Near the portal, which was covered in wildflowers of every colour, stood Amias. His ghost-white skin and grey eyes contrasted with his damp white hair, which drooped down, still wet. He wished he had a hairbrush; fortunately, Elentera had one. Now out of the warm hot springs, he was dressed in khaki pants and a green shirt jacket adorned with white star patterns, along with a necklace featuring a cross. Strangely enough, all this modern clothing was provided by Elentera.
"Where did you get this?" he asked, curiosity and confusion lacing his voice as he looked down at her.
"Well, while I was visiting your world, I found this really big place that had a bunch of stuff. Since there was almost no one there, I got away with taking a lot of things," she admitted, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Where do you keep it?" he asked, puzzled.
"Well, in my house, of course." She grinned before lifting both hands. A blue trace of energy shimmered around her fingertips as an object began to materialize. Within moments, a small turtle plushie appeared in her hands.
"Look at this thing," she said happily, holding it out to him. He nodded, realizing this was some form of magic.
An infinite spatial storage actually exists. Neat.
"So, are you from that portal?" Amias asked, nodding toward the glowing gateway. She nodded.
"Yeah, though it seems to have changed quite a bit. It used to be underground, but now it's sprouted into a tree," she said, rubbing her chin in thought. "Though that wasn't the craziest thing I saw. There were two titans fighting in the sky. It was quite the sight, but then they went further into space and boom, there was an explosion of light. After that, everything was over. The people there were really interested in what happened."
That's probably Tobi, huh? Amias thought, having no doubt that the enigmatic and mad hunter was doing well, though he was more curious at the mention of people.
"There were people?" he asked hesitantly. She nodded but hesitated before continuing.
"There were, but..."
She trailed off, seemingly unsure how to phrase her next words. But Amias already understood and nodded.
"It's fine. I've already seen what's happened to most people," he said honestly, though a shadow loomed over his expression.
"Are you losing hope?" she asked curiously.
He shrugged, but the weight of something unseen hung over him. Something that refused to leave. Its eyes sparkled like static, its ever-present grin carved into the edges of his mind. Even if it wasn't physically there, it would always be a reminder of how lucky he was to have survived this nightmare.
How laughable, he thought, looking away. A twisted smile crept onto his lips before he quickly covered his mouth, composing himself. When he turned back, she was smiling softly, holding something out to him a can of soda.
"I found this right I'm not sure what it is but it has a very explosive but nice taste," she explained.
He smiled recognizing it instantly, "No wonder that's pop," he said excitedly as he took it gratefully, though he was curious.
"Because it pops in your mouth?" she asked. He nodded, though he wasn't entirely sure if that was the reason. They sat in comfortable silence as he drank. When he finished, he carelessly tossed the empty can onto the ground. Not like littering mattered anymore. Elentera watched him, then suddenly reached up to touch the top of his head. His face heated up slightly.
"What are you doing?" he asked, confused.
"You got taller," she murmured, sounding curious as she placed a hand on his forehead. Her touch had been unaturaly cold yet Amais was colder. "You're colder then me."
"Oh yeah, I guess I am," he said, as if only just noticing it himself.
"What happened to change you so much?" she asked, her gaze searching his face.
He smiled. "Would you believe me if I told you?"
"Yes, I will."
"You promise?"
"I swear."
"Well, I died."
"..."
"You don't look dead."
"But I am."
She felt his heart and there was no pulse and she raised her eyebrow.
"Huh, that's weird."
She then leaned and put the side of her head against it and heard a pulse.
"Sounds like you're alive right now though."
"No, I'm just nervous."
"Why?"
"Guess?"
She smiled mischievously and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, continuing to listen.
"Is that better?" she asked.
"Maybe," he murmured.
Her head remained against his chest as his pulse eventually faded and then there was nothing and she stepped back blinking confused and looked at him.
"So you really are dead." she said puzzled
"yeah." he replied as she smiled.
"Why're you smiling?"
"Well this is our second time meeting and yet you're already totally smitten for me aren't ya?" she teased.
"Y-You're the one flirting; it's not my fault."
"I guess that's true."
He was about to speak but froze, turning completely red. She had admitted to flirting. That meant this wasn't just a game and he wasn't being played. He turned away bashfully as she laughed.
"What? Was that unexpected?" she asked, resting her chin on his shoulder from behind.
"I-I don't know."
"You're blushing and also dead? How does that work?" she mused, brushing a finger across his cheek.
"My body can still function; it just doesn't need to anymore."
"So you don't decompose?"
"Well, Tobi said since I have the god's blood..."
"G-God's blood and Tobi, who's that?" she interjected confused stepping back.
"Oh yeah, you don't know."
"Well, of course not; you never told me. in fact I don't know you at all; it's only our second time meeting."
"Oh yeah, actually I don't really know you either... huh."
"So why are you flirting with me then?"
"Because I'm great at dates; why else?"
He blushed
"Is this a date?"
"I promised, did I not, to go on a date if you survived? Since the hot springs and I have been putting in all the effort, you've let me down, Amais. This isn't a good second impression," she said, placing a hand on her hip and feigning disappointment as she looked away.
"I-I'm sorry," he murmured, looking adorably guilty.
A mischievous grin formed on her lips as she uttered, "Then prove it," looking at him expectantly.
"P-Prove it?" he repeated, and she nodded.
"I-I don't know...," he admitted, looking away bashfully. He wasn't sure what to do, but she only smiled, taking his hands in hers, her scarlet eyes piercing into his grey ones.
"Calm down, Amais. Just try something simple like telling me how you feel towards me," she said softly, her voice soothing and patient.
He nodded, taking a moment before speaking. "I think you're very nice, and well… I think I like you," he admitted quietly.
She nodded, accepting his answer with a bright smile. "How bold of you, confessing so soon. The feeling is somewhat mutual. Lucky you," she teased, letting her digits dance over his hands before finally grasping them.
Jackpot.
"So, before we get ahead of ourselves, let's actually get to know each other," she said simply. She lay back in the grass and pulled him down beside her so that they were lying side by side. By now, dusk had settled over them. "So, Amais, who are you?"
Me? he thought, his brain still reeling. Even if he wasn't flustered, the question itself was complicated. He didn't know who he was. Hell, he didn't even know his parents. In school, he wasn't popular. He had friends, but none that were particularly close. He just existed. Really, he had been drifting through life with no real purpose, which made even a fantasy like this one seem like something worth reaching for.
"I don't want to say. It's kind of sad," he admitted.
"You can say anything," she reassured him.
"I'm nobody," he said honestly before quickly adding, "W-Well, not yet."
She smiled and nodded before leaning back into the wildflowers, gazing up at the tree above them.
"I see, but I don't believe that. What about Tobi? Who's that?"
"That guy? Well, he's a hunter and a mystery. He doesn't tell me much, yet somehow, he seems to know everything. The first time we met, he saved my life from a god… then took that god into his own soul. I think he might be insane, but he's also kind. Strange, but kind. He called me the Gravewalker I hated it then eventually started to embrace it."
"Gravewalker?" she repeated.
"Yeah Right, uhm so I told you I died, but the thing is, Tobi saved me from death. See, I drank the blood of gods."
"Ichor? You drank it?" she asked, surprised.
"I-I didn't know it would kill me, but at the time, I had no choice. B-But anyway, after that, Tobi climbed up the tree with my corpse to get Ambrosia, which made me immortal. So I resurrected… somewhat. But I was also dead. So he called me the Gravewalker forever stuck between life and death."
She looked at him, unimpressed.
"D-Did I say something wrong?" he asked, perplexed.
"You said you were nobody." she said in a huff.
"W-Well… yeah, I am."
"Oh really? Amais the Gravewalker, the immortal undead stuck in limbo, forever walking between life and death, walking the path of divinity?" she mused.
"W-Well, I didn't think of it like that."
"Oh, certainly not."
"W-Well, what about you?" he asked, deflecting.
"I won't tell."
"..."
"But I told you," he protested.
"Maybe another time."
"W-Why not? I told you."
"Don't want to."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Please?"
"Nope."
Amais sighed. Then, movement in the distance caught his eye. The moose had returned, but this time, a group of battered and beaten people followed behind it. They were of all different races, their expressions weary. His brow furrowed as he took in the sight.
"Oh my… took them a while," Elentera murmured.
"Those your friends?" he asked and she gave a slight nod.
"It seems I'll be going home soon."
"Oh… I see…"
The two sat in silence for a moment before she spoke again.
"So, you're a nobody, huh?" she asked, and he nodded.
"Then… would you like to come with me?" she asked curiously.
He hesitated. He had nowhere else to go.
"Let's-" Before he could finish, an elf rushed up to Elentera, speaking tiredly in a language Amais couldn't understand.
W-What's happening? he wondered as Elentera simply shrugged before translating.
"Something about some strange hunter they met who saved their lives."
Oh god.
"I told you about Tobi, right?" he said.
She smiled. "So he is a hunter, then?"
"Something like that."
"Well, seems like he's in trouble," she said matter-of-factly.
I should probably go...
Well… I don't have to…
...
I have to, don't I…?
Damn it.
He nodded, and she smiled.
"Hmm, okay. But don't keep me waiting K."
"I still have a bunch of questions. I'll definitely be back and we'll finish the date," Amais promised.
Tobi… you bastard.