“BECAUSE I COME FROM ANOTHER WORLD.”

The words leave my mouth as I tilt my head forward in a slight bow. The two men stare at me, stupefied. Beihal blinks and opens his mouth before he decides to instead dig into his ears, as if checking for some kind of blockage. Kalmat takes a moment to gather himself but smoothly steps forward and speaks.

“Come again?”

“I am from another world,” I reply without missing a beat. “This is not the world I grew up in, nor is it one I am familiar with. I escaped through a rift into the void before ending up here.”

Kalmat runs a hand through his black hair, an uneasy look crossing through his face. “That is… rather alarming to hear,” he says, glancing over to Beihal.

“I assure you, I am not lying—”

“I know.” He nods as his hand casually rests on the hilt of his sword. I raise a brow as he continues. “No one would lie and claim that they’ve come from another world.”

I cock my head. “Why is that?”

“Because,”— Kalmat shakes his head and fixes his gaze onto me—”Galgom comes from another world too.”

“Galgom,” I say as his eyes bore into me, "the person you are fighting against?”

“Yes.”

There is silence. A sudden chill crept behind me. The fires dancing on the candelabra crackle as a drip of wax plods its way down the side and onto the stone floor. Beihal moves.

He pulls a hand back, fire forming around his knuckles. Closing the distance in an instant, I grab him by his forearms as my fingers stop just before his wide eyes.

“H-how did you—”

“Too slow.” I glance over at Kalmat; his eyes are narrowed, but he has not made a move. “Are you going to try something too?” I shoot him a carefree smirk.

He does not return it. Instead, he raises a hand. “Beihal, stand down.”

“But Kalmat!” Beihal sputters, the flames around his palms flaring up with his voice. “She’s from another world! She could be working with him!”

“If that’s the case, the En would not have attacked her. She would not have killed an Esh.” Kalmat’s gaze lands on the head resting on the orange table.

“That is right,” I say as I tighten my grip. The man winces, and I glare at him. “Listen to your leader. I am not your enemy nor do I know who your enemy even is.”

“Y-you…!”

I twist his arms up, and he falls to his knees. The fire does not disappear. Not until Kalmat snaps.

“Beihal!” The sharp voice draws the attention of the bulky man. Kalmat takes his hand off his weapon and crosses his arms. “That’s enough.”

“I…” Beihal sags, letting the flames dissipate. “Fine.”

Releasing him, I take a step back and turn my gaze to Kalmat. “I hope you do not intend to get my guard down before attacking me,” I say as I give him a warning look. “Because it will not work. And frankly? It’s pretty rude.”

“I won’t.” He offers me a placating smile and says, “Rude is… one way to put it.” Standing up, Kalmat turns to Beihal then nods at the door. “I’d like to speak to her. In private.”

The bulky man looks like he wants to protest. He gets to his feet, rubbing at his forearms as he opens his mouth. But he decides to sigh. “Fine.” He heads out of the room.

Kalmat calls after him, “Get Nelrel to fix you up! She’ll make sure to mend your arm while she wounds your ego!” There is a momentary laugh escaping through the doorway before the door slams shut.

The room is once again filled with silence; I do not speak, choosing rather to wait for Kalmat to tear through this mute veil hanging over us. Taking a deep breath, he faces me with a smile.

“So, Tian, since you’re new in this world,” he says and places his hands on his hips, “do you want a brief tour?”

I blink. “A what?”

***

Kalmat gives me a hooded cloak to wear before we head out of the den and ascend back up to the city.

“It’s fortunate,” he says as he pushes open a door and holds it for me, “that you came when you did. True night has not fallen. You’d have gotten lost in the blackness.”

“I am perfectly capable of navigating through the dark,” I reply, stepping past him. I find myself standing outside what seems like a shop. A creaky sign hangs above the doorway, the metal fixing it onto the wall rusted and coated in a coppery brown. Words I cannot read are inscribed onto the sign, but I can see a few odd-looking pastries being displayed through the darkened glass panes.

“Sorry, again, for earlier.” He leads me through an alleyway and out into the busy streets. It seems the commotion from earlier— the destruction caused by the En— is not something deemed unusual in this world. Keeping his hood over his face, he continues, “Beihal is a good man, if a little bit hotheaded and quick to jump to conclusions. I hope you do not take offense.”

“I have met many who are far worse in my time,” I say, following him in the direction of the city walls. “Especially those snakes who use methods beyond simply physical force. I assure you, none has been taken.”

“Well, he is a rather powerful Elementalist. I was surprised you managed to disarm him so easily.”

“An Elementalist?” I give him an inquisitive glance.

“Someone who uses the elements to fight,” he replies and comes to a stop. Gesturing for me to follow him, he ducks into a nearby side street shadowed from the blue ball overhead. “Wait for them to pass. The En are not nearly as intelligent as the Esh.”

The sound of heavy, metallic footsteps echo between the buildings. A patrol of the metallic figures from earlier— the ones who pursued me— march down the main street, fixing their red gazes onto passersby giving them a wide berth.

“What are they?” I ask, frowning. “They do not seem alive.”

“That’s because they aren’t.” The En leaves, and Kalmat nods at me. We resume our tour as he explains, “Both the Esh and the En are machines, almost like golems, created by Galgom. They came with him when he arrived in this world, and he used them to conquer all of Utana and slay its guardians.”

“So, he is some kind of evil emperor, then?”

“In a sense, yes.” We stop right before the gates of the city, but we do not go through it. He opens a side door made of old, rotting wood, revealing a stairway that spirals up to the top of the walls. “But whether he is an unjust king, an overlord ruling with an ironfist, or some kind of tyrant doesn’t matter to us. To us, he is Galgom. And he is our enemy.” Ushering me into the room, he says, “After you.”

My footfalls echo in the stairwell as he follows a step behind me. A red blob pops out of the gray stone wall, floating up to my face. I wave it away with a scowl. “What is this stuff?”

“Lifeblood,” Kalmat answers, almost smiling at it. “It is what gives us the power and ability to to fend off monsters. As well as sustain ourselves, of course.”

“Monsters.” I pause right at the top of the stairs and turn to face him. “Like a cruel man?”

“No.” Shaking his head, he walks past me and steps onto the walkway of the battlements. “Creatures from the dark. They are like animals, but larger and more ferocious.”

“Some kind of Sacred Beast, then,” I murmur.

“I’m not familiar with this ‘Sacred Beast’,” he says, giving me an apologetic smile. “Are they similar to our monsters?”

“If your monsters are what I fought while on my way here, they probably are similar in nature.” I place a hand on the crenellations, casting my gaze out towards the wilderness. The canopy of trees creates a blanket of shadow over the green grass, hiding what is within. The dense and thick leaves are held up by the orange trunks like a parasol. “However, Sacred Beasts are not usually violent, and they have a keen intelligence to them. I assume monsters do not?”

“They don’t,” Kalmat says, resting his elbows on the wall next to me, almost leaning out of the battlements. “We used to fear monster attacks almost every day. Especially during the true night, when they are most active. Our walls would be guarded by almost every capable Elementalist in the city.”

“I apologize, but you’ve said that term twice now. What exactly is this ‘true night’ you speak of?”

“Ah.” His gaze is drawn up, and I follow it. “Do you see that?”

“The blue ball in the sky,” I say. “Yes, I see it.”

“That’s Caerulum, our first sun.”

Sun…? My hand touches my lips. I do not know what that is. But I recall something. “And what about the other red ball? The one that was with Caerulum, before it set over the horizon. Is that a sun, too?”

“That’s Rubrum, and yes, it’s our second sun.” Kalmat returns his gaze back to me and begins to explain. “Both our suns shine their light down onto the world. When both suns are up, we call it true day. When both suns are down, we call it true night.”

“What about right now?” I ask, intrigued by this strange concept. Back in Jhisie, only night and day exists. “Do you call this period false night? False day?”

“False night,” he replies simply. “False day is when only Rubrum occupies the skies. Or at least, that’s what we call it in our domain. I know those from the Blazing Desert have different words for it.”

A few globules of Lifeblood hover between Kalmat and I. I try focusing on it, but I cannot find any Qi there, nor can I find a way to manipulate it. “How exactly do you use this to protect your cities?” Raising a hand, I create a small wisp of flame. “I use my Qi to control the elements. But it drains me. Does using Lifeblood do the same?” It will be beneficial for me to learn how this world works, especially if it lets me fight without wasting resources.

“You just have to connect yourself to the world,” he says and opens his palm. “The Pishtim allows all to use her power. Watch.” It is almost as if the droplets of Lifeblood are drained onto Kalmat’s hand by some invisible force. They gather together before changing shape, like they are being transmuted into something else, before bursting out into a small flame.

Both our fires dance as a light gust of wind sweeps over us. “Interesting,” I remark, “and you use these powers of yours to fend off monsters?”

“We used to.” Pulling himself away from the wilderness lying beyond the walls, he turns his attention to the bustling city we came from. The intersecting streets expand and reach to the other side of the wall, clusters of Lifeblood occasionally blotting out the signs of people walking to and from markets or shops. “Until Galgom. Now, his En and his Esh exterminate them for us, keeping us safe.”

“Is that not a good thing?”

“It isn’t.” He does not skip a beat before answering. “Because even if we are now safe from the monster attacks, we are now under constant threat by him and his machines. He takes whatever he wants. He kills whoever he wants.” Kalmat’s fists curl themselves up into balls and grow tighter and tighter as he speaks. “Galgom is so greedy, he is now even going after the Pishtim herself. She is our provider of Lifeblood, the source of our power. And yet—”

His eyes narrow as they take in the view of the city, full of people, full of life. And among them, the unlife of the En walk undisturbed. Kalmat releases his grip and sighs.

“And yet, no one here in Thornthistle wants to do anything about it. Only a few are willing to join our cause.”

“Why not?” I ask, perplexed. “I saw what Beihal could do. I am certain he can take on at least an En. And if enough of you band together, can you not take out an Esh and gain this?” I pull up the screen that shows my level. My Lost Soul Class reveals itself to Kalmat, and his eyes grow wide.

“Wait—” he sputters, taking a step forward. “You have the Mark of the Elocunive too?”

I hesitate. “Is this not something that is common?” I assumed it is, because I got it the moment I entered this world. However, his reaction tells me otherwise.

“It… is rare,” Kalmat says, rubbing a hand on his chin. He brings up a screen of his own, and I see his status.

Kalmat

Race: Natif

Class: Rebellion Leader Level 3

Feats:

- Rallying Words

- Sword of Esh

- Bladewielder’s Fury

“This is something only those worthy receive. And your Feats…” An approving look crosses through his face. “This only proves that you’re telling the truth.”

Sword of Esh. Apparently, Kalmat has slain an Esh too.

“You’re lucky the first person you told about your Class was me,” he says.

“I was under the impression it was common knowledge. Did you not realize I have a Class when I brought the head of an Esh with me to your hideout?”

“Feats are different for each individual. They are a reward for hard work, not handouts for those who are already strong.”

My weakened state must have made defeating that Esh a Feat. Interesting.

Kalmat places a hand on my shoulder. “Do not let anyone know that you have a Class, Tian. There is a reward for those who turn in anyone marked by the Elocunive to Galgom. He sees us as a threat to be destroyed.”

“Figures,” I comment, eyeing him. “When those with this mark want him dead. But worry not about me, I can handle myself.” I reach the doorway leading back down and halt. “If this Galgom decides to come after me, I will kill him. Simple as that.”

Chuckling, Kalmat pushes the ginger-colored door open and lets me through. “I believe you’ll find it harder than you’d think. The Grovetender tried and failed to slay him. As did the Flamelord. Both fell. Only the Icecaller and Websmith remain. And neither are willing to face him.”

“I do not know who these individuals are. However, I can assure you, I am powerful.” I smile his way.

“Confident.” His footsteps stop, and I turn to face him. Looking up at him, I wait for him to continue. “That’s a good trait to have. Unfortunately, there is one complication.”

“And that is?” I ask.

“Galgom is immortal.”

***

“You can stay here for the time being,” Kalmat says after showing me back to his hideout. “Unless you’d prefer to stay somewhere else?”

“She’s back!” a voice exclaims. Seiled, the boy who helped me, rushes over our way in excitement— only to be intercepted by Beihal who picks him up from under his arms. “Let go of me!” He squirms, trying to fight the bulky man.

“Let Kalmat take care of her first.”

I ignore that side conversation and accept the keys being handed to me. “I appreciate the offer. I promise you, I will repay this debt.”

“There’s no need to worry about that.” Placing the keys onto my hand, Kalmat bows his head slightly like I did to him when we first met. “Just take it as a welcome gift. From the Keepers of the Grove.”

“Thank you.” I enter the room and shut the door. Locking it, I listen for a moment as a commotion erupts outside. Both Seiled and Beihal seem to attack Kalmat with a flurry of questions, with the occasional voice of a young woman joining them.

Determining that nothing of importance is being said, I finally fully take in my room. It is plain— simple even. With a bed and a pair of tables flanking it from both sides. A single candle lights up the room, with no windows as we are in some kind of basement area.

I take off the cloak I was given and sink into the mattress with a sigh. The events of the day slowly catch up to me, as I play with the keys to my room.

I toss it up.

And it falls down.

Up.

Into my hands.

Some time passes— a full cycle— and the muffled noise and conversations die down.

“Immortal, huh?” I mutter to no one but myself. “From another world, too.”

I catch the metal key as it lands back on my palm with a clink. A wide grin spread across my face.

“Interesting.”

Today has been a very informative day. Kalmat’s tour was very educational. Because, it seems I now have a direct line of sight on what to do in this world. After all, not only do I want to return to Jhisie, I also want to become immortal.

And Galgom is the bridge to both those paths.