The Secret of Nara V2

(align: "=><=")[<h1>The Secret of Nara</h1>] (align: "=><=")[<h4>by Ralfe Rich</h4>] (align: "=><=")[[[Start|1]]]   (set: $Friendship to 0)

Cold winds brushing against your fur, peaceful stillness, and empty presence have been your every day for as far as you remember. Your surroundings devoid of another life, apart from the living vegetation that dwells in this place. You sleep alone. Eat alone. And live alone. However, something blooms in your mind. A thought, a desire, a strong need that you cannot explain. [[You have not felt this before.|2]]

You are not sure what to make of such things. You have been fixed in what you know and believe for so long. Such thoughts dance in your mind as you question if your being is taking on a metamorphosis. Changing what you value, what you hold dear. [[You ask yourself.|3]]

<h4>What do you desire at this moment?</h4> [[The presence of others|4a]] [[The emptiness of your surroundings|4b]]

It surprises you. You have not been in the vicinity of another for the longest time. You take a moment to [[wonder|5a]] how it has become like this.

You calm at your answer. This has had prominence in your whole life. And at this mountain top, it provides you with it. The surroundings devoid of any other but yourself. It deviates you from tensions the world brings you. You decide to [[stay|5b]] on the mountain.

No answer rises from your mind. Strange. You decide to seek the answers to your new value. You rise from the soft, green grass and make your way [[down|6a]] the mountain.

The blending pigments of the rocks, as you go down the mountain, stretches endlessly. It is still empty of any other kind. You [[walk and walk|7a]], but it brings you the feeling of a never-ending path.

You keep walking and hoping for a change in scenery. Then, for a moment, you stop in your place. To your side is another--your kind. They are eating the growing grass protruding from the soil. Every fiber in your body is unmoving, hundreds of thoughts swirl in your [[mind|8a]].

<h4>In this moment, what do you do?</h4> [[Approach|9a1]] [[Continue on the path|9a2]]

Taking a step, the crunch of the gravel beneath your hooves alerts them. They turn and look towards you. You two lock eyes. For a moment, your heart feels like it will escape your body. They come closer. They tilt their head, as if in wonderment, at you. Then, they bow their head. You stand still; any actions right now escapes you. They turn and run off into the path. Your body feels warm. You take a second to realign yourself and [[continue walking|10a]].  (set: $Friendship to 1)

The reason you have left your place is to seek the cause for these rising feelings that are inside you. Such actions that may hinder your goal must not be taken. [[You continue on the path|10a]], and you go unnoticed.

Finally, after a long trek on dirt and stones, you arrive at a plain. You stand in shock at the amount of your kind that is roaming around this place. They are all walking, sitting, and eating. You are not sure about what is to come; you have long forgotten the sense of being in a place that has no other apart from you. {(if: $Friendship is 1)[ This place goes further beyond, but something catches your eye. The one from before, the one who you saw, is here. [[They are with a few more others|10c]]. ](else:)[[[There is a path further beyond|11a]].]}

<h4>In this development, what do you do?</h4> [[Approach them|11Fa]] [[Continue going forward|11a]]

You make your way towards them. They are all together. As you come closer, they pick up your presence and look towards you. Your legs come to a halt. Your heart starts to pound with intensity. They all look at each other and return their gazes at you. At this moment, you are coming up empty in what you can do. Noticing you freeze up: the group comes closer to you. With each step taken to get to you, your heart accelerates in its rhythm. *Bump* *Bump* *Bump* *Bump* Your heart goes; it almost drowns the sound of the stones under your kind's hooves. [[You close your eyes|12Fa]].

You walk further down the path and cross many of your kind. They all have their own affairs like you, so you leave them alone. As you get further, your kind appears less and less until it is almost like you are on your own again. Just then, a loud cry, similar to your own, echoes out. With your ears, you deduce that it is coming from the ever-growing [[forest|12a]]. You have never ventured deep in it, and by doing so, may lead to the disappearance of clear direction and location.

The world is silent. All sounds disappear, and the only thing present is the beating of your heart. Your ears are engulfed in its song. Then, a sound interrupts everything, startling you. You open your eyes and see one of your kind in front of you. He bellows loudly; they all join in. You look at them perplexed. The one in front of you, maybe in curiosity, [[tilts|13Fa]] his head to the side.

You, with interest peaking, also tilt your head. He then sticks his tongue out. You wonder for what purpose this all serves, but for a reason you cannot decipher, you follow suit and stick your tongue out. He then re-orients his head back and proceeds to bring it down for a bow. You, without hesitation, also do a bow. Finally, the one in front of you lets out a loud cry. You are taken aback, but something bottled up inside of you is about to burst. You also bellow out. The others also join in; you all create harmony together. In this moment, a fuzzy, warm feeling flows through you. [[It is not familiar to you|14Fa]].

Finishing their chorus, they turn and move. As they walk away, your legs suddenly spring with motivation, and you follow them. You [[walk|15Fa]] with them, matching the pace of their steps, and gradually get closer to the group. It is strange. When you are close to them, it brings you great zest. Strange indeed.

You walk for how long, and while your will is strong, your body becomes slower, less capable of continuing. Your companions are still not ending their course, and a [[dilemma|16Fa]] hangs over you.

<h4>With this predicament, what will you do?</h4> [[Continue to follow them?|17Fa]] [[Stop and let your body rest?|17Fa]]

Before you can take any action, The group stops in their tracks. They look at you, noticing your situation, and go back to you. You are in awe. They came back for you, and once they reach you, they stop and sit. They are waiting. It overwhelms you with something you cannot describe. Like the world became brighter. You sit down and rest. The group is with you, eating grass, making noise, but are with you until you are [[ready|18Fa]].

Your body now rested: you rise and walk on. The others stand and follow you through the vast trees. You and your group walk the trail, seeing countless others along the way. Where this journey may lead, you are not aware, but you and your group are not concerned. As long as you are all together, the end matters not. The journey ceases at the sight of something. (click: "something")[ It is a creature, bipedal in nature, wrapped in smooth, colorful fur. It is alone, looking at something it is holding. It notices your group, does away with its thing, and approaches your group. You remember those from long ago, before your occupation of the mountain top. You and your group [[draw closer|19Fa]] to the creature, who is now holding something else. ]

<h4>How do you approach the creature?</h4> [[In the front|20Fb]] [[At the back|20Fc]]

Your group disperses, and you draw near to its front. With only a short distance away, the creature takes a bow. You also bow. It then brings the thing it is holding closer to your mouth. As if it is instincts, you take it with your teeth and chew it. Sensations flow through you. With each chew, your mouth tingles in a wave of goodness. You see one from your group approach the creature from behind; it startles it, causing it to fall to the ground, and the others crowd the creature looking for treats. Once the creature gets back up, it runs off. You walk towards the one that frightened it. Looking up at you, he bellows out loudly, and [[you too cry out|21Fa END 1: A Sense of Friendship]].

You decide to go to the creature from behind. It does not pay you any attention and is with the others in your group. It bows to the others and gives them the thing it is holding. While it is with another one, you get close enough to it to touch its fur. It is soft, smooth, and flat. The creature, noticing your presence, gets startled and falls on the ground. The others crowd around the creature, looking for something. It must be the thing it was holding. It gets up and runs off somewhere. As everything returns, one in your group goes over to you. He bellows out, and [[you too follow with your own cry|21Fa END 1: A Sense of Friendship]].

You and your group return together and resume the journey. This journey you are in is one that never ends. It may halt for a moment, but once everything returns, you and your group go back and walk with each other. You do not return to the mountain. You are now with your kind, walking together, eating together; you are no longer alone. (align: "=><=")[ Ending one(click:"Ending")[(reload:)] <h1>A Sense of Friendship</h1>]

<h4>With these thoughts, What will you do?</h4> [[Go deeper into the forest|13La]] [[Continue along the path|13a]]

Your curiosity takes the better of you, and you go forth into the forest. The immense trees planted in the forest give a sense of disarray as they all appear similar enough to cause the loss of place. Soon after, you no longer know where you are. The direction you went in, the part where you have already been, and the way back to the path you were taking. [[You are lost|14La]].

There are countless others in this place; they may be out and about doing their own things. Your purpose for going down here is to figure out the meaning of your sudden interest in something other than your own. You move further down the path. As you move [[forward|14a]], you see what looks like a long line of small wooden logs stuck on each other. It extends along the path, and beyond it is a clear field.

But then, the cries that you followed return. It is fainter since you last heard it. Listening carefully for where the sound is originating, you follow it. You [[run|15La]] everywhere. Any direction, any place, and any part of the forest as long as the cries are getting louder.

But the cries stop. And you halt in your tracks. You stand, frozen, as the sounds that remain are the leaves that rustle along the cold wind. The whole forest feels empty, and all the colors drain of life and light. You feel defeated, like you have lost not only your way but also a part of yourself. But you are not yet done. Mustering everything you have, you let out the loudest and longest cry you have ever had. Your bellow takes over the forest, and at this moment, it feels like all life is listening only to you. Your cry draws to a close. [[And silence proceeds it|16La]].

Your heart sinks in the silence. But then a faint cry bellows out. You pick up on the sound and run towards it. You are running the fastest you have ever run in your existence. While you run, you cry out again, and soon, both of you are crying out. Slowly, their cries are getting louder and louder as you run faster and faster. Then, you see them. (click: "them")[ One of your kind has one of her legs caught by a fallen tree. You [[approach|17La]] her, and she looks up at you; she lets out a soft bellow. ]

<h4>You know what you must do.</h4> [[Push the fallen tree|18Lb]] [[Cry for help|18Lc]]

You ram yourself against the fallen tree. You push with all your strength, but the tree does not budge. Exhaustion steadily takes you over with each push when you suddenly collapse onto the fallen leaves. Strengthless. Gloom blooms around you as the feeling of uselessness increasingly swallows you up. You cannot do anything; you have not done anything. Up in the mountain, you were alone, surrounded by nothingness. Perhaps this is the reason why you stayed atop of it. [[You close your eyes|19Lb]].

You let out a loud cry, calling those who are close. You cry again, but no other answers you. You are about to run to find another, but the other trapped by the tree bellows to you. Looking back at the tree, you decide to take the [[initiative|18Lb]].

A wet sensation spreads across your face. Little by little, you open your eyes and see the other, tongue out, licking your face. She lets out a minute sound. She looks at you and pushes her face against yours. Push, push. You feel strength coursing through yourself again. You get up, and with more force than you have ever given, you ram the fallen tree again. You emit all the power you can muster, hooves digging into the broken-down leaves and soil. You push through the limit, and with one last thrust, the fallen tree moves and rolls, [[freeing|20La]] the other.

The other stands up, her leg seemingly uninjured. She gazes at you, and you do the same. As you direct your eyes towards the other, you notice the splotches of pigments that dot around her body. The harmony it gives off accelerates your heart. It beats rapidly, almost like it wants to jump out of you. The other takes a step closer to you and bows down. You, caught in the moment, bow down too. She tilts her head a few times, beckoning you, and then walks off. [[You follow|21La]].

She leads you in the forest, careful in the directions she takes. You both pass a large rock protruding from the ground. Through some thick bushes, and tall trees, you both enter a tunnel so dark that it sucks the light and breaks it down, leaving the area a pitch-black vacuum. If you are to enter here alone, the darkness may have consumed you, but you are with someone far greater at traveling within here. The other lets out a number of small sounds; those sounds reach ears and aids you in [[following her|22La]] in this darkened place.

Darkness and the minute sounds are your experience right now, but as you both continue to walk in the dark, a small white hole becomes visible. That hole punctures the darkness, and the closer you go to it, the more it does away with the blackness. It expands and expands, and soon [[the light consumes the darkness|23La]].

You both exit the tunnel, and the other side greets you with a cooling breeze and the sound of rushing water. The brightness fills your vision for a second, and as it clears, you are beholding to a cascade of colors. Land stacked on top of each other, and water flowing out of it. The trees are crowned with browns, greens, and reds. Some of them standing upright on the ground, and some hanging from the masses of land. The beauty in front of you puts you in a trance. You escape your stupor when the other pokes you with her nose. She goes down a path, and you join her. Amidst the overgrown shrubs: you are taken to a small pocket of the forest. Inside is something the other eagerly shows you. (click: "something")[ It is the trees endowed with leaves that are a mix of red and white. So light is the color that taking your eyes off it proves to be a task. The way it flows with the wind, the essence it gives puts you at ease. The other draws near a tree and sits beneath its hues. She calls you, and you come closer to the tree. She points to a spot next to her. You [[sit|24La END 2: A Sense of Beauty]] in that place.  ]

Both of you rest under the tree. You do not know how much time has passed, but it does not matter anymore. This moment of tranquility is enough. You are no longer in the mountain, and you are no longer by yourself, surrounded by dullness. Your life is now instilled with beautiful colors. (align: "=><=")[Ending two(click:"Ending")[(reload:)] <h1>A Sense of Beauty</h1>]

<h4>With two ways to go, what will you do?</h4> [[Continue down the path|15Da]] [[Hop over the wooden logs|15a]]

Going along the path is more important, you think. So, you resume your trip. As you walk, your kind fizzles out of view, and you are left by yourself again. You are beginning to believe that you may have [[taken the wrong course|16Da]].

But further along the path, you arrive at a venue populated by your kind. Large groups, small groups, they all litter the area together. Going along their whims and instincts, they sit around or walk around. You then notice a rather large collection of them in one spot. [[You go near them|17Da]].

Now a lot closer, you finally see what is in the middle of all of them. It is a creature, a bipedal animal with smooth, colorful fur. Moving towards it: you hear its unusual sounds. It bellows cries that you do not understand but strikes you as calls. It appears to be carrying something, something your kind seems to desire. You decide to go somewhere else. Getting anymore near them may be fruitless. You [[go further down|18Da]] the path.

It is a creature like you saw before. Only, this one is smaller, smaller than you, and it has a different set of fur as opposed to the other one. The creature notices your proximity and runs up to you. It takes a bow. You, while confused, imitate it by also taking a bow. It extends its hoof towards you, but you take a step back. It lets out a high-pitch sound and take something of out of its fur. It produces a disk and stretches it out towards you. It looks familiar to you. You decrease the vicinity between you and the creature. You sniff the disk; it comes back to you. The disk is something you [[eat|19Da]].

You eat the disk it is offering you, and a rush of sensations wrap your mouth with goodness and satisfaction. As you are partaking in it, the creature slowly strokes your fur. Softness and warmness glide over the fur it is touching. You can hear it let out small sounds as it stokes you. After finishing what you were eating, a [[thought|20SDa]] crosses your mind. The big creature from before was crying out for something, and there is a little creature here with you--alone.

<h4>With that on your mind, what will you do?</h4> [[Lead the little creature back|21SDb]] [[Leave the little creature alone|21SDc]]

You grab the little one's fur with your mouth and pull. You tug in the direction of the big creature; letting go of its fur, you begin to move. It looks at you perplexed but [[follows|22SDa]] you anyways.

It is not built on any solid foundation, the connection between the small and the large creature. You decide to leave the small one alone so you can continue along the path. The creature, however, begins to follow you. As you stop, catches up and rubs your fur. You go back to the place the big creature was last at, and the little one [[follows|22SDa]] you.

You and the creature go back along the path. It periodically strokes your fur. The warm sensation it imparts to you puts your being at peace. You make it back to the place, and the big creature is still surrounded by your kind. The little one cries out at the sight of the big one, who too bellows. They run towards each other and wrap themselves together. The little one points the big creature towards you. [[They both go to you|23SDa]].

The big creature takes something out of its fur: it is those disks. It is giving you those disks, and you comply by eating them one by one. As you do, both of the creatures run their hooves across your fur, with the big one rubbing your head. Their touch heats your body and brings you to a state of still [[repose|24SDa END 3: A Sense of Duty]].

You then both go your separate ways. The little creature waves its hoof to you, and they soon depart to another location. What you have done has brought you satisfaction you never had before. Now, you join the others and interact with the other bipedal creatures you came across. They are now part of your life, a life no longer aimless, a life now with a purpose. (align: "=><=")[Ending three(click:"Ending")[(reload:)] <h1>A Sense of Duty</h1>]

You hop over the logs, and now you are in a field. You walk through the field, and after some time, it finally dawns on you that there is no other being here. You [[sit|16a]] down on the grass and collect yourself.

The strong feeling you have, it compelled you to go down the mountain and explore the world below. But for what reason those feelings rose, you are beginning to realize it. Laying on the grass, you think of this as a cause to understand if your desire is to participate with others or not. It occupies your mind, and time flows forward. You do not know how long you are laying on the grass, but you begin to [[stand up|17a END 3: A Sense of Self]].

You walk back towards the mountain, seeing the others again. As you walk back, you mull over what you understood: it is not wrong to insert yourself in the affairs of others, but if it is against what you desire, you are no longer doing it for yourself. For your sake. You return to the mountain, but you still go back down from time to time. You see the other, sometimes you join them, and at times you go back to the mountain to be with yourself. You are not alone if you are by yourself. You will always have you. (align: "=><=")[Ending four(click:"Ending")[(reload:)] <h1>A Sense of Self</h1>]

You are with nothing but the cold winds against your body, the immense but colorless vegetation, and a life forever aimless in its direction. But you are not gloomy at those thoughts. On the contrary, you feel [[peace and serenity|24SDa END 0: A Sense of Seclusion]] at this mountain top.

This place brings you sound and content; why must you go? What is important is what you believe in and what you seek. Being alone in this mountain is your solace--why break it for something you do not want. (click: "solace")[ You lay on the dirt, caking your fur with the grime. As you lie, you slowly close your eyes for sleep. Only the gentle breeze remains in your ears, and its winds leave your body a little more colder. (align: "=><=")[Ending zero(click:"Ending")[(reload:)] <h1>A Sense of Seclusion</h1>]]