Chapter 39 - Lost Between Realms
The wind carried a light, almost sweet scent as it whispered through the fields, gently brushing the long grass that stretched endlessly beneath the vast sky.
"This place is really beautiful," Lucas muttered to himself. "And the air... it's so refreshing. Also, there are so many pigeons." The birds were chirping above him, their wings slicing through the air with smooth, effortless motions. The atmosphere was almost unnervingly calm.
Andre and Darleen continued to walk behind him in silence, their movements stiff and mechanical, as they had been before. Lucas didn't mind. His thoughts were so scattered and chaotic that he couldn't focus on anything else right now.
But here he was. Alive. Somehow. And without any answers.
"I don't know what to say, but... huh, what's this?" He tilted his head, looking around at the buildings. "Is this an ancient village or what? Why does it look so primitive?"
The walls of the village were built from rough wooden planks, stacked together just enough to form a solid defense. At the corners of the walls, there were two simple towers. It didn't resemble anything he had seen before. The guards standing at the gate wore animal hides, primitive, their faces stern and filled with suspicion. Each of them held a spear, far from polished, wooden and cracked, as though it had been hand-carved.
And beside them...
Lucas' eyes widened. The creature standing next to the guards wasn't anything he recognized. It resembled a dog in size and shape, but its fur was pure white. What caught his attention more, however, were the small wings growing from its back. They were delicate and white.
"Huh? What's this?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the scene around him. "Where am I exactly? And what's this creature standing next to them?"
For a moment, his thoughts spun in a whirlwind of confusion. His instincts told him that this place was unnatural. He didn't know what to make of it. The world around him seemed... primitive.
He pulled himself together, trying to impose calm that he didn't fully feel.
Don't be afraid, Lucas, he thought. You're with Andre. Rank A.
His thoughts were sharp, but his stomach still churned with doubt. Nonetheless, he continued forward with as much confidence as he could muster, stopping directly in front of the guards. They looked at him warily, their hands gripping their spears in a defensive stance, but they did not attack.
"Who are you?" one of the guards asked in a gruff, low voice. "What about these clothes?"
Lucas looked at himself. His black jacket, torn and tattered... He looked at the guards, then at Andre and Darleen, who were standing behind him. He wasn't sure how to explain everything, especially since he didn't have any answers himself.
"I... I don't know where we are," Lucas replied, keeping his voice steady despite the confusion bubbling in his chest. "Can you tell me?"
One of the guards took a step forward, a look of suspicion forming on his brow. His eyes narrowed as he studied Lucas with a calculated gaze.
"Tell me first," the guard said, his voice colder now, "Who are you? And who are those behind you? And why are you wearing these clothes?"
"I'm from a distant city," Lucas said, his voice steady, though part of him hated the lie. "My name is Lucas, and these are my friends, Andre and Darleen."
The guard pondered this for a moment, his expression unreadable, then looked at Andre and Darleen, who remained motionless. The guard's gaze shifted back to Lucas.
"Huh. A distant city?" The guard's tone softened slightly, though it still carried suspicion. He took a small step back, his eyes not leaving Lucas. "Alright. And where are your summoned beasts?"
Lucas blinked, surprised by the question. Summoned beasts? He had no idea what the guard meant.
"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, confusion clear in his voice.
For a brief moment, there was a heavy silence. It seemed the guard was thinking something through in his mind, then he looked at Lucas with a gaze filled with suspicion.
"You don't know what summoned beasts are?" the guard asked, his voice a mix of surprise and doubt.
Lucas paused for a moment, thinking hard.
Summoned beasts... the system gave me a quest. Could this be what he meant?
"No," Lucas admitted, his voice tight. "I don't know."
The guard studied him for a long moment, then looked to his companions, suspicion still evident on his face. He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Where are you from then?" he pressed, unconvinced.
Lucas opened his mouth to answer, but the words caught in his throat. He didn't even know where he was from anymore.
Before he could say more, the guard raised his hand, cutting off the conversation. "Alright. Come with me," he said, his voice more forceful now. "I'll take you to the village chief. You'll get some answers there."
Lucas nodded, though doubt still gnawed at him. "Thank you very much," he said, trying to keep his composure.
The guard signaled for them to follow, and Lucas didn't hesitate. He moved forward, with Andre and Darleen following behind him.