Despite having an abundance of stallions within the country borders, much of the inhabitants of CANDEMARO still travel on foot; with the Digmas viewing ownership of horses as a social status. People who can travel on the backs of horses or the wagons they pull can be considered as more fortunate people, traveling through the land by foot-- no matter how long a journey may take-- is seen as a noble action across all tribes. Traveling in general, at least according to Shizuru's narration the early afternoon he and Mirano begins traversing the woods together, is both a passion and an actual profession to Digmas.
The idea of traveling by any means other than walking is a fascinating concept for Mirano, but upon listening to Shizuru, has formed conflicting opinions on the matter. One reason is that he very much enjoys the sensation of the ground on his soles and to mount a horse larger than his stature takes away that pleasure.
"It can prevent injuries, too." Shizuru looks down on Mirano's bare feet with a persuading nod. "The paths across CANDEMARO are quite hostile, even for protected soles."
Mirano follows the Digma's gaze and has become aware of the footwear Shizuru is wearing. It has the same qualities of the footwears he has seen Encantos wear; decorated leather perfectly fitted to an individual's foot. Remembering that the Encantos only own and use one pair, the sentiment has not quite resonated with Mirano and he gazes up at Shizuru, his pace slowing down, and a pout forming on his lips.
"So, these..."
Shizuru slackens his pace as well and points a finger to his feet. "... shoes?"
Mirano nods. "Yes. Do these break?"
"Most certainly! Damaged, is the best word, I believe."
"Then, do you carry an extra pair? You know, in case the ones you're wearing gets damaged."
Scrunching his face, Shizuru pats his knapsack and its contents jingle. "No! There is rarely enough space in my pack to do so. Plus," there is an enthusiastic rise in Shizuru's voice as he looks on to the path they are on.
For a moment, Mirano cannot fathom the reason behind the seemingly happy tone in the Digma's voice. It has gotten even more confusing when Shizuru darts forward, up on the top of the slope. He follows the Digma in a short sprint and stands beside him on the hilltop. Mirano gasps at the view waiting for him below the valley: tall wooden buildings pack several blocks past a large decorated wooden arch, with paved stone roads running between each block; all lined with bright posts and a steady stream of pedestrians and merchants fueled with an incoherent cacophony of business. For a moment, the busy atmosphere has reminded him of one of Hele's Communal Banquets by the fire though the people below coagulate at certain points of the smooth roads instead of collecting in one big area.
"... every town ought to have a shoesmith! Why should I bring a pair when I can get it fixed instead?" Shizuru continues in a holler as he runs down the hill and towards the arch bordering the town's entrance.
Upon entering the town, Mirano cannot stop laying his eyes on everything; from the produce laid out in crates, to each store's signs and decorative awnings. Trailing behind an equally excited Shizuru and navigating past sellers and buyers alike, Mirano finds more and more items he has never seen before. On a normal basis, he dislike basking in the illumination of fire during dusk and the evening, but as the sun sets across the horizon and the flames of the torch on the posts and lanterns become more prominent, the images and scenery he finds within the busy marketplace has only become more appealing. For a moment, he finds himself standing and twirling slowly on the spot, each time, he relishes the intricate logos carved on overhead signs.
"Please do not lose yourself in this kind of crowd."
A hand then grabs Mirano's wrist and he barely twitches at the sudden intrusion. Looking on his side, he finds Shizuru with a reluctant frown on his face.
"Apologies." Mirano gently cups Shizuru's hand, his grin unwavering. "This town is unlike any place I have ever seen. It is beautiful."
"Well, I cannot disagree with the sentiment," Shizuru follows Mirano's gaze to the wooden buildings, mirroring his proud smile as he lets go of his wrist. "However, it is best to be cautious. A town as busy as Macer can tempt you into buying things that are appealing, but not necessarily useful."
"Buying?" Mirano looks at Shizuru, his eyes glistening with curiosity.
Shizuru cocks his head to the right and begins walking. "The art of righteous business has been a Digma's pride. Buying means you purchase an item or service using these." Shizuru reaches into his pocket and shows a few pieces of small, flattened round copper and silver nuggets. "Alk coins. It is the currency of CANDEMARO."
Mirano scratches his head as he catches a couple of copper that Shizuru gently tosses to him. The sensation of the items on his palms is quite light and the two coins tinkle when he clasps it. "This is a complicated concept. I did not know there was another way of doing business other than trading."
At the end of their brief walk across town, Shizuru enters a Panuluyan; a Digma establishment offering temporary lodging and meals to travelers passing through towns. This particular Panuluyan is an enormous wooden house two floors up, smoothened lumber facade with carvings of traditional motifs entice locals and travelers alike. Pushing the wide doors open, visitors lay eyes on a wide lobby featuring a high ceiling. Several wooden beams cut through the ceiling in an even row. Tall glass windows dot either sides of the walls capture the magnitude of the scenery outside, thus the inside features less sources of light, with the counter at the far end of the lobby across the entrance only has a large metal lamp hanging from one of the beams.
Without missing a beat, Shizuru runs past the lobby to the receiving counter and places the remaining coins from his hand-- two silver and a copper-- on the counter. "It looks like you are way more disconnected to CANDEMARO than I initially thought." He mutters to himself as he watches Mirano slowly walk towards him; the Encanto clearly has his curiosity piqued by the high open ceilings of the establishment.
The attendant behind the counter; a lanky man with a face sunken with age, thinning gray hair, and donned in a monotone suit, recognizes the amount of Alk and politely clears his throat to catch Shizuru's attention. "Apologies, young traveler, but we are all out of rooms!"
The lobby is spacious enough for a couple of couches and tables to lounge in and the tall ceiling with the exposed wooden beams-- which mesmerized Mirano-- loom above him as he arrives by the counter. His focus was disturbed when he heard the attendant's declaration, as well as Shizuru's dismayed gasp.
"I thought buying was as simple as what you said." He says with a small, teasing sigh.
Shizuru whimpers, slowly collecting away the coins. "Well, maybe it isn't. Sometimes the service or item you want is unavailable. In any case, we should look for an alternative."
"There's room to rest here, though?" Mirano drapes his arms out to the scale of the lobby, much to Shizuru and the attendant's surprise. "There's even plenty of space up on those, too."
The attendant clears his throat and offers a sheepish smile. "Apologies, but we do not have a price tag for the lobby space or the rafters." A scruffy chuckle follows. "But I must rather say, it is quite an amusing sentiment."
Bowing profusely out of embarrassment, Shizuru pushes Mirano's head down as well. Who in their right mind will offer such a preposterous idea?!?! "I'm so sorry for this! We do not mean to intrude!" How naïve of him to not have properly gauged the extremes of his companion's innocence; though he finds his own expectations of Mirano too much. As he bows, his eyes drop to their feet and the sight of Mirano's bare feet has cleared Shizuru of his future standards... At least to what extent Mirano knows of CANDEMARO, that is.
"Ah, this is nothing to be worried about! In fact, I would love to offer you our last available room for the night. Though I'm afraid it's for one occupant only, so you might have to share the bed." The attendant turns around to get the lone key hanging by the key safe stuck on the wall behind him and places it down on the counter. "Will you take it?"
The two young men peer to the key with its tag reading, "17". Mirano gently lifts his head, gaining a quick glance of the attendant's concerned expression, as well as the cork board full of pinned papers behind him. It must have been something--or the sudden flicker of the overhead lamp-- but Mirano recognizes a glowing red silhouette moving about the board. Thinking it was a threat, he immediately looks at Shizuru, who seems not to take notice of it because he was negotiating with the attendant for something else.
Mirano spares a few more glances back and forth from the board to Shizuru, even going as far as standing on his tiptoes to look beyond the area the attendant's figure was blocking. In the end, he is unsuccessful, though the marvel in the attendant's voice as he and Shizuru shakes hands indicates a triumph in another aspect. Mirano didn't have any time to inquire as Shizuru snatches the key and his wrist all in one hand and drags him up the stairs next to the counter.
"Come on down in an hour's time. Dinner is on the house!" The attendant calls.
"We will!" Shizuru replies energetically.
With large, happy skips, Mirano was not able to marvel at the entryway leading to their room, though the fact that the lantern turned on upon the opening of the door is enough to surprise him.
The room for a single occupant seems large enough for another one, at least for Mirano's standards. As Shizuru throws himself on the white bed, Mirano scans the quaint space, which includes a small square table that fits perfectly on a corner near a window. The chair settles perfectly aligned to it, as if inviting anyone to rest and look out to the busy streets below. A small bedside drawer is set just shy of the door, which Mirano sees Shizuru rummaging a little while after flouncing on the bed.
"What do you seek?" Mirano asks as he tries to settle on the bed, briefly panicking when he literally sinks on the soft foam.
"Toiletries." Shizuru replies with a grin on his lips. He finds the wool pouch and unravels it for Mirano to see. "Have you got any items at Hele to clean yourself with? This is the equivalent of those here in Digma towns, though it may look different."
Mirano leans forward to see the several items that partially spill out of the pouch. All are in an opaque color he has seen only tonight; most of which is unfamiliar to him. A thin, long stick with a strange tip, a small glass vial, and a strange square bar are some of the items that catches his attention. If he ever asks Shizuru about all of these, they might not be able to join the attendant in tonight's dinner.
"I see. Will you go off to clean before we go down to dinner?" Mirano asks.
"I will. It may not look much to you, but I've been out on the road for a while now. And I haven't had the chance to clean myself properly!" Shizuru picks his orange collar and half-retches.
Mirano chuckles. "Oh but where will you go? There is no river near here."
"Don't worry. There is a place in each establishment called a bathroom. Most Panuluyan have communal bathrooms, though, but the expensive ones will have rooms with a private bathroom." Shizuru nudges his shoulders, signaling for Mirano to follow him by the doorway. "See that colored door on the other end of the hallway? Most Panuluyan paint the bathroom door a different color; usually blue."
"Does that mean if I wish to clean myself, I should go there?" Mirano asks.
Shizuru nods. "Every part of a Panuluyan is dedicated for a purpose; bathrooms for cleaning and washing off, dining areas for eating and cooking; rooms for resting. I'm pretty sure the Encantos of Hele does the same?"
"Well," Mirano slowly shrugs. "The Encantos mostly forage and do tasks in specific areas of Hele. Plus, the area near the bonfire is usually only reserved for banquets and ceremonies, so yes."
Nudging Mirano's chest, Shizuru sparks a challenging grin. "Beat you to the door!"
Catching the Digma's call for competition, Mirano lunges forward in a sprint a heartbeat later than Shizuru. He has no desire to win, though. The mere thought that Shizuru shares the same competitiveness as Aiden has made Mirano easily more comfortable with him. As he looks forward to the door they are approaching, the same red glow of a strange silhouette flashes on the doorframe, catching the Unknown Child off-guard, causing him to dig his heels on the wooden floor in an unexpected stop. What was that all about?
By Shizuru's triumphant whooping, Mirano concludes that the Digma didn't notice the glow at all. Still, the unease in his gut pulls him away from the unseen marvels of the communal bathroom.
"I-I just remember to unravel my blades from my belt!" Mirano stutters as Shizuru opens the bathroom door. "Please go on a-ahead..!" He says as he runs back to the room.
"Eh???" Shizuru exclaims in disappointment as he watches Mirano run off. He pouts, but as a former apprentice for a blacksmith, he understands the risk of exposing blades to any liquid. Keeping his pout, he goes inside the steamy room, the door closing behind him.
Aside from several shower stalls lined on one side, the wooden seats and counters make it a perfect spot to lounge for the indoor hot sauna. There are a considerable amount of people inside the bathroom, so Shizuru quickly goes into one of the shower stalls. Peeking across the line and seeing all the curtains drawn, he might as well begin. He worries that if Mirano takes a while unraveling his knives, he might run late for dinner.
Meanwhile, Mirano escapes on the bed, pulling the white sheets over his head as he catches his breath. The silhouette appeared again before his eyes... And he is the only one to witness it. What does that mean? Raking his fingers through his hair, he attempts to call the attention of the void within him. It seems that the uncanny sight has also startled it, though the voice gives no insight of what the glow might be. With a click of his tongue, Mirano pulls down the sheets, inhaling the night air, determined to take matters in his own hands.
Taking one of the blades from his belt as he hops out of bed, Mirano's bloody eyes scan the small room, searching for an area where the glow will possibly reappear. He slowly backs towards the window, where the light from the outdoor lamps concentrates, and looks on where it mingles with the areas it cannot reach. His eyes land on the high ceiling, where the indoor lantern is attached onto the lone wooden beam crossing the length of their room. Even with the string holding it up, the lantern barely lights up the area nearest to the roof.
Mirano circles across the room while keeping his eyes on the beam. With a bend of his knee, he propels himself high enough to land on top of the beam, the darkness surrounding it greeting him with an unsettling silence. There is a significant amount of dust crumbling below his feet and as he twirls on his heels, the action sweeps a small cloud of debris and sends it down to the floor below him. As per the attendant's words, the ceiling is indeed open, with the beams significantly apart from each other and becoming the support for the walls dividing the rooms. Cobwebs also littered the area, though interestingly for Mirano, the wooden parts above do not show any signs of wear.
Finding a beam nearby, Mirano leaps towards it, sending another cloud of disturbed dust while looking around. Finding nothing and his own reaction too much, Mirano sighs loudly, thinking that the circumstances he is currently looking for are not the ones which will prompt the silhouette to reappear. Turning, he prepares to jump back to their room when he catches a glimpse of the other side of the winding ceiling. Call it fortunate of him to keep his body upright, for, thanks to his affinity with the shadows, he has clearly seen the red glow again.
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Seeing that the glow is brightest at that area, and at the silhouette's fluidity, Mirano propels himself to the darkness, his feet barely touching the next rows of rafters as the shadows seemingly carry him to the mysterious glow in a flash. He is but a couple of beams close to the glow when a large circle emanating a different, ancient energy suddenly manifests behind the glow, the immediate flood of light from the outside blinds Mirano momentarily and jerks his body backwards, missing the last beam by the toes and falls down breaking several wooden items in an unknown part of the Panuluyan.
"Serona... Even I do not fall on my back in the Beda Rain--" Mirano was not able to finish his sentence because of a sharp pain surges from his left leg. The total darkness has given him a good, or rather, not so good picture of his leg all twisted beneath a debris of broken wood, fabric, and other materials. With a sneer, Mirano clears out the area near him, propping both palms on the cold floor and gently pushing his body until he was able to stand on his right leg. Finding a wall to recline to, Mirano glances around the isolated space, seeing the numerous clothes-filled crates tightly packed up to the ceiling. He whimpers at its dangerous height, though it has given him an idea of the magnitude of visitors the Panuluyan usually has.
Setting the thought aside, Mirano begins to search for an exit. It must be behind one of those towering pillars of crates, he thought, but having to put aside each and every crate is the worst thing ever; with or without his injury. In an attempt to find an alternative, Mirano looks around some more, pressing a palm on the wall as he slowly moves around the room. Being so focused on his surroundings except the wall, his palm ran through a strange depression and his fingers immediately dive on the gap by accident. Turning around, Mirano finds that the gap is deeper; almost enough for his hand to go in. He slowly pushes his hand in, until his arm is fully inside. It was at this time that his fingers felt the coolness of metal. With a gasp, he slowly wraps his hand around it and gently pulls his arm out of the hole. As soon as he retrieves his hand, a large row of metal teeth immediately closes on the hole; its scratching noise startles Mirano.
When the echoes subsides, Mirano sighs in relief and unravels his fingers, glancing down on a small metal key carved with the same ram symbol he and Shizuru finds on the skin of the journal.
"Oh, I have to get to Shizuru quickly!" Mirano's shoulders rise in excitement of the discovery, however, his left leg spasms, sending another wave of excruciating pain across his body.
Mirano yelps at the sensation, barely clinging on the wall at the process. In one attempt to exit, he faces the wall, tightly secures the Juni cloth around his neck, then pulls out two of his blades with both hands and stabs the wood at the same time. Slowly, he hauls his body weight on one hand, pulls one of the blades and stabs it to a higher position as before. It was a new way of climbing and Mirano is not quite a fan of it, for it seems that the darkness around him is not helping him. What's more, the grueling process makes him knock his leg on the wall at times, sending more surges of pain. By the time he reaches the top of the wall; which is the last beam he has been, Mirano was breathing heavily and laying on the rafter's dusty top.
Grimacing, Mirano slowly turns, glancing below to an empty room. Seeing the bed directly below him, he lets himself fall, the softness of the sheets minimizing the subsequent pain on his body. He exits the room, and turns to the staircase leading down to the dining area. He figures that Shizuru will be delighted in his find, and his excitement gives him the urge to hurry, despite his limping walk.
As he was about to begin his descent to the stairs, a man wearing a dark cloak beat him to it, pushing past his shoulder to go down the stairs first.
Thankful that he is leaning on his left side, Mirano pays it no mind and continues to slowly descend. As he arrives by the entryway of the dining area, Shizuru immediately hollers his name and waves a hand, making it easier for Mirano to spot him in the crowd of diners.
"What happened to you?! This is not what you should look like after taking a shower!" Shizuru exclaims as he approaches Mirano.
"Dear, this is nothing! I have incredible news!" Mirano chuckles.
Shizuru notices Mirano's strange walk and immediately checks his leg. As he confirmed, Mirano was injured. "Seriously, what have you been doing?"
"I fell, but that doesn't matter. This is more important!" Mirano hasn't even sat down when he shows the key to Shizuru.
Shizuru has laid his eyes on the symbol carved on the key and it takes him a few moments to process the situation; taking a couple of glances from Mirano's big grin back to the key. In his realization, he pushes Mirano's head on to the table, closing his arms on his face as he ducks near him.
"H-How... where did you get that?" Shizuru asks in a hushed voice, his eyes darting across the dining area.
"In one room. I-I don't know where it is, but I fell from the rafters!" Mirano answers in the same hushed voice, his words almost incoherent as he gets his cheek squished. "Isn't this amazing? We can unlock the journal now!"
Shizuru slowly lifts his head, his brows creasing in uncertainty. Another of Pan's mysterious relics appeared and coincidentally, Mirano has found them both. It was great for it will lead him an inch closer to Pan, but at the same time, he finds the predicament shameful; for he has not been the one who found either of it. Despite his initial doubt, joy flows in him, as the revelation will indeed give them a higher opportunity to discover Pan's whereabouts.
Shizuru unravels his arms around Mirano and pulls him back to their room; the door of which is wide open. It is a strange one, Shizuru thought, but his attention is more focused on retrieving the journal from his knapsack... only to find it missing. In a wave of confusion, Shizuru tips his knapsack, the items falling down on the bed and clattering above each other. Its echo resonates in the room, and the two young men are visibly confused.
"I knew it! Somebody has infiltrated our room!" Shizuru angrily exclaims after a moment and dashes down to the lobby.
Mirano follows him, though much slower, clutching the key tightly on one hand. "How can you tell?"
But Shizuru has ignored the inquiry. Instead, he stops by the counter in the lobby, where the lanky attendant gasps at the arrival of the rather hurried and furious young man. Shizuru slams the room key on the counter.
"This thing is broken! How can it not alert us of an intruder in our room?!"
Mirano arrives by the counter with Shizuru arguing with the attendant. He settles beside the young Digma, placing a hand on his shoulder, which Shizuru has shoved away. The recoil of the action traveled across Mirano's limbs, making him twitch.
"Apologies, but the room keys are fully functional. It has alerted me earlier of an intruder in a prohibited room and I am on the hunt for them."
"Prohibited rooms?" Mirano repeats while reclining by the counter.
The attendant fixes his collar. "In terms of storage, we have limited access to several rooms in the Panuluyan. One is the pantry within the kitchen and the other... is the stock room within the communal bathroom."
"Do any of those rooms include stacks upon stacks of crates and other numerous items?" Mirano begins to prop himself. His face twists in pain, but he maintains eye contact with the attendant.
The attendant is perplexed at the accurate description, yet he keeps his poker face on. "One of them, at least." He nods slowly.
"If that is the case, I fell in one of the prohibited rooms. It was a terrible fall, too." Mirano replies, showing his injury.
In the revelation, the attendant's face twists to something darker. Shizuru, despite his initial rage, has noticed the change. An ominous aura now hangs in the air and it has raised even more questions than answers.
"By any chance, did you happen to take something within the confines of that room?" The attendant asks slowly.
"We--"
Shizuru drapes one of his arms over Mirano's face, cutting the sentence before it even begins.
"Before this goes any further," Shizuru points to the metal bust of the divine child Halli hanging above the attendant's key safe. "I call forth Halli's trial." he declares, his other hand gripping the room key and pointing its tip to the attendant. "Swear by the blood of our founder; one any Digma will not dare taint, that you will reveal the truth; and nothing but the truth."
"Shizuru, what is.. this..?" Mirano flinches as he painstakingly shifts his weight to his other palm.
Locking eyes with the equally dubious attendant, Shizuru clenches his jaw. Under Halli's trial, a true Digma will be bound to the principle of the divine child. No one will dare to risk the honor of Halli by lying.
The attendant looks up to the bust, retrieves it from the wall, and places it down on the counter. He eyes Mirano. "His tongue is now tied with yours. If the trial deems any of the Encanto's words untruthful, prepare to have your lives ended instantly."
At the acceptance of the trial, the bust emits a faint glow. The attendant nods to Mirano and is the first to ask an inquiry.
"It seems that you are not familiar with the bearings of a simple Digma Panuluyan." he opens his hand to ask for the room key, which Shizuru reluctantly returns. "Our amenities are designed by our brethren from the East, which infuse the metalwork with Sorcery as a way of security and protection. One of a Panuluyan's pride rests within its room keys. Thanks to the Sagra* utilized by Usor Sorcery, the objects are engineered to do certain tasks like detecting unusual movements or flipping a switch."
"Is that one of the reasons why the light in the room lit up when we first arrived?" Mirano asks.
Shizuru nods. "Once the room recognizes its current occupants, it automatically only lets them in; whether or not the key is used to enter or exit the room."
"Then what does it have to do with the room door being open on our arrival?" Mirano asks Shizuru this time.
"When you returned to the room when we were supposed to take a bath, did the light flickered open when you entered?"
Mirano tilts his head, unsure. "Apologies, I have not noticed. I have been too focused on chasing a strange glowing silhouette in the ceilings."
The attendant peers closer. "A strange glowing silhouette?"
"Yes. It appeared a few times since our arrival here. I first noticed it in the bulletin board behind the counter, but paid no attention to it, thinking that it must only be my imagination. But, it has shaken me when it suddenly appeared by the communal bathroom door."
At this point, the narration seems unruly for Shizuru and the attendant. However, Halli's bust did not react, which concludes that, so far, the story is true.
"Did you excuse yourself from our race because of that?" Shizuru asks.
Mirano nods firmly. "Was that too obvious? Apologies if I wasn't able to join you. But! When I returned to our room, I began to think where the glow will reappear and concluded that it might appear somewhere the light is faint, so I climbed in the rafters."
"Where the light is faint... Then the light in our room must be open at that point!" Shizuru exclaims.
"Then, while traversing the ceiling, I saw it again! At the far end! Although now it is moving more fluidly; like it knew I was chasing it... Then, just as when I was able to catch on to it, it made a hole that leads outside and disappeared. The light from the lamps distracted me momentarily and I missed the last beam, and landed in that eccentric room."
Shizuru's brows wish to knit some more at the narration he just heard. He called for Halli's trial to assure that Mirano, whatever he is about to say, will be protected by the truth, but from the events he heard, it seems all superficial that he almost wishes to forgo the trial itself. He glances at the attendant, who mirrors his reaction, and they both look at Halli's bust at the same time. No reaction.
With a tightened jaw, Shizuru glances at the attendant. "You have heard our side. This mysterious glow can be the one responsible for the missing item in our room."
"A glowing silhouette, hm? We are uncertain if such an entity will be capable of holding physical objects ..." The attendant rubs his chin, thinking.
"Wha--!"
"But, considering that it was able to conjure a hole in the wall, it is highly possible if a Usor Sorcerer is involved."
The two young men gasp.
"Then, do you believe us?!" Mirano exclaims.
The attendant raises a palm in defiance. "I still have my doubts. After all, the item you had retrieved from the room entails several questions for you and your purposes as well!"
The attendant nods at Mirano, who understands that they wish to have the key revealed. Sparing Shizuru an uneasy gaze, Mirano slowly raises his hand and places the key on the counter.
Retrieving the key and staring at its intricate symbol, the attendant hums. "Now, this key... How were you able to retrieve it without getting your hand cut off?"
"Huh?"
"... I am not sure what you mean, but the gap on the wall closed when I was able to successfully retrieve this. It has the same symbol on it as the journal I found in the Jigsaw Canyon."
Shizuru places both hands on Mirano's shoulders. "Idiot, why did you--!"
"You seem to have an adequate knowledge of who you are searching for." The attendant gives a small, knowing smile.
A faint click of a holt echoes within the area. Shizuru was the quickest to notice the attendant pulling out his blade.
"What are you going to do once you find its owner?" The attendant's last question rides the air as he swings the blade towards Mirano.
At that point, Shizuru swipes Halli's bust out of the counter, swinging Flaskalf between Mirano's face and against the attendant's blade. In the presence of the golden ornate hilt, the attendant's expression immediately softens to the point where tears began forming in his sunken eyes. Shizuru pushes him away, taking his whole body across Mirano as they fall within a few steps away from the counter.
With a few whimpers, the attendant clamors on the ground across them, bowing in reverence. "T-That hilt... I never thought that I would lay my eyes on it someday... Oh, forgive me, blessed one!"
Though confused, Shizuru keeps his eyes on the attendant, while assisting Mirano to sit up. "Pardon?"
"Pan of the Old Order, the blacksmith who bestowed the world with extraordinary creations... He was the one you seek, right?" The attendant says between sobs. "He said that the wielder of Flaskalf will arrive someday in search of him! It will be an honor to be of service to him! Forgive me for my impudence!"
Mirano inches closer to Shizuru, latching on his shoulders while eyeing the fallen bust of Halli lying on the floor. Within that short exchange, his questions have only piled up, and the answers seem so far away still. His heart begins pounding and the pain in his twisted leg stings some more. What if he does not discover the truth? About him? About Pan?
Shizuru lowered his shoulders at the sight of the bowing attendant. "The utterance is enough. I have seen the possibility that you may know Pan due to these strange occurrences." He helps the attendant up. "While I appreciate your help in unraveling what you know about Pan, we have a persisting issue: Pan's journal has been taken, and we have no idea who might have taken it."
"Of course, these supernatural happenings can only be attributed with the works of a Usor Sorcerer." the attendant shuffles to his feet. "Please, go. Return here when you retrieve it and I shall inform the Panuluyan Owner to cater your inquiries."
Shizuru nods. Finding the injured Mirano trying to stand up, he clicks his tongue and helps him to the sofa. "No, you'll be staying here waiting."
Mirano protests harshly, and when Shizuru tries to make a run for the door, Mirano follows him while limping. He knows, despite the current gap of their speed, that he was staring directly at Shizuru's back, but when he steps outside, he has lost track of him and he is alone bathing in the artificial light emitted by the lamps outside. The initial shower of light sends a sharp sting across his head and Mirano immediately trudges backwards to the wall of the Panuluyan, looking around in search of the Digma.
Strangely, what he found was the tightly shut door of the Panuluyan and the puzzled stare of a cloaked person squatting by the doorway.
The void within his mind erratically stirs the moment their gazes meet. More than the sting of the flames, the voice returns, hollering, "Criminal!"
With not a second to rebut, Mirano throws his whole body to the person, catching them by the torso before they can even stand up. The person yelps and clamors to get away, but Mirano refuses to let go, despite the ongoing flailing is sending sharp twinges of pain on his left leg. In the subsequent brawl, the person is able to stand up and a book drops on the ground as they did. Thinking that they might get away, Mirano pulls a blade from his belt and grabs the person by the neck, pinning their collar by the wall of the Panuluyan.
At the thunk of the blade on the wood, the person freezes on the spot, trembling at the proximity of the blade in their neck. No, that was the least of their fears. What sent tremors in their bones was the vivid image of the young man's bleeding sclera staring past his eyes and through his soul. The man, who, despite their Aeger** in effect, limps out of the Panuluyan, seemingly unaffected by the spell they had casted across the building.
No words were exchanged between them, partly because Mirano was too confused as to why the voice in his mind had labeled this person negatively. It will be rude to ask them directly, but the voice has subsided and the void in his mind is momentarily placid. On the other hand, the person wishes to skid and let their weak knees submit him to the ground out of terror. At the moment Mirano wishes to speak however, the Panuluyan's doors burst open and Shizuru appears shouting for Mirano.
When Mirano calls him over, Shizuru is perplexed to see a mess of a person under Mirano's mercy. The poor person, whose face he cannot see due to the hood over their head, has their clothes pinned by the wall, though their erratic breathing has given away their fear.
"W-What are you doing, Mirano?!" Shizuru did not need to wait for a reply. He also notices the open book lying beside them and concludes by the sigils inscribed on the exposed pages that the person was the Usor Sorcerer after all. "You--!" He grabs the person by the collar. "You're the one who casted a spell in this building, right?! Where have you taken it?!"
The person continues to whine and flap their hands in denial. Shizuru is now filled with rage that he repeats the question while shaking the person violently. Mirano steps away, watching Shizuru. It seems that they caught the perpetrator, but the void has returned to its nervous state. Something is still not within reach. Mirano lifts his gaze to their surroundings. A few people have conjugated near them, watching with curious eyes as Shizuru has eventually scared the person to unconsciousness. In his gazing, Mirano gasps upon seeing the red glowing silhouette manifest again on the wall of an adjacent building. It has a more prominent shape and its movements, which seem to be running away from the scene, is more noticeable. Mirano drags his injured leg and pushes past the small crowd in an attempt to chase it down.
In his pursuit of the silhouette, Mirano arrives at a dim alley leading out to the surrounding forests. In one last appearance, the silhouette glows brightly in the background of the trees. With a click of his tongue, Mirano quickly takes out one of his blades from his belt and shoots it towards the silhouette, but it has disappeared before the blade can reach it; getting lodged on a nearby tree with a prominent "thunk!". Sighing, Mirano annoyingly limps towards the tree to retrieve his blade, frowning at the turn of events.
The lamps' flames dance and the shadows of Macer flicker before Mirano and he watches as his own shadow gently flicker as it reaches to meet the darkness of the woods. He begrudgingly returns to the Panuluyan, determined that he will need Shizuru and his knowledge if they wish to retrieve Pan's journal. He wonders if the Sorcerer he had apprehended can be of help to them as well, though, as he returns to the area, the subsequent sight has reduced his hope for even getting something out of their captive.
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To be Continued...
*Sagra (n.) CAN.,: thought to be the remnants of the energy the divine children used when purging the earth of evil. Utilized by Usors as their main power source for sorcery.
**Aeger (n.) Usr.,: a sub-practice of Usor Sorcery involving the use of spells and curses to inflict to a living or non-living entity. It is the most unpopular branch of sorcery and has been infamously used to do harm than good.