Heka felt a profound sense of relief as he stepped through the shimmering veil that separated the immortal realm from the human world. The air here was crisp and familiar. It carried the subtle scent of earth and fallen leaves. A stark contrast to the ethereal, timeless atmosphere he had grown accustomed to.
His mind, his thoughts, and his heart were flickering.
This was the world where he was meant to be. Where time flowed in steady and predictable rhythms. Though the immortal realm had offered him comfort and wonder beyond imagination, a part of him had always longed for the tangible reality of human life.
Yet, even as he embraced the human realm, a curious part of his heart remained tethered to the immortal realm. He was fascinated by its mysteries, by the endless expanse of Kiervant Sky and the enigmatic beings who dwelled there.
Marchio, with his radiant and delicate feather he had gifted Heka. It was a constant reminder of that otherworldly place. A place where Heka yearned to understand more deeply.
As Heka settled back into his modest home, a gnawing hunger reminded him of his physical needs. The immortal realm had dulled but never been erased.
He glanced at his calendar. The pages marked with the passing seasons.
The rapid shift baffled him. Time in the immortal realm moved at a different pace. Almost irrelevant, while here it marched relentlessly forward.
"November, winter will come soon. Though yesterday, it was just September." He muttered.
The frustration crept into his voice. The concept of days and months was so simple for humans. However, it felt mystifying and confusing after his sojourn among immortals.
Opening the refrigerator, Heka's belly sank. There was nothing left. No fresh meals, no leftovers. The nearest restaurants were too far for his weary legs. Leaving only the small grocery store down the street as an option.
He wrapped himself in a warm coat and stepped out into the cool autumn air. The crunch of leaves beneath his feet grounds him in this world.
Inside the grocery store, the shelves were lined with countless options. But his eyes were drawn to the familiar comfort of instant noodles and white bread.
They were quick, easy, and reminded him of simpler times. At first, he grabbed a single pack, but hunger gnawed relentlessly.
"I don't think one is enough." He muttered.
He found himself reaching for more. One pack turned into two, then three, until he was holding ten packs of instant spaghetti and 7 of white bread in his arms.
****
Back home, Heka set the stove alight and began cooking. As the water boiled, his gaze fell on the feather Marchio had given him. A symbol of their bond and the immortal realm's grace.
The feather shimmered softly in the kitchen light. Its delicate barbs were a stark contrast to the harsh, mundane surroundings.
With his other hand, he grabbed the white bread. He ate one by one. Without he realized, 3 packs of white bread were inside his belly.
Lost in thought, Heka barely noticed the water evaporating from the pot, the noodles beginning to burn. A sharp smell pulled him back to reality. Hastily, he lifted the pot and transferred the noodles to a bowl, sighing deeply.
"One portion won't be enough." He thought, his hunger unabated. He cooked again, this time adding two more packs, and then a third.
By the time he finished, he had consumed four portions of instant spaghetti. An amount that would have seemed excessive before his journey.
"What happened to me? Why do I feel so starved?" Heka whispered. He rubbed his belly.
The hunger was more than physical. It felt like a yearning for something deeper, something he couldn't quite define.
His thoughts drifted back to Marchio's words. "50 rabbits."
The cryptic order echoed in his mind as he stroked the soft feather in his pocket.
He wondered if he would be allowed to return. "Will he still allow me to visit Kiervant Sky? I really want to live there. What will my life be if I live in the immortal realm like Marchio?"
For the first time since his return, Heka allowed himself to dream. Every time, he imagined soaring through the endless lifetime in Kiervant Sky.
And in that moment, beneath the fading light of autumn, his heart beat with fierce. Unyielding hope of a soul caught between two realms. He was ready to embrace whatever destiny awaited.
***
Heka held the delicate feather given to him by Marchio tightly in his hand. Its surface was soft barbs shimmering faintly in the dim light of The Animal House.
He gazed at it absently, the feather a constant reminder of the enigmatic immortal who had entrusted him with a weird and daunting task.
Around him, dozens of rabbits sat quietly in their cages. Their soft fur and twitching noses were filling the room with a gentle, restless energy.
This was Heka's first time buying a pet. And the experience overwhelmed him more than he expected. He wandered slowly between the rows of cages. His eyes were scanning the myriad of rabbits, white, brown, black, and even some with unusual colors.
The price tags caught his attention, and a knot tightened in his stomach. According to what he had heard from others, the price of a pet, especially one as rare and delicate as these, could be worth millions of dollars. The thought made him hesitate.
But this was not a whim or a simple favor. It was Marchio's solicitation. A command that Heka felt compelled to obey no matter how difficult or weird it seemed.
If he didn't have enough money now, he could ask for more time to earn it. The goal was clear: he had to buy fifty rabbits.
There was something about Marchio that made Heka comply without question. Whenever he was near Marchio, a peculiar calm and certainty settled over him.
As if the immortal's presence wove an invisible thread of trust and obedience around his heart.
Even when the requests were difficult or seemingly impossible. Heka found himself following through, driven by a force he barely understood.
He sighed softly and continued his search. His eyes were scanning the cages until he finally spotted a small group of lilac rabbits.
Unluckily, there were only five of them, nestled together in a corner cage. He knelt down, counting carefully.
"There are only 5 of them, so what about the rest? Where else should I look for 45 of them?" He murmured. The frustration crept into his voice.
Heka reached into his pocket and pulled out Marchio's feather. A small tuft that shimmered with an otherworldly glow.
Holding it up gently, he hoped to calm the rabbits or perhaps communicate something to them.
To his surprise, all the rabbits approached cautiously. They sniff and touch the feather with their noses.
But then, as if sensing something wrong, they suddenly recoiled in fear. They scrambled back to the farthest corners of their cage. One rabbit, smaller and more fragile than the rest, pressed itself against the bars, its eyes glistening with tears.
Heka's heart clenched painfully. He whispered. His voice was thick with emotion. "As you guys know, this feather doesn't belong to humans."
He felt a deep sorrow watching the innocent creatures react so fearfully. So much like the way Marchio himself had looked when burdened by the weight of immortality. Yet, despite his sympathy, Heka knew he could not defy Marchio. To do so would be like inviting his own destruction.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed softly behind him. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a gentle demeanor, approached. Instinctively, Heka hid the feather in his pocket.
"Hey bunnies, what's wrong with you guys?" The shopkeeper said. His voice was warm but concerned.