The mist clung to their skin as they slid down the rocky slope. "Aah, we better slide," she said, her voice a hushed thrill. "Let's look for a boat."
"Okay, let's go!" he agreed, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
---
A few moments later, they were already sailing away on a makeshift raft. The water lapped at the edges, carrying them toward the unknown. He glanced at her, the woman who had become his unlikely companion. She was more than she seemed—more than the orphaned girl he'd met in the alley.
"So, this place you said," he asked, their conversations weaving through the quiet moments, "what does it look like specifically?"
Her eyes held a distant light, memories etched into their depths. "You shall see for yourself," she replied, her voice soft as the mist. "But it is a good place—one that does not suffer the destruction. Our baroness is good to all of us. She trains us every day, guides us through our daily activities. She saved us from the chaos, took us in when the world crumbled."
She spoke of organization by age, of training and education. Her godmother—the baroness—loomed large in her stories. Mother Elysia, they called her. A young woman with ancient power, a kindhearted senior who defied time itself.
---
"You were lucky," he said, his voice carrying a hint of longing. "I too had a foster father—a man who cared for everyone in our village. From the children to the elderly, everyone loved him. I just wish he's doing well right now."
"Since he is a good person," she replied, her gaze steady, "I'm sure he is okay wherever he is." She offered him a small smile, a lifeline in their shared uncertainty.
---
"Seems like we have made it, there it is!"
Ye Chen did not see anything until Xiao told him there was a formation around it.
It was not easy to see the island until you focused more clearly and were familiar with it.
Landing on the shore, they made their way towards the island.
Just standing at the shore, you could see the beauty of this place.
It was more of a paradise especially when you were more accustomed to the outside wastelands.
Flowers were planted in an orderly way forming lawns all over the place.
"Wow, this place is good indeed..."
"I told you!"
A delightful scene unfolded as a bunch of energetic kids swarmed around, their voices a chorus of curiosity and excitement. They had already surrounded Cheyenne and the newcomer, Ye Chen, who was about to become their big brother.
"Sister Cheyenne, what did you bring us this time?" one of the kids chimed in, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Elder sister, who is this brother?" another asked, pointing at Ye Chen with an inquisitive grin.
Cheyenne beamed, feeling both honored and slightly overwhelmed. "Guys," she announced, "I brought you a new big brother to take care of you. Say hello to big brother Ye Chen!"
"Hello, big brother!" The kids chorused, their voices blending into a cheerful cacophony.
"Brother Ye, where are you from?" A little girl with pigtails tugged at his sleeve, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Ye Chen chuckled, realizing he was in for a whirlwind of questions. "Well," he began, "I come from a faraway land where dragons roam and candy grows on trees."
The kids exchanged wide-eyed glances, hanging on his every word. "Dragons? Candy trees?" they whispered to each other.
"Yes!" Ye Chen continued, caught up in their enthusiasm. "And in my land, we have flying bicycles and talking squirrels."
The kids erupted into giggles, their imaginations soaring. They pulled Ye Chen away, eager to show him their secret hideouts, the swing set, and the magical sandbox where dreams came true.
---
Mother Elysia emerged from one of the buildings ahead after he heard the commotion.
"Cheyenne," she said, her voice dripping with intrigue, "who is he? Is he your boyfriend?"
Cheyenne hesitated, "Kinda of," she replied, her tone as enigmatic as a crossword puzzle. "But here's the twist: he saved me from certain doom, and now he's got no place to crash. So, naturally, I had to bring him along. You know, like a stray cat or a forgotten umbrella."
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Saved you?
Cheyenne leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "They discovered me—like, discovered me. And not in a 'Hey, you're really good at Sudoku' way. More like a 'Hey, you're really good at breaking into high-security vaults' way."
The woman's eyes widened. "High-security vaults? You mean—"
"Yes," Cheyenne interrupted, her eyes flashing. "The safe was empty!"
The woman patted Cheyenne's shoulder. "Well, it's good that you're okay. That's all that matters for now. Let's go inside and have a chat. Maybe over tea and cookies. Or perhaps something stronger!"
Cheyenne grinned. "Deal."
---
Meanwhile on the other side.
Ye Chen had been pulled everywhere by the bunch of kids as they enthusiastically introduced him to their big brothers and sisters.
This was more of an army camp. Training grounds were everywhere and occasionally you could see teens busy doing drills like as if there was no tomorrow. More of maniacs they were.
But there was this kind of harmony and understanding that could subtle be observed here.
There were more than fifty regions on the island, separated by skills and age, from the outside towards the center of the island.
Those who were powerful would stay at the outskirts as guards while newly taken in kids would mostly stay at the center to be trained.
Martial arts, combat skills, marksmanship, medicine, engineering everything was thought here.
You could see a bunch of teens meddling with some bombs here and there as they assembled and disassembled them.
He was taken to the inner areas where there were more kids, like a kind of a kindergarten.
It was a good place to stay and seemed safer. He had come here thinking it was just a simple camp but seeing the amount of weapons they had and the discipline around, he knew that Mother Elysia was not that simple.
"Kids, it's good knowing you. I'll come to visit you next time, okay and I will bring more stories for you..."
"Okay big brother, bring us candy next time..."