Chapter 438 - 431. Explosion of Colors
"The air feels different," Zein stretched out his arms and back as he came out of the plane.
It wasn’t just the air; the temperature too, felt significantly higher. The scent carried by the wind was very different from the Northern Alliance’s cold air.
"So I guess even clean air could taste different," Zein muttered.
"Because the air flows through different things than the other place," Bassena smiled, raising his hand for Zein to take. "The climate, the temperature, the level of pollution...that too, would differ."
"Hmm..." Zein took the offered hand and raised his head, wincing at the scorching sun. "I wonder if the red-zone felt different too..."
He didn’t think so, though. Red-zones always smell of the same thing; a light decaying scent and a slightly burnt sensation. Whatever was different in the air would be overshadowed by the thin fog of miasma, that would gradually get heavier and heavier toward the borderland.
"Does Southern Kingdom have a Deathzone?" Zein asked as they walked toward the car waiting below the stairs.
"In the border they shared with the Western Republic," Bassena replied. "But why are we talking about Deathzones on this vacation?" he frowned and pursed his lips. "This is supposed to be a calm week to get us away from thinking about it. We’ll be there for years anyway."
"Fine," Zein rolled his eyes and patted the esper’s cheek, entering the car which door had been politely opened by the customs officer checking on them earlier. "Thank you."
The car rolled by, and Zein glanced at Bassena who was busy texting on his commlink, probably confirming their hotel reservation or something. He observed the nonchalant face and only after convincing himself that the esper was okay did he start to calmly look outside the window.
Zein thought he would be greeted by the scenery of empty fields flanking the road, but the moment the car exited the airport gate, he was greeted by an explosion of color. Various colors in any shade and level of brightness flashed before his eyes.