I asked her, “What’s that called?”
She turned to look. “A Quick Wheeler.”
“How creative.”
Katie smiled and shrugged. “I like simple names.”
Suddenly, a bright white flash lit up the distance, near where all the destruction had happened.
Katie and I stopped walking. So did everyone else around us. The light, somehow brighter than even the Silo, kept intensifying. It shifted into multiple colors, and then, gradually, it began to form the figure of a huge man.
He wore a massive silver coat and a crown of the same metallic color. The swirling colors around him matched the hues of the strange brick room he stood in—though most of it was hidden from view.
Two children stood on either side of him. They looked to be around my age.
Katie muttered, “He looks so old.”
He did have a good amount of gray hair, but no wrinkles. I asked, “You think so?”
“Yeah? He’s only twenty-six.”
“What?” I gave her a look, cringing at the absurd thing she’d just said. “Then who are those kids? I thought his siblings were dead.”
“They’re his. And no, they’re not the queen’s,” she said, scooting closer, putting a hand around my shoulder, and whispering in my ear. “You don’t want to know who the mother is.”
She pulled back, but I immediately said, “Of course I do. Tell me.”
“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I only know because of my dad. It’s top-secret stuff. No one’s supposed to know.”
I groaned. “Is it like... super gross?”
Honestly, the guy must’ve been fourteen when those kids were born, so yeah, it was already gross by default. But I remembered my high school friend Barlon—he had a kid with one of our classmates. So maybe it was just dumb teens being dumb... or maybe it was something even worse.
Katie gave me a look and said, “Just look at the age difference and tell me what you think. Super gross. Like, really gross.”
If a Starlight—a family infamous for their royal-grade incest (no offense to Katie; I liked her)—thought it was gross, then... maybe I didn’t want to know after all.
Still, curiosity itched in the back of my skull.
I asked, “How old are they?”
“They’re only like... eight.”
“What? How’s that even possible?” I asked. It wasn’t nowhere as bad as I had imagined.
But she said it was super gross, so what could she had been talking about? Was it because adulthood didn't start till twenty? I doubted.
She shrugged. “No idea. My father wouldn’t tell me.”
“Could they be vlandos? Modifying their bodies or something?” But for what purpose? Could the king be dying and forcing them to mature fast so they could replace him?
“Hm. I doubt it. What are the odds both of them would be?”
“Good point.”
Still, anything was possible in Terrafall.
But it didn’t explain why the girl was also growing so fast. As far as I remembered, there had only been five female “kings” in Terrafall’s history—and only under special circumstances: no sons, no brothers, or unfit heirs. In those cases, the throne usually went to a sister, aunt, or mother until someone finally gave birth to a male heir.
For example:
- Jazmell, mother of King Donell III. People suspect she killed the king and her eligible children to rule for some time. Until her toddler grew up.
- Eskella, sister of King Gorgin. She ruled for two and a half years after her brother was murdered by another brother. Reason for the murder? Gorgin had been sleeping with his brother's(Melvin) wife.
- Tanell, King Mashell’s daughter. She was his favorite, so imagine his shock when she had threatened to kill herself if she wasn’t given the throne.
So yeah, it didn’t make a lot of sense. But honestly, this country rarely did. Like the fact that the king was only allowed one wife and no concubines, despite being obsessed with keeping the throne within the family.
The hologram suddenly spoke with a booming voice that echoed through the streets:
“Good day, my citizens. People of Sundawn.”
He went on for a while, but there was no passion in his voice. He sounded like he’d just woken up or like someone had shoved a script in front of him and said, Read.
“I tell you now—and I mean it... Those responsible for the death and destruction in this city will be found. And when they are... they will be dealt with. Justice will prevail!”
The people around us muttered:
“I bet it was the HOV.”
A terroristic organization.
“Yeah, definitely HOV. They know it—they just won’t say it.”
“The better question is how the hell did something like that get into the city?!”
Voices rose, emotions boiled over, and people started yelling:
“Do your job and find those bastards!”
“What about the knights, huh?! Bet they let 'em in!”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“Do your job as a damn king!”
“He doesn’t even have the guts to show up in person, hiding behind a hologram like a coward!”
“Start acting like a real king, you useless shit!”
Normally, something like that would’ve made me laugh—or at least crack a smile on the inside. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what the King had said.
They were going to find the ones responsible for all this?
Did that mean... me?
An entire nation—a world power—about to come down on me?
That thought terrified me.
I could be hanged. Or eaten by some monster. Burned alive? Frozen? Or something even worse. People always came up with the most gross and inhuman ways to induce suffering on others.
How long would I be tortured for?
What if I'm boiled alive in oil for hours before succumbing to the pain?
Or... tied up and thrown in a monster zone.
My stomach felt uneasy, and a weird bubbly feeling began to develop. I licked my lips, suddenly aware of how dry it was. How hot it was. How my shirt fitted on me.
How slack the shoes were in my feet.
Suddenly, a warm hand touched my shoulder, making me flinch. I spun around fast, already balling my fist—
Katie flinched, stepping back. “Sorry?”
Shit.
I shook my head and tried to remember the lies I’d already told.
"It just reminded me of my parents... I really hope the person who did this is found and killed."
Kaite stared at me for a while. It felt like she was trying to see through the solid wall that stood between us, all so she learn what hid behind it.
That was never going to happen.
She nodded, though it looked forced.
"Yeah. For sure."
I stared back at her, and then—for some reason—I did something stupid.
Something I’d never rationally do.
All because there was this weird itch in my chest that made no sense.
So I said, "You don’t believe me."
Even after all the time we spent at the park, she didn’t believe something that was completely reasonable for a twelve-year-old to say.
Ridiculous. I mean, so what if it was a lie? It could’ve been true. It wasn’t harmful. It wasn’t said with malice.
She shook her head.
"I don’t really care to. You have your secrets—I get that. But it would’ve been better if you just told me you didn’t want to say anything, instead of lying. I want to be your friend. I want us to be friends." She sighed, glancing away.
She clicked her tongue. "So when you say things like that, a part of me feels like it’s bullshit—because something just doesn’t add up—it feels like I’m being spat on. Just tell me it’s none of my business. Don’t... spit in my face."
We stared at each other in silence.
The screams from the angry crowd didn’t break it.
The loud screeches from the many birds in the sky didn’t disturb it. Nothing could, not even the increasingly loud voice of the King.
What she said made sense. But if I admitted that I had secrets, it would only make her more curious. And people loved uncovering secrets. If she ever asked about my left hand, I couldn’t just say it was none of her business. That would basically be suicide. It’d draw her attention—and she’d want to find out.
Maybe she’d forget. But one day, something would trigger that memory, and she’d start wondering again.
If even a tiny piece of the truth got out, she’d remember. She’d follow the breadcrumbs.
You might think I was being unreasonable.
Overthinking. Paranoid.
All that.
And I’d say—I don’t give a fuck.
My fear didn’t come out of nowhere.
Natasha taught me exactly why I should be afraid of people finding out what I am.
She chose Caren because he was naive. Arrogant. Incompetent.
She lived in a poor village, in an even poorer house. Rejected advances from people who could’ve given us a better life.
Would anyone do something like that if they didn’t have a damn good reason?
I’ve heard how people talk about vlandos.
And what I am... is far worse than a vlandos.
Caren said it himself—I gave my life to an evil person.
Of course, it wasn’t by choice. But that spider symbol? The one I haven’t explained?
Haha... There’s no reasonable way to talk about it.
No normal person—naive or educated, kind or cruel—would accept me.
No mob boss. No tyrant. No sadist.
No one with a functioning brain would.
But Natasha was different.
Weird.
She didn’t see it as a curse. She saw it as a blessing. The healing powers, the strength. She believed they were gifts.
Why, I’ll never understand.
But no one else was Natasha. Nobody could be Natasha. For Natasha was Natasha.
After a long silence, I said,
"I don’t want to lie. It’s just... self-preservation. I’m sure you have secrets you wouldn’t tell me."
"Yeah... everyone does. But..." She sighed. "You know what, never mind."
I wanted to agree. To just drop it.
But I found Kaite interesting. Fun. Even if I wasn’t really having fun. Even if that 'park' didn’t bring me joy.
I liked that I was doing something normal.
Talking casually with someone.
It felt nice—feeling like a normal(ironic) person for once.
"No, you’re right..." I thought it over, stepped a bit closer, and whispered, "This is something only a few people know—"
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
I didn’t need to lie about everything. Just leave out the dangerous parts.
"My father and brother were sick... poisoned by bread from a Balash Temple. They were brought here to be healed, but something went wrong. They mutated. Became those freaks. If it weren’t for your brother... I’d be dead."
Her eyes widened. I tried to guess what she was thinking.
Would she react like Ferzan had? Or the opposite?
She came here often, so she had a stronger tie to this city than he did.
But she didn’t really react to the destruction either.
Kaite reached out, squeezed my shoulder gently, and aggressively whispered,
"Why would you tell me this...? Who else knows? What if someone thinks you’re involved? I told you—just say it’s none of my business."
"Your brother knows. Tarnisha knows some of it, too... I just didn’t want you to grow to hate me. Or, you know..."
"Yeah... but don’t talk about this here." Her eyes shifted, scanning the area. "There are always people, something listening. Especially now. With all this going on, Vanquishers will have their ears wide open. Monsters, tech, whatever."
I... hadn’t thought of that.
But we were whispering. And these safety zones were supposed to keep monsters out. Even Ferzan couldn’t—
Oh.
They might’ve temporarily disabled those protections... for investigation. That actually made a lot of sense.
I gritted my teeth and pulled back slightly. "You’re right."
"Of course I’m right. I’m just surprised you noticed I didn’t freak out."
"I saw your eyes. You were spooked."
She rolled her eyes, like I was being annoying. "Let’s drop this conversation. We’ll talk more at home—if you want."
I shook my head. "Not really."
"Got it."
The bright light in the sky began to flicker out, and before long, the King vanished.
Lo'jul Sons-Ver’mol’yu is trying to form a communication line with you
Huh. I didn’t expect that.
I’d forgotten about him—and the medicine he was supposed to get for me.
If it weren’t for Ferzan I would be in shit. Hm. Whatever. I was sure something came up. Besides, he was doing me a favor.
I accepted the request, obviously.
“You’re alive? That’s great to hear.”
There was a moment of silence, then in a more apologetic tone, he said telepathically, 'Listen... about the Geio tablets, sorry. Something came up, and by the time I woke up, I heard what happened. How’s your family?'
Katie looked at me, confused by my distant expression. I must’ve looked like I was daydreaming.
I replied to Lo’jul, 'It’s okay. Someone else helped me. And no… they’re not. I’d rather not talk about it, to be honest.'
'I see... Again, I’m really sorry. Where are you? I feel like crap about what happened, and since I can connect to you now, I’m guessing you’re not too far away.'
'Uhh... the road that leads to that horror park. Isn’t there some way I can send my location through the system?' I’d forgotten the name of the spot. 'But… why?'
'Partly because I—messed up really bad. And my wife wants to apologize on my behalf, even though I already did. Also, lunch—have you eaten?'
Lunch too? Damn.
I turned to Katie and asked, “What was the name of that park we just visited?”
“You telepathing with someone?”
“Does having God genes make you psychic or something? And yeah. He helped my family and was supposed to help me with an illness.”
“Oh. Then it’s Mavill Towers Park.”
“Right. And do you want free lunch? I’m being offered.”
“Uh, sure, I guess. As long as you don’t say a word about it to my mom.”
“Now I’m thinking about that. She okay with you being here?”
“Yes… for the most part. As long as I don’t do anything dangerous or draw attention.”
'I’m back. And yeah, that’d be cool. Can a friend come along?'
He sent me directions to a nearby restaurant—a simple one—and even offered to guide us if needed.
So we walked. And walked for what felt like forever. One thing I noticed: the entrance to Terrafall didn’t do the place justice.
The deeper you went in, the bigger and more extravagant the buildings got.
Some were spirals that climbed up to 15 meters. Others were built like a tree, a tree made out of concrete and glass.
What really caught my eye was a floating triangular restaurant made out of glass that had a lot of odd vehicles parked at.
Mechanical tiger vehicles... Judging by the black smoke being released from the exhaust pipes, that one run on oil, which this world didn't have much off.
There were ads on giant screens, but hardly any holograms. I figured holograms were more expensive, especially in the daytime.
“Want cool-looking wings? Want to look absolutely stunning? Come to Judgeon Fixer-Up Hospital!”
That red-and-white hospital on the right of the sidewalk had a hologram at the front gate and loud soundrecorders.
Considering how massive the hospital was, it made sense the company could afford it. I hadn’t seen anyone with wings yet, though.
At the glass restaurant, I did see a human person with goat horns, which was definitely from surgery.
If social media existed here, I probably would have seen wings. I’d never seen someone with a BBL back on Earth either, but thanks to the internet, I knew they were real. Was that a good thing? Hell no. The insecurities I had as a teen—ones that stuck with me into adulthood—were ridiculous.
And algorithms only made it worse. Once you clicked on something even remotely related, it’d haunt you forever.
God, I used to feel like such a loser inside. Ughhhh. Thinking about it was so embarrassing… and kind of painful.
One thing was for sure—I was never going back to that place mentally. Ever again.
Katie muttered, “We should’ve taken transport. You said it’d be just there...”
“We’re almost there. Spending money would’ve been a waste.”
“Do I have to remind you I’m rich? Or at least my family is.”
It’s not like I forgot—just customs, I guess.
We kept walking along the sidewalk, passing a ton of people. It was common to see someone reading a book as they walked, glancing up every few steps to avoid crashing into others.
I saw something like a train with regular wheels rolling down the sloped road. Not quite like Earth trains—more like a super long bus with a pointed front and segmented parts. Probably to help it make turns, like a bunch of cars stuck together.
Still, it looked cool. Especially the glowing blue lines running over the white body. The only thing that ruined it was the Light for All logo burning in blue fire at the front.
Anyway, we finally reached the restaurant. It was decently sized and looked like a gnome hut—a rectangular building with a tall cone-shaped roof made of dark wood. Not cheap-looking either. Definitely a style choice.
People here seemed to like the fancy fantasy or natural, earthy vibe—at least in commercial areas.
We got in line and waited a few minutes before entering.
I asked Katie, “Think there are listening devices in places like this?”
“Pretty sure that’s illegal—it’s a private place. But... that doesn't really mean anything. So... be smart.”
“Got it.”
We walked over blue carpets and didn’t have to wait long before we spotted Lo’jul.
He was seated on a light-colored wooden chair. Katie and I took seat.
“Hello,” I said, sitting down next to him.
“You walked here?” he asked, eyeing the sweat on my face.
“Yeah. Sorry for the delay.”
His wife smiled. “We just arrived, so it’s fine.”
She adjusted the strange chain that wrapped around her head and held a thick emerald resting on her nose bridge—a Punchio nose ring, I think.
They weren’t dressed casually, but that didn’t mean they weren’t covered in gems. Lo’jul wore a long green coat and black pants, while she had on a thin yellow jacket that reached her knees. It was split down the middle, revealing a long white inner layer—probably a dress.
Lo’jul gave Katie a polite nod. “Nice hat.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“So...” his wife said, turning to me, “Sorry about Lo’jul not bringing you that medicine. Something unexpected came up—it was partially my fault. I feel awful about it.”
“It’s okay. I was worried at first, but things worked out.”
“I'm glad to here that. Really.”
Lo’jul looked at me. “You mentioned your parents weren’t okay. What did you mean?”
“Uh... they’re dead.”
Their eyes widened.
His wife asked, “During the man-eating incident?”
“Yeah.”
Lo’jul partially covered his mouth in shock and thought. “So how are you surviving? Do you have enough food? A place to stay?”
I gestured to Katie. “Her mom’s been kind enough to take care of me.”
He nodded slowly. “That’s good.. Very good.”
After a pause, he asked, “Do you want to go back to your home? Assuming you’ve got family there.”
"Got nothing back there. So, no."
He nodded slowly, then said, "I'm definitely wasting you two's time, ain't I? Blame Nub’ol."
She was taken aback, feeling slightly disrespected. "Excuse me? Apologies should be made in person. Always. Kultura Terrafolla tebya razvraschayet."
Something Terrafall and culture.
He raised an eyebrow at her, as if to say he was right.
I smiled and said, "I appreciate it."
"Either way..." She picked up a menu from the table and lifted her hand to signal a server. "We eat. I'm fond of children anyway, so as long as you two don't mind staying a bit, it's all good to me... especially after all the nonsense yesterday."
"You lived far away from the affected areas?" I asked.
"Yes, but my workplace didn’t. Got hit with a stray pillar. Partly why I'm not at work right now."
"Oh, sorry to hear that." Then I turned to Lo'jul. "I'm guessing no adventurer work for you too?"
"Not yet. In about six hours, I and some others will be hunting down a Broken vlandos."
Katie suddenly asked, "Really? I’ve heard a lot about them but never seen a live one. Do they really... howl like monsters?"
"If the monster controlling them howls, then yeah, I guess."
That piqued my interest. The fact that it was going to take place at night made it even more intriguing. I wouldn't be going to a monster zone, just tagging along with someone who had helped me. I assumed Abella wouldn’t have an issue with that.
I asked, "Can I join? I'm level 20, so I can handle myself."
He immediately raised a single eyebrow, like I’d told a blatant lie.
So I said, "Check my level. I'm not lying."
He blinked a few times and pursed his lips. For a while, he said nothing. "How the hell did you do that? What the hell?"
His wife noticed the shift in atmosphere and asked, incredibly curious, "What? That's rare?"
"Of course it is. Went from basically nothing to 20 in... one day? How?"
"Two days. I had a lot of help." And I could heal, so I could keep fighting longer. I also got lucky, facing opponents that gave a lot of levels.
He leaned back in his chair, muttering with jealousy, "I don’t like the fact a kid is near my level."
Level 27.
Seeing how many hours it took to go from level 19 to 20, I had a strong feeling that going from 20 to 21 would take much longer.
But if I killed something like a Broken vlandos, I’d gain experience from five sources—their entire set and the person themself.
I probably shouldn't say "experience" since that wasn't how levels weren't really gained. It was just a habit, blame video games.
Anyway, I needed to get involved in that mission. "So... can I join?"
Lo'jul clicked his tongue and said with disappointment, "You can’t. This is adventurer business. You could get a license and request to be put on this mission, but there’s no way to pass all the evaluations and meet the requirements in that short time."
And that would’ve crushed my plan—if I were stupid.
Nub’ol said after chatting with the server, "I’d advise against the adventurer stuff. There’s a lot of conflict and mistreatment inside it."
Lo'jul agreed through body language. "Besides, I was told Jim warned you against it. Not that his opinion really matters to you."
They were kinda wasting their time. I had no interest in becoming an adventurer.
I agreed, saying, "Yeah, but isn’t there some kind of exception?"
"Nope. The fact you even have monsters is illegal. Having levels, for that matter..." He paused, rubbing his chin. "Actually, it might be in your best interest to become an adventurer now. Just so you don’t get in trouble for all of this."
"Or immigrate to Holvious. Heard vlandos do whatever they want there," Nub’ol thought.
"That's a lie," Katie replied. "If anything, Emermyne would be a better choice for her—if that's all she cared about."
Lo'jul laughed loudly, drawing glances from nearby tables. "Sure. If you want a bomb planted in your head, go for it, kiddo."
I was shocked, not from what he said. He was usually serious, so seeing him laugh hit me hard.
"Lo'jul!" Nub’ol grunted. "Don’t say such disgusting things to kids."
"I was being sarcastic..." he muttered.
"I did say if that was the only thing she cared about," Katie said. "But I somewhat agree with you on the adventurer thing."
"Too bad," I said. "It’s not gonna happen. I’ve seen how adventurers are treated. I don’t want that. Nor do I want to be forced onto missions without a say. Like..."
"A slave?" Lo'jul asked, returning to his serious tone. "But what choice do you have, little Vernisha? Being a kid means nothing... You’re a vlandos."
"I will get lucky," I said, meeting his gaze. "If it comes to that, I’m sure they’d rather force me into being an adventurer than kill me or whatever they usually do. You're shocked I'm level 20. You and your wife are witnesses to my rapid development. I’ll use that to bargain for my life. Nations always want powerful soldiers, don’t they?"
He stared at me, surprised. His wife, though, smiled—like she was looking at something... beautiful? A gem?
Maybe it was a little racist to assume it was a gem, but... they always wore gems, so... yeah. Okay, ignore what I thought. I had nothing against punchios!
"Hmph." Lo'jul crossed his arms. "I hope you do. I don’t like seeing kids die, regardless of species. You're a smart kid. Stay that way."
"Thank you. I will." But I wasn't smart. I had made may dumb decisions. Painfully foolish ones. I wish I was a genius though, an unfeeling genius.
But I liked having emotions sometimes so there was that.
Back to what he said, about kids dying. I was certain Lo'jul had lost a child. He’d said something to Natasha about how losing a child hurts.
Maybe that was why his wife reacted the way she did—wanting to apologize in person.
I noticed her smile shrink as she grew pensive, tracing a fingernail along the white table runner.
Trauma is a powerful motivator, isn’t it? Even when you forget it exists, it still controls you.
Anyway, we ate and talked a lot about the food. Afterward, I stood up and offered my hand to Lo'jul.
I smiled. "Shake my hand, then I'll fully accept your apology."
He looked at my hand, confused, but eventually gave in and shook it. "You're an odd kid. But do well."
"I will."
I waved goodbye to his wife, who smiled and clasped her hands in farewell.
Katie tapped her belly as we exited. "They’re nice."
"Yeah... very."
I checked my pocket, feeling the knife Lo'jul had given me weeks ago with my other hand.
POV: Rael Leger
Have you ever heard the story of Wanda Starlight and Eren Starworth? An interesting love story.
They say Wanda had fallen in love with Eren and desired him for a thousand years, but kept her feelings to herself, fearing how she’d react if he didn’t feel the same.
But Eren had little interest in mortals, and made it seem like he would never start a family. However, one day, he had fallen for a mortal.
And a certain young lady couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
She was thrilled a Mortal God had taken interest in her, so she told others—whispered secrets that should have remained between the two of them. Thinking the volume of her voice mattered.
Thinking there wasn’t an ear listening just because she couldn’t see it.
Wanda Starlight had been listening. Far, far away from Kornu's Surface, in outer space.
In a fit of rage, she sent a meteorite to strike the woman down, devastating the continent about 765 years ago—in the year 29,302.
If you're an enemy of Terrafall and all that’s good, you probably believe it. Only a fool would—like the Holvions, who still teach it in their schools.
I brushed the holographic interface on my Mark-stone, hitting play again. The data gathered from the stealth sound recorders hidden across the city replayed.
I stood up, stretched, then leaned against the wall, watching Lu'jol and his wife head toward a carriage.
I could act now... but it might be smarter to see if he spoke to her again, if he revealed more.
Still, I doubted he knew much about her. I could confront her, but it would be better to prepare—to counter all her lies and half-truths. So when I bring her to justice, I could say all the investigations were done by me. I found out everything.
That’s where Bahmos became important. He most likely knew more. It couldn’t be a coincidence they came to this city together after all.