Eternal Love [Druig]

Three

There was indeed a party. And after taking down a handful more deviants after they closed the gates, Ira was content enough to lean his frame against the doorway to the big open space everyone was gathered in with a drink in his hand and a lousy smile on his face.

He didn't know how he hadn't yet gotten tired of the everlasting parties that seemed to be thrown every other night but it was a chance to unwind and chat with the townspeople so that's what Ira did.

That night, he wasted the hours away engaged in a heavily competitive game of The Royal Game of Ur, a strategic game that challenged logic by pushing two people against each other in a battle of wits in a race to the end. Many had gathered around to watch Ira and his opponent-- an otherwise jubilantfellow by the name of Berosus-- lose his composure as his cheeks started heating with red as the game drew close to the half-hour mark. With men breathing down their necks as each calculated move was made, Ira could see Berosus crumbling although he tried not to show it.

A rowdy simultaneous cheer went up as Ira played his final move, effectively securing his win.  Hands grabbed at his shoulder as he was shaken, the men around him going through great lengths to show just how excited they were at such a fantastic end to the game.

Like both a brick wall and a massive tidal wave smashed into Ira, all at once, he was hit with the robust emotions that had erupted in the span of seconds. He was nearly dizzy on his feet but did his best to play it off as he let himself be supported a little bit more by the hands-on his shoulders. As much as he would have liked to say his gift didn't have any negative effects on his overall wellbeing, he was terribly wrong.

Instead of trying to absorb all the emotions being thrown at him, he did his best to turn it into a calm that only existed in fairytales and sent it back out before the majority could reach his body.

The men around him didn't fall into a calm hypnotic state like Ira knew he was capable of doing. Instead, they all continued celebrating, but it died out slowly, like a sled on its last descent down a not-so-steep hill until they were only muttering amongst themselves quietly.

"Next time." That was all he said to the man as he stood up. No 'good game' or 'you'll do better next time', just a discrete promise for all Berosus' future games that they will go in his favor. He took the man's hand in his own and pressed a single shekel into the man's palm and closed his fingers around it. Ira patted the back of the man's hand once to secure whatever unspoken promise he had made before rising and excusing himself away from the table.

They had played well into the morning hours of the next day and as Ira stepped out of the sheltered room, he was nearly blinded. The light shone on him like a beacon and Ira had to squint his eyes for a few seconds until they adjusted. The jovial emotions that had been previously flung at him like a freight train made Ira feel the impending sense of happiness, making him optimistic for the day to come.

"Phastos. Did you go to the party last night like I told you to?" Ajak asked as Ira entered the Domo, the darkened halls welcomed after his brightened journey to the ship.

Phastos scoffed from his position in the center of the room. "The party, yeah. It was-"

"He was working all night." Druig interrupted. Ira nearly let a laugh tumble past his poorly guarded lips. He shook his head as he moved around the room to take a seat beside the Irishman who was perched on a ledge jutting from the wall.

"Who was talking to you," Phastos said, dropping his hands to his side, a hologram surely of some new invention floating above his head.

"Get a life. And where is Sersi?" Ajak asked.

"Late as usual." Sprite piqued up from where she was lazing around on a table. Ira smiled at her in his own way of greeting.

"I'm sorry but I have something very exciting to show you." Phastos tried to redirect their attention to more important areas of interest. He took Ajak's hand and steered her closer to the golden tendrils in the air that had reconfigured themselves into an elaborate hypothetical object. "Wait until you see this."