They all gathered around now, having everyone come down to the first floor. No one other than them was there, as time ensued into the night. Due to the language barrier, two translators were assigned, Kwazhak, and Suruj. For some reason L kept on pressing for the discussion to be in Azu, and had appointed them as the defacto translators. L carried on.
“The fact is that you all have been invited by Al-Wa, and were evicted from your hometowns. I have taken the liberty to direct the transportation of fighters to the Wakoku branch. However, we shall not participate in the Dineh Kazaàd, but destroy it, and Al-Wa itself,” He stomped his feet on the ground that felt his anger, “I will ensure you that you will train, not for the Dineh Kazaàd, but for the rebellion. The rebellion that will engulf the hands of genocide that is Al-Wa and the Dineh Kazaàd. But should you tell any Al-Wa employee that is not me, it will be the end of your fate and the following of destiny.”
Perez spat on the ground, and churned it with his feet on the sodden sand. Everyone was skeptical, but that was natural. No one knew L beforehand, besides from a few people.
“And why should we listen to you? For all we know you could be in cohorts with Al-Wa just wanting us to take the bait of rebellion.”
“If I had wanted you guys to get in trouble I would have just sent you to different branch locations. You’d be worse off there than here.”
“Hey hey, Suruj, can you translate my words to L for me,” Toqemur leaned towards his ear, as he felt her breath caress his ear, “Sounds reasonable. And what’s the plan to overthrow Al-Wa? By playing hooky?”
After Suruj had translated her sentence word by word, it only took a number of seconds for L to look at her and respond.
“If we play our cards right, we’ll get our chance to meet the CEO of Al-Wa, Thiệu Addja right before you people are sent to the tournament for final evaluations. Then we have our chance to fight.”
Suruj translated it back to Toqemur, returning the gesture. Respond to eccentric with eccentric, he concluded. Although a word like ‘CEO’ was a word too complicated, he replaced it with a synonym.
“Hoh does he have an answer for everything,” Toqemur commented, “Oops, don’t translate that, gadaad boy.”
Hyun-woo went up to L face to face, his massive weights swaying to the boy’s strides. He eyed Kwazhak to translate for him.
“So what if we meet this Thiệu Addja guy. He may be stronger than all of us combined, and even if we did defeat him, Al-Wa would still have control.”
“As Yyvubia wills it. Thiệu Addja is the head of the most influential Kazaàd company of the tournament. They make loads of money from spectators betting off their fighters. Knock the king off, and the entire world is off balance. He has power over the entire market, and we can’t lose the chance,” L twirled around, and faced the door. “For the next three upcoming months, Gurav, Döröv, and Tav. Al-Wa will hold you confined here to prepare for the Dineh Kazaàd. The final eval with Thiệu is on Tav 20th, with the Dineh Kazaàd starting in Zurgaa, the Elliptic Orbital Month. Lastly, do not discuss this with any other Al-Wa personnel other than me. If you have more questions or suggestions, talk to me or Kwazhak only. Dismissed.”
He adjourned rather quickly, leaving no time for argument. Perhaps that was what L intended, no arguments or fights that would cause a noticeable commotion from other staff members. Suruj remembered the Elliptic Orbital Month taught in schooling. Yahmajô̗ Alą̧̄utl was a planet on an elliptical orbit, meaning that the planet was not in a circular orbit around the sun, and was more of an oval. In Arvan Neg and Arvan Khoyor, the global temperature would drop drastically, which was the typical winter temperature due to Yahmajô̗ Alą̧̄utl being at aphelion. During Zurgaa, the planet was at perihelion, causing the global temperature to rise as the oases and the sea dried, plant life would suffer and the world would plummet into a period of thirstful drought and desolation. It was something as natural as the storms on the high seas or the inland sandstorms.
It was time for supper; the staff brought in a large dining table from the main building and centered it in the middle on the first floor. Chefs brought exquisite dishes of the same origin as well, majority of which consisted of Azu and Z̆ongren cuisine. Even though everyone was familiar with these nations’ tastes, the non-Azu and Z̆ongren shrugged their shoulders.
A delectable platter of spiced rice, dipped in Buhang imported red sauce, cooked lamb, perfect brown sliced from a professional’s fine butchery made for esteemed gastronomists. The meat was doused in delicate honey, sides of miso shöl, a commoner’s soup, and bowls of ramyen and yaksoba for the nostalgic few.
It could be said that everyone’s mouth quivered at the heavenly sight.
“Eat well, fighters, or should I say, muharibs. Tomorrow is a training day for you all,” L shouted boastfully, as if he had forgotten the previous discussion.
Suruj seated himself in the corner of the table, far away from the socially active Perez and Toqemur. He was tired to say the least, and wanted no more than to eat something and go to sleep. He served himself some of the rice and the miso shöl, deliberately avoiding the lamb.
“Eat some lamb, mister. You need strong muscles for a healthy body.”
He turned to his left side to see the elderly woman that he had seen enter with Saya from before. Next to her was Saya herself, engorging in everything.
“I jast don feel like eating lamb today. Are you de Obaa-san of Saya?”
“You speak Azu well. Saya is my grandchild. But I’m not looking to participate.”
This grandma was weird, Suruj thought. How could she allow her granddaughter to possibly lose her life in such situations? And in no way could Saya willingly agree to Al-Wa’s invitation.
“Why do you support your granddaughter to participate in de Dineh Kazaàd?”
The Obaa took a few sips of water before stopping to take a bite of lamb. Then she took a deep breath and spoke.
“Young boy, back in the day, there weren't any restrictions between life and death. People weren’t afraid to lose their life. It was a part of the natural way of living. Back when Azutami spoke Nippong and the Yan Shogunate was supreme, people who were dishonored would slice the belly of their stomach with their own blade, or have their heads lopped off by a swing of the samurang sword,” remembering her olden days she continued, “We humans come and go as it seems. But even if it means that, I still want to support Saya in the many years to come. As far as I know, she could even win the tournament.”
“...”
But how could that mean anything if Saya could die in the next three months, was what Suruj wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. Then he felt a tap on his right shoulder, and he turned around to see the girl fumbling with her chopsticks.
“Uh… Ai don kno how to use chopsticks…”
“...”
He stared at her hands holding it in such a way that looked so bizarre that he had no words. Only brief silence ensued until he took his chopsticks and broke them in half with enthusiasm. And then he snatched her chopsticks and snapped them like a twig.
“Tonight you’ll learn the secret Buhang utensil to eat your food.”
Suruj grabbed his right wrist with his left hand and flaunted his right.
“Hands.”
He plunged his right hand into his rice, all mushy and soft like goo, and stuffed it into his mouth. She followed suit, embarrassingly.
“Ai could have used e spuun you kno.”
Suruj finished and cleaned his plate, and then stood up to leave. He was tired, and he felt like he had lost his will for social interaction. As he walked to the same room he had woken up in, Suruj pushed the door open, and clumsily made way towards the small dining table and sat down.
In the span of a few days, he had been in Buhanggilog, stranded in the waters of the Takaí-Hăi Sea, and now in the Al-Wa branch in Wakoku, Azutami. After everything that happened, Suruj had no idea how to act anymore. Somehow, he felt weaker. Somehow, he was lost. Without warning, he started weeping.
Lost in this world.
