Into A Flashback:
"Huh?! Why shouldn't we go through the Gate of Ehayor which takes us directly to Mackenas?" Malaes questioned, her voice laced with both confusion and challenge. Her arms were crossed tightly as if the simple act of closing herself off could block the uncertainty swirling around her mind. The trio—Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes—sat in their home cave on Ehayor.
Standing before them was the man who always seemed to know more—Fheniz. He stood at a distance. He wasn't a man who spoke without purpose, and that was why his suggestion not to go through the Gate of Ehayor directly to Mackenas felt off, unreasonable even.
"Simple," Fheniz replied, his voice carrying the weight of years spent navigating both truth and deception. "To free a world, you need to understand the people of that world. How much do you know about them? What do they want?"
The question hung in the air, thick and oppressive. It wasn't the answer Malaes had expected, nor was it one that satisfied the logical part of her mind. Yesdar leaned forward slightly, his brows furrowed as he processed the reasoning.
"Why should we care what the people want?" Yesdar countered, his voice sharper than intended. "They can do whatever they want once we free them, right? Our sole goal is freedom from the Yahunyens. Most probably, the people will care about that."
Fheniz didn't blink. "That's what you think, Yesdar," he began slowly, his words cutting through the air like a blade through silk. "But if the people truly cared, they'd have rebelled when Gerwanis was destroyed. Trust me, in the ten years I wandered through that world, in search of a Schinong Gate, I don't remember a single night of complete sleep. Not once."
The cave seemed to grow colder as Fheniz's words settled over them like a shroud. Griswa, Malaes, and Yesdar exchanged glances, but no one interrupted.
"I was fixated on one thing—escape," Fheniz continued, his voice growing quieter, more intense. "because I didn't care what would happen to the world. I didn't care about the people. I didn't care about the Yahunyens or their empire or what they'd do next. All I wanted was to leave, to find a better life in another world."
He paused, his eyes locking onto theirs, each word that followed weighted with the kind of truth that only comes from bitter experience. "People don't step into an abyss of uncertainty. If they can't believe with 100% certainty that the world can be freed from the Yahunyens, they won't risk their lives for it. Not when they already have a decent life, wherever and however they are living."
Malaes flinched at that. She hadn't thought about it in such cold, calculated terms. She had always imagined that people would want to fight for their freedom, but Fheniz's words clawed at her illusions, unraveling them thread by thread.
"And that's the core of the problem," Fheniz pressed on, his tone unyielding. "The only reason the world isn't free is because the Yahunyens can change their minds at any moment. Out of nowhere, like on Gerwanis, they could wipe out entire kingdoms, slaughter billions. But right now, they don't. Why? Because the people are complacent. As long as their lives aren't directly threatened, they won't rebel. They won't risk their peace for a rebellion that offers nothing but uncertainty."
Griswa remained silent, absorbing every word. He could sense the shift in Yesdar and Malaes—they were both beginning to doubt, to wonder if their mission was even possible.
"Even the Mackenasian slaves," Fheniz continued, "the people that Malaes' father, Sivera, wanted to liberate themselves, won't fight back unless they have external support—weapons, skills, strategies. And that's just the start. If the people don't trust you, what are the three of you going to do? How will you fight an empire, alone?"
The weight of Fheniz's words hung in the air, thick with sensible reality. Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes were silent, their minds raced.
Fheniz's gaze softened, but only slightly. "I'll be honest," he said, stepping closer, his voice dropping to a more personal tone. "From the very beginning, I've questioned whether this whole 'free the world from the Yahunyens' mission is even worth your time. But I won't discourage you. You're free to make your own decisions. I know why I'm telling you this. Experience, as simple as that."
Malaes and Yesdar exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions clouded with doubt. Fheniz's words had hit their mark, and now uncertainty was biting at their resolve. They hadn't anticipated just how much of an uphill battle they would face—not just against the Yahunyens, but against the people they were trying to free.
Griswa watched them carefully, his keen eyes noticing every flicker of doubt that crossed their faces. He could see that both of them were struggling, that the gravity of Fheniz's words had shaken their confidence. But he couldn't let them fall into that pit of despair—not when they had come so far, not when they had trained for so long. He clenched his fists, feeling the fire within him rise.
They had to believe. They had to keep pushing forward.
"Hmm." Griswa broke the silence, his voice calm but carrying a sharp edge of determination. He raised his head, eyes narrowing in thought as he formulated his response. "So you're saying we should travel the world, gather knowledge, and understand what the people truly want. To know if they even want to be free in the first place? To know if the world is even worthy of being free? That we aren't wasting our time on something pointless?"
Fheniz met his gaze evenly, but there was something in his expression—respect, perhaps? Or maybe just a faint trace of satisfaction. "Depends on how you want to take it," he replied simply.
Griswa smiled, the corners of his lips curling up with that familiar spark of defiance. "Alright then. We travel the world. We collect knowledge. And maybe—just maybe—we'll find something no one else has. Something to overthrow the Yahunyens in a way they never saw coming."
Yesdar's head snapped up, and a spark of hope ignited in Malaes' eyes as Griswa continued. "If we uncover abandoned knowledge, if we find the secret weaknesses of the Yahunyens, if we present them to the people with a testament of trust that they can't ignore, they'll unite with us. They'll stand against the empire. And when everything is at place, the Yahunyens will have no choice but to fall. The empire has to surrender and return back to the hells from once it came from, along with its Yahunyen populace. I won't consider that 'not' worth our time."
Those words relieved Yesdar and Malaes. They believed again, that their mission wasn't a lost cause.
Fheniz nodded slowly. "Your wish," he said, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "You want to haunt the empire? Then haunt it. Crush it, burn it to the ground—physically, mentally, whatever it takes. It's your decision." He paused, his eyes darkening with a warning. "But be wise. That's the only advice I'll give. Rest is common sense."
He turned on his heel, his coat sweeping behind him as he made his way toward the entrance of the cave. "I'll fetch the books for your next training session," he called over his shoulder. "and as you gave the answer, Griswa, you know why you all should go through the gate which takes you to Aximia. And Aximia is nothing, just jungle. Cross it and get to the other lands with Observation and Portal Commanding that you'll master now."
With that, Fheniz left the cave, leaving Griswa, Malaes, and Yesdar alone for a while.
There was a moment of silence before Griswa turned toward his companions, his eyes sharp with both annoyance and concern. "Why were you guys so easily discouraged?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of anger. "He was testing us, to see what we'd say. Did you forget I am coming with you?"
Malaes and Yesdar blinked, guilt crossing their faces.
"It won't be that hard in that world, We'll end things soon. I AM THERE NA?" Griswa continued, his voice firm, his conviction unshakable.
"I am not trying to be the main character here. Even from the shadow's side I am there, even from the light's side I am there and you know what that means. You don't need to give a shit about other things! It won't matter if the world is with us or not, but we'll try our best to convince people. Still, if that doesn't change their perspectives we won't waste our time and keep moving by ourselves. It's not like we cannot bring down the empire without the people. 'Cause I am there. We are there. We are legends. Keep that in mind. In the end it's all about being practical. And emotional only when necessary keeping the perfect balance. Rest's common sense."
Back To Present:
The portal had opened into a pitch-black room, swallowing the quartet in darkness. As they stepped forward, each footfall echoed in the void, amplifying the uncertainty. "Why is it so dark noi?" Virumi's voice wavered with unease, her question directed at the silhouettes that barely outlined her companions.
"It's dark because no one's here," Malaes explained, her voice calm, almost indifferent. "No living energies were detected in this space, which is why we chose it as our entry point. The last thing we need is someone seeing us materialize out of thin air."
They navigated cautiously, guided more by instinct than sight. "Ow! Yesdar, did you step on my toe?" Malaes complained, her irritation almost tangible.
"Oh, sorry! Let me use fire commanding for light," Yesdar offered, his tone tinged with guilt.
"There's no need for that, Yesdar," Griswa interjected. "I can see the door; just a second." A soft creak filled the air as Griswa found and opened the door, allowing a flood of morning light to pour into the room, pushing away the shadows and bringing the reality of their surroundings into focus. The outside was a cacophony of noises—voices, footsteps, distant vendors shouting their wares.
They stepped out, the scene changing from the suffocating darkness of the room to the overwhelming brightness of a bustling marketplace. The vibrant chaos around them was a stark contrast to the isolation they'd just emerged from. The streets were packed with people, each absorbed in their own world, unaware of the strange arrival of the quartet. Tall buildings loomed on either side, their facades a mosaic of steel and glass, reaching toward the sky as if challenging it.
"Hey! Hey! Woah! No! How?! How is this possible?! Am I dreaming?!" Virumi's voice was a blend of disbelief and exhilaration, her eyes wide with astonishment as she took in her surroundings. Her words, though whispered, carried a fervor that was hard to ignore.
"This is amazing! This is just… brilliantly, miraculously, amazing, awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!! Noi!!!" Her excitement bubbled over, her voice growing louder with each word. She looked like she might burst from sheer joy at any moment.
"Shush! Shush, calm down, Virumi!" Yesdar hissed, trying to keep his voice low, but his urgency made it almost a shout. "We are gathering unnecessary attention. People already think we are strange and foreign."
"Alright! Alright! But I have a billion trillion questions!" Virumi said, her voice still carrying the excitement she was trying to suppress. She rubbed her chest, as if physically trying to calm her racing heart, her eyes darting around as if trying to capture every detail at once.
"Who are you guys noi?! Where are you from exactly noi?! Is this some kind of magic noi?! It beats science noi!" Her questions tumbled out in a hurried whisper, her curiosity insatiable.
"Actually, no, it's not magic. It's just science meeting exceptional power," Yesdar replied, his tone almost nonchalant, as if their extraordinary abilities were an everyday occurrence.
"What does that mean? Can you elaborate?" Virumi pressed, her eyes wide with anticipation, her entire being vibrating with the need to know more.
"Virumi, we'll tell you everything once we're away from this crowd, to a quieter place. This seems like a market area," Griswa said as he led the way through the throng of people. His voice was calm, but his eyes were constantly scanning, assessing, calculating.
Virumi glanced around, trying to match her fragmented memories with the reality she was seeing. "I think I have been here. Oh yes! I think I remember the ways from out here, let me guide you."
"It's quite alright," Griswa responded, not breaking his stride. "I am using observation and tracking energies. I know the way out of here."
"Huh? What? I didn't get it," Virumi said, confusion evident in her voice. Griswa's words were like riddles wrapped in enigma to her.
"Virumi, we'll explain everything," Malaes cut in, her tone soothing yet firm. "Just don't keep asking us. If we got you here from a jungle instantly, then getting out of here is lesser than a child's play."
Virumi's face was a canvas of emotions, her grin stretching from ear to ear. Her eyes sparkled with unrestrained excitement, the kind that can only come from experiencing something truly miraculous. It was almost infectious, almost. For Malaes, though, it was bordering on annoying, and a sweatdrop formed on her back head—a visible sign of exasperation.
"I can't believe this, noi!" Virumi exclaimed, her voice still brimming with awe. They continued their journey through the maze of streets, turning left and right, weaving through the crowd like fish swimming upstream. The buildings around them were massive, towering structures of glass and steel, yet they were shorter than dwarfs to the skyscrapers in Shiyahval. But it was the busiest place the trio had ever been. The sheer volume of people, the constant hum of conversation, the occasional shout, the clamor of footsteps, and the distant honk of vehicles—it all melded together into a chaotic symphony that threatened to overwhelm the senses.
Griswa's eyes were everywhere, absorbing every detail, every nuance of the environment. His mind was a well-oiled machine, processing information at an incredible speed. Not leaving a single trace behind. He scanned for potential threats, hidden clues, anything that might give him an advantage or insight. But the bustling market offered nothing of the sort—just noise and confusion. Yesdar and Malaes were just as alert, their senses on high, but they didn't know what exactly Griswa was trying to find. They were more focused on the people, the way they moved, the way they interacted, looking for anything that seemed out of place.
Virumi, on the other hand, was in a state of perpetual shock. How were they navigating the labyrinth of streets without her help? How was Griswa able to find the shortest path out of the market area without any guidance? It was as if he had a map imprinted in his mind, as if he could see the entire layout of the city in his head.
As they walked, the scenery around them began to change subtly. The tall buildings, the bustling crowd, the overwhelming noise—all of it slowly faded away as they entered a different part of the city. The buildings were smaller now, more dilapidated. The roads were narrower, less crowded, and the noise was muted, replaced by a different kind of sound—a quieter, more insidious hum.
"What are your swords for?" Virumi asked suddenly, her voice breaking the silence that had settled over them. It was the first time she'd noticed the weapons hanging from their belts.
"For exactly why swords should be," Malaes replied, her tone flat, almost dismissive. It was obvious to her, but she could see the confusion in Virumi's eyes.
"So, you guys are travelers, fighters, and… scientific magicians noi?" Virumi asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"We're not magicians," Yesdar corrected, his tone gentle but firm.
"I mean noi, yeah, I know you told me that, but I didn't get any other word to add in front of 'scientific', noi." Virumi admitted with a sheepish grin. Her innocence was almost endearing, if not for the gravity of their situation.
The slum area they had entered was a dichotomy to the opulent market district they had just left behind. The roads were cracked and uneven, the buildings old and worn, some on the verge of collapse. Children played in the streets, their laughter a haunting echo of innocence in a place that seemed devoid of hope. People moved about, their faces drawn and weary, their clothes tattered and dirty. It was a scene of poverty, of desperation, but there was a strange, inexplicable sense of freedom here.
It was like stepping back into a memory. The trio's eyes were drawn to the children, their small bodies darting through the narrow streets, their faces alight with joy despite their ragged appearance. The adults moved slowly, their steps heavy with the weight of survival.
It was yet a mirror image of another time, another place. They had seen this before, in the slums of Shiyahval, where people had begged for freedom, where the very air had been thick with the stench of oppression. But this was different. Here, the people were poor, yes, but they were free. Free to be poor, free to struggle, free to dream. They weren't shackled by invisible chains, they weren't being forced to live a certain way. They were surviving on their own terms, and there was a beauty in that, a raw, unfiltered beauty that resonated deeply with the trio.
Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes felt a pang in their hearts as they watched the scene unfold before them. This is what they wanted for the people of Shiyahval. Maybe they couldn't erase poverty with the wave of a hand, but they could at least give the people the freedom to fight their own battles, to make their own choices. That would at least be the first step, the beginning of something greater. Perhaps freedom wasn't a grand, sweeping change that happened overnight. Perhaps it was a series of small, seemingly insignificant victories that, when combined, formed the foundation of something truly monumental.
They watched as a group of children, their faces dirty but their smiles wide, played a game with their makeshift swords, their laughter echoing in the narrow alleyways. An old man sat on a broken stool, his back bent with age, but his eyes were bright as he watched the children play. A ghost of a smile was on his weathered face, reminiscent of the old man Zeth back in Shiyahval. A woman, her hair streaked with gray, handed out what little food she had to a group of hungry children. Her eyes were filled with a fierce yet humble, protective love that exchanged the exhaustion of those children with palpable satisfaction.
Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes could perhaps connect anything to freedom. To them, freedom wasn't about breaking chains or overthrowing tyrants now. It was about moments like these, moments where people, despite their circumstances, chose to live in their own unique ways.
Venturing into the outside world beyond Mackenas was helping them understand, what the people wanted, what they wanted. Yesdar and Malaes understood why Fheniz asked them to travel the world.