I Should Be More Careful With My Words

"There are probably things you'll be able to tell me more about; it's been a while since we've had anyone from the real world," Michael continued. "But let me start from the beginning."

I nodded, staring at an old phone. I was tempted to touch everything, but I was afraid I'd only damage something. Then, I was already fully awake and focused; I knew this was the chance to gain knowledge and understanding of this world I'd been waiting for.

"Renet also told me a bit," I merely hinted.

"I'll keep that in mind." He didn't seem thrilled that someone had taken away his privilege of enlightening me. "Anyway, people appeared here suddenly, the first to arrive on a merchant ship, which proved beneficial for them, as it allowed most of the group to survive. We have ship logs and diaries from that time. They founded this city, although the beginnings weren't difficult. More ships appeared over the years, and hundreds of years later, airplanes. As you've seen, you can still find wrecks everywhere, but no one else knows what they really are."

"I don't understand." Wait a minute, is that a camera?

"That's why, when I realized you were a newcomer, I asked you about the means of transportation you used to get here. I don't know of any other possibility." Michael shook his head. "The royal family's duty is to protect this place, to preserve it, to understand it, and to continue this history. You see here a multitude of objects that people brought with them, but many of them don't work or are useless here, although I would give anything to see them in action. You are not some genius who could bring them back to life?"

"Unfortunately not, although I would very much like to help you."

"It's possible that Renet gave you a summary of what happened. Because the ships came from different countries, it became a melting pot of cultures, statuses, and languages. It took a long time before we built a concrete community, then we started living well with our Neighbors, until something stopped working: war, the construction of the Wall, separation, and so on."

"Yes, he told me about it," I confirmed with a heavy heart.

That moment suddenly seemed so distant and yet so carefree. I should have enjoyed that time more.

"You must have noticed that people feel like locals here; the ancestors they remember are also from here. And our ancestors are a complete abstraction to them." Michael shrugged and headed deeper into the room. "You know we also adopted some customs from our Neighbors."

"Really?"

"Yes, for example, burning things because they call themselves Children of Heaven and Earth. The smoke goes to the sky, the ashes scatter on the ground, both parents receive offerings. Everyone is happy."

"That makes sense," I nodded, recalling what I'd witnessed earlier.

"And does a term like the Bermuda Triangle mean anything to you? It appears several times in the notes of those who came here." He pointed out several places to me in various notes. I think he expected a lot from me, or at least that I would give him a lot of interesting information.

"It's a place known for the disappearance of ships and planes without a trace," I replied, trying to make sense of it.

Michael came to my aid, pushing a piece of paper under my nose. The writing was beautiful, cursive, and full of flourishes. I took it gently, wondering if I should read it, and the king confirmed.

"It's just an old theory, but it seems to me now that it might turn out to be true." He practically jumped around me just to get me to read it. "What do you think?"

In my humble opinion, although I think it's especially appropriate to use that phrase, since my intelligence is significantly above the local average. So, from the beginning. My theory, which is probably correct. But I have no way of proving it or pointing out any possibilities that could have occurred regarding the appearance of humans here. I've already come to terms with the fact that magic exists here, a possibility I didn't consider for a long time, considering myself an enlightened person. I believe it accumulated, either naturally or as a result of the actions of our Neighbors, but I suspect their ultimate goal wasn't to bring our species here.

Regardless of the cause of this accumulation, it had to happen for the portal connecting our worlds to appear. Even before I arrived, I'd heard of a place famous for ships disappearing without a trace. Of course, I had to find out for myself, and I ended up here myself. Ah, how I remember initially believing I'd gain fame from such a discovery, until I realized there was no way back, and that included communication back. All I could do was investigate the causes of this phenomenon here, but I lack the data I could have obtained from the Neighbors if the Wall hadn't already separated us.

What I certainly can't say is the form in which the portal exists and how exactly this phenomenon occurred, or was it a natural consequence of the accumulation, or was it triggered intentionally or not? However, I'm certain these two elements must have intertwined. Of course, the frequency of people arriving from the real world, which has been decreasing significantly, is another matter. There are several possibilities here as well. One assumes the portal's power has simply been exhausted, meaning the accumulation of magic in this form isn't permanent. The second, probably much more difficult to execute, is a deliberate attempt to contain the portal's transport capacity, obviously due to the Neighbors' reluctance. The third is that people have connected the dots and are avoiding this area, even if only as a precaution.

I wonder if anyone else will show up here in my lifetime, although I highly doubt it. At least I wouldn't feel so alien here…

I knew something about this, and I think that last part resonated with me the most. Apparently, the author stopped because he didn't want to talk about his feelings, but he might have been right, except…

"That still doesn't fit how I ended up here," I noted. "I was halfway around the world at the office at the time."

"Exactly, that's why we need to talk to Renet, but we won't until later. I'm very curious about it, but we have more important things to do," Michael announced.

"I'd rather see him as soon as possible." I started to get suspicious again and didn't have time to bite my tongue. "How do I know you're not lying to me and that he's even alive?"

"That stung." The king briefly resumed his role. "I need a good shooter to fight, and you're clearly one of them. The Neighbors are a difficult enemy, and not all of my people are skilled enough with the new type of crossbow my men have developed. You are to be part of my bodyguard team, but you must use the remaining time to practice." We stared at each other for a moment. "Your familiarity with Renet may affect your judgment. You can't hesitate."

He was absolutely right when he spoke to me in such an unpleasant, imperious tone; with every word, I lost trust in him. I didn't expect him to end our excursion with a threat, though.

"Remember, you yourself admitted that you initially came here with the intention of spying for the other side. That's enough to convict you. You are to report to the training field tomorrow at dawn."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The last sentence barely escaped my lips. What I feared was happening, and instead of stopping the war, I was supposed to take an active part in it. I looked at my hands, not believing I would be able to aim a weapon with the intention of killing or protecting someone, even against the Dragonids. In this war, neither side was a monster...