The town of Euphoril was shaped like a quarter circle, with the walls and entrance at the curve, while near the narrow end, covering it entirely actually, was the ‘root’ of the Holy One. At least, Tiernan assumed that was what he was looking at.

He barely had time to sightsee, since he could barely keep pace with Miss Davar’s ground eating stride. The woman–girl really, but he couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that she was not only younger than he–was at least two levels above his Anima Strength. There was actually no doubt that she was a Mishala, not just a Davar like Chief Runeer and the marine brothers.

He grew up in Realmheart and Yuriko wasn’t the first Mishala Clan member he’d met. Miya Mishala was just as beautiful as Yuriko but in a different way. Miya was about his age, or maybe a year younger. He didn’t recall, since the only time they met was in a cotillon hosted by Rosmann Academy and she had been someone’s date. Or at least, he was sure someone had invited her. Anyway, Miya had basically charmed the entire batch of Rosmann students, male and female alike. He still couldn’t forget her eyes, slit-pupilled like a cat’s.

Each Mishala had a distinct feature like that. Eyes, hair, maybe a beauty mark. It was clear for Yuriko that it was her hair, as there was no way hair that long and silky would behave like that. His sisters always complained about the length of their hair, since Mum had always insisted on a proper length. It tangled, it got caught on everything, and it got in the way. That’s what his sisters always said.

But after observing Miss Davar in close proximity, especially in the midst of battle, he could tell for sure that the focus of her Mishala heritage was in her hair. It was silky smooth, it never tangled, and more incredibly, it moved out of the way in battle. The movements weren’t blatant, but his keen eyes could tell.

The Mishalas always manage to wrap people around their little fingers, one way or another. He vaguely remembered Miya giving him a smile, and he gushed out everything in an attempt to impress. Pranks, tales of derring do, secrets he’d ferreted from his classmates and the Academy. If not for the fact that she barely paid attention, he would have given her all his secrets. And that was even though he didn’t find girls all that attractive. He suppressed a shiver.

Yuriko was different. She didn’t act like a Mishala at all. She didn’t probe him for secrets, didn’t twist him for her purposes, and didn’t treat him like a servant. She had helped him with barely a thought and at great risk to her life. He could feel a burgeoning warmth in his heart and he knew he would do anything for her.

And there lay the rub.

He was self-aware enough that he knew he had never been that selfless. He was ambitious, and he didn’t want to become a mere follower. He knew it in his mind but his heart couldn’t resist. Why? Yuriko’s Mishala Heritage…

He shook out of his reverie when they arrived at a food stall. The owner, a middle-aged man, grilled skewers of…something, over a charcoal grill. Though where they found wood in this barren place…ah, the huge root, of course. But did they consider it as their Holy One, or was it their source of fuel and sustenance?

The things stuck in the skewers were perfect squares of something brown. The grill left a perfect crosshatched pattern on one side, and the scent was quite enticing, but he was also sure it wasn’t beef or pork.

There was a small line waiting for the food, and the owner’s assistant did brisk business. Soon enough they were at the front.

“How much for one?” Yuriko asked.

The young man pointed at a sign above the stall, but of course, it was written in the local language, so neither of them could understand it. The boy couldn’t keep his eyes off Yuriko though, especially since her dougi’s neckline was loose. It exposed quite a bit of her skin and perfectly showed the shape of her collarbones.

“I can’t read your language.” Yuriko said with a small smile. The boy’s face turned completely red.

“Hahaha!” The owner guffawed as he interjected, “It’s a silver leaf apiece. If you’ve got different coins, Sovereigns or Shekels, then the equivalent.”

“Oh, I’ve got a gold leaf here.”

“An entire gold leaf! Girl, I don’t have that much change!”

“I’ve got some silver pennies. Sovereigns.” Tiernan offered. “How many do you want?”

“Uhm, a dozen,” Yuriko said with her cheeks turning slightly pink.

“I’ll have a couple, too,” Tiernan said faintly.

“Then that’s seven Sovereigns,” the owner said.

Tiernan handed a silver mark to the boy and received six silver leaves, Denari, in return. He shrugged. The Bosun or the Captain handled coin exchange, though he wouldn’t receive exact value for it.

“Please wait over there.”

The assistant pointed off to the side, where there were several benches. The two of them complied, and while Yuriko hungrily eyed the skewers, Tiernan observed the town and its populace. Everyone wore a variation of the same robes that they were given. No splash of colour anywhere other than hair or other body features.

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He’d thought the town was eerily quiet, too, and it took a few minutes before he realised why. There were no animals on the streets. No dogs, cats, goats, pigs, and whatnot. There were also no young children.

The stall was in a small square, a natural gathering place for people, but other than teenagers, there was no one under the age of ten, as far as he could tell. Not out in the open, anyway. He did see a few smaller figures, but he only had to look at their faces to realise that they weren’t children but smaller, Chaos-turned humanoids instead. A few had scales on their faces, some had small horns and other deformities. Still, he didn’t doubt they weren’t adults.

He glanced at Yuriko and saw her looking around too. She had a cute frown on her face. Pursed lips, and arched eyebrows.

Tiernan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t like women! Chaos burned the Mishala bloodline!

Closing his eyes brought forward the feel of the ambient Chaos against his body. He was an Apprentice and by all rights, he shouldn’t even be outside of a secure plane. But his Heritage strengthened him against Chaos. Somewhat.

Without Yuriko’s Protective Field, he wouldn’t have lasted the day. If it had been a normal person, the Chaos would have changed them in a heartbeat. Their flesh would turn, their features twist, and their minds shattered. All in the blink of an eye. Even worse, since they were deep in the Chaos. The feel of it weighed down on him, as though there was a blade pressing against his neck, and a single wrong move would leave a bloody smile on his throat.

“Skewers done!” the assistant called out.

Tiernan’s belly grumbled in anticipation. He grabbed his two skewers and took a bite. Whatever it was, the skewers were quite savoury and slightly spicy. The texture was definitely not beef or pork, or any of the common meat animals. It was too…uniform.

Tiernan frowned. For all that, it was still tasty.

Yuriko ate quickly. Somehow, she’d finished off the dozen before he was done with his two and she did it while looking cute and dainty.

‘How?’ he thought, then shook his head. Not important.

“Are you satisfied?”

“I guess.” Yuriko took a sip from a canister she drew from her hip satchel. “Now, I suppose we should return to our journey, but...” She looked at the pedestrians. “Maybe we should find out how they’re able to walk around in this dense ambient Chaos without suffering.”

Tiernan nodded. She didn’t like it when he stood too close, but then again, who would? They were of the opposite gender after all.

“I mean, you could stay in my Ani…Protective Field, but if we get attacked, I would not be able to keep you safe if the enemy’s too strong.”

“What about your…er, special weapon?” He didn’t know why she carried a powerful artefact, but then again, she was a Mishala.

“It’s a melee weapon,” she said pointedly, “and, well…” She sighed. “I can’t utilise it fully here.”

“I guess we should ask around?”

“Where though?”

“How about those people?” He pointed towards the food stall. “They seem friendly enough.” Especially if it was Yuriko who did the talking.

“Oh. You’re right.” She nodded, stood from the bench and walked up to the assistant, who was still busy taking orders from diners. The line cleared up after a few minutes and she caught his attention. The young man looked ecstatic for a moment, jabbering away at her. After a while, a disappointed look crossed his face but it vanished after she gave him a slight smile. The conversation was a bit hushed and Tiernan didn’t hear anything.

When she came back she shook her head.

“He said they’re blessed by the Holy One and that all wanderers were welcome to join the Temple.” Her face turned towards the narrow part of the town, to the gigantic root that soared to the heavens and the mountain around it. There was a large blocky structure there, though it was of the same colour as everything else was. There were no other decorations on it, no other indication other than size, that it was different. “He invited us to join the evening service.”

“I think it was only you, he invited,” Tiernan muttered even as he got to his feet and gestured towards the giant root. “Shall we go see, or should we just leave and hope we can get to the Ebon Horizon quickly?”

Yuriko arched an eyebrow. “It’s your life we’d be playing with.”

Tiernan paused. “I suppose it is.”

Still, he had a strange feeling about staying here for long. Perhaps it was the way Levain, the gate guard commander, looked at them when she thought they weren’t paying her any attention. Her gaze had been intense and there was a strange light behind her eyes that he thought was hope. That or desire. He wasn’t that sure, but she reminded him of the Captain when she wanted Tiernan to do something necessary but unpleasant.

“Come. I don’t want to risk your life so foolishly,” Yuriko said.

“It’s my life though.” Tiernan grinned. “But, I will follow your will.”

She nodded sharply and they followed the road towards the root. All major roads led to it, apparently, and the Temple of the Holy One was at the base. As they continued walking, Tiernan noted that there really were no children or domestic animals on the streets. He didn’t hear any crying or childish play from the dwellings either.

The buildings were square blocks of grey stone, even the roofs. They were flat. Easy platforms in case a battle occurred in town. Tiernan wasn’t quite used to seeing such drab looks. The homes in Realmheart were often more works of art than practical buildings. Most crossed the line to being impractical. Why, there were doors that could only be opened, or reached, if one could fly. Not everyone had access to a personal flying disc.

Still, he was more used to pleasing shapes and colours, and the drab looks here were sapping his spirits.

Yuriko didn’t seem to mind. She had a warrior’s attitude. Her eyes always darted about, seeking hidden threats. Even the way she walked spoke of readiness. He noticed her centre of balance rarely shifted, and she wasn’t quite walking on her toes, but he got the impression that she could erupt into a lethal storm at a moment’s notice. She reminded her of the marines, and the Imperial Guard Legions.

He heard from rumours that she had been lost to the Chaos the past year, and it was only sheer luck, and the workings of the Threads of Fate, that allowed the Ebon Horizon to cross her path.

He supposed that he was also lucky. But something told him that things weren’t as simple, or as serene as they seemed. Those things that attacked them out of nowhere were also made of grey stone, and the material was everywhere.

He felt that it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they suddenly popped out of the streets and attacked.

He shook his head to banish the ill thought. And while he muddled around with his mind, they arrived at the Temple. It was even larger than he expected, and an even greater foreboding feeling went into his heart.