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[Haspen]

Aliberti must have entertained Maria's thought for a brief while, but silently dismissed it with a wave of hand.

And so they continued on...

...until they reached the market city of Norgala.

What was possibly going to be a small hamlet, was instead a thriving metropolis, rivaling the Zorostrian capital itself, even. Buildings made of stone and brick that had veins of silver glimmering in the sunlight. Tall, sharp towers, as if shaped from twisted, spiralling granite and blackstone.

Emblems - bright green, deep blue, shiny white - decorating every wall of every larger or more-important-looking building in the vicinity. Plethora of voices, peddlers and street vendors offering their wares.

Glass domes over circular buildings, their gates open and crowds flowing in and out. To one such building, Prince Aliberti and his troupe were led by the merchant Hanwas.

There was little natural sunlight as it was blocked by the dome made of thick, yellow crystal panels. Most of the light came instead from lamps, hanging on the walls or standing on the corners of the domed market, illuminating the passageways with varieties of golden, greenish and mauve light. Air was filled with incense, perfume, salt and charcoal aromas all mixed in.

"Ah! The Secondary Market! I love this place."

Between all the passerbies, merchants and guards (of which there were plenty), a man wearing a deer's (or some deer-shaped) skull was heaping incense and raw foods on an altar comprised of rock and bone. Raw foods including a slab of beef and at least several varieties of intestines.

"...Um, is that, is that raw meat?"

"Huh? Oh. Never seen an Altar of Fenvang? The wild god of nature and beasts? Yeah, they're the only ones without a temple in Norgala, so they're conducting the sacrifices in the open."

"Right." Aliberti blinked, perhaps deciding not to question anything in this world anymore.

"The smithing guild I deliver items to isn't far from here." Princess Rosana pried her eyes from the vulgar display.

"That's a plus..."

[Culise]

Irina continued to wobble forward determinedly under the weight of the box, taking in everything silently without speaking.

[Powder Miner]

Giuseppina couldn't help be amazed by this location - but, of course, she figured that any reasonable person would be, right? She'd been to the Zorostrian capital a few times before becoming a retainer of the Prince (as much as her father usually liked to stay on the sea route, land travel was simply unavoidable to reach the best markets the Empire had to offer) and what she was experiencing here was a similar feeling to that. Actually, honestly, this was even more fascinating that Zorestra itself, but she figured that she shouldn't say that out loud.

One thing that really blew her mind was to see silver used as a building material in such quantity. Silver may not have been as rare as gold, especially with the Silver Coast and all, but still, to have enough of it to put in buildings...

Despite her awkwardness and despite the fact that all the incense made her want to sneeze, Giuseppina couldn't help but pipe up almost reflexively.
:"Amazing... Where does all that silver come from?"

[Haspen]

"What, silver? From the rocks, of course. Lead and silver are the two most common metals, after all."

"Are we there yet??" Aliberti asked right after, just as Hanwas stopped.

"Actually, yes." A group of young men flooded out of the nearby building. Hanwas directed them to the boxes and, without asking or bothering to ask, they seized all the crates from Aliberti and his group.

"Master Sinuk will see you?" The shortest, and fattest of the youths spoke, but Hanwas waved at him.

"I trust Nanan Sinuk to handle the boxes while I have a business to attend to. Tell him I will be with him shortly." The fat kid bowed and left after his colleagues.

"Does that mean we're going to the temple of, what was it, Mortis?"

"Indeed! Follow me, it's just down the street."

And it was, indeed, down the street. A large compound with tall, black wall surrounding it, the only entrance being through an imposing, circular building made of blackstone, with the tops and bases of the columns decorated with stone-carved skulls.

Upon closer inspection, the columns themselves, arches and all other joints of the building were meticulously shaped to resemble actual bones.

A giant skull - a real one, this time - was hanging above the entrance gate, staring down at approaching people with two, dark, empty eyesockets.

Hanwas stopped before the gate, a pair of halberd-wielding, caped guards raising their hands.

"What is your business here?" Asked one of them. Hanwas blinked in surprise.

"I, err, well, I'm here to speak with... Sister Dusk... of Norgala." The guards considered his words, looked behind him to glance at Aliberti and others, and then stepped aside.

"Alright. Do not disturb our officers nor the progress of the investigation, or you shall be fined." Hanwas hurriedly nodded and brought the group through now-opened gate.

The inside of the Temple of Mortis was even more creepy and morbid.

Polished black tiles under the feet, and arches, assembled from bones and skulls, above the head. Marble pillars with small skulls on top, the skulls opened and lit candles placed inside to profile lightning.

For such a morbid place, the Temple was bustling with activity.

Soldiers and robed men discussing things between each other, some helping tend wounds of silent, pale girls in blood-red robes. Important-looking men in fancy hats pointing at doors and walls, scribes writing down their words. Something definitely happened here, but merchant Hanwas had no interest in asking questions.

Possibly because of the threat of fines.

He approached a small door at the end of the long, pillaged entrance hall, and knocked thrice on it.

There was no answer.

"Hum hm..."

"Knock again?"

"Knock louder!" Hanwas shot the siblings a glare. Perhaps knocking again is considered impolite?...

[Chevaleresse]

"Patience is best when dealing with unfamiliar people. Particularly powerful ones, even when they strain it." Alexis very pointedly did not look at the royal siblings as she spoke.

[Solymr]

: Is this normal? Something seems off.

[Haspen]

"Definitely a crime of some sort occured. This-"

"ENTER!"

Hanwas looked at the door, and gently pushed it inwards. He entered first, Aliberti and Rosana - and the rest - in tow.

A tall woman, mayhaps in her late twenties, dressed in deep red robe with a hood, was sitting at a large rectangular desk of dark oak. The corners were decorated with human skulls, and the chair she was sitting at had the arm-rests made of human bone. Large bookshelves filled with scrolls and small books lined the walls to the left and right.

Hanwas marched towards the desk, his head low and his hands clapped together.

"Sister Dusk of Norgala!"

"Mister Hanwas. Why are you here again?"

"My skeletons have been destroyed! I am without means to carry my trade!" He stepped aside and pointed his finger at Aliberti. "And this man and his people are to blame!"

"Hey!"

"You know very well it was an accident!"

"Accident or not, have I not spoken the truth??" Hanwas asked, his tone of voice having changed into a louder, confident self.

Sister Dusk was sitting at her desk, looking extremely non-plussed about the spectacle.

[Chevaleresse]

"A colored truth, but yes." She nodded, suppressing a sigh. "We are from a foreign land where the undead are used by those with few scruples. This man was seemingly unconscious on the ground surrounded by them when we encountered him. Fearing the worst, we moved in what we believed was defense of his life. When he explained the situation, we carried his goods to this town in their stead."

[Solymr]

: You could be less dramatic about the literal finger pointing. Yes, we destroyed the merchant's skeletons due to a misunderstanding.

: However, the reason we're here is much different. Prince Aliberti, could you check the mirror, and do you want to explain our mission, or would you rather have one of us explain instead?

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Kostya merely quietly sighs. He was used to merchants tricking him like this. It was an occupational hazard of salvaging such valuable goods.

Still, Kostya was too good a guy not to at least offer to help out, but he really should've suspected this.

[Haspen]

"Accident, then."

"Well-"

"Mister Hanwas of Wanwala. I understand you're highly trustworthy client, but this is six time in this year you claim accidents. We warned you the last time. If you want new skeletons, you will pay for them."

"Of course, of course, but-"

"Full price."

"..." Grumbling, the merchant bowed. "I-I will consider the offer, of course. May Mortis grant you a painless death, Sister Dusk."

"Likewise." Sister Dusk replied as Hanwas, glaring at the group, moved past them and stormed out of the office.

"Well..." An awkward moment of silence followed.

"You have a business with me?"

"Yes, in fact! As one of my... companions mentioned, we're here on a mission. A quest of sorts."

"Oh?"

"A mission of utmost importance for our... country." Prince Aliberti stepped forward. "I'm Prince Aliberti of the Empire of Zorestria, heir to the throne. This is my sister, Rosana, and these are our companions on this very important mission."

"I'm Sister Dusk." Pause. "Of Norgala. So, is your mission to procure skeletons for your Empire's army? Talk with one of the previous monarchs who died suddenly and suspiciously? That seems to occur plenty often lately..."

"No, no, nothing like this!"

"We're looking for an artifact that has been... misplaced, for lack of better word. We've found out that it might be somewhere here."

"How to describe it best, uh, it's, it's a very large gem." Sister Dusk began listening very attentively. "Round, orange like an amber, really big, and with-"

"-three fiery imperfections in the heart of it?" Both siblings gasped in surprise.

"Exactly!... What's the one with three red marks?" Aliberti was already 'on it', browsing the list he pulled from the depths of his armor.

"That would be the Orb of Death..."

"..." Sister Dusk cast down her gaze, as if in thinking.

[Solymr]

: You're already familiar with the Orb of Death? Could it be...?

: Wait, before continuing, there's something that's been bothering me.

: There appears to have been an incident here that has left people wounded. I'm a healer myself, and if possible I would like to help those wounded. I couldn't be standing still in good conscience knowing that.

[Haspen]

"The most improbable of all timings..." Sister Dusk paused for a moment. "As for providing help, do not worry. The clerics of the city are more than competent, and there wasn't much damage dealt."

"There was an incident of sorts, wasn't it? Did, did it involve the Orb??" The hooded woman looked at Aliberti, and then his companions, and then back at him.

"Maybe. First however, I would ask you a question, if I may?" Sister Dusk placed her right hand on a large tome that was lying on her desk.

"Sure?"

"The jewel you call 'Orb of Death' is a powerful item that is capable of dealing gruesome deaths to those that oppose it, or the ones wielding its powers. Do tell me, what purpose your country might deliver from such a morbid item?" A spike of magic could be felt amongst those in Aliberti's group who practiced magic! Sister Dusk was gathering magical power, but why?

[Chevaleresse]

Alexis's hand drifted toward her axe.
"I'd sooner turn it on myself than allow it to be misused, Sister."

[Solymr]

Baruk raised his hands to stop the sudden escalation.

: Calm down. We don't require whatever power it has over death. But we need it to save our home from a natural disaster.