We slowly walked through the pit, following behind the austere Roman soldier. He seemed less distant and reserved around the young Terrisman, though, so perhaps the hostility was directed at me. Not that I could care less anyway.
I glanced at the young Terrisman beside me and raised a brow.
"And why exactly did you get a cave room, again?"
"What else?" Azrael shrugged. "For the aesthetic, obviously."
"Ah, yes. The aesthetic," I said with a solemn nod.
Shaking my head, I glanced at the cave rooms as we passed them by. Since the young Terrisman wasn’t all too forthcoming about revealing his plans or reasons for getting a room, I decided it was best not to dwell on it. So long as it didn’t affect me.
However, I knew that was, much to my dissatisfaction, rather implausible.
Sighing lightly, my footfalls dissolved into a soft, rhythmic sound as we approached our supposed cave rooms. We walked past numerous cave entrances, each guarded by one or two Roman soldiers. The Awakened glanced at us with inquisitive looks before returning to their line of work. Clearly, this wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. Before long, we arrived at a rather desolate region within the pits.
I could sense a bleak, harrowing atmosphere lingering in the air.
There were only a few cave rooms in the surroundings, and only about half were occupied. The rest remained vacant. Much more than that, however, and something I was rather pleased with, was the fact that the Roman soldiers, along with the gladiators, were just as few in number.
Maezel glanced at Azrael and said:
"Those two rooms ahead are yours. Pick who gets which one."
He spared me no glance before making his way to leave. Azrael smiled at the stern young man and replied, "That’ll do just fine."
He paused before adding: "Also... thanks a bunch, Maezel."
The Roman soldier nodded, glanced at me, and then walked out of the desolate region.
Azrael stretched and yawned, saying softly, "This is the aberrant desolate region. Whoever still has the capability to come after you here truly deserves whatever good they’d hope come their way."
I frowned at his words. "Should I be worried or be at ease with those words of yours?"
"Of course, the latter," the young Terrisman replied with a wide smile. "Well... excluding the possibility that someone is willing to pay a heavy price to deal with you. However... that’s something you and I have no control over, so we might as well hope that isn’t the case. And if it is..."
He didn’t say anything afterward, but I could understand what he meant.
And if that were to be the case, then I fight. ’I fight until I breathe my last if that is what it takes to drag my enemies through the gates of hell.’
My gaze hardened at the thought, a subtle, aegis-like presence suddenly spreading through my mind. Huh?
"Now... which of the two rooms do you prefer?"
I gave the young Terrisman no reply. Lost in my thoughts, I slowly approached the cave room before me, the aegis presence intensifying as I drew closer.
Seeing me walk toward one of the rooms, Azrael shrugged. "Well... fair enough."
Nodding at the guard standing before his chosen cave room, the young Terrisman smiled and walked through the aegis field as though it didn’t exist in the first place.
The sight didn’t go unnoticed by me. My eyes narrowed. An aegis field that isn’t activated. Used to ward off threats, or... keep them trapped within? If it were the latter — the frown on my face deepened — that’d definitely be a problem. But then again, it would certainly be much better than if I were still back in the pits.
I exhaled lightly, stepping forward and walking past the guards stationed before my cave — and, from the looks of it, two other caves as well. Mine, Azrael’s... and an empty one, it seemed.
Walking through the aegis field, the world seemed to darken, and before long, a small room filled with bloodstains along its edges, radiating a bleak atmosphere, came into view. It was at that moment that my brows narrowed. I was about to step out of the cave room to meet up with Azrael when a voice resounded from my left.
"No need to worry about that," Azrael said, as though he knew what was on my mind.
’Freak,’ I cursed under my breath.
However, since the young Terrisman had already said not to worry about it, I assumed he had some sort of solution to the problem. Probably one that involved bribery or some other method I had no clue about, and honestly didn’t want to. I exhaled heavily, slumping onto the ground.
I felt tired, worn-out, and utterly exhausted. For days, I’d always had to remain on guard, constantly feeling as though a pair of cold eyes were watching me from the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But now, I just wanted to lie down and rest, just like I used to back at home.
"Mother, Father... I miss you," I muttered under my breath, curling in on myself as something wet trickled down my eyes. Moments later, amidst silent sobs, a deep sense of fatigue washed over me, darkness slowly creeping into my vision.
At that moment, I probably lay down peacefully, just as my world had been a few weeks earlier.
***
Azrael exhaled in his room. "Seems like he’s fallen asleep," he muttered under his breath, his expression unreadable.
He lay on his back, his hands resting behind his neck and his eyes closed. "It has truly been hard on you. However, this is just the beginning. So rest now, for rest you can still afford. Cry now, for now... tears alone you might have."
Snapping his fingers, the same mythical coin that had always been with him flickered into existence. With a solemn expression, he flicked it upward. The coin spun through the air, shimmering with rays of light invisible to the naked eye, before falling into his palm. He opened his hand and, after a deep exhalation, slipped the coin into his pocket.
Slowly closing his eyes, he decided to rest for a while.
For only now could he afford to do so.