NAGA: A LowΦKey Mortal's Astral Walk (Zine 1)
Content & Safety Warnings
CHAPTER I
The Stars Guide the Way
It was the year 977 AAE—After-Apocalypse Earth. Warm April sunlight bathed J-Carthage, a terraformed planet in the Andromeda Galaxy governed by the Alfcor-Makina Kingdom. Boats bobbed gently on the water while families strolled along the harbor. In the distant Tabu Zone—a range of barren mountains forbidden to humans—colossal machine centipedes burrowed through the earth to mine ore, and a towering, modified mana tree converted the coarse soil into lush grasslands.
Near the harbor, nineteen-year-old Naga picked berries with his triplet cousins. As the heat made his cotton clothes cling to his skin, he stood up and stretched. While he was adjusting his viridian wristbands and the band clasped on his wavy black hair, his eighteen-year-old cousin cheerfully called out.
“Brother Naga~”
The green assist-bot on her ear flashed, projecting a holographic café menu into the air between them.
“Iligan’s very berryful ~giggle~ but Aklan and I are ordering cheese flan. Do you want one?”
“Sure. Thanks, Mariquina,” Naga replied.
While his cousins browsed the menu, Naga sensed an eerie silence settle over the nearby woods. The birds had stopped chirping. Abruptly, the assist-bots on their ears lit up red. The café hologram shattered, replaced by an alert notification:
ALFCOR ALERT
Warning: Unidentified Flying Mana Object detected in your area, 5KM North.
Mana Level: HIGH
Status: Alfcor-Makina Kingdom’s Mana Interceptors deployed.
Action: Proceed to the nearest shelter ASAP.
Civilian Risk of Mana Zombie Mutation: HIGH
“Guys, let’s go home. Now,” Naga urged.
As they turned to leave, a flock of sparrows scattered from the distant trees, followed by a violent rustling of leaves. When Naga looked toward the noise, he spotted a silvery, bird-like shadow weaving through the branches, chased by a falcon drone. Abruptly, the strange shadow changed course, diving straight for his cousins.
“Run!” he shouted.
Naga quickly moved to shield his cousins and commanded his bot, “Core. Shield On.”
Greyish liquid surged from his viridian wristbands, weaving together and solidifying into a transparent metallic shield. The shadow struck it with a heavy thud, the impact forcing Naga backward. The object paused for a heartbeat, hovering as if to analyze him. In that stillness, he saw its true form: a winged silver key.
Suddenly, the key pulsed. A small, glowing Thurisaz [ ᚦ ] symbol burned onto his shield like a brand; then it twisted, fracturing the barrier. The silver key drove straight through the crack, slamming into his shoulder.
“Gah!” he gasped as sudden, immense pain coursed through him.
Instantly, his raven hair bleached into silver and amethyst—a symptom of mana corruption and a grim warning of impending zombification. His cousins shouted in panic, hurried signals for help leaving their devices.
A minute later, chains of ᚱᚷᛗ ᛇᚫᛟ ᛇᚫᛉᛗ runes writhed across his skin. Then a circle of sigils materialized beneath his feet and flashed. The silvery light blinded Naga, and he slumped forward into darkness.
***
Disoriented by the sudden flash and the ensuing silence, Naga’s vision remained black. He felt a crushing weight of fatigue, but gradually, voices began to drift in from his surroundings.
Warm air swirled around Naga, purging the fatigue from his limbs. He blinked, his sight clearing to reveal a garden that shouldn’t exist. Three figures waited before him.
The first commanded immediate attention: a slender, blue-skinned youth with wavy, sable hair clutching a simple wooden flute. He wore a turmeric-yellow tunic with indigo pants, and a mask concealed his face, adding a layer of mystery to his presence. A white seal, marked with a Viking horn tattoo on its chest, sat beside the masked lad, while a small, pale blond boy with a satchel draped across his tunic perched atop a floating ring.
The small blond boy broke the silence. “Who are you?”
Stunned, Naga stammered, “I… um… others call me Naga. Naga Cruz. Where am I? Who are you?”
The pale blue youth answered, his mask shifting into a smile. “Greetings, Naga. You can call me Vvi. You’re in the Astral Plane.”
Confused, Naga asked, “Astral Plane? There’s no place called the Astral Plane in Andromeda. Which galaxy is this located in?”
He paused, gathering his thoughts. “You see, I was at our farm when something hit me, then a white light flashed. Next thing I know, I’m here.”
“Oh, a lost soul. How sad…” Vvi replied, his mask changing to a sorrowful expression.
“So young, too. Don’t worry, little one. I, Sudarshana Chakra, can guide you to the Gates of Afterlife,” the fairy-looking boy added, pulling a mace from his bag.
Naga recoiled and shouted, “W—wait! I’m alive! I’m a LOST PERSON, NOT A LOST SOUL!”
Approaching Naga slowly, the little boy replied, “That’s what the ghosts always say… Look at yourself. You don’t even have legs. You're floating.”
Naga’s eyes widened with shock. He looked down and realized he had turned into a white, spherical wisp. He had no legs and was simply hovering in the air.
Vvi stepped between them, shielding the boy as he peered directly into Naga’s glowing form. “Let me check more carefully this time.”
After staring at Naga's soul for a few seconds, he confirmed, “Hmm… No black haze… You really are alive. I mean, currently not on Death’s List.”
The small boy apologized, though his tone was sharp. “Tsk. My bad. It’s rare for weak mortals like you to end up here. You can call me Shana.”
“I felt a jab there… but apology accepted,” Naga said. “How do I get back?”
Vvi replied, "Oh, you want to go home? Don't you want to stay here? It's fun here."
“My family is definitely waiting for me, so I have to go home,” Naga stated, staring at Vvi with determined eyes.
Vvi's mask briefly flashed a panicked expression before he spotted the seal staring blankly at Naga with almost teary eyes.
As the mask shifted to a happy expression, Vvi gripped the white seal's body and said, “I…umm... that's not my forte. But Dall here is an array master. He knows lots of teleportation spells and seals. It's better to ask him. Right, Dall?”
Feeling Vvi's grip, the seal's eyes gained focus. He coughed to compose himself. “That's right. Upon looking at your soul, I sensed a divine artifact in you. It used its mana to cast a spell that brought your soul to the Astral Plane—a realm where souls and spirit creatures reside—while your physical body remained in your world. Have you ever used a divine artifact before?”
“No. I've never used one. I've never even heard of divine artifacts,” Naga replied.
“What we have are mana stones. But they are scarce, and most humans can't use them. Some even turn into zombies when exposed to mana. I wonder what happened to my body... What if I've become one of them?”
Vvi comforted him. “Let's stay optimistic. Why don't you try summoning the weapon?”
“How? What should I say?”
“Try commanding it with Come out! or I summon you Divine Artifact!” Shana instructed, lifting his right hand. Instantaneously, particles of light coalesced above his palm, taking the solid forms of a heavy mace and a sharp dagger.
Naga shouted with conviction, “Come out! Summon! Err… I Summon You, Divine Artifact!”
Nothing happened. Shana muttered, “Tsk. There wasn't even a shred of mana in the chants when he spoke the commands.”
Seeing Naga’s spirit dim, Vvi tapped his chin thoughtfully. “It isn't responding. Possibly because the artifact rejects the command or is dormant. After casting such a powerful spell, it might have drained its mana and gone to sleep. Or perhaps... you need to bond with it first.”
Dall agreed. “I share that conclusion. Although summoning the artifact isn’t an option right now, I do possess an array that could send him back. However, gathering the ingredients would be dangerous, especially since his soul currently cannot wield mana.”
Vvi turned to the youth. “I’m sorry, Naga, but it looks like you can’t go home just yet. Both options—the artifact and the array—require mana. Channeling it might harm you, as your soul is a bit... ahem... fragile.”
He added, “We can teach you the way of wielding mana, but you must know that mana cultivation is fraught with peril. There are creatures drawn to souls strengthened by mana; they will hunt you down to devour you or use you as a pawn. Even we might use you—or perhaps we are using you right now.”
Shana softened his tone. “It’s okay to be afraid. You can stay here as long as you want until we find a safer method, like a natural rift opening to your world. But it might take a few weeks, months, or perhaps a millennium.”
Dall spoke with gravity. “Naga, mana may strengthen you, but it can also steal the ordinary, peaceful life fated to you. The path of mana is different for everyone. Some are lucky, while for others, the road is icy, thorny, and full of struggle. Regardless, a cultivator’s choice is his own cross to bear. Passing that cross to others creates karmic debt, ill fortune, or a backlash against one’s own soul. Please consider it well.”
“Once you’ve made your choice, follow this path. It will lead you to us,” Dall said.
A winding trail of shimmering stars manifested in the garden. As Naga watched, the three strange beings faded into the radiant starlight, leaving him alone with his decision.
Naga sighed. He gazed at the indigo sky and the clouds drifting along the ground, yet neither sparked any curiosity in him. His thoughts drifted instead to the faces of his family—his cousins, grandparents, and parents. He stared at the long, winding road and steeled himself.
Nothing will happen if I stand still. The road might be long, but the journey will start once I take the first step. And that step might just amount to something.
With that, he began to tread the starry path and his ᚱ journey begins.
NAGA: A LowΦKey Mortal's Astral Walk (Zine 1)
Copyright © 2025 by A Gale Tabucanon
All rights reserved.
NAGA: A LowΦKey Mortal's Astral Walk (Zine 1). Copyright © 2025 by A Gale Tabucanon. All rights reserved.
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