Rio stepped closer to Filip and carefully peered into the open coffin.
For a moment, he said nothing. His ears angled forward, body tense, every instinct alert as he inspected the darkness inside.
Then—
"…Jackpot."
The tension drained from him all at once.
The inside was lined with soft fabric. Not new, not luxurious—but intact. Layers of old textile covered the bottom and sides, worn thin in places but surprisingly clean for something sealed inside a stone pyramid for who-knew-how-long.
It wasn't silk.
But it was soft.
"Perfect," Rio said, genuine relief slipping into his voice. His ears relaxed, no longer standing rigid, and his tail swayed once behind him in a slow, tired arc.
Filip let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and leaned back against the wall. His shoulders dropped, and for the first time since the fight, his ears drooped instead of staying stiff with tension.
"I was half-expecting another skeleton," he admitted.
Rio huffed a quiet laugh. "Same." He lowered his bow completely and rested it against the stone. "But this actually works."
They tested it carefully. Safety first.
Rio pressed down with his hand, then slowly sat on the edge of the coffin.
Soft.
Not bed-soft—but compared to cold stone floors, blood-soaked panic, and constant fear, it felt unreal.
Filip let out a weak chuckle. "That's officially the best thing we've found so far."
Rio nodded and looked around the chamber again—really looking this time.
The torn banners folded into makeshift blankets.
The old chests dragged together as seats.
Oathkeeper hovering quietly nearby, its blue glow steady and calm.
And now the coffin—no longer a threat.
Shelter.
For the first time since arriving in this world, the pyramid didn't feel like a tomb.
It felt like a home.
A strange home.
A quiet one.
A little unsettling.
But still—a home.
Rio glanced back at Filip, ears twitching thoughtfully.
"Looks like we both fit," he said. "Might get a little cramped… but taking it apart would be way too much work."
His tail flicked once.
"And the edges help keep insects and small creatures out."
Filip nodded—but his attention was clearly drifting.
His stomach growled.
Loudly.
His ears flattened in embarrassment. Then he slowly looked up at Rio.
"…Can we eat now?"
His ears drooped low, and his tail swayed behind him without him noticing—slow, hopeful, almost pleading. With his bandaged hands and exhausted posture, he looked far less like someone who had fought a monster… and far more like someone who had reached his limit.
Rio stared at him for a second.
Then smiled.
Warm. Fond.
He didn't say it out loud—but he thought Filip looked ridiculously cute like this.
"Yeah," Rio said gently. "Let's eat."
They decided not to eat inside the chamber.
"I don't want smoke in there," Rio said as they climbed toward the upper levels.
Then, after a pause, his ears twitching uneasily, he added,
"And… I don't want the smell to linger."
Filip nodded. "Good call."
They set up the portable stove near the top of the long staircase, where the open air could carry the scent away.
That's when they realized the problem.
No plates.
No bowls.
No cutlery.
Rio stared at the supplies.
Filip stared at the supplies.
Then Filip slowly held up something in his hand.
A spoon.
Sort of.
It was roughly carved from wood—uneven, thick in some places, too thin in others. The handle was crooked, the bowl shallow and slightly jagged at the edges.
"…I tried," Filip said quietly.
Rio blinked—then laughed softly.
"You made that with your sword?"
"…Yeah."
Rio shook his head, tail swaying in amusement. "It's terrible."
Filip sighed. "I know."
"But," Rio added, smiling, "it's ours."
They shared the spoon, taking turns, careful not to spill too much.
Rio opened one of the cans and poured the contents into the small pot.
The smell hit them instantly.
A thick stew—potatoes, chunks of meat, rich with herbs and spices.
Strong.
Warm.
Overwhelming.
Much stronger than either of them expected.
Their new bodies noticed everything.
Filip's ears shot upright. His tail wagged before he could stop it.
"…That smells incredible," he whispered.
Rio stirred quickly, ears flicking nervously. "Let's eat fast."
They sat on the long staircase, passing the badly carved spoon between them. Each bite was intense—comforting to the point of almost hurting. The warmth spread through their bodies, easing tension they hadn't realized they were still holding.
When they finished, they stayed where they were.
Sitting side by side.
Listening to the wind as it swept over the pyramid's summit, brushing against their ears and tails, carrying the last traces of scent away.
Together, they looked south.
The land unfolded in layers.
Closest to the pyramid, the forest stretched wide and uneven—broken again and again by gentle clearings. Small meadows opened like breaths in the green, their grass lighter in color, swaying softly in the wind. Narrow streams cut through the land, catching the light as they twisted and vanished back into the trees.
Further away, the forest thinned.
And there—
A vast lake.
Its surface shimmered faintly with an unnatural violet hue, calm and beautiful in a way that felt wrong if stared at too long.
Beyond it, the land rose sharply.
A massive mountain range dominated the horizon—long, jagged, ancient. Peaks cut into the sky like broken teeth, stretching endlessly from east to west.
Filip's ears angled forward.
"…I think civilization is beyond those mountains," he said quietly.
Rio felt it too. His tail stilled, ears lifting as the thought settled deep inside him.
They weren't ready.
Not yet.