Chapter 5: Campsite

We slept for one more night, but right after that, we found a Itone camp site.

“Is that it?” Emi asked,

“Yes. On the count of 3, come out of the bushes with your hands up.” Emi and Uoun nodded, “1, 2, 3”

Emi, Uoun, and I, came out of the bushes with our hands up, walking towards the Itone campsite.

“We surrender!” We said in unison. The Itone soldiers looked towards us, looked at eachother, and shrugged.

One soldier looked at us intimidatingly, put handcuffs on us, and brought us to a small area beside the camp. While he seemed intimidating at first, this was broken by what he said,

“Don’t worry. This is just until we’ve confirmed you’re not a threat.” The soldier grinned at us.

As that soldier left, another one came. He searched us for weapons and such.

In the distance, I observed the meeting that was being held among the soldiers. While I couldn’t hear it very well, I occasionally heard people scream. I heard words that confirmed, they were swaying in our direction.

It felt oddly nostalgic. Back in the little hole. Being judged. Maybe, just maybe, a shadow of a woman like Akafmowa will appear.

No, Akafmowa was one-of-a-kind.

2 soldiers came to us, and brought us to the camp.

They asked us questions, like, “How did you escape?” “Why did you escape?” Questions like that.

When they were finished, they all voted.

“All who are in favor of letting them in, raise your hand.” The vote swayed to us with 15 to 18 in favor of letting us into the country.

And we were allowed out of the handcuffs, and given a small card by a soldier.

“This is a card for identification. Write your name and age on the line.”

In this world, I knew how to read and write. In fact, it’s the same reading and writing system as Akafwhuwa. I just finally decided to learn it.

I wrote the name, Iro, and wrote that I was 8.

Emi and Uoun did the same.

The soldiers pointed us in the right direction, and we walked.

As we walked, we ran into another group of soldiers, and they checked our ID.

We finally got to the border of Itone. There was a large wall, with a small gate at the front. The wall was made of a material similar to stone, but was tinted with a shade of blue.

The border had an aura to it. The wagon’s dark inside. The soldier’s helmets were filled with despair.

The soldiers at the border asked for our IDs. I handed it over, it was checked, and we were let into the country.

Inside the wall, was a large city. From the entrance, the land was restaurants and inns as far as the eye could see.

“Let's go find an inn! I bet they’re really nice here!” Uoun yelled, trying to speak up over the crowd.

I don’t think he truly understood that he was leaving his homeland for good. It’s like a fun vacation to him.

Emi wasn’t much different, as she happily agreed.

“Alright. This is where I go. See you.” I lifted my right arm, as a goodbye gesture, but someone grabbed it.

“You can’t leave! You brought us here! Showed us the way! You have to carry through!” Emi exclaimed.

“I never agreed to anything like that. I brought you here. That’s the end of our journey together. Now I’m going to become an adventurer. Maybe one day I’ll bring you some loot.” I calmly addressed.

“Iro! If you leave now, we’ll just be helpless kids! I don’t know why, but you seem so grown up… You’re our leader… You can truly be somewhat of a guardian to us!” Emi cried.

Inside, the thought of making a “Friend” scared me. How could I just expect to get along with someone when I’ve murdered their kind before. How am I supposed to just act normal?

I can’t. That’s why I’ll brush them off.

“Sorry. I have a goal I need to reach.” I said.

As I walked away, I thought, “What is my goal?”

I know that eventually everything will fade away again.

Everything will shatter.

So what’s the point?

Why do I keep trying to be an adventurer?

Why do I keep trying to be a hero?

What about that benefits me?

Maybe after I murder a few billion more people, everything will become normal.

This emptiness will disappear.