The Games for Gaiathal (Part 3 of 'A Tale of People and Apples Trilogy')

Chapter 5: Family Reunion

"So. How's it coming?" Calysa said to Verrae, as he continued to attempt to fix the crashed craft that Calysa and Luka had sailed in upon.

After returning to their tent from the fortress and sleeping through the artificial night, they planned on sailing back to retrieve Tristan, Laplan, and Adrian, the fellow key bearers, and opening the Chamber of Truth. But first, the only craft available to ferry them across was on this west coast of the Lost Continent.

Verrae shrugged, clearly making little progress as he bent the propeller back into place with his tools and tightened new screws which Wantara passed him, the old ones which held the motor in place lost from the crash.

Yet Calysa cocked her head in confusion. Verrae appeared to know what he was doing, yet he worked on the repairs rather slowly. Calysa couldn't help but think there was a lack of urgency in his repairs. He declined both Luka's and Calysa's offers to help, and did not seem eager to set sail. Calysa questioned this.

"No rush?" She said to him, crossing her arms and leaning on the vessel.

Luka glared at her from the wet sand he stood in, as he watched his brother conduct the repairs, gently scolding her and instructing her to be polite with his eyes.

"I have a feeling they will be coming to us before we even go to them," Verrae said matter-of-factly, as his torso and head remained submerged beneath the silver ship, rattling his tools and grunting as he turned metal in place. "They're probably already on their way."

"And what makes you say that?" Calysa said, rolling her eyes at Luka who was already so loyal to his recently found long-lost brother.

"Him," Verrae said as he exposed his head from the ship momentarily, pointing a tool in Luka's direction and grinning. "Who wouldn't follow my little bro?"

Luka beamed from his older brother's praise, while Calysa squinted her eyes. She wanted to smack Luka atop his head for so eagerly loving his mysterious brother and not remaining cautious. If Verrae was up to something, his words of affection towards Luka would be a perfect addition to his ploy.

"Well, time moves faster here regardless, so why not get back to the other continent and make sure they're coming?" Calysa said to Verrae who resumed his tinkering.

"Exactly, Orca. Time moves much faster here. Meaning, whether I repair this ship in a minute or in many hours, will result in seconds or mere minutes on the other continent," Verrae replied, this time not bothering from returning from beneath the vessel to speak his mind.

As if on cue, almost half a kilometre away to the right of the coast, yells of surprise pounded upon their ear drums. Verrae pulled himself back to the shore, and along with the others, oriented towards the familiar cry of surprise from humans.

Luka watched, and more bewildered than when his own vessel crashed upon the shore, witnessed a silver vessel appear from thin air, and aboard the ship were three men with colours now so familiar and beautiful to him. Brown and green, red and white, black and orange.

His boys.

Unlike him and Calysa, the male Hosts slowed their craft just in time, delicately landing on the shore and lightly digging into the soft wet sand, falling into the cabin of their vessel in relief.

Luka and Calysa didn't hesitate, as they sprinted in the sand towards the craft which was identical to theirs, smiles upon their faces as they got ever closer to their friends that helped them escape.

When they arrived, Luka held a finger to his lips in Calysa's direction, as Tristan, Laplan, and Adrian remained in the vessel relieved and exhausted.

Calysa grinned as she saw Luka adopt her cheekiness, readying to surprise or scare or prank his friends, staying quiet herself and tucking herself within the shadow of the outer vessel wall.