Closeness

A cool breeze seeped from the now-open door, making me sneeze.

After a few seconds, I began moving again, steadily getting myself back up.

Outside, the wall walk was full of holes. The walls of the battlements were either chipped or completely broken, with debris scattered on the floor.

Beyond it, I could see a second overpass, slightly elevated by a set of three steps and circling around the main building.

Despite having direct access, I chose not to go over the broken floor, as it looked more weathered than anything else.

I peeked to the left side of the tower.

Surrounded by the castle walls was a destroyed garden.

Broken twigs lay on the ground over the crumbled stone pathways. Large bushes and plants grew on top, almost filling the entire area. Vines climbed all over the inside of the fortress walls.

It was entirely overtaken by vegetation.

I came back inside the tower and closed the door, trying to preserve what little remained of the castle.

Paying attention to my every step, I went down the ladder and returned to the first floor.

The sunlight waned as the night approached. It was already utterly dark inside, but it was now impossible to see.

I blindly stepped into the corridor’s blackness, dragging my feet to avoid rocks and sweeping aside the smaller ones.

I pressed my hand along the wall, tracing the rough bumps and dips as I walked. Metal jutted out here and there, likely where torches or paintings had once hung.

It felt empty.

The air grew heavier as I moved deeper, until the wall curved outward.

I must have reached the main building.

Tiny holes on the walls let in small figments of light, but not enough for me to see anything.

I let go of the wall and began slowly heading towards the centre of the building.

With my hands stretched out before me, I searched for something to hold on to.

At that moment, an idea sprang to mind.

Would mana work to detect boundaries and objects?

If I tried controlling mana the same way I did to interact with the bird, would I be able to tell my surroundings in pure darkness?

I already knew that mana was able to permeate matter, but there should be a difference in feeling when it begins traversing an object and when it simply floats through air.

Mana barely seeped through the carriage walls while I meditated. I could certainly use it like a kind of echolocation.

I stopped walking and began focusing on my mana.

I could barely feel the shifts in mana from the flow around me. They existed, but I wasn’t yet able to tell where anything was.

I roamed the room, gathering mana before me. It pulsated, its form drifting in the faint draft.

As I approached its centre, I felt a subtle resistance.

It was hardly noticeable, but the mana couldn’t go further without extra effort. As if its way was blocked.

It worked.

I could actually tell if there was something there using only mana.

If I were to train my control even further, I supposed the sensation would be easier to notice.

I slowly shuffled towards it, minding the debris on the ground.

When I finally reached the place, I began exploring around with my hands until I felt the cold sensation of polished stone.

Running my hands over it, I felt the cracks and jagged feel of broken stone. It seemed like a damaged statue, but there weren't enough details for me to tell what it depicted.

Looking around some more, I grabbed onto a wooden rod. It curved slightly as it went up. To its side were multiple steps. It looked just like a spiral staircase, leading to the second floor.

I got down on my knees and attempted to climb it.

The wood was severely worn out. I could also feel something like pieces of thicker fabric anchored to its sides, but its edges were entirely torn off.

It gave off the feeling of ripped carpet.

After a few steps, my left hand felt a sudden drop.

Small pieces of wood splintered under my sleeve, clattering to the floor.

The stairs were broken as well. There was no way up.

Sweat prickled my skin as the staircase trembled beneath me.

I didn’t want to risk going any further, but I hadn’t found almost anything yet.

Unsure if using mana location again to work out where other objects were was the best idea, I tried a different approach before going back.

“Heeey!” I screamed.

Behind the echoes of the hollow structure, frightened squeals resonated from the second floor.

I swung my head in the sound’s direction to find a tiny hole on the wall from which light seeped in.

Shadows of creatures like the ones I had come across on the grasses outside ran away. They seemed to wander the ruins of the castle, and I was disturbing their peace.

I sat on my butt and inched down the stairs, careful not to fall.

Wood creaked and small pieces clattered to the floor, but I made it to the bottom and pushed myself upright.

There was hardly anything left of the old castle inside. It had probably been ransacked or pillaged long ago.

Something had clearly happened to the government or kingdom this town belonged to.

I trailed my hand along the wall, letting it guide me back to the tower.

It was already twilight.

The sunlight quickly dwindled, turning the insides dimmer.

As I walked towards the door, one of the wooden planks on the floor gave in, letting my foot plunge into the ground.

I yelped, startled.

After the initial shock, I shook my head and laughed.

A part of me was relieved that nothing worse had happened, but I also felt saddened by the fact that I was damaging part of the castle.

Now outside, the air felt fresh and cool to the touch.

I tried to close the door, but I couldn’t grasp the broken doorknob enough to pull it, having to leave the door open.

I took one last look at the exterior of the castle before heading back to the carriages.

My breath turned into mist as I exhaled, and I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm myself.

I was once again going to sleep through a cold night solely with the warmth of the fur blanket.

I sighed.

In the end, I hadn’t learnt much.

The exploration itself was fulfilling. It brought a subtle sense of closeness to my old world.

Yet I still felt disappointed. Not by the castle itself, but by the way I had explored it.

As I neared the inn, I could see the smoke of the campfires dancing through the skies. The soldiers were already cooking dinner.

Was the Armoured Guy going to give me food again? I couldn’t tell, but I believe part of me wanted him to.

I didn’t dislike him, and I didn’t believe he despised me either, but if the other villagers saw him, he might face some backlash for associating with me.

I had no idea how to think about it.

Reaching the entrance of the parking area, I went directly towards the carriage and climbed inside.

I put my backpack and my spear down and waited, listening to the villagers talking and watching the soldiers stir the soup.

I wasn’t a part of it, but it was alright.

Life slipped through my hands.

The hourglass had shattered, and I couldn’t stop the sand from flowing anymore.

After a few minutes, the Armoured Guy approached, holding a bowl of soup and a cup of water.

It felt warm.

I smiled at him as I took the items, though he quickly walked away without a glance.

It felt so warm.

I ate dinner and returned the dishes to the soldier.

The villagers were already going back to their rooms.

The atmosphere had died down. Only the delicate whispers of the wind broke through the silence of the town whose name I still wasn’t certain of.

When I returned to the carriage, I took the blanket from inside the bag and lay down, using the backpack as a headrest.

With the campfire doused, there was no more light.

I was amidst a sea of darkness.

Staring at the barely visible ceiling, I waited for exhaustion to catch up to me.

Were we leaving tomorrow morning, or were we staying longer?

Did they still need to fetch more supplies for the rest of the journey?

I didn’t know, but it didn’t matter at the moment.

Ignoring the cold, I let my mind drift, eventually succumbing to sleep.