Realmshift: Triad Ascendancy.

What it takes to be good.

[GREY]

It had been a week since I met Amabel.

She was a sweet and quiet girl. She never went anywhere without asking first and didn't act like most kids her age. There was something calm about her, almost too calm for someone so young.

Maybe it was because of her parents' death. Or maybe she had always been like that. I wasn't sure.

Either way, she hadn't caused me any trouble so far.

I couldn't just leave her sleeping on the forest floor. So, I decided to stay in her parents' house. It took me a couple of days to fix everything up, but I made it comfortable enough to live in again.

She still cries sometimes when she thinks about her parents. Whenever she does, I do my best to comfort her.

This morning, I prepared some fresh meat for her—something warm and filling to start the day. The smell drifted through the house as I made my way to her room.

I walked up slowly and knocked lightly on the door.

"Amabel... wake up. Breakfast is ready," I said gently.

Her eyes fluttered open, and when she saw me, she gave a small, soft smile before climbing out of bed.

We made our way to the small wooden table in the kitchen. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. I placed a plate in front of her—freshly cooked meat, still steaming, with a bit of bread on the side.

She sat quietly, hands folded in her lap for a moment before picking up her fork.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I nodded and sat across from her, starting to eat my own portion. For a while, we ate in silence. She chewed slowly, as if savoring every bite. It was one of the few times I saw her look peaceful.

"You like it?" I asked, watching her carefully.

She looked up and gave a small nod. "Mhm."

I smiled as I watched her eat, noticing the way her eyes lit up with each bite. She was finally beginning to look less broken, a little more like a child again. After everything she'd been through, I should've been surprised at how well she was handling it. But Amabel was a smart girl—stronger than most her age.

"Hey, Amabel," I said, catching her attention.

She looked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, a piece of meat still held between her lips.

"I was thinking... would you like to see the city with me today? It's not too far. And I should get you some proper clothes—those old rags won't keep you warm much longer."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Mr. Grey... you have money to buy clothes? They're really expensive out there..." she said softly.

I blinked, taken aback. Just how hard had life been for the people in this place? What kind of poverty had she known if the idea of new clothes felt like a luxury?

I let out a quiet sigh. "Don't worry about the money," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Just be ready to leave with me in a few hours."

By the time we reached the heart of the city, the sun had already begun to sink behind the rooftops, casting long shadows across the streets. The sky burned with shades of orange and deep red, fading slowly into dusk. A cold breeze picked up, sweeping through the narrow alleys and rustling the worn cloaks of the people around us.

Most of the market stalls were starting to close. Merchants packed up what little remained, their tired faces showing more relief than disappointment. A few last-minute buyers hurried from stall to stall, clutching thin purses and muttering to themselves about prices.