The giant forest disappeared into a pea and became a distant green memory. They entered the dusty deserts of the Southlands, where the only thing guiding their journey was crude dirt roads slightly more yellow than the orange sand. Brax slowed down as he struggled to stay on the path and take in the scenery, though there wasn't much to see. Other than the spikey bushes and a few meager white trees, the land was devoid of animals and plantlife. Xinyu's head bobbed all around, looking, trying to find something interesting, but to no avail.
"This place is unfortunate," Xinyu said. "There are no animals to give this place life!"
"There are, though you won't be able to see them this time of day," Cygnus said. "They're all underground and in the skies."
"Oh! I do see tiny birds up there, but they are so small!" Xinyu said, perching her head straight up, and saw the tiny dots every so often in the cloudless sky.
"Those aren't birds, technically," Cygnus said. "They're dacktles, oversized reptiles with wings. They're quite big, even bigger than our cart here; they just look small since they're so high up."
"As big as this cart? That is huge!" Xinyu said. "How can such a big creature survive in a place with no food?"
"Food is scarce, but there is far from none," Cygnus said. "Even though these sandy plains appear lifeless, a vast ecosystem exists beneath the surface that only becomes alive at night. The dactyls in particular scavenge dead creatures and the thornfruit from those spiky bushes."
"Ooh, might I try one of those fruits?" Xinyu asked, squinting her eyes to see the succulent bags that hung from spiky plants that were scattered around the terrain. They were pinkish and green and looked delectable among the desert backdrop.
"You could try, but I wouldn't advise it," chuckled Cygnus. "Their alcohol content is extraordinarily high and intensely concentrated. The juice is borderline poison to humans."
"A plant that makes booze, huh?" Brax said, licking his chaps. He hadn't had a drink since the night before he left town, and his mouth watered at the thought. "Are their juices really alcoholic?"
"Well, yes, technically," Cygnus said. "But those cactus fruits are better for sterilization. The trees you see also bear fruit in the winter when the weather cools. Those are also naturally alcoholic, but much better tasting, and a drop won't overwhelm you. Supposedly, it's like wine. Actually, the locals love their fruit so much that they throw a festival and-"
Brax paid little attention to Cygnus's ramblings and stopped the vehicle near one of the spikey green bushels. He reached down into the sand and used his magic to craft a makeshift rock knife, which he promptly used to cut the bright red fruit from the thorny plant. He looked at it sceptically for a moment, then shook it, causing the inside to swoosh around. He dug his knife into the top and drilled a hole from which he could drink. He sniffed it and felt a boozy tingle run down his nostrils. He could tell instantly from his burning nose that it was harder than even the toughest of spirits, but he was confident he could handle it.
"I really wouldn't," Cygnus warned. "It's horribly bitter, and is enough to knock a garfung out."
"But it won't kill me, right?" Brax asked. "I just want somethin' to calm down my nerves. Been on edge since we left."
"You won't be able to steer afterwards," Cygnus said. "But do as you wish. I suppose I could drive for a while."
"Bah, don't worry! I have a high tolerance," Brax boasted, taking a large swig from the soft fruit. Cygnus hadn't lied; it was the most bitter, alcoholic thing he'd ever tasted and made Brax's face scrunch up from just one mouthful. He somehow managed to forcefully swallow the burning liquid and wiped the acid dribbling down his chin. It was so strong, it felt as if his skin and throat had caught fire, and was spreading across his entire body.
"I wish to try too!" Xinyu said, snatching the fruit. She took a small sip, swished it around her mouth twice, then vomited it out before she could actually swallow more than a drop. "This is disgusting!"
"I suppose I'll have to find a place for us to stop," Cygnus said, sighing. "We won't get to our destination nearly as fast, but I don't think you two will be conscious for much longer."
Though he had only a sip, Brax was immediately swaying side to side wearily. His eyes were barely open, and he couldn't think. His head thumped, pounding at his skull from the inside like a horrible tambourine incessantly striking a wall, and the bright scape grew to a fuzzy black. He had never been so drunk before, not even when he drank thirteen shots of hard liquor the night of his thirtieth birthday. He could hear Cygnus lecturing them on why it was a bad idea to eat the thornfruit without filtration, but couldn't fully comprehend the words he was saying. He peered to his side and glimpsed Xinyu, who only had a sip, which she spat out, flushed with a completely rosy face. After all that, Brax only remembered seeing her vomiting once more over the side of the vehicle before he collapsed to the floor.
…
The moon loomed centersky when Brax shivered himself awake. He was lying on the side of the desert road next to the cart. Not far from him was a small fire made of dead branches, which illuminated their little space and made the night air a little less chilly. His head was pounding and his vision a bit blurry, but he could at least think again. He made out Xinyu asleep on his right, and Cygnus across from them, who was reading a small notebook.
"Ah, you're finally awake," Cygnus said, looking up. "How reckless it was for you guys to drink that. We didn't even make it to the village, though I suppose that's quite all right. A night under the stars can be refreshing once in a while."
"I'm sorry," Brax said. "I really have been feelin' stressed lately with all this talk 'about gods and coulda really used a good drink. Not that good, though."
"It's fine," Cygnus said. "Nerves are important for keeping us alive, though they can seem detrimental at times. I've found that out the hard way many times."
He closed his book.
"What were you reading?" Brax asked.
"My father's notebook," Cygnus said, placed it inside his bag, and leaned back.
"Is it about his research?" Brax asked.
"No. It's a strange fairy tale written by him," Cygnus said. "I don't understand why he wrote it and why it was so important to him. He was a scientist, not a writer. Honestly, his writing abilities are horrid."
"Maybe it's cuz there's a secret message in it," Brax said.
"That's what I always thought, but I could never figure it out," Cygnus said, lying down. "And I've been trying for the longest. Maybe it wasn't intended for me in the first place."
"You're gonna give up on it then?" Brax asked.
"Give up on a mystery? Never," Cygnus said as he shut his eyes."Goodnight, Brax. Try to sleep off that horrible headache you probably have."
Brax, barely conscious and unsure if the conversation he just had actually happened, faded back into sleep.
…
It was just before the moon left, and the sun had yet to emerge. Cygnus awoke after only a few hours, and though a bit groggy, was unable to return to rest. An insomniac for as long as he could remember, he couldn't recall the last time he had a decent night's sleep. The fire, which had died down to a pile of white coals and ash, gave little warmth in the cold pre-dawn, and he shuddered under the frail cloth that covered him. He got up, stretching his arms and legs, and began to scour the surrounding area for branches to rekindle the fire. They could use it to keep them warm until the harsh sun set the land ablaze, and also to cook some of the meat they had for breakfast.
As he surveyed the landscape, he noticed Xinyu was missing from where she had fallen asleep. He looked around, but could not see her or any trace of her. No footprints, or any other trail of sorts. Her clothes and the bag were still in the cart, so he deduced she had not gone far– if she had gone anywhere herself. He didn't waste time to awaken Brax, for if she had been taken or something dire occurred, time would be short. His powers likely wouldn't be useful in tracking her anyhow.
Cygnus quickly became filled with uncertainty.
Had she wandered off without a word again, or was there an unknown assailant lurking amongst the desert sand? In an unfamiliar territory in a world filled with enemies, even the strongest warriors' lives were never assured. Cygnus grew increasingly worried, for she was someone he needed to keep safe. Her power, her wisdom, it was all an enigma to him, yet he knew she was going to be an essential cog in the fight for the future.
He found a piece of hair on her blanket and imbued energy into it with his finger. He released the follicle into the air, which shot in a direction, leaving a trail of bright light behind it. He sprinted after the makeshift tracker, running past the many rodents and snakes of the night who had emerged from their burrows underground to feed.
No matter how much he tried to be logical and composed in each situation, he could never control the anxiety that flooded his body every time something unforeseen occurred. The uncertainties, the unknown, the possibilities; it was always so frightful to him, and oftenoverwhelmedd him when he needed to stand tall most.
She probably went for a walk, that must be it, Cygnus thought. I can't let these fears continue on like this.
The hair led him to a jagged stone formation, which wasn't terribly far from the campsite. As he peered behind it, he was relieved to see Xinyu dressed in nothing but a rectangular black undergarment to cover her flat chest, and some baggy trousers, torn, but flexible enough for free movement. She held a rock overhead, much bigger than herself, and used it as a weight while she slowly squatted up and down. Each time she rose up and locked her knees straight, a bit of sweat flung from her glossy body, watering the ground in a dark, muddy splotch. Her breaths were quick at the release, but deep at the breaks she took in between each repetition.
Eventually, she threw the rock down and began to punch nothingness in the air. They were swift, but heavy strikes that sprinkled more sweat in all directions. She hopped around like a hare, not staying in one spot for more than a moment, and bounced around so much that it was dizzying to watch. She put in a kick, wound up with a spin here and there, and moved around as if there were an invisible opponent before her. Her movements were fluid and flexible, but had the power to dent steel. It was a fighting style similar to savate or pankration, techniques used by physical enhancement magic users, but more unique than anything he had ever seen. What was jarring to Cygnus was the fact that it was redundant for Xinyu to even be training without expending an ounce of magic. Since she didn't seem to use physical enhancement magic herself, training her body's muscles so vigorously seemed pointless.
Furthermore, Cygnus would never have expected the frail-looking girl with fair skin and beautiful garments to have such toned muscles, but there was something else that caught his attention much faster. Her body had quite a few scars. Scars that had long since healed and were many years old. Scars that would have had to come from wounds so deep that they likely had reached the bone. They were a bit unsightly, but not terribly unpleasant to look at. It was those faults that gave her body character, a wondrous sculpture wrought on by something horrid. Cygnus would only wonder what creature could have possibly ruined such delicate and fair skin. Xinyu noticed him and waved with a smile.
"Ah. This is embarrassing," Xinyu said. "I do not like when people see me as I am."
"It's fine, I don't mind," Cygnus said. "What are you doing?"
"I am training!" Xinyu said.
"Training? What could someone such as you possibly be training like that for?" Cygnus asked.
"To be strong. I cannot rely only on magic, after all," Xinyu said triumphantly. "As you can see, I got beaten up pretty bad in the past. I never wish to endure such pain again, and so I must be better prepared. One day, my magic will fail, and my strength will be all I have left."
"Your magic will fail? Why do you believe such a thing?" Cygnus asked.
"Because…" Xinyu started. "Due to the nature of my magic, it may not always be there to save me. When it finally abandons me, I will use my muscles to crawl forward and continue the battle!"
"You believe you can stand against the might of magic with nothing other than brawn?" Cyngus pondered. "I admire your ambition, but to fight against such odds is nothing short of impossible."
"I do not dwell on those negatives, for then my hope will falter," Xinyu said. "I can only have faith that the me in the future finds a way to fight back no matter what."
"It's so foolish, yet I can't help but admire it," Cygnus said.
"Would you like to join me?" Xinyu asked.
"No, but I do have a question, one that I've wanted to ask since we first met," Cygnus said.
"Something you did not want to ask before because we were being watched?" Xinyu asked.
"Precisely," Cygnus said.
Xinyu grabbed a cloth she brought along and began wiping her drenched body down.
"Ask everything you wish to know, star boy!" Xinyu said.
"Just… who are you?" Cygnus asked.
"Hm? Have we not already introduced ourselves?" Xinyu asked. "The name that I carry with me is Xinyu Ma! I am a girl who hails from poor merchants in the East and–"
"Yes, yes, I'm certain that's all true, but there's more to the story," Cygnus interrupted. "There always is."
"What makes you say that?" Xinyu asked.
"If you were nothing more than a girl, you would not have the power to contend with angels," Cygnus said. "You would not smile so brilliantly at the world's end, nor prostrate yourself with such confidence. You are the furthest thing from unremarkable."
Xinyu was silent as she looked towards the brightening dawn in the sandy distance. She smiled at Cygnus, like always, as the rays of light began to color her face. It was the smile that she eternally held and never changed for anyone, for it belonged to the world.
"I am just as I said," Xinyu said. "I am Xinyu Ma, a girl who hails from the East. I am a girl who must always smile and never falter, or else I will inherit the regrets of my sister. When she died, my fate became sealed."
"We've all lost people," Cygnus said.
"And that is why I am not special," Xinyu said. "The truth is, under the power that stands atop the world, I am just a girl. I once wished to date other pretty people and eat good food and smile without any real reason, but as you can see, things did not turn out that way."
"Life is quite the convoluted road," Cygnu said. "Yet you don't always have to look back."
"I do not wish to, but I constantly do. It is like a compulsion which I can never deny," Xinyu said. "Past or present, this annoying sensation is either pushing me forward or pulling me back. I am unable to escape it, no matter where I go."
"I never took you for someone who dwelled so intensely on the past," Cygnus said.
"When my sister died, do you know what she did?" Xinyu asked. "She smiled. She smiled as she died. If she screamed or cried, this would have been so much easier, because I would have killed myself. But she smiled. Why did she do that? She must have hated me, because she knew that face would keep me alive. She knew her dreams would become mine, and I would have to smile and suffer until I achieved them or died myself."
"And those dreams are?" Cygnus asked.
"The same as always. To expose this heavy secret and finally be free," Xinyu said. "Doing so meant going against the gods. I did not wish to do something so scary, but her forsaken smile kept me going whether I liked it or not."
Cygnus sighed.
"The dead don't despair like the living," he said as he placed his hand on her head. "Don't burden yourself unnecessarily. You don't have to chase after some impossible dreams out of obligation. That will only lead to your own suffering. She's gone. Her regrets do not belong to you. Live your life out and let me handle it. I'll make sure there's a world where you can date pretty people and eat good food."
Xinyu looked up at him and gave him a coy grin.
"Make no mistake," Xinyu said. "She might be the one who altered my path, but the one going down it is still me. Each step I take cuts a bit more of my flesh away, and soon I fear I will be nothing other than bones. Despite that, I will keep going because I have found something new to fight for along the way."
"So, you're dead set on a path to oblivion," Cygnus said. "Frankly, I can't say I'm not much different. We both have such impossible dreams, it's infuriating."
"It is not impossible, and that is what makes me unable to stop," Xinyu said. "It is as you and your father believe, and as I know; the gods are not as they seem. The world will not be happy once I show the truth, but it will be free. From that liberty, I hope that others can achieve the happiness I see. One day, far in the future, I know it can happen!"
"Why do you say that?" Cygnus asked.
"I will show you!" Xinyu started as she began to dress herself in her usual pink silk. "You and the rest of the world will soon know what it means to surpass impossibility."
Cygnus, though bewildered, thought he saw a glimpse of his father in that moment. It was strange because they were drastically different in body and ideals. One had a frail body, the other a strong one. One wanted humanity to progress, the other to restart it. They couldn't be more unalike, yet their spirits were all too similar. Both seemed so out of reach for him.
"If I manage to do something no one else has done before, will you make me a promise?" Xinyu asked.
"And what promise would that be?" Cygnus asked.
"To live a fun life!" Xinyu said joyously."Live enough for you, your father, and those who have fallen."
Cygnus looked at her, and her influential happiness infected his own.
"Whatever could you mean by that?" Cygnus whispered under his breath.