"And I suppose you're prepared for what is to come?" I asked.
She shook her head, "We lost the ability to survive centuries ago, the older generation is keeping things quiet, but we all know that this might possibly be our last year here. There are no mountains high enough to stop what's coming, nor can we survive long enough for the fumes to die down," she said.
"What are you talking about?" asked Dong Ho.
"Nothing you need to worry about, also how come you're back from hunting this early? Are you already done?" she asked.
The two looked at each other and immediately dipped out of the hut.
"They listen well," I said.
"They're in my eyes still children, they listen to their elders, not to mention even in my state, I'm pretty powerful compared to them, they were never given the chance to cultivate, not many materials or knowledge can survive the destruction of a full planet you know," she said.
"I see."
"I feel your anxiety, and I pity your luck, you've been consumed at the worst point in time, if only it was a few years later, or even earlier you could have survived and lived a bit more…" she said.
"You're talking as if this is an issue for me," I said.
"You don't fear death?" she asked.
"There is no one in the world who does not fear death, death is the unknown and all fear what they do not know, not even the most pious fears no death. But what I mean is, I have a way to solve this issue, the problem is…who's going to join in on it, it's not an easy task," I said.
"I feel that you carry a great deal of knowledge, but I doubt that they will listen. Most don't know that they live within the belly of the beast, meaning that they won't care for what you speak, and those who know are too old to care and have already given up, giving them hope now is going to bring more harm than good," she said.
"Then you expect me to just lay down and die? I can't do that," I said.
"If you could save yourself, then do it alone, no need to bother the people," she said.
"But I need the people, in fact, the only way for me to leave this place is if everyone here helps me find an object," I said.
"What sort of object?" she asked.
"A planet's heart," I said.
"I've never seen those, or know of what that is," she said.
"Neither have I, but I need it, it's our only way out," I said.
"As much as I am thankful for your help in treating this old woman, I fear that I have no power to aid you in this," she replied.
"… I'll figure something out," I replied and then walked out of the hut.
Many of the people in the village were looking up at me, it seems that the two hunters didn't keep their mouths shut about the 'quack'
"You're the healer?" one of the people asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"My child is sick, would you be willing to help?" he asked.
"Lead the way," I said to him and followed.
This is good, helping the villagers means that I could have a better reputation among the people here, which will help in mustering more force to look for a Planet's Heart.
I arrived at a small house and found a small kid with red spots all over his body.
Chicken Pox, is pretty simple.
It didn't take me more than an incense stick's worth of time to make a salve out of some herbs I had on me.
"Apply it on the blemishes, and don't let the kid scratch them, the red spots will be gone in a day," I said.
The man thanked me and as soon as I got out, many others were waiting outside to check if I was actually able to heal and treat.
Then soon, request after request came, which I agreed upon and followed through. Curing helping, healing and repairing many things.
Several days later, the village's whole atmosphere seemed to have changed for the better.
"Doctor!" one man asked me as I was done washing my hands from treating some of the cattle.
"My wife had made some food and wishes to invite you over, would you be willing?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't have time right now, I need to look for something," I told the man.
Interested in the matter the man asked, "What do you wish to find, I'll help you if I can," he said.
'Good, got one,'
"It's a red stone, the size of a fist, it emanates heat but is harmless to people," I said.
The man was confused for a moment and said, "I don't know about anything that looks like that, but there is an old man who might know, would you give me some time, I'll be back soon," he said.
"Alright hopefully good news," I said.
Half a day later, the same man came back.
"Does it look like this?" he said as he handed me a paper.
I looked at the paper and saw a drawing of a rough-looking stone, only this one was implanted on the top of a staff.
"Lord, that is a Planet's Heart!"
"Indeed it does, where did you find this drawing?" I asked.
"It's something one of the village elders had with him, apparently this belong to the shaman of the Boar Village, they had raided our land several decades ago and their leader was carrying this object, it was giving his own troops a good boost of morale, we won the battle since we had more numbers, but we lost too many people, the Boar Tribe retreated after and we haven't heard of them since," he said.
"Where does the Boar Tribe reside?" I asked.
"They used to be neighbors to us, but the land split and the sea tore through it, now they live across the burning seas."
'Burning Seas? Well, I suppose since it's basically stomach acid.'
"Right then, do you have a map?" I asked.
"I do not but the elder might," he said.
"Take me to the elder," I said.
If the Boar Tribe has the Planetary Heart, I'll be able to activate the Lord of Lords pagoda again, hopefully, escape the serpent too. Good news, good news!'
I followed the young man all the way to the bottom of the village where there was a small house built inside the cliff.
The moment I stepped foot through the entrance, the smell of books jolted me. And the sight I saw was incredible to behold.
Hundreds of thousands of rows of books all placed neatly on top of each other, organized and filed with great care and attention.
In the middle of this massive room that seemed to extend halfway across the cliffs inside was one single desk. And an old man wearing a monocle was reading carefully through a book while slowly tracing the words with his finger.
Just as the young man was about to speak and interrupt the old man I held him by the shoulder and shook my head. "Let him be done, he's immersed," I said.
The young man confused still agreed and waited next to me, a minute, two, then an hour, enough that the young man's patience was exhausted so he coughed, this made the old man finally raise his head up.
"My apologies, I didn't notice you there," he said.
"No need to worry," I said slightly disappointed by the lack of patience of the man next to me.
"A good book?" I asked.
"A great one," he said as he closed the book gently and placed it on the desk.
It was written in a strange language, something from a different culture, but seeing the old man able to read it gives off how much he knows of literature.
"You must be the one looking for the Planetary Heart, my apologies, it took too long to find it, I'm too old and this place is too big to look for one item," he said.
"Not at all, I'm actually glad you had a clue," I said.
"So, what brought you here? I suppose more information on the Planet's Heart?" he asked.
"No, I need a map," I said.
"A map, those I have, but why?" he asked, "They won't serve much, the landscape had changed too much," he said.
"It would still give me some details on where I wish to go," I said.
"And where might that be if I may ask?"
"The land of the Boar Tribe," I said.
"You wish to retrieve the item," he said.
"Yes, it could help escape this place," I said.
This piqued the old man's interest as he raised one brow up, "And how is that possible? Many had tried, but none survived," he said.
"I have my ways, and if you help me, I could take you with me," I said.
The old man smiled and said, "I have no attachment to this life young child, I can still help you, but I need nothing from you," he said.
"No attachments?" I questioned.
"If you live as long as I do, you'll tend to find many things… dull," he said.
"What about this library?" I asked.
"What about it? books and papers, the knowledge that not many seek or want, it is unwanted thus it is nothing but trash," the old man said sighing.
"If it's trash, can I take it?" I asked.
"Hah, take as much as you want, it's not like it would even make a dent in this library, this is the culminated knowledge of generations upon generations of people, from different worlds too, it is sad to see it all go to waste…" the old man said.
"I have a way to preserve all of this, but I need the Planet's Heart for that," I said.
The old man's interest was peaked even further for the chance of having his pile of 'trash' survive the Great Flood.
"How so, care to explain?" he asked.
"It isn't worth a fart without the Heart, only when I have it can I show what I can do, so, map?" I asked.
"Fair enough, give me a moment," he said and stood up to look for the map.
With the map, and hopefully the planet's core, I'll be able to revive the Lord of Lord's pagoda, it's currently held in stasis. And its function is at its lowest ever, I can only hope that this Planet Heart has enough power left in it to boot up the pagoda.
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