Drake didn't express anything on his face and said,
"I am Drake, and nothing more or nothing less."
"I came this far with my hard work, not with anyone's help."
"True, the neighbors helped me grow, but I didn't have my parents."
The other kids were shocked.
Growing up as an orphan in the tribe was extremely rare.
Almost like a myth.
The kids were at a loss for words.
Their emotions were complicated.
They didn't know what to say or what expression to make.
They couldn't pity someone if they didn't feel the need to.
It was like they simply didn't understand the true grief of someone who had truly grown up without parents.
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
"But the people of the tribe were nice and caring, so I never felt the gap of not having my parents," Drake added.
Evan said,
"That's why you could already attempt the second trial before becoming a Reader."
"My parents would never allow me to."
"I was going to become a Reader in a few days."
"That's why I attempted the second trial," Drake replied.
Everyone was shocked.
Suddenly, the twins spoke.
It seemed Jike was older and Pike was younger.
They spoke like one person.
One word from Jike.
The next from Pike.
"You—" "How—" "Old are—" "You?"
Drake was taken aback.
"How old am I?"
"Just four waves old."
"What? Are you younger than me or something?"
Phil and Evan didn't react much.
They were also four waves old.
But the twins looked embarrassed.
They were five waves old and seemed to be the weakest among the kids there.
Most children completed the Cradle during their fourth or fifth wave.
Being five waves old without completing the Cradle was unusual for the Warcrier Tribe.
Evan thought:
Their parents should be worried.
That must be the reason.
The twins replied,
"We thought—" "If you're going—" "To become a Reader—" "You would be older."
Drake didn't answer.
He simply sat calmly on the Ripple.
Evan, Phil, and the twins also seemed lost in thought.
No one spoke.
Drake noticed that the Captain and the God Killer seemed nowhere to be found.
They were traveling on the Ripple alone.
After a long journey, they spotted a massive structure in the distance.
A circular cabin.
Far away from the area where normal people roamed.
It was almost as large as the foundation island on the surface.
Even though they couldn't see the bottom of the sea, Drake felt a sense of disdain.
One day...
I am going to reach the Abyss.
And that day...
This world will answer all my questions.
As he thought that, a couple of Ripples joined their march toward the circular structure.
They had all returned from their Cradles.
They were heading to meet the Queen.
They finally reached the structure.
It was marvelous.
Like an entire town crafted from a single house.
Beautiful.
A small force repelled them from entering easily.
The guards let them in one by one.
The guards themselves moved naturally through the water, even without Ripples or any other means of transport.
After hearing certain sounds from the guards, everyone was allowed to enter.
It seemed the Queen had forged a barrier through a unique sound.
After all, she was a Creator.
Just like the God Killer.
There are six worlds known to us.
Each world is populated by a different tribe.
Every tribe has its own traditions and culture.
But one thing never changes.
The way one attains power.
Only through the Trials.
Vunavu.
A world where food is rich and delicious.
The creatures there are perfectly suited for cooking and consumption.
The world tree is the Vuna Tree.
Its people are the Delver Tribe.
Porieyal.
Home of the greatest etchers.
They craft customized Naturally-Etched Weapons and flawless Man-Etched Weapons.
The world tree is the Pori Tree.
Its people are the Bender Tribe.
Puvieyal.
The world where methods of traveling between worlds were discovered and perfected.
The world tree is the Puvi Tree.
Its people are the Crawler Tribe.
Somberi.
A world where people used to lie around and do very little.
The embodiment of laziness itself.
As if nature removed sloth from every other tribe and placed it all here.
The world tree is the Solow Tree.
Its people are the Soller Tribe.
Mupadai.
A world known for warfare, tactics, and marching armies.
They foresaw the Great War and served as strategists for the alliance against the wretched whales.
The world tree is the Sparta Tree.
Its people are the Warhier Tribe.
And lastly...
Kayal.
Our world.
Where warriors are born and forged.
The frontline warriors of the greatest war.
The world that produced the most powerful warrior to ever live.
The world tree is the Alam Tree.
Its people are called the Crier Tribe.
The worlds are separated.
Yet they are like one body.
Their parts scattered throughout the endless Abyss.
Without proper means of travel, one might wander for eternity without reaching another world.
The people of Puvieyal were the first to create a proper method of traveling between worlds.
Yet even before that, everyone had a faint feeling that the others existed.
They felt the sorrow of other tribes.
Their happiness.
Their struggles.
The unseen connection that joined them together during the Great War.
The Queen's chamber was filled with young people.
Blooming minds.
Future warriors from all the tribes.
Yet the numbers from some tribes seemed questionable.
Almost as if some had refused to participate.
This peace...
It was built upon the corpses of fellow tribesmen.
The waters of our world were stained with our own blood.
The souls of countless mothers were wounded.
That is the peace we live in.
That is the price we paid.
But these young minds knew nothing of the true terror of the Great War.
They didn't know the burden the previous generations had carried.
While living happily with food to eat...
Water to drink...
And good clothes to wear...
Does that truly mean a person lives freely?
A man thinks:
If I only had water, I could live.
Then he gets water.
If I only had food, I could live.
Then he gets food.
If I only had shelter from heat, cold, and predators, I could live.
Then he gets shelter.
If I only had wealth, I could live.
Then he gets wealth.
If I only had power, I could live.
Then he gets power.
And finally...
If I only had freedom to do what I want, I could live.
A person's desires never end until true freedom is attained.
What is a mother?
What is a father?
What are siblings?
What is a family?
Does one's family hold greater value than another's?
Why does one choose family over others?
Doesn't the entire tribe come from a single mother?
Our tree?
I don't understand this concept of family.
All a man can do is live and help others live.
What is freedom if it comes at the cost of abandoning the people you love?
The regret of living alone with the freedom you desired most is greater than suffering limitations alongside those you cherish.
While these thoughts ran through Drake's mind, everything around him suddenly vanished.
The great hall.
The people.
The food.
The drinks.
Even the floor beneath his feet.
Nothing could be sensed.
Then he heard it.
The Queen's voice.
"Those who have sought the Cradle..."
"It doesn't matter whether you succeeded or failed."
"So do not fret."
"The soul of a warrior is to never give up on his companions or himself."
"You all will receive great rewards according to the will of the sea."
The Queen's voice was neither exactly soft nor rough.
It couldn't be judged through hearing alone.
It relaxed everyone's mind.
Like a soothing voice rescuing the children from the nothingness where no senses were capable of functioning.
Her voice was like an immeasurable Abyss.
Yet it saved you from the void of the Abyss itself.
After the Queen stopped speaking, Drake found himself in a place where everything was dark.
Except for one spot.
A dim light.
He ran toward it.
The closer he got, the fainter it became.
Just before he could get a good look, it vanished.
It was a young woman.
She turned toward him.
He couldn't see her clearly.
She disappeared with a faint smile on her face.
"No!"
"No!"
"No!"
"Please show me!"
"At least this time!"
"Ahhhhh!"
Drake suddenly woke up.
He found himself in a place that looked like an infirmary.
He was lying on a bed-like material made from the wood of their tree.
Two wire-like structures extended from the wood and connected to his eyes.
The person nearby spoke.
"You shouldn't shout here."
"It might disturb others."
Drake was slightly startled.
Haa...
It's that dream again.
It happens whenever I'm in contact with great power.
Ahhh...
"Sorry, doctor."
"It's Ramiz."
"Don't throw a tantrum already."
"They did say you're special and highly motivated."
"Hmmm..."
"Black hair and eyes."
"Ahh, yeah."
"Quite unnatural."
Drake simply sighed.
___
The hallway seemed enormous.
It was part of the interior of the Queen's chamber.
Cloth-like structures growing from the tree wood curled from top to bottom along the walls.
They waved gently as though exposed to air underwater.
It was truly a sight to behold.
A man with long grey hair walked through the hallway.
It was Levize.
There was no sound.
No pressure.
No indication that he was even moving.
Yet he walked steadily toward a modest-looking door.
He stopped before it.
"Mother, may I enter?"
A gentle voice came from inside.
"Come in, my son."
"What brings you to see your mother?"
Levize remained silent for a moment.
Then he answered.
"Nothing, Mother."
"This poor child of yours seeks comfort and rest."
"May I lay on your lap?"
She simply gestured for him to come closer.
She didn't appear old enough to be called the mother of a grown man like Levize.
Yet she truly was.
Levize approached her.
He carefully placed his weapons aside.
Then he knelt.
Slowly, he rested his head on her lap and closed his eyes.
Immediately, everything around him seemed to disappear.
The world became silent.
Dark.
Empty.
Within the darkness of the Abyss, accompanied by a soothing sensation, he finally slept.
His power.
His knowledge.
His burdens.
They had become so vast and unimaginable that he couldn't properly rest his eyes or mind without the Queen's influence.
The Queen looked down at him.
A trace of sadness appeared in her eyes.
"Oh, poor soul..."
"My child."
"How far have you fallen?"
____
Drake hadn't remained in the infirmary for very long.
Doctor Ramiz's words echoed through his mind.
"It's quite common to pass out after resisting the Queen's power."
"Or simply being under it."
"So don't worry yourself."
Queen Rishya.
The ruler of the Warcrier Tribe.
She had governed nearly every known generation of their tribe that was still alive.
That power of hers...
God, that's scary.
Drake stepped out of the infirmary.
The world of Kayal welcomed him once more.
The luminous waters stretched endlessly around the great Alam Tree.
People moved about peacefully.
Children laughed.
Merchants shouted.
Warriors trained.
Life continued as normal.
Yet Drake couldn't stop thinking.
About the dream.
And most importantly...
About the answers hidden within the Abyss.
One day.
No matter what stood in his way.
He would reach it.
And when he did...
This world would finally answer his questions.