told you that if we want for that to happen, we will have to search for it.

[CHE5TER]-You don't recall any kind of detail regarding the way back to your home?

[General]-Not really... I just found myself in this city after I was running around, chasing the calling of this area. But I don't remember anything from that road I've took. My memories are a bit... unclear... for a reason or another...

It sure annoyed a bit the ruler since He expected more from this boy, and it sure sounds a bit suspicious to Him that an outsider can't recall the way it took to arrive here.

[CHE5TER]-...Then? What are you implying? You do not want to return to your homeland?

[General]-No, it's not that! I want to return home more than anything! I have people there that are waiting for me! It's just that... I don't know how to return.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Then how should we play it? I have no ways of returning your memories, nor how to find your home easily. But we cannot stay here forever either. I cannot stay with you forever. I have to return home too.

[General]-I know! I know! But I don't know how t... Aghh, just forget it... At this point, I believe I will be trapped in this city forever...

[CHE5TER]-So I am stuck with you forever too, huh?

[General]-Oh, please! You just stay with me because you want the ore that you stole back! If it wasn't for it, then you would've leave already days ago!

[CHE5TER]-Maybe...

[General]-*sigh*

The boy seems pretty sad about this thought of never coming back to the place it knows as "home" though, so it sits back to clear up its mind and relax, taking the ore they've argued on from its clothes and looking a bit at its brightness from the suns. Then, it gets an idea.

[General]-The ore... How about you show me where you found this ore? Maybe the road is linked to mine.

[CHE5TER]-How are you so sure of it?

[General]-This planet is full of unseen paths, yet I can recognise any road that I've encountered in my life by looking around the environment. If I'm lucky enough, maybe my road is linked to this ore's first location.

[CHE5TER]-Really? You can do that? Outside seems to be just sand all around. How can you recognise anything by just looking at the view?

[General]-Everything has its specific detail, Seven. Just like beings having their own personalities.

[CHE5TER]-Alright... Okay, if you are so sure of yourself, then we can try that. It's not like it is something that I know about anyway... Let me get my equipment first and we are ready to go.

 [General]-Do I need one too?

[CHE5TER]-I don't think so. We just need a vehicle and some devices for me to not get lost and be able to return after I see your village. Other than that, I don't think we need anything.

[General]-A vehicle? Why do we need that?

[CHE5TER]-To get faster to our destination?

[General]-But isn't it enough just running?

[CHE5TER]-No, not really. I remember it is pretty far from here and we have a lot of going until we arrive at that location.

[General]-Man, your culture sure is strange and lazy...

[CHE5TER]-Hmph.

The Outside World

21:01

Some time later, CHE5TER managed to take His equipment needed for the outside, as well as informing all the others that He will have a small trip outside the Great Walls with the stranger, while the boy simply stood hidden from everyone else and waited for the ruler to be done.

And when He was done, they found themselves going towards the Great Walls first, exiting the cities and their area while trying to not be seen on the cameras while being invisible, and then took the vehicle borrowed for the base from the EZR4H Clan and headed towards the location of the ore. Or... more exactly towards the corpse where He found the ore. The boy sure doesn't like to travel with vehicles from the expression it has though...

But another problem they had is that even if the ruler brought the map with Him to help Himself with it, He still doesn't know the exact location. He just goes forward as He did with His team last time and when He thinks the kilometers are reached, He stops the vehicle and travels around by foot. And there they are. After a long road of stopping to set the devices for Him to know the way back and forever looking around and asking the stranger if it recognises anything, He stops to set the last device and then look at the map properly without moving.

[CHE5TER]-...Do you recognise anything now?

[General]-Umm... I'm not sure...

[CHE5TER]-You told me that two times already, General. Are you sure you can recognise any road you've seen?

[General]-Yes, I'm sure of it! God dammit, Seven! Just trust me!

[CHE5TER]-Oh, dear Heaven...

He was making the last adjustments at the device in the meantime, finally getting it done and getting up from the sand to take a look at the view and start to analyse the map.

[CHE5TER]-...General, I swear, if we lose the way back to my cities, I'm going to kill you right here. Everything seems to be the same to me.

[General]-Well, how did you find the ore then? And how do you know that we are going the right way?

[CHE5TER]-Because I'm not using the environment as landmarks, but orientation. We took the same road and direction I had with my people, and we should've gotten to the same distance if I calculated it right again.

[General]-*sigh* Even so, you can get pretty easily lost by doing something like this. Landmarks coming from the environment itself help you better. If you lost your direction, you can always use the familiar view to help you.

[CHE5TER]-You are used to your techniques, I'm used to mine.

[General]-Alright, alright... I was just saying...

The ruler continues to examine the map in order to make sure they are heading the right way. But even the boy got a bit curious and got closer to look around it.

[General]-...Soo, what do you have there?

[CHE5TER]-A map?

[General]-To mark what exactly? You said you don't use the environment's landmarks.

[CHE5TER]-No, but I made some notes on it to know how to reach our destination again from my last visit to the outside. Though it technically had its own notes for it...

[General]-Like?

[CHE5TER]-Well, I wrote on it some distances I have to take, as well as what happened last time. But the map itself has a weird sign as its destination which I couldn't really find what's behind it. We thought it is a rock or a hills form and should look for it, but in vain.

[General]-Weird sign? What's it about?

[CHE5TER]-You tell me...

So, the boy begins to look around the map too, noticing the strange combination of the colours, the notes made by the ruler... but also a sign that seems to have put the outsider in shock.

[General]-...H-Hey, that's my people's seal!

...And it sure shocked the ruler too.

[CHE5TER]-...W-What do you mean your people's seal?

[General]-I mean that we use this seal to represent our village! L-Look!

The outsider then reveals the same sign on a part of its weird clothes, its seal carved on these clothes, hidden from the naked eye behind the long clothes similar to those of a crevaator.

[CHE5TER]-...T-That's y-your people's seal?

[General]-Yes, it is!! What is w... Where did you get this map from??

But the ruler doesn't seem to respond. Instead, He looks so shocked at the young boy that stands in front of Him, breathing so heavily as if He remains without air, all because of some new information He wasn't aware of and most likely just put Him in horror to know that something isn't right about this map at all.

[General]-...Seven? Hey, Seven! Say something, man!

But no response. So, the boy starts shacking Him a bit to wake Him up to reality, calling His name for some seconds, before finally managing to get the ruler back on the ground.

[General]-Seven!

[CHE5TER]-...H-Huh?

[General]-Are you alright, buddy? What's happening?

[CHE5TER]-...O-Oh, y-yes, I'm alright.

[General]-Where did you get this map from? How come you aren't aware of my village, nor I was about your cities, but you have a map with the seal of my people?

[CHE5TER]-M-My father gave it to me after He died...

[General]-Hm? Your father?

[CHE5TER]-...Tell me, please! Do you know anything about the name "LENKOV"??

[General]-"LENKOV"? I mean, more than knowing you, I don't really... I've never met anybody by the name of LENKOV until you, nor did my village had a man by that name. Why? Why are you asking?

[CHE5TER]-...

But He doesn't respond once again. It sure brought Him even more questions than before, and it sure annoys Him.

[CHE5TER]-...But how was He aware of your village? Of your people?? Are you sure you don't know anybody by that name??

[General]-Umm... Yeah, I'm pretty sure... I mean, I don't say I know ALL the people in my village, but I know most of them and I don't recall anybody by that name. Maybe it was a person that I didn't know about.

[CHE5TER]-...Could the first LENKOV be a citizen of your village?

[General]-I... guess...?

[CHE5TER]-If that's true, then I will find my answers when we arrive at your home... I can't believe! My ancestors aren't from my cities! W-We are outsiders!!

[General]-You mean that you are one of my siblings too? Hard to say that though... But why are you so sure of it?

[CHE5TER]-Then explain to me: how was He aware of your people!?

[General]-I don't know! Maybe he just... knew...

[CHE5TER]-Oh, now we have to get quicker to your village, General! I have questions to ask your people!

[General]-Sure then... I guess my master was the one perfect for you. He somehow knew all the answers... *sigh* What a pity that he died.

21:47

They've walked for a while now to find the location of the corpse that CHE5TER wants to show, though He sure is curious of the truth now. The boy starts to have some doubts about ruler's orientation after a while though, but it continues to follow Him.

[General]-So... Are we getting close to the location, Seven?

[CHE5TER]-We should be... We've walked for some time now and we got pretty far away from the device from what I see.

[General]-Pffft, orientation in my ass... Just admit it, buddy! We are lost!

[CHE5TER]-We aren't lost yet! We still have the device that will lead us back! We simply just don't find what we need!

[General]-Yeah, right... Okay then, Mr. "Explorer", tell me what the fuck are we trying to find?

[CHE5TER]-There has to be a cave somewhere here in which we find the previous location of the ore! Just shut up and walk!

[General]-Man, you tell me that you want to get rid of me as soon as possible to get back to your work, but I all see is that you are the one who loses time just because of stupidity alone! If you did as I said and had some environmental landmarks, we would've found that cave in no time!

[CHE5TER]-Well, maybe I wasn't taught to explore this way, General! I don't know who taught you these craps, but I've learnt from survival itself!

[General]-Survival? You call that "survival"? You have two big cities out there, both protected by the creatures of these lands, and you tell me about "survival"? Oh, boy, you sure will have to change that mindset of yours when we arrive where I want...

[CHE5TER]-Okay then! Instead of criticising my work, why don't you help me out!? Do something instead of letting me try and find the answers alone!

[General]-Well, I would've done something if I recognised where I am! God dammit, Seven! You probably just try and get rid of me here, in the wilderness, and then leave to go back home!

[CHE5TER]-You told me you can find a way back wherever you are just by landmarks! How exactly do you think I can get rid of y--

[General]- --Wait, shut up for a bit...

[CHE5TER]-What do even me--

[General]- --Just shut up, man!

Something strange happens to the boy's expression, as if it senses something familiar. At the outsider's command, the ruler shuts His mouth a bit pissed, but continues to observes the boy that seems a bit perplexed, looking around the area.

[CHE5TER]-...What? What is it?

[General]-Something feels familiar, but I can't really understand what...

[CHE5TER]-So you mean that you recognise the road?

[General]-I think so... I mean, I don't recognise any landmark, but I feel like I've been here before.

[CHE5TER]-So? Where are we heading?

The boy stops from walking, then looks around again, before starting to run all of a sudden towards a random direction, making the ruler follow. It does run for a bit, climbing up a hill of sand and looking into the horizon. When reaching the top though, it gets perplexed again and even a bit disappointed. It is nothing where it looks at, just sand and other hills. The ruler finally catches up, looks around and then looks back at the stranger again.

[CHE5TER]-...Did we get on the road back to your home? What's with all the running?

[General]-I-I don't understand... I don't recognise this area at all, yet I feel like I've been here before!

[CHE5TER]-Maybe you've confused it with a different road?

[General]-Impossible! I've never done such a thing before!

[CHE5TER]-Well, you just did it now...

They look a bit at the horizon once again, with the boy being a bit sad, but getting into its character back.

[General]-Say... What did you say you wanted us to find?

[CHE5TER]-A cave. Last time I found it, it was buried in sand and I have fallen into one of its unstable areas by accident.

[General]-Then why didn't you say that before, buddy? We've walked past an unstable area a few steps ago. You sure don't know anything about survival in the wilderness...

[CHE5TER]-What!? And why didn't you say anything!?

[General]-I thought it didn't matter to you! Now, let's go! Back where we came from!

The ruler seems a bit pissed since the boy didn't help Him at all until now, but He does as it commanded and started to go down the hill. But before the outsider does the same, it looks again into the horizon, battling a sad thought, before saying its last words and starting following the Great Leader again.

[General]-...I'm coming home, my dear siblings. Wherever you are. I promise.

22:03

Now, with the help of the outsider, they found themselves going in the hidden cave by being careful near the unstable sand and forming a small hole in which they will have to fall safely this time. When they got inside, everything was nothing but pure darkness, just like the first time the ruler arrived in it. A bit of sand still falls slowly on the ground, but the boys just look around the area.

The Great Leader does what He did before though: He uses His powers to create a black mist which He will let it flow around His arm for Him to light up His C colour and see inside the cave. But for whatever reason, the boy's C colour seems to slowly lose energy out of nowhere without the need of any action. It is even stranger considering the fact that it doesn't light up at all, not even at the controller of the body's commands. It would explain the shock the stranger had when trying to light up its own C colour and why it stopped looking around the cave, perplexing the ruler as well.

[CHE5TER]-You good there, "buddy"?

[General]-Yeah, I'm fine... Maybe I'm just a bit exhausted. Do you think you have enough energy to create light for the both of us?

[CHE5TER]-Let's hope so... If not, I have some bad quality flashlights with me just in case. Look around and see if you find anything.

But the kid doesn't seem to do as the ruler commanded. Rather, it seems to struggle with its powers for some reason, trying so hard to make even the smallest mist possible, and staring at its right arm as if a curse was put on it. Maybe it feared the fact that it doesn't understand the sudden energy loss, but it sure fears now the fact that it cannot use its C powers at all. Even so, these actions of disobedience annoy the Great Leader. But then, the boy looks back at the ruler...

...Ally nearby.

...with such a terrified expression as if Death Itself was there to kill them both. So, it screams at the ruler.

[General]-Seven, watch out! Behind you!

The ruler admires a bit perplexed the stranger, but then looks behind and sees the white glowing eyes of a demon coming towards them. Yet now... He doesn't seem that scared as the first time. He looks as if He recognises the demon, being the same smaller creature that is curious of what's happening. After all, the demon is none other than...

[CHE5TER]-...Danny.

Danny sure recognised its name, tilting a bit its head and looking at the ruler, sniffing around His area and recognising Him too in the end. The growling seems pretty friendly for now, but the outsider doesn't trust the creature at all.

[General]-...We have to get out of here, now! If there is one creature, then there sure are more to come!

[CHE5TER]-Hold on there, General. No need of running. We can make it work out.

[General]-*sigh* Seems like I will do everything on my own then...

The outsider takes out one of its swords, but its not the same sword we saw before with a simple design like all the other ones. Instead, it is a dark sword with its end of the blade glowing red and an X carved on it which also glows in the same colour. Yet the boy seems in a relaxed position, only waiting for any creature to strike. CHE5TER sure doesn't know what's that sword all about, but He doesn't want a fight now.

[CHE5TER]-No need of attacking, General. Your weapons are useless anyway.

[General]-You are kidding me, right? Those are real creatures, Seven! They can kill us both with one wrong step! We HAVE to leave!

[CHE5TER]-You don't understand, kid! Let the sword down and listen to m--

...Strange smell, ruler. Very strange... Almost even familiar...

Yet the ruler is stopped by a voice that talks to Him, even confusing the boy.

This smell... It smells like enemy... Enemy...

[General]-...Seven?

...ENEMY!

And in the next second, the eyes of the Great Leader change, even trying to attack the boy itself, but He stops Himself from doing that, closing His eyes and hitting His head over and over again. The outsider looks even more perplexed at the ruler. But the moment both of them lost their attention on the demon, it seems as when you look back at it, it isn't the same friendly creature it was before. Its eyes have changed too, its growling got aggressive... and it seems to look straight at the boy itself.

As it notices it too, the outsider gets into its position of attacking, ready to see what the creature will do. But before anything, the ruler speaks again, with such a terrified voice that sure confused even more this stranger.

[CHE5TER]-...DON'T HURT IT!

At this point, it doesn't even know what to do. It looks at the Great Leader that struggles from nothing, then at the creature that is ready to attack. So instead, it puts itself now in a defensive position rather than an offensive one, as the creature finally starts making its moves towards the boy. And when it got even closer, the outsider finally manages to light up its C colour, vanishing in the blink of an eye as the strange mist travels quickly near the creature... and even managing somehow to hurt it just a little bit on its limb.

And I mean no shock of the body, the creature is actually bleeding out a white and glowing liquid from its limb, even getting a bit scared, falling to the ground and growling in pain. It is no serious injury though, it is just a cut to make it unable to attack again. And when it is done with the creature, the boy goes to the ruler to see what's going on, its C colour now beginning to rest again.

[General]-Seven! Seven, what's going on?

[CHE5TER]-...Calm down already... You won't win this...

[General]-Win what? Seven?

...Just let me take control, CHE5TER!

[CHE5TER]-I won't ever let you do that! You are going insane!

[General]-What are you talking about!? Seven!

...You don't know what you're talking about, and you don't even know the situation! Just listen to me!

[CHE5TER]-I will never do such thing! NEVER!!

[General]-Seven!

After some struggles, the ruler seems as if He gets back to its character, with His eyes going back to normal and looking at the boy that observes Him confused.

[General]-Are you okay, buddy?

Yet He doesn't respond, simply looking at the boy trying to recover from His terror, then looking around and noticing the demon standing on the ground, bleeding. He sure got confused too now.

[CHE5TER]-...Why is it bleeding?

[General]-Are you seriously gonna talk about the creature instead of answering my question, man?

[CHE5TER]-Why is it...

[General]-*sigh* I injured it, okay? We should be safe for now, at least until it brings its friends here. It shouldn't be able to attack for some minutes.

[CHE5TER]-But how did you injure it...? Its immunity shouldn't be affected... I don't sense any gas in this area...

[General]-I just used my sword. No need of the gas.

[CHE5TER]-The sword...?

Then He analyses the sword of the boy again, looking at the glowing part of it.

[CHE5TER]-...So that's why they are so afraid of the light? 'Cause they can get injured from it?

[General]-Huh? No, I mean that my sword is simply the cause of its injury. The light has nothing to do with it. It just has a bit of Histvorh on it to give this glowing effect, but Histvorh doesn't even affect them. Other sources of light might, but this...

[CHE5TER]-You made it yourself?

[General]-Yeah, why?

[CHE5TER]-How did you... create a harmful weapon?

[General]-It is a secret.

Sure annoyed CHE5TER that answer... But then He looks back at the demon and starts getting closer, though the boy seems to have some hesitation. It doesn't want to trust the creature at all. The ruler on the other hand gets on a knee, analysing the creature that is now scared from the boy, its eyes going back to normal.

He then puts His right arm on the creature's head, moving it slowly to see if He can get any reaction. And He gets. The creature simply gets even closer to the arm, like a cat reaching for pats. And which, of course, puzzles the stranger even more.

[General]-How did you... know that it is friendly?

[CHE5TER]-I met it before... I met it when I first arrived here. It told me its name as well.

[General]-Name?

[CHE5TER]-Yes. It called itself "Danny".

[General]-...It can speak?

[CHE5TER]-No... but it can write.

Even this boy didn't know this information. It simply stares at the friendly creature that just wants to get petted like an animal.

[CHE5TER]-...For some reason, it likes to be around people and get attention. But it feels like it wants to say something to me too. And maybe it has answers to some of my questions.

[General]-So that's why you didn't want it dead?

[CHE5TER]-Affirmative...

The outsider then tries to put its hand on the creature too, slowly, since it still doesn't trust it just yet. But when the creature notices it, it starts sniffing the boy, almost even seeming perplexed and causing it to sniff even more aggressively, but not in the aggressive way of attacking again, more like something for it not seeming right.

[General]-...To be honest now, I've never seen a creature this close in my whole life. I've killed some during my lifetime, but I've never stood to analyse them or even be friendly to them. And I've never imagined that they can be friendly too.

[CHE5TER]-Neither did I... Not until a few days ago, I simply thought that they are our enemies that we have to run from.

[General]-I wonder what it wants to say to you now, to be honest.

The Great Leader then makes a small pause. Sure, this creature attacked earlier and it seems as it still has its aggressive behaviour deep down, but something feels off, and He doesn't know what that is.

[CHE5TER]-...Yeah. Me too.

22:39

After the creature recovered for a bit, it started leading the ruler and His new companion towards the same destination as the last time, at the Great Leader's command. The ruler also gave the demon a part of His bandages to put them on its limb, maybe to help it with the bleeding. They follow the glowing eyes for a while, but also talk in the meantime to each other.

[CHE5TER]-...So, after this, are we going to your village or not?

[General]-*sigh* I'm hoping so, Seven. But I don't seem to recognise the views at all.

[CHE5TER]-But you said you felt something familiar about it, right? Maybe we are close to one of the roads.

[General]-Even if it was the case, why can't I recognise anything around me? If we were close, then I should've seen a landmark that I knew already.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Then maybe we can try again tomorrow on a different direction and see if we find anything about your road? We will simply go around the southeast part of the outside of my cities and maybe we are lucky. If the map truly leads to your village, then the south-east is all we got to explore.

[General]-May the gods have mercy on us then...

Minutes later, the glowing eyes stop again, indicating that they've arrived. It sure is darkness just like the last time. In these past days, maybe all the demons that live in this cave have covered all the empty holes during the nights so that they can protect themselves from the light of the suns. Knowing from the last encounter, CHE5TER will not do a huge hole this time so that it won't bother so much the demon, but it will be a struggle for them to see much from the low light.

And so He does. He takes a small gun and shoots at the ceiling of the cave, forming more holes from different angles in order to somehow bring more light for them, but also not bother the demon much. The sand is a problem for a few seconds as it continues falling and making the holes bigger but they stop not long after, even if the demon had to back down.

Then, CHE5TER begins to search by Himself for the buried body in the sand and rocks that have fallen during the whole covering of the demons, while the boy simply looks around.

[General]-So you tell me that someone has died here?

[CHE5TER]-Yes. My people believe that it was a member of one of the clans of my city and that he had died here, being eaten by the demons.

[General]-Harsh way to die, to be honest...

[CHE5TER]-Oh, it is. Who knows how long this body has stood here alone in the sand while nobody knew about its existence.

Then, minutes after searching for it, CHE5TER finally manages to find the body and get the sand off it for a proper view.

[CHE5TER]-Alright... Here it is. Here is where the ore was.

So, the boy gets closer to observe the dead corpse of the victim, yet it gets pretty perplexed after seeing the clothes of it.

[General]-...Yeaah, that isn't one of your people for sure.

[CHE5TER]-Huh?

[General]-Look at its clothes. Whoever that is, it seems as it belongs to my village. But who would it be...?

[CHE5TER]-Are you sure of it?

[General]-Yes, I am. The clothes match mine as we all wear that when we go out in the wilderness. It even has the seal of my village, look!

[CHE5TER]-...So I did steal the ore in the end. *sigh* What a shame.

[General]-It's alright. You didn't know it. But now you do for sure.

[CHE5TER]-I really thought it is one of my people that has died here a long time ago, but seems like I was wrong...

[General]-A long time ago?

[CHE5TER]-Yes... One of my teammates examined the person's ID card and said that he died at least a hundred years ago.

[General]-Well, I doubt that because these clothes seem pretty much from our times. Maybe the corpse only has around seven or eight years. Did you see if he had the full code written on the card?

[CHE5TER]-Actually, he didn't have any. It was only his blood code and name, as well as a section dedicated to the testament which was empty.

[General]-Oh? Then yeah, I might be right. He is pretty much close to our year since he died. My people don't really want to write their whole code into the ID cards that much, we focus only on what's important. But why did your colleague say it is so old?

[CHE5TER]-He said that it used to be a design for the card from far away in the past and that it has changed a long time ago.

[General]-Oh? Then maybe they are pretty similar to ours. Do you think I can have a look at the card for a bit?

[CHE5TER]-I mean, I brought it with me just in case...

The ruler searches for the ID card of the fallen person from His clothes, looks a bit at it, and then gives it to the boy to analyse it since it is a person from its civilisation. But instead of being sad or angry, something expected when you know that someone from your homeland has died, it rather seems even more confused, or even scared. Even the ruler found it strange the expression this boy gives.

[CHE5TER]-What is it? Do you know who this person is, General?

Yet the boy doesn't respond. It shocked so much this information as if it has a few memories from the past that now it has to battle.

[General]-X4NDER... B-But what happened t--

[CHE5TER]- --So you know this guy?

And again, it doesn't respond. It just stares at the ruler terrified and not knowing what happened to this person.

[General]-...Y-Yes, I know him. L-Let's say it like that.

[CHE5TER]-Was he a friend of yours?

[General]-M-Mhm...

[CHE5TER]-...What happened to him?

[General]-I-I...

Yet it has a hesitation in saying these word from the terror it has in its voice.

[General]-I... don't know.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Alright then. I'm sorry for the friend you have lost, General. And for the way he has found his final breaths.

Then, they have a moment of silence for the fallen soul, both of them. Or more like coming from the ruler than the boy since it continues to be lost in its thoughts. CHE5TER rather seems a bit upset to know the truth behind the ore's owner now, but this boy simply continues to have such a terror in its eyes.

[CHE5TER]-...So? Are we heading back to my city and get a rest? We can continue everything tomorrow. After finding someone you have known this way, I doubt you have the powers to continue any further.

[General]-Y-Yes, of course. We can start all over again tomorrow. I-I... have to clear up my mind for a while.

[CHE5TER]-Okay then. Let's get moving so we can arrive soon at the city and have a rest. I have a few things to do anyway while you clear up your mind.

[General]-W-Wait for me outside, please! I will be right behind you!

[CHE5TER]-Alright then. Take your time.

Then, the ruler vanishes as He starts reaching for the outside world alone to prepare everything for their leaving. But the boy remains behind, watching the corpse on its own, then taking the ore back in its arm and looking at it perplexed, before starting to whisper to itself.

[General]-...S-Something is not right here at all. How did all of these get here?

After that, it begins to look around the corpse again, searching for something that stands underneath the dead body, a strange cape that is attached to the clothes and which also has the same symbol of the seal that the boy wears. It detaches it from the clothes, looks at the symbol for a few seconds, and then the outsider starts packing it before finally taking its leave, while also saying its final words.

"...What the hell happened here, dear gods?"