While out in the woods, Merim thought to himself.
'That explains a lot. I don't think that they are lying to me. I don't see any reason for them to do so.'
As he ponders, he felt the ground, the earth.
There are four main stages, or basic stages for some, for an Imagi; Puppeteer, Reformer, Spirit, and Creator.
Puppeteer and Reformer deal with the physical surrounding. Meanwhile, Spirit and Creation are more complex and more magical.
[Spirit]
Merim felt the Earth. Like his sixth sense, he felt the motion of the earth. He felt the squirming worm underneath him, the ripples of the lake on the bottom and shore, hops of hares, and especially footsteps.
He walked around, going to where Heron met the reptile from what he heard, and scrutinize his surroundings using his "sixth sense"
Staring at the mountain in front of him, Merim used more force to this sense.
'South, none... East, none... West, none... North.... above?' Merim finally sensed something.
"A pair of footsteps. Light but not light as a chicken. Heavy but not heavy as a bear. It could also be a monkey but these animals barely walk bipedally. Elihim, how did you climb there with one arm?"
Merim curiously smiled.
The steep slope was nothing to this Earth Imagi. As soon as he stepped on the foot of the mountain-
[Reform]
The surface was flattened instantly. Without pause, he walked up, creating a set of stairs behind him.
Walking around the steep mountain, Merim found a cliff. But when he looked to his right, he saw a sea of sand past the few trees. Far, there are still light forests but that's it.
The further the horizon, the lesser life there is.
"Death Palace." Merim breathed in with fear.
Reland is a supercontinent. In other words, it is just one piece of land. Past to the Shoreland or what others call [White Boundary} which is just the edge of Reland east and west, there is the Green Belt.
The Green Belt is also connected to the north pole and south pole, they call [Cold Mountains].
Rain and storm come from water. So rain reaches the Shoreland before the Green Belt, therefore, there are lakes, rivers, vegetation, and animals that made it habitable for humans.
Further past that is the center of Reland, the [Death Palace]
It is full of sand, an endless desert. Only the strongest storms can reach there but it is rare. Only a few people inhabit that place since the majority prefer the lush and life in the Green Belt or the sea in the Shoreland.
The Death Palace is large, extremely large. It is like a different world. The nearer the center, the hotter the climate. People can only live near the Green Belt if they want to stay in the Death Palace.
Living near the center is not living at all.
Furthermore, there are myths and legends about strange creatures living there. More terrifying than large animals.
Even an Imagi like Merim is afraid to enter that place.
Shaking his head, he then headed towards the cliff. But when he arrived there, he met nothing.
"I sense footsteps here earlier."
Looking around, he found a trace of fire and ashes, "No, this is definitely the place."
[Spirit]
He used his sixth sense again and was shocked to find that there are sounds coming inside the mountain.
"How?" Merim stared at a wall of stone.
"Is there an entrance here? How complex for a seven years old kid."
While he searched for a pattern or some sort of a door, the wall suddenly trembled.
"Hm..."
Merim took a few steps backward to see that a circular slap moved out, letting out a smoke of dust, before rolling away on its own.
His eyes widened in shock. But that was before he saw a child come out of a secret cave.
'One arm, one eye, and one ear gone. They did not lie...' Merim carefully observed the mysterious child in front of him.
Before, he thought nothing of this child, except that he is ill and needed help. But now, Merim couldn't help but wonder if this child is even a human or some sort of a child blessed by the heavens.
But the latter option was disposed in Merim's head.
'How could this pitiful monster be a child blessed by the heavens?'
"What do you want?" Elihim asked.
He wore comfortable clothing. He was clean and fresh contrary to what a missing child would usually look like. The eyepatch that covered his left eye was made of leather.
'He's very capable at self-sustainment.'
"Elihim, I am here because I'm curious to who or what you are, to help you, and to bring a message from your family."
Merim said formally.
Elihim wanted to cross his arms but he only had one so he just rested it on his waist.
"Go ahead, Sir Merim. I'm surprised that you are taking this calmly."
"Indeed. A seven-year-old child who had passed the four main stages of Imagi is very hard to believe. Even the most talented would need four years since their awakening to achieve that. And the earliest awakening recorded in history is age ten, King Erjen I himself."
Elihim tilted his head, "How do you know that I had passed the four main stages of Imagi?"
"A blade appearing out of nowhere. That's Creation." Merim replicated the story and from the dust, floating in the air, they condensed into a sharp blade.
"Forcefully bending their limbs, that's Puppeteering. I'm not sure about these men not letting out sound but I think you squished their throat, that's Reforming. Then the rise of their body heat, fire obviously, Spirit. From all of these, I know that you are the most genius of all."
"Why do you think of that?"
Merim then explained.
"It is because of affinity. My affinity is earth. I can move the earth easily. However, the wind? Water? Fire? I can't hope to use my powers on them as I studied earth my entire life. As for you, controlling people themselves, shrinking their innards, making their body heat rise, and forming a blade. I can safely say that you are already stronger than me."
"..."
"Although... why did your arm, eye, and ear explode?"