"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.
The bright morning rays of the sun awakened Maru. He got up from his bed and went through the already opened door of the hut. He saw Uwyn was cooking rice for their breakfast. Maru went towards the back of the hut to get vegetables from their small garden. They must harvest only little portions from the vegetables in order to save it for longer consumption. The soup from the few vegetables would have to do for their nutritional needs. The morning chores were quickly done and the family had their breakfast. Uwyn was the one feeding their mother, Olivia."What happened yesterday, Maru? Why were you back so late?" Olivia asked her son during the meal."The guards saw me, mom. I had to hide for a while to avoid their search." Maru replied to his mother."Be careful
"Affirmative, host." The female voice replied to Maru."What should I call you, madame?" Maru asked tentatively. He doesn't want to offend the lady voice. She saved his life once. He owed much to her."You can call me anything you want, host." The female voice responded to Maru."Is that okay? Wouldn't you be offended by that?" Maru cautiously asked the lady voice."Affirmative, host. The system has no emotions." The female voice sounded."What are you?" Maru could barely comprehend about the things the lady voice was talking about."I am an Artificial Intelligenc
"Affirmative, host. The system can produce medicine for any kind of disease provided that you build the technology it needs." The female voice answered Maru."Do you know what disease my mother has, madame?" Maru asked the lady voice."Negative, host. Do you want the system to scan your mother?" the female voice asked Maru."Yes! Yes, please!" Maru answered the lady's voice excitedly."Affirmative, host.System scanning…1%2%3%99%100% completeThe system found that your mother has polymyositis. This disease deteriorates all the muscles of the body and causes them to ultimately collapse making even simple motions extremely hard." The female voice reported her diagnosis to Maru."What technology would I need to cure my mother's disease, madame?" Maru asked the lady voice aft
"Nice. Let's be friends from now on, Madame Ais." Maru said. His innocence showed through his simple words."...…." Madame Ais did not deem what Maru said worthy of a response. She was not built to have complex algorithms to emulate feelings or emotions."Okay. Scan the area for the nearest deposits of any of those precious metals, Madame Ais." Maru instructed the system."Affirmative, Maru.System scanning…1%2%3%99%100% completeFound 1,946 valuable and precious metal components within a 5 kilometer radius. The nearest is approximately fifty feet to the west." Madame Ais answered Maru."Nice. Thank you, Madame Ais. We'll get a fabricator by noon!" Maru was excited to start this new adventure. He looked unto the future with bright prospects.1 hour2 hour
"No! Please, don't!" Maru yelled and started to run away from the ugly looking man. He got only a few feet before he was stopped by the unwelcome intruder. His neck got held so tightly that he could barely get air to come into his lungs. He was slowly suffocating. Maru cried from fear and tears went flowing freely down his cheeks."You better cooperate, kid. Or else, it might get bad for you real quick. Hehehe. You will have to serve me well.You can do it with pain or no pain. Either way, your ass is mine. Hahaha! Choose wisely, kid." The ugly looking man said to Maru after he released his tight grip from the boy's scrawny neck."Hah.. hahh… hahhh…." Maru was gasping for breath. His neck hurt a lot. Deep imprints of the ugly man's fingers were decorating his neck like an unnerving collar. A mark of doom and a symbol of possession."Please. I will do anything. Just don't kill me. My family won't survive without me!"
"Please! Wait. I'm coming." Maru said as he stood on shaky legs."You seem to forget something, kid." The ugly looking man reminded Maru."I'm coming, daddy." Maru indulged the sick fantasy of the ugly looking man. The weak have no right to complain. He was determined to do this and get it over with. Maru only wished to live through this ordeal."Hahaha! Smart kid! You will see your family again after this. I promise." The ugly looking man said to Maru. Lying was a way of life for him. He felt no guilt whatsoever in toying with the boy."Thank you, daddy." Maru replied towards the ugly looking man. There was hope as long as he still lives. No matter what he will go through, the word surrender would never be his. For he knew that there were people waiting for him to come back home safely. Maru would go through hell and back just to see them once more. To be with his mother and sister, that was all that mattered
The dagger aimed for the fatal spot in one of the carotid arteries located at the neck of the boy. The ugly looking man was successful in his right handed slash but the tip of the dagger missed by a mere centimeter. His attack was dodged. He tried to do a second combination offense by throwing a left punch but he was stopped in his tracks by a heavy force."Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get out. Too bad you lasted prematurely. I would have loved to give you a ride you won't forget. Goodbye." Madame Ais said in farewell. Her right hand had gone through the ribcage and crushed the ugly looking man's heart, literally. Her victim tried to open his mouth to say his last words but he was not given the luxury of it. He died with his eyes open in disbelief."What happened, Madame Ais? Maru asked when he was forced to awake from his slumber."The target has been eliminated, Maru." Madame Ais replied."Is he dead
"I know, brother. I'm big now and very responsible." Uwyn said as she smiled at Maru. He was the foundation of the family since her mother succumbed to sickness. She looked at him with love and adoration."Yes. You're a big girl now, Uwyn. Wait here." Maru said to his sister. He went outside to kill the light from the torch in order to conserve it for further usage."Come here, Uwyn. Don't make a noise, okay? We don't want to disturb mom's sleep." Maru said after he went inside and closed the door of the hut. He was now sitting on his bed. Both then huddled in the corner, away from their mother's ears."Okay, brother. Where's the surprise?" Uwyn whispered to her brother. She looked at Maru's hands to see if he was holding something but was disappointed. Her brother's palms were empty."Wait a moment, Uwyn. Just stay quiet for now." Maru said to his sister. He deliberately closed his eyes to give a mystical effect on