While munching, Craydon asked, “What is that work? I thought you were only going to take over the Ooman countries.”
“That is our plan, but one of the last steps of Resolution 12 is to start diplomatic relationships with Demis’ countries. It wouldn’t be good if we only helped Ooman countries reach our level of development. It could cause some friction between Demis and us because of jealousy, or some Demis could start thinking that we were favouring the Oomans, when in fact, we prefer Demis a lot more. Don’t get me wrong, we still need Oomans to increase our population of Half-Demois, but Demis were always more similar to our mindset than Oomans ever were. We hope that changes with time, but it might take a few generations to get there.”
“I see. Your ancestors thought about everything. How many more Resolutions are there?”
“Three more, but those might never be used. One of them was meant to be used if this World was about to explode, another if there was an extremely deadly and infectious disease, and the last one is if one day a permanent portal appeared, one that would permanently connect this World to another.”
Craydon glanced at the serious Fae, who was listening very attentively, and he said, “I think all of those Resolutions will depend more on Crosslot than anything else. A permanent portal to another World would be a very interesting concept.” Seeing that the Fae was still silent, Craydon completed, “What do you think, Crosslot avatar? A permanent portal to another world, like Earth, for instance?”
“Portals appear randomly, and controlling the appearance of one to a very specific World is not as easy as you might think. In fact, it could be very dangerous to both worlds because Earth doesn’t have Magic. That world could absorb all of Crosslot’s Magic, or the Magic could destroy Earth and shatter it to pieces. And we are Fae, not Crosslot’s avatar, you annoying man!”
“Well, you never know until you try. I think that you could very easily end the portal if something was wrong. And stop denying it, will you? You even said during your speech to the Oomans that you were Fae, you were Goddess Cinna, and you were Crosslot!”
The Fae became dark green, as if it were angry, and said, “That was merely to make a point! Stop insisting on that matter, or people might get the wrong idea!”
“Okay, I will only call you avatar or Crosslot when no one is near, geez! Lighten up, you weird plant! For the personification of a Goddess and a living World, you get angry too easily!”
Before the Fae could start shouting to the grinning Craydon, Manananggal asked, “What is that name? Earth? I never heard such a word.”
“Never? I think it is the original world from which the Oomans came a long, long time ago. I have no idea what the original Demois world is called, but I am pretty sure that Oomans came from Earth.”
“Demoitizard. That is the old world's name. There are some ancient texts about it. It was a colony, because Demois are a very ancient species, and they were spread among countless worlds,” said Manananggal.
The Fae completed by saying, “Crosslot is just another colony for Demois, one that rejected them because of the way they treated this World when they arrived. They thought they could do whatever they wanted by changing the landscape and the environment and killing countless beings when they tried to make this World more comfortable for them. They learned the hard way that they were not Crosslot’s owners or conquerors. They were mere guests who got evicted because of destructive behaviour.”
“I wonder why Oomans stayed for so long, unbothered,” said Craydon.
“Because Fae always tries to mediate things between all beings, with Goddess Cinna and Crosslot’s help, that’s why. We always had high expectations for Oomans, but they disappointed us over and over. They only remained here because the Demois needed them to increase the Half-Demois population. If it wasn’t for that, they would have been extinct long ago. Or expelled. Whatever was easier to do.”
With a slight nod, Craydon took the last bit of his juice before asking, “Shall we go? We still have a long flight ahead.”
Manananggal got up with a slight smile and said, “Only a quarter of the time you took to arrive at the Ooman Alliance, actually. It will only take two or three days to arrive home. The Flying Vessels are absurdly fast, and long cruise ones like the one you are about to take fly at a higher altitude than normal vessels, and like that, they can fly faster because there is less air to slow down the vessel.”
“Cool! You sure have some neat things in this country!”
“Thanks! We aim to please! Hihihi!”
Hearing that, Craydon blinked in surprise. “You have the cutest laughter, you know? Surprisingly cute!”
“Hey! I am a very cute High Demon, you know? Way better looking than Erynyes, despite what she keeps telling people!”
“She is rather beautiful, but I think she only has half of your beauty.”
While grabbing Craydon’s arm and walking side by side with him, the smiling High Demon said, “Oh, thank you, and you are not that bad as well! Hihihi!”
…
The moments before the departure were full of tears and wishes to return soon. Manananggal wouldn’t stop hugging Meryda with tears in her eyes, and Craydon had some difficulty taking Meryda from her hands.
As he was about to walk to one of Meryda’s Drakes that would fly to enter the enormous Flying Vessel that was hovering high in the sky above the City, Manananggal suddenly grabbed him and kissed him. She then gently pressed her forehead against his and said, “If, by chance, you have an opportunity, ask the woman you love if she won’t mind sharing you with me. I know some Demis have more than one partner, with some even having three, so it only depends on you and her to accept me in your family.”
“I… I am flattered that you think of me in that way. I will have to talk to her and see what she says. I think I wouldn’t mind…”
“You would be a fool if you minded! Get out of here before I stop you from leaving! And don’t take too long to return, or I might go after you!”
With one last kiss, the smiling High Demon let him go, and Craydon climbed the Drake.
While Meryda, the Fae, and Craydon were flying up, with Meryda’s Black Shucks firmly tied to the saddles of the other two Drakes, Manananggal stayed on the ground, waving at them.
When they were entering the back door of the vessel, she mumbled, “That is one fine specimen of a man… There is something different and intriguing about him. As if everything always surprises his very soul.”
With a gentle smile, Manananggal took off by flapping her long and powerful wings to return to her duties in the Dark Eight’s castle.
As for Meryda, she guided her four Drakes and two Black Shucks to the large room that was going to work as their living space in the vessel, promising to return occasionally to pet them and see how they were doing, leaving with her two Sub-Monsters, the Slime, the Salamander, and the small dark fog to check what the Flying Vessel looked like from the inside.
Like Manananggal told them, there was much to see in that immense flying vehicle. There were empty rooms upon empty rooms for passengers, if there were more besides them and the group of diplomats, teachers, and scholars.
While Craydon stayed in a large viewing room, looking at the scenery below and talking with the other passengers, Meryda continued her walk with the smiling Fae by her side and all her Monsters.
She finally stopped in a smaller viewing room, and while looking at the City down below, she said, “You know, everything went better than what I was expecting. I thought we were going to be in a lot of danger in the Alliance, and when we got here, I didn’t know what would happen.”
The smiling Fae said while placing one harm over Meryda’s shoulders, “Whatever happened, we said we would always be on your side.”
“Thanks, you cute avatar!”
“Oh, not you too! We got enough of that from your father already!”
“And he is right or not? Are you Crosslot’s avatar? You know, a physical manifestation so that you can interact with the beings living on your surface?”
While looking through the window, the enigmatic green being said, “That is one of many Fae’s mysteries, and you shouldn’t worry about it. What do you say if we go to one of those game rooms and see what’s in there?”
“Sure, let’s choose a game there for me to kick your butt! Hehehe!”
The entire voyage was one surprise after another. Not only the viewing apparatus in their room allowed them to watch all sorts of channels and programs transmitted from the Demois country, even at such a distance, but there was also an extensive collection of saved documentaries, case studies, and movies.
Those last ones were the most surprising of them all for Meryda and Craydon. Movies, in that Magical world. Comedy, drama, action, and even horror, with Monsters or wild animals as the bad guys, often preying on Ooman, Demis, and Half-Demois actors.
With so much to do on board, besides talking with the diplomats, teachers, and scholars, the entire voyage went so fast that Meryda and Craydon didn’t even feel the time go by.
They would wake up by the middle of the morning, have breakfast, find some entertainment or check Meryda’s Monsters, have lunch, more fun in the afternoon, dinner, and see a movie or have a conversation with the other passengers before retiring to bed.
Like Manananggal had told them, the voyage to get there would take two to three days, but with so much to do on board, when the inner communication system announced that they were approaching Amberstar in the Kingdom of Malgudria, it took them by surprise.
