"Ima payi aparaikea uriyu (that's a weird-looking deer)"
"Ima… buti araika wani? (it is… but have you ever wondered something?)"
"Awa… ima weka ta? (no… what do you want to say?)"
"Ima uriyu kaia, ariama like man (this deer surprisingly looks like a human)"
"Kawi ta… yuma, ima newi tayu (now that you say it… maybe it is a new species)"
"Awa, kasira!! Ima man!! (no, dumbass!! it is a human!!)"
With the hard wooden smoking pipe, the tall bearded and mustacheless man struck the head of the short mustached and beardless man.
What is happening? While Lapsus hung upside down, staring gobsmacked at the two weird-looking figures in striped shirts and baggy shorts, arguing in a language he had never heard before.
Are they indigenous to this forest? he wondered, but he also realized the whispers were no longer there… maybe it was just a one-time thing.
He sighed in relief, hoping he would never come across the whispers again in the future. I need to ask them where I am… but would they understand me?
"Ima man kaia ta… mi tura, captain tawe, wani awi ta keika kaima (what is a human doing here… I thought the captain said nobody knows about this island)"
Hearing the short mustached man's question, the tall bearded man furrowed his brows and scratched his beard before giving a bland answer.
"Yuma, ima losti kaia at sea, ariama wanka kaima (maybe he was lost at sea and found his way here)"
"Buti ima bareka? (but why is he naked?)"
"Ika kaia, ima paka muaka (the fish ate his clothes)"
"Buti ika tawe eati worm… kaia ika eati paka, awa worm ta? (but aren't fish supposed to eat worms… how could it eat his clothes if there's no worm?)"
"Ima stranded at sea; kaia ta shit, ima noka wipeka but paka (well, he was stranded in the sea; when he shat, he had nothing to wipe with but his clothes)"
"Kaia, shit ta paka… buti worm tawe? (now there is shit in his clothes but where are the worms supposed to be?)"
"Worm tawe kaia live?(where do worms live?)"
"Kaia, dirt ta (in dirt)"
"Kaia paka ta— (and his clothes are now—)"
""Dirty!! Ai… detective work ta… mi noka thinki kaia way!! (dirty!! damn… that's some detective work… I never would've thought of it that way!)"
And seemingly, the short mustached man was impressed by that answer, driving the tall bearded man into a smug laugh as he scratched his nose.
"Hehehe… yuma, counti mi when it comes high-thinki (you can count on me when it comes to high-level thinking)"
"Excuse me…"
Suddenly, the tall and short men broke into silence, for he spoke — the prey they had hunted using their basic rope trap. With sharp eyes, they scrutinized Lapsus and waited for him to continue.
"Is it possible for you to be speaking Starrian?" Lapsus asked, since he had no other way of communicating with them… even sign language was out, because he never truly comprehended the concept, let alone understood the signs.
After Lapsus finished his words, they gave him one look before whispering into each other's ears, and with one final look, they ran off.
I guess not… eh? Lapsus sighed in disappointment, but his sigh was cut short, for the two men were running back to him — and this time they were not alone.
"Excuse me, is it possible that any of you happen to speak Starrian?"
2, 5, 9… just as he counted them, Lapsus asked once more the same question as before, yet no answer was given… just unsettling silence accompanied by sharp stares from nine weirdly dressed men.
The way they dress… are they pirates?
"Do you hear me?"
"Kaia ani… ima strangeka (his eyes… they are eccentric)"
"Kaia ani, blackka like deepka sea (they are as black as an abyss)"
"Like captain kaia, when he zoneka (just like the captain when he is in the zone)"
"Yuma kaia ta? (could it be?)"
"Earlier, mi hearki bangka (earlier, I heard an explosion)"
What are they talking about?
"Same… buti yuma reasonka behindka? (same… but if he is the reason behind it)"
"Ima wyrm useka also (he is a wyrm user as well)"
"Ima vesselka… mi go call Axelka (a vessel… I'll go call Axel)"
Just as the ninth man turned around and ran off, all the other eight, who had their gaze fixed on Lapsus, pulled out their flintlock pistols and aimed them at him while taking a step back.
What…?
"Wait, wait, wait… don't be rash!"
Lapsus was confused. Did he do something wrong? Why were they pointing their pistols at him? Are they hungry?
"Are you hungry? Trust me, I am malnourished… not tasty… you might get food poisoning… I saw some deer earlier, I can lead you—"
What am I doing? They clearly don't understand a word I'm saying… shit, I need to get out of this situation, but how?
Seeing the way Lapsus was spitting random words, the eight men took another step back, and this time they cocked the hammers.
I may have dug my hole deeper… please Lady, please Lord… save me…
Lapsus started praying to Lady Iris and Lord Tempest, hoping one of them would hear his prayers. And before he knew it, another voice joined the situation — a voice that could be his rescue or the final nail in the coffin.
"Puti pistolka awayka… (put your pistols away…)"
It was a tall figure, walking with a jovial face that could ease tension no matter the situation. With a serene voice, he stepped in front of Lapsus and spoke:
"Well, I heard you're looking for someone who speaks Starrian… here I am."
His smile shone brightly in contrast to his dark skin. Lapsus finally met someone he could converse with. He was happy… really happy… so much that tears welled up.
"You can call me Axel. That is my name, and that is how I fly."
"Finally…"
"What is it with the tears, little lad? Are you scared? Is it my eyepatch?"
Pointing at his eyepatch, Axel tried to joke around, hoping to ease the situation.
"No, I was scared… I thought I would be eaten."
"Oh… haha… don't worry, no one would eat a walking skeleton."
"I know… that's what I was trying to tell them."
"Well, they won't understand you… at best they know nothing but curses in Starrian."
"I see…"
"Now, if you would excuse me…"
Cutting Lapsus's words short, Axel brought himself closer and, with a firm grab of his face, began analyzing Lapsus's black eyes.
"Umm…" With a small smile, Axel nodded and pulled himself away.
"Indeed… you are a vessel."
A vessel…? Uncle Aurel said those who host wyrms are called that. And if I'm not mistaken, I should be one… even though Uncle said I am extremely incompatible, a wyrm crawled to me. I became a vessel. I fought a beast…
"but no scars could be seen.... strange"
scrutinizing all of Lapsus' body, from the front and behind.. Axel muttered under his breath well.. except for the burn in his left hand, but it doesn't work.. I think he thought
"you don't mind me asking… are you perchance the one behind the explosion from earlier?"
The explosion from earlier… does he mean the D Strike?At that moment, Lapsus's cognitive abilities slowed and pride overruled rational thinking, causing him to blurt out with a smug, excited voice:
"Yes… I fought a giant beast."
"A giant beast, you say…" Axel grabbed his chin as he muttered, thinking… but he was cut off by a small sound.
Grrr!!
It was the scream of Lapsus's small stomach.
"Umm? Are you hungry, little lad?"
Lapsus was malnourished, tired from fighting a beast, his eyes hurting like knife stabs, and he'd been hanging upside down for about fifteen minutes… the moment someone asked if he was hungry, he wanted to scream yes, but—
"Blegh…"
"Dear ANA!!!!"
Instead, Lapsus vomited on poor Axel.