Pete swung the machete now, and it sang in his hand, cutting branches and fat, fleshy leaves.

Exploring this place was definitely better than the simulations he had run on Hope. Looking down, he saw some tiny insects settling on his legs, but they did not seem to do any harm.

"Look," Charlene said, her hand pointing skywards, to the right of them.

Gazing up, Pete saw three birds. No, not birds, they looked different from their terrestrial equivalents that he had seen on VR. For one, they seemed huge, even though that was hard to tell from a distance. And their wings weren't feathers. They were crimson, slightly translucent sails that glittered where the sun hit them.

"Cool!" he said, wondering if he should try to shoot one down. But he decided against it. They had to find Ralph first.

"How far's my brother away from here?" he asked Claudio.

"About one kilometer," Claudio answered. At our present pace, we should see him within the next fifteen minutes.

Thinking of Ralph, he realized that he had forgiven him. This world was a miracle, a wonderland, and it seemed to offer everything that his heart craved for—and more.

And he owed his presence here to Ralph.

Yes, he owed Ralph. And he was proud of his little brother for having dared to act where he, himself, had hesitated.