The second day had arrived, repeating the same cycle as the day before. Thamuz and his family had prepared for the second shamonak to death battle, with Armesto, his wife, and son also ready for the fight. The tension in the air was palpable, and the excitement was reflected in everyone's eyes.
They met outside the house, where Armesto was waiting for a carriage he had called some time ago. The carriage arrived, showcasing its simple yet well-structured design. It had enough space to accommodate a large number of people, being pulled by four creatures resembling a combination of birds and terrestrial animals, similar to horses but with feathers and sharp claws.
Everyone entered the carriage in an orderly fashion. Thamuz and Tawnylon, due to their large size, almost didn't fit and traveled somewhat uncomfortably, but they didn't mind. The carriage started moving, beginning its journey toward the combat arena and traversing the city's interior. Through the windows, the city's bustle became evident.
In the city center, Thamuz looked outside, observing the citizens passing by the same route. The market stalls were overflowing with merchandise related to the shamonak to death. There were toys made of unknown materials that mimicked the position and figure of the fighters, and different fabrics with colors and faces that showed the fanaticism toward this ancestral art.
"Why is the shamonak so beloved?" Thamuz asked, intrigued by the people's devotion.
"It's because it has been the greatest form of entertainment this great city has had for thousands of years," replied Tawnylon, affectionately stroking Thamuz's head. "Besides, most of our species love watching violence."
"It's also very popular because it has been used to resolve conflicts and avoid wars all over the world," added Armesto, while observing the bustle outside.
Thamuz immediately grasped the information and was even more impressed, turning his gaze back outside. Then he saw a food stall with a lot of food on it.
"Can we stop here?" Thamuz asked, grabbing his father's arm with enthusiasm.
"Stop the carriage!" exclaimed Armesto, hearing Thamuz's request.
"Thank you," said Thamuz, immediately getting off the carriage.
The food stall was operated by a young girl, approximately fifteen years old, with short hair and intense orange eyes. Her horns were not very prominent, and her height was relatively short, about one meter seventy centimeters. She was sitting on a small chair, with the sun's rays covering her face.
"It can't be, if I can't sell anything by the end of this month, I'll be without a stall, with no way to feed my mother and siblings," she sighed, lamenting.
A large shadow rose before her, blocking the sun. She looked to see where it came from and, with wide eyes, saw its source.
It was Thamuz, standing before her, towering due to his great height.
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"Ah!" she screamed, frightened by Thamuz's imposing appearance.
The passersby stopped for a moment, observing the scene forming before them. They stared for a while and then continued on their way.
"Why are you scared?" Thamuz asked in a deep voice.
"It's just...," she stammered, "you look terrifying."
"Oh, I don't blame you; sometimes I get scared when I see myself in the mirror too," Thamuz said, laughing a little.
The girl laughed as well, looking around and giving a big sigh before looking back at Thamuz.
"So, what do you want? Food or something else?" she asked.
"Well, I want some food. I saw the different textures and colors emanating from your stall and couldn't help wanting to take some," Thamuz replied.
"Well, feel free to take whatever you want. I haven't sold much, so there's a bit of everything to choose from," she said, raising her hand to the right, inviting him to check out everything there.
Thamuz approached the food stall and examined everything. He grabbed a piece of dough with a grayish color and a strong milk smell.
"What's this called?" he asked.
"It's called bhotmon, it's made from ghuyaman milk and heated over high fire for several hours. My mother makes them," she replied.
"Can I try some?" Thamuz asked again.
"Well, one bite won't hurt," she said, placing her hand on her chin.
Thamuz opened his mouth wide, eating the portion of food ferociously, leaving the girl perplexed by what she had just seen.
"This is so delicious!" Thamuz said, licking his lips with his long tongue.
"Are you going to...," she stammered, "pay for what you ate, right?"
"Of course, do you think I'm some kind of thief?" he questioned.
"No, not at all. It's just that I told you to take a bite and you devoured it all," she said, sounding somewhat worried.
"I had to try it completely," Thamuz said.
Thamuz continued to examine the rest of the food, noticing it had the same pattern, with a grayish color and a strong milk smell.
"Are they the same? Or do they have a different preparation method?" Thamuz asked.
"It's the same preparation, but they have different flavors and textures depending on which one you get," she replied.
"I see, then I'll take everything," he said.
"Everything?" she asked, with surprise in her voice.
"Yes, everything, I want it all," Thamuz responded with a smile on his face.
"Do you have enough to pay for it?" she questioned.
"Of course, don't worry about that," he said.
She stood up with great excitement in her eyes, going to the back of the food stall and pulling out a large yellow cloth sack, carefully placing each piece of bhotmon inside.
When she finished placing each piece in the bag, she closed it with a large rope, tightening it for a good grip.
"Here you go, I hope you enjoy it," she said, handing the sack to Thamuz with a big smile on her face.
Thamuz received the sack, gripping it tightly, put it around his waist, and pulled a red coin from his pocket.
"Here you go, thanks for the food," Thamuz said, handing her a red pamtan.
The pamtan fell into the girl's palm, and when she saw it, her eyes widened, and she started sweating heavily. She slowly raised her head and looked at Thamuz.
"But, I don't have change for this coin," she said, visibly worried.
"Don't worry about it, keep it, it doesn't do me much good," Thamuz said.
The girl clenched her fist around the coin, holding it tightly. She put it to her chest, and tears started to form in her eyes.
"Thank you so much," she said. "What's your name?"
"My name is Thamuz," he replied. "What's yours?"
"My name is Lilith," she answered.
"Lilith?" Thamuz questioned, rubbing his chin. "That's a beautiful name, I'll try to remember it."
"I'll try to remember yours as well," said Lilith, wiping the tears from her face.
Thamuz turned around, waving goodbye to Lilith with his hand raised. Lilith waved back and returned to her stall.
"With this, I can buy a better stall in a busy area of the city. I can fulfill my dream and make sure my mother never has to work another day in her life," she said happily.