"So you're an Aspirant?"
Naren looked at the man half-heartedly. The emblem of rose wrapped around a broken crown catching his interest.
"Whatcha want?"
The man glanced at Vera, who scrambled back, her hand already reaching for the loose piece of wood.
His gaze returned back to Naren, putting his hands up in a friendly fashion.
"I'm not trying to swindle you. I just want my men to get out of here. Why don't you join us?"
Naren looked at the man, a skeptical look on his face.
"What're you gonna gimme?"
The Sergeant dug out in his coat pocket. Pulling out a piece of paper along with a pen. Urging Naren to take it.
"This is a form to join the military. Specifically my branch."
Naren took the paper, not even bothering to read it.
"Shouldn't you give me some typa speech, something to make it better. Like maybe a lotta money or something."
"I don't believe I need one. After all, the militaries first priority is to help Aspirants like you reach their first Marchen."
For the first time, Naren's eyes wandered and locked with the Sergeant's. He forced his tired eyes open. Holding out his hand, urging the Sergeant to hand over the pen.
Vera jutted in.
"Don't sign it. He's the devil!"
Naren, used his hand to hold her off. His hands wrapped around her head as she tried breaking free. Signing anywhere he could find a line.
"I'm under your care, sir."
Naren let Vera go, while simultaneously handing the signed form to the Sergeant.
The Sergeant shot Vera a quick glance, before pointing at the ship in horizon. Naren could hear it now. Besides the three here, there were only two other human voices present in this whole cavernous stomach. The other two were coming from what was left of the ship.
The Sergeant then pointed to a partially damaged dinghy, while reading through the form
"We can meet up with the others. And Naren? You have to answer these questions for thoroughly."
The entire ride, Vera would stay furthest away from the Sergeant. Her hands trembling, while her eyes stayed constantly fixed on him. Though, Naren didn't notice. He was too busy thinking about how easy it was to reach his Marchen now.
—————————————
The five of them sat by a manmade fire, somehow burning despite the damp atmosphere. Naren held a filled out piece of paper in his hand. It was his copy. Somehow the piece of paper had imprinted on the layer below. Though, he didn't understand why he needed a copy.
The Sergeant told him how as a superior officer he gets merit points for recruiting Aspirants. How the government was made up entirely of the military. Being only one of six factions that ruled over the world. Making him write his ability, his spite, and practically everything about him on this form.
As Naren, looked at the piece of paper, reading his spite: "Always Forgotten.", a little girl walked up to him, carrying a bowl of mush.
"Naren? Boris said you should eat."
He peered past Vera, noticing a sickly old man. Bandaged.
"This isn't Boris' puke is it?"
Naren took the bowl, his face a look of disgust. Then he raised an eyebrow and looked up at Vera.
"You remember my name?"
Vera stared at him, a dumbfounded look on her face.
"You're really rude, you know?"
Vera mumbled something under her breath. A quiet murmur that only someone like Naren could hear: "Boris made it himself, with whatever he had."
Naren gulped down the bowl, without using the provided spoon. It tasted just as bad as it looked, but to the hungry boy, it didn't make a difference. He stomached through the whole meal, making sure to savor every last bit.
"Ah. Thank you Boris."
Vera raised her eyebrows, wondering if she spoke louder than she wanted to.
Naren glanced up at her.
"If you want my leftovers, there aren't any."
Vera lingered.
"Why did you join?"
"Why not?"
"Still, he's not a good person."
"I don't like his face."
"Huh?"
Naren shrugged. Then his face shifted as a thought entered his mind.
"Actually, I have another reason."
He urged Vera closer, who followed suit. Leaning close into her ears, Naren opened his mouth. Then screamed.
The girl fell back, holding her ears. She got up quickly kicking the laughing boy. The kind of kick little kids would do that couldn't incur any damage.
"You're such a loser."
Naren spoke through his laugh, barely able to breathe.
"Hahaha...No...haha...Seriously."
Finally calming down, he urged Vera to come closer once more. Her scowled face refused to look him in the eye, instead, lurking further from him.
"I'm looking for my sister."
Vera lowered her guard, looking at him. His glimmering golden eyes reflecting her own figure.
"And I'll find her. Whatever methods I need."
A beat of silence filled the air. Not uncomfortable, but present. Vera fully realizing his words.
"Where'd she go?"
Naren shrugged. His eyes were tired, looking off in the distance.
"Who knows. That witch cast a curse on me and ran."
Another beat of silence. This time it was uncomfortable.
"I want to go home."
Naren's eyes wandered onto Vera's face. Finding her eyes. As her legs trembled, her eyes stayed rigid and stable. Filled with conviction.
Naren blinked.
A giant ocean in darkness covered the entire horizon. Everything was engulfed in shadows except for one little candle flickering. The candle illuminated a pair of arms. Bruised and battered, the ligaments shackled. Shadows concealed everything past the forearm. However, two golden bulbs could be seen. Shining.
Naren stood a couple feet away from the creature. Slowly sinking into the dark murky waters. He whipped his head around, muffled breathing escaping from the waters as his mouth submerged. He tried moving his body, but it wouldn't respond.
The creature spoke in a raspy echoing tone. One that could be felt in the bones.
"Tomb of Atlas."
Naren's eyes were pulled in by the beading yellow eyes in the shadows. For a second he considered not saying anything. But there were times when you're brain and body betray each other. Another muffled voice came from the waters.
"Sis?"
With another blink he was back. Staring deeply into Vera's eyes. The eyes that seemed to ripple as the words came out of her mouth.
"Home to Atlas."
Naren stared for a second, absently. The memory of Alice and Bjorn's words cutting through his mind: "Though it seems those with conviction and closer to you can bypass it slightly."
"You know how to get there?"
Vera's eyes glimmered.
"I'm the only one who does."
A smiled lurked onto his face. He hated the face of that Sergeant. Now he had just the right excuse to never see it again.
"Say, how much conviction do you have?"