The feast had come to an end. The plates lay empty or with remnants of exquisite delicacies. Thamuz and Tawnylon were satisfied, struggling to breathe due to the copious amount of food they had ingested. Meanwhile, the other diners, with their plates still half full, chatted animatedly among themselves, creating a cozy and festive atmosphere.

Thamuz, with a gesture of pleasure, patted his bulging belly and stood up with the intention of returning to his dwelling to rest. However, Armesto called him with an imperious gesture, indicating that he should approach. Obediently, Thamuz walked until he stood in front of him, intrigued by the call.

"What is it, Mr. Armesto?" Thamuz asked, with a mixture of curiosity and respect in his voice.

"Were you thinking of leaving without your well-deserved reward?" Armesto questioned, arching an eyebrow with an air of complicity.

"Reward?" Thamuz repeated, genuinely surprised.

"For your second fight, of course. This time, it will be triple your previous reward," Armesto explained proudly. "The tickets sold like hotcakes when word spread that you would fight again. You offered a formidable spectacle."

As he spoke, Armesto rummaged in his pocket. Thamuz watched with expectant eyes, his heart beating strongly. Finally, Armesto pulled out a bulging leather pouch, shaking it to make its substantial contents noticeable. He placed it in Thamuz's palm and closed his fingers over it with a paternal gesture.

"This time, I want you to spend it wisely," Armesto advised, with a tone that mixed pride and concern.

"Of course I will," Thamuz assured, overwhelmed by the generosity.

"I know you will, boy. But to make sure, I want Narek to accompany you," Armesto added, turning to his son.

Narek, who was sitting next to his father, startled upon hearing his name, choking on the drink he was taking. Yakrare, his mother, patted him on the back while giving her husband a reproachful look.

"Don't scare him like that, honey," Yakrare said, with a tone of mild reproach.

"It would be an excellent opportunity for Narek to show Thamuz the entire city," Armesto explained, crossing his arms with determination. "The most exclusive shops, the most picturesque neighborhoods, the best restaurants... A true immersion in our culture."

Narek, now recovered from the surprise, looked at his father with a mixture of fear and rebellion.

"But, father, I can't go. Not after that encounter with the gang from the kengun neighborhood," he protested, rising from his seat.

"Nonsense!" Armesto exclaimed firmly. "If they dare lay a finger on you, I'll break their necks myself. Besides, you're going with Thamuz. What better protection could you ask for?"

Silence fell over the table like cold rain, Narek nodded to his father, and Thamuz stepped forward, feeling responsible for his new charge.

"Don't worry, Mr. Armesto," he said in a deep voice. "I'll take care of Narek as if he were my own brother. I promise no harm will come to him while he's under my protection."

These words seemed to reassure everyone, especially Yakrare, who smiled with relief. Narek, for his part, looked at Thamuz with a mixture of gratitude and admiration.

"Then it's settled," Armesto concluded with satisfaction. "Tomorrow at dawn, you two will set out on an adventure through the city. May the gods accompany you and may this experience forge a lasting friendship between you."

With these words, the feast officially came to an end, but the much-appreciated night arrived, for everyone's rest.

Thamuz was lying in his room, with Narek occupying an adjacent bed. Aolani was sitting in a chair next to her son's bed, her face reflecting a mixture of concern and maternal love.

"Are you feeling alright, son?" Aolani asked, gently placing her hand on Thamuz's forehead.

"Yes, why do you ask, mother?" Thamuz inquired, intrigued by the concern in Aolani's voice.

"It's just that the way they left you in your previous fight scared me too much," Aolani explained, affectionately caressing Thamuz's head. "It reminded me of when I used to see your father after his fights, all bruised and battered."

"Can my father be hurt?" Thamuz asked with genuine curiosity, as if the idea of his father being vulnerable was something new to him.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Aolani smiled wistfully before responding:

"Yes, your father is extremely strong, but not immortal. Some fighters have brought him close to defeat, but his will has always been much stronger. Although, I must admit, his survival instinct sometimes seems a bit... deficient."

Thamuz couldn't help but laugh at his mother's comment, vividly remembering some moments he shared with his father before the current events. His mind traveled to that time his father took him to see wild mhonktan, and how they had to flee precipitously when they were spotted by some of them. He also recalled the survival lessons in the forest: how to find water, how to make the body spend the least resources possible to survive, skills that now seemed more valuable than ever.

"Well, son," said Aolani, rising from her seat, "I'll let you rest. You need to regain your strength for your trip tomorrow."

She leaned down and placed an affectionate kiss on Thamuz's forehead.

"I love you too, mother," Thamuz responded, his voice loaded with affection.

Aolani headed to the door, closing it slowly after giving her son one last kiss. The little light in the room vanished, letting darkness reign.

Thamuz placed his hands behind his head, trying to visualize the ceiling in the darkness. His mind wandered, forming a mental image of what the city they would explore tomorrow would be like.

"Hey, Narek, how big is the city?" Thamuz asked, breaking the silence.

The answer was just a snore. Narek was already surrendered and sleeping peacefully. Thamuz stared at him for a moment, then grabbed his pillow and threw it with great force towards his companion.

Narek woke up startled, falling from his bed and getting up immediately.

"What happened?" he asked, with terror in his voice.

"I asked you a question," Thamuz said calmly.

"What are you talking about? I was dreaming about something great," Narek protested, sitting on his bed and rubbing his eyes.

"You'll dream about it later. I have a doubt that suddenly appeared: how big is the city we're in?" Thamuz questioned, stretching his legs.

"Very big," Narek answered, yawning.

"How big do you think it is? Give me an estimate," Thamuz insisted.

Narek sighed before responding:

"Well, let's say more than forty thousand houses of thirty meters wide and twenty meters high could fit here, and that would only cover thirty percent of the entire city. So yeah, I'd say too big."

Thamuz listened to Narek's answer and stretched out on his bed, emitting a slight sound as his lips clashed together.

"So? Are you happy now?" Narek questioned, extending his arms wide, with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Which gang was your father talking about?" Thamuz suddenly asked, looking at Narek with eyes that glowed an intense red in the darkness.

Narek noticed the sudden glow in Thamuz's eyes and felt a shiver run down his spine. A drop of sweat slid down his forehead as he moistened his throat, preparing to speak.

"Well..." Narek began, his voice trembling slightly. "It's a complicated story. You see, there are certain areas of the city that..."

Narek paused, as if weighing how much he should reveal. The glow in Thamuz's eyes seemed to intensify, patiently waiting for the complete answer.

Narek breathed deeply before continuing:

"You see, there are certain areas of the city that are controlled by gangs. The most dangerous of all is the one called 'The Steel Fangs'. They have their base in the eastern neighborhood, near the old industrial district."

Thamuz listened attentively, his reddish eyes fixed on Narek as he continued his story:

"A few months ago, I made the mistake of venturing into their territory. I was... well, I was trying to impress a girl," Narek admitted, with a hint of shame in his voice. "Things got ugly quickly. They surrounded me, threatened me, and if it hadn't been for the intervention of one of my father's guards, I probably wouldn't be here telling you this."

"Was the girl pretty?" Thamuz asked, with a sarcastic tone.

"She's the most beautiful girl you could have seen in your entire life, her eyes are as warm as the hottest ember, her skin is as soft as the finest fabrics, and her horns, her horns are so small but pleasant to touch," Narek responded, with a tone of admiration in his voice.

"I believe you, maybe we can see her when we go to the city," Thamuz added, closing his eyes.

"Yes, but, that girl is currently the girlfriend of the gang leader," Narek recounted, with nervousness in his voice.

"That must be why they chased you," Thamuz said, opening his eyes again.

"Yes, since then, they've been looking for me," Narek continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They've sent threatening messages to my father, demanding 'compensation' for having invaded their territory. My father has refused, of course, but that has only made things worse."

Narek paused, looking nervously around as if fearing someone might be listening.

"That's why my father wants you to go with me tomorrow. Not only for you to get to know the city, but also as... protection."

Thamuz nodded slowly, processing the information. His eyes glowed more intensely in the darkness.

"I understand," he finally said. "Don't worry, Narek. As I told your father, I'll protect you."

Narek seemed to relax a bit at these words, but tension was still noticeable in his shoulders.

"Thank you, Thamuz. But be careful, okay? The Steel Fangs are not like the fighters you've faced. They're ruthless and they don't play fair."

Thamuz smiled a smile that Narek could barely distinguish in the darkness.

"They're just a group of young people like us who play at being the baddest in the city," he said confidently. "Now, we'd better rest. A long day awaits us tomorrow."

Narek nodded and lay down again, although it took him a good while to fall asleep. Thamuz, for his part, remained awake for a while longer, his mind full of thoughts about the city they would explore tomorrow and the dangers that might lurk in its streets.

image [https://cdn.leonardo.ai/users/949f3f4e-1043-419c-8dd6-941c61d0ec71/generations/ac0beeca-9b1c-4ac9-b5a7-ff36c0cacf68/Default_make_a_colossal_mediaval_city_covered_in_walls_3.jpg]

Andraxius, the biggest city of aldheran, where Zarekel reings as the eternal king.