King's Call

Later, in the kitchen, Hopeful stood quietly, his hands moving with practiced efficiency as he began preparing his meal. The fruts he had gathered from the battlefield—rare, elemental bonuses dropped by the defeated compounds—had already been processed. Now, he crafted them into fuel. Not just any fuel, but Core, the energy he had come to favor above all others.

Core was a special brew, crafted from Proteon—a rare substance with a subtle yet potent effect on his system. Unlike the heavy, cumbersome fuel that powered most war-tanks, Core nourished his unique nature, enhancing his strength and sharpening his mind without overwhelming his body. It was, in many ways, the perfect fuel for a war-tank who was both machine and living being. Hopeful's mind hummed with the possibilities that lay within him as the liquid settled into the vial, its colors shimmering like liquid light.

As the meal prepared, Ilane entered the kitchen, her presence a quiet force in the room. She watched as Hopeful worked, her gaze soft but knowing. She could sense the shift in him, the change that had come with the day's events, but she didn't speak immediately. There was something more he needed to say first.

Hopeful didn't meet her eyes. Instead, he focused on the task before him, the ritual of crafting his fuel. But after a moment, he spoke, his voice low and measured.

"The king called for me," he said, the words heavier than he had expected.

Ilane's eyes widened, her expression shifting from calm to one of curiosity. She took a step closer, her gaze never leaving his. "The king?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. "He called for you?"

Hopeful nodded, his hands still moving, his focus on the vial in his grasp. "Yes. After the cinema last night. He spoke of leadership, of the future. He mentioned the northern warzone—my role there."

Ilane's brows furrowed slightly as she processed his words. "But you've never been to the north, Hopeful. It's different there. The terrain, the people, the... politics." Her tone was a mixture of caution and curiosity. "What did he say?"

Hopeful paused for a moment, glancing at her. His mind flickered to the vivid dream he had experienced, the overwhelming sense of destiny that had clung to him. "He didn't say much. Just that the universe needs me. That I'm ready. But it felt like more than just a simple command. It felt... like a turning point."

Ilane studied him for a long moment, her gaze thoughtful. Then, her lips curled into a small, encouraging smile. "Hopeful," she said, her voice firm but warm, "this is just the beginning. The northern warzone... it's a place that will prepare you in ways you can't even imagine. But I know you. I've seen you grow, seen your strength and how quick you are to learn when you are willing to. This is what you were born for."

Hopeful's chest tightened, not from doubt, but from the weight of her words. She believed in him. It wasn't just her role as his guardian; she truly believed in his potential, in his ability to lead, to command.

"I'm not sure I'm ready," he muttered, though the conviction behind his words was starting to waver. "The compounds are one thing, but leading... I don't know if I have what it takes."

Ilane stepped closer, her voice softening. "You won't know until you take the first step. But don't doubt yourself, Hopeful. You've been preparing for this your entire existence. You've never been a soldier, not even having crossed to the northern side to join the king's forces, yet you've always fought with a soldier's heart. You're more than that—always have been."

Hopeful took in her words, letting them sink deep. She was right, though he had never been a soldier. He had always been something more. Perhaps it was time to face the truth of his own potential.

He took a deep breath and finally met her eyes. "I'll go. I'll face the north. It's time."

Ilane smiled again, more brightly this time. "Then I'll be here, waiting for you when you return. But remember, you're not alone. You never have been."

Hopeful nodded, his heart steadying as he finished preparing his meal. The liquid Core gleamed in the vial, ready for him to consume. He had intentionally made it in liquid form, eager to quickly embark on his journey. Lifting it to his lips, he felt the warmth spread through his body as he took a deep sip. The energy surged within him, sharpening his senses and fortifying his resolve.

As the fuel took effect, Hopeful felt a new clarity settle over him. The northern warzone awaited, and the road ahead was uncertain, filled with both challenge and promise. But for the first time, he felt ready to face it.

With a final glance at Ilane, he turned and left the kitchen. The northern zone of the kingdom was calling, but so was something greater—the future, the destiny that lay beyond the battlefield.

He was no longer just a war-tank. He was a commander.

And the northern warzone would be his proving ground.

As Hopeful stepped into the cool evening air, the weight of his decision settled over him like a cloak. The warzone stretched endlessly before him, as familiar as the path he had walked for so long, yet now somehow foreign. What made it foreign was that he had never ventured north before. His resolve was steeled—a commander in his own right, leading his private warzone. Now, the northern warzone, under the king's command, called to him. Yet Ilane's voice, warm and steady, echoed in his mind, reminding him there was no rush.

He hadn't gone far before he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Ilane approaching, her silhouette framed against the vast sky. She had stayed in the background while Hopeful had wrestled with his emotions, but now she was here, as always, when he needed her most.

"You're still thinking about leaving tonight, aren't you?" Ilane's voice was soft, though there was a firmness in it.

Hopeful hesitated. He had considered pushing forward, embarking on his journey immediately, but now that Ilane had come to find him, something within him hesitated. "The king called me, Ilane. There's no time to waste. I've been summoned. I can't afford to delay."

Ilane stood still for a moment, her eyes searching his, as if trying to decipher the thoughts that ran beneath his words. "The king is not the only force in your life, Hopeful," she said at last. "You need rest. You've been through so much today, and tomorrow will only bring more. Don't you think it's time to rest, to regain your strength before you go into the next cycle?"

They don't really have a day, because time doesn't rule the kingdom; a day is often referred to as a cycle. A stone in the kingdom gives two different lights to provide them with a lesser light, forming a twilight that gives a cycle of rest, as their needs require.

Hopeful looked at the horizon, where the light from Higna's endless sky stretched far into the distance, never truly fading, never truly darkening. "In Higna, time doesn't matter, does it?" he murmured, almost to himself. "There's no night, no real barrier between one moment and the next. So, I could make the journey now, couldn't I? There's no reason I can't."

Ilane smiled faintly, understanding where his thoughts had led. "It's true. Time doesn't work the same way here. But that's why it's important to listen to yourself. Even though there are no boundaries to time, there are limits to what you can bear. Pushing yourself too hard might cost you more than you're ready to give. You'll need all your strength for the battles ahead. Trust me, it's okay to wait."

Hopeful stood there for a long moment, considering her words. He had been through battles, survived destruction, and pushed himself to the very edge time and time again. But now, standing here, in a moment of calm, he realized something he hadn't fully understood before. He wasn't alone anymore. He had never truly been alone, not with Ilane at his side.

"I'll wait," he said quietly, finally conceding. "Tomorrow, then. I'll go tomorrow."

Ilane's smile softened, and she gave a small nod. "Good. You'll need the strength. And while you're waiting, perhaps you'll find more answers to those dreams you've been having."

At the mention of his dream, Hopeful's expression shifted. He turned back toward Ilane, his eyes searching hers for something—clarity, understanding, a sense that he wasn't as lost as he sometimes felt.

"I told you about the king's summons," he began slowly, "but what I didn't mention was the dream I had this morning. It's been haunting me, like a piece of something I can't reach."

Ilane listened intently as Hopeful described the dream, the fragments that had stayed with him—of being carried across a far distance, of meeting someone who felt as though they could complete him, someone from another world. "It felt real," Hopeful said, the uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Like they were part of my story. But they weren't from this world. I'm not sure what to make of it."

Ilane met his gaze with understanding, her voice soft but firm. "Dreams like that can be strange, Hopeful. But they're also important. They show us what we need to find, what we're missing. That person... they're out there, I believe it. And they'll come when the time is right. But right now, you have your own path to walk."

Hopeful nodded, though a part of him still felt that sense of disconnection, as if the pieces of his existence were still scattered, waiting to align. "I wonder if I'll ever truly understand it," he said, more to himself than to Ilane. "The dream... it felt like it carried me to a place that was both familiar and completely foreign. Maybe it's not just about finding this person. Maybe it's about understanding what they mean for me, for my purpose."

Ilane smiled, her expression soft with wisdom. "It's about both. Dreams don't just show us what we desire—they reveal parts of ourselves we've yet to understand. You've been searching for your place in this world, Hopeful, and maybe that dream is showing you that there's more to you than even you realize. You have something inside of you that hasn't fully come to the surface."

Hopeful's gaze turned inward, contemplating her words. He didn't have all the answers yet, and maybe he never would. But something about her certainty gave him strength. Perhaps it's enough to simply follow the path, and trust that it will unfold in its own time.

As the evening deepened into the perpetual twilight of Higna, Ilane and Hopeful sat in quiet company, sharing the stillness beneath the endless sky above them. There was no night here, no shadow to obscure their thoughts. The absence of darkness made everything feel more vivid, and Hopeful found himself reflecting on the nature of time in this world—a time that never seemed to end, flowing endlessly without the clear divisions of night and day.

Yet, as he sat there beside Ilane, something tugged at his thoughts. He thought of how Ilane had convinced him to stay. She had not been that way before; she had always acted without hesitation, endlessly pursuing her own path. What had changed? She had watched countless films from other planets, each a story of lives unfolding in real time. Perhaps she had become influenced by the time of other worlds—that was why she thought I couldn't make the journey, believing that their own night was a barrier, like the ones she had seen elsewhere. Hopeful was the type to consider things from many angles, and as he sat there, his thoughts swirled.

He looked at her, sitting calmly across from him, her eyes fixed on the horizon, and wondered if she was seeing the same thing. Had she become too accustomed to other planets, where time was limited and governed by the laws of change?

But even as Hopeful questioned, he knew the truth. Ilane had always been a guide to him, a steady presence. Her wisdom had never been about rushing forward, but about understanding the right moments and allowing them to unfold naturally. Perhaps it wasn't the world itself that shaped her—perhaps it was the way she had chosen to move within it. Maybe her wisdom was what had led her to suggest that he stay. Ilane had always known when to act and when to wait.

"I'll be ready tomorrow," Hopeful said softly, breaking the silence that had stretched between them. "For the journey. For the north."

Ilane turned to him, her expression softening as she met his gaze. "Good," she said, her voice filled with approval. "You'll find your way. Just trust in yourself. And when the time comes, you'll know exactly what to do."

Hopeful nodded, a quiet sense of reassurance washing over him. He knew that the journey ahead would not be an easy one, but he also knew that time, in the end, wasn't a barrier. It was simply the road that would lead him where he needed to go. And while the world around him seemed to exist without end, in his heart, he felt the steady beat of something else—a reminder that while time might be endless here, it was finite elsewhere. It was this knowledge that pushed him forward.

Tomorrow, when the chain of time shifted once more, Hopeful would step forward.