The Children Of Thalia

The First Village

Will and I, the young man I had just met while fighting the prairie fairies, were stunned in front of the village that was our first destination. Just staring, without comment, open mouth, fixed eyes looking at the village architecture that is so unique.

I'm not a cultural expert, especially about the art of architecture. It was Lee's skill, but even I myself could see how unique Helder's taste in building simulated villages was. In that shock, I felt amused to involuntarily chuckle like an old man.

"It turns out.... is this Helder style?" muttered.

"No, I'm sure it's a private order." Will said.

The village has a medieval European architecture. The houses are wooden and piles of stone, with triangular and conical roofs. The paint is predominantly white and cream, some natural wood colors. Large enough, with some houses having watermills that are directly driven by the river, as well as chimneys that still emit white smoke. From the outside, there is nothing wrong. Only the usual village is in the game now. The real problem is in it.

Even from the front gate, I could see the steam pumps displayed in front of several large buildings. Street lamps are not torches or oil lanterns, but gas lamps. I can also guess that the smoke from the chimneys is not the smoke of the warm bonfire, but the industry. That's because houses that have chimneys appear to have ancient machine storefronts on their terraces. I say old fashioned because it does look like 18th or 19th century machines. Golden brown steam engines with tubes and pipes attached. It was so antique that I could imagine the atmosphere of Victorian England when I saw it.

However, what is the main point of oddity is not architecture or technology. When the environmental impression here reminds me of medieval Europe, and the home-grown technology reminds me of the Victorian era, the villagers instead made me look a thousand years into the future. Everything droid. Perfect robot without a face. They walked, ran, pounded wheat, drew water, pulled horses which were also machines. The carriage that the horses pulled was made of wood, strangely enough. 

"What can I say?" will said while patting the jidat. "I don't think so."

"Yes, but save your admiration first. We're chasing time." I patted both of my cheeks. I knew that between the two of us, I was the one who was most impressed by Helder's abstract concept. But yes, I understand that time is moving on. In the end, I walked ahead.

Village roads are made of stone with smooth surfaces. River stones. Not plastered, just plugged in the ground. I wonder if it will be slippery when it rains. But these roads explain the suspension technology they installed in the horse-drawn carriage, although I'm sure it still feels a little bumpy.

I glanced right-left, wailed, looked around, noticed whatever I was going through. Not a single robot saw us, or watched us. It was like walking through a swarm of NPCs. They didn't even try to talk to us. When I approached a wheat pounder, he did not respond to anything. Likewise with the droids who are carrying groceries and who are repairing their water pumps.

"Oh, hello. Are you visitors?"

We looked, saw the direction of the voice. An old man stood up while pulling the rope that tied the robot horse behind him. His face was somewhat reddish, with his hair and white beard in a mess. His eyes are soft, but his eyes are sharp. His body was burly behind a dull white T-shirt. I noticed his waist, there was a gun, beyond belief.

"Oh, hello. It's nice to meet you. Yes, we are tourists from outside. We saw this village so unique with the mix of times that exist, so we decided to stop by for a moment."

Will answered naturally. The power of extroverts. He even placed his hands on his chest properly, but was not formally impressed. He probably didn't notice the gun on the side.

Or don't. Obviously I see his eyes occasionally glancing at that gun holster. He was clearly on guard, but not as quick to react. This old man's gun is a cross-type, after all. Just one shot for at most a minute. Maybe he was sure he could handle it if anything happened. 

But it would be the best choice to be friendly at a time like this, when surrounded by a bunch of droids in the middle of the village that even I don't know the level of danger.

"I'm Theodore Radley, this is Willard Lucas. Nice to meet you." I introduced ourselves, courteously according to Thalia's manners. Hopefully this goes into the assessment. "We're from the Northern woods. We followed the river downstream and found this village. Yes, it feels like this village is like a combination of various ages that exist."

"Wait a minute, son." The old man interrupted. "What did you say from the North?"

Will and I exchanged glances, astonished. We looked at the man again, then Will answered his question.

"really. We walked from the Northern forest, following the river flow all the way here. It's a little far, but it's a good thing we got through that meadow."

Simultaneously, all the droids that were in the village stopped their work. They were glued, silent without a sound. It felt like something was missing when the sounds of metal clashing were no longer heard for a moment. They stood up straight, staring at us with their flat faces. I'm ready for a fist, watching around. It's a danger, obviously. Their numbers are too many. Best to find an escape route. But if I have to fight, I'm ready. 

However, the man's face revealed admiration, as well as gratitude. His eyes sparkled, his face radiating light. He walked over to me, while I automatically took a few steps back. When his face was four steps away from me, he stopped.

"Garden of the meadow."

I scrunched my forehead, reflexes. "What?"

"Garden of the meadow, village demon, locked us up here for years. No one could leave this village except to meet him in the northern prairie. If you're from the northern forest, you should have met him." 

The man said with exaggerated gestures. He raised his hand, shook his head, stepped quickly like he was agitated. His eyes were glaring, but his eyeballs were rolling. His breathing was fast, as fast as he spoke. I was stunned for a moment as he explained, until Will patted me on the shoulder and answered the man.

"If what you mean is a creature with an invisible scythe that makes us go round and round in the meadow, we've defeated it."

The man is getting worse. Unbelieving, wanting to believe, I saw confusion and hope. He took a few steps back like he was about to collapse. I wanted to help, but the man immediately rested on the machine horse beside him.

"INRNE!!"

Two seconds after he shouted, a droid dressed like a policeman immediately approached. Just like the others, he had no face.

"You calling, Major?" Follow the droid with a voice like a young man.

"Check North, see if what they say is true."

"All right, right away."

The droid pulled out the hand radio attached to its left chest. Radia is placed in the palm of the hand. After a small electrical jump, it turned into a huge black beetle. Incredibly, the droid is capable of changing. CTI has not yet arrived. How much data did the gift owner need to create the robot?

The beetle flew, quickly. Very fast as a bee. The police droid stood firm. Not for ten seconds, he touched his head, perhaps in the ear area, then stood firm again.

"Confirmation, Major. In the Northern prairie there are the bodies of small creatures with long ears and blue bodies. His chest was hollow, his heart was not beating. Death is confirmed."

Hearing that information, the old man in front of me suddenly beamed. He chuckled in the typical exhausted voice of the old man, then gripped both of my arms with unexpected energy.

"Thank you, thank you!!" The man said with gratitude. "Oh, how much I crave today. It's been two years since the creature took control of the village. We can't go out or face him. He's nesting in the Northern prairie, normally there won't be any survivors if it comes from there, not until you guys. Theo and Will, right? How can you defeat that creature? Even the Eastern Bear alone is helpless."

"We have some kind of intuition." My answer. No lie, I did suspect how the attack pattern of the creature was. "Garden has a predictable attack pattern. Once we find out, we can find a loophole to defeat him."

"It's tough, but maybe our luck is big enough to be able to deal with him." Continue Will.

"That's amazing!"

The man slowly released his hand from me after hearing our explanation. He tidied up his clothes, stood up straight, then sneered as if turning into a different person.

"You can go back to your post, Enne." Said the man. He then placed his hands on his chest. "I'm sorry, I was so enthusiastic that I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Thorin, Major of this city. I think it would be impolite to talk here. Can I take you to my office?"

There is no time!

That's what I want to say, but I know it's disrespectful. The words I should have spoken should have been more polite, but I wasn't good at words. Luckily, Will took over the conversation.

"Sir Major, we want you to know that we are very, very happy with your offer. We are nothing more than travelers, with this village as our first destination. Defeating the prairie fairies was one of our attempts to survive. If what we do is beneficial for this city, we are very flattered. Your offer, makes us feel more appreciated, but we have to apologize because we are being chased for time to go to our next destination. There is important business waiting for us, and we must not be late. Therefore, we apologize, but we must reject your offer."

Whoa, what formal and polite words, long too. He's used to it, or so I thought. Maybe he often talks to teachers, or seminars in public. Even the smile on his face as he said all of that seemed friendly as well as mysterious. He did not let down his vigilance, but also did not seem like a person who was on guard.

"Is that so? It's a pity." Major Thorin replied, lowering his eyes looking disappointed. I'm sorry, but we don't have any other choice. The exam was only three hours, we had to be quick.

"I'm sorry, if we hadn't hurried, we would have accepted your offer." I said, feeling bad. Major Thorin replied with a wide smile.

"No, it's okay. It doesn't mean I force. You have a purpose to pursue. Although, indeed you guys have a big contribution to this village. From now on residents can come and go again without worrying. If there's something we can do in return, can you say it?"

"No, no, we—"

I tried to refuse, as my teacher taught in Elementary School, that when doing good as much as possible do not expect a reply. Do good, then go after it's done, that's my philosophy. However, Will immediately patted my shoulder again and advanced forward with a grin.

"Thank you for offering. We really want to go to the middle of town. Walking may take more time. We'd appreciate it if you had some kind of vehicle to speed up the trip."

The old man's face was beaming again. "Oh, of course! We will be very happy to lend one horse— no, no need the other. Take this kid." He said as he pulled the engine horse beside him forward. "He is the best sedesa. Fastest in its class. You see these muscles? Two people were light to him without needing to reduce too much speed. He's also tame, friendly to the people I accept, just so you don't do anything stupid."

He explained his machine horse as if it was not aware that it was a machine. Muscle layers? It's not like that. It does look like a muscle fiber, but it's steel. Also, it is neatly arranged like a real muscle fiber. If this was in the real world, perhaps such a technology would need at least another twenty years to be achieved.

It is not time to think about reality. When the man gave the rope that tied his horse, Will immediately grabbed it. The man had explained, but it still struck me when he saw Will being able to stroke the horse as easily as if they knew each other. There was not the slightest resistance, really a tame horse.

"The good boy. What's name?" will asked sbari to continue wiping the synthetic hair on the back of the horse.

"Avid. He's from the North forest." Answer the man proudly.

"Are you sure to give your horse to us?" I asked, after all the man looked so proud and affectionate on his horse like loving his own son. Of course I'll ask like that. However, Major's reaction was completely unexpected.

"No. You freed this village from monsters. The boy had been locked up in the village for two years without seeing the outside world, and I myself probably wouldn't have gone outside for quite some time. Letting her go with you guys will make her happy. He knows his way home anyway. If you tell him to come home, he'll go home by himself."

Will, who had been petting the horse, smiled wider. "Smart kid." Short words. He turned his head again to Major Thorin, looking down in thanks with his hands on his chest. "Thank you for your help, Major Thorin."

"Love's back, son." The Major replied it was friendly. "Now hurry. I remember you guys in a hurry?"

"It's true." Will gripped the handle on the horse saddle. He placed his feet on a hanging footing, then climbed nimbly onto the horse's back. The horse is silent. No resistance, no rebellion, even lowering his head to make it easier for Will to rise. To be honest, I was impressed.

When Will reached out, I grabbed him firmly. I poked the pedestal too, then went up on the saddle.m, behind Will. Let him drive, I haven't learned. Maybe he likes archery while riding like a soldier of old times.

"Thank you again, Major Thorin. This kid's coming home before dusk." Will said as he tightened his footing.

"Well, take him till tomorrow, let him know how the city is at night."

"I think that's a good idea." Will pulled the harness, made the neck of this horse squirm a little as if he was ready to go. "We're saying goodbye."

Major Thorin smiled. A wide smile full of hospitality and pride. Also gratitude and gratitude. He took off the leather hat he was wearing, then lowered his head slightly with a gaze that could not be separated from us.

"Go, cut the savanna ahead. May you all be safe until your destination."

Will smiled, nodding in return from the friendly introduction of the Major. He then focused his gaze forward, onto the vast expanse of grassland that filled the horizon. Our journey was far away, but he seemed ready and believed it would arrive quickly. He took a deep breath, and with a wide grin of excitement, he tightened his grip on the bridle.

"Come, Avid."

...* * * * *...

Addendum

Rough sketches of the blind map of Sintes City