The early morning breeze was chilling to the touch, necessitating a warm wooly coat, gloves, and scarf. The freezing sea breeze sighing on Danish, Malik, Leila, Kaito, and Turan flushed their faces with a light red shade, especially of Leila, her cheek, neck, and nose were cheery red.
The wind began to blow stronger as they began to travel by boat. Though the sea was calm, the absence of sun and early morning breeze made the journey no less easy.
"Don't just sit there come plow with me." Kaito groaned at Malik.
"I in my entire life have never seen a man plowing with his bare hands, not in a situation like this," Malik responded. "Why don't you show me how to do it first."
"Lame excuses!" Kaito huffed.
The sunrise cast a yellow glint over the island canopy, the dew glittered, and the birds woke to the light singing and chirping. Warmth enveloped the island, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
They walked with hushed voices, without disturbing the sleep of the island. Dim fire light from the hearth could be seen coming from a few of the cottages, smoke rising from the chimneys. The scent that wafted from these houses carried the aroma of tea, bread, and broth.
"it is only me or everyone is suddenly hungry," Kaito remarked, making everybody laugh.
The group finally came to a halt before a small cottage. Kaito took a step forward to knock on the door only to be stopped by Malik, "Let's not disturb her for a while, she might be sleeping." he continued, "She seemed very tired yesterday."
"yeah, let's wait... outside for a while," Leila suggested from the side. Her nose was cherry red from the chill, she would shiver from time to time, and her voice broke once or twice when she spoke. "Isn't it very cold?"
The rest were faring much better than Leila. Though there was a light shade of red on their nose and cheeks, it was not as obvious as Leila's. She had a frail, delicate body, and her clothes also seemed less as heavy as that of others.
As they were waiting, the sun's rays finally engulfed them in their embrace, filling them with warmth and ease. They sighed at the soothingness of the touch, their breath, white smog, wafted in the clear surroundings.
'Clank', the door opened with a creaking sound.
Lili opened the door with a wide grin, containing warmth and softness. "welcome my friends, I am very, very glad to have you guys." she welcomed them.
There was a small study table, a bed, each in opposite corners, and a rag in the center. There was nothing else to find in that small cottage, except for a few dishes prepared for the friends to enjoy.
'wah'. "It smells so delicious!" Turan savored the tantalizing aroma of the refreshments.
A small fire danced in the hearth, casting playful shadows as the friends conversed and ate. The atmosphere was lively, they chatted about random things until the topic changed to the present situation of the village and its future.
"The current situation is very chaotic," she began explaining, "it will not settle any time sooner, so it is very important for the village to be protected at times like these." Lili paused to take a few sips from her cup, then continued. "Besides, with the powers, you guys have at hand, can take this village to new heights. And, a situation like this is also an opportunity in disguise if it is looked at from the angle that there will be no overseeing or monitoring of this region for a period of time, providing you people enough time to soar."
Lili produced a diary out of thin air and handed it to Malik. "This a general sketch and a path that needs to be taken for the purpose," Lili explained. "I have mentioned all the necessary paths and tools that would be needed in order to reach these new heights."
"And trust me, with the powers that you have, your growth is a fact. Also, keep in mind that you have to pass and teach all you know to those who you trust," she stressed on this part particularly.
The friends talked on the subject for a while. Lili provided them with pointers on how and when to expand in the future.
Soon they found that the trays and bowls were now empty. They had devoured all the food in them. Steam wafted out of the teapot, it was the only refreshment that remained.
Once the serveware was moved to a corner that represented a kitchen, Lili removed the small rag in the center. She gestured in a rhythmic manner, a crimson magical formation appearing in the air, she punched it to the floor, and a bigger formation appeared there.
The formation was big enough to accommodate two people at a time. There were intricate, multiple crimson patterns drawn on the inside of the formation. some were circular in shape, others rectangular, and a few strangely inter-connected patterns. There were also a few Ruhelom letters floating inside the formation that seemed living as they blurred in and out while moving at the same time.
"This is your training ground from now on." Leila pointed at the formation. "I have worked very meticulously in preparing it for you. This formation consists of four stages, each much harder than the previous one," she observed her friends for a while and continued, "It will help you guys hone, a lot of, your skills."
The formation was to be operated with the essence of the operator.
"It will cost you a lot of your essence in the beginning, but as you will progress and adapt to the situation, and become stronger, the effect will lessen along," Lili explained.
She also explained that the essence was the true strength of the practitioner, a core or the founding factor.
Once Lili was done with the details, she let her friends observe and digest the information.
The island was already awake long ago. Seagulls and other birds were roaming high in the sky. The inhibitors worked in full swing, some were busy constructing cottages, and others on brick structures. The transporting activity of the yield from and to the fields was bustling with carts and laborers.
Small boats traveled to and fro from the island, carrying the cargo.
When the sun was high in the sky, partially hidden among the clouds, the door to the cottage opened, and Danish and the group emerged out of it. They stretched and yawned, and faced the sun with squinched eyes, absorbing the warmth.
On their way to a nearby small hill, the friends talked about the clear and warm weather. "Isn't the weather lovely, today," Leila remarked, inhaling sharply.
"It sure is," Malik responded.
The view from the top of the hill was even more captivating. The sea glimmered as the wind danced with the waves, creating a picturesque view.
"I wanted to tell you guys something" interjected Lili, "for a long while." she waited as everyone focused on what she was about to tell them.
"It is a long story, but it begins like this." taking a long sigh, she continued, "I am from another plane, say another world or place. It happened so that my ancestors found a key to a Bridgeway that led to a path out of that plane." She for a moment observed their reactions then continued, "It was many, many years later that my father came across it. At first, nobody knew the function of the key, but later on a mission, my father found out about it. Since the overlord of the plane was no kind man to us 'The Lithorins' and many other races, my father hid the details about the key. But one day, the lord found out about it. My father went missing, our race was purged. I was badly wounded, but got lucky and escaped."
A shocked expression appeared on the faces of the friends, Malik even gulped at the horrors, and Leila hissed from the side.
"It was later, through some sources, that I found details about the key. And it happened to be this ruby," she picked it out of the air. " I worked hard for years, studying and researching the way to operate it. It was not easy to do all of that," she pointed at herself, "with a physique so distinguishable. But, I managed it somehow."
A small amount of relief spread in the atmosphere as the story continued.
"In short, when I finally found the location of the Bridgeway and activated the tunnel formation, I was attacked by an officer dispatched to keep an eye on me. He tried stopping me but it was already too late. I escaped through the Bridgeway," she stopped to take a breather, "and so did the pursuer."
The friends sighed at Lili's safety, but their hearts stopped a beat for a moment at the mention of the pursuer...