Not the Afterlife

Cy stood outside with a disgruntled expression on his face, holding his fishing rod. This wasn't how he typically felt, and he didn't like it.

Perhaps he would have thought twice before assuming the role of clan leader if he had realized that defending a clan required serving as a mediator for fifty distinct people. However, given his own impetuous nature, it is unlikely.

He was still unable to provide Perla with what she desired.

He walked to his favorite fishing location, the intersection of the four rivers. Inexplicably, prism-fin, his and Perla's favorite shellfish, were drawn here, while the sound of rushing water from the neighboring waterfall purified the air.

Despite the unpleasant conversation with his sister, Cy felt strangely at ease as he stood here and watched the water smash into smooth rock and the fish swim around his legs. The elders said he should have forgotten his arrival in this world, but he was reminded of it.

However, he vaguely remembered the icy splash of water and a ray of light. He should have been crushed by the speed at which he had fallen from the sky, but a clan member had managed to hold the five-year-old boy in their arms. Later on, he found out that the old sage Carmine had foreseen the occurrence.

Cy dropped his fishing rod now, overcome by a peculiar sense. Instinctively, he looked up and saw a revealing gleam in the sky. Three years ago, shortly after Kariken's passing, the village's final expansion was brought in. The clan's brightest members believed that their world had stabilized and that if they ingested any more, someone else would be expelled.

It had been a long since anyone had died, but judging by the sky, someone would soon.

Cy stretched his arms and prepared himself. Nevertheless, he was taken aback when a warm body that was not much smaller than his own fell. The weight caused him to stumble, and before he could straighten himself, he and the girl were both in the water.

Cy dragged himself up and extended a hand to her, his arms aching in protest.

Though he wasn't sure if it would help, he introduced himself to her as Cy. The last visitor had been silent.

Knowing how confusing that would be to hear, he whispered softly, "Welcome to Reverie."

The girl pushed her damp locks out of her eyes and muttered, "I-I..." She wore shoes of a strange, smooth substance that looked like shining rock, leggings that terminated at her knees, and a thick green shirt.

Peeling his eyes from his analysis of her appearance, Cy looked her in the eye. Despite his impatience, he asked, "Yes?" The fact that he ought to have brought the fish home by now irritated him. Taking a prism-fin in his hands, he descended into the shallow water and smashed it against a rock. Their fangs were sharp.

The intensity of his acts made the girl start. His patience was lacking.

Just follow me, please. I'll provide you with food and clothing. What is your name? He succeeded, a tinge of frustration in his voice that he attempted to hide.

The girl remained motionless while keeping a wary eye on him.

Waiting, he put the fish down and used the same technique to catch another. He almost glared at her when he had four. "Come on. It's growing dark, and you can't survive alone in an unfamiliar country.

The girl wrapped her arms about herself and stammered, "How can I—why am I here—I shouldn't be—"

Despite her objections, he took her arm and guided her through the hamlet. They avoided the narrower alleys and passed the restaurant where Perla worked and closed stores. Cy took her into the woods at the end of the main street. Now she followed more grudgingly, silently taking in her surroundings. He knew the expression. She was plotting something, maybe an escape. He was not interested in knowing. He would stop her if she crossed the boundary.

He was happy with the silence for the moment. Somehow, he knew she would be joining them, so he took her down the clan-only trail. Perhaps as a janitor or nurse, if not in combat. Something in her eyes conveyed that she wasn't prepared to quit up, no matter what obstacles she had encountered.

The route wasn't very long, but her methodical, sluggish movements made it seem as though ghosts from the past were holding her up. Cy pushed her forward, feeling rough. He always felt elderly when caring for people in this way, a weight that his age shouldn't allow.

Can't you move quickly? It is become quite gloomy.

Deep shadows were created by the wind rustling through the trees after the sun had set. Cy knew the girl would soon be stumbling, even though he could walk the road backward on his hands.

Cy lit his right hand on fire, readjusting the sack of fish over his shoulder and drawing her in spite of her resistance. The fire gave his hair a deeper violet tint and the soil a rich orange glow.

The girl let out a yell and withdrew as she saw the fire. She gave him a fingershake.

Cy's left arm sprang out to shield her lips after he dropped the fish. His face twisted. "Stop talking!" he yelled.

A few seconds went by. He appeared to gather himself.

"What is it?" His throat was rough as he rasped.

The girl inhaled but remained silent. His rage hadn't helped, and he could tell she didn't trust him.

He dared to ask, "You're scared of fire?"

Her wide eyes watched him as if he were a strange animal, but she didn't answer.

All he could say was, "Well, don't be." He couldn't be harmed by the flames he summoned, but he assumed the instinct was instinctual. Capturing fire and using it as a weapon and a guide was remarkable.

He saw her looking at his right hand, which was still softly burning.

He guessed, "Are you surprised I'm not burned?" To reveal the tattoo around his neck, he tugged at his collar. I'm an Ignis Clan member. Fire is something we do. That's what we do.

The straightforward answer would have to do. They continued on, cutting through a stand of woods that led them to the clan's headquarters. His stomach rumbled, causing the girl to burst out laughing.

He glared at her before continuing.

Finally, they came to a boulder that closed off a tiny cavern. Cy spread his flames around the side of the rock, turning it clear. He stepped through the rock, held the girl's hand, and let the fire in his hand go out. He sensed her hesitation and gave her a little squeeze to reassure her.

The cave was not a cave at all inside. This was an illusion created by the sages to conceal the clan village from outsiders.

Cy guided the girl toward one of the more noticeable cabins on the hill, past the overgrown bushes by the door.

"Sis! With a shout, "Got the fish!" he pushed past the cloth door and kicked off his shoes. The sack was tossed upon the supper table by him.

Perla came out of the kitchen with a disinterested expression. And you only needed an eternity? It's getting faster every day, bro. I suppose all of your preparation is paying off.

Ignoring her remark, Cy quickly gestured for the girl to take a seat. After retrieving the four fish, he skillfully started using a blade to skin them.

As Perla examined their guest, her snark subsided. We haven't had someone new in a very long time. What is your name?

"Cera," the girl said in a low voice.

"What have you endured to reach this point?" Perla's voice was no less perceptive, but it had lost its sharpness.

Cera steadied her gaze on Perla. Cy had the same feeling of the elder girl: she still had some strength left.

"Am I able to trust you?" Cera whispered.

Perla responded wryly, "Well, I don't know." "Am I able to trust you?"

The girl admitted, seemingly content, "I'm dead, aren't I? And the afterlife is this.

Perla was quiet for a while. She took a seat next to Cera and softly put an arm around her. Though Perla realized it was likely more for her own benefit, the gesture was intended to be consoling.

"You do recall that much, don't you?" "Softly," she said. "I don't remember who I was or how I ended up here."

However, the majority of individuals are like that, she continued. "He's the one who remembers the most," she said, nudging her brother. He uses it as an excuse to act rudely half the time.

From the other side of the room, Cy's voice interrupted, "It's not the afterlife." It's a different realm that is just as real as the others, but it's far away. The world you are familiar with is only slightly different from other dimensions. For starters, this one is entirely different since it has magic.

"But I'm not dead yet—" Cera twisted away from Perla and insisted. "I saw my body—I—" She let out a cry, feeling as though she was dying again, her heart squeezing weakly and desperately.

Perla spoke in a calming voice, "Shh, shh." She had no consoling words to offer, but she gave Cera a serene grin that was both devastating and serene.

With tears running down her cheeks, Cera let out a whine. "I witnessed my funeral," she whispered. "And my dad is crying." I have never witnessed him cry.

Cy and Perla exchanged a meaningful glance. One's recollection is often distorted when traveling between dimensions. The fact that Cera's were undamaged implied that she had a conduit of some sort that held its qualities in spite of adversity. She would have to take Carmine's huge exam first thing tomorrow to find out her limits.

Cy, however, skinned the last of the fish for the time being. He lighted it with a finger after dropping the pieces into a cauldron. He picked up salt and pepper, tossed the fish in the mixture, and then he put the pot lid on and let it simmer.

He asked Perla, "Has the tofu been heated up yet?" In answer, she put the tray on the table with gloved hands.

Cy put the rice on to steam while the fish boiled.

"Dinner is ready," he said happily.

Cera's belly rumbled. Despite being taken aback by the noise, she staggered to her feet. "How may I assist?"

She was waived away by Perla. "My dear, you are a visitor. Let's take care of it.

Perla sliced some venison and sprinkled it over the tofu as a flavor, along with the fish and tofu.

With unfathomable passion in his eyes, Cy remarked, "Now it's truly a northern dish." "Thank you, sis."

Perla laid out chopsticks and scooped the rice into three bowls. "Come on now. I am famished.

They all concurred. Cy started feeding himself with fish, picking out the jagged bones with care. Even after they died, prism-fin were notoriously hazardous despite their succulent nature.

Despite Perla's objections, Cera assisted her in washing the dishes after supper.

"You feel better now, don't you?" Perla inquired, keeping a wary eye on Cera, as though anticipating a breakdown.

Cera forced a tiny smile. "Watching you two joke around makes me miss my days on the North Shore." similar to what my pals would say to one another.

"The North Shore is where you're from?" Cy entered with a pitying tone. "That is awful."

"Stupid!" To protect her brother's hearing, Perla moved away from the sink. "Don't worry about him. He is an idiot.

Cera wasn't discouraged and said, "Wait." "Are you aware of the location of the North Shore?"

"Yes," Cy released himself from his sister's hold and looked at Cera directly. He gave his hair a shake to restore its tangle. "I guess we needed another Terran around here for a while."

"You... are also from Terra?" Cera looked as shocked as though she were seeing a long-lost twin again.

Cy shouted, not liking the way she was staring at him, "No, I fell straight off the moon, stupid." He would not be her lovable teddy bear.

He dismissed the filthy look that Perla gave him. She was shocked by her brother's lack of concern. She assumed that was just revenge for everything he did for the clan, even though he was generally harsh to her. It was a new low for him to vent his annoyance on a visitor.

Cera was as unimpressed. "Probably," she snorted, her cheeks starting to flush again. "Dumbass, you obviously cracked your skull on the way down."

Perla started giggling. Cy had a lethal appearance. The living room's torches flashed menacingly. With a simple flip of her palms, his older sister put out the fire and rolled her eyes.

Cy's gaze expanded. He insisted, "How did you learn to do that?"

Perla hesitated for a second.

"Hey, where do I get to sleep tonight?" Cera interrupted, glancing about as if bored.

"Right there on that cot," Cy said with ease. Before either of them could utter another thing, he rushed outside.

Perla let out a sigh as the adrenaline subsided when they were alone themselves. Stretching, she sank onto a wooden chair. "That one becomes more difficult every day. It must be puberty, in my opinion. She took a big breath and smiled slightly at Cera. "I must express my gratitude for saving me there. I don't want to tell that small one my secrets just yet. She smiled again when a shadow passed across her face.

Cera felt she looked lovely, if a little drained, in the candlelight.

"Is there any chance you could teach me how to manage fire?" Hating to impose any more, Cera asked.

After a moment of looking surprised, Perla's face softened into a half-laugh. "Yes, of course. However, only if you pass Carmine's major exam.

The younger girl nervously twirled her brown hair. "And what is that?"

"You'll see first thing tomorrow morning." Perla had also lost her smile.