Lonesome Souls - Tales of the Souls, Vol I

Chapter Five

Amudilio stepped into another room, the one furthest away from where Stefania was situated. It was the grandest chamber of all in the Girdian cave, filled with grandeur, golden trinkets and furnishings. He immediately focused on the bed that stood in the centre of the room; the exact same bed he had shared with his late wife, Aura, before her passing over five centuries ago. The bedding, exactly as they had left it on their last morning together.

Come to think of it, he was grateful that there was no dust or decomposition in Nav, or the entire room would have been unrecognisable.

And he needed that reminder.

A love story once blossomed in his heart, yet it quickly diminished.

So, he looked away from the bed and walked towards a wooden, gold-plated chest which stood next to the bed. Amudilio rummaged through the chest and picked out a few pieces of clothing which belonged to Aura. Placing them gently on the bed, he knew that she would no longer have any use for them. She has lost her immortality centuries ago and was granted the privilege of a peaceful afterlife.

Which not many, even the innocent souls, get to have in Vitajria.

Instead, Stefania was amongst the immortals and in need of a change of clothes. If he could, he would give her the most beautiful of gowns, but considering their situation, the old clothes were the only thing he had.

As he continued to search through the chest, a glimmer caught the corner of his eye. Upon closer inspection, it was a small golden wedding band forgotten in the chest. Picking up the ring, Amudilio felt a rush of emotions wash over him as he gently ran his thumb over the cool, smooth surface. Memories of the long forgotten past resurfaced and his chest tightened.

He could see Aura in front of his eyes, as if she was still here, standing in this very room in front of him. Her smile was demure, her elegance, grandeur, yet her eyes hid everything he never saw when he first fell in love with her.

Those innocent emotions were long gone, however.

Another held the pieces of his heart in her fragile palm without even knowing.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Mindlessly she walked around the Girdian cave, sand and small stones sticking to her bare feet. She paid it no mind, however. The cave was dark except for the rooms. She found a small, dark parlour with nothing except a fireplace and shelves filled with endless stacks of books. She found a simple bathroom and at last, she found the kitchen where she also found Amudilio.

The kitchen was vast. The biggest room of the cave, it seemed. The dark, wooden engraved kitchen cabinets were contrasted by a golden river granite countertop and golden amenities.

He wore a simple black polo shirt and black slacks as he walked around the kitchen gathering ingredients. He seemed lost in thoughts as Stefania observed him. His tall frame and body moved swiftly and watching him work around the kitchen calmed Stefania's senses in such a way she never experienced before.

Despite the calmness of the moment, Stefania could not shake the unsettling feeling that lingered within her. She hesitated to disturb the peaceful atmosphere but knew that what she had witnessed mere moments ago was deeply troubling. As she stood in the kitchen, observing Amudilio's every move, a sense of unease crept over her. The stillness of the cave was punctuated only by the soft sounds of Amudilio's preparations, creating an eerie contrast to the turmoil brewing within Stefania's mind.

'Why didn't Perun defend Vitajria against the evils? Isn't he the emperor?' Stefania spoke. 'Why didn't you or your brother or any of the immortals? Aren't souls a sole purpose of the existence of Vitajria?'