[Eiswelt, Taured, 7:13 PM, Tuesday, May 15th, 2020]
It took my family and me a couple of days, but we finally arrived in Taured. We drove through Havok and out of the border, through forestland and made it onto Taured's northern mainline highway that was just on top of the water itself.
The Country Of Water was truly as beautiful as Aunt Lara said, especially at night. The entire country itself was a network of roads and buildings built entirely on top of the Mediterranean ocean, right in the center of it. Many buildings could be seen far off into the distance.
James Karawei: "The people here are genuinely living on the sea, huh?"
Mom was in the front seat next to dad, she was happily enjoying a packet of biscuits.
Eleanor Karawei: "Yes, sweetie, it's something else, it's wonderful!"
She handed me a biscuit and I bit straight into it.
James Karawei: "Mphm... Thank you. How'd they even build an entire country on top of the Mediterranean anyway? And why?"
Dad grinned into the rearview mirror at me.
Alexander Karawei: "That's because of Flux kiddo, they found the crystals buried deep beneath the ocean in the 50's and every since they've been making a lot of profit off of them. Other countries have begun finding Flux too near their oceans, so value has gone down but it's still an incredible material!"
Mom leaned over and also fed him a cookie.
Eleanor Karawei: "Or maybe they got tired of the land, who knows?"
We were headed to Aunt Lara's in Eiswelt's suburbs, she lived in the capital of Taured, which is where we were. The name Eiswelt doesn't fit for such a city, same thing as the Eiswelt tower called "Eisturm".
However, I didn't care too much; I felt kind of bummed out as I leaned my head against the window of the car. I did miss my friends.
My mom looked back at me again and saw me leaning against the window, she reached behind to pet my head.
Eleanor Karawei: "Sweetie, are you okay? I know it was hard for you to leave them behind... You'll see them again."
I pulled back from her petting and leaned further into the backseat, sighing.
James Karawei: "I'm fine. Just a little bit nostalgic."
Dad suddenly threw me a cookie, I caught it with my left hand and examined it.
Alexander Karawei: "That's too much nostalgia, son! Eat up, get some calories in you. You do know muscles burn through them and they give you energy—"
James Karawei: "Yeah, I know."
I smiled back at him and ate the cookie almost thoughtfully as I continued looking out the window.
An hour or so later, and we finally arrived in the Eastern Quadrant of Eiswelt. Aunt Lara lived here in the suburbs. The "Eisturm" tower was looming over the center of the city, the city itself being split into four distinct 'quadrants', those being east, west, south and north.
[Eastern Quadrant, Eiswelt, 8:54 PM]
Aunt Lara was already on her porch waiting for us, cigarette in mouth, leaning on the railing. She had long flowing bleached blonde hair, wearing a gray sweater and black trousers, glasses perched on her nose carefully.
Her dog Ricky was already running out of the house towards our car and onto the wooden path towards us.
We parked in her garage. I opened the door only for Ricky to jump on top of me, happily licking my face and barking.
I tried my best to 'gently' push him away.
James Karawei: "AH! M-mom... I told you to call ahead so she could send that yammering goblin to his cage!"
Both my parents laughed as I ducked further down behind the passenger seat. I was scared of dogs.
Alexander Karawei: "Calm down, boy, he won't bite. He just wants to play with you!"
Mom had to haul me out of the car, I didn't hate dogs, they just scared me.
Aunt Lara strolled over to us, hands on her hips.
Lara Karawei: "Well, how do you do? It's been so long since I've seen you James. Look at those muscles... Alex, what have you been feeding him?~"
She then grabbed Ricky by his leash and walked away with him, presumably to lock him up.
Alexander Karawei: "Oh just the usual hard work and nagging, and maybe a touch of cookies on the side!"
Dad responded as he began taking the luggage out from the car, I awkwardly followed after Mom.
We got into the house and sat down in the living room, the smell of saltwater still clung to the air like some sort of weird incense. And also dog, dog smell.
My parents quickly found the guest room and went to unpack our things. I was sleeping with them.
Aunt Lara handed me a hundred or so Vols with a mischievous grin on her face.
She leaned in and whispered into my ear, her smoker breath was hard to bear.
Lara Karawei: "Don't tell your parents kiddo, you can use that to buy firecrackers... If you're up to it later we can play a prank on a few rotten eggs I know."
She winked at me and went to sit down on the other end of the couch.
James Karawei: "What even is this?"
I asked while tucking the banknote into my pocket.
Lara Karawei: "It's the currency of Taured. Didn't your dad mention anything about Taured? What did you talk about in the car?"
James Karawei: "I dunno, I was asleep for most of it."
She chuckled and took another long drag of her cigarette. She used to do this a lot when she still lived back in Ryomania. Both the smoking and the bribing. At least that's what dad says.
My parents suddenly began arguing, their voices rising in tone. Over finances and probably because I had forgotten my phone at home, I was probably going to buy a new one anyway.
I stood up and ran into Aunt Lara's bedroom to get away from the noise.
The room was messy and all, clothes strewn all over the floor, an ashtray on the nightstand filled with cigarettes and ash.
Lots of plants on the windowsill and a particularly shiny one on her desk.
Aunt Lara works as a botanist, but this might be an extreme... It smelled 'potent' in there. But it was quiet.
And at least Ricky stopped barking from the garage.
Then I heard a knock at the door, and it was Lara holding a cup of tea. Still smoking.
Lara Karawei: "Hey kiddo, you okay in here? Ricky won't bother you again. I put him to sleep with some flux lilies."
I turned around to face her and sat down on the bed.
James Karawei: "When did you make that...? Flux lilies? What's that, a new brand of cigarettes?"
She raised an eyebrow and took the cigarette out of her mouth, proceeding to chug the entire teacup. She smirked and set it down on her desk, and stepped closer.
Lara Karawei: "Nah, Colt is the best. Flux lilies? They're sleepy flowers... They grow underneath the sea and take in nutrients from the water, the underwater soil and sunlight from above. They're quite special. We grow them here, so they're also exported to other places. I thought you knew about plants since you live on a farm. You have no excuse, bucko!"
She chuckled and ruffled my hair, taking another drag from her cigarette. She always was a chain smoker, my guess is it helps with the stress of living on a literal sea.
James Karawei: "We're farmers, duh... I know some things. But not about this place. Anyway, what's with Taured anyway? How is this entire country built on the Mediterranean?"
Lara put a hand over her waist and sighed.
Lara Karawei: "I dunno, Flux? You heard of that one?"
I flopped back onto the bed, my head resting on a tiny pillow with a pawprint design on it.
James Karawei: "I did. By the way, you promised me last time I was here you'd stop smoking. Liar."
She sat down next to me on the bed.
Lara Karawei: "Last time you were here, you were a literal bean sprout, get over it, kiddo. It hasn't killed me yet."
She took another drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke in my face. I coughed and jumped off the bed. She chuckled.
James Karawei: "Ugh gross... And this bickering isn't helping either. I'm tired of hearing Mom and Dad argue; it's not my fault they made bad investments. They should just calmly talk it out."
Lara sat down next to me and offered me a piece of chocolate from the nightstand, despite my better judgement I ate it anyway.
Lara Karawei: "Y'know, your sister dropped by last year and left me a box with your name on it. She said she knew you'd be here... And you did show up, you little rascal! You want to see what's inside? I bet it's a gun!"
Her smile turned mischievous.
She left the cigarette in my hand as she rummaged under the bed.
James Karawei: "Wow... Geez, I hope it's not more money, no offense, but I don't like it. Money's the reason why mom and dad fight all the time, it sucks. And I'm too young to buy anything cool anyway, like a car."
She stopped rummaging and shot me a glance, her right eyebrow arched.
Lara Karawei: "I must've gotten the wrong impression, you're even weirder than I thought. Who doesn't like money? You can buy more than a car with it bucko."
She patted my left knee and kept searching for that box. Soon enough, she found it.
It was a small and red wooden box with an ornate design and golden markings on it, especially a golden 'S' that was just above the locking latch.
James Karawei: "I feel like I've seen this symbol before..."
Aunt Lara sat back down on the bed, finally snuffing out her cigarette on the ashtray.
Lara Karawei: "Must be something from work... I dunno, I've never seen any symbol like this on Ariston products."
I sat up and took the box from her and opened it up. Inside was a postcard from a country called Risu, dated 'November 4th, 2030, 5:21 PM'. Reno is standing on a cliff overlooking the sea with her back towards the camera. She's wearing a white sundress with a hay sunhat on her head.
The back of the card had a single phrase written on it, in what looked like Latin.
The words were written in a soft, looping hand. My sister's.
"Dum Spiro Spero."
For some reason, it made my stomach twist.
James Karawei: "This symbol... It means she probably got hired, right? But Dum Spiro Spero? The date? What's that supposed to mean... And what's Risu?"
Aunt Lara snatched the postcard from me and took a closer look.
Lara Karawei: "Well... shit kiddo. This is probably a mistake. As for the quote, something about hope or cheese, my Latin is a little rusty. Oh, and Risu is the place where everyone drinks tea, y'know, the guys on the North Sea? Where your little friend Cathy is from, kiddo!"
She smirked and nudged my shoulder.
Lara Karawei: "Your mom tells me everything... I see you."
I stood up and crossed my arms.
James Karawei: "Okay, geez... Shut up."
She chuckled and shook her head gently.
Lara Karawei: "Yeah, okay. Your sister probably got a job at the main foundry in Donlon, that's where Ariston Industries was first created. Although I have no idea what Reno is doing on a cliff, especially in a sundress! I mean, have you seen the weather there? It's atrocious. She's one gust of wind away from—"
I snatched the postcard and put it back in the box.
James Karawei: "Don't make dumb jokes! I get it, geez..."
I blushed and opened the box again slowly, peeking inside as if the contents would've somehow changed.
Lara Karawei: "Oh lighten up, kiddo, I'm just trying to cheer you up. Still... she always was a strange one... Hey, is that the only thing she left you? I thought I saw something else in there."
I kept looking through the box, and I found what looked like a steel cube pulsing with red glowing wiring. I held it up to my face.
Lara Karawei: "Huh, that looks serious... I wouldn't touch it if I were you, looks like some new Ariston toy."
It didn't shock me when I touched it, and both Aunt Lara and I exchanged a confused glance.
There was also a note attached to it by a string.
"A gift, from someone very, very eager to meet you, that's NOT me. P.S., I'm coming home for the holidays after so long and I'm bringing more gifts! Much love, R.K."
James Karawei: "Someone eager to meet me? And she's coming back for the holidays! Wow, I didn't expect that."
I tucked both the cube and the note into my pocket and handed Aunt Lara the box.
Lara Karawei: "Someone eager to meet you, huh? Could it be some secret admirer?~"
She wiggled her eyebrows at me and put the box back under the bed.
James Karawei: "Ugh... you're so annoying."
[Aunt Lara's house, 10:02 PM]
More time passed, of course... My parents talked it over and decided to remain here in Taured for work. They stopped arguing and were feeling a lot better after eating dinner.
Aunt Lara made really good spaghetti and meatballs.
Mom and Dad were going to be surgeons apparently, unlucky for my mom.
Dad had no idea how to even slice bread, let alone a person. Well, not a live one. But they knew some people, Aunt Lara knew some people, they always made things work out. I trusted them.
I was lying in bed in the guest room Aunt Lara had, she always kept it decorated in case anyone dropped by. Mom and Dad were already asleep, they decided to take over her room and she was okay with sleeping on the couch.
The neighborhood was quiet other than a few boats and cars passing by every five minutes or so.
The city was truly as amazing as I had heard, a city by the sea.
And things would've been amazing if I hadn't gotten that cube from Reno.
It was a beacon.
And I had led that 'eager' someone right to me.