Mountain Devils

Atlas listened to Siavash as he spoke with Mitra before Babak returned with his breakfast, which was several juicy-looking sandwiches that made his stomach grumble. The older man placed the dish in front of him.

After thanking him, Atlas began eating the breakfast with relish. The moment the food touched his tongue, an explosion of flavors delighted him. As he savored each bite, he listened intently to the adults discussing recent attacks along the merchant road near Tajariyah City.

'There are people attacking the Achaemenid army?' Atlas mused with a small smile. 'That's Good. They deserve it, and I will make it worse for them while they are in their empire.'

Ten minutes passed, and Atlas was nearly finished with breakfast when the stranger unexpectedly turned to him with narrowed eyes and questioned in a confused tone, ''Boy, are you from Aridonia? Your aura reminds me of a childhood friend.''