MEMELAND

Kai woke to the smell of smoke.

Not burning wood.

Cooked meat.

Spices.

And sand.

Lots of sand.

"..."

He blinked several times.

A rough cloth canopy stretched above him.

The blazing desert sun was mostly blocked, though the heat still seeped through.

His hands remained tied behind his back.

"So I'm not dead."

A voice replied.

"Not yet."

Kai turned.

The man wearing black sunglasses sat across from him, calmly drinking from a metal cup.

His turban shielded most of his face from the desert.

A short beard outlined his jaw.

Even sitting down, he somehow carried himself like he owned the place.

"...Morning."

Kai greeted awkwardly.

The man simply nodded.

"It is."

Before Kai could speak again—

The tent flap opened.

Three men entered.

One immediately burst into laughter.

"Boss!"

"You've got to see this idiot!"

Kai frowned.

"...Excuse me?"

The man ignored him entirely.

Instead, he grabbed Kai's sleeve.

"What is this?"

Another outlaw inspected Kai's boots.

Then another grabbed his cloak.

One looked behind him.

Another circled around.

The tent became strangely crowded.

"...What?"

Kai finally asked.

The first outlaw pointed dramatically.

"Forest clothes."

Another nodded.

"No face wrap."

A third added,

"No goggles."

Another crouched.

"No desert boots."

One of them searched Kai's backpack.

"...No water pouch?"

Silence.

All four slowly looked at Kai.

"..."

"...How are you alive?"

Kai answered honestly.

"I walked."

Nobody replied.

"..."

"..."

"...You WHAT?"

"I walked."

The entire tent exploded into laughter.

One outlaw nearly dropped his rifle.

Another slapped his own knee.

A third actually sat on the floor because he was laughing too hard.

"He WALKED!"

"Across the desert!"

"Wearing THAT?!"

"What kind of idiot does that?!"

Kai frowned.

"I started in a forest."

One outlaw wiped tears from his eyes.

"That somehow makes it worse!"

The laughter continued.

Only the man in sunglasses remained quiet.

Eventually—

He raised one hand.

Instantly—

The tent fell silent.

He looked directly at Kai.

"They're right."

Kai sighed.

"I figured."

The man continued.

"Those clothes would've killed you eventually."

Kai blinked.

"...Seriously?"

The man nodded.

"The desert doesn't forgive mistakes."

Silence settled over the tent.

Then the man leaned forward slightly.

"...Yet."

"You survived."

He smiled.

"That's interesting."

Kai wasn't sure whether that was a compliment.

Or a warning.

The man untied one of Kai's hands.

Only one.

"Drink."

He handed Kai a canteen.

Kai didn't hesitate.

He drank.

The water tasted warm.

It was also the best thing he'd ever tasted.

"...Thanks."

The man nodded.

"My name doesn't matter."

"Yet."

Kai frowned.

"...That's mysterious."

"No."

The man replied.

"You simply haven't earned it."

Before Kai could question him—

Another voice interrupted.

"I still say we should shoot him."

Everyone turned.

A man carrying an enormous radio on his back entered the tent.

Unlike the others—

His clothing looked almost identical to the man in sunglasses.

Only cleaner.

His glasses were perfectly transparent.

Probably decorative.

The giant radio looked absurdly heavy.

Yet he carried it like it weighed nothing.

He adjusted his spectacles.

"I don't trust him."

The man in sunglasses sighed.

"I know."

The newcomer looked directly at Kai.

"Explain."

Kai spent the next several minutes telling the truth.

About Asphyxia.

The Cult of Azathoth.

The Giant Fucking Robot.

The explosion.

His separation from Andre.

The forest.

The newcomer listened without interrupting.

When Kai finally finished—

Silence.

The radio man spoke first.

"Lies."

Kai groaned.

"I knew you'd say that."

"No."

The man adjusted his glasses.

"I said lies because statistically speaking..."

"...Nobody survives the Forest alone."

Kai blinked.

"The Forest?"

"The Forest."

"...That's its name?"

The man nodded.

"What else would you call it?"

Kai scratched his cheek.

"...Nothing."

He decided not to mention the name he'd already given it in his head.

The man in sunglasses looked toward the radio man.

"You don't believe him."

"I don't."

"Why?"

The answer came instantly.

"Because survival probability approaches zero."

Kai muttered,

"I don't think probability likes me very much."

The radio man ignored him.

The man in sunglasses simply shrugged.

"Maybe."

He looked back toward Kai.

"Maybe he's lying."

"Maybe he isn't."

He stood.

Then walked toward the tent entrance.

Kai watched him.

The man looked across the endless sea of sand.

Then quietly spoke.

"You asked earlier."

Kai blinked.

"...Asked what?"

"Why people like us stay here."

The man spread one arm toward the desert.

"People think deserts are empty."

He smiled.

Kai waited.

The man continued.

"Cities belong to kings."

"Mountains belong to fortresses."

"Forests belong to monsters."

He looked over his shoulder.

"The desert..."

"...belongs to whoever survives it."

The camp remained quiet.

"If we leave this place..."

"We're just criminals."

He shrugged.

"But here?"

"We know every dune."

"Every oasis."

"Every buried ruin."

"Every storm."

"The desert protects us better than walls ever could."

One outlaw laughed.

"Besides..."

"Who'd be stupid enough to chase us out here?"

Several others nodded.

The radio man crossed his arms.

"If we enter another nation..."

"We become hunted."

"Here..."

"We're the hunters."

Kai looked around.

For the first time—

He noticed how relaxed everyone seemed.

Nobody stood guard nervously.

Nobody feared soldiers.

Nobody worried about patrols.

The desert itself was their fortress.

The man in sunglasses finally looked back at Kai.

"You wanted to go somewhere."

Kai nodded immediately.

"Oheyo."

The man became thoughtful.

"...The ruins."

Kai nodded again.

"I think there are answers there."

The radio man scoffed.

"And if he finds them?"

The man in sunglasses smiled.

"Then he finds them."

The radio man sighed dramatically.

"This is a terrible idea."

"It usually is."

The man replied.

Then he walked back toward Kai.

He crouched until they were eye level.

"You've got spirit."

"I like that."

Kai smiled awkwardly.

"...Thanks?"

"But."

The smile widened.

"If you want me to guide you to Oheyo..."

Kai's expression brightened.

"...You'll help?"

"I will."

"...Really?"

"I will."

A pause.

"...After."

Kai narrowed his eyes.

"...After what?"

The man grinned.

"You become one of us."

The entire camp erupted into cheers.

Kai looked around.

Then back at the man.

"..."

"...One of what?"

The man finally extended his hand.

"My name."

"...is Munnu."

He pointed toward the radio man.

"And the grumpy one is Persia."

Persia immediately objected.

"I am not grumpy."

Everyone ignored him.

Munnu's grin only widened.

"Welcome..."

"...to the Outlaws."