The lights of dawn returned, illuminating the entire inverted world in a dim twilight haze.
Vera looked over the edge of the mountain and sure enough, steam rose from below. Like the ground began to boil. But her attention was more focused on the Naren and Cairo.
The two both laid on the grass of the mountain peak of a pillar, arm wrestling. Naren was doing well at first, holding it together against Cairo. He looked up to see Cairo yawning, before slamming his hand on the ground.
"Damn you're tough."
"You strong too dawg."
Vera sat right beside them, completely bewildered looking at the two.
'When did they grow so close.'
————————————
HALF AN HOUR AGO
Cairo stood over Naren right after dropping him. They carried him up the stairs after Vera led him to the mountainous pillar with steps. His gaze was focused entirely on the scarf embracing Naren's neck.
At the same time Naren woke with a start.
"I'm gonna parboil that cool fire guy."
"That's a neat scarf."
They both stared at each other for a second.
"Cool fire guy?"
"Neat scarf?"
————————————
PRESENT
And somehow, just like that, Naren and Cairo were best friends.
Naren held out his wrist, as Cairo slapped it as hard as he could.
"Ow! Hold back a bit man."
"Holding back is the same as attacking your own self."
Naren stared at him for a second.
"Are you a genius."
Cairo looked proud of himself.
"I just might be."
Vera had to rub her eyes to make sure these were the same two from last night. She barely slept, so maybe she was seeing things.
'What does that mean?'
She scooted closer to the two. Taking a seat. Before she even could even open her mouth, Cairo spoke first.
"Did your parents really like seafood?"
Vera was still a bit apprehensive of Cairo, but she was not expecting a question like that.
"W-what?"
"They named you shrimpy after all."
Naren began laughing to himself.
"No Cairo, that's just what I call her."
"Yeah, my names Vera."
Cairo looked a bit disappointed that she wasn't named after food, but accepted her answer.
"So, uhm Cairo. What are you doing here?"
Cairo tilted his head.
"Isn't it the same as you two. I'm tryna become a shaman."
"Actually she—"
Vera covered Naren's mouth before he could speak. She didn't want anyone else knowing she was a witch after all.
"So are you going to atl-ow!"
Naren pulled away from her hand.
"Aren't we already in Atlas, shrimpy?"
"That's what I thought too. Giant hole takes you to the Tomb of Atlas."
Vera pursed her lips, looking at the ground.
"No. Not yet."
Naren yawned. Stretching his hands out.
"I was wondering when I'd find out what my marchen is. Bummer."
Vera looked puzzled.
"Marchen?"
Naren titled his head.
"You know."
Vera tilted her own.
Naren opened his mouth, but then shut it. Yawning instead. Cairo continuing his sentence.
"Trial your Feint tells ya. The one to pass to become a shaman."
"Feint?"
"Shrimpy you really don't know anything do you?"
"The beast you form a pact with is a Feint."
Vera looked conflicted. Sure she heard of shaman before, but this was the first hearing about all the specifics.
"Are you lying?"
Naren chopped her on the head.
Vera grabbed her head, scrunching her face while looking at Naren.
"Ow! What's wrong with you?"
"I just remembered you said I kidnapped you."
Vera's eyes swam as she tried to avoid direct eye contact.
"I-I don't remember."
Naren held his eyes on her before Cairo spoke.
"So how do we get to the Tomb of Atlas?"
Vera straightened up, as she avoided direct eye contact with Cairo. Scooting closer to Naren instead, before pointing off in front of her.
Cairo turned and Naren squinted his eyes to see what Vera was pointing at. There was nothing but the same view in every direction.
"There's a city that way."
Naren leaned closer, to no obvious success in seeing this so called city.
"How do you know?"
Vera took a deep breath.
"I used to shop there...with my mom."
"I gotchu."
Naren was confused though.
"If Atlas was your home and you shopped here. How is this not Atlas?"
"This country was split. Part of it was Atlas, the other we're on. But Atlas sank in front of me. Right at that city."
Naren stood up. Clasping his hands.
"Alright, let's go."
Cairo followed suit.
"Let's do it."
Naren turned to Cairo.
"So what's the plan?"
"You said what?"
"How do we get there? The days burning down there, and the nights crawling with little bastards. So what's the plan?"
Cairo blinked a couple times with his only good eye.
"You stupid?"
"What?"
"You stood up, saying to go. How in the hell will I have a plan."
Naren crossed his arm as best he could with one limp one. His head slumping down with a sigh.
"Here I thought I was with a genius."
"Not my fault I'm with a dumbass."
They kept bickering before Vera finally found the courage to speak.
"Cut it out!"
'I can't have them fight again.'
"Oh, you got a plan, shrimpy?"
"Come on, you really think the lil girl's got something?"
"We'll..."
Vera swayed her knees. Looking at the ground as if thinking, before finally looking up at the two.
"...Have to be careful at night."
Cairo opened his mouth and Vera preemptively closed her eyes, expecting him to shout. But he didn't.
"Alright."
"See I told you shrimpy would help."
"That's not a plan dawg."
"Better than whatever you came up with."
'They agreed?'
Vera muttered to herself: "Are they crazy?"
"Not crazy."
"What're you talkin about."
"Shrimpy called us crazy."
"You're hearing shit, you gotta be crazy."
"Your hearings just bad."
"My hearings perfect."
Vera decided to let the two bicker as she walked away to protect her peace. She sat on the grass, holding her knees close to her chest. The day flashing in front of her eyes:
———————————
A tall woman in a dark coat was walking with a little girl in a dress. They both wore vintage clothes, so did everyone.
Vera walked in hand with her mom, shaking swinging their hands high and low, grinning.
"Mom! Mom! We can get ice-cream after right?"
The woman chuckled.
"Sure honey."
Then the girl blinked. Suddenly she wasn't holding her mom's hands anymore. She was alone. A deep gaping void in front of her, like the earth had split in two, one half falling into the abyss.
She staggered back, falling to the ground as her legs gave way. Breathing heavily. Shaking.
She shook uncontrollably.
Vera closed her eyes and held her hands over her ears, squeezing them shut. Keeping from hearing anything.
"Stop! Don't go! Don't go!"
"Shrimpy! We gotta go. It's night."
Vera opened her eyes. Naren was crouching in front of her, still shaking her, trying to wake her.
"Hurry up. I wanna see the city."
Vera looked aimlessly at Naren for a second before realizing what happened.
'Oh right. That was a long time ago.'
She got up. Naren following suit, walking over to Cairo as his teeth chattered.
"Heat. Heat."
Vera looked over the horizon for a second. The darkness the same as the void that took her mother. Then she walked over to the two.
Vera tugged on Naren's pants.
"Uhm, can you maybe...uh...carry me down."
Naren lifted a corner of his mouth, a puzzled look on his face.
"What?"
"Uh..the height."
"Ohh."
Naren took a look at the edge over the stairs then back at Vera, yawning.
He crouched down.
"I might throw you over."
Vera climbed on, sitting on shoulders, slamming her eyes shut as they took the first steps down the steps.
Naren followed closely behind Cairo, trying to savor his heat in silence. Until Cairo spoke.
"I wanted to say."
"Hm?"
"What was you're name again."
Naren stopped, moving. Vera confused.
'How'd he forget his name?'
Cairo turned back.
Their eyes met, drowned in a beat of silence. Naren's face showed an emotion Vera hadn't seen before. not that she could see it now. A look of disappointed combined with acceptance. With a tinge of loneliness.
"Naren."
"Gotcha."