Light on the end of the tunnel

Chump froze at the revelation, his emotions in turmoil: rage, happiness, distrust. He instinctively reached for his bag, ready to attack, but hesitated halfway. One thing was certain: Chump found himself surprisingly receptive to the information, even though a part of him considered it a potential ploy to manipulate his emotions.

"Quit playing games with me. If you want to finish me off or call your friends, just do it!" Chump's voice trembled, his anger coloring his tone, and an uncanny smile graced his face. "But don't you dare mess with my emotions like this!"

"I don't intend to. I simply wanted to grab your attention. I understand the situation. Your emotions are like an open invitation for anyone to exploit and wreak havoc. But, as I mentioned before, I have a secret task that needs to be accomplished before engaging in capturing you."

Clem waited for his companion to calm down and showed interest in the craft Chump was working on. Chump was irked that Clem took an interest, but he chose to ignore him and focus on quelling his violent impulses.

Chump thought to himself, "It's frustrating that he has no facial expressions. I can't read anything, no pattern of lies. Nothing. Fricking hell, damn it…What if he is lying?" He gestured with his hand, twirling something absentmindedly with his finger. "Please, go on…"

"My secret mission involves compiling all possible technological information before our time is up. We want to understand every minor and major invention, the motivations behind them, their applications, and how people have built upon them."

"Time is up? But…" Chump's surprise was evident. "I'm sorry, but you've already conquered the entire world. What do you mean by having a time limit?"

"After the decision to enact the Great Spell known as the 'Harvest,' the world leaders convened over months, finalizing the details of the conquest of your world."

Clem did a list of things with his fingers.

"The allocation of territories, determining when certain groups of people should arrive, what should be preserved, what should be eradicated, who among us could study your civilization before erasing your mark from this world."

Chump scoffed, "That's just fantastic… And how much time do you have?"

"We have two weeks before our world commences precise exploration and assessment of the terrain. Then, we have two months before the comprehensive cleanup of your civilization begins. This timeframe gives us ample opportunity to gather all technological advancements and potentially make use of them."

"Alright… Hold on, two months in our world or your world? Is there a time difference or something?"

The golem replied. "Don't worry, an initial study indicated that the duration we call a day matches in both worlds. We did verify that. However, our months consist of precisely thirty-two days…"

"Seems manageable so far…" Chump's expression turned into one of pensive irritation as he mentally noted these details.

Clem continued, "However, even though our lifespans are equivalent, our years last a hundred times longer in our world than in yours. It's quite puzzling, considering we experience the same number of seasons within twelve of our months."

"And there's our first anomaly, nearly impossible, I'd say… Ugh, this will be a headache. But how do I fit into all of this? You could simply abduct me and forcibly extract every bit of information using one of your powers, or whatever…"

Chump crossed his arms, maintaining his unchanging expression.

"I could, yes. However, it would require many favors to find an individual capable of extracting your memories, as well as preparing your soul for extraction, transformation, and a myriad of other complications that I won't delve into. Despite this, I do prefer a more peaceful and 'humane' approach to exchanging information."

"Yeah... But I can't trust you. I mean, our weapons do not affect you, and you can call me out at any moment, even without my knowledge. You hold too many advantages over me. I'd rather take my first chance to escape…"

"That's where the 'Remnant Promises' come into play. They enable us to establish a simple contract, bound by our very essence."

Chump's expression broke down. His face looked lost in thoughts.

"Wait, do you mean… our souls? The very essence of our existence? My conscience?!"

Clem confirmed this with a nod. "Indeed."

"DAMN!"

Chump flips his head backward while looking at the golem like a madman.

"At this point, I guess nothing should amaze me anymore. Okay, I've heard the term 'Remenant' before… Is that what you call the energy that powers your abilities?"

The golem nodded once again.

Chump raised an eyebrow, his expression exaggeratedly indicating confusion. "Please explain these 'Promises' in detail."

Clem emitted a sound, but Chump halted him with a hand signal. He pulled out a notebook and a pencil from his informal bag.

"Now I'm ready. My memory is a bit short, and writing helps."

Clem provided explanations as Chump took notes.

"Alright, I do appreciate that you take my explanations seriously."

Clem brought his hands together, and light materialized in the air, forming a small illusion with simple yet detailed figures to illustrate his point.

"As you may have observed, we possess various types of powers, each allowing us to perform distinct actions. In the distant past, conflicts arose over superiority between races, territory, and overall dominance."

The golem continued.

"Unintentionally, these conflicts nearly brought about the destruction of the planet. Mistrust was pervasive in the past. Then, the Guardians appeared and put an end to the disputes. They introduced the 'Promise,' a neutral spell accessible to all that facilitated a minor contract between parties."

"It's a spell that involves both parties establishing identical conditions that each must adhere to. If either party willingly breaches the agreement, it can inflict severe pain or even death, depending on the terms."

"Did it resolve the conflicts?" Chump paused in his note-taking to glance at Clem.

"Not entirely. However, it provided a reliable framework for trading valuables, information, and other resources between clans, leading to their better growth."

Chump added. "Oh, nice."

"Eventually, more people united under the same banner, and peace was established. I don't have the precise details of its impact on each party, but I do know that it was referred to as a significant solution.'"

"Alright… But I don't possess any powers; I can't use 'Remnant.' It won't—"

"It will. The spell works even for animals that lack magical abilities in our world, as long as one of the parties has magical capabilities. It establishes a connection between the souls of both parties."

"You're truly eager for information, huh? Okay, okay. But... Even then, there are people searching for me… I don't trust you, but right now, it seems I don't have much of a choice."

"I'm tasked with surveying the industrial zone outside the city to the north. At a walking pace, my calculations estimate that the journey will take around five hours."

"The train exits the city, and I know there's a flying figure watching over. I'm not heading out like that, with barely a plan, or partner. If they spot me, they'll summon that creature again. And I… No, alright? Just… No…"

"I'll devise a solution to the 'flying creature' issue. For now, let's proceed with the ritual."

Clem stepped forward, wiping his hands clean on his surroundings. His right wooden arm extended to a considerable distance, palms open, waiting to clasp Chump's hand.

"Look at me." Now, don't be alarmed. Try to remain calm, no matter what occurs, alright? In my name, I hereby vow to uphold this promise with my very being."

A radiant blue line began to take form on the surface of Clem's mystical metallic wood form, tracing a complex yet disorderly pattern across his body. The luminous glow emanated most prominently from the center of his upper chest, casting an intriguing aura.

"Now, you must make the same promise with all your being."

As Chump reached his hand towards it, a sensation of deep longing washed over him, as if an unseen presence yearned to enter, to intertwine its essence with his own.

The touch of the radiant line sent a tingling sensation down Chump's spine, unsettling him. It was as if the pulsating light line was inviting him into uncharted territories, serving as a bridge between realms.

Curiosity and fear mingled with trepidation as his hand hovered, hesitating yet drawn by an inexplicable force that sought to connect their existences.

In that fleeting moment, a profound connection hung in the air, an invitation to embrace an unfamiliar sensation. It was a silent exchange of energies.

"What... What's happening? What are you doing?" Chump felt resistant to the idea in his head.

Clem shouted, without the auto-tuned voice, "Make the promise! We don't want to waste their time!"

"Alright, alright!"

Chump moved his hand forward, exerting effort against the wooden limb that glowed with an ethereal blue light. His muscles strained, his teeth clenched, and his arm trembled, but his eyes displayed the determination to overcome his fear of the unknown.

Drawing on his anger and the desire to show that he was alive and resolute to rescue his sister, he shouted with unwavering determination.

"I PROMISE!"