Sam and Gran are sitting on top of the mountain as they looked at the horizon. The top of the mountain is free of any meteor strikes for some reason, but the view from up there is great.
The meteors that are striking the ground with different elemental energies created different colors with the dark sky in the background, which made it seem like a painting on a canvas, but the painting itself is constantly changing but every change is beautiful.
Both of them are currently recovering and they didn't speak since the race was finished an hour ago.
"I lost." Sam admitted and took out some wine as he offered her some.
"You don't have to tell me that. I know it." She remarked while taking the wine jar.
"You seemed to quite familiar with the route."
"Yes, this is the annual racing route for Sia and me. This is the only day, both of us don't have to wear masks and we race to this mountain top from the city. And we will watch that beautiful scene together."
"Not bad. It might not be my kind of fun. But it is still good."
Gran was silent for a minute and said.
"What kind of journey are you going on?"
"It is a bit complicated. But simply put, it is a journey to spread my name in different realms and make enemies all over. I would be trying to take the heirlooms of organizations and the families that are spread across the realms and serve different gods."
"What do you have against the people who serve gods?"
"No, I don't have anything against them. But I do have something against the gods themselves and in fact they are the ones making me do this."
"Yeah, like gods would come to you and request you to destroy their devotees' places."
Even though she said sarcastically, she is actually pretty spot on.
"Believe me or not, that is the truth. I am going to become stronger and climb the realms. I am sure that I would be quite famous in a few years that even if you stay in this corner planet, you would still be able to listen stories about my exploits."
"I thought your goal was a simple life."
"And everything I do is to attain that simple life."
"It doesn't look like that."
"Why are you asking me all of this?"
"I need to know a few things about where me and my sister are going to work in the future."
Sam was surprised for a second. But Gran continued without minding.
"The race was a test, winning doesn't mean you passed or losing doesn't mean you failed. I am the judge anyway.
But we need some time. There are some goodbyes we need to tell and somethings we need to do. Particularly, the next week. There is no way I am leaving that haul."
"Sure. No problem. I can wait for a week."
"By the way, take care of yourself. There are eight assignments on your head. To steal your weird flying metal board."
Sam raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"That is actually a bit expected."
"And, there is one more thing I need to tell you. My sister wouldn't go to your organization and work there. She would be moving around with me. She would be travelling around with both of us.
You don't have to worry about her safety. She is as capable as me in theft and murder, it is just that she doesn't enjoy the conquest of it as much as I do."
With that both of them waited for the meteor shower to be over and got ready to return to the city.
But as Gran got ready to move the same way she came here, Sam stopped her and took out his dimensional drifter.
"I know a shortcut." He smiled and both of them disappeared from the spot before they reappeared at the city gate.
When they arrived at the city, Sam was surprised to see what was in front of him. The city just seemed to have gone through a chaotic storm. Every property is damaged and a lot of people are injured.
"I thought meteors didn't strike the city."
"They didn't. But the moon folk did."
"Moon folk?"
"The weird creatures. They survive on a low gravity area with very thin air and they feed on the spiritual energy of the land. Every year at this time they want to give birth so they come here to absorb a lot of spiritual energy and give birth here, but most of the time the birthing pods they place here will be destroyed by the meteors, so they decided on safe-zones, but the safe-zones are occupied and they are dead as soon as they came.
Even if by some miracle they managed to survive the meteor shower and people at safe-zone, they would die in the wilderness as they don't have enough power to return to the moon and the atmosphere here doesn't suit them that much.
So, they are weaker here and the beasts would take them for a ride easily."
"They are exactly like some creatures I know, except for differences."
"Anyway, it is no longer our problem. Go to the bar. She must have opened it. I need to go to our home and see wait for the assignments."
With that Sam went to the bar and Sia is waiting for him to anxiously.
As soon as he took the seat, she looked at him closely and asked.
"Are you okay? Are you injured?"
"No, I am alright. By the way, I passed your test and a week from now, you guys are coming along with me So, get ready."
Sia's face beamed in joy instantly and she almost screamed in joy. This caught Sam off guard. He didn't expect that there would be such a reaction from her.
He expected a sadder reaction or an excited reaction, but this much overexcitement is something he never expected.
She went back to the wall of liquors and started making a cocktail.
"Why are you so excited? Are you not least bit sad about leaving this place?"
"I am sad, but my excitement to what the world has to offer me is much more than the sorrow of leaving this place."
They made some small talk as Sia made all of her favorite cocktails one by one and Sam drank them. He almost got drunk a little bit tipsy when he went back to the residence.
"We are done here. I managed to convince Gran. And we even got an extremely special deal."
"So, when are we leaving boss?" Saber Monarch asked. He has been at this, since they came here. He doesn't like the place because there are not many beauties. The only beautiful women they saw are Agar and Sia.
Agar is off limits and she made it clear, Sia is also off limits, because he felt like something is going on between her and Sam, so he didn't dare. And most people apart from them are men. The only solace he found here are some prostitutes.
"We are still going to be here for the week. Since this place has a lot of people from different places. Find someone who can give us information on the next target. Find as much information as you can.
The winner gets a special cocktail from me."
Sam said with a smile and went to cook for himself.
Even though the reward is small, all of a sudden there is a hint of tension in the room. All three of them exchanged glances and left the place immediately.
And for the next few days, they didn't even come to the residence and stayed within the different inns of the city.
Sam visited the bar everyday and talked to Sia or Gran who are working in different shifts.
On third day of the week, Sia is on the duty and she spoke to him with the usual tender smile.
"You know, it is becoming easier to differentiate between you two. Your sister has that look every time I see her, but from her eyes I can see that she wants to swallow me whole if possible, you have that tender smile. It is becoming more and more apparent." Sam said casually.
Sia just chuckled and said.
"I heard from Agar that you gave them a task. I am interested in the reward. Since, I am also your employee can I also participate?"
"You know about this guy?"
"Of course, we actually met quite a few times. There was a time I wondered, if there is any chance that could unravel our mystery it would be him. He was quite adamant about me being Gran for quite a long time and he tried all kinds of methods to find out."
"Seems like an interesting character."
"He is. But I think it would be hard to recruit him."
"Why?"
"Because, that guy fell in love all of a sudden. If not for that, he might even be the easiest hire you would have had."
"Let us go there and find out for ourselves. Now, give me the details and you might get my special cocktail."