Chapter 16: Identifying the Enemy

Varia

As we sat down to drink Coffaa, I decided this was a good chance to find out what the inhabitants knew and didn't know about the invasion.

"Say, do you know why this world got cut off from the rest of the known universe?" I asked.

Deros's mom sighed. She pushed her blond hair back. "The government hasn't said a word, but just before we lost all contact, there were people talking on social media about an invasion from space. Most of the neighbors just laughed it off. But the continued lack of connection is rather worrying."

Deros sighed. "Everyone else must be keeping their stress hormones low to avoid worrying."

I sighed. "So, the populace is like an ostrido lizard burying its head under the sand."

"That's one way to put it," Deros's mom agreed, her expression somber. "But I suppose it's a way to cope. People are scared, and when you're scared, sometimes it's easier to ignore the problem than face it head-on."

Deros nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it's just... frustrating. We should be trying to figure out what's going on, not pretending everything's fine."

I couldn't help but agree with them. It was a natural reaction to fear and uncertainty, to pretend that all was well even when the world was crumbling around you. But it wouldn't help in the long run. They needed to face the reality of their situation, to prepare and plan for what was to come.

"And that's why we need to find out what's really going on," I said, my gaze meeting theirs. "We can't just sit back and hope for the best. We need to take action."

They nodded, understanding the urgency of our situation. As we finished our Coffaa, I couldn't help but feel a sense of determination. We were in this together, and together, we would face whatever was to come. We would not bury our heads in the sand like the ostrido lizard. We would stand and fight.

"Please take care of my son," Deros's mother said, glancing at Deros. "I know he can fight, but sometimes, he lets his emotions overpower him."

True. I hadn't known Deros for long, but I did know he wore his heart on his sleeve, like Vyr did.

"Don't worry, I won't let any harm come to your son," I said, smiling.

Deros looked down at the table, his cheeks slightly pink. He was very adorable.

"I promise," I added, standing up from the table and extending my hand towards Deros. He looked up, meeting my gaze, and nodded, taking my hand.

"Thank you, Lady Varia," Deros's mom said, her voice thick with emotion. "Please be safe."

"We will," Deros assured her, giving her a comforting smile as we left the house.

The town hall wasn't far from Deros's home. As we walked, I noticed how eerily quiet the town was. The usual hustle and bustle of daily life was absent, replaced by an unsettling calm.

We entered the town hall, a large and imposing building that stood at the center of the town. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, with people huddled in groups, their voices low and anxious.

We made our way to the information center, hoping to find some answers about the situation on planet Orginal. The clerk behind the desk looked up as we approached, her expression wary.

"Can we help you?" she asked, her gaze shifting between Deros, Vyr, and me.

"We're looking for information about Orginal," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "Any updates on the situation there?"

The clerk hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

Despite her words, something in her tone suggested she knew more than she was letting on. We needed to find a way to get her to talk, to uncover the truth about what was happening on planet Orginal. We needed to know what we were up against, and we needed to know soon rather than later.

"Where are the guards, people shouldn't be here," a tall man in a black suit said, walking over.

I put hand on my hip and smiled. "I take it you're rather high up in the governance of this city?"

The man crossed his arms but his shoulders appeared to relax a little. "Two of you aren't Orginals, are you?"

Deros nodded. "These two are from our sister solar system, from Planet Quudia."

He sighed. "I see, I was thinking you three were with the invaders."

"Do you know who they are?"

He furrowed his brows. "I... have a few hunches. Those people, they're not just from outside our galaxy, but from a foreign universe."

I hummed. "Another universe?"

He nodded. "You've heard of the theory of the world tree, correct?"

Vyran tapped his head and gasped. "It's a theoretical construct that posits the existence of parallel universes, branching out like a cosmic tree. Each universe is like a leaf on that tree, existing simultaneously but in different dimensions."

The man nodded. "Exactly. And according to some recent discoveries, we believe these invaders might be from one of those parallel universes."

This was a surprising revelation. But it did explain why their tech, while appearing newly made, was several generations outdated. 

This information was invaluable. If we understood where the invaders were from, we could begin to understand them better, and perhaps find a way to fend them off.

"Thank you for sharing this with us," I said to the man, my voice filled with gratitude. "This will help us in our mission."

He nodded, his expression grave. "I can only hope so. These are trying times, and we need all the help we can get."

"So, are they from a known universe?"

He hummed. "Most likely. Based on the spacial distortions when their ships appeared, they seem to come from Titanos."

"Titanos, huh? Isn't that the so-called, Realm of the Titans?"

"Titans? Are they huge?" Vyran asked.

I shook my head. "Well, not normally. The residents of Titanos has a power system that relies on Ki. It and Wynaga, the Realm of the Dragons, are the only two we know of that can use it."

 Vyr's eyes shined. "Did you say dragons? There's a whole universe with dragons?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Vyr, now's not the time."

The man chuckled at Vyr's enthusiasm. "As fascinating as dragons might be, I'm afraid we have more pressing issues to address."

"You're right," I agreed, turning to the man. "Can you tell us more about Titanos? What kind of people are they? And how can we defend ourselves against them?"

The man hesitated. "I'm not entirely sure. We've had minimal interaction with them. But from what we know, they're a warrior race. Their society is heavily militarized, and they value strength and combat prowess above all else."

Vyr frowned. "So, they're like a military dictatorship?"

I nodded. "Sounds like it. But we can't underestimate them. Even if their technology seems outdated, their combat skills and Ki manipulation could make them formidable opponents. Some of them can use their ki to harden their bodies, grow super tall, regenerate, and a bunch of other stuff."

My brother gulped.

Those abilities alone would already have made them a challenge. Add into our ancient tech to their arsenal and they became much more deadly. I wondered if we had even killed any of them. We destroyed their mechs, but such a people might've been able to survive the void of space.

"We'll need a strategy," Deros said, glancing at me. "And we'll need to gather more information."

"Agreed," I said. "We'll need to learn as much as we can about the Titans and their abilities. And we'll need to train, prepare ourselves for the battles to come."

"Right," Vyr added, his face set in a determined expression. "And we won't let them take our homes."

As we left the town hall, I couldn't help but feel of both hope and apprehension. We had a lead, a direction to follow. Yet, as we walked back toward Deros's home, the town was still eerily quiet, but now it felt less like the calm before the storm and more like two enemies slowly approaching one another, about to trade blows.