As they reached the edge of the bridge leading to Grey–Rock, Aden belatedly noticed sothing. There were no guards that looked like they would kill soone for simply breathing like the ones he t on his first day.
Only two guards stood at the edges of the ending of the bridge, but even he could tell that beneath their helts were faces of laxity. Their postures didn’t exactly scream battle-ready either.
’A pleasant developnt,’ Aden remarked internally.
Although he was sure that none of the Knights or Guards that previously held seige over the town would pose less than an inconvenience to him, he wasn’t exactly keen on getting into a battle just for the fun of it.
As he stepped past the large gate that separated the transition border to the main town, his eyebrows lifted slightly at the view presented before him.
Children running around the battered streets with sticks of at in their hands and laughter gracing their lips, won giggling amongst themselves as they rested on the edges of their stalls, and the n dancing unrestrainedly with their partners or so drinking large mugs of beer.
The upbeat and cheerful sounds of music filled the air, as others played their instrunts with great dexterity, their symphonies raising to higher heights whenever soone dropped a gold coin into their bowls.
His feet never stopped moving as he noted these changes. The designs that littered the poles and streets gave everything a rather pleasant vibe, masking the poor state of the town and houses.
’Master? What are they celebrating?’ Zero asked through the Sync.
Aden didn’t respond imdiately, but turned left at an intersection whilst picking up five sticks of at from a nearby stall and consuming them with scary speed.
’Beats . Maybe the Purification Ceremony was more of a success than I’d imagined,’ he finally responded as he passed by the bartender’s bar.
Well, to call it a bar now wouldn’t be accurate. What took the place of the building was a smaller structure with more of a hoy vibe compared to the brutal–esque nature of the bar.
With less than a glance, Aden could make out the slightly rusted furniture and kitchen utensils, but his nose didn’t care about the state of things as inconsequential as that. No, it picked up on the one thing any man would be happy to sll.
Food.
And not just any food. This was the kind of al that brought smiles to the faces of everyone it reached. The aroma of well-seasoned at filled his nostrils, accompanied by the sharper scent of herbs carefully arranged around the dish.
Aden gulped subconsciously as he watched the cracked, transparent windows. His fingers tapped each side of his thighs softly, but was t with nothing.
Aden gulped subconsciously as he watched the cracked, transparent windows. His fingers tapped each side of his thighs softly, but was t with nothing.
The lack of weight at his hips was a jarring reminder of his current state. He had no coin, no pouch, and his clothes were little more than dignified rags held together by the sheer density of his Presence.
The rhythmic tapping of his fingers stopped. Aden stared at the window, watching the steam rise from a communal pot inside.
’I have no money,’ Aden stated plainly through the Sync. ’And I want at,’ he added shalessly.
Zero and Lorelei, who had been observing the festive atmosphere with the detachnt of ghosts, shifted slightly. Lorelei’s hand moved to the hilt of a hidden dagger, her instinctual solution to any obstacle being to take what was required.
"Master," Zero’s voice intervened, sounding almost apologetic. "On her quest to gather information, Lorelei was offered large amounts of money because they were interested in her beauty and has intentions of taking her to bed, and of course she took the liberty of accepting the money on your behalf, but sadly, the individuals suddenly lost the will to have their side of the deal."
Lorelei reached into a fold of her shadow-like cloak and produced a heavy, soot-stained leather pouch. As she handed it to him, the clink of gold against gold was the only sound that pierced Aden’s focus.
He didn’t thank her outrightly, but the slight relaxation of his shoulders was enough of an acknowledgent for them.
He stepped toward the door of the structure, as he solidified his body just enough to interact with the physical world without shattering the wood under his touch.
The bell above the door chid with a small, tinny sound. The music from the street was muffled, replaced by the crackle of a hearth and the low murmur of a few patrons.
A woman with flour-stained hands and a tired but kind face looked up from the counter. She froze for a second, her eyes trailing over Aden’s silver hair and tattered clothes, but the sheer, overwhelming pressure he unknowingly exuded made her words catch in her throat.
"We... we’re almost closing for the celebration, traveler," she managed to stamr.
Aden placed a single gold coin on the wooden counter. The soft thud was disproportionately heavy, vibrating through the floorboards.
"The at. All of it," Aden said, his blue eyes locking onto hers.
The woman quickly averted her eyes and watched the floor with scholarly intrigue. "Of course, coming right up!" she replied with a high–pitched tone that made the custors turn towards Aden with confusion.
Aden, however didn’t care about their piercing gazes, instead he calmly took an empty table that coincidentally had three chairs.
Lorelei took asured steps by Aden’s side and sat next to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. Zero remained in his standing position until Aden urged him to sit.
The chairs creaked under Aden as he settled in, the wood groaning in a way that made the nearby patrons shift their stools further away. Lorelei sat with a grace that bordered on the ethereal, while Zero lowered himself into the third chair with the rigid precision of a machine being powered down.
The woman returned monts later, straining under the weight of a massive, steaming iron pot and a tray laden with thick-cut slabs of roasted at dripping in a dark, herb-infused jus. The aroma was intoxicating—rosemary, garlic, and sothing deep and smoky that spoke hours spent over a slow–burning fla.
She set the feast down with trembling hands, barely managing to whisper a "Enjoy your al" before retreating to the safety of the kitchen.
Aden didn’t hesitate. He tore into a rib with a speed that shouldn’t have been possible for soone looking so composed. Each bite was a sensory explosion, a sharp reminder of the world he had nearly left behind in the chasm.
As the grease stained his fingers, the conversations around them, which had died down upon their entry, slowly bubbled back to life.
"You going to see the fight tonight?" A man in a brown tunic whispered to his companion across the table.
"I don’t see why not. It’d make a great end to the celebration, and I heard three newbies are in the roster, so things will definitely be interesting," the companion responded half–heartedly as he dove through his al.
"You’re paying for the drive though," the man interjected between smiles. A great contrast to the expression Aden had.
"Master," Lorelei whispered as she cut through a piece of at and placed it on Aden’s plate. "Shall I dispose of them?"
Aden shook his head slowly as Aden swallowed, the rich flavor of the at lingering on his tongue.
"After my al, we head to the Pit," he ordered evenly with an unreadable expression.
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