Ch 6: The City of Pillars

Samrah and Anne make small talk as they continue on their way. Anne wasn't exactly in a hurry anymore as she slows down to a joy ride. "I believe those are called Vitality Potions." Samrah said, answering a previous question of Anne. "Well, yeah I guess. It is a concoction, and it boosts your vitality. But here we just call them Energy Drinks. Steve really played you there?" Anne asked almost bewilderingly. Samrah only nodded as they recall the recent events. "I understand that he was, playing along with what he thought was my acting... but what I didn't know was that I was the one playing along with 'his' acting." Samrah commented, soon though after the trees have gotten less dense, he noticed in the sky, there was a strange concentration of stars on the horizon. He tried to look closer but just a few inches didn't help the already speeding vehicle heading towards it.

"Those constellations... they seem odd. As if they are artificial. I have never seen the heavenly bodies form such a strange sight." Samrah observed his point of interest. Anne though, chuckled at his conclusion. "Those aren't stars, those are just lights. That's the city." She corrected him. "Your city is amazing! It seems to cover up a whole mountain! No, maybe even three mountains!" He was in complete awe at the sight. He starts to see the vague outline of the shadowy silhouette surrounding the lights. Though the mountain seemed strange to him. "They're jagged, the city has even adopted into the lands, the work of your people are impressive. I've never seen anything like it." He stated. "Oh, if you think that's a mountain, or three, you're in for a huge surprise." Anne smirked as she sped up the car this time. Samrah nearly got used to it but still, he keeps a hold on his staff and the chair, though in a less nervous way and more of a reason to keep himself steady.

They both pass the tree lines and enter into an open road, left and right, it's covered with grass, a field, and a few poles that seems to hold ropes towards other poles, he didn't understand them. Finally though, he got a better view of the city from here. Now that the trees weren't in the way, he was able to clearly see the magnificence of her home. It was massive! "Those aren't... mountains... those are... pillars." He gazed awestruck at the slowly clearing picture of the buildings, even still from afar they already stand to intimidate him, unbeknownst to Anne laughing at his expression. "It looks like they're holding up the sky!" Finally leaned in even closer than he already has. Soon, they finally get real close enough and the 'pillars' began to loom all over him. He started seeing people, other smaller establishments, even what seems to be decorative places as big as a keep! "I have seen castles in my time, palaces and mansions! But those are but little huts compared to these architectural magnificence!" He gestured his hands up to the air but then he forgot he was in an enclosed space and his staff bumped into everything.

"Woah there fantasy boy, don't get too excited. We don't want to break my 'carriage'." She giggled at him. She thought about opening the window but decided against it, so far not wanting to show him to the world yet, knowing about his origin. Samrah continued to gawk at every structure he sees, as if a little kid looking at weapons and armor for the first time. "It's like this in almost every city. buildings everywhere. The tallest one is the tower somewhere in the middle of all this. It's got a viewing deck where we can look down on everything. Maybe we can go there sometime?" Anne asked, Samrah looked back at her with such a joyful smile. "That would be ecstatic!" He replied and resumed his gawking. He also began looking at the road where there were other types of cars other than the one he's in, there were even bigger ones he saw and it almost scared him. He saw shops... stalls... and... he doesn't really know what the others were, oh there was a barber shop though... overall, everything looks so new to him, the design, the sizes, and the atmosphere is also incredible. "This place is so crowded... is there an event? Or a festivity?" He asked.

"What? No, nothing like that. It's always like this, especially in the evening. It's a popular time to be going to malls, eating at restaurants and other things like that you know?" Anne explained without taking her eyes off the road though she would sometimes briefly glance at him just to be polite... or to check him out a little more... "I'm actually on my way right now to a bakery I love, I'm picking up an order before I uh, go home..." Anne informed him. His face though lit up upon hearing the word bakery. "This place has bakeries?" Anne nodded. He was more than excited now... "And of course I'm assuming you like bread... a lot..." She smiled at the thought of the magical elf that's probably from another time period or even another dimension liking something as simple as bread. They drove through the light trafic for about a few more minutes before they reached their destination. It was just a simple, quaint little establishment that's inside a bigger structure. As if the structure was divided into sections, the other one beside it seems to sell some beverages and the other one beside it seems to be closed. Above it though he was unable to see...

"Just wait here okay, I'll just pick my order up, and then I'll go buy some for you too, alright?" Anne got out of the car and left Samrah. She entered the establishment and began talking to the woman on the counter. Samrah waited patiently, knowing when to be curious or when to behave. He doesn't know of this world so he figured it would be good for him to listen. After a few minutes she finally got back to the car and bringing with her is what seems to be a brown bag of heavenly baked aroma. Anne saw how he reacted to the scent of the bread and gave him a light giggle.

"It smells absolutely delightful... but I'm guessing I'll have to wait until we are at your home?" He asked, a hint of restraint and discipline in his voice. "Yup... patience my dear priest mage, your croissants and eclairs will be for eating later. We'll be eating with my sisters after all..." Anne replied with a slight chuckle... but then her smile disappeared as she stared at him... "My sisters..."