fractured archipelago — chapter I

Here lives Luon. He is almost always alone, but never lonely. Trees watch him, and every crack could lead somewhere unknown.

[ori-and-saul]

🌅 Luon’s eyes came to rest on a thin line in the distance where the sky met the Sea.

There was nothing but emptiness around him. Only the cries of birds seemed to inhabit it.

The wind gently stirred the surface of the water and brushed against the small glowing creature, which seemed completely out of place amid the endless expanse.

Luon suddenly felt how small he was.

When he lowered his head, he saw tiny sparks falling from his body into the water and disappearing into its depths.

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

🌅 Luon’s eyes came to rest on a thin line in the distance where the sky met the Sea.

There was nothing but emptiness around him. Only the cries of birds seemed to inhabit it.

The wind gently stirred the surface of the water and brushed against the small glowing creature, which seemed completely out of place amid the endless expanse.

Luon suddenly felt how small he was.

When he lowered his head, he saw tiny sparks falling from his body into the water and disappearing into its depths.

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

🌅 There was more and more light. It seemed to be pouring in from every direction.

And then the Sea appeared.

Blinded by the Sun, Luon stood still.

[ori-and-saul]

If the black Cat had truly been hiding behind the rock, watching, he would have seen a tiny creature unlike any animal he had ever known.

It sat motionless on the shore. With one little paw raised, it seemed to be measuring the distance to the Sea. Or perhaps its size. Or maybe it was simply shielding its eyes from the bright sunlight.

From time to time, tiny sparks leapt from its body. Otherwise, it hardly moved.

Then the little creature lowered its gaze.

"The earth is just like it is back home..."

Its glowing paws scooped up a handful of earth. It slipped through its fingers in a heavy black stream.

[ori-and-saul]

🐈‍⬛ Now that he had found the Cat, there had to be other inhabitants somewhere. Luon thought about it again and again.

His soft little paws barely touched the ground as he walked confidently toward the awakening morning Sun.

Before he noticed, the forest was behind him.

There was more and more light. It seemed to be pouring in from every direction.

And then the Sea appeared.

Blinded by the Sun, Luon stood still.

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[ori-and-saul]

Luon couldn't remember how he had come into the world.

It seemed to him that he had always lived among the roots of the trees, where dry leaves usually gathered.

You could play in the leaves. You could sleep in them. Or you could disappear into them completely.

Luon wasn't afraid of the dark. He always carried his light inside him.

Inside his little body lived a tiny flame. Sometimes it burned brighter. Sometimes it almost faded away.

He had never wandered this far from his home before.

The light of the early morning struck his eyes.

Luon squeezed them shut and, for a moment, was blinded.

[ori-and-saul]

Luon saw holes in the canopy.

Sunbeams fell through them. On the ground, the fallen leaves became colorful little toys.

Luon stood still.

I think... I've reached the edge of the Earth...

[ori-and-saul]

👁️ Suddenly, Luon and the cat saw each other.

Luon crouched slightly.

A strange animal sat motionless before him. Its black fur caught the light, and its eyes glowed.

So... it was the one leaving the tracks... And... it doesn't look like me...

Everything inside Luon grew quiet.

I wasn't alone in the forest?.. Luon thought

[ori-and-saul]

🐾 It was only a Footprint—but that wasn't convincing.

- Whose was it?

Luon circled the Footprint , as if hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature that might have left it.

The damp earth of the early morning smelled strong.

The little tuft on top of his head stretched into the shape of a question mark.

At last, Luon continued on his way.

But the tiny lights no longer leapt upward.

It seemed they, too, had frozen in silent question.

[ori-and-saul]

🍁 At first, the Leaf was just a Leaf.

But a moment later, it opened its mouth wide. A long, slender tongue slowly emerged from between its dry edges.

A shark... Or maybe a snake... Luon thought.✦

He circled the Leaf several times and even peered straight into its mouth, as though trying to understand how it was put together.

[ori-and-saul]

[ori-and-saul]

🐾 Each step sank softly into the damp ground

His eyes lingered on the dark stones of the old buildings

But his thoughts kept returning to the cat's round eyes

Luon felt as though the cat was still watching him

"There are probably cats living here," he thought. "Even if I can't see them."✦