The Stranger, Part 4
UBAL
Previously: Ubal woke up in Madlus, a strange world with three suns, where he met Stok who transfused him with his blood. Ubal also noticed a strange organ growing out of his chest. On their way to Mt. Kirkir, while the suns were in a showdown, the mysteriform Yanggaw appeared to them to warn against Kriyum. Stok told Ubal the story of his encounter with Kriyum Lastik who had the ability to grow extra limbs. Kriyum had quizzed Stok about love and things
was speechless from “What about you? What is your that are greater than love. hearing the story. Stok’s throat power, Stok?” felt dry. A few moments of “To live as I believe.” silence reigned over them once more. “And what is it that you believe?”
After a while, Ubal asked, “Why “Before I answer that,” Stok said as did Yanggaw lead us the other way?” he sat under the shade of a tree with
“Yanggaw is a mysteriform,” Stok thick canopy, “I want to know why explained. “She has feminine power you want to seek Wuting.” that is always stronger than the The wide leaves of the giant tree musculine. I think that she is fond of were white but in the glare of blue you. She usually doesn’t show herself Sheme, they shone like tiny flames to just anybody.” of hot stars.
“She is a beautiful woman,” Ubal Ubal sat beside him, and rested remarked. his back on the trunk of the tree. He
“She is not a woman, even if saw tried to remember the past. “When I her with mengkus and sismeglan. was little,” Ubal began, “my parents Mysteriforms like her only appear took me to Forest Loa to meet the according to your lust and desire. If renowned sage Pokis. You can say you were female, perhaps you would that I was Pokis’ last visitor. And have seen her with a tugkuran.” Stok before he passed away, he left me smiled. “Be careful of mysteriforms with Wuting’s name…” like her.” Ubal narrated everything that he
“Who is more powerful – Kriyum, could recall of the journey to meet Wuting, or Yanggaw?” Ubal asked the sage 20 years ago. again. He was only 13 years old when
“In this world, Ubal, each one is Ubal and his parents crossed the sea supposed to be powerful, but only of fire surrounding Forest Loa, where the special few believe in their own the famed wise man Pokis lived. power. In Madlus, your unique talent The journey to see Pokis was is your power. If you can grow hands, arduous, not only because of the Kriyum will cease to be powerful. If surprise spouts of fire that come from you can be invisible like Yanggaw, she underground but also because of the will lose her power, too. If you can legion of fierce and fearsome skorkis influence the mind of others, what is – winged fireblowers, lurking in the Wuting’s reason to exist?” dark. But his father Tormon took up some courage because his wife wouldn’t give him peace until Ubal’s condition was remedied.
In addition, in the forest of Loa, there were plenty of shapeshifters that changed their forms and mien in a blink. But his sickly mother Mirda braved all of those. Tormon’s wife silently climbed the rocks, and swung from tree to tree on the vines, all in the hope that the wise man would have a cure for her child.
Pokis had three eyes. He also had three hands, and three feet. It would seem like his eyes did not blink at all. He is said to be all-knowing so that even before Tormon and Mirda explained their purpose, he had already guessed it.
Pokis swayed his three arms, and a cloud of green smoke appeared before him. “Each man or woman among us,” he started, “is a wandering murderer. If you were a man, you would have struggled, and prevailed