Amyra

Chapter 31

After shocking everyone including the elders of the sect, things calmed down after a while. The cooks skinned and cleaned the beasts and began making dishes with them after their initial shock.

The atmosphere got lively as the cultivators of the sect got used to my presence mostly now and I them. But I still choose to be on my own as, I could see it was still hard for them to approach and talk to me.

Lukad on the other hand didn't have a problem staying around me.
'Strange...He must trust me'. The elders were off on their own talking about God knows what. The others where laughing and chatting casually around the big bonfire they built and lit in the middle of the mountain top for light.

Everyone was happy..

" Whats wrong?", Lukas asked seeing my expression while I was watching the disciples of the sect." They all look so happy..", I answered not knowing what else to say, trying not to sound to solemn but he caught the tone in my voice. His expression changed, " Want to take a walk?", he caught on too fast. The lively atmosphere was making me feel nostalgic, I felt like going back home. " Sure", I responded, as I got up from the wooden benches the disciples of the sect placed around the bonfire.

I decided to follow him on this walk, not knowing for sure where we were heading, too solemn to find out. We walked in silence, it felt comforting. After a while, I lifted up my head and looked onwards towards the direction Lukas was walking to. The moon illuminated the path of stairs heading up the mountain where I was almost the whole day.

Cherry blossoms flew through the air from off of the lone tree at the top, this feels nice. I felt much more refreshed.

A calm smile unconsciously made its way across my face. " Feel better now?",  Lukas asked looking at me from a distance from by the cherry tree. I almost forgot he was there, " yes, thank you", I answered smiling towards him. He didn't say anything more as he left me to sit on the swing, which I appreciated because I actually wanted some time to myself. "I guess he figured it out", I said to myself, laughing.

I sat down on the stone benches I place here this morning. Soaking in the nice, calm moonlight at the top of my now favorite place on Amyris. My depressing thoughts steaded after a while. I turned my head to see what Lukas was doing. He was still on the swing, swinging lonesomely. I feel bad, we came together but I left him by himself. He must feel so awkward. He did so much for me too.

" Here", I said showing him a bottle of unfermented wine, " want to have some with me?", I asked trying to repay his favor and lighten the atmosphere. " Sorry for...well", I couldn't put all my thoughts into words. " It's fine", he answered. I pulled out two glasses from my space and gave him one as we went over to the table. I opened the bottle using the tables edge as I didn't have an opener, which I improvised.

Seeing him staring at my actions, " sorry I didn't have an opener", I apologised for my brutish actions. He didn't say anything as he sat down, as I poured the unalcholic wine for us.

" Cheers and God bless us with a long, healthy life", I said, as I clanked his glass with mine. " This is what we do where I came from when drinking anything like this", I explained my actions, as I drank mine. "Soo good!", I exclaimed. He looked at me for a while and drank the juice slowly enjoying the taste.

" I got this as a reward from a friend", I said, as we finished the bottle under the moonlight. " good right?". " Yes", he answered. " well lets head back down before they miss us", I stated as I got up from my seat putting the bottle and glasses back into the system, feeling much better now.

We met up with the elders at the bonfire and I gave them some more of my juice as a present as I said, " Enjoy!", as I waved to them good night to head back to my cottage, I was very sleepy now. This world doesn't have clocks, never seen one so when I get tired I jusy go to sleep. My usual bedtime before was 10 though.

I flopped down on my bed after a shower and dozed off not knowing what was happening someplace not too far from the sect.

In a forest next to the sect...

A hooded figure ran through it unimpededly as all the monsters fled from him in every direction, not willing to go close to him. After a while he stopped as he entered a cave in the middle of the forest. " This should do for the night", he stated as he placed three barriers around it to disguise it:1.to ensure his safety by placing an alarm for any intruders and 2.a defensive barrier, the third is an illusion to make the cave appear as a rock or a steep hill.

" I should be on the right track. After interogating those cultivators, they told me what I need is on the other side of this forest in a sect. But I don't know if what they said was the truth or a lie to save themselves", he stated, " I'll find out soon", he stated smiling towards the direction of the righteous sect where Amyra waz sleeping soundly.

Not too far from him..

"Judas?!! You can't use that fire to roast meat! It'll reduce it to ash!", a girl cultivator shouted towards her sibling. " your apothecarys flame will reduce it to ash and then you'll have nothing to eat", she said staring at the blue apothecarys flame. " but", he responded, " normal fire takes too long". He said as he belly growled. " give it to me", she said. After starting another fire and grilling it for him thoroughly. " here", she said giving it to him. " Thanks Esther", he replied fulling his stomach with it. " remember we have to get going early at dusk tommorow", Esther stated, " so go to sleep". He finished and lyed down on the ground snoring not too long after. " so carefree", Esther replied looking at him. " the animals are extra roudy tonight, must be a fight or something. We have to make it to the end of the forest before night falls again, to stay alive", she said, glancing earily at the nightmarish forest. " Tommorow is another day of trying to stay alive", she said, as she fell asleep soon after safe in the barrier she made upon entry into the cave.