"Are you sure this is the place you were born?" the ghost asked.
"Of course I'm sure. It does look a bit different now but i grew up here so I know." Kai sounded annoyed. He doesnt look too happy to be back.
"Relax we're not enemies here." The angel said. "Have you decided if you still want to travel with us?" he then asked.
I held my breath waiting for his answer. I glanced at Eelie. I can't read her expression but I know she's the most concerned among us.
"I still don't trust Eelie. But I've decided since we started this journey together we should end this together." he finally said.
"Good because we can't go anywhere without you," the ghost said.
"I'm sorry for lying to you. I was just thinking... "
"You don't have to explain I understand." Kai interrupted her.
"So we're good? Thank God." I finally said.
Which god are you thanking? Are you thanking yourself? Kai asked a bit confused.
"I have no idea." I admitted. Just realized this world has many gods.
"What's the name of this place?" Akana asked Kai.
"Nameless"
"What do you mean? It doesnt have a name?"
"Yes, this place is under the councils power. It doesnt belong to any kingdom or a powerful nation. But the council doesnt even bother with a name they just use numbers." The devil explained.
"So how many nameless town does this world have?" I asked.
"A lot, every now then a new nameless is added. This town is nameless 228." Kai answered.
"You must have been gone for a while, mister." A horned man suddenly talked to us. He looks like a goat.
"We are no longer a nameless town . The council gave this town a name after a key holder appeared here," he informed us. He's obviously talking about Kai.
"What's the new name of this town?" I asked him.
"Fortuna. We are the land of good fortune. All the best fortune tellers went here after the gods blessed us with a key holder."
"Where is the key holder now?" Kai asked testing him.
"They say he's now part of the council and was given a kingdom to rule," he sounded proud and confident. Either he's a good liar or a victim of fake news. So even on the other side disinformation is a thing. I looked at Kai and I admired his patience.
"He must be very lucky then." Kai answered.
"Oh indeed," the goat didn't notice the sarcasm and restrain in his voice.
"What about his family?" Akana asked.
"His family is with him and living a good life."
Kai smiled bitterly.
"Interesting story." The angel commented.
"It's all a damn lie." said a woman walking towards us.
We all look in the direction of a woman who has the guts to call the goat man a liar. She looks like a tomboy wearing an oversized men's clothing. She's human looking except for her ears that kinda look like a cat's ear. She looks younger than me but in this world I could definitely be wrong. I know that except for Akana all my comrades here are at least a hundred years old.
"A lie?" I asked.
"Yeah a lie. Everything he said was a lie," she said casually.
"Shut it Anais," the goat man said.
"What's the real story?" Akana asked.
"They were murdered," she said without hesitation.
Kai's expression harden. We all looked at him. He wasn't surprised. He knows. This return is definitely bringing back painful memories. I feel sorry for him.
"They took the keyholder. And after they took him they burn their house down. And then left the key holders father to rot on the ground."
"How do you know about that?" I asked.
"Because we all saw it. We saw how the soldiers killed the farmer and then they took his son."
"Then why the hell are they telling a different story?" I was mad at the thought. They are white washing everything.
"Because the council told them so. In exchange of the name we are asked to change history and looked the other way whenever they do something nasty."
"Just for a name?" Akana was surprised.
"Are you not from here? You can't be nameless here. Nameless towns pay the highest taxes. We work the hardest but get the least service. If there's famine we're the last priority to get rations. If there's a pandemic we don't get any doctors. We couldn't complain even when they took our children. We're practically slave of the council."
"What's the perk of a name?" I asked while thinking the council needs to be dissolved and pay for their sins. What happened to Kai's family is an injustice that's being swept under the rag. And the fact that he had to listen to all the lies and endure it for years until now is making me livid.
"The name reduces your taxes by half. And you'll be part of the council's government. You will no longer be an outsider. If you die in a nameless town they will not even touch your body. You will not be buried just like the key holder's father. His body was just left for the vultures and wild animals to feast on."
I was horrified at what the woman is saying. Kai's whole family was murdered and then burned to the ground.
"Sir this woman is lying. She just want your business. She will steal your money," the goat man interfered trying to win us over.
But Kai is no longer listening to the goat. He's now looking at the woman.
"Where is the nearest place to rest here?" He asked her.
"So you believe my story? She was honestly surprised.
"Do I have a reason not to believe you?"
"Well its just that youre the first one to believe me. They all dismissed me as some liar and crazy woman."
"Sir she is a liar."" The goat man insists.
Kai look at him threateningly.
The goat guy got scared and walked away whispering to himself.
"Good choice. I'm Anais, follow me."