Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 197: Reception
In the landscape of the city, it was quite inconspicuous.
The place stood a dozen stories high, made of sturdy, old wood, lined with hundreds of small formations that worked in tandem to keep the structure whole.
From the streets, Uriel could see a large sign perched atop the building, bearing the inn’s name.
[Korynth’s Hateful Inn]
He chuckled. ’What a name.’
He took a step forward, leaving the streets and stepping onto the inn’s entry porch.
It was quite wide, with a couple of chairs and tables for those who sought to eat closer to the chatter of the city, along with a few barrels containing what he assumed to be either alcohol or general storage.
Uriel snapped his fingers, fully drying himself. Then he took a breath and stepped forward, pushing the inn’s saloon doors open as he entered.
He was immediately met by a pleasant, warm gust of air that enveloped him whole.
The inn’s interior was... simple.
To his right, there was a reception desk, behind which a mature lady sat. To his left, a rising hallway of stairs led to the higher floors.
Farther ahead, he could see another set of saloon doors that led to a small bar, where dozens could be heard chatting and drinking.
A rather pleasant smell, both of food and alcohol, wafted from the place.
’I might get myself a drink later.’
Uriel had never had alcohol in his life, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted.
Had it not been for the vultures that Enoch and Ayah had been while in the settlement, he most likely would have already tried it.
And perhaps taken a liking to it.
"What can I do for you, pretty boy?"
A soft, velvety voice echoed across the inn’s small reception hall, coming from the lady he had momentarily ignored.
Turning to her, Uriel smiled. "Hello."
The lady had long white hair tied in a bun, framing her healthy tan skin, marked with a few wrinkles, all shadowed by her radiant golden pupils.
She wore layered crimson robes that barely concealed the seductive form of her figure. In her hand, as she lazily sat on her rocking chair, she held a pipe that burned with smoke.
Laying eyes on her, Uriel felt something deep within him stir, and unknowingly, his smile deepened.
The lady seemed to notice the sharpness of his gaze, and her strict façade melted just slightly as a hint of a smile formed on her face.
Uriel approached until he stood across from her, the reception desk the only thing separating them.
Their gazes met—rose-ivory and gold reflecting into one another. The reception lady didn’t break eye contact as she brought her pipe to her mouth, her lips wrapping around the mouthpiece.
Slowly, she inhaled.
The act made Uriel realize just how full her lips were, and how tantalizing their bright crimson allure was.
’...’
His gaze swirled with something sharp, and he almost seemed to forget what he’d come for.
The reception lady blew the smoke toward him, and it seemed to snap him out of it.
"Hm?" She smiled. "Are you lost?"
Uriel continued looking at her for a few moments. Then, he shook his head.
"No." He peeled his gaze away from her, staring toward the distant bar’s saloon doors. "At least, I hope not."
"Hope?" the reception lady asked, raising a brow.
"Mm. Hope." Uriel’s gaze returned to her. "I’d hate to have to leave so soon."
"There’s quite a lot to appreciate here, don’t you think?"
The reception lady’s smile deepened, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, that I’m sure."
She tilted her head. "Would you like a room?"
"Or do you already have one? Or perhaps you’re here for the bar?"
Her gaze traveled up and down his figure. "You seem a bit young for that."
Uriel let out a faint chuckle as he licked his lips, shaking his head. "No, I am old enough."
"Are you?" she asked, leaning in just a bit more.
His smile widened, but he didn’t answer.
"There’s a little lad named Samael. He supposedly booked a room for me here."
The reception lady kept her eyes on him for a long moment.
Then her gaze shifted downward, and with one hand, she flipped through a few pages of an entry book in front of her, hidden from his sight.
She took another draw from her pipe as she did so.
"Mm. Yes. He’s already paid for everything."
She picked a pair of keys dangling from a board near her and tossed them to him. "Highest floor. Room alpha."
Uriel nodded, but then she threw him a second set of keys.
He caught them with a knowing look, then turned to leave, taking the stairs and heading toward his room.
The reception lady watched him go, each of his steps echoing deeply within her mind, almost matching the cadence of her beating heart.
Unbeknownst to her, she fell into a trance, her heart slowly picking up pace as her core revved and her breath came out in soft swaths of fog, hardly distinguishable from her smoke.
Her golden eyes burned with... intent.
"I hope to see you soon, Korynth."
The echo of Uriel’s voice seemed to snap her out of her reverie. Immediately, she turned away, sneering, barely able to hide the rouge tint coloring her cheeks.
...
Uriel made his way up the stairs.
As he climbed, for some reason, his steps felt lighter, his back looser, his muscles relaxed beyond belief, and his gaze sharper than it had ever been.
’How strange.’
The more he had spoken to the reception lady, the more he felt a foreign source stir within him. And the more it stirred...
’...the less my runic scar ached. That’s an interesting development.’
His thoughts flowed smoothly. ’It also felt... good.’
’But not enough.’ The rouge in his eyes deepened slightly, devouring more of the ivory in his gaze. ’I want more of it.’
’I want... much more.’
Uriel reached the highest floor of the inn. There were only two doors across the entire level, facing one another.
’Room alpha, and room omega. Omega and alpha...What do those things mean again... is it numbers?’
Uriel walked toward room alpha and extended a hand to use his key and open the door—but before he could, the door swung open. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
A familiar figure stood before him.
"Took you long enough!"
