Chapter 18: Wanderlust
The ache in my side flared with every step, a not-so-gentle reminder of our run-in at Prime Maid. But even as the pain crawled up my spine, my mind wouldn't rest. Images of DJ trapped in ice and Strange looming in the background haunted me, making sleep seem impossible. Kail had been right—I should've just gone to bed. Yet here I was, pulled into a late-night walk around Prime City, a suggestion from Smoosh to "clear the cobwebs."
Ducko had tagged along too, a guy with an odd charm and unsettling grin, dressed in dessert-themed clothes, a cake-like serpent draped around his neck. He flashed a look that was never quite reassuring. It was like he had secrets baked into every word and enjoyed knowing more than he let on. As we strolled down the streets, I felt like I was the only one seeing the city with fresh eyes, absorbing its strange energy and hidden mysteries.
We stopped at Sakura Square. At the center stood the ancient sakura tree, defiantly blooming against the city's polluted backdrop. Its pale pink petals drifted in the air like whispers, carrying stories I couldn't hear yet. The scene pulled me in, grounding me amid the city's chaos. My eyes lingered on it, feeling the weight of something timeless.
Ducko sidled up beside me, his grin widening. "Beautiful, isn't it? This tree's like a little spell over the city. Makes you feel connected." His voice was smooth, enticing, like he was letting me in on some grand secret.
I shrugged, burying my hands in my pockets. "It's... different. Feels like it belongs somewhere else."
Smoosh chuckled, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "Good eye. Sakura Square wasn't always here—it was built around that tree when the city started swallowing up everything in its path. The mystics used to guard it, said it had powers that could heal or maybe even change you, if you believed in that sort of thing."
"Does it?" I asked, feeling a flicker of curiosity.
He winked. "Depends on what you're looking for, I suppose. But magic's a tricky thing. Some believe in it; some let it be a mystery. That's what keeps it interesting."
Ducko leaned in, his eyes gleaming. "There's more than one kind of magic in this city, JLC. Sometimes, the real secrets are hidden in plain sight, right under everyone's noses. Take the Shrine of Silence, for example." His voice dropped to a whisper. "They say magic itself goes quiet there."
I frowned, skeptical. "I've heard about it. A place where all magic just... stops? That doesn't sound real."
Ducko nodded, almost impressed. "That's the beauty of it. People forget about it because it's so hard to believe. They say sorcerers once went there to cleanse their sins, to feel pure for a moment." His voice softened, "Now, it's a place to leave your regrets behind."
Smoosh tapped his walking stick against the pavement, breaking the mood. "Places like these are rare, and they're why I stick around Prime City. There's a mystery on every corner if you're open to it." He turned to me with a look of understanding, almost pride. "You're here for a reason, JLC. It's okay not to know all the answers yet."
I felt a small rush of awe. "So... what else is out there? What's hidden away?"
Ducko's grin widened as he pointed northward. "Well, that depends on how curious you are. There's always Moyung's Bastion if you're feeling brave. It's a fortress by the coast, built from solid black stone. They say it holds secrets about the soul if you can get past the guards."
But Smoosh shook his head. "Forget Moyung's Bastion, kid. Legends are one thing, but restricted areas are trouble. It's not about wisdom there; it's about risk." He shot Ducko a pointed look, one that said he'd heard this line from him before.
Ducko raised an eyebrow, a flicker of mischief in his eyes. "Or maybe it's just a wise man's excuse to avoid a little excitement."
Smoosh's gaze hardened, his tone dead serious. "You'll find that place isn't just some rumor. It's guarded for a reason."
I felt a tug of curiosity. Ducko's mock innocence didn't help, and something told me he'd pushed others into riskier places for his amusement.
We turned onto a broad street lined with tall, gleaming buildings. Some of them glistened in the sunlight, all glass and marble as far as I could see. Ducko nodded toward them. "And that's Wehangzon, the city's so-called crown jewel... if luxury's your thing."
I scoffed. "I'm guessing that's where the rich go to pretend the rest of us don't exist?"
Ducko chuckled. "You got it. Fancy apartments, overpriced cocktails, and every kind of fine entertainment you could imagine. People get lost in that kind of life. Money's a funny thing; it builds walls even within a city like Prime."
Smoosh nodded thoughtfully. "It's ironic. They could change so much with their wealth, but they choose to stay in their own bubbles. Wehangzon's all shine and no depth. It's places like Areworldian that give Prime City its real strength."
The mention of Areworldian shifted the mood. It was the opposite of Wehangzon—a rough slum where some of the city's best magicians came from. I'd heard it was a place for those who had nothing but learned to survive.
I glanced at Smoosh. "So, Areworldian... it's all gangs and street fights?"
Smoosh's gaze softened. "It's more than that. It's a crucible. Life's hard there, but that hardship molds people. People from Areworldian know how to fight, but they also know how to live. They're tough, resourceful, and unbreakable."
Ducko's serpent hissed, a soft reminder of his unsettling presence. "People from Areworldian are dangerous. They don't mess around, and neither should you."
I felt a strange thrill, imagining the kind of strength forged in a place like that. Strength, raw and unpolished—that was what I needed. The idea of facing someone shaped by that place sent a chill through me. I still had so far to go.
As if reading my thoughts, Smoosh nudged me with a soft smile. "No need to rush, JLC. Prime City wasn't built in a day, and neither are its people. You're already on your way."
I nodded, comforted by his words, but Ducko's sly look caught my attention again. He leaned close, a playful gleam in his eye. "Well, if you're truly hungry for power, there's always The Vault."
Smoosh and I both turned to him. "The Vault?" I echoed, my curiosity sparking again.
Ducko smirked. "They say it's real. The Vault holds the world's most powerful weapons, relics from an older time, stored away for the bold and the desperate."
Smoosh scoffed, waving the idea away. "It's just a story. The Vault's a shadow people chase, hoping for answers they'll never find."
"But what if it's not?" I pressed, feeling a flicker of hope.
Ducko's smile grew wider. "Maybe it's real. But finding it? That's not about knowing where to look—it's about knowing what you're willing to sacrifice."
His words lingered, and something about them felt like a challenge. Prime City was layered with secrets, each one more thrilling than the last. It wasn't just a city; it was a place shaped by ambition, survival, and mystery. The idea of it all stirred something deep in me, a craving for knowledge and power I didn't even know I had.
As we turned back toward the apartment, my head spun with everything I'd learned—and everything I still didn't understand.
Smoosh clapped a hand on my shoulder, breaking my thoughts. "Enough sightseeing. Get some rest. You'll need it for what's ahead."
But Ducko gave me one last smile, his voice soft and taunting. "Remember, JLC... curiosity's a double-edged sword. Just depends on how sharp you want it."
And as we walked back, his words left a dark thrill in my chest, like an invitation I couldn't quite refuse.
4o
