Gliding across the vast ocean at tremendous speed in my orb of amber lightning and silver flames, I quickly spotted the coast of another continent coming into view. "This the correct place?"
'Yep.' Thorn affirmed dryly. 'Sifo said something about the capital being surrounded by rainforests, right? Should be the right place. Even if it's not, you'll find it eventually. Not like you can't run around the planet in ten seconds if you wanted to.'
Sprinting off the sea's surface and onto the continent, my legs carried me across the land, following the roads for a few seconds before the air and space traffic filled the sky with a surge of spaceships.
I guess we were heading in the right direction, I thought quietly.
Picking up the pace, I infused more aether into the speed enhancement around my legs, sending me flying across the continent even faster with a faded boom.
Running along the edge of a lush, wet rainforest, I figured I had to be getting closer to Idaten-II's capital by now. As I reached the end of the rainforest, my foot stamped into the ground and I slid several meters across the damp grass before coming to a halt.
"Here we are." Looking into the distance, I saw the five massive space cruisers I'd arrived with docked at a station high in the sky. They appeared no bigger than my thumb from this distance.
The technologically marvellous city beneath the blue sky glowed with different lights despite it only being midday, casting the city in a futuristic rainbow of hues. Small ships darted around the skyscrapers at the heart of the city, which gradually shrank in height toward the outskirts.
It was as if the entire city had been turned into a bar chart, with the tallest and largest buildings clustered at the centre, all built around one colossal tower, as imposing as it was magnificent.
Materializing onto my shoulder, Thorn let out a little snark. "How much do you think Idaten's three stooges are compensating?"
"Not enough, I bet." I said, as a buzz filled my jacket. Reaching into the pocket, I pulled out a small silver mirror encased in a transparent green box. "I guess we're right on time."
Tapping the outside of the box with my bandaged finger, a woman wearing a blindfold appeared on the other side. "Good evening, Strife. I trust your journey from the Glemhi continent was tasteful?"
"Of course, you knew about that already." Thorn tutted, sounding annoyed. "We took in the sights and visited a few landmarks. What's your point in calling us through the mirror?"
"Our informant has revealed where he'd like to meet, but he says he'll only talk with you, Traveler. The mirror will guide you. Enjoy your free time until then." The mirror's surface faded to green, returning to its normal reflective state and displaying a street name and store name in the planet's dialect.
"She's the same as ever." Huffing through my nose, I gathered my aether once again, preparing to kick off the ground and head to the location.
Du-dush!!
Before I moved, a boom of thunder echoed through the sky, and dark grey rain clouds began to form. The sky above the futuristic city suddenly filling with a storm.
"How fancy." Thorn remarked, just as I shot off in search of the meeting point.
After some time, I arrived at the city outskirts, standing beneath the patio of a restaurant, taking cover from the harsh rain that splashed onto the road, houses, and trees just beyond the city's edge.
I cupped my hands together, reaching out into the rain, watching it gather within my palms and form a small pool of water. The rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting the roof above and the rustling of trees filled my sensitive ears as I got lost in the moment. Unaware of anything else, I watched the water steadily leak out through the gaps between my fingers and drip onto the concrete.
"What's that moron doing?"
"Just leave him, and drink your beer. Not our issue."
The voices of customers inside the restaurant drifted through the window. They shared drinks and meals, but I paid them no mind, still engrossed in the rain pooling in my hands.
Raising my hands to my face, I drank the rainwater, feeling its cold, sharp taste slide down my throat before wiping my hands against the soft black material of my long coat.
Holding up my right hand, I stared at the neat bandages wrapped around it, recalling how I'd gotten them. Once, when I was younger, I had taken a special flame for myself, causing my arm to burn as I held it. It's funny how I tossed that sizzling flame aside a few years afterward. That was a very long time ago now.
"All citizens, please remain indoors! This is a level-seven storm!" A hovering aircraft flew overhead, blasting the warning across the city. "Close all doors and windows to prepare for potential flooding in the streets! The CGA has emergency response ready, but please understand manpower is limited! Please note that the festival will be postponed for three days until the streets are dried and decorations are fixed!"
Rubbing my ears in annoyance at the loudspeakers, I wasted no time adjusting the pink beanie on my head and ears, muffling the storm of sounds around me. My eardrums stopped itching as the noise became more bearable.
"Please remain indoors! Please remain indoors—" The hovering aircraft continued its message, flying away to annoy others with its yelling speakers and thrumming engines.
Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, I turned slightly and saw a group of five young men walking out of the inn and into the rain with umbrellas. I stepped aside and watched them rush past.
"Come on, come on! Mom's going to kill us if she finds out we came here!"
"Slow down! We only have two umbrellas!"
Watching the boys struggle to huddle together under their limited cover, I couldn't help but be curious. My silver eyes tracked them as they hurried through puddles down the flooded path leading deeper into the city.
Once they were gone, my attention turned back to the drenched forest. The rain was relentless, soaking the grass and leaves, leaving the birds in their nests and the animals with caves the luckiest in this storm.
As I ambled past the bushes, a black wolf with white horns and misty eyes, soaked to the bone, stepped toward me. It shook its entire body, spraying water everywhere, and a single leaf landed on its head as it sat down beside me, happier now that it was dry.
"You have fun hunting?" I asked, leaning down to grab the leaf stuck to the ghostly wolf's forehead.
"Eh, despite the giant spiders and the sudden mega-storm, I'd say I did. Got a meal of those gummy snakes, which are rare. Ate a whole family. It was brilliant." The wolf's gravelly voice had a whimsical tone despite the crassness of its words.
"I could hear you fighting something big from here. What was it?" I asked.
"Daw, you were worried for me, weren't you? That's a first."
Rolling my eyes, I regretted fuelling the wraith's ego. "Forget I asked. I was just curious."
"You're curious about everything, despite how old you are." The wolf shot back. "Why couldn't I be parasitized with someone who at least knows that every rock is just a rock, no matter how translucent it is?"
"You already know I'm just interested in things I've never seen before, Thorn."
With a huff, Thorn preached back, "After sixty-thousand years stuck with your emotionless butt, I'd think you'd be bored of everything by now, Strife."
"Each planet we visit has a secluded charm," I whispered, gazing up at the dripping sky. A giant snake slithered through the grey clouds. "But blankness is never one of them. I wonder why that is?"
"Oh no. Oh no, no, no! We've had this debate before and I'm not starting this with you again, Strife." The wolf stamped its wet paws into the wooden patio, its silver teeth bared. "There can't be absolutely nothing in something! I was right, and you were wrong!"
Frowning slightly, I muttered, "I still can't accept that a void is something exactly because it's a void. It's supposed to be nothingness. The reasoning is there, but I don't like it."
"Just accept it and move on. Worked wonders for us so far, you poshly dressed lunatic." Thorn huffed, shaking his paws dry. After a brief silence, he spoke again. "Oh yeah, any idea if 'that one' has kicked the bucket yet?"
Looking down from the sky once the gigantic snake vanished into the storm, I held my chin and thought briefly. "You would know as well if he had. I could access the
"Yeah..." sighing loudly, the black wolf lowered its head. "I never should have logged onto the
"It has been a while, and I like [Traveler On a Journey]." I placed my hands behind my back and huffed. "Compared to my other epithets, it's the least cringy and egotistical."
"But it's also just as hated as your second favourite: [Evil Spirit of Revelation]." Thorn huffed, digging his claws into my coat. "Please, just switch it to [Imaginary Knight of Insanity] and let me watch something. I want to laugh at those dumber than me~!"
"Hmm, no. You can have fun later. The person we're looking for is finally on his way here." Bending down, I lowered my right hand toward Thorn's feet, waiting for him to climb up my arm. "Come on, we should go where it's warm while we wait."
Moaning aloud, the wolf reluctantly shrank its corporeal body, morphing into a bird with the size of a raven and the tail feathers of a peacock, black and silver. "Fine, fine. Not like there's anything else I can convince you to do." Thorn climbed up my bandaged hand and perched on my shoulder.
Twisting on my boot heels, I headed inside the restaurant, sitting down at a lone table while I waited for the person I was supposed to meet. The creator of this storm, no doubt.