Sariel decided to take a simple five hour shift at the Agricultural Office to grab a quick four Marshmallows before wandering throughout the island. He had already asked Cassandra for anyone who may have resembled his brother, but everyone she mentioned wasn’t who he was looking for. It seemed like it wasn’t that easy, after all.
‘This may be one island,’ Cassandra had stated, ‘but it is split up into four sectors. It is impossible to cross across the sectors in any way. We’re stuck here for the rest of our lives. Even Marshmallow cannot get out of this island in any way.’
That wasn’t information Sariel was excited to hear.
Of course, even such simple information set him back five Marshmallows; the Haven Administration was ruthless in its profiteering, but it was somewhat acceptable for information about every single person on Haven. Sariel made his way out of the camp and walked all the way to an edge of the island, swinging his legs as he stared at the sea whilst sitting on a tree.
But the sea was not what he was looking at. In front of him, after the beach, were the Falls. The source of all water. Endless streams of water fell from the sky, crashing down into the oceans. The Falls poured on the border of the island, and made any attempt to leave the island an instant death by crushing.
The only way to enter the island was to send a ship directly into the Falls at a high enough speed that it shot through the force of water and crash landed on the island instead. Sariel watched the water flow from the sky, pouring down into the pool around the beach. The water continued flowing across, and it didn’t take long for Sariel to get curious and follow the water to its destination.
Sariel followed the winding river through the dense forest, the sound of the rushing water guiding him deeper into the wilderness. The dense canopy overhead filtered the sunlight, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor. As he made his way upstream, he noticed the river getting narrower and the water getting faster, indicating that he was getting closer to the end.
Finally, he broke out of the thick forest and leapt backwards immediately at the sight of a giant, unending chasm. Darkness enshrouded the bottom of the stream, only allowing Sariel to watch the water stream he was following crash down into the shadows below.
Sariel stood at the edge of the cliff, watching in awe as the water crashed down into the endless abyss below. The roar of the waterfall was deafening, and he felt the mist of the spray on his face. The water tumbled down from the top of the cliff, foaming and churning as it fell, before disappearing into the darkness below. He couldn't help but wonder what lay beyond the abyss, what secrets and mysteries were hidden in the darkness. As he watched, he felt a sense of both fear and wonder, knowing that he was witnessing something truly awe-inspiring.
In the distance, he could see the other edges of the island. A north, east and west portion; he was currently on the south segment, he was told. It was impossible to go across the chasm; there was no facet of engineering that allowed for a bridge that large to be constructed, and there was no coming back from diving into that darkness.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, Sariel's gaze lingered on the horizon. The beauty of the sunset was a bittersweet reminder of the fleeting nature of time. With a sigh, he stood up to go back. This time that he had given himself was just too much; he couldn’t afford to take any more breaks like this.
Returning back to camp, he surveyed the different shops and stalls around the area. Each long term resident of Haven generally found their own trade. Survival on Otherside stopped being difficult after one reached transcendence twenty, which was actually a goal that was quite hard to reach, if you did not take as many insane actions as Sariel. In two days, he had already reached transcendence eleven. It would generally be expected to reach twenty within two or three months, assuming you didn’t simply die.
Sariel fell into contemplation. He could see tailors, shoemakers, carpenters and construction workers. You could buy a house on Haven if you wanted; it was quite cheap, and there was no such thing as real estate prices, since you could just live for free in a room provided by the administration. You even got to inherit all the items in the room! Generally, however, anyone who built a house was strong enough to survive, and so you only got the occasional abandoned construct.
But there was a distinct lack of alcohol. It was time to fix this issue.
---
Nearly all complex flavours in the world were produced by a very fast-growing plant called Song. It was an incredibly delicate plant, and the method by which you pick and handle it drastically changes the flavour. It was also used as a spice for food and occasionally even as medicine. Originating in the Eastern Bloc, it rapidly became the single most important commercial plant in existence.
Sariel had always loved the art of biology; pair this with his incredible combat skills, and it was no wonder he ended up working in the cutthroat underground scene of bartending. It was a world filled with dangerous characters and high-stakes, where the drinks were as deadly as the people who ordered them. Sariel had to be quick on his feet, constantly anticipating his customers' needs and ready to improvise on the spot.
In this world, bartending was more than just mixing drinks. It was about playing the game, knowing how to read your customers, and staying one step ahead of the competition. The pressure was intense, and mistakes could cost you everything. But Sariel thrived in this environment, honing his skills and building a reputation as one of the best bartenders in the scene. He learned how to handle any situation, from unruly customers to shady deals, and he always managed to come out on top.
Sariel ran one of the most influential bars in the Eastern Bloc’s slums, Ascent. During his two year stint as a thug, Sariel discovered Song and was deeply fascinated by it. It wasn’t by any means an expensive plant since it produced a plurality of its own seeds, but the important thing was how it was harvested, and as such the quality of the plants sold were always inferior. Therein lay opportunity.
Sariel studied intensely during those three years with trial and experimentation. Song plants could be grown in as fast as fifteen minutes, and he would change the different growing conditions such as light levels, hydration levels and soil type constantly. The method he would use to pick the plant also varied, utilising tools, his hands, a large quantity of force or a gentle extraction. Everything from fire to electrified water was used to grow this absurd plant.
Documenting the flavour and sensation of each plant, he attempted to use every sample in food, water, as a medicine, and all. Many times he suffered incredible pain from certain variations and methods, and rarely he experienced the wildest bliss. Every single trial was recorded, repeated and retried. After two years, a lot of plain bread and water later, he finished every reasonable trial that could be performed.
What did it take to be the best in the scene? There were really only two requirements; the best flavour around, and the skill required to defend it. All the food and drinks would be produced by Sariel himself personally, and his own training fulfilled the second requirement. After an ‘intimate discussion’ with his former boss, he opened Ascent to skyrocket and become the lone respite in the loneliness of the world.
Sariel took off his golden necklace and opened up the locket which had been resting atop his heart.
A single Song seed lay within.
---
‘And you want to buy out my shop, you said?’ the middle-aged man stated gruffly. ‘I’ll hope you know my location is perfect; quite close to the meeting point, and spacious enough to sell anything you’d like. Well? So how much are you offering? I’d not settle for less than two hundred marshmallows, mind you.’
Sariel’s smile widened. ‘I can give you a forgiveness Aspect. Are you game?’
The middle-aged man scratched his beard before pondering for a while. ‘It has a healing effect, correct?’ Sariel nodded. The man sighed, and shook his hand. ‘Name’s Gabriel, by the way. Use this place well, boy. Leave the Aspect with that hag’s or her associates, and I’ll hand over the property once I receive it. Leave it under the password Moonlight.’
As Sariel walked away, he surveyed the building from the outside. It was the perfect size for a bar, with plentiful outdoor space for extra seating. He could already feel the marshmallows rolling in. With marshmallows, came power.
Though they provided potent buffs on their own, the real value of marshmallows lay within the fact that they were also used as a currency on Otherside with other Dreamers. Though Sariel was never able to spectate what happened on the real world, he did know full well the value of these marshmallows as they got traded around and used on Otherside quite frequently. The general consensus was around 80-100 marshmallows was the value of an Aspect Gem, and as such these little businesses that gave the forsaken a tiny bit of joy grew large benefits for the owner of the establishment. After all, for those who may die tonight, there couldn’t be a better feeling than the bliss of today.
The toll of the bells that Sariel had never noticed before rang throughout Haven, signalling the moon rising to its apex. And the Dreamers falling to the ground once more.
