Then....
Rumble...
The sound tore through the atmosphere like thunder.
Lira’s stomach...
Samuel blinked, turning toward her. She was pinching the hem of her robe and looking away with an embarrassed frown.
"Samuel..." she called softly.
"I’m hungry."
He tilted his head. For a mont, he had forgotten... The basic human needs. Food. Rest. Comfort. He had been moving from fight to fight, from chaos to chaos. But Lira wasn’t like him, A God’s vessel. And even if she wasn’t entirely human, she could still starve, like Samuel who doesn’t need food or sleep.
She was at her limit.
Samuel nodded. They were still standing at the entrance of Eldoria’s forest landscape. The trees swayed gently behind them, peaceful as if the forest hadn’t just witnessed death.
"I’m hungry," Lira pressed again. She stepped closer, her voice a mock whine. "I haven’t eaten since the day I was abducted by you... and let tell you, the fights, the blood, the trauma...I’m starving." trying to play the victim ga.
Samuel sighed, brushing a hand through his hair.
"Fine. But where exactly are we supposed to go? To the public, You’re technically missing, and I don’t have any of this world’s currency."
Lira smirked playfully, her cheeks puffing with a hint of pride. "Leave it to ."
"I just don’t want unnecessary attention," Samuel muttered. "Not until I reach the Blue-Crest Kingdom."
Lira nodded and raised her hand. A swirling portal opened in front of them, bathed in a gentle blue light mixed with the soft whisper of wind.
Samuel relaxed slightly and followed her in. Their footsteps left faint prints on the grassy earth behind them. The bodies of the emissaries Samuel killed lay still, untouched. Samuel hoped nature would take its course. There was no ti to bury regrets.
WOOSH
As they stepped through the portal, a wave of sound struck them.
People. Noise. Slls.
The smoke from cooking fires, shouting from rchants, tal clanging...everything hit them at once. After so much ti in solitude, it was almost overwhelming.
The city was massive, layered in stone and wood, rising and stretching beyond their eye-sights.
Samuel narrowed his eyes. "Where are we?"
Lira laughed lightly beside him. "This is a rchant city called Androda."
She spun around and added with a mischievous smile, "Also... it’s an atheist city."
Samuel blinked. "Atheist?"
She nodded. "The people here don’t serve the gods. Don’t worship them. Don’t believe in them. Excluded from the outside matters. It’s completely secular."
Samuel’s lips curved into a rare smile. "Sounds perfect."
Lira pouted, "What’s with that look?"
She was still struggling. Her life had been shaped by servitude to the divine. Even now, the shift felt unnatural. She knew the gods were flawed...cruel even...but slander against them still made her uncomfortable.
But she quickly masked it with her usual charm. "Follow ."
They wove through bustling crowds. The slls of grilled ats, baked sweets, and spiced drinks floated through the atmosphere. It even made Samuel’s body...though it didn’t require food...feel drawn to it.
Eventually, they stopped at a dium-sized building nestled between a bakery and a tailor. Steam rose faintly from the roof vents.
Lira led him inside.
The scent of lavender and warm oils greeted them. Inside, a group of beautiful young won rushed forward.
"Who is this?"
"His so handso."
"Wow, he’s covered in blood...are you okay?"
"What’s your na?"
They surrounded Samuel, their curious energy washing over him. Bombarded him with questions.
"Stop it, girls," ca a firm but gentle voice from the hallway.
An elderly woman with Gray hair tied in a bun stepped into view. She wore soft robes and carried a wooden staff, but her presence was commanding.
"Have so self-respect."
The girls stepped back instantly.
The woman’s eyes settled on Lira...and her face lit up.
"Lady Lira."
Lira gasped. "Grandma Dotty!"
She rushed forward, throwing her arms around the older woman.
"I missed you so much."
Dotty held her close for a long mont. "You’ve grown taller," she uttered, then gently released her. "Who’s this young man?"
Lira turned, cheeks red. "This is Samuel. My... companion."
Samuel offered a respectful nod.
Dotty bowed slightly. "Mr. Samuel, I am Dotty Agnes. Welco to my humble bathhouse."
Then she clapped her hands. "Girls, prepare the bathing rooms! You...clean the guest room!"
She smiled at Samuel, then turned. "Lira, you must be starving. Co with ."
The dining room was warm and quiet. Samuel and Lira sat across from each other, plates of roasted corn, bread, and seared ats between them.
Samuel looked up. "Why did they call you Lady Lira?"
She smiled, cheeks pink. "It’s nothing. Just a title I earned from... before."
He didn’t press.
They ate slowly. Samuel didn’t need food, but he took a few bites. The taste was simple but warm. Lira, however, devoured everything.
"I missed this," she responded with a mouthful. "Real food."
After the al, they separated for their baths.
Samuel entered the n’s section, greeted by silence and solitude. The warm water relaxed his muscles, and for once, his mind wasn’t racing.
Lira, anwhile, entered the won’s side. The girls there were playful and chatty.
"So... that man you ca with..." one of them asked while scrubbing her back.
Lira flushed. "He’s just a companion."
"Ohh really?" another teased. "You sure? The way you looked at him?"
Lira sank deeper into the bath. "I am not dating him."
The girls giggled. "Yet."
"Stop it!" she whined, splashing water at them.
Lira felt delighted.
"It took a while for her to get here... To get used to this her current state. To everything.
But now she understands why happiness
Is impossible to hide once you are found...
That’s why there are so many reasons to smile."
anwhile...
Back in his room, Samuel had finished his bath. One of the girls had guided him through the quiet halls and into a small guest room.
He sat on the edge of the bed, still shirtless, a towel draped around his shoulders.
In his hand was a single red apple.
He stared at it.
mories surged. The fruit of longevity. The blue one had been given to Lira. But this red apple...was different in appearance...
The fruit shimred slightly, unnatural state.
Footsteps echoed in the hallways.
Samuel turned around.
The door creaked slightly...
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