Irin sat by the window to get a better view of the outside world. His forehead almost collided with the window glass when the train tried adjusting its speed. The view beyond the window showcased rolling fields with yellow flowers that disappeared into tall mountains whose peaks brushed the blue sky.
"Nature is marvelous." He wanted to say, only for him to sit up and shake his head in disagreement a second later.
'That's debatable when I almost got torn apart by a giant viper and escaped a public execution.'
Opposite him sat a couple. The woman rested her head on the man's shoulder, and she only giggled or spoke whenever she was pointing at something outside the window to her man.
The train's seats were oppositely positioned in pairs, and passengers' bags and items filled the overhead racks. There was a lamp stationed on the wall in between each section of the seat.
Irin had to pay to sit alone because he wanted the comfort that came with wanting to lie down and stretching himself as he wanted whenever he felt sleepy. But then sleeping on a moving train amid many strangers, while trying to avoid any contact with the people he was fleeing from, kept him wide awake.
When he became tired of looking through the window, was to bring out the medicine the woman had given him. He carefully unwrapped the items and applied the ointment in places where he had an injury.
He was almost done when he heard the same voice again in the back of his mind.
[You have escaped a devious scheme that almost ended your life...]
"You again? Irin muttered in frustration.
"Alright. I'll play along. Maybe this time I'll get a pat on my head for not getting killed, or something that doesn't end with me suffering."
[Prepare to receive your reward…]
His brow lifted. "There it is. Hit me with something promising."
[COST: Mercy Accrual]
[Description: Accumulation of near-death events, especially fragments of moments where your life almost ended. Excessive retention leads to everlasting blindness.]
"I think there's a mistake somewhere," Irin laughed nervously. "Reward doesn't equal cost. I mean… since when did reward lose its meaning? "
[Each cost is peculiar to each phase. And the risk for ascending a phase differs from the cost.]
Irin blinked twice. "So if I want to ascend a phase, the risk of doing that is entirely different from the cost of each phase? This is insane."
To ascend each phase meant having more versatile control and power. The closer one got to the pinnacle of each stratum, the cost that came with it were deadly.
The little smile left on Irin's face drained immediately he realized the ending statement of the Cost.
"Everlasting….," he repeated in disbelieve. "…blindness?"
He said it again in his head, slower this time. He frowned at the phrase, rolling it around in his mind. The cost of his phrase was not something he was expecting. Experiencing too many fragments/memories of near-death events resulted in him becoming blind forever, without a cure; not even magic or alchemy could undo.
'How much was too much? He wondered.
Throughout the journey, Irin kept thinking about those words until the train finally came to a stop at Nikara train station.
Irin stood up and stretched his arm. The long journey took a toll on him.
People rushed out in droves from the train as if they were already late for their daily business. Irin followed suit, and the moment his boots stepped on the station's floor, someone almost knocked him to the floor.
"Excuse me," the stranger said, and hurriedly walked away.
"You lack manners!" Irin shouted at the stranger as he tried to regain his composure.
He adjusted his clothes and looked around the station. The streetlamp along the Nikara train station burned bright through the mist. The station bustled with crowds and activities everywhere at once. Some people who were traveling to other parts of the nation were already boarding the train opposite him.
Crossing the gate, Irin stepped onto a bridge that led to the city. He stopped at the bridge and took a moment to admire the city before him.
Towers and buildings that are meters tall rose high into the sky. Giant cathedrals with high roofs that had the sign of the cross stood close to factories. These factories' chimneys vomited thick smoke that clouded the atmosphere with a gray mist.
This is the first city I have ever seen.
Underneath the bridge flowed a river, with small boats transporting people along the city's route.
He strolled across the bridge and soon found himself on a busy street where a stone statue of the emperor stood at a roundabout ahead.
An old tram made a clattering noise as it traveled on its rails through the city. A Horse-drawn carriage ran past Irin with a speed that almost blew his hat away.
"Get off the road, you stupid lad," the driver snapped the reins of the horse while raining curses in equal measure.
The carriage wheel hit a muddy pothole some seconds later, causing the inattentive driver to fall off.
"Poetic," Irin smiled as he looked away.
The noise that came from the street made it difficult for Irin to organize his thoughts. Bells rang from somewhere above, while different vendors who were selling meats sizzling over open flames, sweet pastries dusted with sugar, and various items openly called on customers.
Irin took his time to explore the city, walking from street to street. On the streets, you could see men dressed in coats and women in layered gowns. Nearby, a trickster with painted eyes, who had caught Irin's attention, made coins vanish and reappear behind children's ears. Laughter erupted from the onlookers as they tossed copper coins into the trickster's hat.
Most importantly, knights were stationed at crossings, junctions, along the streets, and in random spots all over the city. They wore a red cloak that distinguished them.
Their red clothing bore the crown's sigil at the center, stitched with gold thread. They all answered the emperor, who was the supreme ruler of the nation.
The city was magnificent. Yes. But something felt wrong. The aftermath of the war had left its mark on Nikara, despite their efforts to rebuild what was left of the city.