Arah woke with a stretch, arms reaching overhead until his joints cracked. The morning chill bit through the tattered robe he still wore, the same one he'd stolen from a long-dead skeleton in the forest. He shook off the cold, then dropped to the floor to perform a few light warm-ups. A quick jump, a couple of practiced punch swings, just enough to loosen the muscles.
Today, he planned to head towards the city and explore. He was going to stay in this town for an unknown amount of time, so he might as well get familiar with its culture and routines.
His eyes fell to the spear propped beside the wall. For a moment, he considered taking it with him, but he had noticed the weird stares people had given him yesterday due to it; maybe it was bad manners to keep your weapon out on display.
Kren's method of dismissing his soul beast came to mind. The man had dismissed his soul beast with a mere thought, since soul beast and soul weapon were not that different fundamentally. Perhaps… Arah reached inward and willed the spear to vanish. It shimmered once, then dissolved into sparks.
He smiled at this. The test was a success. He willed the weapon back, and it materialized in his palm naturally, although the process was slightly slower, so he had to be mindful of that if he got in a fight. With that, he nodded to himself and stepped out of the room.
The stench of strong liquor hit him instantly.
Looking for the source, he found Kren lying slumped on the couch, his mouth half open. If not for the rise and fall of his chest and his light snores, he might have been mistaken for a corpse.
He turned and headed for the door.
Just as Arah touched the door, Kren stirred.
"Don't get lost, kid… stay outta trouble…"
The man grunted, hand fumbling weakly at his belt. With a drunken toss, a pouch landed at Arah's feet.
"Buy yourself some breakfast… patrol guards… ask… if… lost…"
The last words were muttered into the cushion.
Arah took the pouch, nodded silently, and stepped outside.
Titianfall was just waking up.
Mist clung to the streets like a lazy veil, though it didn't hinder sight. Roosters crowed in the distance. The mud beneath his bare feet was damp but soft. He didn't mind it.
The town was quieter than the previous night. Some stalls remained shuttered, but others stirred with signs of life, probably the owners getting ready for the day. Arah wandered without direction until a rich, savory smell hit him like a blow to the gut. His stomach growled loudly in protest.
Following the scent, he found a food stall tended by a large man with deep brown skin and tightly braided hair. The man's stern gaze followed Arah as he approached, lips pressed into a hard line.
"What d'you want?" the vendor asked.
Arah had noticed his stare as well but he didn't mind it. It was probably because he looked like a beggar that he was getting such stares.
Arah simply held out the pouch.
The man's expression relaxed slightly, and he pointed behind him where a bunch of words were written. It looked like a menu of a sort, although he could read the words, he had no idea what type of food they referred to. They all had interesting names, and if not for the smell coming from the stall, he would have doubted if this place sold food at all.
After a while, he picked the less absurd-named option on the list.
"Bloodied pancakes."
The name didn't make it sound appetizing, but it was either that or "Balls of Titans." Now that was something he didn't even want to try.
"Two bronze rings."
Still, he reached into the pouch and pulled out two bronze rings. he watched the vendor's expression as he handed over the payment. The vendor took it and pointed to a waiting bench.
Moments later, he returned with a paper-wrapped parcel.
Arah's eyes narrowed. 'How wasteful, covering food with paper?'
He knew of many mortal heavens where using paper was a sign of nobility, and not many people could afford even a single sheet.
He unwrapped it carefully. The "pancake" was red-tinged, fluffy but dense, with dark streaks that hinted at some weird spice. It was warm, and Odd-looking.
He took a bite.
And his mind went blank for a second, and when he came to, his hands were empty. He stared at his empty hands in confusion.
The vendor laughed heartily.
"What… just happened?"
The man grinned. "You ate it, boy. Whole thing."
'What?'
Shaking off the daze, he approached the stall again.
The man smiled. "Want more?"
For the first time in a long while, he felt conflicted. He instantly forced himself to snap out of it, and his expression returned to its blank state.
Arah asked, "Where's the bank?"
The vendor sighed, slightly disappointed, and he pointed to the wealthiest part of town, a cluster of elegant buildings rising just beyond the central plaza.
"Go straight from that street, it should be one of the biggest ones there. You can't miss it."
Arah thanked him and headed off.
As he walked, he noted the way people dressed. Those who radiated a dangerous aura were dressed in breastplate armor and carried packages on their backs filled with tools, accompanied by leather boots. It was practical, mobile, and he could understand the reason why they wore it. But then he focused on those with weaker auras, clearly civilians. They wore slick, tailored clothes that also allowed for more movement, such as some pants and shirts made of slick cloth.
Of course, he might have had his bias. He preferred robes, as they showed elegance. In his glory days, he recalled causing an incident when he visited a sect that only had female disciples; his beauty and elegance back then had caused an inner conflict within the sect. They had banned him soon after due to the commotion he caused.
Soon, however, he passed a beautiful woman in skin-tight pants with twin daggers strapped to her thighs.
He blinked. Coughed to clear his throat.
"…Maybe not all bad."
Arah walked in silence, hands in his sleeves, but his mind was in slight turmoil.
He frowned slightly. What was going on with him today?
His reaction earlier, getting flustered at a woman? That wasn't like him.
He frowned. This wasn't the first time either. He'd been feeling things more vividly lately. Especially his emotions and his sense of taste. Even that pancake had felt like a divine experience to the point that His mind blanked out.
He stopped walking for a moment, eyes narrowing. Was it the body?
He looked down at himself, young, pale, and with a mortal teenage body. Back in his prime, he'd seen through temptations and faced them as calm as a mountain. Now?
He clicked his tongue.
'This form's to blame. It gets excited over the smallest things. Hmph, or maybe it's just unstable hormones to the point it's affecting how I think...'
Coming up with possible theories in his mind, he moved on.
Eventually, he reached the bank, and it was indeed impossible to miss. The building towered above the plaza, its polished stone walls gleaming even in the morning light. Huge flagpoles jutted from its roof, colorful banners fluttering like the wings of noble birds. At the top, bold letters were etched in gold across an arch:
'TITIAN BANK'
Arah approached it, taking it all in. The doors were enormous, carved from dark wood and framed in iron. Two guards flanked the entrance, both armed and looking alert.
They raised their hands as he neared.
"Hold up. Purpose of visit?" one of them asked, his tone flat.
Arah met his gaze calmly. "I'm here to retrieve money."
The guards exchanged a skeptical look. With his robe still tattered and his feet bare, he didn't exactly look like someone with finances to claim.
Before they could question further, Arah reached into his sleeve and pulled out the parchment Kren had given him, the one he got from selling the wooden monkey.
Their eyes widened the moment they saw it.
They stepped aside without another word.
He tucked the parchment away and walked past them.
'I should really buy new clothes…'
Inside, the bank was even more luxurious. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, glowing with soft light. Marble floors gleamed beneath his feet. The walls were lined with black wood and gold trim. Despite the early hour, the place bustled with activity, clerks speaking in hushed tones, customers waiting in long lines, and the occasional clang of rings being counted behind glass counters.
He scanned the room and noticed a counter with a shorter line. Without hesitation, he joined it and waited.
After a few minutes, it was his turn.
The clerk was a young woman dressed in a long black-and-gold uniform, the same uniform worn by all the bank's staff. Her hair was pinned neatly back, with a constant smile on her face.
She greeted him with practiced cheer, "Hello. How can Titian Bank help you today?"
Arah stepped forward and set the parchment on the counter. "I'm here to collect money."
Her smile brightened. "Of course. Please place the parchment atop the crystal."
Arah did as instructed.
The parchment shimmered faintly before dissolving into motes of light, which were quickly absorbed into the glowing crystal sphere set into the desk.
"Now place your hand on the crystal, please," she added.
He nodded.
The moment he touched the orb, it glowed green. Letters and numbers shimmered in the air, forming readable script.
[Balance: 24 Silver Rings, 10 Iron Rings]
He nodded slightly.
"Would you like to transfer the funds into a bank account linked to your identity," she asked, "or withdraw them directly into physical currency?"
"I...don't have an account," Arah replied. "if it's possible I would like to open one I'd like to get one."
Her smile widened once again.
"Perfect. Please place your hand back on the crystal, and this time, focus on calling on Athena."
Arah did as he was asked.
As his hand touched the orb again, he closed his eyes and thought of himself mentally.
The orb flared blue.
A soft beam of light shot down onto the desk just below the orb. A small panel opened, and from it, the woman retrieved a square piece of polished metal.
She held it up. "This is your bank card. Your funds have been loaded onto it. You can use it to pay directly or withdraw rings at any of the teller counters near the bank exit."
He took it from her with a quiet nod. "Thank you."
As he turned to leave, he glanced at the metallic card in his hand.
'Not too different from a talisman, just… less spiritual.'
Once outside the bank's entrance, he looked around the square for a figure. Spotting a patrol guard nearby, he walked over.
"Where can I find a clothing store?"
The guard gave him a look, then he pointed down a side street, just beyond the plaza.
"Down that way. Turn left after the incense shop. You'll see a tailor with a red sign."
Arah nodded his thanks and started walking.
Time to stop looking like a beggar.