As soon as they arrived at the tent, Huna and Nashw were completely uncontrollable with anxiety — after all, they could finally go out and see the rest of the world, or what was left of it… Zo, on the other hand, was more aware and knew they shouldn't be so excited about leaving the safe zone.
The truth is, it seemed like almost no one really knew what the world was like anymore, or what had happened. Some of the Marked ones, or just those brave enough, volunteered to go outside the village to prevent aberrations from coming in. Some returned. Others were never seen again…
Nashw was six years old when the Great Impact happened, so he still had good memories of what the world used to be like. It was the same with Zo, who was eight, but he always avoided talking about the past or about family. Huna, however, had been three years old — she claimed to remember absolutely nothing except a woman carrying her in her arms. Huna didn't know what life was like before being trapped in the villages, so it made no difference to her. She only had this desire to go out because of Nashw, whom she admired and called "little brother," even though all three of them came from different families and countries.
Nashw and Huna often talked about what life was like ten years ago, but Zo rarely joined in those conversations — maybe just because he wasn't interested. What mattered to him was the current reality of the world.
During the week they were forced to stay in the village, they didn't do much. Nashw spent his time saying goodbye to the plants and animals, along with Yori. Huna followed them, because she loved the way Nashw tried to communicate with literally everything. Zo, on the other hand, spent almost the entire week training at the Village Arena — a place where the Marked usually fought each other, with the only rule being not to cause fatal injuries. Of course, no one had ever come close to that, but it was still good to have rules.
Zo was considered a prodigy in the village, since he didn't have any Mark — his only power was dedication. He went to the Arena and usually defeated all the Marked just through physical strength and technique. He always seemed like the only one of the three who took the outside world seriously…
[Last day of the week before they set out on a one-way journey.]
"Exactly twelve minutes left before we can leave," said Nashw anxiously.
"We are *not* leaving at night," replied Zo.
"And why exactly do I have to respect that decision, huh?"
"For the simple reason that the license is in *my* name," said Zo, laughing and showing the name on the document.
"Little brother, let's go during the day. It doesn't change anything to leave now or a bit later," said Huna.
"It changes my anxiety, but fine, looks like I'm outvoted again…" Nashw muttered, annoyed.
After that, everyone laughed and started talking about what they would do once they left the village — but they came to no conclusion, so they went to sleep.
The next morning, barely awake, the three of them headed for the gate to leave — but were interrupted by Nashw's only friend.
"Nashw Nashw Nashw, take me with you! I can be useful in battle, HI-YAAAH!" yelled Yori, pretending to fight Kung Fu.
"Looking for an early death?" Zo said sarcastically.
"Oh, come on, Zo! Why so serious? I'll be useful! I'm even Marked, unlike—" at that moment, Zo gave him a serious look, and Yori instantly shrank back.
"Ah-hm… Well, I was clearly joking, haha… But please take me with you! Nobody here takes me seriously except Nashw. In school, he was the only one who talked to me."
Zo cut him off and said, "If we don't come back in a week, tell them to come look for us. If they find us, we'll come back and never leave again. But if we come back on our own, it means it's possible to live out there — and then we'll take you. Deal?"
"MORE THAN DEAL!" shouted Yori, running off, jumping, and celebrating while the three headed to the gate laughing.
"What do you wa— oh… it's you again… If you're here, I assume you really want to get yourselves killed," said one of the two guards, sarcastic yet concerned.
"We're going in search of a better future," replied Nashw optimistically, thinking that he would finally be free.
"You've got to be kidding me. We gave you education, food, discipline, protection, a family… such ingratitude," said the guard angrily.
"Hey! We're not ungrateful, okay? My little brother just wants to do the things he used to do, live like before — what's wrong with that?" said Huna, visibly shaken as she defended Nashw.
The second guard, out of patience, joined in, "Live like before? Was there this constant fear before? Fear of crossing a stupid gate and never seeing anyone again? What was life like before, huh?" he asked, pointing at Nashw.
Nashw, unsure how to respond, stammered, "I-I liked hunting with my father…"
"Hunting?! There are dozens of us dying out there for you, and you want to hunt? Are you serious? Your father clearly didn't knock any sense into your head," the second guard said.
"That's enough!" shouted Zo.
"No, it's fine, Zo…" said Nashw softly.
"We're just tired. Forgive us. I lost my daughter in the Great Impact — devoured by some cursed aberration. I'm just sick of seeing people die… Well… it's unfair to keep you here. If this is what you want, go. But promise me you'll be careful. If you even *see* one of them out there, come back. You'll probably run into someone from the village — ask for help if you need it," said the first guard, uncertain of how to feel.
Huna approached him and said, "I'm so sorry about your daughter. I bet she had amazing moments with such a protective father. I wish I could remember my dad…" Then she hugged him.
Both started to cry — the situation deeply affected everyone.
The gates opened, and the three heroes became pensive. Huna felt afraid but wanted to stay by her brothers. Nashw was determined to somehow make the world what it used to be, and Zo could only think about what they were about to see in that immense forest.
They said goodbye to the guards and set off on their one-way path…
When the gates closed, that *ghost* appeared from the ground, right behind Nashw, came close to his ear, and shouted, "Finally free!!!"
"AHH!!!" screamed Nashw, jumping.
"What happened?!" yelled Huna and Zo, looking around frantically, not understanding what was going on.
"Stop showing up out of nowhere, damn it!" shouted Nashw.
Zo lowered his head, smacked his forehead, and said, "Again…" as he started laughing.
"This isn't the place for imagination, brother. You almost gave us a heart attack," said Huna, laughing too.
Zo believed Nashw had suffered deep trauma after losing his family and being alone following the Great Impact — and that's why he saw things and talked to everything alive, including insects and plants. Huna accepted Zo's explanation and found it amusing; she tried to see it in a positive light, even though it was sad.
But Nashw did seem to have a real connection with that ghost and all living beings. It didn't look like just hallucinations. He had always talked to plants and animals, but Zo never took it seriously — he just nodded along.
Still, the ghost had helped Nashw get up after the Great Impact; it was the first thing he saw. Since then, it had appeared and disappeared seemingly at random — just to say something weird, warn him, or make him laugh.
"I've told you not to show up out of nowhere, and I'll say it again — STOP SHOWING UP OUT OF NOWHERE, YOU STUPID GHOST!" yelled Nashw, shouting right at the ghost's face.
When Nashw turned around, Zo and Huna were already walking ahead while he was still arguing with thin air.
"HEY, WAIT UP!" Nashw yelled, running after them.
"Stop calling me ghost, I'm your number one adventure buddy now! I need a cool name! Hmm… what was it again? Oh yeah — Zanny! Call me Zanny."
"What do you mean 'was'?" asked Nashw.
"Doesn't matter… anyway, where are we going?" replied Zanny.
"Zo, Zanny's asking where we're going," Nashw said to Zo.
Zo looked confused. "Zanny? Ah, whatever…" but answered anyway, "Tell your 'ZaNnY' we're just heading straight ahead, to where it's full of trees. If needed, we'll find cover."
"I can hear you, idiot. Anyway, I've been here a long time — later!" said Zanny before vanishing again.
The three heroes walked toward the mountains.
Was that the right path?