Chapter 230: The First Theory
The earthen shelter Arlok had created was shrouded in darkness by the time they gathered inside. The night had swallowed the land far more quickly than Yerin had expected, leaving her no chance to light a fire beforehand.
Fortunately, it was hardly a problem.
She had already arranged the dry firewood and prepared the tinder before nightfall. All that remained was to invoke a simple spell and coax the waiting fire to life.
With a casual flick of her finger, the spell [Ignite] answered her will as tiny embers bloomed across the tinder before blossoming into dancing flames.
The warm glow gradually illuminated the earthen shelter.
"There we go. Now, we won’t be sitting in the dark all night." Yerin said with a small sigh of relief before brushing the dust from her hands.
"Alright, I’ll start cooking now. It shouldn’t take too long."
Ruvian reached into his dimensional storage and retrieved a tiny metallic cube, no larger than a dice.
"Use this instead." (+200PP)
He placed it gently on the ground between them.
The others stared at the object in puzzled silence.
Horren tilted his head.
"Erm... Ruvian, what’s that?"
"This? This is a [Stove Cube]," Ruvian replied simply.
He rested two fingers against one of the engraved runes and allowed a small stream of mana to flow into it.
Then, the tiny cube quivered before its sides unfolded. Panels slid outward while hidden compartments rotated into place. Within moments, the cube had transformed into a sturdy chest nearly as wide as a person’s torso.
Even Yerin’s eyes widened.
"...That’s an artifact?"
Ruvian nodded before lifting the lid.
Neatly arranged inside was an entire cooking set designed for wilderness travel; a compact mana stove occupied the center. Once supplied with mana, the artifact would produce a smokeless flame suitable for cooking inside enclosed shelters.
Around it were several copper pots and cast-iron pans, alongside a small kettle, carving knives, chopping boards, clay bowls, and leather pouches containing coarse salt and dried herbs.
Anyway, to simplify, the [Stove Cube] contains everything needed to prepare a proper meal in the wilderness.
Horren stared blankly at the opened chest.
"Wow. I... I don’t even know what to say. You’re telling me that tiny cube was carrying all of this? That’s pretty amazing."
Ruvian simply nodded.
"I borrowed this from someone before we departed," he explained as he removed the stove and placed it on the ground before tapping it.
"They’re very useful to have."
Then, he activated the stove.
A soft azure light flowed through the engraved channels before a small flame emerged from the center of the stove. Ruvian placed a copper pot over the flame before reaching for the basket of ingredients.
"Let me help you prepare the dinner."
He said to Yerin.
*****
Ruvian sat beside the chest-sized cube, its broad surface repurposed into a makeshift kitchen with a cutting board resting atop it.
Several fresh meats of Crestbeak Fowl had already been prepared, resting beside the vegetables Shima had foraged before sunset. Without a hint of awkwardness, Ruvian cut the meat into bite-sized portions with a knife before gliding effortlessly toward the vegetables.
Across from him, Yerin had already poured water into the copper pot. And once the water boiled, she added the meat in succession.
Not far away, Arlok stood beside the shelter wall with one hand resting against the compacted earth. He stared at the narrow opening above them, the only place where the night sky could still be seen.
Horren eventually lifted his gaze toward the opening above.
A frown gradually formed on his face.
"...It’s so weird. I can’t see anything up there."
Above them stretched a sky devoid of stars and moonlight alike. Only an endless darkness remained, swallowing even the faint outlines of the clouds that should have drifted overhead.
For several long moments, no one uttered a word. It was as if even the night demanded silence from them.
Then, Arlok slowly opened his mouth.
"Looking at a night this dark..."
His voice carried a solemn weight.
"It reminds me of something my grandfather used to say whenever he spoke of the Second Demon-Human War."
An unsettling silence settled over the shelter.
The crackling fire was suddenly the only sound that remained. Yerin unconsciously slowed her stirring, while Horren and Shima quietly looked toward Arlok, waiting.
Only Ruvian remained focused on the chopping board before him. His knife cleanly sliced through another piece of vegetable.
"And... what did he say?" (+100PP)
The question caught Arlok slightly off guard. He let out a quiet sigh before answering. "Ha! You probably won’t believe it. Honestly, I don’t know if I do either."
He slowly shook his head.
"He told me that, during the age when the demons ruled the land, people rarely saw a clear sky. It’s always dark. Always gloomy. Almost like that for every single day."
Arlok’s eyes drifted toward the pitch-black sky beyond the shelter.
"You know why?"
He let the question linger for a moment.
"Because there were simply too many of those damned demons. Their corrupted mana spread across the world until it tainted the sky, blotting out the light itself."
Arlok fell silent after that.
Seeing he had nothing more to add, Shima spoke up instead.
"Then what about this island? Why does it become so dark every night? Is it because... it’s filled with the corrupted mana the demons left behind?"
Arlok snorted.
"Why are you asking me? How would I know?"
As she gently stirred the simmering soup, Yerin looked up.
"I think I know why."
The others immediately turned toward her.
"Eh, you knew?" Arlok questioned her.
Yerin nodded.
"Yes. Sort of."
Then, she explained.
"Before we came here, I spent some time reading and did some research about this Island. Oh, and a lot of researchers and mages have studied this place over the years in the past, too. Even some former scholars from Velthia did."
She looked up at the group.
"Anyway, as far as I know, there are three main theories about why the island falls into darkness every night."
’Hmm, there are theories? Interesting.’
Hearing that, Ruvian’s interest was instantly hooked. He already knew the truth behind the island’s impossibly dark nights, a truth few people could ever imagine.
Yet the theories people had invented to explain it were almost irresistible. So, he remained silent, eager to hear every word.
Without keeping them waiting any longer, Yerin began explaining—
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[Chapter 230: The First Theory]
Plot Points= 16,155
