The Dead Lands
"Hey kid, wait there for a moment," said the blond man with a smile, his gaze directed at Cloud. He showed no interest in the creature lying on the ground before him, as if it didn't exist at all.
Cloud's mind was blank. He couldn't think of anything. All he could do was follow his instincts, which screamed at him not to move.
The blond man continued walking until he stood in front of the orc. He bent down and sat before it, poking it with his finger as if examining it. A look of surprise crossed his face.
"A high-level Light Orc in the early stages of its development. It would've been a problem if it were fully grown. But now, it's just a fish waiting to be caught," said the blond man, still maintaining the same smile on his face.
"What's your name, kid?"
"...I... I'm..."
"Hahaha, who else would I be talking to? The orc?" The blond man mocked, turning his head toward Cloud as if there were no monster beside him. It seemed he'd already forgotten about it.
"Cloud... Cloud Vincent," Cloud managed to say the words as if they were his lifeline. He wasn't stupid, but with such a presence nearby, he couldn't think straight.
"Cloud, that's a nice name," the blond man continued. "Where are you from?"
"The Dead Lands."
The blond man was surprised. He had heard of that name. The Dead Lands were located in the neighboring empire. They were called that because they had been the epicenter of the largest wave in human history after the Bloody Sunset War. It was a barren wasteland, and the Empire of the Shining Star never bothered to restore it. After all, the Dead Lands stretched nearly two hundred kilometers.
"So how did you get here?" Edward asked.
"I don't know... I just woke up and found myself here," Cloud sighed.
Meanwhile, the Light Orc began regaining consciousness. It rose with difficulty and slowly raised its hand, letting out a roar as it threw a powerful punch toward Edward, who had turned to speak with Cloud.
"Behind you!" Cloud shouted loudly, trying to warn the blond man of the sudden attack.
But what Cloud saw next shocked him— the orc's hand was severed before it could even touch the blond man. It didn't even seem like he had moved at all. Cloud heard a faint word escape his lips:
"Cut."
The orc collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, as its hands disintegrated into particles of light that scattered through the air, as if returning to the sun itself!
This scene made Cloud's eyes widen in disbelief. It was completely unexpected.
"So, Cloud, do you know where you are now?"
He paused for a moment, then answered with a confused expression, "...I don't know."
The blond man noticed his expression and concluded that he wasn't lying. He really doesn't know.
The golden man sighed, "We're in the Dawn Empire. It seems you came from our neighboring empire, the Empire of the Shining Star. It looks like you have no destination. You would've died in this forest if you hadn't run into me. It's very dangerous outside the cities, so I'll take you with me to Mist City. After that, you're free to do as you wish." He paused briefly, then continued, "But first, tell me in detail how you got here."
Cloud went silent as if thinking about what to say next. "....I found a sort of card, and the moment I read it, I remember nothing until I woke up here."
"I see. That explains how you got here. But how did you find it?"
Cloud hesitated. He didn't know what to say. Should I tell him the truth?
"...I found an old bag near the ruins close to the village where I live."
He decided not to tell the full truth, but he shared part of it.
"Alright, that's not important. Come, take my hand. We'll fly to the city."
Cloud moved slowly toward the man, hesitant at first. But then he sped up, thinking the man must be a good person. After all, if he wanted to hurt him, he could've easily done so with that kind of power.
Cloud looked at the hand extended toward him, then at the man's face. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he stepped forward and reached out to grab it.
The moment their hands touched, the two of them rose into the air slowly. When they reached above the treetops, they paused for a few seconds.
At the same time, the Light Orc's skull was crushed, sending white brain matter flying into the air.
The Light Orc didn't even know how he died.
Then the two of them vanished swiftly, as if they had never been there.
End of Chapter.