Neim and Duis looked around, not understanding what was happening, and slowly placed their blankets on the ground.
Neim: "Who's talking?"
The massive gate began to open slowly, and the sound of running filled the air.
Duis: "Neim, look! That huge gate is opening!"
Neim: "Wow, it looks amazing."
As the two were mesmerized by the sight of the gate, soldiers rushed on them and surrounded them.
The soldiers quickly readied their swords and arrows.
Seeing people for the first time in a long while, Neim couldn't contain his joy.
Neim: "PEOPLE! DUIS, LOOK! PEOPLE! THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE TOO!"
While Neim was speaking with excitement, he was unaware of the threat.
Duis: "Neim, I don't think they're welcoming us with joy..."
A woman quickly passed through the soldiers, drew her sword, and placed it against Neim's neck.
???: "Say who you are. Are you half-humans? Or are the monsters now able to look like people too?"
Neim grew serious and tried to make sense of the situation.
Neim: "I don't know what you're talking about. We're not bad, so take that thing off my neck."
He slowly tried to push the sword away with his hand.
One of the soldiers panicked and suddenly released the arrow he had drawn.
The arrow pierced the air, heading straight for Neim's head.
With a quick movement, Neim dodged it, receiving only a scratch on his cheek. He had nearly died because of the soldier's clumsiness.
Just as Neim was about to lose control and attack everyone, the woman shouted furiously at the soldier.
???: "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! THIS ISN'T AN EXECUTION, IT'S AN INTERROGATION! WHAT IF THEY REALLY ARE HUMANS, YOU IDIOT?!"
Neim calmed himself down. He couldn't take on this many people, he had to find a middle ground.
Neim: "Whatever you mean by 'humnan', I don't know. But we are like you and don't want to harm anyone."
???: "Alright then, let's assume that. Where are you coming from? You have no horses or anything. It's impossible to any travel this for tou to walk foot."
Duis: "We're coming from the mountain up ahead. We've been walking for a long time, that's why we're in this state."
The woman turned sharply to Duis and stood in front of him, irritated.
???: "On barefoot? Only half-humans and monsters travel on foot. For us, even covering a hundred meters in a month is nearly impossible."
Suspicion among the surrounding people increased. They were ready to strike Neim and Duis at any moment.
One of the soldiers spoke up:
Soldier: "Commander, they claim to be coming from the mountain. Could it be that one just two hundred meters away? Remember, there was an energy explosion there four days ago. And these two really do look like they've been walking for at least two months. Their clothes are torn, and both have scruffy beards. Plus, they can't be half-humans, their feet are normal. And if monsters had learned to look human, we'd have heard about it from Boul, it's closer to them anyway."
The commander thought for a moment, then asked a question:
???: "You might be right, Kelvin. How long have you been on the road?"
Neim: "Sixty-one lifting... maybe a little less."
???: "What's a 'rising'?"
Neim: "When the darkness lifts, that's what we call it."
???: "Oh, like morning? Dawn? When a new day starts?"
Neim: "I don't understand what you're saying."
The commander pointed at the sun and spoke.
???: "A day, you know? One ends when the sun sets, and the next begins when it rises again."
Neim tried to grasp what was being said.
Duis: "Neim, they say 'a day' when the angry ball appears a second time. We call it a 'lifting' when that happens."
Neim still didn't fully understand, but pretended like he did.
???: "Wait, did you just call the sun a 'angry ball'?"
The soldiers started laughing. The commander sheathed his sword, and one of them burst out laughing.
"They're just from some backwater place. What nonsense, we thought they were something important!"
Kelvin: "Let's say they've been on the road for two months. But how do you explain the explosion? Our soldiers tried to go there several times and reported that an invisible barrier blocked the way halfway up the mountain. Summing it up: how did you get out of there, and how did you get here? Even if you left right after the explosion, you wouldn't be able to reach here in less than four months."
Duis: "We left two risings after the explosion, and we didn't encounter anything like what you're describing. We were just trying to explore new places, and suddenly we ended up here."
Kelvin: "That could be true, but it's also strange. Are you saying people live inside the mountain?"
Duis: "If 'humnans' are like us, then yes, there are humans living there."
Kelvin: "'Humans', not 'Humnans'. That's how it's pronounced."
Duis: "What? What is it?"
Kelvin: "Never mind."
Kelvin accepted the explanation with some doubt and turned to his commander.
Kelvin: "Commander, we haven't found anything suspicious so far. According to their belongings, they only have a two sword, half-humans or monsters wouldn't use these anyway."
???: "You might be right, Kelvin. Then let's take them to the Users so they can tell their full story. If they turn out to be half-humans or monsters, they'll deal with them better than we can."
Kelvin: "Shall I escort them then?"
???: "I'll come too, just in case."
Kelvin: "Yes, Commander."
The commander shouted an order to the soldiers.
???: "Everyone to your posts! I'll handle them."
The soldiers all replied in unison:
"YES, COMMANDER!"
Then they went back inside through the gate, leaving only Neim, Duis, Kelvin, and the commander outside.
???: "Alright, grab your blankets and follow me."
Neim: "Why did you do that?"
Kelvin: "We'll explain later, but first we need to hear your whole story. So come on, get your blankets and let's go."
Neim quickly turned around, slung his blanket around his neck, and started walking after the commander. He was so focused that he forgot to help Duis.
Duis was struggling to pick up his blanket. He muttered, "If only it were in my other hand…"
Until now, no one had noticed because Neim had always stood in front of him.
Kelvin, seeing that Duis was one-armed and having trouble with the blanket, walked over and helped drape it over his neck.
Kelvin: "If it's hard, I can carry it for you."
Duis: "No, it's alright. Thank you."
Kelvin: "No problem anytime."
Neim and the commander had already walked a bit ahead. Duis and Kelvin quickly caught up, and Duis felt he needed to say something.
Duis: "I'm Duis, and this is Neim."
Kelvin: "My name's Kelvin. And the one walking ahead-"
The commander suddenly turned around.
???: "My name is Elsienette. The people call me Commander Els."
Neim: "Nice to meet you."
Duis: "Same here."
Kelvin: "Likewise."
Els turned around without a word and resumed walking.
Duis approached Neim and nudged him.
Duis: "Neim, did that thing hurt you badly? Are you alright?"
Neim smiled and say
Neim: "Nothing to worry about. I'm fine."
As they approached the gate, Neim and Duis were mesmerized. The ground was entirely made of stone, and the -what they thing is houses- houses were nothing like theirs taller, with slanted roofs. And most surprising of all, there were so many people. A lot of people.
When Els reached the gate, she turned around once more and spread her arms.
Els: "Welcome to Yaliba, the third largest city."
The two were in shock. They had never imagined the outside would be like this.
Kelvin: "Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, get in."
Neim gave Duis an excited glance and stepped through the massive gate.
Duis entered slowly, thinking, "The ground is all stone… walking here will be torture, damn." At that moment, he looked at the feet of the people around them and noticed that everyone, though differently, had something on their feet.
Duis: "Kelvin, can I ask you something?"
Kelvin: "Of course."
Duis: "What are those things on your feet?"
Kelvin: "Ah, you mean shoes? You don't know what they are?"
Duis shook his head.
Kelvin scratched his head, thinking, "Looks like they've got a lot to learn."
Kelvin: "Let's get to where we're going first. I'll explain everything then, don't worry."
Duis: "Thanks."
●●●
They were walking under Els's lead. People along the road stared at Neim and Duis, ripped clothes, no shoes, blankets slung over their backs.
Neim and Duis felt deeply embarrassed. Just then, they started hearing a series of clattering sounds growing louder.
Neim immediately went on alert and reached for his sword, only to find it missing.
Neim: "Hey! Where's my sword?!"
Kelvin: "I took it. Just a precaution, so you wouldn't harm our people."
Neim: "And what if you harm us? What are we supposed to do then?"
Kelvin: "Then there's nothing to be done."
Neim started getting angrier. Duis came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Duis: "If they were going to do something, they'd have done it by now. Just stay calm."
Suddenly, the clattering sound appeared right beside them. Neim jumped back in fright, and Duis followed.
The source of the noise passed by them.
Neim: "What are those things? They're terrifying."
Kelvin: "You mean the horse cart?"
Duis: "The what?"
Kelvin: "See those two animals in front? They're called horses. The thing behind them makes it easier to carry loads from one place to another. It's called a horse cart. Since horses pull them, we can transport food and such more easily."
Neim's eyes lit up, his curiosity for everything around him was growing fast.
Neim: "Are there more of those? Or things like it?"
Kelvin: "Plenty more."
Neim and Duis kept watching the horses. As the cart turned a corner, they turned their gaze back to Commander Els.
Els was staring at Neim and Duis with an irritated expression. The two flinched.
Els: "What are you dawdling for? We're here already."
The rest of the way, Kelvin kept explaining things to Neim and Duis. He was warming up to them more and more.
●●●
Els finally stopped and took a deep breath.
Els: "We're here. This is the place."
Neim and Duis stared at the massive house in front of them. It was much taller and larger than any house they had seen truly mesmerizing.
Kelvin: "This is where the Users are. There's someone here who can tell whether or not you're telling the truth. Come on, let's go."
Duis: "This place looks amazing."
Kelvin: "It is."