"My Germ's ability is..." Helmo's gaze fixed on the top of the tent, and suddenly, he vanished.
Yuray and Yousafer spun around to find Helmo standing atop the tent's peak. A look of sheer astonishment washed over the elder's face, and Haim stood frozen in disbelief.
"How did he do that?" the elder gasped.
"Teleportation?" Yousafer asked, narrowing his eyes.
Helmo vanished again and reappeared in his original spot. "I can blink rapidly to objects near me, though there is a distance that limits the jump."
Yousafer laced his fingers behind his head, leaning back slightly. "That ability will serve you well. It's impressive."
"Are you envious?" Helmo asked with a playful smirk.
Yousafer scoffed, looking away. "It is useful for retreating and driving an opponent to the brink of insanity."
Haim rushed toward his son, checking him with trembling hands. "Are you alright? Did anything happen?"
"Do not worry, Father. I am fine. From now on, you needn't fret over me; your son has grown strong."
Haim offered a faint, weary smile. "What a fool you are! Do you think that because your strength has increased, I shall cease to fear for you?"
The elder let out a soft, wheezing chuckle. "Haha! It seems he hasn't laughed like that in an eternity. Let him boast a little, Haim."
"Yousafer, the time has come," Yuray said as he gripped the reins and vaulted onto his horse.
Yousafer nodded, grabbed his own reins, and leaped into the saddle. He looked down at the elder. "I wish you a safe journey."
"And to you as well," the old man replied.
"I assume you are bound for Randur?" Haim asked.
Yuray nodded.
"Then we shall share the road for a while longer."
"Are you heading to Randur as well?"
"Yes," Haim replied. "There is a train that passes through Randur. It will be our gateway back to our homeland."
The elder thought to himself, *"A continent... far beyond here."*
Yousafer grabbed a leather pouch and tossed it toward the elder. The old man caught it with difficulty, nearly fumbling it to the ground.
"What is this?" the elder asked.
"Something you require," Yousafer replied curtly.
The elder opened the pouch to find a hoard of copper, bronze, silver, and gold coins. He gasped. "This is..."
After a moment of heavy silence, the elder sighed with profound gratitude. "I shall never forget what you have done for us. Thank you, young masters." He bowed to them with deep respect.
Yousafer's expression remained stoic as he focused on the path ahead. "Let's move."
The horses began to trot slowly, with Yuray, Haim, and Helmo following close behind. Helmo turned in his saddle, waving a final goodbye to the elder.
---
Meanwhile, atop the smoldering ruins of the factories, two figures stood surveying the devastation. One was speaking into a device that was a perfect replica of a sunflower, his brown eyes scanning the wreckage.
"The factories are completely obliterated. Luvana and I have searched, but we've found nothing."
The man was in his early thirties, sporting a long beard and black hair. A red lotus flower was tattooed—or perhaps branded—on his forehead. He wore a short green suit with red trousers and high black boots.
The girl beside him appeared to be around nineteen. She wore a long, loose-fitting green suit that concealed her entire form, paired with high-heeled black boots. A similar red lotus graced her face, and a single black feather protruded from her blonde hair, which was tied back in a neat bun. Her wide eyes stared into the horizon.
A gravelly voice crackled from the device: "I'm counting on you, Cleo... you and Luvana. I do not wish to anger *that* person."
"Do not worry, we will dig deeper," Cleo said. "Over and out."
Cleo turned toward the girl as she began to walk away. "Luvana, where are you going?"
The girl didn't answer, continuing her steady pace.
"What a nuisance. Does this teenager think she's a master detective?" Cleo muttered, folding his arms as he followed her. "Hey, Luvana! Who do you think caused this destruction?"
"How should I know?" Luvana replied coldly.
"That failure... we couldn't even find his corpse," Cleo grumbled.
Luvana's voice was soft and melodic. "Do you think he simply fled and didn't die?"
"No, no. That man was too greedy to run. He must be dead. What a bother! Where do we even begin this investigation?"
After a while, they spotted a small pack of dogs gathered in one spot. Luvana approached quickly. She swung her leg upward in a high arc and kicked one of the dogs as it tore at a carcass. *Boom.* The animal was sent flying through the air, and the rest of the pack scattered in terror.
Cleo reached the mangled body. The stench of rot choked the air, accompanied by the deafening drone of flies. Maggots writhed over the flesh in the sunlight, as if bathing in the heat.
Luvana pulled a white cloth from her garment and held it over her nose as she inspected the remains. Only the lower half was intact; the upper body had been shredded by the scavengers. She sighed and stepped back. "No trace... it seems the dogs have eaten our evidence."
"Never mind. There is a village about an hour from here where the factory workers live. Let's go scout the area."
Luvana nodded. "Fine."
When they arrived at the village, they found nothing but the wind whistling through empty houses and the chirping of birds.
"It seems they fled after the factories were destroyed. They must know who did it."
"Isn't that obvious?" Luvana shot the man a look of pure disdain.
Cleo sighed again, his eyes catching the hoofprints of horses. He began to track them. "Let's go," he said, and the hunt began.
A while later, the sound of flowing water reached their ears.
"Damn it!" Cleo hissed, staring at the river.
Luvana walked forward, leaping gracefully across the stones peeking above the water until she reached the far bank. After searching for a moment, she looked back at Cleo and shook her head.
"There were clever ones among them."
"There's nothing clever about it; I would have thought of the same thing," Luvana said, her head held high as she scanned the trees. She paused. "What now?"
Cleo scratched his shaggy hair. "Nothing to be done. We'll have to search for a few more days."
Disgust mirrored on Luvana's face. "A few more days? Are you using this mission just to stay near me?"
Cleo ignored her, seemingly accustomed to her tone. "What a delusional girl. Come on, let's find anything that leads us to whoever destroyed those factories. I don't particularly like forests either."
---
Two days later, October 25th.
Returning to Yousafer and the others, massive walls finally loomed ahead.
"Randur!" Haim exclaimed.
"So this is Randur," Yousafer muttered, eyeing the distant city hiding behind its monolithic barriers.
The capital of Randur was small compared to other kingdoms, but it was densely populated. Most of the kingdom's subjects resided within the capital. Houses could be seen rising behind the walls.
The group stood atop a hill, overlooking the capital nestled between the mountains. Randur was encircled by a wall five meters high. In front of the main gate, they spotted something white that wasn't quite clear from a distance. They approached step by step—Yousafer and Yuray on their horses, with father and son sharing one.
As they drew closer, the gate grew in magnitude. Yousafer and Yuray noticed numerous soldiers patrolling the ramparts, wearing the same uniforms as the men they had encountered on the warship.
*"The Army!"* the thought resonated in both their minds.
In front of the massive gate, a railway track stretched out, but the shock was that the track was hovering in the air atop white, billowing clouds. This 'Cloud Road' extended like an endless path into the horizon.
The track rose two meters above the ground, allowing people to pass underneath. It was a gravity-defying road without pillars, stretching as far as the eye could see. There wasn't just one track, but two, separated by about a meter.
"The World Path!" the words escaped Haim's lips.
"The World Path? What is that?" Helmo asked.
Haim looked at his son, who had dismounted. "This is the Cloud Road, and it's reserved for the World Train. That's what they call it, because there isn't a single place in this world it doesn't touch."
Yousafer was intrigued. "This cloud-like road... a train passes through it?"
"Yes," Haim replied. "Helmo and I came to Randur on it. It's incredibly fast."
"How does it fly without pillars?" Yuray asked.
"I don't know, and you won't find anyone else who does."
"Why?"
"Because even the world's greatest scholars are still searching for the secret of its construction."
The group watched as people passed normally under the Cloud Road as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
In that moment, the four of them noticed the sheer crowd; a multitude of people were entering the capital. Along the side of the Cloud Road, a small group waited with their luggage, anticipating the train.
Haim went near the great gate. Beside it stood a small booth with a short line. He stood at the back to purchase tickets for himself and his son. Once secured, he returned to the waiting group.
Suddenly, a distant roar heralded the train's arrival. A black locomotive appeared on the horizon.
The weathered black train arrived, letting out a piercing whistle that could be heard for kilometers. White smoke billowed from its roof as it slowed. The doors hissed open, and ladders descended from beneath them to the ground. People began to flow out like ants from a disturbed nest.
The train was pitch black, looking ancient and worn, with numerous glass windows and countless doors.
Yousafer strained his eyes, but he couldn't see the end of the train. "It's incredibly long!"
"It's not just long; it's terrifyingly fast. I've heard its speed exceeds 600 kilometers per hour," Haim noted, looking into the distance. "There is only one path for this train—the Cloud Road. And this isn't the only one; there are five other trains roaming the world. You'll see one here every seven days. We were lucky to arrive just in time."
"Well then, my young friends, it seems we must depart. If our paths cross again, I shall surely repay this debt."
"Don't mention it," Yousafer said. He then fixed a gaze on Helmo. "Do not be reckless. Now that you are possessed, remember: above every mountain, there is a taller one."
Helmo smiled and extended his hand. "I'll take your advice."
Yousafer shook it, as did Yuray. The father and son then turned to board the train. Helmo paused at the door. "Let us meet again one day."
Yousafer and Yuray both offered a firm, affirming smile.
Moments later, the train let out another powerful whistle, signaling its depa
rture. Within seconds, it began to glide away.
The story of the forest had ended, though its scars remained. As for Helmo and his father, their story was far from over.
End of Chapter.