Sometimes life changes for no reason. The interesting thing is whether these changes are good or bad.
Does waking up in an unknown world with many people who develop a crush on you count as a nice thing?
Apparently you can’t get a specialist to look over you in a reasonable time even when you possibly have something (according to a non-specialised doctor) that could kill you on the long run. I mean, maybe you would get one, but for that you would have to be already dying on the floor...
(I am not talking about my own medical condition, but about my close family's.)
So yeah, how was your week?
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“Well, that’s a large tree.”
After some hours of walking and climbing, your little group has found its way to Sumeru City. Fortunately for Aether, you didn’t run into any forest rangers. By now Tighnari certainly has noticed your absence and – if the Traveler’s instincts are right – he isn’t all that amused about it.
Fitting for the City in the Nation of Dendro, the entire city is built around a massive tree. You don’t know how safe that is, but if it works it works.
Once you get to the gate, a guard approaches you. “Welcome to Sumeru City. I take it that this is your first time here?”
“Yeah…”
“Then please take these. This herr are Akasha Terminals. We use them to share and acquire any type of information. They unite the knowledge of all the wearers into one invisible library. To activate them, take them into your hands and say: ‘May the Mighty God bless us with their voice of wisdom’.”, explains the guard while handing out the terminals to you, Aether and Paimon. Rosa is left out as it is either too non-humanoid looking or because the Akasha Terminal is as big as the Seelie itself.
While both Paimon and Aether activate the device right away, you hesitate. Sure, it sounds like something really practical, but if you understood the guard right, it accesses the brain and if you have learned something from sci-fi films, it is that technology accessing the brain is a disaster to come eventually. Besides, you have survived for so long now without your phone/computer that you would feel kinda bad for going back to relying on technology again. Therefore, you choose to put the terminal into your pocket for now.
“Woaah… How amazing…” Paimon floats around to look at different objects and people to scan them.
From the corner of your eye you see blond hair moving. Aether, who was standing right next to you, took a step forward to get a better look on your face. “It even knows who you are, (Y/N).”
“…And how much…?”
“(Y/N) (L/N), traveler from afar. That’s it. I actually never knew that your last name was like that.”
“I think I never mentioned to you either…” Thinking about it, you shudder. “Did I ever introduce myself with my full name to anyone…? No, I can’t recall such an event. …So why does the Akasha know it then…? Creepy.”
Aether observes your face for a bit longer. “Are you not wearing the Akasha?”
You shake your head. “Nah, I think that I'll pass. I don’t like the idea of connecting my brain to a network.”
“So do you think it’s dangerous? Should I take mine off?”
“No, leave it on. I mean… How should I put it… I do think that these Akasha Terminals are a major red flag, but I don’t think that leaving them on will do you any actual harm. Maybe they will be essential to solving or at least finding this region’s problem. Speaking of it, can you ask that thing something about the current Dendro Archon? Something like: ‘Where is the current Dendro Archon?’ Does that work?”
After a moment of silence Aether shakes his head. “No. My clearance level is too low for that.”
Paimon nods. “Same for Paimon.”
“Great, so that thing has a filtering function. The red flag is growing from minute to minute… Anyways, I guess that means we have to search for the Archon the old-school way - ask around.”
With that your group sets off to ask random people passing by about the Archon. The effort is there, but the results aren’t. People either only talk about Greater Lord Rukkhadevata (the former Dendro Archon) or they know little to none about the current Archon – Lesser Lord Kusunali. Another red flag if someone were to ask you.
Defeated, you and Aether sit down on a free bench. The Traveler sighs. “Well, that didn’t help. I never would have thought that the citizens of a nation could be that ignorant of their own god… So, what should we try next?”
“Good question. We somehow got stuck pretty quickly into Sumeru, didn't we? ...I somehow have the feeling that normally Tighnari would have given you a helpful lead, but asking him now isn’t an option.”
“Tighnari?”
“I am just thinking about what you would have done if I wasn’t here. In the previous nations you would have made good progress without me too, so I am thinking what the most logical next step for you would have been.”
“But in the end you are here. Perhaps it is more effective if you don’t force ourselves into a present that doesn’t exist.” You feel his hand gently petting your head.
“Sounds logical… You have become a very smart cookie, did you know that?”
“Does that mean that, in your eyes, I wasn’t smart before?”
“Who knows, who knows.”, you say matching his playful undertone.
“Hey… Can I take it as you not wanting to have dinner today?”
“Nope, nope. You are the smartest cookie I have ever known – the ‘past-you’ included.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Shall we go to that restaurant we passed earlier?”
Shining with happiness, you nod affirmatively.
Your blond friend stands up from the bench and takes your hand. “Then let’s go.”
Just like that passes the first day in the fourth major city you've been to. Like in the last nation, your arrival doesn’t go unnoticed by others.
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