Life of a Light

Chap 13 - Fellow Countries

Etzia kept walking for what felt like hours. Her pace never faltered, calculated and even. She used the Arsen boluses methodically—no hesitation, no indulgence. When hunger crept in like a slow shadow, she slipped an indigo mint between her lips and continued forward, expressionless.

Eventually, the dense forest thinned, revealing an unexpected clearing. At its center stood a massive tree—gnarled and ancient, its limbs stretching outward like a skeletal canopy. She assessed the surroundings, deemed it a low-risk resting point, and settled against the bark. Without ceremony, she lay down and closed her eyes, allowing herself a short nap.

A sound stirred her—sharp, discordant, and loud. Her eyes flicked open. She scanned the perimeter, but the source had vanished. Tired and uninterested in chasing phantoms, she lay back down, resuming her rest.

Moments later, the wind picked up, its strength unnatural. Branches swayed violently, and the ground beneath her began to tremble. Etzia's eyes snapped open. Something was approaching—heavy, deliberate steps, growing louder with each beat.

She stood just as they descended upon her.

Not Chondria. These creatures moved differently—erratic, calculating. They tracked her with disturbing precision, predicting her movements before she could act. One strike knocked her down. She hit the ground hard, instincts sluggish under the aftershock. Her fingers scrambled for her connector, activating it mid-roll to deflect a second blow.

Her vision blurred—left, right, everywhere and nowhere at once. Her logic fractured under the chaos.

Then—

"Etzia!"

A familiar voice.

Cyd.

The floating AI darted in front of her, hovering close. Without hesitation, Cyd struck her—not out of malice, but to jolt her consciousness back into place.

"Get up. Follow me. Now."

No time to argue. No time to question. Etzia ran—faster than she ever had, not out of fear,

but because survival demanded it.

Trees blurred past them. Every breath burned. Every step pounded like a countdown.

Eventually, Cyd veered off the path and motioned toward a narrow fissure in the ground.

"There."

A tiny cave, partially hidden beneath moss and twisted roots.

They slipped inside, breathless, silent.

Outside, the forest fell into tense quiet.

Inside, Etzia leaned against the stone wall, her face unreadable. Cyd hovered beside her,

its single eye glowing dimly in the darkness.

They waited.

And the things out there... moved on.

Cyd:
"If I hadn't shown up early, you'd be a goner."

Etzia:
dryly " How'd you track me?"

Cyd:
"There was a minor disturbance. Screams, smoke, plasma bursts—you know, the usual chaos."

Etzia:
"Hm. Thanks for stopping me from unraveling."

Cyd:
"Anytime. But let's be honest—you still need me."

Etzia:

"I don't. You're not exactly combat-ready."

Cyd:
"True. But I do have information. Lots of it."

Cyd

"I know I am not designed to fight, but I do have knowledge."

Etzia:

"I'll manage. Eventually."

Cyd:
"Why the cold shoulder? Before this, I barely got a word out of you."

Etzia:
"Let's make this simple. You walk with me to Creon. After that, we go our separate ways. You can go be someone else's help."

Cyd:
"Awww, you're kicking me out already?"

Etzia:
"Consider it my version of gratitude—for stabilizing my neural pathways and finding that hiding spot."

Cyd:
"Deal. I'll try not to annoy you too much on the way.

Etzia turns and begins walking toward the base.

Etzia:
"I won't be talking much."

Cyd:
"Perfect. I talk enough for us two. Oh, and those things you fought? Not random. They're fellow soldiers—from other fellow countries. When they show up, things go boom."

Etzia:
"You say your memory was conveniently broken."

Cyd

"They are sure troublesome; whenever they go, they cause destruction."

Cyd:
"It is... selectively. I don't remember why we came to Ecral. But I remember my team. Don't know where they are. Just know they're probably still alive and still reckless."

Etzia:
"Sounds like a you-problem."

Cyd:
"Fair. Also—minor detail—I'm not from here. Akvia. That's my home turf. And you... you're not local either, are you?"

Etzia:
"What gave it away?"

Cyd:
"Your tech. That thing you used? Definitely not Ecral standard issue. It's from a different system. Which makes you and me both... imports."

Cyd

"Your technology is different from Ecral, like the thing you used to fight the fellow soldiers."

Etzia

"I've never heard their are other worlds. The Light Council doesn't doesn't know about them—except for Ecral. Only allowed here to mine Bagemites."

Cyd:
"And why are you collecting them?"

Etzia

"Why are you interesting."

Cyd

"Do you know what it is for?"

Etzia:

flat "You're nosy.""

Cyd:
"It's a talent. But seriously... do you know what they're really for?"

Etzia:
"And I already told you—I'm not here to chat."

Cyd:
"Right. I just thought you'd make an exception. No? Fine. I'll keep talking. Someone has to."

Cyd

 I just thought I could make you talk more about yourself.

"Either way, I will gladly talk more about myself because I don't see anyone who wants to collaborate."