FF - Entry 8

The ruins of the previous night's battleground was practically the same way, in addition to the horrible stench of ammonia, mostly likely from the defeated creature.

Janeil, Pierre and a few other villagers had come to make sure nothing else was alive in the daylight.

"Some of those creature might have retreated back to the water. We'll never be able to find them." Pierre called down to Janeil.

The pool from the previous night had emptied out with the tide. Pierre was standing on the edge, Janeil in the bottom with his rifle, retrieving the gold "orb" that had opened the portal.

Janeil knew Pierre was right. But besides that, the orb was proving hard to find. Since it was glowing, he couldn't tell what the object's original color, shape or composition was, and all he saw were rocks and pebbles.

"We can't do anything about that. You'll just have to be careful if you run across them fishing or if they decide to come ashore back." Janeil's foot nudged a small sphere about the size of this hand that appeared to be made out of pure glass. Could it?

It was the only thing that seemed out of place. Picking it up, he tossed it up to Pierre and started to climb out of the pool.

"I don't know what to make of this." Pierre looked at the ruined altar. "I am just curious if Volus knew exactly what he was doing or your interference caused these events to happen."

"It was our fault; he destroyed it by trying to shoot us." Janeil answered grimly, not defending or condoning his actions. He waved his hand for everoyne to start leaving. "I'm just glad that it didn't end any worse."

"I suppose that I should be glad about that, too." Pierre started to follow him. "Tell me; what should me make of his possessions?"

"You can sort through them if you want; I guess Sophia wants you to keep them under lock and key because she either doesn't want anyone to mess with it or knows someone that can look at it in the future. I honestly don't know."

Janeil shrugged, letting the matter rest. He was getting somewhat tired of the events in Oceanus and preferred his bare apartement over all this drama.

"You know Sophia left again this morning," Pierre commented.

"Yeah; she told me." Janeil answered simply. He didn't have much to say on the matter.

"Through all of this, a cure hasn't been found for Tamilia. I sincerely hope that Sophia can find Elizabeth..."

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Later on that day, Pierre, Tamilia and Janeil were sitting underneath a large oak tree on a grassy
hill near the Doorway, waiting for Sophia to arrive.

Tamilia was securely held to Pierre's side with a strong but comforting arm, Janeil a foot away from him leaning against the tree.

Janeil was silent. "There may...be another way to help her if we can't find her soon."

Pierre looked at Janeil, trying to discern if he had a viable solution or he was just attempting to comfort him. Tamilia eyes fixiated on him in search of an answer.

"Another way?" Pierre asked slowly. "Do you know of something?"

"Well, sort of." Janeil stuck his hands in his pockets. "You know that I'm from a different world from Sophia, right?"

Pierre nodded, letting Janeil continue.

"My world has advanced medical technology and biological sciences. They might be able to find out what's wrong with her and maybe even cure her...."

"Yes?"

"But if we bring her, questions will be asked. I don't have money for someone private to look at her. And even then, if its something really strange, there might not be a cure..." Janeil shook his head.

"I see..." Pierre murmred.

"I don't get it." Janeil turned to Pierre momentarily. "We've cataloged the human genome. We can genetically engineer artificial syntethic humans and meld some technology with organisms. But we can't cure cancer or AIDS..."

"It's all right...nobody is telling you that you have to find a cure..." Pierre patted his shoulder. "But thank you for the offer."

Janeil didn't say anything in response as he stared at the village and the ocean from his vantage point.

"What did you use to be?" Tamilia asked timidly.

Janeil looked at the two skeptically. "Do you really want an honest answer to that?"

"Why yes. Why wouldn't you tell?"

Janeil sighed. Tamilia was fairly innocent in the ways of the world; was it her being sick that made her think this way?

"I...was a soldier." Janeil didn't look at either of them, trying to give them the most simple answer possible.

"I see..." Pierre studied Janeil. "Who or what were you fighting for?"

Janeil sighed. He didn't want to give an explanation because it would entail another story in itself. But he could try to 'dumb' it down to their level and keep it brief as possible.

"My world travels to other worlds...using a vehicle we call a starship. We-"

"A starship?" Pierre raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Just like you use a boat to go across the ocean, we use a starship to go to different stars and planets. They're very massive, made of metal and built with the most complex techologies our society has to offer." He explained.

"Anyway...despite my world pushing itself into space, there's still hostilites between people there. Then to make matters worse; we found other people and other creatures out there. Aliens. Some were friendly...some weren't."

"My world put together an initiative to defend humanity's interests in space called the Unite d Earth Alliance. That's who I was fighting for."

Pierre looked glazed over for a second, but seemed to grasp the concept. Tamilia didn't say a word.

"So...how long did you fight for?" Tamilia asked.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, three months. I fought in two battles; and in my second one I sustained serious injuries. I got discharged after that. That's when Sophia asked me to help her."
"I see."

There was silence amongst them once again as they waited.