The Cain was led into a spacious study, its walls lined with shelves full of leather-bound books. Tall windows let in ample daylight that gleamed across the large mahogany desk. Cain sank into the plush leather chair behind the desk, noting its intricate carvings.
"Stay here; the Duke will be with you in a moment."
"Sure."
The door closed, so Cain immediately got comfortable and sat behind the nice desk. The chair was soft, made with some fleece stuffed in leather, or at least, that's what Cain thought. He sank into the chair and put his feet up on the desk as he relaxed.
The door opened, and a slender man in a brown suit entered the study. His receding brown hair framed a long face marked by drooping, exhausted eyes that contrasted with his upright posture. As he approached the desk, his shoes clicked sharply on the wooden floor.
'Around 30, young, clear skin, light brown hair, brown eyes, slim. He also seems to carry himself with a sense of pride... but he's also being weighed down by something.'
The man closed the door behind him and looked at Cain with a funny look.
"I presume you're the traveler I was informed about," he said, his voice raspy but reserved.
Cain got straight to the point. "I'm not a traveler; I'm from the place that borders you, called Netherane. I heard we were boarded off because of diseases, but such things have long since been gone. I left to travel and found myself here."
"What?! You're from that cursed land!"
Cain raised his hands to his ears as if it hurt. "You shouldn't yell; I already told you that the 'cursed place' is no longer cursed. The core was taken."
"What? Ah, I see. So you're in the same situation as us then?"
"Excuse me?"
"Ah, well, you see, we also lost our core a long time ago. Because of it, our power was lost, and our territory's size regressed to this. All of our lands slowly turned barren and became danger zones.
After the core was taken, everyone lost the power of the Duchy, which included weapon techniques."
The Duke gazed out the window, his eyes glazed with memories. "Our greatest masters were able to split the earth and control nature with their weapons. But now we are nothing"
He turned back to Cain. "I think you can understand the implications of losing such power."
Cain lifted his hand as he tried to comprehend everything. "Stop, slow down. You're saying because your core is gone, your land turned into a 'danger zone'? What even is that?"
"I think I should just explain everything from the beginning."
Duke Plymouth started to regale Cain with the tale of the once-big Duchy of Plymouth. In its prime, it was at least a quarter the size of Netherane, but now, it couldn't even compare to the endless swamp in the southern part of Netherane.
From what Cain was told, a Gatherer a long time ago came to the Duchy and befriended the current Duke. However, this was all a ploy to steal the core, and it succeeded, along with the Duke's death.
After the core was taken, everyone lost the power of the Duchy, which included weapon techniques.
Cain put two and two together and figured that techniques from Netherane were an imitation of this, with the most powerful ones relying on augmented bodies or high-grade weapons to work, trying to imitate the power Plymouth once held.
"So, because of the lost land turning barren and housing dangerous creatures, you have ended up surrounded and have lost contact with the world? And you want me to go to a nearby territory to tell them your sad tale?"
"Yes, so far many people have come here over the years, adventurers or even wannabe gatherers. Some agreed, and others didn't, but no one has come to help."
"Well, obviously, you're stuck in the center of a zone that is not only a terrible environment but also holds creatures that could tear a man in half. No one would put in the effort to help a small place like this, either move or remain. You can only help yourselves in this scenario."
The man slouched back, defeated. "I know, but I have to try. I can't let our people die off like this."
Grinning, Cain removed his boots from the desk and put his clasped hands down instead.
"Well, that's quite the sad story you've spun. But misery loves company, or so they say."
The Duke clenched his fists. "You dare mock our suffering?"
"Not at all," Cain replied lightly. "I'm simply a man seeking knowledge. Tell you what, you answer my questions and I'll see about helping you out with this land problem."
Jolting up from his seat, the Duke came kneeling before the desk.
"I will do anything to save my people, to give them a safe home I would sacrifice my dignity, my honor, anything! Please, if you can help, I will give you whatever I can!"
"All I need is information, knowledge for knowledge, as they say."
"What do you want me to answer? I will do my best."
The Duke stood up, pulled himself a chair, and sat down.
"Good. First, why am I weakened here?"
"Weakened? Like physically? Well... I know people who travel outside their birth territory lose their powers and experience symptoms like weakness.
It takes a bit, but they will soon be able to use those abilities again, but it wouldn't be as powerful. Unless you are a gatherer, you can't use abilities properly outside their natural area, especially in places with rulers."
"Good to know. Now my second question. What do you know about rulers and gatherers?"
The Duke thought for a moment before whispering, "I shouldn't say this, but Rulers aren't good people. Most of them are power-hungry and go off to fight each other for more land. More land means more power and the ultimate goal is to have the most land, like the rulers in the Inner and Middle zones.
We're just in the outer zone, It would take a long time to accumulate a territory as big as those close to the center who have had cycles to grow."
"That's interesting. So why don't Rulers take over danger zones?"
"Because they can't. Once a place becomes a danger zone, it becomes an unbound territory in a sense. There are no rules, and monsters infest those places. Sometimes even scum live there, criminals or tribes of the remnants."
"That leaves my last question. Why can I understand you? I know our territories are next to each other, but we come from different planets outside the landfill, do we not?"
"Oh, that's an easy answer. The language we speak is the default language; it was said to come from the first territory.
The language was passed from one to another and created a sort of ripple effect. I have some ancient books on the matter from some linguists. I'll also have you know not all places use this language, though it is the majority. I know other races keep to their own language for the most part."
Cain's eyes widened. "Other races?"
"Yes, did you think humans were the only ones? Although rare, other species of humanoid beings exist. I have a record of a tall and thin traveler from around 324 years ago who was one such race. They had lengthy arms and 6 eyes."
"Amazing."
Cain was silent for a moment. His excitement and curiosity were boiling at this point; his mind raced about the other races that existed out there. What would they look like? How did they behave? He was itching to leave this dusty old study and discover them for himself.
He smiled at the Duke "I thank you for your time. As promised, I will tell you what you wish."