Earth: The Second

A Brave New World (Part 2)

When Kiki opened her eyes, the sun is already high in the sky. she does not realize it since when she fell asleep, but the memories of yesterday’s events are still intact. When she got up, she realized that they are already at the entrance of the ruin. Adma, the mysterious powerful man from yesterday can be seen sitting in front of a bonfire. In front of him are roasted fishes, mushrooms, and bird legs, in a stick. The man realized Kiki has gotten up, but he just takes a glance and continues cooking.

Slowly, Kiki approaches the man, her step stopped at 2 meters from Adma sit, and just starring at him, afraid that she will disturb him.

Adma, glancing back and Kiki and thought ‘maybe she is hungry.’ He lifts up a stick of fish, offering it to the child. The kid seems uncertain at first, but then, she joined Adma in front of the bonfire.

“...Hungry?” Adma tried to communicate.

“Hmmh! Thank you!” gleefully, Kiki takes the roasted fish, and eats it.

Well, at least we can talk to each other. Adma thought to himself. About how and why he can speak the language, even though he never learns is came from the voice inside his head (which it insists to be called The Navigator)

The Navigator itself said that the language used by the girl has many similar attributes to Arabic, Chinese, and Latin. Therefore, Navigator just needs to synchronize Adma’s vocal cords into words that will make sense for Kiki. The same concept also applied to how Adma can understand the words that Kiki speaks.

At the very least, everything is far better when you can communicate in the environment which totally foreign to you.

“My friends… Where are they?” Adma did not notice that the girl has stopped eating. She tilted his head, and looking at the two mound of ground with a stone that placed and looked like a cemetery.  

“I can’t leave them like that. So I buried them when you fell asleep. Sorry, you can’t bid them the final goodbye.” said Adma, but Kiki shakes her head.

“Nu-uh.  Thank you, good sir, I also can’t leave my friends like that.”

Adma thought that for a girl as young as she, she has a mature way of thinking.

“The creatures that you guys fighting before… What happened?” asked Adma.

Again, Kiki shakes her head, this time, with contemplating looks all over her face. 

“Kiki does not know either. We have a job to explore this ruin, but we don’t know that we will face a Dark Monster. Kiki’s friends are slaughtered.” 

“I’m sorry to make you talk about this.”

“But you came and save me, sir! Moreover, you’re able to destroy a Dark Monster with only one attack!” second later, Kiki back to being cheerful. “Is that magic that you’re using? Are you a Sorcerer?”

In this world, Sorcerer is a far more advanced magic user than mages.

“No… I’m not… What is a Sorcerer?”

This time, Kiki looking at him with a confused face.

***

For the next 20 minutes. Kiki and Adma ended up talking about ‘mana’ and ‘mages’ that inhabit this world. As expected, many concepts that Kiki has been explained are very weird, even for Adma. Moreover, he never recognizes any country or city that kiki talking about. The girl told that she came from Horundah. A town that is located on the outskirt of kingdom of Henriah. 

Horundah? Henriah? Adma can only went in silence as he tried to familiarize himself. he is not an expert in geology, but if it’s a name of a country, at least he can remember a flash about it, but none.

“It’s most likely, that the terrain and the society have been changed after thousand years. Hence, create new principalities,” told Navigator

“Is that so? Then that makes sense,” Adma nodding while Kiki wonder to whom he speaks, since Kiki can’t hear Navigator’s voice.

“Umm.. Good sir, I just realized that I still don’t know your name,” asked Kiki.

“Ah, pardon me. You can call me Adma.”

Again, Kiki is being cheerful to know her savior’s name.

“Um… My name is Kiki… Sir Adma, from what you said, you’re not any sort of mages are you?”

“I suppose so… I don’t understand any of those things you talked about, mana and magic,”

“Is it possible, that you are the angel sent by deities?” again, Kiki asked gleefully. 

“That is even more confusing,” replied Adma.

“No, Father has told me before! After seven Gods and Goddesses return to the divine realm, they promise to humans that in the future, they will sent the almighty angel to guide humanity into the righteous path!”

Adma shaking his head disagreeing. He knew no ‘Gods’ or ‘Goddesses’ before, but to break the child’s faith is too difficult for him.

“Well, I’m not sure about me being an angel, but I will not let a monster like that one come near you again,” replied Adma jokingly.

unexpectedly, Kiki’s face blushing. She gazes away from Adma, and shyly reply “Um… Yes… Thank you… Sir.”

“Anyway, how old are you, Kiki?”

“Um… This year I turned 13.”

“13 huh? Aren’t you think that you are too young for this? Wandering far away from homes, doing dangerous work?”

“Kiki… doesn’t have a choice,” 

The atmosphere goes heavy at that moment. Kiki tells Adma her story, about her looking for a job to save her orphanage, which leads her to this final moment and meeting Adma. On the other hand, everything is already made sense to Adma. 

The world that able to utilize magic, religion that revolves around god and goddesses, and children that has to work for a living. It’s not a world where he used to be. Even without memories, the world that Adma knew is mainly peaceful, convenient, and have advanced technology where magic does not exist.

Adma and Kiki exchanging gaze. He knew nothing about this world, the law, customs, and even have no leads to where he have to go next. On the other hand, he felt a sense of responsibility seeing Kiki have to work at the cost of her life and doing such a dangerous job as adventurer.

“I will help you out,” said Adma to the girl.

“Eh?” 

“I just… Can’t let you do this dangerous kind of work again aren’t you? Beside, how will you go home without company?”

“But, is that ok?”

“Of course! just leave it to big brother!”

The heavy atmosphere suddenly lifts up. Kiki returned to smile, but this time, she is so happy and cried. Adma looked at her and gave her a pat on the head.