Book Four – Prologue – Part One – Home Sweet Home

With the southern half of Lando experiencing the blistering effects of a summer heatwave, the hot sun scorched the ground. The brutal sunlight lacked pity since everything was heated by its touch. For many, it was the perfect time to travel to one of Lando’s many lakes and bodies of water for a spot of fun. Spending a few days ridding the body of stress and relaxing without care was something a lot of people looked forward to.

For those who didn’t care much for splashing around in water, there was another option at hand.

The summer festival.

Created to celebrate the Gods, the summer festival had since been reduced to nothing more than a generic excuse to have fun. Instead of parading around in masks meant to honor and worship, wooden stands filled with food and games were far more common, as people would rather fill their bellies and partake in enjoyable activities. The time previously wasted on praying would be spent on forging and restrengthening the bonds between comrades and family. However, that wasn’t to say the original reason had been lost to time.

If one looked hard enough, scouring the great wide world and investigating the customs of towns, big and small, they would find traces of godly worship in festivals and special occasions. Even some major cities, like that of Adenaford, had explicit celebrations thanking the Gods and Goddesses. But it was no lie to state that those kinds of festivities have started to become less and less popular as the years passed the world by.

In all cases, it was said that many young couples proclaimed vows of dedication while snuggling under the starry night sky. With the moon acting as their witness and the festival the catalyst, thousands of lovers pledged themselves to each other on the final night of festivities.

On the other side of the equation, there were the farmers making it all possible. The world thrived on fruits and vegetables painstakingly harvested while under the devilish sun. Such attentive care was the only reason why the nearby towns and villages had the necessary food to hold a celebratory festival in the first place. Although, that also includes the hastiness of shipping companies, who were the backbone in assuring supplies and the aforementioned food was delivered on time.

Such joyous events only truly thrived when the surrounding communities worked together, covering for each other’s weaknesses and going above and beyond.

A certain pink-haired Singi, who walked alongside a black-haired Human, had passed by many fields full of workers hard at work planting as many seeds as they could. They hunched over, walking, watering, and cultivating without a care in the world.

Right before the sun had reached its zenith, Servi and Momo settled down for lunch. The slightly obscured hill they had chosen was warm, overflowing with a fluffy bed of soft grass. It overlooked a farm where the pair of best friends observed a team of shirtless Koena as they toiled to till a field. During that time, Momo never stopped speaking, explaining the things she saw and what they meant to her best friend, who seemed to be cut off from the world.

“They say ruffing the dirt is the best way to make the seeds grow faster. Grampy taught me that when we had a little flower garden. He also taught me the best way to water. You see, you can’t just dump the water on the plant. They’ll drown that way. ‘Water the soil,’ he told me. ‘If you douse the leaves, it’s like feeding your hand instead of your mouth.’ I was still a little kitten when he said that, and I didn’t really understand it then, but I get it now,” Momo said. She had her canteen in one hand and brought it up to her mouth.

A cool stream moistened her pink lips as a cold sensation filled her mouth, allowing a few stubborn pieces of chicken to finish their journey towards her stomach. Momo sat the canteen on the grass in front of her while looking to her left. Her blue eyes locked on to Servi’s blank face, which rarely looked anywhere else but forward.

Glancing down, Momo’s left index finger continued to trace Servi’s right palm, creating squares, circles, and triangles. “I know I’m not holding your hand right now, but that’ll change in a few minutes. At least we’re connected—touching each other—right? I think that’s the important thing. Just feeling my finger shows that I’m right here beside you. It’s kinda funny, you know.” Momo’s finger increased in speed, accurately sliding in a particular pattern. “I bet I know your palm lines better than you do! Do you recognize that farm down there? We passed by it nearly eleven days ago. It means we’re almost at Canary. Man… It’s been a while, huh? A lot of things happened…” The Singi looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, revisiting the extraordinary circumstances she had been a part of.

Only four days had passed since the incident resulting in ‘Lando’s Scar’ came to a swift conclusion. According to the official reports, which wouldn’t be published for quite some time, it was impossible to determine how many people perished in the disaster. That didn’t include the death toll of Arcton’s destruction, which was presumed to be related. However, due to the town’s corrupted leadership, there was a severe lack of physical records detailing the city’s statistics. And with the mass exodus happening only hours after Lando’s Scar was inflicted on the planet, it was impossible to make a timeline of events.

The manpower required to search for former inhabitants was one thing, but the investigating officials wouldn’t believe the tales they’d be told. They’d sit and wonder how so much destruction could occur without anyone seeing the group responsible, but that was their mistake. There wasn’t a group or team behind it at all.

Everything that happened: the destroyed buildings, the lost lives, Lando’s Scar… The cause of it all was a single girl who effectively waged war to save her best friend.

In the end, that goal was accomplished, but it came at a tremendous cost.

After Momo and Servi reconnected, reforging an unbreakable bond, they made the long trek to their home in Canary. Momo prioritized the back routes, enjoying all nature had to offer as they took it slow and easy. In many ways, it was just what Momo wished for when she thought of adventure.

“You would think it would be lonely because I was the only one talking, but it wasn’t! Servy, I felt like I got to know you a lot. Call me crazy, but I swear I heard you talk to me through your hand,” Momo said, taking another sip while staring at the small ball of fire in front of them. The patch of grass below it had been splattered with grease from when Momo cooked her chicken. Her blue eyes blinked twice before focusing on Servi’s new clothing.

The mute girl wore a simple black blouse tucked into a beige pair of shorts that came to her knees. Her feet were guarded against the elements by a scruffy-looking pair of boots that had seen better days.  It was certainly a far cry from her previous outfit, which consisted of a green shirt and pink pants. After soiling it with a blood geyser that spewed from her mouth, there wasn’t really a chance for Momo to clean it off of Servi. She had tried to, of course, but the poor Singi couldn’t bring herself to do it. Looking at her friend’s naked state was one thing, but the girl in front of her couldn’t consent.

I’d have to change her underwear, wash her body, then put everything back on… Momo had thought at the time. However, it turned out the solution to her growing problem was something she never expected.

“Servy, remember yesterday? We stopped by that lake where we met Old Man, and I took a quick bath to change into something comfortable?” Momo looked down and saw her neutral-colored outfit, which consisted of a gray shirt, white pants, and black shoes. It was the total opposite of her adventuring gear, which was comprised of a black sleeveless tunic with leather reinforcements, her bent chainmail, black leather pants, and red boots. They were nowhere to be seen because they were filthy. Momo’s current outfit wasn’t suitable for fighting, but she worked with what she had.

“I was scared leaving you alone, but it all worked out. I don’t know how you did it, but when I came back you were holding a new set of clothes. I had thought you pulled them from your ring, but I did notice a pair of wagon tracks. I was blindsided! I knew that smell of dried blood was bothering you, but I was just too embarrassed to clean you myself… I’m sorry… But I guess I don’t need to keep worrying about that, huh? You just walked right into the water when I turned away. When I spun back around, there you were in your new outfit. Hehe, it looks really cute on you, Servy!”

Momo took a third sip of her water and continued to swirl her finger around Servi’s palm. By then, Itarr, the amnesiac Goddess sharing Servi’s soul, absorbed the wispy fireball.

“Did a man or woman give them to you? I wonder if they thought you were a refugee from Arcton? It sure was nice of them to do that. Did you thank them? I kinda hope you did…but if you didn’t, that’s fine. You’re dealing with something really important—oh, speaking of that! Servy, I’m really proud of the progress you’re making. It’s very subtle, but I’ve realized you started to look around a little bit. Have you noticed it yourself? Usually, when I’m talking to you while standing in front, you look straight over me, but it was different this morning. You kinda tilted your head down.

“It feels like it’s been decades since you looked at me, but I guess it’s only been a few days. Still, any progress is good progress, right?” Momo yawned and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

The people who had given Servi her new outfit were scouts from Keywater. Both them and Westera were briefed about Lando’s Scar minutes after it happened, and it was most prudent to send out scouts right away. Should Lando have had some unknown, powerful weapon at the ready, the fear of conflict would skyrocket. Still, if it was a weapon, then secrecy and privacy were the terms of the game, lest the scouts get caught, which would have been considered an act of war during a period where stress was at an all-time high.

Momo’s tail lazily swooshed around in the heated grass, wanting to feel the warmth as well. The Singi laid back, and Servi copied her motions. After a little bit of wiggling closer, Momo’s pink hair gently tangled with a few strands of Servi’s black hair. At the same time, Momo gently interlocked her fingers around her best friend’s hand. “When we hold hands like this, it kinda feels like our hearts are beating in sync,” she said. Her head faced towards the bright blue sky, enjoying the cloudless sky.

“Servy, do you like to look at the sky?” Momo turned her head. As she expected, Servi had her head looking up, and the Human neither moved nor nodded.

“I do. I love looking up at it. Me and grampy used to do something he called skywatching. Basically, we watched the skies on days like this. When a cloud passed by, we talked about what it reminded us of if it was in the shape of something. Like, if he saw a cloud looking a little bit like a cat, grampy would say it reminded him of his childhood. He'd then tell me a story, and I would listen. If it was funny, I’d laugh, but most of the time, the things he said were bittersweet at best. I never did fully cry, but my heart was hurting as if I was. It’s too bad we can’t do that because the clouds are too busy to come out and play…”

After a few seconds of silence, Momo heard the faint noises of a whimpering child, though they came from an adult. The Singi leaned up and pulled the hand she held towards her, which Servi took as a sign to lean in. Momo’s other hand reached around Servi’s back and found a place on her head, and she slowly stroked her best friend's black hair.

With the two sharing a tender embrace, Servi cried into Momo’s shoulder, who only gently whispered nothing but positive words in her trembling ears.

“It’s okay, Servy. You’re doing really good, you know that? It takes a strong girl to do what you’re doing, and you’re the strongest I know. Do you want to know who my hero is? It used to be grampy, and he still is, but there’s a new person I think of whenever I hear the word ‘hero.’ Can you guess who it is? Hehe! It’s you. You’ll always be my hero.

“When I met you, Servy, I wanted to be like you. No—it’s more than that. I guess I kinda wanted to be you. You had everything I lacked. I mean, you’re the toughest, strongest girl I know. And really… I wanted that. It’s like all of my weaknesses didn’t exist within you.

“But then I realized something. Servy, there’ll only ever be one of you. And if that’s the case, there’s only going to be one of me. I think instead of trying to become you, I should instead focus on myself. We’re best friends, and I know you’re going to be the best Servy you can be. I said it before in my diary, but I want to be the best Momo I can be—more than just some acrobatic Singi who can fight on her hands. But instead of being it for you, I want to be it for me. Well, for me for you… Does that make any sense? Living for you, living for me for you… Geez, I’ve talked to myself so many times I can’t keep things straight… Well, I guess as long I’m eventually known as Servy’s Protector…”

Momo rested her chin on Servi’s shoulder, struggling to hold back a few tears of her own as her mind traveled to the past.

Ever since the incident, Servi’s crying had steadily increased from a rare occurrence to something that happened multiple times a day. The feeling was fickle, meaning it could strike at any moment. When it happened, Servi was reduced to a sobbing mess akin to that of a young girl, incapable of doing anything but shedding tears.

The first time it happened, Momo was blindsided, ducking for cover and inadvertently bringing Servi, whose hand she held, down with her. Her calculating blue eyes hastily searched their empty surroundings, finding nothing but green grass, gray gravel, and brown trees before setting on the noise’s source. Believing it to be the only thing she could do, she hastily wrapped her arms around Servi and spoke softly into her ears. However, the more she tried to calm Servi down, the louder she cried. It was then Momo realized she couldn’t rush the healing process. It would be telling a person to walk only minutes after breaking their legs.

That little breakdown was the first one Servi experienced, happening three days prior. Thankfully, it was a one-and-done thing, meaning she slept soundly through the night.

But the following day, her wails only increased in frequency. Momo had to wrap her best friend in a tender embrace four times before the moon came out to play.

The day after that, their journey to Canary came to a halt six times, with each stop lasting no shorter than fifteen minutes. Momo didn’t mind. In her eyes, those little breaks were a gift. She was able to support her best friend and hero to the best of her ability. Each second they held each other was another unbreakable link added to the chain connecting their hearts.

The rest of the day, barring those unscheduled breaks, went on without anything of importance to note. It was only when the bright blue sky was replaced by an abyss filled with little sparkles did things turn for the worse.

When Momo was three hours into a deep sleep, she was blasted awake by a scream capable of waking the dead. Like a ninja, she rolled out of her sleeping bag, dirtying her pink hair on the damp grass. Dineria’s training was still engraved within her body even though she hadn’t trained in nearly two weeks. Keeping in mind with her mentor’s instruction, the Singi scanned her immediate surroundings.

Momo’s cobalt-colored eyes closely observed the floating ball of fire. The crimson glow basked everything in a warm embrace, leaving nothing in the camp in the dark. Since that was already there, she moved onto the sword and bag lying nearby. Both were untouched, still lying in their respective spots.

That was good.

Going down the checklist, Momo locked eyes on the tent less than a meter away. It was on the other side of the floating Fireball, obscuring the hunched-over figure of a girl with her face buried in her hands.

Although the Singi had completed her initial scan in two and half seconds, her heart was hurting. Momo’s first instinct when awoken was to crawl across the camp and comfort Servi, but she couldn’t dart away without checking around.

Wait for me, Servy. Momo thought. I have to check the camp. I know I can trust Itarr to keep us safe, but I can’t slack on my duties. Even if it’s just two seconds, it probably feels like a lifetime to you. In the future, I promise you won’t have to wait any longer. I’ll be capable enough to scan and hug at the same time.

Four seconds after Servi had started wailing, she shut her mouth, converting to a shuddering sob when Momo reached out to her. Prying a hand away from Servi’s face, the Singi soon raised her own hand, connecting their fingers and palm. Her left hand went behind Servi’s back, affectionately rubbing up and down as she whispered pleasant words.

Their tender embrace lasted as long as it took for Servi to stop crying. Only when the sun came up and erased the need for a campfire did her sorrowful wails come to a natural conclusion. But while she was waiting for that to happen, Momo eventually couldn’t think of anything to say. To remedy that, she fell back on a classic song that was quickly becoming a tradition.

Mr. Sun, so high in the sky.

Makes me want to fly.

That’s why I’m singing this tune.

May I touch you soon?

Mr. Sky, so pretty and blue.

When I look at you, I know that’s true.

And that fills me with such a boon.

May I touch you soon?

Mr. Star, bright, bright, bright.

At night, you’re always in my sight.

Even though it’s past June.

May I touch you soon?

Mr. Moon, last but not least.

Why don’t you come join us for a feast?

We can use forks, knives, or spoons.

May I touch you soon?

Miss Servy, adding in at last.

Being with you is such a blast!

The two of us will never say farewell!

Together, I know we’ll excel!

If I have to, I’ll wait all afternoon.

Just for the chance to touch you soon.

After singing her slightly altered song seventeen times, the sun had started to break apart the darkness. Fragments of red scattered across the horizon, allowing crimson light to bless the world with illumination.

“I suppose I had to add a verse at the end to say what I wanted to convey, but I think that’s fine. And I’m sure grampy wouldn’t mind me altering it, either. Especially if it’s for my closest and best friend. Servy, I’ll stay up all night and day if that’s what it takes. If you make even the smallest murmur, I’ll come running across towns and cities. Heck, I don’t know how to swim, but I’ll cross an entire ocean and then some if you need me. That’s why I’m not upset I couldn’t sleep. In my mind, you come before all that. And if I’m being honest, it’s kinda comforting. The last time I stared up at the stars with someone was with grampy. Even when I traveled from my village to Canary in that convoy, I was always the first one asleep. I’m glad I could share this moment with you, Servy. It’ll be one I always remember.”