Damon was silent for a moment. “Yes, it is.”
“Really?!” She felt ecstatic upon hearing what he said.
“Yes, but not the one you expect. You see, in our world there are three cycles of life, Essence, Vessel, and Destiny. When I said revival is possible, what I mean is that the essence is alive but not the vessel. Someone's Essence can still linger even if the vessel is long gone.”
“Oh, so you’re saying they are alive but only in spirit?” She was disappointed. She thought that she could bring her parents back.
“Well, the essence to us is life itself that inhabits a body. So if someone’s essence transfers to another body then they return back to life.”
“Oh, so like reincarnation?”
“Yes, it’s like that but you don’t get to do it by yourself. You would need the gods to reincarnate you by passing their judgment. Only then you get a chance to be reincarnated."
Aster looked sad and conflicted when he said the gods can only help her. Damon was contemplating whether to ask sensitive or not to a stranger he just met. But he still asked anyway. “If you don’t mind asking who do you want to get revived? It’s alright if you don’t want to answer.”
Aster paused for a moment, as much as she didn't want to she still told him. “My parents. They died in a car accident. Ever since then, after I recover it feels like the world has turned upside down. Suddenly I have a lot of burden to carry. I need to manage our family business, while taking care of my younger sister, and to hope that my brother will soon wake up,” she suddenly burst into tears.
Damon wants to comfort her but doesn't know how, he didn’t mean to make her cry, “I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what you are going through.”
“I’m sorry, if I suddenly cried,” she wipes her tears using her hand trying to stop herself from crying.
“No worries. Losing two most important people in your life at the same time is not easy,” he hears rustling in the woods and in the direction of the sound. “If you want to cry it out, it’s fine but definitely not here,” Damon came back to reality that the forest is very dangerous. ”We need to get moving. I’m afraid that the beast that attacked me was still nearby and I don’t want anything to happen to us, to you.”
“You’re right. My younger sister was still waiting for me back home. I can’t die here. Not now.”
Damon searches his pockets to look for his handkerchief and offers it to Aster. “Here, you can wipe your tears using these.”
“T-Thank you…” She used Damon’s handkerchief. “So how do we get out of here?”
Without explaining it to her, Damon raised his hand and made a circular motion while chanting. “Luar Vestetu Duvria, Septir Ergusari!” Then a flying serpent suddenly burst out of the magic circle and let out a roar up in the sky.
“Woah!” Aster was astonished at what she was seeing. This is her first time seeing an actual creature. “That was amazing! I only see them in movies! Are we gonna ride that?!” the earlier gloomy feeling she had was replaced with excitement.
“Yes, we are. I hope you are okay with it,” He looked at Aster who was visibly excited, a reaction only people who have not seen such a creature before. The serpent flew on the ground and looked at them as if waiting for them to hope on. Damon extends his arm towards Aster. “Let’s go?”
Aster excitedly took Damon's hand and he helped Aster to get up at the serpent. She can’t believe she was riding an actual mythical creature. “I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”
“Don’t worry. My office was located at the top of the building and I would often look through it. So you can go as high as you can!”
“Well, If you’re ready we are going to fly now. Hold on tight or you are going to fall,” Damon smiles at her and orders the serpent to fly and the serpent quickly rises up towards the sky.
Aster screamed loudly. “I feel like I’m riding a roller coaster!” She was filled with joy and this is her first time riding a mythical creature.
“What is a roller coaster?” another unknown word for him.
Aster tries her best to explain what a roller coaster is to Damon. “It’s a kind of amusement ride where people pay to ride it. It has many pairs of chairs that are connected to one another. And when everything's ready, it will start zooming across the tracks. If you think about it, it’s kinda like a serpent but it's not actually a serpent. I really can’t explain what exactly it is so just use your imagination.”
“I see. It seems like your world has many interesting things. I hope one day I can ride one of those.”
“If we can go back to my world. But how do I come back, though?”
“There are many ways to get back depending on how you got here. Since you seem to get here by accident, any high priest or priestess can help you get back,” he sighed and his mood changed.
“I see. So where can we find them?”
“Every kingdom has one and they are always located at the capital. But first we need to check in at an inn to sleep for the night. We can start heading to the capital tomorrow,” he seems like he is not looking forward to going to the capital.
Aster noticed that Damon’s mood changed but she didn’t bother to ask why. Soon they reached a village and landed outside the village. “Let’s look for an inn,” they started to explore the village.
Aster was astonished looking at the building, the lantern acting as light that illuminates the road as if she’s living a fantasy life that she used to watch.
“I wish I could take pictures. I bet Lara will love this kind of place,”
she suddenly had the urge to explore more. “Damon, can we explore this village a bit? I want to get familiar with this place and this world,” she looked at him pleadingly.
Damon smiles, “Sure.”
“Yey!”
The two of them explored the village and Aster was like a kid in a theme park looking in every direction, even a normal house excited her. Damon enjoys watching her innocent reaction to everything she sees even to the simplest things. While happily exploring Aster, looked at Damon who was watching her in amusement.
She blushed and got embarrassed all of a sudden and turned her back to him.
“He probably thinks I’m some kind of idiot. Ugh, what am I doing?! Focus and be serious!"
she shyly looked at him. “We can look for an inn now,” she awkwardly smiled.
Damon just nodded and started waking. Aster still felt embarrassed and walked behind him where he couldn't see her.
“I hope he doesn't find me weird,”
she felt disappointed in herself.
They both finally found an inn and entered. “Welcome, sir and madam. What can I help you with?” The receptionist greeted them with a smile.
“We want to check in a separate room to stay the night.”
“That would be two vishtra each, sir.”
Damon looked at the receptionist nonchalantly. “I don’t have my money right now. I will need to send a letter back home so they can give me money. Can I pay tomorrow morning?”
Aster was stunned when she heard Damon don’t have money yet boldly ask if he can pay later.
“Wow. Just wow. The audacity. How could he say it with a straight face?”
“But how do I know that you would actually pay? It’s just two vishtra,” she doesn’t sound pleased.
“I don’t have money on me yet. Just put it in my tab.”
The receptionist is now pissed. “Tab? I don’t even know you. You are not one of the locals here. If you don’t have money you better start looking at the streets for a better spot to sleep.”
Damon was unfazed at her angry tone and instead of saying anything, Damon showed an emblem to the receptionist and she immediately gasped in shock, her eyes widened. “Is-Is that real?”
“See it for yourself,” Damon let the receptionist hold his emblem.
Even though Aster doesn’t know what’s happening she can see that the receptionist was in awe at the sight of the emblem. She was curious about what's special about it. After the receptionist confirms its authenticity she gives them both a key to their room.
“I apologize for my rudeness, I’m just trying to make a living.”
“Apology accepted.”
“Sadly the two available rooms are far from each other. One is at B1 and one is at B4.”
“It’s alright, it’s only for tonight. Let’s go now, Aster,” he didn’t wait for her answer and started walking.
“Have a good night’s rest!” when the two are out of earshot she mumbled to herself. “I should have charged more,” she gritted her teeth.
As they are walking to their room Aster can’t help but ask. “What was that emblem for? What’s so special about it?
“Don’t worry, I'll tell you everything tomorrow. For now we need to rest,” he looked like he really didn't want to discuss it and she could see it and did not press on.
As soon as Aster entered her room. She immediately jumped to the bed. “Finally! I can rest!” She was tired and exhausted from her work and their little exploration. Without realizing it Aster falls asleep.