As the maids and minions of Vika bustled about, their efforts concentrated on preparing a lavish feast, Vika sat in a dimly lit corner of the grand hall, revealing shocking secrets to Aya and Nosil.
Dishes were paraded in by the maids, one after another, until the long table groaned under the weight of roasted meats, glistening fruits, and steaming bowls of vegetable-laden soup. An assortment of drinks sparkled in the candlelight, casting an inviting glow over the feast.
Finally, the preparations were complete. Men began to filter in, seating themselves on the right side of the table, while Nosil and Aya settled on the left. Vika, with no hesitation, stood and raised her cup. "This humble feast is for our new guests... Let's welcome them, everyone."
Her voice rang with cheer, and a chorus of "Welcome" echoed back to her, though the guests were still unaware of the full extent of the night's revelations.
"Enjoy the meal, you two," Vika said to Nosil and Aya. "We will continue our little chat afterward." But Aya, still reeling from what she had just heard, couldn't contain herself. "Just one more question... What's the connection between Nosil and Ram?" she demanded.
Vika set her cup down and looked at Nosil, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. "I don't know for certain," she began. "But he could be a possible vassal to Ram."
"A vassal?" Aya's voice trembled with anger. "What the hell does that mean?"
"It's a high probability that Nosil will be the next manifestation of Ram," Vika explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's just a theory... I don't know yet. It's not an exact science, you know."
Nosil, visibly frustrated, interrupted. "Just stop it, both of you. I'm Nosil and I will always be... not Ram or anyone else."
The table fell into a tense silence.
Aya, her face pale with fear, looked from Vika to Nosil, vika, almost certain of her theory yet unwilling to press further, sighed. "Yes, I hope so... Let's eat now, shall we?"
The uneasy truce settled over the table as they turned their attention to the feast.
The feast began in earnest, with Nosil being the first to dig in.
He had been eagerly awaiting the food, and now that it was ready, he ate with a voracity that left little doubt about his hunger. Vika sipped her drink slowly, watching Nosil devour the meat with a kind of fascination.
Her men, however, picked at their food with difficulty, the tension in the hall palpable. Aya, lost in thought, methodically sliced her meat, her mind preoccupied with the recent revelations.
This scene continued for a time until everyone was sated, especially Nosil, who leaned back, patting his swollen stomach. "Well, this is what I call a feast... my stomach is fit to burst," he declared.
Vika laughed lightly. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. You have a healthy appetite, Nosil... There's no shame in that."
The maids approached, clearing the dishes and tidying the table.
Vika then rose, addressing her followers with authority. "I will speak to our guests alone now... Some of you should prepare for the guarding mission, while the rest attend to your duties." As her men nodded and moved to follow her orders, she turned to Aya and Nosil. "You two, follow me...We have more to discuss."
Aya and Nosil stood and trailed behind Vika as she led them out of the hall.
"Who are these people?" one of the men muttered. "Why does the boss treat them so well? This feels so wrong"
"How should I know?" another replied. "Do you think the boss will take that boy to bed? He looks too young, maybe around fifteen years old."
"Shut the hell up... Talking like that will be the end of you... And did you see that red light on the boy's body? I've never seen anything like it before..."
"Yes, I saw it too... It was shining with a red ray... What is that boy exactly?"
"Let's just do what the boss told us and then we can ask her later."
The men fell silent, rising to carry out their orders.
Vika led Aya and Nosil outside the stronghold, to a slope overlooking the small villages and dense forests below. The view from the mountaintop was breathtaking.
An ancient tree stood at the edge, gnarled and wise. Vika approached it, resting a hand on its rough bark "This is my favorite place," she said softly, "I often come here when I am stressed... the view is magnificent, isn't it?"
Nosil shrugged "Yeah... not bad".
Vika turned to Aya, her eyes narrowing. "What did you mean by your hands being full? Do you have anything to do with the commotion in the capital, Aryam?... I mean the war council".
Aya remained silent, her expression guarded.
Vika sighed. "There's no need to be afraid... I'm not interested in your secrets... I just need to know if you're going to cause us any trouble... Are you being hunted by the Erisian army?"
"It's not like that," Nosil interjected. "Mostly, we're mostly presumed dead... We want to stay that way for a while."
Vika pondered this, gazing down the slope. "Maybe I will regret this, but you can stay here as long as you need to." She paused, stepping closer to Aya. "Can I join you? When you're done hiding, I want to come with you... If Nosil is the next Ram, I want to see it with my own eyes... I'll do anything you ask, just take me with you... What do you say?"
Nosil and Aya were stunned into silence, unable to process Vika's unexpected request.
"Does your silence mean you accept?" Vika pressed. "Think about it carefully."
Aya finally spoke, her voice cautious. "Why do you want to come with us? You barely know us... We might be bad people or even murderers."
Vika smiled, a touch of sadness in her eyes. "I have one specific goal in my whole life... I want to achieve something I can't do alone... So I can return to my homeland."
Nosil's curiosity got the better of him. "What is this goal you speak of?"
Vika's voice grew soft, tinged with sorrow. "I want to destroy the Eris family and rebuild the Ram family... They took everything from me... my home, my family, my life. I will make them pay."
Aya looked at Vika with newfound understanding. "That is a big ambition...No wonder you think it's impossible..."
"Is it?" Vika replayed, her tone defiant. "For years, all I've thought about is a way to destroy those who wronged me... They will pay for what they've done... I will see to it."
Vika's eyes filled with tears, her brown hair swinging back and forth in the arms of the wind. Her face mirrored the misery that had defined her life, a silent testament to her suffering.
Nosil noticed it all, he saw the sorrow in Vika's eyes, and it reminded him of his own. Almost reflexively, he raised his hand to trace the scars on his face.
For a moment, he could feel what Vika was reaching for. It was like a wish or a desperate cry for help from someone who refused to lose hope, someone willing to go all down the road to see her wish fulfilled.
But Nosil's case was a bit different, it wasn't a wish but a curse that had fallen upon him. Not a cry, but a roar within him. Not hope, but a consuming darkness that surrounded him.
He thought, "Maybe we are not so different after all... Me and the legendary hero Ram... He brought hope to all mankind, while I could bring it just to people like Vika... Those who want to destroy mankind."
The tense silence stretched on, a charged emptiness hanging heavy between them. One side craved a response, the other dreaded the fallout of any answer. This wasn't a discussion, but a stark choice: acceptance or rejection.
Aya, forcing composure, spoke. "I'm afraid that's not possible...We also have something important ourselves... Our paths diverge...They cannot intersect."
Nosil, watching Aya deliver the news, understood. Their clandestine mission offered no room for detours, and Maya's watchful gaze meant any shift in plans due to Vika was unthinkable and unallowed.
With a swift movement, Nosil reached for Vika. His hand, gently cupping her cheek, drew her into a hug – a gesture aimed more at calming the rising tension than anything else.
Vika, touched by his unexpected action, choked out, "What are you doing?..."
Nosil released her, his voice is soft. "Don't fret... You'll be with us, in spirit... We'll carry your burdens, your thirst for vengeance... One day, we'll deliver your justice."
"But Nosil," Aya interjected, "you know we can't—"
"We'll shoulder your pain," Nosil insisted, his voice firm despite a tremor in his hand. "Stay strong, Vika...Hope must endure."
Tears welled up in Vika's eyes, Nosil's words offering a bittersweet solace. "And what of you?" she finally managed, her voice thick with emotion. "Will your hands forever be stained with blood?"
Nosil's gaze turned distant. "Blood is all I've ever known," he said, his voice a low rumble. "It's my birthright, my purpose."
A flicker of admiration crossed Aya's eyes hearing Nosil's words, "Leave it to us, Vika" she said, her voice resolute. Their unspoken vow hung heavy in the air, a promise made and a burden shared.
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