After leaving the secluded hut, Cetas was greeted by a radiant light basking a golden-wheat and corn farm with its radiance. For hectares, all Cetas could see was the field of crops layered around with various colors of gold, chartreuse, emerald-green, and more!
Far to the right, a magenta colored barn stood firm amidst the field. Squinting his eyes, he could see a faint figure with auburn hair enter the building. So, Cetas was determined to make his way there first.
Still, it could not be underestimated as the barn had a considerable distance away from the secluded hut.
Cetas walked through the fields of wheat, feeling a warm morning breeze brush through him. His onyx scales reflected the light of the sun and it seemed like he was a glowing figure of light. Well, only partly.
As he paced with considerable speeds he noticed that crops were much larger than him. One glance could determine how small Cetas felt amidst the life that surrounded him.
It felt like he was in the middle of nowhere.
Especially since he came from the depths, the unfamiliarity of these so called "crops" were somehow melancholic.
However, the information that the Historian imparted to him made Cetas gather knowledge at a remarkable pace. As if he had memories of another, he glanced at a corn cob and his mind were suddenly filled with memories regarding the information of it.
Then, in one second, Cetas saw how it is eaten, cooked, processed, and much more.
He felt that this ability is only limited to daily occurrences and general knowledge of the world. Once he had encountered a specific object/scenario then he would begin to remember memories that were not his.
Perhaps it was the Historian's memories though..
After a couple of minutes, he made it to a large door painted with a wooden color. Designed with intricate but slim lines, the door was adorned with beautiful ornaments such as flower petals, pigs, cows, and many others.
He gave the door a slight push and it opened with a creak.
Staring at the inside, he could see creatures of black and white, round and pink, wooly and white. Distinctively, he gazed at the auburn-haired girl with a red bandana on her forehead - showing only streaks of her auburn hair flowing down her face, and asked with puzzled demeanor, "Cows, pigs, and sheeps.. what are they?"
With the sudden information bursting in his mind, the names of these creatures appeared all too naturally. However, it seemed that his idea of the ability given to him by the Historian is not omniscient.
He realized that even after he gazed at these "animals" , memories about them never entered his mind.
Perhaps I need to experience these peculiarities on my own... Cetas deduced.
Surprised, the girl immediately twisted her head back to gaze at Cetas and pondered to herself loudly, "He can speak our language? Oh, right! The Historian gave him that ability.."
Realizing that she had thought out loud, her face grew blush-red in embarrassment. Trying to act casually, she greeted Cetas in a cheerful manner.
"You're here!"
Unaccustomed by the culture of surface-dwellers - Heliosians - Cetas awkwardly raised his hand and waved slowly, "Hello.."
Still silence ensued but after 5 seconds, it was broken by none other than the auburn-haired girl, Elishia.
"Right, you had a question about animals? What was it again?"
Trying to find his words, Cetas unconsciously stood still and then replied in a soft tone, "Oh, I am pondering about these cows, pigs, and sheeps. I believe they are called animals, yes?"
"Right you are! These cute little things-",
Cute? Cetas gazed at the animals to the utmost extent seeing that they were filthy and covered with mud and soot. All except for the sheeps.
Cetas frowned.
"-are served as livestock or food!", she smiled widely, revealing a gleam of light atop of it!
"A-alright.. I shall take that into mind.."
Cetas walked towards the cow which was almost twice his size. Now beside Elishia, he heard her soft voice once more, "See! Cute aren't they!"
Cetas nodded in agreement whilst not finding the cow cute at all. However, he extended his palm towards the cow's head, moving to touch its black and white fur.
But the cow leaned back and made its way deep into the barn, inside the fences where they kept the cows.
"C-careful, the cows are susceptible to stress if touched by strangers..", Elishia sorrowfully stated.
Cetas felt crestfallen as he wanted to experience a new phenomenon but he guessed that it would've had to wait. He did not know how long they were going to stay at the farm, but he figured that there was still time for him to learn.
"I have to go.. the Historian advised me to look for other crew members because he thought that you will all find it.. exhilarating?"
"Quite the word to claim, huh?"
"I guess?"
Even after only spending a couple of minutes, Elishia jokingly said:
"Don't get lost in the maze of wheat!"
"..sure."
Cetas paced out of the barn and stared forward, seeing the looming and everlasting plantation of wheat and corn. Then, feeling perplexed, he walked from where he came from and headed towards the secluded hut in order to search for one of the crew members again.
With the basking sun up above, Cetas, for the first time, felt sweat drench his back.
*
Two hours had passed and the blistering sunlight reflected on Cetas' onyx scales. He paced slowly across the wheat fields with no direction in mind. His legs, dragging upon the abundant soil of the farm, and his entire stature, drenching with sweat.
He looked around and saw the secluded hut in the distance. He had been walking for what felt like eternity, but it seemed that he made no such progress at all! Cetas shifted his head backward, looking back at the barn where he had once come from.
An hour ago, he tried to come back to the barn but it seemed that he made no progress whatsoever!
In simple terms, Cetas was lost!
Are farms really like this on the surface? How long have I spent under the horrid sun? Cetas inwardly complained in the language of the depth-dwellers.
I really am lost.. After Elishia told me not to get lost too! I have to go back to the hut and consult the Historian.
With a heavy breath, Cetas continued to pace forward in the direction of the secluded hut.
Seeing the everlasting existence of corn on his sides, stretching past Cetas' short stature, his vision of the secluded hut is almost blocked - overtaken by the crops.
Somehow, even with the blistering heat, the farm seemed.. eerie.
Cetas felt the winds brush through his sweaty stature. He heard the crops swaying and moving along with the winds. His footsteps, leaving a faint mark as he ventured through.
Then, Cetas felt a sudden chill in the air.
On instinct, he turned around quickly.
Nothing..
He saw the pattern of footsteps, the swaying crops, and the barn where he was in.
As if something was staring at him, Cetas felt weird..
He remembered this feeling in the depths, somehow.. In the depths where darkness prevailed and no light entered, there was an overarching feeling of being watched. As if something laid behind the inky liquid below
Yet, no one could ever tell what or who it was..
Perhaps Cetas was the only one who had noticed, or that it was a mere normal occurrence to them.
But that feeling had returned, only much tamer.
Suddenly, Cetas heard an unusual sound of rustling to his right. Very quickly, he tilted his direction towards the noise and saw a singular plant bended in a perfect 90 degree angle. Its leaves condensed into the green stem, and the unripe bounty was staying firm, as if perfectly still.
Can the winds cause that? Cetas questioned, believing that his foreign experience on the surface was still substandard.
Because he had been exposed to Skadi's strong winds, Cetas deduced that it was a normal scenario on the surface. So, he disregarded the peculiarity and continued making his way outside of the farm.
Eventually, he made his way back to the secluded hut, drenching in sweat. A particular figure sat on the rocking chair in front, donning a black suit that complimented his brown-skin.
"Jones.."
Hearing Cetas' voice, Jones faced towards him and his eyes grew wider.
"By golly, whatever has happened to you?"
Jones stood up from the chair, and made his way towards the sweaty Cetas, carefully supporting him on the side to help Cetas walk inside.
In an unusual Heliosian accent, Jones spoke out of concern, "Have you gotten lost in the maze?"
Cetas, with his droopy eyes, tilted his head upwards to look at Jones' face. Then, he nodded slowly, "Perhaps.."