When they arrived, Baran pointed his hand to the floating city. "That is a Lamina city, and this is Lamina outcasted town."
"Lamina outcasted?" Nestor wondered
"yes, those people are banished from the main city."
As they were walking through the town, Nestor saw how poor these peoples are. Wearing rags as clothes that had patched several times, and some of them were barefooted. Their bodies were skin and bone. They just looked miserable. It reminded him of refugee camps in his world.
Their houses are just small huts. If a strong wind hits them, it will crumble under their heads. But the people still fighting living their daily life as if it was normal, the children playing, with smiles in their face, not caring about anything.
Nestor, with his sad eyes, looked to the townspeople, "Why have they banished from the city? What they did?"
Baran sighed and shook his head, then he looked to the floating city. "They are unlucky people born with a deformed body and can't awake their essence, which means they can't use magic, and anyone who can't use magic to them they are not human. even if they were from a noble family, they would be banished."
Nestor thought these people did something wrong, but because they were ordinary people who can't use magic, they cast them out. what heartless people are living in that floating city
"Dose the magical beasts do not attack them?" Nestor, with a worried expression, asked
"They do, and if an attack happens, the lucky survive and the unlucky dies," Baran said while he was looking at the children playing in the mud.
Then he looked to Nestor, "I think you are one of them since you didn't awaken your essence at an early age."
Nestor was disturbed when he heard that. He wasn't from this world and doesn't even know if he can or can't awaken his essence. So he is now more worried because He can't imagine himself living like them.
He had to know why he's in this world and what happened to his world before he came that earthquake, and that sound wasn't normal. If he can't even use magic, then he simply can't do anything.
Nestor stopped walking with an anxious expression in his face, "Mr. Baran, is there a way to know if I can awake my essence or not?"
Baran knew from Nestor's expressions he didn't want to end up like those people. But this is the truth, people from the age of 7 will awaken their essence, and if they can't, it means they are deformed, so he just will make him face his reality and accepted it because whatever he says, it will not comfort him, and he can't babysit him because he lost his memory. Either way, he had to face his own fate.
"There are two ways. One is a natural way to try to sense the mana in nature day after day, and it will awaken by itself, but it will take time. second is the most used by an outside help and to inject his essence to the human body and forcefully awakening it."
Nestor hesitated for a second, then looked to Baran. "Please, mister Baran, could you help me to try and awaken mine? I want to know! I am willing to give you all the crystal."
Though the crystals are can be sold at a high price. But what is the use of them when he can't even sell them? They are more dangerous for him than they are useful. He couldn't care less for them if he can successfully awaken his essence and learn how to use magic to increase his survival chances.
Baran looked to Nestor's eyes." well, if you want to, I will help you, and I will take just one of the crystal. But first, let's go see my friend. She will know if you from here or not."
Hearing this, Nestor couldn't help himself but feel a bit of relief. Since they came here to see if anyone could know him or not. He was pretty sure no one will recognize him, so he just has to keep the act.
The two of them walked to the center of the town until they reached a wired black circle stone in the ground. It was 10m in diameter and has many engravings on it.
"What is this" Nestor asked
"That is the flying stone. It can be activated when channeling your essence to it, and it will take you up to the island."
Nestor was amazed about it since it's this his first time to see something like this.
Near that stone, there was a house. It was way better looking than the other houses. They walked to the door, and Baran starts knocking.
Then a young boy opened the door. His hair was dark brown, the same as his eye. It seems he is at the same age as Nestor, but his body is looked more muscular from the hard work.
"Mister Baran!" he said
"Oh, Leroy, where is Catrina?"
"She is inside, please enter."
As they entered. There was a woman in her 40s, with black hair and blue eyes. Behind her was a cute little girl. She was 6 years old with yellow hair.
"Hello, Catrina."
Catrina looked and saw an old man with him a young kid.
"Mister Baran! Welcome, you came early this time. It hasn't been a week."
Baran played with his beard. "I see another one has been banished" then he looked to the little girl behind Catrina, clinging to her clothes.
Catrina, with her sad eyes, nodded, and then she patted the little girl, "Her name is Erin, poor kid she's been crying for 3 days missing her family, not knowing why they abandoned her."
Nestor looked to that poor little girl when he heard that. And he felt sad for her to be abandoned by her family at such age and for no reason. Her life will be miserable.
Baran shook his head, then pointed his hand to Nestor. "I came here today because I found this young man. His name is Nestor, and he lost his memory, and I want to know if he is from here."
Catrina looked to Nestor as she wants to identify him.
"This is the first time I see him! I know every young man here."
Then she looked at the Leroy and asked. "Do you recognize him?"
Leroy shook his head.
Baran thought it was weird indeed. He didn't want to believe that Nestor came from the forbidden lands. Even he can not survive there alone. Now, Baran grows a little suspicious of what happened to Nestor, but he didn't inquire anymore.
"Well that's that, Catrina, do you have an empty room?"
"yes"
"Please take us there."
As they went to the room, he then instructs catrina to leave. Then Baran looked to Nestor and said with a serious voice.
"Nestor, I don't know from where you are or what happened to you, but since you wanted my help to awaken your essence, then, whatever happens even if you have a deformed body, you need to accept your fate. and my advice is, don't set your hope high."
Nestor took a deep breath. He was a bit worried because if he has a deformed body, he will live here like them, so he had to accept it.
"Mister Baran, whatever the results, I will accept it, and I will never forget your kindness."
Then he took out the bag and give the old man a crystal. Baran nodded and then start to explain to Nestor.
"The first thing you need to do is clear your mind, close your eyes, and focus. I will put my hand on your back and inject my essence into your body. When your body starts to absorb the essence, you will feel your blood is boiling but endure the pain, and by the end of this process, you will know if your essence is awakened or not. The process will take hours. after I inject my essence, I will go to the city, and you stay here until I come back."
Nestor nodded as the old man instructed. He sat down, crossed leg, put his hands on his knees, and cleared his mind, focusing only on his back. Then Nestor starts to feel a weird but incredibly refreshing feeling.
After the old man injected some of his essences to Nestor's body, he walked toward the door then turn his head to Nestor and said
'Poor kid, he will be disappointed, but this is the reality some people are bestowed with luck and others and not.'
But inside Nestor's body, the light particles start entering his skin, then his bloodstream traveling to his heart, then his all body. Then all the essences begin gathering to the center of his body.
Thump! his heartbeat was so clear Nestor start to feel a wonderful feeling, every beat of his heart was pushing the blood to every cell in his body. He didn't feel any pain like the old man said. but It was the opposite!
On the other hand, Baran wanted to leave, but suddenly stopped. He felt something behind him, making every hair in his body standing.