Everyone else wished it was them. Wati could see it in their eyes. Onward, they would talk about how she had somehow bribed the giants. Although by then, she would be nowhere near the Eightieth Legion.

  Wati marched away from the encampment, avoiding as much eye contact as possible. The equipment she was carrying now felt like a bunch of feathers sticking on her.

  Was it a blessing from Visha that she was plucked out of the group of people who didn't respect her? She indeed hoped it was, but she hadn’t expected Visha’s grace to reach her so soon, especially after she had insulted Her.

  Wati raised her face, gazing at Gray Katie. She might be relieved of her laborious chores, but more arduous tasks await. She would see the enemy with her own eyes for the first time — something that worried her the most.

  Wati gripped her spear tighter, putting faith in the giants. She recalled what the pandhita had said that morning in the temple: the light at the end of His promise was only a brief respite, and an even greater struggle lay beyond.

  The giants greeted her warmly. Even Gray Katie raised her cannon in Wati’s presence. It evoked joy that Wati hadn't felt since Aryo's passing. Genesis put her on Gray Katie's hull.

  “Thank you so much for having me aboard,” Wati said, making polite gestures. “Though, I still don't know how I can help much.”

  Genesis waved at her. “We'll figure it out along the way,” she said.

  The golden-haired giant looked exceptionally vibrant now, despite her outburst earlier.

  “Why me, though, out of the champions that the general has given you?”

  Genesis and Caitlyn looked at each other. The latter smiled first, and Genesis smiled shortly after.

  “I have always wanted to steer a tank,” Genesis said. “No one wanted me because they didn’t believe I could. Until one day…” Genesis looked at Caitlyn. “A tank commander, who was still lacking a driver, kindly said: ‘Come, you'll be proficient in no time’. I finally got to prove myself that day.”

  Caitlyn nodded but suddenly leaned toward Genesis as if realizing something.

  “Wait,” Caitlyn said to Genesis. “I didn't say tha–”

  Genesis slapped Caitlyn before she could finish. Caitlyn retaliated, causing Genesis to shield her head with her hands.

  Wati chuckled. “That's a great motive. I'm sure they will be proud of you.”

  “Oh they will be,” Genesis said.

  Wati suddenly thought of the general's glare. Something told her it wasn't about the giants picking their option — rather, it was personal.

  “Any issue, Wati?” The golden-haired giantess said.

  “N-nothing.” Wati rubbed the shaft of her spear. “I…I’ll do my best to help.”

  “That’s the spirit,” Genesis said, gesturing at Wati.

  “This is great!” Gray Katie said. “We’re going to spend so much time together.”

  “Watch the skies though, Katie,” Caitlyn said to the tank.

  Wati briefly looked around. “Isn’t Mey coming with you?”

  “She’s over there,” Genesis said, pointing. “With your general and his retinue, being a hostage. Though she would prefer the word: envoy.”

  Wati turned her attention to that direction. “I think you’ve been too harsh on her.”

  Genesis chuckled. “Don’t be silly. She assisted the man who ran the country back home. That was the least violent response that she could get from the people.”

  “O-okay…” Wati recalled when Genesis was about to punch Mey’s face.

  Genesis rested her head on her arm. “Maybe I did go too far there.”

  “Maybe you have your reasons,” Wati said.

  “We didn’t know what she was trying to do until she spoke to the general,” Genesis said. “She only told us to trust her. I can’t do that. I’m a soldier, not a politician — my life is on the line.”

  Wati flattened her lips and looked down. During the deployment at Cak Wu Fields, she was only told to follow her Command Charm and everything would be fine. If only they revealed the plan with greater details that day; perhaps she could have prevented Aryo's passing.

  “What's the name of your general, by the way?” Genesis said.

  “General Sengkolo Sengkal Sing Olo Olo.”

  “That's a long name. Is there any way to shorten it?”

  “That would be disrespectful,” Wati said. “His real name is Sengkolo Kartokono. ‘Sengkal Sing Olo Olo’ is his title, which roughly means: Repeller of Terrible Things.”

  “Interesting.” Genesis lifted her head from her arm and leaned closer. “He must have done something great.”

  “He did,” Wati said. “He kept our enemy at bay for more than five decades. That itself is a feat of its own, not to mention his other achievements before he was appointed the Commander of the PNS.”

  Genesis turned her attention to Caitlyn. “Well, what do you think, Thornbaker?”

  Caitlyn's eyes were elsewhere. Her head lethargically rested on her left hand. Half of her body was submerged in Gray Katie. It took seconds before the chocolate-haired giant turned her attention.

  “Were you calling me?” Caitlyn said.

  Wati saw Genesis roll her eyes and gazed at Gray Katie's turret.

  “I was…actually talking to Gray Katie, of course not!” Genesis slapped the tank, her eyes fixed on Caitlyn with vexation. “Who else has that title!?”

  “Well…” Caitlyn shrugged. “Sorry…”

  “You see, Wati,” Genesis said, pointing her thumb at Caitlyn. “Ignoring her tendency to daydream, you should be taking notes from her. She is the cheapest mechanical humanoid made by the local factory yet she managed to snatch a title.”

  “That's too much credit, Genesis. You know I couldn't do it without you,” Caitlyn said, flustering. She then laid her right hand on her chest. “And PT.”

  “Oh…” Wati alternated her gaze between the two giants. “Wait, you two are machines too?”

  “I mean, it should be obvious from our glowing eyes.” Genesis pointed at her eyes.

  “Hey Wati,” Gray Katie said. “Is it possible for us foreigners to attain a title bestowed by your people?”

  Wati rubbed her chin. “Maybe if you could localize your name to Akk-Soro.”

  Genesis looked at Caitlyn.

  “No,” Caitlyn said.

  Genesis looked at Gray Katie.

  “Perhaps this can be done another time. Disclaimer: no intention to belittle the language.”

  Genesis tilted her head and looked up.

  “Korina…Mijarikawati…” Genesis looked at Wati. “Oh hey, your name is there too.”

  Wati shrugged, half-smiling. “I’m not surprised.”

  “Was that supposed to be Mey's name?” Caitlyn said.

  “Who else?” Genesis said.

  Tangguh rode up to them. Wati blinked, her gaze lingering on the colonel. An officer of his rank should be surrounded by aides and guards, but he had none. He kept his head high, despite the dents and grazes on his officer-issue armor. His quiet authority seemed out of place, but Wati thought it suited him as a young colonel and an excellent fighter.

  Wati was lifted down. Tangguh dismounted and approached her. A pack was gripped tight by his left hand, a bundle of scrolls protruding out of its strapped mouth.

  “Welcome to your first day,” Tangguh said, giving his right hand.

  Wati shook it. “Thank you.”

  Tangguh gave her a scroll. It stated that she was part of the Search and Discover Corps from now on. Wati’s attention was fixed on the sentence that said she would be working directly under Tangguh.

  Tangguh then gave her a hand-sized metallic case. A purple crystal was installed within.

  “That wadang,” Tangguh said, pointing at the case in Wati’s hand. “Is tuned with the one inside here.” Tangguh pulled out another case that looked the same from his pouch. “If you ever need anything, use it to call me.”

  They took a moment to make sure that the device was working. Tangguh then gave her a tablet encased in a dark gray metallic frame.

  When Wati turned it on, glowing lines appeared on the screen, forming the shape of Mananggal, its provinces, geographical features, and major cities. When she touched it with two fingers and moved them apart from each other, the magnification increased. More glowing lines appeared, pinpointing smaller towns and villages that weren't shown previously. When she touched it with two fingers and moved them closer to each other, the magnification decreased. The smaller towns and villages disappeared from the screen. She could also swipe around to examine the regions of Mananggal hidden by the edges of the screen.

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  Wati's mouth was left gaping. What else did the Sultanate have that she still didn't know of?

  “Relieve Fort Nungging,” Tangguh said, handing Wati another scroll. “Take this scroll to the garrison commander, General Senopati Saben Dino Panandur Bakti. Do not delegate it to anyone else, make sure it reaches him from your hands.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Tangguh crossed his arms. “Since we're going to be working together, I think it would be best if you drop the formality. Just call me Tangguh.”

  “Yes, Tangguh.”

  Wati flattened her lips, her attention shifted to Tangguh's left hand. She rubbed her fingers together as her body became shaky.

  “You should probably get going now.” Tangguh handed her the pack filled with scrolls. “With Fort Nungging besieged, the Wankers are free to raid the countryside. They're spotted in the vicinity of Ke Jembaren.”

  Wati's eyes widened — it was her home. She asked Genesis for a lift. The giant sprung into action, with rapid and precise movements befitting a machine. Genesis handed her to Caitlyn, who then put her inside.

  “Be careful!” Tangguh said, though his voice was barely heard as Wati entered Gray Katie.

  Wati was placed on a soft platform between where Genesis and Caitlyn were sitting. She marveled at the complex machinery infesting the place. Every bit looked like they had their purpose. For her, the place was spacious enough. For the giants, however, it was cramped.

  The screen in the middle turned on. There was a horizontal line that looked like it was tied to a knot on both sides of the screen. There were also inscriptions of characters that were alien to her.

  “Welcome aboard, Wati,” Gray Katie said, the horizontal line wiggling like plucked strings.

  Wati smiled at the screen as she put all her stuff down. Other than the otherworldly mechanisms that she dared not approach, everything else felt like a fort’s bunk.

  Wati activated the tablet that Tangguh had given her — the Skawan-N — and examined the path leading to Fort Nungging in the section of Firdha Ridge that bordered Madsen Heights. A line glowed, highlighting the roads that led them to the fort. As soon as Wati pointed the way, Gray Katie cruised forth.

  ***

  To avoid trampling on local farmlands, Wati had to constantly reroute the path that Gray Katie had to take. Her exhausting effort was often fruitless as several farmlands were just unavoidable. Wati had to deal with the pestering locals who got their lands damaged. The scroll that Tangguh had given her to deal with the particular issue didn’t stop the locals from making additional, and annoying, requests to compensate for their loss. Consequently, they were stuck in Nadin Strip for three days.

  Aryo’s mother was in danger and these locals were delaying her. She even told them that, but they were nonchalant. Wati understood now why the rich served their own interest — their disregard for the lower class was legitimate.

  Unable to retaliate, her newfound ire against her people quickly became tears. Wati asked the giants to stop at an elevated ground where the sky was unobstructed.

  When night fell, Wati prayed to Visha on top of Gray Katie’s turret, prostrating twenty times. She asked for Her help so that she could reach Aryo’s mother as soon as possible. The silver gaze of the moon granted her tranquility. Wati inhaled deeply, the nightly breeze refreshing her lungs.

  “Glory to Thee, Visha,” Wati said, feeling Her presence. She looked at the moon and smiled. “Praise the Three…the Holy…the Almighty.”

  After making the gesture, Wati returned to the chamber where Genesis and Caitlyn were sitting. Caitlyn helped to get her inside. The giant slept thereafter. Wati praised Visha one more time before succumbing to a sweet drowsiness.

  “Mom! Dad!” Wati heard her voice.

  The crackling fires all around didn't daunt her one bit. There was no sign of her father wherever she looked. Her mother was lying still beside her bed, her body waiting to be consumed by the fire.

  Wati's legs moved, taking her closer to her mother. A figure suddenly stood in the way. Wati fell after stumbling against them. Their face hid under the hood of their black robe, save for their eyes that were glaring at her with hate.

  “W-why?” Wati heard herself say. “Why are you doing this?”

  The figure kneeled and yanked her clothes, traces of their veins were visible on their fist.

  “Death to the traitors.”

  He pushed Wati away and stood up. His raised hands held a greatsword with a snaking blade. Wati's eyes widened as its sharp edge fell on her.

  Wati woke up just in time for the dawn prayer. She rubbed her hands on the seat, picking up dust which she then smeared over her face, arms, and hair. Wati emptied her mind before she assumed the prayer posture and began reciting the prayer verses.

  The screen in the middle was activated after Wati folded her prayer robe. “Are you finished?” Gray Katie said.

  Wati tilted her head. The screen switched to show a crowd of farmers surrounding Gray Katie. Wati flattened her lips, wishing that the torches in their hands were for illumination purposes. She steeled herself before asking for a lift.

  “Please ride over my land,” one of them said. “Crush all my crops if you have to.”

  The statement left Wati agape. She studied the farmer, looking for hints that he was playing around.

  “Hey, ride over mine too!” another farmer said.

  The crowd quickly roused, with every person stating the same request.

  A smile formed on Wati’s face — Visha must have answered her prayers.

  Wati quickly rejoined the others. When Gray Katie trampled over the first farmland, the crowd cheered as if the war was already won. Genesis and Caitlyn shared a confused look, though it was quick for them to roll with it.

  Wati readjusted their path to the fort using the Skawan-N. Now that they could ride over farmlands, the path she came up with was less winding. The local farmers in the next village, and the villages after, also rejoiced when Gray Katie disrespected their hard work.

  Caitlyn told Wati to show the Skawan-N to Gray Katie. With the help of the giant, Wati was able to present it in front of a circular slit at the top of the middle screen. After holding it for several minutes, and occasionally readjusting magnifications per Gray Katie's request, Caitlyn returned Wati to the seat. She told her about how Wati no longer needed to actively navigate.

  They reached Surya Coast by sunset. Gray Katie rode onwards, often improvising the path leading to the fort.

  Wati undid her armor and sprawled on her bedroll. She took a deep breath, reveling in the leisure that she hadn't had since she joined the PNS. She then glanced at her cloth pack, in which her Mantra of Wellspring textbook resided. Now would be a good time to read it again after a while. Wati decided to close her eyes instead.

  Gray Katie reduced the interior lighting like she did for the past several nights. Wati raised her left arm to cover her eyes. She tried resting on her back, then her right shoulder, then her left shoulder, and so on. A soft rumbling filled the chamber. She didn't expect a vibrating bed could be such a nuisance.

  Wati woke up, not getting the rest she wanted. She was grateful to Visha regardless. Genesis was asleep and the screen in the middle was inactive. It was close to dawn prayer.

  “Had a good sleep?” Caitlyn said.

  Wati turned her attention to the giant and smiled. “Good enough for today.”

  Wati checked the Skawan-N. They would enter Madsen Heights soon. Wati was astonished at how they could cover a long distance in mere hours.

  “Gray Katie said you're not okay.”

  Wati glanced at the inactive screen. “Is she listening?”

  “Not right now.”

  Wati nodded. “I…I don't know how to put it…”

  “It's okay,” Caitlyn said, shrugging. “I'm not forcing you.”

  Wati fidgeted with her fingers and flattened her lips. “My parents…” she said, hesitating. “They were…assassinated.”

  Caitlyn's friendly expression suddenly turned solemn. She gazed at Wati the way a general gazed at a map of a battle.

  “That's…how I got into this mess,” Wati said, rubbing her right index finger on the bedroll. She then met Caitlyn’s pale blue eyes. “The culprit is still out there, no one cared to talk about them.”

  “D-did they burn your residence too?”

  “How did you know?”

  Caitlyn scratched her temple. “Lucky guess…please continue.” The giant gestured.

  Wati tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It happened when I was six. I'm twenty-five now, still young by our standards though.”

  “Where did you live after that?”

  “I lived with…” Wati covered her face, groaning. “I can't call him my boyfriend, but I want to. He's the son of one of my father's servants. We were just…so close…” Wati pulled her legs close and wrapped her arms around them.

  Once, and only once we're satisfied with everything…let's get married.

  “...yet so far.”

  “Don't you have relatives, uncles, or aunts with whom you could live?”

  Wati shook her head. “None of them wants me.” Wati looked down. “They said I would be a burden.” Her chest felt tight remembering what they had said to her when she asked to live with them. Wati sniffed.

  “I'm so sorry…”

  A tear fell from her right eye. “Do you…remember what the general said about what had happened to me?”

  “I…” Caitlyn flattened her lips. She sighed deeply. “Y-you didn't finish your ration on time–”

  “I couldn't!” Wati said, her voice was as loud as thunder in a storm.

  Caitlyn caught her breath.

  “Aryo perished that day!” Wati sobbed, her fists clenching. “I lost my parents…my home…then a person that I love!” Wati put her right hand on her chest. “And they expect me to just…move on?”

  Wati's tears ran free. She realized how weak she was. How was it fair that Vahsani bestowed her a burden of this scale to bear?

  Wati felt a gentle touch on her head, then on her back. Caitlyn was stroking her. The giant's comfortable touch felt alien. Wati couldn't tell whether it was due to their strange nature, or whether no one had ever treated her this way since that night.

  “Bless you, Wati,” Caitlyn said. “Despite your tribulations, you kept marching on. That itself is admirable.”

  Still crying, Wati leaned against the giant's hand. It took her back to the cradle of her mother.

  “Because Vahsani forbids us from taking our lives.”

  “And you complied…regardless of what had happened to you,” Caitlyn said, her tone calm yet full of spirit. “What's that if not determination?”

  Wati sniffed while wiping her eyes. “I…” She then fished for the tickslate inside her pack. Dawn's prayer had arrived.

  “I’ll…be right back.”

  Wati abluted with dust from the seat. She put on her robe and stood, concentrating and reciting the pre-prayer affirmation. Her left hand rested on her stomach and overlapped by her right hand. Wati kept her eyes closed as she murmured the essential verses. She prostrated two times before standing up again, repeating the process for the second — and final — time.

  Seated on her calf, Wati raised her hands to chest level and praised the Almighty Three. Her heart reached out to Them, reciting her wish: protection, perseverance, and peace. She ended the prayer with the gesture. Wati inhaled deeply.

  “Feeling better?” Caitlyn said as Wati folded her robe.

  Wati smiled. “With Their permission…” She locked her hands on her lap, her fingers rubbing each other. “I'm sorry I yelled at you.”

  “Does your chest feel lighter?”

  Wati touched her chest. “I guess…”

  Caitlyn smiled. “Then don't worry about it.”

  “Thank you so much, by the way…” Wati said, flattening her lips. “I…really need to get that out.”

  “Anytime,” Caitlyn said, handing her clenched left hand.

  Wati clenched her right hand and put it against Caitlyn's. She replied to the giant's firm gaze in kind. The pale blue light shining from Caitlyn's eyes brought not only Visha's solace but also Vahsani's will.

  Wati suddenly felt something was missing. She looked back at her belongings — everything she had brought on board was there. Yet the feeling wouldn’t go away.