The Creature and the Spy

8: The Prisoner

[photo above: Andrin and Kalin Asmira]

As the artificial sun rises, the little village wakes. The Tree Demons went out of their houses and did one thing: bathed themselves on the sun light. It looks weird, as weird as a dozen human children lining up for a flag ceremony. They smiled as the white light hit their faces. I did the same as well.

At the first seconds, I was out of focus. I thought it's just another custom or tradition that I have to copy in order to fit in, but in the next seconds, I changed my mind. The sun's light flashes to my eye without my lids flinching. I can see the light and all its whiteness. They don't hurt my eyes. I can feel the light enter my skin, my nerves, and then my brain, activating certain hormones that makes me feel relaxed. My cells are running. I can feel them heating up, tingling my entire body alive.

This is not just sun bathing; It's breathing. It's photosynthesis.

After ten minutes, I can feel my body telling me I've had enough of my morning sun. I glanced around and saw nobody else bathing under the sun.

"Man, you synthesized longer than anybody. How long was your last synthesis?" Jadaki asked me, bringing a handful of vegetables in a basket.

I blushed in embarrasment. "For long. After coming home from above, our king didn't even let me synthesize. I was shipped straight away." I lied.

"That sucks. Nobody should be deprived of synthesis."

I just nodded. So it is called synthesis, huh? How unexpected.

I followed him as he trekks towards the Asmira household. On the porch, the little Andrin has a stack of books beside him as he reads a thick book under his jaw. He lays on his chest, setting his jaws right above the book with his arms laying beside it but not touching it. It's the funniest reading position I've ever seen, but since it's Andrin, I find it very cute.

"Good day Andrin." Jadaki called. "I brought these."

Andrin stood from his position, much to my dismay, and ran towards Jadaki to get the basket. "Thank You!"

We went inside the house without shame. It seems Jadaki is a regular in Asmira household. We sat in the living room facing each other.

"Hansi. I know you've only been here for two sunrises, but I just want to ask how your research is going. I mean, you've stayed in the human realm for three Thaonnes, I'm guessing you at least have theories." He said seriously. My palms immediately sweat.

"I do..." Come on, brain. Think. Think.

Jadaki looked at me in anticipation.

"But I don't think I should be discussing this with you. I'm sorry..."

"Actually, you are obliged to discuss it with me. I talked with King Dimito and requested that I become your assistant since social science is my profession."

"Wow. Really." I cannot believe what I just heard. Is he just tricking me? He looks young. Heck, his face has the features of a young human teenager. "How old are you?"

"I'm nine Thaonnes. Why?"

Nine Thaonnes? He's 27 years old. He's even older than me. However, since I have yet to know the aging system of this realm, I closed my mouth about the ages. I'm pretty sure I'm older. Maybe based on ratio and proportion of ages between a Tree Demon and a human, I would probably be more than nine Thaonnes.

"Nothing." I continued.

"I know I'm way too young to be an assistant, but I hope you find me useful. I have published more than ten social science journals, six of them based on human realm economic structures. I'm a young scholar. I can be useful." He explained.