home

search

Episode 24

  It was afternoon, but inside the vehicle, the sun’s rays couldn’t be felt. The dim interior lights gradually brightened to a crisp white, illuminating the cabin. The vehicle was still in motion, and Zed had noticed the terrain shifting—fewer hills dotted the landscape as they left the Twin Mountains behind, the place where the road had ultimately ended.

  Now, they had entered the Great Plains, as Mario had described it. And the name couldn’t have been more fitting. Stretching endlessly in all directions, the land was vast and open, an unbroken expanse of rolling grasslands beneath the boundless sky.

  Zed had previously questioned Mario and Lane about the wisdom of allowing such an alien vehicle to traverse an open expanse during the day, where it could easily be spotted by anyone watching. However, both had reassured him that the region was sparsely populated, with towns spread far apart. Bandits had long since moved north to prey on larger settlements, making the likelihood of encountering hostile groups here nearly nonexistent—at least based on their experience from five years ago when they had journeyed through this very land, returning from the desert to Dawn Kingdom.

  Zed didn’t mind being the driver—it never bored him in the slightest. He could sit in the driver’s seat for hours, effortlessly dividing his focus between maneuvering the vehicle and immersing himself in cyberspace. He would have continued like this indefinitely had Mario’s head not popped into the driver’s cab, interrupting his musings.

  "How about we eat? You didn’t join us for breakfast. I’m worried you might be starving," Mario offered.

  Zed glanced at him, a small smile forming on his lips. "I appreciate the concern, but my body doesn’t require food. Or sleep, for that matter," he explained. His advanced bionic body could generate energy simply by absorbing sunlight, though he chose not to mention that detail.

  Mario nodded. "I was worried you'd pass out, but if you're sure..." He let the sentence trail off, watching for any sign of hesitation.

  Zed reassured him, "I appreciate it, but there’s no need to worry. Besides, I can't get up from this seat while I’m driving. Tek didn’t install a Sync Module in this truck, so I’m stuck here for as long as we’re moving."

  Mario nodded and returned to the group, who had all busied themselves with various tasks. Evasco and Lumen were carefully cleaning their muskets under Risty’s watchful guidance. Old Nil was methodically cutting the preserved meat and bread into nine equal portions, with the youngest, Fairchild, assisting him.

  Meanwhile, Mikael and John sat at the meeting table, utterly fascinated by the hologram projector. They poked curiously at the glowing display, their fingers passing through the shimmering light like cats mesmerized by a flickering shadow.

  Once Old Nil finished preparing the food, he called everyone over. Two individual plates were set on the meeting table, reserved for Mario and Zed. Mikael and John were reluctantly ushered away from the table, their eyes still fixated on the holographic display.

  The others took their seats around the meeting room—which also doubled as a dining area and Mario's sleeping quarters—each with their own plate in hand. They waited for Mario's signal.

  "Let's eat," he said, and with that, everyone dug in.

  Mario picked up the two plates, hesitating for a moment before making his way to the entrance of the driver’s box. He lowered himself onto a nearby crate, setting his own plate beside him.

  "You said you don’t need to eat," he said, extending the extra plate toward Zed, "but maybe you can eat, right?"

  The room grew quiet as everyone paused mid-bite, watching the exchange. Zed's gaze shifted from Mario to the plate before finally accepting it. Mario smiled in satisfaction and started eating his own meal, the others followed suit.

  After their meal, everyone broke off to their individual tasks. Old Nil busied himself with taking inventory of their food supplies, assisted by his ever-reliable sidekick, Fairchild. Meanwhile, Mario had taken on the role of a teacher, using the holographic display and its interactive map to give Risty, John, Lumen, Evasco, and Mikael a crash course in geography—at least, what he could recall from his two years as a cadet at the Alliance Academy.

  Fairchild kept glancing toward the lesson, clearly intrigued by the discussion. Sensing the boy’s distraction, Old Nil chuckled softly.

  "It’s alright, child," he said.

  "Hm? What was that, Mr. Nil?" Fairchild asked, blinking as if pulled from a trance.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "I said you may go and sit with them. I’ve only got a few crates left to check, and I’ll be done soon."

  Fairchild beamed, thanking the old man before eagerly hurrying over to an empty seat, ready to absorb whatever knowledge Mario had to offer.

  Mario began with what he knew best—the Kingdom of Dawn. He explained how the first settlers had migrated from the Alliance territories in the north, seeking new lands to call home. This deep historical connection, he continued, was the reason the Alliance could never truly ignore the southern territories and independent nations. In their eyes, the people of the south were still their own—descendants of their pioneers, bound by shared ancestry and history.

  As he lectured, his hands moved fluidly over the holographic display, and—lo and behold—the entire terrain map of the continent appeared before them. With practiced ease, he zoomed in and out, highlighting specific regions as he spoke. It was almost as if he had been rehearsing this in his spare time. At times, even Mario seemed captivated by the device’s responsiveness, pausing momentarily to explore its capabilities—zooming in, panning across landscapes, and testing its interactive features with quiet fascination.

  They lingered on the section of the map displaying the Dawn capital. Questions arose, and Mario answered them as best as he could. When he didn’t know something, he openly admitted it without hesitation. Those who had migrated with him to Lina, like Lumen and Evasco, occasionally pointed at structures on the map, recognizing familiar landmarks. However, viewing the city from a top-down perspective was unfamiliar to them. Mario, on the other hand, had studied city maps during his time as a cadet and was far more accustomed to navigating them.

  Mario spoke for hours, so engrossed in his lecture that no one noticed the gradual shift outside. The driver's box, once bathed in sunlight streaming through the windshield, had faded into darkness. It was only when Zed, who had been quietly monitoring the drone scans, finally spoke that they snapped back to reality.

  "We've reached the plateau," he announced, rising from his seat. The vehicle has stopped and Zed made his way into the adjacent meeting room, where the others had gathered.

  "Alright, this means we've reached the boundary. Beyond this point lies the Great Darat Desert," Mario said as he powered down the hologram. He chuckled, "I guess the lecture will have to continue another time."

  The group stretched on their seats, some of them stood waiting for further instructions from the Deputy Governor. Fairchild, eager to hear more, remained quiet despite his disappointment.

  Mario opened the door and stepped outside, the others following close behind. As they emerged, they were met with a breathtaking sight—the vast night sky stretching endlessly above them, unmarred by artificial light. The desert below was cloaked in darkness, its vast expanse barely discernible from the plateau's edge.

  Above them, the stars blanketed the heavens like scattered diamonds on an ocean of ink. They shimmered and flickered, some glowing faint and distant, others bright and bold, burning like tiny lanterns in the void. Like a pale, misty river across the sky, its dense cluster of stars so vivid it felt almost within reach. Occasional shooting stars streaked across the abyss, vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

  The air was crisp and still, carrying a silence so profound it made the twinkling of the stars feel almost audible. The sheer depth of the celestial view, unbroken and infinite, can leave someone momentarily speechless. For a moment, all worries, all duties, and all burdens seemed to fade under the enormity of the universe above.

  The others, including Mario, weren’t particularly awed by the sight. They had grown up beneath these same stars, gazing at them countless times throughout their lives. The lights of Lina, and likely even those of the Dawn capital and other rural areas, were never bright enough to obscure the heavens from view. To them, this was familiar—a quiet, ever-present backdrop to their nights.

  For Zed, however, the sight stirred something deep within him, awakening a nostalgia he hadn’t felt in years. He had spent so much time drifting through the void of space, surrounded by stars yet distant from them, that he had almost forgotten how breathtaking they could be when seen from the ground. Here, the sky felt alive—its stars not just distant pinpricks of light, but part of a vast, endless tapestry stretching over the world. It was a reminder of something he hadn’t realized he had lost: the simple wonder of looking up from a planet’s surface and feeling small beneath the infinite cosmos.

  "How about we have our dinner out here?" Mario suggested, glancing at the starlit sky. "This might be our last good meal until we reach the moving city."

  Zed gave a small nod. "Alright, it's your call."

  With that, Old Nil and Fairchild returned to the vehicle to sort through their food supplies, selecting what they would cook for the night. Mikael, John, and Risty unloaded firewood, stacking it neatly to be used for the campfire. Meanwhile, Lumen and Evasco cleared a suitable area for their campsite, carefully arranging stones to contain the fire and ensuring there was enough space for everyone to sit comfortably. The group moved with practiced efficiency, each person focused on their task, the quiet hum of activity blending with the whisper of the night breeze.

  Old Nil and Fairchild boiled the beef jerky, allowing it to soften before adding potatoes and legumes. The rich aroma filled the air, stirring hunger in the group, their stomachs growling in anticipation. Meanwhile, Mario slipped into the vehicle and rummaged through his belongings. A moment later, he emerged holding a bottle of wine—one of the three he had brought along, originally intended as a gift for Sarah.

  The group settled in to enjoy their supper, with even Zed taking a small bite. The bottle of wine made its way around, each person taking a sip—even Fairchild, though he accepted his share with hesitation. As the meal went on, the wine loosened their tongues, and they exchanged stories, their laughter and voices carrying into the night. Zed, however, remained reserved. He only spoke when addressed, his words brief and measured, unaffected by the drink that had warmed the others.

  Shortly after midnight, they prepared to resume their journey. Supplies that had been taken out were swiftly packed away and secured back in the vehicle. As Zed returned to the driver’s box, the others, weary from the long day, climbed into their bunks, exhaustion quickly pulling them into sleep as the vehicle rumbled back to life and continued its course towards the vast, open desert.

Recommended Popular Novels