Wendzar asked, "Is that you, Hyushen?" as he heard soone approaching.
"No! I am Marguel."
"Who?" Why did you enter my chamber?"
"I am the son of the forr priest of Cypriox."
"The priests of Cypriox have no right to have children; that is a violation! In that case, you must be the fruit of the priest's betrayal, the one they call..."
"And you are the king who is greedy for money... aren't you?"
"What are you saying?"
"The king of Thallerion is arriving today, and if you help him, all that I know about you will leak out, and you won't be able to stop it." Marguel left imdiately after threatening Wendzar, exiting through another door.
"What does he know about ?"
Another door opened, and Wendzar was surprised, thinking the stranger Marguel might have returned, but the man had a pale face and a cold gaze.
"Hyushen!" King Wendzar called out, trying to steady his voice. "You've returned from the mission I gave you. It seems you took a while."
"My king, is there a problem?" Hyushen noticed the unusual tension in Wendzar's voice.
"No. It seems you have so friends with you?" Wendzar pretended not to have expected Hyushen's companions. "Why don't you let them in?"
Xerxez entered imdiately, removed his hood, and formally greeted the king of Cypriox. Wendzar's desk was a ss, a sign of the countless ntal battles he had faced before they arrived. Ink was spilled on so of the scrolls. The scrolls themselves slled old.
"King Wendzar!" Xerxez greeted him, looking at him with a gentle expression.
"Xerxez!" It was a political greeting. "Thallerion has co to visit my country!" Wendzar said. "It is really you!"
"My king, I know that King Xerxez has sothing important to tell you. It is an honor for the entire Sanctimum Oprys that King Xerxez chose to speak with you," Hyushen said.
"Let's sit over there in my small space for guests." King Wendzar pointed and tried to tidy up the scattered scrolls. "I apologize for the ss on my desk. It just so happens that this is my busy ti, and with Hyushen gone, I have no one to assist in this difficult situation." So of the scrolls were dusty, a sign they had been on the desk for days.
"King Xerxez, would you like sothing to drink?" Hyushen asked. Xerxez only nodded, indicating he wasn't thirsty but then asked his companions if they were.
"This must be the first ti Thallerion has visited," said King Wendzar, as he sat on a soft chair that matched the gloomy surroundings, but there was enough light in the room. The room was cool and free from outside noise.
"Please have a seat, King Xerxez," Hyushen said. He offered him a seat near King Wendzar.
"I know your purpose here isn't ordinary, especially since you ca here secretly," Wendzar said, looking intently into Xerxez's eyes. "Whatever your purpose, I am ready to listen."
"Do you know anything about a priest who performs forbidden rituals?" Xerxez began. Wendzar and Hyushen were surprised by Xerxez's opening, sure that he had a profound reason for it.
"A priest who performs forbidden rituals?" Wendzar's calm was shattered, and his body trembled upon hearing those words.
"Are you referring to the Shadow of the Crux?" Hyushen asked. Hyushen's understanding was deeper, or his way of speaking was more straightforward, as if he felt no surprise.
"Is there a priest who rebelled in Cypriox and beca obsessed with the power of darkness?" Xerxez's voice was refined, but it trembled, especially as the mory of the monster's appearance ca to his mind.
"Xerxez, why are you trying to uncover the main enemy of the Crux religion?" Wendzar's voice beca clearer. "And why do you know about this? It is a secret that happened throughout the history of Cypriox."
"My son is now suffering greatly because of the magic used by the monster, and the monster revealed the na of the priest who perford the ritual." Xerxez sighed heavily, as if grasping for sothing intangible. "So, I thought that only Cypriox could help find the root of this magic."
"If that's the case, the Shadow of the Crux has indeed revealed itself," Hyushen said. Hyushen knew the Triangle sect in the Barbarian city was connected to the appearance of these strange phenona due to the rituals the group perford. He himself had witnessed how they created magic when he went to Barbarian city and pretended to be a traveling priest. "That monster is possibly connected to the ritual invented by the forr priest, which is now being managed by the Shadows of the Crux."
"That story surfaced a long ti ago. The priest who violated the religious rules was already punished quietly, and the public was silenced from reporting such an event," Wendzar said. "So, I think only the inheritors of the ritual are now performing it in secret." Wendzar said this seriously to Xerxez.
"King Wendzar," Xerxez pleaded with his whole heart to get the attention of the king of Cypriox. "I, as the king of Thallerion, want you to help heal my son through the miracle workers of your country."
King Wendzar sighed. Hyushen also looked at him, waiting for his answer.
"It's difficult for to admit to you, Xerxez, that I cannot help you... what will my fellow kings say if I act alone without their permission? It would be as if I destroyed our alliance."
"But King Wendzar!" Hyushen was surprised by Wendzar's answer.
"I cannot get miracle workers without their knowledge. And I understand Xerxez's purpose; that is why he personally ca to to secretly ask for help." He continued. "The other kings do not want to help unless many people know about it. And above all, they asked for a big price in return."
"Isn't the goal of Cypriox to restore the good relationship of Thallerion with the Crux religion? If all they are after is a good show for the people, what is the point of them being kings in our country!?" Hyushen's brow furrowed, and he pouted in disappointnt.
"I know what you want, Hyushen. I know that now that Xerxez is here asking for help, it is an opportunity to nd their relationship with our religion. It is not as easy as you think."
"I understand your personal reasons, King Wendzar," Xerxez said. "But even if I owe you a debt of gratitude, just help find a cure for my son." Xerxez pleaded.
"For the secret sake of Thallerion and Cypriox, I will help, but not in the sa way you want it to happen," King Wendzar said.
"Anything, as long as it helps my son," Xerxez said.
"Hyushen, as my representative, accompany Xerxez to your ship's harbor in Fercelle, and you will approach a man with a scar on his forehead. Tell the man to take you to the island called Scarlet Mist Island." Wendzar said. "On that island, you will et a man. He is an expert in curses or magic. Please ask that man to help Xerxez." He then sighed. "He is difficult to get along with."
Hyushen agreed, but in his mind, he doubted that sothing was stopping King Wendzar from helping Thallerion, but even so, Hyushen knew that Wendzar was not the type of king who would not find a way. Hyushen also put on a cloak so people would not recognize him, but at this point, he no longer looked like a priest but a missionary of an unknown country. The cloak Hyushen wore was brown, and a pouch of powder was tied to his waist. A small dagger for his personal defense. King Wendzar gave Xerxez a sturdy bow as an additional weapon for their journey to the island. King Wendzar was implying that the sea they were about to cross was not easy or safe. Hyushen was given a small book to study the location of Scarlet Mist Island. That's how Hyushen learned that the island was truly covered in mist and possibly had wild animals.
Hyushen and Xerxez stood at the ship's harbor, observing the large ship docked as people moved inside. Bells were ringing in other parts of the area, and people were noisy because of their business. The sea brought a salty and foul-slling wind due to the rust on the ship's tal rails. A white flag with the emblem of Fercelle was waving at the top of the ship. It was afternoon, so the sun was not too hot.
"Sirs, would you like to buy so amulets?" said a skinny child who approached them. The child was a bit dirty, and his clothes were ssy, probably because they were no longer in Cypriox. "These are strong against evil spirits!" The child said enthusiastically. The stones attached to the small thread string clattered.
"Amulets?" Hyushen was surprised and folded the book, which he imdiately hid in his cloak. He looked seriously at the things the child was carrying and saw that there were engraved symbols on each stone, so smooth and so rough when he held them.
"Yes!" the child said. "These are good protection when you sail the Fercelle sea."
"Igren, are you interested in those amulets?" Xerxez said, finding it hard to believe because he knew Hyushen was religious, so how could he be interested in things outside the context of the Crux religion? The na Igren was a cover-up for his real na, Hyushen, so people in Fercelle would not recognize or know them.
"You're right, Hegoriuz!" Hyushen replied, but he signaled to Xerxez that he was just playing along with the child. Afterward, he shook his head at the boy. "Boy, do you understand the aning of the symbols engraved on these stones?" Hyushen said. "We'll buy them if you can answer what they an."
"Really?" The child said, his eyes sparkling, and he sighed with relief. "How do I even begin...?" he said.
"How much is one of those? I'll double it if you're correct." The truth was, Hyushen didn't know anything about those symbols.
"Alright, you said it, so just get ready with 50 silver pieces for each necklace. How many do you want to buy?"
"There are five of us," Hyushen said. The child smiled.
"Are you serious, Igren?" Xerxez said.
"Of course." He answered Xerxez. "Co on, we're in a hurry, boy." He then instructed the young seller.
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