After a while, they finally arrived at the old house. Lucas and Eldric walked together toward the door. As they stepped inside, the warm scent of cooking filled the air. They saw Sebastian bustling about in the kitchen, preparing a feast.
Hearing their footsteps, Sebastian turned to look at them. Lucas and Eldric stood before him, staring at the scene in surprise.
"Oh, welcome back!" Sebastian greeted them with a broad smile.
"Thanks, Dr. Sebastian," Lucas replied, his tone polite.
Eldric raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing, gramps?"
Sebastian's smile widened as he gestured toward the food. "What? Can't you see? I'm preparing a meal."
Eldric's expression turned skeptical. "Yeah, I can see that. But why so much? Are you expecting guests?"
Lucas glanced at the table, laden with food, and asked, "Is it Eldric's birthday, Dr. Sebastian?"
Eldric turned to Lucas with a dismissive shake of his head. "Of course not."
Sebastian looked at them both with mock indignation. "What? I can't prepare this much food unless it's someone's birthday? Why don't you two just sit down already?"
Lucas and Eldric exchanged glances before settling at the table. Sebastian joined them, his excitement contagious.
"Alright! Let's dig in!" he exclaimed.
As they began eating, Lucas found himself watching Sebastian with admiration. 'Wow, Dr. Sebastian is such a great grandpa, that's for sure.'
***
A day passed…
Lucas, Eldric, and Sebastian spent the entire night talking and laughing about various topics. Before they realized it, it was already midnight. The warmth of their shared laughter lingered as Lucas finally drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Lucas woke early. Eldric had invited him to visit the main city, offering an opportunity to learn more about the land. Lucas was eager to make the most of it.
They set off together, stopping briefly at the building next to Sebastian's house where supplies were stored. Eldric prepared their Skyraks, giant bird-like creatures with long, sturdy legs. Despite their avian appearance, the Skyraks didn't fly but moved swiftly across the ground with their tall, powerful strides.
Although Lucas still wasn't fully accustomed to riding a Skyrak, he felt himself improving. The rhythmic motion of its stride was beginning to feel more natural.
When they arrived, the main city greeted them with its familiar liveliness. The streets were crowded with elves going about their day, and the vibrant energy was almost overwhelming.
'I just can't get used to this,' Lucas thought, marveling at the scene. 'It's really amazing!'
Eldric led Lucas to the library, a place Lucas was growing increasingly fond of. Once there, they parted ways—Eldric had a mission to complete, leaving Lucas to his own devices.
Lucas stood before the wooden building, his excitement mounting. He was ready to dive into the endless wealth of knowledge it held. Stepping inside, he began his usual search for books that piqued his interest.
He roamed through the shelves, picking up titles and skimming their contents before carefully placing them back. After a while, his attention was drawn to an old, weathered book. Its cracked spine and faded cover hinted at its age, and Lucas's curiosity was immediately piqued.
'Woah…' he thought, gently pulling it from the shelf. The title read, *The Gods Who Ruled This World.*
Lucas stared at the cover for a moment, his fingers tracing the embossed letters. Without hesitation, he opened the book and began reading, standing right where he was.
"Wait, so there are many more gods out there aside from Nyxarion?!" he muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the pages hungrily.
As he read on, Lucas's anticipation grew. He hoped to uncover more about Nyxarion, the enigmatic God of Nothingness, and to find any clues about their potential connection. To his disappointment, however, the book offered little new information. What it did reveal only confirmed what he already knew—Nyxarion was the God of Nothingness.
Still, one detail caught his attention: Nyxarion was described as the strongest of all the gods and a remarkably humble being.
'The strongest god?' Lucas thought, his curiosity deepening. 'Oh wow, now I want to know more about him.'
Although the book didn't provide much about Nyxarion, it did introduce Lucas to the existence of other gods. The descriptions were brief, offering only basic details about their domains and personalities. The book avoided delving into their stories, leaving much to the imagination.
'Wow, this is unbelievable,' Lucas thought, placing the book back on the shelf. 'I can't believe there are so many gods out there in this world.'
Determined to learn as much as he could, Lucas continued browsing the library, eager to absorb every piece of knowledge he could find.