Kayin is the first to leave his tent, he greets us with a smile on his face as soon as he sees us. He's quickly followed by the two seniors, who does the same.
I don't see the young woman and the other two warriors. In fact, as I try to sense their presence in the camp, but they're not there at all. They returned shortly after, though, and not empty handed at that. One of the men is carrying dead game on his shoulder, I think it's an antelope, it has already been exsanguinated and skinned. He quickly sets up place where he chops it into smaller pieces.
I guess it will be the breakfast.
But where did they catch that animal? As far as I know antelopes don't live in tunnels but in lush forests. The closest exit point of the tunnels must still be too far away to reach it, dozens of kilometres at least… They could not possibly have covered such a distance, to and fro, in such a small amount of time can they?
Or maybe they can.
From yesterday's exchange, it was apparent that these people possess an energy very similar, but at the same different, to Spiritual essence which gives them a significant boost in their physical abilities, and not just the temporary augmentations obtained by certain rituals or the consumption of vitality potions, but something more profound. Something intricately etched into their very being.
Them more I observe them, the more I am intrigued by their existence.
Teacher used to say that the world is mystery that not even thousands of lifetimes will be enough to uncover, there are simply too much that we don't know, and what we do know—even regarding sorcery, is barely the tip of the iceberg. Teacher used to say that the world is a mystery that not even thousands of lifetimes will be enough to uncover, there are simply too much that we don't know, and what we do know—even regarding sorcery, is barely the tip of the iceberg.
These people… They are the proof of it.
I am pulled out of pondering when the young woman thrust a bowl of soup into my hands. The act is so abrupt that it almost falls from my hands, but she helps me to catch it before it does.
I try express my thanks with a grateful nod of the head which she replies with an amiable smile.
Now that I take a closer look at her, she is beautiful, a really beautiful woman. No one would be able to guess that someone so pretty and slender hide so much physical strength.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
After eating, we are once again assembled around the fire.
The atmosphere is a solemn one, a reflection of the conversation that is to come.
I steel myself for it.
As usual Kayin is the one to engage the conversation, he clears his throat to garner everyone's attention.
"Wi have not properli presented each other, so I will stat there… if hiu donot mind"
The introduction goes like this; The senior mister and lady are Lateef and Abayomi, they are archaeologist… and married. The tall spear guy is called Ike, the dark-skinned woman is Ewa, and the two other men are Gamba and Azikiwe, the four of them are Warrior mercenaries commissioned by Ike's expedition team for protection and heavy lifting.
"My name is Vyswe'eyaga" I say after everyone's presentation, "Nice to meet you…. I guess."
With that out of the way, we dive right into the crux of the issue—Me.
"So… what are you planning to do with me?" I finally say after a short silence.
Mister Lateef answers this time.
"Weare actually hoping hiu will tell us about hiu, how did hiu survive?"
And here it is. I have been thinking on how to deal with this situation all night long, listing and reviewing all the possible outcomes and how I will react to them accordingly… and the only solution that I found most appealing, was to be direct.
I will firmly state my demands and honestly answer their questions, of course I wouldn't tell them everything—I don't trust them enough for that, but I wouldn't lie either. Crafting a complex enough web of half-truths and lies would be difficult—I am not that good of a liar to begin with, and I couldn't be bothered with anyway. I can simply refuse to answer a question if I don't like it.
These people are my only source of information, so I have to do it right.
"I don't mind telling you what you want to know… but there are a few things I want myself."
I let my words sink in for a while.
"Firstly, I had like to learn how to speak, read and write your language. Then, I want to know everything there is to know about this era; the political and social state of affairs, the economy and everything in between…" After some hesitation, I add, "And the sorcery too… if possible."
"—Of course! Aniting hiu wuant."
Kayin answers a bit too quickly. I a little taken aback by how readily he accepted but nod anyway.
Then after a deep breath. I tell them about the end of the world, the end of my world. I tell them about the evacuations across the continents, and how my fellow countrymen were taken to the underground bunkers, and finally, about the elder's last resort to protect the younger generation from what had happen.
Not to say, but my knowledge about what happened is very limited, everything happened so fast I did not get the time to really understand much.
"It's been about two weeks since I regained consciousness. There was no point in staying back there… so I left."
I was not particularly looking at anyone when narrating the events but when my gaze focused back on them… I can say that I am more or less unsurprised that their eyes literally bulge out of their sockets.
Then I am assaulted by a barrage of questions, mainly by the trio of researchers. They speak on top of each other, and so quickly I genuinely do not understand a word that is coming from their mouths.
I patiently wait for their hysterical display to pass. At some point they realize how comical they must look and finally regain some modicum of self-control.
"So hiu are not alone? Uwer are the others."
"Yes, I am not the only one and no, I will not tell you where they are" I tell flatly.
"Why?" Madame Abayomi almost whine, which is funny coming from a mature woman like herself.
I give her a dubious look, "Umm… Because I don't know you. You can't possibly expect me to tell, can you?"
They can always try if they want, with the wards erected all over the chamber and the hidden caves, I highly doubt they will be able to locate them… so it should be alrigth.
Kayin nods several times at my statement.
"Of course, of course, hiu wantto protectthem. But I can assurehiu that wi donot wantto harmthem, wi—"
"—Like I said, I don't know you." I say more firmly.
"That is all I will tell you for the moment, and don't forget there is still your side of the bargain to respect."
They all nod to my words.
"Do hiu mind if we discuss among ourselves" When I narrow my eyes Kayin hastily adds, "I donot intendto dishonor our bargain, rest assured, we wantto learn from hiu as much as hiu fromus."
I am not sure if I believe him, but I should not appear too paranoiac. Hence, even if it makes me uneasy I leave them to their discussion.
My wait is not long because they are done barely a quarter of an hour later. Their next question takes me completely offguard.
"So… will hiu agree to go to the surfacewith us?" I think my lack of a reaction makes him panic because he goes on by explaining to me that there are, in fact, more members of his expedition team. They are apparently decided to divide themselves into two groups, one will stay aboveground while the other will explore the tunnels, and the second group found something of worth, they will call the first one to join them.
But they found me instead, is what he does not say.
He further adds that all the necessary materials needed to teach all I need is above anyway and that it will be good for me to be under the sun after so long, to see with my own eyes the world above ground.
At this point it seems that he is just finding reasons to persuade me into following him, and I think he knows that too.
Yet was it not my objective to go to the surface all along?
If I am being honest with myself, I subconsciously tried to delay this moment as much as possible, I was scared of finding out how much the world had changed—I still am. But I can't afford to stay afraid.
I try to keep my breath from trembling as I sigh.
It is high time that I face this new world.
Let's hope this will go smoothly.