The mixture of green and brown dyed scenery fills my vision. Though one might say it’s pretty and such, having to watch the same thing over and over again, eventually you will definitely get tired of it.

Just like having to watch a magic trick being done in front you several times, you will finally become bored of it. Though it may work if someone will blast you, something like ‘forget what happened gun’ or I might call it ‘Amnesia-i-nator’, sounds familiar? If it did, yeah, I didn’t come up with that on my own.

Well, anyway I along with Riela and led by Aru-ia are lost in this Island. That Aru-ia, she even insisted on leading the way around this island. With some acceptable reasons, we let her lead the way since she is from this world and called herself receiver of the visitors; little did we know that time the consequences of that decision.

**************************

“So, where are we going?” Riela abruptly ask after Aru-ia came back from woods and rejoined the two of us with 3 large leaves, folded and formed of some sort of container.

“We will be going to the center of this island. There should be someone there to transfer us to the Explorer Plains.” Aru-ia replied to answer the sudden or perhaps an expected question as she continues to arrange 3 containers then gave us one each.

“Explorer Plains? Transfer us?” Riela curiously ask as she receives the container, or should I say a small bag.

“Yes, you see, this island is like a starting point to you, Visitors, to receive and welcome the beings from another world to our world, which is the main purpose of the Birth Island and me.” Aru-ia explained. “And going to the center of this island is a way to get to the Explorer plains,".

“And, the Explorer Plains is?” Riela follow up question ask.

“Explorer Plains will be the first step of the journey of a thousand miles” Aru-ia smiles as she answered in vague manner.

“ … ”

A vague answer and an awkward silence then occurred.

That concluded the talk with Aru-ia regarding the expedition that we’re going to embark in, and with Riela caressing the temples of her head, too much exposure in talking with that woman will soon take a toll on someone’s brain, seems Riela anticipated quite early so she stops halfway in that conversation. And here I am thinking I could do the same of what she did to me, being a mischievously smiling spectator.

**************************

And as of now we are in the middle of nowhere, though the scenery looks great, I think it’s only a simple consolation for being lost here, doesn’t sound too bad.

Aru-ia is looking around together with Riela for quite some time now and here I am enjoying the scenery that has been in my view for quite a while now.

I see large mountain range blocking the view to the horizon and a big cylindrical megalithic monument at my left, probably where we should go since that the only place where there aren’t threes occupying it and practically the only thing standing out in my field of green trees, not that I’m complaining since it was a forest to begin with, I think.

As for why I, the only man in a team consisting of two girls and one guy is enjoying a time just for him, rather than doing the scouting that the two girls are doing.

I am a lazy being; person; individual; and existence. All that with head ups high that is my pride and joy.

At the very least that’s what I think.

In the midst of that time where the meaning of my own existence is slowly being fulfilled, I heard a sudden rustle of grass and a breaking of a brittle branch, a little cliché but it’s pretty effective, thus bringing the advent of the interruption of ‘MY TIME’.

Yeah, I should it call it that from now on, ‘MY TIME’. Tentative name as it is, but it will do for now.

“Miho, how are the things up there.” a voice tried to call out to me

Just from hearing that voice, I recognize the one calling me, it was Riela, she seems to be quite fond of calling my name.

Currently I am sitting in a branch big and sturdy enough to support a person of a tall tree, I climbed it for two purposes, first is to get a relaxing spot to rest which I am able to do just a moment ago and second to get a bird's-eye view of our current position and where are we supposed to go from here.

“It’s pretty good up here,” I jokingly said to invoke a bit envy to her.

“Uhm… c-can I climb too?” Riela replied with a tone full of enviousness.

I was only purely joking on that statement but she did receive it as an honest note. I decided to come down from the tree to report what I saw up there, it was well by the team received since it opens a solution to our current situation and so we marched our way to the direction of which I indicated.

Riela and I had a small chat on our way to the monument, I noticed that Aru-ia was quiet for quite some time since we lost our way here with her leading the way, maybe she’s depressed.

Based on what has happened during our way here I can barely guess what she is been moping about for a while now but I’ll leave for later. It should make her occupied for the moment, in short getting back at her or some sort of petty revenge.

The three of us then arrive at the place of the monument later that day, I guess it is about late afternoon since the sky looks a bit of red, no maybe orange is a better color to describe it.

Upon closer inspection the place is like a large empty reception hall with eight giant spiked pillars of stone stretching to the sky, very much similar to the place where I first woke up in this island, and played upon; but with different designs in each pillar and in the middle a small floating orb is placed.

Aru-ia dispirited aura vanished when we were just more or less 20 or 15 steps away from the border of the monument place, I somehow missed that depressed Aru-ia just now and with her brimming with energy she told us that she will go ahead of which Riela and I permitted. She then ran off with a graceful running, graceful enough to question myself why I call it that, Riela as always just observe the event with amusement in her eyes.

When both of us, arrived at the border of the place Aru-ia was standing there along with 7 girl-like figures, each with different features, maybe these are the representative of the other races that Aru-ia mentions in her story, with distinction of the respective race characteristics that each of these representatives have, they all resembles a human physique.

“Welcome to the Core of Birth Island! Our dear, Visitors! ,"

The eight bows slowly with elegance and grace, just like princesses bowing before their prince, let it slide that I am the prince for now. They stood up after with Aru-ia wearing a gleeful smile, enough to make you forget she was depressed a while ago.

“Ah… Nice to meet you, I’m Riela”, she introduced herself with a smile and a waving hand.

“I-I’m Miho, nice to meet all of you!” I said as to follow-up after Riela in our introduction to the group.

While I was it, I noticed that everyone eyes except for Aru-ia is blank, more like lifeless of some sort.

I discussed it with Riela shortly after our small the introduction to the group that greeted us a while ago.

Sensing that the greetings are done, the group of representatives bowed to us and began walking towards the floating orb thing at the center of the place in synch.

Are they Dolls?

Maybe those so called NPC’s?

Either way they’re weird, the greeting they made so hollow like a robot.

DOLLS

I’ll call them that from now on.

With the expression and the way they act, it’s as if they are just puppets made to follow a certain order, nothing more nothing less, all except for Aru-ia.

Why is that though? ...

And I think I shouldn’t venture on too much on that topic for now so I’ll leave it as that.

Aru-ia then leaves the group of representative and heads towards us, running---again… gracefully.

[How can you even run gracefully?]

I’m thinking another useless thought, ugh… she will again talk to me in my mind again if I keep this up, So I have to free my mind of these useless thoughts.

Now that I mentioned it, she hasn’t done the talking with my mind thing since we left that spot, maybe she is being considerate for some reason.

Ah! Yes I remember the term for that, Telepathy.

I’ll call it that from now on since calling it ‘taking with someone’s mind’ is too long.

While I was in that shallow thought the DOLLS have already gathered around the floating orb and started talking of some sort of language I didn’t understand but vaguely I thought they were chanting some spell then the orb started to become large, large enough to cover the whole area beneath it, us included.

Riela was too engrossed at the sight of the orb enlargement engulfing the whole area that she didn’t notice that Aru-ia is already beside her, apparently trying to do a prank but failed miserably since Riela is ignoring her. Feeling dejected that she cannot handle the current state of Riela, she then directed her attention to me while walking towards me.

[Well, aren’t you a sore loser…]

“Shall I tell you the purpose of the big orb?” Aru-ia casually says.

“Nah! I think it has something to do with going to the explorer plains that you mention”

“Heh...So, you actually listened huh?”

“You make it sound like I never listened to anything”

“Well you do have that aura!”

“Excuse me for that then”

“You’re pardoned.”

“That was easy, maybe I should have not listened at all.” I replied while shrugging my shoulders.

“Well, that should pose you some trouble in the future then.” Aru-ia giggles as she answered.

As we continued to chat away with nonsensical things, the orb had stopped its enlargement; it became so big enough that I could only see the lower hemisphere of the orb.

Will it crash and flatten us out?

The scary and funny of a thought ran through my mind while I was being led by Aru-ia toward the center of the place where the orb was initially placed with the DOLLS gathering around it.

“I think it won’t crush and flatten us out, Miho” Riela said suddenly interrupting my thoughts, while walking beside me with the same pace of the dragging Aru-ia.

[Huh? Riela you can also read minds?]

Riela stares at me curiously then clasp her hands as if she already figured out something she been wondering.

“Ehehe… Nope, I didn’t read you mind, Miho” Riela said with all smiles.

[Ugh… Spot on, are all girls’ mind readers?]

“Ehehe… In some way or another, a woman can read a man’s mind, you know!”

“Hmmm…is that so”

“It is so, Miho”

Yep! Better avoid interacting to girls from here on out.

And she really had taken a liking to mutter my name out loud.

Odd girl, Yes

An odd girl but nice

Still an odd girl

With that our little chat end and now in front of the DOLLS bowing their heads at the beautifully done 45 degrees angle, I think.

And at the center of them where the previously small orb was placed, and now is an enormous orb floating above us waiting for a chance to flatten the things beneath it, is a glowing white thin line that connects the ground and the south pole of the floating orb.

The orb then began to move clock-wise and stopped when it has reached 90 degrees angle making the thin line large.

It’s like the view of a chopping board

The thing I compared it, might be a little distasteful but it sure does makes things easier to understand.

[ Now what? ]

Seriously now what?