C 9. One World Three Realm

"There must be something different this time around. Don't you think so, Samuel?"

"No."

"It has been 27 years since people lost contact with Mother City, so it's understandable if all capable nations were able to send their people there."

"Still, this kingdom is within the Maze. It will be easier for them to reach the City from here without waiting for this."

"You ignorant fool! Who told you this is the Maze. There are a lot of kingdoms in this Mountain world before we reached the actual Maze."

"You don't need to insult me bro, but what we were told at school is that inside the mountain is the maze. And within the maze there are kingdoms."

"Tskk, that's what they told you kids. Listen and listen carefully, Daniel…. Wait! Let me ask you.

Why do you think they said we should watch out for the Maze Trial?"

"Because it's an enchanted place? And the challenges one faces is like a ritual?"

"No, The Maze is a single building. Think of it as a place xxxxxxxxxx"

'Fuck, I can't even say it. What the hell is this idiot doing at school without researching the true history of the world?'

When Samuel looked up to his brother he saw that he was replaced with someone else.

"Old man Supreme. I did not mean to be rude but why did you ask my father to send me alone. How can I be alone in this?"

His bubble vibrated, the vibration turned to a voice "We have a mission for you. And you are the only one among your siblings that can do it."

***

Their adventure did not end by seeing a single Kingdom, but they came across three more others. And from each, more people were taken.

Scholars among them were able to deduce that their world 'DURALA' was composed of three different parts. 

1 The surface world where they come from. 

2. The world between the surface and the maze world.

3. Lastly, the underworld maze where they were going.

When night came the abundant gemrays became dim. It signifies that it is night, and it was then, they reached half their journey to the maze.

They reached an opening that is so vast that many of them think that they are now back to the surface. 

Stars and clouds in the sky, vast forests with rivers connecting to creeks and lakes. Strange animals native to the area are everywhere within the forest.

Animals and plants have adapted to the ecological location. That is, they have part of their fur or body glow to illuminate other surroundings.

The plant also glows, especially the new foliage on a tree or grass or any new part of the flora.

The glow is so mild that it can not be seen in the daytime when there is abundant gemray light.

Most of the animals and plants are similar to the surface world, and the only apparent difference is the glow. But some animals have completely mutated from the norm.

The forest is large, and they were allowed to move slowly within it to observe. It took them the whole night without reaching the end, until daytime.

Unlike the surface, the sun didn't rise from the east to the west. What they saw was the sun emitting heat overhead. It glowed in intensity every passing minute until it was noon. No one was able to gaze at it by then.

Well, it is not a sun, but a moon-sized gemray. The native of the forest called the place which is the forest, the Second Sun Domain. 

In every other kingdom, if they want to look at the legendary surface of the Sun they will come to this land. Because it's the closest thing they have to the actual Sun.

Daniel and the rest were able to know this after the native people of Second Sun Domain confronted them, after all, they were also included in the journey.

The aboriginal were ecstatic when they saw the surface people because it was not always you meet one. 

In the past, those that came to the maze don't usually follow these paths. The normal way was the use of teleportation devices.

…

Daniel makes himself a friend, and they talk in length. Each one of them wants to know about another. It is easy to learn about other nations because there is always abundant knowledge in libraries and learning institutions.

But what stopped them from doing so, is the preparation of becoming an Orbiter.

Orbiters' power comes from their imaginations. And imagination can only be generated through abundant knowledge and experience.

So, every child is trained in vast knowledge related to different fields. And history is not given priority. 

The study of the basic four elements is the bedrock of a good foundation to become a successful Orbiter. And it doesn't matter what mastery one wants to have, the four have to be studied well in tandem with each other.

…

These journeys have opened their eyes to the world and how small they are. They have seen different nations that some of their parents will never be able to see in their entire life.

Because what the Supreme elder did is not conventional. This was the first-ever, in thousands of years, that a group of people were taken on full tours from the Surface world to the Mountain world and then to the Underworld Maze.

"We thank you, for your magnificent guidance!" 

The prince was so thrilled to his bones that he did not know when he appreciated the journey.

"Welcome to the Underworld Maze, Prince Bello." 

Prince Bello was standing straight but when he heard his bubble vibrate and the vibration generated words, he bowed.

"My prince, what are you doing?" His people around him asked?

"Silent mongrels!" 

It was not the prince but his sister. She has been with him since they left their Ocean empire.

"It's alright. I'm just greeting the kind elder who is blessing us with this wisdom." What he meant, not everyone can understand.

Through countless years of evolution and the use of Orb by humans, their brain has reached a certain threshold that acquiring more knowledge is like food or sustenance to keep one's sanity going. 

Exceptional geniuses like the prince can only find happiness and tranquillity of the soul by being exposed to new things, always learning or travelling to see magnificent things that the brain can process. 

And the best way to punish them is not body torture or death but just deprived them access to new things. And the world will never lack new things.

"You can greet him too, he will reply," the prince said to his sister. But she ignored him. 

"Sister?" He called her.

She flashed a mocking smile at him. 

"Your royal highness, biggggg bro, I had beat you in this." She bowed and mockingly said.