The following dawn, after setting an alarm, Tiffy took it upon herself to wake the tired members of their allied group, who were still recovering from the exhausting night before.
"Wake up, guys! No time to waste—we need to get moving as soon as possible!" she called out, clapping her hands as she moved from room to room.
Slowly, the group stirred and soon gathered, ready for breakfast served by their hosts. After refreshing themselves, they prepared to meet Chief Elias before departing.
Nick stepped forward and spoke respectfully, "Chief, we thank you for your kindness and hospitality. We've acquired all the necessary weapons and supplies from Dr. Orville. Last night was fun, but I'm sure most of us are still sleepy—except Jenny, who had some bonding time with Billy. Now, if we may have your permission to leave? We've left our contacts with the communication director and will stay in touch if anything comes up. Oh, and we also got anesthetic medicine and herbal first aid supplies from Dr. Orville, just in case of emergencies."
Before Chief Elias could respond, Mikal asked curiously, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but does Dr. Orville believe in divine supremacy like the communication director?"
A brief silence fell before Chief Elias cleared his throat and replied, "I truly appreciate your stay here. It was worthwhile getting to know each other during the bonfire activities and learning about your mission. We're glad to have helped you with supplies and look forward to supporting you further if needed. As for Dr. Orville, I believe he does acknowledge a supreme being. Many people have different gods based on their backgrounds, but most agree on one superior God above all. You probably noticed the communication director's headscarf—that is part of his religious beliefs."
"Thanks for clarifying, Chief," Nick said. "I'm sure the gems will truly symbolize holiness, power, and authority. Now, can I ask about the routes ahead? What are the chances we'll encounter wild animals? Like hyenas, or maybe even teleporting creatures?"
Chief Elias laughed lightly. "Teleporting creatures? Not that I know of any,in large numbers. But you will definitely come across wild animals roaming these lands—seeking food and satisfying their instincts. It's a natural ecosystem. I'm an animal lover myself, and I urge you to be kind to the animals. But also be prepared to defend yourselves against possessed animals, as the government's protocols allow that. The best advice I can give is to find safe, discreet pathways—don't go around boldly disturbing the wildlife. Carry some meat, herbs, and fruit to pacify animals if necessary. Be holy in your adventures—that's my point."
"Hahaha! Now you're sounding like a preacher," Tiffy joked. "But yes, we have to get going. Chief, could you please hand over some of the supplies you mentioned? We need to gear up and find those safe paths. We removed the tracking lump from Mikal, so I'm confident we won't face any more teleporting incidents. The gems regulate the monitoring spirits, so they shouldn't be able to possess any threatening power."
Chief Elias nodded. "I think you're right. Let me fetch the supplies for you."
As the chief departed, the group gathered to discuss their next steps.
"Okay, who's leading this next phase?" Jasmine asked suddenly.
"I think a man should lead this time," Mikal suggested.
"Which of the guys wants to lead? Definitely not Mikal—he's still healing," Jasmine said.
Lama, William, and John exchanged puzzled looks.
"Let's just spin a bottle between the three of you. If anyone doesn't want to lead, they can opt out," Jasmine proposed.
Tiffy grabbed a bottle and gave it a spin. It landed on John.
"John, you'll lead us this time," Tiffy declared.
"Sounds good. What about the map to Mt. Volta? Nick, did you finish decoding everything from your research?" Jasmine asked.
"Yes, everything's in place now. No need to worry—we've trained hard," Nick replied confidently.
"Don't let division blind us again," Tiffy warned. "It keeps us apart more than we realize."
Soon Chief Elias returned with the supplies. They packed quickly, waved their goodbyes to the chief and villagers, and set off. John led the group through safe paths across the vast, wild parklands, holding the sketched map firmly.
"This area is so dry. The grass shows it—it must be a seasonal region with little rain, maybe once or twice a year. I wonder how agriculture is possible here," John mused.
Elizabeth added thoughtfully, "Maybe they trap water, or the people are nomads who travel long distances to dams or wells. One thing's for sure—they're resourceful."
Jenny chimed in, "What kinds of animals do they keep? I saw cows."
"Probably cows, sheep, goats—typical livestock for nomads. They barter with other villages and make their own attire, sandals, beads, and necklaces," William explained.
"Necklaces? Shouldn't we have taken some? Or are there special ones required by the puzzle book?" Tiffy asked curiously.
"Half necklaces, as the puzzle book says. That makes sense," Nick agreed.
"Oh, you're still talking about the better half? Shouldn't I feel confident about getting mine back?" Tiffy teased.
Nick flirted back, "Since we're cycling side by side, does that mean no one can be raised above the other?"
"We're on equal footing. Where you cycle, I cycle at the same pace. It's best if it stays that way," Tiffy replied.
"The future is uncertain. A lot can happen—from the puzzle book's outcomes to... well, honestly, Tiffy, I like Jenny, Elizabeth, and others too. So I'm praying the puzzle book favors us—it's the only thing that might save our marriage," Nick admitted.
"If the gems are the last hope for saving our marriage, I'm still confident I'll get my better half back. I don't want to sink into more depressions when I'm away from you—even if I offended you blindly," Tiffy said earnestly.
"You'll get your better half—but at a cost. You'll have to compensate your victims and lock up those who took advantage of you. From what I understand, you were drunk and coerced unconsciously," Nick said.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I'll compensate my victims and make sure justice is served," Tiffy promised.
They laughed. "Okay, Tiffy the tough girl. Now, what about the baby you're carrying and Andrew?"
"What about them? I left Andrew with my dad. As for the baby, I don't know the gender yet, but I'm cautious about my situation."
"I mean, they're safe, but how do we raise them if we make it out alive? We're apart a lot—school, work, careers."
"That's a challenge for sure. We'd have to be honest with them. Seeing them occasionally through the year doesn't seem so bad."
"As long as you stop flirting with other boys, sober up, and stay off social media unless you're campaigning for your dad."
"I promise to be faithful. The lack of communication made me think you forgot about me or were cheating. That's why I got depressed so easily. Reaching you was hard—you were always busy."
"I was busy, yes—studying, planning missions, training, sports. I'm sorry if I made you feel alienated. But you have to understand my situation."
"I do understand. I'm studying too, active in sports and social media rooting for my dad. But your ignoring me made me turn to other men to fill the void. Drunkenness made me cheat blindly. Maybe I should just post you alone on social media—wouldn't that make you happy?"
"It would! Posting me with a wedding ring. Did you post our marriage photos yet?"
"Not yet. I hesitated because of rumors I was dating a popular sportsperson. But if we survive, I'll post all our wedding photos—and you as my main guy."
"That sounds so Facebook of you. Anyway, this cold war is over. I appreciate how you've come through for all of us. We all embrace you—you're very important to the group."
"Thanks, Nick, and everyone else. I'm glad you still accept me after that saga when we got lost. I promise to keep quiet during crises."
"You have freedom of expression, association, and movement. We're not trying to pressure you too much," Nick assured her.
"But Nick, you're my better half. You'll discover so much more walking beside me on these journeys."
"Much more? What do you mean? That sounds like a warning to anyone else around!"
"I love equity and equality, but with you, I've promised exaltations—social media glorifications, adornments, and all that. It might attract envy, but by law, that's how I treat my better half."
"By law? Hmph. Looks like you're confident we won't get divorced! I'm not against you—I love every girl equally too. I just hope the gems save our marriage and bring us abundant love."
"Nick, ever since childhood, every move I made to protect you wasn't evil, even if others saw it that way. I just gave those who hurt you to their own hunters. They got hunted. It's not my fault I hurt those who hurt you—I just became clever. That should show you how subtle I am when it comes to you."
"What do you mean by 'giving them to their hunters'? Did you accuse them to their accusers?"
"It means all your childhood bullies had bullies too—coincidentally. I warned them through sly letters to stay away from you or else hand them over to their bullies. If a week passed and they continued, I bribed their bullies to handle them until they left you alone. They learnt the hard way."
"Wow, that's justice. I love that you did everything to protect me. You really did love me after all. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
"Stay close to me—that's how you reciprocate those past flirting gestures," Tiffy said with a smile as they continued cycling. The group maintained an honorable silence, respecting the personal nature of their conversations.