Standing before a full-length bronze mirror that struggled to reflect a clear image, he studied the figure staring back at him.
The reflection revealed a man nearly six feet tall, his pale white hair flowing down his back like spilled moonlight.
His skin was just as colorless, except where a black ink like color had marred it. From his upper chest and shoulder, up his neck and along his cheek, an inky black stain spread like a living shadow.
He weighed the clothes in his hands, fingers brushing the careful stitching. The cloth was finely made, too finely for a village that still relied on crude bronze tools and simple craft. It felt more out of place then anything
He dressed without haste, slipping into the layered robes. The fabric crossed his chest in clean lines, sleeves loose and flowing, gathered at the waist with a simple sash.
"Hey Big boy! Are you done yet?", Anise's voice broke through the silence from the other room.
"Almost done!" he replied loudly, while making sure to not strain his throat too much.
"Alright!~ get out quick, I made fresh bread~", Anise informed him from the other side.
As the dim candle lit room returned to its tranquil silence, He turned to the Bronze mirror, getting closer until his eyes reflected on it.
What reflected was a pair of sharp eyes, dyed in black, with golden Irises. The sight of which brought an unease that could not be described with just words.
Turning his head slightly to the side, where he could see the reflection of his ears, unlike the ears of the people here, his ears were on the side without fur, it was plain and simple.
He touched the tip of his ear, where the curve felt sharp. As he examined his face, he noted its chiseled shape, which further complemented his looks and gave him a silent but menacing appearance.
His gaze returned to his hair, he turned around until his whole back reflected on the mirror. From behind, he could easily be mistaken for a woman.
"I should ask for a blade to cut my hair short. It would be troublesome if people mistake me for a woman because of my long hair." Making that mental note, he turned, letting his long hair float behind him as he walked towards the door.
Opening the door, he walked into a wide amber lit room, with a only a table and 3 chairs, in one of the chairs sat a woman with bright amber eyes, that glowed in the amber lit room, on her head were pair of cat like ears, followed by auburn hair tied loosely, that shimmered in the amber shade.
Noticing him, she turned to look at him and gave a hearty grin.
"Looking good~ Big Boy, Now you look like a proper Exalted One." she said complimenting him.
To which he smiled.
"Thank You, but didn't you say I looked like a Hermit?" He asked curiously as he walked to the table.
Anise shrugged, "Exalted One, is a title used to describe the noble seraphims, A hermit is also an Exalted One, but they are special… but before that-" She halted her explanation as she looked at his hair.
Noticing her gaze, he asked, "What? Is something wrong with my hair?"
Cough cough
The pain in his throat surfaced again, but he managed to calm it down. Just then Anise replied.
"Not really, just thought, how your hair really does make you more feminine." she explained with a smile. Then she pulled a band from her.
As her hair drooped on her shoulder, she handed him a circular band.
He curiously took it. It was a circular band, it could stretch and it would return to its original shape.
He played and examined curiously, He felt like he knew what it was but couldn't remember. To which furrowed his brows, in frustration.
"Haha, that band is made of rubber, it's made from a very rare tree sap, which for the most part can only be found in the south eastern continent.", she explained.
Hearing her explanation, he nodded.
"Alright Alright, tie your hair already, I am sure you have questions that need answering.".
At the reminder, his expression became serious, indeed he had followed her into her house precisely because of the answers that she could provide and shed some light on his problems.
Nodding, he tied his hair loosely, before taking a seat opposite to Anise.
Anise pushed forward a basket of small bread to him.
"Have some, Don't be shy, I made it an hour ago, its made with flour and sugar"
He simply stared at the basket of breads, He would be lying if he said it didn't look appetising. But for some strange reason he didn't feel any hunger, only a light thirst, so turning his attention away from the bread, he looked at Anise meeting her Amber eyes.
"I would like to know about the ruins in the Fores-"
"Forest covered in shadows."
Anise, not minding his forwardness, simply grabbed one soft bread, tearing it with her hand. She put a piece in her mouth and spoke.
"You have run out of patience, huh? Well I did keep you suspense for long enough so I will answer for you"
Anise swallowed, her expression returning to her serious expression she had shown as Miss Chief.
"The ruin.. is called 'The Ruin of the Old Gods', and that's the place in which you woke up from."
At that, his brows furrowed, sure the place where he woke up was grand. And most likely in the past when it stood, it must have been a Grand architectural marvel, but to call it the ruin of old gods to him at least felt like a stretch.
"Old gods? What relation does that have with me-"
"Waking up with no memory of my past?" he asked. His golden eyes blazing intently for an answer.
"I explain the best I can, but before I do, I warn you not to speak of that place or even hint at it, by any means. Got it? Nothing good comes from speaking of that place to anyone."
"But you're telling it to me?" He replied finding a weird contradiction.
"That's because you came out of that place, making you naturally exempt from the bad luck that comes from speaking of that place." she replied.
That place was indeed very strange, and he could feel it even back then, could it be that Gaia being the cause of this? But then..
"Then how did you know about it? Did you face this 'bad luck'?" he asked with a hint of suspicion.
To that, Anise smiled bitterly, she averted her eyes for a brief moment before returning a melancholic look, "Well.. I didn't or perhaps I did, I am not sure."
He tilted his head confused.
smiling bitterly, "I was told by someone about that place.. By another person who came out of that place, just as you did."
His eyes widened in shock- but Anise continued.
"That person was also none other than the former chief of this village, and… my Husband."