They had already left the mountain.
The street ahead of them was empty, quiet in a way that was abandoned rather than peaceful. Broken stones lined the road, and shuttered houses stood on both sides, doors closed, showing that people had fled long ago. Their footsteps echoed softly as they walked.
Lioraen moved calmly, a book open in one hand, his eyes fixed on the pages as if the world around him did not exist.
Beside him walked Othello, no longer a Divine being ruling a domain, but a five-year-old child. His clothes hung loosely on him, and his steps were shorter. He kept looking up at Lioraen, again and again, wide-eyed and silent.
Lioraen did not look back.
Othello's gaze lingered, confused, as if trying to understand how he had fallen so far, how the one walking beside him now held his life so easily, while reading as though nothing had happened at all.
After a while, Othello spoke.
"Where are we going?"
Lioraen didn't answer. He turned a page.
*This book really holds words I can't begin to think about. I guess creation didn't end with this realm. In fact, realms are a side hustle of creation. I'm really convinced that the wanderer wrote this.*
Othello frowned and asked again, louder this time. "Where are we going?"
Lioraen finally looked down at him.
"Suri Shrine."
Othello froze.
"S–Suri domain?!" he gasped. "No! I don't like her! Why are we going there?!"
Panic rushed through him. He turned and tried to run.
He didn't get far.
Lioraen caught his sleeve with ease and tugged him back. Othello stumbled, nearly falling, then stood still, breathing hard. Lioraen released him and returned his eyes to the book, continuing to walk as if nothing had happened.
"I hate that being!" Othello yelled after him.
"I don't care," he replied.
Othello ran to join him, trailing behind.
"Why are you going to Suri's shrine?"
"You'll see."
They reached Suri's domain.
The shrine stood in the open heart of the city, vast and untouched. Tall pillars framed a wide courtyard, white stone gleaming despite the surrounding emptiness. The air felt heavier here.
Lioraen walked in without pause.
Othello shrank closer to him, shoulders hunched. He cringed with every step, as if the ground itself rejected him.
"Let's go back, Lio."
"It's Lioraen for you." Lioraen shut the book and tucked it in his bag.
As they crossed the threshold, the air shifted.
Light gathered ahead of them. It shaped itself into a human form—female, tall, towering even in mortal guise. Her presence pressed down on the space. Her presence was calm yet absolute.
She looked down at them, eyes sharp.
"Who are you?"
"Just a shaman boy." Lioraen shrugged.
"A shaman boy?" She frowned. "With a Divine being's blessing?"
Her gaze slid to the child hiding behind Lioraen's leg.
Othello flinched.
Suri clicked her tongue. "You look terrible. Reduced to this?"
Othello shrank further, muttering, "Don't talk to me…"
She inched closer.
"Why is there a binding pact on your neck?!"
Lioraen stepped forward, placing himself between them. He reached for his sheath and drew his sword.
The woman's eye narrowed.
She straightened, her presence pressing down on the shrine like a heavy wind. "Lower your blade, mortal," she said coolly. "You stand in Suri's domain."
Lioraen didn't move. His grip stayed firm, the sword steady.
"Lioraen, what are you doing?!" Othello gasped. "You can't take her on!"
She narrowed her eyes.
"You binded Othello." She stepped closer. "How did you... never mind, I'll just find out myself." She raised her hand.
Othello's eye widened. He stretched out his hand to her.
"Suri, wait..."
She muttered inaudible words, and her eye flashed. When she regained her sight, everywhere was dark. She glanced around.
*Is this the child's consciousness? Why is it dark?*
She took a step, and it echoed miles away.
*What is this? I'm supposed to see everything about him.*
She took another step, and it echoed louder. Slowly, unease began to settle in. She felt something inching closer to her. She glanced around but saw nothing except a vast dark space.
*I need to get out of here...*
A hand sneaked in from behind her, grabbing her face. She froze, feeling chills run up her spine.
**You little trinkets just want to get into his mind these days.**
"Aah...! Urgh!"
She tried to turn, but more hands just kept coming out of nowhere, tearing her down. She began to suffocate. Blood ran down her nose and eyes.
**That brat came to you for something. Then it won't be fun to watch you die.** The voice chuckled in her ear.
She was abruptly pulled back to reality. She gasped as light returned to her vision, settling on Lioraen.
"Ekk! Get away from me!"
She stumbled on her dress, falling.
Othello turned away and snickered.
"I tried to warn you, Suri. There is something in this child."
Suri glanced at Othello and back at Lioraen.
"What... what are you?"
Lioraen took a step closer.
"Are you interfering in this realm's havoc?"
Her eye widened.
"Havoc? How dare you..."
"Answer the question."
Suri's eyes narrowed. For a moment, silence hung between them. Then she sighed, almost amused.
"So direct," she muttered. "No. I am not tearing this realm apart. Unlike some."
"If you're not involved, then stay out of my way."
Suri studied him carefully now—not the sword, but his eyes.
"…Interesting," she said at last. "You don't feel like a normal human."
"You think?!" Othello scoffed.
Suri glanced at the little boy. Her brows knit together. "What did you do to him?"
"He swore himself to me," Lioraen said flatly. "After I broke him."
Her pupils dilated.
"You made a Divine being kneel," she murmured.
Suddenly self-conscious, she stepped back.
"Give me names. The beings wrecking havoc."
"No." She bluntly refused.
Lioraen blinked once.
"I wasn't pleading." He waved the sword. "Give me names, or learn from your mentor." He nudged his head at Othello.
A moment of silence lingered. Suri stood up, chuckling.
"You have such no manners after getting a Divine one's blessing!"
She stretched out both of her hands, the force bending the air around them. The shrine shook, the ground cracking.
"Let me set you straight, child!"
Lioraen stumbled, clenching tight on his sword.
"Help me!" Othello tumbled down the shrine stairs. "Lioraen!"
Suri grinned.
"It has been long since I have felt agitated! By a child, no less! I'll show you the difference between a mortal and a Divine!"
Lioraen lunged first, attacking with a forward strike. Wind formed around her and deflected the attack.
"Do I look like that quack being, Othello, to you?!"
Her wind formed small sharp spears, and she directed them to him. He guarded his face as the attacks pierced his skin.
"Haha... how did you defeat Othello?" She asked as he fell on one knee.
"Haha..." Lioraen laughed, standing up. He wiped his bloody lip.
"Huh?"
"You're better," Lioraen changed stance and vanished from her sight. "...than that quack being!"
"What?" She spun around but couldn't catch sight of him.
*Where is...*
She felt his presence above and looked up. Before she could react, a hard kick came down on her head, knocking her unconscious for a second.
*Isn't he a swordsman?*
Her face hit the ground, and the wind pressure shattered.
Othello returned just in time to meet the scene.
"Huh? Ha... haha..." He held his rib. "You lost too?! This is hilarious."
Lioraen landed and took a step back, holding up his sword. He watched as her fist clenched in barely contained rage.
"How... dare you... mortal!"
She stood up, trembling.
"I was going to go easy on you, but I have changed my mind! I'll squeeze every bit of life from you!"
Lioraen chuckled.
*She's angry.*
The air bent with her step, the shrine behind them caving in.
She raised her hand to the sky.
"Say your last recite, mortal! I'm going to kill you, and then that being that dared mess with my mind!"
"Huh?" Lioraen froze.
*The wanderer? She wants to kill the wanderer.*
He stepped back, suddenly feeling anxious.
*If that book was really written by the wanderer, then I suspect that entity to have a short temper. It eradicated a realm and its Divine being because it was called lazy. If it listened to...*
**Oh? You want to kill me?**
TBC...