It took a while before Laide came back to the office, his arms full of food. He placed it before James and Amara, who wasted no time devouring it. They ate hurriedly, almost savagely, as though afraid the food would vanish from their plates. It had been weeks since either of them had tasted anything good, and the flavors were a temporary heaven in the middle of apocalypse.
Not long after they finished and leaned back to relax, Akinde returned. Behind him walked a woman whose presence stole the air from the room.
She was beautiful.
Her light-brown skin shimmered under the faint light, her figure sharp and perfect, but not fragile. Her aura wasn't delicate, it carried the sharp edge of a tomboy, hardened by battle. What struck the most were her eyes. Blue, sparkling, almost foreign, and yet not. Within them swirled mythical, colored spots, mesmerizing, otherworldly, profound.
James froze the moment he laid eyes on her. His heart pounded as if trying to leap out of his chest. He had seen countless beautiful women before, but every memory faded like dull sketches compared to the living masterpiece standing before him.
"You better carry your eyes comot before I remove them!" Laide snapped in sharp pidgin, his voice dripping with irritation.
James flinched and quickly averted his gaze, though the lady's image was already engraved into his heart. He couldn't erase it.
Amara's reaction was different. Her eyes narrowed, filled with shock, anger… and jealousy.
The woman was Niniola. Known far and wide as the strongest Ascendant in Eleso faction, she was also once famous as the strongest female street fighter. But those who truly knew her whispered another title: The Lie Detector. She could sense falsehood like a predator sniffing out blood, it was innate gift, something that allowed her to know who to trust and not to trust, even in the old world.
"Oi, Amara. It's been a while," Niniola greeted cheerfully, her tone careless, unconcerned about appearances. For someone as beautiful as her, she carried herself like beauty meant nothing.
"Y… yeah, it has been a while," Amara replied stiffly.
"I don't know if it's good or bad," Niniola continued, her sparkly eyes boring into Amara, "but you haven't changed."
It felt like those eyes stripped Amara bare. As if they peeled away every mask, every wall, until her soul stood naked.
"The gods seem to be treating you well, right?" Amara asked, her voice sharp, with a tinge of anger that spread like static through the room.
"Nah. The gods forsook us long ago. I just used what I had to my advantage when the apocalypse struck," Niniola replied casually, smiling as if she hadn't noticed the anger radiating from Amara.
But she had noticed. She simply didn't care.
James, still entranced, thought to himself: 'Wow, that's Niniola, the number one female street fighter. She's even more stunning than she was on television. Ah, such bliss.'
Without realizing it, a smile tugged at his lips.
Laide caught the smile and muttered under his breath, "Disgusting."
"So, who are you?" Niniola turned her gaze on James.
"A… ah… I am… James. Makinde James," he stammered, scratching his head.
"You never cease to surprise me," Amara muttered, disgust twisting her features. But James ignored her completely.
"James, it seems you're strong," Niniola said with an easy smile.
"No, no. I'm just an average guy whose graduation day was ruined," James replied, scratching his head again, flattered yet nervous.
Niniola tilted her chin toward the long chair. "And who's this? He seems super strong."
James followed her gaze to Collins, who lay sleeping peacefully. "This is my brother. His name's Collins."
"What happened to him?" she asked. Her eyes glowed faintly, mysterious, probing.
"Oh, nothing serious. Just a panic attack that made him faint," James lied smoothly, his face calm. But Niniola's eyes glinted.
Laide cut in sharply. "What? Panic attack? That didn't look like panic attack to me. He was screaming like he was about to die!"
"Kid, have you ever experienced panic attacks before?" James countered.
"No, and I'm not a kid!" Laide protested.
"Sure, you're not a kid. But since you've never experienced it, how would you know that wasn't a panic attack?" James pressed, his words sharp. But inside, though, he prayed silently:
'Please, Amara. Don't expose me.'
Amara's lips tightened. She didn't know exactly what had happened to Collins, only that it wasn't panic attack. She knew Collins unleash a mysterious power to escape the forest with them, but she wasn't about to expose James's lie. Not now. Not when Niniola was here. Especially not when Niniola was her old rival, the one she had always hated.
James noticed Amara's silence and exhaled in secret relief. He was good at lying, and this time, it had saved them.
"Well, since it's just a panic attack, there's not much we can do," Niniola said, her tone shifting to business. "We don't have medics yet. You know, since the gods tossed us into this new world."
"Don't worry. My friend's strong. He'll overcome it himself," James reassured with a faint smile.
"Okay then. Honestly, I only came here to see my former rival." Niniola's smile slipped, her expression turning cold. "But it seems I've surpassed her completely. She's no longer worthy of being called my rival."
Her piercing gaze fell on Amara, disdain laid bare.
Amara's teeth clenched. Rage burned in her chest, but she swallowed it down, refusing to explode.
"Akinde," Niniola called.
"Yes?" he responded.
"Take care of the guests. I'll be off. Laide, let's go."
"Sure thing," Akinde said.
Laide trailed behind her as they left.
"What a scary lady," James muttered, watching them disappear. "She truly has the femme fatale vibes."
Once they were outside, however, Niniola suddenly staggered. Her eyes began to drip blood.
"Aunty Niniola! What's wrong?!" Laide shouted, panic in his voice.
Niniola wiped the crimson streaks away. Her expression hardened. "Tell me, Laide. Where did you meet those two young men? From the beginning."
Laide swallowed, then explained everything, how he met James and Collins, how Collins screamed with black cracks tearing through his body, how those cracks mysteriously healed before he collapsed, and the strange tension between James and Amara.
Niniola listened silently, her eyes deep, until Laide finished.
"Did I do something wrong by bringing them here?" he asked nervously.
"No. You didn't. But that young man who's sleeping… he's special," Niniola said at last.
"Special? I don't feel anything special about him, except that those two treat him well especially James." Laide said, frowning.
"Maybe not now. But later." Her lips curled into a smile. "After all, he's just like me."
Laide froze. "Huh? He… he has a king title?!"
Niniola nodded. "For bringing someone like him to the faction, ask Akinde to give you a week's worth of food."
"You're serious?!" Laide's eyes lit up.
"Of course. When have I ever lied?"
"Thank you, thank you so much! You're the best!!" Laide shouted, dashing off before she could stop him.
"Wait until he finishes his meeting first!" she called after him, but he was already gone. She chuckled softly. "That foodie."
Her eyes darkened as she turned away, walking in the opposite direction.
So there are others with a king title. The gods have truly turned our lives into a game. Soon, others like him will compete for the throne of hierarchy. I must strengthen my bond with that young man when he wakes up.
Her heart hardened with resolve. The future was coming, and she would be ready.