After a while, Kayo arrived at the first hub of his journey. And massive it was, like it was carved for the sole purpose of housing something giant within. Something that was not here, not right now. Hundreds of smaller tunnels not unlike the one Kayo had just gone through pierced the walls of the hub. A trypophobic's worst nightmare. It was clear that getting out won't be easy.
—Stay low. Creatures here more dangerous than last monster you saw—the meerbat whispered despite not being audible to the outside world. Some habits die hard.
Kayo only nodded as he sneaked from stone to stone, using each boulder as cover, moving only when he was absolutely sure nothing was nearby... It was eerily quiet for something called a hub.
—Are you sure anything even lives in these things? If dense mana is so dangerous, surely-—
The meerbat cut him off—It dangerous, that why monsters who survive it more dangerous than anything. It quiet now, but will not be forever. Get out this as fast as can—
—Fine, but next time you want to speak up, raise your hand first. I don't like being interrupted—
Kayo arrived at another tunnel.
—Intuition?—the meerbat inquired.
—You know it—
And just like that, Kayo was met with a dead end. The tunnel was blocked with fallen stone, almost like a landfall. Kayo kicked a loose stone into the rubble, the clatter echoing far too loudly.
—Okay, in my defense, this probably shouldn't be here—
The meerbat gave a low, grating hum—Intuition fail you—
—Yeah, thanks for pointing out the obvious, nobody's perfect—Kayo dragged a hand down his face, then turned back towards the hub—Guess it's back to square one then—
The hub felt different on his return. Quiet before, now it carried a faint tremor through the ground, like something huge had once moved here and might again. Kayo kept low, slipping between boulders until something caught his eye. Out of place stone, too smooth to be natural. A wall? Perhaps the remnants of an ancient subterranean settlement.
I mean, who knows what creatures this world really contains? Subterraneans don't even sound that far-fetched at this point.
Kayo slowly and carefully made his way towards the ruins. The closer he got, the more of them he could see. Broken arches half swallowed by stone. Carvings too worn to read, their lines glowing faintly with the same dense mana shimmer that had guided him here. For a moment, Kayo forgot about stealth.
—Someone… lived here?—
The meerbat stirred uneasily—Not know... Beasts savage, uncivilized. Ruins should not be here. No touch, for safety—
Kayo gave an affirmative hum before slowly backing away. Then, from somewhere nearby, the sound of stone clinking over stone hit his ears, like he was being watched by a predator. Startled, he forgot to watch his step, and accidentally pressed a plate on the ground.
—Uh oh...—
The floor gave way beneath him, stone screeching as it sheared loose. He barely had time to yell before he hit bottom.
Darkness. Pain blooming white-hot, then nothing. Once again, he found himself in the house of death.
Then, suddenly, breath. His own ragged breath, sucking air like a drowning man breaking the surface. Kayo's eyes flew open, body whole, not a scratch on him. He lay on the same floor where he had fallen, except the dented stone around him still bore the imprint of his impact.
The meerbat's voice was sharp, almost frightened—You… you die. I feel it. You stop. But you here. Whole. Alive. This not possible. What are you?—
Kayo sat up, coughing, rubbing at his ribs though they weren't broken anymore. He managed a weak laugh—Guess I'm just built different—
The meerbat said nothing, yet the silence said everything. Disappointment, perhaps even embarrassment.
—Hey, I'm the one who died, I'm allowed to joke about it anytime I want!—
—Not sure what think now. You human, I sure of that, but you undying. How?—
Kayo paused. He was pretty sure it had something to do with the multitude of eyes he encountered after his first death, but just how much could he afford to reveal about something he couldn't even begin to comprehend?
He frowned—I... wish I could tell you, but I have no idea—
Finally, he stood up, inspecting the walls around him. Smooth and vertical. No climbing out of there anytime soon. Kayo rubbed the back of his neck—So. Any brilliant plans for climbing out of here? To be entirely honest with you, I'm a little sick of falling into holes—
Silence again. Then a low grumble.
—I not sure—
—Not sure? What do you mean, not sure? You've been backseat driving this whole time, and now you're out of ideas?—
The meerbat's voice sharpened—You hard to guide. Normally, see holder's surface thoughts. Know what they feel and think. They easy to help. But you—It trailed off, uneasy—Only fog—
Kayo frowned—Fog?—
—Yes. Thick, heavy. I reach for your mind, and it hide behind mist. That why language scuffed. New tongue, cannot learn good, only take pieces—
Kayo chuckled, though it came out awkward—Guess I'm more private than I thought—
—No. Is not privacy. Is… protection. Strong one—
Kayo exhaled, running his thumb over the dust in his palm—Add it to the list of things I don't understand about myself—
The meerbat hesitated, then asked in a low whisper—You at least understand your name? I would know already, if not fog—
Kayo paused. Safe to say this was a new world. Should he get a new name? New life? Start over? Perhaps correct a decades old mistake? Maybe...
—Kayo—he spoke before his mind could conjure something nonsensical—I didn't give you yours yet, did I?—
The meerbat concurred.
—Well, you're a meerbat. Half meerkat... surikaat. And half bat... nahkhiir. What do you say about Suri'Khiir? Or just Suri for short—Kayo proposed in a friendly tone.
—Very lazy, arguably xenophobic, but accept. I name now Suri...Khiir—Suri sounded less offended than when Kayo called him "bat-ferret". This was a good sign. Then, more curious—What language that? Is different from one you speak now—
—Don't worry about it—
• • •
They've been trapped for what felt like entire days. Help was nowhere to be seen, and even the cavern above them was silent still.
—What's up with the quiet? I thought hubs were supposed to be busy and full of dangerous monsters—Kayo pondered out loud while throwing small pebbles at one of the walls—At least you said so—
—Things strange here. Very wrong. You immortal, hub empty, and my magic weak—
Kayo perked up—You're supposed to be stronger?—
Suri hummed affirmatively—Minor spirit, but of two elements. I strong enough to make decent mages afraid. But here...—the meerbat trailed off—Smaller than wild animal—
—Mages...—Kayo briefly spaced out, thinking of the implications. Was magic common here? How strong was the average wizard? Would he get in trouble if someone found out he's an outsider?
—You good?—Suri interrupted his musings.
—Yeah, just... Thinking of stuff. There are so many questions I have, but no good way to ask them—
—I, too, many questions. About you, most—
—Then let's trade. One question for one question—Kayo proposed—We can make it a game—
Suri considered the idea, and eventually agreed—Fine. You ask first—
—Alright. So you keep mentioning "minor spirit." What exactly does that mean? How many kinds are there?—
—Two—Suri replied without pause—Minor and Noble Spirits. Noble take any form want, we can't. They also temperamental, less friendly than I, example. Anger noble, you die—
—Comforting—Kayo muttered—Your turn—
—Your language and manners odd, and you not know about magic. Where you from?—
—Don't be mad at me, but I don't know how to answer that. Hell, I don't even know where I am right now, much less where here is in relation to there—
—You tell when know—Suri requested, though his broken English made it feel more like a command than anything—You turn—
—What is magic, really?—Kayo inquired—You talk about it like it's everywhere—
—It is. Magic is breath, body, and soul of world. Some shape, others shaped by magic. Simple—
—Simple, he says—Kayo threw the next pebble hard enough to shatter it—Where do I fall on that scale? I get a headache just from trying to float these little suckers—
—You bad at magic—
—Thanks for the encouragement... Ask away—
—Why laugh after die? Not afraid?—Suri asked like he simply could not comprehend such an idea.
—That's a... heavy one—Kayo sighed—I guess... after you die twice and still come back, you start seeing death as an inconvenience rather than the final destination. It also helps me cope—He continued—Keeps me from thinking about how any of this actually works. The last thing I need right now is an existential crisis—
—Scary thought. Mind maybe broken—
—Yeah, you try going through that shit twice and then tell me how you feel—
There was brief silence for a while before Suri dared speak up again—You turn—
—Right. Follow-up to my last question, what exactly is a mage, and how do you become one? Do you need a spirit? Am I a mage?—
—Many questions in one, not fair—Suri complained—But mage is person who use magic. Obviously. You a mage, technically, but spirit only one source. Can be mage with own power—
—How does one get this "own power," do you have to be born with it, or?—Kayo's attention intensified.
—No, grow magic core within you by mana exposure. You have, otherwise no magic, spirit or other—
—Wait, since when did I have a "magic core"?—
—You start growing shortly after we make pact. My mana plant seed, strong ambient mana speed up growth—
—Alright, your turn again—
—Finally—Suri said snarkily—Was thinking you never stop—
—I'm in a completely alien environment, okay?—
—Understand. You say you die twice already, but I only see one. When and how first die?—
—Oh boy, this might take a while—Kayo exhaled deeply—Do you know what a gun is?—
—Yes. You get shot?—
—Oh wow, really? Usually in novels with other worlds, it ends up being all castles and candles type shit. Where did you get guns from?—
—Answer my first—Suri said, frustrated.
—Fine fine, yes, I got shot in the back of the head on the street one night. After that, I found myself down in that cavern where we first met—
Better leave out the eyes-a-plenty for now...
—Satisfied?—Kayo asked—That isn't my next question, by the way—
—I satisfied with that. Your question where guns from, or new one?—
—Yeah, that one works—
—Prince Karda invent them. Strongest kingdom now because of guns—Suri said like he was reciting from a dusty tome—Said dream show him how. Now I think about it, his eyes ringed like you. Is related?—
—What do you mean "ringed like mine"? My eyes don't have rings in them, that's just the iris—
—I know what iris, this not it. You eyes have rings, make each eye two shades of magenta—
—That must be the dim light and mana glow messing with your vision, my eyes are blue—
—No. Really magenta. Swear on my honor as spirit—
—Right. Next you'll tell me I'm bald, or that I have green skin and a tail or something—
—Well, none of that. You hair short and dark pink, skin human pink, and no tail—
Pink hair, pink eyes with rings, fogged mind, immortality, it was all too much at once.
—You're seeing things...—Kayo muttered, not entirely convinced himself.
After that, their little game had ended. Silence befell the pit once again as each of them tried to reconcile with the new knowledge they have gathered.