Valenca

Eventually, the trees of the mountains began to give way to farms and open fields. As they reached the end of the forest, Sirene stopped and motioned for Julia to come closer.

"Yes?" Julia asked, and noticed Sirene looked a bit serious.

"You best keep that fancy magic of yours hidden." Sirene said in a half-whisper.

"I already know that, why do you think I asked if the road was clear earlier?" Julia countered, whispering as well.

"Just making sure you get it. Come on." Sirene said, continuing to walk.

The sun was low in the now orange sky as they passed through the farmland surrounding Valenca. A shadow of its former self compared to the massive city it was in Sirene's youth, the evidence of former glory was everywhere if you knew where to look, from decaying walls far beyond the current city walls, to remnants of buildings in the fields.

"This city's glory has long since passed, hasn't it?" Julia asked, as she looked around at the ruinsruins, surroundingwhich them.were numerous despite their obvious age.

"When I was in my 30s, this was one of the largest cities in Southern Karand." Sirene said, sounding slightly sad. "They squat in the ruins of greatness."

"Greatness?" Julia asked, as someone waved at Sirene, and Sirene waved back. Sirene looked back at Julia and nodded before speaking.

"Once, this was the capital of the Rozen Republica, the greatest republic of ancient Karand and not just because it was my homeland." Sirene said, almost wistfully.

"What happened to it?" Julia asked, watching as Sirene changed course and walked up to a ruined building not far off the main path. "Did you know who lived here?"

"Nearly nine hundred years ago I had the best meal of my life in this building." Sirene said, placing her hand on the collapsed wall. "By the time I returned to Valenca just 10 years later, it was already a long abandoned ruin. Starting to understand why my master calls my immortality a curse."

"Who's this master you keeping talking about?" Julia asked, approaching Sirene, and sitting on a stone outside the building. Sirene shrugged and sat as well before speaking.

"Lady Eigengrau, the Goddess of Death." Sirene stated quite matter of factly. "Met her for the first time as a teenager, in my hometown."

"A Goddess?" Julia asked, quite shocked.

"Should have seen my face when I met her." Sirene said with a grin. "She came to my hometown."

"Where's your hometown?" Julia asked.

"Long gone." Sirene said quietly. "But we'll go there in the winter."

"You seem quite certain I'll continue to travel with you." Julia said with a sly smile.

"Give me a good reason you won't." Sirene said, playfully punching Julia in the arm. "Come on, let's get going. Dwelling on the past isn't healthy."

"Easy for you to say, you're immortal!" Julia shouted, following Sirene as she sprang to her feet and resumed walking toward Valenca.

Sirene didn't answer and just smirked, continuing her signature unhurried walk toward the city. Julia sighed and kept pace with her. She briefly glanced back at the building and could swear she saw a pair of eyes looking at her from one of the windows, but they quickly disappeared. Shrugging, Julia turned her attention toward the city they were starting to approach.