It was not yet too late to determine what action to take regarding the enigmatic gate when the sound of more than ten human footsteps could be heard in the distance.
Using their psychic abilities, the five soldiers perceived the approach of the new group before they became visible. They promptly raised their weapons, poised to defend themselves, but Sonata intervened. Both Sonata and Alto sensed that the new arrivals posed no threat and did not harbor any malicious intent.
Several people appeared in front of Sonata under the shadow of the trees. There were ten male and female elders who appeared human-like. Some of them wore green, gray, or brown robes, while others wore leather or leaf-knit robes. They looked clean even though their clothes appeared mossy and their hair was messy.
"Hello, visitor," one of them greeted first. He was a man with white hair and a shaggy beard. Sonata was amazed that the translator attached to his battlesuit was not working, as the language used by the man was the "official language" used by the Dragonian and most people from Earth.
"Hello, and who might you be?" Alto was the first to reply. He was surprised, but decided to try to communicate.
"We are hermits," one of the elderly women replied. "We live in the Prewood Forest and are the keepers of the forest. Are you the leader of the people from the sky?"
Sonata understood that they were referring to Sector One.
"That's correct," he replied honestly, curious to see their reaction.
Fortunately, his bet was correct, as these people still appeared friendly after realizing that he was from outer space.
Sonata possessed a special ability. While he could not read people's minds, he could accurately read hidden feelings. These hermits did not display any signs of hostility. They might have come just to say hello.
Numerous questions bubbled up inside Sonata's mind about the humans inhabiting this planet, the story behind the mysterious gate, the story of the Zerrians, and countless other curiosities. However, before any of these queries could be addressed, a hermit, who appeared to be the leader of the group, interjected, extending an invitation to their village.
"Village?" Sonata's eyes lit up with excitement. His subordinates looked at each other, still suspicious of the strangers.
***-------------------------------------------------------------------***
After the mysterious gate was out of sight, they spent time following the hermits to their village. However, the term "village" didn't quite fit the actual place. It was very different from what Sonata had imagined.
It was a forest with some tents scattered at a distance from each other. There were not even any roads or utilities for convenience. Everyone seemed to live in harmony as part of nature.
The only thing that made the hermits appear civilized was the fact that they used magic in their everyday lives.
These hermits used magic for everything. They used it to help them find food and water, and to protect themselves both directly and indirectly. Sonata noticed that their clothes, if not made of animal skins, were woven from leaves using magic. The fabric was incredibly durable and suitable for wearing in this rainforest climate.
Some of the hermits raised goat-like creatures for milking or to help with transportation tasks, but their work was not much each day, as they all lived in the forest to satisfy their need for simple lives.
"Ahh… is that magic used for milk pasteurization?" Sonata spoke to himself as he saw a hermit cast a spell on a bucket of fresh milk obtained from a goat-like creature. The magic was used to protect drinkers' health from harmful bacteria.
"City people boil it instead of using magic," a middle-aged hermit remarked, making Sonata realize that there were not just villages like this one in the middle of the forest, but also cities where they were more prosperous. When Sonata opened his mouth, expecting to ask for more information, the hermits hurriedly interrupted him by reminding him that their Elder was waiting, and they hastened him to meet with their Elder.
The tent of the "Elder," the head of all the hermits in the forest, was no different from the others, but it might have been the oldest. It seemed to be the smallest in the village. Sonata began to understand what this group of people meant by "letting go of materials." When he looked outside the Elder's tent, he saw that even the most important person's residence, such as the Elder's, was not as large or luxurious as the others. Due to the size of the tent, Sonata ordered his followers, excluding Alto, to wait outside.
As they entered, the skinny old man greeted Sonata and Alto in a friendly manner. Sonata looked at his clothes. All the hermits seemed to be the same: old, wearing the same clothes, and not setting their hair in any particular style. Sonata's gaze shifted a few seconds later, and he was surprised to find the first person who did not match that conclusion.
Near the smoldering old man, the village head, there was a young woman with a bright face who appeared to be the same age as him. She introduced herself as the Elder's eldest daughter, Flora.
"Welcome to Ziene," the old man laughed. "Didn't anyone tell you that this world is called Ziene?"
"Ziene…?" Sonata scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You guys know that we come from the outside." Sonata meant that he was from outer space, not from foreign countries.
The old hermit and his daughter nodded.
They knew!
"Not only do we know where you came from, but we also know that you were coming," Flora replied with a faint smile, which seemed strange to Sonata.
"Before I answer any of your questions, I have an item for you," the daughter said, without giving any hint. The old hermit turned to signal to those guarding the tent. Those hermits who received the order left the tent for a moment before returning with an object more than a meter in length, wrapped in clothes.
Sonata took the sword and unfolded the clothes to see inside. An entirely black sword appeared; the sheath, the hilt, and the blade were all black. It looked like the sword of the Eastern Seaboard, the world where Sonata came from.
"We call it the Black Sword," the Elder explained. "It has many names. That's what we hermits call it."
From the first moment Sonata touched the sword, he could sense that it was not an ordinary sword. All parts of the black sword were made of extraordinary metal that gave a feeling of both darkness and goodness. Its pattern, sharpness, and integrity were finely crafted, as if the sword was not meant for humans. He could also sense that it held some secret power.
...Steal Mind…
Unwittingly, Sonata used his special skill again. He saw the man with short brown hair who forged the black sword. In front of that man in a war long ago was a creature with incredible power that could be considered a devil god. The man took that creature's soul and sealed it in the sword.
The memory was so unbelievable that Sonata was not sure if it was a reality long ago. It was almost like someone's dream.
The memories left in the sword were not yet over. Tens and hundreds of years after it was forged, the sword came into the hands of a man. That gloomy young man was the first to use the sword as its actual owner in this world. His life was a tragedy, and his sorrow passed on to Sonata.
After regaining his composure, Sonata recounted what he had seen to the Elder. Flora and the Elder, who were in the tent, did not change their facial expressions at all. It was as if they already knew that something like this would happen.
"We don't know what you saw. Maybe it was the memory of the person who created this sword and the person who used it," Flora replied. "We were just following the prophecy."
Flora then handed over a stack of papers. It was a copy of an unknown language to Sonata and Alto.
"These papers recorded the ancient prophecy. It explains that someday a visitor from the sky will arrive. We must help the visitor and give this sword to him," she said.
The Elder understood that Sonata was frustrated. What were the details of the prophecy? What did he have to do with the black sword? How important were the three keys? Unfortunately, the Elder was unable to provide all the answers. He and the people in the village were just following the words of the prophecy to save the people in this land.
"I'm sorry that I may not be able to answer all the questions you have. Some of the prophecies were lost. We only know that the man leading the people from the sky will end the war in this land," the old man explained.
"Regarding the three keys," Flora continued, "they are the key to the Gate of Void, which you've seen. We hermits believe that there is nothing behind the gate, but we keep one of the keys because the other key holders think otherwise."
In the beliefs of the hermits, everything was empty and nothing lasted forever. They were not attached to anything, not even the Prewood Forest that belonged to them. However, they were kind to plants and animals and believed that the key they possessed maintained the balance of power in the land.