"This forest is huge… finding a way out won't be easy."
Hao Thien muttered as he carefully stepped through the thick underbrush, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
"If there are people in this place… then there must be a village or a city somewhere."
He raised a hand to his chin and sighed softly.
"If the others came here with me, then they must have been sent to some part of this strange world too."
The thought brought him a small sense of relief. He quickened his pace, hoping to find some clue in this seemingly endless forest.
But the sky was beginning to darken, streaked with hues of purple and orange in the distance, and the air had turned noticeably cooler.
"Time to find a place to rest… That tree over there looks decent."
Hao Thien stopped in front of a massive tree, towering high with dense branches spreading out like a natural roof. He crossed his arms and looked up at one of the thick branches stretching outward.
After a quick inspection, he climbed up with ease. The branch was wide enough for him to lie down comfortably without worrying about falling.
He lay back, resting against the trunk, and gazed out at the deepening purple sky slowly draping over the mysterious forest below.
"At least… the trees here are sturdy enough to make a decent bed."
He chuckled softly, then closed his eyes, letting the night breeze brush gently across his face.
BOOM!
A sudden explosion rang out—not too loud, but just enough to pull Hao Thien out of his drowsiness.
He opened his eyes, sat up, and turned toward the direction of the sound. In the deep purple sky far away, a bright light shot upward, and then—
BANG!
It burst open, scattering into hundreds of dazzling sparks, blooming like a flower in midair before slowly fading away.
"Fireworks…"
Hao Thien's eyes widened, and a wave of indescribable joy rose in his chest. In this strange and lonely world, it was the first sign of human life—or at the very least, of some kind of civilization.
"There's someone out there."
He whispered to himself, smiling faintly, as if clinging to a fragile thread of hope.
He quickly memorized the direction where he had seen the fireworks, marking the spot with a few branches and stones on the tree, determined to head there first thing in the morning.
Lying back down, he closed his eyes with anticipation.
But that night's sleep would not be as peaceful as he had hoped.
He dreamed.
In his dream, Earth was engulfed in flames. Buildings collapsed, and the sky was torn apart by strange beams of light. Screams, cries for help… familiar faces—his parents, his friends—blurred and disappeared in the chaos.
Hao Thien stood in the middle of it all, powerless.
He jolted awake in the pale gray light of dawn. The tree branch beneath him remained steady, but his eyes were filled with exhaustion.
"It was just a dream… wasn't it?"
He murmured to himself, though the unease refused to fade. Morning light filtered through the leaves—gentle, but chilling.
After regaining his composure, he headed toward the direction he had marked the night before, climbing up a fairly tall hill.
Hao Thien stared in disbelief at what lay before him. Even from a distance, the sheer scale of the city was enough to leave him speechless.
"That's it… that's where I need to go. I have to get there—fast."
Without a moment's hesitation, he dashed down the hill, heading straight toward the city.
Hao Thien stood in awe, overwhelmed by the bustling cityscape that unfolded before his eyes.
Towering skyscrapers shimmered like they were plated in silver, stretching high into the clouds. In the sky above, hundreds of small aircraft glided effortlessly along invisible aerial lanes. Below, wheel-less vehicles floated smoothly just above the ground on anti-gravity systems, moving with barely a sound.
Everything exuded a level of advancement far beyond imagination—a true futuristic civilization operating in perfect harmony right before him.
As Hao Thien approached the city's entrance, the ground beneath him trembled slightly. Thousands of glowing symbols—like streams of digital code—suddenly materialized and began swirling around him. They formed a circle of light, gradually converging and shaping into a humanoid figure.
Within seconds, a transparent figure of light stood before him. Long hair fluttered gently in the air, and the face—soft yet unnaturally flawless—radiated a beauty that clearly did not belong to any human being.
"Greetings. I am SAI-01, an artificial intelligence system designated to assist visiting individuals."
The voice was clear and composed—smooth like that of a human, yet laced with subtle electronic undertones that echoed slightly in the open air.
Hao Thien stood frozen, both amazed and entranced—swept into a world where the line between technology and wonder had long since disappeared.
"Please confirm your visit to the city of Arkaion by signing your name."
SAI-01 spoke, its gentle voice resonating softly, as if blending into the surrounding air. Instantly, a translucent signature panel appeared, floating before Hao Thien—seemingly woven from strands of delicate holographic light.
He hesitated for a moment, then raised his finger and touched the panel.
Tick.
"Confirmation complete. Welcome to Arkaion."
SAI-01 gave a slight bow, then extended its hand in a graceful gesture—like a royal guide inviting an honored guest into a temple of light.
The city gate opened.
Hao Thien stepped inside, his eyes scanning everything in awe, like a child seeing a magical world for the first time.
The streets bustled with people, yet everything moved in perfect order. The citizens wore futuristic clothing—some even shimmered with subtle light that pulsed in rhythm with their emotions. A group of children laughed and played nearby, while a small floating robot hovered above them, acting like a watchful guardian.
The mixture of wonder and unfamiliarity made Hao Thien's heart race.
He continued forward, drawn toward a vast park opening up ahead—a place where glowing lakes shimmered under the artificial sky, and synthetic trees swayed gently in a perfectly controlled breeze.
l
"What is this? A public phone booth or something?"
Hao Thien stood in front of a translucent, human-sized capsule with silver metallic edges. Faint, mist-like lights shimmered softly within its walls.
"I suppose… you could call it that."
A familiar voice responded from beside him. SAI-01 had appeared without a sound, standing quietly by his side.
"Can you explain a bit more?"
Hao Thien narrowed his eyes, curiosity piqued.
SAI-01 gave a slight nod, her voice calm and measured—like a high-level AI presenting a system overview:
"This device is known as a Mind-Link Terminal. You can use it to access your own memories—or to establish communication with others who share a compatible mental frequency within Arkaion's expanded neural network."
Hao Thien blinked in surprise, taking half a step back.
"Connect with… memories?"
"That's correct,"
SAI-01 nodded again, continuing:
"By syncing brainwave patterns, the system can reconstruct your memories into interactive holographic projections—or immerse you in a recall state where you can relive them consciously. It can also scan for other individuals whose mental frequencies remain open, allowing for communication or location tracing."
"What if… they're unconscious? Or worse?"
SAI-01 lowered her head slightly.
"In such cases, the system will be unable to establish a connection. The signal will either be blocked or inaccessible."
Hao Thien stood in silence. He turned back to the Mind-Link Terminal before him, a quiet unease rising within—alongside a hundred questions about this new world… and the people he was still hoping to find.
"In the past few days… has anyone else from outside arrived in Arkaion?"
Hao Thien asked, his eyes filled with hope, though a hint of doubt lingered in his voice.
"Only you."
SAI-01 replied promptly, the tone steady as always—but it sounded as if it had quietly extinguished a fragile thread of hope.
Hearing that, Hao Thien frowned slightly, falling silent for a moment.
"If it's just me… then maybe they didn't make it here after all."
He murmured, his gaze growing distant, as if sinking into a stream of uncertain thoughts—tinged with disappointment, a trace of worry.
BOOM!
A dry explosion echoed from the open field behind the park, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.
Hao Thien jerked his head toward the sound, his eyes immediately drawn to a pulsing glow in the distance. Curiosity piqued, he quickly made his way along a narrow path, slipping through a section of a transparent energy fence that had been partially damaged.
As he reached the scene, he crouched behind a large tree and witnessed a sight that froze him in place:
Two young men were locked in an intense battle at the center of the open field.
Both wore futuristic combat gear, glowing with intricate patterns that pulsed with every movement. Each time they clashed, bursts of energy scattered like sparks, scorching the ground beneath their feet.
One wielded a sword of shimmering blue light, swift and fluid like a dancing breeze—his movements blurred like reflections on water. The other fought with a pair of gauntlets charged with energy, each punch landing like a hammer strike, unleashing shockwaves with every blow.
CRASH!
A heavy punch was intercepted by the glowing blade, releasing a wave of force that rippled outward. The two fighters leapt back, panting hard, sweat glistening on their serious faces.
The match seemed evenly matched—until—
One of them suddenly charged up a swirling energy blast and launched it straight toward… Hao Thien!
Before he could react—
Whoosh!
A blur shot in front of him. A new figure appeared out of nowhere, slashing through the blast with a wide arc of light.
BOOM!!
The surge of energy split apart mid-air, bursting into fragments of light that dissolved into the breeze. Hao Thien stumbled back a step, heart pounding.
The one who had saved him stood tall, back turned to Hao Thien, cloak fluttering lightly in the wind. His gaze locked onto the attacker, sharp and unwavering.
The air grew heavy—silent—as if a new phase of the battle was about to begin.
"You okay?"
The cold, low voice came from the young man who had just sliced through the wave of energy. He turned to look at Hao Thien, his gaze still as sharp as the blade in his hand.
Before Hao Thien could respond, the other young man rushed over.
"Are you alright? Come on, get up!"
He quickly reached out a hand to help Hao Thien, his face filled with concern and guilt.
"I'm fine. Thanks."
Hao Thien grabbed his hand and stood up, brushing dust off his clothes. His heart was still pounding from the shock of the explosion.
"Sorry about that… I didn't notice someone was standing there."
The young man scratched his head awkwardly and smiled sheepishly. Compared to the other one's icy demeanor, he seemed much more approachable.
"It's because you're still too weak."
The sword wielder spoke again, his voice cold as ice. He shot a side glance at his companion, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
"You can't even control your own attacks, and yet you call this training."
The atmosphere grew tense for a moment.
The other young man rolled his eyes and retorted,
"At least I stepped in to protect him. Not like someone who just swings a blade and acts all mysterious."
The two of them locked eyes again—this time, as if a new battle was about to begin… one made entirely of words.
Hao Thien stood between them, unsure whether to laugh or be worried.
"I'm Ta Tham, and the guy with the cold face and the sword is Luc Duong."
The cheerful young man introduced himself with a bright smile. His voice carried a warmth that contrasted sharply with the tension from earlier.
"Nice to meet you."
He extended his hand toward Hao Thien in a friendly gesture.
"Ah… I'm Tran Hao Thien. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Hao Thien smiled and gently shook Ta Tham's hand, feeling a bit more at ease now that the atmosphere had softened.