The red moon of Umbraheim shone brighter in the sky, now appearing smaller than it did at the beginning of the night. The horizon carried the shrieks of the immense snake, but its body no longer encircled the mountain. Sun Tie felt the beast was coming in their direction, and he didn't want to be around when it arrived.
They were now walking on a strange black road, smooth and easy to travel, a stark contrast to the cobbled stones that seemed to be the norm in both Eternal Wind and Umbraheim, according to Liv. The buildings on their side stood nearly destroyed in this part of the city they were traversing.
It was almost as if someone threw the building atop another. Sun Tie could see that a strange white house sat above what remained of a smaller Eternal Wind home. The human lifestyle on Earth was glorious in a different way from his home.
Yes, he and his peers appreciated beautiful and opulent things, but even how humans lived their day-to-day lives seemed extravagant. The larger buildings in Umbraheim? They were even more opulent, filled with luxurious colored stained glass windows, cobbled walls, and immense arcs.
Paintings adorned almost every building on this strange planet. Some art pieces adorned the walls intentionally, while others seemed haphazardly thrown onto the walls as if to mock the place's owners. Sun Tie could see similar things in the Earth buildings, likely some way to express discontent without revealing their faces. This disrespect was not the Eternal Wind way.
“You all live like that? In enormous or spacious buildings?” Sun Tie asked James or Cole.
“No, we don’t. This place is the ruins of a bigger city,” Cole replied.
“I’m trying to identify what language this is,” James said, looking at a plate by his side. “I know it says ‘stop,’ but I can’t understand the language.”
“It’s German. We are walking through the remains of Berlin, if I were to guess,” Cole said, peeking around a corner before continuing. He halted on the spot and pointed to the horizon. “Yes, we definitely are.”
Cole's hands pointed toward what appeared to be six gigantic pillars connected by an immense flat rock. In the distance, Sun Tie could see figures looming above the monument. He instinctively moved his hand to his sheathed sword, but Cole gestured for him to stop.
“It’s okay. They are statues,” Cole stated, and they continued walking.
With each step, Sun Tie realized they were not pillars but gigantic walls, and the figures above were horses carrying what seemed to be a chariot of sorts, with someone driving it holding a staff in one hand. Upon closer inspection, Sun Tie saw it was a woman.
“Oh, women are warriors on Earth too? Good to know that at least two of the planets are actually civilized. Did you acknowledge what those poor people from Umbraheim were going through?”
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“Yes, it was pretty rough,” James replied, exchanging a glance with Cole. “Yes, women fight in the military, serve in the government, and do other things. In comparison with Umbraheim, we are pretty advanced, for sure. But I think Sofia would have some arguments to put on the table.”
“I bet,” Sun Tie completed. “Every place can improve,” he said, keeping the conversation short. They stood before the walls, and he felt curious to read what was written inside. Different names, like Leipzig and Paris, caught his eye, along with others just as strange. “What are these?” he wondered aloud.
“I think it’s battles the Germans won through time.”
“Interesting…” Sun Tie said, moving his hand across the walls and feeling the texture of the monument. The young master couldn’t deny that the Earthlings had their merits. There were beautiful monuments in Eternal Wind, but these struck a different chord with the young master. It was as if he was contemplating pride itself in the form of gigantic walls.
As they left the monument, the red and white tower emerged on the horizon, nearer to their position and more prominent in the sky.
“We are really close now,” Cole declared, stowing his bow behind him, draping his cloak over his head, and drawing his two daggers. “I'll go ahead to scout. Follow me from a distance and stay vigilant.”
Sun Tie nodded to the old man, and James did the same. Both of them unsheathed their weapons and proceeded slowly, trailing the archer. Cole's presence became almost invisible as he merged with the shadows of a building. Despite his crouched stance, his speed was noteworthy, prompting Sun Tie to wonder if he was as swift as he perceived the man to be. Probably yes, given all the points I invested in dexterity.
As they advanced, Sun Tie sensed unseen eyes on him from every direction, as if people concealed themselves within each building, their fear of the night and potential lurking monsters compelling them to hide. This sensation of being watched heightened Sun Tie's alertness. They might need assistance in this situation, so James should prepare himself.
“Grasp your sword with both hands. Observe my sword; it's significantly smaller than yours,” Sun Tie instructed.
James took a moment to assess his grip on the sword, subsequently tightening it.
“But it feels right with just one hand,” he countered.
“Perhaps, but it isn't optimal. You might manage to wield it that way, but you'll inevitably drop your sword,” Sun Tie warned.
"But I have [Swordsman Grip]."
"Yes, that's an excellent skill, and I adore it. It probably saved my life in the caverns when that foul beast knocked me to the ground and drank my precious blood—" Sun Tie shook his head, refocusing, "We don’t know the limits of these skills; don’t push it. Use both hands, grip it tightly, and make larger swings. Aim for the torso when fighting another human."
"Okay," James replied, grasping the sword with both hands and walking confidently.
"If these monsters are real, then don't aim for the torso; aim for the head, just like with the wolves before." James nodded, and they turned a corner that Cole had entered earlier. Just a few steps later, the old man emerged from the shadows in a swift motion, nearly causing James to fall to the ground in fright.
Sun Tie chuckled at the man's reaction, then turned to look at Cole, but the old man's demeanor had changed, a grim expression now etched across his face.