The room remained quiet as Enzo returned a few minutes later. In his hand was a plate with monster’s meat grilled in some kind of odd fashion. Its aroma was strong enough to make mouths watery and Asher to look at it with clear expectations.

  “Is it for me?”

  Asher asked, raising his hand toward the plate.

  “Yes, you can have some of these. I had brought it for me… but it’s enough for both of us.”

  Enzo said with a small laugh. The previous tension had vanished from the room, as if it had never happened. Asher contemplated for a while before taking a piece of grilled meat in his mouth. A warm sensation filled his mouth and he could feel flavors explode on his tongue.

  ‘Hmm’

  Asher hummed happily with a small smile.

  “In the desert I never got the chance to cook properly. Most of the time I was surrounded by monsters so just not eating raw and being able to place some seasoning over them was a blessing.”

  Enzo listened patiently and kept his head down, looking directly at his plate. After a moment he raised his head and spoke casually, as if discussing something trivial.

  “It would have been more of a surprise if you were actually able to.”

  Asher chuckled and took another bite.

  “I know, right? Well, the biggest issue was not having a safe and fixed base. The last one was crushed in either some kind of monster tide or a giant being going over it.”

  The words left Enzo stunned; he opened and closed his mouth several times as if wishing to speak. In the end he raised his brows and asked.

  “You are not sure?”

  Sighing softly, Asher poked at his food. The monsters were truly brutal, even more than Kalista or anything he had ever seen. It was no surprise it made Enzo shocked and uncertain on what to ask or how to begin.

  “I am not. I was not there after all, lucky for me!” Asher smiled brightly.

  “In any case, outside it’s too dangerous! Calamities and avengers roam outside like common creatures, as if it's their neighborhood and they are out on a walk.” Asher suddenly let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “Did I tell you I was being stalked by one very creepy creature?”

  Enzo hesitated before shaking his head.

  “No, Asher, you didn’t. Rather, you have not told anything about outside. As you can see… we have been in the lost city for quite a while. Outside held too much uncertainty for us. Food and water looked impossible to find in that desert, and danger—we remain ignorant of it as well. However, seeing you, or more like hearing your tale. I guess our assumptions were not wrong.”

  Asher blinked.

  He seems to hold a lot of complaints in his heart. Asher let out another sigh, keeping his thoughts to himself. He also wanted to complain about many things and couldn’t help but feel the situation was unfair.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “It’s dangerous. Food and water are scarce, and every monster is cunning and vicious.” Asher repeated and placed his plate below.

  “Outside I saw a large trail as if a mountain itself had moved, a dark cloud that leaves destruction everywhere it goes. A creature that weaves stories and scenarios you wish to see. And I am sure more of them are out.”

  'Come outside the walls of the city for dehydration, starvation and becoming monsters' food! If they don't catch your attention, be prepared to meet a wide range of calamities and avengers alike, face-to-face!' Asher let out another quiet chuckle as his thoughts diverged and another thread of thoughts opened in his mind.

  “That sounds so unreal.”

  “At least show you trust what I said even remotely.” Asher grumbled, finding Enzo's immediate answer mildly annoying.

  “I see. But it looks like you survived without losing even a single limb.”

  Enzo ignored Asher's comments and continued speaking as if nothing had happened. However, his voice was sarcastic enough to make Asher’s lips twitch.

  He took a deep breath and said without hesitation.

  “Oh, I did face all of them. I even saw the mirror fiend die in front of me.”

  Asher grinned.

  “Sigh, alright… I believe you.” Enzo exhaled, as if giving up on having a reasonable conversation. After a moment of silence, he asked.

  “So do you think monsters are appearing out of nowhere due to—?”

  The question made Asher stiff; he made an odd expression and nodded.

  “After what Liber and Anny told… My doubts have more or less been confirmed. Monsters appear due to some kind of tear in space, like a gateway to another world has opened. I am sure of that… though I will need to see it again to give more insight.”

  Enzo bit his lips before nodding slowly.

  “I feel the same. I have heard during my travels in northern regions that the monster's appearance had become more common, though it was not high. Several awakeners and awakened would complain about death zones expanding gradually. I guess these tears in space or gates, like you said, may have been the reason for that.”

  "Hmm, I will look into it when we return back."

  'I am sure Temple has some idea about this... I just can't prove it yet.'

  Asher felt his heart go heavy as his mind strained with handling several thoughts at once.

  'I am eating dread at this point in the form of monster flesh.' Asher rubbed his temple as another thought went out of control.

  "Is everything alright? Your face looks pale."

  Enzo's voice cut through Asher's spiraling thoughts like a dull knife through sinew—effective, but messy. The remnants of monster meat congealed on his plate, the grease forming odd constellations in the dim light.

  Sweat started to cover Asher's forehead as his thoughts became more chaotic. His focus blurred and eyes dilated as he winced at the sudden pain.

  "Sorry... I feel like my head is being hammered right now." Asher mumbled.

  Enzo looked at him with a worried gaze before standing up with deliberate slowness.

  "You should rest then." He said and turned to face the door.

  "Follow me, I will show you an empty room. I will tell you the details of the lost city after you feel better."

  "I will appreciate that."

  Asher let out a weak voice and followed him out. The small mansion-like place held many doorways and rooms, enough to hold more than a couple of guests. Asher's only worry was how clean such an old place would clearly be.

  They stopped in front of a door on the 1st floor far away from the exit and at the furthest corner. It was safe considering that monsters could appear at any moment.

  "We all are in rooms beside these. Anny and Summer share one at the left and the others, including me, are opposite to that." Enzo spoke, opening a door and showing a small room.

  Asher's eyes widened.

  A bed!

  The room has a bed!

  Like a kid finding a toy, he rushed inside.

  'Hmm, it's clean?'

  He was ready to meet with enough dust and webs to have his nostrils closed but this was unexpected. He turned to see Enzo staring at him, making a funny face. As if reading his thoughts, he quietly answered.

  "The others cleaned it when we were talking."

  "Given them my thanks."

  Asher took out his spare blanket, still bitter about the loss of the previous one and closed the door. The room had no window, and to be honest Asher didn't wish to look outside; he was grateful for that.

  He quickly fell on the small bed and curled up into a ball, feeling his feet going cold as the chilly air brushed past his naked feet.

  The bed was too soft.

  It felt as if it were made of clouds as Asher clenched his blanket tightly over his head and drifted into slumber in peace.

  Tonight no nightmares haunted his dreams.