After a while, I opened my eyes and saw Ariam sitting on a log, looking visibly exhausted.
"You're awake?" she asked.
I sat up slowly and looked around. "Where's Jayka?"
Ariam shook her head. "I don't know. I passed out back at the temple."
I blinked. "I passed out too."
She gave me a puzzled look, so I added, "So… you ended up overusing your magic, didn't you?"
She smiled faintly, like she was too tired to argue.
Just then, Jayka walked into view, happily carrying a bunch of sticks while humming some completely unserious tune.
I pointed. "What's with the sticks, Jayka?"
He grinned. "Ghehe, food! I found wild berries. We can have a feast!"
Ariam sighed weakly. "Leave it to Jayka to think about food first… but are those even edible?"
Jayka looked at the berries like they had personally insulted him. "Of course they are… I think."
He popped one into his mouth immediately.
Then spat it out instantly.
"BLEGH!!"
Ariam chuckled, tired. "Yeah. I knew it. Those yellow ones taste like punishment. But the blue ones are fine—you picked two of those."
We started eating.
Well… "eating" is generous. It was more like survival tasting.
After a while, Ariam turned to me.
"So… what happened back there? How did we get out of the temple?"
I leaned back, chewing slowly. "I used my magic for a diversion… then I passed out. After that—"
I paused.
Because what I remembered next made no sense at all.
"…I think I saw Jayka getting bigger."
Ariam raised an eyebrow. "Bigger?"
"Like… way bigger," I said.
Jayka suddenly laughed. "Ghehe! Yeah! I got big and smashed some Achans!"
Ariam froze. "You WHAT?"
"Giant Jayka saved the day!" he said proudly, striking a pose that had absolutely no business existing after everything we went through.
Ariam slowly turned to me. "What does he mean?"
I shrugged. "I thought I hallucinated it. But apparently… he actually did it."
I looked at Jayka. "I didn't even know you could do that. What the hell was that?"
Ariam leaned in immediately. "Yes. Explain."
Jayka scratched his head, still grinning. "Relax, relax. I just saved us. No big deal. And besides… there are things you don't know about me, Yuji."
He puffed his chest.
"I have my own abilities as a Familiar."
Then he struck another heroic pose.
Ariam stared at him for a few seconds.
Then sighed and laughed. "You two are full of surprises…"
I laughed too, but honestly… I wasn't even thinking about us.
I was thinking about how this entire world seemed to enjoy improvising chaos.
I turned to Jayka, still annoyed. "So why didn't you do that when we were trapped in the cage?!"
Ariam immediately joined in. "Yeah. Why didn't you say anything?"
Jayka's confident energy instantly deflated.
"…Well," he said slowly, "I have limits too. And… that was actually the first time I used that ability. So I didn't even know I could do it."
Ariam blinked.
Then burst out laughing. "What the hell…"
I shook my head. "This world is insane."
But weirdly… I was starting to get used to it.
Kind of even enjoying it.
After we finished eating, I stretched. "So what's next? We can't stay here forever."
Ariam's expression turned serious. "We keep searching for Sharon. The real journey is still ahead."
Jayka immediately nodded. "Yeah! And next time, I wanna try giant mode on actual evil guys again!"
I glanced at him. "Are you sure you want more trouble?"
He paused.
For once, thinking.
"…Maybe I should think about that."
We packed up and moved through the forest, discussing what little plan we had. Jayka, of course, spent most of the time bragging about being "big and strong."
"Sounds like we've gained a superhero," I muttered, already regretting the words.
Ariam nodded. "We did. A stupid one."
"I heard that!" Jayka shouted. "I'm not stupid!"
We all laughed anyway.
The tension finally eased as we walked on.
As sunset approached, we found a clearing and set up camp. Ariam lit a fire.
I sat beside her, watching the flames. "You okay? You used a lot of magic back there."
She gave a tired smile. "I'll survive. I just need rest."
We sat in silence for a while.
Then she pulled out a map.
"This is the map of the Nile."
I leaned in, then immediately sat back up.
"Wait… that's not one land. That's like… nine islands."
Ariam nodded calmly.
Jayka pointed at me like I was the dumb one. "Are you crazy? Why do you think it's called Nilelands and not Nileland?"
I frowned.
Ariam added casually, "The rodent is right. There are nine lands—each one called part of the Nilelands. All dangerous. All different. And we still don't know which one Sharon is on."
That killed the mood instantly.
I sighed.
Great.
More islands.
More chaos.
More Jayka.
But… I still nodded.
Because there was no turning back anyway.
Ariam closed the map. "We rest tonight. Tomorrow, we continue."
We all lay down to sleep.
I stayed up a little longer, staring at the night sky.
It looked peaceful.
Too peaceful for a place like this.
Then slowly… I fell asleep.
I found myself in a foggy, empty space.
No forest. No fire. No noise.
Just silence.
And in front of me stood a person dressed completely in white.
I couldn't see their face.
They began to sing.
"Love is sweet as honey… Everyone has it, but me… Hope you find yours soon… It's right in front of you, like the moon… Love, love, love, dancing in the twilight night…"
Their voice was soft.
Strangely beautiful.
They started moving—dancing gently in place.
Then—
A massive flying monster suddenly swung straight toward my face.
I screamed.