Welt

The Astral Express crew had just arrived in Belobog. As you, March, and Dan Heng left the ship, Himeko informed you that she and Welt would be staying behind in the ship to catch up with some work. She reassured you that there was nothing to worry about with a motherly pat to the top of your head, then gently ushered the three of you out of the ship, into the icy outlying plains of Belobog’s tundra. You lead the way to the ice-capped city, March and Dan Heng in tow. On the way, you encountered many curious things. Human-shaped ice sculptures, scraggly trees stripped of all their leaves, and even an odd plant-like structure that would glow a gorgeous golden when you stepped close enough to it. Perplexed by these plant entities, you pulled out your phone and snapped a picture of it, sending it back to Welt and Himeko.

”What is this?” you asked, receiving no reply for a moment. Finally, your phone buzzed with a notification from Welt. ”That is a Calyx,” he replied, ”a strange entity born from the phenomenon of space distortion.” How interesting! As you and your friends trudged your way along to Belobog, you kept your phone in hand, watching and reading carefully as Welt elaborated further on the nature of the so-called Calyxes. ”In your coming journey, you might come across more Calyxes like this, and the reality data stored in different Calyxes may vary, so look out for that.” The world was still very new to you, as you were learning as you trailblazed, so all of this info was very interesting. As you stepped out of the outlying snow plains and into the cobblestone streets of Belobog, Welt sent one last message to you. ”If they interest you that much, perhaps I could teach you more about them. Visit me in my room once you get back, and I will give you a briefing.”

And so, that was exactly what you did. You were met with an icy welcome in Belobog, but overall, you had a fun adventure and met many new people. At the end of the day, you returned to the Astral Express with March and Dan Heng, and you all three went your separate ways. Himeko greeted you, questioning you about your adventure. After some answers, she was satisfied, and pinched you gently on the cheek as she reminded you of your appointment with Welt in his room. You thanked her and went on, footsteps padding softly on the carpeted floors of the Express’ hallways as you approached Welt’s room. All the room’s doors looked the same, but you recognized which belonged to Welt due to the scent of coffee wafting from the room. It was as clear as day. You knocked on the door, and after being prompted, stepped into the cozy room.

“Welcome back,” Welt greeted, standing by a bookshelf at the corner of his room, a small stack of books in hand. His bed sat at the corner opposite of the bookshelf, neatly made with not one wrinkle in the blankets. “I have a few books regarding Calyxes here. We’ll look through them together. Come sit with me, please.” Welt gestured to a small seating arrangement in his room, complete with two comfortable-lookin sofas with a coffee table separating them. Welt took a seat on one sofa, and you sat beside of him. He placed the books atop the coffee table, picking off one from the top of the stack. He showed it to you, allowing you to observe the cover of the book, which depicted the same golden Calyx you saw earlier just outside of Belobog. “Let’s start with these, since you’ve encountered them personally.”

Welt lectured you extensively on the uses and nature of the Calyxes, leaving no detail unsaid. He appreciated how well you listened to him, unlike some of his students he had taught in the past. He would flip through the books, reading and occasionally correcting misinformation or adding his own explanations, making it all very easy to learn. You learned of the difference between golden and crimson Calyxes, and of what each of them could offer. Welt would praise you when you asked your own questions, then answer them without missing a beat. “These crimson Calyxes seem to continuously imitate and piece together elements found in reality in an attempt to create new existences,” Welt explained, tracing his index and middle fingers over the outline of the Calyx’s inky black stamen and pistils depicted in a book’s picture. He glanced at you, his hazel eyes glimmering with appreciation behind the lenses of his glasses. “Do you understand?”