Chapter 3

"Are you talking to me?" Maru asked the voice that he heard. He did not speak with words but used his thoughts to connect with this welcome newcomer. He was surprised that the voice could understand what he was trying to say.

"Affirmative, host." The voice answered Maru.

"Can you help me?" Maru inquired towards the voice.

"I will try, host.

System scanning…

1%

2%

3%

99%

100% complete

Found a new type of energy…

Classifying newly found energy as World Energy…

Classification complete...

Do you want to use world energy to heal your wounds, host?" the voice asked Maru.

"Yes. Yes. Please." Maru hastily replied to the voice. He could not believe it but he was willing to believe anything, even a miracle, just to live and see his family again.

"Affirmative, host." The voice responded to Maru. He then felt like he was poured by cold water as the energy was entering the pores of his skin and into his body. It seemed that he was relaxing for an eternity but in fact, it only took five minutes for him to recover fully. His face was not swollen anymore and returned to its healthy countenance. When he opened his eyes, he could still see nothing. But his broken leg and arm had already mended. Maru felt no more pain. Even his hunger was gone. He was shocked! All of this was so unreal.

It's magic, he thought.

"Am I blind?" Maru asked the voice.

"Negative, host. It is now night time. You have zero visibility in the dark." The voice answered Maru.

"Are you a person? Where are you?" Maru asked once more.

"Negative, host. I reside in your soul." the system replied to Maru.

"Can you lead me home?" Maru said to the system. He was surprised by this chain of events. He had lots of questions left unanswered but that would have to wait. Maru just wanted to go home now.

"Affirmative, host. Stand up. Take five steps forward and stop…" the voice started to guide Maru on his way back home. It took him almost an hour to get back to his family's small hut. The moonless evening made the slow hike as challenging as the sewers. Maru could not see a thing in his journey. When he could notice a little light in the distance, he ran for he knew he was finally home.

"Mom! Uwyn!" Maru shouted as he rushed to get to the hut.

"Brother!" Uwyn waited for him by the door. She shouted and ran to welcome him in a hug.

"Uwyn! Is mother okay? Have you already eaten?" These were the words that came from the mouth of Maru after he hugged his sister. After all he went through, he still put his family first. Above himself and his well being.

"What happened? Mom was so worried about you. You said you'd be back before dark!" Uwyn said angrily to her brother. She was very concerned about his big brother. Her father had forsaken them already. Uwyn thought that maybe his brother had also left them because he got tired of caring for them. She and her mother were useless. But the moment she saw him, all the negativity vanished. Uwyn was glad to know that her brother did not abandon them. It was all she could hope for amidst this cruel life they have.

"I got caught by the guards, Uwyn. Luckily, I ran fast and had to hide for some time before I could get back here. I'm sorry I let you and mom worry." Maru lied. What he wanted to do at this moment the most was to cry. He almost died out there. Alone. But he held his tears. He had to be strong for his family. He will not let them see his weakness.

"I'm glad you're okay, brother. We're done eating. Come inside and eat. Mom's sleeping already." Uwyn said to her brother. The siblings went inside to see their mother. They moved slowly so as not to disturb her sleep. Maru got a plate and started eating barehanded. He got cold vegetable soup paired with rice. He was not hungry because of the unknown magic earlier but his stomach felt empty. Maru finished his dinner in no time.

There was really not that much to eat since they have been rationing their food to last them a while. Especially now that he hadn't gotten a penny for today. He stood up and checked how much food they had left. He saw that it was only good for another 2 days at most. Maru will have to think of this problem tomorrow. He was emotionally and mentally exhausted because of the ordeal that he went through earlier.

"Let's sleep, Uwyn." Maru whispered towards his sister.

"Goodnight, brother." Uwyn answered Maru. She went to the right side of her mother's bed and arranged her sleeping area. It was just a pile of wood with some thin cloth on top of it. they could not afford to have those thick comfortable soft beds and blankets. Mostly, what they have are a variety of thin clothes they had owned when they were still living in the slums. They had been using it all their lives.

"Pray before you sleep, Uwyn. Ask whatever you want to the gods and they will give it all unconditionally." Maru reminded his sister. It was what their mother taught them.

"I know. I love you, brother." Uwyn said to her brother in response.

"I love you too, Uwyn." Maru replied to his sister. He closed the door of the hut and went to lie down on the left side of his mother's bed. He too, slept on a similar makeshift bed as his sister. The room was just enough for the three of them to sleep. No more extra space was afforded the family. He was only thankful for the fact that his mother's bed was made of soft cotton. At least, she would find solace in that small comfort even if she was suffering with severe bed sores lately. They could only cope with it by changing her position on the bed the moment she feels the pain. Her mother lived in a world full of hurt, Maru thought. Just like they all were.

"Where am I going to find food tomorrow? I can't go back to the city. Those boys in the slums would have been alerted of my presence by now. Or maybe they would still think that I'd be injured and…" Maru's thoughts and plans ended there as the sweet embrace of sleep finally received him to grant him temporary refuge from all his worries.