“So, you do,” the Blessed Chosen said, before Maiya had replied. Apparently, her carefully hidden emotions had slipped onto her face. “I see.”
The Blessed Chosen hid his emotions well, though Maiya could sense the displeasure in his voice.
“Is that bad? I deserve an explanation, don’t you think?”
“You deserve nothing. They seem to have finally taken action. But all is not lost. Not yet.”
They? What is he on about?
The Blessed Chosen looked like a man who’d just been handed a death sentence.
Gears clicked in Maiya’s mind, and her eyes widened. “It was you, wasn’t it? You were the one who had them move the pool that would’ve cushioned our fall.”
Before she could react, the Blessed Chosen had already left, his large frame slipping through the equally large door, leaving Maiya with more questions than ever before.
7TWIN PRONGED
“And after that, I ended up helping her wash her laundry. You won’t believe the conditions people live in here—”
“Vir, you’re breaking up,” Maiya’s image distorted, then cut out entirely. “I think you need… recharge… orb.”
“Grak it!” Vir cursed, unwilling for their conversation to be cut short. “Talk tomorrow? Same time?”
“You got it!”
The orb’s glow dissipated, and Vir heaved a sigh. He stared emptily at the perpetual sunset, his sense of time warped by the lighting. Though it felt like they’d chatted for only a few minutes, it’d been closer to three hours. An eternity, and yet not nearly enough time to discuss all that had happened.
Each side had raced to give an abridged description of all they’d done in the time they’d been apart. Of the troubles they’d endured, and the triumphs they’d enjoyed.
For Vir, it felt like just yesterday he’d had similar conversations with Maiya, in that cavern with the floating islands. Many of the words they’d exchanged felt like repetition.
For Maiya, it’d been nearly a year. She remembered nothing of her time in that cavern.
In the end, Vir hadn’t told her. He hadn’t been able to. The words caught in his mouth, and even now, he didn’t know what to think of her involvement in the whole Ekanai episode. If, after all, it really was just a figment of Vir’s imagination, then telling her everything wouldn’t hurt. She might even get a few laughs out of it.
But if it was real, and if Maiya truly had somehow lost those memories, he didn’t want to burden her with the weight of that revelation. With the precious moments they’d shared, only for her to have lost. Moments she’d now forgotten.
I’ll have to tell her, eventually, Vir mused. She deserved to know. She was the main reason he’d made it out of that whole debacle alive, after all. To withhold information from her would be an injustice.
Next time. I’ll tell her everything.
Assuming there was time—they had so much to talk about.
“Blessed Prophet, huh?” Vir muttered. “Fate has some strange tastes.”
Turning the orb over in his hands, he muttered a quick thank you to the Gods. That they functioned across realms was something he’d scarcely dared to hope for. It was such a long shot, especially when they didn’t work in the Ash. He’d nearly given up hope.
And now, I can talk to Maiya whenever I like.
The very thought made his heart flutter and his chest filled with warmth. It wasn’t just her voice, either! The orb Maiya had given him was an experiment—something Kin’jal had been working on. Besides her voice, it showed him her face, complete with her facial expressions. It was the next best thing to having her around.
As for why Vir had three hours on his hands, it was because Cirayus was nowhere to be found. He’d left Sani’s yurt to appraise the giant of the situation—namely, the bad news that supplies would be hard to find in this village—but instead, Maiya had suddenly called him and he’d lost track of time.
“Finish talking to your mistress?” a deep voice asked from behind him.
Vir whirled to find Cirayus with a knowing grin. Chills broke out on Vir’s back.
“How long have you been there?”
“Hmm, I’d say since you two began flirting.”
“W-we were not flirting!” Vir said, reddening. “Wait. So you’ve been here for hours, then? Why didn’t you say anything?”
And how did I not even notice?
Vir knew why. He’d been so engrossed in talking to Maiya, he’d completely forgotten to check his surroundings. It wasn’t just that, though. The Demon Realm was not the Ash. This was a place where he could sleep without fear of being mauled by an Ash Beast. A land where he could live again, rather than simply survive.
All of these things combined lowered his guard, though it wasn’t a mistake he’d ever make again. Any realm was dangerous if one got careless.
“If you discount what happened in that world of illusions, you haven’t talked to her in almost two years,” Cirayus said. “Might’ve felt like less to her, but for us, it’s been a while. I know how much you care about the lass. Our plans can wait a few hours.”
“T-thanks,” Vir said, thinking how sensitive Cirayus could be at times like these. Though, he half-suspected the giant remained silent to show Vir just how vulnerable he’d allowed himself to become. “I’ll… be more aware of my surroundings from now on.”
“Good! Now, tell me, did you get a taste of life here?” the giant asked, sweeping his two left arms across the horizon.
Vir gazed into the distance, taking a moment before replying, “Is this normal? This… poverty?”
“All too normal, I’m afraid. The big cities are the exception, though as you’ll soon see, they come with their own problems. Most of the Demon Realm is barren of prana, lad. It’s manageable next to the Boundary, but the prana falls off quickly. Far more quickly than the Human Realm. Its inhabitants all lead difficult lives. The humans have it easy, if you ask me.”
“Maybe,” Vir replied. “Or maybe it’s why demons are so strong.”
“Liked what you saw, did you?” Cirayus asked.
“They’re honest, hardworking folk,” Vir said with a nod.
“Aye. That they certainly are. Now come, let us discuss our next steps.”
Vir informed Cirayus of the situation in the village, as well as their proximity to Samar Patag. Cirayus, who’d been out scouting, corroborated Sani’s statements.
“We’re closer than I’d thought. Which is good. But this means we have a decision to make.”
“Such as?”
“I cannot enter the Chitran stronghold without being discovered. Hard for me to blend in like you do. Wouldn’t be a good use of my time, either.”
Vir’s brows furrowed. “What exactly are you suggesting, then? You want us to go somewhere else?”
“Not us. Just me. You should head to Samar Patag. You said this Sani woman’s sending her children there? That’ll be a perfect opportunity to slip in. See if you can obtain a Chitran Warrior Calling badge once you’re inside. I trust you’ll have no issues slipping into the city.” Cirayus gestured to their hilly surroundings. “Plenty of shadows in this realm, after all.”
“And what about you? Where will you go?” Vir asked. Cirayus was Vir’s one anchor in the Demon Realm, which felt even more alien to him than the Ash ever did.
“I must inform various trusted parties that I’m back. And, with luck, I may be able to organize a protection detail for you. Get the wheels spinning for you, so to speak. ’Tis an exciting time for demonkind, though this leaves me with a dilemma. I am loath to leave you alone while I am gone.”