Chapter 60: Into the city of Udarr

In the tunnels, before turning to see the couple, Phanes looks at Erebus with tears in her eyes. She never expected that she would get to eavesdrop on such a conversation. She just returned with Erebus and Eric from exploring what is beyond the exit of these tunnels. 

*sniff* *sniff* 

Eric's tears are pouring down like he has lost control over his own emotions. Looking at Eric's uncontrollable tears, Phanes also breaks into her own version of uncontrollable sobs too. Her mix of hiccups and ugly crying sends Erebus to a daze.

Unsure of what to do, Erebus caresses Phanes's hair while she puts her head on Erebus's chest. 

"Oh... ooohhh... Don't cry... it's okay... it's okay..."

Eric looks at them resentfully. He is here with them, but they act as if he is not even there. Doing all those couples stuff when they are bursting in tears because of couples stuff.

He feels pity for himself. This cold world has left his heart in an eternal chill. He might need some warmth to bring his iced-up heart to room temperature. He wraps his arms around himself while making the goal in his head of marrying a loving wife and settling down when he goes out of this wretched place. The hug of love is always the cure. Good thing he loves himself plenty. His tears continue to pour, unloading accumulated dog food from the years of singleness.

They all return to Ian's side once Eric stopped crying and hugging himself.

Ian looks at Phanes and Eric with their puffy eyes.

"Did something happened? Were we wrong about the exit?"

Everyone shakes their head at the same time. A shy blush runs across their face.

They feel embarrassed that they were peeking at a couple confess to each other while all of them are single dogs. Worse, they caught the feels along the way.

"Are we going now?" asks Ian.

"Yeah," replies Erebus, "Judging by the sky from the outside, we would just have enough time to go into the underground city."

Ian picks Kyrie up easily and follows the rest towards the exit of the tunnels. 

As they were getting out of the tunnel into a stone bridge, the sound of water rushing down registers into their ears before seeing the tall skinny waterfalls that surrounded the tunnels' exit. The cliffs are covered in wild and outgrown vegetation. They walk close to the edge of the stone bridge to look at the pit's depth that the bridge was built on. Looking down, they can only see a sight of white from the heavy mist and vapor. 

The old stone bridge seems to be almost on the verge of crumbling down. The bridge is built on top of many cylinder columns that are erected from the bottomless pit. 

The stone bridge leads them towards two paths, one path with a gap in which the stones have already crumbled down. They choose the good path and walk towards the cliff. The path guides them into a spiral of stairs that are built around the cliff. They climb up to find an altar where five statues of the same figure in different poses, the former god of earth, are erected around a circular altar in the middle. 

From the mountain top, looking down, buildings from the city cover the land. They can catch the infrastructure of the city with the naked eye. The large roads that run between the buildings signify one important point for travelers to enter the city - prosperity.

They go towards the circular altar. The altar in the middle has a magic circle that is beautifully outlined in gold. The dwarfs must have used all the technologies for them to create such a magnificent magical circle. The entire component of the circle is made out of gold, shaped carefully for it to work. 

When they stepped in, the circle lits up in blue and gold, and their view in front changes despite none of them blinked. No longer facing the clouds, the mountains, and the vegetation, they look at the white columns graciously and neatly placed in rows. They support the tall ceiling that shelters the open hall. Behind them, the statue of the former god Udarr stands with his spear, exhibiting a heroic aura with his stance and unwavering stare to the horizons. 

The hall extends so vastly that their breaths and murmurs echo. Looking at the opening towards the outside, they look at the lively city with dwarves walking towards all directions - all of them going on their ways with purpose.

"Ah! Be careful, young man!!! You almost step on me!"

Ian hugs Kyrie closer and sees an old dwarf just below him. He wears a dirty apron, with his face and clothes covered in a layer of dust.

"I am so sorry!"

"Hmm… It's fine! Your friend is unconscious! The tunnels must have been hard for you guys…" says the old dwarf.

"Yeah, we just got into the city."

"Then, I will recommend the Blue Moon Inn. They have good food!"

"Thanks for your suggestion, master blacksmith!"

"Hahaha! Can't consider as a master yet, youngster! Well, I am busy, so I have to go. If fate lets us, we shall meet again."

The old dwarf, defying his old age, runs in a hurry within the crowd. 

"Already making friends?" asks Phanes.

"Ah! I almost stepped on him, but he is a kind, old man. He told us that Blue Moon is a good inn."

"Then, let's go there!" says Phanes.

---

The moon hangs unreservedly up in the sky. The busy activity of the afternoon has quiet down. There are only people walking home: some waddling while others dragging their feet. 

The moonlight showers into a room at the inn. Inside, there is a simple desk and a bed. Within the bed, two people tugged in, one facing his back to the other.

Ian looks at Kyrie's back. He touches it and thinks back to the times that his back got injured for his own sake. He places his head on it, and the gentle smell of Kyrie's fresh clothes smooths his overly complicated heart. 

"I want this heavy feeling gone… Why is that I am feeling this way?"

Maybe he knows it. He knows that he is getting possessive, childish, selfish, or whatever anyone can call it. Getting to know that he can also act like that is a first for him as well. 

However, no matter what, he does not want to let go. Kyrie is the only light in his life. The only one who could ever love him for everything - even his annoying weaknesses and insecurities. This short time together has determined almost everything for Ian. He has already stepped inside a path that he knows at least he cannot step back. He can only move forward.

The potion is already in Kyrie's hands. Now, he has to wait to see what Kyrie would say once he is sober. 

He remembers back Kyrie's cute drunk state. He spreads a smile thinking back at Kyrie's silly confessions.

All this time, Kyrie knows that he got the potion from Nate. Yet, Kyrie does not even show any anger or sadness over his selfishness. 

"I will always love you," Kyrie's whisper comes to his mind.

"I don't think I can ever go back to how I was before. I have become spoiled with your affection," Ian hugs Kyrie's waist and buries his face on Kyrie's back. 

"Now, I belong to you…"