Deep in the forest, under the ceiling made of branches and leaves, the only light source was the fireflies. They stumbled around the woodland aimlessly, allowing the awakened trio to see each other.
"Oh well. It seems we may have an idea where those guys are after all." Mac said, rubbing his nose in pain. "But are you sure you know where this cave is?"
"Yes, without a doubt!" Hai said, observing her sketches on the ground proudly. "This is not a perfect representation, but I am sure that I can lead us there."
"You seem to be keenly knowledgeable about this area, huh?" Mac said.
"Of course I am!" She said. "I have explored this whole region on my own. There is no tree or rock that I don't know of. No valley or hill that I never visited. No path that I haven't found. No..."
"Ok, I get it!" Mac interrupted. "You like exploring. I can see that."
Hai blushed, but it was hard to tell because the light emanating from her red hair already reddened her face.
"You kids know where your enemies are," Lapido suddenly talked. He had been silent for most of the time Mac and Hai discussed. Now that they had calmed down, he found it easier to speak up. "But what do you pretend to do with that information?"
Mac and Hai looked at each other. Neither of them really knew what to do. Earlier, Mac executed his kidnapper's plan to buy them some time, but he did not think about what to do next. Meanwhile, Hai was too inexperienced and shy to elaborate a plan to deal with who knows how many invaders.
"We can... attack them!" Mac returned to one of his earlier plans and the one he liked the most. "That was always an option and will always be one if it depends on me."
"But we can't defeat them!" Hai rebuked angrily. Mac was too violent for her tastes. "Besides, we have other alternatives. Didn't you steal one of those weird rocks from the invaders? Can't you contact them with that? I am sure we can do something with that that will avoid conflict."
Hai remembered the Komyu stone that Mac used to threaten Luterio and Olito at the same time. She failed to remember the name of the stone as her mind was too clouded back then.
"First things first, I didn't steal their Komyu stone! They were our enemies, and I only used their own resources against them. That is not stealing... I think." Mac said. He felt slightly insulted by Hai's accusation. "And yes, I can contact them again. But the last time, I got too much into it and ended up traumatizing an infant. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
Mac imagined the things he could say to Luterio through the Komyu stone. The truth was that Mac was excited to play the role of a kidnapper again.
"But that would be bad for me." He thought silently. A thought was hidden behind his mask of a smile. Mac was actually worried that he was destroying his mental health little by little. The bad sentiments he pushed to the border of his mind were piling up. He did not know how many questionable actions he could commit before imploding. "I need to save them for later." He told himself.
"So anyway," Mac said. He put his hand in one of his numerous pockets and fished a stone with a mark on it. He then threw it in front of Hai. "If you want to contact him yourself, feel free to do it."
Mac smiled. He was sure that Hai would not have the guts or the confidence to deal with Luterio. But he had made an oversight. And not one that concerned Hai.
"No, I can- wait!" Hai was initially frustrated with Mac, but she noticed something strange with the stone he threw at her. She grabbed it before Mac realized his mistake and observed it closely. The print engraved on it was very similar to the one Mac (didn't) steal from the invaders. But there were some differences. The mark (or "rune," as Mac called it) seemed to be more well-drawn. She couldn't explain how, but she could tell that this rune was somehow more powerful than the other one. The rock was more beautiful too. There were many different patterns inscribed on it. Hai had never seen something that carefully crafted before. She also noticed some words on it. "Mac Key Kast - Home" She read it out loud.
"Ah, crap! That is the wrong one!" Mac committed more mistakes when he was cocky than he liked to admit. "Give it back!"
"You have one of those rocks too," Hai mumbled to herself. She didn't react fast enough, and Mac snatched the stone away from her. "How do you have it?"
Mac did not answer. After grabbing the stone, he didn't return it to his pocket. Instead, Mac stayed there holding it carefully. His mind was flooded with memories, mostly good, as he stared at the word "Home."
Seeing that Mac was unwilling to respond, Lapido took it upon himself to explain things to Hai. "You see, Crimson Lady," He was an awkward old man who did not feel comfortable addressing someone way younger than him by their first name. Therefore, Lapido came up with a nickname for Hai. "The Komyu rune, the one inscribed in that rock, is one of the most disseminated runes in our entire land of Omnelum. Such a rune is of simple nature but of much mighty use. Even the locals of this part of the realm, which, mind you, are highly undeveloped in the art and laws of runes, can muster the Komyu rune. It is of no wonder that individuals such as Mac Key Kast are in possession of such primal word of reality."
Hai looked speechless. Yes, she did not understand half of those words, but what surprised her the most was that the man that thought it would be a good idea to beg someone to be their disciple could know so much. She didn't even think he was capable of rationalizing anything.
"Ok, then..." Hai continued. "Mac, who can you call with your... Komyu stone?"
Mac had finished admiring the stone, but he had an expression of longing. "I can call my friends." He muttered. "They are waiting for me back home."
Mac thought about his friends. It had been only a few weeks since he saw them, but he was already missing them dearly.
"Your friends..." Lapido started saying. He seemed to have come to a realization. "You are talking about the Hevies, right? You can call them for help, can you not?"
"What!?" Mac looked up, his expression hard to read. "You want me to call them to help us with the invaders?"
"Naturally!" The old man nodded his head. "Most of them are Chosen and Challengers, if I am not mistaken. They would be of great help if a fight is to be inevitable."
Mac's expression got even harder to read. "A reason to call them..." He thought. "A reason to go back..."
"Wait, wait, wait! What are you two talking about?" Hai said. "Mac, you can call your friends? And they can help us?"
Mac felt Hai's piercing gaze making a hole in his skull. He clutched his Komyu stone tight. He had plenty of reasons to call them. For so long, Mac had been wanting to talk to his friends, to go home. But he didn't. And he didn't know why.
Hai could see that Mac did not want to answer, but she still pressed him. If they could get more help, maybe saving her tribe would not be that hard after all. "Mac, please, answer me! Can your friends help us?" She said.
Mac saw how earnest Hai was being. He left a big sigh and maskered his weary countenance with a proud expression. He was like a robot that had a switch flipped.
"If they can help us?" Mac laughed. "Of course, they can! They are one of the most amazing individuals you can find in this world or heck, even in this trimension. They are Hevies chosen by me, after all."
Hai was taken along by Mac's excitement. She could tell that something was wrong with him. But she couldn't be more sure that Mac truly believed what he said. And yes, just like what happened with Lapido, Hai did not understand half of what Mac said.
"So, can you call them?" Hai tried to control herself. "And will they be able to come right away?"
Mac's smile froze. He knew that this question was coming, and yet, he refused to prepare for it. Mac tried to look for a reason to not call his friends, but he found nothing. That didn't make things easier for him, though.
Mac looked at the stone in his hand again. The beautifully drawn rune made him even more homesick. He shot his eyes tight for at least ten seconds. One may think that he was in deep thought, but he wasn't. He didn't know why he did the things that he did.
"Perhaps it is time for me to go back." He tried to convince himself. "I can't do anything alone after all!"
Mac then looked at Hai and said with a smile, a forced one. "Yeah, I can call them, and I bet they will not take long to arrive if I do, even if they have a slow means of transportation." Mac chuckled to himself. Only he and maybe Lapido understood that he made a joke. "Just give me one second! This call will not take long," He swallowed dry. "I hope!