"If this doesn't remind me of Sonic and the Secret Rings, I don't know what does..."

Jeno was always a big Sonic fan.

He's played nearly all the games, even Sonic.exe, despite multiple people on Ethora and Earth cursing it's name.

It's not even scary...

"We should explore this place while looking for my companion~"

Jeno enthusiastically offered.

"I agree, except it'll be more like your companion will be looking for you"

"What do you mean hyung?"

"You'll see. But come on let's go~, I can't wait any longer~!"

Taeyong cheered, dashing into the desert-like city.

-

We came up to a market, and decided to grab a bite since we were all hungry. The foods were pretty foreign to us, but we all came to an agreement on one thing.

Beans and rice~. Yum yum~.

-

20 Minutes Later

-

After we were all satisfied, we left the market and just walked around. But Jeno kept complaining that he felt like we were being followed. None of us could tell since there was a shit ton of citizens in this city's population.

I don't know why, but one of the citizens stood out more than the others. It's almost like he was following us the way he kept showing up everywhere.

But in a flash, he was running towards Jeno and the rest of us.

"I knew it"

Jeno pulled out two weapons and blocked the stranger's attack.

His weapons looked like two Persian swords.

"Why that style Jeno?"

"Seems relevant to the location~"

Makes sense.

"We better give them some fighting space~"

Taeyong eagerly insisted, drawing a borderline around us and all the other citizens.

While they were battling, I noticed a few things. This stranger's speed was incredible, like none I've ever seen. And along with the little gun he was currently shooting at Jeno, he had a kunai in his other hand. Was he a ninja of some sort?

His kunai was definitely good for something. I analyzed it and realized that when he held it a certain way, his speed increased tenfold!

We thought this fight was gonna end with Jeno losing. But when the stranger was about to stab Jeno with his kunai, he swiftly dodged it and grabbed his wrist like it was nothing, despite the speed he was attacking with.

He pinned him down on the ground and the stranger surrendered.

"Impressive~"

The stranger sighed, amused with his defeat.

That's the first time I've heard any foreign creature speak today. I'm actually quite surprised.

Jeno helped him up, and politely asked for his name.

"My name is Zachariah"

He introduced himself, shapeshifting into his Ethorian form.

"Are you from here?"

"I am, but I don't usually stay around here for too long. I'm a nomad"

"So cool~"

Chenle clapped in complete interest.

So he's technically not a citizen to this city. Well, the more you know~.

"I would like to accompany you on your travels, Master Jeno"

He admitted, kneeling before Jeno.

"Aish... You don't have to do that. I don't want you to consider me your master. Just consider me as your friend~"

Zachariah looked a bit shocked and confused, but he agreed.

"Now then~, on to Renjun's companion~"

Taeyong cheered, taking us to the next stop.

-

"I know how much you like plants Renjunie, so I thought this would be the perfect place for you~"

I hugged Taeyong before he could say another word.

This was a sweet haven for me.

"Thanks so much hyung~"

"No problem cutie~, now go find your companion~"

I nodded and went on my way.

-

I may have gotten a 'bit' distracted from my task. The surroundings here are so beautiful. How could I not want to explore it? After walking for a while, I decided to sit by the water.

Soon, a cute white fox came up to me. I love foxes~.

It seemed like the other creatures that the others came across. It came up to me, and it didn't seem like it wanted to leave. I tried touching it, but it backed away.

"Guess you're not the one, huh little guy?"

The fox just looked to the water as a response.

I looked to the water too, and my soul nearly left my body.

Holy son of a drunk mosquito. How did I not notice this big ass dragon before?!

"Please tell me you're friendly..."

I shook as I held my hand up to the dragon. I was expecting it to bite my hand off, but it just moved its head into my hand.

Cuuuuute.

As if to add to my problems, the plants and trees around the three of us closed up the way back to the others. I could hear them trying to use their powers to cut through the plants. Even their companions tried to help, but no dice.

"Use your power"

The hell?

I looked behind me to see some guy sitting in the water.

He must be the dragon!

I pulled him out of the water to ask what he meant.

"What power?"

"You really don't know? You can manipulate even the most stubborn of plants. But don't destroy these plants. They're only trying to protect you. They think you're in danger"

He explained.

"Can I just talk to them?"

"That should work, yes"

I picked up the fox, and we made our way to the wall of plants.

I caressed the plants with my free hand, and spoke to them with a gentle tone.

"You don't have to protect me yet. I'm not in danger. If you must protect someone, protect the creatures in this place. I'll be proud of you all either way~"

Nothing happened for a moment, but the plants actually understood and started to depart from the others!

I really can manipulate plants... But, how did he know...?

"Renjunie~, you unlocked another power~!"

Taeyong cheered.

"Plant Manipulation to be exact~"

Jisung informed happily.

"And I see you found your partner! Or partners?"

"Nah. Just one partner Mark-hyung. This guy was a dragon in that lake over there. He helped me use my power. And this fox just doesn't want to leave, so I'm keeping him too~"

"That's so sweeeet~"

"I'm soft again, don't touch me"

Jaemin and Jeno cooed once more.

"Well now that we're done here, I want to take you guys somewhere before we go home"

Taeyong insisted, teleporting us to the last mystery location.

-

"Where in the name of Tokyo Ghoul are we???"

"Bro! That anime is boss!!"

"Oh my gosh yes!!"

"But what is this place anyway hyung?"

Mark asked, after he and Donghyuck had their little otaku session.

"This is where I used to live"

"WHAT?¡"

Everyone shrieked in unison.

"Of course I had to move though. Here in this city, there was a war between Ethorians and Machines, like this broken down piece of rust here"

Taeyong informed, showing us the broken down machine in front of us.

"What city was this?"

"It's formally known as Xanta"

I've heard of this city before.

It was famous for their advanced machines, but the civilization had a major Great War. And because of that, the city was destroyed completely, never to return. The city we live in now starts with an X too. Our city is known as Xieyling. I don't know about anyone else, but-

"That name kinda reminds me of Code Lyoko"

"I know right?! So similar to Xana!"

"ExAcTlY!"

Lucas and Jungwoo chatted amongst themselves.

They actually said what I was thinking.

Wait-

"HoW tHe HeLl CaN wE hEaR tHeM tAlKiNg?¡"

Everyone shout-asked Taeyong.

Our companions just looked at us all with perplexed expressions.

"Oh I forgot to mention~. Anyone who knows about the existence of my regalias can hear them in their weapon forms. I'll drop the science on the rest of you newbies later~"

He informed.

-

Taeyong wanted to walk around his abandoned home more, so we all agreed to it.

"Hyung? What was it like here, before and after the war?"

I asked, hoping he wouldn't get offended.

"It was a long time ago..."

Guess he's ok with it.

"I lived here with my parents and my sister. We had a family shrine where we lived at together. We granted everyone's wishes, well...those who were making wishes for good purposes anyway. It was fun watching my parents and my sister grant these wishes. Since I was the youngest, I wanted to follow in their footsteps. But there's a catch to being a god. As you may know, gods are born from wishes, but if they're forgotten, they disappear all together. The machines..., they started to take over. Barely anyone came to our shrine anymore. Then one day, they all just disappeared... I wondered to myself why I was still alive, but then I realized why. There was only one person who remembered me"

"Who hyung?"

"This kid... He used to come by our shrine all the time with his parents. I'm guessing, that even though his parents forgot me and my family, he never stopped thinking about me. But anyway, soon after they disappeared, the machines almost destroyed everyone in the city. But I guess, they never got to destroy it completely, just everyone in it but none of the buildings or anything..."

Everyone was silent.

That's probably why he acted the way he did before he revealed himself to us. He really wasn't used to being around people, and he had a lot of thoughts in his head to hold back.

It all makes sense now.

"Oh yay! We're here!"

Taeyong cheered for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

It was pretty dark, but we came up to this huge place that looked like someone had lived in it before.

"Hyung is this...?"

"Yeah! This was our old shrine~!"

Everyone looked around with shock at how it looked.

It really was abandoned. I can only imagine what it must've looked like in the past.

"Hey hyung? Who's that over there by that cement post?"

Chenle asked, pointing up ahead of us.

Taeyong looked toward the direction he was pointing in, as did all of us, and we saw the figure Chenle was referring to. Taeyong ran towards the figure and got down to its level. He looked at the figure for a few seconds, and soon picked it up and came back to us. He came back with a smaller boy with cat ears and a tail. They were kinda like Chenle's, but his were black.

He looked like he was pretty sick. He must've stayed out here for a long time. Taeyong teleported us back to the lab without a second thought, and scurried off to the infirmary. All of us, including our companions, followed him.

He set the boy down on one of the beds, and started to scan him to see what was wrong with him.

"Hyung, who is this kid?"

Jeno asked the question we were all dying to know the answer to.

"Oh...sorry. I panicked and ran off again didn't I?"

We all nodded in unison, still awaiting his answer.

"He's the kid from back then..."