6. Point

???: “Bosso, the usual.”

That voice… It sounds womanly…That silhouette… It’s coming closer, revealing its green cloak, and the curly black hair…

I know who this is! It's Thorne, my savior!

Fervil: “You came, huh? I have something to tell you.”

Thorne: “Huh? What’s this? Just toss me the bottle, will you? I’ve got things to do.”

Fervil: “Look, just come here alright? It’s important.”

Thorne: “Tch..”

I might forget my own name, but thanking Thorne for saving my life? That's my top priority. Now that Thorne is here, I might have a chance to say it. I turned around, still having an unpleasant burning sensation in my tongue, I began to move my mouth.

Me: “Hey Thorne, thanks for sav-”

As I was about to finish my sentence, Thorne walked quickly past me, totally ignoring my gratitude. Their swaying green cloak bounced my words away.

I missed my chance again, or perhaps Thorne did not recognize me at all? In any case, I don’t think it’s the right time to thank Thorne.

Me: “ *Sigh…* “

Thorne then stopped at the end of the bar, probably to avoid interacting with us.

Fervil: “Why do you walk over there?”

Thorne: “Just get to the point, Bosso. I don’t have time for this.”

Fervil: “I heard you went together with Jevannah, yes?”

Thorne: “Yeah. What of it?”

Fervil: “The guy pays you no small amount for that rescue. At this point, you’re on the top of the tab.”

Thorne: “...So what?”

Fervil: “So what? You’ve got yourself a CELEBRATION! I’ve got a nice drink for you, and it’s on me.”

Thorne: “Huh? No thanks. Just give the darn bottle already. I’m busy.”

Fervil: “Ah, lies again! I don’t have the bottles right now, so just stick with me alright? Fresh from the tube, straight into the mug, and it’s FREE! All for your achievements.”

When Fervil said that, I saw a couple of bottles stored inside a dark cabinet below a glass tube. Look who’s lying here.

Thorne: “Tch… Fine…”

As Thorne takes a seat, Fervil walks over to Thorne, then grabs Thorne’s cloak effortlessly with their huge arm, lifting Thorne up.

Thorne: “ACK, HEY! LET OFF ME!”

Fervil: “Why do you sit so far? Look to your left, your friends are eager to celebrate with you.”

Thorne: “They.. aren’t my friends! ARGH!”

Thorne kept flailing their arms and legs, struggling to get off from Fervil’s grab.

Fervil: “Enough babbling, will you? I’m helping you to get yourself known more!”

Thorne: “NOO! LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Fervil then slams Thorne to the seat beside Oskar. This time, Thorne reluctantly accepts it. Fervil then gave the drink to Thorne, in which Thorne quickly gulps it. After that, Thorne slams the mug to the counter before standing up.

Thorne: “Done. Now I need to go-”

Fervil: “Uh, no, not yet!” Fervil grabs Thorne's right arm. It looks like Thorne has the same arm size as myself. Overshadowed by Fervil’s arm size, there’s no way Thorne can let go of their arm.

Fervil: “You still haven’t told me your stories, eh? Since I gave you a free drink, you ought to tell me some. Fair thing, yes? Hehe.”

Thorne: “You and your tricks… Ugh, fine!”

Thorne then sat back on the stool, continuing to entertain Fervil’s antics. From their conversation, Thorne does not seem to fit a description of a mute person, a nickname Regan uses when yelling to Thorne. I wonder where this mockery nickname come from.

Me: “Hey, Regan. You said to Thorne before that Thorne is a mute. Where did that come from?”

Regan: “Hey, keep your voice down when the guy’s here!”

Regan then began whispering to my ear.

Regan: “It’s not literal mute. The MUTE stands for Must Utter Terrible Exclamation. M.U.T.E. Get it?”

Me: “Wha? What does that even mean?”

Regan: “It comes from Thorne’s previous torchbearer group. Apparently Thorne does not fare well when it comes to… socialization.”

Me: “How so?”

Regan: “Thorne cannot accept criticism well… Thorne always denies it, stubbornly holding onto their point. Thorne thinks they are right, and we are mistaken. There is a reason why Thorne suits so well as a scout.”

Regan: “You see, Thorne used to be mocked to the point wher-”

Thorne: “TCH..”

That tongue clicking sound, it’s louder than before. Did Thorne hear our whispers? Moreover, Thorne is looking at us menacingly.

Thorne: “You...”

Uh oh.

Oskar: “But, the rumors about The Wandering Compatriots, they were true, right?”

Fervil: “Hey, enough. Can you just calm down-”

Thorne: “What the FUCK you know about them, HUH? Rumors and rumors, yet you never saw it at all. What are you even doing then, HUH, sleepy stick?”

Oskar: “N..no...! Not that name!”

Thorne: “Screw you all! You, you, you, and YOU!”

Wait, what? Why is Thorne pointing at me? That big YOU is clearly pointing at me.

Thorne: “I wish I didn’t take this job.”

Fervil: “Hey, Wait!”

Thorne then ran quickly to the exit, leaving only a silhouette.

Oskar: “...This drink has turned sour. I think I had enough for today.”

Oskar then left the bar too, sad and weary, like they had been humiliated. This poorly lit bar atmosphere suddenly turned gloomy.

Fervil: “I can’t believe it… It’s all my fault.”

Regan: “I thought I warned you before.”

Fervil: “I just wanted to lighten up the mood…”

No way… My savior… Is that what my savior thought about me?

…

I don’t get it. What did I do wrong here? Am I wrong for simply existing here? Why am I here anyway? In this place where I know nothing, and forgotten memories from the past… To wake up here is such a mistake. Why would you people rescue someone that is practically useless, have no understanding of the terminology, and most of all, have no idea why they are here in the first place. Instead of me, they should rescue someone else…

Me: “What Thorne just said, am I a mistake here?”

Regan: “What are you talking about?”

Me: “I shouldn’t be here, right? I mean, a person who is no good in this place… You could’ve rescued someone else who is more useful than me…”

Fervil: “Why would you say that? You hit your head hard or something?”

Regan: “At what point did you ever think you are not useful?”

Me: “...At that tomb, I made you guys wait for me. Then, when we walked to the first stairs, I kept asking about irrelevant stuff. When we were fighting the Undeaths, I didn’t do anything. I just watched, and screamed, getting myself into trouble. Then, at those giant rubbles, I wounded my foot. Surely this cloth here could be used elsewhere, and then…”

Regan: “And then what?”

Me: “Then… Then…”

Me: “You should’ve… not…”

Regan: “Save you, huh?”

When Regan said that, I felt a powerful force crashing on my left cheek. Its power sent my head almost banging on the counter. This burning pain is real, as if I was snapped to reality.

Regan: “Is that what you’re thinking about? Don’t you forget about our conversation earlier at the outskirts? WE SACRIFICED OUR TIME, SWEAT, AND FUCKING BLOOD TO GET YOU HERE IN ONE PIECE! And look what we get? A drink for a soul?”

!!!

How could I forget that? The man who sits alone in the darkness… I even thought about what would happen if I do nothing…

What am I even saying?

I’m the worst.

Regan: “What you’ve said before, that is correct. We could’ve rescued someone else and left you to die. An ex-follower of torchbearers, or a guy who got lost in their way, I’m sure they are more useful than a frail guy like you. But, as a rescuer, is this the type of attitude to have?

Me: “...What are you saying?.”

Regan: “Oh look, a man lying down out of nowhere in absolute darkness. Oh look, this man lost one of their legs. Why bother saving them? Ha, let’s leave them behind! Let’s look for a man who is rich and knowledgeable in darkness!”

Me: “...No. That’s not right.”

Regan: “Then I ask you. Do you know why you are here?”

Me: “...No.”

Regan: “You are here because fate destined you to be so. The holy stones wished you to be here, right? I mean your spirit?”

Me: “...Fate? ...But, at that time, I didn’t know anything about my Spirit-”

Regan: “Do you not even trust your own Spirit? Do you believe in the words from Thorne more than yours?”

…

Regan: “If you did not trust your Spirit, fate would certainly bring you to death. But that contradicts now that you are here.”

Me: “...Are you saying that at that time, I am calling for help?”

Regan: “That is correct. You beg for help, and we, the torchbearers, deliver it, as fate decides.”

If what Regan says is true, then I am not here by mistake. I am here to do something.

Fervil: “Don’t beat yourself up about it, Baldy. I can always serve you a nice bubbly drink over here if you ever feel down. You should be glad these guys are the one who accompanies you. The other guys aren’t so nice.”

Regan: “You also said you are useless, right? Then I know someone who thinks otherwise.”

Me: “...Huh?”

Regan: “Follow me. We’ll meet this person now. Thanks for the drink, Fervil”

Regan then forcefully pulls my right hand to drag me out. I cannot resist it. Is this perhaps also fate?

As we began to leave the bar, Fervil bid us goodbye. I glanced back at Fervil and remembered the awful drink I had a while ago. The lingering bitter taste made me realize something.

I am truly glad to be alive.

***

In the middle of an open yellow field, Regan kept grabbing my hand, seemingly dragging me to somewhere.

Me: “Regan, can we stop for a moment? My arm hurts…”

Upon hearing that, Regan let go of my hand and turned around with a worried face.

Regan: “Ah, um, I’m sorry.”

Me: “No. I’m sorry.”

I have to apologize to Regan now. It would be embarrassing if I apologize when someone else is around. Now’s the chance.

Me: “I’m sorry I said something terrible back at the bar.”

Regan: “Well, don’t think too much about it. I’m also at fault for slapping you so hard.”

Me: “No, not at all. In fact, the slap made me snap out of my terrible thoughts.”

Regan: “Huh?”

Me: “At that time, when Thorne pointed their finger at me, I pondered about the moments we had when we were outside of the city. I think to myself that I was useless and I was no good. Even I doubted myself. If it weren’t for you guys, I… I…”

As I kept searching for the words, something inside me is swelling up, like a gush of liquid slowly rising to my nostrils, forcing me to sneeze out the bloodied cloth at my left nostrils.

Me: “...Thank you!”

Regan: “ ! “

Me: “...You guys worked hard to rescue me from that dark place. …You guys searched me through the darkness, …You guys protected me from the Undeaths, …You guys tied this cloth on my foot, I… I…”

The liquid then rises to my eyelids. My warm face from Regan’s slap turned warmer and warmer, before eventually reaches my eyelids.

A drop of water, one, two, three… It keeps dropping.

Me: “I’m scared! I… don’t want to die… I… I don’t want to!”

The thought of an Undeath about to claw my body with their two scythes is creeping to my mind. I recalled the moment where I am about to die. It’s true, I don’t want to die. I’m scared of death.

Then, out of nowhere, two arms circle on me, pushing my face into a dirty cloth. Strange, it’s dirty, the stains from the black goos is still there, but it’s warm to touch… as warm as the firestone.

…

If it’s not for them, I would be dead already…

…

I cried as hard as I could, tears wet Regan’s cloth, but my voices were muffled from Regan’s body.

Regan said nothing for the rest of the moment, but Regan acted as if they understood me from the inside.

In the middle of the field, illuminated by the giant shining firestone,I finally expressed my first gratitude.

***

We finally made it to the maroon building with some kind of triangle shape on their roof. The entrance of this building was decorated with carvings of many small strange drawings. I also saw a big carving of a man and an animal. Among all the buildings I’ve seen, this one’s the fanciest building in this city. Even fancier, this building lies beside the giant firestone.

This must be the place Jevannah mentioned earlier. Did that guy need something from me?

When we entered the building, I saw couple of yellow triangular statues on the left and right, and behind the statue on the left side, I saw a table board with two names on it, Jevannah and Fervil. Each of them have several small checkmarks beside their names, with Jevannah having more checkmarks than Fervil.

Me: “Jevannah and Fervil… Hey Regan, do you know anything about this board?”

Regan: “That? It’s an election board. Jevannah just got promoted into a mayor.”

What!?

…

We then take up the stairs into the second floor, where we find Jevannah, bald without that conical hat, sitting on a desk in the middle of the room. The desk is brown colored, with a rectangular shape, and above that desk lies a pile of papers and thin books. Jevannah then stands up.

Jevannah: “Welcome to my office. You arrived faster than I expected. I thought you would spend more time with Baldy, Regan, like… exploring the city.”

Regan: “Well, uh, I thought I would bring Baldy here first for urgent- uh, nevermind.”

Jevannah: “Huh?”

Jevannah's eyes switched to me while scratching their head.

Jevannah: “So, Baldy. I would like to talk about something, but first, I have to thank you.”

Me: “Thank me?”

Jevannah: “Yes. By rescuing you, I finally secured a mayor position in this city.”

Me: “Just by rescuing… Me?”

Jevannah: “Yes, let me explain. A couple of VINES ago, while I was meditating in front of firestone, I heard a whisper from my master.”

Me: “You mean your Spirit?”

Jevannah: “Yes. My master wishes to make a deal with me. My master said ‘A man rests in the tomb where nobody rests. ‘Rescue this man, bring your best warriors’, ‘If you accomplish that, I shall grant your wishes’. That’s what my master told me.”

Me: “That wish of yours is to become a mayor?”

Jevannah: “Exactly. At that time, I was trailing behind Fervil for quite a while, but since I don’t want to wait any further, I might as well do what my master says. The tomb is relatively safe though, but since my master wants me to bring the best warriors, I hired the best men in the city. It stretched my budget, but it didn’t disappoint me in the end.”

The best warriors, huh? I remember Jevannah mentioned Thorne being the best scout in this city. Does that mean Regan and Oskar are considered to be the best warriors in this city too? Or perhaps they excel in other fields?

Me: “I see. So what does a mayor do exactly?”

Jevannah: “The mayor of this city has major control of this city’s operations, from infrastructure, distribution of drinks, torchbearers dispatch missions, and so on. I also have the power to personally instruct one person to do my orders without objection, starting with you.”

Me?

Jevannah: “When I first met you, I thought you were a brilliant person. A small rock on the outside, but a pure diamond on the inside. This kind of man would certainly be the prettiest diamond in the sector, if well polished. I got this idea from a text over here.”

Jevannah then hands me the paper at the top of the pile. It looks to be the language I can read and understand. The paper says:

===

We have completed our examinations for four test subjects in the Examination Room T.R.C.S., Experiment No. 16. Test subjects motor development test include: A. Physical Endurance, B. Body Metabolism, C. Muscle Strength, D. Footwork Development, and E. Overall Fitness. Test Subject codename: ‘S/S/Alpha’ has received ‘Outstanding’ score in all categories. Examiners conclude that strong affinity towards positive and healthy mental wellbeing contribute to test subject motor development significantly.

Note: Examiner T.R.C.S. to request ‘one’ counselling session with test subject codename ‘S/S/Alpha’ scheduled _____

Lead examiner: Praximal Nuvol

===

Me: “...Strong affinity towards positive and healthy mental wellbeing, that means?”

Jevannah: “A person who is pure, and can show emotions without hiding it. You might be the person I am looking for… So, I want to try something.”

Me: “You wish to test me?”

Jevannah: “Yes. I want you to become a torchbearer.”

Me: “WHAT? Me? Torchbearer?”

Jevannah must be insane. Why would Jevannah ask someone who just cried in the middle of the field to be the bright man? And why does Jevannah trust that piece of paper a lot?

Jevannah: “Yes, I want to prove if this examiner in this text is true or this text is a load of crap.”

Me: “Wait, why do you want me to become a torchbearer?”

Jevannah: “Because I want an absolute best torchbearer working for me. I have big plans for the future, and I need the best to make it happen. Consider it… a return of favor, for saving you.”

Return of favor, huh? If that’s how it is, then I’m in. These people had done enough for me. It’s time to return the favor.

Me: “Then, how do I become a torchbearer?”

Jevannah: “There are two ways for a person to be a torchbearer. First, a torchbearer relinquishes their light to another torchbearer. Since you are not a torchbearer, the first method is crossed out. For the second method, you manifest an object from a firestone. I must warn you though, to manifest an object is a difficult task. You need a strong mind, and a convincing body.”

Me: “Convincing body? What does that mean?”

Regan: “It means you need to get bulky.”

Me: “Huh?”

My arms and my legs don’t look big. Does that mean I need to train my body?

Jevannah: “Exactly. A strong mind requires a strong body, which is why I brought the man beside you here. Regan is the best AND the ONLY tutor in this city. Many torchbearers have been trained by this guy and have shown good results. I’m sure with this guy’s training menus, you’ll come out excellently. I will also support you however I can.”

A best tutor and support from the mayor? Awesome.

Jevannah: “However…”

Jevannah paused, then pointed their finger at me. Jevannah’s finger then shoots a shining bright beam directly into my left chest.

That beam is harmless, but I felt something strange in my heart. I felt my heart beat irregularly. I touched my chest, but I didn’t find anything… What was that?

Jevannah: “I want you to be serious about this matter. I placed a Spirit ring onto your heart. I declare that if you do not become a torchbearer within three VINES, the ring shall lock your body and your soul to your Spirit. If you do however, the ring shall break.”

It seems Jevannah has just casted that mayor powers onto me.

Me: “Huh? What happens if my heart is locked?”

Jevannah: “You will lose your connection to your Spirit, and you cannot become a torchbearer, forever. I suggest you start your training now. Time is of essence!”

Three VINES, it probably means the time left for me to become a torchbearer, and by Jevannah words, it looks like I don’t have a lot of time.

I must decide my future within the time allocated. A useful man, or a useless man. There is no inbetween.