"YOOOO!!! Look over there, man! That stall is selling some kind of mutton skewer!" Ishaan's voice rang out, laced with exhilaration as he pointed toward a vibrant food stall nestled among a crowd of eager customers.
The air was rich with the mouthwatering aroma of spices and grilled meat, making his stomach rumble.
"Bro, just look at that building — you can't make me believe it's not an adventurer's guild," Ishaan pointed at a press house which, with honesty, did look like a guild hub with its huge, imposing structure.
"Ya, that's true, but you need to calm down. If you keep this up, you'll get exhausted, and then I'll have to give you a piggyback ride," Aaron sighed, grabbing Ishaan by the head.
Although on the surface he was trying to relax, he was instinctively scanning their surroundings with a hawk's eye. He was just way too guarded, finding it a bit difficult to enjoy himself in such a crowd.
"Seriously, chill out for once! It's not like anyone here is plotting against you," Ishaan teased, lightly patting Aaron on the back in an attempt to share some of his burning enthusiasm — as if it were a physical force pulling Aaron into the excitement of the moment.
"Besides all the fun we're having, I'm a bit curious about this Reveal Festival. It's such a secure event — makes you wonder why," Aaron said out loud, taking in the magnificent view of the Alps and wooden street shops, kids cheerfully prancing around, the smell of spices and food everywhere.
Ishaan had no system. He just walked — stopped when something caught his eye, doubled back when something caught it again, and generally moved through the market the way a pinball moves through a machine. The smell hit him first — something sweet from a pastry stall, then something spiced from somewhere he couldn't locate, then both at once in a way that shouldn't have worked but did. The stone buildings had carvings, old and detailed, and at some point, he stopped in front of one with mosaics tiled into the arch above a doorway and just stared at it for a full minute without saying anything. Which, for Ishaan, was practically a spiritual experience.
Aaron walked slowly. He always stopped for a brief moment when there was something worth drawing — and Alzaras, it turned out, was entirely worth drawing. He'd filled half a page by the time they cleared the first street. Not the grand things — not the palace towers or the festival banners. The small things. A vendor's hands are sorting through fabric. The way light hit the cobblestones at an angle. A child sitting on a step, watching the crowd go by with the focused expression of someone conducting a very serious study. He didn't know why he drew the things he drew. He just knew when something was worth keeping.
For the first time in a long time, both of them felt genuinely light. Well, Aaron felt light. Ishaan had never felt heavy a day in his life.
"You know, it's been quite some time since I felt so at ease," said Aaron, his guard still up — but just low enough for a satisfied expression to settle on his face.
"I know, right. With everything that was going on, I just feel alive. I wish we could stay here a long time," said Ishaan with a stupid grin.
"Just hoping for some action — this is already like an anime, why not go all the way…"
"SOMEONE HELP!!!!!!!!!" came a low but sharp scream from a dark alley.
"Were my ears ringing or did I just hear a scream?" exclaimed Ishaan.
"Stay away from us," came another voice — different, composed, but afraid.
Aaron's expression didn't change. He just gave the most classic side-eye. "It seems Goddess Lakshmi decided to reside on your tongue at exactly the right moment."
The brothers exchanged a glance. A silent understanding passed between them, and without a moment's hesitation, they dashed toward the sound.
When they arrived at the scene, they spotted two girls — the older one standing protectively in front of the younger. The younger girl's hands were visibly trembling, though she was making a brave effort to keep her composure. The elder was favouring one leg, clearly in pain, yet she stood tall and resolute.
They were surrounded by six thugs — four blocking from the front, two cutting off the back.
"Nowhere to go, ladies. Makes things simpler for everyone," one of them said, his voice flat and unhurried, like this was something he'd done before.
"Well, bro — we can leave, but if I know you, you'll kill me for it. So what do you say? Show them how we Indians fight?" said Ishaan with a smug look.
"Honestly, I just wanted a peaceful vacation," said Aaron, cracking his knuckles. "But I guess what has to be done has to be done."
"Let's show them how the Banerjees fight."