Whispers out of Time

Chapter 20

─────⋅˖ ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖⋅─────

Amren's steps mirrored Elian's, but her mind marched to a different beat. Each step away from the library was a step into the unknown, a path woven with threads of reluctance and curiosity. The upper city's grandeur faded behind them, its orchestrated beauty a stark contrast to the raw, unpolished edges of the lower city streets.

She was a creature of intellect, of structured chaos. The library, with its towering shelves and whispering pages, was her battleground, her sanctuary. Now, led by Elian through unfamiliar paths, her comfort zone blurred into the background. The change was unsettling, like a familiar melody played in a foreign key.

Elian moved with an ease that spoke of something different, his steps sure and unhesitating. In contrast, Amren felt like a scholar forced to become an explorer, her usual confidence tempered by the unpredictability.

Her gaze lingered on the shifting shadows, the moonlight playing tricks on her eyes, making the ordinary seem mysterious, even ominous.

"Why here?" she asked, the question more to herself than to Elian.

The night air was cooler here, unfiltered by the artificial warmth of the upper city. It carried the real scents of life and living – the earthy aroma of nature, the distant hint of hearth fires. It was raw, unmasked by the perfumes and polished stones of her usual world.

Elian's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back from the edge of her contemplation. "Because here, you can feel Talseth's heartbeat, unadorned and unpretentious. It's real."

Real.

The word echoed in Amren's mind. In the upper city, real was a commodity, something to be twisted and shaped for one's own ends. But here, real had a different weight, a different texture. It was tangible in the cool breeze, in the soft hum of the lower city's nocturnal life.

Amren's heart beat in a rhythm she barely recognized – a mix of apprehension and a thrill that surprised her. It wasn't the thrill of uncovering a hidden truth in a dusty tome or connecting historical dots in a brilliant flash of insight.

This was different.

And she wasn't exactly sure what it was.

The alleyways twisted like veins through the heart of the lower city, narrow and shadowed, veiled in the whispers of unseen lives. Elian led the way, his steps certain, a guide through this labyrinth of stone and secrets. Amren followed, her own steps a dance of hesitation and intrigue.

Here, the city's pulse beat a different rhythm, one that was unfamiliar to her, yet compelling in its raw authenticity. The cluttered vibrancy of the streets she knew gave way to a quieter, more introspective world. It was as if they had stepped through a veil into a different realm, one where the clamor of the city was a distant echo.

The building loomed before them, an aging structure that wore its years with a stoic grace. Elian scaled it with the ease of a practiced climber, his silhouette a fluid shadow against the rough façade. Reaching the top, he extended a hand to Amren, an offer of assistance.

But Amren hesitated, her pride a barrier as tangible as the bricks beneath her feet. She was a creature of independence, her strength and intellect her allies in a world where vulnerability was often a liability. Swatting Elian's hand away, she mustered her own ascent, a huff of determination escaping her lips.

Elian's eyes rolled, a silent commentary on her stubbornness, but there was a glimmer of respect in his gaze. He understood, perhaps better than she realized, the armor she wore – the armor of self-reliance.