"Go out of the Februan and go to the center?" clarified Mechael, the man who found Ace by the door of the wall, many years ago.
"Are you two serious?"
"Yes Sir Mechael, Icarus and I will go to the center." Ace bluntly spoke. The stare of the native Februan fell on Icarus.
"Y...yes its true Sir Mechael, Miss Dona. We both wanted to fulfill our dreams."
Ms. Dona sighed.
"You know, aside from the Janus that we have little idea, the rest of the sphere is unknown to us, februans. Who knows what's on the other side of the sphere, lucky if it will like our place since you will be able to survive but if it's not."
"We were prepared to train ourselves Ms. Dona. Icarus may just came from the bamboo for 1 year but he is sturdy enough to start the training. Both of us will make ourselves stronger in preparation for the trip. We don't want to harsh ourselves." Ace answered.
Ms. Dona turned his look to Sir. Mechael. "If this is really what you both want, Icarus and Ace, I cannot do anything to stop you. Everyone is given a chance to dream and to go through the door. However, the door will open in the next years so you have plenty of chances to prepare your bodies. But it doesn't mean that you can actually get to the opening of the door on time."
"What do you mean Sir? Isn't the opening of the door the same with the opening in Janus?" Icarus asked.
Sir Mechael then explained to the young lads about the different ceremony of the Februa upon opening the door and how Janus and Februa differ.
Janus is one of the two Polar residential lands of the sphere. In other words, it's one of the parts of the sphere where mortal living are born. When the door is opened in Janus, it is very easy to go to the next land of the sphere but upon entering the Februa, there is no known possibility of returning back.
Februa was known to be the land of the pure, the land of no malice and sin. A malicious and sinner in this land is branded as taboo and will be banished in the lower land of Februa. The Lower Land is a place where malicious souls are kept for purification.
A februa who is malicious and sinner has black wings, indicating that they had sinned. Of course, this can be cured, if they will undergo the purification of the soul, or the training of the soul to create and fight sin. And most of the februan who came back from the lower level becomes stronger and powerful as well.
Icarus and Ace knew that if they wanted to get stronger, they had to undergo the purification of the soul. Once their soul will be purified, the door will allow them to go to the next level and they will be stronger as well.
The young lads prepared themselves for the trip. They bade their guardians goodbye and walked towards the path where the Lower Lands mouth is found.
The two guardians could only watch their young's from afar. They both know, what they are going to face will be a mystery. However, nothing beats a heart that wished for adventure and questions that seek for answers. Februa will never provide those. Therefore, the guardians both know that they needed to travel forward, and answer the questions themselves and fulfill the wishes of their hearts.
The journey to the mouth of the lower land will last for almost a week, considering their journey will be quick and safe. If Icarus will use his wings, it will only take three days but Icarus never plan to leave his friend. So he considered walking as well. Though from time to time, he has to fly to not tire his feet. Februans have weak legs especially Icarus is newly hatched.
They passed through many villages and met other februans. Icarus was ecstatic to see that he have a big family. The only people he knew so far are his guardians and the people in his village.
Ace wanted to look for any possibility of meeting another polar but to his luck, most of them have left a hundred years ago.
"Yes, Yes, I once had a customer who is a polar, dear boy. He was very fun to talk but he keeps on mentioning how lucky he was to be a sacrifice in the door. I don't know what he was really talking about because, who on sphere would want to sacrifice their kin? They must be really sick in their minds." a februan spoke to them.
Ace knew and felt he was once a sacrifice, as mentioned by Sir Mechael how he saw him wrapped in white cloth when he was still an infant. He sipped his drink, bade the woman goodbye and walked out of the store. Any more minute in staying there, he would probably cry. He needed the fresh air to get a hold of his self again.
Icarus immediately followed his friend. who was now trying to dry any bit of tears lingering in his eyes.
"I shouldn't be swayed by such words. There is more to that if we wish to travel to the Gaius Juin." Ace clarified. Icarus only smiled at his friend.
The two boys continued their journey and finally, they arrived in a small village, but it was filled with people, all februans.
"I've never been to this place before." Icarus spoke to his friend.
Before Ace could answer, a young lad, almost the same age as them, approach their way. He was wearing the brightest smile.
"Hello, it's unusual to see a polar and a februan together on a journey, where are you both going?" he asked.
"Ah, were going to the mouth of the lower land." Icarus spoke.
The young lad looked at Icarus wing then to Ace. "You're both not a sinner are you both trying to train yourself for an adventure of the other land?"
"Yes, something like that." Ace answered.
"I can show you the way if you want to. I used to go to the lower land before, because I was malicious. But now, I've been cured."
"Really? Thank you" Icarus asked.
The three of them continued their journey. Nikko, the young lad, was once a sinner and he was sent to the lower land to train himself. The purification was an awakening for him. As he was talking he showed to the two adventurers the power he gained from the purification.
He scooped his two hands and a certain light flashed in its center. It was the power of his spirit. The stronger you are tied to your soul, the more you are able to use its energy to create. He also did mention that a lot of Polar were not able to purify their souls so they never had the chance to continue their journey and stayed in the lower land for a long time. But this didn't bother Ace. He wants to see the center of the sphere, he has to, no matter what it takes for him to do.
"We're here." Nikko spoke as they reached the cave."
"Aren't you coming with us?" Ace asked as they were about to enter.
"If your purified, you cannot go back again, that is the rule of the lower land." he answered back.
"Oh, so we will see you again sometime Nikko." Icarus spoke to their new friend.
"Make sure to get stronger." Nikko spoke.