Daichi's blood ran cold from her predatorial gaze. His hands trembled and his heart raced.
Am I really intimidated by a kid?!
No, that can't be it. But her eyes aren't really giving 'friendly'
He took a deep breath. Trying to compose himself, but the pressure from her presence isn't making it any easier.
"My name is Daichi..."
He blurted out. Hesitation laced in his voice because of her.
"Daichi hmm"
"And why are you so... Bland?. No Vhis, no form of combat sense and you don't seem to have any kind of Haphleon besides that little knife you left in the village."
"You're not from Astheria. So where are you from?"
Rhea noted. Looking at him intensely.
Haphleon?. I've never heard that word before. Sounds like it's something akin to a weapon.
"Earth...I'm from Earth..."
"And so is my son...Mori"
"But I-I'm not sure where he is...we got separated when TheArks Of The Universe collapsed in on themselves"
He replied, feeling a little bit more at ease.
"So you're telling me you're from this place called 'Earth'. You're a father and your son 'Mori' was separated from you when...The Arks Of The Universe collapsed?. What even is that?."
"And how do you even protect a child if you can hardly fight."
She retorted. Her tone is sarcastic and unconvinced. Clearly not believing this nonsense. Especially the part about him being a father.
"Yes, Earth!" Daichi said, his voice rising. "It wasn't as dangerous as Astheria. Earth was a planet with humans. A-And the Arks!!"
"I'm in Astheria...so they clearly did what we were told they'd do. But then...why did they collapse. Why am I separated from my son? Why haven't I seen a single person from Earth?"
"What's going on?!"
He pondered to himself. Finally processing his situation after surviving chaos.
"And what do you mean 'how could you protect a child'" he said sarcastically "Im not fighting angels and damn dragons on Earth. There were stories but they didn't exist on earth. And in those stories angels are usually like...saviors with divinity and stuff. Not whatever the hell Sorphel is an—"
"Stop," Rhea interrupted. "Angels as saviors?" She laughed, bitter as she looked at him "Your stories lied to you."
She sat back down on the wooden desk, her halo going back to their regular orange flames.
"Now tell me what this 'Ark Of the Universe' thing is. Sounds like it has a lot to do with why you're here."
She demanded. Looking at him, strangely but willing to hear him out.
"Uhm...The Arks Of The Universe are machines built with the sole purpose to create portals that transport humanity to a safe planet that's habitable. Wherever it may be."
He responded after locking eyes with her.
"Safe?!. Seriously?. you had a planet where there were only humans and the whole race wanted somewhere safer?. You didn't have dragons. Wyverns. Angels. NOTHING!, AND YOU GUYS WANTED TO BE SAFER?!!."
"Just how greedy are the humans on Earth..."
She blurted out. Her halo flickering blue flames again. Displeased and disgusted by the greed of the people from earth.
"It's not like that!"
"We didn't want somewhere safer for the sake of not having threats, Earth was dying. The plants were becoming inedible. The animals were dying to the poison from the plants and from preying on each other. And our materials were slowly diminishing."
"And to make it worse...our populations were declining from the plague that was killing the planet and everything on it. And no one knew why it was happening. Even after years of research. There was no source or lead."
Rhea sat there listening as Daichi looked away slightly. Remembering the last few years he spent on earth struggled to live and provide for his son. In the same conditions every other human faced.
"So our top scientists, engineers and researchers came together and within five years of desperate study and research, they came up with and built the arks of the universe. And stationed them across the world at major points. Which were highly dense areas of human population."
"Everything was supposed to go smoothly. It was even rumored that they've found a planet called Zarphon. But everything went south when the machines started. They weren't tested due to time running out because Earth was almost completely decayed when they started. So the Arks failed...but somehow did what they were made to do. Although it separated me from my son."
He explained to her. His tone is slightly melancholic from all that's happened. And from somehow losing his son.
"Your planet was...dying?."
Rhea said softly. More to herself than to him. The flames from her halo gently dimmed.
He lost everything. And he doesn't even know if his son is dead or alive. Or where he could be...
"Yeah" He interrupted her thought, leaning against the wall as he looked down at his palms. "It was dying. Well...I wouldn't be surprised if it was completely inhabitable by now. I just. I just hope Mori's safe. Whether he's here in Astheria or not."
Rhea looks at him. And finally understood him. Shifting on the desk slightly, she cleared her throat.
"If he's somewhere here in Astheria. It's possible he's alive. But it varies on the region and the ruler. And even the kind of ruler. If he's in Nervaal, the kingdom of many races. He could be alive. Or taken as a slave. But it's better than being anywhere else I know of."
She said reassuringly. But unsure herself, seeing as how most of what she knows comes from rumors and stories she's heard in the village from scouts, the locals and the elders.
"Nervaal?!. Where is it? If there's a possibility that Mori could be there. I need to go there and look for him!."
Daichi said hopefully. His first lead to where Mori might be.
"Its one of the kingdoms of the south. I'm not sure what direction its in but i have an idea on how to find it. And As i said, your son could be a slave. Pretty sure u heard that part."
She proclaimed. Looking at him sternly.
"Yeah...That might be an issue, but I just need to know he's alive." He said hesitantly. Not sure what the plan is. But then something unsettling clicked. "Wait...Nervaal is a kingdom of the south. Earlier you said Sorphel is. The prince of the southern kingdom of angels..."
Daichi looked at her. Mortified by the possibility that Sorphel is the prince of Nervaal.
"No you...ugh. No, Sorphel is rumored to be a prince. But to the kingdom of 'ANGELS'. It's closer to Axion than the kingdom of Nervaal is. Don't get it twisted. They're both southern kingdoms. But Nervaal is closer to the far southern regions, which is where we are now."
"This is so hard to explain!!"
Rhea palmed her face as she explained, clearly struggling to lay it out properly.
"Look, Nervaal is a kingdom that's mostly harpies and a few other races from what I've heard. But they're mostly passive. And the fact that the scouts from my village traded with them once or twice a month. Shows that they're at least peaceful enough to be reasoned with. So, yeah I could take you there."
She said softly, unsure but knows that he needs help, and it doesn't cost her anything.
"But before anything else. You'll need Vhis. You don't have any so you're pretty defenseless. Wait... are you?"
Wait. If he doesn't have Vhis. Then he doesn't have a life-fog. Which means. He can't be a target because he's nothing beneficial to offer to anything that'd want him dead for the sake of becoming stronger...
Does that mean he's...Safe from gift hunters or just, Useless.
What would it look like for him to die if he doesn't even have life-fog to be extracted? Does he just. look the same?.
This is beyond me...
Rhea pondered to herself, trying to make sense of this whole thing.
"Am I what?"
He asked, confused, looking at her.
"Nothing. Never mind. You need Vhis if you intend to survive so I'll help you get started with that in the morning 'kay. But for now. The safest thing to do is stay down here. And wait until day break. We'll start heading to Nervaal after you've got your Vhis. So sleep if you have to."
She said as she leaned against the wall while sitting. Closing her eyes.
"Uhm...okay. I'll do that"
He said as he sat on the ground and looked at her. And the halo above her head. Slowly flickering.
What a day...
His thoughts slowed down. His shoulders sagged and a soft sigh escaped. Then he closed his eyes too. Falling asleep shortly.