Chapter thirty: the story
The air had grown colder and colder, as the final day of the year ticked away.
A new year slowly approached as the sun set on the horizon, the thick clouds covered the sky, blocking the starlight on the winter night.
The world prepared to welcome a new beginning, as the people wrapped themselves in coats, lights blinked along the open park, faint music was drifting from speakers that were installed on the portable stage.
A fog of warm breath was rising in the winter air, groups of people gathered near the stage that was glowing with decorative lights. Talking, laughing and eating different kinds of Appetizers.
But while the outside world embraced its new year with celebration, the other world, —the world within the painting—was stirring into a new era, it was going through a historical change.
Inside Dharti, inside the world that was unseen by any outside eye, time moved forward with it's own rhythm, even a few hours outside were equal to a few years inside dharti.
And ever since Caelum's brief but pivotal visit to the primitive human settlement, the path of civilization had subtly shifted in a different direction.
After meeting the old couple, speaking with them and hearing them— he knew what their fears and their hopes were, he found out of their diminishing awe toward the one they called "parent".
They believed that he was the one who shaped their lives, even if the belief was instintive guess on their part.
So caelum had made a choice. With the quill in hand, he redefined their aged, frail bodies, it was akin to turning back time, but it was nothing more than reinforcing their forms, and restoring their youth while pushing their physical capabilities, he pushed it to the brink of what their anatomy could withstand.
Their bones strengthened, their skin smoothed, and their senses sharpened.
But he didn't stop there.
Knowing that the primitive humans had lived in fear of the lions till now—The lions that were dharti's only predators at that moment, He gave them a gift:
The humans had no tools, no defenses, so he gave them a defence hidden behind their eyes.
He rewrote their eyes, their vision. He borrowed from the swiftness of an eagle's sight and the reaction speed of a fly's, redefining their eyes completely, giving them eyes that would allow them to perceive threats, long before they struck. It was perfect for survival.
And then, just as quickly as he had arrived, Caelum vanished from their world again—his presence passed by them like a passing storm, making his appreance unforgettable to the old couple and the young boy who saw him.
But after he left, his actions became like a ripple in water, spreading across the whole world.
The couple, now youthful and strong, met the other humans in the settlement. And at first, the others didn't recognize them at all.
Their voices were familiar to them, yes, but their faces, now smooth and unweathered, were nearly unplaceable to anyone who saw them.
Whispers rose, could it really be them?
But the few remaining elders, those who had lived through enough days, traced the familiar patterns in the once-wrinkled face, and soon realized the truth.
They remembered those faces from years ago, afterall they were also a part of the first twenty humans created by caelum, just like the couple.
As the whispers grew louder, the young boy spoke up—the same one who had seen it all with happen infront of him.
With his trembling voice, he recounted the moment Caelum descended from the sky, the glowing translucent energy that burst forth from him and entered the old couple. How the stranger had flickered his hand in air, and with just that flick of his hand, he made the old couple young again.
Fear laced the boy's tale, but awe buried itself deeper in him.
From that night onward, the people of Dharti—what remained of the original twenty humans and their children, gathered under the leadership of the reborn couple.
They all gathered beneath the wide, twilight sky of Dharti, and with them came a new purpose, unity, and a quietly growing faith.
They no longer saw Caelum as just a vaguely remembered parent, He was something akin to a creator in their eyes now.
The fire they lit that night in the center of their village was for warmth and hope. It was a sign that they were not forgotten By their parent.
The couple, once weak and waiting for death, became leaders. And slowly, under their guidance, the first seeds of human society began to sprout in Dharti.
From that point on, Caelum's creations no longer lived in the world blindly. They walked forward with the purpose of becoming the rulers—guided by the idea that was given to them by caelum.
And so, the human race within the painting world began to grow.
They grew in numbers, in understanding, in knowledge and in unity. They built rudimentary shelters, organized themselves, passed down the story of the one who gave them form and life.
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Caelum stood quietly near the edge of the gathering, with a chilled glass of beer in one hand and a freshly grilled kebab skewer in the other.
The warmth of the food contrasted against the crisp night air, while laughter and soft music mingled under strings of golden lights.
His gaze landed on the decorations in the park, it was now transformed into a place of celebration. Paper lanterns hung from tree branches, their soft glow casting a gentle ambiance. Tables were scattered across the grass, covered in food and drinks, and children darted between clusters of chatting adults.
"Isn't this a bit exaggerated?" Caelum muttered, taking a thoughtful bite of the kebab, the meat was juicy and well-seasoned.
He chewed slowly, still absorbing the juice of the meat and the sight around him.
"Are you enjoying yourself, young man?"
A familiar voice came from behind, and Caelum turned his head with mild surprise. Standing there, bundled in a modest coat and woolen scarf, was the elderly man he had spoken to months ago, back when caelum came to the park from the first time, he had conversed with the elderly man for quite long time.
"Oh, yes. The food here's quite good," Caelum replied, swallowing another bite before offering a polite nod. "How have you been, sir?"
"I've been staying indoors more lately," the old man said with a small chuckle, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "The cold's gotten sharp, and my old bones don't have that tolerance anymore."
Caelum smiled faintly. "It's December—so we've got another month or two of this cold."
The old man exhaled slowly, watching his breath fog in the air form and disappear. "It's a real pain for me you know? I used to walk every evening… but now, if I so much as open the door, my granddaughter gets panick attack." He shook his head with an exaggerated sigh, though there was humor in his voice.
Caelum quietly pictured it—an elderly man trying to sneak out for a walk, only to be caught by an overprotective family member.
"Hah. She must be quite worried about you, sir." Caelum's tone was casual and respectful, it was the sort of gentelmanly tone that came naturally to him in moments like these.
The old man nodded with a tired smile. "Worried? Certainly. But what am i supposed to do sitting in my bed all day?"
They stood side by side as they talked about casual stuff.
Caelum sipped his beer, the cold glass numbing his fingers slightly. Around them, the celebration continued in soft, joyous waves, voices rising and falling like a calm tide.
Caelum glanced up at the stars, but the only thing he could see were the clouds, covering the sky like a dark tide.
"Grandpa, here you are. I've been looking for you everywhere."
A soft voice broke through the silent air, and Caelum didn't even need to turn to recognize it. His mind processed it quickly.
'Iris?'
He turned his head as she approached with hurried steps, her breath was visible and her face was a bit red. Then his eyes slid to the old man standing beside him.
'Wait…' His brow twitched as he realised, 'This is the granddaughter he mentioned?'
A wave of clarity swept over his thoughts, and his expression fully portrayed the surprise on his face.
"Aha, I was just having a chat with this young man," the elderly man said, smiling as Iris reached them.
"Hm? Mister Caelum?" Iris blinked in surprised, she didn't expect to see him beside her grandfather.
It had only been an hour or so since they'd arrived together at the park. Iris had led him through the food stalls, pointed out the different event sections he could visit, and then vanished, leaving him surrounded by strangers and a 'good luck' for moral support.
He had been asked by her to help count crowd numbers versus food portions, it was a paper work, something he half-heartedly did before giving up and returning to the food stalls.
Now, seeing her again, Caelum found himself standing there awkwardly, with a skewer in one hand, a half-finished beer in the other.
"Ah, hey," he said, not knowing what to say.
'Why are you here now? You disappeared without a word. I don't even know anyone here, and all I can do is eat and eat in this buffet.' caelum questioned iris in his mind, not daring to say it out loud.
"I'm so sorry," Iris said quickly, bowing slightly. "Something urgent came up, and I had to run off. I didn't mean to leave you hanging with the work."
Caelum offered a small nod. "It's alright. I can imagine how chaotic a function like this must be behind the scenes."
The old man glanched between them with mild confusion. "You two know each other?"
That question pulled Iris from her apologetic stance, as she jolted slightly. "Ah—Grandpa! Quick, it's time to start the countdown!"
Without waiting for further explanation, she grabbed the old man's arm and began dragging him toward the center of the park.
"I'll talk to you later!" she called over her shoulder, waving a hand.
Caelum watched them go, chewing on the last piece of meat from the skewer.
'Talk later? Nah. I don't want to talk later.'
Caelum strolled over to one of the food tables, refilling his glass with beer and grabbing a chicken leg from the steaming tray nearby.
With a casual bite, he chewed thoughtfully.
'Not as good as the food created with the quill… but the quality is not bad at all.'
Now that he was alone again, he figured he might as well make the most of it and eat more food.
Just as he took another bite of the chicken piece.
"Everyone!"
A loud voice cut through and echoed across the park like a thunderbolt.
"Huh?" Caelum turned, looking at the source of the voice.
Standing on the small stage ahead was Iris's grandfather, holding a microphone with surprising confidence.
"It's almost time!" the old man called out. "Let's welcome the new year together—count with me!"
All the Conversations stopped, the clatter of utensils paused, even the children darting around the open area stopped where they stood. The whole park quieted in an instant, with the anticipation thick in the air.
"10… 9… 8… 7…"
The old man's voice rang out strong and energized, more spirited than most people half his age.
Caelum quickly finished the last bite of his chicken leg and washed it down with a long swig of beer.
"5… 4… 3… 2…"
The countdown had become a chorus now, the entire crowd joining in, their voices rising in unison like the swell of a tide.
"1… 0…"
"Happy New Year, everyone!" the old man declared in a even louder tone.
"Happy New Year!" the park roared back.
Cheers erupted from all directions, laughter spilled through the air. Hugs, claps, and the soft sound of firecrackers crackling in the distance filled the night, the sky was light up.
The winter air seemed to warm from the sound of joy all around. Above them, the moon broke through a patch of dark clouds, casting soft light over the gathered crowd.
The entier world welcomed the new year, fireworks filling up the entire sky.
"It's been a long year." Caelum spoke quietly, a genuine smile tugging at his lips, it was rare kind of smile, It was a happy smile.
'But perhaps... this was the only year in my life, that I'll remember until the day i die.'
His gaze drifted upward, following the moonlight as it threaded through the clouds.
The smile on his face softened further, memories beginning to unfold one by one like chapters of a book.
He thought back to the day his life changed.
It was just a regular afternoon, his only goal had been to buy groceries, but his mind was attracted by something, and he ended up standing in front of that odd little shop tucked into the corner of an alleyway.
The shop looked like it hadn't seen customers in years.
He had no idea why he stepped inside, but he ended up walking in anyway, he remembered the warm jingle of the doorbell and the quiet smile of the elderly shopkeeper who greeted him.
He remembered when be found a well crafted quill in one of the corners of the shop.
The shopkeeper, an old man with a calm face, had handed it over without hesitation.
"A quill should belong to someone who can use it," the shopkeeper said before giving it to caelum.
He remembered the jolt that ran through him the first time he used it, the moment a simple drawing of a leaf turned into something real and Tangible.
That time, His heart had nearly burst out of his chest, as he convinced himself it was exhaustion, and some kind of hallucination.
He remembered his obsession afterwards, the trial after trial.
He remembered fainting on the floor so many times, pushing his body to the brink just to understand the quill's rules.
How it drained his willpower. How it responded to the way he defined a thing.
He remembered the breakthrough,
That moment when he surpassed the invisible ceiling, and reached past his own limitations.
Now, the memories came rushing back now as he stood there under the night sky, with a beer glass half-full in his hand, and the sound of celebration echoing softly behind him.
A year ago, a smile like this would have been impossible for caelum, but tonight that smile spread across his face.
And just like that, the story continues.
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The morning of January 1st arrived quietly, blanketing the world in the cold air of winter.
In the heart of the city where Caelum lived, the only airport buzzed to life as a plane touched down on its single runway.
One by one, the passangers opened overhead bins, and pulled out suitcases, backpacks, and stepped out.
The walkway was connected, and soon the passengers funneled into the terminal, some pulling phones from pockets, others tugging along their luggage.
Outside the airport, the crowd thickened.
Some people reunited with family and friends, and drivers waited with signs, and taxis lined up in orderly rows. Doors opened and shut, suitcases rolled along the pavement, engines started.
"Excuse me."
A hoarse voice called out through the noise, hearing it, one of the taxi drivers turned toward the sound.
A woman with long black hair stepped forward, the strands peeking from beneath the hood. She wore glasses, her face half-hidden by the scarf she had pulled up, and she was dragging a hard-shell suitcase behind her.
"Yes, where would you like to go, miss?" the middle-aged driver asked politely.
"Boka-Coda Hotel," she replied as she slid into the back seat.
The ride through the city was uneventful. Morning traffic was just beginning to thicken, and after a short drive, the taxi slowed in front of an imposing structure in the heart of downtown.
The Boka-Coda Hotel stood tall, its glass façade gleaming with faint reflections of the rising sun. Doormen in crisp uniforms moved busily, opening car doors, greeting guests with quiet smiles.
Inside, the lobby was warm and expansive, with marble floors that gleamed under golden lights and an enormous chandelier hanging above a sleek, modern reception desk.
The woman stepped out of the cab, paid the driver with a few crisp bills, then turned and rolled her suitcase quickly toward the entrance.
The receptionist behind the counter straightened slightly as she approached. "Good morning, ma'am. How can I help you?"
"I should have a room booked here. For about a week, I think?" the woman replied, her voice a slightly hoarse. She held out her phone, screen turned toward the receptionist.
The young woman behind the counter took a look, tapped quickly at the computer, then nodded. "Yes, we do have you on the list. A room for seven nights, starting today. Miss…"
"Aruey," the woman said before the receptionist could finish. "You can call me Aruey."
Her voice was tired, but there was something in her expression.
She was caelum's childhood friend, the only friend he ever had.
[ End of volume one-The quill]