All of them were sleeping as the train zipped past everything: rivers as vast as lakes, mountains as wide as cities [real world view], trees as tall as skyscrapers. The train moved, leaving behind only traces of its presence as if it had never been there.
"Through the use of rasvian energy, all this is possible. Everything is composed of rasvian energy, so what else to do but attempt to harness it?" Leonardo, now awake, saw the floating text in front of him. He had been interrogating the floating text for the past five minutes.
"I always forget about the text," he said, watching it slowly vanish as it awaited a new question. "There are 21 realms," it declared. [21 realms with 21 Gods under its jurisdiction], Leonardo read the text aloud, "21 gods." He muttered to himself and then slapped his face. "Stop!" he commanded himself, realizing the perilous path his thoughts could lead him down.
Shivers ran down his spine. "Ehh," he said again, shaking off the thought and slapping himself once more.
Leonardo looked around, starting to notice that his vision was somewhat keener than a few days ago.
He could discern subtle details, though not as adeptly as someone experienced like Anna.
"The tower," he said as the train turned and looped around. Looking out the window, he saw a tall, golden-layered tower.
"I'm going to enter that," he muttered. He noticed the guards from earlier patrolling this section of the train.
Fredrick wasn't among them, though their uniforms intrigued Leonardo. He wondered why they hadn't passed by when he first boarded the train.
[Landing incoming], the conductor announced. As Leonardo settled back into his seat, he couldn't help but marvel at the scenery outside.
The train's incredible velocity made the landscapes blur into a seamless, ever-changing tapestry.
Rivers that seemed endless, mountains that stretched across the horizon, and trees that reached skyward like nature's skyscrapers.
It was all surreal, made possible by the manipulation of rasvian energy. He recalled the text explaining this power, still lingering in his mind.
The golden tower they were approaching loomed large, its grandeur increasing with every second.
Leonardo's thoughts drifted to the realms and their gods. He wondered about the power and influence these deities held over their respective realms. The concept was both fascinating and terrifying.
He knew he had to focus on the present, but the weight of such knowledge was hard to ignore. He slapped himself again to stop thinking about it.
"Anna," he called softly, trying not to wake Elara just yet. Anna, still groggy, looked at him.
"What is it, Leo?" she asked, her voice tinged with sleep.
"Do you think we'll find any clues about the explosion at the tower?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.
"I hope so," she replied, her tone more serious now. "We need answers, but not right now," she said.
"We're going to the tower to get the official start to the quest," she continued, "now that all the families' heirs have brought their guides."
Elara, stirred by the loud conversation between Leonardo and Anna, finally woke up. "Are we there?" she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.
"Almost," Anna replied, helping her sit up. "Just a few more minutes."
The train began to decelerate, the landscape outside becoming clearer as their speed decreased.
The anticipation in the air was palpable. Leonardo couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and dread. What awaited them—no, him—at the tower was a mystery.
As the train came to a halt, the guards stood by as everyone else in the train started leaving. "Why aren't they leaving?" he asked Anna.
"They're going to investigate the destroyed train," Anna replied, yawning. Leonardo noticed their disciplined movements and meticulously maintained uniforms. Their dark blue tunics, with light red trims and polished buttons, were both functional and decorative.
The insignia on their pouches varied, The sergeant, with his additional lace, gold chevrons, and epaulettes, stood out among them. His field cap, made from a durable wool blend, had a distinctive folded design with ear flaps.
"Goodbye, Lady Anna," Fredrick said as the group left the train through its door. Anna turned back as the train's door started closing, just to see Fredrick smirking a bit.
"Are we there yet?" Elara asked again, this time referring to the tower, sighing. She stood and stretched her back.
"Not yet, another short train ride," Anna said. As Elara heard those words, she asked, "Huh? Why didn't we just use that one?"
"They need to investigate the explosion. We're already here, so it's alright," Anna replied. She was right; the train stopped at another clearing away from the one in front of the golden tower. "Skyway Hub," Elara said, her tone different, the quest officially starting today.
While this was happening, Leonardo was reading the glowing floating text: [Adaptive evolution taking effect]. This was his first time seeing this; unlike the three other times it appeared, he was either distracted or busy.
"Ada-what?" he said, brushing it off as they reached the Skyway Hub. Anna turned to look at him, confused.
"This time, I'll be on you," Leonardo said, looking at the same man he met a few days ago yet again.
"Welcome to the tower, or more widely known as 'the Stem,'" the man said joyfully. Leonardo already knew this and was impatiently waiting for him to direct them to the desk to pay in draws.
Leonardo turned to Anna, desperate. "Anna, you have draws, right?" he asked.
"Yeah, I do," she replied.
"Good, because we're going to need them," he said, feeling a mixture of relief and anticipation.
As they made their way to the payment desk, Leonardo couldn't help but feel the weight of the journey ahead. His spleen shivered in both fear and anticipation. The golden tower, the mysterious explosion, and the quest that awaited them—all of it was intertwined with the rasvian energy that permeated their world.