Four days of travel might sound short to some, but not to Yomiru who was always surrounded by boredom. Being a traveler in a world that was in ruins, with the sky still bruised by the dimensional cracks, was a torture for her.
Their footsteps treaded on dry ground that was occasionally overgrown with weeds. The sky above them was gray, as if it had not fully recovered from the chaos of magic that had once destroyed the world. Drego walked in front, his body tall and sturdy with dark blue hair that fell to his shoulders. He was a warrior from a rare race, and had extraordinary physical strength. Behind him, Yomiru continued to walk while grumbling.
"I'm hungry," Yomiru complained for the third time in an hour.
Drego turned his head half-annoyed. "We just ate two hours ago. I'm not even hungry anymore."
"Yes, but this human body gets hungry quickly. In the past, I could survive two months without food," Yomiru said in a tone that seemed like an extraordinary achievement.
"Your physical condition is different now, you are in a mortal body. Get used to it."
Yomiru pursed her lips. She looked around, the regrowing forest stood stiffly on the side of their path, hiding the sounds of animals lurking behind the bushes. The dirt road they were on was winding and a little rocky. In the distance, misty mountains stretched, their destination was behind the rows of stone giants—Bhismanov.
"Eh, Drego. Who is King Bhismanov? His name sounds like the name of the ruler of the underground world," Yomiru asked while shaking a small twig she had picked up on the road.
"His name is Rysander Bhisma, a king of noble descent. He is known to be wise and strong, and also doesn't really like magicians," Drego replied.
Yomiru paused for a moment. "What?! He doesn't like magicians?! I am pure magic! What if he smells my aura of power even though it is hidden?!"
"Relax, you are in a human body. Besides, our goal is not to cause chaos. We just want to find a builder."
"Still... If he smells my power and suddenly punishes me, I'll sacrifice you," Yomiru said, pointing at Drego's face.
Drego took a deep breath. "Then, watch your words and actions. Don't be too obvious."
They continued their journey, and Yomiru began to ask other questions.
"What kind of food is there? Do they have sweets? I like sweets now... Like candy, cookies, chocolate—"
"Yomiru..." Drego stopped in his tracks and looked at her tiredly. "Do you realize? You're really talkative now."
Yomiru looked up, her expression full of arrogance. "That's because I've never traveled this far with a mortal body before. In the past, just one spell, and boom! I've reached my destination."
"Yes, in the past. Now you have to walk like a normal person. Welcome to the real world," Drego replied as he continued his journey.
Yomiru chuckled. "You're fun when you're upset. Your face looks like a cat that's lost its tail."
Drego didn't answer, just rolled his eyes. But deep down, he was grateful to have Yomiru back. Even though she was annoying and careless in her words, her power could be the only hope for this world.
It was getting dark, they decided to camp under a large tree. Drego lit a campfire while Yomiru sat leaning against the tree trunk, staring blankly at the fire.
"Hey, Drego," she said suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think... Scarlet is really dead?" she asked, softly, Yomiru's voice turning calm.
Drego turned his head. His face was silent for a few seconds before he answered, "I don't know for sure. But what I saw was the pieces of her body shattered. No remnants of her spirit, no signs of life. It seemed... yes."
Yomiru looked down. "Scarlet was the only one who understood me. I didn't even understand myself. I... destroyed magic, but Scarlet treated me like a human. It... confused me."
Drego looked at Yomiru, knowing in his heart that even though Yomiru was an ancient magical force that could destroy the world, she also had a heart. And that heart was now cracked by loss.
"You have a second chance, Yomiru. This world needs you. Not to destroy, but to build."
Yomiru didn't answer. She just closed her eyes, letting the sound of the campfire and the rustle of the wind be her answer that night.
On the second day of the journey, the terrain began to become rockier and steeper. The bushes grew thicker, and a thin mist began to hang in the air.
Yomiru complained again. "I hate the mist. I can't see clearly. What if a monster attacks us from behind the mist?"
Drego replied calmly, "Don't worry. I'll protect you."
"What? Do you think I'm weak?"
"No, I think you're very annoying."
Yomiru laughed out loud. "Good! Keep insulting me! It makes this journey less boring."
Drego just shook his head.
As they climbed a small cliff, Yomiru suddenly stopped. "Eh... Drego."
"What else?"
"I smell something..."
Drego also stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air, and his eyes narrowed. "Smoke. It looks like there's a camp or... maybe a fire."
They quickened their pace and soon saw flames rising from behind the hill. They ran there and found a group of people in rags, with tired faces. They seemed to be refugees.
Yomiru walked closer. An old woman saw them and immediately raised her hand. "Please... we're just refugees, don't hurt us..."
Drego raised both hands. "We mean no harm."
Yomiru stepped forward, staring at the woman with sharp eyes. "What are you doing here?"
A middle-aged man appeared from behind the woman. "We ran away from the territory controlled by the black wizards. We wandered aimlessly, and found this place."
Yomiru looked at them, then turned around. "Drego, give them a bag of food."
Drego looked surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm not as evil as I look. I'm just a nag," Yomiru said in a flat tone.
They handed over the food and continued on their way. In the middle of the road, Drego looked at Yomiru.
"Why are you helping them?"
Yomiru replied, "I don't know... But if Scarlet was here, she would definitely help. So... I just imitated her."
On the fourth day, they finally saw the towering walls in the distance. The gates of Bhismanov stood majestically, carved with dragons and the royal crest.
Yomiru stood in awe. "Wow..."
Drego stared at the gates. "We're almost there."
As they approached, two guards stopped them. "Who are you and what do you want?"
Drego replied, "We're from the western region, come to ask for the help of a master builder to rebuild our village."
Yomiru interjected, "And we bring sweets in return."
The guards frowned. Drego pinched Yomiru's arm. "Shut up."
They were allowed inside after a thorough inspection. The streets of Bhismanov were lined with sturdy stone buildings, floating magical fountains, and residents who looked more peaceful than any village they had passed.
Yomiru looked around curiously.
"This place is... beautiful," she murmured.
"Yes. But remember, we're not here for a vacation. Focus on the goal," Drego said.
Yomiru just smiled. "Don't worry. But if they have cake, I'll try it."
Drego took a deep breath. The four-day journey with Yomiru was not only a physical test, but also a test of patience. But behind all her complaints, there was a small light that began to grow inside Yomiru. The light of hope.
And Bhismanov... would be a new chapter in their journey.