After twenty minutes of walking and talking, Nova and Talia had gotten to know each other better. Their conversation had wandered from Boston's busy streets to the kittens in the box against Nova's chest. Talia did most of the talking, while Nova listened and occasionally asked questions about ordinary things.
Eventually, they arrived at a large apartment complex. They passed a garden where children were playing on slides and swings, their laughter mixing with distant traffic. Nova slowed to watch them for a moment before Talia led him inside.
They stepped into a lobby lined with mailboxes. An elevator stood directly ahead, but Talia led him past it into a small office. A woman sat behind a counter, typing on her computer. She glanced up to greet Talia before returning to her work.
Beyond the reception area was another door, leading into Talia's larger office. Nova followed her inside and noticed the desk at the back of the room.
It was a wide, polished slab of dark brown wood, arranged with remarkable precision. A slim leather desk pad rested at its center, with empty correspondence trays to the left. A heavy pen holder contained two matching pens, both perfectly aligned. Near a closed laptop stood a digital clock. No papers, wires, or stains disturbed the desk's surface.
At its center was a black stone nameplate engraved in gold: Talia Williams, Manager. Sunlight from the right-hand window caught the lettering.
Talia placed her bag on the desk, sat down, and opened her laptop. Nova remained standing with the kittens until she finally looked up and realized she had forgotten to offer him a seat.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Please, sit down and make yourself at home," she said, embarrassed. "I spend so much time here that I forget other people aren't used to it."
Nova sat in one of the chairs opposite her. As soon as he settled into it, however, he felt a sharp twitch in his right hand. He glanced down.
Two concentric circles had appeared on his skin.
The Circle of Pillars.
An itch spread across the mark, sharp enough to make him scratch it with his other hand. The sensation was unfamiliar and persistent, much like an irritation a cat might try desperately to reach beneath its fur.
Talia noticed his hand moving and paused over her keyboard.
"Wait. What are you doing?"
"My hand is itching," Nova answered, still staring at the circles.
"Your hand?" Her eyes moved toward the mark. "Is that your Circle of Pillars?"
"Yes."
Talia leaned forward, puzzled. She couldn't remember seeing the circle earlier, despite seeing him handle the kittens and return in the clothes she had bought him. Surely she would have noticed such a familiar mark.
Every human was born with the Circle of Pillars, even those who never awakened an ability. Talia had the two circles herself, but no pillars. Like roughly six billion people out of the world's nine billion, she had never awakened an innate ability.
"That's odd," she murmured.
Nova looked up. "What is?"
"Nothing. I thought I hadn't seen your circle earlier, but perhaps I missed it." She hesitated. "Does it always itch like that?"
"It has never done so before."
"Well, try not to scratch your skin off. It won't help you awaken any faster."
Nova lowered his hand, and Talia looked back at her laptop. She still found the sudden appearance of his circle strange, but there were more immediate matters to discuss.
"I told you I wanted to help with the kittens, so here's what I'm thinking. I own this apartment complex, and there are several apartments available to rent. People ask about them all the time."
"But seeing you carry those kittens around, and hearing your story, melted my heart. So I'm offering you an apartment free of charge for a month. After that, you'll have to start paying rent like everyone else."
Nova considered the offer. A month of shelter would give him enough time to look for work. He had arrived with almost nothing, yet a woman he had met only hours earlier was offering him a place to live.
"I understand," he said. "And I accept your offer."
"Good. That's one problem solved." Talia leaned back in her chair. "Now we need to make sure you have a way to pay next month's rent."
"I intend to find employment as soon as possible."
"Then you should consider the American Guild, especially if you awaken. I've heard their pay is exceptional, and their benefits are better than those insurance companies offer. The guild is only about ten minutes from here, and they're always hiring."
"Adventurer work isn't easy, though," Talia added. "There are risks even if you have an ability. Find out their requirements before making any decisions."
"Thank you for telling me," he replied. "I will awaken my ability, apply to the guild, and have next month's rent ready on time. Thank you again for allowing me to stay here without payment."
Talia smiled. Kindhearted as she was, she also understood the practical side of running a business. Still, she was pleased by how seriously Nova took her offer.
"You're welcome. But first, let me show you the apartment. It's easier to talk about rent once you've seen what you're getting."
She closed her laptop and stood, and Nova followed her with the box of kittens.
"It's a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, about eight hundred square feet," Talia explained. "Not huge, but livable. There's a washing machine, but no dryer, so you'll have to hang your clothes like a peasant." She grinned at him.
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"I do not believe so," Nova answered. "I am still learning how many things are done here."
Nova followed her through the corridor, noticing cracks in one wall, a flickering ceiling light, and a television sounding faintly through another apartment's door. Everything about ordinary mortal life was still new to him.
Talia stopped at a door, slipped a key into the lock, and pushed it open.
"Here we are."
The apartment smelled faintly of wood polish and lemon. It had off-white walls, scuffed wooden floors, a couple of inexpensive shelves, and a small kitchen with an oven that looked decades old. It was hardly luxurious, but it was clean.
Nova stepped inside and examined the open floor plan. The kitchen adjoined a living area, while a short corridor led toward two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a laundry closet.
"I know it's empty," Talia said, closing the door. "But don't worry. I've arranged for furniture to be delivered, starting tomorrow or by the end of the week. Beds, a couch, a dining table, the essentials. I'll cover the bill for now. You don't need to pay me back immediately. Get settled first."
Nova turned toward her. "You have already done a great deal for me. Are you certain you wish to do more?"
"Yes, I'm certain. You need somewhere to sleep, Nova." She folded her arms, amused. "There's no point giving you an apartment and leaving you to stare at the floor all night."
"Thank you. That is considerate of you."
"I've been there. Fresh start, empty rooms, no furniture, and no idea where the light switch is. Trust me, a rug and some decent lighting will make it feel like home."
Nova wandered into the smaller bedroom. It had white walls, a double closet, and a single window. He opened the closet, examined its empty interior, and shut it gently.
It is so bare, yet I have been fortunate to meet such a wonderful young woman, he thought. With a few decorations and the kittens playing around, it will become a home in no time.
He checked the bathroom next. There was a modest sink, a toilet, and a shower. When he turned the shower knob, the plumbing creaked loudly. Talia laughed from the doorway.
"Yeah, that thing screams like a banshee when you turn on the hot water. But it works, I promise. That's part of the apartment's charm."
They returned to the living room, where Talia gestured toward the window.
"The couch will go there, facing the window. I ordered a coffee table too. The television is up to you. I figured you might prefer books, meditation, or floating around in midair."
Talia grinned. "I'm joking. You act like a god who suddenly turned human, so I have to make a few guesses."
Nova said nothing. Standing in the living room, he listened to the sounds of Boston through the window. Cars passed, someone honked a horn, and people talked along the pavement.
There was no celestial palace here and no divine servants waiting for instructions. There was only an ordinary apartment, a young woman who had shown him kindness, and kittens depending on him.
So this is what the mortal realm feels like, he thought. Not constant pain or chaos. Sometimes, it is simply the quiet act of living.
Nova had barely begun exploring the mortal realm. He didn't yet know how quickly an ordinary day might turn into disaster, or how much people might suffer despite giving everything they had.
Talia stepped beside him, noticing how long he had stood looking around.
"You okay? You've been awfully quiet."
"I like it," Nova answered. "The apartment, the silence, and the simplicity. There is something pure about it."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it," she said. "Just don't summon anything strange in the living room before the furniture arrives. I don't want demons tracking dirt into the carpet."
Nova gave a small smile. "Understood."
Talia tapped the kitchen counter and moved toward the door.
"All right. I'll leave you to settle in. If you need anything, find me at the office. If you're dying, knock twice. If it's a cosmic emergency, send a message. I don't handle screaming well."
Nova followed her to the entrance with the kittens tucked beneath his arm. They had settled down again, apparently comfortable in their new surroundings.
"Goodnight, Nova."
"Goodnight, Talia. And thank you once again."
She smiled and stepped into the hallway. Nova watched until her footsteps faded toward the office, then gently closed the door.
The apartment was empty, and he had no bed or money to furnish it himself. Still, he had somewhere safe to stay and a place to shelter the little creatures in his care. He looked around the room, then down at the kittens.
"I'm home," he whispered.