The sounds of human activity could already be heard that early in the distance. Ash had just passed the last tree, leaving the territory of Mount Atmos behind him.
The creak of wooden cart wheels over rocky ground, the snorting of horses carrying loads on the left and right sides of the road. The scent of wet earth and grain husks already drifted through the air.
From the direction behind Ash, a heavy footfall sound came that was different from all of that. Ash glanced back briefly and saw a Lambiz walking along the rocky path.
Its body was the size of a full-grown bison with thick fur that flared out around its shoulders and a large tail moving slowly to swat flies. Behind it, a thick rope pulled a wooden cart full of goods crates stacked almost to the height of a rooftop.
Ash turned back to face forward and continued walking.
A large stone gateway stood at the entrance to the city, its name carved at the top in letters that had already faded slightly from the weather. Blackridge.
Beneath that gateway, people walked in and out mixed together without any clear dividing line, merchants with small carts pushing inward, women with baskets on their heads stepping outward, and among all of them, not one turned to look in Ash's direction.
Ash entered the city with his right hand holding the strap of the bag on his right shoulder.
Multi-storey shophouses lined the left and right sides of the road. Several people could be seen communicating from balconies, while at the lower levels people were coming and going.
The architectural style of the buildings resembled that of Pinedale village where the foundations and frames were stone while the walls were made of wood. The wall paint already looked worn and the stone wall sections covered by shadow appeared damp with moss.
"Hmm?" Ash's eyes narrowed.
On the walls of empty buildings along the road, posters were pasted with glue, some already torn at the corners from the wind. Faces on them, names and numbers below. Ash passed all of it without slowing his steps.
Until ... his stomach growled.
Ash stopped briefly at the roadside. "Hmm, my bread ran out before entering the forest, the canned food I already opened for dinner too." Ash glanced left and right.
"Should have brought more," he muttered quietly, to himself.
His eyes swept left and right along the road, searching for a signboard or smoke indicating a kitchen or place to eat. It didn't take long, the smell of hot oil and fried onions came from the right, from a two-storey building at the intersection with its wooden door open wide and the sound of conversation coming from inside.
About ten steps behind Ash, a figure in a grey hoodie and cloth mask walked along the left side of the road, their body kept close to the row of stalls in the shadow beneath. Their eyes followed Ash's back from under their cap.
"What is he planning in a small city like this?" they muttered quietly.
Ash turned right without warning and disappeared through the doorway of the eatery.
The figure stopped mid-step, their eyes on the door that had just closed. "A restaurant? What is he going to pay with?" Their hand clenched slightly at their side. Then their brow furrowed on its own. "Damn. What do I care."
The eatery was fairly busy in the morning. Most of those seated there were men, their clothing indicating their respective occupations, some with shirts covered in dirt stains, some with arms marked by charcoal, some in uniforms showing they had either just finished or were about to begin their shift.
Long wooden tables were lined up with benches on both sides, and at the back, a bar counter stretched along the wall with a rack of bottles behind it. Ash chose a table near the window, sitting with his back to the wall and his bag placed on the floor between his feet.
A woman approached from the direction of the bar, her hair a wavy brown reaching her shoulders, a black shirt beneath an oversized short-sleeved shirt, short denim pants, and at her waist a thin apron with one pocket at the front.
Her steps were quick but not rushed. "Hi, what would you like to order?" she asked directly, without any opening pleasantries.
"Whatever's filling enough," Ash answered, "and a glass of drinking water please, miss."
"Alright, I hope you don't have any specific allergies." The woman noted in the small book in her apron pocket.
"Hey gorgeous, I think I need milk for my coffee. Is that available?" said a man at the table to Ash's left. His eyes were fixed on the woman's breast which was indeed quite attention-drawing.
The woman turned toward him with an expression that didn't change at all. "Sorry, that's out of stock," she said in a flat tone, then turned back toward the bar.
From the end of the bar, an older man with a thicker apron and more stains called out to her. "Hey Suzy, call them again, when is my order arriving."
"Relax boss, it'll be delivered before noon today," she answered without breaking stride.
Ash followed her movement briefly, then his eyes moved to the men around him.
"I'd bet she could take both of us at once and last more than 2 hours," said a large man in farmer's clothing.
"Look at that ass, I always imagine what's underneath when I'm masturbate" chimed in the man beside him.
Suzy didn't respond to what didn't need responding to and answered what did need answering, all in a tone that never changed. All of it was just an ordinary day for that woman.
Outside the window, through the gap between stacked wooden crates, a pair of eyes behind a mask stared inward. Their eyes moved toward Ash's table, then to the bag on the floor.
"What is he going to pay with? Does he even know his wallet is already gone?" Their hand pressed against their own face. "What an idiot that man is."
The food arrived, a plate of rice with cuts of meat still releasing steam and a bowl of broth beside it.
"Enjoy your meal." Suzy set it down without spilling a drop even though her hands were also carrying two other plates for the next table.
Ash began eating his food. No commentary, no exaggerated expression, but the plate was empty in less time than it would normally take most people to finish a portion that size. He drank half a glass of water, set the glass down, and sat for a moment with his back resting against the wall.
"Ah, this is very good. They know how to cook." Ash exhaled, the aroma of the meat still filling his nose.
Then his hand went into the bag on the floor, feeling around inside, his expression still flat. Sensing he couldn't find what he was looking for, Ash pulled out several of his belongings to get a clearer look.
His expression remained flat, but this time sweat began appearing on his forehead. "Where's my wallet?" he muttered.
Outside the window, the figure briefly covered their eyes with their palm. "See." Their voice came out quiet, somewhere between relieved and exasperated with themselves. "Ah, what am I even worrying about."
From inside the eatery, several tables from where Ash was sitting, a large-built man looked toward the window, then his eyes went wide. The man recognized the figure in the grey hoodie.
"You ... this time you won't get away." The man's hand quickly reached for the phone in his pocket.
***