A new day, a new set of shenanigans to go through—these were Ascalon’s thoughts as he descended the stairs to the main hall of their lodgings. The place was silent and empty, contrasting with the prior night, but it was to be expected since it was still pretty early in the morning.
Yawning with the Goddess still asleep in his arms, Ascalon moved toward a nearby table, sitting carefully and settling himself by a window. The harsh desert sun greeted him from the outside, and he narrowed his eye slightly as he observed the streets. As expected, not many people were around out there either—mostly vendors preparing to open their shops and attend their business.
At the very least, the hotel’s staff was awake and ready, allowing Ascalon to enjoy a nice cup of coffee while he waited for his friends. As minutes passed, he reflected on his time in Starugnia. His meeting with Ryan, dealing with Loreno, even awakening a long-sleeping Goddess, who was… still asleep.
“I am at a loss.” Ascalon whispered to himself, pondering about what he could do to help his Goddess wake up. He had an entire night to mull over her sudden arrival, and also about her current appearance. “Hmm…” He let out a thoughtful mutter as he caressed the child’s long, soft hair.
“Perhaps she is conserving energy.” Ascalon guessed, tilting his head. If she had been residing in the emblem, but was unable to leave it, it was possible that she was in a ‘weakened’ state, as strange as that sounded. There were also other plausible reasons, like her being trapped there against her will, though one had to wonder who could hold such power to confine a God into an object—perhaps, another God?
He remembered his last battle in Excadia, the brief confrontation between Athanya’el and… whatever that other being was, the one that commanded the darkness and stood in defiance against his Goddess’ actions. Could it have been them? They did seem to hold immeasurable power, backing the Goddess into a corner, but still.
“Something tells me you went in there willingly, my lady.” Ascalon murmured to the girl, who shifted slightly in his arms but remained asleep. The knight sighed and brought the cup of coffee to his lips, trying to drown his doubts with the drink. “Ah, if only it were master Raphael’s…” He lamented, shaking his head. Once again, he found himself comparing it to The Chalice’s coffee—an habit he didn’t quite enjoy, to be honest.
“It is unfair to compare it…” Ascalon chastised himself, just as a familiar presence entered the room. His gaze wandered to the stairs, catching sight of Lilithra, who yawned as she descended. The moment she saw him, her face sparkled with excitement, a huge smile spreading across her lips.
Ascalon gave a gentle smile in response, warmth spreading through his chest. Lilithra quickly hurried to him, waving awkwardly. “Morning!” She exclaimed as she took a seat next to him, her curious, big eyes resting on Athanya’el.
“How is she…?” Lilithra asked both with concern and intrigue in her voice. Ascalon sighed in frustration before replying.
“I am unsure… she looks just like yesterday.” He explained, raising the child slightly for Lilithra to see her better.
“So cute!” Lilithra responded with a completely unrelated comment, causing Ascalon to chuckle in response.
“So, uhm, can you tell me the details? About what happened yesterday?” Lilithra asked with curiosity. Ascalon nodded and recounted the events, trying to keep it short and concise, and Lilithra listened intently the whole time.
“So you even helped out some orphans…? Amazing…” She said in clear disbelief, her eyes sparkling with admiration. Ascalon felt slightly embarrassed, but enjoyed seeing Lilithra in good spirits. As she wondered about Ascalon’s feats, her gaze drifted toward his coffee.
“Can I take a sip?” She pleaded with an awkward smile, perhaps feeling slightly hungry.
“Go ahead.” Ascalon replied while straightening his posture, looking past Lilithra to see if the hotel staff was around. He only had a few sips left of his coffee, which was clearly not enough for Lilithra’s breakfast.
Meanwhile, Lilithra picked up the cup and sipped from it, her cheeks reddening slightly as she fantasized about an indirect kiss. She giggled at her own thoughts, and the tiny Goddess suddenly pouted, thrashing about in Ascalon’s arms.
“Oh?” Ascalon let out a surprised sound as he looked at the child’s behavior. Her tantrum was short and puzzling, but Lilithra felt a bit suspicious.
“I wonder…” She said in a whisper, her eyes narrowed as she examined the Goddess.
Ascalon tilted his head in confusion, just as the hotel staff arrived. Pushing the thought aside, they ordered a more filling breakfast, making sure to ask for Selorien’s share too. As if on cue, the elf sluggishly descended the stairs, his face a mix of discomfort and tiredness.
“I’ll never get used to this heat.” Selorien remarked as he sat down on the opposite side of the table, and as far from the window as he could. He was obviously avoiding the sun.
After exchanging greetings, Ascalon decided to recount what he talked about with Lilithra, and Selorien nodded as he absorbed the information and munched on a croissant. “You sure were busy, huh.” The elf said with a mischievous tone, sipping on his juice.
“Ascalon just can’t sit still!” Lilithra added, giggling to herself. The knight couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed once more, and sighed with resignation. It was true that he had barely rested the past few days, though he felt energetic enough. Perhaps the mere presence of his Goddess was boosting his vitality! It was an interesting notion, at least.
“Still…” Selorien began, his eyes fixed on the child. “I don’t wanna doubt you, Ascalon, but is she really a Goddess?” He asked with understandable concern. The knight nodded in acknowledgment, as it was to be expected that they would question the matter. He had rarely heard them talking about Gods in New Lumingard, after all.
“I assure you… I can feel it, somehow.” Ascalon replied, caressing the Goddess’s forehead with his thumb. The tiny kid smiled in her sleep, and Lilithra squealed in her seat.
“O.M.G! She’s so cuuuuuuuuuute!” She rejoiced at the sight, quickly producing her phone and promptly taking some pictures of Athanya’el.
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Showing the photos to both Ascalon and Selorien, Lilithra giggled with clear amusement. The knight smiled at her cheerfulness, and enjoyed the atmosphere as he finished his breakfast.
Soon, their stomachs were satisfied, and they all felt wide awake—except for Athanya’el of course. Stretching his arms high, Selorien spoke up from his seat. “So, what’s the plan for today?” He asked with a mischievous smile, shooting a glance toward Lilithra.
“Tourism!” The girl answered with enthusiasm, raising both fists in the air in a pumped-up manner. Ascalon chuckled at the sight, and nodded in confirmation.
“We have earned some rest!” The knight replied, earning approving nods from his friends.
“Alright then! Let’s grab Lyra along the way!” Lilithra exclaimed as she got up, her friends following suit. That’s right, Lyra was still with her brother. Ascalon felt a bit concerned about them, so he felt Lilithra’s suggestion was perfect—as expected of her!
“Let us go, then.” Ascalon declared, and everyone set out to the hot streets. With Selorien complaining every few steps, they tried to traverse the shade as much as they could. It didn’t take long for them to reach the hospital, and Lilithra went in by herself.
After a couple of minutes, she emerged with Lyra, who looked more animated, though her face showed a bit of reluctance. “Relax, Lyra! Your brother told you to enjoy yourself a little!” Lilithra reassured the cat girl, who shrank slightly in embarrassment.
But Lyra’s demeanor changed the moment her eyes caught sight of the knight—specifically the child in his arms. “Huh?” She muttered as she shyly approached, bowing slightly and peering at the sleeping Goddess.
“Huh?” She repeated, still clearly confused. It was to be expected, since she had no idea of what had happened after Ascalon left the group. Selorien chuckled in amusement, while Lilithra stepped up and extended an arm toward Athanya’el, as if presenting it to Lyra.
“Lyra, meet Ascalon’s daughter!” Lilithra declared with a mischievous grin, taking everyone by surprise. Lyra’s ears twitched furiously as her eyes darted from the sleeping kid to Ascalon’s face multiple times, frantically.
“Huuuuh?” Lyra said in astonishment, just as Selorien burst out laughing.
“Lilithra!” Ascalon exclaimed, as if reprimanding her, but Lilithra was already laughing loudly along the elf. “You people…” Ascalon added, sighing with resignation but smiling softly, feeling slightly amused too. Sensing Lyra’s confusion, Ascalon decided to explain to her the situation, recounting the previous day’s events once more.
It was the third time he explained it so he managed to make it even more concise, at the very least! Lyra sighed with relief at his words, placing a hand on her chest as if to ease her beating heart. “That was surprising…” She said with a shy smile, watching over the child.
“A Goddess…!” Lyra remarked, her brown eyes sparkling with amazement, her soft tail sweeping the air in clear excitement. “I wonder why she doesn’t wake up…” She added, tilting her head. At this point, Lilithra and Selorien had recovered from their laughing fit, and shrugged as they shared the cat girl’s sentiment.
“I am sure she will wake up in due time.” Ascalon said with a smile, trying to reassure them—but mostly himself. It was then that Lilithra stepped forward, pointing to nowhere in particular as she spoke up.
“Anyway! Let’s go act like proper tourists!” She exclaimed energetically, though her choice of words was slightly odd. Ascalon chuckled, while Selorien smiled mischievously as they set out.
While Lilithra led the way with the elf close behind, Lyra stood at Ascalon’s side, her warm gaze peeking at the child. Ascalon could imagine what was going through her head—the word ‘cute’ being repeated in a loop, most likely. The thought was slightly funny, though he agreed that the tiny Goddess was adorable, as unbecoming as that was.
From then on, they navigated the sunny streets of Starugnia, visiting a variety of different shops and establishments. The girls tried on many outfits at every clothing store they passed, and even used the guys as mannequins to dress them up. But, without a question, the one who bore the brunt of the storm was Athanya’el.
In her sleep, she was adorned with dresses, accessories, and hats by Lilithra and Lyra, completely unable to resist. Ascalon simply watched with a warm smile, though at the back of his head, a lingering fear of divine retribution gnawed at him.
“Haha…” He would mutter in nervousness each time the girls placed something new on the Goddess—though perhaps, just perhaps, she was enjoying herself, too? A deluded notion, but one he desperately clung to nonetheless!
Aside from shopping, they also explored some other sites, like monuments, fountains, and even stopped at some street food vendors. As time passed, they found themselves in front of the giant skull that dominated the center of the upper districts.
Both Lilithra and Lyra gazed high up while munching on small pieces of skewered meat. As soon as Lilithra gulped down a bite, she spoke up. “I’ve been curious about this for so long…” She said as she looked at Ascalon. “Do you know what kinda creature that was?” Lilithra asked with sparkling eyes, and Ascalon smiled in response.
Lyra and Selorien gathered close, clearly curious as well, while the tiny Goddess simply continued snoozing, to no one’s surprise. Bringing a hand to his chin, Ascalon pondered. “I am unsure.” He remarked, examining the humongous skull. “I have witnessed giant creatures such as this before, but I cannot be certain.” Ascalon explained, tilting his head thoughtfully.
Even if he thought it could’ve been a giant, he had no knowledge about their bones and skulls, so it was just a guess after all. Lilithra and the rest let out intrigued ‘hmms’ as they continued to examine the giant object, captivated by its air of mystery.
Ascalon thought their curiosity was warranted, as even he felt intrigued by it. It was especially interesting to see the makeshift stairs and doors built into the skull, leading into it, something he had noted from the very first day. Once more, he thought it had to be some sort of headquarters for the city, seeing that many people went in and out constantly.
Afterward, they marched on for a couple of more hours, taking in the sights and enjoying the lively atmosphere of the bustling streets. Eventually, Lilithra proposed taking a rest, and they all stopped at a quiet, secluded restaurant, with an abundance of shade welcoming them in.
“Yes!” Selorien celebrated in triumph, settling into a chair right next to a contraption that spun and offered a nice, fresh breeze. Ascalon had seen some of those back in New Lumingard—powered fans, or some sort! He admired their utility as he sat next to Selorien, ensuring some of the cool air reached the Goddess.
She was slightly sweaty, so this was a perfect opportunity to help her cool down. He wondered if parents had to deal with these kinds of situations often, something he had no experience in since he hadn’t even had a proper childhood. He pushed the thoughts away with a sigh, while Lilithra ordered some food.
Just then, Lyra peeked at him from the side, speaking up with shyness. “So… what do you think will happen when she wakes up?” She asked with curiosity in her voice, her cat ears twitching slightly as she peered at the tiny child. Ascalon remained pensive for a moment, realizing he hadn’t thought much about that.
“I wonder…” He muttered, thinking about the matter. He wanted to ask Athanya’el so many things; like, what had occurred with his old world? How did she end up inside the emblem? What was the reason for her sudden awakening, and why did she fall asleep immediately after? These and many other questions bounced around in his mind.
He sighed in resignation, as his thoughts swirled without a sign of stopping—though they were indeed cut short as Lyra leaned against him, her chest pressing onto his arm as she tried to take a better look at the Goddess.
It was then that the small child stirred, and her eyelids burst open, revealing a pair of golden, gleaming eyes. Suddenly, her halo flickered into existence, very briefly, before vanishing again. As her brows furrowed into an irritated frown, she exclaimed in a childish voice. “Cease that, you impudent minx!” Her voice echoed around the room, earning a dumbfounded look from everyone present.
Amidst the confusion, she slowly and clumsily got up from Ascalon’s lap, climbing onto the table, her long, flowing hair and pretty dress dancing in the breeze produced by the fan. She crossed her arms, her frown still in place, and looked down on them with the pride and smugness only a Goddess could muster.
She had finally awakened.