The object in Elaine's hand was a tiny, unremarkable, human-shaped carved piece of wood. Despite having little use, she had always instinctively kept the mysterious item closed to her. Like a dissipating haze, scenes from the peculiar meeting gradually re-emerged from the depth of her memories—the colorless, misty landscape, the miraculous campfire, and the beast hybrid individuals. Elaine's fatal encounter with the Devil Beasts had left her disoriented. After waking up, she had to deal with the consequences and became an unwilling participant in many other situations. The unending crisis state of affairs rendered Elaine in a perpetual survival mode and unable to connect the seemingly apparent dots. Despite the numerous problems occupying her time, the surreal experience remained in a small corner of her subconscious, nudging her curiosity yet always out of reach. However, the sight of the festival's revelers finally lifted the veil, revealing the connection she had been searching for.
Though the animal depictions varied, Elaine recognized many divines from different regions, including the grey wolf spirit worshiped by the Geris Dukedom. However, it was not the universally celebrated deities that piqued her interest. Elaine's gaze focused on those rare few wearing portrayals of less well-known, obscure beings, the current world's primordial Gods and Goddesses. The embroideries on the masks and headdresses bore an uncanny resemblance to those she met in her dream.
A crimson bird, a white lion, a striped tiger, and…Elaine abruptly stopped reminiscing. For some reason, she could not recall the last individual appearance, nor did he ever speak in the dream. Why did they reveal themselves to her? Were the Gods real or just a figment of imagination during her delirious state? Elaine's hand squeezed the wooden doll. The mysterious object appeared at her bedside after she awoke and was the best evidence proving that her mind did not fabricate the event. Perhaps they know the reason for my arrival in this world.
"Is something bothering you, La—Elaine?" Roiland asked, almost falling into his habit. Luckily, he fixed it before receiving Elaine's stern, sidelong glance.
"It's nothing. I am fine." She tucked the tiny object back into her dress pocket. "Let's continue inside the festival."
The Geris Dukedom's Capital, Astria, was a thriving city comparable to Soleias. Merchants worldwide gathered here, trading and selling exotic yet lavish commodities while the residents enjoyed a relatively prosperous and peaceful life. An assortment of sounds and sights assailed the senses, amplifying the festive atmosphere. Up above, continuous polychromatic confetti and flowers' petals twirled in the air like dancers waltzing through the skies. From the variety of storefronts with decorative, colorful signs to the parade of hundreds of entertainers and floats processing down the streets, the celebration was an undeniably spectacular extravaganza.
"Let's participate," Elaine stated, then navigated through the sea of festival goers to a small vendor.
The merchant, a portly man in his fifties with receding hairlines, greeted them with a wide smile. "Come closer and see, little miss. We have headwear representing all the deities from near and far."
"Thank you, mister. My brothers and I will take a look." She turned to face Roiland's and Cecil's curiosity-infused gazes, pointing at the masks. "We shall each choose one. They should help us mingle more with the others."
Her 'brothers' nodded and proceeded to browse the vendor's selection. Fitting with his character, Roiland chose a full-face mask of the War God—a half-human and half-monster visage with red streaks that ran down its cheeks and eyes. Elaine picked a blue-grey half-mask of a minor local female deity. To everyone's surprise, Cecil took more time to reach his decision. He finally pulled a plain black and purple half-mask with unidentified symbols from the bottom of the stacks.
"Who does this mask represent?" Elaine asked.
The merchant was bewildered, not remembering seeing that mask within his displayed goods. He leaned forward to examine the piece but could not figure it out after a long moment. "Sorry, little miss. This might sound embarrassing, but I don't know the answer myself," he sheepishly admitted.
Elaine raised a brow but did not pursue the subject further. The masks were only an additional layer of camouflage. "No matter. We'll take all three," she said, signaling Roiland to pay for the items. "Let's go. Allaster. Theon." Elaine attached the disguise to her face, leading her 'brothers' away.
The merchant watched the peculiar group's figures disappear into the crowd. To him, the three resembled more like a master and her subordinates than siblings.
Elaine stood among the spectators, silently watching the parade for over half an hour before abruptly asking, "I'm hungry. Where is the largest eating establishment in Astria?"
Roiland rubbed his stubble briefly before responding, "That would be the Ynones tavern in the East District."
"Take me there," she ordered.
"Of course, please follow me." Roiland took the lead as they began weaving through the festival attendees.
Although the East District was only a ten-minute walk from the current location, the jam of people prolonged their trip to twice the time.
"Wait for a moment." Elaine suddenly halted with eyes narrowed and ears perked, surveying her surroundings. After a few seconds, she retracted her gaze. Perhaps she was mistaken, but Elaine thought she heard familiar voices. "It's nothing. Let's conti—"
"Let her go, no matter what her station is. She is still a human being." A determined female voice sounded nearby, almost drowned out by the noisy crowds. Astria is the central hosting city for the Primavière Festival. It would not be extraordinary for her to appear here, Elaine concluded. She turned to the voice's originating direction to confirm her suspicion.
Merry Christmas!!! Work been so busy but we can still celebrate with Elaine’s AI concept arts below 😃
Elaine
