"…Shit, there are even more bones here!" Said Marco as he avoids stepping on them.
Valvesteen. "We're almost there, don't slow down."
Nina, still holding his arms tightly. "...I feel so tired, I never walked like I did today. Don't they have cars or some sort of transportation machines in this world…"
As she was pretty short and slim, Valvesteen picks her up on his back instantly without changing his facial expression! While hers drastically changed from that of a crying baby to a spoiled one.
"…I am not spotting any changes even though we're getting closer. I swear if this does not end…" Back to her complaining is Rosaleen. Even though he looks calm and composed, Valvesteen's inner mind is pretty loud right now. '…She's annoying and a bad presence, but she's still smart and knows what's going on by herself.
She sees what I see, it's no different except the lights and buildings…'
Couple minutes later, they arrive!
A big sign made of wood welcomes the new visitors, saying
* Welcome To Arcadia Town 9 *
Everybody stood silently. Not that it took too long to read it, it just confirmed what they all feared in a pretty simple and complicated fashion simultaneously!
The first to speak was yet again, Rosaleen. "…Haha…Hahahahaa!! This is really…Arcadia then."
She held her face and kneeled to the ground as if she received the worst of news. "Oh my, how am I supposed to stay in this damned land…"
Everyone else was as broken in their spirit, more so Valvesteen, who could not speak a thing, while others could.
He dropped Nina from his back on her feet, and took the first steps inside.
'…I couldn't imagine a worst start myself, Arcadia Town 9…
Is this what this place is called… Why would 9 be added at the end? More importantly, what are we even supposed to do here!?
Damn it!! Can we get even a little bit of help from this thing already.' Said in his mind while looking at his wrist.
And just like Levon, it responded to his inner question finally! The watch gets activated.
· Location: Northern west edge of Arcadia
· Place: Town Number 9
· Town: Small City
· Objective: Reform the Town into a work of Art
Valvesteen felt a brief moment of hope seeing his desperate demand was answered, but wasted no time to read the message displayed in front of him.
'Northern western edge… We're at the edge of Arcadia then! Does that mean another world is nearby if we choose to walk the opposite direction?! Pfft What am I thinking now…That's irrelevant.
Town number 9… Small city…
Wait a moment! So Town means a small city?' Valvesteen had never heard or read such word before, neither did the rest. He looked up again to visually confirm this information.
'…Very ugly, it almost puts my chest to tighten. But yes, It is everything a city is, just really smaller!
Great, the objective is also given!! Reform the town into a work of art…Hm?!' Valvesteen's speedy mind couldn't be as fast when it comes to this one. 'Reform… How do you reform a whole city? Even if it's small… We're not builders.
Well…Thinking about it, If I had my ability that would've been in the realm of possibilities…' Grey tightens his fist, remembering his loss…
He looks back to call on the others. "Everyone! I just got new information on my watch." But he found them all looking at their watch already.
"…So did we." Replies Nina
Danielo. "It's even more confusing now… Are there 9 other towns? And what does reform the town to an art piece even means!? I'm an actor and a producer… I only reform scenes!"
Rosaleen takes some steps towards Valvesteen and says. "…I think I know what we'll have to do! But I don't know how yet."
Valvesteen. "Tell me what you got."
Rosaleen. "Like you said earlier, this isn't really real… Though it looks and feels real. Then, there is no reason to think we can't change this place however we want to. That's what the objective is suggesting after all.
We just have to find the way to do that."
"Hmm… I see your point, I'd say that's the only way to look at it for now." He replies calmly.
However… 'How did I not think of that!! It was clear… My mind isn't processing at its usual rate, I need to calm down.'
"So what do we do now? From where we begin?" Asks Amare.
Valvesteen looks around, then tells the company. "…Let's start by discovering the place, though the atmosphere and the view is still bad. It doesn't seem as dirty and dangerous as outside."
Leyla. "Yeah right, no bones at least…"
As they started walking, describing what they saw was almost a natural reaction for all of them.
Marco. "..What are these buildings for? They look like rooms…"
Nina. "Can people be living in here? There are no lights inside…"
Daman. "Possible. A city can't be without citizens…"
Valvesteen. "..I do not sense anyone beside us, if there were people I think one would've appeared by now."
" If there were, they aren't real either. No need to interact with them, we just have to discover the place so maybe we find more about how to reform the town." Said Rosaleen confidently.
Nina. "It's just little houses and roads… Maybe we should get more information through the watch."
Valvesteen asks. "How did it got activated for you back then?"
Nina. "Just like that, I was overthinking about that sign and what it meant, I looked at the watch and it got turned on!"
"Kind of the same thing for me." Adds Danielo.
"Likewise, I think the watch gives information when we express the need to it. Even if we don't voice it out." Concludes Valvesteen, he continues. "..We reached the end of this road, let's take the left turn."
But, the moment they turned…