With a softer voice, I looked at Agatha and said, "Just call Dexter..." I rubbed my neck with a sigh. "As before."
Agatha smiled gently and nodded. "Dexter..."
I glanced at Ravina and Sabina. They were at once fixated on and Agatha, uncertain as to where they fit in. This was especially clear in Ravina, as she was torn between referring to as Dexter and King, and she was jealous of Agatha getting to call Dexter.
"Aunt..." My voice was soft yet assertive, my eyes running over both of them. "Please... don’t call King."
I stepped closer, my hand resting on Ravina’s shoulder, then Sabina’s.
"I am the king for them..." With a sweep of my arm, I indicated the rest of the tribe, their eyes fixed on us. "But for you..." I said softly, "I am Dexter."
Ravina and Sabina glanced at each other, then nodded, their smiles brightening.
"Alright, Dexter..." Ravina’s tone was sunny and thankful, but her looking ahead, furrowing her brow, and asking "But how are we gonna climb that cliff...?"
I looked where she was looking; my mind started to race. It was her right - the cliff was very steep, almost vertical, and the top was covered with fog. Using the ropes would take too long. The climbing would tire them out, especially after they’ve been walking all night.
"Let’s first move closer to the cliff..." I said, pondering about what I could transform my Magical tool into that could help us climb that cliff. "Then I will take care of everything."
They nodded and began their walk, the trust visible on their faces. They were leading their horses instead of riding, which was safer in the dark. The tribe followed silently.
We were at the foot of the cliff, and the rock was cold and harsh against my palm. Without risk, it was too far to climb from the top. They waited, watching , holding their breath.
I retrieved the earpiece from Ravina and withdrew my own, transforming it back into its original form—a sleek, ring. Rolling the Magical Tool between my fingers, I pondered its singular limitation: it could only take one form at a ti. No exceptions, no multiple transformations—just one shape, one purpose.
What the hell do I turn it into?
Ropes? Too slow. Ladders? Too unstable.
Then it dawned on .
A lift.
I did nothing but visualize it - the platform, the ropes, pulleys - the whole thing was strong enough to hold everyone and was stable enough to get us to the top of the cliff in one go.
The ring lit up.
And then—
It changed.
Right before my very eyes, the little ring grew, unfolding a big, wooden elevator, with heavy ropes, pulley wheels, and a solid platform - large enough for all of us, even the horses.
"Fuck... " I said in awe, looking at it. This magical tool was ridiculous; if it were to make this... then what else could it be? Hos? Buildings? Complete fucking castles?
The won were startled, and they gasped. Sabina ca forward, and her fingertips brushed the wood as she spoke, still not believing. "This is..."
"Amazing?" I smiled, going onto the platform, and adding, "Get on."
They did not wait for a mont. One after another, they entered, their horses making no sound but obedient, the elevator barely groaning under the load. I pulled the lever; with a smooth, steady turn, we started to lift.
From the summit, the sight was stunning. The entire Kronos tribe could be seen lying beneath us, the fires were tiny lights in the dark, and the forest stretched beyond the cliff, leaving just a sea of shadows. The won stepped out of the lift, their eyes wide open, amazed—not only at the height but also at the ease.
I took back the magical tool, changing it into a ring, and sent it back to the system storage.
But I saw that...
They were wiped out. Their stomachs were rumbling, and their faces were pale because of hunger. Walking all night, waiting for , enduring the climb—even if it was with the elevator, it was all taking a toll on them.
I opened the interface of the supermarket store and scrolled through the options. Food. Water. Now.
200 points for rations enough to feed them all—dried at, fruits, and bread. 100 points for water bottles, cool and fresh.
"Food’s here," I said, dropping the bags on the ground. The won yanked out of the bags like starving wolves. The crinkle of paper, the tear of the bread, and the juicy crunch of fruit were sounds that they had never heard before. Their eyes got big, and as they dug into the soft bread, sweet fruit. Their tongues were tasting flavors that they never knew existed.
"By the gods..." One said quietly, her fingers were trembling as she held a slice of apple, and her eyes were watering. "This is... this is magic..."
"Dexter is our kind god..." Another said quietly, pointing at with her head, and her voice was heavy with thankfulness. "Willing to accept us... to feed us..."
I was leaning on a tree with my arms folded and a small, satisfied smile on my lips while watching them. They ate as if they had not eaten before, their hands were greedy, and their eyes were sparkling with amazent.
Ravina, still chewing and her cheeks stuffed with bread, looked at with bright eyes full of gratitude. "Dexter..." She took it down, her voice soft and warm. "You always take care of us."
I beca unsteady and went closer, my voice low and deep. "Because you are all mine," I said, looking over them—my tribe, my won, my responsibility. The words hung in the air, heavy with possession, with promise.
The night advanced, and I was picturing a castle with the magical tool - towers, walls, a fortress where we could stay secluded from the world. Then I stopped.
Because people from the future inside that fortress might notice it.
If they noticed a castle coming out of nowhere, they would ask questions. They would investigate. And if they happened to find us.... I can guarantee my safety, but what about these won?
I clenched my fist.
No. Not yet.
"Rest," I said, my voice cutting through the night air. "We will build huts tomorrow."
The won nodded in agreent, too tired to argue with . Each of the won rolled over onto the dirt one by one until their bodies sank into the earth, their breath becoming slower until sleep took over.
Ravina, Sabina, Helen, Agatha–all of them, even the strongest and most powerful they were, beca exhausted and went to sleep one by one, and soon their snoring filled the air.
I have to say, they must be really tired.
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