NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: Wonder
Himura Satō
Looking down at the wall, there was a puddle of vomit. I wipe my lips at the sight of it. The creatures of the green moon try and try again to break through the barrier but to no avail. Outside the barrier, the green hue covers it all, the sky, the trees, all of it.
I look to my left and move out of the way as a cart hauls the bodies of the armed people. Looking back to the city, everybody was cleaning up. Some of the shops even started being open again. "As if this is a normal occurrence…" I shudder at the thought that the moon might change into something terrifying again.
Looking beyond, there was nothing, no villages, walled cities, nothing near this city. As I try to look further, I look back to the top of the tower. The source of the light was long gone. "I wonder if I can go to the top."
I pull the scabbard out of its attachment and sit down, hugging the long blade as if it were a teddy bear. "Abandoned structures, trees for miles, and barely any roads for traveling." This place isn't some fantasy medieval world but a post-apocalyptic one. "With magic apparently…"
It was about damn time I stopped being in denial. Instead of referring to things in a neutral way, I need to start taking what I know and referring the things that I understand to the things I see here. Magic exists, there's wizards, mages, witches, and all that fantastical bullshit. My thoughts turn grim. "And if people like them exist here then there must be an equal or stronger opposition out there."
I shudder but stay expressionless. There was rational fear that was developing in my heart. "I can beat monsters, I just have to be smarter but magic users? They study meaning they are probably smarter while I'm a man with nothing but a pointy needle. I'll die in less than a second if someone wishes for it."
I hang my head low and close my eyes, the night is still young so I'll probably just walk around trying to find the knife-eared woman. "How creepy…" I say to myself as I start to fall asleep.
Slowly raising my eyes, I look at the sun for a brief moment which blinds me instantly. I groan in pain before becoming expressionless again. I sigh, I really get a good sleeping schedule.
I went back to the river and took a shower. It was extra refreshing with this hot weather. I took my time, staring at my hanged clothes which miraculously had no cuts or blood stains. The flow of the river was very nice. I look at my arm, soft as water but then, I strengthen as I swing in the water.
When I did so, there was cramping pain. Last night might have been less than ten minutes but my muscles made it feel like three hours of grueling killing. I went back to the city and with nothing to do but ponder, I decided to do so while climbing the tower.
Looking around, there are shops that are more magically oriented. There are also shops with herds, some with really creepy jars filled with monster parts, and many more. This scene stayed the same as I climbed higher. "Haah…haah…fuck these stairs, why is the elevation for each stair so short? I'm pretty sure I've taken more steps climbing these stairs than walking on a flat path. And each was so long that I can't even skip every other stair" I complained.
Intrusive thoughts made me want to look below but I resisted. I'm so high up that it doesn't matter that I'm not scared of heights, it was still scary. Reaching the top, it was disappointing. Foundations for buildings were placed as if this tower wasn't high enough. The entire tower was the same shops but with less and less people as I climbed.
I stand near a parapet and look beyond. Still no cities but surprisingly There were about two villages, one beyond the river that I washed myself in and the other, was next to these two mountains. Surprisingly, none of the villages were destroyed after last night.
As I stare at the village near the two mountains. "What the fu–huh?" Either the sun is making me hallucinate or one of the mountains just moved slightly. Considering how the moons are in this place, I would not be surprised if the first possibility is the right one.
"That's future me's problem, not mine." I shake my head. Looking down, there was a church-like building bearing a symbol of an upside down "T". There was also an empty field next to some large building. If I remember correctly, it is a station for guards.
As I go down, my stomach grumbles. Considering I'm pretty much out of money, there's nothing I can do to satiate myself. ", I could eat the raw flesh of an animal outside the walls…" Absolutely not.
"If I can learn how to make fire out of friction then that idea might not be that bad." As I walk towards the slums and leave via the sewer. I need a flat piece of wood, a stick, and something flammable. I believe those three are the key to making fire.
I took several branches from trees while also trying to find bird's nests for the flammable material but since this place is full of monsters, unsurprisingly there were no birds around. Oddly enough, there were barely any goblins around. "I wonder if they're nocturnal…" I ask, though yes, I killed a few here and there but none of them were a part of a pack like the other night.
I look at the branches and place them near the river. As I stare at them and realize how stupid I look to the inhabitants of this world. Some of them would probably be wondering why I just didn't set it on fire with magic or something.
Still, I can't deny I'm excited to attempt this. Some primal urge to make fire was strong but I collected myself as I began to think on how to get the rest of the materials. I stare at a tree and remind myself about some of the dead trees around here. I took my switchblade out and began carving a piece of bark.
I try to pull the carved piece out but since I have no idea what I'm doing, I only manage to pull a small piece of it. Back at the river, I use my switchblade to shave several sticks to make tinder. Will it work? No idea.
Attempt 1, I placed the stick to the bark and started the spinning motion while pushing down. The stick broke almost immediately,
Attempt 2, Found a stronger stick, did the steps again but the pain in my forearms came back so I stopped.
Attempt 3, After recovering, I tried again but this time, I tried to not strain my forearms but instead used my upper arms to spin the stick. The stick broke again. "God fuckin dammit."
Attempt 6, Got the motion down to a tee, when I looked for an ember, I could not find it, placed a tinder but it didn't catch on fire. I tried to touch the area where the ember should be, it was not a good idea.
Attempt 14, I sigh and start to focus. My legs surround the bark, preventing even a slightly weak breeze from extinguishing the ember. The rest of the tinder was on top of where I would spin the stick.
I start spinning the stick. Three, maybe five minutes have passed since I started. I could smell the smoke but I was not getting tricked this time so I continued to spin the stick. I wanted to see actual smoke but I was not spinning it fast enough to create such an effect and so after a minute passed, I pulled the stick out and gently pushed the tinder nearer. I unwrap my legs, hoping the wind might help..
I gently blew on the tinder and soon, a dim light emerged. I continue to blow them…millions of years of human history and I, Himura Satō, have just created fire. My face stayed expressionless as I continued to feed it stick but on the inside, "HELL YEAH! BEHOLD I AM THE WIZARD OF FIRE!" I screamed. It was most definitely childish but I'll take what win I can get.
I stand around the fire, looking. It was mesmarizing. "Now I can cook food…but where is the food?" I was stunned, I looked around. Denial won't get me anywhere, I forgot that I need food to make cooked food. I want to tear up but I can't, never been able to for years now.
Stand up, expressionless. I looked at the river, took my clothes off and hung them then tried to catch a fish with bare, inexperienced hands. "...GODFUCKIN–" The words used to berate myself would be better left unrepeated.