Nyxir trembled slightly when he looked towards the boy name Kreal, he felt his spirituality stirred and a strong unease descends on him like a prey being eyed like a predator, he suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"Errrg is something wrong?" Chris took in his reaction and asked.
"I… I… just felt a slight ache in my stomach" Nyxir quickly composed himself and waved at Kreal who also waved back.
"you can find us anytime you needed help, we know some people around here you understand right?" Chris smiled and watched them leave.
"Who was that guy?" After they are a long distance from the three boys, Nyxir pulled Ivarin back and gestured backwards.
"that was Chris from my ascendra, he told you that." Ivarin had a confused look on his face.
"yeah I know that, I mean the other guy Kreal, what's the deal with him?" Nyxir shrugged pretending not to be too interested.
"oh! He is one of the most outstanding in our ascendra, but he also has a weird personality, any ways you don't need to mind him, he would not interfere in your matters, you only need to be careful of Dre and Chris. They are the notorious duo." Ivarin explained casually.
"Those two are trouble and you still dragged me to them, what is wrong with you?" Nyxir stared intently at Ivarin who wore an innocent look.
"They asked me to bring you over for introduction and I couldn't refuse them because they are trouble." He shook his head apologetically.
"But they are not that persistent unless they want something from you which I doubt would happen because they are….."
"If they ever disturb me, I will make sure I drag you along. I want to get something to eat, are you in?" Nyxir inquired before turning towards a narrow path that leads to the kitchen.
"Alright, let's go." Ivarin followed behind Nyxir.
They walked down the narrow path, which led to a broader one comprising various stalls by the side selling wares.
Each guild occupies vast compound that serves as its heart, a place for assemblies, training, and daily pulse of its members to reduce their member's activities outside for monitoring.
They walked pass several stalls towards a distant building which appeared blurred due to the early fog settling in due to the approaching night.
After the disaster that turned the world inti its present state of ruins, the evenings come along with a sinister fog. This fog bears a lot of toxins that accumulates into a person's body before showing up in their later stages, killing them.
Although there is already a way to remedy the fog's poison which is by adding some form of elixir inside a food to be consumed and more importantly, the elixir is easy to come by so there is no monopoly and it is available for everyone; which has become a normal routine and is no longer regarded as special. The terrible thing about the fog is the monster that come along with it.
Every night, there is bound to be hordes of monster to deal with especially for those who are stuck outside the district into the wasteland; they are always considered dead whenever that happened.
The only good thing is that the monster rarely attacks a district and whenever they come, there are always scouts who reports their arrival before they reach the district making it possible for teams of diviners to go and confront them before they get near and possibly eradicating them.
As they draw near the building, Nyxir's stomach started grumbling, perhaps due to the aroma wafting in the air which made him remember how hungry he was or it was due to the feeling he got from kreal.
He did not want to talk about it with Ivarin because he had stylishly asked him about kreal but the reply he got confirmed that Ivarin did not get the same feeling he did. Maybe due to his heightened spirituality or something else, he even suspected the dark world might be involved, he had always had a keen sense of danger; he could perceive what others could not and he could also detect if he was being watched or monitored discretely.
They soon got to the entrance of the kitchen where the aroma is the strongest, Nyxir took in a deep breath taking in the sweet fragrance wafting in the air and Ivarin pushed open the door gesturing for Nyxir to enter first.
The kitchen's interior was very neat and warm welcoming them with a soothing atmosphere. Probably due to pristine arrangement, it appeared spacious. The entire room was suffused with a warm glow coming from the various gas lamps installed on the wall, even in a bright midday; the room always have the same warm glow due to the blocked sunlight.
"I've been here lot of times and I can tell you which food tastes the best." Ivarin whispered in his ears.
"I'm not really here for the best taste, I'm here for the cheap one." Nyxir smiled at Ivarin before heading to the serving counter.
"I would like some beef stew with potatoes, how much does a serving cost?" He smiled at the bored looking cashier lady and asked.
She is in her early teen around the same age as Nyxir. It is around this age range that most kids are undergoing training in a guild or if they were unlucky and were unable to awaken a divinity or perhaps their talent is so low that no guild extend an invitation to them. They would either be in a technical school or wandering the street looking for ends meet, it all depends on their family situation.
"That would be 5 coppets, it includes water and package cost." She spoke in a strange way that seem like she was repressing a laughter.
'That expensive? Because of water and package? More like daylight robbery.'
Nyxir has never had any problem with money in his previous life but he knew he had to be frugal with his spending of money as he did not have any means of earning income yet. But since he was already there, it would be a shame to turn around now plus that could put him under the radar of someone who appreciates joke at the expense of other people's feeling.
"A serving will be enough." He coughed out the word and dropped four copper coins on the table, three of which has 1 denomination boldly at the center of the mountain peaks depicted behind the old George III image at the front and one with a 2 denomination inscribed between the wings of a gigantic golden eagle.
"Wait for a moment, it would be done soon. You can sit there while waiting for your order." She pointed towards a distant empty table by the window while picking up the coins dropped on the table with her other hand.
"Thank you." Nyxir replied and walked towards the table.
Ivarin who was spectating everything from behind walked quietly behind him and sat alongside Nyxir, a grin surfaced on his face causing Nyxir to get suspicious. Whenever Ivarin grinned in such a manner, it is either something had happened or about to happen.
"What is it this time?" he asked the white haired boy who kept grinning like an idiot, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Its nothing, I just realized we might have come to the wrong place but that seems to have ben settled." Ivarin replied in a low tone almost like a whisper.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you said you wanted a cheap food and this place always sell at premium price plus that attendant earlier seems to read your reaction and already knows you came here out of ignorance." Ivarin leaned closer and explained in a hushed voice. "she likes toying with people for her amusement and since she already knows you are new here. Hehehehe."
"Damn it! Are you kidding me? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ivarin nearly blurted out his frustration, the last thing he wanted was to be picked on, but he somehow got himself into the same situation he was trying to avoid.
"You didn't ask me." Ivarin spread out his hand while still grinning.
"Come for your order." The lady called out to Nyxir who stood up to get his food while Ivarin also tag along.
He received his food, which was packaged in a small flashy disposable bag. Inside there was a small bottle containing water and a small napkin was spread across the covered plate making it impossible to see the contents unless when removed.
"Thank you." Nyxir collected the bag half dejected and half expectant, surprise also flashed across his face but he quickly hid it.
"See you next time." The lady who looked bored moments ago smile curtly at Nyxir, waving casually as he left the counter.
"why did she seem happy all of a sudden?" Nyxir asked Ivarin after they have gone a long distance from the kitchen.
It was already getting dark and the fog has thickened. Gas lamps glowed brightly from poles erected at fixed distances forming a somewhat beautiful light trail while providing illumination for the surroundings.
The road was still bustling with people moving to and fro and some going from one stall to another bargaining with the sellers. The thickened fog made it impossible to see people clearly at a distance except when up close making the night looked like a ghost valley in myth with only dark sihoutte walking the street.
"Like I said, she has already taken a liking to you, man you seem to be more charming than I am." Ivarin chuckled softly.
"Don't say it like that again, it made me think you did it on purpose. But you seem to be attracting trouble to me unintentionally, what if you were intentional?"
"I think god of trouble would suit you well" Nyxir grinned in response.
"what is with the package anyway? Cause I wanted to eat there but I feel like I shouldn't because it was packaged." Nyxir questioned Ivarin who has fallen silent.
"that is how they package all food even if you wanted to eat it there, it will still be packaged the same way." Ivarin mumbled his reply.
"I finally catch up" a voice sounded from behind the duo prompting them to turn around.
'Right, trouble really come fast with this guy around' Nyxir lampooned as his gaze landed on the approaching Kreal.