Took me a while to remember yesterday was the frickin' Thursday! Damn I forgot to update, sorry guys.
Anyway, here is another boring chapter luring you into a deep sleep.

On the walk to Dhia's cottage, Bron could not help but stared at the "X" mark on his hand, and rewinded the latest conversation between him and the shining girl, who was currently leading the way.

***

"What do you mean by "Promised Mark"?"

"Gods take a promise very seriously. Too seriously, perhaps," Dhia started to explain. "When we make a deal and shake hands, this mark will appear to ensure both parties are willing to keep each's promise. Like, if I can make papa change his mind, but you don't give me that gem, the mark will be scorching like Hell, and it will leave a permanently burned mark on your hand."

Hearing those word "burned mark" and "permanently" caused Bron to shivered.

"Scary, huh?" Dhia kept talking as if it was a ordinary topic. "A promise between human and gods, like you and me, ain't rare. Most of whom break the deal were human," her words made Bron looked away out of embarrassment, and his subtle action caught Dhia's eyes. "As long as you follow our deal, we'll be fine, and the mark will be long gone."

She smiled a thoughtful smile, which made Bron felt aware of his self-esteem, and also felt his cheeks heated up.

"Come with me," Dhia turned to her opposite direction, waved at Bron to tell him to follow. "I have a cottage nearby . Can't leave my other half of a promise to sleep out here, right?"

***

And so it led to their situation at the moment, that Dhia in the lead with Bron walking just few steps behind. Thanks to the girl's light, Bron could make out a small cottage's figure at a short distance.

"Home sweet home..." Dhia smiled and mumbled to herself.

"Why don't you live in some fancy place for gods, but choose to stay in the forest?" Bron asked.

"I used to live with my sisters and brothers in the sky," she point upward. "But I got tired of sharing with twenty-five other people, so I came here. Beside, this forest can use a bit more lighting." Dhia giggled at her own joke.

"Twenty-five!" Bron exclaimed. "And here I thought that having six siblings is too much!"

"Trust me, your number is nothing comparing to mine."

"Well obviously."

Dhia reached for the door and pushed it open, signaling Bron to come in first. When he stepped inside, he was surprised that the cottage looked much bigger than its outside. It had a stone fireplace in the middle of the left wall, a wooden chair faced the fireplace and a stack of books right next to the chair. Bron realized that Dhia's living room was covered with knowledge. Shelves after shelves climbing up to the ceiling were full of books, maps and more books. Placed in the middle of the room was a large table, with pens, magnifying glasses, compass and papers scattered on.

"Lend me a hand, please?" Dhia pointed to a roll of paper on the shelf, which seemed to be out of her reach. "I put my ladder away and I really don't want to drag it out again."

"Sure!" Bron took the roll and gave to her. "I bet a king's library is in need for some of your books."

"I'm a collector. When you've lived since the first mountain was created, a hobby is necessary so you won't get bored."

"Impressive... May I ask why you need this paper roll?"

"This, dear prince, is our plan."

Dhia put the roll on her table and spread it out. It was a map, describing quite precisely the Seven Realms.

Now, the Seven Realms was an extraordinary world. From the First to the Seventh, each realm stood respectively to the North of other, forming a long and wide strip of land. There were two gates that led to the sky, where gods and goddesses lived. It was hidden in the beginning of the First Realm and the end of the Seventh Realm. Because Bron and Dhia were already in the Sixth, they would travel to the Seventh and use the gate there.

"That sounds simpler than I thought it would be," Bron raised a brow.

"You think to much," Dhia pursed her lip.

"But it's going to have trouble, isn't it?"

"Well..."

There was one thing left to say. Though both First and Seventh Realm had a gate led to the sky, the process of finding them are different. The First Realm was a very religious kingdom, so the gate was under a huge temple built by the residents there. If one wished to enter the gate, they would need a ritualistic sacrifice, follower by a chanted spell. Overall, the process to open that gate was fairly simple.

And then came the Seventh Realm's gate. It was true that the gods placed a gate in there, yet nobody really found its location. In some cases which they did find it, the way to open it was still unknown.

"I agree that using the Seventh Realm's gate is much more complex, but you don't want to go all the way back to the First, do you?" Dhia's rhetorical question earned a head shake from Bron. "Beside, we may have trouble finding the gate, but how to open it is on me."

"If you said so, then I believe in you,"he needed to put all of his trust in Dhia's plan, if he wanted to suceed.

"Now, both of us have to sleep. It'll be a long journey, and energy is what we need," Dhia rolled the map. "I'll fetch you something to sleep with. Wait here."

Dhia disappeared into her room and came back with a pillow and a blanket for Bron.

"Thank you. Well, goodnight," he received the stuffs.

"In my place, there is no such thing is night."

Having her last joke, Dhia retreated back behind the curtain. Bron giggled a bit, then decided to lied down near the fireplace. Once again, he felt asleep.