Drake didn't express anything on his face and said,
"I am Drake, and nothing more or nothing less. I came this far with my hard work—not with anyone's help. True, the neighbors helped me grow,
but I didn't have my parents."
The other kids were shocked. Growing as an orphan in the tribe was extremely rare—almost like a myth. So the kids were at a loss for words; their emotions were complicated. They didn't know what to say or what expression to make. They couldn't pity someone if they didn't feel the need—like they simply didn't understand the true grief of someone who had truly grown without parents.
"Yeah, I get that a lot. But the people of the tribe were nice and caring, so I never felt the gap of not having my parents," Drake added.
Evan said,
"That's why you could already attempt the second trial before becoming a Reader. My parents would never allow me to."
"I was going to become a Reader in a few days—that's why I attempted the second trial," Drake replied.
Everyone was shocked. Suddenly, the twins talked—it seemed Jike was older, and Pike was younger. They spoke like one person, one word from Jike and the next from Pike:
"'You—how' 'old are you?'"
Drake was taken aback by the question.
"How old am I? Just four waves old. What, are you younger than me or what?"
Phil and Evan didn't react much—they were also four waves old. But the twins were in embarrassment. They were five waves old but seemed to be the weakest of the kids there. In five waves, most kids would have completed the Cradle during the fourth or fifth wave. So being five waves old without completing the Cradle was unusual for the Warcrier Tribe.
Evan thought: Their parents should be worried. That must be the reason.
The twins spoke:
"'We thought' 'if you're going to' 'become a Reader' 'you would be old.'"
Drake didn't answer them and sat calmly on the Ripple. Evan, Phil, and the twins also seemed lost in thought and sat without saying anything.
Drake noticed that the captain and the God Killer seemed nowhere to be found—they were traveling on the Ripple alone. They came a long way, and at a distance, they saw a large structure: a circular cabin situated far away from the normal people-roaming area. It was almost as big as the foundation island on the surface. Even though they couldn't see the bottom of the sea, Drake felt disdain and thought:
One day, I am gonna reach the abyss. And that day, this world will answer all my questions.
As he thought that, a couple of Ripples joined their march toward the circular structure. They had all come back from their Cradle and were on their way to meet the queen.
They reached the circular structure. It was marvelous—like a large town crafted out of a single house. It was beautiful.
A small force repelled them from entering easily, so the guards let them in one by one. They moved well in water, even without Ripples or any other mode of transport. After hearing certain sounds from the guards, everyone was able to enter the building.
It seemed the queen had forged a barrier by creating a unique sound—after all, she was a Creator, just like the God Killer.
There are six worlds known to us, but in every world, a different tribe populates it in their own way. Everyone has different traditions and cultures, but the way one attains power doesn't change in any world: only through the trials.
Vunavu: Where the food is very rich and delicious—a world where the creatures are perfectly suitable to eat and cook. The tree that gives life to this world is the Vuna Tree, and the tribe here is the Delver Tribe.
Porieyal: Where the most skilled etchers are present, crafting many well-customized Naturally Etched Weapons and totally flawless Man-Etched Weapons. There are hot waters to etch weapons. The world tree here is the Pori Tree, and the tribe is the Bender Tribe.
Puvieyal: Where they found and created ways and methods to travel between worlds, building a pathway common to all that connects the others. The tree here is the Puvi Tree, and the tribe is the Crawler Tribe.
Somberi: Where people used to lay around and do nothing much—the embodiment of the uselessness other tribes . Like nature cut the sloth from their bodies and souls to create this tribe. The tree here is the Solow Tree, and the tribe is the Soller Tribe.
Mupadai: Where people are proficient in war tactics and marching. They forecasted the Great War and served as strategists for the world alliance to wage war on the wretched whales. The tree here is the Sparta Tree, and the tribe is the Warhier Tribe.
And lastly, our world: Kayal, where warriors are born and made—the forefront warriors of the greatest war, who brought up the most powerful warrior ever to live. The tree here is the Alam Tree, and the tribe is called the Crier Tribe.
The worlds might be apart from the people and divided, but they are like a single body with parts scattered along the vast expanse of the abyss. One might need to travel for eternity without proper equipment and means.
The people of Puvieyal first invented a proper way to travel between worlds, but everyone had a faint feeling of the existence of other tribes. They felt the sorrow of others, the happiness of others, and the unfelt sequence of joining hands to conduct the Great War.
The queen's chamber was full of young people and blooming minds—warriors from all the tribes. But the numbers from some tribes were really questionable; it was like some had refused to participate.
Yes, this is the peace built on the corpses of fellow tribe members, tainting the pure waters of our world with our own blood, damaging the soul of the mothers. That is the peace we live in—that is the price we paid. But the aspiring young minds and souls don't know the true terror of the Great War and the tremors the past generations had to bear.
While living happily with food to eat, water to drink, and good clothes—does that mean a person or group lives with freedom?
One thinks: If I had only some water, I could live. After getting it, he thinks: If I had only some food, I could live. After getting it: If I only had some place to stay away from heat, cold, and predators, I could live. After that: If I had the wealth of rich people, I could live. After that: If I had power over all these people, I could live. And finally: If I had only a little freedom to do what I want, I could live. One's desire never ends until it truly attain freedom
What is a mother? What is a father? What are siblings? What is a family? Does one's family have greater value than others? Why does one choose his family over others? Doesn't the entire tribe come from a single mother—our tree? I don't understand this concept of family.
All a man can do is live and help others live. What's freedom if it comes at the price of abandoning the ones he loved and cherished? The regret of living alone with the freedom you wanted most is greater than suffering the inability to make decisions freely with the ones you loved and kind people.
While these kinds of thoughts ran through Drake's mind, suddenly everything around him turned into nothingness. The great hall of the circular structure, the people around him, the drinks and food, the floor he was standing on—nothing could be sensed. And then he heard it.
The queen's voice.
"Those who have sought the Cradle—it doesn't matter if you succeeded or not. So don't fret. The soul of a warrior is to never give up on his companions or himself. You all will receive great rewards according to the will of the sea."
The queen's voice was neither exactly soft nor rough—it couldn't be judged through hearing alone. It relaxed everyone's mind, like a soothing voice rescuing the kids from the nothingness where no senses were capable of anything. Her voice was like an unmeasurable abyss, but it saved you from the void of the abyss itself.
After the queen stopped, Drake found himself in a place where everything was dark except one spot with a dim light. He ran toward the light—the nearer he got, the fainter it became. Just before he could get a good look, it vanished. It was a young woman. She turned to him. He couldn't see her clearly. She disappeared with a faint smile on her face.
"No! No! No! Please show me—at least this time! Ahhhhh!"
He woke up in a place that looked like an infirmary. He was lying on a bed-like material made of wood from their tree. Two wire-like structures came out of the wood, connected to his eyes. The guy near him said,
"You shouldn't shout here—it might disturb others."
Drake was startled a little. He thought: Haa, it's a dream again. It happens whenever I'm in contact with great power. Ahhh.
"Sorry, doctor—"
"It's Ramiz. Don't throw a tantrum already. They did say you're special and highly motivated... hmmm, black hair and eyes. Ahh, yeah—quite unnatural."
__
The hallway seemed big; it was the inside of the queen's chamber. Cloth-like things coming out of the tree wood curled from top to bottom on the sides, waving like they were exposed to air underwater. It was a sight to behold.
In the hallway, a man with long grey hair was walking—it was Levize. There was no sound or pressure from his steps. He stood in front of a modest-looking door.
"Mother, may I enter?"
"Come in, my son. What brings you to see your mother?"
Levize was silent for a moment, then said,
"Nothing, Mother. This poor child of yours seeks comfort and rest. May I lay on your lap?"
She gestured with her hand for him to come near. She wasn't too old to be called the mother of a grown man like Levize, but it seemed she truly was. He went near her, put his weapons aside, knelt, laid his head on her lap, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, there seemed to be nothing near him—like the world around him became silent and dark.
In the darkness of the abyss, with an easing sensation, he slept. It seemed his power and knowledge were so complex and unimaginable that he couldn't rest his eyes or mind without the queen's power.
She was slightly troubled by having him under this nothingness influence. The queen said,
"Oh, poor soul... my child. How far have you fallen?"
__
It seemed Drake hadn't been in the infirmary too long. Doctor Ramiz's voice echoed in his mind:
"It's quite common to pass out after resisting the queen's power —or being under it . So don't worry yourself."
Queen Rishya—she is the ruler of our Warcrier Tribe. She has almost ruled over every known generation of our tribe that is alive till now. That power of hers... god, that's scary.
As he stepped out of the infirmary, the world of Kayal once again welcomed him.