The afternoon sun was hidden behind a thin veil of clouds, the air still damp from a recent rain. He walked along the kachcha road, its muddy edges sucking faintly at his sandals. Puddles reflected patches of sky, and every so often, a breeze carried the faint, earthy scent that only comes after a downpour.
"So… we're walking again," Red grumbled in his mind. The three systems slowly followed, having emerged from his body to float around him.
"At least we're not in the forest anymore," Yellow replied. "No giant spiders here. Just mud."
He smirked faintly. "You two sound like you've been carrying me instead of the other way around."
"We have, mentally," came the sarcastic answer from Red.
Despite their banter, his steps were brisk—almost eager. The capital was only fifty kilometers away, and if he moved fast, he could reach a proper town before nightfall and then hitch a ride the rest of the way. His thoughts drifted to the palace: the white stone corridors, his mother's calm yet sharp gaze, and the warm light of his sister's caring smile.
But then came the darker thoughts. The memories of mockery and the way people treated him before his mind had cleared. There was a time when he had been little more than a fool to them, and they had laughed without fear of consequence.
Now… things will change. I will make them regret it. The decision settled in his mind, hard as stone.
"First, I need strength," he muttered. "More than I have now. Much more."
"Ah yes," Red chimed in, "step one: get stronger. Step two: marry more than two fiancées."
He nearly tripped. "I didn't say that out loud!"
"You thought it loud enough," Blue said, a hint of amusement in his soft voice.
He tried to recall their faces—his fiancées. Only fragments surfaced. A flash of a hand adorned with gold bangles. A soft laugh. The scent of jasmine. But their eyes, their exact smiles… those were missing. It was frustrating, yet oddly exciting.
The road stretched endlessly ahead, and with each step, he felt the planet's vastness. Even at his current pace, he would walk for hours just to cross a single stretch of land between small settlements. This wasn't like the world from the books—Vyuha was far larger.
By the time the sky turned amber, the town appeared on the horizon—mud-brick buildings, slanted tile roofs, and faint wisps of cooking smoke curling into the evening air. Relief settled in his chest.
Finally. A roof, a meal, and perhaps news from the capital.
He entered through the narrow main street, the smells of wet earth, cooking fires, and livestock filling the air. The town was coming alive in the evening. A baker, his arms dusted with flour, had a small, furry badger Lali curled up asleep near the warmth of his outdoor oven. A town guard stood watch at a corner, a vigilant hawk-like Lali perched on his shoulder, its sharp eyes scanning the street. Children ran past, and he noticed one young girl had a vibrant green vine with small, bell-shaped flowers wrapped around her arm—her Atmabhand, a living part of her.
His first goal was simple: find an inn. After asking a pot-bellied fruit seller, he found one near the market square—a two-story building with dark, weathered timbers and warm lamplight spilling from its wide windows. A faded sign hanging from a rusty chain depicted a large, sleeping bull. The Sleeping Ox.
With a restaurant, that's good.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door, stepping into a common room buzzing with chatter and smelling of ale and roasted meat. A fire crackled in a large stone hearth, casting dancing shadows on the low, beamed ceiling. The innkeeper, a balding man with a grin that was just a little too wide, wiped the counter with a stained rag.
"Looking for a room, traveler?" the innkeeper asked, his eyes flicking over Gana's torn clothes before settling on the coin purse at his belt.
"Just for one night," Gana replied. "How much?"
"Best room in the house, just for you. Two silver coins."
"Two silver? For this?" Yellow hissed in his mind. "He's robbing you blind."
Gana kept his face neutral. "Two silver is steep for a town like this. I only need a simple bed. How about one?"
The innkeeper's grin didn't falter. He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Ah, but the town is full, you see. Dangers on the road. Everyone's seeking safety. Two silver is a bargain for a locked door and a dry bed."
"He's lying," Red growled. "There are empty tables everywhere. Punch him."
Knowing a fight would draw unwanted attention, Gana sighed and pulled out a single silver coin, placing it firmly on the counter. "One silver. Take it or leave it."
The innkeeper stared at the coin, then back at Gana's determined face. After a moment, he snatched it up with a shrug. "Fine, fine. The small room on the second floor, end of the hall."
As he walked away, Red grumbled, "You still overpaid. That room is worth five coppers, tops."
Ignoring them, he went upstairs. The room was small but clean, with a narrow bed, a rickety wooden chair, and a single shuttered window. He washed away the mud and dust in a small basin of cold water and changed into a fresh tunic he'd kept wrapped in his bag.
When he came down to the restaurant, the smell of roasted meat and spiced lentils greeted him. He found a table near the corner and ordered a simple meal. As he ate, the chatter around him sharpened his attention.
"…and the Lali raided again—yesterday, just before the rain," a man at the next table whispered urgently. "Two villages near the north road are gone."
"Third time this month, right?" another voice replied. "It's all because of the hunters stirring them up, but the town head won't ask the capital for help."
"Heard some were Level 4 Vyahlalis," the first man added, his voice dropping lower. "They can use their own abilities, not just fight. Burned a whole field in minutes."
His spoon paused halfway to his mouth. Lali raids… Was that chaos in the forest my fault? Did I cause this?
Then, just as he was about to lean in and listen further, the door of the inn swung open.
A tall figure stepped inside, the torchlight catching the leather armor and travel-stained boots. Gana's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively going to the knife hidden in his tunic. He recognized that face—one of the hunters from the forest.
"Well, look what the mud dragged in," Red said with biting sarcasm. "The one who ran faster than anyone."
The man scanned the room once… and Gana knew this night was not going to be as simple as he'd planned.