Chapter 3: The Glasshouse

The door opened in front of Tyra and came in a man with a big build. He's wearing a simple brown robe with black inner clothing, a black belt, and a brown leather boots. There was a sword attached to his belt at his left hip. His hair is messy and wet, it is either the man just came from his bath or the liquid is sweat. Tyra inhales and caught a strong manly scent from him. He smelled like grass coupled with the heat from the sun and sweat. *So it was sweat. *Tyra keeps on observing the man that came in without noticing the woman that followed behind him.

The man has a scar across his face, from his right eyebrow down to his left check. Although the scar isn't very deep, it is still noticeable to the ***** eye. Despite the scar, the man's handsome face couldn't be concealed. He had a fair, smooth complexion, black obsidian hair, red eyes that shines like rubies, and  a long perfect nose and lips. The mysterious man got an aura that makes any person in the same room as him had a difficulty in breathing, that includes Tyra. Tyra is currently inhaling and exhaling calmly to relax herself as she's getting nervous as the seconds goes by.

Just who the hell are these people? Are they the children that God had been talking about?

The man in front of her stares and is also observing her. Tyra meets the man's eyes directly. She did not cower before him and stands firmly like a mountain that does not bend no matter how the wind blows through it. A small bead of sweat formed on Tyra's forehead as their staring contest is still going on.

"Woman." The man spoke with his rough, low voice. His face is indifferent.

"Woman, you're the holy priestess-"

"Priestess?! She's more like a witch!" The woman beside him shouted. It seems like the man doesn't like being interrupted and being shouted at as he glares at the woman beside him and the air in the room thickens which makes everyone harder to breath than before.

"Ex- excuse me? Priestess?" Tyra decided to interrupt to get the man's attention. She knew that the man in front of her is not easy to deal with but she couldn't breathe properly and she needs answers too.

The pressure around them was lifted and the woman beside the man keeps on gasping for air as she tried to calm herself down. The two now both look at Tyra with calm gaze as if what happened a minute ago was nothing.

"Yes. You're a holy priestess sent by the God."

"And you need my assistance, right?" Tyra tried to smile weakly but with her appearance right now, she just looked like a creepy witch trying to lure strangers for their liver.

"Yes. *ehem* But you need to take a bath first before we explain the details." The man looked at the woman at his side. "This is Pinchas. She's going to attend to your needs."

The man did not say anything more and left. The woman called Pinchas has pointy ears and grayish ash skin. She has white hair and a pair of yellow eyes. She's wearing a dark blue robe that reminds Tyra of the ocean as she was modeling for a beach resort, a white inner clothing, a black belt and a dark brown leather boots. She looked at Tyra from head to toe and back from toe to head. She continued staring Tyra with a scrutinizing look.

"Uhm...hello. This is just make-up. It'll wash away when I'll have my bath. So where's the bathroom?" Tyra convinced herself mentally that the woman was just staring at her because she was really weirded out and not being rude to her, that's why she talked as politely as she could. She even smiled sweetly while holding her patience.

"So...that isn't your face?" Pinchas asked curiously.

"What?! No. I normally don't look like this." Tyra frantically shaking her head.

"Pfft-! HAHAHAHA! Alright priestess, let's wash you up. Come follow me." Pinchas gestured Tyra to follow her.

Tyra looked around the hallway as she followed Pinchas to the bathroom. She noticed that there are lots of cracks on the wall, but wasn't a single speck of dust nor a spider web. There are vases but there's no flowers in it and the curtains are all worn out.

"Are you an elf?" Tyra asked.

"A Dark Elf to be precise."

"Is there other Elf like you?"

"Yes, there are. A lot of Dark elves lived here and the other Elves lives in the jungles or forest away from here."

"What's here actually?"

"This is Nilar Kingdom, Priestess."

Tyra nodded her head and Pinchas kept on glancing at her and noticed that she keeps on looking outside the window. Her gaze then turned solemn as she also looked outside the window. The scenery was a textbook definition of a wasteland. The trees, land, and plants are all dying. And the heat from the sun helps making the cracks on the land. Without noticing, two women stopped walking and were just looking outside.

"Nilar kingdom is an abandoned kingdom throughout the continent for centuries."

"Why?"

"The land is cursed. It keeps on dying. The mages all around different kingdoms tried to heal the land but after a few months, the same events occurred. No one wants to live here."

"What about you?"

"The ones that lives here are are those with no homeland, Priestess. Some are abandoned, some are driven away by the war between their kingdoms and some are just... no place to be." Pinchas looked away from the scenery and started walking and Tyra followed her. The two women walked in silence until they reached the bathroom.

*

"Priestess, we're here. This is Cace, she'll be helping you with your bath." Pinchas introduced the young maid the seems to be in her early teens. Cace smiled nervously at Tyra. Tyra remembered how she looked and smiled back, embarrassed.

"It's alright. I can do it by myself." Tyra declined being washed by other people. Pinchas nodded at her and looked back at Cace.

"Stay outside the door. Priestess, if you need something, call her."

Pinchas opened the door and salutes her with her right hand on her left chest and bows her head.

"I'll be on my way Priestess."

Tyra walked inside and closes the door. She looked around and saw a big basin filled with water and a stool chair beside it. There was a clean white towel on the stool. She walked towards the basin and stood in front of it. She took of her clothes off one by one and slowly dips her hand into the water. It's cold. But she can't be picky with her situation. She slowly go into the basin and submerged her body into the cold water and started relaxing her body. She started washing her face off the make-up. If only there's a soap in here...

Bang!

The window suddenly opened which startled Tyra. A falcon came in carrying a white kitten with its claws. He threw the poor kitten beside the basin and transformed into a handsome man. The man is charming that Tyra could see white lilies as a background. The man smiled at her and salutes her with his right hand on his left chest and bows his head.

"My name is Falcon, I came her as my lord's instructions, Miss Kerr."

"Wha-"

Knock, knock, knock.

"Priestess? Is everything alright? I heard a loud bang." Cace worriedly inquired from the opposite side of the door.

"No, I'm alright. There's nothing to worry about." Tyra looked back at the man named Falcon, who smiled at her. Tyra did not forgot to cover her upper body  with her arms since she's still having a bath. Falcon reached out from his pocket and take a golden ball-shaped bell out.

"Miss Kerr, this bell contains your second wish. In order to use it, break this bell. That little one is Nora, your guide and guardian."

That's right. I asked my second wish to be useful in this world. I wonder what it'll be.

Falcon pointed at the kitten and Tyra's eyes followed. She saw a kitten with white short fur and shining light blue eyes staring at her. She's wearing a red collar with the bell that resembled what Falcon is holding.

'Hello! I'm Nora!' A cheerful voice of a female child was heard.

"What? Who else is talking? " Tyra looked around to see who's talking.

'It's me Master.'

Tyra looked at the kitten again. Not convinced, she asked. "You? You're talking?"

'Yes, but only you can hear me. I'm only talking through your thoughts, Master.' The kitten smiled at her

"*ehem*...Since I've already state my business, I shall take my leave now. May the light guides you, Priestess."

"Wait! Wait a sec-" Tyra forgot that she's still ***** and hurriedly stood up and got out of the basin.

As Falcon bid his farewell, the wind blows gently through the curtains and he slowly fades away as he closes his eyes in front of Tyra, leaving the bell on the ground. Nora ran towards it and quickly picks it up and excitedly spins around Tyra. Tyra received the bell in her hand and stares at it.

That jerk. As well as that damned God! This really test my patience...

'Break it master! Break it! Hurry up and break it! Nice things will pop-up!'

Well, I hope that nice things will do appear.

Tyra raised her hand that's holding the bell and throw the bell to the ground to smash it. As the bell was broken, it seems that time stopped for awhile and a flash of light suddenly blinded Tyra. When Tyra opened her eyes to look around, she saw that the stone wall full of cracks is now replaced with a off-white painted concrete wall. She continued looking at her surroundings and she smile bigger as she recognize the furnitures.

This is my condo!

"That's right, master!"

Tyra turns her head to the voice and saw that the kitten is now a female child wearing a white gothic clothing which matches her hair with a lot of blue ribbons that matches her eyes. The red collar with the bell is still around her neck.

"This may be looked like your condo but it is also different master. It is a replica of your condo."

"A replica?"

"Yes. And I suggest that you take a shower first master, I will wait here in the kitchen."

Tyra remembered that she's still ***** and hurriedly when inside the bathroom to take a shower.

*

Tyra felt fresh after taking a shower and washing the make-up off of her face. She's currently wearing a cream colored jogging pants and a matching sweatshirt. She contently sips on the hot choco that Nora made for her while sitting across Nora at the dining table. She felt so relaxed that she forgot her situation, until Nora started speaking.

"Master, as I said before, this is only a replica of your condo. please look outside."

Nora climbed down from the chair and walked towards the door and opened it. Tyra followed behind while leaving the hot choco on the table and was shocked to see what's outside the door.

She expected to see the other door of her neighbor and the hallway like what she's used to but what she saw was an open space. The ground was covered in grass and as she continued slowly walking outside, she saw some trees, some she recognized as apple tree, mango tree, and jackfruit tree. As she continued looking around she slowly recognize the place.

Her expression started to change from awe into confusion then sadness. This place was her grandparent's small farm, as what they call it. She continued walking but right now it's faster. She walked fast as she continued to recognize the place and the plants around the area.

This is the little orange kingdom, so twenty small steps from here to the north will be...

As Tyra followed the stepping stones, she saw the glasshouse that she, Lyla and their grandparents shared the most precious memories they have. The glasshouse looked exactly the same as she remembered it. Span-type which has A-shaped roof, it also has a large expanse of glazing on its sides and roof so that the plants are exposed to natural light for much during daytime. Tyra didn't think twice and opened the door. She was greeted by the smell of leaves and humidity. The smell reminds her of the time she spent with her family planting vegetables and other crops in the glasshouse.

"Is this also a replica?" Tyra asked Nora who was quietly following her from behind.

"Yes, master. This is your second wish. This will be -"

*"Priestess? Are you done?" *Cace's voice was suddenly heard by them.

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