New dawn in depth

"How many times do I have to tell you," "Don't call me by that name in public?" Anzhelina's voice was icily cold, betraying no emotion whatsoever.

Kael snickered, brushing off his light blue Zhiduo and removing a speck of dust n mock annoyance, he grumbled, "Look what you've done! I just bought this new from Gǔ láng zhī dì!"

Anzhelina simply ignored his rant about his expensive clothes. "I can't speak noodles," she replied dryly.

Kael groaned, launching into a childish tirade, attempting to provoke a reaction from Anzhelina but failed miserably. Ash couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for his master. It was difficult to reconcile this immature figure with the man who had lulled him to sleep with music from his sitar, knocked him unconscious with a single punch, and sent him flying with a kick during his early training days.

After a few minutes of nonstop, theatrical complaining, Kael abruptly stopped, settling into a graceful posture. "I'm thirsty," he announced.

Ash's eyes widened. [This guy is fuckingg stupid], he thought to himself.

Kael looked at him, as if he had read his mind. Ash quickly averted his gaze, coughing to himself. Sheesh, that was close.

"Ash!" Anzhelina's cold voice, calling his name, sent a shiver down his spine. He quickly composed himself. "Yes, Madam?" he replied, offering a gentle bow.

"Enough with these formality," she said, her tone sharp, "or has Kael taught you that?"

He looked confused. "Ah, mmm… about what?"

"I'm talking about the head-bow thing."

"Ohhh, that…" He glanced subtly at Kael, who was frantically gesturing for him to stay silent, a mischievous grin playing on Ash's lips. Kael tried harder to shut him up, but Anzhelina noticed the exchange.

Bam!

She kicked Kael high into the air in a comical fashion.

A few children playing in a nearby park witnessed the spectacle. One of them tugged on the sleeve of an old, dwarven man with a long, brown beard. "Grandpa Ohoro, what was that?" he asked, pointing at the sky.

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That was Master Kael," he said calmly. He paused, took a breath, and continued, "He probably messed with Sire Lionheart again."

The children exchanged knowing glances.

Back in the garden, Ash was sweating profusely, his mouth agape. [Is Master Kael dead?] He worried.

"Calm down, Ash," Anzhelina said, her voice as if she had read his thoughts. "He won't die."

"Ah, mmm… yes, Madam, as you say," he stammered, catching himself just before he instinctively stopped bowing again. He really didn't want to make her any angrier.

Anzhelina closed the distance between them, their gazes meeting directly. They were nearly the same height, the eye contact intense. "We caught the person responsible for the slave trade in this district," she stated, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, as if reporting on a minor administrative matter.

Ash, surprised yet again by her bluntness, simply nodded. "So… can we stop the slave trade now?" he asked, a flicker of hope in his voice.

She placed a hand on her hip, her expression unreadable."I can't answer that question," she replied, turning away slightly. "We caught one from our city. I can't speak for other cities. And catching one of them means the others will simply become more cautious and try even harder to hide. But," she conceded, "we can confirm this action will delay their plans."

Ash understood the complexity of the situation, the intricate web of power and corruption that fueled the slave trade. He knew this was just one small victory in a much larger war.

"And!" Anzhelina's sharp tone pulled him from his thoughts.

"Yes?" he replied.

Her fingertips brushed against the hairpin, a delicate spike of dark metal nestled in the intricate folds of her silky white hair. With a slow, deliberate movement, she removed it, her gaze fixed on Ash. Her voice was almost monotonous as she spoke. "The time has come."

"Ohhh," Ash responded.

"Do whatever you wanted to do," she continued, "but…" She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't die. I bid a lot on you."

A faint smile touched Ash's lips. He looked at her casually, as if it were perfectly normal for her to see through him so completely. He couldn't hide anything from her. "Okay, Madam," he replied.

He continued to look at her, a silent question lingering in his eyes. Anzhelina, unfazed by his scrutiny, recognized the unspoken words.

"What is it?" she asked.

Ash scratched his head nervously, as if hesitating. He sighed, a hint of impatience in her expression. "You have my permission. Say what you want to say."

He finally gathered his courage and asked his question.

Anzhelina listened without a flicker of emotion on her face, her gaze calculating. Then he finished, she simply replied, "Sure."

.

Ritso leaned towards Myre, her voice low and conspiratorial. "…and then, Lady Maeve tried to tell me that fire salamander tails were a delicacy, Can you believe it? They taste like burnt rubber, I swear!" She wrinkled her nose in disgust, eliciting a giggle from Myre. They were discussing some trivial matter, a welcome distraction from the tension that had been building in the Underpaths but Ritso's attention was divided.

Suddenly, a metallic clang echoed through the cavern, drawing both their gazes towards the heavy metal entrance. He sound was familiar, a sound that hadn't been heard in what felt like an eternity. A slow, grinding rumble followed, the massive doors inching open.

Ritso froze. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. She stared, transfixed, as a figure emerged from the opening.

It was Ash.

He looked different. Taller, somehow. More defined. The easy confidence he usually had been replaced by something harder, something sharper. His eyes, when they met hers, held a depth she hadn't seen before. He moved with a newfound grace, a quiet power that radiated from him like heat.

Ritso was paralyzed. It wasn't just surprise. It was something more. Awe, perhaps? Or maybe… something else? She couldn't quite decipher the complex emotions swirling within her. She had longed for his return, had counted the days, even the hours, until she might see him again. And now, here he was. But something had shifted. Something had changed. This is not the same casual guy she knew. And she wasn't sure if she was ready for it. The familiar comfort she had always felt in his presence was now laced with a strange, unsettling tension. She couldn't tear her gaze away, even as a part of her wanted to shrink back, to hide from the intensity that now emanated from him. She was caught between relief and trepidation, her mind struggling to reconcile the Ash she knew with the Ash who stood before her now.

Before Ritso could even take a step, Ash was tackled. A small whirlwind of energy slammed into him, nearly catching him off guard. It was Kelly. Almost instinctively, Ash reacted, his movements swift and precise, catching her before she could fully collide with him. Ritso, watching closely, easily recognized the practiced ease of his movements, a testament to his training.

Kelly, oblivious as ever, giggled, her cat ears flapping excitedly, her tail swaying back and forth. "Mista… Mista… Ash, you're back!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

He smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes as he took one of her small hands in his. "Yes, I am," he replied.

Unable to contain her excitement, she responded almost before he had finished speaking. "And… and… Kelly's been a big girl while you were gone, just like you told Kelly to be!"

Ash's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh, really? Kelly's a big girl now, huh?"

She folded her arms across her chest and nodded furiously, a cocky little grin spreading across her face.

Ash couldn't help but chuckle.

Ritso walked over to them, reaching down and lifting Kelly up by the scruff of her clothes. Kelly, clearly displeased by the sudden interruption, pouted at Ritso.

"Hey! Put Kelly down, meanie Ritso!" She protested.

"No," Ritso replied, holding Kelly firmly. "I'm not. Ash just got back. Let him rest first."