Sky Log #8: The Krill Cult

It seemed like a myth when I heard whispers of a krill cult emerging during my travels.

Many moths that I have met were traumatized by the appearance of the krills when they first entered Wasteland. This was understandable. I had lost my stars to them when I had to help relive a spirit's memory in the area before graveyard before learning the anti-krill trick or more commonly known to many as… The home trick.

Krills.

The infamous dark dragons who roamed the lands of Wasteland and Eden.

Even the mere mention of their name will send young moths to tears. It is the creature often told in bedtime stories and used to scare naughty moths to behave.

Their hard and dark exoskeletons, their many sharp and spindly legs, plus… Their eye.

Yes.

Their lone blue eye that turns red upon finding a kid in their path.

It only takes a few seconds before that unfortunate kid gets charged over, losing their lights to them. For the steel-hearted, they would have dodged the krill or seek refuge in a hiding spot so that they can escape from 'The Eye' of the krill.

Therefore, it is almost unthinkable that there would be some who loved such dark and deadly creatures or even play with them.

In many recounts that I have heard during my travels, the experiences were almost similar.

Nearly all the victims were moths who had just entered the dusty lands of Wasteland and were made as sacrifices for the krills.

Some recounted that even if they try to avoid the eye of the krill after getting attacked once, these krill cultists will draw the attention of krill to them. They do not even mind if they had to sacrifice their lights in the process. The only goal of these organized krill attacks was to watch these poor kids bleed out their lights and struggle vainly against the beasts. They revel in seeing the moths' wretched state, laughing over their bodies until the moths have no choice but to use the portal to go home.

Initially, I had considered that such things were merely hearsay.

However, as more young and new moths are getting mistreated in Sky, I began to consider the possibility that such foul play could exist.

I had met friends and acquaintances who loved to play with the krills and set up pranks. Usually, they would prank within their own community and whenever appropriate, since… Not every one of us liked the idea of losing our stars. So, it could be possible that these pranks could be extended to strangers.

However, it is not in my nature to suspect friends.

It could also be plausible that there are small groups or individuals who specifically aim at moths and other kids just for their sick amusement. Just as how there are peace keepers, there could be those who seek to destroy that very peace we had cultivated within Sky.

Remember Sky Log #6: Stranger Danger?

That's right. There would always be a spectrum of people with all sorts of personalities and behaviours so it would not be strange to see the existence of krill cults.

However, these are only theories that I had come up with. For I have yet to meet a krill cultist. After all, cults are known for their secretive nature.

Until now.

It was a regular farming with some of my friends. I wasn't farming with Val and David at that time.

This was ages ago… before Mo disappeared into the unknown.

At that moment, he had established a small farming group which he led and taught new moths like him how to farm. I had gotten acquainted with his small group of friends who lived in the same country as him. Within the group, Jil was there as well as other friends like Mira and Eulah.

We were all waiting for each other to collect the big plant in graveyard when there was a stranger who caught the attention of a nearby krill. We were all careful not to attract the attention of the krills who constantly patrolled around the plant. Having 3 eyes on you was not a pleasant event to happen to you. At first, I had thought that the kid had panicked and tried to fly away for cover but ended up bringing the krill to us who were standing on top of a big bone close to the big plant.

Yet, it had happened twice more.

Hence, it could no longer be considered a mistake but a deliberate attempt to take our stars. Fortunately, we had all equipped ourselves with the anti-krill trick so no kids within our group were hurt.

We had tried to communicate with this kid to understand why they would want to hurt us. Unfortunately, we could not get a conclusive answer behind their actions due to unfortunate language barriers and the kid's refusal to give an answer.

In good nature, Mira hoped that this little one would be able to find a bosom buddy to share their interest in getting krilled. To which, this krill attracter responded favourably, giving a smiley face. Having no definite answer to our questions, we decided to head straight home. We merely went to graveyard for the big plant after all.

In spite of the incident, Mira gave me another idea.

Perhaps…

This is how krill cultists find one another?

It is hard to understand them without interviewing them. There are too many unknowns behind their activities, motives and presence.

Perhaps someday,

We may find an answer behind the emergence of such elusive krill cultists.

Or we may never ever get one.