My body was now laying down on a bunch of soft throw pillows near the bookshelves while being guarded by Nex. He had comfortably positioned himself right next to me. I would've said that he was too close for my liking but I was far too tired to do anything about it. Today was complete chaos. Worst part is that for some reason I couldn't go to sleep. Was my body too tired to fall asleep? Or maybe my head was just wrapping about the millions of situations to wonder why Terra defected. Nex had fed me my pellet for the cycle because I was unable to move my hands. Now I just needed to rest.
That fight was one of the bigger ones I've ever faced. The entire time I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to rely on Nex. The destruction we caused definitely slowed down Talos. However, that wasn't the point of that skirmish. It was to flush out Terra on why she defected. Frustratingly, we couldn't find a proper reason. Nitra on the other hand was still missing. We've only found one of the two girls. Talos was quiet as the hours passed. There were no tremors probably because of the missing construction golems. During this time, Eliza had instructed Able to set up new surveillance ports in deeper areas of Talos. She even went into her kitchen to make me some of their version of soup. She was quite concerned for my well being despite being a stranger that she just met. All I could do now was look up to the dimly lit ceiling to pass the time.
Every part of my physical body was aching to the high cosmos. I wonder if Plaux could feel what was happening down here? Or perhaps the Tortoise plates? This place is quite deep underground. As I was about to sleep, Nex was poking me on the side. Each poke he took I made a count of. This way the next time we train, I would be sure to hit him that many times. There was no way of knowing that each time he would poke my body that it stung like how a Yelgir would attack its prey from below the ground. My face was quite relaxed so I couldn't make an expression.
Nex: Hey… Hey… Hey… Arc… Are you still awake?
Arc: I am now. Stop poking me or I'll break your fingers
Nex: You never were the type to sleep anyway. I'm just a bit distraught. I guess you could even say that I'm a bit heartbroken.
Arc: What does it mean to be heartbroken?
Nex: It's an expression from books. It means that you feel sad about something so much that it hurts your chest.
Arc: Are you sure that isn't a heart condition?
Nex: No… I'm sure.
Arc: I could only give my guesses why you feel that way.
Nex: It's a bit obvious. I never thought things would go the way it went. More like, I wanted to believe that she was being controlled or brainwashed. But the more you two fought each other, the more I felt something else. It was painful to watch despite not being the one fighting.
Arc: Nex… you know how we're supposed to keep these kinds of things under control.
Nex: I know…
Being so close to Nex, I could feel his heart beating faster and faster. He was afraid. Afraid that things were never going to be the same. I'm afraid too. Afraid that someday I might have to make the hard decision. A decision that I never thought I would have to make. It was like time standing still when I saw those eyes of hers. When she threw those powerful hooks at me. It was like some kind of weird message that everything was over. After so many rotations, why now? Tossing and turning my head, I could only imagine the infinite possibilities my mind was presenting me. However, nothing would ever make me understand. If I could reach into the cosmos in front of me for an answer I would.
Nex: Say, tell me your honest opinion. Is it wrong to have these kinds of feelings?
Arc: What kind?
Nex: To feel pain when your teammates fight each other. I know that we can be replaced one way or another. But even still, knowing that everyone can just go missing in a flash. It still hurts. Even all of it. Is it wrong?
Arc: It's wrong for our line of work… Though I wish I could protect everyone. Those are my honest feelings.
Nex: I'm scared that I'll forget everything.
Arc: I feel like this is something you should know Nex. I feel like this is the perfect time to tell you again. You told me this a long time ago. Though I'm not sure if you remember.
Nex: What?!
Arc: This isn't actually our first conversation. We talked about this before…
Nex: Huh?!
Arc: I think it was time you remembered.
I wasn't joking when I said that. Nex got up from the ground to look me straight in the face. His expression said it all. I just spent most of my energy trying to smile. There were various points in time when our memories would be wiped to help us cope. How the scientists in the Platform do it still remains a mystery, but they would erase our memories. Personally, I'd remove some memories that I wouldn't want to remember. Memories of physical pain so I wouldn't hesitate to do things. Or maybe remove some of memories that involved a specific fear from an event. Depending if it's beneficial to the person, the cognitive magicians will remove it.
However, doing this has it's many consequences. Sometimes it can rearrange memories or remove them entirely, especially those who aren't resistant to it. The Platform still finds it beneficial anyway because then they'll always have willing teams to go to classes. I've always had a strong resistance to memory magic. This meant that I could remember all the details of the memories of our classes. Every conversation, quirks, traumas, and tiny happy moments. I've been cold to most of my classmates not for the reason that not only that I might lose them but because they'll never remember.
They'll never remember me. I do care about them because I've always known a lot about them except for Nitra. Terra's passionate hatred for anything spicy, Nex's covert fear of the deep oceans, and … Wait… I'm sure there was another. I guess I can say that I'm a bit bitter that they could never remember something about me. But how could I blame them? Though there were some stronger memories that I think I've wanted to wipe. They must've been so strong that I would want to erase them. However, my resistance to memory magic still occasionally made me remember some things.
Arc: We've had this conversation before. Different planets, different times, but it always comes down to this. Seems like no matter what, you're always bound to talk about this.
Nex: How could I possibly forget these kinds of things! I'm sure that I wouldn't want to get those removed!
Arc: It's just part of the side effects of memory magic. If you aren't resistant to it, sometimes it takes more than you think. The major things remain while others drift off.
Nex: There's no way I could forget!
Arc: Hahaha, this is the 6th time we've had it. It always ends the same way. Though I have to be blunt and that it pains me everytime.
Nex: The same way?
Arc: You forget in the end… Always...
Nex: Then what about the time I told you about me? The real me?
Arc: That one was new. I can guarantee that.I don't think you've ever told me that before. I guess there's still some kind of semblance of what you've told me.
Nex: Then why do you remember and we can't?
Arc: Sorry but that's a secret. If I tell it then it might be dire.
Nex: You're joking!
Arc: I'm sorry but that's how it is… I wish I could reveal more. Maybe I'm just too tired to act cold right now.
Nex: No! That's not fair! I want to remember. I want to know the things I've already told you!
Arc: It's alright, Nex. I think at some point I've stopped caring. The hardest part of every rotation is knowing that everyone was just going to forget about the good things. Maybe that's why I was so surprised that Terra defected. But I did promise one thing specifically for you.
Nex: What?
Arc: That each time we reached this conversation. I'd tell you and I've done it without fail. We'd become friends all over again and again. Over and over…
I could see that Nex was saying something but I was already starting to drift into my sleep. My eyes were already starting to shut by themselves. The pain in my body was already starting to disappear, making my body relax. This was probably one of those sleeps where it was going to hurt the next morning. I disliked that whenever I slept my memories started to flood back to those days. The small moments. Nobody said it was easy but someone had to remember it all. A part of me does value these memories more than my own life. Though I wouldn't want to question a command from the Platform. That's why as much as possible I want to keep this a secret. Call this me being selfish but this is what I want to keep special. Nothing around me will stay. Living on the Platform has taught me that everyone needs to push forward. Everyone wants to survive. What's the point in holding material possession when I'm always going to dangerous classes. It might get destroyed along the way if I do. That's why I want this to be my selfish request from the universe. Help me keep these memories alive. I don't care what happens to this body, just make sure that I can remember the happy moments. Terra's first taste of Junjo seeds, Nex's first time at the beach of Likon, and that person. I might not remember but I just know he/she was important. Important memories are the ones that fight off the memory magic the most. Memories that are worth protecting.
I woke up to the sounds of tremors again. My back felt the small vibrations from the ground making me feel the pain of my injuries. The work must've been starting for quite some time but I just hadn't noticed. My body was still aching from the sores of the fight. There were still some throbbing pains on my back and legs especially. However, I still wanted to move around. It didn't feel right laying around for too long. That was enough rest for now. Nex was still sleeping right next to, he looked like he was in some deep sleep. I made sure that when I started to move out that I wouldn't wake him up. It's been a while since some of us slept soundly. Usually it would be pretty rare because those would only happen when we're at the Platform. There wasn't anyone else in the room. This made me naturally curious where Eliza would be.
Moving out of the office, I followed a different path of bookshelves. This time the crime section of the maze. It led me to a different door. Compared to the other doors in the area so far, this one was just a normal door. A door that was simply made out of wood. As I opened the door, Eliza was on the other side of the room cooking. My eyes had finally adjusted to the setting and it revealed itself to be the kitchen! The place was made out of stone bricks like some kind of cozy house. There were ancient gas burners on the left side of the room followed by an average blue plastic kitchen top. A steel door that looked like it led to the storage that seemed to be left open. Eliza was by the massive two door steel fridge taking out some kinds of items out of it. She saw with a bit of a surprised look while holding her ingredients. She then hurriedly placed it on the table right in front along with the other things on it. Her hair seemed to be a mess along with the clothes she was wearing. I moved closer to her till we both sat by the table. Her face lit us as I moved into her field of view. She looked excited.
Eliza: Greetings! You're finally up. Quite the mess we've stirred up huh. To think that we just met too.
Arc: Pardon if we caused some trouble for you. You had some things to do on this planet didn't you?
Eliza: It's quite alright. It was only bound to happen to be honest. It was either you came along and did what you did or Peter was going to come here to probably kill me to have his way. Peter has always been that way. But I still fell in love with the bastard anyway.
Arc: Still, we could've handled things a lot differently.
Eliza: It's alright kid. I mean what were you going to do? Let your friend kill you? I wouldn't put it past you if you blew up the entire Talos city. Do what it takes to survive. I guess even your humans knew that too.
Arc: All too well. I appreciate it.
Eliza: No problem. So are you feeling better?
Arc: No, my body definitely wants to rest more but I don't like sleeping. It doesn't feel right.
Eliza: Sounds like a case of ptsd or night terrors
.
Arc: ptsd?
Eliza: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's something to do with your brain. It basically means you feel haunted by your past though that would be a clear understatement. With the power you guys have, I'm sure y'all seen some life changing and dangerous stuff.
Arc: Maybe then. We have memory magic to help us forget things we don't need. Especially since our humans don't have the luxury of just sitting around.
Eliza: Sounds extremely useful and mysterious. We have our means for that as well but yours sounds a tad more efficient. Quite the sad thing though huh.
Arc: I think it's much better than the alternative of killing yourself or being useless.
Eliza: I can't even imagine what life must've been for y'all. With powers like yours, civilization must've been completely different.
Arc: It's something you get used to. Nobody knows what's going up there.
Eliza: I see. Don't you want to rest more? Able examined your body as you started to crash. He reported that your arms and legs were on the verge of being completely broken.
Arc: I guess that's all thanks to Terra. She was the girl that I fought.
Eliza: Definitely quite the powerful specimen.
Arc: With the power to manipulate vibrations. It's definitely the most destructive magic I've seen.
Eliza: It would be a lot more dangerous if she actually knew how to use it. I've seen what vibrations can do to a person. From what I've seen, she doesn't even know the true potential it has.
Arc: That's just the perks of learning to fight Terra. Vibrational manipulation is still relatively new to us. It isn't as easy as moving things around or telling your body to do things. Complex activities like conjurations or independent magic can seriously drain a soldier.
Eliza: Strange how your humans can be so limited to things but not in others.
Arc: We rely on magic to fill the gaps. How about you? You clearly look worse than me.
Eliza: I was having a good sleep before these tremors. Though personally, I'm just stressed about various recent things. When I was sent here a long time ago, my mission was to make this planet viable for humans. I still plan to do that but right now. I'm being pulled into something I feel like is greater than I think. Magic? Two different humanities? I'm just a scientist who was sent here to create a new home world for humans. Sure Earth is great but we're slowly getting trouble there. That's why we chose this planet, to help expand our human kind. Hearing everything from you makes it feel like we are such a small colony.
Arc: I'm sorry. We didn't think it would burden you so much…
Eliza: It's alright. I just haven't been given time to process things correctly. Maybe that's why I'm so hungry right now! Stress eating!
Arc: Isn't it unhealthy to do that?
Eliza: Don't judge me. You eat pellets!
Arc: A little less hostility please.
Eliza: Sorry, just stressed. Oh Peter what have you gotten yourself into now…
Arc: Can you tell me more about this Peter person?
Eliza: Sure, I guess. It's better to vent out all of this stress or it'll ruin my complexion. Well my relationship with Peter is complicated right now. But back then it wasn't. Things were much simpler even with all the secrets of the universe.
Arc: Tell me, what's it like?
Eliza: What is?
Arc: No, I mean living in a home world.
Eliza: Well, before I tell you I want you to know about Earth. Earth isn't some kind of paradise I'm scared you're picturing of.
Her expression changed from tired into a much more serious one. The tone in her voice shifted too, making things between us eerily pressuring. She pushed her food away from her then tipped up her glasses. Being in plenty of classes myself, I don't picture any planet to be some sort of paradise. There's always something much darker in the background. Sometimes it can be the locals while others the terrain or wildlife. To me, even if Earth was going to be something terrible I still wanted to know. I nodded my head to Eliza.
Eliza: Okay… But don't say I warned you. Though I wouldn't put it against you if you didn't want to come back with me someday. Well where do I even start?
Arc: Children! How are children made?
Eliza: Woah! Okay! Big questions! Did no one really tell you about that? It's a bit embarrassing to answer that!
Arc: Why what's wrong? I don't think anyone on the Platform knows how to have children. This goes especially true for academy students. Only the elders know. Once it is time they just extract DNA from us. We're born from birth centers, only knowing that we belong to a specific family right after we finally realize we can create memories.
Eliza: You're test tube babies… I never knew. So your human race decided that normal birthing wasn't enough. I guess that makes sense if you're having trouble trying to increase your population. But to resort to that… the situation must've been dire.
Arc: For us, birthing centers are normal. Some even being from the same birthing center.
Eliza: So none of you know how they're made?
Arc: No, the information partianing it is locked away from academy members like me. Though I wouldn't know how the process works in the birth centers. I peeked a couple times when I've returned but all I could see were vats of humans. The process is still unknown.
Eliza: That is quite dire. Well, I guess you're quite pure then. It's quite the dirty process to create a natural human baby. Those methods you've said were describing artificial means.
Arc: Would you tell me about it?
Eliza: Personally, it's not something I'd like to explain. It's a bit sexual in nature.
Arc: What's sexual?
Eliza: Now you're making me feel guilty for teaching you these words. This is just the stuff that your parents tell you.
Arc: I don't know much about my parents. We're complicated.
Eliza: Oh… I see my mistake for just assuming things.
Arc: I don't see a reason for you to apologize.
Eliza: Well, you do look like you're at that age where you'd be curious to know. Have you noticed something strange in your body whenever you see a female? Something that feels oddly embarrassing?
Arc: No.
Eliza: Eh?
Arc: Nope.
Eliza: Oh I see, then how about this. Don't you feel curious sometimes about the other gender's body? For females, at some point we feel curious too.
Arc: Maybe it's because I've lived on the Platform and I don't see that many females. For most of my life, I've been with the same people. Those would be my teammates
.
Eliza: That's so strange. What the hell is this kind of place anyway? This feels like some kind of dystopian novel. Are you even happy on the Platform?
Arc: We do what our Platform commander tells us to do. For the sake of humanity and Adam.
Eliza: Woah. Is that some kind of cult signal or something?
Arc: What's a cult?
Eliza: Explaining Earth things is going to be hard huh. Well it's not like I'm busy anyway.
Arc: If you're curious about it. Adam is our hero. The saviour of our humanity. The first magician to stand up against the odds. The reason why we're alive.
Eliza: Hey, that's actually quite interesting. What's this Adam person like? Do you have historical records or something?
Arc: Um, no. He's a folk legend of sorts. Though he doesn't have records because we were sent to space. It's widely believed that he existed from the stories passed down from our elders.
Eliza: So he's just a story huh…
Arc: But he did exist. If he hadn't then we would've been stuck on Eden.
Eliza: I'm sorry for not sounding respectful. It's just that I'm a person that thinks of the scientific approach. No proof then there might've been a different reason why y'all survived.
Arc: I guess it's hard to understand when you're not from the Platform itself.
Eliza: We discovered our existence because we figured that we evolved from a single cell organism. Maybe it was similar to your home or that place called Eden.
Arc: Perhaps It's just this is the reason why we survived the fall of Eden.
Eliza: Eden?
Arc: It was said to be our first home planet. A planet that was filled with luscious food, majestic terrains, and incredible creatures. Though at the price of not being able to use magic. If it weren't for Adam, we would've been kept as pets.
Eliza: Pets? By some other alien life?
Arc: Maybe he was some kind of extra terrestrial but there was a being that created us. That being created us using his magic. That's why some of us were born with the same ability.
Eliza: This sounds eerily like the bible.
Arc: Bible? Is it some kind of story?
Eliza: Yes, it's a book. Though it's not like any other book out there on Earth. It's widely accepted by millions of people on our planet that the stories are real. The name of the settings and even the name of Adam himself. It does bear the same similarities.
Arc: Strange. Do you have a copy of this book in your library?
Eliza: Sorry. We didn't bring one. I wasn't the religious type to care about those kinds of things. Though Peter was. It's almost uncanny actually. Could it be that Eden in the stories of the bible wasn't just a place but a planet? A planet that… No, I'm just thinking too much about it.
Arc: If you say so. So tell me about these things…
She explained the whole process to how humans were born from females. To be frank, the details she used were something a bit hard to understand. Some of it felt wrong to listen to because of how disgusting it is. I made a couple of faces to show my clear disinterest but that didn't stop her. However, Eliza surely knew a lot of things about their humans and planet. Truly a lot compared to how little they tell us at the platform. Things started to get a bit strange and awkward too when she started to talk about adolescence. She explained things about my body that felt too accurate for a stranger to know. Part of me felt a bit vulnerable there especially when I started talking about the changes of the female body. My face would start to heat up from listening to the things she would say. These were the strangest conversations I've had in a long time. I could feel that my so much awkwardness started to develop as she continued on.
Eliza: And that's how babies are born. As you can tell, I'm not pregnant or anything. So my breasts aren't going to lactate or grow anymore. They are quite the size now actually, though it does get annoying when they're big.
Arc: Wait! Stop! That didn't sound like something I should've known. I could feel my face burning up!
Eliza: Hahaha, I guess once you reach a certain age. You stop caring about what embarrasses you when you're with children.
Arc: I don't feel like a child. I've killed people.
Eliza: Arc… You are a child. Just one that had their childhood harshly stripped away from them. You should've experienced the joys of youth, going to fun things, taking care of family, and maybe even falling in love. Instead, you were sent into a gritty world where the only people that were with you were your teammates. Your mind might not be a child anymore but that doesn't mean that you can't be one from time to time. An unjust world that treats everyone the same. You guys never deserved any of that. Or at least not until a certain age. You deserve to have your own life
Arc: I see… It does make me think a lot. Not just that but everything you've said made me think a lot especially things I want to figure out. Thanks a lot, even if we just met.
Eliza: I guess it was just my way of doing something selfish of mine.
Arc: What would that be?
Eliza: Being a mother again…
Arc: I see… What will you be doing now?
Eliza readjusted her glasses then looked up her watch. She had a grimace on her face as she realized what she needed to do. Naturally curious on what she was going to do, I reached out to her. Though Eliza must've seen me and held up. Walking over to one of the closets, she opened up a strange device. A device that looked to be foreign from the likes of the other technology she had. Parts of it looked to be human while some other components were clearly different.
Arc: What is that? That doesn't look human.
Eliza: You're not exactly wrong. This was Peter's. It was one of his many inventions that he tinkered with. I'm not entirely sure of what he was trying to accomplish. His motives are unknown.
Arc: Then what are you doing with that?
Eliza: Simple, I wish to investigate it. I don't usually want to explore his inventions because I'm far too busy. However, this is a perfect time.
Eliza tossed the gauntlet to me. Barely being able to catch it, I was confused as to what she meant. This one is a strange thing to me. The device seemed to be running on a simple core device. Simply put, it needs a specific source to make it run. Placing my left hand into it, it didn't seem to activate or give anything specific feeling. Eliza walked over to me with a curious step. Her face much more serious than ever.
Eliza: So?
Arc: So what?
Eliza: Do you know a thing?
Arc: Why are you assuming I would know what your husband worked on?
Eliza: I thought you'd be able to recognize it. It's alien tech after all. This is far beyond my understanding besides the core mechanics of it.
Arc: Well it's a simple core powered device, that I know you know about. The core itself is not something I know about. Whatever material inside of the wrist compartments are, I have no clear idea besides that it's been refined.
Eliza: Refined?
Arc: Yes, some cores in the universe need to be refined for the energy flow to be much more aura? Is that the word? I don't have the vocabulary for this but it appears that it doesn't need to be connected to the device through grounding.
Eliza: Is there a way for it to be activated?
Arc: I'm not quite sure. Though we could always try.
Eliza: How so?
Arc: Most magic is powered like how energy is. However, magic isn't electricity or any kind of power source. But it does share it's similarities. Meaning with some kind of specific type of power, I could turn this device on.
Eliza: It's a bit dangerous.
Arc: I'm not afraid. I'm a soldier, just give me the order.
Eliza: … Fine… Do it.
Surge magic is powerful, I have to be careful or I'll break this thing in one surge. Without any delay, my breath synchronized with my center then glowed my eyes. Energy started to move throughout my body which I had to concentrate a small amount more to where the gauntlet was. Almost like a fully planned effort, the core lit up a dangerous purple. Eliza hadn't moved an inch despite the danger levels of uncertainty reaching higher. Her curiosity had greater strength than her fear. This didn't have any other button to activate so it's based on motion. A bit advanced for a civilization that barely knows what Foxphite is.
Eliza: What do you figure?
Arc: Uncertain.
Eliza: Thoughts?
Arc: Though I'm curious. This technology clearly isn't yours. So whoever your husband is then he must have been in contact with some other person not human.
Eliza: I wouldn't be surprised if he went to look for someone that would fund whatever he's researching.
Arc: That would be strange then.
Eliza: How so?
Arc: This planet has no account of any intelligent life for civilization.
Eliza: I don't quite get it.
Arc: There's no record in the Platform of a civilization that would help him if he sought for help. Or maybe…
Eliza: There is one.
Arc: Impossible.
Eliza: I've seen them. But I've never established contact. They're humanoids in appearance, so it would make sense that he would aim for them.
Arc: Peculiar. This civilization must be quite hidden if that's the case. Though it would be much more daunting because then I don't have any information on the capital city or the country itself. Going in dark would be suicide.
Eliza: A lot of faith in this Platform of yours.
Arc: I have to. This means that they're hiding something which is a threat to the universe.
Eliza: That sounds a bit too harsh to just deem them a threat.
Arc: If they weren't then they wouldn't have to hide from registration and…
Eliza: I see. However they do exist and that's the most likely area he would be in.
As I got a better clear view of what gauntlet is presenting. It wasn't visible from the outside but there was some kind of mechanism inside the gauntlet. This feeling was strange, a piece of metal felt lodged inside a wrist compartment. My hand started to gravitate to it to find out that it was like a pressure area. Similar to a button pressing mechanism. If I close my fist then I should be able to…
Eliza: Woah! What is that!
A strange light started to emit as I clenched my fist! The purple aura engulfed my entire left arm. How peculiar, there wasn't anything that I could feel from my hand but there was something visually anomalous besides the aura. Though I'm not entirely sure if anyone else could see what it is. Holding my out to Eliza, a trail of purple light followed with it. Bits and cracks almost seem like mirrors started to be seen.
Eliza: It looks… Terrifying.
Arc: It feels terrifying. Whatever he's found in this world. It's not good.
Eliza: Not even light could be reflected on it. It secludes itself in almost like it's own event horizon. What else could you do with it?
Arc: Not even a least bit scared what it might do to me?
Eliza: Oh! Sorry… I didn't mean it that way…
Arc: I guess even people of science are all the same one way or another.
Eliza: You don't have to if you don't want to. My lust for the unknown is getting the better of me, just like him.
Arc: It spites me a tiny bit but I too am curious.
Reluctantly I held out the gauntlet onto an empty part of the room. I pressed my hand once again on that switch. Emitting another layer of dark purple, I could feel the magic field around me. Whatever this field was, it's countering the magic field around us as well. Though only I could feel it. With another surge of blue, the metal arm produced a small glass like blade that seemed to refract light. Something told me that if I were to touch it, it would spill trouble.
Arc: Curious… What kind of power is this?
Eliza: What is? I can't see anything.
Guess I'm a curious one as well. In one swift motion, I sliced the air in a crude cross motion. The hairs on my neck began to startle, as what was before me was a portal. Cold wind in front of me as I could slowly visual what was on the other side. This was a portal machine! Though this is clearly impossible! He was able to invent a means to traverse with portals!? I wanted to know. Walk through the portal to see if it was real. This power was not of Adam's magic. However, before I could walk through, Eliza grabbed my shoulder and placed something in my ear.
Eliza: Go. I'm sorry.
Arc: …
Without another word, I walked to the origin of the cold wind.