After defeating the Duskborn Alpha, Colm, Luke, and Tessa made their way toward the exit of Twilight's Hollow without any further surprises. Before long, the city was already in sight.

"Finally," Luke huffed. "That was great and all, but it stressed me out."

Tessa elbowed him with a smirk. "Stop being such a wimp. We just got our first synergized achievements."

Luke sighed. "I know, I know. It was just… sketchy. I don't think I've ever been surrounded by that many monsters before."

Colm nodded in understanding. "I get it—it's terrifying. I've got a nice edge to keep me going, and honestly, I enjoy the thrill, but I know it's not for everyone." He exhaled, glancing at the city ahead. "I've been thinking about it since we left Twilight's Hollow—I want to do more Echo runs like this, but I need to shore up my weaknesses first. I still have a few class abilities left to unlock, so after my escort mission, I want to focus on leveling for a bit. Should be pretty easy if I farm some lower-tier Echoes."

Luke listened as they continued walking toward the city gates. "That's a good idea. Might make things easier for you—and who knows, maybe you'll get something that helps you move faster and finish the Echo in record time."

Colm's mind started turning at that. "Hmm… I wonder if we're just meeting a minimum threshold for these achievements. What if I could clear an Echo even faster and unlock some kind of world-first achievement?"

Luke considered the idea. "You know… that could be possible. Might be tough to test, though, since most of the Echoes around Brimhope have already been explored heavily."

Colm nodded. "Good point. I'll have to keep that in mind."

With a bit more idle conversation, the trio finally entered the city gates and made their way toward the guild plaza.

"Holy shit," Tessa muttered, eyes wide. "Is it even busier than when we left?"

Luke let out a sigh. "I was sure it would have died down by now." He turned to Colm with a smirk, gesturing toward the crowd-packed guild entrance. "See what your good deeds do? Practically everyone in Brimhope is lining up now."

Colm grinned. "What can I say? I'm glad I could help," he laughed. "Well, looks like getting into the guild might be a challenge for a while. Any ideas on what else we could do?"

Luke sighed again. "Yeah, Tessa and I were going to browse around and see if any shops had Prime Scales for sale for my class. We've got a few stores we frequent, so hopefully, they'll be empty of people—they're in the other direction," he said, pointing over his shoulder. "Wanna join us?"

Colm nodded. "Sounds good to me. I think I might take it easy today and just meet up at the gate for the mission tomorrow."

"Works for us."

Tessa bubbled with excitement. "Perfect! We can show you around town a bit!" Before Colm could react, she grabbed his arm and started pulling him along.

Luke followed behind, chuckling. "Hey, don't rip his arm off, Tessa."

Tessa dragged Colm through the streets, weaving through the thinning crowd until the bustling chaos of the guild plaza finally faded.

Luke exhaled. "Finally, it's thinning out. Shit, I wonder how long the guild's going to stay that packed?"

Colm shrugged. "Hopefully, it's cleared up by the time I get back," he laughed.

Luke sighed dramatically. "Lucky you. Maybe we should've taken the escort job too."

Colm allowed himself to be pulled along as they hopped from shop to shop. He browsed through a wide array of goods—food rations, survival gear, even a magical canteen that automatically refilled. He was tempted to buy it before realizing he didn't even need it.

After visiting what felt like twenty or thirty different stores, Colm was feeling drained. He decided it was time to shift the conversation.

"So, after you both hit up the shops, what do you usually do next?"

Luke shrugged. "Honestly? Not much. Usually, after we run an Echo, it's late in the day, so we pretty much repeat this cycle the next morning. If you want, we've got one more shop to check out, and then we can grab a bite to eat."

Tessa perked up at that. "Finally! Something that actually sounds fun. I'm so bored with going to all these stores."

Luke laughed. "Here, Tessa—why don't you take him over to The Oasis Bloom while I check out the last shop?"

Tessa beamed. "Let's go, Colm!"

Once again, she grabbed his arm, and Colm allowed himself to be dragged away.

Stolen novel; please report.

As they approached The Oasis Bloom, a rich, savory scent filled the air, immediately making Colm's mouth water.

"Holy shit, that smells amazing," he said, inhaling deeply.

Tessa grinned. "This place is one of our favorites. We don't eat here often, so I think Luke was trying to impress you," she teased, giving Colm a playful elbow to the ribs. "Just wait until you see the inside—I think you'll love it."

Colm chuckled as they stepped through the entrance.

The moment they entered, the lighting shifted, the bright sunlight from outside giving way to something entirely different.

Colm rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the surreal sight before him—lush greenery stretched across the ground, wildflowers blooming along the walls, their petals glowing faintly under the soft interior light.

Waterfalls cascaded down the stone walls, flowing into pristine natural pools that shimmered with an almost ethereal glow. The entire space felt alive, a perfect harmony of nature and refinement.

"Holy fucking shit," Colm muttered, completely stunned.

His only explanation for how any of this was possible?

"Magic is insane."

Colm and Tessa sat at a table near one of the waterfalls, the soft crashing of water filling the air. Colm couldn't help but stare around in pure amazement.

"There's nothing like this back home," he said aloud, almost to himself.

Tessa nodded, taking a slow sip from the mug the waiter had brought over. "Funny thing is," she said between sips, "this isn't even the fanciest place around. It's just one of our favorites because it feels so peaceful."

She set her mug down and leaned back. "I'm not sure how they do it, but they've got some kind of spatial or illusion magic at work. You don't see other patrons while you're here, so it feels like you have the whole place to yourself."

Colm blinked and finally looked around, realizing for the first time that—aside from the waiter—he hadn't seen another person in the entire restaurant.

"That's ridiculous. And doesn't that have to be expensive to maintain?"

Tessa waved him off. "Nah. There are a bunch of people in Brimhope who specialize in this kind of thing. Not everyone wants to fight or adventure—some folks just focus on crafting, magic, and innovation."

Colm's gaze drifted toward the waterfall, his eyes locked onto the steady rhythm of water crashing against stone.

I don't think I ever want to go back home… There's nothing for me there.

He exhaled slowly, watching the gentle spray of water dance in the light.

I want to see more of what this world has to offer.

* * *

Colm staggered through the night, weaving his way through the familiar alleyway on his way home. It was late—he had lost track of time again.

"Why am I still here?" he grumbled under his breath.

His thoughts spiraled, a familiar weight pressing down on him.

"Why me?" he muttered. "What did I do to deserve this? Why was I the only one to survive?"

His breath hitched. The ache in his chest tightened into something unbearable.

"Why am I still here?!"

His roar echoed through the alley, bouncing off the walls before fading into the empty night.

A sudden rustle from the shadows made him jolt. His foot caught on something, and before he could steady himself, he stumbled—tripping over a pile of trash.

The bottle in his hand slipped from his grasp and shattered against the pavement.

"Motherfucker," he muttered, pushing himself upright before slumping against the cold brick wall.

He let out a shaky breath, his gaze following the source of the noise—a rat, darting out from the shadows.

"Just a rat," he mumbled, watching as it scurried away.

His eyes lingered on the spot where it disappeared, the alley falling silent once more. The weight in his chest remained, pressing heavier than before.

With a tired sigh, Colm closed his eyes.

And soon, the night pulled him into sleep.

* * *

"Found you two," a voice called from the distance.

Colm turned his head getting pulled from his thoughts, spotted Luke following behind the waiter as they approached the table.

"Thanks," Luke said to the waiter before taking a seat. He turned to Colm. "So, what do you think of the place?"

"Honestly? It's amazing," Colm admitted. "I wasn't expecting something like this."

Luke laughed. "Glad you think so—I was hoping you'd like it. I wanted to take you here as a thank you from both me and Tessa. You've done so much for us, and I don't even know how to properly say it. So, please—eat your heart out. It's all on me."

Colm blinked, caught off guard. He had fully expected to pay for his own meal.

"Tha—thanks, Luke. I appreciate that," he said, still processing the gesture.

Luke nodded as the waiter returned, placing menus in front of them.

Colm stared at the paper menu in front of him, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. This feels a lot like a restaurant back on Earth… I wasn't really expecting something like this.

It's honestly kind of nice, he mused, running his fingers along the edge of the menu. Having something familiar. It makes me feel a little more… grounded.

Or—he thought with a dry chuckle—maybe I'm just going insane, and my mind is desperately trying to find something familiar to hold onto.

Shaking the thought away, he glanced over the menu, scanning each item. Everything sounded amazing, and his mouth watered at the descriptions.

Looking up, he asked, "Do either of you have any recommendations?"

Tessa immediately perked up. "Oh, absolutely! Let's start with some appetizers. One of my favorites is this locally sourced fish—they sear it with a heavy crust so it gets this amazing crunch, but the inside stays soft and flaky."

Colm nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds amazing—let's do that!" He grinned. "Okay, what else?"

As Tessa excitedly rattled off more of her favorites, Luke leaned back in his chair, watching the two with amusement before breaking into laughter.

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