Morning arrived with the warmth of golden sunlight filtering through the small window.
The air slled fresh, carrying a crispness that made the fatigue in Leo's body slightly more bearable.
He sat up slowly, stretching the stiffness out of his limbs before glancing at Fiona. Her ears twitched as she opened one eye, groaning softly.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I feel the sa way."
Pushing himself off the bed, Leo ran a hand through his ssy hair before splashing cold water on his face from the basin.
The chill jolted him awake, washing away the remnants of exhaustion clinging to his mind.
It felt strange. If it was before, back on Earth, he would had gone to the bathroom to freshen up. But he no longer such luxury now.
A knock at the door followed, breaking Leo out of his thought, and Ves's voice ca through.
"Leo, you up?"
"Yeah," he called back, walking over and pulling the door open.
Ves stood outside, arms crossed, looking as awake as ever. Beside her, Mia leaned against the wall, her usual energy sowhat subdued from the long journey. Miguel joined them a mont later, rubbing the back of his neck with a half-yawn.
"We should head downstairs," Ves said. "Tatiana wants to talk before we start anything."
Leo nodded and stepped out, Fiona following closely behind, her wounds still limiting her movent, but her spirit remained strong.
They gathered in the main hall of the inn, where Tatiana was already seated at a table, sipping from a wooden cup filled with steaming herbal tea.
The rabbit beastkin innkeeper was moving about, setting out plates of food for other patrons—most of whom were beastkin of varying appearances.
So had feline features, others had scaled skin and slitted eyes, and a few bore the unmistakable traits of wolves, their sharp golden gazes occasionally shifting toward the outsiders.
Leo could feel their curiosity and wariness, but no one approached.
"Sit," Tatiana said without looking up.
They all took their seats, the wooden chairs creaking slightly under them.
"Before anything else," she began, placing her cup down, "our goal remains the sa. We need to hunt, train, and prepare for the Abyssal Rift. This city may be our resting place, but it's not our ho. We won't be here for long."
Leo nodded.
"How are we going to handle hunting? We don't know the creatures here."
Tatiana smirked.
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"That's why we'll be asking around. The beastkin are hunters by nature. They respect the strong. If we prove we can hold our own, they might offer so information."
Miguel frowned. "And if they don't?"
"Then we take what we need through experience," she replied simply.
Leo exhaled. That was fine with him.
"What about the Rift?" Mia asked, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "Do we even know where it is?"
Tatiana leaned back. "We'll get there when we get there. The Rift isn't going anywhere. But if we're walking in without preparation, then we might as well walk in to die."
Leo tapped his fingers against the table, deep in thought.
"We'll need to test ourselves against sothing strong," he said, more to himself than the others.
Tatiana tilted her head slightly. "What are you thinking?"
Leo t her gaze. "We don't just train. We find sothing dangerous and we fight it."
Mia looked alard. "Wait—"
"It makes sense," Ves interrupted. "If we want to get stronger before the Rift, we need real fights."
Tatiana smirked. "Finally, you're talking like soone with ambition."
Leo didn't return the smirk. His mind was already set. Whatever it took, he would never feel powerless again.
"Good. Now that all of us have agreed on this, we can begin imdiately," Tatiana said, nodding in satisfaction.
"Leo, I understand that Fiona is yet to fully recover and as such, can't fight. But I don't advise you leave her behind here," Tatiana said. She's a beast, yes. But she's not a native of this realm," she added.
Leo nodded when he heard this. He understood what Tatiana was saying, but there was no need for worry as Fiona has no plan of staying behind.
"Don't worry, she will be coming with us," Leo said, smiling.
Through the [Empathic Link], Fiona "told" him that she also wants to go with them.
Leo understood that the fight with Lucian must have devastated her too and she also wants to increase her strength as fast as possible.
"Ok, then. Let's move out," Tatiana said, standing up from her seat.
The group left the inn, with Tatiana leading the way.
Outside the inn, they saw a very beautiful scene. Due to the fact that they arrived in Yllandor at night, they weren't able to see much. But with the sun up, the whole realm ca alive with colours and activities.
Leo and his group couldn't believe the scene in front of them.
The beastkin capital, now fully illuminated under the warm golden light of the sun, was unlike anything they had ever seen before.
The city thrived with life, a harmony between nature and civilization that felt entirely surreal. Unlike the ruined, decayed cities of Earth or the artificial tal jungles of humanity's past, this place breathed.
Massive trees lined the streets, their trunks so thick that entire buildings had been constructed into their bark, forming hos and shops seamlessly rged with the natural environnt.
Bridges of woven vines stretched between branches, connecting structures in mid-air, creating layers upon layers of walkways.
So buildings stood alone, carved from stone and reinforced with wood, their rooftops adorned with symbols and carvings depicting legendary beasts and ancient battles.
The streets themselves weren't paved with stone but instead covered with soft moss and compacted dirt, giving the ground a natural but sturdy feel.
Streams of clear, shimring water ran through designated channels, so flowing alongside the roads while others cascaded into small waterfalls, forming natural fountains.
The people—beastkin of every imaginable type—moved through the city with ease, going about their daily lives.
Feline beastkin leaped effortlessly across rooftops, their tails flicking in the air. Canine beastkin walked in groups, their deep voices carrying over the hum of the city.
Even reptilian beastkin, with their scaled features and forked tongues, could be seen bartering at open market stalls, their sharp claws tapping against wooden counters as they negotiated.
The marketplace was particularly vibrant. Stalls made of sturdy wood and covered with colorful fabrics displayed a vast array of goods.
Fruits that seed to glowed faintly sat beside bundles of dried herbs and vials of liquid that shimred unnaturally.
Weapons, crafted with both steel and organic materials, hung from racks—blades with bones fused into their hilts, spears with vines still growing from their shafts.
There were even fabrics that seed to shift in color depending on the angle they were viewed from.
Mia's jaw had practically dropped open.
"This is… insane," she whispered, her wide eyes scanning everything in disbelief.
Miguel crossed his arms with an unreadable expression as he observed the beastkin interacting.
"They're more organized than I expected. It's not just wild survival. They have a fully developed system."
Ves, for once, was silent. She stood still, taking in everything, her eyes flickering from sight to sight, absorbing it all.
Leo found himself unable to look away either. The sheer contrast between Yllandor and Earth was staggering.
Earth had beco a graveyard—a place where survivors clung to life, where every day was spent fighting for survival. But here? Here, life thrived.
The people didn't look over their shoulders in fear of monsters lurking around every corner. They lived freely and peacefully.
Fiona, still recovering but determined, sniffed the air, her ears twitching as she took in the new scents.
A group of wolf beastkin, their golden eyes strikingly similar to Fiona's, paused nearby and exchanged curious glances before continuing on their way.
Tatiana watched them all with an amused smirk.
"You're all acting like it's the first ti you've ever seen civilization."
"In a way, it is," Leo muttered, still in awe. "At least, a civilization that isn't crumbling."
Tatiana humd in agreent before nodding toward the street ahead.
"We can admire the view later. We have things to do."
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