<img alt="" src="https://i.imgur.com/5MS1qsQ.jpg" style="float:left; padding:6px;"/><span style="font-style: italic">"Isaiah."</span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">The corners of his eyes crinkled only briefly when Luljeta repeated his name as though it was a name from outer space. He didn't blame her. Of Biblical origin, it was a name quite rare to hear in their time and age. Isaiah hasn't met anyone in Orgun with a name such as his, and he's never felt like his father should have chosen a different name because nobody questioned its origin—after all, the father and son never thought that the name was going to bring threat to their lives. Assuming his name was common, there was a very good chance that the girl didn't know about it. She was sheltered almost her entire life to interact and get to know the people who loved her, loved her enough to wish her a sacrifice in the flesh for Aadhar. That was the irony. <br/><br/>"I'm...feeling well." He also noted some hesitation to answer in her voice, or perhaps it was simply carefulness. The girl sitting beside him was a hardened shell yet lived her life in sheltered haven, he thought to himself, but would she still be feeling this way the day they grow nearer to the fire? His eyes were set on her and he was well aware of the fact that he was openly studying her features, the features of the maiden he knew he has to babysit in their journey. No harm, pain or even fear was supposed to reach her without his allowance. And if she were to resist the fire and the spill of blood the day they reach Broken Peak, then he was instructed to slit her throat and throw her into the core of the earth so that Aadhar is pleased. Murder. How was that not a murder of heavenly punishment? He was both her guide and her henchman, whichever one she chose. And he could do it all for the money, but never murder.<br/><br/>"That's good,'' he replied and turned his head away from her to reach into the bowl of delicious red grapes while she busied herself studying the people who 'adored' her. Of course, he also shook his head as if in slight disbelief when he began to hear the people chanting Luljeta's name with praise.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"And yourself, Isaiah? How are you feeling?"</span><br/><br/>A line appeared between his brows and for a moment he was tempted to believe that no change of heart stood behind her question to him. What did he feel? And why did she care to know anyway? Perhaps for the same reason or reasons he asked the same thing of her in the first place!? He tilted his head slightly and stared into Luljeta's eyes casually relaxed, but seemingly taken a bit aback by the sudden question. "I'm feeling ... I guess I'm feeling fine,'' he responded, voice rising a pitch while the corners of his mouth curved briefly, ''if this is what Aadhar wants, then be it.'' When he paused to press his lips together and chew on a piece of bread, the thought of the fire consuming the woman beside him alive raced through his restless mind, and in a maddening blur. With a lopsided grin, he turned his face to look at her again and had to raise his voice a little louder this time to speak his next words without any kind of hesitation, ''this is an honor, that you were chosen of all and I'm also honored to have been chosen to guide you through this. Aadhar will be very, very pleased indeed.'' Upon saying those words, Isaiah felt like he was being pinned to the ground by something larger than himself. Consciousness? Guilt? <br/><br/>And whatever other words tried to work their way past his lips got lost when the two of them were interrupted. She excused herself after she was pulled away from him by the officiator, as a mandrake root pulled from the ground. Isaiah took a break from eating and reached for his goblet of wine. He sipped his drink slowly while the crowd surrounded Luljeta in the worship of her sacrifice. The floral tones of wine danced on his palette and Isaiah busied his thoughts with other things to do with his future, his work and the potential amount of money he could be getting out of this in order to build his laboratory, and perhaps there was marriage in the horizon too. Wouldn't that make his father proud? Mental preparation was key. <br/><br/>By the time he was finished drinking his wine, it felt as though two decades and a lustrum had passed. He raised his head and knew well where to find her. Luljeta was still standing on the podium, encircled by a bunch of vultures. He knew well that she has lived her life until now, protected, and curtained from others that she didn't get a chance to live her life and he didn't need to imagine how suffocating it must feel to suddenly be in the presence of ... <span style="font-style: italic">all</span> these people. <br/><span style="font-style: italic"><br/>Lord, hell must be empty if all the devils are here!</span> With that thought in mind, Isaiah rose quickly to his feet and passed the crowd, his long cloak sweeping dust and dirt on marbled ground as he moved swiftly until he reached the podium. He was no savior, but if he was going to lead Luljeta to her demise on their descent into infinite darkness, then at least he could give her a chance to enjoy whatever time she had left in Setal, but, definitely not with these bunch of pagan imbeciles. "<span style="font-style: italic">Excuse </span>me,'' he took her hand and pulled her to him as though he was in a hurry to go somewhere. He was now her 'guard' on duty and the people knew that he officially had the control over how he planned to act and react from now on, or where he would want to take her. And so, away from the banquet hall, he led the two of them, then slowed his steps once they've reached the exterior of Pranetra's Temple.<br/><br/>He looked at Luljeta out of the corner of his eye as he stepped away from her. Why not give the desert rose some room to breathe? Isaiah arched a brow while marching slowly and without a hurry towards what looked like a courtyard in the temple, one filled with fruits and herbs, and other necessary ingredients for various rituals. Assuming that she had followed him, he parted his lips to speak once he paused by a candle-lit pool of water. ''You didn't seem too pleased with the crowd back there ... must have been overwhelming.'' He lowered his head to peek at his own reflection.</div><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="https://cdn4.hotelopia.com/giata/bigger/58/583541/583541a_hb_p_001.jpeg"><span style="color: #8080BF"><span style="font-size: 85%; line-height: 116%;">POOL VIEW</span></span></a> <br/><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXphFRXOza0"><span style="color: brown">VISTA POINT</span> (Reprise),</a> Kai Rosenkranz</div>