Dawn was still painting the sky with that soft blue that exists only between the end of night and the beginning of everything. The train finally began to slow, screeching as if it, too, were tired of its own journey. I was sunk into the hard seat, my neck crooked, when I felt a finger jab into my shoulder with the subtlety of a thrown rock.
— Hey, kid. — The guard's voice sounded impatient. — Wake up! You've gotta get off!
I snapped my eyes open, heart racing. My brain was still stuck in some meaningless dream, and reality came crashing in like a bucket of cold water.
— Huh… ah… right — I muttered, my voice rough. — What area are we in?
— Area 3 — he grumbled, already walking away as if he had more important things to do.
I sat up slowly, feeling my back protest in unison. But there was something else too — a strange sensation, as if something had been left behind.
— The lady? — I asked the guard before he disappeared.
He let out a heavy sigh, like someone repeating the same answer for the hundredth time that night.
— She already got off. Said she was late. Now you get off too before I have to carry you.
Still dazed, I stood up, grabbed my backpack, and stepped down with unsteady legs. The icy dawn air hit my face, carrying the smell of metal, steam, and old exhaustion. I looked around, trying to find a familiar face — until I spotted Oud sitting beneath a lamppost, lit by a yellowish light that made everything even quieter than it already was.
He held a cup and drank slowly, with the calm of someone who is never truly in a hurry.
I walked over, and he finally turned his head, giving that minimal nod that was his way of saying "hi."
He picked up a paper bag and a sealed cup beside him and held them out to me.
— She left this for you — he said, directly, without lingering.
I took the things with a tightness in my chest. A simple gesture, but it hit me hard. When I opened the bag and smelled warm bread, I almost sighed.
— Wow… she's really kind — I murmured, biting into it as if it had been years since I'd eaten something decent.
While I ate, Oud stared at the horizon, motionless, as always — that kind of calm that borders on irritating.
— We need to go to Area 0 — he said suddenly.
I nodded, still chewing. And we started walking.
The city woke slowly, orange lights flickering in narrow alleys. Everything felt bigger, colder, more… full of secrets.
And as I walked, the image of my sister struck me like a blunt blow.
Fragile. Pale. Fighting for something that might not even have a chance.
"Sometimes I look at Oud and feel something stuck inside me… it's not anger, but it hurts. How can he be like this? Resilient, immune to everything… even to life."
He seemed made of stone. Nothing brought him down. Nothing made him sick.
And I, as much as I hated to admit it, wanted that. For her.
"If I figure out what makes him like this… maybe I can save her. Even if I have to tear it out of him."
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. Part of me hated thinking like that… the other part didn't so much.
— We're in Area 1 — I said, just to distract myself. — It won't take long to find Cindi's house. Number 6.
— Yes — he replied, in the simplest way possible.
— I hope she helps us… I'm exhausted. And we need to find a way to make money. I don't want to go begging — I added, rubbing my eyes.
After walking for a long while, we reached Area 0. Finally. I knocked on the door of house number 6, and a boy opened it, staring at me with one eyebrow raised, like I'd interrupted someone's nap.
— What do you want?
— Does Cindi live here? — I asked bluntly.
— No. She switched houses with my family. She's in the Inner Circle now.
I blinked.
I was surprised.
— Switched houses? What do you mean? Who does that? Where is she?
The boy, looking sleepy, explained:
— Well, she's in the Inner Circle of Area 0. Just walk in that direction and you'll find a gatekeeper. After that, just look for house number 6.
— But we're in Area Zero.
— No, this is the outer circle. If you want to find Cindi… it's where I said.
I thanked the boy and we moved on. This city had its own rules… far too strange for my taste.
After a few minutes, a metal sign appeared at the entrance to another division of the city:
[Level 02]
After walking for some time, we saw many children in the city.
— And, of course, not a single adult soul in sight. Just kids running around like they'd downed thirty coffees.
— Where are the adults in this city? — I grumbled. — Is this a city or a giant playground?
Oud just kept walking.
Further ahead, we saw a gatekeeper talking to a boy who looked younger than me. As soon as he finished, he looked at me, at Oud, and at a group of people behind us.
— Do you have the psychic element? — he asked, assessing them with his gaze. — I see some of you already have the stones.
Some travelers raised their red stones. The gatekeeper smiled, satisfied… until he noticed a few necklaces.
— Anyone with a psychic necklace, only eat the fruit after the signal. Understood?
People nodded, and several bit into the fruits, pressing the red button right after.
I took two fruits, handed one to Oud, and bit into mine.
— Ugh… this tastes awful — I complained, grimacing. — Kind of sour… kind of wrong.
But soon something different took over my mind — a strange clarity, as if someone had wiped my thoughts clean and sharpened my focus.
"Wait… my head feels lighter… sharper. And I feel… strength? Is this normal?!"
I looked at Oud.
— So? Do you feel anything?
He shrugged.
— Normal.
Of course. For him, everything is normal. He could be on fire and he'd say the same thing.
I gestured for him to press the button on the necklace. He did, and the necklace vibrated slightly.
The gatekeeper then opened his arms as if presenting a spectacle.
— Welcome to the Masterful City. Respect the rules. And be careful what you wish to find.
We replied together with the others:
— Thank you, sir.
As soon as we entered the Inner Circle, a chill ran down my spine. It was as if the air itself had grown heavier and strange.
I adjusted the backpack on my shoulder and quickened my pace.
The journey was far from over.