66 Volume 3: Building a New World

It seemed like her life was just eating "marble candies" and sleeping for a very long time. At first she didn't think there was anything odd about what she was doing, but as time went on, she began to suspect that what she was doing was… abnormal.

That everything about her whole situation was just… strange.

She woke up with her stomach gnawing itself in a raging and ferocious hunger, again, and looked at the light. He was sitting just a little off to the side, just out of reach. It was hard for her to focus due to the sleepy and hungry feelings still swirling inside her.

"Hey… Mister…"

"Hm?"

"..why… am I… so hungry?"

"Because you are very weak."

"I… am?"

"Yes. The hunger is because you are weak and you need nourishment."

"…do the.. marbles.. make me strong?"

"In small increments."

"…but the hunger doesn't go away…"

"They are too small for that. It is like droplets of water on a scorched land. You need a real rain to fix the weakness in you."

"Do you have anything like that?"

He shook his head. "If you desire something larger, you must get it yourself."

"…but can't you…?"

He leaned forward slightly. "I am a guest in this place and bound by limitations. What I have given you is what I am able. And what I've given you are not simple candies shaped as marbles, but water and wood elements from nature. If you desire them in bigger quantities, you must get them yourself."

"Is that something I can do…?"

"I said this at the beginning, this is your world. You make the rules. You know what water and wood feels like, tastes likes, smells like, so seek them out and bring them in. Draw them into your world. They are near you, it will be easy if you try."

"Can I have some of those marbles while I—"

"No." Despite his facial expression not changing, it seemed to harden. "The hunger is motivation that keeps you awake. This world is yours. Make your own food to satisfy yourself."

She whimpered, more frustrated than hurt by his sudden hard-hearted behavior. But the hunger was still there and he was right. The hunger overpowered the desire to sleep.

What had he said? She knew what water and wood feels like, tastes like, smells like… smell… if she sniffed hard enough.. Could she find more? She concentrated, her angry stomach driving her, and she was surprised to find the smell of wood and water nearby.

She shakily stood up and started following the smell. Unnoticed, the light stood up as well, staying a few steps behind her.

After a little while, she found a spring that bubbled up from the ground and right next to it a full grown apple tree, both were giving off an intense fragrant scent. The ground spring was pushing water up and over some large rocks, creating an almost artful mini-waterfall; while the the tree was laden with brilliant looking apples of all sizes and colors.

She stumbled to the water, sticking her face in the small waterfall and drinking greedily. She drank for a very long time before she felt her thirst was somewhat quenched. Then she turned to the tree and started grabbing apples and devouring them.

Locusts were more civilized at eating than she was in that moment. No matter how much she ate, the tree seemed to produce limitless amounts of apples. When the edge to her hunger finally lessened, she sat down with a thump, dazed.

"I don't understand this place." She finally said, looking at the light.

"If it bothers you, simply change it."

"I'm tired though."

"Then sleep first."

"…ok…"

She curled back into a ball and slept again. The light moved closer to her and looked down at her still, sleeping form. His hand reached out, as if to touch her, before stopping. It hovered over her body for a moment before he sighed and walked a few steps away and sat down. His appearance wavered for a moment, before suddenly disappearing. The world around her darkened as if on a moonless night and cooled at his absence.

But she didn't notice that he was gone, just as she'd not noticed many times before. When she woke up again to eat and drink, he'd be there, warming everything and keeping her company. The only light in her strange little world.

———

As she greedily drank spring water and ate never-ending apples, her times of wakefulness increased. Her hunger gradually dimmed into a tolerable background annoyance.

The shabby shack house was slowly changed into something respectable.Then, after she'd created a real house, she made a garden and filled it with beautiful flowers, delicious herbs and vegetables (which she ate with a gusto). The island transformed from a monochrome world into a vibrant rainbow wonderland, beautiful and alive.

When that became a little monotonous, she looked down at herself and realized she was naked and filthy. This didn't cause shame or embarrassment, not even knowing the light had been staring at her that way this whole time. Rather, she just felt a little bit irritated by it and that she ought to do something about her predicament.

So she made soaps and shampoos from the plants from her garden to clean herself. Why she didn't 'will' the final products into existence to save herself some work, she didn't know. There was just something fun about creating soaps and such from scratch.

Next, she created cloth of every hue and texture. Unlike the soaps and shampoos, the idea of having to make clothing from scratch was not at all appealing to her. So she 'willed' them into existence, and then 'willed' them into proper clothing she could wear.

She would strut around her little island, showing off her newest clothing creation to the light. Though his face remained unmoving, he sounded amused by her behavior and always had something nice to say about what she'd made. When he complimented her, she'd blush and giggle, feeling both deeply satisfied and intensely nostalgic at the same time.

Without a sun or moon, there was no way to keep track of time. Did all these events happen in a few days, months, years?

"Tell me, are you still hungry these days?" The light asked out of the blue.

She tilted her head in thought and realized that she wasn't hungry at all. In fact, no matter what she made now, she's never tired from it. The spring and the apple tree had gone unvisited for quite some time. She told him as much.

"Good, that's very good." He turned his head. "Do you remember the cold of the depth?"

"Yeah?"

"It is still there."

"Okay?"

"You must drive it out."

"…huh? Why do I have to do that?"

"It is dangerous."

"How? I'm here and it's—" She waved towards the ocean. "—out there somewhere. As long as I don't go into the ocean, I'm safe."

His eyes narrowed. "Are you? Let me ask you then, what is your name?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it several times. Her brow crinkled as it occurred to her that she didn't know her name. In fact, until he mentioned it, she hadn't even thought about names or having one.

"…even if I don't remember what my name is," she muttered, vexed, "what's that got to do with that cold?"

"Do you think it's unrelated? Then, I will tell you your name."

She brightened.

"It's — —."

"Er, can you repeat that?"

"Of course. It's — —."

"…what kind of joke are you playing at?"

"I'm not. As long as the cold remains, you can not hear your name. No matter how many times I say it to you."

"W-well, it's just a name though. I've spent all this time not knowing it, why bother finding out now?"

"Is that so? Are you sure you are fine with not knowing your name? It represents more than just what you're called."

She frowned and wiggled uncomfortably.

"Let's just say… Hypothetically… I wanted to do something about that cold, what could I do? It's really strong you know." Even thinking about it made a shiver run down her spine.

"You said that the cold was in the depth of the ocean, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then sweep it away with the current."

"Current..?"

"This world is yours, even the ocean is yours. When we first met, you were too weak to push out the cold. But now, it should be alright."

She was silent for a bit. It was true that this world bent to her will and she supposed the ocean was part of that. Still though, that cold… something about it was very intimidating.

"Is it possible… you could help me?"

The light's eyebrows rose slightly.

"It's just… you're really hot, right? And that cold is really cold. You haven't felt it so you don't know… but it's super bad. If.. If maybe I can borrow some of your heat, I could maybe push it out. What do you think?"

"Borrow my heat… hm…" He closed his eyes, deep in thought. After a bit, he nodded. "En, I think that can be done. Here, as long as you have the power and desire, it should be possible."

"Then you're fine with helping me?" She asked in surprised.

For a long time now, when she asked him for help, he'd just tell her to do it herself. Every time she'd been able to do it, whatever it was, much to her annoyance. She wanted to complain, but since it'd all worked out in the end, she never quite felt right about kicking up a fuss.

"Why do you sound surprised? I've been helping you this whole time, haven't I?"

She wrinkled her nose.

"I've been doing all the work myself for ages!"

"Self-reliance in a world where you control everything is a given."

"It still would have been nice if you'd pitched in! You say you're a guest I invited but you're just a lazy moocher!"

His whole body stiffened at her words.

"You… how could you think… of all the ungrateful…!" He sputtered angrily for several minutes and then raised a hand to massage his smooth forehead. Even though his face remained tranquil as ever, it was clear he was upset. "Never mind, never mind… no use arguing… like a child at this point anyway…"

"Excuse me!?"

He lowered his hand and sighed in resignation.

"Let's just let bygones be bygones about the past, shall we? Let's focus on the now and that I'm going to help you."

She glared at him, cheeks expanding with air. His lips twitched slightly at the sight of her pouting.

He cleared his throat and bowed at the waist.

"My apologies for appearing like a 'moocher'. I'm willing to help now though, if you'd allow me to."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose triumphantly.

"Since you know your wrongs, it's fine!" She announced magnanimously, causing the light's lips to twitch again.

"…thank you for your generosity."

"Anyway, let's go to the beach."

"I can't get into the water, if that's what you're planning."

"No, no… I've got another idea!"

With that, they proceeded to the beach. When she had first arrived on the island, it felt enormous. But as time passed, she'd realized the island was actually quite small. When she mentioned this to the light, he'd observed, "You were weak and slow when you came. This place felt big because it took you a long time to get anywhere."

Now, however, she could easily get from one end of the island to the other.

They walked right up to the water before they stopped. She stuck her hand out to the light. When he just stared at it stupidly, she rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing? Hold my hand!"

He hesitated for a moment and then very slowly reached his hand out. Annoyed at how long he was taking, she reached out and grabbed it.

The moment she touched him, she felt her hand sear and her brow broke out in a sweat. It was only then that she realized he'd never once touched her since they'd met and then remembered that he'd always been extremely hot up close. Touching him was like sticking her hand in fire, it hurts.

Seeing that she was in pain, the light tried to pull his hand away.

"Ah!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand again and gripping tightly before he could distance himself. "Don't run away!"

"But—"

"It's fine, it's fine! I can handle it." She gritted her teeth from the scorching sensation. "You said this was my world and I make the rules, didn't you? Then you can't really for real hurt me and—"

She took a few steps forward and knelt down, putting her free hand in the ocean. As she did, she thought to herself:

A flame can boil water, the boiling water can push back the piercing cold. Make the sea boil until there's nothing left but warmth and light!

Even as she thought this, the ocean boiled. Steamed filled the air, almost choking her, but she didn't stop. The water was only hot on the surface, it must go deeper, so much deeper.

The sea level dropped steadily as it boiled away and steam filled the air. When the steam became too much of a hindrance, she forced it farther up. Rolling clouds began appearing far above and, for the first time, there were clouds in the sky and rain fell.

As the sandy bottom of the ocean showed itself, she pulled the light by his scalding hand and followed the receding shore line. Valleys, hills, and even distant mountains began to show themselves as the waterline lowered.

Strange, she remembered the ocean floor being flat, but seeing it like this; she thought it'd look like a beautiful landscape, if there was foliage to cover it.

This had been only a passing thought, a slight desire, but even as she thought about it, the craggy ocean bottom began to blossom with greenery. A breathtaking vista formed around her as she chased the ever disappearing sea.

There was a lot of water, a lot of steam, and it took quite some time for her to get to the deepest valley. When the water level finally dropped to that point, she discovered that the frigid cold was not simply icy water as she'd assumed. It was black, bubbling sludge.

"What IS this?" She asked, looking across a lake of toxic black muck.

"Poison." Came the light's quiet answer.

"Poison? Has it been here this whole time?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say so before?! This stuff is dangerous!"

"Even if I had told you before, what could you have done about it? You couldn't even make a proper house when we first met."

"Oh." That was true.

"I don't recommend sticking your hand in this as you've been doing."

"Will it hurt?"

"That too, but you may die."

"Eh?!"

"It's just that deadly. I never wanted you to deal with this to begin with… but what could I do? If I tried to remove it, I would only spread it further and that really would kill you. So I don't dare."

"Y-yikes." She stared at the poisonous lake. "…and it's been in the ocean this whole time, huh? I can't believe I thought it was safe to be in the water! No wonder you wanted me out!"

He simply nodded his head.

"But I can't touch it, right?"

The light nodded again, firmly.

"I can't touch it… hm… how to get it out…" She closed her eyes, thinking deeply. If she could just siphon it out somehow… If she surrounded the poison with water and forced it out, would that work? But if it didn't work, would the poison spread? On the other hand, the light had stated numerous times this was her world, she made the rules.

Thinking that it was still better to be cautious, she decided to move a little poison at a time as a test. Even if something went wrong, if she did it in small increments, then the damage could be reduced.

When she opened her eyes, there was already a clear stream of water floating over her head heading towards the poisoned lake. Raising a hand, she touched the water. The light's heat was transferred into the floating water, causing it to shimmer gold. The warmed water dipped into the black sludge and "scooped" out a small portion, then surrounded the poison in a water-y solid cage. It hung above the poison lake, suspended in the air.

A little nervous, she squeezed the light's hand (ignoring the burning sensation it caused).

"Poison," She pointed at the entrapped muck and tried to sound confident and authoritative, "You don't belong here. Get out."

The gold water shimmered brightly, followed by a hissing sizzling sound. Inside the water, the poison rolled and broiled, as if fighting the water entrapping it. Her forehead broke out, she could almost feel the poison rebelling against her command. All her concentration and energy focused on forcing the poison to obey, to leave.

The stand off lasted a seeming eternity. And then, with a jarring suddenness, it was over. The poison and it's watery cage disappeared in a bang and a puff.

She stumbled and fell down, shaking profusely.

Looking up at the light, she said wearily, "That was exhausting."

"But you succeeded."

"Yeah."

"Well done."

"Thanks…" Her stomach growled in outrage and she patted it in exasperation. "My hunger is back…"

"En. It was no small thing you did. You need to eat."

"I don't think I have the energy to go home."

"If you like, I will take you there."

She stared up at him, feeling cautious. If just his hand was this hot, what would the rest of him be like? She might really get toasted!

He could almost read what she was thinking.

"I can fly you there. Just hold my hand tightly like you've been doing and don't let go."

"Oh!" She nodded. "That's alright then."

Without further discussion, he took a leap straight up, dragging her with him, and floated in the sky like a real sun. She was returned to her home with its pure stream and apple tree, awkwardly hanging from the light's grip.

When she finally landed, she had to refrain from kissing the ground, that guy was scary-fast! If she could avoid traveling that way in the future she definitely would.

Before eating or drinking she stuck her now burnt hand in the water; in no time at all the damage from the light was gone.